cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
COMPARISON OF THE THERMOSTABILITY OF GROWTH AND KETOGENIC ACTIVITIES OF ANTERIOR PITUITARY EXTRACT

THE PRECISE NUMBER of anterior pituitary hormones is not known. Proof of the II separate identity of these substances is difficult because most of the anterior -1L lobe principles cannot be obtained at present in pure form. Methods of study, therefore, remain indirect. For example, it is possible to subject an extract to chemical or physical treatment which will result in a preparation that has lost one hormonal activity but not another. The conclusion then follows that the two activities are not due to a single molecular entity. Complete removal of one activity and complete preservation of the other is not necessary in order to apply such a de-duction inasmuch as this reasoning likewise applies to extracts in which a distinct change in the ratio of potencies of two activities has been produced. In previous experiments, Shipley and Long (1) showed by this method that growth and keto-genie activities could not be identified with the thyrotropic, adrenotropic, gonado-tropic or lactogenic principles.
Influence of roads on the endangered Stephens' kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi): are dirt and gravel roads different?

Roads can have major impacts on animal distribution and movement patterns by destroying or creating habitat, and by acting as both barriers and corridors for movement. Using a combination of live trapping and spool and line tracking, we compare the relative abundance, mass, and demographic turnover of the endangered Stephens' kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi) on dirt and gravel roads in comparison with adjacent grassland habitat. D. stephensi was more active on dirt roads, and less so on gravel roads, relative to adjacent grassland habitat. Dirt roads were used extensively, and animals tended to move greater distances along dirt roads than in surrounding grasslands. In contrast, gravel roads were used much less extensively than adjacent grasslands. Animals using dirt roads were significantly lighter in mass than those on gravel roads and in adjacent grassland, suggesting greater use by juvenile animals. Dirt roads also had lower rates of recapture and higher rates of new arrivals than did adjacent habitat. These findings suggest that dirt roads provide potentially important landscape linkages for D. stephensi, whereas that gravel roads may act as movement barriers.
Major complications in revision adult deformity surgery: risk factors and clinical outcomes with 2- to 7-year follow-up.

Study design Retrospective cohort comparative study. Objective To determine the prevalence of major complications, identify risk factors, and assess long-term clinical benefit after revision adult spinal deformity surgery. Summary of background data No study has analyzed risk factors for major complications in long revision fusion surgery and whether or not occurrence of a major complication affects ultimate clinical outcome. Methods Analysis of consecutive adult patients who underwent multilevel revision surgery for spinal deformity with a minimum 2-year follow-up was performed. All complications were classified as either major or minor. Outcome analysis was conducted with the Scoliosis Research Society and Oswestry Disability Index scores. Results A total of 166 patients (mean age = 53.8 years) were identified with a mean follow-up of 3.5 years (range: 2-7). Primary diagnoses included idiopathic/de novo scoliosis (107), degenerative (35), trauma (7), neuromuscular scoliosis (6), congenital deformity (5), ankylosing spondylitis (2), tumor (2), Scheuermann kyphosis (1), and rheumatoid arthritis (1). Most common secondary diagnoses that necessitated revision surgery were adjacent segment disease, fixed sagittal imbalance, and pseudarthrosis. Overall, 34.3% of patients developed major complications (19.3% perioperative; 18.7% follow-up). Associated risk factors for perioperative complications were patient- (age > 60 years, medical comorbidities, obesity) and surgery-related (pedicle subtraction osteotomy). Performance of a 3-column osteotomy and postoperative radiographic changes that suggested progressive loss of sagittal correction were recognized as risk factors for follow-up complications. Equivalent outcome scores were reported by patients preoperatively, but those experiencing follow-up complications reported lower scores at the final follow-up. Conclusion Overall, 34.4% of patients experienced major complications after long revision fusion surgery. Different risk factors were identified for perioperative versus follow-up complications. The occurrence of a follow-up, not but perioperative, major complication seemed to have a negative impact on ultimate clinical outcome.
Chemotherapeutic attack of hypoxic tumor cells by the bioreductive alkylating agent mitomycin C.

Abstract Since the cure of solid tumors is limited by the presence of cells with low oxygen contents, we have approached the development of treatment regimens and of new drugs for these tumors by investigating agents which are preferentially bioactivated under hypoxia. Major emphasis has been directed at studying the mode of action of the mitomycin antibiotics, as bioreductive alkylating agents. Using primarily the EMT6 mouse mammary carcinoma as a solid tumor model, we have found that mitomycin C and porfiormycin are preferentially toxic to cells with low oxygen contents. The mitomycin analog BMY-25282 is more toxic to hypoxic cells than are mitomycin C and porfiromycin; however, unlike these antibiotics, BMY-25282 is preferentially toxic to well-oxygenated cells. With these three mitomycins, we have observed a correlation between cytotoxicity to hypoxic cells, the rate of generation of reactive products, and the redox potentials of the drugs. Investigations of the enzymes in EMT6 cells that could possibly activate mitomycin C have revealed that cytochrome P-450 and xanthine oxidase are not present in measurable quantities and therefore are not responsible for activation of mitomycin C. Activities representative of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and DT-diaphorase are present in these neoplastic cells. Comparison of these enzymatic activities in EMT6, CHO, and V79 cells with the rate of generation of reactive products under hypoxia shows a direct correlation between these two parameters, but there is no quantitative correlation between these two parameters and the amount of cytotoxicity. Use of purified NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and inhibitors of this enzyme demonstrated that NADPH-cytochrome c reductase can activate mitomycin C, but that it is probably not the only enzyme participating in this bioactivation in EMT6 cells. The DT-diaphorase inhibitor dicoumarol was employed to show that this enzyme is not involved in the activation of mitomycin C to a cytotoxic agent. Instead, DT-diaphorase appears to metabolize mitomycin C to a nontoxic product. This property has been exploited to develop a new treatment regimen for solid tumors. Using X-rays to eliminate well oxygenated cells of a solid tumor implant of the EMT6 carcinoma, we have found that the combination of dicoumarol plus mitomycin C is more toxic to hypoxic tumor cells in vivo than mitomycin C alone. Furthermore, knowledge of the biochemical mechanism of mitomycin C activation permits a prediction of which tumors can best be treated with this combination of drugs by measuring enzymatic activities in biopsy specimens.
Heritability and Expression of C-reactive Protein in Type 2 Diabetes in the Diabetes Heart Study

Summary Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are associated with both prevalent and incident cardiovascular disease. In this study, familial aggregation was estimated, and we tested for association between serum CRP levels and polymorphisms within the CRP and APOE genes in sib-ships with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a population at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. CRP levels were determined in 461 diabetes-affected subjects from 224 sibships from the Diabetes Heart Study (DHS). Heritability estimates of CRP levels were obtained using variance component models. Genetic influence on serum CRP levels by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CRP and APOE genes was evaluated by association analysis using mixed models. Subjects were Caucasian American (84%) and African-American (16%), 53% female, and had an average age of 62.2 ± 9.2 years. The median CRP level was 3.3 mg/L (range 0 to 59.3 mg/L), and estimated heritability for CRP was approximately 40%. Estimates of heritability were significantly greater than zero (P < 0.0001) and relatively constant, despite adjustments for important modifiers (age, sex, ethnicity, diabetes duration, statin-use and anti-inflammatory use) of CRP. There was no significant evidence for association of CRP levels with CRP gene SNPs; however, consistent with previous reports, there was significant evidence of association of CRP levels with polymorphisms within the APOE gene. These data indicate CRP levels are significantly influenced by genetic (and/or environmental) factors that are shared within DHS families. While the APOE locus shows evidence of contributing to CRP levels, no evidence of CRP gene polymorphism association with CRP levels was observed.
Connections between the Critical Behavior of the Planar Model and That of the Eight-Vertex Model

Lines of critical points which emerge from the two-dimensional planar model's multicritical point are analyzed. These lines seem to be in the same universality class as both the Ashkin-Teller and the eight-vertex (8V) models' critical lines, with the multicritical point being isomorphic with the 8V model at both the points $tanh2\ensuremath{\lambda}=\frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} \mathrm{and} \ensuremath{-}1$. Expansions of critical indices about these values of $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ are performed. If this analysis is right, then this work permits the evaluation of a whole class of interesting correlation functions at the critical point of the $F$ model and that of the four-state Potts model.
Renal Nerves, WNK4, Glucocorticoids, and Salt Transport

Roles of the sympathetic nervous system versus kidney salt transporters in hypertension are debated. A study in Nature Medicine (Mu et al., 2011) shows that dietary salt excess, coupled with β -adrenergic stimulation, increases arterial pressure via glucocorticoid receptors and WNK4, suggesting interactions between these systems in the pathogenesis of hypertension.
Technique, task definition, and the transition from genetics to molecular genetics: aspects of the work on protein synthesis in the laboratories of J. Monod and P. Zamecnik.

In biology proteins are uniquely important. They are not to be classed with polysaccharides, for example, which by comparison play a very minor role. Their nearest rivals are the nucleic acids....The main function of proteins is to act as enzymes. ...In the protein molecule Nature has devised a unique instrument in which an underlying simplicity is used to express great subtlety and versatility; it is impossible to see molecular biology in proper perspective until this peculiar combination of virtues has been clearly grasped.
Computational Fluid Dynamics: NASA Glenn Research Center's Legacy and Contributions

Development and contributions to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) during the period from 1947 to the present are reviewed in five categories: numerical methods, physical modeling, CFD codes development, CFD validation and engineering applications, and multidisciplinary design optimization. Some representative results in applications to aero and propulsion systems are included to illustrate the developed capabilities. GRC has a long history of investing resources to develop these key subject matters, with an interest in a wide range of applications, primarily focusing on propulsion-related technologies and concepts. The evolved CFD capabilities have enabled simulations of complex three-dimensional flow fields for engine components and integrated configurations, as illustrated in this article. This article is intended to give a useful, albeit noncomplete, overview into GRC’s work in CFD.
Estimating the natural rate of unemployment and testing the natural rate hypothesis

How should one measure the natural rate of unemployment? This paper proposes a systems procedure as an alternative to NAIRU. The natural rate is treated as an unobserved state variable in a system that includes measurement equations for the unemployment rate, the rate of wage growth and the rate of inflation. The model is derived from a version of the wage bargaining model of Blanchard and embodies a version of the natural rate hypothesis. The model is estimated by embedding the Kalman filter within the full-information maximum likelihood procedure. For US data, the estimated model implies substantial post-war variation in the natural rate and a negative, but weak, effect of inflation surprises on unemployment. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effects of oils and oil components on algae: A review

(1976). The effects of oils and oil components on algae: A review. British Phycological Journal: Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 115-142.
Dual free-convective flows in a horizontal annulus with a constant heat flux wall

Abstract Natural convection in a horizontal annulus with a constant heat flux wall is investigated for the fluids of 0.2⩽Pr⩽1. The outer cylinder is kept at a constant temperature, and the inner cylinder is heated with a constant heat flux. By using a numerical approach in solving the unsteady governing equations of flow and temperature fields, it is shown that dual steady solutions exist above a critical Rayleigh number.
Label-free optical biosensor for ligand-directed functional selectivity acting on β2 adrenoceptor in living cells

Recent realization of ligand-directed functional selectivity demands high-resolution tools for studying receptor biology and ligand pharmacology. Here we use label-free optical biosensor to examine the dynamic mass redistribution of human epidermoid A431 cells in response to diverse β2-adrenoceptor ligands. Multi-parameter analysis reveals distinct patterns in activation and signaling of the receptor induced by different agonists. Sequential and co-stimulation assays categorize various ligands for their ability to modulate signaling induced by catechol, a structural component of catecholamines. This study documents multiple ligand-specific states of the β2-adrenoceptor and highlights the power of the biosensor assays for screening pathway-biased ligands.
Clarification of sensitivity measure A

Abstract Although Pollack and Norman's A' is used widely as a nonparametric measure of sensitivity or discrimination accuracy for a single ROC point, the assumptions on which it is based and its meaning generally are misunderstood. The origins of A' are reviewed to clarify just what A' is and what it is not. A new measure, A" , is described that actually has the meaning generally ascribed to A'.
Exercise Guidelines for Pregnant Women

Despite remarkable improvements in high technologies and an increase in the number of studies related to exercise for pregnant women, the guidelines for maternal exercise remain contradictory. The effects of exercise in pregnant women and cardiovascular modifications due to pregnancy, and effects of maternal exercise on the fetal environment, including uterine and umbilical hemodynamic changes, are reviewed. Suggested future directions in this area of nursing science are discussed.
Correlation between atomic coordination structure and enhanced electrocatalytic activity for trimetallic alloy catalysts.

This Article describes findings of the correlation between the atomic scale structure and the electrocatalytic performance of nanoengineered PtNiFe/C catalysts treated at different temperatures for oxygen reduction reaction, aiming at providing a new fundamental insight into the role of the detailed atomic alloying and interaction structures of the catalysts in fuel cell reactions. Both mass and specific activities of the catalysts were determined using rotating disk electrode and proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The mass activities extracted from the kinetic regions in both measurements revealed a consistent trend of decreasing activity with increasing temperature. However, the specific activity data from RDE revealed an opposite trend, that is, increasing activity with increasing temperature. In addition to TEM, XRD, and XPS characterizations, a detailed XAFS analysis of the atomic scale coordination structures was carried out, revealing increased heteroatomic coordination with improved alloying stru...
Capacitors, Condensers, and System Stability

It is concluded that for the type of systems studied, the system stability characteristics are affected very little by the type of kilovar supply chosen for a central source. If a system is designed and operated in accordance with well-established principles, utilizing modern relaying, suitable generator-voltage regulators, and switching equipments, the stability problem can be essentially narrowed down and isolated to those cases involving electrically long lines and hydroelectric generating stations. In this study, a wide numerical range of parameters was investigated, allowing certain conclusions to be deduced. The data can likewise be interpreted for other systems of similar types. For instance, the results of a high-reactance hydroelectric generator and transmission line of a given length can be applied with reasonable accuracy to a longer length of line and a lower-reactance generator. Similarly, the results of a heavily loaded station with a large inertia constant can be interpreted for one lightly loaded having a smaller constant. Refer discusssion in appendix on this subject. It follows therefore that if certain general conclusions can be reached for the particular systems studied over a wide range of parameters, the same general conclusions can be applied judiciously to other systems of the same type having different voltages, length of lines, machine ratings, and so forth. With this thought in mind, it will be appreciated that the range of constants and the variations studied make for more of a generalization than would appear superficially.
Building, Implementing, and Sustaining Effective Child Welfare Practice: An Introduction

Children and families who need child welfare–related services deserve to receive interventions supported by strong scientific research (Wilson & Walsh, 2012), increasing the likelihood that interve...
Arm exercise testing with myocardial scintigraphy in asymptomatic patients with peripheral vascular disease

Arm exercise with myocardial scintigraphy and oxygen consumption determinations was performed by 33 men with peripheral vascular disease, 40 to 74 years of age (group 2). None had evidence of coronary disease. Nineteen age-matched male control subjects (group 1) were also tested to determine the normal endurance and oxygen consumption during arm exercise in their age group and to compare the results with those obtained during a standard treadmill performance. The maximal heart rate, systolic blood pressure, pressure rate product, and oxygen consumption were all significantly lower for arm than for leg exercise. However, there was good correlation between all these parameters for both types of exertion. The maximal heart rate, work load and oxygen consumption were greater for group 1 subjects than in patients with peripheral vascular disease despite similar activity status. None of the group 1 subjects had abnormal arm exercise ECCs, while six members of group 2 had ST segment changes. Thallium-201 scintigraphy performed in the latter group demonstrated perfusion defects in 25 patients. After nine to 29 months of follow-up, three patients who had abnormal tests developed angina and one of them required coronary bypass surgery. Arm exercise with myocardial scintigraphy may be an effective method of detecting occult ischemia in patients with peripheral vascular disease. Those with good exercise tolerance and no electrocardiographic changes or 201 T1 defects are probably at lower risk for the development of cardiac complications, while those who develop abnormalities at low exercise levels may be candidates for invasive studies.
Consequences of Perceived Stigma among Patients with Cirrhosis

Among patients with diseases such as HIV, cancer and mental illness, perceived stigma is common and is linked to quality of life (QOL), depression and healthcare-seeking behavior. We aimed to determine the prevalence and consequences of stigma in patients with cirrhosis. A survey was developed and mailed to 300 patients with cirrhosis from a variety of etiologies. Among the 149 respondents, stigma was measured using a composite of previously validated scales. Correlates of stigma were measured using an a priori theoretical construct in order to investigate hypothesized consequences such as impaired social support, depression and reduction in healthcare-seeking behavior. Eighty-nine percent of respondents chose “agree” or “strongly agree” for at least one of the 18 stigma-related questions, indicating they felt stigmatized in at least one aspect of their lives. Patient factors associated with more perceived stigma on multivariable linear regression included younger age (p = 0.008), and hepatitis C (p = 0.001) or alcohol (p = 0.01) as the etiology of liver disease. Patients with higher levels of perceived stigma had less social support (r 2 = 0.898, p < 0.001), were less likely to seek medical care (r 2 = 0.108, p < 0.001), suffered from more depression (r 2 = 0.17 p < 0.001) and had worse QOL (r 2 = 0.175, p < 0.001). Perceived stigma is common among patients with cirrhosis, and is associated with adverse attitudes and behaviors such as decreased healthcare-seeking behavior. Healthcare providers need to be aware of these perceptions and their potential impact on patients’ interaction with the medical system.
The Parson, the Parson's Wife, and the Coming of the Revolution to Pownalborough, Maine

Anglican preacher Rev. Jacob Bailey and his wife, Sally, posed a triple threat to leaders of the American Revolution in the town of Pownalborough, a threat that was religious, political, and social. Forced to leave in 1779, they left behind the lingering question of who the real revolutionaries actually were.
Fourier transform Raman spectroscopic and scanning electron microscopic studies of chemical vapor deposited diamond‐like carbon films

A combined study based on scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy is presented for different kinds of diamond films. These films were obtained by the hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique with both silica (SiO2) and silicon (Si) being used as substrates. CVD diamond films, having crystallite dimensions larger than about 1 μm (the wavelength for Raman excitation being 1.06 μm with an Nd:Yag CW laser), show tetrahedral chemical bonding and single-crystal structural features being characterized by the appearance of the sharp first-order 1330 cm−1 Raman line characteristic of natural or high-pressure synthetic diamonds. Films having crystalline dimensions < 0.1 μm still exhibit tetrahedral (sp3) bonding. For such small crystals, the wavevector conservation rule for Raman spectroscopy of single crystals of diamond breaks down and only broad features, with the most intense Raman lines falling in the range 1260–1100 cm−1, are observed. This broad feature is characterized by some additional superimposed sharp lines, the maxima of which vary from sample to sample, showing the effect of overlap of spectra from various domain sizes of the crystallites, edge effects and contribution from other forms of non-diamond carbon. The crystalline diamond peak observed at 1330 cm−1 indicates that the diamond structure, at the temperature of synthesis, is retained in these films, and the large width of the Raman peak is probably due to the presence of defects. The main low-wavenumber peaks observed in all spectra obtained with 1.06 μm excitation are interpreted as arising from the amorphous disordered sp3-bonded carbons, which are formed as precursors to the crystalline diamond grown by the HFCVD technique.
Pseudohypopyon: Extramedullary relapse of acute myelogenous leukemia with poor prognosis

An 11-month-old female presented to the emergency department with a 2-week history of fever, increasing fussiness, emesis, and decreased urine output. She was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia. Systemic chemotherapy with intensified intrathecal cytarabine was started, and the patient achieved a clinical remission after the first course of induction. Towards the end of her second course of induction she developed pseudohypopyon in each eye on consecutive days, heralding a central nervous system relapse. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;52:885–887. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Anchoring Bias in TARP Warrant Negotiations

This paper finds that banks that offered lower opening bids were rewarded with significantly lower warrant repurchase prices in transactions that raised $2.856 billion in 2009. These results were scaled by third-party consultants’ and the Congressional Oversight Panel’s estimates of the warrants’ value. In contrast to the experimental psychology studies on anchoring bias in negotiations, these are real transactions involving large sums of money. This paper finds that larger banks paid significantly higher prices after controlling for other factors, and the U.S. Treasury obtained better prices over time. The results on anchoring bias are strong even after controlling for bank managers’ potential informational advantages over U.S. Treasury negotiators.
Magnetic resonance imaging features of allografts.

Objective. To investigate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of allografts at various time intervals after surgery in patients with osteoarticular allografts. Design and patients. Sixteen patients who were treated with osteoarticular allografts and who were followed over time with MRI studies as part of their long-term follow-up were retrospectively selected for this study. T1-weighted images were obtained both before and after gadolinium administration along with T2-weighted images. All images were reviewed by an experienced musculoseletal radiologist, with two other experienced radiologists used for consultation. Imaging studies were organized into three groups for ease of discussion: early postoperative period (2 days to 2 months), intermediate postoperative period (3 months to 2 years), and late postoperative period (greater than 2 years). Results. In the early postoperative period, no gadolinium enhancement of the allograft was visible in any of the MR images. A linear, thin layer of periosteal and endosteal tissue enhancement along the margin of the allograft was visible in images obtained at 3–4 months. This enhancement apeared gradually to increase in images from later periods, and appears to have stabilized in the images obtained approximately 2–3 years after allograft placement. The endosteal enhancement diminished after several years, with examinations conducted between 6 and 8 years following surgery showing minimal endosteal enhancement. However, focal enhancement was noted adjacent to areas of pressure erosion or degenerative cysts. All the cases showed inhomogeneity in the marrow signal (scattered low signal foci on T1 with corresponding bright signal on T2), and a diffuse, inhomogeneous marrow enhancement later on. Conclusion. We have characterized the basic MRI features of osteoarticular allografts in 16 patients who underwent imaging studies at various time points as part of routine follow-up. We believe that the endosteal and periosteal enhancement observed on MRI during the first few months to 2 years following surgery represents vascular ingrowth and early skeletal repair. The zone of periosteal enhancement could also include the new bone laid on the surface of the allograft through which the soft tissues bind to the cortex. The exact reason for the inhomogeneity in the marrow signal, and the diffuse, inhomogeneous marrow enhancement is not clear. This may represent saponified and/or necrotic marrow fat interspersed with the fibrovascular tissue. The features noted here should provide radiologists with useful information regarding imaging characteristics they can expect to see in other allograft replacement patients.
A simpler approach to biostatistics.

v s o o c Some readers gloss over the statistics found in research articles, trusting that the authors have “done it right.” But this is a lost opportunity to better understand the clinical significance and reliability of an article’s conclusions. This article is meant to make the most commonly used statistical terms and methods accessible to all Gastrointestinal Endoscopy readers and reviewers. We hope that a better grasp of biostatistics will enable our readers to more effectively judge the research published in the journal and perhaps even to help in the design and reporting of their own research. The term biostatistics simply refers to the statistics inolved in medical or epidemiological studies. Statistical ests are used to help a reader decide whether an observed utcome occurred because of something suspected (ie, ecause of an intervention or an exposure to risk) or imply by chance. Because computer software does a henomenal job of running these tests, we will not go into ow to actually perform various analyses. Rather, we conider the difference between hypothesis testing and effect ize estimation, the basics of how data can be better nderstood when classified correctly, and how to choose he appropriate statistical test based on the type of data eing studied.
Abnormal coagulation results in patients with Hodgkin's disease.

Abstract Case records of 177 patients admitted with Hodgkin's disease were reviewed to assess the frequency and significance of coagulation abnormalities. Prolongation of the prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, or thrombin time occurred in 56 patients, 32 percent of all evaluable cases. The most frequent clotting abnormalities involved the prothrombin time, which was increased In 43 patients (24 percent). Prothrombin time prolongation correlated with bulky or advanced disease as defined by stage (p = 0.001), constitutional symptoms (p
Characterization and Control of the Wettability of Conducting Polymer Thin Films

The wettability of electrochemically deposited conducting polymer films is highly dependent on several parameters including the deposition conditions, the dopant, and the roughness of the working electrode. To produce superhydrophobic surfaces, one must be able to control the micro and nanostructure of the film. In this study, a template-free method of producing superhydrophobic (water contact angle of 154°) polypyrrole films was demonstrated. The polypyrrole was doped with the low surface-energy heptadecafluorooctanesulfonic acid and had microstructures with nanometer-scale roughness. The microstructures served to increase the roughness of the film and amplify the hydrophobicity of the surface. It is also of interest to be able to dynamically adjust the wettability of a polypyrrole surface after deposition. Applications of this functionality include microfluidics, self-cleaning surfaces, liquid lenses, and smart textiles. By oxidizing or reducing a polypyrrole film, one can change the surface morphology as well as the chemical composition, and control the wettability of the surface. This study characterizes the electrochemically-induced changes in surface energy of polypyrrole. The relationship between applied voltage, charge transferred, surface roughness, and water contact angle was investigated. Upon reduction, the polypyrrole film was switched to a superhydrophilic state and the maximum change in contact angle was observed to be 154°. Surface wettability was found to be not fully reversible, with some hysteresis occurring after the first electrochemical cycle.
Complications of contemporary radical nephrectomy: comparison of open vs. laparoscopic approach

Increasingly, laparoscopy is being employed in the treatment of urologic malignancies. This is most apparent in kidney cancer, where laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is now considered to be a gold standard. Herein, we compared early postoperative morbidity in a contemporary series of open and laparoscopic radical nephrectomies. We reviewed all patients that underwent a radical nephrectomy between October 1999 and May 2001 at our institution. We then compared open radical nephrectomy patients to those undergoing laparoscopic approaches with specific attention to early complications. A total of 74 radical nephrectomies were performed: 41 open, 18 hand-assisted and 15 pure laparoscopic nephrectomies. Overall, complication rates between the open, hand-assist and pure laparoscopic groups were similar (10%, 17% and 12%, respectively, P = 0.133). There was no statistically significant difference in ASA score (P = 0.144), pre-operative hematocrit (P = 0.575) or intra-operative blood loss (P = 0.364). The open nephrectomy group had a statistically larger average tumor size (7.4 cm vs. 4.6 cm; P = 0.005) and younger average age (57 vs. 63; P = 0.019) than the laparoscopic group. Length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the laparoscopic group (3.6 days vs. 1.7 days; P < 0.0001). Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy has an acceptably low complication rate and compares favorably to open radical nephrectomy. The low rate of complications combined with the advantages of laparoscopic surgery favor a laparoscopic approach for the majority of patients with stage T1 and T2 tumors.
Optimal contract-sizing in online display advertising for publishers with regret considerations

Abstract In this paper, we study optimal contract problems for online display advertisements with pay-per-view pricing scheme. We first provide and analyze a single contract model, which is shown to be equivalent to the newsvendor problem. We then consider a stochastic optimization problem with two different advertisements and show that a contract to display both of them is not optimal. However, we show that a contract to display of both advertisements may be optimal when we consider the publisher's regret. We consider a chance constraint for the publisher's regret and provide numerical experiments that illustrate the change of optimal strategy for different probability levels.
Design of high-performance sintered-wick heat pipes

Abstract An analytical model for predicting peak (dryout) steady-state heat transfer limits in heat pipes utilizing sintered-wick structures is presented. Boiling is accounted for and one-dimensional liquid and vapor flows are assumed. Experimental measurements of peak heat flux values for two cylindrical sintered-copper wicks are made and compared with analytical predictions. Theoretical and experimental dryout heat flux values agree to within 10%. Using the analytical model, flat plate and cylindrical wick heat pipe performance is evaluated as a function of design parameters. Parameters for high-performance flat plate and cylindrical wicks are identified. Peak heat fluxes up to 50 and 100 W cm −2 , respectively, are predicted for 10 cm long high-performance wicks using water as the coolant.
Cracking Down on Caveolin: Role of 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase Inhibitors in Modulating Edothelial Cell Nitric Oxide Production

One of the most effective approaches in the treatment of atherosclerosis has been the use of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl–coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) to treat hypercholesterolemia. During the past decade, numerous studies involving >20 000 individuals have shown that these drugs dramatically reduce cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and stroke. Statin therapy prevents events in individuals with established cardiovascular disease and is also effective in primary prevention.1 A major mechanism by which lipid lowering is thought to improve outcome is by preventing the development of new atherosclerotic lesions and by depleting lipids from established plaques (ie, plaque stabilization).2 3 A striking finding is that statins seem to decrease clinical events within a few months of the onset of therapy.4 This suggests that they may have beneficial effects beyond those of plaque stabilization and lesion prevention. One such beneficial effect might be the restoration of nitric oxide production by the endothelium. Endothelium-derived nitric oxide, previously known as the endothelium-derived relaxing factor, modulates vasodilatation and prevents platelet adhesion, the expression of adhesion molecules, and smooth muscle cell proliferation.5 Nitric oxide has also been shown to have antioxidant effects by enhancing the expression of superoxide dismutase,6 preventing lipid-chain reactions,7 and reacting with the superoxide anion.5 Thus, nitric oxide seems to play a major role as an endogenous protective factor against atherosclerosis. Indeed, virtually every atherosclerosis risk factor is associated with decreased endothelial cell nitric oxide production, and it is likely that this loss of nitric oxide is a major reason why these conditions predispose to vascular lesion development. …
Claude G. Buffier and the Maturation of the Jesuit Synthesis in the Age of Enlightenment

At first glance, many clerics influenced by the Enlightenment seem contradictory in their writings. An example of such apparently blatant contradiction is the perspective afforded by Sorbonne bache...
Determination of total tin in geological materials by electrothermal atomic-absorption spectrophotometry using a tungsten-impregnated graphite furnace.

Abstract An electrothermal atomic-absorption spectrophotometric method is described for the determination of total tin in geological materials, with use of a tungsten-impregnated graphite furnace. The sample is decomposed by fusion with lithium metaborate and the melt is dissolved in 10% hydrochloric acid. Tin is then extracted into trioctylphosphine oxide-methyl isobutyl ketone prior to atomization. Impregnation of the furnace with a sodium tungstate solution increases the sensitivity of the determination and improves the precision of the results. The limits of determination are 0.5–20 ppm of tin in the sample. Higher tin values can be determined by dilution of the extract. Replicate analyses of eighteen geological reference samples with diverse matrices gave relative standard deviations ranging from 2.0 to 10.8% with an average of 4.6%. Average tin values for reference samples were in general agreement with, but more precise than, those reported by others. Apparent recoveries of tin added to various samples ranged from 95 to 111% with an average of 102%.
Distribution of dissolved volatile fatty acids in some Louisiana oil field brines

Abstract Interest in the distribution of dissolved volatile fatty acids, VFAs, in subsurface brines has been stimulated by the role these substances may play as proximity indicators to hydrocarbons, as potential precursors of some natural gas, as aqueous complexing agents, and as diagenetically-reactive acids. We have studied the distribution of individual VFA species in subsurface brines from three oil fields in the hydropressured portion of the Tertiary section of South Louisiana. Total VFA concentrations vary from 2 to 166 mg/l over a sampled depth range of from 660 to 2900 m and a temperature range of from 40 to 90°C. The VFAs in part have apparently been generated at greater depth and transported upward where they have undergone progressive degradation. In some areas, acetate appears to have been preferentially degraded over propionate, and propionate preferentially degraded over iso- and n -butyrate and iso - and n -valerate. VFAs contribute from 5 to 35% of the total titration alkalinity of most of the waters analyzed. The spatial distribution of individual dissolved VFA species at each of the three fields studied is unique, complex, but internally systematic, and must ultimately be controlled by local variations in the rates of production, degradation, and transport of these compounds. The VFAs thus have the potential for helping to delineate the dynamics of on-going subsurface mass transport. As such, further understanding of controls on their distribution will aid in the exploration for hydrocarbons.
The superconducting transition temperatures of disordered Nb, W, and Mo films

Abstract Large changes in T c are observed in films of Nb, W and Mo evaporated under ultrahigh vacuum conditions onto cryogenic substrates. An explanation of these temperature changes in terms of the smearing of N (0) due to the small mean free path is discussed.
Aseptic Foreign Body Reaction to Dacron Graft Material Used for Coracoclavicular Ligament Reconstruction after Type III Acromioclavicular Dislocation

Surgical treatment of traumatically induced type III acromioclavicular separations using a Dacron graft to reconstruct the coracoclavicular ligament has been described by several authors. 2,3,,5,7,9,1 2 ,1 6 ,1 9 We describe two cases in which the patients who underwent this procedure developed an aseptic foreign body reaction to Dacron. This clinical problem has not been previously reported.
High temperature electronic conduction mechanisms in YBa2Cu4O8

Abstract Equilibrium electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements over the temperature range 500–800°C in YBa 2 Cu 4 O 8 (Y-124) exhibit evidence for two distinct conduction mechanisms, one metallic and one activated. It is speculated that the metallic mechanism is associated with the Cu-O planes, whereas the activated mechanism is associated with the Cu-O chains, just as in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+ y (Y-123). Like the other superconducting cuprates, Y-124 electrical properties obey a standard relationship of Seebeck coefficient versus logarithm of conductivity. Analysis of behavior in Y−124 may provide useful insight into the electrical and superconducting behavior of the other cuprates, particularly Y-123.
Protein-protein interaction in blood serum

Electrophoretic studies of pure proteins and mixtures of proteins have been made in an electrophoretic cell modified so that dilute samples are superimposed on more concentrated (or undiluted) samples of the same solution.
Dispersive—diffusive transport of non-sorbed solute in multicomponent solutions

The composition of fuels, mixed-solvent wastes and other contaminants that find their way into the subsurface are frequently chemically complex. The dispersion and diffusion characteristics of multicomponent solutions in soil have rarely been compared to equivalent single-solute systems. The purpose of this work was to examine the diffusive and dispersive transport of single- and multi-component solutions in homogeneous porous media. The miscible displacement technique was used to investigate the transport behavior of 14C-labelled 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in two materials for which sorption of 2,4-D was minimal. Comparison of breakthrough curves collected for 2,4-D in single- and multi-component solutions shows that there is little, if any, difference in transport behavior over a wide range of pore-water velocities (70, 7, 0.66 and 0.06 cm h−1). Thus, dispersivities measured with a non-sorbing single-solute solution should be applicable to multicomponent systems.
In Vitro Selection of Small RNAs that Bind to Escherichia coli Phenylalanyl-tRNA Synthetase

Abstract Small RNAs were selected from a highly degenerate library on the basis of their ability to bind tightly to Escherichia coli phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (FRS). The 63 nucleotide library consisted of the acceptor stem and portions of the D and T stems of E. coli tRNA Phe flanking a 32 nucleotide randomized region. Because FRS binding relies on a correctly folded tRNA substrate, the selected variants from this library were expected to resemble tRNA Phe structure. After seven cycles of selection, the RNA library bound to FRS with similar affinity to that of the E. coli tRNA Phe , but did not show detectable aminoacylation. Fourteen FRS-specific isolates were sequenced and found to contain an anticodon stem-loop including the anticodon triplet of tRNA Phe . The tight-binding RNAs fell into two classes depending on the location of this step-loop within the sequence. The acceptor stem defined by the non-randomized sequence was also found to be essential for binding Mutation of two residues within a common hexanucleotide sequence present in one of the classes reduced binding to FRS. Taken together, these results suggest that in order to bind RNAs tightly, FRS requires the simultaneous interaction of the anticodon stem-loop and acceptor stem, and additional sequences needed for proper folding. This approach should assist in the detection of motifs that resemble tRNA, but are too dissimilar to be identified by sequence comparison.
Transient inactivation of the ventral tegmental area selectively disrupts the expression of conditioned place preference for pup- but not cocaine-paired contexts

The ventral tegmental area (VTA) plays a critical role in motivated behavior. However, it remains unclear whether intact VTA function is necessary for motivated behavior to seek contexts repeatedly paired with natural stimuli and/or pharmacological stimuli. In the present study, conditioned place preference (CPP) was induced with highly salient natural or drug stimuli attributed with strong incentive-motivational value in each of 2 female models: Postpartum females were conditioned to associate one unique context in the CPP apparatus with young offspring (pups) and a second context with a neutral stimulus, and virgin females were conditioned to associate unique contexts with cocaine (5 mg/kg ip) and saline injections. Immediately before CPP testing, each female received a microinfusion of bupivacaine bilaterally into the VTA to transiently inactivate the region; subjects were also tested after saline microinfusion into the VTA. Postpartum females' preference for the pup-paired context was abolished by VTA inactivation but was restored to high control levels after saline microinfusion. In separate tests, VTA inactivation also reduced motivated pup licking and pup retrieval in postpartum females, suggesting that intact VTA function is required for the expression of both pup CPP and motivated pup-directed behaviors. Cocaine CPP remained unaffected by VTA inactivation. Locomotion was not affected by VTA microinfusions but was severely impaired by bupivacaine microinfusions into the substantia nigra. We concluded that the VTA is differentially involved in the expression of conditioned preference for contexts paired with pups, a salient natural stimulus, and contexts paired with cocaine.