cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NBCe1-A Transmembrane Segment 1 Lines the Ion Translocation Pathway

The electrogenic Na(+)/HCO(3)(-) cotransporter (NBCe1-A) transports sodium and bicarbonate across the basolateral membrane of the renal proximal tubule. In this study the structural requirement of transmembrane segment 1 (TM1) residues in mediating NBCe1-A transport was investigated. Twenty-five introduced cysteine mutants at positions Gln-424 to Gly-448 were tested for their sensitivity to the methanethiosulfonate reagents (2-sulfonatoethyl) methanethiosulfonate (MTSES), [2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl]methanethiosulfonate (MTSET), and (2-aminoethyl) methanethiosulfonate (MTSEA). Two mutants, T442C and A435C, showed 100 and 70% sensitivity, respectively, to inhibition by all the three methanethiosulfonate (MTS) reagents, I441C had >50% sensitivity to MTSET and MTSEA, and A428C had 50% sensitivity to MTSEA inhibition. A helical wheel plot showed that mutants T442C, A435C, and A428C are clustered on one face of TM1 within a 100 degrees arc. Topology analysis of TM1 with biotin maleimide and 2-((5(6)-tetramethylrhodamine)carboxylamino) ethyl methanethiosulfonate (MTS-TAMRA) revealed Thr-442 marks the C-terminal end of TM1 and that extracellular FGGLLG stretch is in a small aqueous-accessible cavity. Functional studies indicated that Thr-442 resides in a narrow region of the ion translocation pore with strong delta(-) helical dipole influence. Analysis of the corresponding residue of NBCe1-A-Thr-442 in AE1 (Thr-422) shows it is functionally insensitive to MTSES and unlabeled with MTS-TAMRA, indicating that AE1-TM1 is oriented differently from NBCe1-A. In summary, we have identified residues Thr-442, Ala-435, and Ala-428 in TM1 lining the ion translocation pore of NBCe1-A. Our findings are suggestive of a delta(-) helical dipole at the C-terminal end of TM1 involving Thr-442 that plays a critical role in the function of the cotransporter.
Pancuronium and histamine release

Both d-tubocurarine and pancuronium release histamine in the skin: both have been shown to cause bronchospasm after intravenous injection. It is unlikely that skin testing with either drug will detect an individual susceptibility to bronchospasm, except as a non-specific test for atopy.
High-performance liquid chromatography with paired ion electrospray ionization (PIESI) tandem mass spectrometry for the highly sensitive determination of acidic pesticides in water

A novel method based on the paired ion electrospray ionization (PIESI) mass spectrometry has been developed for determination of acidic pesticides at ultratrace levels in surface and ground waters. The proposed approach provides greatly enhanced sensitivity for acidic pesticides and overcomes the drawbacks of the less sensitive negative ion mode ESI-MS. The limits of detection (LODs) of 19 acidic pesticides were evaluated with four types of dicationic ion-pairing reagent (IPR) in both single ion monitoring (SIM) and selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. The LOD of 19 pesticides obtained with the use the optimal dicationic ion-pairing reagent ranged from 0.6pg to 19pg, indicating the superior sensitivity provided by this method. The transition pathways for different pesticide-IPR complexes during the collision induced dissociation (CID) were identified. To evaluate and eliminate any matrix effects and further decrease the detection limits, off-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) was performed for DI water and a river water matrix spiked with 2000ng L(-1) and 20ng L(-1) pesticides standards respectively, which showed an average percent recovery of 93%. The chromatographic separation of the acidic pesticides was conducted by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a C18 column (250mm×2.1mm) in the reversed phase mode using linear gradient elution. The optimized HPLC-PIESI-MS/MS method was utilized for determination of acidic pesticide at ng L(-1) level in stream/pond water samples. This experimental approach is 1-3 orders of magnitude more sensitive for these analytes than other reported methods performed in the negative ion mode.
Endoscopic Therapy is Effective for Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis

Background & Aims Endoscopic therapy (ET) frequently is used to treat patients with painful chronic pancreatitis (CP), but little is known about outcomes of patients for whom ET was not successful who then underwent surgery, or outcomes after ET compared with only medical treatment. We evaluated use and long-term effectiveness of ET in a well-defined cohort of patients with CP. Methods We analyzed data from 146 patients with CP who participated in the North American Pancreatitis Study 2 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center from 2000 to 2006; 71 (49%) patients received ET at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Success of ET and surgery were defined by cessation of narcotic therapy and resolution of episodes of acute pancreatitis. Disease progression was followed up from its onset until January 1, 2011 (mean, 8.2 ± 4.7 y). Results Patients who underwent ET had more symptoms (pain, recurrent pancreatitis) and had more complex pancreatic morphology (based on imaging) than patients who received medical therapy. ET had a high rate of technical success (60 of 71 cases; 85%); its rates of clinical success were 51% for 28 of 55 patients for whom follow-up data were available (mean time, 4.8 ± 3.0 y) and 50% for 12 of 24 patients who underwent surgery after receiving ET. Patients who responded to ET were significantly older, had a shorter duration of disease before ET, had less constant pain, and required fewer daily narcotics than patients who did not respond to ET. Among the 36 symptomatic patients who received medical therapy and were followed up for a mean period of 5.7 ± 4.1 years, 31% improved and 53% had no change in symptoms; of these, 21% underwent surgery. Conclusions ET is clinically successful for 50% of patients with symptomatic CP. When ET is not successful, surgery has successful outcomes in 50% of patients. Symptoms resolve in 31% of symptomatic patients who receive only medical therapy.
Does Normal Left Atrial Size Really Predict Normal Stress Echocardiographic Results

To the Editor: Left atrial size has been shown to be an important marker of cardiovascular risk burden, providing prognostic information in different patient populations ([1–3][1]). Previously, a small study published by Alsaileek et al. ([4][2]) suggested that a normal left atrial volume index (
Dissociation of benzene and methylene chloride based on enhanced dissociative electron attachment to highly excited molecules

We present preliminary results on a low-pressure glow-discharge-based process for the destruction of dilute concentrations of volatile organic compounds. Methylene chloride and benzene were studied in dilute mixtures with Ar, Ne and He rare gases. The destruction efficiency was observed to increase with increasing pressure. This and other observations are compatible with molecular dissociation by dissociative electron attachment to high-lying Rydberg states of molecules produced via excitation transfer from the metastable states of the rare gases.
Insights into specificity of cleavage and mechanism of cell entry from the crystal structure of the highly specific Aspergillus ribotoxin, restrictocin

Abstract Background: Restrictocin, a highly specific ribotoxin made by the fungus Aspergillus restrictus , cleaves a single phosphodiester bond in the 28S RNA of eukaryotic ribosomes, inhibiting protein synthesis. The sequence around this cleavage site is a binding site for elongation factors, and is conserved in all cytoplasmic ribosomes. The catalytic mechanism of restrictocin and the reasons for its high substrate specificity are unknown. No structure has been determined for any other member of the Aspergillus ribotoxin family. Results The crystal structure of restrictocin was determined at 2.1 a resolution by single isomorphous replacement and anomalous scattering techniques, and refined to 1.7 a resolution using synchrotron Laue data. The structural core of the protein, in which a three-turn α helix is packed against a five-stranded antiparallel β sheet, can be well aligned with that of ribonuclease T1. Large positively charged peripheral loops near the active site construct a platform with a concave surface for RNA binding. Conclusion Restrictocin appears to combine the catalytic components of T1 ribonucleases with the base recognition components of Sa ribonucleases. Modeling studies using an NMR structure of an RNA substrate analog suggest that the tertiary structure of the substrate RNA is important in protein–RNA recognition, fitting closely into the concavity of the presumed binding site. We speculate that the large 39-residue loop L3, which has similarities to loops found in lectin sugar-binding domains, may be responsible for restrictocin's ability to cross cell membranes.
Description of a Selection Method Highly Cytotoxic for Cystinotic Fibroblasts but not Normal Human Fibroblasts

Nephropathic cystinosis is an inherited disorder characterized by a high intralysosomal accumulation of cystine due to a defect in lysosomal cystine transport. Cystine can be specifically loaded into the lysosomal compartment of intact cells by incubating cells with cystine dimethyl ester (CDME). We have applied this methyl ester loading technique to develop a selection method that is highly cytotoxic for cystinotic fibroblasts but not normal human fibroblasts and that is based on the inherent differences in lysosomal cystine transport activity of normal and cystinotic fibroblasts. Thus, only 0–0.03% of fetal cystinotic fibroblasts survive exposure to 2 mM CDME for 20 min whereas 70–80% of normal fetal fibroblasts survive these same conditions. Following transfection of cystinotic fibroblasts with normal human genomic DNA or cDNA, this CDME selection method can be used to select for those cells that have been transformed to the normal phenotype and thus aid in the identification of the gene coding for the lysosomal cystine transport protein.
Girls' academic achievement: varying associations of extracurricular activities

This study examined the relationship between extracurricular activities and academic achievement for girls with different ethnic backgrounds in eighth and tenth grade. Participants include 4382 American girls (78% Caucasian, 9% Latina, 7% African American and 6% Asian Pacific Islander). It was expected that in‐school academic organized activities would be positively related to achievement, whereas out‐of‐ school non‐academic unorganized activities would be negatively related to achievement. As hypothesized, the aggregated data demonstrate that participation in academic related activities is beneficial. Also, in‐school academic organized activities were positively and significantly related to achievement. Moreover, the hypothesis that out‐of‐school non‐academic non‐organized activities would be negatively and significantly related to achievement was only partially substantiated. Notable is that the prediction equations did not work equally well for girls with different ethnic backgrounds. It would be benef...
Steady flow of a non-Newtonian fluid through a contraction

A steady-state analysis is conducted to examine the basic flow structure of a non-Newtonian fluid in a domain including an inflow region, a contraction region, and an outflow region. A Cartesian grid system is used throughout the entire flow domain, including the contraction region, thus creating an irregular grid cell structure adjacent to the curved boundary. At node points adjacent to the curved boundary symmetry conditions are derived for the different flow variables in order to solve the governing difference equations. Attention is given to the motion and non-Newtonian constitutive equations, the boundary conditions, the numerical modeling of the non-Newtonian equations, the stream function contour lines for the non-Newtonian fluid, the vorticity contour lines for the non-Newtonian fluid, the velocity profile across the contraction, and the shear stress contour lines for the non-Newtonian fluid.
Microvascular Abnormalities in the Bulbar Conjunctiva of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

ABSTRACT Objective To study and quantify microvascular abnormalities objectively in vivo in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods The conjunctival microcirculation in 14 patients with T2DM and in age-matched healthy control subjects without diabetes was videotaped and objectively studied by using computer-assisted intravital microscopy (CAIM), a novel and quantitative real-time technology. Results Patients with T2DM (N = 14) had significantly (P Conclusion We identified the presence of microvas-cular changes (abnormalities) in the conjunctival microcirculation of patients with T2DM. Although all these abnormalities did not appear in the same patient at the same time, the sum total of their presence in each patient correlated significantly with disease severity, as noted in the medical records. The severity of microvascular abnormalities, however, did not correlate with the duration of the disease since diagnosis. CAIM may be a useful objective and quantitative technique for assessing microangiopathy in patients with T2DM. The easy noninvasive accessibility of the conjunctival vessels and the ability to identify and locate the same vessels repeatedly for longitudinal evaluations further emphasize the usefulness of this real-time technology. (Endocr Pract. 2001;7:358-363)
Developing an information resource on Islamic medicaland scientific ethics

Abstract The Bioethics Research Library at Georgetown University and Georgetown's School of Foreign Service Library in Qatar are working together to establish an information resource covering Islamic thought on medical and scientific ethics. We plan to include both historical and contemporary writings in English and Arabic, as well as in other languages, when possible. Ultimately, we intend for this three-year initial project to produce not only an online database, but also to form a core collection within Qatar's Central Library and to enhance the Bioethics Research Library's collection in Washington. All of these efforts are focused on serving researchers and educators in the region and around the world. Staff members who are working on the project are fluent in Arabic or Farsi, and are educated in Islamic Studies, librarianship, and information technology. A variety of professional and organizational contacts are being pursued in order to identify and acquire relevant scholarly material. Although some of the foreign-language cataloging has commenced, we continue to explore database software appropriate for displaying accurately Arabic and Farsi characters as well as related transliteration. English-language cataloging and indexing is well underway using existing software. In the first year of the project, we identified 646 documents in English, Arabic and Farsi and began indexing them, using a specialized vocabulary to address new topics. “Keywords of Special Interest to Islamic Medical and Scientific Ethics (IMSE) Database Searchers” is available online. New terms have been integrated into the current “Bioethics Thesaurus,” offered in full as an online thesaurus database at http://bioethics.georgetown.edu/databases/bt/index.htmlAdditional access terms are suggested in the Keywords list to help searchers. We invite you to explore the Islamic Medical and Scientific Ethics database at http://bioethics.georgetown.edu/collections/islamic/index.html and are eager for your feedback.
Etiology and disease process of benign prostatic hyperplasia

The natural history of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) involves two phases. The first, or pathological phase of BPH, involves two stages, termed microscopic and macroscopic BPH, neither of which produces symptomatic clinical dysuria. Nearly all men throughout the world will eventually develop microscopic BPH if they live long enough. In only about one-half of the men with microscopic BPH, however, will microscopic BPH grow to produce a macroscopic enlargement of the gland (i.e., macroscopic BPH), suggesting that additional factors are required for the progression of microscopic to macroscopic BPH. Several theories have been proposed to explain the etiology of the pathological phase of BPH. The major theories include the hypotheses that pathological BPH is due to 1) a shift in prostatic androgen metabolism that occurs with aging, which leads to an abnormal accumulation of dihydrotestosterone, thus producing the enlarged prostate (i.e., DHT hypothesis), 2) a change in the prostatic stromal-epithelial interact that occurs with aging, which leads to an inductive effect on prostatic growth (i.e., embryonic reawakening theory), or 3) an increase in the total prostatic stem cell number and/or an increase in the clonal expanding of the stem cells into amplifying and transit cells that occurs with aging (i.e., stem cell theory). The second, or clinical phase of BPH, involves the progression of pathologic BPH to clinical BPH in which the patient develops symptomatic dysuria. Only about one-half the men with macroscopic BPH progress to clinical BPH. Although the macroscopic enlargement of the prostate is a necessary condition for the development of clinical BPH, this enlargement is usually not sufficient by itself for the progression of pathologic BPH to clinical BPH. The etiology of the progression of pathological BPH to clinical BPH requires additional factors (e.g., prostatitis, vascular infarct, tensile strength of the glandular capsule, etc.). A successful treatment for clinical BPH, therefore, does not necessarily require either the prevention or elimination of all degrees of pathologic BPH. Instead, what is needed is a therapy to prevent or reverse the progression of pathologic BPH to the clinical disease.
Effect of biofilm phenotype on resistance of Gardnerella vaginalis to hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid.

Objective Bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal disorder worldwide. Certain lactobacilli produce H 2 0 2 and lactic acid, which normally suppress growth of anaerobes; however, in bacterial vaginosis, Gardnerella vaginalis and other anaerobes proliferate, and the number of lactobacilli decreases. G vaginalis colonizes the vaginal epithelium as a biofilm, which likely plays a role in colonization and relapsing infection. Study Design We developed an in vitro model for G vaginalis biofilm formation and compared susceptibilities of biofilms vs planktonic cultures to H 2 0 2 and lactic acid. The structure and composition of the biofilm matrix were studied in order to design a method for biofilm dissolution. Results Biofilms tolerated 5-fold and 4-8 fold higher concentrations of H 2 0 2 and lactic acid (respectively) than planktonic cultures. Proteolytic dissolution of biofilms reduced sensitivity to H 2 0 2 and lactic acid. Conclusion Increased tolerance to H 2 0 2 and lactic acid suggests that biofilm formation contributes to the survival of G vaginalis in the presence of lactobacilli.
A study of the development of a mexican petrochemical industry using mixed-integer programming☆

Abstract A large interactive system such as the petrochemical industry requires a model that can account for the different interactions among units, providing at the same time a suitable mathematical representation of the variables of interest. In this work, a model for the development of a Mexican petrochemical industry is presented. The system is formulated as a Mixed-Integer Programming model, where installing a process is compared on an economic basis to importing its corresponding product. This formulation lets the model take economies-of-scale into account which are shown to be a very decisive factor in the selection of chemical processes, since a simple linear model does not seem to provide an adequate tool for the planning and development of a Mexican petrochemical industry. A heuristic approach using multiple linear programs is also discussed.
Pharmacokinetic studies of aspirin in rats using in vivo microdialysis sampling

Abstract In vivo microdialysis sampling was used to study the pharmacokinetics of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). Results using intravenous microdialysis sampling were compared with those obtained by collection of whole blood samples through a femoral vein cannula. The half-life of elimination was dose dependent. For a 100 mg kg −1 i.v. dose, the half-life by microdialysis was 6.6±2.3 min and from blood samples 6.5±2.5 min. ASA is hydrolyzed by blood enzymes and this continues after the blood sample has been collected unless careful precautions are taken. This difficulty is eliminated by microdialysis because no enzymes are collected in the sample. Microdialysis also reflects only the free fraction of the drug in the blood whereas whole blood samples give the total (both free and bound) concentration. For ASA, binding to blood proteins is highly concentration dependent. When the concentrations were corrected for protein binding, similar results were obtained by microdialysis and whole sampling.
High-resolution spectral measurements of SO 2 from 1176.0 to 1265.8 cm -1 using a single PbSe laser with magnetic and current tuning

A single magnetic- and current-tuned PbSe diode laser was used to measure completely resolved spectra of SO 2 at low pressures over a major portion (1176.0-1265.8 cm-1) of the R branch of the ν 1 band for the first time. It is shown that the combination of magnetic and current tuning allows complete coverage of this 89.8-cm-1wide spectral region. Results generally show excellent agreement with theoretically generated spectra. Magnetic-tuning rates and, with magnetic field applied, current-tuning rates were observed to be significantly nonlinear. Precise spectroscopic data could be obtained with these nonlinearities taken into account. The current-tuning rate in zero magnetic field was essentially constant over the range investigated.
Tandem queues with general blocking: A unified model and comparison results

We study tandem queues with finite intermediate buffers and develop a general blocking scheme that unifies and generalizes various blocking schemes previously studied in the literature, such as manufacturing blocking, communication blocking, kanban blocking and its variations. In the general blocking scheme, job movement and service at each stage are controlled by three parameters, which represent, respectively, the upper limits (at that stage) on work-in-process inventory, finished goods inventory, and buffer space. We derive a set of recursive equations that characterize the dynamics of the system, in terms of the job completion and departure processes, and establish comparison results for these processes in the settings of stochastic ordering, variability ordering and stochastic convexity. Free of distributional assumptions, the results provide characterization of system behavior with respect to the control parameters as well as to the arrival and service processes. We also compare system performance under two different modes of operation: make-to-order versus make-to-stock, and demonstrate the trade-off between improving service and reducing inventory. Numerical studies are also presented to illustrate the diversity of performance trade-off, including composition of inventory, offered by the general model.
Biodiversity, Purity, and Death: Conservation Biology as Biopolitics

This paper draws on the Foucauldian notion of biopower to renarrate the development of conservation science in the US as a form of liberal biopolitical rule. With its emphasis on making nature live, conservation marks a shift away from a sovereign form of rule that emphasized subduing and controlling nature; today, nature is ruled not by the sword but by science. Through a discussion of key concepts in conservation biology—populations in crisis; evolution and its future orientation; extinction as death that is necessary for life; and diversity as purity—we illustrate the truth discourses, underlying logics, and calculative technologies by which distinctions within nonhuman life are made and made meaningful. We argue that conservation is biopolitical not just in that it moves from controlling individuals to statistically managing populations and species, but also in that it extends the racialized logic of abnormality in its core notions of biological diversity and purity. In the logics of conservation and ...
Metabolic defects in severe combined immunodeficiency in man and animals

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) was originally thought to be one disease. Accumulating evidence indicates that SCID is a heterogeneous group of diseases that are clinically similar but are caused by quite different biochemical abnormalities. The best-studied form of SCID is that associated with an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern of adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency. Several biochemical mechanisms have been postulated to explain how a deficiency of ADA causes immune dysfunction. In forms of SCID not associated with ADA deficiency, other biochemical abnormalities have been detected. These abnormalities include deficiency in biotin-dependent carboxylases, alteration in lymphocyte surface membranes and irregularities in cytokine production. Two animal models for SCID now exist. Neither of these models is associated with ADA deficiency. Evidence for a possible defect in purine metabolism in one model has been demonstrated.
Review: Ehrlichia Canis: A Tick-Borne Rickettsial-like Infection in Humans Living in the Southeastern United States

During the past two years, sporadic cases of a rickettsial-like illness were reported in humans living in the Southeastern United States. The illness was serologically similar to Ehrlichia canis infections in dogs. It resembled spotless Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever but was differentiated from this infection serologically with acute and convalescent sera showing increasing titers to Ehrlichia canis. Ecanis infection should be suspected in patients with fever, headache, malaise, myalgia, gastrointestinal symptoms, relative bradycardia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and a recent exposure to either dogs or ticks. Although recovery has been observed in humans without treatment, prompt therapy with tetracycline is advised before obtaining results of serologic studies because an immunologically similar illness in untreated dogs has been lethal.
Biological Correlates of Abuse in Women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and Healthy Controls

OBJECTIVE: To examine the biological correlates associated with histories of sexual or physical abuse in women meeting DSM criteria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and in healthy, non-PMDD controls. METHODS: Twenty-eight women with prospectively confirmed PMDD were compared with 28 non-PMDD women for cardiovascular and neuroendocrine measures at rest and in response to mental stressors, and for beta-adrenergic receptor responsivity, during both the follicular and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Structured interview was used to assess psychiatric history and prior sexual and physical abuse experiences. All subjects were free of current psychiatric comorbidity and medication use. RESULTS: More PMDD women had prior sexual and physical abuse experiences than controls (20 vs. 10, respectively). Relative to nonabused PMDD women, PMDD women with prior abuse (sexual or physical) exhibited significantly lower resting norepinephrine (NE) levels and significantly greater beta1- and beta2-adrenoceptor responsivity and greater luteal phase NE reactivity to mental stress. For non-PMDD control women, abuse was associated with blunted cortisol, cardiac output, and heart rate reactivity to mental stress relative to nonabused controls. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this initial study suggest that a history of prior abuse is associated with alterations in physiological reactivity to subsequent mental stress in women, but that the biological correlates of abuse may be different for PMDD vs. non-PMDD women. Language: en
Tools for Financial Innovation: Neoclassical versus Behavioral Finance

The behavioral finance revolution in academic finance in the last several decades is best described as a return to a more eclectic approach to financial modeling. The earlier neoclassical finance revolution that had swept the finance profession in the 1960s and 1970s represented the overly-enthusiastic pursuit of only one model. Freed from the tyranny of just one model, financial research is now making faster progress, and that progress can be expected to show material benefits. An example of the application of both behavioral finance and neoclassical finance is discussed: the reform of Social Security and the introduction of personal accounts.
Substance abuse, comorbidity, and sensation seeking: Gender differences

Two hundred sixty-two probands and 261 of their relatives with DSM-III-R diagnoses of drug and alcohol abuse and/or anxiety disorders completed the Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scale. It was hypothesised that subjects with both substance abuse disorders and comorbid anxiety disorders would have lower sensation-seeking profiles than subjects with substance abuse alone. This was confirmed in women, with thrill- and adventure-seeking scores showing significant differences between pure substance abusers and those with a comorbid anxiety disorder, lending support to theories that substance abusers are a heterogeneous group. In men, there were fewer significant differences between diagnostic groups. If substance abusers are indeed a heterogeneous group, with some motivated by high sensation-seeking needs, a better understanding of these motivations can lead to more effective strategies of prevention and treatment, according to etiology.
The Absorption of Ultraviolet and Visible Light by Water

The absorption coefficient of chemically pure, fairly dust free water was measured by photographic photometry by using tubes of water up to 272 cm long. γ, defined by i=i0e−γx, where x is in cm, was 0.8, 1.9, 4.3, 7.7, 13.5 and 80×10−3 at wave-lengths 4000, 3600, 3200, 2800, 2400 and 2000A, respectively. The values were more than 10 times those calculated from molecular scattering. For the visible wave-lengths 5400, 5890, 6700 and 6900A γ was 0.0004, 0.0014, 0.0034 and 0.0039, in good agreement with the measurements of Aufsess. For wave-lengths from 4000 to 5400A γ was less than 0.0004 and was too small to be measured with the length of tubes used.
The risk of cholesteatoma in congenital aural stenosis

Congenital aural stenosis, as compared to congenital aural atresia, carries a much greater risk of cholesteatoma. In a review of over 600 patients with major congenital ear malformations, 50 patients (54 ears) were found to have congenital aural stenosis. Ninety-one percent of the ears in patients 12 years and older with a stenosis of 2 mm or less presented with cholesteatoma. Based on this review, the following opinions are given: 1. A bony ear canal opening of 2 mm or less puts the patient at risk of cholesteatoma formation; 2. the cholesteatoma is slow-growing; and 3. undiagnosed cholesteatoma will cause extensive damage to the ear by early adulthood. We recommend surgery for patients with stenosis of the external ear canal measuring 2 mm or less. The appropriate time for surgery is late childhood or early adolescence, before irreversible damage has occurred.
The McCree-de Wit-Penning de Vries-Thornley Respiration Paradigms: 30 Years Later

To grow, an organism must respire substrates to produce C-skeleton intermediates, usable energy (i.e. ATP), and reducing power [i.e. NAD(P)H] to support biosynthesis and related processes such as active transport of substrates. Respiration is also needed—mainly as a supplier of ATP—to maintain existing biomass in a functional state. As a result, quantifying links between respiration, growth, and maintenance are needed to assess potential plant productivity, to understand plant responses to environmental factors, and as the basis of cost-benefit analyses of alternative uses of photosynthate. Beginning 30 years ago, and continuing for about 5 years, rapid advances were made in understanding and quantifying relationships between respiration and the processes it supports. Progress has continued since then, though often as refinements rather than novel advances. The simplest framework (i.e. paradigm) for relating respiration to other processes divides respiration into growth and maintenance fractions. This often involves a combination of empiricism and mechanism. A three-component framework (growth, maintenance and wastage) has also been considered, although quantifying wastage (theoretically or empirically) remains problematic. The more general and flexible framework, called the general paradigm(GP, herein), relates respiration to any number of individual processes that it supports. The most important processes (from C and energy balance perspectives) identified to date that require respiration are: biosynthesis of new structural biomass, translocation of photosynthate from sources to sinks, uptake of ions from the soil solution, assimilation of N (including N2) and S into organic compounds, protein turnover, and cellular ion-gradient maintenance. In addition, some part of respiration may be associated with wastage (e.g. futile cycles and mitochondrial electron transport uncoupled from oxidative phosphorylation). Most importantly, the GP can (semi-)mechanistically relate respiration to underlying physiology and biochemistry. The GP is more complicated than other approaches to describing or modelling respiration because it is more realistic, complete and mechanistic. This review describes a history of the GP and its present state. Future research questions are suggested.
Using scripts to automate online library activities

This article discusses the use of telecommunications scripts in automating online library functions. The pros and cons of developing scripts for replacing manual keyboard entry are investigated. In addition, the concept of creating more complicated, decision‐making, ‘intelligent scripts’ is explored. Sample applications designed at Kent State University, in conjunction with the university's migration from NOTIS to Innovative Interfaces, are described. Implications concerning library processes and conventions for effective script design are also presented.
Cytokines, infections, stress, and dysphoric moods in breastfeeders and formula feeders.

Objective To analyze relationships between stress, moods, and immunity in breastfeeding compared to formula‐feeding mothers. Design A cross‐sectional study of 181 healthy mothers, exclusively breastfeeding or formula feeding, studied at 4 to 6 weeks after childbirth. Setting Mothers were recruited in the postpartum unit of the hospital and then visited in their homes once at 4 to 6 weeks after childbirth for data collection. Main Outcome Measures Stress, mood, infection symptoms, and serum levels of interferon‐gamma and interleukin‐10 were measured. Results Formula‐feeding mothers had evidence of decreased interferon‐gamma and a decreased serum Th1/Th2 ratio (interferon‐gamma/interleukin‐10) when perceived stress, dysphoric moods, and negative life events were high, an effect consistent with depression of cellular immunity. However, women who were breastfeeding did not show these relationships. Conclusions The data suggest that breastfeeding confers some psychoneuroimmunological benefit to mothers, perhaps through prolactin or hypothalamic‐hypophyseal‐adrenocortical axis stress refractoriness. JOGNN, 35, 599‐607; 2006. DOI: 10.1111/J.1552‐6909.2006.00083.x
Reduction of impedance and feedthrough parasitics of RF micromechanical resonators

Having been demonstrated at frequencies up to 6.2 GHz with measured Q's > 4,000, micromechanical resonators hold great promise for enabling on-chip high-Q passives needed in wireless communication systems. However, the acceptance of such devices in present-day transceivers has been hindered by their excessive motional impedances and feedthrough parasitics that prevent direct integration with other RF subsystems and IC's. This paper reviews strategies for alleviating these issues with focus on the employment of transducers with improved conversion efficiency enabled by atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. Additionally, arrays of mechanically-coupled resonators have been developed to enhance the overall output signal strength of the composite resonators thus lowering the effective motional impedance. Moreover, on-chip Faraday cages were employed to mitigate the effect of the feedthrough noise of the substrate parastics from the motional current of the micromechanical resonator.
Cardiac Calendar—2012 to 2013

Fifty-Eighth Annual Meeting of Indian Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons. Kolkata, India. February 10-12, 2012. Contact: http://www.iacts2012.com. Cardiothoracic Symposium 2012. Iguazu Falls, Argentina. March 19-21, 2012. Contact: ctsymposium2012@mci-group.com. Thirty-Second International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine. Brussels, Belgium. March 20-23, 2012. Contact: Erasmus University Hospital, Route de Lennik 808, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium, e-mail: veronique.de.ulaemick@nlb.ac.be, http://www.intensive.care. Fifteenth World Congress of Anesthesiologists, Buenos Aires, Argentina. March 25-30, 2012. Contact: http://www.wca2012.com. Fifty-Ninth Annual Conference of the Israel Heart Society and Israel Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Tel Aviv, Israel. April 16-17, 2012. Contact: e-mail: secretariat@israelheart.com. The Sixty-First International Congress of the European Society for Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery. Dubrovnik, Croatia, April 25-28, 2012. Contact: e-mail: escvs-dubrovnik2012@globtour.hr. Aortic Symposium 2012. New York, NY. April 26-27, 2012. Contact: http://www.aats.org/aortic. Ninety-Second Annual Meeting Association of Thoracic Surgeons. San Francisco, California. April 28-May 2, 2012. Contact: http://www.aats.org. Thirty-Fourth Annual Meeting and Workshops Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists. Boston, MA. April 28-May 2, 2012. Contact: www.scahq.org. International Anesthesia Research Society Annual Meeting. Boston, MA. May 18-21, 2012. Contact: www.iars.org. EACTA–European Association of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. May 23-25, 2012. Contact: www.eacta.org. Second International Congress, Anesthesia for Seniors. Prague, Czech Republic. June 7-9, 2012. Contact: www. anesthesiaforseniors2012.cz. Twentieth European Conference on General Thoracic Surgery. Essen, Germany. June 10-13, 2012. Contact: e-mail: sue@esta.org.uk. Fifteenth World Congress of Pain Clinicians. Granada, Spain. June 27-30, 2012. Contact: e-mail: wspc2012@kenes.com. International Forum of Cardiovascular Anesthesia, Chinese Heart Congress. Beijing, China. August 11-13, 2012. Contact: www.CHCIFCA2012. Second International Joint Meeting on Thoracic Surgery. Barcelona, Spain. November 14-16, 2012. Contact: http:// thoracicsurgery2012.org. Thirteenth International Meeting of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia and the New Zealand Anesthesia Annual Scientific Meeting. Auckland, New Zealand. November 14-17, 2012. Contact: http://www.iccva2012.com. Sixty-Sixth Postgraduate Assembly, New York State of Anesthesiologists. New York, NY. December 14-17, 2012. Contact: http://www.nyssa-pga.org.
Estimating Packet Arrival Times in Bursty Video Applications

In retransmission-based error-control methods, the most fundamental yet the paramount problem is to determine how long the sender (or the receiver) should wait before deciding that an unacknowledged (or a missing) packet is lost. This waiting time is generally referred to as retransmission timeout (RTO). An accurate RTO estimation has two main advantages: First, the lost packets can be identified earlier, and hence, can be recovered faster. Second, redundant retransmissions can be avoided, which subsequently not only saves the network resources, but also helps existing network congestion alleviate sooner. Although it is statistically possible to prevent any unnecessary retransmission at the expense of long error-recovery times, such an approach can only be justified for data applications; it is not well-suited for delay-sensitive applications, for which the agility in recovering the lost packets is as important. With this motivation, we recently introduced an RTO estimation algorithm for delay-sensitive applications (A. C. Begen et al., 2004). Provided that the packets are transmitted at equal intervals, this technique successfully estimates the arrival times based on the interarrival-time observations. In this study, we relax the requirement of equal transmission intervals and generalize our technique to handle bursty video applications
Does changing the reference frame affect infant categorization of the spatial relation BETWEEN

Past research has shown that variation in the target objects depicting a given spatial relation disrupts the formation of a category representation for that relation. In the current research, we asked whether changing the orientation of the referent frame depicting the spatial relation would also disrupt the formation of a category representation for that relation. Experiments 1 to 3 provided evidence that 6- and 7-month-olds formed a category representation for BETWEEN when a diamond shape was depicted in different locations between two vertical or horizontal reference bars during familiarization and in a novel location between the same orientation of bars during test. By contrast, in Experiment 4, same-age infants did not form a category representation for BETWEEN when the diamond shape was depicted between two vertical (or horizontal) bars during familiarization and between two horizontal (or vertical) bars during test. Moreover, in Experiment 5, 9- and 10-month-olds did form a category representation for BETWEEN when the orientation of the referent bars depicting the relation changed from familiarization to test. The findings suggest that the formation of category representations for spatial relations by infants is affected by changes to either target (figure) or referent (ground).
The carnivoran fauna of Rancho La Brea: Average or aberrant?

Abstract The late Pleistocene asphalt seeps of Rancho La Brea are well-known for their impressive assemblage of carnivorans, which make up the vast majority of the preserved fauna. Of particular interest is the large number of dire wolf and sabertooth cat specimens. Carcass domination, the hypothesis that predators engaged in intense competition for trapped prey, may explain the mechanism of this predator trap. Large and social animals would have fared best during competition over carcasses, so the preponderance of Canis dirus and Smilodon fatalis has been seen as evidence of their sociality. However, no studies have quantitatively determined whether the relative carnivoran species abundances in Rancho La Brea differ significantly from those in California or North America at large. We compare numbers of identified specimens (NISP) from the Rancho La Brea fauna to regional and continental faunal data compiled from the FAUNMAP II database to test this hypothesis. Our results confirm that the carnivoran fauna in Rancho La Brea is unique, with preservation patterns generally supporting the carcass domination hypothesis as well as the sociality of S. fatalis .
Model based control of a multidimensional positioning system - a comparison of controller designs with experimental validation

The present study investigates the controlled behavior of a multidimensional positional system (MPS), under the application of model based control techniques (lead-lag, LQR, LQG, LQG-LTR, H/sub /spl infin//, /spl mu/-synthesis and QFT). The MPS consists of a magnetically levitated system capable of six degree-of-freedom micro and nano positioning using three novel permanent-magnet linear motors. Each motor generates a vertical force for suspension against gravity and a horizontal force for drive. Particular attention is given to the design, analysis and simulation of the control laws that guarantee tracking performance under modeled uncertainties. Closed loop identification is used to derive bounds of the variations in magnitude of the experimental data and mathematical models. Results obtained from numerical simulations are presented and judged with respect to the performance and stability achieved and the work needed to perform the designs. Laboratory experiments indicate partial success in the implementation of the designed control systems. Hence limited experimental results are presented to validate the performance of the control systems.
Competing risk analysis of Japan's small financial institutions

This paper develops a dependent competing risks model to investigate the determinants of time to bankruptcy and time to merger jointly, and more importantly, to investigate their interdependence. This paper identifies strong interdependence between the bankruptcy and merger hazards, both through the correlation of the unobserved heterogeneities and through the preventive behavior of the individual firms. This paper shows that the common practice of assuming the independence of the competing risks would yield biased estimates and lower the predictive accuracy. In addition, this paper addresses important econometric-theoretic questions that arise with the empirical analysis, namely, identification and testing a hypothesis in a nonstandard situation.
Isoform diversity and tandem duplication of the glycoprotein A gene in ferret Pneumocystis carinii.

Two ferret P. carinii gpA cDNA clones were identified that reacted identically with a panel of anti-gpA monoclonal antibodies, although their nucleotide sequences were 22% divergent. Each clone hybridized to a single mRNA species of 3,600 nucleotides only in P. carinii-mfected lung mRNA, but RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that these cDNA clones were derived from two distinct gpA mRNA transcripts. Further PCR analysis demonstrated that the ferret P. carinii genome contains at least two gpA genes lying in tandem on a single chromosome separated by a 329-bp intergenic region. Based on the terminal gene sequences of this tandem repeat and the cDNA clones, a composite full-length ferret P. carinii gpA coding sequence was constructed. The intergenic region immediately downstream of the stop codon of the first gpA gene contains three putative polyadenylation signals, and constitutes the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the gpA mRNA. Primer extension of the gpA mRNA resulted in products extending 74 and 244 nucleotides into the 5' UTR. However, the intergenic region lying greater than 25 nucleotides upstream of the first methionine of the second gpA gene was found to be absent from the 5' UTR.
Trading Costs and Returns for U.S. Equities: Estimating Effective Costs from Daily Data

The effective cost of trading is usually estimated from transaction-level data. This study proposes a Gibbs estimate that is based on daily closing prices. In a validation sample, the daily Gibbs estimate achieves a correlation of 0.965 with the transactionlevel estimate. When the Gibbs estimates are incorporated into asset pricing specifications over a long historical sample (1926 to 2006), the results suggest that effective cost (as a characteristic) is positively related to stock returns. The relation is strongest in January, but it appears to be distinct from size effects. INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE ROLE of liquidity and transaction costs in asset pricing must generally confront the fact that while many asset pricing tests make use of U.S. equity returns from 1926 onward, the high-frequency data used to estimate trading costs are usually not available prior to 1983. Accordingly, most studies either limit the sample to the post-1983 period of common coverage or use the longer historical sample with liquidity proxies estimated from daily data. This paper falls into the latter group. Specifically, I propose a new approach to estimating the effective cost of trading and the common variation in this cost. These estimates are then used in conventional asset pricing specifications with a view to ascertaining the role of trading costs as a characteristic in explaining