cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determinants of outcome in elderly patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes.

Abstract Background Older women are less likely to receive standard of care treatment for breast cancer. Methods We examined variables that affected the outcome of elderly patients ≥70 years old among 1,470 patients with invasive cancer with positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). Results Elderly patients were less likely to undergo mastectomy, completion axillary node dissection (ALND), adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiotherapy (RT) following breast-conserving therapy (BCT) compared with patients Conclusions Tumor factors were the primary determinants of breast cancer outcomes in our cohort. Elderly patients are less likely to receive aggressive surgical interventions and adjuvant therapy because of perceived life expectancy.
Relationship of Turfgrass Growth and Quality to Soil Nitrate Desorbed from Anion Exchange Membranes

Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) are a potential method for determining the plant available N status of soils; however, their capacity for use with turfgrass has not been researched extensively. The main objective of this experiment was to determine the relationship between soil nitrate desorbed from AEMs and growth response and quality of turfgrass managed as a residential lawn. Two field experiments were conducted with a bluegrass-ryegrass-fescue mixture receiving four rates of N fertilizer (0, 98, 196, and 392 kg N ha -1 yr -1 ) with clippings returned or removed. The soils at the two sites were a Paxton fine sandy loam (coarse-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Oxyaquic Dystrudepts) and a variant of a Hinckley gravelly sandy loam (sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Udorthents). Anion exchange membranes were inserted into plots and exchanged weekly during the growing seasons of 1998 and 1999. Nitrate-N was desorbed from AEMs and quantified. As N fertilization rates increased, desorbed NO 3 -N increased. The relationship of desorbed NO 3 -N from AEMs to clipping yield and turfgrass quality was characterized using quadratic response plateau (QRP) and Cate-Nelson models (C-Ns). Critical levels of desorbed NO 3 -N ranged from 0.86 to 8.0 μg cm -2 d -1 for relative dry matter yield (DMY) and from 2.3 to 12 μg cm -2 d -1 for turfgrass quality depending upon experimental treatment. Anion exchange membranes show promise of indicating the critical levels of soil NO 3 -N desorbed from AEMs necessary to achieve maximum turfgrass quality and yield without overapplication of N.
Distribution of malate dehydrogenase in different tissues of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) of different ages

Abstract 1. 1. Malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37) has been estimated in the supernatant, mitochondria and cytosol fractions of brain, heart, liver and muscle from rainbow trout at five different age groups from 6 months to 3 yr. 2. 2. The enzyme activity was highest in the muscle and lowest in the brain in all age groups. 3. 3. The levels of MDH and the ratio of MDH activity in mitochondria/cytosol indicate that in rainbow trout the muscle and liver is most active in lipogenesis and the brain in gluconeogenesis. 4. 4. It appears from these results that in rainbow trout lipogenesis is greatly increased at 12 months, decreases at 18 months and stays within the same range with some fluctuations but increases slightly after 2 yr of age.
Semantic inhibition of ignored words during a figure classification task.

Two experiments investigated inhibitory processes in visual spatial attention. In particular, factors influencing the suppression of ignored visual stimuli were investigated. Subjects responded to geometric shapes while distractors were presented in the periphery. Distractors consisted of a single word, a pair of unrelated words, or a single word paired with a string of non-linguistic symbols. Semantic processing of the ignored words was measured with a subsequent lexical decision task. Test probes presented after the prime displays revealed suppression effects for words semantically related to a previously ignored word, but only for conditions in which two distractor words were presented. Suppression was not observed when the prime consisted of a single word or a single word paired with non-linguistic symbols. In Experiment 2 two different time delays between the onset of the primes and the onset of the test probes were used. At the shorter interval facilitatory priming was observed, while at longer inte...
Mechanisms of renal blood flow autoregulation: dynamics and contributions

Autoregulation of renal blood flow (RBF) is caused by the myogenic response (MR), tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF), and a third regulatory mechanism that is independent of TGF but slower than MR. Th...
Asymptotic behavior and the Cabibbo--Radicati sum rule

Abstract The Cabibbo-Radicati sum rule has previously been explicitly evaluated (in terms of resonance saturation) to an energy ≈1.7 GeV. An investigation of higher contributions indicates that the sum rule is reasonably well satisfied.
Examination of the Bi-Directional Velocity Probe Used in Flames

The bidirectional probe has been used in combustion environments to measure localized flame velocities. The device measures the pressure difference between a closed forward-facing cavity, and a closed rearward-facing cavity. Each device must be experimentally calibrated to determine the “amplification factor,” which is unity if the measured differential pressures match Bernoulli’s equation. It is hypothesized that the probe design disrupts the flow, creating turbulence and irreversibilities, resulting in measured pressure differences. This study uses computational fluid dynamics, particle image velocimetry, and flow visualization techniques to examine the flow field around the probe, as well as an experimental study exploring the impact of minor changes in probe design on differential pressure measurements for velocity calculations.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Continuous-wave operation of the KBr:CN − solid-state vibration laser in the 5-μm region

Continuous-wave lasing has been obtained on the 2 → 1 vibrational transition of impurity CN− ions in KBr. Population inversion is produced by optical pumping of the weakly allowed first-overtone level of the molecule with a tunable (F2+)A color-center laser.
Novel pathway for iron deficiency in pediatric non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Summary Background & aims Iron may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) as it catalyzes the production of potent reactive oxygen species. We aim to examine iron status in pediatric NASH. Methods Serum indices of NASH patients ( N = 36) were compared to those in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database ( N = 802). Iron related gene expression was examined in NASH livers and normal livers, using microarray and quantitative real-time PCR (10 NASH livers and 6 controls). Transferrin and catalase expression were also examined in hydrogen peroxide treated HepG2 cells. Results Serum iron concentration ( P P P P P r = 0.9338, P 2 O 2 treatment of HepG2 cells induced mRNA expression of transferrin and catalase. Conclusions Pediatric NASH patients exhibited decreased serum iron concentration and no detectable iron was observed in any NASH liver by Perls' Prussian blue staining. These changes are consistent with the facts that most NASH patients are obese and exhibit chronic inflammation. In line with a status of iron deficiency, gene expression studies suggested decreased expression of transferrin and transferrin receptor 2 in NASH livers. Induction of transferrin by H 2 O 2 , and consequently, decreased iron absorption, suggests a novel mechanism for iron deficiency in NASH patients.
A spectral calibration technique for x-ray CT

Spectral reconstruction algorithms for x-ray CT require an accurate spectral model of the system, including the spectrum of the photons emitted by the source and the spectral sensitivity of the detector. Although these components of the spectral model have been characterized in previous studies, there might be additional components that are unaccounted for, such as the inherent filtration of the x-ray source and the detector. In this study, we present a technique for measuring the inaccuracies in the spectral model and accounting for them. This technique entails the acquisition of photon measurements with several materials placed between the source and the detector, and the solution of a linear system of equations. We test the accuracy of this technique in simulations, and demonstrate its potential to improve the results of spectral reconstruction.
Structures of the Noncanonical RNA Ligase RtcB Reveal the Mechanism of Histidine Guanylylation.

RtcB is an atypical RNA ligase that joins either 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate or 3′-phosphate termini to 5′-hydroxyl termini. In contrast to typical RNA ligases, which rely on ATP and Mg(II), catalysis by RtcB is dependent on GTP and Mn(II) with ligation proceeding through a covalent RtcB–histidine–GMP intermediate. Here, we present three structures of Pyrococcus horikoshii RtcB complexes that capture snapshots along the entire guanylylation pathway. These structures show that prior to binding GTP, a single manganese ion (Mn1) is bound to RtcB. To capture the step immediately preceding RtcB guanylylation, we determined a structure of RtcB in complex with Mn(II) and the unreactive GTP analogue guanosine 5′-(α-thio)triphosphate (GTPαS). This structure shows that Mn1 is poised to stabilize the pentavalent transition state of guanylylation while a second manganese ion (Mn2) is coordinated to a nonbridging oxygen of the γ-phosphoryl group. The pyrophosphate leaving group of GTPαS is oriented apically to His404 with ...
Trigonometric series regression estimators with an application to partially linear models

Abstract Let μ be a function defined on an interval [ a , b ] of finite length. Suppose that y 1 , …, y n are uncorrelated observations satisfying E ( y j ) = μ ( t j ) and var( y j ) = σ 2 , j = 1, …, n , where the t j 's are fixed design points. Asymptotic (as n → ∞) approximations of the integrated mean squared error and the partial integrated mean squared error of trigonometric series type estimators of μ are obtained. Our integrated squared bias approximations closely parallel those of Hall in the setting of density estimation. Estimators that utilize only cosines are shown to be competitive with the so-called cut-and-normalized kernel estimators. Our results for the cosine series estimator are applied to the problem of estimating the linear part of a partially linear model. An efficient estimator of the regression coefficient in this model is derived without undersmoothing the estimate of the nonparametric component. This differs from the result of Rice whose nonparametric estimator was a partial spline.
Flux-flow fingerprint of disorder: Melting versus tearing of a flux-line lattice.

A steady-state inhomogeneous flow of a slowly moving flux-line lattice shows the fingerprint of the specific realization of dynamically generated disorder obtained through the interaction between the lattice and the quenched pinning centers. This is characteristic of ``tearing`` of a soft lattice and is pronounced in a narrow regime of the ({ital H},{ital T}) phase diagram where the system is neither a stiff lattice nor a fluid. A first-order depinning transition accompanying this nonequilibrium dynamical phenomenon is fundamentally different from an equilibrium ``melting`` of a flux-line lattice. A length scale is proposed to describe the dynamics.
Mechanism of the electrocopolymerization of styrene and N‐(3‐carboxyphenyl)maleimide onto graphite fibers in aqueous solution

Electrochemical copolymerization of styrene and N-(3-carboxyphenyl)maleimide was performed in an aqueous sulfuric acid solution using AS-4 graphite fibers as the working electrode. Cyclic voltammetric analysis results suggest radical initiation of polymerization via the reduction of the N-(3-carboxyphenyl)maleimide and sulfuric acid. Radical chain electrocopolymerization was strongly suggested by the inhibition of chain growth in the presence of hydroquinone and 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Compositional analysis of copolymers and reactivity ratios rs ∼ 0.014 and rm ∼ 0.041 for styrene and N-(3-carboxyphenyl)maleimide [N-(3-CMI)], respectively, confirmed a 1 : 1 alternating electrocopolymerization. Kinetic analysis shows a first- and 1/2-order dependence of the rate of chain growth on initial monomer concentration and initiator concentration, respectively. A model incorporating these data is presented. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
An investment analysis of peach and cherry growing in the Middle Black Sea region of Turkey

This study was conducted to determine, by investment analysis, the profitability and feasibility of fruit farms in the Middle Black Sea region of Turkey. The criteria of Net Present Value (NPV), Cost-Benefit Ratio (CBR), and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) were used for investment analysis. Three different discount rates (10%, 8%, and 5%) were used to get the NPV and CBR for peach and cherry. The NPVs for peach were found to be positive (573.0 $/da, 793.47 $/da, and 1248.6 $/da) [ 1 da (dekar) = 1,000 square meters of land]. The NPVs for cherry were also found to be positive (3467.6 $/da, 4323.4 $/da, and 6143.3 $/da). In addition, the CBRs for peach were greater than 1 (1.18, 1.21, and 1.27) and the CBRs for cherry were greater than 1 (1.81, 1.87, and 1.94). The IRR was 19.81% for peach and 45.31% for cherry. From the results of the study, it can be concluded that investment in fruit farming is economically feasible and that fruit farming-especially cherry-can he one of the most important income sources for farmers in the Middle Black Sea research region in Turkey.
Improving the quality of mental health care in Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract Objective An exploratory study of mental health treatment of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to identify hypotheses for future testing. Methods We mailed surveys to 8750 MS patients in four geographically distributed MS Centers; 3384 completed the survey. We used a modified version of the Experience of Care and Health Outcome Survey™ to assess mental health problems and experiences with mental health treatment and the Kessler 6 scale to identify serious mental illness. Results In the year before the survey, sixty percent of patients reported mental health problems. Less than one half of these individuals received mental health treatment, either from their MS care provider or a mental health professional in the MS Center or the community. Patients generally had good mental health treatment experiences, and felt helped by their treatment, but gave less positive reports about how long it took to be seen, receiving information about treatment options and managing their condition, and phone contact. Care experiences were more positive among those who received care from mental health professionals (compared to medical care providers) and among those receiving mental health treatment in the MS Center (compared to in the community). Conclusions The unmet need for mental health treatment for people with MS is high. Options for MS care providers to help meet this need include hiring mental health professionals to provide on-site treatment; providing mental health treatment themselves; and referring patients to mental health professionals in the community and collaborating in integrated care. This study provided preliminary data for two related hypotheses that warrant further testing: MS patients will receive better mental health care if their mental health treatment is co-located with their MS care and if it is provided by mental health professionals.
Validation of an offshore occupational accident frequency prediction model—A practical demonstration using case studies

A model has been developed to predict the frequency and associated costs of occupational accidents in the offshore oil and gas industry. Model inputs include: (i) direct factors, such as quality of personal protective equipment; (ii) corporate factors, such as training program effectiveness; and (iii) external factors, such as royalty regime. Three applications of the model are described, two for projects in eastern Canada and one for the Gulf of Mexico drilling sector. Expert opinion is used to provide the required model input associated with the regions' safety programs. Published accident data are used to calibrate the model and validate results. The model is shown to predict actual results well, especially considering the subjective nature of the activity. The model's versatility is demonstrated through its application to different types of accident statistics and regions, and its use in generating performance measures for operators. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2006
On the Controls of Leaf-Water Oxygen Isotope Ratios in the Atmospheric Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides

Previous theoretical work showed that leaf-water isotope ratio (δ18OL) of Crassulacean acid metabolism epiphytes was controlled by the δ18O of atmospheric water vapor (δ18Oa), and observed δ18OL could be explained by both a non-steady-state model and a “maximum enrichment” steady-state model (δ18OL-M), the latter requiring only δ18Oa and relative humidity (h) as inputs. δ18OL, therefore, should contain an extractable record of δ18Oa. Previous empirical work supported this hypothesis but raised many questions. How does changing δ18Oa and h affect δ18OL? Do hygroscopic trichomes affect observed δ18OL? Are observations of changes in water content required for the prediction of δ18OL? Does the leaf need to be at full isotopic steady state for observed δ18OL to equal δ18OL-M? These questions were examined with a climate-controlled experimental system capable of holding δ18Oa constant for several weeks. Water adsorbed to trichomes required a correction ranging from 0.5‰ to 1‰. δ18OL could be predicted using constant values of water content and even total conductance. Tissue rehydration caused a transitory change in δ18OL, but the consequent increase in total conductance led to a tighter coupling with δ18Oa. The non-steady-state leaf water models explained observed δ18OL (y = 0.93*x − 0.07; r2 = 0.98) over a wide range of δ18Oa and h. Predictions of δ18OL-M agreed with observations of δ18OL (y = 0.87*x − 0.99; r2 = 0.92), and when h > 0.9, the leaf did not need to be at isotopic steady state for the δ18OL-M model to predict δ18OL in the Crassulacean acid metabolism epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides.
Scanning book tables of contents: a preliminary report on costs and procedures

This is an initial report on a pilot project to assess the costs associated with scanning some monograph tables of contents (TOCs) and the value of the TOC enhancement to their subject accessibility in the online catalog. Funded in part with grant monies from the US Department of Education Title VI program, this project study was first presented in a poster session at the ALA’s 1999 annual meeting in New Orleans. Examines the reasons for the study, procedures used, simple and complex costs associated with the work, and problems encountered. Concludes that TOC scanning may be worthwhile for well‐defined and valuable monograph collections, but probably too costly for a whole library or any loosely defined collection
Factors Regulating Denitrification in a Riparian Wetland

Soil O 2 is an important regulator of microbial processes but is rarely measured. Consequently, our understanding of temporal and spatial variation in soil O 2 is limited. This, in turn, limits our understanding of a key regulator of N loss through microbial denitrification. In this study, we explored: (i) how soil O 2 varied seasonally in wet and dry riparian areas, (ii) how this variation in O 2 exposure translated into spatially heterogeneous areas of denitrification and denitrification potential, and (iii) how O 2 , NO 3 ― , and moisture interacted to affect denitrification rates. We collected continuous measurements of soil O 2 in "wet" and "dry" riparian soils and measured denitrification by removing the background N 2 headspace from intact soil cores, replacing it with a He―O 2 mixture, and measuring N 2 production with time. We found that soil O 2 varied considerably in the wet site, ranging from anoxic conditions when the water table was high in late spring to completely oxic conditions (20% O 2 ) during summer when the water table dropped. In contrast, the dry site remained at 20% nearly year round. Bulk soil O 2 strongly controlled denitrification rates in the wet site but not in the dry site, which only denitrified when NO 3 ― was added. Denitrification enzyme activity was approximately twice as high in the wet site compared with the dry site, both of which responded predictably to O 2 exposure. Experimental manipulation of O 2 , NO 3 ― , and C may help to identify real hot and cold spots for denitrification in landscapes.
Evidence for high molecular weight Na−Ca exchange in cardiac sarcolemmal vesicles

Cardiac sarcolemma (SL) vesicles were subjected to irradiation inactivation-target sizing analyses and gel permeation high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to ascertain the weight range of native Na−Ca exchange. Frozen SL vesicle preparations were irradiated by electron bombardment and assayed for Na−Ca exchange activity. When applied to classical target sizing theory, the results yielded a minimum molecular weight (Mr) of approximately 226,000±20,000sd (n=6). SL vesicle proteins were solubilized in 6% sodium cholate in the presence of exogenous phospholipid and fractionated by size on a TSK 30XL HPLC column. Eluted proteins were mixed 1∶1 with mobile phase buffer containing 50mg/ml soybean phospholipid and reconstituted by detergent dilution. The resulting proteoliposomes were assayed for Na−Ca exchange activity. Na−Ca exchange activity eluted in early fractions containing larger proteins as revealed by SDS-PAGE. Recovery of total protein and Na−Ca exchange activity were 91±7 and 68±11%, respectively. In the peak fraction, Na−Ca exchange specific activity increased two-to threefold compared to reconstituted controls. Compared to the elution profile of protein standards under identical column conditions, sodium cholate solubilized exchange activity had a minimumMr of 224,000 Da. Specific45Ca2+-binding SL proteins withMr of 234,000, 112,000, and 90,000 Da were detected by autoradiography of proteins transferred electrophoretically to nitrocellulose.
The use of Disc Electrophoresis to Detect the Adulteration of Beef By Other Animal Meats

Abstract Disc electrophoresic can be used to determine if uncookee beef and beef products have Seen adulterated with meat from horses, hogs, deer, and buffalo.
Lack of correlation between facility-based standardized rates of transplantation and mortality.

Abstract The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) has been used to provide information about adjusted survival outcomes at dialysis facilities. There has been concern that high rates of transplantation could unjustly lead to unfavorable SMR profiles for individual dialysis units because healthier patients would be removed from dialysis therapy, leaving less healthy patients in the dialysis pool. We correlated 1999 overall adjusted SMR and 1999 standardized transplantation ratio (STR) weighted for mortality patient count and count of first transplantations of patients younger than 65 years. A total of 2,362 facilities were included in analyses. We found no correlation between rates of transplantation (by STR) and overall mortality profile (by SMR) based on Pearson's correlation coefficients ( r ), either unweighted, weighted by number of patients included in the 1999 mortality calculation (SMR), or weighted by number of patients included in the 1999 transplantation calculation ( r = −0.016, r = −0.015, and r = −0.015, respectively; P > 0.40 for each). Sensitivity analyses using SMR and STR over 3- and 3.5-year periods (January 1997 to June 2000) also showed no correlation between SMR and STR, respectively. We conclude that reported standardized rates for transplantation do not correlate with those reported for mortality by dialysis facilities. © 2002 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.
Hilbert-Huang Based Approach for Structural Damage Detection

When measured data contain damage events of the structure, it is important to extract the information of damage as much as possible from the data. In this paper, two methods are proposed for such a purpose. The first method, based on the empirical mode decomposition (EMD), is intended to extract damage spikes due to a sudden change of structural stiffness from the measured data thereby detecting the damage time instants and damage locations. The second method, based on EMD and Hilbert transform is capable of (1) detecting the damage time instants, and (2) determining the natural frequencies and damping ratios of the structure before and after damage. The two proposed methods are applied to a benchmark problem established by the ASCE Task Group on Structural Health Monitoring. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed methods provide new and useful tools for the damage detection and evaluation of structures.
UPPER AND LOWER BOUNDS IN PROBLEMS OF MELTING OR SOLIDIFYING SLABS

Abstract : The problem studied is that of a slab, heated in an arbitrary manner on one face and insulated on the other, which melts (or solidifies), the material being allowed to remain stationary after change of phase. Variable material properties are taken into account. After preliminary general considerations, it is shown that the solution to the stated problem is unique. It is then proved that higher rates of melting and higher temperatures will result from certain combinations of the magnitude of the applied heat input and of a fictitious heat source traveling with the solid-liquid interface. From this result a method is developed for the construction of upper and lower bounds to the solution of the problem; an example is also presented. It is also shown that, under the same arbitrary heat input, the rate of melting in the present problem is always lower than that in the companion problem in which the material is instantaneously removed after change of phase.
Osteogenic Sarcoma Presenting with Lung Metastasis

A patient with osteogenic sarcoma presenting with lung metastases is discussed with attention to appropriate diagnosis, staging, and treatment. Multimodality treatment options using chemotherapy, orthopedic surgery and thoracic surgery are presented. Physical medicine and rehabilitation evaluation and treatment are included. Current research options are discussed.
Controversial and Volatile Flicks: Concurrent Dissension and Temporal Instability in Film Critic Assessments

Prior research has shown that the aesthetic assessments by film critics display a high level of concurrent consensus and temporal stability. However, neither the consensus nor the stability is so great as to preclude evaluative disagreements and reassessments (e.g., sleepers and faders). This investigation was designed to identify the predictors of these concurrent and temporal departures from critical congruence. The potential predictors were variables that emerged in previous research on the determinants of cinematic creativity: (a) financial data, such as production budget and box office performance; (b) movie awards and nominations in the major categories (viz. picture and the dramatic, visual, technical, and music clusters of honors); and (c) film attributes, such as the MPAA rating, running time, and screenplay characteristics like sequels, remakes, and adaptations (from plays, novels, nonfiction, etc.). Both simultaneous and stepwise regression analyses indicated that the cinematic exceptions to cr...
Integration of a largest set of coupled differential equations on the CYBER 205 vector processor

Abstract We utilize the Control Data CYBER 205 vector processor to solve s large setof coupled first-order ordinary differential equations arising in our theoretical studies of vibrational relaxation of molecules in solids. To describe the relaxation process, we employ a “hemiquantal” methodology that effectively mixes classical and quantum mechanics. The model used is that of a single diatomic molecule embedded in an otherwise pure one-dimensional lattice. The resulting hemiquantal equations (HQE) are integrated with a fully vectorized fourth-order Runge-Kutta routine. The details of the vectorization process are presented and representative results are included. The extension of the algorithm to allow simultaneous integration of sets of HQE is also discussed.
SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF A NEW SALINE FILLED TESTICULAR PROSTHESIS

ABSTRACTPurpose: Testicular prostheses have been used for 50 years to replace missing or removed testes. In 1995 the manufacture of the silicone gel filled testis prosthesis in the United States was discontinued because of concern about the safety profiles of other implants. We assessed the safety and effectiveness of a new, saline filled implant for testicular replacement.Materials and Methods: This open label, multicenter, prospective, case controlled clinical trial was done at 18 American tertiary referral centers. Adult and pediatric male patients missing 1 or 2 testes and without evidence of active malignancy or rheumatological disease were enrolled. All patients underwent formal rheumatological and urological evaluation prior to and after prosthesis placement. Main outcome measures were prosthesis safety assessed by adverse events and effectiveness assessed by changes in testis dimension. Secondary outcome measures were quality of life assessments with 3 validated instruments. All patients were foll...
The effects of interstitial tissue pressure on the measured shear modulus in vivo

It is well known that many pathologic processes, like cancer, result in increased tissue stiffness but the biologic mechanisms which cause pathologies to be stiffer than normal tissues are largely unknown. Increased collagen density has been presumed to be largely responsible because it has been shown to cause variations in normal tissue stiffness. However, other effects such as increased tissue pressure are also thought to be significant. We examined the effects of tissue pressure on shear modulus measured using MR elastography (MRE) by comparing the shear modulus in the pre-mortem, edematous and post-mortem porcine brain and found that the measured shear modulus increases with tissue pressure as expected. The slope of a linear fit to this preliminary data varied from 0.3 kPa/mmHg to 0.1 kPa/mmHg. These results represent the first in vivo demonstration of tissue pressure affecting intrinsic mechanical properties and have several implications. First, if the linear relationship described is correct, tissue pressure could contribute significantly (~20%) to the increase in stiffness observed in cancer. Second, tissue pressure effects must be considered when in vitro mechanical properties are extrapolated to in vivo settings. Moreover, MRE might provide a means to characterize pathologic conditions associated with increased or decreased tissue pressure, such as edema and ischemia, in a diverse set of diseases including cancer, diabetes, stroke, and transplant rejection.
Practice-Based Professional Development for Self-Regulated Strategies Development in Writing A Randomized Controlled Study

In this randomized controlled study, 20 second- and third-grade teachers participated in practice-based professional development in strategies instruction in either story or opinion essay writing, using the Self-Regulated Strategies Development (SRSD) instructional model. These teachers worked in schools collaborating with a local university to implement an evidence-based, three-tiered model of prevention and supports targeting academic, behavioral, and social goals. The authors examined the effects of intensive practice-based professional development and follow-up support on the writing of second- and third-grade students in terms of quality, length, and inclusion of basic genre elements; integrity of SRSD instruction; and teacher and student judgments of the social validity of SRSD. Whole-class (Tier 1), teacher-implemented SRSD instruction resulted in significant and meaningful changes in student writing outcomes for story and opinion essay writing. Teachers implemented SRSD with fidelity, and SRSD was...
NBTS 16Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on brain and behavior

Alcohol is a potent teratogen, impacting the developing fetus and leading to both physical and behavioural de cits. Prenatal exposure to alcohol can adversely impact fetal development, resulting in growth retardation, physical anomalies, facial dysmorphology, and central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction, including brain damage and cognitive impairment. Of these potential consequences, alterations to the developing brain and resulting neurobehavioural impairments are the most devastating. Since the earliest reports on fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in the 1970s (Jones and Smith 1973; Jones et al. 1973), research has consistently documented damage to brain structure and function among individuals with FAS. Early autopsy reports of infants with FAS revealed widespread and severe brain damage (Clarren 1986; Coulter et al. 1993; Jones and Smith 1973, 1975). Nevertheless, the abnormalities reported in autopsy cases tend to be of greater severity and may not be representative of most individuals exposed to alcohol in utero. Prenatal alcohol exposure is now understood to produce a continuum of e ects and result in a spectrum of disorders referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Individuals along this spectrum display varying degrees of anomalies, including neurological alterations and neurobehavioural de cits. Through the use of sophisticated brain imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and di usion tensor imaging (DTI), researchers have gained tremendous insight into CNS abnormalities in FASDs. These techniques have enabled researchers to analyse the size and volume of the overall brain and speci c brain regions, examine the integrity of white matter tracts, detect changes in metabolite levels and biochemical brain processes, and investigate relationships between brain function and behaviour. This chapter summarizes some of the most salient neuroimaging and neuropsychological research ndings related to FASDs and discusses the neurobehavioural correlates of structural as well as functional brain abnormalities in individuals with FASDs.
Ten New and Updated Multiplanet Systems and a Survey of Exoplanetary Systems

We present the latest velocities for ten multiplanet systems, including a re-analysis of archival Keck and Lick data, resulting in improved velocities that supersede our previously published measurements. We derive updated orbital fits for 10 Lick and Keck systems, including two systems (HD 11964, HD 183263) for which we provide confirmation of second planets only tentatively identified elsewhere, and two others (HD 187123 and HD 217107) for which we provide a major revision of the outer planet's orbit. We compile orbital elements from the literature to generate a catalog of the 28 published multiple-planet systems around stars within 200 pc. From this catalog we find several intriguing patterns emerging: (1) including those systems with long-term radial velocity trends, at least 28% of known planetary systems appear to contain multiple planets; (2) planets in multiple-planet systems have somewhat smaller eccentricities than single planets; and (3) the distribution of orbital distances of planets in multiplanet systems and single planets are inconsistent: single-planet systems show a pileup at P ~ 3 days and a jump near 1 AU, while multiplanet systems show a more uniform distribution in log-period. In addition, among all planetary systems we find the following. (1) There may be an emerging, positive correlation between stellar mass and giant-planet semimajor axis. (2) Exoplanets with M sin i > 1 M_(Jup) more massive than Jupiter have eccentricities broadly distributed across 0 < e < 0.5, while lower mass exoplanets exhibit a distribution peaked near e = 0.
Separation of two factors, M1 and M2, required for poly U dependent polypeptide synthesis by rabbit reticulocyte ribosomes at low magnesium ion concentration.

Abstract Two factors have been isolated from a 0.5 M KCl ribosomal wash fraction of rabbit reticulocytes which are required for poly U directed polypeptide synthesis at 5mM Mg ++ . These factors, M 1 and M 2 , are required in addition to saturating levels of the reticulocyte soluble enzyme transfer factors present in crude ribosomal 105,000 x g supernatant. A rapid assay for this low Mg ++ polypeptide synthesis, using 14 C-phe-tRNA, has been developed.
Effects of sleep deprivation on auditory and visual memory tasks

Probe recognition tasks have shown the effects of sleep deprivation following a full night of sleep loss. The current study investigated shorter durations of deprivation by testing 11 subjects for accuracy and response time every 2 hr. from 10 p.m. through 8 a.m. We replicated Elkin and Murray's auditory single-probe recognition task using the number triplets and added two visual tasks with number and shape triplets. Series of six stimuli were each followed by a probe, which was presented after 2.5 sec. as a short delay or 20 sec. as a long delay. Accuracy performance showed a significant decrease for the long delay beginning after 4 a.m. for the two visual tasks. Response times were significantly slower for the visual shapes task using the short delay. Visual tasks, especially shapes, may be more prone to disruption by sleep deprivation, given the visual information load and the briefness of iconic memory.
Comparative studies on different bacterial luciferase preparations

Abstract Various bacterial luciferase preparations have been compared for their ability to oxidize DPNH in the presence of quinones and ferricyanide and for their ability to oxidize DPNH in the presence of FMN, longchain aldehydes, and O 2 for light production. From such studies it was concluded that luciferase is not a DPNH oxidase and that the only apparent function of the enzyme is that of light production. Purification of five different types of luciferase preparations by starch-column electrophoresis resulted in an enzyme which would give light in the presence of DPNH, FMN, long-chain aldehydes, and O 2 only when DPNH oxidase obtained from E. coli was added. Some luciferase preparations from A. fischeri showed an absolute requirement for albumin before light was emitted in the presence of FMNH 2 and aldehyde, whereas others gave light in the absence of albumin. Cysteine, glutathione, Versene, and BAL were quite effective in replacing albumin. Apparently, the nature of the activation of purified luciferase by these compounds lies, for the most part, in the removal of heavy metals, which are known to inhibit bacterial luminescence. The luminescence by purified luciferase preparations in the presence of FMNH 2 and aldehyde was strongly inhibited by p -chloromercuribenzoate, a well-known sulfhydryl inhibitor. This was interpreted to mean that luciferase is a sulfhydryl enzyme. Inhibitors of luminescence such as cytochrome c, methemoglobin, ferricyanide, and menadione were found to be reduced by FMNH 2 non-enzymically and in a quantitative manner and are believed to inhibit luminescence by competing for the hydrogen of FMNH 2 . The rate of FMNH 2 oxidation by these inhibitors was found to be faster than the autoxidation rate of FMNH 2 in air. Ferric and ferrous iron will inhibit luminescence but not nearly so well as the corresponding 8-hydroxyquinoline chelates. The evidence indicates that ferrous iron and its chelate inhibit by combining with luciferase, possibly through the sulfhydryl groups present. Hemin has been found to combine very effectively with luciferase and is one of the most potent inhibitors of bacterial luminescence known. It is not known whether the hemeprotein formed from hemin and luciferase has an enzymic property.
Observations on the water and electrolyte composition of the iguanid lizard Dipsosaurus dorsalis (Baird & Girard), with special reference to the control by the pituitary gland and the adrenal cortex

Abstract The distribution of water and electrolytes in the extracellular and intracellular composition of the reptile Dipsosaurus dorsalis (Baird & Girard) was examined. Hypophysectomy (12 days) caused adrenocortical atrophy, rise in plasma water and Na + concentration, told muscle water, and intracellular Na + concentration and decline in intracellular K + concentration. Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ levels in plasma and muscles were unaffected. ACTH injected into hypophysectomized lizards prevented adrenocortical changes but had little effect on electrolyte composition. Given singly, corticosterone prevented rise in plasma water and caused by a drop in muscle water content. However, when corticosterone and prolactin were administered together, plasma and muscle composition was rendered normal. Injection of aldosterone in addition to the last two hormones caused Na + retention and K + and Mg 2+ loss.
Methods in informatics: using data derived from a systematic review of health care texts to develop a concept map for use in the neonatal intensive care setting

A qualitative systematic review of textbooks and clinical guidelines identified assessment criteria for initiation of nipple feeds in premature infants cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting. Using a structured method for text source selection and data extraction, 43 health care texts were systematically reviewed yielding 153 separate statements related to assessing premature infants' feeding readiness. Following this procedure, a pile sort method was conducted wherein an expert neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) grouped the statements according to similarity in meaning. Ten piles of terms emerged from this process. Each pile was "named," depicting discrete components used when assessing premature infants' readiness for nipple feeding. Using these public data and the private knowledge of the NNP informant, a concept map was constructed to illustrate a framework for decision support development and to examine the map's usefulness for structuring knowledge that will provide input to an intelligent decision support system.
Evaluating sleep and cognition in HIV.

Objective To examine the relationship between measures of sleep quality and cognitive performance in HIV-positive individuals stable on combination antiretroviral therapy. Design Multimethod assessments of sleep quality, patterns, and cognitive performance were assessed in a predominantly black HIV-positive cohort. Methods Sleep quality and patterns were characterized in 36 subjects by polysomnogram, 2-week actigraphy monitoring, and validated sleep questionnaires. Cognitive performance was assessed with a battery of neuropsychological tests. Results The majority of participants were cognitively impaired [based on Frascati (75%) criteria]. Self-reported mean scores on the Pittsburgh sleep quality index and the insomnia severity scale suggested poor sleep quality. Better cognitive performance, particularly on tasks of attention, frontal/executive function, and psychomotor/motor speed, was associated with polysomnogram sleep indices (ie, reduced wake after sleep onset, greater sleep efficiency, greater sleep latency, and greater total sleep time). Thirty-seven percent of participants had sleep patterns suggestive of chronic partial sleep deprivation, which was associated with significantly worse performance on the digit symbol test (P = 0.006), nondominant pegboard (P = 0.043), and verbal fluency tests (P = 0.044). Conclusions Our results suggest that compromised sleep quality and duration may have a significant impact on cognitive performance in HIV-positive individuals. Future studies are warranted to determine the utility of sleep quality and quantity indices as potential predictive biomarkers for development and progression of future HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder.
Reconsidering happiness: a eudaimonist's perspective

Kashdan, Biswas-Diener, and King (2008) provide a wide-ranging critique of eudaimonic theory and research. In this paper, I question whether the timing of their analysis is appropriate given that work on eudaimonic constructs has begun only recently. In an effort to increase the clarity regarding points at issue, both conceptual and operational definitions of hedonia and eudaimonia as two conceptions of happiness are analyzed along with definitions of four conceptions of well-being (subjective, hedonic, psychological, and eudaimonic), and both hedonism and eudaimonism as ethical philosophies. Responses are provided to numerous points in the Kashdan et al. (2008) critique including their claims that work from a eudaimonic perspective (1) does not fully capture the philosophical roots of eudaimonia, (2) is overly abstract, (3) lacks clarity at the point of operationalization and measurement, (4) is overly complex thus preventing meaningful scientific inquiry, (5) provides evidence only for quantitative, not...
THE EFFECT OF LIGHT ON THE PERMEABILITY OF PARAMECIUM

1. The permeability of Paramecium to NH(4)OH is greater when the cells are exposed to light than it is when they are in darkness. 2. This change can be demonstrated in cells exposed to monochromatic red light, though it is small. It becomes greater as the wave lengths shorten, and is greatest in the near ultra-violet. 3. The permeability increases as the duration of exposure to light is prolonged. 4. These experiments demonstrate the necessity of controlling the illumination when using Paramecium in physiological tests.
Novel Archaea and Bacteria in a hydrologically isolated deep subsurface environment

Total community DNA and RNA were extracted from a deep (188 m), saturated, mesophilic (17 degree(s)C), low biomass (104 cells g-1) subsurface paleosol. 16S rDNA was amplified by PCR using universal eubacterial or archaeal primers and cloned. Cloned 16S rDNA fragments were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. A novel clade of Crenarchaea were discovered which are most closely related to a single clone recovered from an Fe-S hot spring (80 degree(s)C). Novel Bacterial sequences were also found which branch deeply in the universal phylogenetic tree in association with Chloroflexus, Deinococcus, and Thermus. Total RNA analysis suggested that the novel Crenarchaea were active in this environment. Geological and hydrologic properties of the sediment indicate that microbial and nutrient transport between individual strata are restricted, and are consistent with chemolithoautotrophic metabolisms of cultured Crenarchaea involving the H2/SO4 electron donor/acceptor couple. The physical properties of the surrounding lithologies suggest that these novel microorganisms are descendants of the microbial communities originally deposited with the sediment ca. 6 - 8 Mya. Identification of these novel, active microorganisms in an oligotrophic, hydrologically isolated subsurface system provides an opportunity and species-specific nucleic acid sequences and probes necessary to study long-term microbial survival in terrestrial subsurface environments.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
THE HISTOLOGIGAL LESIONS OF ACUTE GLANDERS IN MAN AND OF EXPERIMENTAL GLANDERS IN THE GUINEA-PIG

The glanders nodule in the class of cases studied by us is in no sense analogous to the miliary tubercle in its histogenesis, and our studies afford no support to Baumgarten's views. The primary effect of the bacillus of glanders on a tissue we found to be not a production of epithelioid cells, which undergo necrosis and invasion by leucocytes, as happens in the cases in which the bacillus of tuberculosis is concerned, but to be the production of primary necrosis of the tissue, followed by inflammatory exudation, often of a suppurative character. Degenerative changes rapidly ensue in the inflammatory products. These conclusions are in harmony with the observations of Tedeschi, above referred to.