cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Obesity and the liver transplant recipient

Abstract Objective: Severely obese patients who undergo orthotopic liver transplantation are likely to have higher morbidity, mortality, costs, and a lower long-term survival. Methods: This case-control study was done at a university hospital. One hundred twenty-one consecutive patients who underwent liver transplantation between 1994 and 1996 were studied. Severe obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) more than 95th percentile ([gt ]32.3 for women and [gt ]31.1 for men), and moderate obesity was defined as BMI between 27.3 and 32.3 for women and 27.8 and 31.1 for men. The outcome measures were intraoperative complications, postoperative complications (wound infections, bile leak, vascular complications), length of hospital stay, costs of transplantation, and long-term survival. Results: The baseline characteristics, UNOS status, and cause of liver disease at the time of transplantation were similar in severely obese (n = 21, BMI = 37.4 [plusmn] 4.8 kg/m 2 ), obese (n = 36, BMI 28.7 [plusmn] 0.9 kg/m 2 ), and nonobese patients (n = 64, BMI 23.8 [plusmn] 2.5 kg/m 2 ). The intraoperative complications and transfusion requirements were similar in all three groups. The postoperative complications such as respiratory failure (p = 0.009) and systemic vascular complications (p = 0.04) were significantly higher in severely obese patients. The overall perioperative complication rate was 0.61 (39 of 64 patients) in nonobese patients, 0.77 (28 of 36 patients) in obese patients, and 1.43 (30 of 21 patients) in severely obese patients (p = 0.01). Infections were the leading cause of death in all groups accounting for 57-66% of deaths. The length of hospital stay was significantly higher in obese patients. The hospital costs of transplantation were higher ($30,000-$40,000) in severely obese patients than in nonobese patients. The long-term patient survival was similar between the groups (Kaplan-Meier analysis). Conclusions: Despite higher postoperative complications, severely obese patients have an acceptable long-term survival, which is comparable to nonobese patients. The cost of transplantation is higher among severely obese patients. There was no increased incidence of cardiovascular mortality among severely obese patients during the follow-up period.
The effect of phenylbutazone and a related analogue (G25671) upon thyroid function.

INTRODUCTION PHENYLBUTAZONE is a pyrazalone derivative which has been shown to have effects similar to those of cortisone and corticotropin with respect to anti-rheumatic activity and sodium retention (1). In 1952 Green et at. demonstrated that, in addition to its other pharmacologic effects, phenylbutazone had a marked inhibiting action on the uptake of I131 by the thyroid (2); this followed the daily administration of 1 gram of the drug for two or three days. It was suggested by Scott et al. (3), on the basis of work in rats, that phenylbutazone combines with iodine in the body and thus prevents it from being taken up by the thyroid. It was also observed that, despite continuing administration of the drug, thyroidal iodine uptake in the rat returned towards normal when phenylbutazone was given for more than ten days. This was attributed to a saturation point following which the phenylbutazone could no longer bind the iodine and thyroidal accumulation of iodine then returned to normal levels.
Intestine Submucosa and Polypropylene Mesh for Abdominal Wall Repair in Dogs

Continuing investigations of abdominal body wall reconstruction materials suggest that unacceptable implant complications continue and that the ideal material has not yet been found. This pilot study compared xenogeneic (porcine) small intestine submucosa (SIS) with polypropylene mesh (PPM) for repair of created partial-thickness (six dogs) and full-thickness (six dogs) abdominal wall defects. Postoperative clinical evaluation of all dogs showed no evidence of implant failure. Dogs were euthanized at 1, 2, and 4 months after surgery. The SIS implants were completely replaced by host tissue at 4 months as determined by immunohistochemistry. The resultant repair was well-organized, smooth, dense collagenous connective tissue that was well incorporated into the adjacent fascia and skeletal muscle fiber bundles. In the full-thickness defect dogs, omentum covered a significantly larger portion of PPM (P = 0.001) and was more firmly attached to PPM (P = 0.0001) compared to SIS/connective tissue repair. We conclude that xenogeneic SIS can be used as an abdominal body wall repair material in the dog and warrants further investigations.
Effects of Sulfur Dioxide and Ozone on Hypertension Sensitive and Resistant Rats

Two lines of Dahl rats, one resistant to salt-induced hypertension (DR) and one susceptible to salt-induced hypertension (DS) were subchronically exposed to SO2 (50 ppm, 6 hr/d, 5 d/wk for 31 weeks) or ozone (2.0 ppm, 6 hr/d, 5 d/wk for 20 weeks). Subgroups of rats were maintained on either high or low salt diets. In rats not expected to develop hypertension, exposure to SO2 caused a slight but consistent decrease in blood pressure. In DS rats on a high salt diet exposure to SO2 resulted in an increase in blood pressure over that of their air exposed counterparts. All exposure-related differences in blood pressure disappeared after the last exposure to SO2. Exposure to ozone was fatal to all DS rats, regardless of the amount of salt in the diet. The DR rats were more resistant to ozone, with most animals surviving the 20-week exposure. Ozone-exposed rats exhibited a decrease in both growth rate and blood pressure in all groups when compared to their air-exposed counterparts. It is not known if exposure-related blood pressure differences would persist after ending ozone exposures. After brief exposures, ozone caused increased lung weights in both groups, but there were no consistent changes in pulmonary nonprotein sulfhydryl groups. Hepatic nonprotein sulfhydryl levels were consistently, but not significantly, lower in ozone-exposed rats.
Measures of Early Adolescent Development and School Contexts Narrowing the Research to Practice Divide

This special issue highlights recent research on measures of early adolescents’ development and the school contexts in which they spend their time. We are particularly interested in measures with d...
Oral folate reduces plasma homocyst(e)ine levels in hemodialysis patients with cardiovascular disease.

Abstract Introduction: Hyperhomocyst(e)inemia (plasma homocyst(e)ine concentration >16.0 μmol/l) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis, and is ubiquitous in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Oral folate supplementation in the non-ESRD population has been demonstrated to reduce plasma homocyst(e)ine (Hcy) concentration, and may reduce atherosclerotic morbidity. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of folate supplementation in reducing Hcy in patients with ESRD and cardiovascular disease. Methods: Twenty-eight chronic hemodialysis patients with demonstrated hyperhomocyst(e)inemia (mean Hcy 35.2±13.3 μmol/l) were enrolled in the study. The presence of atherosclerosis was documented by history, physical examination, or ultrasonographic criteria. Hcy was determined initially and following six weeks' supplementation with 5.0 mg folate and multvitamins. Results: Hcy fell a mean of 15.0±10.4 μmol/l (38.9±19.9%) following supplementation (p 16.0 μmol/l (p=0.02). A significant positive correlation was observed between initial Hcy and both absolute and percent reduction after folate supplementation (r=0.87, p Conclusions: Supplementation with high-dose folate significantly reduces plasma Hcy in patients with and without atherosclerosis, and the presence of atherosclerosis does not impact on patients' response to folate and multivitamin supplementation. Hcy remained >16.0 μmol/l in the majority of patients, however, despite large absolute reductions in Hcy. Doses of folate greater than 5 mg, or additional therapy may be required to further reduce Hcy in the majority of ESRD patients.
Warder Clyde Allee and the Chicago school of animal behavior

Warder Clyde Allee, (1885-1955) was a pioneer American scientist in the fields of ecology and animal behavior. His contributions to the development of a general animal sociology are discussed, with particular attention to his concept of animal cooperation and his research in the area of dominance hierarchies.
Effects of oxygen doping on properties of microcrystalline silicon film grown using rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition

An oxygen doped microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si) deposition process is developed by mixing small amounts of nitrous oxide (N2O) with silane (SiH4) in a rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD) reactor. The effects of oxygen doping on the properties of RTCVD μc-Si films are studied. Experimental results show that the RTCVD process provides high deposition rates for μc-Si and polycrystalline silicon (polySi) films at elevated deposition temperatures and pressures. The surface roughness of the RTCVD μc-Si films can be significantly reduced compared to that of conventional LPCVD polySi films. Steep side walls can be realized due to the small grain size of the μc-Si films. The sheet resistance of BF2 doped μc-Si films is slightly higher than that of BF2 doped polySi films, whereas sheet resistances of P and As doped μc-Si films are much higher than those of the corresponding P and As doped polySi films. Measurements of the catastrophic breakdown strength of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors indicate that the quality of gate electrodes fabricated using μc-Si is improved relative to that of MOS capacitors fabricated using polySi gate electrodes.
Weak- and Strong-Form Rationality Tests of Market Analysts' Expectations of USDA Hogs and Pigs Reports

This study investigates the rationality of pre-release expectations of experts concerning USDA Hogs and Pigs reports. The expectations are weak-form rational in that they are unbiased predictors of actual report values and the forecast errors are not autocorrelated. In a test of strong-form rationality, all of the economic variables examined were not related to the forecast errors. Thus, the evidence is that expectations of the Hogs and Pigs report are strong-form rational.
‘The books are in the study as before’: Berkeley's claims about real physical objects

In proposing his idealist immaterialism, George Berkeley put forward a theory which has been widely supposed to be too far removed from common sense to be credible. No person of ordinary common sen...
An immunohistochemical quantification of fibrous astrocytes in the aging human cerebral cortex

In order to determine whether cortical fibrous astrocytes increase with age, we studied 25 patients ranging in age from 24 to 100 years with no clinical or pathological evidence of dementia or other cerebral disorder. Paraffin sections of mid-frontal cortex were obtained and stained with the avidin-biotin immunolabeling procedure for glial intermediate filament protein. The resulting immunolabeled fibrous astrocytes were then counted in the molecular and cellular (cortical laminae 2-6) layers. Populations of fibrous astrocytes in both layers varied widely among individuals, and in the molecular layer their numbers were not significantly correlated with advancing age. In the cellular layer, however, despite widely ranging cell counts among individuals within the same decades of life, there was a significant linear increase with age. Our data suggest that the increase occurs or accelerates significantly after age 70, but the case numbers preclude reaching such a conclusion with statistical confidence. However, when the patients are divided into those less than 70 and those older, fibrous astrocytes in the cellular layer are shown to be significantly increased in the latter group compared to the former.
Safety and efficacy of percutaneous entry of the brachial artery versus cutdown and arteriotomy for left-sided cardiac catheterization

Abstract The standard approach to left-sided cardiac catheterization from the arm has been by cutdown and brachial arteriotomy (C and A). 1 In 1981, Fergusson and Kamada 2 described a method for left-sided cardiac catheterization by percutaneous entry (PE) of the brachial artery. Since this initial description, several developments have occurred: (1) More patients are returning for repeat cardiac catheterization after coronary artery bypass surgery or transluminal coronary angioplasty. (2) Patients often prefer to undergo the procedure as outpatients, reducing the cost of their procedure. (3) Technical improvements in arteriography catheters allow smaller catheters to be used without compromising flow rates during injection or torque control. (4) Certain investigators suggest that procedure time may be shorter with PE of the brachial artery. 3 In view of these developments, PE has become a more attractive alternative to the standard C and A. To assess the safety and efficacy of PE vs C and A, we retrospectively reviewed our experience with both approaches to left-sided cardiac catheterization at the Mount Sinai Hospital.
Magnetic hysteresis dynamics of thin Co films on Cu(001)

Hysteresis properties of ultrathin (2--4 monolayers) epitaxial Co films grown on Cu(001) surfaces are studied as a function of film thickness, temperature and the strength ${(H}_{0}),$ in-plane direction, and frequency (\ensuremath{\Omega}) of applied sinusoidal magnetic field. Scaling of the hysteresis loop area (power loss) of the form ${A=A}_{0}{+H}_{0}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}{\ensuremath{\Omega}}^{\ensuremath{\beta}}\ensuremath{\zeta}(H,\ensuremath{\Omega})$ where \ensuremath{\zeta} is a scaling function is explored. All films exhibit a threshold field ${(H}_{t})$ where switching between equivalent magnetized states is initiated. Hysteresis loop areas measured over five decades in frequency exhibit very weak power-law dependence $(\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\sim}0.02).$ No evidence of a dynamic phase transition is observed and no indication of a low-frequency $({\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{0}\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{2}\mathrm{Hz})$ characteristic resonance is apparent over the drive frequency range covered. The observed weak power-law scaling does not support results of prior experiments that have been interpreted as corroborating the mean-field Ising model $(\ensuremath{\alpha}=\ensuremath{\beta}=\frac{2}{3})$ and continuum spin models of thin-film hysteresis energy-loss scaling. The measured frequency and applied field-dependent scaling of the dynamic coercive force ${(H}_{c}^{*})$ also appears to be inconsistent with recent phenomenological models of hysteresis behavior based on domain-wall motion that predict that ${H}_{c}^{*}$ scales as $\mathrm{ln}\mathrm{H\ifmmode \dot{}\else \.{}\fi{}}.$ The results of this study of Co on Cu(001) and a corresponding study of Fe on W(110) suggest that the dynamics of magnetization reversal in real ultrathin film systems do not exhibit universal behavior in the low-field low-frequency limit. Recent theoretical results based on a more realistic model that accounts for thermal noise and spatial fluctuations in the dynamics yield logarithmic scaling at low \ensuremath{\Omega} and effective exponents \ensuremath{\beta} that are compatible with the experiments. A simple physical picture of low drive-frequency energy-loss scaling is described that accounts for the experimental observations.
Review self-assembly of amphipathic β-sheet peptides: Insights and applications

Amphipathic peptides composed of alternating polar and nonpolar residues have a strong tendency to self-assemble into one-dimensional, amyloid-like fibril structures. Fibrils derived from peptides of general (XZXZ)n sequence in which X is hydrophobic and Z is hydrophilic adopt a putative β-sheet bilayer. The bilayer configuration allows burial of the hydrophobic X side chain groups in the core of the fibril and leaves the polar Z side chains exposed to solvent. This architectural arrangement provides fibrils that maintain high solubility in water and has facilitated the recent exploitation of self-assembled amphipathic peptide fibrils as functional biomaterials. This article is a critical review of the development and application of self-assembling amphipathic peptides with a focus on the fundamental insight these types of peptides provide into peptide self-assembly phenomena. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 98: 169–184, 2012.
Effect of dihydroxyphenylalanine administered with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor on glucose metabolism in rat brain.

Abstract Injection of l -3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine ( l -dopa) without and with an inhibitor (β-phenylisopropylhydrazine; JB516) of the enzyme, EC 1.4.3.4 monoamine: oxygen oxidoreductase (deaminating), induced hyperglycemia in fed, but not in fasted, rats. The rates of entry into and of removal of glucose from the glucose space were higher in fed rats treated with l -dopa and JB516 than in control rats. Thus, uptake of glucose by peripheral tissues is increased after treatment with l -dopa and JB516. Concentrations of glucose in brain were higher in rats treated with l -dopa and JB516 than in control rats, but uptakes of glucose- 14 C by brain were not meaningfully different in controls and treated rats. At 15 min after a pulse injection of glucose- 14 C, flux of 14 C into lactate and alanine in brain was the same in control rats as in rats treated with l -dopa and JB516; the flux of 14 C into glutamate, glutamine, aspartate, and γ-aminobutyric acid was markedly decreased in the treated rats. It is concluded that dopa injected after a monoamine oxidase inhibitor inhibits the metabolism, in brain, of glucose to the tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. The accumulation of unmetabolized glucose in brain in the treated rats suggests a second point of inhibition, possibly at the formation of glucose 6-phosphate.
Flow stability of binary Al–Li alloys

Abstract The constitutive stress–strain behavior of extruded Al–1 wt.% Li and Al–2 wt.% Li has been characterized in the temperature range 573–823 K between strain rates of 5×10−4 and 1 s−1. These results together with dynamic materials modeling (DMM) were utilized to establish strain rate–strain-temperature processing maps. Stable regions, defined on the basis of two mechanistic stability criteria, 0 δ log (m)/δ log ( e ) , and two thermodynamic criteria, s>1 and δ log (s)/δ log ( e ) , were found to be associated with dynamic recovery (DRC) at low temperatures and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) at higher temperatures. Unstable flow was observed at both low temperatures (573–623 K)/high strain rates (10−1 s−1) and at high temperatures (773–823 K)/low strain rates (10−3–5×10−4 s−1), these instabilities being associated, respectively, with macroscopic shear band formation and dynamic grain growth.
Power Sum Distributions

Abstract Let X 1, …, X n be jointly distributed random variates. The quantity log Σexp{X i } is called the “power sum” of the variates X 1, …, X n . Previous articles [1, 4] find the moment generating function, expectation, and variance of the power sum of two normally distributed X i 's. We generalize these results to the case of n jointly distributed variates.
Prostaglandin metabolism in peptic ulcer disease.

Over the past decade, the physiological role of prostaglandins synthesized by the gastroduodenal mucosa has been the subject of intense research. Unfortunately. progress has been slow. Methodological problems in the identification and measurement of different prostanoids, as well as technical difficulties in performing definitive experiments, are largely to blame. Prostaglandins are not stored in tissue, can be rapidly synthesized and metabolized during tissue analysis, and appear to have multiple and sometimes conflicting biological actions on the mucosal tissues. Given these challenging problems at the biochemical and cellular levels, it is not surprising that relatively few studies have addressed potential defects in prostaglandin synthesis in patients with ulcer disease. Furthermore, the results obtained by these human studies are not always comparable because of the diverse methodological approaches chosen by different investigators. The evidence so far obtained suggests, though not conclusively, tha...
Bitertanol, A triazole fungicide, increases operant responding but not motor activity

Several recent reports indicate that triadimefon, a triazole fungicide, has effects on behavior that are similar to those of psychomotor stimulants. For example, triadimefon increases overall fixed-interval (FI) response rate, disrupts FI response patterning, increases motor activity, and produces stereotypies at high doses. The present study was designed to determine whether similar behavioral effects on FI performance and motor activity could be produced by another triazole fungicide, bitertanol. The effects of bitertanol (10-300 mg/kg, IP) were determined in rats on performance maintained under a multiple FI 1-min FI 5-min schedule of reinforcement. Intermediate doses of bitertanol increased response rates and disrupted response patterning in both FI components. A second experiment determined the effects of the same doses of bitertanol on motor activity. In contrast to its effects on operant responding, bitertanol did not increase motor activity at any of the doses tested. These findings indicate that the behavioral similarities between bitertanol and triadimefon are limited and that a dissociation exists between biteranol's effects on operant performance and motor activity.
Conceptual Competence and Children's Counting.

Abstract A framework is presented for characterizing competence for cognitive tasks, with a detailed hypothesis about competence for counting by typical 5-year-old children. It is proposed that competence has three main components that are called conceptual, procedural, and utilizational competence. Conceptual competence, which is discussed in greatest detail in this article, is the implicit understanding of general principles of the domain. Procedural competence is understanding of general principles of action and takes the form of planning heuristics. Utilizational competence is understanding of relations between features of a task setting and requirements of performance. A characterization of conceptual competence for counting is presented, in the form of action schemata that constitute understanding of counting principles such as cardinality, one-to-one correspondence, and order. This hypothesis about competence is connected explicitly to a detailed analysis of performance in counting tasks. The connection is provided by derivations of planning nets for procedures that are included in process models that simulate children's performance.
Patterning cell types in the dorsal spinal cord: what the mouse mutants say

The organized arrangement of neurons in the mature spinal cord arises from a pattern of cell types that is established in the embryonic neural tube. Initial research on the molecular mechanisms that underlie this cellular diversity focused on the specification of ventral cell types, but recently more has been learned about cell-type specification in the dorsal neural tube. Genetic loss-of-function analysis in the mouse has provided important insights into the functions of several genes that direct neural cell fate, and we are beginning to define how the organization and connectivity of these neurons is established.
Nonaudit Services and Shareholder Ratification of Auditors

The SEC changed its rules recently and required companies to disclose information about audit and nonaudit fees, asserting that such data would be useful for shareholders in making their investment and voting decisions. An analysis of shareholder votes at 172 of the Fortune 1000 companies indicates that the proportion of shareholders voting against or abstaining from ratification of the external auditor is positively associated with the level of the nonaudit fee ratio. The results provide empirical support to the SEC's assertion that disclosure of fees paid to the auditor can influence shareholders' voting decisions. However, even in companies with very large nonaudit fee ratios (exceeding 4.0), the average shareholder ratification rate was about 97 percent. This suggests that a large majority of shareholders did not perceive auditor independence to be impaired, even in the presence of relatively high nonaudit fees.
Resistance Against Seclusion: Women, Work, and Patriarchy in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT This paper examines the concept of “work” in ideological and methodological terms, particular as it applies to women in Third World countries. The discussion is grounded in a detailed case study of Tarapur village in Bangladesh. Despite the cultural practice of seclusion, women are increasingly becoming involved in field agriculture and wage labor due to the deterioration of the general socio-economic conditions and poverty in the county. The article relates their struggles and experience to work in the context of “tradition” and their new roles in the domestic as well as the local labor market.
MARCEL PAGNOL'S THE BAKER'S WIFE, A CINEMATIC CHARIVARI IN POPULAR FRONT FRANCE

Taking an anthropological approach, this article interprets Pagnol's critically acknowledged classic as a reinvention of a carnivalesque ritual practised in France from the late middle ages through the late 1930s, when ethnographers observed its last vestiges. By linking La Femme du boulanger (The baker's wife, 1938) to contemporaneous debates over gender, national decadence, and the definition of French cultural identity, I argue that the film recycles the charivari's long-standing function as a tool of popular protest against social and political practices regarded as detrimental to the welfare of the nation. In the context of the Popular Front, Pagnol's charivari ridiculed divisive partisan politics pitting Left against Right, symbolically purged class conflict from the social body, and created a new form of folklore that served as a focal point for the communitarian ritual of movie-going among the urban working and middle classes. In so doing, the film promoted the ongoing shift in public support away from the Popular Front in favour of a conservative ‘National Union’ government under Prime Minister Edouard Daladier, who in 1938–9 assumed the role of France's newest political patriarch.
Variation in Adult Asthma Prevalence in Hispanic Subpopulations in New York City

Background. We compared asthma prevalence among New York City Hispanics–Puerto Rican, Dominican, and other Hispanics–in relation to nativity, socioeconomic status, and asthma risk factors. Methods. Weighted logistic regression analyses on telephone survey data for New York City (NYC) adults in 2003/2004. Results. Asthma prevalence was highest among Puerto Ricans (11.8%) compared with Dominicans and other Hispanics. Non–US-born Dominicans and other Hispanics were significantly less likely to report current asthma than were Puerto Ricans (OR = 0.27, 95% CI 0.18-0.41 and OR = 0.17, 95% CI 0.11-0.26, respectively). In multivariate analyses, US-born Dominicans and other Hispanics had rates comparable to Puerto Ricans. Conclusions. Puerto Ricans, both mainland- and native-born, report the highest rates of adult asthma. Non–US-born Hispanics report lower rates. Acculturation and patterns of residential settlement may account for this variation.
Hollow glass and plastic waveguides for the delivery of Er:YAG and CO2 laser radiation

ABSTRACT Hollow glass waveguides are an attractive fiber delivery system for both the 3 tm Er:YAG and 10.6 im CO2 lasers. Thelosses for these waveguides are as low as 0.2 dB/m at CO2 laser wavelengths for guides with a 700 tm bore. At the shorterwavelengths of the Er:YAG laser the losses are higher than those predicted theoretically. This is shown to be a result ofsurface roughness of the inner coatings. These hollow guides are found to have losses which change little with time or cyclicflexure. A new version of these guides made from polycarbonate tubing is described and the losses for these guides areshown to compare favorably with those for the glass guides.Keywords: hollow waveguides, JR fibers, JR lasers, medical lasers, laser beam delivery, CO2 laser, Er:YAG laser 1. HOLLOW WAVEGUIDE FUNDAMENTALS Hollow-glass waveguides (HGW) that have internal metal and dielectric films aretoday one of the most attractive means of delivering Er:YAG and CO2 laser 12 These hollow-glass waveguides, usually with a metallic film of Ag and a singledielectric film of AgI or AgBr, have very low 10552 and high spatial purity of theoutput beam profile3 as a result of the smooth inner surface and the high uniformityin cross section of the glass tubing used as the base material. The structure of atypical HGW is shown in Fig. 1 .
Roles and Responsibilities of Clinical Nurse Researchers.

A follow-up survey of 142 nurse researchers employed in clinical settings (NRECS) was conducted 10 years after the first one conducted by Knafl, Bevis, and Kirchhoff in which only 34 individuals qualified for inclusion. An 80-item questionnaire included items about the structure of the position, processes used, variables that may influence outcomes, and outside activities. When ineligible persons were excluded, the response rate was 75 per cent. Most commonly NRECS had positions in clinical settings only (55.7 per cent), offices (75.5 per cent), some staff (72.6 per cent), and secretarial support (52.8 per cent), and they usually reported to the chief nurse executives (71.7 per cent). Although the majority of NRECS reported responsibility for research activities, the average time spent on research is only 50 per cent. Most (82 per cent) have a nursing research committee, but NRECS also sit on other research-related committees in the department or hospital. Details about salary, responsibilities, and processes will be helpful to those preparing themselves or others for this role, for those who wish to start such a position for themselves or another, or for those in the role wanting to know how other NRECS perform.
PD-1+Tim-3+ CD8+ T Lymphocytes Display Varied Degrees of Functional Exhaustion in Patients with Regionally Metastatic Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

Regional metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (mDTC) provides a unique model in which to study the tumor–immune interface. These lymph node metastases persist for years, generally without progression to distant metastases. Although the immune system likely impedes disease progression, it is unsuccessful in eliminating disease. Our previous studies revealed that programmed death-1 (PD-1) + T cells were enriched in tumor-involved lymph nodes (TILN). Tumor-associated leukocytes and tumor cells were collected from grossly involved lymph nodes from 12 patients to further characterize the phenotype and functional potential of mDTC-associated PD-1 + T cells. PD-1 + CD4 + and PD-1 + CD8 + T cells were enriched in 8 of 12 TILN samples. PD-1 + T cells coexpressed Tim-3 and CD69 and failed to downregulate CD27. CD8 + T cells, but not CD4 + T cells, from these samples were variably deficient in their ability to produce effector cytokines when compared with control TILNs that lacked resident PD-1 + T cells. PD-1 + CD8 + T cells were capable of exocytosis but lacked intracellular perforin. Surprisingly, T-cell proliferative capacity was largely maintained in all samples. Thus, although PD-1 expression by mDTC-associated CD8 + T cells was associated with dysfunction, exhaustion was not complete. Notably, molecular markers of exhaustion did not translate to dysfunction in all samples or in CD4 + T cells. Regulatory T cells (Treg), PD-L1, and galectin-9 were commonly found in mDTC and likely contributed to the initiation of T-cell exhaustion and disease progression. Therapies that release the effects of PD-1 and Tim-3 and reduce the suppressive effects of Tregs may encourage tumor elimination in patients with mDTC. Cancer Immunol Res; 3(6); 620–30. ©2015 AACR .
Comet Halley Flyby Mission

Any mission to Halley should be designed to maximize the science in terms of the objectives of the comet exploration program set down by the NASA Comet Science Working Group and the Space Science Board (Report of the Comet Science Working Group, NASA TM 80543,1979; Strategy for the Exploration of Primitive Solar System Bodies—Asteroids, Comets, and Meteoroids: 1980–1990, Committee on Planetary and Lunar Exploration, Space Science Board, Washington, DC, 1980). In order of priority, these objectives are: (1) to determine the chemical nature and physical structure of comet nuclei and to characterize the changes that occur as functions of time and orbital position;
Early postoperative calcium levels as predictors of hypocalcemia

Objective: Early, safe postoperative hospital discharge has become a priority in the current environment of cost containment and managed care. One determinant for this following operations of the thyroid or parathyroid glands is a stable postoperative calcium level. This study sought to determine whether early postoperative calcium levels could safely predict hypocalcemia following operations of the thyroid or parathyroid glands. Study Design: A retrospective chart review of 197 patients undergoing such operations was undertaken. Methods: The study population was divided into patients undergoing parathyroid exploration with removal of one or more glands for parathyroid disease (parathyroid group) and patients undergoing bilateral thyroid operations (nonparathyroid group). Postoperative calcium levels were plotted as a function of time, and the slope between the first two postoperative calcium levels examined. Results: A positive slope predicted normocalcemia in 100% of nonparathyroid and 90% of parathyroid surgeries. A negative slope was predictive in its magnitude. The nonparathyroid patients who developed postoperative hypocalcemia had an average slope significantly more negative (-0.84% change/h) than patients remaining normocalcemic (-0.49% change/h) (P = .03). Similarly, the parathyroid patients who became hypocalcemic had an average initial slope nearly twice as negative (-1.4% change/h) as patients remaining normocalcemic (-0.78% change/h) (P = .005). Conclusions: These results indicate that an initial upsloping postoperative calcium curve based on two early postoperative calcium measurements is strongly predictive of a stable postoperative calcium level, and a steeply downsloping initial calcium curve is worrisome for eventual hypocalcemia.
Potentiation of X ray sensitivity by combinations of sodium butyrate and buthionine sulfoximine.

Abstract The ability of various concentrations of the differentiation-inducing agent sodium butyrate (NAB, 0–2 mM) to produce radiosensitization in human colon tumor cells when combined with varying concentrations of the irreversible inhibitor of gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO, 0–0.75 mM) was studied. We have previously shown that high concentrations of each agent in combination (2 mM NAB + 0.5 mM BSO) produced a supra-additive effect in terms of radiosensitization as indicated by a decrease in the quasi-threshold value (D q ) of the single dose survival curve; we wished to define responses at other concentrations. Cells were adapted in vitro to growth in medium containing NAB for 3 passages prior to x-irradiation and BSO was given acutely 24 hrs before the x-irradiations. The most effective combination was 0.3 mM NAB + 0.75 mM BSO. These data suggest that adaptation of tumor cells to chronic low levels of a differentiation-inducing agent such as NAB followed by administration of BSO just prior to irradiation might be an effective combination in producing increased response of solid tumors.
Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell with Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes as the Electrocatalyst Support

We successfully prepared membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for polymer electrolyte fuel cells using aligned carbon nanotubes (ACNTs) as the cathode catalyst support and evaluated their performances in single-cell tests. The ACNT-based MEAs demonstrated improved performance over a commercial carbon-black-based reference MEA in voltage-current polarization studies, particularly in the high current, mass-transport-limited region. The ACNT-MEAs also showed a significantly higher stability in conductivity and corrosion resistance than that of the reference during an accelerated aging test through potential cycling, which can be attributed to the vertical alignment and high graphiticity of the carbon nanotubes.
All-optical control of neuronal function via optical delivery of light-sensitive proteins and optogenetic stimulation

While pulsed laser beams have been used for stimulation of neurons, cellular specificity during optical stimulation is achieved by photo-sensitization of genetically-targeted cells by optogenetic means. However, till date, the process of optogenetic-sensitization primarily involves use of viral vectors. In rare occasions, electroporation has been used. Here, we report an all-optical method in which pulsed laser beam is used for delivery of genes, encoding optogenetic probes, to spatially-targeted cells, followed by optogenetic stimulation and optical detection of the activation process. Use of laser microbeam enabled highly precise spatially-patterned delivery of optogenes, as confirmed by expression of conjugated fluorescent protein. Light-activation of opsin-expressing cells was confirmed by calcium-imaging. The laser-assisted expression of optogenetic probes in spatially-targeted regions in combination with light-assisted activation and optical detection of neural activity will help in better understanding of the neuronal circuitry.
An algorithm for nano-pipelining of circuits and architectures for a nanotechnology

In this paper, we describe an algorithm to post-process a register-transfer level (RTL) architecture to enable gate-level pipelining or nano-pipelining for the nanotechnology based on resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs). Nano-pipelining offers the opportunity to obtain massive throughput and, therefore, has applications in data-intensive algorithms such as digital signal processing (DSP). Since RTDs are a self-latching nanotechnology, nano-pipelining is an implicit property that should be exploited for this technology. The novelty of this work lies in exploring and demonstrating the benefits of nano-pipelining and presenting an algorithm for architectural nano-pipelining.
Energetic basis of brain activity: implications for neuroimaging

The complex activities of the brain need not distract us from the certainty that it uses energy and performs work very efficiently. The human brain, which claims ∼2% of our body mass, is responsible for ∼20% of our body oxygen consumption. In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) follows the metabolic pathways of energy production (as glucose oxidation) and work (as monitored by the cycling of glutamate and GABA neurotransmitters). In the resting awake state, ∼80% of energy used by the brain supports events associated with neuronal firing and cycling of GABA and glutamate neurotransmitters. Small differences in neuronal activity between stimulation and control conditions can be measured and localized using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). MRS and fMRI experiments show that the majority of cerebral activity, which is often disregarded in imaging experiments, is ongoing even when the brain appears to be doing nothing.
Indications for total parenteral nutrition in the hospitalized patient: A prospective review of evolving practice

The indications for initiating total parenteral nutrition (TPN) were prospectively evaluated in 100 consecutive patients at a tertiary referral hospital with a long-standing Nutritional Support Service to illustrate the reasons why the parenteral route was chosen at this unique institution in terms of patient population. Sixty male and 40 female patients, average age 59 +/- 17 years (range 22-86 years), were classified a priori as to the underlying reasons for initiation of TPN. The study was conducted by a Nutrition Support Service at this hospital without pediatric, trauma, or burn services specializing in the care of patients with diabetes mellitus. Of the 100 patients, 63% were from the surgical service; 24% had diabetes mellitus. Their mean weight (118 +/- 29% of ideal), body mass index (25 +/- 6 kg/m(2)), and serum albumin (2.8 +/- 0.7 g/dL) indicated a reasonable body composition with a moderate systemic inflammatory response. Six patients received preoperative TPN for an average of 5 +/- 3 days with a variety of diagnoses including malignancy, Crohn's disease, bowel obstruction, and gastrointestinal bleeding. The underlying reasons for initiating nutritional support were related to three factors that largely determine the need for involuntary feeding: preexisting protein calorie malnutrition, actual or anticipated semistarvation for a prolonged period, and the presence of a systemic inflammatory response. The choice of TPN was based on anticipated or proven intolerance to full enteral feeding. The duration of time before initiation of TPN postoperatively was 6 +/- 5 days, which reflects our policy that initially well-nourished patients who are experiencing a systemic inflammatory response should not undergo more than 5 to 7 days of inadequate feeding. The duration of TPN overall was 11 +/- 10 days, which primarily illustrates the dramatic reduction in length of hospital stay that has occurred throughout the health care system and the willingness to provide TPN in alternative settings including transitional care units, rehabilitation hospitals, and for short-term care, the patient's home. The most common specific reasons identified for initiating TPN rather than enteral nutrition were ileus (25%), an underlying acid-base or electrolyte/mineral disorder (13%) requiring correction, and the convenience of TPN because a central venous catheter was in place (12%). The usual indication for nutritional support at this tertiary referral and specialty hospital was actual or impending protein calorie malnutrition. TPN was chosen for a variety of reasons related to actual or anticipated tolerance to enteral feeding. This audit demonstrates that our TPN practice has evolved in relation to time of initiation and duration of feeding, which reflect a clearer appreciation of the risks and benefits of TPN.
Acceleration of Sexual Maturation in Chinook Salmon Broodstock Using Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Analog

Abstract In response to problems encountered in broodstock acquisition and egg collection at Homer Spit, Alaska, we tested the effectiveness of a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog (LHRHa) in accelerating and synchronizing the sexual maturation of chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. We captured 341 fish in salt water and transported them to Elmendorf Hatchery in Anchorage, Alaska, where we injected 170 fish with 25 μg LHRHa/kg and held them until spawning. Significantly (P = 0.003) more LHRHa-treated chinook salmon spawned, and they spawned within 17 d of capture, whereas fewer control salmon spawned even within 38 d of capture. Hormone-analog-treated males also produced significantly (P < 0.001) more milt with a greater percentage of motile sperm than did control males. Hormone-analog-treated females, however, had significantly (P = 0.007) lower fecundity and smaller eggs than control females. Eggs from LHRHa-treated fish also had significantly (P < 0.001) greater eyed egg and alevin morta...
Microscopic reactive diffusion of uranium in the contaminated sediments at Hanford, United States

Microscopic and spectroscopic analysis of uranium-contaminated sediment cores beneath the BX waste tank farm at the US Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford site revealed that uranium (U) existed as uranyl precipitates primarily associated with the intragrain fractures of granitic clasts in the sediment (McKinley et al. 2005). The dissolution of the precipitates appeared to be controlled by intragrain ion diffusion coupled with the dissolution kinetics of the uranyl precipitates most likely as Na-boltwoodite. Here we presented a coupled microscopic reactive diffusion model by independently characterizing the intragrain diffusion and dissolution kinetics of Na-boltwoodite. Diffusion characterization with a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) pulse gradient spin-echo (PGSE) technique showed that the intragrain fractures of the granitic clasts in the Hanford sediment contain two domans with distinct diffusivities. The fast diffusion domain has an apparent tortuosity of about 1.5, while the slow region has a tortuosity of two orders of magnitude larger. A two-domain diffusion model was assembled and used to infer the geochemical conditions that led to intragrain uranyl precipitation when the sediment was contaminated by U-containing wastes at the site. Rapid precipitation of Na-boltwoodite was simulated when a U-containing, alkaline caustic, and high carbonate tank waste solution diffused into intragrain fracturesmore » originally containing Si-rich solutions. The model was also used to simulate uranyl dissolution and release from the contaminant sediment to aqueous solutions. With independently characterized parameters for Na-boltwoodite dissolution, the model simulations demonstrated that diffusion could significantly decrease the rates of intragrain uranyl mineral dissolution due to diffusion-induced local solubility limitation, and the intragrain uranyl precipitates could serve as a long-term uranyl source for the vadose porewater and underlying groundwater at this site.« less
Predicting analysis times in randomized clinical trials

Randomized clinical trial designs commonly include one or more planned interim analyses. At these times an external monitoring committee reviews the accumulated data and determines whether it is scientifically and ethically appropriate for the study to continue. With failure-time endpoints, it is common to schedule analyses at the times of occurrence of specified landmark events, such as the 50th event, the 100th event, and so on. Because interim analyses can impose considerable logistical burdens, it is worthwhile predicting their timing as accurately as possible. We describe two model-based methods for making such predictions during the course of a trial. First, we obtain a point prediction by extrapolating the cumulative mortality into the future and selecting the date when the expected number of deaths is equal to the landmark number. Second, we use a Bayesian simulation scheme to generate a predictive distribution of milestone times; prediction intervals are quantiles of this distribution. We illustrate our method with an analysis of data from a trial of immunotherapy in the treatment of chronic granulomatous disease.
Teaching against Globalization and the New Imperialism: Toward a Revolutionary Pedagogy

The globalization of capitalism has exacerbated the continuing reduction of education to a subsector of the economy. In the process, it has brought untold misery to the lives of millions of people throughout the world. Maintaining that critical pedagogy largely remains in the thrall of postmodern theory and politics, this article sketches out some fundamental perspectives for the development of what the authors refer to as “revolutionary pedagogy.” The aim of such a pedagogy is to encourage the development of critical consciousness among students and teachers in the interests of building working-class solidarity and opposition to global capitalism.