cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Renal Cell Carcinoma with Isolated Lymph Node Involvement: Long-term Natural History and Predictors of Oncologic Outcomes Following Surgical Resection

Abstract Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with isolated lymph node (LN) involvement has historically been associated with poor prognosis. However, a subset of patients may experience long-term survival. Objective To examine the natural history of RCC with isolated LN involvement following surgical resection with long-term follow-up, and to evaluate clinicopathologic features associated with disease progression and survival. Design, setting, and participants A total of 138 patients with isolated pN1M0 RCC underwent partial or radical nephrectomy and LN dissection from 1980 to 2010. Intervention Partial or radical nephrectomy with LN dissection. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Metastasis-free survival (MFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Associations between clinicopathologic features and oncologic outcomes were evaluated using Cox regression models. Results and limitations Median follow-up among survivors was 8.5 yr. The 5-yr and 10-yr MFS, CSS, and OS rates were 16% and 15%, 26% and 21%, and 25% and 15%, respectively. The median time to development of metastases was only 4.2 mo. On multivariable analysis, symptoms at presentation (hazard ratio [HR] 2.40; p =0.03), inferior vena cava tumor thrombus (HR 1.99; p =0.003), clear cell (HR 2.21; p =0.01) and collecting duct/not otherwise specified (HR 4.28; p p =0.005), and coagulative tumor necrosis (HR 2.51; p Conclusions Although isolated pN1 disease portends a poor prognosis, a small subset of patients experience durable long-term survival after surgical resection of isolated lymphatic metastases. Adverse prognostic features may enhance patient risk stratification and facilitate multimodal management approaches. Patient summary Although isolated lymph node metastases portend a poor prognosis, a small subset of patients experience long-term survival following surgical resection.
Ang II Infusion at 8, But not at 16 Weeks Age, Promotes Atherosclerosis in ApoE-Deficient Mice

P77 Although hypertension has long been regarded as a risk factor for atherosclerosis, the pathophysiologic mechanism is unknown. Angiotensin II can affect almost every step in the development of a...
RELATION BETWEEN BRAIN TYROSINE AND CATECHOLAMINE SYNTHESIS

ABSTRACT Transmitter release from central noradrenergic (NE) and dopaminergic (DA) neurons was assessed by measuring brain concentrations of their major metabolites, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylethyleneglycol sulfate (MOPEG-SO4) and homovanillic acid (HVA). Treatments that increased brain tyrosine also elevated the concentrations of these metabolites, especially when NE and DA neurons were activated. It is well established that the levels and syntheses of the neurotransmitters serotonin and acetylcholine are affected by brain concentrations of their respective precursors, tryptophan and choline (1). In contrast, treatments that affect brain tyrosine concentrations reportedly fail to modify NE or DA levels; hence, it has been assumed that precursor availability is not a significant factor affecting catecholamine (CA) synthesis and release. We reasoned that tyrosine hydroxylase (TOH), the rate-limiting enzyme in CA synthesis, would not be saturated with tyrosine at normal brain tyrosine levels and anticipated that brain tyrosine uptake would rise in parallel with the ratio of the tyrosine concentration in plasma to the sum of the concentrations of the neutral amino acids that compete with it for uptake (e.g., after tyrosine administration or protein consumption). Resulting changes in CA synthesis could affect CA release without clearly increasing CA levels if, as has been proposed, these transmitters exist in several metabolic compartments.
A NEW SENSOR, THE “FILTRATION PROBE”, TO MONITOR AND CONTROL ANTIBIOTIC FERMENTATIONS

ABSTRACT From the filtration characteristics of mycelial biomass, the ratio of cell dry weight to cell volume can be determined. This ratio reflects the cytoplasmic contents of the cells and can be directly related to the metabolic activity of the organism. The rate of loss of cytoplasmic components is further correlated to the growth rate of the mycelia. This correlation - combined with cell mass determination using the “filtration probe” - has enabled successful computer control of the fed-batch penicillin fermentation.
mRNA display-based selections using synthetic peptide and natural protein libraries.

mRNA display is a powerful in vitro selection technique that can be applied towards the identification of peptides or proteins with desired properties. The physical conjugation between a protein and its own RNA presents unique challenges in manipulating the displayed proteins in an RNase free environment. This protocol outlines the generation of synthetic peptide and natural proteome libraries as well as the steps required for generation of mRNA-protein fusion libraries, in vitro selection, and regeneration of the selected sequences. The selection procedures for the identification of Ca2+ dependent calmodulin binding proteins from synthetic peptide and natural proteome libraries are presented.
A Summary of the State of the Art in Flash Flood Warning Systems in the United States

We are wrapping up a three year project assessing flash flood hazard in the United States. Our effort has three main components: 1) defining flash floods as opposed to slow rise floods; 2) reviewing the experiences of communities that are flash flood mitigation success stories; and 3) summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of warning systems. My presentation focuses on the third mission. Our work concentrates on flash floods in the United States but I am sure that some of our findings can be directly applied to international contexts and to landslide mitigation.
Soil-Solution Interactions

To understand what changes in the soil may be brought about by a change in the level of atmospheric acid deposition, it is useful to develop at least a conceptual model of the major system components and the processes by which they interact. The interaction between the solid and solution phases in the soil is critical in determining the nature of these changes. Although the system in total is extremely complex, a relatively simple subset of the processes involved is sufficient for our purpose. In this chapter, we describe the major processes that control the composition of the soil solution and how this composition is modified by acid impact. Our approach is to consider the anions in solution and the processes by which their concentration is controlled. The principle of electroneutrality requires the equivalence of positive and negative charges, so that if the anion concentrations are known, the total charge of the cations in solution is also known. We can then proceed to consider the processes by which the distribution of the various cations in solution is determined.
Planting cost, survival, and growth one to three years after establishing loblolly pine seedlings with straight, deformed, or pruned taproots

To provide an objective approach for comparing various planting methods likely to differ in cost, seedling performance, and cost efficiency, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings were dug-hole or slit planted with either straight, deformed, or pruned taproots, and planting rate (seconds per seedling) and three-year survival and growth of seedlings were measured. The per-hectare cost of dug-hole planting seedlings to ensure straight taproots ($273) was over five times that of slit planting seedlings with intentionally deformed or pruned taproots ($50). Although third-year pine survival did not differ significantly among treatments (74% to 87%), yield index was 58% higher for seedlings dug-hole planted with straight taproots (1152 dm3 stem volume/ha) versus that for seedlings slit planted with deformed or pruned taproots (730 dm3/ha). Third-year cost efficiency (yield index ÷ planting cost) of slit planted seedlings with deformed or pruned taproots (11.7 dm3/$) was over three times that of dug-hole planted seedlings with straight taproots (3.5 dm3/$). These short-term results suggest that the higher values of yield index resulting from straight-root planting do not justify its considerably greater cost.
Copper Ligand and Anion Effects: Controlling the Kinetics of the Photoinitiated Copper(I) Catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition Polymerization.

The kinetics of photoinduced copper(I) catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) polymerizations were assessed as a function of copper(II) amine-based ligands. Copper(II) bromide ligated with 1,1,4,7,10,10-hexamethylenetetramine (HMTETA) exhibited the fastest kinetics in both Norrish type(I) and type(II) photoinitiating systems. A characteristic induction period is observed with these polymerizations and is manipulated by adding an external tertiary amine in Norrish Type(II) photoinitiating systems or by changing the anion of the copper(II) salt. Halides, specifically bromide and chloride, exhibit the fastest kinetics with the smallest induction period in comparison with organic anions, such as bistriflimide and triflate. The temporal control of the photo-CuAAC polymerization is affected by pre-ligation of the copper catalyst, by the presence of certain anions such as acetate, and by specific ligands such as tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA).
Effective Classroom Management in Physical Education: Strategies for Beginning Teachers

Classroom management is often a big concern for beginning teachers. Beginning teachers often worry about how they will uphold the same level of classroom management as veteran teachers. Because of ...
The Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q): Ten years later

The Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q) is a validated questionnaire tool for collecting self-reported proficiency and experience data from bilingual and multilingual speakers ages 14 to 80. It is available in over 20 languages, and can be administered in a digital, paper-and-pencil, and oral interview format. The LEAP-Q is used by researchers across various disciplines (Psychology, Neuroscience, Linguistics, Education, Communication Sciences & Disorders, etc.) to provide a comprehensive description of their bilingual participants, to substantiate a division of bilinguals into groups (e.g., early vs. late bilinguals), and to screen participants for adequate or threshold levels of language proficiency. Best practices for using the LEAP-Q include administration of the full questionnaire, consideration of acquisition and history of language use together with self-ratings of proficiency, and supplementation of self-reported data with objective language measures whenever possible. The LEAP-Q can be downloaded at no cost at https://bilingualism.northwestern.edu/leapq/.
Divergent Viewpoints about the Statistical Stage of a Mixed Method: Qualitative versus Quantitative Orientations.

Within mixed methods research, a key issue is how to mix qualitative and quantitative research orientations. Similar debates arise within a mixed method called Q methodology [Q] that has an 80-year...
Theatrical Performances Using Robots As Actors

The University of Iowa’s Robot Theater Project uses robots to promote STEM education to underrepresented students. Students write scripts and program robots to give live performances on stage. In this paper, we introduce the project, describe the framework used to coordinate the behavior of multiple robots in a scene, and discuss the challenges with live performances involving robot actors from different manufacturers.
Physics of Radiation

Overleaf:Two views of Arctic sea ice from an earth orbiting satellite. Upper panel is a visible image of the Bering Sea showing Alaska on the right, and Siberia on the left; obtained by NOAA-4. Lower panel is a radar image of the Beaufort Sea obtained from the synthetic aperture radar on SEASAT. Spatial resolution of the upper panel is approximately one kilometer, and was obtained by measuring reflected sunlight. The lower panel has a spatial resolution of 25 meters and was obtained by measuring the backscattered energy from a radar pulse transmitted from the satellite. Both images are processed to show open water as dark areas, and various ice types in shades of gray. Figure courtesy of NASA JPL.
A HAUNTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF DIGITAL MEMORIALIZATION OF THE DEAD

Facebook now allows pages of the deceased to remain active, controlled by immediate family members of a deceased person, as a sort of memorialization or “electronic wake,” (Stokes, 2011). The overall goal of the author is to examine the evolution of the materiality of memorialization and investigate how our human connection with death has changed as our media tools have become untethered from tangible artefact. To explore the links between media, human relationships, and the spectral plane, and how those links might be revelatory in an age of digital media, a hauntological examination of these questions will be endeavored. The basic premise of hauntology, a clever merge of haunting and ontology derived by Jacques Derrida (1993), is that an idea, once tangibly realized and made real in the cultural zeitgeist, is never truly extinguished. Derrida’s hauntology derives from the ontological quest to articulate the nature of being, yet with the added perspective that everything that exists might not have ever lived, and nothing which is past ever really quite dies. This is no more so true than in our heavily mediated age in which written documents, photographs, film, and the Internet are able to capture, record, store—and, as will be discussed—even replicate beingness in physical form. In an age where simulacra parade as true being, and cultural memory of events as accepted historical provenance, perhaps a new perspective on the relationship between being and death is timely.
The Face of Immigration: Photographic Portrayals of Immigrants in News Photographs

Immigration is a very polarizing issue in American politics, and many individuals develop opinions on the topic based, not on first-hand experience, but on news media coverage. Among the most power...
Coronary Flow Resistance and Reserve

The coronary arteries are the initial vessels off of the aorta and eventually end in a rich capillary bed that provides blood to the myocytes in a one to one fashion (one capillary for each myocyte.) The myocardial oxygen concentration is at maximum such that any increase in myocardial blood flow (MBF) can only be accomplished by increase in coronary blood flow (CBF). As previously mentioned, the CBF is governed by local and systemic factors that help regulate the high demands of the myocardium. The final common pathway is the microvasculature that vasodilates or vasoconstricts to adjust for changes in blood flow.
New Cost-Effective, Computerized Approachesto Selecting Chemicals for Priority Testing Consideration

The Interagency Testing Committee (ITC) was established in 1976 under Section 4(e) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The ITC consists of representatives from 15 member and liaison agencies. The committee recommends chemicals to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator for priority testing consideration and potential rule-making under Section 4(a) of TSCA. Between 1977 and 1983 the ITC conducted five scoring exercises to select existing chemicals for detailed review. These five scoring exercises focused on chemicals of regulatory concern, high-production chemicals, and chemicals recommended by other organizations. In 1986, in preparation for a sixth scoring exercise, we developed new approaches to selecting chemicals for review by the ITC. Expert panels were organized to identify substructures indicative of chemicals with potential to cause adverse health effects or adverse ecological effects. The expert ecological effects panel identified 109 organic chemical substructures that might cause adverse effects to any of eight organism types. These substructures were used to develop a questionnaire which was sent to 86 environmental chemists and toxicologists. Results from this questionnaire were used to reduce the list of substructures identified by the expert panel to 63 substructures with potential to cause adverse ecological effects in one to six organism types. These chemical substructures were used to search a data base of approximately 18 100 discrete organic chemicals. These searches identified about 5200 chemicals which might produce adverse ecological effects. The data base containing 18 100 chemicals was also searched for about 5300 chemicals that were in eleven computer-searchable, environmental-monitoring data bases. These searches identified about 2300 chemicals. The 2300 Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) numbers for chemicals with potential for environmental exposure were compared with the 5200 CAS numbers for chemicals that might produce adverse ecological effects in order to identify matches. Over 100 chemicals were identified that had both the potential to cause adverse ecological effects and the potential for environmental exposure. A scoring system was developed to rank these chemicals. After obtaining available information on domestic production, many of these chemicals were screened by panels of toxicologists, chemists, ecologists, and engineers to select chemicals of environmental concern for detailed review by the ITC.
Complete and coreless forms of reovirus (ECHO 10). Ratio of number of virus particles to infective units in the one-step growth cycle.

Abstract Reovirus (ECHO 10) particles were found to be 75 mμ in diameter and polyhedral in shape. By the negative staining technique, about one-quarter to one-half of the virus population were found to be made up of empty protein coats. These two forms were partially separated by density gradient sedimentation, and infectivity was associated with the complete rather than the coreless particles. One-step growth curves in monkey kidney cells indicated that reovirus is characterized by a prolonged growth cycle and by a tendency to accumulate within cells. The eclipse phase was approximately 6 hours; the increase of infectious virus was then exponential, and completion of the replication required a minimum of 54 hours. Fifty per cent of the total amount of virus produced appeared within approximately 39 hours. The average yield per infected cell was approximately 2500 virus particles which contained 225 plaque-forming units (PFU). Thus the particle: PFU ratio was 11. About 20% of the total virus was found to be extracellular through most of the growth cycle, a result suggesting that the virus was released at a very slow rate. Stability at various temperatures was studied and the half-life at 37°C was found to be about 19 hours.
Wine and your heart.

Letter to Editor: We read with interest the AHA consensus statement “Wine and Your Heart” by Goldberg et al.1 Observational studies suggest an inverse association between the consumption of alcoholic beverages and coronary artery disease. It has been suggested that red wine might be more protective than other alcoholic beverages, although observational studies have wide variations in methodology and measurement error in the amount and type of alcoholic beverage consumed. We disagree with the authors that any type of alcoholic beverage consumed in moderation inhibits platelet activity. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that to get significant inhibition of platelet activity an oral dose of alcohol producing a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.15 g/dL is required. …
Hereditary Prostate Cancer and Genetic Risk

Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the United States. In 2009, approximately 192,280 men were diagnosed with—and 27,360 men died from—this disease. Moreover, prostate cancer is one of the most heritable of common cancers: in comparison with men who have no family history of prostate cancer, those who have a first-degree relative diagnosed with this disease have a 2–4-fold greater risk, and those with three or more first-degree relatives with prostate cancer have an approximately 11-fold increased risk. Twin studies have shown that the recurrence risk of prostate cancer is much higher for identical twins (>20 %) than for fraternal twins (∼6 %), and segregation analyses also suggest that there is a strong genetic basis for this disease.
Inflation and Machinery Cost Budgeting

Machinery costs are affected by inflation which, if not correctly considered, will bias cost estimates. Accurate estimates of machinery costs are essential in budgeting costs of crop production in farm policy programs, crop hedging decisions, and general cost of production research. Machinery decisions relating to replacement, size, and custom or leasing alternatives are also improved by realistic budgeting techniques. The objective of this article is to examine appropriate adjustments for inflation in developing machinery costs through budgeting techniques. The authors attempt to demonstrate the adjustments necessary in both capital and traditional budgeting models to place cost estimates on a real basis. Capital budgeting is first compared with traditional budgeting. Next, by the use of a simple machinery example, the necessary adjustments to account for inflation are shown for a capital budgeting model that does not include income tax considerations. Similarly, the inflation adjustments are demonstrated for a traditional budgeting model that does not include income tax considerations. Finally, a capital budgeting model including income tax aspects is examined in reference to real and nominal after-tax cost estimates.
Energetic Path Finding across Massive Terrain Data

Throughout history, the primary means of transportation for humans has been on foot. We present a software tool which can help visualize and predict where historical trails might lie through the use of a human-centered cost metric, with an emphasis on the ability to generate paths which traverse several thousand kilometers. To accomplish this, various graph simplification and path approximation algorithms are explored. We show that it is possible to restrict the search space for a path finding algorithm while not sacrificing accuracy. Combined with a multi-threaded variant of Dijkstra's shortest path algorithm, we present a tool capable of computing a path of least caloric cost across the contiguous US, a dataset containing over 19 billion datapoints, in under three hours on a 2.5 Ghz dual core processor. The potential archaeological and historical applications are demonstrated on several examples.
A Practical Probabilistic Method for Evaluating the Fail-Safeness of Structures that May Fail Due to Fatigue

The undetected propagation of a fatigue crack constitutes a significant cause of aircraft and other structural failures. To raise the structural failure load to a relatively high level, the manufacturer can divide the structure into many small elements, which significantly increases the ability of a structure to tolerate an element failure. This paper presents a procedure for calculating the probability that the structure has not failed, as the function of the crack propagation history for an undetected fatigue crack. The form of the procedure is so simple that computations with a desk calculator can yield reasonably accurate results. Moreover, the necessary input data are often readily available. By adopting such a procedure, aircraft manufacturers and operators can better identify those elements that pose the greatest threat to structural integrity.
Experimental and Analytical Studies of Crack Initiation and Arrest in Hot Pressed Silicon Nitride

A recently developed experimental procedure enables stable crack growth in high modulus material. Significant scatter of critical parameters such as critical crack length, energy release rates at crack initiation and crack arrest, length of dynamic crack increments has been observed in a hot pressed silicon nitride. There is a consistent difference in the values of the energy release rates at crack arrest and initiation. Fractographic studies suggest existence of the process zone in the subcritical crack growth region. A new statistical model is proposed. It is based on Statistical Fracture Mechanics approach combined with the Monte Carlo technique. The model provides the means to explain all essential features of fracture behavior. A computer simulation of the fracture process is performed. Good agreement between statistics of observed and simulated critical fracture parameters has been achieved.
The mixed impact of medical school on medical students’ implicit and explicit weight bias

Context Health care trainees demonstrate implicit (automatic, unconscious) and explicit (conscious) bias against people from stigmatised and marginalised social groups, which can negatively influence communication and decision making. Medical schools are well positioned to intervene and reduce bias in new physicians. Objectives This study was designed to assess medical school factors that influence change in implicit and explicit bias against individuals from one stigmatised group: people with obesity. Methods This was a prospective cohort study of medical students enrolled at 49 US medical schools randomly selected from all US medical schools within the strata of public and private schools and region. Participants were 1795 medical students surveyed at the beginning of their first year and end of their fourth year. Web-based surveys included measures of weight bias, and medical school experiences and climate. Bias change was compared with changes in bias in the general public over the same period. Linear mixed models were used to assess the impact of curriculum, contact with people with obesity, and faculty role modelling on weight bias change. Results Increased implicit and explicit biases were associated with less positive contact with patients with obesity and more exposure to faculty role modelling of discriminatory behaviour or negative comments about patients with obesity. Increased implicit bias was associated with training in how to deal with difficult patients. On average, implicit weight bias decreased and explicit bias increased during medical school, over a period of time in which implicit weight bias in the general public increased and explicit bias remained stable. Conclusions Medical schools may reduce students’ weight biases by increasing positive contact between students and patients with obesity, eliminating unprofessional role modelling by faculty members and residents, and altering curricula focused on treating difficult patients.
Effects of Airway Obstruction on Respirator Function in a Lung Analogue

The addition of airway obstruction to a model lung analogue resulted in a decrease in flow rate and tidal volume delivered to the analogue. Tidal volume could be maintained with the volume- and pressure-cycled respirator by an increase in airway pressure and the inspiratory flow time. These variables cannot be modified in the tank respirator, so that a marked decrease in tidal volume occurs in the presence of airway obstruction.
On an upper bound for the harmonious chromatic number of a graph

The upper bound for the harmonious chromatic number of a graph that has been given by Sin-Min Lee and John Mitchem is improved.
AFM Determination of the Elasticity of Model Biomembranes

The utility of AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) to study surface morphologies and molecular level forces is well known. It is also possible to apply well-defined small forces on soft surfaces using the AFM. The latter is being used here to determine the elasticity (Young's modulus) of model membrane lipid bilayers. The mechanical properties of biological membranes are of interest in understanding various biologically related processes like cell hemolysis, viral fusion and pore formation, etc. and are closely related to the cell stability. The method involves determination of the force curves by compressing the lipid bilayer by indenting the AFM tip on the bilayer surface, and the resulting elastic response of the bilayer to the applied force (load) is analysed using theoretical models for the tip geometry. We will discuss the sample preparation technique and the results of our experiments on coexisting fluid-phase domains in typical ‘lipid raft’ mixtures, as well as the effects of varying the level of unsaturation of the lipid carbon chains.
The effect of adsorbate-adsorbate interactions on stimulated desorption yields

Abstract A treatment is given of the effect of lateral interactions between adsorbed species on the desorption yield from surfaces. In a number of well-studied systems, e.g. H/W(100), Mo(100), CO/Ni, W, and O/W(100), Mo(100), it is observed that after an initial linear increase of electron stimulated ion desorption yield at very low coverage, a region of negative differential ion yield with increasing coverage is encountered. The yield achieves a maximum and then decreases with further coverage as the coverage exceeds a quarter to a half monolayer depending upon the system. Here we present model calculations based on the hypothesis that this decreasing yield is due to lateral delocalization of the desorption causing excitation as the interaction between adsorbed species increases. A specific application is the H/W(100) system where we find that a simple model indicates that such delocalization could cause a decrease in the desorption yield in excess of one order of magnitude in going from a quarter monolayer to a half monolayer coverage. Several experimental tests of this model are suggested.
Relationship Development: Tracking the Formation of Relationship Commitment in a Controlled Setting

Conventional wisdom would suggest that the process of relationship development can be assessed only over long periods of time. This article captures the dynamics of relationship development over a very short period and after only a few interpersonal interactions. Drawing on theory developed in social psychology, sociology, economics, and marketing, P. M. Doney and J. P. Cannon (1997) identified 5 processes in the formation of trust. Furthermore, outcomes have been measured in terms of some tangible currency of exchange (J. Rubin & B. Brown, 1975) or in relational terms (J. C. Anderson & J. A. Narus, 1990; P. S. Bhagat & J. D. Williams, 2002). The impact of trust and satisfaction on relationship outcomes such as supportive behaviors has been studied (S. R. Swanson, J. C. Davis, & Y. Zhao, 2007). The current research aims to integrate the research on antecedents and outcomes of negotiations from a variety of fields. The influence of attitudinal trust, subjective norms, and intrinsic commitment in a relation...
LED-Based Phase Imaging Interference Microscopy with Multi-Wavelength Optical Phase Unwrapping

LED-based phase imaging interference microscopy is a technique that combines phase shifting interferometry with multi-wavelength optical phase unwrapping. It is used to obtain phase maps of an object without 2π discontinuities and with reduced noise.
Dietary fat type and ambient oxygen tension influence pulmonary prostaglandin synthetic potential

Chronic hyperoxia produces pathological changes in lung which can be fatal. With an interest in delineating dietary factors which might affect the pulmonary response to hyperoxia, we fed rats a semi-synthetic diet containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) as either 5% or 78% of the fat complement. The rats were exposed to pure oxygen at one atmosphere. Half the animals in each diet group were injected with aspirin during the hyperoxic exposure. Radioimmunoassay of lung prostaglandins (PG) F2alpha, E2 and E1 were performed at 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours. The major findings were: (1) Feeding the high PUFA diet elevated lung PG synthetic potential tenfold over that of low PUFA-fed animals. There was no effect of diet on mortality. (2) Hyperoxia significantly increased F2alpha-synthetic potential during the first 24 hours of hyperoxia and moderately increased the synthetic potential of E2 and E1. (3) Aspirin significantly depressed synthetic potential of all three PG prior to oxygen exposure but its effect was overcome during hyperoxia. Aspirin-injected rats showed 80% mortality in oxygen vs. 50% for saline controls.
Schizoplasmodium, a mycetozoan genus intermediate between Cavostelium and Protostelium; a new order of Mycetozoa.

SYNOPSIS. Two new species of the simple mycetozoan genus Schizoplasmodium—S. ovatum and S. gracile—are described, the former having ovate spores and the latter spherical ones. All stages of the life cycle are multinucleate. At sporulation the holozoic plasmodium segments into prespore cells which develop directly into long-stalked, single-spored sporocarps. Sexual reproduction was not observed. A new order—the PROTOSTELIDA—is proposed for this and related genera, which are believed to comprise a phylogenetically linked series, beginning with the amoebo-flagellate genus Cavostelium and evolving through Schizoplasmodium to Protostelium. The two families Cavostelidae (Cavostelium) and Protostelidae (Schizoplasmodium, Protostelium) are recognized.
Public utterance in Ibsen's historical dramas

This descriptive study of Henrik Ibsen's historical plays analyzes diverse instances of the dramatic use of communication to a group of listeners. The Norwegian playwright regarded the spoken word as a potent means of affecting human interaction. In some Ibsen plays successful public speaking establishes a leader's position of power temporarily; but to maintain that power Ibsen's early heroes need strength of will and decisive action. By dramatizing public acts of speech Ibsen explored the effectiveness of crowd scenes on stage and the relationship of the individual to society.
Approximate analysis of distributed semi-hard real-time systems

In this note we investigate systems which combine the timing requirements of real-time processing with the complexity of knowledge processing. In such real-time environments it cannot be guaranteed that all processes meet their deadlines but it is possible to isolate a subset of critical processes which must meet their deadlines. We call such systems semi-hard real-time control systems. Although priority scheduling is used, the execution time of critical processes has to be determined by a nondeterministic analysis which takes into account contention for system resources with noncritical processes. We investigate two possible architectures for a distributed system in which each process runs on its own processor and they communicate either by messages or through a shared memory. In the latter case a subset of system resources does not allow preemption, for example, a process running into a critical section must complete its function. A methodology for system modeling and the approximations needed are discussed. Even in the simple case, the analysis is nontrivial. Due to priority scheduling the queueing models are nonseparable, hence, product form solutions do not exist.
A hybrid scheduling protocol to improve quality of service in networked control systems

In many networked control systems (NCSs) only one node is allowed to use the shared medium at any given time. This network constraint can adversely affect the performance of the system and its stability. There are two types of network schedulers, static and dynamic. Static schedulers, such as the token ring protocol, have problems handling large-scale systems. On the other hand, dynamic schedulers, such as try-once-discard (TOD) cannot guarantee good quality of service for each node, especially the low-priority ones. In this paper, a hybrid scheduler, which is a combination of dynamic and static protocols, is proposed. This scheduler improves the medium access strategy in large-scale control systems. We refer to this scheduler as the traffic-division arbitration (TDA) protocol. The network-induced delay error bound and the system stability of the NCS using the proposed scheduler are investigated. Simulations illustrate the performance of the proposed scheduler and difference from TOD are shown. We use two different decision functions to prioritize the scheduling criteria of the protocol.
A Note on the Importance of Shape in Cartogram Communication

Abstract Communicating with value-by-area cartograms is at best a difficult task. However, the mapmaker can render a cartogram more meaningful in communication by retaining the basic shapes of the statistical units. This idea was examined and several tests were administered to subjects to gain information about points along state shapes that are used as cues in map reading. It was determined that map readers mentally generalize geographic shapes into ones that are similar to the over-all shape quality of the originals. In cartogram construction, the mapmaker should provide at least those points along state outlines that are proven to be the cues for shape identification. Anything less will detract from its ability to communicate effectively and, in fact, if this is the case alternate mapping methods should be employed.
Effects of a Television and Radio Advertising Ban: A Study of the Cigarette Industry:

By using the cigarette industry's ad ban of 1970 as a “natural” experiment, the authors explore managerially related effects of such an advertising “shock” through price and advertising elasticitie...
Chronic (1-Year) Safety Evaluation of Ipazilide Fumarate, an Antiarrhythmic Agent, Administered Orally to Rats

Ipazilide fumarate (WIN 54177-4) is a chemically novel antiarrhythmic agent that prolongs ventricular refractoriness and possesses antiectopic activity. The compound is being developed as oral and iv therapy for ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias. Since ipazilide therapy may require long-term use, a 1-year oral gavage study (daily dosages of 20, 80, or 160 mg/kg) was conducted in rats. Controls received the purified water vehicle. Treatment-related clinical signs were limited to post-dosing salivation. Increased relative liver weight (females, at 80 and 160 mg/kg) was correlated with centrilobular hypertrophy, but was not associated with significant increased serum liver enzymes activities. These liver weight changes were interpreted as an adaptive metabolic response and were not considered toxicologically significant. An increased incidence of centrilobular hepatocellular vacuolation representing lipid accumulation over that observed for male controls occurred for males in all ipazilide-treated groups. This observation, however, was not correlated with elevated hepatic enzyme activities. Hepatocellular basophilic foci were observed for females only (80 and 160 mg/kg groups); however, the significance of this lesion is unclear. Transient dosage-related duodenal villous atrophy/sloughing was observed for males from the 80 and 160 mg/kg groups. Mild increases in hemoglobin, hematocrit, urea, and creatinine (160 mg/kg), attributed to treatment, were considered of minor toxicologic importance. Likewise, no clinical or anatomical pathologic observations that may indicate cardiac toxicity were determined. It is concluded that a dosage of 20 mg/kg (two to three times the clinical efficacious dosage) was considered a no-effect dosage level since it did not produce any effects of toxicological significance.
OpinionFinder: A System for Subjectivity Analysis

OpinionFinder is a system that performs subjectivity analysis, automatically identifying when opinions, sentiments, speculations, and other private states are present in text. Specifically, OpinionFinder aims to identify subjective sentences and to mark various aspects of the subjectivity in these sentences, including the source (holder) of the subjectivity and words that are included in phrases expressing positive or negative sentiments.
Associated signs, demographic characteristics, and management of dacryocystocele in 64 infants.

Purpose To describe the incidence of associated infection, respiratory compromise, apparent intranasal cyst, as well as sex, laterality, and age at presentation in 64 infants with dacryocystocele and to assess characteristics associated with successful interventions. Methods A retrospective chart review of all patients with dacryocystocele seen at Children's Hospital Boston between 1996 and 2010 was performed. Inclusion criteria were accuracy of diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up at our institution. Interventions were divided into 3 categories: procedures that did not require general anesthesia; simple procedures requiring general anesthesia, such as nasolacrimal probing with or without stent or balloon dilation; and more complex procedures under general anesthesia, specifically, those aided by intranasal endoscopy. Results Of the 90 identified patients, 64 met inclusion criteria. The majority of patients were female (63%) and had unilateral involvement (77%). More than one-half of all patients were successfully treated without anesthesia; however, patients presenting with infection were more likely to be treated with a simple procedure under general anesthesia. All patients treated endoscopically had intranasal cysts. Age, sex, and infection did not predict the use of intranasal endoscopy. Bilaterality of dacryocystocele was associated with the use of an endoscopic approach. Conclusions Many infants with dacryocystocoele can be successfully treated without general anesthesia. The incidence of occult intranasal cyst among those treated without endoscopy remains unknown. Patients who were treated under general anesthesia but without the use of nasal endoscopy were more likely to have an infected system, but the clinical significance of this association is not clear.
Association of Markers of Inflammation with Sleep and Physical Activity Among People Living with HIV or AIDS

This study examined associations of sleep and minutes spent in moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6 among persons living with HIV. Cross-sectional analyses (n = 45) focused on associations of inflammatory outcomes (i.e., CRP and IL-6) with actigraph-derived sleep duration, latency, and efficiency; sleep onset; wake time; and wake-after-sleep-onset; as well as MVPA. Least square means for CRP and IL-6 by levels of sleep and MVPA were computed from general linear models. Individuals below the median of sleep duration, above the median for sleep onset, and below the median of MVPA minutes had higher CRP or IL-6 levels. Generally, individuals with both low MVPA and poor sleep characteristics had higher inflammation levels than those with more MVPA and worse sleep. Understanding the combined impact of multiple lifestyle/behavioral factors on inflammation could inform intervention strategies to reduce inflammation and therefore, chronic disease risk.
Adiabatic Interaction of Particles with a Compressible Flow: Basic Mechanics

Thee nal stateoftheinteractionofacompressiblee owwith aspray orsolidparticledispersionin aconstant-area straight duct is analyzed using e uid mechanics in a control-volume approach. The variations of the e ow Mach numberatlowvaluesoftheliquid volumefraction arecalculatedforadiabaticinteractionbetweenthegase owand the particles. The e ow can be choked by effect of the particles in a way analogous to that of heat addition or wall friction, although isentropic interactions leading to a change from subsonic to supersonic e ow are also possible. The e nal e ow condition depends on the initial velocity of the particles and the particle e ow rate. The effects of downstream pressure changes are discussed. The interaction can also be represented in a temperature-entropy diagram, yielding lines similar to those obtained in cases with heat addition or wall friction. Nomenclature A = local section area Cp = specie c heat at constant pressure c = speed of sound k = adiabatic exponent, Cp/Cv M = Mach number mL = mass e ow rate of the spray ms = relative spray/aire ow ratio P = pressure Rg = ideal gas constant S = gas specie c entropy T = gas temperature V = velocity q = density s = temperature ratio T2/ T1 Subscripts g = of the gas L = of the particles 1 = before phase interaction 2 = after complete phase interaction 0 = conjugated (across a normal shock wave )
cis-Acting Sequences That Mediate Induction of β-Myosin Heavy Chain Gene Expression During Left Ventricular Hypertrophy due to Aortic Constriction

Background Marked alterations in the expression of specific genes occur during the development of cardiac hypertrophy in vivo. Little is known, however, about the cis-acting elements that mediate these changes in response to clinically relevant hypertrophic stimuli, such as hemodynamic overload, in intact adult animals. Methods and Results The left ventricular expression of a directly injected reporter gene driven by 3542 bp of rat β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC) promoter was increased 3.0-fold by aortic constriction (P<.005), an increment similar to the 3.2-fold increase in the level of the endogenous β-MHC mRNA in the same left ventricles. Subsequent analysis identified a 107-bp β-MHC promoter sequence (−303/−197) sufficient to convert a heterologous neutral promoter to one that is activated by aortic constriction. These sequences contain two M-CAT elements, which have previously been demonstrated to mediate inducible expression during α1-adrenergic–stimulated hypertrophy in cultured neonatal cardiac myocy...
Surface Runoff Assessment from Creeping Bentgrass and Perennial Ryegrass Turf

The potential for offsite movement of nutrients and pesticides in surface runoff from golf courses has generated a need to better understand the movement of water from intensely maintained turfgrass. This study assessed the influence that creeping bentgrass [Agrostic stolonifera L. var. palustris (Huds.) Farw.; syn. Agrostis palustris Huds] and perenial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) had on the surface movement of water when maintained similarly to golf fairways. On eight dates, 123.5-m 2 sloped plots of bentgrass and ryegrass were irrigated at 152 mm h -1 to force runoff for the generation of hydrographs. As the grasses matured, runoff from ryegrass occurred earlier and at greater volumes than from bentgrass. Four additional experiments were conducted to provide some explanation of these runoff differences. In one experiment, average infiltration rates for the bentgrass (64 mm h -1 ) and ryesampling variation. In an experiment that used 0.25-m 2 sloped trays of turf, bentgrass retarded the flow of surface runoff through its vegetation significantly longer than ryegrass. It was also found that bentgrass (1410 tillers dm -2 ) intercepted 113 % more water than ryegrass (260 tillers dm -2 ), and that bentgrass thatch slowed runoff initiation because of its high water-holding capacity and increased hydraulic resistance. The high-density, thatch-forming bentgrass provided a more tortuous pathway for water movement, which increased resistance and in turn increased residence time and allowed for greater infiltration. For golf courses that have potential runoff concerns, the selection of creeping bentgrass rather than perennial ryegrass could reduce surface runoff from golf fairways
Ocular refraction after penetrating keratoplasty with infant donor corneas.

Five adult patients underwent penetrating keratoplasty in which corneal tissue from donors 3 months old or younger was used. In each case, a large myopic shift in refraction was found after surgery (mean, 9 diopters). The average postoperative spherical equivalent was −7.35 diopters. This resulted from the extremely steep curvature of the infant donor cornea (mean keratometric value, 57.67 diopters). The induced anisometropia and steep corneal topography of the infant donor cornea prevented visual rehabilitation with spectacles or contact lenses in four of five patients. Our findings suggested that corneal tissue from donors 3 months old or younger may be unsuitable for penetrating keratoplasty in emmetropic adults or anisometropic patients undergoing surgery in the more myopic eye.