cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Open Operative Therapy for Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) usually remain asymptomatic for many years and, if left untreated, may rupture and cause death in as many as one-third of patients. When all patients experiencing a ruptured AAA (RAAA) are taken into account, including both those who arrive at the hospital alive and those who do not, overall mortality is between 77% and 88%, with over 50% of patients expiring before reaching the hospital. Those patients who reach the hospital usually have a contained rupture, most commonly into the left retroperitoneum. This may help to confine the bleed for a period of time. Despite making it to the hospital, RAAA patients still have a high mortality rate of 41% (though values as low as 19% and as high as 90% have been noted). There is evidence that repair of RAAA by high-volume surgeons with subspecialty training sustains significant survival, arguing in favor of regionalization. Endovascular repair has emerged as a less morbid therapy for RAAA, however, the need for suitable anatomy, availability of appropriate graft sizes, and technical experience in graft deployment are needed and usually available only in specialty centers.
Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)

Though relatively obscure, N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is an important molecule in psychopharmacology as it is the archetype for all indole-containing serotonergic psychedelics. Its structure can be found embedded within those of better-known molecules such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin. Unlike the latter two compounds, DMT is ubiquitous, being produced by a wide variety of plant and animal species. It is one of the principal psychoactive components of ayahuasca, a tisane made from various plant sources that has been used for centuries. Furthermore, DMT is one of the few psychedelic compounds produced endogenously by mammals, and its biological function in human physiology remains a mystery. In this review, we cover the synthesis of DMT as well as its pharmacology, metabolism, adverse effects, and potential use in medicine. Finally, we discuss the history of DMT in chemical neuroscience and why this underappreciated molecule is so important to the field of psychedelic science.
Dibaryons cannot be the dark matter

The hypothetical $SU(3)$ flavor-singlet dibaryon state $S$ with strangeness $\ensuremath{-}2$ has been discussed as a dark-matter candidate capable of explaining the curious 5-to-1 ratio of the mass density of dark matter to that of baryons. We study the early-universe production of dibaryons and find that irrespective of the hadron abundances produced by the QCD quark/hadron transition, rapid particle reactions thermalized the $S$ abundance, and it tracked equilibrium until it ``froze out'' at a tiny value. For the plausible range of dibaryon masses (1860--1890 MeV) and generous assumptions about its interaction cross sections, $S$'s account for at most ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}$ of the baryon number and, thus, cannot be the dark matter. Although it is not the dark matter, if the $S$ exists, it might be an interesting relic.
Object-Based Algorithm for the Identification and Tracking of Convective Outflow Boundaries in Numerical Models

AbstractA novel object-based algorithm capable of identifying and tracking convective outflow boundaries in convection-allowing numerical models is presented in this study. The most distinct featur...
Do we need to screen every patient in intensive care unit for diabetes in community with high prevalence of diabetes

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is marked as global health care challenge with almost 10% of the United States population being diagnosed with DM. A sizeable percentage of patients are oblivious of their disease, in spite of easily accessibility knowledge about its early signs and symptoms and rapid diagnostic modalities. Critically ill patients with undiagnosed DM are likely to have an increased mortality as compared to intensive care unit (ICU) patients with diagnosed DM. DM may have adverse effect on ICU patients causing organ failure and complications. Early Screening of patients at the risk of developing disease may prevent long term complications. Early screening and management may be beneficial as controlled DM patients have similar morbidity as non DM patients in ICU. An intense glycaemic and blood pressure control improves retinopathy and albuminuria, but may not affect the macrovascular outcomes.
Detecting genetic interactions using parallel evolution in experimental populations.

Eukaryotic genomes contain thousands of genes organized into complex and interconnected genetic interaction networks. Most of our understanding of how genetic variation affects these networks comes...
Climate impact on ambient PM2.5 elemental concentration in the United States: A trend analysis over the last 30 years.

Abstract Weather impacts on the chemical composition of PM2.5 varies significantly over space and time given the diversity of particle components and the complex mechanisms governing particle formation and removal. In this study, we employed generalized additive models (GAMs) to estimate weather-associated changes in PM2.5 composition in the US during 1988–2017. We considered seven components of ambient PM2.5, which included elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), nitrate, sulfate, sodium, ammonium, and silicon. The impact of long-term weather changes on each PM2.5 component was defined in our study as “weather penalty”. During our study period, temperature increased in four regions, including the Industrial Midwest and Northeast during the warm and cold season; and Upper Midwest and West in the cold season. Wind speed decreased in the both seasons. Relative humidity increased in the warm season and decreased in the cold season. The weather changes between 1988 and 2017 were associated with most PM2.5 components during both warm and cold seasons. The direction and the magnitude of the weather penalty varied considerably over the space and season. In the warm season, our findings suggest a nationwide weather penalty for EC, OC, nitrate, sulfate, sodium, ammonium, and silicon of 0.04, 0.21, 0.04, 0.35, −0.01, 0.05, and 0.01 μg/m3, respectively. In the cold season, the estimated total penalty was 0.04, 0.21, 0.06, 0.04, −0.01, −0.02, and 0.02 μg/m3, respectively.
Development of a Highly Thermostable, Adjuvanted Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

A major impediment to economical, worldwide vaccine distribution is the requirement for a "cold chain" to preserve antigenicity. We addressed this problem using a model human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine stabilized by immobilizing HPV16 L1 capsomeres, i.e., pentameric subunits of the virus capsid, within organic glasses formed by lyophilization. Lyophilized glass and liquid vaccine formulations were incubated at 50°C for 12weeks, and then analyzed for retention of capsomere conformational integrity and the ability to elicit neutralizing antibody responses after immunization of BALB/c mice. Capsomeres in glassy-state vaccines retained tertiary and quaternary structure, and critical conformational epitopes. Moreover, glassy formulations adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide or aluminum hydroxide and glycopyranoside lipid A were not only as immunogenic as the commercially available HPV vaccine Cervarix®, but also retained complete neutralizing immunogenicity after high-temperature storage. The thermal stability of such adjuvanted vaccine powder preparations may thus eliminate the need for the cold chain.
Taking "Charge" in the Operating Room: Tips for Safe Use of Monopolar Devices

Study Objective To present common pitfalls that can occur when using monopolar devices and recommendations for avoiding inadvertent patient injury and maximizing efficiency. These pitfalls include: Incorrect placement of dispersive electrode Inappropriate power settings and current waveforms Current leakage Inadvertent contact Direct coupling Stray current Eschar accumulation Narrow return circuit Decreased current density Insufficient tension Wet field Design Video Demonstration. Setting Operating room. Patients or Participants N/A. Interventions Video Demonstration. Measurements and Main Results N/A. Conclusion Monopolar devices, such as the laparoscopic L-hook and scissors, are commonly used in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and play a crucial role in many procedures. There are several important pitfalls to consider when using monopolar devices to maximize safety and efficiency.
An Exploration of Measurement Invariance across Sex in Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration

The present study examines the assumption of measurement invariance across sex from two instruments of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Data were used from two studies of self-reported...
Medical librarians’ knowledge and practices in locating clinical trials for systematic reviews

Objective: In regard to locating clinical trials for a systematic review, limited information is available about how librarians locate clinical trials in biomedical databases, including (1) how much information researchers provide librarians to assist with the development of a comprehensive search strategy, (2) which tools librarians turn to for information about study design methodology, and (3) librarians’ confidence levels in their knowledge of study design methodology. A survey was developed to explore these aspects of how a medical librarian locates clinical trials when facilitating systematic reviews for researchers. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a 21-question survey was sent to medical librarians via several email listservs during April 2020. Respondents were limited to librarians who make the decisions on search terms for systematic reviews. Results: Responses (n=120) indicated that librarians were often asked to search for various types of clinical trials. However, there was not a consistent method for creating search strategies that locate diverse types of clinical trials. Multiple methods were used for search strategy development, with hedges being the most popular method. In general, these librarians considered themselves to be confident in locating trials. Different resources were used to inform study types, including textbooks, articles, library guides and websites. Discussion: Medical librarians indicated that while they felt confident in their searching skills, they did not have a definitive source of information about the various types of clinical trials, and their responses demonstrated a clear need and desire for more information on study design methodology.
Inhibition of Metabolic Cooperation Between Cultured Mammalian Cells by Selected Tumor Promoters, Chemical Carcinogens, and Other Compounds

Inhibition of metabolic cooperation between cells may result in tumor promotion or teratogenesis. Using a cell culture assay designed to measure such inhibition as a function of mutant cell recovery in reconstruction experiments with cocultivated mutant (HGPRT-) and wild-type (HGPRT+) cells, we tested several chemicals for their ability to inhibit metabolic cooperation.
Prevention of acetaminophen- and naphthalene-induced cataract and glutathione loss by CySSME

Purposes. To assess the efficacy of 2-mercaptoethanol/L-cysteine mixed disulfide (CySSME) as an Lrcysteine prodrug suitable for glutathione biosynthesis in rat lenses in vitro, as an agent for the prevention of acetaminophen- and naphthalene-induced murine cataract in genetically-susceptible mice, and as an agent for maintenance of near-normal glutathione levels in lenses and livers of mice subjected to acetaminophen and naphthalene at cataractogenic doses. Methods. Synthetic CySSME was added as a prodrug to rat lens culture medium devoid of Lcystine and L-methionine but containing [ l4 C(U)]-glycine. After a 48-hour period of incubation, extracts of rat lenses were prepared for separation of [ 14 C]-glutathione by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a radioisotope detector to determine the extent of its biosynthesis. Cytochrome P-450 isozymes were induced in C57 bl/6 mice by either 0naphthoflavone or phenobarbital. Cataracts were induced by administration of either acetaminophen or naphthalene to the pretreated mice. CySSME was coadministered with either acetaminophen or naphthalene to other groups of mice. Both oxidized and reduced glutathione were determined in extracts of livers and lenses using the HPLC method above. Results. CySSME served as an effective L-cysteine precursor for glutathione biosynthesis in cultured rat lenses. This L-cysteine prodrug was also highly effective in preventing acetaminophen- and naphthalene-induced cataract in mice and in maintaining near-normal glutathione levels in lenses and livers of such treated animals. Conclusions. This investigation demonstrates that maintenance of adequate physiological levels of glutathione in the presence of specific known cataractogenic agents by pharmacologic intervention with CySSME, an L-cysteine prodrug, is sufficient to prevent cataract formation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1996; 37:923-929.
Effect of Trans Fatty Acids on Serum Lecithin: Cholesterol Acyltransferase in Rats

An investigation was undertaken to study the effect of trans isomers of octadecenoic (18:1) and octadecadienoic (18:2) acids on serum lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT). Male rats of the Wistar strain were fed diets containing 15% fat for 9 months. The fat diets were either hydrogenated fat mixtures containing trans fatty acids, corn oil or lard. At the end of 9 months, rats were killed and serum cholesterol levels and LCAT activity were measured. It was found that free and total serum cholesterol levels were decreased when animals were fed trans fatty acids when compared with animals fed corn oil or lard. Although in vitro studies indicated that the percentage of cholesterol esterified in serum was not affected by the presence of dietary trans fatty acids, LCAT activity generally decreased when trans fatty acids were fed to rats for 9 months. In this study a negative correlation was found between serum free cholesterol and LCAT activity. Depressed total LCAT activity (mumoles of cholesterol esterified per hour per liter of serum) may have been related to a reduced amount of substrate (free cholesterol).
Inhibition of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) replication by the putative DNA helicase gene of Autographa californica NPV.

Coinfection of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) with Autographa californica NPV (AcNPV) in the BmNPV-permissive BmN cell line resulted in the complete inhibition of BmNPV replication. Coinfected BmN cells exhibited an atypical cytopathic effect (CPE) and synthesis of viral and host proteins was dramatically attenuated by 5 h postinfection (p.i.) and nearly completely blocked by 24 h p.i. Viral transcription, however, appeared to occur normally during both early (5-h-p.i.) and late (24-h-p.i.) stages of infection. Superinfection of BmN cells with AcNPV at 5 and 12 h post-BmNPV infection resulted in limited inhibition of BmNPV replication. BmN cells singly infected with AcNPV also showed similar CPE, premature inhibition of viral and host protein synthesis, and apparently normal viral transcription. BmNPV replication occurred normally following coinfection of BmNPV and eh2-AcNPV, an AcNPV mutant identical to AcNPV except for a 572-bp region in its putative DNA helicase gene originating from BmNPV (S. Maeda, S. G. Kamita, and A. Kondo, J. Virol. 67:6234-6238, 1993). Furthermore, atypical CPE and premature attenuation of host and viral protein synthesis were not observed. These results indicated that the inhibition of BmNPV replication was caused either directly or indirectly at the translational level by the putative AcNPV DNA helicase gene.
Bilateral infective endocarditis

Two patients presenting with simultaneous right- and left-sided infective endocarditis requiring surgical intervention are reported. One patient developed aortic and pulmonic valve endocarditis following dental extraction, while the second patient developed mitral and tricuspid valve endocarditis secondary to a large body burn. The bilateral semilunar valve endocarditis was treated by porcine aortic valve replacement and debridement of the pulmonic valve. The bilateral atrioventricular valve endocarditis was treated by mitral and tricuspid valve replacement with porcine valves. The frequency and clinical settings in which this condition is likely to present are discussed.
High-performance liquid-based passive optical limiter

Summary form only given. Our studies reveal that cells made of high-grade fused silica containing Zn:tetra(p-methoxyphenyl) tetrabenzporphyrin (TBP) in solution in tetrahydrofuran (THF) have a very high damage threshold fluence close to that of the bare fused silica. Other materials, such as Si:naphthalocyanine, in toluene exhibit considerably lower damage thresholds. For this reason, and because of the large nonlinear absorption of TBP, we chose this combination of materials to fabricate a tandem nonlinear optical limiter using TBP.
Transformative service networks: cocreated value as well-being

Fundamental to emerging theories of value cocreation is a developing awareness that value emerges in networks. Service networks form to address issues for those in need, and value is conceived differently by the various constituents in the network. To represent this reality, a core service interaction, the reason for the construction of the network, is evaluated based upon a typology of value-creating interaction styles. Next, the potential impact on transformative value cocreation of various relationships in a service network is explored. To illustrate value cocreation from a network perspective, this paper develops research propositions assessing cocreated value in a health service network. Network factors regarding the structural and relationship properties of networks that advance the theory of value cocreation are proposed. Finally, suggestions for managers include ways to engage service network entities to enhance communication to foster a balanced, mutualistic relationship that optimizes cocreated ...
Betaine Transport Imparts Osmotolerance on a Strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus

Unlike most Lactobacillus acidophilus strains, a specific strain, L. acidophilus IFO 3532, was found to grow in rich medium containing 1 M sodium acetate, KCl, or NaCl. This strain could also grow with up to 1.8 M NaCl or 3 M nonelectrolytes (fructose, xylose, or sorbitol) added. Thus, this strain was tolerant to osmotic pressures up to 2.8 osM. A search for an intracellular solute which conferred osmoprotection led to the identification of glycine betaine (betaine). Betaine was accumulated to high concentrations in cells growing in MRS medium supplemented with 1 M KCl or NaCl. Uptake of [14C]betaine by L. acidophilus 3532 cells suspended in buffer was stimulated by increasing the medium osmotic pressure with 1 M KCl or NaCl. The accumulated betaine was not metabolized further; transport was relatively specific for betaine and was dependent on an energy source. Other lactobacilli, more osmosensitive than strain 3532, including L. acidophilus strain E4356, L. bulgaricus 8144, and L. delbrueckii 9649, showed lower betaine transport rates in response to an osmotic challenge than L. acidophilus 3532. Experiments with chloramphenicol-treated L. acidophilus 3532 cells indicated that the transport system was not induced but appeared to be activated by an increase in osmotic pressure.
Allosteric activation of kinases: design and application of RapR kinases.

Here we describe a method for the engineered regulation of protein kinases in living cells, the design and application of RapR (rapamycin regulated) kinases. The RapR kinase method enables activation of kinases with high specificity and precise temporal control. Insertion of an engineered allosteric switch, the iFKBP domain, at a structurally conserved position within the kinase catalytic domain makes the modified kinase inactive. Treatment with rapamycin or its non-immunosuppresive analogs triggers interaction with a small FKBP-rapamycin-binding domain (FRB), restoring the activity of the kinase. The reagents used in this method are genetically encoded or membrane permeable, enabling ready application in many systems. Based on the structural similarity of kinase catalytic domains, this method is likely applicable to a wide variety of kinases. Successful regulation has already been demonstrated for three kinases representing both tyrosine and serine/threonine kinase families (p38, FAK, Src). Procedures for designing and testing RapR kinases are discussed.
Facilitated diffusion in erythrocytes of mammals

Abstract 1. 1. A densimeter technique was used to make kinetic studies, studies of competitive inhibition and studies of the effect of butanol on the rate of penetration of several different non-electrolytes with erythrocytes of four species of mammals. 2. 2. The data indicate that in human red cells, hexoses, pentoses and erythritol share one carrier (No. 1), glycerol and ethylene glycol another (No. 2) and urea a third (No. 3). 3. 3. Thiourea enters these cells by simple diffusion. 4. 4. With rabbit erythrocytes, available data suggest that No. 1 is not present, No. 2 is similar to that in human cells and No. 3 is shared by urea and thiourea. With rat blood, there are no conclusive data on No. 1; 2 and 3 as in human blood. 5. 5. With mouse blood, Nos. 1 and 2 as in human, but No. 3 as in rabbit.
Improving High School Chemistry Teaching via the “Trickle Up” Effect: A Perspective on the New AP Chemistry Curriculum Framework

The redesign for the advanced placement chemistry course has been completed, and its impact is expected to be felt both by those in K-12 classrooms and in higher education settings when it is enacted nationwide next year. A "trickle up" effect to college-level chemistry curricula from high school classrooms using the new College Board framework is one possible outcome of the redesign. The Journal hopes to be a valuable resource to teachers anticipating the shifting focus of the course and the demands it will place on their teaching and assessment practices.
Opiate modulation of glucose turnover in dogs

We examined the effect of opiate infusion and of opiate blockade on glucose turnover in the basal state, using isotope dilution techniques in trained conscious dogs (n = 5). After a primed-continuous infusion of 3-3H glucose to steady state specific activity (90 minutes), infusion of one of the following was given: D-met2 pro5 enkephalinamide (DMPE), a potent morphine-like opiate, 0.5 μg/kg/min; naloxone, an opiate antagonist, 1.25 mg followed by 10 μg/min; or saline control. Infusion of DMPE led to a fall in glucose from 92 ± 3 to 87 ± 3 mg/dL by 60 minutes (P < 0.05), associated with a rise in glucose utilization (Rd) from 3.0 ± 0.4 to 3.9 ± 0.6 mg/kg/min by 30 minutes (P < 0.005); a transient rise in glucose production (Ra; from 3.2 ± 0.4 to 4.3 ± 0.4 mg/kg/min) occurred at 5 minutes (P < 0.05). Infusion of naloxone did not result in a change of plasma glucose, but caused transient falls at 5 minutes in both Ra (3.5 ± 0.7 to 1.3 ± 0.3 mg/kg/min) and Rd (3.6 ± 0.7 to 1.6 ± 0.4 mg/kg/min; P < 0.05). Changes in counterregulatory hormones did not account for these findings: insulin was unchanged during all infusions; glucagon showed small late rises at 75 minutes during both DMPE and naloxone infusion; cortisol rose by 30 and 15 minutes, respectively, of DMPE and naloxone infusion; epinephrine rose transiently after 5 minutes of naloxone but was unchanged during DMPE, and norepinephrine was unchanged throughout. Saline infusion had no effects on any of these indices. We conclude that a potent opiate with morphine-like effects (DMPE) can lower glucose in dogs by enhancing peripheral glucose utilization independently of hormonal changes.
Vector potential theory on nonsmooth domains in R3 and applications to electromagnetic scattering

We study boundary value problems for the time-harmonic form of the Maxwell equations, as well as for other related systems of equations, on arbitrary Lipschitz domains in the three-dimensional Euclidean space. The main goal is to develop the corresponding theory for Lp-integrable bounday data for optimal values of p’s. We also discuss a number of relevant applications in electromagnetic scattering.
Surface expression and partial characterization of an arsonate hapten-specific idiotype-bearing T-cell receptor

Anti-idiotype antibodies raised against the arsonate hapten idiotype have been used to detect arsonate-binding receptors on the surface of peripheral T cells of A/J mice and to isolate this material after biosynthetic labeling for partial chemical characterization. It was found that 2–3% of splenic T cells from arsonate-immune mice specifically bound the hapten using immunofluorescent keyhole limpet hemocyanin as a carrier. In double-immunofluorescence labeling experiments, a high proportion (≅70%) of these cells also bound the (Fab')2 fragment of rabbit anti-idiotype antibody in exactly the same patches on the cell as the arsonate hemocyanin antigen. In addition, the anti-idiotype antibody inhibited the binding of the hapten-carrier complex to T cells by ≅70%. In parallel experiments, fowl antibodies against mouse (Fab')2 fragments bound to 100% of arsonate-binding T cells in the same cell-surface patches as the hapten, and were capable of inhibiting 100% of the hapten-binding cells. Capping, shedding, and resynthesis experiments indicated that the T cells synthesized their antigen-binding idiotype-bearing receptors. Immunoblots of unreduced detergent extracts of purified splenic T cells developed with anti-idiotype antibodies showed bands at 150,000 and 94,000 Da. Equal amounts of protein extracted from liver and analyzed in the same gels as the T-cell material failed to show any reactivity with anti-idiotype antibodies. To confirm the biosynthetic origin of the idiotype-positive materials, detergent extracts from 75Se-methionine- or [3H]leucine-labeled Con A-treated splenic T cells were reacted with anti-idiotype antibodies and the bound material was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol the major band was at 68,000 Da, with variable minor levels of material at 45,000 Da, while when hapten was used to isolate the receptor a dominant 25,000- to 30,000-Da band was seen. We believe that the higher-molecular-weight materials are multimers of the 25,000–30,000 subunit.
THE CATALYTIC FUNCTION OF ACTIVE SITE AMINO ACID SIDE CHAINS IN WELL‐CHARACTERIZED ENZYMES*

Although the kinetics and types of reactions carried out by enzymes have been established for some time, the detailed chemistry performed by these catalysis is largely unknown. Their geometries and compositions are very different from those found in conventional chemistry and understanding their mechanisms will open new areas of chemistry and make important contributions to the rational design of pharmaceuticals. We have formulated a computational method for determining the electronic role of amino acid residues in the active sites of enzymes that have been well characterized by high resolution spectroscopy and other physical chemistry techniques. Ab initio electronic structure calculations with a good basis set were employed, and solvent and dielectric effects were taken into account. Applications were made to ribonuclease A, the serine proteases, the labile hydrogen bonds in acid proteases (pepsin), and carbonic anhydrase.
Market efficiency broadcasted live: ECB code words and euro exchange rates

Abstract This paper examines the impact of the European Central Bank (ECB) monetary policy on euro exchange rate returns using an event study with intraday data for five currencies (the euro exchange rate versus the US dollar, the British pound, the Canadian dollar, the Swiss franc, and the Japanese yen). I construct two indicators of news about monetary policy stemming separately from policy decisions and the press conference. Estimation results show that the surprise component of communication has highly statistically significant effects on exchange rates, whereas the response of euro exchange rates to the unanticipated change in the policy rate is more muted. I also estimate the financial market impact on euro exchange rates of US, European and German macroeconomic news, and I show that the impact of the ECB press conference is economically important. The process of fully incorporating the ECB news shock takes about 1 h, and thus this result suggests that the whole press conference (both the Introductory Statement and the Q&A part) provides valuable information to market participants.
Pharmacokinetics of monobutylphthalate, the active metabolite of di-n-butylphthalate, in pregnant rats.

Di-n-butylphthalate (DBP) is a phthalic acid ester used as a plasticizer and solvent. DBP is a developmental toxicant in rats and mice, with adverse effects arising from the monoester metabolite monobutyl phthalate (MBP). The objective of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of MBP and monobutyl phthalate glucuronide (MBP-G) in pregnant rats following intravenous (i.v.) dosing with MBP. Pregnant dams were i.v. dosed with aqueous MBP (10, 30, or 50 mg MBP/kg body weight) on gestation day (GD) 19. The pharmacokinetics of MBP and MBP-G were rapid: MBP was metabolized to MBP-G within 5 min, and MBP and MBP-G disappeared from maternal and fetal plasma within 24 h of dosing. Results were consistent with two previous studies that utilized oral doses of DBP, suggesting that chemical (DBP versus MBP), vehicle (oil versus aqueous), dose level, and route (oral versus i.v.) have minimal effects on the maternal pharmacokinetics of MBP and MBP-G. This study provides direct pharmacokinetic analysis for MBP and MBP-G in pregnant rats during fetal male reproductive development, and indicates that future pharmacokinetic or toxicology studies can reliably utilize oral dosing with DBP.
Large symmetry-breaking meson-baryon interactions

Abstract The general structure of the symmetry-breaking meson-baryon interactions within the framework of the three-dimensional unitary-unimodular group is investigated. It is suggested that the symmetry-breaking terms are not necessarily small compared with the symmetry-preserving terms, and that the mass formulae for mesons and baryons follow as a result of certain cancellations in the self-energies of these particles. An estimate based on the second-order self-energy calculations leads to an intrinsic mass of about 870 MeV for mesons as well as baryons, and accounts for all the observed mass splittings between the meson and baryon multiplets in terms of the symmetry-breaking interactions.
Reduction of iron oxide minerals by a marine Bacillus

Bacillus 29, previously isolated from a ferromanganese nodule, and a derivative strain,Bacillus 29A, were examined for their iron-solubilizing ability when reducing limonite, goethite and hematite with glucose.Bacillus 29A was the more active of the two cultures. It solubilized larger amounts of iron from limonite and goethite than from hematite. Several lines of evidence indicated that the mechanism by whichBacillus 29A carried out iron solubilization from limonite involved enzymatic reduction of the ferric iron in the mineral. Phenosafranin enhanced the reduction of the iron oxides by growing cultures, but anaerobiosis did not.
Development of pulsed fiber lasers for long-range remote sensing

Pulsed fiber lasers bear great promise as optical transmitters for remote sensors, having tight size, power consumption, and ruggedness constraints. We discuss recently introduced laser architectures and components supporting power scaling of efficient fiber-based laser sources for long-range operation consistent with imaging and/or spectroscopic sensing from high-altitude and space-based platforms.
State of Human Rights in Nigeria: CENCOD 2012 Annual Report

Sylvester Odion Akhaine and Bonaventure Uche Chizea (Eds) Lagos, Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation (CENCOD) for MacArthur Foundation, 2011, pp. xv + 405, ISBN 978355977X (paperback)...
Low-Temperature Growth and Characterization of Cl-Doped ZnO Nanowire Arrays

ZnO nanowire arrays with low defect densities were grown electrochemically. The nanowire morphology was significantly changed when ammonium chloride was added to the source material, and an applied potential up to −1.2 V resulted in a homogeneous distribution of the nanowires, while at −1.4 V, inhomogeneous growth was observed. Photoluminescence spectra were excited by both 248 and 325 nm lasers. A lower intensity of defect emission and a blue shift of the band edge emission peak were observed as compared to undoped ZnO. The improved quality is explained in terms of the reduction of oxygen vacancies due to the presence of chlorine. These findings may have potential in fabricating ZnO nanowires with reduced defects at low cost for optical and optoelectronic applications.
Potential for Iron-reduction and Iron-cycling in Iron Oxyhydroxide-rich Microbial Mats at Loihi Seamount

The summit of Loihi Seamount (∼1000 mbsl) is host to active hydrothermalism with vent fluids that are rich in Fe(II), resulting in copious deposition of microbial iron mats. A variety of freshly collected mat samples were assessed for their potential to support Fe-reduction, by incubating them under anaerobic conditions with 5 mM acetate. Ten of eleven samples showed active Fe-reduction within 5 to 10 days. Most probable number (MPN) analysis for Fe-reducing bacteria indicated they were present, typically around 103 cells . ml−1, but composed well under 1% of the total bacterial population. A novel, obligately anaerobic Fe-reducing bacterium, Geothermobacter, strain HR-1, was isolated from one of the mats, and was used in experiments to test Fe-reduction rates under different conditions. Strain HR-1 initiated growth more rapidly on biogenic oxides than synthetically prepared ferrihydrite, furthermore magnetite production was not observed in cells grown on biogenic oxides, but was present when cells were g...
TH-D-M100J-04: Measuring the Quantitative Accuracy of Clinical Dynamic and Whole Body PET/CT Protocols Via Imaged Reference Sources

Purpose: Accurate quantification is paramount when using PETimaging to gauge response to treatments or optimize biologically prescribed doses. This study examines the quantitative accuracy of PET protocols by analyzing external reference sources scanned concurrently with patients in dynamic and whole body scans. Method and Materials: Canine and human patients were scanned using dynamic or whole body protocols on a GE Discovery LS PET/CT. In each scan a 50 ml reference vial containing a known amount of radioactive 64 Cu or 18 F was placed on the couch edge, in the scanner's field of view. Reference activity concentrations ranged from 20–300 kBq/ml. Dynamic scans consisted of 10, 30, 60, and 600 second frames while whole body scans used 8–10 minute bed positions. CTimages were used to define two regions of interest for each reference source: (1) an inner cylindrical contour (ROIinner) of 6–8 mm for activity concentration and, (2) a contour with a 5 mm margin surrounding the source (ROItotal) for total activity. Results: A systematic bias was observed in both reference activity concentration and total reference activity for whole body and dynamic scanning protocols. ROItotal provided total activity measurements an average of 8 ± 3% lower than dose calibrator measurements in whole body scans. Dynamic scans imaged total reference activity approximately 4% lower for hotter sources in dynamic scans. Both contours showed reproducibility to within 2% when repeating scans with the same reference. Over the course of six months references held a standard deviation of 3%. Conclusion: This study provided a quantitative assessment of our clinical scanning protocols and provided error estimates for the uptake in clinical patients based on reference sources. A bias was discovered prompting further cross‐calibration with the dose calibrator. Further error reduction and quantification study using longer lived nuclides will continue to be clinically investigated.
Industrial roots of information science

The term “information scientist” was used by industry in the 1960s to designate a scientist who worked with information, as differentiated from one who worked with chemicals or animals. Government regulation, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, was a driving force in the establishment of industrial information centers. A turning point occurred in the 1970s when universities began offering degrees in information science. Graduates, especially those also holding degrees in science, were then preferred for employment in information centers. JASIS was also affected, in that the content of its articles became more oriented toward academic information science. As a result, industry interest in JASIS waned. A plea is made here for JASIS to reach out beyond its narrow focus to address a wider audience, because other subject disciplines, as well as industry, could benefit.
A comparative study on ultra-shallow junction formation using co-implantation with fluorine or carbon in pre-amorphized silicon

The main driver in ultra-shallow formation for the 65 nm technology node and beyond is to find solutions that both reduce boron transient enhanced diffusion and can be integrated in the CMOS process flow. To this end, many studies have recently focused on using co-doping techniques with fluorine and most recently with carbon. In most cases, one or both of these is co-implanted with a dopant specie in pre-amorphized silicon. In this work, we show a comparative study of fluorine or carbon co-implanted with low-energy boron to form source and drain extension junctions for PMOS devices. We will show that by a systematic optimization of germanium, boron, fluorine or carbon energies and doses, spike annealing technology can be extended to the 65 nm node. These results will be used to discuss how the different formed junctions offer potential solutions for either low-power or high-performance PMOS device fabrication.
Alumina surface chemistry at 25, 40, and 60 °C

Abstract Potentiometric titrations and metal adsorption measurements on γ-Al2O3 at 25, 40, and 60°C indicate that alumina surface chemistry is temperature sensitive. The pHzpc of γ-Al2O3 decreases slightly, if at all, from pH 6.45 at 25°C to 6.32 at 60°C. Metal binding constants for Cd++ and Pb++, calculated with a constant capacitance model, increase up to 1.5 orders of magnitude between 25°C and 60°C. Enthalpies of unidentate Pb and Cd binding are 21.3 and 81.8 kj/mol, respectively; these are similar in sign and magnitude to the enthalpies of metal hydrolysis. Because temperature favors the latter, surface coordination is favored by increasing temperature (i.e. and increasing depth in the crust).
Pericardial calcification: Radiological features and clinical significance in twenty-six patients

Twenty-six patients with pericardiac calcification are reviewed; 18 had clinical evidence of constrictive pericarditis and the majority of these patients presented calcification over the left heart chambers, cardiac enlargement, left atrial enlargement and signs of pulmonary venous congestion. These findings were rare in those patients with calcified pericardium without constriction. The implication of these findings is that embarrassment of filling of the left heart chambers is an important feature of pericardial constriction. Surgical intervention should be concentrated on the removal of the pericardium constricting the left and posterior aspects of the heart.
Coherent Occlusion Reasoning for Instance Recognition

Occlusions are common in real world scenes and are a major obstacle to robust object detection. In this paper, we present a method to coherently reason about occlusions on many types of detectors. Previous approaches primarily enforced local coherency or learned the occlusion structure from data. However, local coherency ignores the occlusion structure in real world scenes and learning from data requires tediously labeling many examples of occlusions for every view of every object. Other approaches require binary classifications of matching scores. We address these limitations by formulating occlusion reasoning as an efficient search over occluding blocks which best explain a probabilistic matching pattern. Our method demonstrates significant improvement in estimating the mask of the occluding region and improves object instance detection on a challenging dataset of objects under severe occlusions.
Classified wavelet transform coding of images using vector quantization

The discrete wavelet transform (DWT) has recently emerged as a powerful technique for image compression in conjunction with a variety of quantization schemes. In this paper, a new image coding scheme--classified wavelet transform/vector quantization (DWT/CVQ)--is proposed to efficiently exploit correlation among different DWT layers aiming to improve its performance. In this scheme, DWT coefficients are rearranged to form the small blocks, which are composed of the corresponding coefficients from all the subbands. The block matrices are classified into four classes depending on the directional activities, i.e., energy distribution along each direction. These are further divided adaptively into subvectors depending on the DWT coefficient statistics as this allows efficient distribution of bits. The subvectors are then vector quantized. Simulation results show that under this technique the reconstruction images preserve the detail and structure in a subjective sense compared to other approaches at a bit rate of 0.3 bit/pel.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A novel echocardiographic Doppler method for estimation of pulmonary arterial pressures.

Background Current noninvasive methods for estimating diastolic and mean pulmonary artery pressures (PAp) in children are cumbersome and have limited accuracy. We hypothesized that systolic PAp correlates with diastolic and mean PAp, and that this correlation can be used to estimate diastolic and mean PAp from Doppler flow data. Methods We recorded PAp in 112 patients 30 years or younger catheterized for heart failure, heart transplant, pulmonary hypertension, or congenital heart disease. We derived the relationship of systolic PAp to diastolic and mean PAp. We then applied these relations to systolic PAp measured by tricuspid regurgitation (TR) Doppler flow in a subset of 17 patients with pulmonary hypertension to predict mean and diastolic PAp, and correlated the results. Results An excellent linear relation was found between systolic PAp and both the diastolic and mean PAp measured at cardiac catheterization ( r = 0.95, P r = 0.98, P r = 0.85, P r = 0.86, P Conclusion A strong linear relationship between systolic and diastolic PAp allows for easy and accurate noninvasive estimation of diastolic and mean PAp from TR Doppler flow.
Flagged Weyl modules for two column shapes

Abstract This paper investigates representations of the Borel subgroup of the general linear group called flagged Weyl modules , associated to shapes in the plane having two columns. Two formulas for the characters of these modules are given, namely, a recurrence and a generating function over certain column-strict tableaux. Explicit Schubert filtrations (in the sense of Polo) are constructed for the duals of these modules.
BreathTray: augmenting respiration self-regulation without cognitive deficit

Concerns grow concerning the negative impact information work has on stress, anxiety, and cognitive performance. This has led to recent research on technological methods that attempt to augment the user's psycho-physiological self-regulatory processes. Rather than explicit prompting and reminders, BreathTray incentivizes calm respiration with continuous monitoring and feedback integrated into the desktop. This paper shows that such techniques do not significantly distract users from their work. The feedback effectively influenced users' respiration patterns when they worked on a single intensive task but not while multi-tasking.
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Expression in Spindle Cell Carcinomas of the Head and Neck

Spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC) is an uncommon head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) variant consisting of spindled and/or pleomorphic cells with epithelial differentiation. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is expressed by >90 % of conventional SCC, and high level expression is associated with a poorer prognosis. Anti-EGFR therapies are commonly used to treat head and neck SCC. However, no studies have evaluated EGFR expression in SpCC. Cases of SpCC were retrieved from department files. The diagnosis required either a biphasic lesion with a squamous neoplastic component, or a purely spindle cell or pleomorphic tumor with immunohistochemical positivity for epithelial markers. EGFR immunohistochemistry was performed and was quantified in quartiles. Medical records were reviewed for clinical follow up information. EGFR was expressed in 21/30 (70 %) cases, including in the squamous component in 18/19 (95 %) and the spindle cell component in only 12/30 (40 %). Where the spindle cell component was positive, the intensity and distribution were lower than for the squamous component. Recurrent tumors were predominantly (80–90 %) of the spindle cell component, and had low (or absent) EGFR expression. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed no statistically significant differences in overall or disease free survival between the EGFR expressing and non-expressing groups (p = 0.414 and 0.19, respectively). SpCCs of the head and neck have a poor prognosis, and markedly reduced EGFR expression. EGFR-specific therapies may not be ideal for SpCC patients, which may lack EGFR expression, but further studies are needed.
Intraluminal clot of the carotid artery. A clinical-angiographic correlation of nine patients and literature review

Between March 1980 and March 1985, intraluminal thrombi of the carotid artery were noted in 9 of 2250 patients undergoing arteriography for symptoms of cerebral ischemia. Five patients had transient ischemic attacks, and four had acute cerebral infarctions. Six patients had surgery, but a thrombus was only found in five. Two patients had new neurological deficits after surgery. Three patients received only medical therapy, and all remained stable. Intraluminal thrombus is an uncommon radiographic finding in patients with cerebral ischemia. Not all clots are confirmed at operation. The optimal treatment of this situation is not known. Both surgical and medical treatments deserve further investigation.
Real-time video streaming with interactive region-of-interest

High-spatial-resolution videos offer the possibility of viewing an arbitrary region-of-interest (RoI) interactively. In this paper, we focus on a real-time video streaming system with interactive RoI functionality. Real-time video encoding poses a bottleneck for developing such a system. We present some solutions for speeding up the encoding process at the server so it can be performed in real-time. First, we encode only those video slices that intersect the users' RoIs during a given frame-interval. The server load can be further reduced by skipping the downsampling of the static background in the scene. We also make use of the modes and motion vectors information available in the original high-definition bitstream. Experimental results show that the encoding time at the server can be reduced significantly (more than 90% in some cases) without affecting the video quality or increasing the transmission bit-rate.