cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Sequence IID Engine Oil Test

The American Society of Testing and Materials Sequence IIC test was established to evaluate the rust and corrosion protection provided by gasoline engine oils. It is one of several tests used to define SE-quality engine oils. The test utilizes a 1967, 7.0 L Oldsmobile engine which is no longer available. A program has been implemented to replace this engine with a 1978, 5.7 L Oldsmobile engine. The new test, called Sequence IID, also evaluates engine oil rust and corrosion protection, and it correlates with both Sequence IIC engine test and passenger car short-trip test results. The Sequence IID test procedure is essentially the same as the Sequence IIC procedure, although some changes in test operational limits were necessary due to differences in engine displacement. In addition, since the same 5.7 L engine is also used in the Sequence IID test, the commonality of equipment permits laboratories to conduct both tests with little increase in parts inventory. The Sequence IID test generates fewer rust deposits than the sequence IIC test. To compensate for this difference and maintain oil quality equivalence, the minimum rust rating for SE-quality oils has been increased from 8.4 in the Sequence IIC test to 8.5 in the Sequence IID test.
Vulnerabilidades de lacadena de suministros:consideraciones para el casode América Latina

El concepto de cadena de suministros es relativamente nuevo; no obstante, la idea que las empresas tienen multiples formas de cadenas y el hecho que las cadenas globales son inherentemente complejas, es un concepto que no se encuentra con facilidad en la literatura especializada. Las cadenas de suministros de cierta complejidad, particularmente cuando son globales por naturaleza, son con frecuencia inflexibles e inherentemente vulnerables a interrupciones y perturbaciones. Este trabajo presenta dos modelos de complejidad, uno antes del 11 de septiembre y otro posterior al 11 de septiembre. Igualmente, considera como las empresas latinoamericanas pueden ser mas o menos atractivas como participantes globales. Mediante una revision exhaustiva de la literatura de la cadena de suministros, los factores globales de complejidad, la vulnerabilidad y, en general, las empresas en America Latina, este trabajo identifica un conjunto de fortalezas y debilidades de las empresas latinoamericanas en el contexto global. Los autores pronostican innumerables oportunidades de investigacion aplicada en esta area, al igual que ofrecen recomendaciones para futuros trabajos
Can global models ignore the chemical composition of aerosols

[1] The number of cloud droplets formed from a population of aerosols depends on the aerosol number concentration, NA, the size distribution, and the chemical composition. The cloud albedo effect occurs when increasing NA causes increases to the droplet concentration, ND. We examined the effects of changing aerosol size, composition, and number on ND within the United States. We found that changing the water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) fraction from 50% to 0.05% in the fine mode aerosol and from 50% to 95% in the coarse mode aerosol decreased ND by an average of 34%. Our results show that the changes to the aerosol composition cause over a 20% change to ND, a magnitude previously estimated to cause a 1 W m−2 change in radiative forcing. Given the realistic range of aerosol compositions used here, it is not possible for global models to correctly calculate the cloud albedo effect if composition is ignored.
Does nitric oxide modulate transmitter release at the mammalian neuromuscular junction

SUMMARY 1 Application of the nitric oxide (NO) donor, sodium nitrite and the NO synthase substrate l-arginine had no effect on nerve-evoked transmitter release in the rat isolated phrenic nerve/hemidiaphragm preparation; however, when adenosine A1 receptors were blocked with the adenosine A1 receptor antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (DPCPX) prior to application of sodium nitrate or l-arginine, a significant increase in transmitter release was observed. In addition, the NO donor s-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) significantly increased transmitter release in the presence of DPCPX. In the present study, we have made the assumption that these NO donors elevate the level of NO in the tissue. Future studies should test other NO-donating compounds and also monitor the NO concentrations in the tissue to ensure that these effects are, in fact, NO induced. 2 Elevation of cGMP in this preparation with the guanylyl cyclase activator 3-(5′-hydroxymethyl-2′-furyl)-1-benzyl indazole (YC-1) significantly enhanced transmitter release. In the presence of DPCPX and the selective guanylyl cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), which blocks the production of cGMP, the excitatory effects of sodium nitrite and l-arginine were abolished. 3 These results suggest that NO serves to enhance transmitter release at the rat neuromuscular junction (NMJ) via a cGMP pathway and this facilitation of transmitter release can be blocked with adenosine. Previously, we demonstrated that adenosine inhibits N-type calcium channels. Because NO only affects transmitter release when adenosine A1 receptors are blocked, we suggest that NO enhances transmitter release by enhancing calcium influx via N-type calcium channels. Further studies are needed to confirm that NO alters transmitter release via cGMP and that this action involves the N-type calcium channel. 4 The results of the present study are consistent with a model of NO neuromodulation that has been proposed for the mammalian vagal–atrial junction. This model suggests that NO acts on NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase to increase the intracellular levels of cGMP. In turn, cGMP inhibits phosphodiesterase-3, increasing levels of cAMP, which then acts on the N-type calcium channels to enhance calcium influx, leading to an increase in transmitter release. Our only modification to this model for the NMJ is that adenosine serves to block the modulation of transmitter release by NO.
Dynamic Effect of Emotional Labor on Outcomes: Role of Time and Leader Inclusiveness

We extend the literature on emotional labor by examining the differential effects of surface acting versus deep acting on near- and long-term emotional exhaustion. Combining arguments from conserva...
Unmasking Your Software's Ethical Risks

It's difficult to fully address all our professional obligations as software engineers. Our training focuses on avoiding technical failures, but unfortunately our systems sometimes have unintended consequences. We need to develop products to avoid unintended negative impacts on society, people, and the environment. Professional responsibility requires that we identify the morally salient features of a situation. Some issues are relatively easy to spot; for example, we shouldn't lie to clients, we shouldn't bribe inspectors, and we should respect people's privacy. But some ethical and social risks are harder to recognize. Even developers with the best intentions have walked into ethical traps. When we study technical problems, we apply the project's constraints and priorities to find acceptable possible solutions and choose among them. Here are four suggestions for considering ethical constraints during that process, they are: look for human values in technical decision; identifying who will be affected; examining how stakeholders' right and obligation will be affectedl; and reviewing relevant professional standards to help identify issues.
Black, white, and shades of gray: Communication predictors of “stereotypic impressions”

This study examined communication behaviors and perceptions of Black and White communicators. Seventeen behaviors were identified in the literature as representing either “Black” or “White” communication. Black and White university students (N = 525) were asked to recall a past conversation with a Black or White communicator and to complete a questionnaire regarding their overall impressions of the racial other's communication behaviors. Factor analyses were conducted to create stereotype clusters for Black and White participants. The findings suggest three strong second‐order stereotypic impressions for each sample. Multiple regression analysis revealed that certain behaviors are associated with each stereotypical impression. Results suggest that there is a diversity of communication styles among a single ethnic group and various stereotypic impressions are associated with particular communication behaviors.
Atmospheric absorption measurements in the region of 1 mm wavelength

A Froome-type plasma-metal-junction device (1962) was used in high-resolution radiation transmission measurements in the atmosphere at wavelengths from 0.5 to 3.0 mm. The experimental and theoretical results for water vapor absorption lines in two submillimeter wavelength windows were compared, showing that this technique provided a much higher wavelength accuracy than more conventional optical-type spectroscopy.
Monensin prevents terminal glycosylation of the N- and O-linked oligosaccharides of the HLA-DR-associated invariant chain and inhibits its dissociation from the alpha-beta chain complex.

Abstract In B-lymphoblastoid cells, the HLA-DR-associated invariant chain is processed to a form containing O-linked as well as N-linked oligosaccharides. After neuraminidase treatment, the O-linked carbohydrate is susceptible to digestion with an endoglycosidase (endo-beta-N-acetylgalactosaminidase) that cleaves glycans with the structure Gal(beta 1----3)-GalNAc-Ser/Thr, and sialic acid can be added back to this core oligosaccharide by specific sialyltransferases. Treatment of cells with the sodium ionophore monensin markedly affects the post-translational processing of the invariant chain, although that of associated alpha and beta chains is minimally affected. Only a small portion of the N-linked carbohydrate on the invariant chain is processed to an endoglycosidase-H-resistant form. The sialic acid residues normally found on the O-linked glycans are not added, but at least the first residue, GalNAc, is added. In addition to the changes in glycosylation, an intracellular accumulation of HLA-DR antigens also occurs in monensin-treated cells. The accumulation of HLA-DR antigens and the overall slower turnover rates of the alpha, beta, and invariant polypeptides observed after monensin treatment probably reflects the build-up of newly synthesized proteins in Golgi apparatus-derived vacuoles coupled with a decrease in normal degradation in lysosomes.
Social Integration of Low-Income Black Adults in Middle-Class White Suburbs

To examine whether racial and socioeconomic integration leads to social isolation, the authors studied participants in the Gautreaux Program which helps low-income black families move into better housing in white middle-class suburbs and black inner-city neighborhoods. A random sample of 342 Gautreaux participants were surveyed, and 95 were interviewed. Surprisingly, little difference exists in the overall social integration of people moving to the suburban and city neighborhoods. Both groups report making friends in their new communities and report about the same level of interaction with and support from neighbors. Suburban movers experience more incidents of harassment, but these incidents decrease over time, and most were relatively minor. These findings suggest that the difficulties that low-income blacks face in moving to middle-class white communities are less severe than is generally believed and that housing vouchers are a promising way to overcome the isolation of the black underclass.
Higher serum bicarbonate levels within the normal range are associated with better survival and renal outcomes in African Americans.

Recent studies suggest that correcting low serum bicarbonate levels may reduce the progression of kidney disease; however, few patients with chronic kidney disease have low serum bicarbonate. Therefore, we examined whether higher levels of serum bicarbonate within the normal range (20–30mmol/l) were associated with better kidney outcomes in the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK) trial. At baseline and during follow-up of 1094 patients, the glomerular filtration rates (GFR) were measured by iothalamate clearances and events were adjudicated by the outcomes committee. Mean baseline serum bicarbonate, measured GFR, and proteinuria were 25.1mmol/l, 46ml/min per 1.73m 2 , and 326mg/g of creatinine, respectively. Each 1mmol/l increase in serum bicarbonate within the normal range was associated with reduced risk of death, dialysis, or GFR event and with dialysis or GFR event (hazard ratios of 0.942 and 0.932, respectively) in separate multivariable Cox regression models that included errors-in-variables calibration. Cubic spline regression showed that the lowest risk of GFR event or dialysis was found at serum bicarbonate levels near 28–30mmol/l. Thus, our study suggests that serum bicarbonate is an independent predictor of CKD progression. Whether increasing serum bicarbonate into the high-normal range will improve kidney outcomes during interventional studies will need to be considered.
β2-Adrenergic receptor polymorphisms at amino acid 16 differentially influence agonist-stimulated blood pressure and peripheral blood flow in normal individuals

Abstract Background The Gly16 β 2 -adrenergic receptor ( β 2 AR) polymorphism is a common variant of the β 2 AR that displays depressed function caused by enhanced receptor downregulation in vitro compared with the Arg16 receptor. Methods and results We studied 20 healthy, normotensive, nonsmoking white individuals who were homozygous for either the Arg16 (n = 10) or the Gly16 (n = 10) genotype. Plethysmographic lower-limb blood flow, blood pressure, and 2-dimensional echocardiograms were recorded at baseline and after 15-minute incremental infusions of terbutaline (100 to 300 ng/kg per minute). Baseline heart rates, blood pressures, and flows were similar in both groups, but at the maximum dose of terbutaline, limb blood flow was less ( P P P Conclusions We conclude that the Gly16 β 2 AR polymorphism imparts attenuated vasodilatory responses to catecholamines in normal human beings and is an important genetic component in the regulation of peripheral blood flow and systemic arterial pressure.
Modeling the performance of high temperature superconductor based sin and sis quasiparticle mixers

Abstract The Tucker model has been used to simulate the performance of high-Tc based, SIN and SIS quasiparticle mixers, operating as photon detectors in the THz regime. The realistic numerical simulations utilipe experimentally measured, current vs voltage (I-V) tunneling characteristics from point contact junctions on HgBa2CuO4, (Tc = 95 K) phich have displaped BCS-like characteristics. An optimipation algorithm has been developed to determine the parameter range phere maximum conversion efficiencp and minimum noise temperature (TM) for the mixer are found. It is shopn that infinite gain is achievable at 4.2 K for the SIS mixer in both the single-side band (SSB) and double-side-band (DSB) mode and also for the SIN mixer in the DSB mode. Noise temperatures approaching the puantum limit are found for the SIN mixer in the range 1–5 THp. Thus it is possible to develop a heterodpne detector in this Frequency range operating at 4.2 K phich utilipes simpler SIN thin film junctions on HgBa2CuO4. Simulations on SIS junctions operating at temperatures of closed-cycle refrigerators (T = 12 K) also display quantum limited noise performance.
Structural Characteristics of Protein Gels as Determined by an Ultrasound Imaging Technique

Structural density features of gels formed with gelatin, egg albumen, and poultry thigh natural actomyosin were determined with an ultrasound system equipped with a real time monitor, imager and photographic unit. Echo recordings of the acoustic impedance showed that all protein gels were similar in respect to structural density differential patterns. Increases in protein concentration increased the net area occupied by protein junctions and interlinks. The ultrasound imaging technique confirmed the aggregated junction, interlink and interstitial regions that are common features of protein gels.
The Boundary Layer Over Turbine Blade Models With Realistic Rough Surfaces

Results are presented of extensive boundary layer measurements taken over a flat, smooth plate model of the front one-third of a turbine blade and over the model with an embedded strip of realistic rough surface. The turbine blade model also included elevated freestream turbulence and an accelerating freestream in order to simulate conditions on the suction side of a high-pressure turbine blade. The realistic rough surface was developed by scaling actual turbine blade surface data provided by U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. The rough patch can be considered to be an idealized area of distributed spalls with realistic surface roughness. The results indicate that bypass transition occurred very early in the flow over the model and that the boundary layer remained unstable (transitional) throughout the entire length of the test plate. Results from the rough patch study indicate the boundary layer thickness and momentum thickness Reynolds numbers increased over the rough patch and the shape factor increased over the rough patch but then decreased downstream of the patch. It was also found that flow downstream of the patch experienced a gradual retransition to laminar-like behavior but in less time and distance than in the smooth plate case. Additionally, the rough patch caused a significant increase in streamwise turbulence intensity and normal turbulence intensity over the rough patch and downstream of the patch. In addition, the skin friction coefficient over the rough patch increased by nearly 2.5 times the smooth plate value. Finally, the rough patch caused the Reynolds shear stresses to increase in the region close the plate surface.
Theoretical investigation of pressure drop in combined cyclone and fabric filter systems

Abstract Computer simulations were conducted to investigate potential pressure drop reductions obtainable by combining cyclones, as pre-collectors, with fabric filters. The Leith-Licht model was used to characterize cyclone emissions and the specific resistance (K2) of the fabric filter dust cake was calculated from an empirical correlation. Several important dimensionless groups were identified and evaluated. One group, the product of the ratio of the dust cake specific resistances expected with and without the cyclone and the mass penetration of the cyclone, (K2/K2) Pn, indicates whether a pressure drop reduction is possible. A correlation was developed for this group as a function of the size properties of the inlet dust (particle mass median diameter and geometric standard deviation) and the cyclone particle cut diameter. Expressions were derived for the break-even time, the duration of filtration with the cyclone needed to show a pressure drop reduction in comparison with filtration without the cyclone. It is shown that in previously reported experiments and simulations indicating an advantage for the combined cyclone-fabric filter system, filtration cycles were typically longer than the break-even time; those showing no improvement typically had filtration times shorter than the break-even time.
Recent findings in the study of postprandial lipemia.

The study of postprandial metabolism is in the early stages compared with other areas of atherosclerosis research. Recent advances in postprandial research have included improvements in methodology and the investigation of factors that modulate the lipemic response to a meal. Enough studies have now been performed that normal ranges have been identified for blood triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations that occur after a healthy patient consumes a standardized-mixed meal or a high-fat shake designed to elicit lipemia. Typical postprandial concentrations of other metabolites, such as apolipoproteins B48 and B100 or gastrointestinal hormones (eg, cholecystokinin), have not been studied sufficiently to be able to qualify what represents a standard postprandial response. The method of data analysis is also a key point to consider. Data from children are now becoming available, and the specific effects of ethnicity have just begun to be explored. New areas of study include the effects of different fatty acids (monosaturates or polyunsaturates), the sources of chylomicron lipids (dietary TAG and cholesterol versus that newly synthesized in the body), and the effects of alcoholic beverages consumed with the meal. Variables that can also affect the results of a meal test are under investigation. These include the type of food that is consumed the day before the meal test, the time of day the test is performed, and the palatability of the food. Given solid evidence that delayed postprandial lipemia is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease, future scientific investigation in the area of post-prandial metabolism is likely to yield discoveries that will significantly contribute to advancements in disease treatment.
Assessing Bedside Cardiologic Examination Skills Using "Harvey," a Cardiology Patient Simulator

Objective: To assess the cardiovascular physical examination skills of emergency medicine (EM) housestaff and attending physicians. Methods: Prospective, cohort assessment of EM housestaff and faculty performance on 3 valvular abnormality simulations (mitral regurgitation, mitral stenosis, and aortic regurgitation) conducted on the cardiology patient simulator, “Harvey.” Participants examined each of the 3 study disease simulations and proposed a diagnosis (session I). They were then given a cardiac examination form and repeated the programmed simulations (session II). The examination form was used to prompt physicians to interpret 23 separate cardiac findings for each simulation in a multiple-choice format. Results: Forty-six EM housestaff (PGY1–3) and attending physicians were tested over a 2-month study period. Physician responses did not differ significantly among the different levels of postgraduate training. The overall correct response rates for participants were 59% for aortic regurgitation, 48% for mitral regurgitation, and 17% for mitral stenosis. For aortic regurgitation, recognition of a widened pulse pressure and recognition of diastolic decrescendo murmur were associated with a correct diagnosis (p < 0.01). For mitral regurgitation, correct assessment of the contour of the holosystolic murmur predicted a correct diagnosis (p < 0.001). For mitral stenosis, proper characterization of the mitral area diastolic murmur predicted a correct diagnosis (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Housestaff and faculty had difficulty establishing a correct diagnosis for simulations of 3 common valvular heart diseases. However, accurate recognition of a few critical signs was associated with a correct diagnosis in each simulation. Training programs may need to focus attention on selected key components of the cardiovascular examination to facilitate teaching of physical diagnosis.
Ultra-high temperature oxidation of a hafnium carbide-based solid solution ceramic composite

Abstract Hafnium carbide-based solid solution ceramics with yttria additions were consolidated via hot pressing utilizing chromium carbide as a transient liquid sintering agent. Selected samples were oxidized at temperatures exceeding 2200 °C under high velocity airflow to determine their potential for service in ultra-high temperature environments. Cross-sectional examination revealed a complex multi-layer scale comprising a highly porous exterior region, a dense multi-phase interior region, and an oxygen- and carbon-containing interlayer consisting of nanocrystalline graphite in an amorphous or nanocrystalline oxide matrix. Outward diffusion of mobile cations is speculated to play an important role in establishing the observed scale morphology.
The effect of decreased intrathoracic pressure on ventricular function.

Large decreases in inspiratory intrathoracic pressure (ITP) occur during obstructive apnoeas. The cardiac effects of apnoea-associated decreased ITP come from the interaction of increased preload (venous return) on the right ventricle (RV) and increased afterload on the left ventricle (LV), and are modulated by the autonomic effects of shifts in blood volume and hypoxaemia. During obstructed breathing, venous return increases by as much as three-fold during inspiration even though mean flow may change little. This leads to a substantial inspiratory increase in RV end-diastolic and stroke volume. Because of ventricular interdependence, there is a decrease in LV diastolic compliance and corresponding decrease LV preload. Sustained decreases in ITP (Muller manoeuvre) inhibit LV ejection, and hence increase LV afterload. However, breathing against an obstructed airway (repetitive short Muller manoeuvre) is not necessarily modelled by the sustained manoeuvre. Animal studies indicate that with airway obstruction, for the first beat or two of inspiration the primary effect on the LV is a reduction in stroke volume related to a decrease in preload, and afterload, if anything, decreases. In fact, afterload only increases during early expiration when stroke volume increases. When obstructive and central apnoeas are paired for duration and blood-gas alterations, there are increases in pulmonary blood volume with central apnoeas and in RV volume with obstructive apnoeas, consistent with the postulation that the primary effect of obstructive apnoeas is on venous return. In conclusion, the putative role of decreased ITP in increasing LV afterload under conditions appropriate to OSA is not well supported by experimental studies. However, effects with very large swings in ITP as might be seen under the most extreme forms of OSA, and differences in timing of the swings between diastole and systole have yet to be investigated.
Comprehensive Assessment of the Elderly Cancer Patient: The Feasibility of Self-Report Methodology

PURPOSE: Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) has aided the medical community greatly in understanding the quality-of-life issues and functional needs of older patients. With its professional team assessment approach, however, CGA may be time consuming and costly. The goal of the present study was to assess the ability of cancer patients to complete a self-administered CGA and then to characterize cancer patients across multiple domains and age groups. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two hundred sixty-six male outpatient oncology patients at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center were asked to fill out a survey assessing 10 domains (demographics, comorbid conditions, activities of daily living, functional status, pain, financial well being, social support, emotional state, spiritual well-being, and quality of life). RESULTS: Seventy-six percent of the patients who received their surveys and kept their appointments returned the assessment tool. Older oncology patients had significantly less education (P < .0...
Premodern Media and Networks of Transmission in the Man of Law’s Tale

AbstractThis essay argues that the Man of Law’s Tale represents cultural and textual transmission through a network of premodern media: voices, texts, bodies, culture, human actions, and nonhuman forces. This model of transmission is rhizomatic, multivocal, and potentially transgressive, and is a practice distinct from the hegemonic, institutional, and linear trajectories of translatio studii et imperii. Drawing on theories of new media and embodied informatics while also challenging their reliance on machine technologies, this paper shows how premodern media distribute agency in the transmission of knowledge and culture during Constance’s journeys of conversion between Rome, Syria, and England. The Christian culture she transmits flickers from noise to signal, suggesting that medieval cultural mobility is more fluid than the current paradigm of translation suggests. In this context, “mediation” not only expresses the relationship between a human and her machine technology, but is also a condition of life...
American cancer society national prostate cancer detection project. Goals and current status

The American Cancer Society National Prostate Cancer Detection Project (ACS-NPCDP) is a collaborative study of the feasibility and cost-benefit balance of early prostate cancer detection. The ACS-NPCDP uses a comparative, cohort research design with participant eligibility restricted to men 55 to 70 years old who were not already being evaluated for the disease. Two thousand nine hundred ninety-nine men are being followed for five annual examinations using digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasound, and prostate-specific antigen. All prostate cancer findings are confirmed by pathologic review. At this writing, 9606 annual examination visits have been completed and 194 cancers have been detected. The detection rate for the first-year examination was 2.8%. In the second and third years, the rate decreased to 1.9% and 1.0%, respectively. The characteristics of cancers detected in the ACS-NPCDP indicate that the combined application of digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasound, and prostate-specific antigen yields detection of clinically significant, potentially curable cancers. Data from the ACS-NPCDP have been used to evaluate the health economics of prostate cancer detection and optimal detection strategies. The available data do not show mortality reduction, and further study of the ACS-NPCDP cohort is required to assess long-term outcomes associated with exposure to prostate cancer early detection. Cancer 1995 ; 75 :1790-4.
The neuroscience of empathy: progress, pitfalls and promise

6 7 5 The last decade has witnessed enormous growth in the neuroscience of empathy. Here, we survey research in this domain with an eye toward evaluating its strengths and weaknesses. First, we take stock of the notable progress made by early research in characterizing the neural systems supporting two empathic sub-processes: sharing others’ internal states and explicitly considering those states. Second, we describe methodological and conceptual pitfalls into which this work has sometimes fallen, which can limit its validity. These include the use of relatively artificial stimuli that differ qualitatively from the social cues people typically encounter and a lack of focus on the relationship between brain activity and social behavior. Finally, we describe current research trends that are overcoming these pitfalls through simple but important adjustments in focus, and the future promise of empathy research if these trends continue and expand.
Efficacy of partial wrap fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux after repair of esophageal atresia

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) often develops in children who have undergone prior repair of esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF). Fundoplication is necessary in many of these children. The complete wrap (Nissen) fundoplication is often used in this setting. However, poor results have been noted, with a mean failure rate of 30% reported in four recent studies. A partial wrap fundoplication for GER associated with EA/TEF is theoretically attractive, because the poor esophageal motility and diminished acid clearance (already physiologically present) is exacerbated by a complete wrap fundoplication. The authors reviewed their extensive experience with partial wrap (Thal) fundoplication in EA/TEF to determine if the failure rate was better than that reported for the Nissen fundoplication. In the past 18 years, the authors performed 1,467 fundoplication procedures. During the same period, 143 children underwent repair of EA/TEF. Fifty-nine children underwent fundoplication after a previous EA/TEF repair. Most of the fundoplications (58 of 59, 98%) were Thal procedures. Defining failure strictly as a need for reoperation, the failure rate in our series was 15% (9 of 59 children). Compared with the failure rate in the 1,408 non-EA/TEF patients (61 of 1408, 4.3%), results were significantly worse for the EA/TEF group (P > .001). The failure rate of Thal fundoplication performed for GER in the EA/TEF population is substantially higher than the non-EA/TEF patients. The same factors responsible for the development of reflux in these children (poor acid clearance, altered motility, esophageal shortening) may contribute to the higher failure rate. Although partial wrap fundoplication frequently failed (15%), the results were still substantially better than those reported for Nissen fundoplication in these children (30% failure rate).
229 MATERNAL AND FETAL HEMODYNAMIC AND FETAL BRAIN FUNCTION (EEG) EFFECTS OF MATERNAL INFUSION OF DIAZOXIDE(D)

D has been used to stop premature labor. D(4mg/kg) was infused over 5 minutes to 7 anesthetized ewes at mean gestation of 141±1.5SE days. Post-infusion changes± SE of baseline maternal blood pressure(MBP), fetal carotid(FC)pH,pO2,O2 saturation(O2%),cerebral blood flow(CBF) and % increase (Δ%) are presented in this table: Fetal BP showed no significant change. Fetal EEG showed either reduction of amplitude and frequency or isoelectricity in 3 of 5 non-hypoxic fetuses studied. Conclusion: D causes maternal hypotension,fetal hypoxia, acidosis, EEG changes and increased Δ% of CBF.
Swimming through the hydrophobic sea: New insights in protein translocation

It’s like Moses and the Red Sea, only backwards. Moses had to get his people across a hostile aqueous environment; membrane proteins and secreted proteins also have to get across a hostile hydrophobic environment: the lipid bilayer of biological membranes. Because numerous proteins reside in exactly that nonpolar milieu or are forced across it in the process of secretion, there must exist mechanisms to overcome the unfavorable free energy of transferring the charges on proteins from aqueous phases into and through the bilayer. Eukaryotic cells have developed elaborate machinery to transfer proteins across membranes during synthesis. Many prokaryotic toxins use an alternate approach: These toxins carry with them the machinery they require to slither into or through the membrane.
Thermal properties of dielectric solids below 4 K l—polycarbonate☆

Polymers and other dielectric materials are frequently used for many purposes in the construction of cryogenic apparatus. Yet very few values of the thermal properties of these materials below 4 K have been reported. It is, however, known that one can not use the Debye theory to extrapolate to lower temperatures the measurements of the specific heat capacity above 1 K. The thermal conductivity also follows no theoretically predictable temperature dependence. As a by-product of our studies of the thermal properties of amorphous and partly crystalline materials below 4 K, we wish to report values for the thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and velocity of sound below 4 K in materials useful for the construction of cryogenic apparatus. In this article we will describe our measurement techniques and report values for polycarbonate (Lexan). In subsequent notes we will give values for other materials of interest.
A study of the organization of the locus coeruleus projections to the lateral geniculate nuclei in the albino rat.

Abstract The lateral geniculate nuclei of the rat are known to receive an innervation from catecholamine-containing neurons. In the present study the origin, axonal projections and terminal distribution of this innervation was studied. The lateral geniculate nuclei contain a356 ± 20 ng norepinephrine/g and64 ± 7 ng dopamine/g tissue; the latter is within the range expected for dopamine as a precursor in a region innervated by a norepinephrine-containing terminal system. When separate norepinephrine-containing cell groups located at various brain stem levels are ablated or their axonal projections destroyed, only lesions in the locus coeruleus produce a significant decrease in the norepinephrine content of the lateral geniculate nuclei. Injections of horseradish peroxidase into the lateral geniculate nuclei result in retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase only to the noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus. The labelled neurons are pretent throughout the rostrocaudal and dorsoventral axes of both the ipsilateral (60%) and contralateral (40%) nucleus. Autoradiographic and fluorescence histo-chemical experiments indicate that axons that ascend from the locus coeruleus reach the lateral geniculate nuclei via the dorsal tegmental catecholamine-containing bundle and the medial forebrain bundle. These fibers enter the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus from the zona incerta and the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus from the superior thalamic radiation, thalamic reticular nucleus, and lateral posterior nucleus. Contralateral fibers from the locus coeruleus cross in the posterior commissure, supraoptic and pontine decussations and join the ipsilateral projections to the lateral geniculate nuclei. The bilateral locus coeruleus innervation of the nuclei is comprised of a highly branched network of varicose axons. Neither the ipsilateral nor the contralateral projections appear to be topographically organized; instead, a single fiber may have collateral axons that branch throughout large areas of the nuclei. This innervation is moderately dense in the ventral, and very dense in the dorsal, lateral geniculate nucleus. The study indicates that both the dorsal and ventral lateral geniculate nuclei receive a diffuse catecholamine-containing innervation which arises solely from the norepinephrine-containing neurons of the locus coeruleus. The innervation of each lateral geniculate nucleus is bilateral, with noradrenergic neurons located throughout both the ipsilateral and the contralateral locus coeruleus contributing to ascending pathways that terminate as a diffuse, plexiform innervation interspersed among other afferents to the lateral geniculate nuclei. It is speculated that such a diffuse noradrenergic innervation might depress the spontaneous activity of neurons in the lateral geniculate nuclei, while preserving or enhancing their responsiveness to afferent optic stimulation.
Growth rates of black caiman Melanosuchus niger and spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilus, and the recruitment of breeders in hunted caiman populations

Abstract Hunted populations of black caiman Melanosuchus niger are unable to persist, but many hunted populations of spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilus appear to be maintaining their numbers. Previous authors explained these observations by noting that black and spectacled caiman differ in the length of time that individuals are highly vulnerable to hunting before they reach sexual maturity. This time period is believed to be long for black caiman, making recruitment of breeders difficult, but short for spectacled caiman, making recruitment of breeders relatively easy. Data on the growth rates of 16 black caiman and two spectacled caiman in an oxbow lake in Peru support this explanation. Furthermore, these data provide preliminary evidence that black caiman populations are even more vulnerable to extinction from hunting than previously thought.
Transverse diffusion of a collimated particle beam

We consider the problem of describing the steady-state spreading of a collimated particle beam as it penetrates a background material. The exact description for this problem is taken as the linear transport equation with full six-dimensional phase space dependence. In the limit of very forward peaked scattering with small energy transfer, the Fokker-Planck scattering description is used. To obtain a simplified model of beam transport, we assume that the beam in question has weak spatial gradients in the plane perpendicular to the beam direction, and that the beam nearly maintains its collimated integrity as it passes through the material. These assumptions lead to a hierarchy of advection-diffusion-like approximations for the spatial distribution of the particle density per unit energy. In the simple case of monoenergetic transport in a purely scattering homogeneous material, these equations are easily solved via Laplace and Fourier transformations to obtain explicit analytical results. Comparisons with benchmark Monte Carlo calculations give an indication of the accuracy of this treatment of beam spreading.
Namatjira: Famous Australian Artist

The history of an Australian aboriginal artist is cited as an example of the potential ability in primitive groups and of the difficulties these groups encounter in trying to adapt to Western culture.
Simulation of scheduling methods for operating systems

One of the criticisms leveled against GPSS is that it is too "general purpose" to be of much value in certain specialized areas. This criticism has also been applied to the modeling of operating systems and some individuals have discounted the value of GPSS in this area because of the mistaken belief that it is not possible to change the priority of an inactive transaction.
Amino acid sensing in the gastrointestinal tract

Rapid progress in gastroenterology during the first part of the last century has shown that gastrointestinal (GI) function is regulated by neuroendocrine, paracrine and endocrine signals. However, recent advances in chemical sensing, especially in the last decade, have revealed that free l-amino acids (AA), among other nutrients, play a critical role in modifying exocrine and endocrine secretion, modulating protein digestion, metabolism and nutrient utilization, and supporting the integrity and defense of the GI mucosa. Many of the mechanisms by which AAs elicit these functions in the GI has been linked to the traditional concept of hormone release and nervous system activation. But most these effects are not direct. AAs appear to function by binding to a chemical communication system such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that activate signaling pathways. These intracellular signals, although their molecular bases are not completely elucidated yet, are the ones responsible for the neuronal activity and release of hormones that in turn regulate GI functions. This review aims to describe the distribution of the known GPCRs from the class 3 superfamily that bind to different kinds of AA, especially from the oropharyngeal cavity to the stomach, what kind of taste qualities they elicit, such as umami, bitter or sweet, and their activity in the GI tract.
Nanobacteria are alive on Earth as well as Mars

Nannobacteria are minute spherical to worm-shaped cells (diameter 0.03 to 0.2 micrometers ) that participate in the formation of carbonates, clays, and other minerals on Earth. The supposed nannobacterial objects found by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the Martian meteorite can be exactly duplicated as to morphology and size by earthly examples. Grapelike colonies of 0.05-micrometers carbon balls in the Allende meteorite also resemble nannobacterial colonies in south Italian volcanic clays.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Direct Measurement of the Dependence on Electron Density of the Recombination-Rate Coefficient of He 2 + with Electrons in a High-Pressure Helium Plasma

A computer-linked spectroscopic system with a high-sensitivity-resolution product has been used to measure the time-dependent net rate of production of neutral helium molecules resulting from the recombination of $\mathrm{He}_{2}^{+}$ with electrons in a pulsed helium afterglow at a neutral pressure of 44.6 Torr. The relative recombination-rate cofficient of $\mathrm{He}_{2}^{+}$ as a function of afterglow time has been obtained by dividing these data by the unscaled product of the electron and molecular ion density as determined from levels in Saha equilibrium with the free electrons. Simultaneous measurement of the electron density with a 35-Gc/sec microwave interferometer has given the unscaled rate coefficient as a continuous function of electron density over the range ${10}^{10}$-${10}^{12}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ without the need of a priori assumptions about the functional form. Scale has been established through integration of the rate equation for the loss of ions. Empirically, the rate coefficient can be represented as $\ensuremath{\alpha}=2.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}{[e]}^{0.185}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$/sec, where $e$ is the electron density in ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$.
Robotic manipulation using high bandwidth force and vision feedback

High bandwidth sensor feedback is necessary for performing precise manipulation tasks within imprecisely calibrated and dynamically varying environments. Force controlled manipulation is a common technique for compliantly contacting and manipulating uncertain environments. Visual servoing is an effective technique for guiding imprecisely calibrated manipulators with imprecisely calibrated camera-lens systems. These two types of manipulator feedback, force, and vision, represent complementary sensing modalities: visual feedback provides information over a relatively large area of the workspace without requiring contact with the environment, and force feedback provides highly localized and precise information upon contact. This paper presents three different strategies which combine force and vision within the feedback loop of a manipulator: traded control, hybrid control, and shared control. These strategies can be used alone or in concert with each other, depending on the manipulation task. A discussion of the types of tasks that benefit from the strategies is included. Experimental results are also presented, which show that the use of visual servoing to stably guide a manipulator greatly improves controller performance during contract transitions by allowing fast approach velocities with stable, low impact contact.
Qué es el automodelamiento

This article is a revision ofsomefacts concerning autoshaping. It outlines the theoretical implications of the charaters of the phenomenon, while it criticises rigid postures from the viewpoint of Psychology of learning. It gives an alternative explanation as well as some facts that contradict the more generally accepted interpretations of autoshaping.
Biosynthesis of mustard oil glucosides. I. Administration of C14-labelled compounds to horseradish, nasturtium, and watercress.

Biosynthetic investigations with C14-labelled compounds indicate that the aromatic isothiocyanate moieties of mustard oil glucosides obtained from garden nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.) and watercress (Nasturtium officinale R.Br.) are derived from phenylalanine. Similar investigations on sinigrin, the mustard oil glucoside isolated from horseradish (Armoracia lapathifolia Gilib.) demonstrate that glycine is incorporated into allyl isothiocyanate. The methyl carbon of acetate was readily incorporated into sinigrin and gluconasturtium and was found almost exclusively in the 'isothiocyanate carbon'; on the other hand the carboxyl carbon is a poor precursor of sinigrin.
The Pipeline Versus Telescoping Stents: In Vitro Flows in a Treated Cerebral Aneurysm Model

Cerebral aneurysms are a significant concern; they are found in 2% of the world population [1]. While endovascular treatments have become a successful option for patients with cerebral aneurysms, recurrence rates remain as high as 50% [2]. Accordingly, many interventional devices are being developed with the hope of increasing the success rate of endovascular aneurysm occlusion. One of these devices is the low-porosity Pipeline emboilzation device (PED). Compared to more traditional intracranial stents, the PED contains a higher ratio of metal to surface area. Previously, similar reductions in porosity were obtained by sequentially deploying multiple high-porosity stents inside of one another, which is known as “telescoping.” The hemodynamic effects of using a single low-porosity device, versus telescoped high-porosity stents, have not been investigated thoroughly. In this study flow was quantified for idealized and anatomical basilar tip aneurysm models. The models were treated with sequentially placed high-porosity stents and a single low-porosity PED.Copyright © 2012 by ASME