cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sequential therapy using high‐dose esomeprazole‐amoxicillin followed by gatifloxacin for Helicobacter pylori infection

Summary Background The success rate of current anti-Helicobacter pylori triple therapies in now generally 80% or less. Sequential therapy has proved superior. Aim To test a new sequential therapy for H. pylori eradication. Methods This was a pilot study of a sequential therapy consisting of 40 mg of esomeprazole and 1 g amoxicillin t.d.s., for 12 days. On days 6 through 12 gatifloxacin (400 mg in the morning) was added. Outcome was accessed 4 or more weeks after ending antibiotic therapy. Both naive and treatment failures were eligible. Results Thirty patients were entered in the study. One was lost to follow-up and one stopped early because of side effects. The success rate intention-to-treat was 80% (95% CI: 61–92%). The per-protocol eradication rate was 85.7% (95% CI: 67–95%); two of the four failures had pre-treatment gatifloxacin-resistant H. pylori. Side effects were reported by 13 patients (46%) and were generally mild with diarrhoea being most common (n = 6). Only one patient stopped medicine because of side effects of dizziness (severe) and diarrhoea (mild). Conclusions Sequential therapy using the combination of a high dose of proton-pump inhibitor and amoxicillin followed gatifloxacin was effective, but pre-treatment susceptibility testing may become necessary as fluoroquinolone resistance increases.
Flexure pivot mirror support

Abstract Part of a two-mirror and separated crystal monochromator UHV beamline for the 0.5 to 5 keV region being constructed at the NSLS at Brookhaven is a toroidally bent cylindrical mirror. The design of the support architecture for this mirror is presented here. It is desirable that all degrees of freedom are independently adjustable with a minimum of cross-coupling between adjustments. The cylindrical mirror is bent to the toroidal shape by a four-bar bender. The mirror adjustments have three translational, three rotational and one bending degrees of freedom. To provide for rotation about the cylinder axis (beam direction) flexure pivot bearings were designed to support the ends of the mirror. This not only eliminates any twist in the mirror that may result from nonparallelism of the end supports, but also allows for limited rotation about the beamline axis. Flexure pivots are also used for even distribution of the bending force. The mirror supports are connected to a rigid “rail” external to the UHV system. The majority of the corrections are accomplished by adjustments of this rail. Other aspects of the beamline design are also presented.
Learning curve of the Inoue technique of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty.

Abstract There is controversy as to whether the double-balloon or the Inoue technique of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) provides superior immediate and long-term results. This study was undertaken to analyze the effect of the learning curve of the Inoue technique of PMBV in the immediate and long-term outcome of PMBV. The learning curve of Inoue PMBV was analyzed in 233 Inoue PMBVs divided into 2 groups: “early experience” (n = 100) and “late experience” (n = 133). The results of the overall Inoue technique were compared with those of 659 PMBVs performed with the double-balloon technique. Baseline clinical and morphologic characteristics between early and late experience Inoue groups were similar. Post-PMBV mitral valve area (1.89 ± 0.56 vs 1.69 ± 0.57 cm2; p = 0.008) and success rate (60% vs 75.9%; p = 0.009) were significantly higher in the late experience Inoue group. Furthermore, there was a trend for less incidence of severe post-PMBV mitral regurgitation ≥3+ in the late experience group (6.8% vs 12%; p = 0.16). Although the post-PMBV mitral valve area was larger with the double-balloon technique (1.94 ± 0.72 vs 1.81 ± 0.58 cm2; p = 0.01), the success rate (71.3% vs 69.1%; p = NS), incidence of ≥3+ mitral regurgitation (9% vs 9%), in-hospital complications, and long-term and event-free survival were similar with both techniques. In conclusion, there is a significant learning curve of the Inoue technique of PMBV. Both the Inoue and the double-balloon techniques are equally effective techniques of PMBV because they resulted in similar immediate success, in-hospital adverse events, and long-term and event-free survival.
Activation of human alpha 1-antitrypsin gene in rat hepatoma x human fetal liver cell hybrids depends on presence of human chromosome 14.

In order to study the involvement of human chromosomes in the expression of liver-specific functions, we have produced somatic cell hybrids between a rat hepatoma (7777) cell line and human diploid skin fibroblasts (series XIX) or human fetal liver cells (series XXII). Production of human serum proteins was detected by immunoelectrophoretic analyses of concentrated serum-free hybrid culture supernatants. Human α1-antitrypsin (AAT) was secreted by a subset of hybrids but not by the parental cells. The activated human AAT phenotype segregated concordantly with human chromosome 14 in 18 primarily HAT-selected and five azaguanine back-selected series XXII hybrids. All other chromosomes were excluded as playing a role in AAT expression. Therefore, the AAT gene PI is assigned to chromosome 14. This quasi-constitutive expression of a liver-specific function was not observed for the other serum proteins studied, nor was it seen in the skin fibroblast-derived hybrids (series XIX) although AAT was produced by some of them.
Ectopic ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas within the sphenoid sinus

Ectopic pituitary adenomas are defined by the presence of adenomatous pituitary tissue outside the sella and distinctly separate from the pituitary gland. Ectopic ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas (EAPAs) are a rare cause of Cushing's syndrome. Detecting these radiologi- cally can prove difficult, in part, due to their typically small size and unpredictable anatomical location. In ACTH- dependent Cushing's syndrome, if, despite comprehensive testing, the source of excess ACTH remains occult (including negative work up for ectopic ACTH syndrome) thought should be given to the possibility of the patient harboring an EAPA. In most cases, ectopic ACTH pituitary adenomas within the sphenoid sinus will manifest with symptoms of hormonal excess, have an obvious sphenoid sinus mass on pre-operative imaging and will demonstrate resolution of hypercortisolism after surgical excision if located and removed. Twenty cases of EAPAs have been reported in the literature to date. This paper will review the current literature on all previously reported EAPAs within the sphenoid sinus in addition to the current case.
Replication and host modification of DNA transferred during bacterial mating

An experiment is presented which shows that during the course of bacterial mating between an Escherichia coli F-prime (λ) male and an E. coli (λ) female, the transferred λ prophages all replicate. This strongly suggests that all the transferred F-prime factors carrying the λ prophage replicate during the mating. A separate experiment, employing host-induced modification, shows that at least 20% of the strands injected into the female are synthesized in the male just prior to injection. It is argued that all the injected DNA replicates in the male just prior to injection, and that most of the newly made strands are not endowed with the host-induced modification properties normally associated with DNA synthesized in the male.
The Facts of Lending Discrimination Cannot Be Argued Away by Examining Default Rates

Abstract This article argues that interracial differentials in mortgage default rates are an unreliable indicator of racial discrimination in mortgage markets. First, minority applicants may be approved at nondiscriminatory institutions and thereby end up in the pool of mortgagors, even though they were first discriminated against at other institutions. Second, even with no mortgage discrimination, the expected default risk of minority mortgagors overall is probably higher than that of white mortgagors overall. Thus, even if discrimination eliminated some of the riskier minority applicants, it is not necessarily true that the default rate of minority mortgagors will be lower than that of whites.
Opto-electrochemical based dual detection of heavy metal compounds using a novel flow cell

An efficient sensing system that detects heavy metal compounds, by employing opto-electrochemical based dual detection technique, has been successfully developed. A novel microfluidic flow cell consisting of an inlet and outlet port with a reservoir volume of 25 μl was designed and fabricated using acrylic material. An electrochemical sensor with gold (Au) interdigitated electrodes (IDE) on a glass substrate was used for the electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of various heavy metal compounds. EIS performed on cadmium sulfide (CdS) and mercury sulfide (HgS) yielded picomolar (pM) concentration detection levels. Selective detection of heavy metal compounds was made possible based on optical signals produced in the Raman emission spectra. The response of this dual detection sensing system is analyzed and presented in this paper.
Cancer mortality among women employed in fast‐growing U.S. occupations

Our study examined cancer mortality before the age of 65 for women employed in the fastest growing and/or traditionally female occupations. Analysis of mortality data from 28 U.S. states for 1984-1995 revealed elevated proportionate cancer mortality ratios (PCMRs). The highest PCMRs observed were thyroid cancer among health aides, lymphatic and multiple myeloma among computer programmers, and brain cancer among actresses and directresses. Some of the excess mortality occurred for occupations that have been previously cited. These included elevated breast and ovarian cancer among teachers, Hodgkin's disease among hairdressers and cosmetologists, and thyroid cancer among health aides and therapists. A few of the associations were new, i.e., had not been previously observed. These included cancer of the connective tissue and lymphatic system among computer programmers, ovarian cancer and leukemia among secretaries, and lymphatic cancer and multiple myeloma among child care workers. These findings should be further investigated with epidemiologic and environmental studies.
Chromatographic Separation of Some Milk Lipids

Summary Fats extracted from milk and from dried buttermilk by mixtures of ethyl ether and pentane were chromatographed on silicic acid columns. Butanol was used to split the lipoprotein complexes in the buttermilk. Each fat in pentane was applied to the column and eluted with successive portions of 1, 10, 25, and 50% ethyl ether in pentane, with methanol, with acetone, and with water. Cholesterol and phospholipids were separated, but most of the tocopherols and carotenoids remained with the triglycerides. Unsaponifiable matter prepared from churned fat was applied in hexane to alumina and celite (2:1) and to magnesia and celite (1:1) columns. The material on the alumina-celite column was eluted successively with hexane, benzene, ethyl ether, and methanol. A fraction characterized as 70% cholesterol by chemical analysis and infrared spectrophotometry was recovered from the benzene eluate. The magnesia-celite column yielded 95% cholesterol in the benzene eluate. Carotenoids were separated by developing the column with hexane to obtain five clearly defined zones. These were rechromatographed to obtain homogeneity. Characteristic absorption curves and partition tests established the presence of beta-carotene, neo-beta-carotene, lutein (xanthophyll), and zeaxanthin in the eluted fractions.
Anatomic closure of the premature patent ductus arteriosus: The role of CD14 +/CD163 + mononuclear cells and vegf in neointimal mound formation

Permanent closure of the newborn ductus arteriosus requires the development of neointimal mounds to completely occlude its lumen. VEGF is required for neointimal mound formation. The size of the neointimal mounds (composed of proliferating endothelial and migrating smooth muscle cells) is directly related to the number of VLA4 mononuclear cells that adhere to the ductus lumen after birth. We hypothesized that VEGF plays a crucial role in attracting CD14/CD163 mononuclear cells (expressing VLA4) to the ductus lumen and that CD14/CD163 cell adhesion to the ductus lumen is important for neointimal growth. We used neutralizing antibodies against VEGF and VLA-4 to determine their respective roles in remodeling the ductus of premature newborn baboons. Anti-VEGF treatment blocked CD14/CD163 cell adhesion to the ductus lumen and prevented neointimal growth. Anti-VLA-4 treatment blocked CD14/CD163 cell adhesion to the ductus lumen, decreased the expression of PDGF-B (which promotes smooth muscle migration), and blocked smooth muscle influx into the neointimal subendothelial space (despite the presence of increased VEGF in the ductus wall). We conclude that VEGF is necessary for CD14/CD163 cell adhesion to the ductus lumen and that CD14/CD163 cell adhesion is essential for VEGF-induced expansion of the neointimal subendothelial zone.
Heterologous expression of Alteromonas macleodii and Thiocapsa roseopersicina [NiFe] hydrogenases in Escherichia coli

HynSL from Alteromonas macleodii ‘deep ecotype’ (AltDE) is an oxygen-tolerant and thermostable [NiFe] hydrogenase. Its two structural genes (hynSL), encoding small and large hydrogenase subunits, are surrounded by eight genes (hynD, hupH and hypCABDFE) predicted to encode accessory proteins involved in maturation of the hydrogenase. A 13 kb fragment containing the ten structural and accessory genes along with three additional adjacent genes (orf2, cyt and orf1) was cloned into an IPTG-inducible expression vector and transferred into an Escherichia coli mutant strain lacking its native hydrogenases. Upon induction, HynSL from AltDE was expressed in E. coli and was active, as determined by an in vitro hydrogen evolution assay. Subsequent genetic analysis revealed that orf2, cyt, orf1 and hupH are not essential for assembling an active hydrogenase. However, hupH and orf2 can enhance the activity of the heterologously expressed hydrogenase. We used this genetic system to compare maturation mechanisms between AltDE HynSL and its Thiocapsa roseopersicina homologue. When the structural genes for the T. roseopersicina hydrogenase, hynSL, were expressed along with known T. roseopersicina accessory genes (hynD, hupK, hypC1C2 and hypDEF), no active hydrogenase was produced. Further, co-expression of AltDE accessory genes hypA and hypB with the entire set of the T. roseopersicina genes did not produce an active hydrogenase. However, co-expression of all AltDE accessory genes with the T. roseopersicina structural genes generated an active T. roseopersicina hydrogenase. This result demonstrates that the accessory genes from AltDE can complement their counterparts from T. roseopersicina and that the two hydrogenases share similar maturation mechanisms.
An efficient algorithm for complete Euclidean distance transform on mesh-connected SIMD

The Euclidean distance transform (EDT) converts a binary image into one where each pixel has a value equal to its Euclidean distance to the nearest foreground pixel. It has important uses in image analysis, computer vision, and robotics where high speed computation is essential. In this paper, a sequential algorithm which does not require global operations is first presented. We then apply a sequence of algorithm transformations to convert it into a parallel algorithm for mesh-connected SIMD computers. For an n × n image on an equal-sized processor array, the time complexity is O(n). An algorithm for computing large EDT problems on smaller processor arrays is also given. For an n × n image on a g × g processor array, the time complexity is O((n2g) log(ng)).
Ultrastructural Localization of Lysosomes in Coho Salmon and Steelhead Trout Muscle

Muscle tissue of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri) were examined by light and electron microscopy to localize the lysosomes within the muscle tissue. Three distinct populations of lysosomes were identified on the basis of their location within the tissue: (1) in connective tissue cells associated with the connective tissue compartment, (2) within but at the periphery of the muscle cells, and (3) within the muscle cells distributed among the myofibrils.
Hybrid nanofibrous scaffolds from electrospinning of a synthetic biodegradable elastomer and urinary bladder matrix

Synthetic materials can be electrospun into submicron or nanofibrous scaffolds to mimic extracellular matrix (ECM) scale and architecture with reproducible composition and adaptable mechanical properties. However, these materials lack the bioactivity present in natural ECM. ECM-derived scaffolds contain bioactive molecules that exert in vivo mimicking effects as applied for soft tissue engineering, yet do not possess the same flexibility in mechanical property control as some synthetics. The objective of the present study was to combine the controllable properties of a synthetic, biodegradable elastomer with the inherent bioactivity of an ECM derived scaffold. A hybrid electrospun scaffold composed of a biodegradable poly(ester-urethane)urea (PEUU) and a porcine ECM scaffold (urinary bladder matrix, UBM) was fabricated and characterized for its bioactive and physical properties both in vitro and in vivo. Increasing amounts of PEUU led to linear increases in both tensile strength and breaking strain while UBM incorporation led to increased in vitro smooth muscle cell adhesion and proliferation and in vitro mass loss. Subcutaneous implantation of the hybrid scaffolds resulted in increased scaffold degradation and a large cellular infiltrate when compared with electrospun PEUU alone. Electrospun UBM/PEUU combined the attractive bioactivity and mechanical features of its individual components to result in scaffolds with considerable potential for soft tissue engineering applications.
Serum immunoglobulin and IgG subclass levels in children and adolescents with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

This article reports the measure of the serum IgG, IgM, IgA and IgG subclass levels in 48 randomly selected patients with Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
Comprehensive assessment of assertion training in controlled single-case studies.

St~mm~y.-This study illustrates how assertion training effects can be assessed cornprebensively within a sifigle-case design. An underassertive female undergraduite client received 5 weekly training sessions. Measures consisted of a personality inventory, a self-rating scale, and video tapes of role playing All were brief and unobtrusive. Simple prerequisires for assertiveness improved first, followed by improvements in increasingly more complex areas of funaioning. It is both feasible and profitable to use comprehensive assessment procedures in single-case smdies. Strupp and Hadley (1977) recommend that mental health evaluations be based on the following three perspectives: the client's self-evaluation of affect or well-being, the therapist's structural evaluation of the client's personality, and society's evaluation of the client's behavior. Each perspective should be evaluated with standardized, generally accepted assessments because frequently clients appear to be healthy with respect to one or two, but not all three perspectives. However, the assessment of all three perspectives may take too much time, especially in the context of a controlled case study, which requires numerous baseline, treatment, and follow-up assessments. The present study illustrates a feasible application of Strupp and Hadley's (1977) model to single case studies of assertion training. Treatment techniques (Cotler & Guerra, 1976) and research issues (Rich & Schroeder, 1976) in assertion training are reviewed elsewhere.
Axonal guidance in the neuroepithelium of the tail of the trout Salmo gairdneri

Axonal growth has been studied in the ependyma of the developing trout tail. Results of the ultrastructural investigation show that intercellular spaces or channels develop in advance of the growth of the pioneering neurites. This developmental process is reminiscent of the axonal patterning described in the growing ependyma of the newt. It gives some additional support to the “blueprint hypothesis” as presented by some of us (Singer et al., '79), which assign to the glial cells “the pattern of the primary neuronal pathways”.
Serum vitamin D levels and incident changes of radiographic hip osteoarthritis: A longitudinal study

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of serum levels of 25-vitamin D and 1,25-vitamin D to incident changes of radiographic hip osteoarthritis (OA) among elderly white women. Methods Baseline and followup hip radiographs of 237 subjects were obtained an average of 8 years apart. Hips were scored for individual radiographic features (IRF) and assigned a summary grade based on the number and type of IRF present. Serum 25- and 1,25-vitamin D levels from baseline samples were analyzed by radioimmunoassay. Logistic and linear regression were used to examine the association of 25- and 1,25-vitamin D levels with radiographic changes, adjusting for age, health status, physical activity, weight, vitamin D supplement use, and calcaneal bone mineral density. Results The risk of incident hip OA defined as the development of definite joint space narrowing was increased for subjects who were in the middle (odds ratio [OR] 3.21, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.06, 9.68) and lowest (OR 3.34, 95% CI 1.13, 9.86) tertiles for 25-vitamin D compared with subjects in the highest tertile. Vitamin D levels were not associated with incident hip OA defined as the development of definite osteophytes or new disease according to the summary grade. No association between serum 1,25-vitamin D and changes in radiographic hip OA was found. Conclusion Low serum levels of 25-vitamin D may be associated with incident changes of radiographic hip OA characterized by joint space narrowing.
Simple bond length dependence: A correspondence between reactive fluid theories

Two elementary models of reactive fluids are examined, the first being a standard construction assuming molecular dissociation at infinite separation; the second is an open mixture of nondissociative molecules and free atoms in which the densities of free atoms and molecules are coupled. An approximation to the density of molecules, to low order in site density, is derived in terms of the classical associating fluid theory variously described by Wertheim [J. Chem. Phys. 87, 7323 (1987)] and Stell [Physica A 231, 1 (1996)]. The results are derived for a fluid of dimerizing hard spheres, and predict dependence of the molecular density on the total site density, the hard sphere diameter, and the bond length of the dimer. The results for the two reactive models are shown to be qualitatively similar, and lead to equivalent predictions of the molecular density for the infinitely short and infinitely long bond lengths.
Analysis of Auger electron spectroscopy depth profiles of the copper/silver interface of mirrors

Abstract Chemical depth profiling of commercial second surface silver/copper mirrors of the type proposed for solar energy applications has been performed using Auger electron spectroscopy. Instead of the sharp interface between the metal layers that might have been expected, there was a very broad asymmetrical transition region. Several possible explanations for this broad interface region are considered. A mathematical model was developed for one of the theories, and data generated using the theoretical model is compared with the experimental data.
Peptide ligands in antibacterial drug discovery: use as inhibitors in target validation and target-based screening.

There is an urgent need to develop novel classes of antibiotics to counter the inexorable rise of resistant bacterial pathogens. Modern antibacterial drug discovery is focused on the identification and validation of novel protein targets that may have a suitable therapeutic index. In combination with assays for function, the advent of microbial genomics has been invaluable in identifying novel antibacterial drug targets. The major challenge in this field is the implementation of methods that validate protein targets leading to the discovery of new chemical entities. Ligand-directed drug discovery has the distinct advantage of having a concurrent analysis of both the importance of a target in the disease process and its amenability to functional modulation by small molecules. VITATM is a process that enables a target-based paradigm by using peptide ligands for direct in vitro and in vivo validation of antibacterial targets and the implementation of high-throughput assays to identify novel inhibitory molecu...
Cyclophosphamide and floxuridine adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III and IV carcinoma of the ovary

Abstract A new combination of two drugs as adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced ovarian malignancies was used in 50 patients with Stage III and IV disease. Intravenous floxuridine and cyclophosphamide were administered in 5-day courses, every 3–4 weeks. There was good response, and this was related to the number of courses of treatment and the amount of residual tumor present after initial surgery. Toxicity was present in almost all patients, but very few had to be hospitalized because of it, and none died of it.
Historical Perspective on the Tools That Helped Shape Soil Chemistry

Th is historical review covers the development of the basic tools used in soil chemistry, mostly from the 1800s to the present, seeking to highlight signifi cant changes in the way we pursue our research and describe the source of some of the tools we use. Eight topics are covered. Th e review starts with the beginnings of soil chemistry and the basic analytical methods of the 1800s up to the introduction of the pH meter. It follows the beginnings of spectroscopy and surface area analysis up to the introduction of autoanalyzers. Kinetics, computers, and adsorption models are also covered. In terms of human history, the 1800s were clearly an age of great scientifi c development. Most of the modern tools that have shaped us were commercially available in the 1960s. And the tools available today leave us breathless with awe compared with how basic research used to be. We have more time available now for reviewing the data and contemplating its meaning because we spend much less time collecting the data compared with just a few decades ago. Abbreviations: AAS, atomic absorption spectroscopy; CEC, cation exchange capacity; EXAFS, extended x-ray absorption fi ne structure; IR, infrared; ISE, ion-selective electrode; NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance; PDI, potential-determining ion; SOM, soil organic matter; UV, ultraviolet; XAFS, x-ray absorption fi ne structure; XAS, x-ray absorption spectroscopy; XRD, x-ray diff raction; XRF, x-ray fl uorescence.
Managing strategies incrementally

Abstract When sophisticated large organizations make significant changes in strategy, the approaches they use frequently bear little resemblance to the rational-analytical systems so often touted in the planning literature. Such systems are rarely the source of overall corporate strategies. Instead, the processes used to generate major strategies are typically fragmented and evolutionary with a high degree of intuitive content. Although one usually finds imbedded in these fragments some very refined pieces of formal analysis, overall strategies tend to emerge as a series of conscious internal decisions blend and interact with changing external events to slowly mutate key managers' broad consensus about what patterns of action make sense for the future. Based on a multi-year study of how large companies change their strategies, this article summarizes why strategic managers do proceed incrementally and how they manage the complex process of generating an overall strategy.
The Supernova Shock. VI.

The supernova shock originates from the convective region and breaks out at about 300 km. The driving force is the recombination of nucleons into α-particles. The net energy per gram available for the shock is estimated. Matter accumulates in the convective region by accretion; the density of this matter can be calculated from the density and velocity of the matter falling in from the outside. From these arguments the energy given originally to the shock is estimated to be about 1 foe, in rough agreement with observation. It is speculated that this energy does not depend much on the mass of the progenitor.
Androgens and mammary growth and neoplasia

Abstract Objective: Evaluation of current clinical, experimental, genetic, and epidemiological data pertaining to the role of androgens in mammary growth and neoplasia. Design: Literature review. Setting: National Institutes of Health. Subject(s): Recent, basic, clinical, and epidemiological studies. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Effects of androgens on mammary epithelial proliferation and/or breast cancer incidence. Result(s): Experimental data derived from rodents and cell lines provide conflicting results that appear be strain- and cell line-dependent. Epidemiologic studies have significant methodological limitations and provide inconclusive results. The study of molecular defects involving androgenic pathways in breast cancer is in its infancy. Clinical and nonhuman primate studies, however, suggest that androgens inhibit mammary epithelial proliferation and breast growth and that conventional estrogen treatment suppresses endogenous androgens. Conclusion(s): Abundant clinical evidence suggests that androgens normally inhibit mammary epithelial proliferation and breast growth. Suppression of androgens by conventional estrogen treatment may thus enhance estrogenic breast stimulation and possibly breast cancer risk. Clinical trials to evaluate the impact of combined estrogen and androgen hormone replacement regimens on mammary gland homeostasis are needed to address this issue.
A retrospective review of the course of patients with pancreatitis discharged on jejunal feedings.

Introduction: Although parenteral nutrition (PN) has been the standard nutrition therapy in patients with pancreatitis requiring nutrition support, it is associated with a higher rate of catheter-related sepsis and gut atrophy. Research suggests enteral nutrition (EN) is possible in patients with pancreatitis without exacerbating symptoms when infused jejunally. The purpose of this study was to review the course of patients with resolving pancreatitis discharged to home on EN. Methods: The medical records of 33 patients with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube with jejunal extension (PEG-J) or nasojejunal tube (NJ) who received home EN were reviewed. The data collected included duration of EN, formula used, goal and maximum tolerated flow rates, anthropometric measures, and gastrointestinal complications. Results: Ninety-seven percent of patients received a standard polymeric formula providing an average of 1845 ± 421 kcal/d. Forty-two percent of patients took pancreatic enzyme supplements. Complic...
Influence of Raman scattering on the light field in natural waters: a simple assessment

A simple, surprisingly accurate, method for estimating the influence of Raman scattering on the upwelling light field in natural waters is developed. The method is based on the single (or quasi-single) scattering solution of the radiative transfer equation with the Raman source function. Given the light field at the excitation wavelength, accurate estimates (~1-10%) of the contribution of Raman scattering to the light field at the emission wavelength are obtained. The accuracy is only slightly degraded when typically measured aspects of the light field at the excitation are available.
Plasma double-layers produced by ponderomotive force

Non-linear rectification of the RF electric fields excited in a convectively amplifying electron beam-plasma interaction results in a dc electric field, and a corresponding ponderomotive force acting on the charged particles to produce a space-charge separation, i.e. a type of plasma double-layer. This paper analyses the effect, taking into account plasma electron temperature and electron-neutral collisions. To measure such double-layers, an electron beam probe constitutes a convenient non-perturbing diagnostic technique, but great care is required in its calibration. An analysis is presented taking into account significant non-linear effects which had been neglected in previous work. The paper concludes with some preliminary experimental results illustrating the use of the technique in a beam-plasma interaction for which a weak double-layer electric field is predicted.
Using learning through discussion in medical education settings.

Learning Through Discussion [1] is a straightforward methodology that can be easily learned and easily remembered by medical trainees to organize and optimize small group discussions. Though this methodologymay be familiar in other academic settings, such as colleges and universities [1], it appears relatively unknown, and thus unutilized, in medical education. A PubMed search using the term “LearningThrough-Discussion” resulted in “no items found.” In 2012, the AAMC and MedBiquitous Curriculum InventoryWorking Group [2] released a comprehensive list of instructional methods. Though Learning Through Discussion was not included among the 30 methodologies, it can be combined with “Journal Club” which also emphasizes critical reading skills [2].
Juvenile Hormone and Insulin Regulate Trehalose Homeostasis in the Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium castaneum

Insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) has been well studied for its role in the control of life span extension and resistance to a variety of stresses. The Drosophila melanogaster insulin-like receptor (InR) mutant showed extended life span due to reduced juvenile hormone (JH) levels. However, little is known about the mechanism of cross talk between IIS and JH in regulation of life span extension and resistance to starvation. In the current study, we investigated the role of IIS and JH signaling in regulation of resistance to starvation. Reduction in JH biosynthesis, JH action, or insulin-like peptide 2 (ILP2) syntheses by RNA interference (RNAi)-aided knockdown in the expression of genes coding for juvenile hormone acid methyltransferase (JHAMT), methoprene-tolerant (Met), or ILP2 respectively decreased lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and extended the survival of starved beetles. Interestingly, the extension of life span could be restored by injection of bovine insulin into JHAMT RNAi beetles but not by application of JH III to ILP2 RNAi beetles. These data suggest that JH controls starvation resistance by regulating synthesis of ILP2. More importantly, JH regulates trehalose homeostasis, including trehalose transport and metabolism, and controls utilization of stored nutrients in starved adults.
The effects of the phencyclidine analogs BTCP and TCP on nigrostriatal dopamine neuronal activity.

Extracellular single unit recording techniques were used to evaluate the effects of two phencyclidine (PCP) derivatives. N-[1-(2-benzo(b)thiophenyl)cyclohexyl]piperidine (BTCP) and N-[1-(2-thiophenyl)cyclohexyl]piperidine (TCP) on the electrophysiological activity of antidromically identified nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) neurons in chloral hydrate-anesthetized rats. I.v. BTCP produced a dose-dependent decrease in the firing rate of identified nigrostriatal DA neurons whereas TCP elicited a dose-dependent biphasic effect which was characterized by an activation of cell firing at low doses followed by a reversal of the response with larger doses. A hemitransection of the brain anterior to the substantia nigra significantly reduced the inhibitory effect of BTCP while this surgical procedure did not affect the response to TCP. However, iontophoretic application of BTCP induced a current-dependent inhibition of the spontaneous activity of cells while local application of TCP had no effect on the firing rate of these cells. These data indicate that PCP analogs are able to interact with the nigrostriatal DAergic pathway through distinct and opposing mechanisms. The results are discussed in light of recent observations that BTCP is selective for the DA uptake site while TCP is selective for the high affinity PCP binding site.
Aerosols at Mauna Loa: Optical Properties

Abstract The spectral attenuation of sunlight passing through the atmosphere was determined with the Langley method for 110 clear days and at 11 wavelengths to an accuracy of δτ=±0.002 (τ is the optical thickness) at the Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii. Suspended aerosols above the observatory attenuated light by an average of 1.9% (in the vertical direction) at a wavelength of 5000 A, and the average attenuation varied with wavelength as λ−1.6. Air masses from northerly directions were most turbid, τ¯=0.021±0.015, white those from southwesterly direction were least turbid, τ¯=0.017±0.005. The lowest values of optical extinction varied as λ−1.6 while those from directions of nearest continents varied as λ−2.5; the larger values of wavelength exponent for the continental aerosol is what would be expected for an aerosol cloud that had been carried by the winds from distant continents. It is deduced that aerosol from North America and Asia occasionally reaches the Hawaiian Islands. The explosive eruptions of A...
Unión al autorreceptor 5-HT1A de la serotonina en el núcleo dorsal del rafe en muestras de tejido de víctimas de suicidio deprimidas

Resumen La disfuncion serotoninergica esta presente en los trastornos del humor y el suicidio. Los autorreceptores somatodrendriticos 5-HT 1A del tronco cerebral regulan la descarga de neuronas serotoninergicas, pero los estudios efectuados sobre la union a los autorreceptores en el nucleo dorsal del rafe (NDR) en muestras de tejidos obtenidas en victimas de suicidio deprimidas describen resultados conflictivos. Tratamos de determinar: 1) la distribucion anatomica de la union al receptor 5-HT 1A en el NDR de muestras de tejidos obtenidas de victimas deprimidas de suicidio y de individuos de control sanos, desde un punto de vista psiquiatrico, fallecidos por causas naturales, y 2) si las diferencias de sexo en la union a 5-HT 1A en el NDR contribuyen a las diferencias observadas en las muestras entre victimas deprimidas de suicidio y los de control. Se analizaron las autorradiografias cuantitativas del receptor de [ 3 H]8-hidroxi-2-(di- n -propil) aminotetralina ([ 3 H]8-OH-DPAT) en las secciones de tejido post mortem, obtenidas previamente, que contenian el NDR de victimas de suicidio libres de farmacos/drogas (n=10) y de controles emparejados (n=10). En el NDR integro de los suicidas deprimidos, comparado con los controles, se observo una menor union total al receptor (fmol/mg de tejido×mm 3 ) (p 1A (fmol/mg de tejido) y la union al receptor (fmol/mg×mm 3 , p 1A fue mayor rostralmente y menor, caudalmente. Las diferencias entre suicidas deprimidos y controles estuvieron presentes en hombres y mujeres, aunque en estas se detecto una mayor union que en hombres. La menor union al autorreceptor en NDR de suicidas deprimidos podria representar una respuesta homeostatica a una menor liberacion de serotonina, con un incremento de la descarga de las neuronas serotoninergicas. La mayor union al autorreceptor en el NDR rostral podria contribuir a una liberacion deficiente de serotonina en la corteza prefrontal ventromedial mediante una menor descarga neuronal.
Glutamine Protects Intestinal Cells Via Heat Shock Protein (hsp)-Dependent and Metabolic Effects

Glutamine Protects Intestinal Cells Via Heat Shock Protein (hsp)-Dependent and Metabolic Effects
Dirty Black Holes and Hairy Black Holes.

An approach based on considerations of the non-classical energy momentum tensor outside the event horizon of a black hole provides additional physical insight into the nature of discrete quantum hair on black holes and its effect on black hole temperature. Our analysis both extends previous work based on the Euclidean action techniques, and corrects an omission in that work. We also raise several issues related to the effects of instantons on black hole thermodynamics and the relation between these effects and results in two dimensional quantum field theory.
Multi-iron wells-Dawson heteropolytungstates. Electrochemical probing of siderophoric behavior in sandwich-type complexes.

The demetalation process of 10 multi-iron Wells−Dawson polyoxometalates is studied by cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential coulometry. Eight sandwich-type complexes (αααα-Na16[(NaOH2)2(FeIII)2(X2W15O56)2], ααβα-Na14[(NaOH2)(FeIIIOH2)(FeIII)2(X2W15O56)2], αββα-Na12[(FeIIIOH2)2(FeIII)2(X2W15O56)2], and αββα-Na14[(MnIIOH2)2(FeIII)2(X2W15O56)2] (where X = P(V) or As(V))) and two monomeric complexes (α-Na11[(P2(FeIIICl)2(FeIIIOH2)W15O59)] and α-Na11[(As2(FeIIICl)2FeIIIOH2)W15O59)]) were selected for this study. All 10 complexes show Fe(III) waves which are well-separated from the redox activity of the W(VI) centers. At room temperature and under mild conditions, iron release from the complexes is observed upon reduction of the Fe(III) centers. This release is controlled by the ionic strength of the medium, the nature and concentration of the anions present in the supporting electrolyte, and by the pH of the solution. This behavior parallels those described for most siderophores which depend on the same ...
Neuronal intrinsic barriers for axon regeneration in the adult CNS

A major reason for the devastating and permanent disabilities after spinal cord and other types of CNS injury is the failure of injured axons to regenerate and to re-build the functional circuits. Thus, a long-standing goal has been to develop strategies that could promote axon regeneration and restore functions. Recent studies revealed that simply removing extracellular inhibitory activities is insufficient for successful axon regeneration in the adult CNS. On the other side, evidence from different species and different models is accumulating to support the notion that diminished intrinsic regenerative ability of mature neurons is a major contributor to regeneration failure. This review will summarize the molecular mechanisms regulating intrinsic axon growth capacity in the adult CNS and discuss potential implications for therapeutic strategies.
Heme Oxygenase and Its Products in the Nervous System

Heme oxygenase (HO) cleaves the tetrapyrrolic ring of cellular heme moieties liberating carbon monoxide (CO) and equimolar amounts of free iron and biliverdin (BV). BV is in turn converted into bilirubin (BR) by the cytosolic enzyme BV reductase. Three HO isoforms have been described to date: HO-1, HO-2, and HO-3. All these isoforms are present in nervous tissue with different localizations and regulation. CO, the gaseous product of HO, exerts its biological effects through the activation of soluble guanylyl cyclase, but alternative signaling pathways, such as the activation of cyclooxygenase, have also been reported in the brain. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that CO, at the hypothalamic level, plays a key role in the modulation of stress response because it inhibits the release of antiinflammatory neuropeptides, such as corticotropin-releasing hormone and arginine vasopressin, and increases body temperature in rodents exposed to psychological stressors (stress fever). In the last few years, a new role of BR as an endogenously produced antioxidant has emerged, and several reports have shown that BR contributes to prevent cell damage mediated by reactive oxygen species, as well as nitric oxide and its congeners.
Individual Motivation and Parental Influence on Adolescents’ Experiences of Interest in Free Time: A Longitudinal Examination

Time spent in freely chosen leisure activities offers a distinct developmental context that can support positive youth development; however this potential for growth depends in part on adolescent interest and engagement in their free time activities. Research indicates that many adolescents report experiencing boredom, instead of interest, in their free time. This study utilized longitudinal data from 354 rural middle school students to investigate how parenting practices and adolescent motivational styles influence adolescents’ experience of interest in their free time. Findings indicated that adolescent self-regulated motivation and parental knowledge related to the free time context were positively associated with experiences of interest, while adolescent amotivation and parental control were negatively associated with interest in free time. The effect of parental knowledge and parental control on adolescents’ experiences of interest was mediated by adolescent motivational styles. These results were similar across grade level and gender. Implications for interventions promoting positive youth development are discussed.
Blabbermouths and Clams: Sex Differences in Self‐Disclosure in Same‐Sex and Cross‐Sex Friendship Dyads

Self-disclosure involves the two related dimensions of intimacy and power. It may be rewarding or costly to both confider and confidant. Although previous research has indicated that women are more self-disclosing than men, in the study reported here sex differences in self-disclosure are negligible in same-sex friendships. In cross-sex friendships, however, more men are confiding than women. Further, in female-male dyads men tend to hide their weaknesses and women to conceal their strengths. In such friendships, also, both men and women of working class origin are more prone to self-revelation than middle class respondents. Surprisingly, the correlation between feelings of closeness and self-disclosure is far from perfect in friendly (as opposed to stranger-like) relationships. Research on personal assessments of risks versus rewards in self-disclosure is needed.
An effective nanosensor for organic molecules based on water-soluble mercaptopropionic acid-capped CdTe nanocrystals with potential application in high-throughput screening and high-resolution optical microscopy.

Specially-treated glass substrates coated with a thin film of water soluble mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) capped CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) were prepared and found to undergo photoluminescence changes by as much as 40% when micro-droplets of organic molecules were placed in the nanometer-range proximity of the NCs. This imaging technique involving close proximity between a nano-crystal and an organic molecule is found to provide a 2 × –3 × enhanced contrast ratio over the conventional method of fluorescence imaging. Photoluminescence of NCs is recoverable upon removal of the organic molecules, therefore validating these NCs as potential all-optical organic molecular nanosensors. Upon optimization and with proper instrumentation, these nano-crystals could eventually serve as point-detectors for purposes of super-resolution optical microscopy. No solvents are required for the proposed sensing mechanism since all solutions were dried under argon flow. Fluorophores and fluorescent proteins were investigated, including fluorescein, Rhodamine 6G, and green fluorescent protein (GFP). Furthermore, NC photoluminescence changes were systematically quantified as a function of the solution pH and of the organic molecule concentration. Long duration (> 40 minutes) continuous excitation studies were conducted in order to evaluate the reliability of the proposed sensing scheme.
Providing a Trustworthy Trading Environment with a New Authentication Protocol in Online Auctions

This research takes a two-pronged approach, identifying and then proposing a solution for the basic problem keeping many potential users from engaging in online auction trading, and discouraging those who do use these sites from buying or selling high-value items. The problem? ---The absence of a reliable user registration process. To remedy this situation, this study proposes a new authentication protocol adding two levels of protection and providing users with a trustworthy trading environment through stronger identification and authentication functions. Keywords: Online Auction, E-commerce Trust, User Authentication, eBay Reputation