cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medication-induced Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy presenting with cardiogenic shock—utility of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): case report and review of the literature

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a transient condition that affects the myocardium and is seen mostly in post-menopausal women secondary to an emotional or physical stressor; however, certain drugs have been described as cause of this syndrome. We report the case of a young female with medication--induced TTC, who presented with cardiogenic shock as initial manifestation, treated successfully with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). To our knowledge, this is the first case in the literature describing the use of ECMO in cardiogenic shock due to medication-induced TTC.
Acute hemodynamic and hormonal response to indoramin in congestive heart failure.

Acute hemodynamic and hormonal responses to a single dose of indoramin, an α1-antagonist, were evaluated in 11 subjects with severe chronic congestive heart failure. A hemodynamic effect began within 1 hr of indoramin and persisted during the 6 hr of hemodynamic monitoring. Decreased right and left ventricular filling pressures were associated with increased stroke index and decreased pulmonary and systemic vascular resistances. Heart rate did not increase despite a fall in systemic arterial pressure. Forearm blood flow, forearm venous capacitance, and plasma norepinephrine levels were unchanged, whereas plasma renin activity rose from 12.7 ± 17.4 to 16.6 ± 20.4 ng/ml/hr. The only side effect was drowsiness in five of the 11 subjects. Our data demonstrate the acute effectiveness of indoramin in reducing ventricular preload and systemic vascular resistance in heart failure. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1984) 36, 297–301; doi:10.1038/clpt.1984.178
Bilateral endoscopic carpal tunnel releases: Simultaneous versus staged operative intervention

Abstract Purpose: Open and endoscopic carpal tunnel release techniques have achieved excellent results for treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Symptoms frequently occur bilaterally but there are no reports of simultaneous operative intervention. The purpose of this study was to evaluate results in patients who underwent staged bilateral endoscopic carpal tunnel releases and in those who underwent simultaneous bilateral releases. Type of Study: Retrospective review. Methods: The efficacy of simultaneous and staged bilateral endoscopic carpal tunnel releases was evaluated using a retrospective chart review. This included patients who underwent these procedures during a 48-month period. Group A (48 patients) underwent staged procedures; group group B (48 patients) underwent simultaneous procedures. Inclusion criteria were a positive history and physical examination, positive electrical studies, and failure of conservative measures. Single-incision endoscopic releases were performed on an outpatient basis. Early rehabilitation with intermittent splinting was utilized. The analysis included complications, satisfaction, return to work, physician visits, physical therapy sessions, days to maximum medical improvement for all, and average percentage permanent partial impairment for Workers' Compensation patients. Results: A decrease in return to work at regular duty was noted in the simultaneous group compared with the staged group for patients who had not filed Workers' Compensation claims ( P =.0158). The simultaneous group had fewer physician visits than the staged group ( P =.0002). Overall patient satisfaction was equal. Conclusions: Simultaneous bilateral endoscopic carpal tunnel releases are well tolerated with mild restrictions and a decrease in cost. Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, Vol 18, No 3 (March), 2002: pp 316–321
Comparative Effects of 1BL/1RS Translocation in Relation to Protein Composition and Milling and Baking Quality of Soft Red Winter Wheat

ABSTRACT Forty grain samples, derived from six soft red winter wheat lines with 1BL/1RS and four genotypes without the translocation, grown in four diverse environments, were used to assess test weight, flour yield, protein content of grain and flour, rheological properties, and end-use characteristics in cakes and cookies. Wheat lines with 1BL/1RS had similar or higher mean test weights than lines without the translocation. Mean flour yields were similar for the two groups. Test weight was not predictive of flour yield. Mean values for grain moisture, grain protein, and rheological properties, as measured by farinograph for mixing time stability and mixing tolerance index, were similar for wheat lines with and without 1BL/1RS. In several cases, flour from lines with 1BL/1RS produced dough with greater mixing tolerance and cakes with higher volume and softer texture than did check lines without the translocation. However, the translocation in these soft red winter wheat lines resulted in higher farinograp...
Putative F–G loop is involved in association with the membrane in P450scc (P450 11A1)

Cytochrome P450scc (P450 11A1) catalyzes the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone, the first step in overall steroid hormone biosynthesis in steroidogenic tissues. On the basis of alignment with structurally characterized cytochromes P450 (P450s), we have identified the putative F-G loop of P450 11A1 and mutated amino acid residues in this region. Wild type and mutant P450s 11A1 were expressed in E. coli and compared with respect to subcellular distribution and turnover number. About 30% of the wild type P450 was found in the bacterial cytosol indicating loose association of the enzyme with the membrane. The N210S/V211M and L218R/F219Y replacements increased the fraction of P450 in the bacterial cytosol 1.5-1.7-fold and the latter mutant also showed an almost two-fold increase of the turnover number. These data indicate that the putative F-G loop is the site of attachment to the membrane in P450 11A1 and changes in the enzyme-membrane interactions may affect the rate of catalysis.
The President's Page: Earthquake prediction and public reaction [Guest Editorial]

Within the last year, two earthquakes in the United States—one in New York and the other in California—have been successfully predicted on the basis of variations in seismic wave travel time. Recent studies revealed that two shocks in central California could have been predicted by similar methods. In addition, tiltmeters operating in central California since May 1973 have shown premonitory tilting for at least 10 earthquakes that occurred near an instrument. Although these seismic wave travel time and tilt precursors were observed for small and moderate earthquakes, magnitude 5 or less, earlier results of a similar nature are on record from the Soviet Union, Japan, and the United States for larger earthquakes, including the shock near San Fernando, California, in 1971. The dilatancy-fluid diffusion theory has been developed to account for the observations. An earthquake prediction capability is apparently not far away.
13 Effect of Erythropoietin on Fluid Movement Across the Respiratory Epithelium.

Erythropoietin has a wide range of nonhematopoietic effects in the body, including the regulation of certain enzymes in the lung. Clinically, its administration has been associated with a decrease in the number of days in oxygen for sick premature infants. If erythropoietin has a favorable effect on respiratory illness, one mechanism could be a reduction in pulmonary edema. In previous studies, we demonstrated that erythropoietin increases cellular uptake of sodium, a necessary first step in ion transport-linked fluid clearance (Pediatr Res 58:817A, 2005). To further characterize the effect on ion transport, we studied the effect of erythropoietin on the Na-K-ATPase, an enzyme important in sodium translocation. To accomplish this goal, we treated A549 cells, an immortal adenocarcinoma cell line with features of Type II cells, with erythropoietin and measured the uptake of 86Rb+ (a mimic of K+) in the presence and absence of ouabain, an inhibitor of Na-K-ATPase. We found that after 24h, erythropoietin (35 U/ml) increased ouabain-sensitive Rb uptake on average by 25% (n=8, control: 1.6 ± 0.6 vs erythropoietin: 2.0 ± 0.8 nmol Rb/million cells/min, p<0.05), indicating an increase in Na-K-ATPase activity. To confirm this finding, we disrupted the cell membrane and assessed Na-K-ATPase activity by an alternative method in which we measured the release of inorganic phosphate in the presence and absence of ouabain. Similar to our results in intact cells, erythropoietin (24h, 35 U/ml) increased the activity of the Na-K-ATPase (n=7, control: 0.9 ± 0.4 vs erythropoietin: 2.1 ± 1.3 mg phosphate/mg protein, p<0.05). In additional studies, we grew A549 cells on a semipermeable membrane and measured fluid movement across the monolayer by measuring the change in protein concentration in the supernatant as a reflection of fluid loss. After 24 h, erythropoietin increased by nearly 25% the volume of fluid loss from the supernatant (n=6, control: 132 ± 26 vs erythropoietin: 164 ± 34 uL/24 h, p<0.05). We then added amiloride (1mM), an inhibitor of Na channels important in the transepithelial movement of liquid, to monolayers treated with erythropoietin and found that fluid loss from the supernatant decreased to that of control cells (n=6, control: 126 ± 26 uL/24 h). Our findings show that erythropoietin increases Na-K-ATPase activity and transepithelial liquid movement in vitro. We speculate that if erythropoietin were to increase sodium transport and Na-K-ATPase activity in vivo, then lung water balance and respiratory difficulty might improve as well.
Segmentation of digital microscopy data for the analysis of defect structures in materials using nonlinear diffusions

We apply stabilized inverse diffusion equations (SIDEs) to segment microscopy images of materials to aid in analysis of defects. We extend SIDE segmentation methods and demonstrate the effectiveness of our approaches to two material analysis tasks. We first develop a method to successfully isolate the textured area of a solidification defect to pixel accuracy. The second task involves utilizing multiple illuminations of the same structure of a polycrystalline alloy. Our novel approach features the fusion of data extracted from each of these images to create a composite segmentation which effectively represents all texture boundaries visible in any of the images. These two methods both propose new techniques to incorporate multiple images to produce segmentations.
Slavery by Any Other Name: African Life under Company Rule in Colonial Mozambique. By Eric Allina. (Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia Press, 2012. Pp. xii, 255. $49.50.)

This history of the colonial Mozambique Company in central Mozambique relies heavily on an important archive—the previously unused repository of the company itself. The wealth of material in those ...
Expression of the bovine high affinity IL-12 receptor β2

Abstract Four fragments of the bovine IL-12 receptor β2 were sequenced following generation by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification of RNA from mitogen-activated bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Primers were based on sequences within regions of the human IL-12Rβ2 gene that displayed high levels of similarity with the mouse IL-12Rβ2 gene sequence. The amplified bovine IL-12Rβ2 fragments had 82–87% similarity at the nucleotide level with human IL-12Rβ2 and 70–88% similarity at the predicted amino acid level. Bovine IL-12Rβ2 gene expression was induced following culture of PBMC with Concanavalin A (Con A), with immobilized monoclonal antibody to CD3 or with human recombinant IL-12 p70 and correlated with interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production. Expression of bovine IL-12Rβ2 by PBMC was detected by 2 h of culture with Con A and sustained for at least 5 days when cultured with rHuIL-12. Expression, however, did not require cellular proliferation since IL-12 did not induce proliferation, although both Con A and anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody did do so. Addition of rHuIL-10 inhibited IFN-γ production without abrogating bovine IL-12Rβ2 gene expression.
Public diplomacy comes of age

The U.S. special coordinator for public diplomacy explains what this critical foreign policy tool is, how technology has changed it, and the new paradigm that the United States is considering to rebuild its capacity to conduct public diplomacy.
Laparoscopic gonadectomy and excision of müllerian remnant in an adult intersex patient

Laparoscopy can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of intersex patients. We report a rare case in which laparoscopic gonadectomy and hysterosalpingectomy were performed in a phenotypically-male intersex patient first diagnosed in adulthood.
Incorporating Information from Neuroscience and Endocrinology Regarding Sexual Orientation Into Social Work Education

ABSTRACT The brains of heterosexual males and heterosexual females are different. Moreover, the brains of gay men are similar to those in heterosexual females, whereas the brains of lesbians are similar to those in heterosexual males. Gender-atypical features in gays and lesbians are not limited to brain structures but extend to other physical features (auditory function, finger print patterns, relative size of index and ring fingers) and interest patterns and behaviors. The research supporting these postulates is reviewed. The gestational processes that might explain the differences in brain structure and function corresponding with sexual orientation are reviewed. A discussion of the physiological bases for the expression of gender-related traits and a discussion of factors contributing to sexual identity are provided. Throughout the article, alternative ways to think about gender are suggested. The importance of integrating the information presented in this article into the curriculum of social work ed...
Cultural Variations in Hopelessness, Optimism, and Suicidal Ideation: A Study of Ghana and U.S. College Samples:

As a follow-up study on previous findings of cultural differences in responses to depressive mood, college students from Ghana and the United States completed measures of hopelessness, optimism, and suicidal ideation. Statistical analyses were performed to compare differences in means between the two countries. Compared to the U.S. sample, Ghanaian college students reported less feelings of hopelessness,t(179) = -3.365,p < .001, and were significantly more optimistic,t(208) = 6.609,p < .0001. Furthermore, the U.S. sample endorsed significantly more items on the suicidal ideation scale, t(207) = 2.121,p < .035, than their Ghanaian counterparts. The role of factors such as cultural variations in an individual’s sense of belonging, social support, and expectancies is discussed in light of the present findings. Implications and directions for future research are also considered.
Mesencephalic dopamine neuron number and tyrosine hydroxylase content: Genetic control and candidate genes

The mesotelencephalic dopamine system shows substantial genetic variation which fundamentally affects normal and pathological behaviors related to motor function, motivation, and learning. Our earlier radioenzyme assay studies demonstrated significantly higher activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the first and rate limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of catecholamine neurotransmitters, in the substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area of BALB/cJ mice in comparison with that of C57BL/6ByJ mice. Here, using quantitative immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry, we tested the hypothesis that mesencephalic TH protein content and number of nigral TH-positive neurons show strain-dependent differences in C57BL/6ByJ and BALB/cJ parallel to those observed in the TH activity studies. Immunoblotting experiments detected significantly higher mesencephalic TH protein content in BALB/cJ in comparison to C57BL/6ByJ (P<0.05). Immunocytochemical studies demonstrated that the number of TH-positive cells in substantia nigra was 31.3% higher in BALB/cJ than that in C57BL/6ByJ (P<0.01), while the average dopamine neuron volume was not significantly different. In a search for candidate genes that modulate TH content and the size of mesencephalic dopamine neuron populations we also studied near-isogenic mouse sublines derived from the C57BL/6ByJ and BALB/cJ progenitor strains. A whole-genome scan with 768 single nucleotide polymorphism markers indicated that two sublines, C4A6/N and C4A6/B, were genetically very similar (98.3%). We found significantly higher mesencephalic TH protein content in C4A6/B in comparison to C4A6/N (P=0.01), and a tendency for higher number of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra in C4A6/B in comparison to C4A6/N, which, however, did not reach statistical significance. To identify the genetic source of the TH content difference we analyzed the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype data of the whole-genome scan, and detected two small differential chromosome segments on chr. 13 and chr. 14. Microarray gene expression studies and bioinformatic analysis of the two differential regions implicated two cis-regulated genes (Spock1 and Cxcl14, chr. 13), and two growth factor genes [bone morphogenetic protein 6 (Bmp6) (chr. 13), and fibroblast growth factor 14 (Fgf14) (chr. 14)]. Taken together, the results suggest that (1) nigral dopamine neuron number and TH protein content may be genetically associated but further studies are needed to establish unequivocally this linkage, and (2) Spock1, Cxcl14, Bmp6, and Fgf14 are novel candidates for modulating the expression and maintenance of TH content in mesencephalic dopamine neurons in vivo.
Broadcast and Cable Network News Coverage of the 2004 Presidential Election: An Assessment of Partisan and Structural Imbalance

Broadcast and cable network evening news shows gave more prominence, time, and attention to Democrat John Kerry than to President George Bush in their 2004 presidential election coverage. Broadcast networks were more balanced in their aggregate attention to the candidates than were the cable networks. Individual broadcast network stories and segments were also more balanced than were individual cable network stories and segments, regardless of the candidate more favored in stories and segments. The daily election segments of CBS News and Fox News were the most balanced, contrary to expectations that these two news organizations were most likely to show imbalance. However, different broadcast and cable network news attention to the National Guard and Swift Boat stories impugning the characters of both candidates suggests that the broadcast networks biased some of their coverage against the president.
Protein structure by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: Second derivative spectra

Second derivative Fourier transform infrared spectra of the proteins ribonuclease A, hemoglobin, and beta-lactoglobulin A (native and denatured) have been obtained in deuterium oxide solution from 1350 to 1800 cm-1. The relationship of the original spectra to their second derivatives is briefly discussed. In the second derivative spectra, clearly resolved peaks are observed which can be associated with the alpha-helix, beta-strands, and turns. No protein spectra with such resolution have heretofore been reported. Tentative assignments are proposed, and the observed peaks are related to the secondary structure of the proteins studied. The data appear to present the first direct spectroscopic evidence of turns in a native protein.
Geometric effects on far-field coupling between multipoles of nanoparticles in square arrays

Metallic nanoparticles organized in regular arrays exhibit an extraordinary spectral feature that arises from electromagnetic coupling between localized surface plasmons and constructive interference from diffracted far-field radiation. A rapid semianalytical description of coupling between dipoles and scattering modes is applied to examine the influence of nanoparticle size, dielectric, and interparticle separation on the occurrence, resonant wavelength, and intensity of the extraordinary spectral feature. Introducing a dynamic polarizability that includes higher-order electric poles into the description accurately characterizes plasmon resonances of larger particles. Previously unrecognized patterns and periodic variations in the extraordinary feature were observed to result from modulations in polarizability, as well as from interference of scattered modes that were distinguishable for the first time using the rapid semianalytic solution. Streamlined rational design of metamaterials with optimum optical properties using the rapid semianalytic coupled dipole approximation is considered.
Top NOTCH targets: notch signaling in cancer

The evolutionarily conserved Notch signaling pathway controls diverse events such as cell fate determination, proliferation, apoptosis, and stem cell maintenance. Dysregulation of this pathway has been implicated as a causative event in multiple cancers, including T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), where mutation of Notch1 occurs in >50% of patients. Although mutation has not been observed in solid tumors, changes in expression of ligands and receptors, as well as pathway modulators, may play a role in pathogenesis. More recent evidence suggests that Notch signaling is also critical in tumor angiogenesis. We review the data that support the development of therapeutics to target the Notch pathway for the treatment of cancer. Drug Dev Res 69:319–328, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Send in the Clowns: Extraordinary Male Protagonists in Contemporary American Fiction

Despite reports on the rise of “obesity,” the portrayal of fat male protagonists in contemporary American fiction remains relatively rare. When it occurs, the character is quite often rendered as tragicomic. The author offers close readings of two protagonists from critically acclaimed novels to flesh out trends in the depiction of the fat male body, which he calls extraordinary, in contemporary American fiction. In charting these characterizations, the author hope to reveal the tension between an attempt at empathy and a tendency to render fat male characters as pathetic.
The impact of areal density and millions of square inches (MSI) of produced memory on petabyte shipments of TAPE, NAND flash, and HDD storage class memories

Increases in annual petabyte (PB) shipments for storage class memories (SCM) are driven by both increases in areal density and increases in manufacturing capacity. Increases in areal density tend to reduce cost per bit while increases in manufacturing capacity are cost neutral or slightly increase cost per bit. This paper surveys the last five years of PB shipments, areal density, revenue, and cost per bit for magnetic tape (TAPE), hard disk drives (HDD), and NAND flash to study manufacturing and cost trends for storage class memories. First, using the five year data for PB shipments and areal density values for TAPE, HDD and NAND flash, this paper applies a manufacturing measure used by semiconductors, millions of square inches or MSI of produced memory, to TAPE, HDD, and NAND flash in order to compare manufacturing requirements for these three SCM technologies. The MSI calculations shows for HDD and NAND, with slowing areal density increases, that manufacturing investments will be required for sustaining PB shipment growth while for TAPE modest investment in manufacturing capacity is required. The MSI calculations also show that the cost of NAND replacing HDD is prohibitive based simply on present day manufacturing capacity and show that for HDD to adopt processing requirements for patterned media, the next proposed areal density improvement for HDD, would require significant manufacturing investments. Second, using the five year data for PB shipments and revenue for TAPE, HDD, and NAND flash, trends in cost per bit for the SCM technologies can be determined and related to both technology innovations, i.e. lithography for NAND flash and predictable areal density increases for TAPE, and to external market factors, i.e. industry consolidation for HDD and mobile computing for NAND flash. Lastly, while 2012 PB shipments for TAPE, HDD, and NAND flash totaled 430,000 PB, dominated by HDD with 380,000 PB, perceived information creation in 2012 was over 1,300,000 PB, posing the question to SCM manufacturers as to how information is stored in today's environment.
Historical Trends Related to Bioterrorism: An Empirical Analysis

Address for correspondence: Jonathan B. Tucker, Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Project, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, 425 Van Buren Street, Monterey, CA 93940, USA; fax: 831-647-6534; e-mail: jtucker@miis.edu. Since the Japanese doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo released sarin nerve gas on the Tokyo subway in March 1995, killing 12 people, terrorist incidents and hoaxes involving toxic or infectious agents have been on the rise. Before the late 1990s, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) typically investigated a dozen cases per year involving the acquisition or use of chemical, biological, radiologic, or nuclear materials; however, FBI opened 74 such investigations in 1997 and 181 in 1998 (1). Although 80% of these incidents have been hoaxes, some were unsuccessful attacks (2). The vulnerability of civilian populations to chemical, biological, radiologic, or nuclear terrorism has been widely discussed, but information on historical cases is anecdotal and often inaccurate (3). Without a realistic threat assessment based on solid empirical data, government policymakers lack the knowledge they need to design prudent and cost-effective programs for preventing or mitigating future incidents. Responding to this knowledge gap, the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Project at the Monterey Institutes Center for Nonproliferation Studies has compiled an open-source database of all publicly known cases from 1900 to the present in which domestic or international criminals or terrorists sought to acquire or use chemical, biological, radiologic, or nuclear materials. As of January 31, 1999, the database contained 415 incidents, both domestic and international. Each entry draws on multiple sources and includes a detailed description of the event and a list of citations. The project has conducted a preliminary analysis of the data to discern patterns over time in the frequency of such incidents, the underlying motives, and the choice of agent and target. The ultimate goal is to identify which types of individuals or groups are most likely to acquire and use toxic or infectious materials and for what purposes. Since the Monterey Database has been compiled from journalistic accounts and other unclassified sources, it may not be comprehensive or fully accurate. Incidents have been recorded only if they came to the attention of law enforcement or the news media, so the database does not include events that were not detected or whose existence remains secret. Despite these limitations, the information in the database indicates trends and patterns of behavior that may assist intelligence and law-enforcement personnel in focusing their monitoring efforts.
Associations Between Patterns of Emerging Sexual Behavior and Young Adult Reproductive Health

CONTEXT Identifying young adult outcomes associated with adolescent sexual behavior, including patterns of first oral, vaginal and anal sex, is critical to promoting healthy sexual development. METHODS Associations between patterns of emerging sexual behavior, defined using latent class analysis, and young adult sexual and reproductive health were examined among 9,441 respondents to Waves 1 (1994–1995), 3 (2001–2002) and 4 (2008) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Logistic regression analyses examined associations between class membership and young adult outcomes, and tested for interactions by race and ethnicity. RESULTS Compared with respondents who initiated vaginal sex first and reported other sexual behaviors within two years, those who initiated oral and vaginal sex during the same year had similar odds of having had an STD diagnosis ever or in the last year, of having had concurrent sexual partnerships in the last year and of having exchanged sex for money. However, respondents who postponed sexual activity had reduced odds of each outcome (odds ratios, 0.2–0.4); those who initiated vaginal sex and reported only one type of sexual behavior had reduced odds of reporting STD diagnoses and concurrent partnerships (0.4–0.6). Respondents who reported early initiation of sexual activity combined with anal sex experience during adolescence had elevated odds of having had concurrent partnerships (1.6). The data suggest racial and ethnic disparities even when patterns of emerging sexual behavior were the same. CONCLUSIONS Patterns of early sexual behavior considered high-risk may not predict poor sexual and reproductive health in young adulthood.
Coatings for wear and lubrication

Recent advances in the tribological uses of rf-sputtered and ion plated films of solid film lubricants (laminar solids, soft metals, organic polymers) and wear resistant refractory compounds (carbides, nitrides, silicides) are reviewed. The sputtering and ion plating potentials and the corresponding coatings formed were evaluated relative to the friction coefficient, wear endurance life and mechanical properties. The tribological and mechanical properties for each kind of film are discussed in terms of film adherence, coherence, density, grain size, morphology, internal stresses, thickness, and substrate conditions such as temperature, topography, chemistry and dc-biasing. The ion plated metallic films in addition to improved tribological properties also have better mechanical properties such as tensile strength and fatigue life.
Generation of ULF waves in the polar cusp region by velocity shear-driven kinetic Alfvén modes

The velocity shear of ion beams observed in the polar cusp region can drive the kinetic Alfven modes unstable. A hot ion beam can excite both a resonant kinetic Alfven wave instability and a nonresonant coupled Alfven ion-acoustic wave instability. For the case of a cold ion beam only the latter instability is excited. For the altitude range of 5–7Re, velocity shearS≃0.04–1.0 is needed to excite the kinetic Alfven wave instabilities. HereS=(dVB/ωcBdx), whereVb is the streaming velocity,and ωcB is the gyrofrequency of the bean ions. The excited modes have frequencies, in the satellite frame of reference, in the ULF frequency range. The noise generated by the velocity shear-driven Alfven modes is electromagnetic in nature. These modes have a substantial component of parallel electric fields and, therefore, they can play an important role in the ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling process occurring in the polar cusp region.
The Token Activity: Generating Awareness of Power in Counseling Relationships

The authors present an experiential activity, the token activity, that increases student awareness of power and privilege dynamics. Student feedback is incorporated to offer perceptions and knowledge gained from their experience. Los autores presentan una actividad experiencial, la actividad simbolica, que incrementa la conciencia los estudiantes sobre poder y dinamica de privilegios. Se incluyen las reacciones de los estudiantes para ofrecer las percepciones y el conocimiento que adquirieron durante su experiencia.
Targeting x-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein for melanoma therapy: the need for more homogeneous samples and the importance of cell lines.

TO THE EDITOR I read with great interest the article by Hiscutt et al. (2010) entitled ‘‘X-Linked Inhibitors of Apoptosis Protein as a Therapeutic Target in Metastatic Melanoma.’’ The data presented indicate that X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) could serve as a target to inhibit the growth of melanoma cells. A key objective of the study was to examine the relationship between XIAP expression and mutations in N-RAS and B-RAF. To achieve this goal, the authors examined N-RAS and B-RAF mutations in 49 melanoma samples and found no correlation between mutations in these genes and the expression of XIAP. This lack of correlation may be due to the fact that the 49 melanoma samples were heterogeneous with respect to tumor type and AJCC stage. Although the authors mention that they did separate analyses with AJCC stages Ib, II, and III, the groups were still heterogeneous and did not account for differences in tumor type. For example, tumors of stage IIA, IIB, and IIC from superficial spreading malignant melanoma, nodular malignant melanoma, and acral lentiginous melanoma were all linked together in the same analysis. This heterogeneity could have masked an association between XIAP expression and mutations in N-RAS and B-RAF that may be present in a particular AJCC stage and tumor type. While I can appreciate the difficulty in obtaining enough samples for each tumor type and AJCC stage, the conclusion that there is no significant correlation bet ween XIAP expression and mutations in N-RAS and B-RAF is not justified. Considering the limitations in obtaining sufficient samples of different tumor types and AJCC stages, a better way to establish a relationship between N-RAS/B-RAF mutations and the expression of XIAP could be to study this phenomenon in cell lines. This approach is feasible because, as the authors have shown in Figure 1, this protein is highly expressed in three of the five cell lines that were evaluated. Indeed, the authors used a knockdown of XIAP in A375 cells to establish its role in apoptosis. A similar approach could have been used to examine XIAP’s relationship with mutations in N-RAS/B-RAF. Using this approach, for example, the authors could have obtained definitive answers on the effect of V600E B-RAF mutations on XIAP expression because selective inhibitors of V600E B-RAF are available (Flaherty et al., 2010).
Synthesis and characterization of diimine–diselenolene complexes of nickel and platinum: examining the influence of the chalcogenide atom

Abstract [(bpy)Pt(bds)], 1, (bpy-2,2′-bipyridine,bds-1,2-benenediselenolene) was prepared in good yield by the reaction of [(bpy)PtCl2] with bdsNa2, which was generated in situ by reduction of oligomeric [bds]n. The analogous nickel complex [(bpy)Ni(bds)] (2), was generated in a similar fashion but could not be isolated cleanly. UV–Vis and electrochemical examination of these complexes show that the substitution of selenium atoms for sulfur atoms found in the related dithiolene complexes [(bpy)Pt(bdt)] (3), and [(bpy)Ni(bdt)] (4) (bdt=1,2-benzenedithiolene) results in a small, but significant, alteration of the optical and electronic properties of this class of complexes. 1 was structurally characterized as both its CH2Cl2 solvate (P21/n – a=8.5298(10) A, b=11.3461(2), c=19.1864(2), β=99.309(10)°, V=1832.40(4) A3, Z=4) and its DMSO solvate (P21/c – a=11.1725(10) A, b=20.7304(10) A, c=8.3882(10) A, β=99.926(10)°, V=1913.71(3) A3, Z=4). With the exception of the incorporation of lattice solvent, both structures of 1 are essentially identical to that observed for 3 and 4 at both the molecular and supramolecular level.
Pelvic exenteration for advanced rectal carcinoma

Twelve patients with advanced rectal cancer and no evidence of extrapelvic metastases underwent pelvic exenteration. The operative mortality rate was 8.3 per cent. Determinate 3 and 5 year survival rates of 54 and 37 per cent were achieved. Criteria for the selection of patients and techniques of supravesical urinary diversion are discussed.
Quantitative zooarchaeology : topics in the analysis of archaeological faunas

Discusses the problems involved in the quantification of bones and teeth from archaeological and paleontological sites. The text deals with the units that are routinely used to measure the abundances of the animals that contributed their remains to produce a given faunal assemblage. The ways in which faunal analysis can detect, and perhaps avoid, the aberrations that characterize those measurements are examined. -- AATA
Finite element method for orthotropic micropolar elasticity

Abstract The total potential energy for a body composed of an anisotropic micropolar linear elastic material is developed and used to formulate a displacement type finite element method of analysis. As an example of this formulation triangular plane stress (and plane couple stress) elements are used to analyze several problems. The program is verified by computing the stress concentration around a hole in an isotropic micropolar material for which an exact analytical solution exists. Several anisotropic material cases are presented which demonstrate the dependence of the stress concentration factor on the micropolar material parameters.
Genetic engineering of wood

Abstract The technology of genetic engineering provides an opportunity to accelerate tree improvement and to make directed modifications in the physical and chemical properties of wood. Modifications that lead to more efficient pulping of wood for paper may be among the earliest applications because of the information available on the pathway for lignin bisosynthesis. Other potential areas of application include fiber morphology, wood density, extractive content, biomass-utilization efficiency and dimensional stability. Widespread application of this technology awaits two developments: better methods of gene transfer, and a fundamental understanding of the development process of wood formation. If it can be successfully applied, genetic engineering will help to meet the projected demand for wood and paper products in the next century.
Two developmentally temporal quantitative trait loci underlie convergent evolution of increased branchial bone length in sticklebacks

In convergent evolution, similar phenotypes evolve repeatedly in independent populations, often reflecting adaptation to similar environments. Understanding whether convergent evolution proceeds via similar or different genetic and developmental mechanisms offers insight towards the repeatability and predictability of evolution. Oceanic populations of threespine stickleback fish, Gasterosteus aculeatus, have repeatedly colonized countless freshwater lakes and streams, where new diets lead to morphological adaptations related to feeding. Here, we show that heritable increases in branchial bone length have convergently evolved in two independently derived freshwater stickleback populations. In both populations, an increased bone growth rate in juveniles underlies the convergent adult phenotype, and one population also has a longer cartilage template. Using F2 crosses from these two freshwater populations, we show that two quantitative trait loci (QTL) control branchial bone length at distinct points in development. In both populations, a QTL on chromosome 21 controls bone length throughout juvenile development, and a QTL on chromosome 4 controls bone length only in adults. In addition to these similar developmental profiles, these QTL show similar chromosomal locations in both populations. Our results suggest that sticklebacks have convergently evolved longer branchial bones using similar genetic and developmental programmes in two independently derived populations.
Quantification of Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Normal and Glaucomatous Eyes Using Optical Coherence Tomography: A Pilot Study

Purpose: Quantitative assessment of nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness in normal and glaucomatous eyes, and correlation with conventional measurements of the optic nerve structure and function. Methods: We studied 59 eyes of 33 subjects by conventional ophthalmologic physical examination, Humphrey 24-2 visual fields, stereoscopic optic nerve head photography, and optical coherence tomography. Results: Nerve fiber layer thickness as measured by optical coherence tomography demonstrated a high degree of correlation with functional status of the optic nerve, as measured by visual field examination ( P =.0001). Neither cupping of the optic nerve nor neuroretinal rim area were as strongly associated with visual field loss as was NFL thickness ( P =.17 and P =.21,respectively). Cupping correlated with NFL thickness only when the cup was small (cup-to-diameter ratio, 0.1 to 0.3) or large (cup-to-diameter ratio, 0.8 to 1.0) ( P =.006); there was no correlation between cupping and NFL thickness otherwise. Nerve fiber layer, especially in the inferior quadrant, was significantly thinner in glaucomatous eyes than in normal eyes ( P =.04). Finally, we found a decrease in NFL thickness with aging, even when controlling for factors associated with the diagnosis of glaucoma ( P =.03). Conclusions: Nerve fiber layer thickness can be measured using optical coherence tomography. These measurements provide good structural and functional correlation with known parameters.
Strategies for assessing and managing organizational stakeholders

Executive Overview To cope with the environmental turbulence and uncertainty facing many U.S. industries, business executives must effectively manage their stakeholders. Stakeholders include those individuals, groups, and other organizations who have an interest in the actions of an organization and who have the ability to influence it. The stakeholder approach systematically integrates executives' concerns about organizational strategy with the organization's interests in marketing, human resource management, public relations, organizational politics, and social responsibility. This integrative perspective assumes that an effective organization strategy requires consensus from a plurality of key stakeholders about what it should be doing and how these things should be done. By assessing each stakeholder's potential to threaten or to cooperate with the organization, managers' may identify supportive, mixed blessing. nonsupportive, and marginal stakeholders. The 1989 strike at Eastern Airlines illustrates ...
Extraordinarily low evolutionary rates of short wavelength-sensitive opsin pseudogenes.

Abstract Aquatic organisms such as cichlids, coelacanths, seals, and cetaceans are active in UV–blue color environments, but many of them mysteriously lost their abilities to detect these colors. The loss of these functions is a consequence of the pseudogenization of their short wavelength-sensitive (SWS1) opsin genes without gene duplication. We show that the SWS1 gene (BdenS1ψ) of the deep-sea fish, pearleye (Benthalbella dentata), became a pseudogene in a similar fashion about 130 million years ago (Mya) yet it is still transcribed. The rates of nucleotide substitution (~ 1.4 × 10− 9/site/year) of the pseudogenes of these aquatic species as well as some prosimian and bat species are much smaller than the previous estimates for the globin and immunoglobulin pseudogenes.
The yeast SIS1 protein, a DnaJ homolog, is required for the initiation of translation

The S. cerevisiae SIS1 gene is essential and encodes a heat shock protein with similarity to the bacterial DnaJ protein. At the nonpermissive temperature, temperature-sensitive sis1 strains rapidly accumulate 80S ribosomes and have decreased amounts of polysomes. Certain alterations in 60S ribosomal subunits can suppress the temperature-sensitive phenotype of sis1 strains and prevent the accumulation of 80S ribosomes and the loss of polysomes normally seen under conditions of reduced SIS1 function. Analysis of sucrose gradients for SIS1 protein shows that a large fraction of SIS1 is associated with 40S ribosomal subunits and the smaller polysomes. These and other results indicate that SIS1 is required for the normal initiation of translation. Because DnaJ has been shown to mediate the dissociation of several protein complexes, the requirement of SIS1 in the initiation of translation might be for mediating the dissociation of a specific protein complex of the translation machinery.
Whole body turnover of potassium traced by radiorubidium in adult Drosophila (Drosophilidae) and Megaselia (Phoridae)

Abstract Adults of Drosophila melanogaster, D. repleta, and Megaselia scalaris were labelled by feeding for 2–5 days on food containing 86Rb. The flies were then divided, without the use of anaesthesia, into samples of known numbers and placed on food containing different concentrations of RbCl, KCl, or NaCl and maintained at 25°C. Rates of loss of 86Rb were determined from frequent measurements of radioactivity in the samples of unanaesthetized flies. Rates of loss of 86Rb in all three species increased progressively with higher concentrations of KCl in the food. The rates were practically identical when RbCl was substituted for KCl. Doubling the concentration of potassium of potassium plus rubidium in the food of each species reduced the biological half-life of 86Rb to about one-fifth. The rates of loss in all three species were little affected by great differences in concentration of NaCl added to the food but were reduced similarly by greatly different additions of NaCl to the food. Significant differences in the biological half-life were found among the three species. The biological half-life in D. repleta was generally five or six times that of D. melanogaster and Megaselia. No significant differences in biological half-life were observed between the sexes of any one of the three species.
Nature of glomerular dysfunction in pre-eclampsia1

Nature of glomerular dysfunction in pre-eclampsia. Background Pre-eclampsia is characterized by hypertension, proteinuria and edema. Simultaneous studies of kidney function and structure have not been reported. We wished to explore the degree and nature of glomerular dysfunction in pre-eclampsia. Methods Physiologic techniques were used to estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal plasma flow and afferent oncotic pressure immediately after delivery in consecutive patients with pre-eclampsia (PET; N = 13). Healthy mothers completing an uncomplicated pregnancy served as functional controls ( N = 12). A morphometric analysis of glomeruli obtained by biopsy and mathematical modeling were used to estimate the glomerular ultrafiltration coefficient (K f ). Glomeruli from healthy female kidney transplant donors served as structural controls ( N = 8). Results The GFR in PET was depressed below the control level, 91 ± 23 versus 149 ± 34 ml/min/1.73m 2 , respectively ( P P = NS). A reduction in the density and size of endothelial fenestrae and subendothelial accumulation of fibrinoid deposits lowered glomerular hydraulic permeability in PET compared to controls, 1.81 versus 2.58 × 10 -9 m/sec/PA. Mesangial cell interposition also curtailed effective filtration surface area. Together, these changes lowered the computed single nephron K f in PET below control, 4.26 versus 6.78 nl/min · mm Hg, respectively. Conclusion The proportionate (∼40%) depression of K f for single nephrons and GFR suggests that hypofiltration in PET does not have a hemodynamic basis, but is a consequence of structural changes that lead to impairment of intrinsic glomerular ultrafiltration capacity.
Rheology of cellulosic N-methylmorpholine oxide monohydrate solutions of different degrees of polymerization

Preparation and shear and elongational rheology of cellulose solutions of different degrees of polymerization (DP) in N-methylmorpholine oxide monohydrate (lyocell) were investigated. The dissolution process takes place in two stages, depending on the content of low and high DP fractions from the dissolving pulp blends. The influence of the DP of cellulosic chains on elongational and shear viscosity is greater at low deformation rates. Low DP solutions behave more like viscous fluids and the increase of the chain length brings about an increase of the elastic component. Orientation induced by the convergence flow is enhanced by the higher DP cellulosic chains. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 79: 396–405, 2001