cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mercury β-diketonato complexes—I. Vibration spectra and structure of mercury acetylacetonato compounds

Abstract Three compounds containing only mercury and acetylacetone are obtained as white powders which are generally insoluble in water and common organic solvents. Elemental analyses indicate metal to ligand ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 2:3. The vibrational spectra show that mercury is always bound to the γ-carbon of acetylacetone and is not chelated through the oxygens in any of the compounds. The generation of compounds with various ligand to metal ratios depends upon replacing one or both hydrogens on the γ-carbon of acetylacetone by mercury. If both hydrogens are replaced, the acetylacetonate forms a bridge to two mercury atoms which may in turn bind other acetylacetonato groups. The vibrational spectra of compounds containing acetylacetonate bound to one mercury are distinctly different from those of compounds in which the ligand is bound to two mercury atoms. Further interpretation of the vibrational spectra along with Raman measurements of solutions with various ratios of mercuric nitrate and acetylacetone strongly support the mercury—carbon bonded models.
Perifollicular Transgenic Expression of Human Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein following Topical Application of Novel Liposome-Plasmid DNA Formulations In Vivo

Expression plasmid DNA for the human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) protein was formulated with nonionic:cationic (NC) liposomes or phosphatidylcholine:cationic (PC) liposomes and applied to the auricular skin of hamsters in single- and multiple-dose protocols. Confocal microscopy identified delivery of plasmid DNA proximal to perifollicular cells, and successful transfection of perifollicular cells was identified by immunohistochemistry and ELISA. Skin treated for 3 days with the NC liposomes had statistically significant levels of transgenic IL-1ra present for 5 days post-treatment. Expression of transgenic IL-1ra was specific to areas of skin treated with NC liposomes but not PC liposomes. The results indicate that the NC liposomes can deliver expression plasmid DNA to perifollicular cells and mediate transient transfection in vivo.
A thoracostomy tube for field and emergency department use

A small, easily insertable tube in combination with a one-way flutter valve serves as a quick but effective small chest tube for use in trauma both in the prehospital stage and the emergency department. The dart was effective in resolving pneumothorax in dogs and humans. Paramedics can be trained easily to use it.
A Fully Automatic Hierarchical Compactor

A fully automatic hierarchical compactor has been developed to translate hierarchical, symbolic cell designs into artwork. The hierarchical compactor takes advantage of the fact that a typical hierarchical design uses the same cell in several different places. Each cell is first examined in all of its contexts. The leaf-cell compactor next compacts each leaf-cell to its minimum possible size in its worst-case environment. The last step is to abut instances of the cells according to the original symbolic layout; some grid line spacings may be increased to avoid breaking wires. The compactor is implemented as a set of rule-driven procedures that find all technology dependent information in technology description files. The result of this strategy is a technology-independent compactor that produces compact, error-free artwork.
Current oscillations in near-commensurate systems

The phenomena of current oscillations (CO) in response to a dc field is studied by the one-dimensional damped and field-driven sine-Gordon equation. For low damping we find that kink-antikink pairs survive collisions and CO through periodic boundaries is possible. For large damping CO is possible if the field is inhomogeneous, e.g., at contacts, creating kink-antikink pairs periodically. The results can account for data on charged-density waves and vortex lattice motion in superconducting films and annular Josephson junctions.
Mechanical and acoustical properties as a function of PEG concentration in macroporous silica gels

The pore size of macroporous silica aerogel can be controlled by varying the concentration of water-soluble organic polymers in the sol. These gels demonstrate a wide array of mechanical and acoustical properties in proportion to the organic polymer concentration in the sol. Presented in this paper are the resulting mechanical dependencies upon the concentration of high molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) in the initial sol. Physical properties studied include density, surface area, pore structure, acoustic velocity, and mechanical strength. Most of these properties exhibited a large change when a small concentration of PEG was added to the initial sol, correlating with a strengthening of the solid matrix. Still higher concentrations of PEG progressively weakened the solid matrix. Through examination of the gels containing PEG, experiments have shown an inverse relation of acoustic velocity to PEG concentration while density remains relatively constant.
Hydrogen peroxide stabilization in one-dimensional flow columns

Rapid hydrogen peroxide decomposition is the primary limitation of catalyzed H(2)O(2) propagations in situ chemical oxidation (CHP ISCO) remediation of the subsurface. Two stabilizers of hydrogen peroxide, citrate and phytate, were investigated for their effectiveness in one-dimensional columns of iron oxide-coated and manganese oxide-coated sand. Hydrogen peroxide (5%) with and without 25 mM citrate or phytate was applied to the columns and samples were collected at 8 ports spaced 13 cm apart. Citrate was not an effective stabilizer for hydrogen peroxide in iron-coated sand; however, phytate was highly effective, increasing hydrogen peroxide residuals two orders of magnitude over unstabilized hydrogen peroxide. Both citrate and phytate were effective stabilizers for manganese-coated sand, increasing hydrogen peroxide residuals by four-fold over unstabilized hydrogen peroxide. Phytate and citrate did not degrade and were not retarded in the sand columns; furthermore, the addition of the stabilizers increased column flow rates relative to unstabilized columns. These results demonstrate that citrate and phytate are effective stabilizers of hydrogen peroxide under the dynamic conditions of one-dimensional columns, and suggest that citrate and phytate can be added to hydrogen peroxide before injection to the subsurface as an effective means for increasing the radius of influence of CHP ISCO.
The Adenoviral E1B 55-Kilodalton Protein Controls Expression of Immune Response Genes but Not p53-Dependent Transcription

The human adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) E1B 55-kDa protein modulates several cellular processes, including activation of the tumor suppressor p53. Binding of the E1B protein to the activation domain of p53 inhibits p53-dependent transcription. This activity has been correlated with the transforming activity of the E1B protein, but its contribution to viral replication is not well understood. To address this issue, we used microarray hybridization methods to examine cellular gene expression in normal human fibroblasts (HFFs) infected by Ad5, the E1B 55-kDa-protein-null mutant Hr6, or a mutant carrying substitutions that impair repression of p53-dependent transcription. Comparison of the changes in cellular gene expression observed in these and our previous experiments (D. L. Miller et al., Genome Biol. 8:R58, 2007) by significance analysis of microarrays indicated excellent reproducibility. Furthermore, we again observed that Ad5 infection led to efficient reversal of the p53-dependent transcriptional program. As this same response was also induced in cells infected by the two mutants, we conclude that the E1B 55-kDa protein is not necessary to block activation of p53 in Ad5-infected cells. However, groups of cellular genes that were altered in expression specifically in the absence of the E1B protein were identified by consensus k-means clustering of the hybridization data. Statistical analysis of the enrichment of genes associated with specific functions in these clusters established that the E1B 55-kDa protein is necessary for repression of genes encoding proteins that mediate antiviral and immune defenses.
A framework for structure, layout & function in documents

The Document Description Framework (DDF) is a representation for variable-data documents. It supports very high flexibility in the type and extent of variation supported, considerably beyond the 'copy-hole' or flow-based mechanisms of existing formats and tools. DDF is based on holding application data, logical data struc-ture and presentation as well as constructional 'programs' together within a single document. DDF documents can be merged with other documents, bound to variable values incrementally, combine several types of layout and styling in the same document and support final delivery to different devices and page-ready formats. The framework uses XML syntax and fragments of XSLT to describe 'programmatic construction' of a bound document. DDF is extensible, especially in the ability to add new types of layout and inter-operability between components in different formats. In this paper we describe the motivation for DDF, the major design choices and how we evaluate a DDF document with specific data values. We show through implemented examples how it can be used to construct high-complexity and variability presentations and how the framework complements and can use many existing XML-based documents formats, such as SVG and XSL-FO.
SU-E-I-15: Comparison of State-Of-The-Art Interpolation-Based Metal Artifact Reduction (MAR) Algorithms for Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT)

Purpose: To compare four metal‐artifact‐reduction (MAR) algorithms in their ability to correct the typical streaking artifacts that appear in cone‐ beam computed tomography(CBCT)images.Methods: The goal was to compare the strengths and weaknesses of four MAR algorithms, Basic; Wei; Mazin and Meyer, using typical clinical situations where metal is present. Three clinical situations were evaluated: fiducial markers in the abdomen; hip implants and multiple dental fillings. The algorithms take original CBCT projections as input and produce a corrected image. The location of the metal is identified in the CBCTimages and a forward projection identifies which pixels in the projections need to be replaced by interpolation of neighboring pixels. The three advanced algorithms extend the Basic technique with more sophisticated interpolation schemes. Wei and Meyer identify the high contrast structures using image segmentation in order to reduce their appearance in the projections before interpolation. Mazin corrects the original projections using a forward projection of the Basic correction. Results: All the algorithms reduced the streak artifacts typical of metal structures. Nevertheless, depending upon the clinical task, the algorithms also added shading and streaks which reduced the overall visual impression. Images containing fiducial markers in the abdomen showed obvious improvements; images containing hip implants were improved but also showed distracting shading artifacts; and, images with multiple dental fillings all appeared visually worse than the uncorrected images. In almost all cases, Mazin outperformed the other approaches and introduced the fewest additional streaks and shading artifacts. Conclusions: This work indicates that the Mazin algorithm is best suited for clinical usage of MAR. Furthermore the algorithm is fairly simple and can be computational very efficient making it well suited for clinical use. Nevertheless, the overall improvement is highly dependent on the individual characteristics of the original image. For dental implants no correction is recommended.
The Bordes-LeBreton exceptional case

Bordes and LeBreton have found a set D of weak orderings of X that includes all linear (strong) orderings of X but where there exists a social welfare function f on D N satisfying all of Arrow's (non-domain) conditions. In this paper we characterize all such D and f possibilities.
CuII—diamine complex catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphate triesters adsorbed on strong-base ion exchange resins. 31P NMR relaxation measurements

Abstract The Cu II —diamine complexes, (bipy)CuSO 4 and (tmen)CuSO 4 , catalyze the hydrolysis of p -nitrophenyl diphenyl phosphate (PNDP) adsorbed on a strong-base ion exchange resin. Turnover is observed. The major hydrolysis products are diphenyl phosphate, p -nitrophenyl phenyl phosphate, and the ethanolysis product ethyl diphenyl phosphate (EDPP) which are observed in similar amounts in both the presence and absence of the Cu II —diamine catalysts. The apparent bimolecular rate constants found for the (bipy) CuSO 4 and (tmen)CuSO 4 catalysts are 0.023 and 0.024 M −1 s −1 , respectively. CuSO 4 is inactive as a catalyst. 31 P MAS NMR relaxation measurements of the stable EDPP product reveal that the Cu II —diamine complexes greatly enhance T 1 relaxation, whereas CuSO 4 has only minimal effect. These results are consistent with the complexation of neutral phosphorus esters by the Cu II —diamine catalysts. 31 P T 1 measurements of hydrolytically-stable dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) in water solutions of Cu 2+ , (tmen)Cu 2+ , and Mn 2+ suggest that DMMP exchanges rapidly between inner-sphere and outer-sphere complexes in a nearly identical manner with each of these paramagnetic species.
Surgery for retrocalcaneal bursitis: a tendon-splitting versus a lateral approach.

For patients with refractory retrocalcaneal bursitis (Haglund’s syndrome), the most effective surgical approach has not been defined. We asked whether patients undergoing the tendon-splitting approach and the lateral approach would have comparably effective relief of pain for both types of calcaneal ostectomies. We retrospectively reviewed 30 patients (31 feet) who underwent the tendon-splitting approach and compared their results with 32 previous patients (35 feet) who had a lateral incision. Minimum followup was 12 months (mean, 16 months; range, 12–23 months) for the tendon-splitting group and 15 months (mean, 51 months; range, 15–109 months) for the lateral group. The mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score improved from 43 points preoperatively to 81 points (range, 8–100 points) postoperatively in the tendon-splitting group and from 54 points to 86 points (range, 55–100 points) in the lateral group. The mean physical component score of the Short Form-36, version 2, at followup was 52 (range, 22–61) in the tendon-splitting group and 49 (range, 34–63) in the lateral group. The median return to normal function was 4.1 months (range, 3–13 months) in the tendon-splitting group and 6.4 months (range, 4–20 months) in the lateral group. Both approaches to calcaneal ostectomy provided symptomatic pain relief. However, patients in the tendon-splitting group returned to normal function quicker than patients in the lateral group. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Palynological reconstruction of environmental changes in coastal wetlands of the Florida Everglades since the mid-Holocene

Abstract Palynological, loss-on-ignition, and X-ray fluorescence data from a 5.25 m sediment core from a mangrove forest at the mouth of the Shark River Estuary in the southwestern Everglades National Park, Florida were used to reconstruct changes occurring in coastal wetlands since the mid-Holocene. This multi-proxy record contains the longest paleoecological history to date in the southwestern Everglades. The Shark River Estuary basin was formed ~ 5700 cal yr BP in response to increasing precipitation. Initial wetlands were frequently-burned short-hydroperiod prairies, which transitioned into long-hydroperiod prairies with sloughs in which peat deposits began to accumulate continuously about 5250 cal yr BP. Our data suggest that mangrove communities started to appear after ~ 3800 cal yr BP; declines in the abundance of charcoal suggested gradual replacement of fire-dominated wetlands by mangrove forest over the following 2650 yr. By ~ 1150 cal yr BP, a dense Rhizophora mangle dominated mangrove forest had formed at the mouth of the Shark River. The mangrove-dominated coastal ecosystem here was established at least 2000 yr later than has been previously estimated.
Inhalation studies on the biotransformation and elimination of [14C] trichlorofluoromethane and [14C] dichlorodifluoromethane in beagles.

Abstract The possible biotransformation of trichlorofluoromethane (FC-11) and dichlorodifluoromethane (FC-12) was investigated in 4 male and 2 female adult Beagles after a short (6- to 20-min) inhalation. Dogs were anesthetized with ketamine and succinylcholine, intubated, and ventilated artificially. Trichlorofluoromethane (1000–5000 ppm, v v ) or dichlorodifluoromethane 38000–12,000 ppm, v v ) containing up to 180μ Ci of [ 14 C ] fluorocarbon was delivered from 110-liter Teflon bags, and all exhalations were collected via a nonrebreathing valve in similar bags for 1 hr. Venous blood samples were withdrawn at appropriate times and assayed for fluorocarbon-associated radioactivity. Exhalation bags were assayed for [ 14 C ] fluorocarbon and 14CO2. Urine was collected for up to 3 days and assayed for 14 C metabolites as nonvolatile radioactivity. In some experiments animals were sacrificed 24 hr after exposure and tissues were removed for determination of nonvolatile radioactivity. Essentially all of the administered (inhaled) fluorocarbon was recovered in the exhaled air within 1 hr. Only traces of radioactivity were found in urine or exhaled carbon dioxide. All tissues contained measurable concentrations of nonvolatile radioactivity 24 hr after exposure but together represented less than 1% of the administered dose. It is not possible to determine if these trace levels are associated with metabolites of the fluorocarbons or with the unavoidable radiolabeled impurities present in the administered gas mixture. Neither phenobarbital pretreatment (60 mg/day for 3 days) nor prolonged exposure (50–90 min) produced any alteration of these results. Thus, it can be concluded that FC-11 and FC-12 are relatively refractory to biotransformation after a short inhalation exposure and that they are rapidly exhaled in their unaltered chemical form.
College Students' Attitudes toward Date Rape and Date Rape Backlash: Implications for Prevention Programs

Abstract This study assessed and analyzed undergraduate college students' acceptance of the set of rape myth beliefs expounded by the date rape backlash movement. A 20-item Attitudes Toward Date Rape Scale (ATDRS) was designed to assess favorable and unfavorable attitudes toward backlash movement principles, with emphasis on victim credibility/motivation, gender responsibility for rape prevention, exaggeration of date rape statistics, and rape prevention education bias. Data were collected from 1,143 students on one midsize and two large midwestern universities. Statistical analyses determined that gender, an adversarial attitude toward sexual relationships, political and sex role views, perception of false accusation vulnerability, academic honorary membership, Greek affiliation, and knowledge of a date rape victim or man accused of date rape were significantly correlated with date rape backlash beliefs/rape myth beliefs. These findings highlight the need for sexual assault prevention programming that op...
Using simulations to assess the stability and capacity of cloud computing systems

For applications hosted in a cloud computing system, where there are many servers to handle incoming invocations of the application, the assessment of stability of the cloud is very important for both the planning of new applications and the expansion of existing applications. However, a general assessment is always hard to achieve as there are still no standard definitions of techniques used in cloud computing and an actual cloud computing system could be very large and complex. This paper presents a simulation for a cloud computing environment. It enables an assessment of the cloud's logical stability under various configurations without performing experiments on the actual cloud environment. The correctness of the simulation is verified by the theoretical calculation results of the well known M/M/1 queuing system.
Coronary Catherization Patient and Wife's Perceptions of Social Support: Effects Due to Characteristics of Recipient, Provider, and Their Interaction

This investigation explored relationships between coronary catherization patient and wife's characteristics and their perceptions of social support. Participants were 124 male patients undergoing diagnostic catherization to detect coronary artery disease (CAD) and their wives. Patients and wives' mean ages were fifty-nine and fifty-six years, respectively. While visiting the hospital both patient and wile independently completed a brief questionnaire that assessed psychological and physical health characteristics and perceptions of social support. Congruent with the interdependent and overlapping contexts, and reciprocal relationships assumptions of Revenson's (1994) ecological/ contextual framework, results suggested characteristics of patients and wives (e.g., age, mental health, social functioning, hostility, depression, general perceived health) to interactively moderate their perceptions of social support. Overall, perceptions of social support were found to be influenced by characteristics of the perceiver, the support provider, and their interaction. Concerns for supportive and helpful caregiving are discussed.
Resonance raman spectrum of sirohydrochlorin in desulfoviridin from Desulfovibrio gigas

Resonance Raman spectra with excitations in the Soret region are reported for desulfoviridin, the sulfite reductase from Desulfovibrio gigas. Desulfoviridin contains sirohydrochlorin, a hydroporphyrin of the type isobacteriochlorin. The typical spectrum shows a large number of bands, with the prominent v4* mode at 1336 cm−1. Using perturbation and group theories, we were able to develop some conceptual understanding of the in-plane vibration modes of isobacteriochlorin. This has enabled us to arrive at the tentative conclusion that the sirohydrochlorin prosthetic groups in desulfoviridin are not coupled to any metal ion(s).
NAVOCEANO survey 2010 vision and reality….How close are they?

This paper compares the vision created in 1998 of the predicted future of Naval Oceanographic Office surveys in 2010 with the actual implementations of the technology in 2010. This paper explores several technology areas (communication, autonomous vehicles, airborne oceanography, hydrography/bathymetry, physical oceanography, and acoustics) examined while envisioning the future of Navy ocean surveys in 1998 and compares the predictions to the realities of today.
Clinical Significance of Fever After Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy

Abstract Objectives. In the immediate postoperative period after percutaneous stone removal, body temperature elevations are common. Pyrexia after a percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) generates concern because of the possibility of urinary extravasation and bacteremia. We reviewed our experience with PCNL to determine the clinical significance of a postoperative fever before discharge from the hospital. Methods. Between July 1994 and December 1996, 63 patients underwent 69 PCNLs. Each had documented negative urine cultures preoperatively and received prophylactic antibiotics at the time of surgery. For each case, clinical and operative charts were reviewed to determine stone composition, fever during hospital stay, postoperative bacteriologic cultures, postoperative white blood cell count (WBC), and clinical course. Results. Complete data were available for 66 procedures. Eight patients (12%) had at least one body temperature reading between 38.0 and 38.5°C. Eleven patients (16.7%) had at least one temperature greater than 38.5°C. Each patient with a temperature greater than 38.5°C was hemodynamically stable with negative blood and urine cultures. No patient with a fever between 38.0 and 38.5°C was cultured. Stone analysis did not demonstrate any association between postoperative fever and stone composition (including 22 struvite stones). Postoperative WBC also did not predict pyrexia. Fever alone did not prolong hospital stay. Conclusions. In patients with negative urine cultures who are prophylaxed with immediate preoperative antibiotics and maintained on postoperative antibiotics, pyrexia after PCNL does not require an immediate bacteriologic evaluation in those who are hemodynamically stable.
DETECTION OF ANOMALOUS MACHINING DAMAGES IN INCONEL 718 AND TI 6–4 BY EDDY CURRENT TECHNIQUES

This paper reports on an eddy current (EC) study aimed at detecting anomalous machining damages in Inconel 718 and Ti 6–4 samples, including (i) surface discontinuities such as re‐depositing of chips onto the machined surface, and (ii) microstructural damages manifested as a white surface layer and a subsurface layer of distorted grains, typically tens of microns thick. A series of pristine and machine‐damaged coupons were studied by EC scans using a differential probe operated at 2 MHz to detect discontinuous surface anomalies, and by swept high frequency EC (SHFEC) measurements from 0.5 MHz to 65.5 MHz using proprietary detection coils to detect surface microstructural damages. In general, the EC c‐scan data from machine‐damaged surfaces show spatial variations with larger standard deviations than those from the undamaged surfaces. In some cases, the c‐scan images exhibit characteristic bipolar indications in good spatial correlation with surface anomalies revealed by optical microscopy and laser profilometry. Results of the SHFEC measurements indicate a reduced near‐surface conductivity of the damaged surfaces compared to the undamaged surfaces.
Incretin-Based Therapies in Complex Patients: Practical Implications and Opportunities for Maximizing Clinical Outcomes: A Discussion with Dr. Vivian A. Fonseca

Abstract Elderly patients and patients with renal impairment present unique challenges in the management of diabetes mellitus. Impaired renal function is a common comorbidity (or complication) associated with type 2 diabetes, as well as a complicating factor in the treatment of the disease. Renal insufficiency, which can result in elevated plasma concentrations of pharmaceutical agents, may preclude the use of some antihyperglycemic medications and require that the dosages of others be reduced. Failure to select and dose medications carefully in these patients may increase the risk of hypoglycemia and other adverse effects. For example, elevated plasma concentrations of some sulfonylureas may increase the risk of hypoglycemia. Because patients with chronic renal insufficiency tend to retain fluids, treatment with a thiazolidinedione—a class of agents associated with fluid retention—may exacerbate the risk of edema. Older patients with type 2 diabetes—like patients with renal insufficiency an important and populous subgroup—also have issues with therapy selection and dosing regimens. As a result of the effects of aging on kidney function, older patients may also be subject to elevated plasma levels with consequent additional risk of hypoglycemia and other adverse events. Because older patients tend to be treated with multiple medications for multiple comorbidities, it becomes challenging to design regimens that avoid or reduce the risk of drug–drug interactions. For both older patients and patients with chronic renal insufficiency, the most important drug-related adverse effect to avoid is hypoglycemia. Accordingly, incretin-based agents have an advantage because they are unlikely to cause hypoglycemia.
Interruption of Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Premature Infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Abstract In infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) hypoxemia inhibits closure of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), resulting in increased pulmonary blood flow with subsequent increased hypoxemia. In an attempt to interrupt this cycle 42 consecutive premature infants with RDS and PDA, weighing between 550 and 2,000 gm (average, 1,383 gm) and with an average gestational age of 31 weeks, were arbitrarily treated either medically (13 patients) or by interruption of the PDA (20 patients). Eleven patients who were initially treated medically could not be weaned from the respirator and later underwent operation. There were no operative or anesthetic deaths; late survival was 65% (20 patients). The last 31 patients were randomly divided into operative and nonoperative groups. Preliminary results revealed no significant differences in late survival between the two groups. Since the operative risk is minimal, further investigative efforts are indicated to settle this issue.
Structure and physical properties of hexacyanomanganate(IV), [MnIV(CN)6]2-

Hydrolytically unstable d 3 [Mn IV (CN) 6 ] 2- as the [N(PPh 3 ) 2 ] + salt is crystallographically, spectroscopically, and magnetically characterized.
The effect of accessory minerals on the redistribution of lead isotopes during crustal anatexis: A model

Abstract The initial Pb isotopic composition of anatectic granites is modelled as a mixture of Pb derived from major minerals that have characteristically low 238 U 204 Pb and 232 Th 204 Pb ratios (i.e., feldspars, biopyroboles, etc.) with Pb contributed from dissolved accessory minerals with characteristically high 238 U 204 Pb and 232 Th 204 Pb ratios (i.e., zircon, monazite, etc.). The initial Pb isotopic composition of anatectic granites is a function of (a) the age, type, modal distribution and heterogeneity in the initial U and Th content of the accessory minerals, (b) variation in melt composition and temperature during anatexis (c) the fraction of the source melted, and (d) the extent to which the melt was homogenized prior to crystallization. The differential behavior of accessory minerals during anatexis can explain the common yet enigmatic decoupling of the Pb isotopes from other chemical and isotopic systems in granite rocks. Granitic plutons derived by anatexis of the same source material are not required to have the same initial Pb isotopic composition. Low temperature, peraluminous granites are more likely to exhibit homogeneous initial Pb isotopic compositions dominated by the Pb contained within the major mineral assemblage of the source material. In contrast, the initial Pb isotopic composition of higher temperature, metaluminous or peralkaline anatectic granites is more likely to be heterogeneous, unless the melts are homogenized during emplacement, and will record a larger fraction of the radiogenic Pb component contained in the accessory mineral assemblage of the source material. Heterogeneity in the initial Pb isotopic composition of individual granites or granitic suites can preserve the weighted average age of the radiogenic Pb present in the accessory mineral assemblage of the source region even if these minerals are entirely dissolved during anatexis. The use of isotopic tracer studies in terrane analysis will be optimized by the isotopic characterization of granitic suites.
Wnts: up-and-coming at the synapse.

Synaptic development, function and plasticity are highly regulated processes requiring a precise coordination of pre- and postsynaptic events. Recent studies have begun to highlight Wingless–Int (Wnt) signaling as a key player in synapse differentiation and function. Emerging roles of Wnts include the differentiation of synaptic specializations, microtubule dynamics, architecture of synaptic protein organization, modulation of synaptic efficacy and regulation of gene expression. These processes are driven by a variety of Wnt transduction pathways. Combined with a myriad of Wnts and Frizzled receptor family members, these pathways highlight the versatility of Wnt signaling and the potential for combinatorial use of these pathways in different aspects of synapse development and function. The identification of neurons secreting Wnt and those containing molecular components downstream of Frizzled receptors indicates that Wnts can function both as anterograde and retrograde signals. These studies open new avenues for understanding how embryonic morphogens are utilized during the development and function of synaptic networks.
Tomato consumption increases lycopene isomer concentrations in breast milk and plasma of lactating women

Abstract Objective To compare plasma and milk lycopene concentrations and the changes in lycopene isomer patterns in lactating women before and after a 3-day dietary intervention with fresh or processed tomato products. Design Randomized prospective trial. Subjects 24 lactating women, 4 to 12 weeks postpartum, aged 22 to 39 years. Intervention Subjects initially consumed a low-lycopene diet for 7 days (washout period) and then were randomly assigned to one of 3 dietary groups (n=8 per group) without any other sources of lycopene: control (low-lycopene), fresh tomatoes, or processed tomato sauce. Subjects in each of the tomato groups consumed approximately 50mg total lycopene over 3 days. Outcome measures Before and after dietary intervention, plasma and breast milk samples were obtained for high-performance liquid chromotography analysis of lycopene and its geometric isomers (all- trans , 5- cis , all other cis , and total lycopene). Statistical analysis Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance to test for differences among intervention groups, and Spearman's correlation coefficients to test for blood-milk relationships. Results Plasma total lycopene and lycopene isomer concentrations increased in the fresh and processed tomato group but not in the low-lycopene control group during the study. Milk total and cis - and trans -lycopene concentrations (unadjusted for fat) increased in the processed tomato group but did not change in the fresh tomato group. In the control group, milk total and trans -lycopene decreased. Milk total lycopene concentrations were not significantly different from baseline in any group when adjusted for fat content of milk. Applications The results of this study indicate that consumption of a "standard size portion" of tomato products increases plasma and milk lycopene concentrations in lactating women and, therefore, could increase the lycopene status of nursing infants. For dietary recommendations during lactation, the results suggest that consumption of tomato sauce increases milk lycopene concentrations more effectively than consumption of fresh tomatoes. Am Diet Assoc. 2002;102:1257–1262 .
The Algorithm that Converged Too Fast

A story about a research study of highway safety improvement and traffic surveillance practices. It is mostly devoted to the practices of controlling the general speed limit of 55 mph on highways that proved to be very difficult to enforce.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Adhesive Capsulitis: Correlation with Clinical Staging

The purpose of this study was to evaluate non-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of adhesive capsulitis and correlate them with clinical stages of adhesive capsulitis. This will hopefully define a role for shoulder MR imaging in the diagnosis of adhesive capsulitis as well as in potentially directing appropriate treatment. Forty-seven consecutive non-contrast magnetic resonance imaging examinations of 46 patients with a clinical diagnosis of adhesive capsulitis were retrospectively reviewed and correlated with clinical staging. Specific MRI criteria correlated with the clinical stage of adhesive capsulitis, including the thickness and signal intensity of the joint capsule and synovium as well as the presence and severity of scarring in the rotator interval. Routine MRI of the shoulder without intraarticular administration of gadolinium can be used to diagnose all stages of adhesive capsulitis, including stage 1, where findings may be subtle on clinical examination. We believe that future studies assessing the role of MRI in guiding the initiation of appropriate treatment should be undertaken.
On the divisibility of the class number of imaginary quadratic fields

Abstract The theorem presented in this paper provides a sufficient condition for the divisibility of the class number of an imaginary quadratic field by an odd prime. Two corollaries to this theorem are also included. They represent special cases of the theorem which in general use are somewhat easier to apply.
Most purported antibodies to the human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor are not specific.

Objective Antibodies to human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor (HuG-CSFR) are widely available and have been used in numerous studies to evaluate the expression of this protein on normal and malignant cells of hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic origin. Spurred by recent studies that demonstrated that two commonly used antibodies against the erythropoietin and thrombopoietin receptors can in fact bind to completely unrelated and more broadly expressed proteins, we screened 27 commercially available monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies with claimed specificity to HuG-CSFR to determine if they are specific to this receptor. Materials and Methods Antibodies were evaluated by Western blotting, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry using 293T cells engineered to overexpress HuG-CSFR protein, immortalized human hematopoietic cell lines expressing endogenous G-CSFR, and purified human neutrophils. Results Only two monoclonal antibodies and one polyclonal antibody could be employed using defined Western blotting or flow cytometry protocols to detect G-CSFR protein in cell lysates or on the surface of cells that express G-CSFR messenger RNA with no binding to cells that did not express the gene. None of the antibodies were suitable for immunohistochemistry. Competitive inhibition with soluble G-CSFR extracellular domain and small inhibitory RNA-mediated knock-down of G-CSFR messenger RNA further demonstrated the limited specificity of these antibodies for HuG-CSFR expressed on the cell surface. Conclusions Most commercially available anti−HuG-CSFR antibodies do not bind specifically to this protein. These studies highlight the need for investigators to validate antibodies in their own systems to avoid the inadvertent use of nonspecifically binding antibodies that could lead, as exemplified in this case with a hematopoietic growth factor receptor, to erroneous conclusions about protein expression.
Ketorolac: safe and effective analgesia for the management of renal cortical tumors with partial nephrectomy.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Ketorolac has demonstrated advantages as a supplement to opioid based analgesia in several surgical settings, including donor nephrectomy. To our knowledge there has been no published data to date on the use of ketorolac in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy. We compared analgesia with ketorolac and opioids to analgesia with opioids alone with regard to pain control, postoperative recovery and effects on renal function in patients with renal cortical tumors surgically managed by partial nephrectomy.Materials and Methods: Records for 154 patients treated with partial nephrectomy for renal cortical tumors were retrospectively analyzed. Clinicopathological variables examined were age, gender, medication use, comorbidity profile, operation side, estimated blood loss, hospital stay, operative duration, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, histopathology results, perioperative transfusion status, ischemia type (warm vs cold vs none), duration of renal artery cross clamping, tumor s...
Embedding high dynamic range tone mapping in JPEG compression

A method that integrates tone mapping for high dynamic range (HDR) gray-scale images with JPEG compression is proposed. The tone mapping operator (TMO) is block-based, and structured so that the same discrete cosine transform (DCT) that is used for the JPEG compression serves to complete a major part of the tone-mapping operation. Simulations have been done on high dynamic range images from the Debevec library. Experimental results show the technique successfully tone maps and compresses simultaneously; the number of bits per pixel is reduced from 32 to an average of 0.67 by the compression, with an average PSNR of 56.3 dB for the compressed tone-mapped images compared to images that have been only tone-mapped. The output of the proposed method is an image that requires only limited storage space, and can be decompressed with a standard JPEG decoder.
Quantitative first-pass MRI measures increased myocardial perfusion after vasodilation in mice

Summary We used first-pass contrast-enhanced MRI to quantatively measure the myocardial Ktrans, a parameter indicating myocardial perfusion and vascular permeability, in mice with or without vasodilation. We measured a significant increase in myocardial Ktrans with vasodilation. We believe this may be the first report showing that first-pass imaging can quantify increased myocardial perfusion in mice relative to baseline. Background First-pass contrast-enhanced MRI is a well-established technique for quantifying myocardial perfusion in humans and large animals and has recently emerged as a viable tool for quantifying myocardial perfusion in mice [1-3]. Applied in mice, first-pass MRI could be used to assess the roles of individual genes in perfusion and vascular permeability. The purpose of this study was test the hypothesis that first-pass contrast-enhanced MRI can measure increased myocardial perfusion after administration of a vasodilator in mice. Methods Imaging was performed on a 7T Clinscan MR system equipped with a gradient system having a full strength of 650mT/m and as lew rate of 6666 mT/m/ms, and using a 30mm diameter birdcage RF coil. A saturationrecovery spiral sequence was employed, with TE = 0.36 ms, TR = 3.9ms, interleaves = 14, FOV = 25.6 x 25.6mm, matrix = 128x128, saturation delay = 40 ms, alpha = 20°, and slice thickness = 1mm. Data acquisition required 55 ms/image, approximately 40% of the murine R-R interval, and was placed in the latter part of the cardiac cycle. C57Bl6/J mice were imaged with (n=5) and without (n=5) an intraperitoneal bolus injection of the vasodilator ATL313 (Adenosine Therapeutics, Charlottesville, VA). First-pass images were acquired for one mid-ventricular short-axis slice. A dual-bolus gadolinium injection technique was used, acquiring the arterial input and tissue functions (AIF and TF) in separate scans. Myocardial Ktrans, the product of myocardial perfusion and the first-pass extraction fraction of gadolinium, was quantified using a standard Kety model deconvolution method. Results
Dishonesty in the biochemistry classroom laboratory: A synthesis of causes and prevention.

Although reports of academic cheating are abundant, there are relatively few papers in the literature that focus on cheating in the context of science courses and even fewer that address dishonest practices, such as “cooking” or fudging data, within the classroom laboratory. This paper briefly reviews the existing literature on academic dishonesty and explores two theories that can be used to explain why cheating occurs: (1) classroom goal structure and (2) attitudes of neutralization. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these theories within the context of a biochemistry and molecular biology teaching laboratory.
Source localization and tracking in a dispersive medium using wireless sensor network

In this paper, we address the issue of collaborative information processing for diffusive source localization and tracking using wireless sensor networks capable of sensing in dispersive medium/environment. We first determine the space-time concentration distribution of the dispersion from physical modeling and mathematical formulations of an underwater oil spill scenario, considering the effect of laminar water velocity as an external force. For static diffusive source localization, we propose two parametric estimation techniques based on maximum-likelihood (ML) and best linear unbiased estimator for the special case of our physical dispersion model. We prove the consistency and asymptotic normality of the obtained ML solution when the number of sensor nodes and samples approach infinity, and derive the Cramer-Rao lower bound on its performance. We also propose a particle filter-based target tracking scheme for moving diffusive source and derive the posterior Cramer-Rao lower bound for the moving source state estimates as a theoretical performance bound. The performance of the proposed schemes are shown through numerical simulations and compared with the derived theoretical bounds.
Slow-velocity asymmetrical convergence: a decisive failure of "Hering's law".

Abstract With targets aligned in the midsagittal plane, six of seven subjects tested were often able to make smooth symmetrical convergence movements in which no detectable saccade occurred during the initial 300 msec of the eye movement (12–95% of their trials). With targets located in a plane parallel to, but appreciably to one side of the midsagittal plane, those same six subjects were also often able to make smooth, slow, “saccade-free” asymmetrical convergence movements that were appropriate in magnitude and velocity to the target location (ratio of excursions about 2 to 1). Vergence movements are thus more versatile than can be accounted for by a single generator of binocularly symmetrical input to the eye muscles (Hering's Law of Equal Innervation). The occurrence of “saccade-free” asymmetrical convergence suggests instead that during binocular viewing, each eye can respond independently to that eye's view of the target, resulting in binocularly simultaneous slow-velocity nasalward eye movements—which will represent symmetrical or asymmetrical convergence depending on the arrangement of the targets. A similar interpretation is also apparently demanded by recent data on the initiation of disjunctive smooth-pursuit movements in the monkey [ King and Zhou (1995) Vision Research, 35, 3389–3400]. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.
The Biphobia Scale a Decade Later: Reflections and Additions

Biphobia, which has been defined as negative attitudes about bisexuality and bisexual individuals, is a psychological construct that is, at present, not well understood. Ochs described the denigration that bisexual individuals face as ‘double discrimination,’ which she defined as discrimination from both heterosexual and homosexual communities. A 30-item instrument, the Biphobia Scale, was developed to measure negative cognitions, affects and behaviors regarding bisexuality and bisexual individuals. The instrument has provided empirical support for the existence of the construct of biphobia and suggests that it exists in the heterosexual and homosexual communities. The results support the theory that bisexual individuals are subjected to ‘double discrimination.’
Management of labial adhesions in prepubertal girls.

Every year at least one of my pediatric residents or medical students asks me why the recommended treatment for labial adhesion in prepubertal girls changes from mechanical separation to medical treatment in different books or even in different chapters of the same book. I have seen my share of referrals with referring diagnosis varying from sexual abuse to vaginal agenesis that were in fact simple labial adhesion. The high incidence of this condition is a good enough reason for all primary care providers to be familiar with and comfortable in diagnosing and managing it in their patients. Despite the frequency of labial adhesion in prepubertal girls few serious studies had addressed the issue of optimal treatment and opinions continue to differ especially between urologists and pediatric gynecologists. In my personal experience since 1985 I have not had to resort to mechanical separation in any of my patients. Hoping to decrease the confusion on this issue we present here the views of two outstanding experts in pediatric and adolescent gynecology on management of this condition. The two opinions while not entirely different are not exactly the same either but provide good arguments that I hope will help primary care providers in their decision-making regarding labial adhesion. (excerpt)