cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Ethanol, Diphenhydramine, and Triazolam after a Nap

This study assessed the capacity of a 60-minute nap to reverse the sedating and performance-disruptive effects of ethanol, triazolam, and Diphenhydramine. Twelve healthy, young men received (at 0800 to 0830) .6 g/kg ethanol and a placebo pill, .25 mg triazolam and ethanol placebo, 50 mg Diphenhydramine and ethanol placebo, and a placebo pill and ethanol placebo on each of 2 days in a Latin Square design. On one treatment day (at 0900 hour) subjects were allowed a 60-minute nap and on the other a sleep latency test (no nap). Then, sleep latency was tested (by Multiple Sleep Latency Test [MSLT] at 1100, 1300, 1500, and 1700) and divided attention performance assessed (at 1130). The nap reversed the sedative effects of ethanol and Diphenhydramine and reduced those of triazolam (on MSLT). The nap reduced the performance-disruptive effects of ethanol and Diphenhydramine but not those of triazolam. Given the differing neurobiological mechanisms of these drugs, the data suggest that some of their effects are nonspecific and result from activation of sleep mechanisms that a nap can reverse.
The Permanency Plan Game Show: An Intersubjective Case Study of a Foster Care Child and Her Caregivers

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) supports permanency decisions that do not reflect the reality of relationships that exist along a spectrum for children in foster care, biological caregivers, and foster parents. A case example, conceptualized through an intersubjective lens, demonstrates the ways in which the permanency planning process may affect clinical social workers’ capacities to maintain an awareness of the third. Therapists may collude with the system's efforts to define relationships in a context of complementarity and become immersed in the game show dynamic that emerges when parents and children await the court's decision regarding their relational future.
Wideband Frequency Tunable Concentric Circular Microstrip Patch Antenna with Simultaneous Polarization Reconfiguration

i»?A wideband frequency tunable concentric circular microstrip patch antenna with simultaneous polarization reconfiguration is demonstrated by using four varactor diodes between a circular patch and a concentric ring patch around it. Both frequency tunability and polarization reconfigurability are controlled by a proposed feed network. Varying the capacitance value of the varactor diodes varies the operating frequency of the antenna from 1.17 to 1.58 GHz (around 30% tunability) with impedance matching better than S11 = S22 = -10 dB. Each set of the two varactor diodes provides vertical and horizontal linear polarizations excited using one of the feed ports at a time. Similarly, the right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and left handed circular polarization (LHCP) radiation patterns are realized by employing all four varactor diodes and both feed ports with +90 degree time phase difference. The antenna is fabricated on a 120-mil-thick (3.05 mm) Arlon AD450 dielectric substrate (Er = 4.45, tan = 0.0035). The proposed feed network to control the excitation of ports for each of the polarizations is fabricated on 62-mil-thick (1.58 mm) FR-4 substrate material (Er = 4.4, tan = 0:02). A single-pole 4 through radio-frequency switch and two single-pole double through switches are used in this feed network for realizing the control circuitry. Simulated and measured impedance matching and radiation pattern results show good agreement with acceptable gain over the tunable frequency bands.
Solution for space charge limited field emission current densities with injection velocity and geometric effects corrections

When particles are injected according to the Fowler–Nordheim (FN) field emission equation, the transmitted current density will transition to the space charge limited (SCL) current density, with increasing applied diode voltage. The actual transmitted current density is the so-called SCL-FN current density. In this work, Barbour’s analytic solution for the SCL-FN current density is modified with consideration of injection velocity and also geometric effects, by solving the advanced FN equation with the effective field enhancement factor, the energy conservation equation with an initial velocity term, and Poisson’s equation simultaneously. The solution is also extended to the relativistic regime where similar transition process is found. This solution has been verified using particle-in-cell simulation with varying diode voltage, electron injection velocity, and field enhancement factor.
Response to 'Efficient T cell receptor–mediated apoptosis in nonobese diabetic mouse thymocytes'

Response to 'Efficient T cell receptor–mediated apoptosis in nonobese diabetic mouse thymocytes'
Homeless families, singles, and others: Findings from the 1996 national survey of homeless assistance providers and clients

Abstract The first question people typically ask about homelessness is, “How many people are homeless?” After that, questions usually turn to characteristics: “What are they like?” Basic demographic characteristics such as sex, age, family status, and race have always been of interest, in part because the homeless population appears to be very different from the general public and even from most poor people who are housed with respect to these characteristics. Often, because these differences are so dramatic, demographic characteristics are overinterpreted as representing the reasons for homelessness. But as various studies have documented, most demographic factors quickly disappear as proximate causes when other factors representing personal vulnerabilities are available for examination. The underlying causes of homelessness, the structural conditions of housing and labor markets that turn vulnerabilities into loss of housing, do not lie within individuals at all and are thus difficult to include in anal...
Preventing chondrocyte programmed cell death caused by iatrogenic injury.

Abstract Cartilage repair technology is advancing at a rapid pace. However, all techniques share a common weakness—unintentional chondrocyte cell death resulting from cartilage injury that occurs during preparation of the defect site. The loss of chondrocytes at the edge of host cartilage is likely to contribute to failed integration of regenerated tissue or grafts to the surrounding cartilage. Recent studies have demonstrated that "apoptosis", or programmed cell death (PCD), may be responsible for much of the cell death caused by cartilage injury. Theoretically, inhibitors of key pathways responsible for PCD could rescue chondrocytes and improve the results of cartilage repair surgery. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that short-term, intra-articular PCD inhibitor treatment can limit chondrocyte death in vivo following simulated preparation of host cartilage for a repair procedure. A microcurette was used to create full-thickness articular cartilage injuries to the femoral condyles of adult New Zealand White rabbits. Animals received daily intra-articular injections either with a potent PCD inhibitor or with vehicle alone. Treatment with the inhibitor resulted in a significant reduction in the percentage of chondrocytes undergoing PCD compared to controls [treated=10.1±2.4%; controls=26.5±3.6%; ( p =0.0013)]. These results provide proof of concept for the use of PCD inhibitors to enhance the results of cartilage repair surgeries.
Mobility impairment is associated with reduced microstructural integrity of the inferior and superior cerebellar peduncles in elderly with no clinical signs of cerebellar dysfunction

article i nfo While the cerebellum plays a critical role in motor coordination and control no studies have investigated its involvement in idiopathic mobility impairment in community-dwelling elderly. In this study we tested the hypothesis that structural changes in the cerebellar peduncles not detected by conventional magnetic reso- nance imaging are associated with reduced mobility performance. The analysis involved eighty-five subjects (age range: 75-90 years) who had no clinical signs of cerebellar dysfunction. Based on the short physical per- formance battery (SPPB) score, we defined mobility status of the subjects in the study as normal (score 11-12, n = 26), intermediate (score 9-10, n = 27) or impaired (score b9, n = 32). We acquired diffusion tensor imaging data to obtain indices of white matter integrity: fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD). Using a parcellation atlas, regional indices within the superior, middle, and inferior cerebellar peduncles (ICP, MCP, SCP) were calculated and their associations with mobility performance were analyzed. Subjects with impaired mobility showed reduced FA and AD values in the ICP and SCP but not in the MCP. The ICP-FA, ICP-AD and SCP-FA indices showed a significant association with the SPPB score. We also observed significant correlation between ICP-FA and walk time (r = −0.311, p = 0.004), as well as between SCP-AD and self-paced maximum walking velocity (r = 0.385, p = 0.003) and usual walking velocity (r = 0.400, p = 0.002). In logistic regression analysis ICP-FA and ICP-AD together explained 51% of the variability in the mobility status of a sample comprising the normal and impaired subgroups, and correctly classified more than three-quarters of those subjects. Our findings suggest that presence of microstructural damage, likely axonal, in afferent and efferent connections of the cerebellum contributes to the deterioration of motor performance in older people.
Establishing performance bounds for alternating cooperative broadcasts under high path-loss

This paper addresses the issue of smart network broadcasting using alternating concurrent cooperative transmissions for sensor-based wireless networks that are very lossy. This medium access control (MAC)-free broadcast strategy is a simple, energy-efficient, low-overhead form of cooperative diversity called the opportunistic large array (OLA), and uses a received power-based threshold to define mutually exclusive sets of nodes, such that the union of the sets includes all the nodes in the network or cooperative route during the initial broadcast. This protocol intelligently eliminates the formation of undesirable network coverage holes, a result of the “dead” node resulting from repeated usage. The semi-analytical approach in the paper investigates network life extensions for two extreme continuum network topologies that correspond to the largest and smallest ratios of nodes (or areas) used up during a successful broadcast, namely discs and strips, respectively for γ > 2. Analyzing the performance of this broadcast strategy for these two contrasting topologies will then set the bounds for arbitrary-shaped static routes or networks for γ > 2.
In Vitro transfer of chylomicron retinol and retinyl esters

The redistribution of rat chylomicron retinoids following incubation with fasting- or postheparin human plasma was investigated. With fasting plasma, chylomicron retinol appeared among higher density lipoprotein acceptors and density greater than 1.21 gm/ml plasma proteins; only small amounts of retinyl ester were found therein. With postheparin plasma, retinyl ester-containing chylomicron remnants with densities spanning the low- and high density lipoprotein distributions were generated; appreciable quantities of retinyl esters appeared among rho greater than 1.019 lipoproteins only in the presence of postheparin plasma. These observations are consistent with the conservation of retinyl esters, but not retinol, among chylomicrons and their catabolic products.
Particles and fields measurements at Neptune with Voyager 2

The first results of measurements performed on the Voyager 2 spacecraft with the Neptune system on August 24-28, 1989 are summarized. These include measurements of the magnetic field, plasma, energetic and high energy particles, plasma waves and radio emissions, and additional information relating to UV emissions. The planetary magnetic field outside about 4 R(N) may be described by an offset, tilted, dipole of moment 0.133 Gauss-R(N) exp 3; inside that distance the field is dominated by higher order terms. Plasma densities are found to be generally low (about 5 exp -3/cu cm), except at magnetic equatorial crossings when densities are up to about 1/cu cm. A variety of plasma wave emissions were seen, including chorus, hiss, electroncyclotron waves, and upper hybrid resonance in the inner magnetosphere. The measured flux of soft electrons and ions over the polar region of about 2 x 10 exp -3 erg/sq cm sec results in an estimated power input of about 3 x 10 exp 7 W, which is substantially less than that at other planets.
Rat kidney proximal tubule cells in defined medium: the roles of cholera toxin, extracellular calcium and serum in cell growth and expression of γ-glutamyltransferase

A culture system is described in which rat kidney proximal tubule epithelial cells (RPTE) can be prepared with good yield and high viability and grown in culture under serum-free conditions. The cells require EGF, insulin, cholera toxin and either 1% dialyzed serum or a complex of bovine serum albumin with oleic acid (BSA/OA). The cells can be maintained for long periods of time and express several markers for RPTE. The cells have both alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyltransferase activity and respond to parathyroid hormone but not vasopressin. The specific activity of γ-glutamyltransferase decreases when the cells begin to grow, but increases when they reach confluence. Extracellular calcium plays a role in the induction of γ-glutamyltransferase in confluent cells. Cells grown in media containing low calcium, i.e. less than 0.4 mM, have reduced specific activity of γ-glutamyltransferase. Extracellular calcium also alters the morphology of the cells in that cells grown in low calcium are single cells or loose clusters suggesting poor cell-cell contact. When the calcium is raised to 1.0 mM, the cells change their shape and organization to adopt the morphology of cells maintained continuously in 1.0 mM calcium. The cells can be passaged onto plastic surfaces which have been coated with collagen but cannot be subcultured on uncoated or serum coated plastic. This culture system will be a useful model for the investigation of renal carcinogenesis and the role of cell proliferation in that process.
40Ar/39Ar dating of Bed I, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, and the chronology of early Pleistocene climate change

Abstract 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating of tuffs and lavas of the late Pleistocene volcanic and sedimentary sequence of Olduvai Gorge, north-central Tanzania, provides the basis for a revision of Bed I chronostratigraphy. Bed I extends from immediately above the Naabi Ignimbrite at 2.038 ± 0.005 Ma to Tuff IF at 1.803 ± 0.002 Ma. Tuff IB, a prominent widespread marker tuff in the basin and a key to understanding hominin evolutionary chronologies and paleoclimate histories, has an age of 1.848 ± 0.003 Ma. The largest lake expansion event in the closed Olduvai lake basin during Bed I times encompassed the episode of eruption and emplacement of this tuff. This lake event is nearly coincident with the maximum precessional insolation peak of the entire Bed I/Lower Bed II interval, calculated from an astronomical model of the boreal summer orbital insolation time-series. The succeeding precessional peak also apparently coincides with the next youngest expansion of paleo-Lake Olduvai. The extreme wet/dry climate shifts seen in the upper part of Bed I occur during an Earth-orbital eccentricity maximum, similar to episodic lake expansions documented elsewhere in the East African Rift during the Neogene.
Theory versus practice: the bureaucratic ethos of water resource management and administration in Pakistan

Cooperative interaction between the state and civil society actors can be a catalyst for equity and efficiency in resource management. By analyzing the perceptions of the Pakistani water bureaucracy towards civil society-based participatory management, the present paper hopes to contribute towards practical policy discourse on narrowing the gap between the state and civil society and the prospects for participatory water resources management. Pakistani water management bureaucracy as an integral part of a bureaucratic tradition, which is a lineal descendant of the British colonial Indian Civil Service, is structurally hostile towards the civil society. A series of interviews conducted with government officials at all levels of the water management bureaucracy in Pakistan indicates that most have a patronizing and adversarial attitude towards the public. A small minority of senior level officials, however, is beginning to recognize the value of public participation in water resources management. The interv...
Aortic Root Dissection: Another False Positive Echocardiographic Diagnosis

Ascending aortic root dissections were repaired in two cases using Dacron graft prostheses. In each instance, native aorta was wrapped around the graft resulting in a postoperative false positive echocardiographic picture of de novo dissection.
The effective quadrupole force between like IBA-bosons

Abstract It is shown that an effective quadrupole interaction between like bosons in the Interacting Boson Model (IBM) arises from the neutron-proton quadrupole force as a consequence of the truncation of the full shell-model space to the SD sub-space. The strength of this effective interaction vanishes in the SU(5) limit of IBM but is appreciable in the SU(3) and O(6) limits and thus can give rise to the occurrence of an SU(3) symmetry.
Environmental regulation of female calling and male pheromone response periodicities in the codling moth (Laspeyresia pomonella)

Abstract Codling moth female calling and male pheromone responsiveness under the defined conditions of 23°C and light:dark (LD) 16:8 occurred primarily during scotophase. Under either continuous photophase or scotophase females called with periodicities very similar to their periodicity under the LD cycle, indicating that the rhythmicity is circadian. Male response rhythmicity was maintained under continuous photophase. A decrease in the temperature from 23° to 16°C resulted in a reduction in the proportion calling when the decrease in temperature occurred during scotophase and a shift of maximal calling into photophase when the decrease in temperature occurred 3 hr prior to the initiation of scotophase. Decreases of temperature from 23° to 16°C and of light intensity did not produce similar shifts in the periodicity of male upwind orientation. Of 6 pheromone dosages from 10 −5 to 10 2 μg, 10 −1 and 10 0 μg elicited the most male upwind orientation.
Clinical Challenges in Addressing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) with Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been identified as a significant issue for pregnant and parenting adolescents. This study thematically analyzed data from focus groups with service providers (n = 43) who work with pregnant and parenting adolescents to learn about barriers and strategies for addressing IPV. Service providers described four primary barriers to addressing IPV with their adolescent clients: adolescent clients’ definitions of love, intergenerational relationship patterns, cultural norms about gender and violence, and developmental-contextual considerations. Service providers also indicated that they respond to adolescents’ IPV related concerns by taking steps to identify IPV, building working relationships, and taking appropriate follow-up action. Results suggest that providers can benefit from increased training and skill development in working with IPV, as well as working in interdisciplinary, collaborative teams to increase effectiveness with challenging cases. Programs should consider integrating IPV prevention initiatives that target broader social norms. Future research should pilot and test the effectiveness of targeted IPV training and programmatic interventions with service providers who work with this population.
Cavernous Carotid Artery Aneurysm, a Rare Cause of Intrasellar Mass and Hyperprolactinemia

A 37-yr-old gravida 1 para 1 woman was evaluated for increasing headaches. She had noted “spots” in her peripheral visual fields and reported mild galactorrhea for 4 yr. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a 2.5 1.6 1.6 cm sellar mass contiguous with the right midcavernous carotid artery (Fig. 1A). On T1-weighted images, the mass revealed partial flow void and a heterogeneous hypoto isointense central area. The pituitary was displaced superiorly. The stalk was slightly deviated to the right. The optic chiasm was unaffected. Computed tomography angiogram (CTA) confirmed the presence of a large intrasellar aneurysm (Fig. 1, B and C). The patient underwent selective coil embolization (Fig. 2, A and B), and her headaches resolved. Pituitary function tests performed before embolization and 2 months after the procedure were normal except for mild persistent hyperprolactinemia [prolactin, 37 ng/ml (1608 pmol/liter); normal, less than 20 ng/ml]. Repeat angiography at 6 months showed a small neck residual. Sellar aneurysms are an uncommon subtype of intracranial aneurysm and rarely cause hypopituitarism (1). They may occur concomitantly with a pituitary adenoma, although there may be no association between the two conditions (2). Preoperative diagnosis of a sellar aneurysm is imperative to avoid a potential surgical catastrophe. Typical characteristics on MRI include a flow void sign on T1or T2-weighted images and an “onion-skin” appearance on T1 (if clot is present). These findings appear to have good sensitivity (3), although some cystic lesions may appear equally hypointense. Small aneurysms may be better visualized by digital subtraction angiography or CTA (4, 5).
Risk in rural development: challenges for managers and policy makers

Abstract Most poor people presently reside in rural areas. The rural poor are exposed to many risks while often lacking instruments to manage them adequately, and so are highly vulnerable. Providing appropriate risk-management instruments and supporting the critically vulnerable is thus one key pillar in an effective and sustainable rural poverty-reduction strategy. Such provision better allows the able-bodied to engage in high risk/higher return activities and thus with good fortune to move out of poverty. A framework must, to be adequate, involve multiple strategies (prevention, mitigation, coping) and arrangements (informal, market-based, public) for dealing with risk, and instruments that take account of the sources and characteristics of rural risk. These themes are reviewed from the perspectives of rural people as managers, and of policy makers who should be setting the conditions to make the lives of the poor easier and to help them escape from poverty.
Clinical evaluation of patients with head trauma

Head trauma is a very common and sometimes life-threatening medical condition that involves sports medicine physicians, emergency room physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons, orthopedists, anesthesiologists, rehabilitation physicians, psychiatrists, and radiologists; as well as allied health care workers such as physical, occupational, and speech therapists, clinical psychologists, neuropsychologists, and many others. Head trauma needs to be approached by a mutlidisciplinary team because it is complex. Specialized trauma centers incorporate all of these specialists and the best medical technology for optimal management of head trauma. The following chapters cover the use of different neuroimaging techniques, including CT scan and MRI, that greatly aid clinicians in evaluation and management of head trauma patients. These advances have truly revolutionized medicine and it has happened rapidly--pneumoencephalography was the neuroimaging study of choice less than half a century ago. The future of neuroimaging in head trauma will undoubtedly include advances we can not yet foresee but that will allow clinicians to continue to improve patient care.
Loss of the Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 3f in Pancreatic Cancer

Aberrant regulation of the translation initiation is known to contribute to tumorigenesis. eIF3 plays an important role in translation initiation. eIF3f is the p47 subunit of the eIF3 complex whose function in cancer is not clear. Initial studies from our group indicated that eIF3f expression is decreased in pancreatic cancer. Overexpression of eIF3f induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. The eIF3f gene is located at chromosome band region 11p15.4. Loss of 11p15.4 is a common event in many tumors including pancreatic cancer. In order to investigate the molecular mechanism of the decreased expression of eIF3f in pancreatic cancer, we performed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis in 32 pancreatic cancer specimens using three microsatellite markers encompassing the eIF3f gene. We showed that the prevalence of LOH ranged from 71% to 93%. We also performed eIF3f gene copy number analysis using quantitative real time PCR to further confirm the specific allelic loss of eIF3f gene in pancreatic cancer. We demonstrated a statistically significant decrease of eIF3f gene copy number in pancreatic tumors compared with normal tissues with a tumor/normal ratio of 0.24. Furthermore, RNA in situ hybridization and tissue microarray immunohistochemistry analysis demonstrated that eIF3f expression is significantly decreased in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma tissues compared to normal pancreatic tissues. These data provides new insight into the understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of eIF3f during pancreatic tumorigenesis.
Space-Time Cluster Analysis: Application of Healthcare Service Data in Epidemiological Studies

Spatial epidemiological approach to healthcare studies provides significant insight in evaluating health intervention and decision making. This article illustrates a space-time cluster analysis using Kulldorffâ€™s Scan Statistics (1999), local indicators of spatial autocorrelation, and local G-statistics involving routine clinical service data as part of a limited data set collected by a Northeast Ohio healthcare organization (Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Ohio) over a period 1994â€”2006. The objective is to find excess space and space - time variations of lung cancer and to identify potential monitoring and healthcare management capabilities. The results were compared with earlier research (Tyczynski, & Berkel, 2005); similarities were noted in patient demographics for the targeted study area. The findings also provide evidence that diagnosis data collected as a result of rendered health services can be used in detecting potential disease patterns and/or utilization patterns, with the overall objective of improving health outcomes.
Identification of genes necessary for wild-type levels of seed phytic acid in Arabidopsis thaliana using a reverse genetics approach.

The majority of phosphorus (P) in seeds is found in phytic acid (InsP6) which accumulates as the mixed salt phytate. InsP6 is generally considered to be an anti-nutrient and the development of low phytic acid (lpa) seed crops is of significant interest. We have employed a reverse genetics approach to examine the impact of disrupting genes involved in inositol phosphate metabolism on Arabidopsis seed InsP6 levels. Our analysis revealed that knockout mutations in three genes (AtITPK1, AtITPK4, and AtMIK/At5g58730) reduced seed InsP6 in addition to knockouts of four previously reported genes (AtIPK1, AtIPK2β, AtMRP5, and At5g60760). Seeds of these lpa mutants also exhibited reduced germination under various stress conditions. The greatest reduction in InsP6 (>70%) was observed in atmrp5 seeds which were also among the least sensitive to the stresses examined. Expression analysis of the lpa genes revealed three distinct patterns in developing siliques consistent with their presumed roles. Disruption of each lpa gene resulted in changes in the expression in some of the other lpa genes indicating that transcription of lpa genes is modulated by other constituents of InsP6 metabolism. While all the lpa genes represent possible targets for genetic engineering of low phytate seed crops, mutations in AtMRP5,AtMIK, and At5g60760 may be most successful for conventional approaches such as mutation breeding.
Catatonia on the Consultation-Liaison Service

Catatonia is a syndrome that requires both nonpsychiatric medical and psychiatric evaluation. The authors report on six patients with catatonia that were seen by a psychiatric consultation-liaison service. Five of these patients had medical conditions reported to cause catatonia. Treatment recommendations included the following: 1) subcutaneous heparin for deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis, 2) a trial of lorazepam, and 3) transfer to a medical/psychiatry unit or locked psychiatric unit. Catatonia was most parsimoniously attributed to the primary psychiatric illness in five of the patients and to corticosteroid treatment in the sixth patient. These findings suggest that clinicians should use the proposed criteria, past psychiatric history, physical exam, and laboratory and radiological studies when evaluating patients with symptoms of catatonia.
Claude Beck and Cardiac Resuscitation

The problem of sudden death due to derangement of the cardiac mechanism remained poorly defined into the 20th century. The physiologist Carl J. Wiggers proposed maintenance of the circulation by manual massage of the heart, followed by electrical defibrillation at a suitable time. His surgical colleague Claude S. Beck, with several associates, defined a precise sequence of steps for management of cardiac arrest in the operating room and was able to apply them clinically with complete success. Subsequently, patients were resuscitated outside the operating room as well; and finally, massage and defibrillation across the intact chest have made cardiac resuscitation available at any place or time.
The effects of Di- and trichloroacetic acid on sheep erythrocytes: an animal model with a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency

Erythrocytes of Dorset sheep, an animal model with an erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency, responded in a dose-dependent manner to the oxidant stress of di- and trichloroacetic acids (DCA and TCA) as measured by increases in methemoglobin (METHB) and decreases in glutathione (GSH). Given the fact that TCA and DCA are now being found in community drinking water supplies at levels greater than 100 micrograms/liter, there is a need to further investigate their effects on biological systems, including those with a compromised ability to deal with oxidant stress (e.g., G-6-PD-deficient erythrocytes).
Elasticity, strength and resilience: A comparative study on mechanical signatures of α-Helix, β-sheet and tropocollagen domains

In biology, structural design and materials engineering is unified through formation of hierarchical features with atomic resolution, from nano to macro. Three molecular building blocks are particularly prevalent in all structural protein materials: alpha helices (AHs), beta-sheets (BSs) and tropocollagen (TC). In this article we present a comparative study of these three key building blocks by focusing on their mechanical signatures, based on results from full-atomistic simulation studies. We find that each of the basic structures is associated with a characteristic material behavior: AH protein domains provide resilience at large deformation through energy dissipation at low force levels, BS protein domains provide great strength under shear loading, and tropocollagen molecules provide large elasticity for deformation recovery. This suggests that AHs, BSs, and TC molecules have mutually exclusive mechanical signatures. We correlate each of these basic properties with the molecule’s structure and the associated fundamental rupture mechanisms. Our study may enable the use of abundant protein building blocks in nanoengineered materials, and may provide critical insight into basic biological mechanisms for bio-inspired nanotechnologies. The transfer towards the design of novel nanostructures could lead to new multifunctional and mechanically active, tunable, and changeable materials.
The Role of DNA Twist in the Packaging of Viral Genomes

We performed molecular dynamics simulations of the genome packaging of bacteriophage P4 using two coarse-grained models of DNA. The first model, 1DNA6 (one pseudo-atom per six DNA basepairs), represents DNA as a string of beads, for which DNA torsions are undefined. The second model, 3DNA6 (three pseudo-atoms per six DNA basepairs), represents DNA as a series of base planes with torsions defined by the angles between successive planes. Bacteriophage P4 was packaged with 1DNA6, 3DNA6 in a torsionally relaxed state, and 3DNA6 in a torsionally strained state. We observed good agreement between the packed conformation of 1DNA6 and the packed conformations of 3DNA6. The free energies of packaging were in agreement, as well. Our results suggest that DNA torsions can be omitted from coarse-grained bacteriophage packaging simulations without significantly altering the DNA conformations or free energies of packaging that the simulations predict.
The Future of Organ Transplant Psychiatry

The future of organ transplant psychiatry depends less on immunologic and surgical advances than on 1) an increased supply of donor organs, 2) more sophisticated multicenter outcome studies, and 3) understanding of the subjective as well as objective aspects of compliance and quality of life for transplant recipients. From future studies, we may improve the selection process for candidates and discover which approaches are optimal for anxiety, depressive, organic mental, and personality disorders. Absolute contraindications to transplantation may become relative. Integration of ethical concerns with biomedical and psychosocial criteria for selection will challenge future investigators given the inadequate supply of donor organs.
Imiquimod in the Treatment of Cutaneous Warts: An Evidence-Based Review

Cutaneous warts are highly prevalent lesions caused by the infection of keratinocytes by different types of human papillomaviruses. Although cutaneous warts are capable of resolving spontaneously, these infections can persist for long periods of time by evading the host immune system, and, as a result, many patients choose to seek treatment. Imiquimod is an immune response modifier that is approved as a topical cream for the treatment of anogenital warts by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, the efficacy of imiquimod in the treatment of cutaneous warts has not been well established. The purpose of this article is to systematically review the published literature regarding the efficacy of imiquimod in the treatment of cutaneous warts, and to evaluate the quality and outcomes of these studies. A literature search was performed through clinical queries PubMed (National Library of Medicine) database and the Cochrane database. All completed studies written in English and published through May 2014 were considered. Studies evaluating the use of imiquimod for anogenital warts were excluded. There were no other restrictions based on patient age, sex, ethnicity, or skin type. The studies were evaluated and assessed based on study design, patient population, treatment regimen, clinical outcome, and adverse events. A total of 393 records were identified in the initial search; 23 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility and included in the review. Of these studies, six publications reported on immunocompromised individuals only. The highest quality study identified was a grade B, level 3 case-control cohort study in which patients with multiple warts had certain warts treated with imiquimod and others left untreated to serve as a control. The remaining studies identified were level 4 non-controlled case series (grade C) and level 5 case reports (grade D). In immunocompetent patients enrolled in non-controlled studies, the combined rate of patients achieving complete response to therapy was 44 %, ranging from 27 to 89 %. However, there was variation in the dose frequency and application among these studies. In immunosuppressed patients, two studies and four case reports were identified. Clinical improvement was seen in 33–50 % of patients, with no patients experiencing complete clinical clearance. There have been several studies demonstrating the successful use of imiquimod to treat recalcitrant cutaneous warts, either alone or as combination therapy. However, these studies are limited in number, include small populations, and are non-controlled. Further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of imiquimod, dose frequency and application, and optimal combination with other therapeutic measures such as paring, salicylic acid, or other destructive procedures.
Does the geometric design of centrioles imply their function

The paper suggests several principles of construction of a microscopically small device for locating the directions of signal sources in microscopic dimensions. It appears that the simplest and smallest device that is compatible with the scrambling influence of thermal fluctuations as are demonstrated by Brownian motion is a pair of cylinders oriented at right angles to each other. Nine equally spaced blades run in a pitched fashion along the mantle of each cylinder. The blades have a concave cross-section and bend around the circumference of the cylinder in a certain rotational pattern. Considering the striking similarity of this hypothetical device with centrioles, the paper puts forward the conjecture that centrioles locate the direction of hypothetical signals inside cells.
The effect of the new Massachusetts Bay sewage outfall on the concentrations of metals and bacterial spores in nearby bottom and suspended sediments

Since the new outfall for Boston's treated sewage effluent began operation on September 6, 2000, no change has been observed in concentrations of silver or Clostridium perfringens spores (an ecologically benign tracer of sewage), in bottom sediments at a site 2.5 km west of the outfall. In suspended sediment samples collected with a time-series sediment trap located 1.3 km south of the outfall, silver and C. perfringens spores increased by 38% and 103%, respectively, in post-outfall samples while chromium, copper, and zinc showed no change. All metal concentrations in sediments are <50% of warning levels established by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. An 11-year data set of bottom sediment characteristics collected three times per year prior to outfall startup provides perspective for the interpretation of post-outfall data. A greater than twofold increase in concentrations of sewage tracers (silver and C. perfringens) was observed in muddy sediments following the exceptional storm of December 11-16, 1992 that presumably moved contaminated inshore sediment offshore.
Long-term predictions of Pc 1 geomagnetic pulsations: Comparison with observations

Abstract Comparison is made between the measured monthly occurrences of pc 1-active days in California during the interval 1970–1976 and predictions of these occurrences by Soviet and U.S. researchers. It is shown that successful long-term predictions of the monthly occurrences can be made for up to 3 yr ahead and probably also for longer intervals depending on the need. These predictions could have application in cooperative programs of observation, in magnetotelluric studies, and in communications.
Improving efficiency in social services with discrete event simulation

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services' main office in Louisville, Kentucky deals with hundreds of clients with various needs each day. The office provides food stamps, child care assistance, and financial support among other services. A simulation model of the intake process was developed and analyzed in order to investigate various alternatives concerning process flow, staffing, and layout. The simulation model shows long wait times for clients coming into the system to receive benefits. Working with a state budget during variable economic times leaves no room for hiring new workers, so changes must come from within. The flexibility of the simulation model allows for experiments on the system to be created and observed. This paper describes the simulation model, the analysis of alternatives with the model, and the changes implemented in the system as a result of the analysis.
Transportation and health: the good and the bad.

Transportation has contributed in many ways to improve human life and well-being. From humanitarian assistance to rapid sharing, food and pharmaceutical transportation does benefit mankind in ways that are not always appreciated. Unfortunately, transportation can negatively impact human health in two broad ways: accidents and environmental pollution. It can also facilitate the spread of infectious diseases. Safe and responsible use of transportation technology is of concern to all users, operators, and technologists, including healthcare providers. Medical professionals should participate in safety and educational campaigns, bioengineering and human factors research, and advocacy of the timely introduction of health and safety policies for a more responsible operation of transportation and new technology insertion.
Simultaneous Extraction of Arsenic and Selenium Species From Rice Products by Microwave-Assisted Enzymatic Extraction and Analysis by Ion Chromatography-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry

A microwave-assisted enzymatic extraction (MAEE) method was developed for the simultaneous extraction of arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) species in rice products. The total arsenic and selenium content in the enzymatic extracts were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), while the speciation analysis was performed by ion chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS). The main factors affecting the enzymatic extraction process were evaluated in NIST SRM-1568a rice flour. The optimum extraction conditions were 500 mg of sample, 50 mg of protease XIV, and 25 mg of α-amylase in aqueous medium during 40 min at 37 °C. The extraction recoveries of total As and Se reached 100 ± 3 and 80 ± 4%, respectively. The species stability study during the MAEE process did not show transformation of the target species in rice products. The results of As speciation obtained for SRM-1568a were in agreement with previous studies of As speciation performed on the ...
Micropipes in silicon carbide crystals: Do all screw dislocations have open cores?

Micropipes in a 6H–SiC semiconductor wafer were studied by scanning electron and atomic force microscopy. The screw dislocations intersecting the wafer's surface were located by etch pitting, and their Burgers vectors determined by x-ray topography. The etch pits were eroded into smooth craters by ion beam etching to expose levels of dislocation line from inside the sample's bulk. There a micropipe's diameter is distant from surface relaxation effects. Hollow cores (micropipes) were observed at the base of the craters whose screw dislocations had Burgers vectors of magnitude three multiples of the c-lattice parameter and higher. Screw dislocations with 1c and 2c Burgers vectors had no associated micropipes.
35 CHANGES IN BODY COMPOSITION DURING GROWTH HORMONE THERAPY IN CHILDREN WITH GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY

Ten children with documented Growth Hormone Deficiency had their body composition determined before and during Human Growth Hormone treatment. Body composition was determined by underwater weighing and selected measures of subcutaneous fat thickness. The measurements were obtained before the onset of Human Growth Hormone therapy and subsequently every 6 months during the treatment. During the first 6 months of treatment, most patient's demonstrated an increase in body fat without significant increase in lean body mass. During the second 6 months and subsequent periods of treatment, a decrease in body fat and increase in lean body mass was observed in most of the patients. These data tend to indicate that for children receiving Human Growth Hormone therapy changes in body composition are not uniform. Body fat appears to increase in the first 6 months and lean body mass increases during subsequent periods of treatment. This research was supported by a Seed Money Grant from Wright State University. Human Growth Hormone was received from National Pituitary Agency.
Tinnitus, Unipolar Brush Cells, and Cerebellar Glutamatergic Function in an Animal Model

Unipolar brush cells (UBCs) are excitatory interneurons found in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) and the granule cell layer of cerebellar cortex, being particularly evident in the paraflocculus (PFL) and flocculus (FL). UBCs receive glutamatergic inputs and make glutamatergic synapses with granule cells and other UBCs. It has been hypothesized that UBCs comprise local networks of tunable feed-forward amplifiers. In the DCN they might also participate in feed-back amplification of signals from higher auditory centers. Recently it has been shown that UBCs, in the vestibulocerebellum and DCN of adult rats, express doublecortin (DCX), previously considered a marker of newborn and migrating neurons. In an animal model, both the DCN, and more recently the PFL, have been implicated in contributing to the sensation of acoustic-exposure-induced tinnitus. These studies support the working hypothesis that tinnitus emerges after loss of peripheral sensitivity because inhibitory processes homeostatically down regulate, and excitatory processes up regulate. Here we report the results of two sequential experiments that examine the potential role of DCN and cerebellar UBCs in tinnitus, and the contribution of glutamatergic transmission in the PFL. In Experiment 1 it was shown that adult rats with psychophysical evidence of tinnitus induced by a single unilateral high-level noise exposure, had elevated DCX in the DCN and ventral PFL. In Experiment 2 it was shown that micro-quantities of glutamatergic antagonists, delivered directly to the PFL, reversibly reduced chronically established tinnitus, while similarly applied glutamatergic agonists induced tinnitus-like behavior in non-tinnitus controls. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that UBC up regulation and enhanced glutamatergic transmission in the cerebellum contribute to the pathophysiology of tinnitus.
Homeless Mothers' Caring for Children in A Shelter

Homeless mothers with children are a vulnerable population that faces problems from multiple sources. Little is known about their experiences, as current homeless studies report women's data as part of the aggregate findings with men. This study sought to identify the dimension of homeless mothers' family caring in a shelter. In-depth interviews were conducted with six homeless mothers who were participants in a larger study of homeless women. Constant comparative analysis of transcribed interviews led to the identification of homeless mothers' caring behaviors for their children. These behaviors were sacrificing for children, struggling with limitations, guarding from harm, and seeking answers. This taxonomy reflects the pain and hardship these homeless families experience while living a human disaster.
Design Analysis of High-Efficiency Low-Stress Ceramic Gas Turbines

The gains which can be realized in gas-turbine cycles by lowering the pressure ratio, increasing the degree of regeneration, and utilizing multistage compressors and turbines, are much increased design-point thermal efficiency; very much higher part-load efficiency; and much reduced centrifugal stress, attachment stress, and foreign-object-damage stress. These gains, and the size penalty associated with this approach, are evaluated to a first approximation. The net benefits should be substantial for many applications where size limits are not stringent, for instance trucks and boats, and where reduced fuel comsumption is of paramount importance.