cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ballistic delivery of compounds to inner layers of the cornea is limited by tough mechanical properties of stromal tissue.

Abstract The barrier characteristics of the cornea are interrogated using the impact of micro-particles into ex vivo porcine cornea. Using a commercial gene gun (BioRad; PDS1000), microparticles were accelerated and made to embed in target materials: either ballistic gelatin as a reference or corneal tissue. Statistical analysis of penetration of polydisperse spherical microparticles (5–22 μm dia.) with density of 2.5 g/cc, 4.2 g/cc, and 7.8 g/cc (soda-lime glass, barium-titanate glass and stainless steel; more limited examination of 1.1 g/cc polyethylene and 19.2 g/cc tungsten) spanned almost two decades in kinetic energy. Penetration profiles in ballistic gelatin show that the particle embedding depth is sensitive to particle size and density. In the cornea, penetration is a weak function of size and density, and the corneal stroma is an effective stopping medium for high velocity microparticles. Despite the high water content of corneal tissue (76% w/w) compared to the stratum corneum of skin (40% w/w), the resistance to penetration of the cornea is comparable to what is seen in previous research of penetration in skin tissue. Using low density polymer particles with a therapeutic agent payload, it is demonstrated that bulk material can be ballistically delivered to the central 1 cm2 of the corneal epithelium in an even layer with high bioavailability of therapeutic compound.
Carotid Artery Stenosis in a Young Asymptomatic Patient: The Value of Multimodal Cross-sectional Imaging

A 56-year-old right-handed patient presented with asymptomatic >70% left internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis on ultrasound. The peak systolic and end diastolic velocities were 237 and 51 cm/s for an ICA/common carotid artery ratio of 2.8. CT angiography demonstrated 70% ICA stenosis with dissection/ulcerated plaque. Magnetic resonance angiography with vessel wall imaging demonstrated 70% stenosis with enhancing hemorrhagic ulcerated plaque. The patient underwent endarterectomy. Pathology demonstrated calcifications with cholesterol crystals and hemosiderin-laden macrophages (figure).
New peripheral nerve blocks: are they worth the hype?

The advent of portable ultrasound technology has revolutionised our ability to place peripheral nerve blocks within tissue planes. Ultrasound guidance has facilitated the introduction of new innovative approaches to deeper nerves not previously attempted using landmark-based techniques. The majority of these truncal blocks involve the branches of the spinal nerves.
Selection of 51 predictors from 13,782 candidate multimodal features using machine learning improves coronary artery disease prediction

Summary Current cardiovascular risk assessment tools use a small number of predictors. Here, we study how machine learning might: (1) enable principled selection from a large multimodal set of candidate variables and (2) improve prediction of incident coronary artery disease (CAD) events. An elastic net-based Cox model (ML4HEN-COX) trained and evaluated in 173,274 UK Biobank participants selected 51 predictors from 13,782 candidates. Beyond most traditional risk factors, ML4HEN-COX selected a polygenic score, waist circumference, socioeconomic deprivation, and several hematologic indices. A more than 30-fold gradient in 10-year risk estimates was noted across ML4HEN-COX quintiles, ranging from 0.25% to 7.8%. ML4HEN-COX improved discrimination of incident CAD (C-statistic = 0.796) compared with the Framingham risk score, pooled cohort equations, and QRISK3 (range 0.754–0.761). This approach to variable selection and model assessment is readily generalizable to a broad range of complex datasets and disease endpoints.
VEGETABLE MARKET IN SLOVENIA BEFORE AND AFTER THE ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION

The paper describes how the Slovenian accession to European Union (EU) influenced the conditions on vegetable market in Slovenia. Slovenia remains the net importer of fresh vegetables. Annually, it imports larger quantities of vegetables than there are produced by agricultural holdings. The supply balance sheet for vegetables is the basis of an analysis of vegetable consumption on the level of entire country and allows the comparison with other countries. Data have shown that the degree of self-sufficiency varies a lot between years due to weather conditions. Although the conditions for vegetable growing in Slovenia are favourable, domestic production is too low to meet the domestic consumption. Many investigations have also shown that Slovenian people consume too small amounts of vegetables. This statement is supported by the supply balance sheet for vegetables. The human consumption per capita in Slovenia is gradually increasing, but it is still low in comparison with the EU countries.
Abstract W P152: Obesity Increases Risk of Ischemic Stroke in Young Adults

Background and Purpose: Increased body mass index (BMI) has been associated with ischemic stroke in older populations, but its association with stroke in younger populations, in whom the life-long burden of obesity-associated risk factors is presumably lower, is not known. In light of the current obesity epidemic and evidence for an increasing incidence of stroke in young adults, this topic deserves further investigation. Methods: We investigated the association between BMI and early-onset ischemic stroke using data from a case-control study in the greater Baltimore-Washington area. Cases ages 15-49 (n=1201) and age-gender-race balanced controls (n=1154) were recruited between 1992 and 2008. Presence of hypertension and diabetes was obtained by interview. Study participants were placed into CDC-defined weight categories of underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (18.5 to 24.9), overweight (25.0 to 29.9), and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). Logistic regression modeling was used to evaluate the association between BMI and ischemic stroke. Results: Unadjusted analysis indicated a significant association between BMI and ischemic stroke; the overweight group had an OR of 1.2 (95% CI 1.0- 1.5) and the obese group had an OR of 1.8 (95% CI 1.5- 2.2) when compared to the normal weight reference group. But these heightened risks were highly attenuated after further adjustment for hypertension and diabetes mellitus. There was no significant difference in stroke risk between the overweight and normal weight groups. Obese males (OR of 1.3, 95% CI 0.9- 1.8), but not obese females, had an increased stroke risk compared to their normal weight counterparts. Conclusion: We observed a moderate association between BMI and early-onset ischemic stroke that increased in a dose-response fashion. The attenuation of stroke risk in high BMI groups following adjustment for hypertension and diabetes suggest that the effects of obesity may be mediated in part through these and other obesity-related conditions.
The association of statin use and gonado-sexual function in women: a retrospective cohort analysis.

Abstract Introduction It has been hypothesized that statins reduce sex hormone biosynthesis through hepatic inhibition of cholesterol synthesis, which is a precursor of androstenedione and estradiol. Such a reduction has been associated with menstrual irregularities, menopausal disorders, infertility, and low libido, but studies are conflicting. Few studies have evaluated the clinical effects of statins on gonadal‐sexual function in women. Aim To compare the risk of gonado‐sexual dysfunction in statin users vs. nonusers. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of all female, adult patients (30–85 years) enrolled in the Tricare Prime/Plus San Antonio catchment area. Using 79 baseline characteristics, we created a propensity score‐matched cohort of statin users and nonusers. The study duration was divided into a baseline period (October 1, 2003 to September 30, 2005) to describe patient baseline characteristics and a follow‐up period (October 1, 2005 to March 1, 2012) to determine patient outcomes. Statin users were defined as those prescribed a statin for ≥3 months between October 1, 2004 and September 30, 2005. Logistic regression was used to determine the association of statin use with patient outcomes. Main Outcome Measures Outcomes included menstrual disorders, menopausal disorders, infertility, and ovarian/sexual dysfunction during the follow‐up period. Outcomes were identified using inpatient or outpatient International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes as defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Clinical Classifications Software. Results Of 22,706 women who met study criteria, we propensity score‐matched 2,890 statin users with 2,890 nonusers; mean age 58 ± 12 years. Statin use was not significantly associated with menstrual disorders (OR 0.97; 95% CI 0.81–1.16), menopausal disorders (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.83–1.02), infertility (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.36–1.73), or ovarian/sexual dysfunction (OR 1.18; 95% CI 0.83–1.70). Conclusions Statin use was not associated with higher risk of gonado‐sexual dysfunction in women. Ali SK, Reveles KR, Davis R, Mortensen EM, Frei CR, and Mansi I. The association of statin use and gonado‐sexual function in women: A retrospective cohort analysis. J Sex Med 2015;12:83–92.
Exploring the Political Similarities and Differences between African Americans and Caribbeans

In this paper, we seek to learn of the political attitudes shared by African Americans and Caribbeans and the attitudes on which they differ. Our argument is that African Americans and Caribbeans will share or differ on political attitudes depending on experiences with discrimination and residence in the U.S. We hypothesize that identity among these two social groups will be merged as African Americans and Caribbeans have similar experiences. Chiefly, we assert that as Caribbeans are subjected to discrimination and the unfair treatment of different systems and society in America, the more they will identify themselves with African Americans. In other words, the more both experience racism or discrimination, the more they will share political attitudes. Also, African Americans are born in the U.S., so the likelihood that Caribbeans will share attitudes with African Americans depends on their length of stay in the U.S. Caribbeans who lived in the U.S. longer will likely have had experiences that would lead to identification with African Americans as they will be treated as members of a social group, not as individuals. More importantly, they will have developed more American attitudes as they will have become assimilated or acculturated. It is possible that they will be more like Americans in general, but it if they also have experiences with discrimination or racism, then they will more likely share attitudes harbored by African Americans.
V Quantum Jumps

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the quantum jumps. The concept of quantum jumps began with the theory of atomic structure. According to this theory, an atom at rest can exist in any of a discrete set of energy levels, and the fundamental radiative processes proceed by abrupt jumps among these levels. The observation of quantum jumps requires a spectroscopic sample consisting of a single atom or a very few atoms. Only ions have been trapped as single isolated particles. Telegraphic fluorescence is the only effect that permits the observation of quantum jumps. The quantum formalism attributes electron shelving to the lack of fluorescence, whereas the intuitive picture of the process attributed the lack of fluorescence to electron shelving. The observation of photon anti-bunching in single-atom resonance fluorescence and other experiments provide evidence for the discrete nature of quantum transitions in individual quantum systems.
Review of Raymond C. O'Brien & Michael T. Flannery, Decedents' Estates: Cases and Materials (2006)

The wills, trusts, and estates casebook market has long been dominated by excellent, time-tested works, I several of which are in seventh editions. It took considerable gumption for Professors Raymond C. O'Brien and Michael T. Flannery to enter into this mature marketS with the 2006 publication by Carolina Academic Press of their law school course book entitled Decedents' Estates: Cases and Materials (hereinafter the Casebook). Unexpectedly, the Casebook provides a viable option to these well-established works by providing a fresh approach while maintaining the necessary coverage of traditional topics.
Impact of smoking on physical activity level and functional status of hospitalized patients: A bicentric study

Smoking potentiates the deleterious effects of sedentary lifestyle. Low physical activity level and low functional status are predictors of complications during hospitalization. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the impact of smoking on physical activity level and functionality of hospitalized patients in two cities. This bicentric and controlled study involved 60 patients from two hospitals (one in southeast region and one in northeast region) in Brazil, due to clinical or surgical reasons. Smokers (n=30; 52.8±19.9yrs; 27.1±6.3Kg/m2) and Nonsmokers (n=30; 46.7±18.5yrs; 28.3±9.6Kg/m2) matched for age and body mass index, and without severe musculoskeletal impairments, and who have signed the consent form, were selected and evaluated until 24 hours after admission. The IPAQ-version 6 questionnaire, Barthel index (score 0-100) and Human Profile Activity (HPA) questionnaire (score 0-94) were applied to all patients. One way ANOVA, chi-quare test and linear regression were used. Significance level was set at 5%. The prevalence of physical inactive into smoker was higher than into nonsmoker inpatients (46% vs. 22%; p
Deformation mechanisms in intermetallic compounds based on Nb3Al

Abstract Some mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms of two compounds based on Nb3Al, both containing 15%Al (atomic per cent) and one with 10% Ti and the other with 40% Ti, were determined. The compounds can be prepared as single-phase material such that they exhibit the B2 crystal structure; in the heat-treated condition a second phase may be precipitated, for example with the A15 crystal structure in the case of the 10Ti alloy. The compounds are strong over a range of temperatures, at least up to 900 °C, and are inherently ductile. The compounds deform by activation of one or more of the following slip systems, namely 〈111〉{110}, 〈111〉{112} and 〈111〉{123}. The dislocations are present in the form of dissociated superpartial pairs, each with Burgers vector b given by b = 1 2 〈111〉 , which bound a ribbon of antiphase boundary (APB). From the separation of the partial dislocations, the APB energy on the {110} planes were found to be approximately 150 mJ m−2 and approximately 15 mJ m−2 for the 10 Ti and 40 Ti containing alloys respectively. The A15 phase which appears upon heat treatment deforms by glide of 〈001〉{100} and 〈001〉{021}, as determined previously in other A15 compounds.
New species of freshwater diatoms from acidic localities along the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the United States

During our investigations of freshwater sites along the Atlantic Coastal Plain of North America we had the opportunity to critically study five interesting diatoms with light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), each of which is described here as a new species. Two of the organisms are in the genus Eunotia, Eunotia lewisii Siver & Hamilton sp. nov. and Eunotia quadra Siver & Hamilton sp. nov.; two in Frustulia, Frustulia crispula Siver, Pelczar, & Hamilton sp. nov. and Frustulia inculta Siver, Pelczar, & Hamilton sp. nov.; and the last is Neidium trainori Siver & Hamilton sp. nov. All five species are reported from acidic, poorly buffered, dilute waterbodies high in dissolved humic substances. Two of the taxa are found in suites of waterbodies in close geographic proximity, two in somewhat disjunct regions, and the fifth is only known from the type locality. The relationships of each taxon to similar species are discussed.
An extension of Iwasawa's theorem on finitely generated modules over power series rings

This paper describes a structure theorem for finitely generated modules over power series rings O[[T]], where O is a maximal order in a semisimple Qp-algebra of finite dimension over Qp, extending Iwasawa's structure theorem (the case O=ℤp). A particular case of such power series ring is the ring Λ[Δ], where Λ is the power series ring ℤp〚T〛 and Δ is a finite group of order prime to p. Several applications are given, including a new proof of a result of Iwasawa important for the relationship between Hecke characters and certain Galois representations for CM fields.
Effects of haloperidol and trifluperidol on operant behavior in the rat

The effects of trifluperidol (20 to 80 μg/kg), haloperidol (40 to 160μg/ kg) and caffeine (10 mg/kg) on a fixed-ratio operant behavior were studied in young Long-Evans male rats. A significant decrease in the number of emitted lever presses was observed with the largest dose of each of the two butyrophenone derivatives. Trifluperidol was 1.2 times as potent as haloperidol, on a μg/kg basis, in disrupting this food-reinforced behavior. Haloperidol, at the 40 μg/kg dose, and caffeine significantly increased the number of responses in comparison with placebo injections of solvent; this supports the suggestion of biphasic central actions of the butyrophenones. During a chronic drug state produced by daily injections of trifluperidol or haloperidol, there was no evidence of transfer of training, although the daily doses were each less than the acute ED50.
Enhanced RNA expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) in human breast cancer

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) is known to have at least 2 distinct types of activity, i.e., as a regulator of collagenolytic activity, and erythroid potentiating activity (EPA). In this study, we examined the expression of TIMP-1 in human mammary carcinomas, non-malignant breast tissues and benign breast tumors. A total of 53 samples were subjected to Northern-blot analysis, including 23 of primary breast cancer, 26 of non-malignant breast tissues, and 4 of benign tumors. Of the 53 samples, 10 were paired malignant and non-malignant breast-tissue samples from the same patient. TIMP-1 RNA expression was significantly higher in the malignant tumor tissues than in the non-malignant counterpart. Similar differences were observed in the level of TIMP-1 protein expression in the paired breast samples examined. Moreover, breast-cancer cell lines secreted larger amounts of TIMP-1 in vitro than non-neoplastic breast epithelial lines. The up-regulation of TIMP-1 expression in breast cancer may suggest that TIMP-1 has an additional role to that of metalloproteinase inhibitor. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Coenzyme Q10 and α-tocopherol concentrations in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervix cancer

Abstract Objective: To determine any association between plasma coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and α-tocopherol levels and severity of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer. Methods: Plasma levels of total CoQ10 and α-tocopherol were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in patients with biopsy-confirmed CIN (n = 55) and cervical cancer (n = 20) and in normal women with no abnormal Pap test results (n = 27). Cervicovaginal lavages containing epithelial cells (CVC), obtained from the same subjects, also were analyzed for CoQ10 concentrations. Results: The mean plasma levels of CoQ10 and α-tocopherol were significantly (P = 0.001) lower in patients with CIN and cervical cancer compared with controls. Levels of CoQ10 from CVC were measurable and also were significantly (P = 0.001) lower in women with CIN. Conclusion: The findings suggest that CoQ10 and α-tocopherol antioxidants may play a role in the pathogenesis of CIN. The decrease in CoQ10 and α-tocopherol levels may be caused by deficient dietary intake in women with CIN. Alternatively, low antioxidant levels may reflect increased utilization to counteract oxidative stress.
Can Extractive Reserves Save the Rain Forest? An Ecological and Socioeconomic Comparison of Nontimber Forest Product Extraction Systems in Petén, Guatemala, and West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Beginning with the efforts of the National Council of Rubber Tappers in Brazil, considerable excitement has been generated over the past few years among the conservation and development community about the prospects of establishing extractive reserves that can maintain biodiversity while simultaneously providing a sustainable economic return to local peoples and governments (Fearnside 1989a; Schwartzman 1989; Allegretti 1990). This excitement was fueled by an article in Nature (Peters et al. 1989) proposing that the long-term financial return from the harvest of nontimber forest products found in a hectare of Amazonian rain forest far outweighed the net benefits of timber production or agricultural conversion of the same area of land.
The rhetoric of removal and the trail of tears: Cherokee speaking against Jackson's Indian removal policy, 1828–1832

The author examines Cherokee rhetorical efforts to prevent the forced removal of Cherokees from their native lands east of the Mississippi, a removal which later became known as “The Trail of Tears.” The essay analyzes rhetorical strategies employed by Cherokee speakers and advances conclusions relative to why these strategies failed
Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometric determination of molecular weight distributions of low polydispersity poly(dimethyl siloxane) with polyatomic primary ions

This work reports a comparison of oligomer and fragment ion intensities resulting from primary ion bombardment with several primary ion sources (Bin+, C60+, and Cs+) at various energies in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Although the use of polyatomic primary ions are of great interest due to increased secondary ion efficiency and yield, we demonstrate that monatomic primary ions result in increased oligomer ion yield for polymers prepared as submonolayer films on silver substrates. The enhancement of oligomer secondary ion yield with monatomic ions is evidence that monatomic primary ions have a shallower sampling depth than polyatomic ions, resulting from a collision cascade that is less energetic at the sample surface. The results are also consistent with a lower degree of fragmentation of the resultant secondary ions, which is observed when evaluating the fragmentation data and the spectral data.
Electroencephalographic and behavioral tolerance and cross-tolerance to morphine and methadone in the rat.

Abstract Electroencephalagraphic (EEG) and electromyographic activity recordings were collected continuously from female Sprague-Dawley rats made tolerant by chronic iv administration of either morphine (10 mg/kg/2 hr) or methadone (2 mg/kg/1.5 hr). The effects on the EEG and gross behavior of iv challenge doses of morphine (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) and methadone (1, 2, and 4 mg/kg) in naive and tolerant rats were assessed. In naive rats, 2 and 4 mg/kg of methadone were equipotent with 10 and 20 mg/kg of morphine, respectively, with regard to the duration of the induced EEG slow burst activity and behavioral stupor. However, methadone was found to be relatively more potent, about 10 times as effective as morphine, in increasing the EEG voltage. Tolerance to these effects developed more quickly to morphine than to methadone. Using the degree of increase in integrated EEG voltage output, it was found that methadone-tolerant rats showed a high degree of cross-tolerance to morphine. On the other hand, morphine-tolerant rats demonstrated very low cross-tolerance to methadone. Thus, the differential tolerance and cross-tolerance to morphine and methadone found in this study may shed further light on the pharmacodynamics behind the reported high incidence of methadone-related toxicities among heroin-dependent individuals.
A cross-layer approach for context-aware data gathering in Wireless Sensor Networks

Successful deployment of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) depends on energy efficiency in computations and networking operations. Significant research efforts have been pursued over the last decade to realize techniques aimed at data gathering while prolonging network lifetime. Within data gathering applications, there is a class of applications that do not reconstruct the entire sensing field but mainly focus on monitoring and event/anomaly detection scenarios. In such applications, only representative data values (or distinct within a given threshold) are desired from different geographical (spatial) regions. Utilizing existing data gathering techniques in this type of applications yields communication-inefficient solutions, and therefore expensive in terms of energy cost. In this paper we investigate a cross-layer approach to reduce the number of communication operations in such specialized data gathering/monitoring applications. We explore the use of overhearing at the MAC layer in modifying the behavior of the application layer to realize Dynamic Virtual Clusters (DVCs). DVCs reduce data redundancy and dynamically distribute cluster head responsibilities, thus balancing the load and prolonging the network lifetime. Despite the cost of overhearing, our results show a reduction in the number of communication operations by a factor of up to N-1, where N is the number of nodes in a neighborhood.
The potential dangers of supplements and herbal products marketed for improved thyroid function

The trend of using natural products has increased significantly in recent decades in the USA. A national health survey by the CDC in 2007 estimated that Americans spent US $34 billion on herbal sup...
Microspinosamide, a new HIV-inhibitory cyclic depsipeptide from the marine sponge Sidonops microspinosa.

Microspinosamide (1), a new cyclic depsipeptide incorporating 13 amino acid residues, was isolated from extracts of an Indonesian collection of the marine sponge Sidonops microspinosa. Its structur...
Extensive chromosome aberrations caused by [3H]thymidine incorporation in a diploid monkey cell line DBS-FRhL-2.

Extensive chromosome aberrtions were induced in a diploid monkey cell line designated as BDS-FRhL-2 after exposure to [3H]thymidine ([3H]Tdr) for either 30 or 60 min at a dose of 1 μCi per ml of medium. Cultures exposed to [3H]Tdr for a longer period had significantly larger numbers of aberrations than those exposed for a shorter period. The most common type of aberrations were chromatid breaks. The majority of aberrations were observed in cells which were in contact with [3H]Tdr during S phase, especially the middle S. Cells from cultures of early and late passages exposed to [3H]Tdr were affected to a similar extent when chromosomes were examined. No clear relationship between sites of breakage and intensity of labeling could be established.
20-HETE in acute kidney injury

Ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) that is associated with a patient mortality of up to 50%. Currently there are not effective pharmacologic therapies for AKI. This Commentary highlights recent evidence indicating that 20-HETE plays an important role in IRI and that drugs that target this pathway have potential as therapeutic agents for AKI.
Photogreening of Wool—Energy of Formation and Intensification in the Dark

The greening of wool in normal air is caused by ultraviolet light at various wavelengths, 303 mμ and shorter, corre sponding to photon energies of 94.4 kcal and above. The green color, which normally disappears in thermal reactions in the presence of O2 and H 2O, increases considerably in dry nitrogen in the dark. The significance of these findings is discussed,
Multiwavelength Feature Detection And Recognition

The Rockwell Pattern Matcher (RPM) is a feature based technique which has been demonstrated on multi-wavelength imagery. Feature extraction and image matches have been performed on imagery from 3 cm Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), 3.2 mm active radar, 10.6 u active laser, 8-12 u passive IR and optical photographs. The feature detection, recognition and image matches were performed on imagery of the same wavelength as well as on those using a different wavelength as the reference scene. The capability of the RPM algorithm to operate on images generated from a wide spectrum of wavelengths allows its utilization for a variety of applications. The versatility and robustness of the Rockwell algorithm gives rise to the advent of "smart sensors" to achieve functions not previously attainable.
Antiarrhythmic drug therapy for suppression of ventricular arrhythmia: experience with 122 patients treated for two years.

Although there are many reports of the short-term effectiveness of antiarrhythmic drugs for suppression of ventricular ectopic depolarizations, there are less data available on the long-term use of these drugs. We treated 122 patients for up to 2 years with antiarrhythmic drugs for suppression of frequent ventricular ectopic depolarizations. The percent suppression of ventricular ectopic depolarizations and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia for each drug was determined at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of therapy. Among 33 patients treated with flecainide, the mean suppression of ventricular ectopic depolarizations (average of all data during 24 months) was 93 ± 17% and of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia was 97 ± 7%. In 27 patients treated with encainide, the mean suppression of ventricular ectopic depolarizations was 88 ± 18% and of ventricular tachycardia was 95 ± 16%. Among 26 patients treated with propafenone, the mean suppression of ventricular ectopic depolarizations was 77 ± 32% and of ventricular tachycardia was 93 ± 15%. For the 20 patients treated with moricizine, the mean suppression of ventricular ectopic depolarizations was 62 ± 35% and of ventricular tachycardia was 90 ± 14%. Among 16 patients treated with amiodarone, the mean suppression of ventricular ectopic depolarizations was 92 ± 14% and of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia was 99 ± 3%. In 54 of the 122 patients (44%), the study drug was stopped during 2 years of therapy because of death (2 sudden, 2 unwitnessed and 6 noncardiac), side effects (21 patients), lack or of loss of efficacy (13 patients), and noncompliance (10 patients). Thus, it is possible to maintain effective suppression of ventricular ectopic depolarizations and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in patients for up to 2 years, but the rate of withdrawal from therapy is substantial.
Nursing Support Groups in a Cancer Center

Because nurses who specialize in oncology arc under almost constant stress, groups designed to reduce the effects of workrelated stress by enhancing the nursing staff problem-solving abilities seem particularly appropriate for these professionals. This article describe the technical aspects of the development and leadership of nursing staff support groups. Among the topics discussed are the purpose of such groups, their format and structure and the importance of an active leadership approach. Special leadership techniques and strategies arc described. Thc authors illustrate each topic with examples gathered during seven years of leading such groups at a cancer center.
Radiation Induced Currents across AL2O3 Films

Films of Al2O3 sandwiched between thin metal electrodes have been irradiated using continuous radiation from a cobalt target x-ray tube operated at 35 kV. Current through the A12O3 films was measured as a function of voltage and time during x-irradiation. Implications of these measurements regarding radiation induced charge trapping in oxide films are discussed.
What does utility-subsidized energy efficiency really cost?

Analysis indicates that the true costs of utility-subsidized electricity conservation are often significantly higher than the costs reported by utilities and, in turn, are significantly higher than those suggested by widely cited TP studies. In addition, the experience of utilities with careful measurement programs indicates that the magnitude of energy savings achievable through their programs is substantially smaller than assumed by the TP studies. These findings do not imply that policies that promote energy conservation are undesirable. Real barriers do exist in energy markets and are a legitimate concern of public policy. Results do suggest that utility programs will provide much smaller environmental and economic gains than have been suggested by many studies. Furthermore, many improvements in cost accounting, monitoring, and savings estimation are required to measure costs and savings accurately. The current policy emphasis on utility subsidy programs, and the often complex and costly bureaucratic planning procedures associated with them, is therefore misplaced. Public policy should instead by focused on other measures to ameliorate real market barriers and, in general, to promote well-functioning energy markets.
RURAL POPULATION LOSS AND CROPLAND CHANGE IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS: IMPLICATIONS FOR CROPLAND RETIREMENT POLICY*

Given steadily increasing federal expenditures to manage surplus crop production, it would seem to make economic and environmental sense to concentrate production on the best acreage and to retire marginal crop acreage to alternate uses. A major obstacle constraining adoption and implementation of cropland retirement programs in the past has been the fear that cropland retirement threatens the viability of rural communities. Regression of change in population and retail establishments on changes in farm structure, nonfarm employment, and agricultural land-use in the rural Southern Plains between 1930 and 1970 provides only weak evidence to support this fear. In fact, short-term cropland idling under post-1960 price-support programs appears to pose more of a threat to rural communities than does cropland retirement.
Does Pickup to Analog States Exhibit a Charge Dependence of the Nuclear Force

Discrepancies between observed ratios of $d$, $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ and $d$, $t$ yields populating analog states in $^{18}\mathrm{O}$ and $^{18}\mathrm{F}$ and ratios calculated by standard distorted-wave theory, which were thought to provide evidence for a charge-dependent nuclear interaction, are resolved by extending the conventional theory to include both an explicit charge-exchange channel in the continuum and fo\ifmmode \acute{r}\else \'{r}\fi{}m factors generated from a microscopic analysis.
Validity of Brownian-motion theory of activated processes: Diffusion in solids

A scheme is presented for the calculation of an impurity diffusion rate in solids. "Activated" state theory usually used for this purpose fails because of the absence of quasi-equilibrium, and Brownian-motion theory cannot be used to correct it because of the absence of widely disparate time scales. We argue that a more nearly correct procedure in this case is based on random modulation of certain parameters of the problem. In harmonic approximation, the impurity either induces an isolated local phonon mode or else produces a resonance. In the former case the diffusion rate then differs widely from the usual absolute-rate theory result (both in activation energy and preexponential factor). In the latter case the effective activation energy comes very close to that of absolute rate theory. Comparison of the prefactors requires numerical analysis.
Transhumanism and the Question of Human Nature

Transhumanism is the idea that we are at the brink of witnessing exponential changes in the way we understand the human species. Transhumanists believe that technology will make it possible, in the near future, to propel humanity to the next evolutionary stage, one in which defective human bodies will be replaced with more resilient hardware. The assumption is that humans are essentially information and that information can be uploaded, perhaps indefinitely, into machines. Not all transhumanists think alike, but my paper identifies several common tenets of transhumanism and presents a critique of the movement. I argue that transhumanism crosses an ethical line when it seeks to remake human nature. Indeed, it functions with a defective understanding of human nature because it wrongly assumes that the essence of a human can be reduced to information. Furthermore, I contend that if the goals of transhumanism are achieved, it will have a negative impact on humanity.
Reconstruction and visualization of model-based volume representations

In modern medical CT, the primary source of data is a set of X-ray projections acquired around the object, which are then used to reconstruct a discrete regular grid of sample points. Conventional volume rendering methods use this reconstructed regular grid to estimate unknown off-grid values via interpolation. However, these interpolated values may not match the values that would have been generated had they been reconstructed directly with CT. The consequence can be simple blurring, but also the omission of fine object detail which usually contains precious information. To avoid these problems, in the method we propose, instead of reconstructing a lattice of volume sample points, we derive a highfidelity object model directly from the reconstruction process, fitting a localized object model to the acquired raw data within tight tolerances. This model can then be easily evaluated both for slice-based viewing as well as in GPU 3D volume rendering, offering excellent detail preservation in zooming operations. Furthermore, the model-driven representation also supports high-precision analytical ray casting.
Psychological Well-Being and Level of Outness in a Population of Male-to-Female Transsexual Women Attending a National Transgender Conference

This study examined the relationship between psychological well-being variables (i.e., depression, anxiety, self-esteem) and level of outness in male-to-female (MtF) transsexuals. Participants were 105 MtF transsexual attendees at an annual transgender conference held in Atlanta, Georgia. Participants completed seven questionnaires, including the Demographics Questionnaire, the Outness Demographics Questionnaire, the Outness Attitude Scale, the Openness Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. A canonical correlation was conducted with psychological well-being variables as the predictor and the outness variables as the criterion. Results indicated that psychological well-being variables are related to outness. Treatment implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Expression of complete keratin filaments in mouse L cells augments cell migration and invasion.

Abstract Intermediate filament proteins have been used to diagnose the origin of specific cells. Classically, vimentin is found in mesenchymal cells, and keratins are present in epithelial cells. However, recent evidence suggests that the coexpression of these phenotype-specific proteins augments tumor cell motility, and hence, metastasis. In the present study, we used the mouse L-cell model to determine if a direct correlation exists between the expression of additional keratins in these cells, which normally express only vimentin, and their migratory ability. Mouse L cells were transfected with human keratins 8, 18, and both 8 and 18. The results indicate that the cells expressing complete keratin filaments have a higher migratory and invasive ability (through extracellular matrix-coated filters) compared with the parental and control-transfected clones. Furthermore, there is an enrichment of keratin-positive cells from a heterogeneous population of L clones selected over serial migrations. This migratory activity was directly correlated with the spreading ability of the cells on Matrigel matrix, in which the keratin-positive transfectants maintain a round morphology for a longer duration, compared with the other L-cell populations. Collectively, these data suggest that keratins may play an important role(s) in migration, through a special interaction with the extracellular environment, thereby influencing cell shape.
Experience-facilitated improvements in pup retrieval; evidence for an epigenetic effect

The quality and quantity of maternal care received during infancy are highly predictive of successful infant development. It has been well established, primarily in rats, that the combination of hormonal and infant stimuli at birth modifies neural circuits that regulate maternal responsiveness. During subsequent interactions, infant stimuli are more likely to elicit rapid maternal responsiveness. Some species, such as humans, can display maternal care in the absence of the endocrine events of pregnancy and birth. Similarly, virgin C57BL/6J female mice, display maternal care toward infants, and experience with infants elicits long-lasting increases in maternal care. We hypothesized that these experience-induced changes in behavior may be mediated by chromatin modifications, which in turn change expression of genes that promote maternal care. One site of action is the medial preoptic area (MPOA). To test our hypothesis we treated virgin female mice with sodium butyrate, a histone deacetylase inhibitor. This treatment potentiated maternal responsiveness as well as the expression of several genes: estrogen receptor β (Esr2), oxytocin (Oxt), and cyclicAMP response element binding protein (CREB) binding protein (Crebbp; a histone acetyltransferase) in the MPOA. These data suggest that experience induces high levels of maternal care via epigenetic modifications.
SoftCord: an intelligent agent for coordination in software development projects

Abstract An important purpose of the research being done on decision support systems is to develop a theory of information management that is an independent as possible of the way in which the information is stored and processed. This has important consequences for any proposed theory of model management, for it suggests that a theory of model management should not only help a manager or analyst to organize and access model banks, but it should do so in a way that allows models and stored data to be viewed as complementary sources of information. We present herein an extension of the entity-relationship framework for database organization and processing to include the organization and processing of model banks.
Reservoir Competence of the Redwood Chipmunk (Tamias Ochrogenys) for Anaplasma Phagocytophilum

Granulocytic anaplasmosis (GA) is an emerging tick-transmitted disease that persists in rodent- Ixodes ricinus-complex tick cycles across the Holarctic. Although the putative reservoir for anaplasmosis in the western United States is the dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes), this rodent was not shown reservoir-competent because of failure of infection from woodrats to other animals via ticks. Redwood chipmunks are common in habitats where Anaplasma phagocytophilum is common, have high PCR- and seroprevalence, and are infested with a diversity of Ixodes spp. ticks. Experimental infection of seven wild-caught A. phagocytophilum-negative redwood chipmunks induced persistent periods of recurrent rickettsemia during the persistent phase of infection. Of three animals for which xenodiagnosis was attempted, all successfully infected pools of I. pacificus larvae during the primary rickettsemia. We show that chipmunks are reservoir-competent for GA and may be important for maintaining infection in nature.
Forecasting polynomial dynamics

The reverse engineering method of gene regulatory networks, recently implemented by Laubenbacher and Stigler, is used to generate a multivariate time series with a finite set of levels. A formalism of fuzzy control allows one to forecast the evolutionary behavior of a network. When the multivariate time series is converted to a single-component series, an excellent agreement is obtained between the actual and forecasted values. The tests include both simulated and realistic models. For a binary model, with random bit changes simulating mutations, this approach can be used to detect anomalies in the network evolution.
Capillary rise between planar surfaces

Minimization of free energy is used to calculate the equilibrium vertical rise and meniscus shape of a liquid column between two closely spaced, parallel planar surfaces that are inert and immobile. States of minimum free energy are found using standard variational principles, which lead not only to an Euler-Lagrange differential equation for the meniscus shape and elevation, but also to the boundary conditions at the three-phase junction where the liquid meniscus intersects the solid walls. The analysis shows that the classical Young-Dupre equation for the thermodynamic contact angle is valid at the three-phase junction, as already shown for sessile drops with or without the influence of a gravitational field. Integration of the Euler-Lagrange equation shows that a generalized Laplace-Young (LY) equation first proposed by O'Brien, Craig, and Peyton [J. Colloid Interface Sci. 26, 500 (1968)] gives an exact prediction of the mean elevation of the meniscus at any wall separation, whereas the classical LY equation for the elevation of the midpoint of the meniscus is accurate only when the separation approaches zero or infinity. When both walls are identical, the meniscus is symmetric about the midpoint, and the midpoint elevation is a more traditional and convenient measure of capillary rise than the mean elevation. Therefore, for this symmetric system a different equation is fitted to numerical predictions of the midpoint elevation and is shown to give excellent agreement for contact angles between 15 degrees and 160 degrees and wall separations up to 30mm . When the walls have dissimilar surface properties, the meniscus generally assumes an asymmetric shape, and significant elevation of the liquid column can occur even when one of the walls has a contact angle significantly greater than 90 degrees . The height of the capillary rise depends on the spacing between the walls and also on the difference in contact angles at the two surfaces. When the contact angle at one wall is greater than 90 degrees but the contact angle at the other wall is less than 90 degrees , the meniscus can have an inflection point separating a region of positive curvature from a region of negative curvature, the inflection point being pinned at zero height. However, this condition arises only when the spacing between the walls exceeds a threshold value that depends on the difference in contact angles.
The role of adrenergic receptors and Ca2+ in the action of endotoxin on human fat cells

Abstract Incubation of isolated human adipocytes with Escherichia coli endotoxin increases basal lipolysis without influencing basal cAMP levels. Hormonally stimulated fatty acid release (norepinephrine, 1.2 μM; isoproterenol, 0.95 μM) is depressed by endotoxin, while norepinephrine-stimulated cAMP concentrations remain unchanged. The β blocker, propranolol (10 -2 m M ), depresses norepinephrine-stimulated lipolysis, and endotoxin does not alter its actions. Phentolamine (the α blocker, 10 -2 mM) enhances norepinephrine-stimulated lipolysis and also cAMP levels. Endotoxin alters the cellular response to this α blocker such that its stimulatory influence on norepinephrine-induced glycerol release and cAMP levels is depressed. The divalent cation ionophore A23187 stimulates basal and norepinephrine-induced glycerol release with no influence on the release of fatty acids. These actions do not appear to be mediated via a cAMP mechanism since ionophore has no influence on basal and depresses norepinephrine-stimulated cAMP levels. Pre-incubation of cells with endotoxin does not alter A23187 action on glycerol release. However, endotoxin does obviate the depressant action of the ionophore on norepinephrine-stimulated cAMP concentrations. The results indicate that under our experimental conditions endotoxin may be altering the activity of the β receptor, while not interfering with the β receptor. Similarities between endotoxin and ionophore actions are compatible with the hypothesis that endotoxin may be exerting its influence on the cellular level, at least in part, by acting as an ionophore.