cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature and light effects on ethyl carbamate formation in wine during storage.

The formation and/or increase of ethyl carbamate during storage of wine was monitored at 43°C, 32°C and 22°C in the dark, at 22°C under fluorescent light and in a greenhouse with naturally fluctuating temperature and light conditions simulating commercial display of wines. The ethyl carbamate concentration of fifteen selected red and white table and dessert wines was determined initially, and after 3, 6, and 12 months storage. In most wines ethyl carbamate increased as a function of time and temperature. After 12 months in the dark at 43°C, the ethyl carbamate in two red wines increased 20 to 30 times. It increased three to nine-fold in nine of the wines, but remained unchanged in four. Light did not significantly influence ethyl carbamate formation, whether in clear or green bottles.
A phenomenological analysis of single particle distributions

Abstract Data of the secondary P t 2 -distribution of different charged prong events with fixed x , those of the same charged prong events with different x , and others in the several ten GeV region are analyzed within the framework of the “emission model”. Quantitative agreement is demonstrated, to reaffirm the validity of the model. Various inclusive distributions are derived, and the scaling behaviors are explained in detail. The breakdown of the Feynman scaling near x = 0 is pointed out. The implications of the model are discussed.
Ring-opening metathesis polymerization with [2+2]-crosslinking to create new materials

Abstract There are almost no examples of Grubbs’-type ring-opening metathesis polymers that have been [2+2]-crosslinked. Two new monomers, 6 and 10 , were used to construct two novel linear soluble polymers 7 and 11 , bearing photochemically labile moieties for [2+2]-cycloaddition reactions. These soft polymers were photocrosslinked into very hard polymers, 8 and 12 . Potential advantages of these new bioinspired materials include: (1) ready processing into flat, round, and cylindrical shapes; (2) reasonably low toxicity due to trace amounts of catalyst needed; and (3) rapid rate of polymerization and crosslinking that avoids acids and bases.
A general model of policies toward international flows of capital and labour

Abstract Several studies in the literature on the theory of international trade and factor flows have focused on the interrelations between the policies of a country toward international flows of labour and capital. For instance, a seminal note of Ramaswami raised the issue of whether a country's policy should discourage outflow of capital and encourage inflow of labour or vice versa. This and other related issues and results are reexamined in the present study in a more general setting where specialization in different commodities and variable terms of trade are allowed.
The perception of grammatical relations in sentences: A methodological exploration

Third-grade and college students listened to complex English sentences and performed two tasks. In the probe task, each sentence was followed immediately by the repetition of one word from the sentence and S responded with the next word in the sentence. For the question task, the probe word was replaced by a question about one of the basic grammatical relationships underlying the sentence, which S answered with a word from the sentence. Structural properties of the sentences were varied and the latencies of correct responses were recorded. Latencies in the probe task generally confirmed predictions from a model based on phrase structure. The results from both tasks suggested ways in which limitations on the listener's immediate memory affect the processing of a sentence.
Absorption spectral studies of some addition compounds of α-naphthylamine and metal chlorides

Abstract Infrared studies have been made of the NH stretching, bending and wagging frequencies in the addition compounds formed between the chlorides of zinc, cadmium, cobalt, nickel and palladium and α-naphthylamine. The higher frequency in the 1600 cm −1 region has been assigned to the bending vibration in the α-naphthylamine, and the lower frequency in this region has been assigned to the bending vibration in the complexes. The absorptions in the region of the ND wagging vibration frequencies of the deuterated palladium complex are split indicating a coupling with the CH out-of-plane vibration. CN stretching frequencies are also reported.
Conflict, error likelihood, and RT: Response to Brown & Yeung et al.

We would like to thank our reviewers and the authors of the commentaries on our paper. Though we may have scientific differences, the criticisms raised in the commentaries will undoubtedly improve our understanding of the neural basis of decision making and provide a springboard for future experiments. In our response, we clarify why our data are incompatible with both the error likelihood and the conflict monitoring models presented by Brown and by Yeung et al., respectively.
The Relationships Between Satisfaction with Social Support, Affect Balance, and Hope in Cancer Patients

The present study investigated relationships between cancer patients' satisfaction with social support, and their affect and levels of hope. Cancer patients completed measures describing their hope and affect, and a structured interview was conducted to ascertain their level of satisfaction with the support they were receiving. Results indicated that support satisfaction accounted for a statistically significant proportion of the variance in patient hope and affect, although other variables emerged as more powerful predictors.
A thermodynamic assessment of the Ni-Al-B system

The thermodynamics of the Ni-Al-B system are assessed based on available literature data. Both the Ni-B and Al-B systems were revised to treat B as an interstitial element in a face-centered cubic structure, rather than as a substitutional element. In addition, the Al-B binary description was modified to account for the recent experimental work on the melting properties of AlB12. Two Ni-Al assessments are considered for the ternary assessment. For the same optimized ternary parameters, the two Ni-Al assessments produced similar results, with the differences increasing at high temperatures near the liquidus.
Gamma-knife radiosurgery for the treatment of ovarian cancer metastatic to the brain

Abstract Background Central nervous system (CNS) metastases from an ovarian malignancy are uncommon. The long-term prognosis for these patients is poor, with studies reporting a mean survival of less than 12 months. Cases We present three ovarian cancer patients who developed metastatic disease to the brain. All patients were heavily pre-treated prior to the development of CNS disease. Following detection of CNS disease, they all were treated with multi-modality therapy including gamma-knife radiosurgery (GKRS). At this time, one patient is alive at 26 months following treatment with GKRS. The second and third patients survived for 88 and 22 months respectively, before succumbing to their disease. Conclusion Local control of ovarian cancer metastatic to the brain can be achieved in some patients with GKRS. Additional investigation into GKRS is warranted.
Evaluation of synthetic oligonucleotides as inhibitors of West Nile virus replication

A series of synthetic oligonucleotide phosphorothioate 15-mers were generated against specific sequences in the West Nile virus RNA genome. These antisense oligonucleotides targeted (1) conserved features of the West Nile virus RNA genome that may be expected to lead to inhibition of virus replication since such features play essential roles in the virus lifecycle; (2) G-quartet oligonucleotides with potential facilitated uptake properties and that also targeted conserved sequences among a range of West Nile virus strains. Several formulations with significant in vitro antiviral activity were found. Among the active oligonucleotides were examples that targeted both C-rich RNA sequences of the West Nile RNA genome as well as recognized conserved sequences key to West Nile virus replication. Since the antiviral activity of the latter oligonucleotides diminished upon 2'-O-methyl substitution, it is likely that their activity involves RNase H-catalyzed RNA degradation. One G-rich oligonucleotide that did not target a West Nile virus RNA sequence also was found. These results suggest the potential of antisense strategies for the control of West Nile virus replication if the attendant problem of oligonucleotide delivery can be adequately addressed.
Ethics: A Bridge for Studying the Social Contexts of Professional Communication

A growing concern about ethical behavior in business suggests that profes sional communicators, often major players in the business community, ought to be aware of the ethical dimensions of their writing. Teachers can prepare fu ture professional communicators to consider the ethical dimension of their writing activities by using Lawrence Kohlberg's hierarchy of moral develop ment. When Kohlberg's hierarchy is applied to fictional business settings, stu dents have the opportunity to investigate the relationship between action morality and agent morality. This type of investigation is an essential part of teaching professional communication because the written language used in business transmits values.
Association of organic and inorganic anions with synaptosomes from mouse brain

Abstract Results obtained with subcellular particulates of mouse brain showed there to be little association of Cl − with any of the particulate fractions, most of the Cl − being found in the supernatant fluid. At most, minute amounts of Cl − were associated with the synaptosome-rich subfraction of the crude mitochondrial fraction. There was virtually no uptake of 36 Cl − at physiological pH by the synaptosomes under a variety of experimental conditions. There was no enhancement of Cl − uptake in the presence of GABA or a variety of other physiologically and pharmacologically active substances. Several other anions (I − , Br − , NO 3 − , succinate, pyruvate, glutamate, and aspartate) were bound by the particles at physiological pH, while others (acetate, benzoate, propionate, formate, SCN − and SO 4 2− and HCO 3 − ) were not. The extent of association of NO 3 − , pyruvate, and succinate appeared to be enhanced equally well by Na + , K + , Li + , or Mg 2+ ions over that observed in Tris-maleate buffered sucrose alone. That of I − was stimulated to a much greater extent by Na + than by the other cations. The uptakes of both glutamate and aspartate were stimulated greatly by Na + , to a slight extent by Li + , and not at all by K + or Mg 2+ . Results of experiments performed in the pH range of 4.0–9.0 were compatible with the suggestion that the binding of the non-amphoteric anions tested in positively correlated with the decrease in ionization of fixed anionic groups on the membrane with a pK value of approximately 6.0. The results with glutamic and aspartic acids suggest that in the binding of these amino acids fixed negative and positive charges on the membrane probably are involved and that the pK values of these groups are such, approximately 5.6 and 9.2, that they are maximally charged in the physiological pH range. The binding characteristics of synaptosome membranes for anions probably are related to specific anion-selective properties of the membranes and seem not to be correlated with any obvious characteristics of the ions themselves. The failure to show any significant association of Cl − with mouse brain synaptosomes suggests that, if presynaptic inhibition occurs in mouse brain, it must be mediated by some mechanism other than an increase in Cl − conductance at the presynaptic endings.
The modified minimal model: application to measurement of insulin sensitivity in children.

The modified minimal model (MMM), a recently introduced method that assesses insulin sensitivity (SI) by a computed mathematical analysis of the relation between the change in insulin and glucose clearance after a bolus of iv glucose, followed 20 min later by a bolus of tolbutamide, has been standardized in adults, but this method has not been validated in children. We performed an abbreviated 90-min MMM test in 50 children who were siblings of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and 7 healthy adult volunteers and compared the results to the standard 180-min MMM test in 11 of these subjects. The cohort consisited of 29 prepubertal children [16 males and 13 females; 8.7 ± 2.0 (mean ± SEM) yr old[; 16 pubertal children defined as less than 17 yr of age and Tanner stage 2-5 (8 males and 8 females; 13.4 ± 1.8 yr old), and 12 postpubertal subjects (7 males and 5 females; 18.2 ± 0.9 yr old), with no significant difference in the weight for length index (WLI) among the 3 groups and with sera of all...
NifI inhibits nitrogenase by competing with Fe protein for binding to the MoFe protein

Reduction of substrate by nitrogenase requires direct electron transfer from the Fe protein to the MoFe protein. Inhibition of nitrogenase activity in Methanococcus maripaludis occurs when the regulatory protein NifI(1,2) binds the MoFe protein. This inhibition is relieved by 2-oxoglutarate. Here we present evidence that NifI(1,2) binding prevents association of the two nitrogenase components. Increasing amounts of Fe protein competed with NifI(1,2), decreasing its inhibitory effect. NifI(1,2) prevented the co-purification of MoFe protein with a mutant form of the Fe protein that forms a stable complex with the MoFe protein, and NifI(1,2) was unable to bind to an AlF4--stabilized Fe protein:MoFe protein complex. NifI(1,2) inhibited ATP- and MoFe protein-dependent oxidation of the Fe protein, and 2OG relieved this inhibition. These results support a model where NifI(1,2) competes with the Fe protein for binding to MoFe protein and prevents electron transfer.
Privacy in the cloud: going beyond the contractarian paradigm

Human life today has become entangled in the Internet. We access e-mail, store content, and use services online without a thought as to where data reside or how data are protected. The "cloud," a conceptualization of how data reside on the Internet rather than locally, is the latest technological innovation or computing trend du jour. However, many concerns surrounding cloud computing remain unaddressed. How are the data we store online kept confidential? Who else has the right to access our private information? What kind of laws and policies offer us protection?We begin by evaluating the current situation by examining the Terms of Service (ToS) agreements and privacy policies from well-known cloud providers, and we describe the types of privacy protections (or lack thereof) that they offer. We conclude that a contractarian approach to privacy protection is likely to lead to a situation in which consumers end up trading their privacy without being well-informed about the implications and consequences of their choices.Next, we examine whether the applicable laws are adequate to protect the privacy of consumers in the cloud. We discuss privacy protections in the cloud by considering the Fourth Amendment, the Stored Communications Act, the Federal Information Security Management Act, and the USA PATRIOT Act, and we conclude that they are inadequate in according a minimum level of privacy to consumers in the cloud, setting the stage for a vigorous study of the form and substance of cloud computing-centric privacy legislation.
Lymphoid potential of primitive bone marrow progenitors evaluated in vitro.

Bone marrow contains a heterogeneous mixture of mature and maturing precursors of blood cells, progenitor cells for myeloid and lymphoid lineages, and hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells. The differentiation potential of these different stem, progenitor, and precursor populations can be evaluated by using transplantation and cell culture assays. In this study, we used a stromal cell co-culture system to evaluate the B and T lineage potential of different subsets of mouse bone marrow. We enriched hematopoietic stem (Lin - Sca-1 + c-kit + Thy1.1 l o w [Thy1.1 l o w ]) cells and lymphoid progenitor (Lin - Sca-1 + c-kit + Thy1.1 - [Thy1.1 - ]) cells from mouse bone marrow and co-cultured these populations with OP9 or OP9-DL1 stromal cell lines. Development of the B and T lineages was evaluated over time. Both populations gave rise to B and T cells but with different kinetics. Thy1.1 - lymphoid progenitors gave rise to B and T lineage cells earlier than did Thy1.1 l o w stem cells; and at any given time, percentages of differentiating B and T cells were higher in Thy1.1 - cultures than in Thy1.1 l o w cultures. We also compared the lineage potential of Thy-1.1 - lymphoid progenitors with that of the recently described common lymphoid progenitor 2 (isolated as Lin - Sca-1 + c-kit-Thy1.1 - B220 + cells [B220 + ]). B220 + cells produced B lineage progeny in OP9 cultures more rapidly than did Thy1.1 - cells and produced higher percentages of differentiating T cells in OP9-DL1 cultures. These studies demonstrate the utility of the OP9 and OP9-DL1 co-culture systems for evaluation of lymphoid lineage potential and for determining the relative position of specific bone marrow populations within the hematopoietic hierarchy.
Homogeneity of phytochrome Cph1 vibronic absorption revealed by resonance Raman intensity analysis

Phytochromes are an important class of red/far-red responsive photoreceptors that act as light-activated biological switches, ultimately driving growth and development in plants, bacteria, and fungi. The composition of the red-absorbing ground-state has been widely debated due to the presence of a shoulder feature on the blue edge of electronic absorption spectra, which many have attributed to the presence of multiple ground-state conformers. Here we use resonance Raman intensity analysis to calculate the vibronic absorption profile of cyanobacterial phytochrome Cph1 and show that this shoulder feature is due simply to vibronic transitions from a single species, thus reflecting a homogeneous ground-state population.
A Simple Organic Reaction Mediates the Crystallization of the Inorganic Nanocluster [Ga13(μ3-OH)6(μ2-OH)18(H2O)24](NO3)15

We report the single-crystal structure of an inorganic gallium cluster [Ga13(μ3-OH)6(μ2-OH)18(H2O)24](NO3)15·6H2O prepared using a simple organic reaction to drive the formation of the crystalline inorganic cluster.
Situational Stress as a Consequence of Sex-Stereotyped Software

This experiment examined the affective consequences of sex-stereotyped educational software on students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades of a private school. All students worked with the same two experimental programs either in the school computer center or at single computer stations. The results showed that situational stress was an affective consequence of working with cross-gender educational software if the students were asked to perform in the public context of the computer center. This was not true if the student worked in more privacy. It is concluded that such stress in females while using the more predominant male-stereotyped aggressive video game formats in the public, ego-involving environment of the computer center or classroom may be a possible factor in their avoidance of computers as documented in most recent literature.
miRNAs as biomarkers for brain metastasis of breast cancer

Due to the rapid development of high-resolution imaging that allows clinicians to detect a primary tumor at an early stage, the survival of breast cancer patients has been significantly prolonged in the past decades. However, more than 90% of cancer deaths are still attributed to metastatic disease, and around 30% of patients with advanced stages of breast cancer develop brain metastasis [1,2]. Despite this clinical importance, the exact molecular mechanism of brain metastasis is as yet poorly understood, and we still lack a biomarker that helps in diagnosis and prognosis of this dreadful disease. Two subtypes of breast cancers have been shown to demonstrate a strong brain metastatic phenotype, HER2-positive and triple-negative (ER - PR - HER2 - ) tumors, and the median survival of these two subtypes are 3.7 and 9 months, respectively, compared with 15 months in the luminal subtype [3]. The consequences of brain metastasis are devastating, and the most common symptoms are constant headache, sensory disorder and seizures, which drastically impair the quality of life of both patients and their families. The primary approaches to treat patients with brain metastases include radiation therapy and surgery. However, due to the potentially serious side effects, technique feasibility needs to be taken into consideration before successful treatment. In the case of radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) are the most commonly used clinically, and in which high energy rays suppress tumor cell growth; however, these treatments may generate severe damage to the brain, such as physical trauma and cognitive malfunctions. Surgery is another option that only applies to patients with one or a few small lesions located in accessible regions. Chemotherapies have been widely used in treating both primary and metastatic tumors, and their effectiveness greatly depends on the stages
Probabalistic strongest neighbor filter for tracking in clutter

A simple and commonly used method for tracking in clutter to deal with measurement origin uncertainty is the so-called Strongest Neighbor Filter (SNF). It uses the measurement with the strongest intensity (amplitude) in the neighborhood of the predicted target measurement location, known as the 'strongest neighbor' measurement, as if it were the true one. Its performance is significantly better than that of the Nearest Neighbor Filter (NNF) but usually worse than that of the Probabilistic Data Association Filter (PDAF), while its computational complexity is the lowest one among the three filters. The SNF is, however, not consistent in the sense that its actual tracking errors are well above its on-line calculated error standard deviations. Based on the theoretical results obtained recently of the SNF for tracking in clutter, a probabilistic strongest neighbor filter is presented here. This new filter is consistent and is substantially superior to the PDAF in both performance and computation. The proposed filter is obtained by modifying the standard SNF to account for the probability that the strongest neighbor is not target-oriented, which is accomplished by using probabilistic weights.
Distribution of 5-bromouracil among the pyrimidine clusters of the deoxyribonucleic acid of E. coli.

Distribution of 5-Bromouracil Among the Pyrimidine Clusters of the Deoxyribonucleic Acid of E. Coli
Werner Helicase Is Localized to Transcriptionally Active Nucleoli of Cycling Cells

Mutations at the Werner helicase locus (WRN) are responsible for the Werner syndrome (WS), a "caricature of aging." We have localized the Werner protein (WRNp) to the nucleoli of replicating mammalian cells, where its appearance is associated with transcriptional activity. A dramatic reduction of the nucleolar signal and of [3H]uridine incorporation occurred when cultures were made quiescent or were exposed to 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), to which WS cells are particularly susceptible. Total cellular levels of WRNp, however, did not change, and virtually all WRNp was in the nuclear fractions, consistent with translocation to the nucleoplasm and/or masking of the epitopes. The 4NQO-induced altered state of WRNp was prevented by Na3VO4, but not by okadaic acid, suggesting that WRNp localization/function is partially regulated by kinases/phosphatases for Tyr substrates on WRNp or interacting proteins. The repression of rDNA transcription by 4NQO was not reversed by Na3VO4. We suggest that physiological states and genotoxic agents modulate the interaction of WRNp with rDNA, consistent with a role of WRNp in rDNA transcription.
Why so many structural changes in schools and so little reform in teaching practice

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to explain how errors in policymaking contribute to the minimal impact that structural, curricular and cultural changes have made on teaching practice in American schools.Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on the author's research legacy, the paper extends an historical analysis to explore and explain current dilemmas of change in schools and schooling.Findings – Over the last century, educational reforms have most often led to first order classroom change, represented by the development of hybrids of old and new teaching practices. Second order change at the classroom level has proven elusive. Factors at the policymaking level that explain the minimal impact on classroom practice include a misplaced trust in structural reform, an understanding of schools as complicated rather than complex systems, and the tendency not to distinguish teacher quality from the quality of teaching.Originality/value – The paper proposes that the lack of impact of reform on classroom pract...
On Art, Science, Metaphors, and Ghosts: A Few Thoughts to Share

The sharing of emotional experiences, whether in face-to-face interactions or anonymously through written communications, can influence a person's psychological and physical well-being. The mediating mechanisms are, however, poorly understood. The present comment concerns ambiguities that may result when concepts from ordinary language, such as emotion, cognition, and related metaphors, are applied to presumed mediating mechanisms.
Individual and group psychology — Are they opposed?

It is regrettable that classical psychoanalysis has failed to pursue Freud's early interest in group psychology. In this paper, the inseparability of individual and group psychology are affirmed and the concept of identification is employed to illustrate this unity. In the absence of a satisfactory global theory of group psychology, we must rely on the contemporary knowledge of specific concepts and mini-models. The human need for finding self-esteem and coherence through group ties is increasingly recognized in the field of community mental health.
Oyster reef restoration supports increased nekton biomass and potential commercial fishery value

Across the globe, discussions centered on the value of nature drive many conservation and restoration decisions. As a result, justification for management activities increasingly asks for two lines of evidence: (1) biological proof of augmented ecosystem function or service, and (2) monetary valuation of these services. For oyster reefs, which have seen significant global declines and increasing restoration work, the need to provide both biological and monetary evidence of reef services on a local-level has become more critical in a time of declining resources. Here, we quantified species biomass and potential commercial value of nekton collected from restored oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reefs in coastal Louisiana over a 3-year period, providing multiple snapshots of biomass support over time. Overall, and with little change over time, fish and invertebrate biomass is 212% greater at restored oyster reefs than mud-bottom, or 0.12 kg m(-2). The additional biomass of commercial species is equivalent to an increase of local fisheries value by 226%, or $0.09 m(-2). Understanding the ecosystem value of restoration projects, and how they interact with regional management priorities, is critical to inform local decision-making and provide testable predictions. Quantitative estimates of potential commercial fisheries enhancement by oyster reef restoration such as this one can be used directly by local managers to determine the expected return on investment.
Enhancement of Fatty Acid Oxidation and Medium-Chain Fatty Acyl Coenzyme A Synthetase by Adenine Nucleotides in Rat Heart Homogenates

Cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate, 5′-adenosine monophosphate, or 2′-adenosine monophosphate markedly enhanced the rate of oxidation of medium-chain fatty acids by rat heart homogenates, as measured by oxygen utilization and carbon dioxide formation from 14C-labeled substrate. These nucleotides did not alter the rate of oxidation of medium-chain acylcoenzyme A derivatives. The activity of a medium-chain fatty acyl coenzyme A synthetase from rat heart homogenates was increased by these nucleotides, and it was suggested that the ability of the nucleotides to enhance fatty acid oxidation by heart homogenates was due to activation of acyl coenzyme A synthetase.
On the Legal Issues of Teaching Evolution in Public Schools

In order to effectively teach evolution to all students, even those resistant to learning evolution, science teachers may question the extent to which religion can legally be discussed in the public high school science classroom. Evolution is taught from a variety of approaches, each of which has legal implications. Four approaches to teaching socioscientific issues like evolution are provided, along with the legal implications of enacting each approach.
Oral care and the risk of bloodstream infections in mechanically ventilated adults: A review

Summary Rationale Bacteraemia, defined as the presence of viable bacteria in the circulating blood can result in bloodstream infection, which is one of the most frequent and challenging hospital-acquired infections. Bacteraemia occurs in healthy populations with manipulation of the oral mucosa, including toothbrushing. Oral care is commonly administered to mechanically ventilated patients, it is important to determine whether this practice contributes to the incidence of bacteraemia. This paper reviews the literature on the link between the manipulation of the oral cavity and the development of bacteraemia in mechanically ventilated adults. Methods Searches were conducted using Medline, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library databases. Article inclusion criteria were (1) a focus on mechanical ventilation and critical illness, (2) human subjects, (3) adult subjects, and (4) publication in English (or available English translation). Results Nine articles met inclusion criteria and were critiqued. All relied upon clinical data as outcome measures; many were retrospective. The three organisms most often associated with nosocomial bloodstream infections were Staphylococcus aureus , coagulase negative staphylococci, and Enterococcus species. Establishing the origin of bacteraemia was problematic in most studies. Conclusions Additional research is needed to understand the relationship of oral care practices to bacteraemia in mechanically ventilated adults.
Temporal expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in rat adjuvant-induced arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To examine cytokine and chemokine production during the evolution of rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA), a model of rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS Clinical and laboratory assessment of the course of AIA was performed over a 47-day period. Levels of the cytokines tumor necrosis factor a (TNFalpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), and IL-6, as well as levels of the chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha (MIP-1alpha) and JE, the murine homolog of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the sera and joints of AIA and control rats. Synovia from AIA rats were (immuno)histochemically analyzed. Results of cytokine and chemokine measurements were correlated with clinical and laboratory markers of inflammation and histology. RESULTS Early (before day 14 post adjuvant injection) and later phases of AIA could be distinguished. Cytokine and chemokine production was increased in AIA versus control rats. The production of TNFalpha, IL-1beta, MIP-1alpha, and, as determined earlier, epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide 78-like protein was abundant prior to and during the course of AIA, while that of IL-6 and JE was elevated in the late phase of AIA. Cytokine and chemokine levels were correlated with the clinical symptoms of arthritis and blood neutrophil counts. Joint levels of IL-1beta showed correlation with synovial lining proliferation and neutrophil ingress into AIA synovium. CONCLUSION Cytokines and chemokines are involved in the clinical, laboratory, and histologic changes underlying AIA. The production of these mediators may be temporally and spatially regulated. These findings may be important for the optimal timing of cytokine and chemokine targeting.
Stem-cell trafficking at vascular borders

In the current issue of Blood , Kissa and colleagues provide the first live imaging of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) migration between different sites of hematopoiesis in zebrafish. The process of HSC generation and subsequent migration to hematopoietic organs during mammalian development has been
An aquatic environmental safety assessment of linear alkylbenzene

Linear alkylbenzene (LAB), the parent material from which the detergent surfactant linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is manufactured, has the potential to enter the environment from several sources. Solubility, vapor pressure and soil partition measurements indicate that LAB would be distributed in air or adsorbed to soil or sediment. The material does not accumulate to significant levels in fish (BCF = 35) or undergo chemical or photochemical degradation in screening studies. LAB is readily biodegradable in natural waters with half-lives for various isomers and homologs in the 4- to 9-day range. LAB is not acutely toxic to a variety of aquatic species, other than Daphnia magna, within its water solubility range. For Daphnia, chronic studies in clean water systems indicate both growth and reproduction to be affected in the 10 to 20 μg/L range. LAB is substantially removed by typical sewage treatment plants. Receiving waters collected from sites receiving low sewage effluent dilution generally contain less than 1 μg/L. Based on the ratio of the chronic no-effect level for Daphnia to the environmental concentration, the conservative nature of selected monitoring sites i.e., providing low sewage effluent dilution) and the fact that LAB partitions strongly to particulates in the water column, adequate environmental safety margins exist for LAB.
CONGRUENCE BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE, JOB SATISFACTION AND PERFORMANCE1

The article discusses the proposition that organizational climate interacts with individual personality in influencing job satisfaction and performance. Researches who have analyzed the relative am...
Women, Gender, and Nonviolence in Political Movements

innovated with passive resistance; the U.S. black civil rights movement employed nonviolent civil disobedience as its major collective action; and peace and environmental movements in the 1980s and 1990s have employed nonviolent tactics. The ties between women's movements and nonviolence, however, are notable insofar as nonviolent tactics predominate in the collective action repertoires of women's movements (Rucht forthcoming). Because nonviolent tactics prevail, they are more visibly connected to those movements.
Insights Into Left Ventricular Remodeling Through Noninvasive Measures of Myocardial Matrix Expansion With Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Although clinical assessment is the cornerstone of patient management, clinicians often demand additional laboratory or imaging studies (disease markers or biomarkers) to assess differential diagnosis and to help formulate a management plan.1 There are growing, consistent data supporting an important role for noninvasive cardiac imaging studies as clinically and cost-effective tools in the diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with known or suspected cardiovascular disease. The past decade has witnessed an accelerated evolution of cardiovascular imaging, not only in its growing body of evidence to support its use, but also the development of novel technologies (eg, cardiac magnetic resonance, multidetector computed tomography, positron emission tomography) that will likely expand our ability to see more (eg, atherosclerosis, plaque morphology, myocardial tissue characterization) and possibly extend our treatment options. Article see p 1206 Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has emerged as a powerful imaging technique that allows precise tissue characterization in a wide range of myocardial disorders. Several CMR techniques have been described and used for diagnosis, risk stratification, and to guide patient management. One of the most widely used and validated approaches is the detection and quantification of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in myocardial tissue. Myocardial tissue characterization with LGE is one of the unique biomarkers of CMR, which reflects the relative differences in the volume of distribution of the gadolinium contrast between normal and abnormal myocardium. Gadolinium is normally confined to the extracellular space. Expansion of the extracellular space resulting from infiltrative processes, fibrosis, or edema increases the myocardial volume of distribution, thereby allowing a larger amount of gadolinium to leak and accumulate in the tissue. This excess gadolinium accumulation combined with its slower washout (compared with normal myocardium) leads to the characteristic bright signal …
Pulsatile intravenous infusion of recombinant human luteinizing hormone under acute gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor blockade reconstitutes testosterone secretion in young men.

The present study tests the hypothesis that iv infusion of discrete pulses of recombinant human (rh)LH after overnight GnRH-receptor blockade can restore midphysiological concentrations of testosterone (Te) in normal young men. In a pilot time-course analysis, injection of the GnRH antagonist ganirelix (2.0 mg sc) at 2200 h lowered LH concentrations (mean ± sem) from 3.4 ± 0.7 to 0.8 ± 0.1 IU/liter (P < 0.01) and Te concentrations from 416 ± 48 to 107 ± 16 ng/dl (P < 0.01) (to convert to nmol/liter, multiply by 0.0347) at 0800 h the next morning. LH and Te concentrations remained suppressed thereafter for an additional 15 h (interval, 10–25 h after ganirelix administration) at mean values of 1.2 ± 0.1 IU/liter and 67 ± 10 ng/dl, respectively (P < 0.005 vs. baseline). Based on these data and earlier dose-finding studies, eight men received a single ganirelix injection followed by seven consecutive iv pulses of rhLH (15.3 IU Second International Reference Preparation) each delivered over 6 min every 2 h beg...
Pediatric Echocardiography Laboratory Organization and Clinical Productivity

Background The American Society of Echocardiography's Committee on Pediatric Echocardiography Laboratory Productivity (C-PELP) was formed to study the organizational and productivity issues particular to academic pediatric echocardiography laboratories. After much deliberation, the committee chose studies per physician full-time equivalent per day --the average number of studies interpreted per day by a full-time echocardiography physician dedicated to the laboratory –as the primary measure of physician productivity. Methods A survey was sent to 74 North American pediatric echocardiography laboratory directors. The aims of the survey were to (1) determine the annual laboratory volume and types of echocardiographic studies performed, (2) define the average number of studies performed by a pediatric cardiac sonographer in a year, (3) assess the productivity of echocardiography physicians, and (4) identify factors (programmatic or laboratory related) that affect clinical productivity. Results There were 54 responses to the C-PELP 2011 survey. The average number of studies per physician full-time equivalent per day was 15.0 + 4.5 (median, 13.8; range, 6.2 -27.1), and the average number of studies performed per year by a sonographer was 1,297 + 326 (median, 1,279; range 717 -2,475). These figures were not adjusted for case complexity, time requirement for transesophageal echocardiography, level of expertise, or availability of sonographer assistance. Moreover, the issues of study quality and accuracy were not addressed. Conclusions The C-PELP 2011 survey gathered important information on the current organization and staffing of academic pediatric echocardiography laboratories, but the committee did not attempt to craft guidelines or recommendations on staffing requirements. The results of the survey, however, should provide a framework for additional investigation into the optimal structure and staffing of pediatric echocardiography laboratories.
Volterra-Fredholm Integral Equations

The Volterra-Fredholm integral equations [1–2] arise from parabolic boundary value problems, from the mathematical modelling of the spatio-temporal development of an epidemic, and from various physical and biological models. The Volterra-Fredholm integral equations appear in the literature in two forms, namely $$u\left( x \right) = f\left( x \right) = {\lambda _1}\int_0^x {{K_1}\left( {x,t} \right)u\left( t \right)dt + {\lambda _2}} \int_a^b {{K_2}\left( {x,t} \right)u\left( t \right)dt} ,$$ (8.1) and the mixed form $$u\left( x \right) = f\left( x \right) = \lambda \int_0^x {\int_a^b {K\left( {r,t} \right)u\left( t \right)dtdr} ,} $$ (8.2) where f(x) and K(x, t) are analytic functions. It is interesting to note that (8.1) contains disjoint Volterra and Fredholm integrals, whereas (8.2) contains mixed Volterra and Fredholm integrals. Moreover, the unknown functions u(x) appears inside and outside the integral signs. This is a characteristic feature of a second kind integral equation. If the unknown functions appear only inside the integral signs, the resulting equations are of first kind. Examples of the two types of the Volterra-Fredholm integral equations of the second kind are given by $$u\left( x \right) = 6x + 3{x^2} + 2 - \int_0^x {xu\left( t \right)dt - \int_0^1 {tu\left( t \right)dt} ,} $$ (8.3) and $$u\left( x \right) = x + \frac{{17}}{2}{x^2} - \int_0^x {\int_0^1 {\left( {r - t} \right)u\left( t \right)drdt} .} $$ (8.4)
FLEX: towards flexible real-time programs

The authors describe a language called FLEX, which makes it possible to program real-time systems that can respond to dynamic environments. In the worst case, when certain resources are not available, the program can produce approximate, imprecise results. This ability to write programs that are flexible in their execution time is provided by using constraints to express timing requirements, and sieves and imprecise values to obtain imprecise results. The authors discuss the semantic aspects of computing with imprecise values. >
Abstract 3737: Severe obesity and colorectal cancer patient survival

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Background: More than one-third of all U.S. adults are obese (BMI >30); and 15% of middle-aged adults, the group most commonly diagnosed and treated for colorectal and other cancers, meet the criteria for class II obesity (BMI> = 35). In contrast to the large and consistent body of evidence for obesity and increased colorectal cancer risk, several recent meta-analyses indicate that the association with colorectal patient survival is poorly defined. Some evidence suggests that moderate adiposity may be protective. In a prospective cohort of well-characterized CRC patients, we evaluated class I and class II obesity in relation to 5-year and 10-year survival outcomes. Methods: Histologically-confirmed colorectal adenocarcinoma patients (n = 634) evaluated at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center were followed for a median period of 4 years. We collected epidemiological data through questionnaires and abstracted treatment, anthropometric, and clinicopathologic data from patients’ electronic medical records. Overall survival (OS) and progression/recurrence-free survival (PFS) were calculated from the date of pathologic diagnosis until disease progression, first recurrence, or death. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated in multivariable Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for demographics, lifestyle factors, tumor characteristics, and treatment modality. Results: We observed a 1.5-fold increased risk of death among class II obese (BMI> = 35), as compared to overweight CRC patients in multivariable-adjusted models. Among patients who reported stable weight and among stage I-III patients, the association between class II obesity and OS was more pronounced [BMI> = 35 vs. BMI 25-29.9 (ref), HR and 95% CI: 3.49 (1.68-7.22) and 2.40 (1.33-4.31), respectively], but no associations were observed among metastatic patients or among patients who experienced recent weight loss. Similar associations were observed with PFS, but few reached statistical significance. Conclusions: Severe adiposity defined as class II obesity (BMI > = 35) was associated with significantly higher mortality among CRC patients. Clarifying what is not a healthy weight for cancer patients and survivors remains both a clinically relevant and timely concern. Understanding and targeting this relationship may improve long-term outcomes among growing numbers of obese patients and cancer survivors. Citation Format: Carrie R. Daniel, Xiang Shu, Yuanqing Ye, Jian Gu, G. S. Raju, Scott Kopetz, Xifeng Wu. Severe obesity and colorectal cancer patient survival. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3737. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3737
Impact of Dry Mouth on Fluid Intake and Overactive Bladder Symptoms in Women taking Fesoterodine

Purpose: We investigated the long-term relationships between dry mouth, fluid intake and overactive bladder symptoms in women undergoing treatment with fesoterodine. We hypothesized that women who experienced dry mouth would increase their fluid intake and worsen their urinary symptoms.Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective ancillary study to a 9-month open-label trial of fesoterodine for women with urgency urinary incontinence. Fluid intake was measured and compared according to reported dry mouth. Multivariable analysis was used to study the interaction between dry mouth, fluid intake and urinary symptoms.Results: During the study 407 women without dry mouth significantly reduced their fluid intake (mean decrease 172.1 ml, median 118.3 ml, p = 0.02), while 91 women with dry mouth did not (mean decrease 95.8 ml, median 118.3 ml, p = 0.54). On univariable analysis a greater proportion of women who experienced dry mouth reported improvement in their urinary symptoms compared to women without dry...
What's Wrong With Health Privacy? !

This article seeks to identify some of the reasons why “privacy” remains so contentious. Here I suggest several possible answers ranging from “micro” issues such as what we understand by health privacy to more “macro” and operational issues as we seek to protect health information. First, lawyers have made consistent errors in the terminology applied to the protection of medical privacy; second, both the legal and ethical domains have failed to apply a consistent and robust rationale for health privacy, leaving it prey to consequentialist thought and policy; third, the declining importance of the physician-patient relationship as the touchstone for obligations, particularly confidentiality, has created a “rights” vacuum; fourth, the health information revolution truly is revolutionary in its reach and its concomitant threats to privacy and confidentiality; and, finally, as privacy regulation increasingly lies in the sphere of governmental command-control regulation, it has joined the list of targets in the professionalism-market-regulation conflict over millennial healthcare delivery.
Religious Constructions of the AIDS Crisis

This study examines a range of religious responses to the dual status of people with AIDS (PWAs) as simultaneously "sinners" and sick. Responses include: defining AIDS as a divine punishment or as the "natural" outcome of a "sinful" lifestyle, separating AIDS from issues of sexual morality to allow for a more rational response, and expressing compassion for the "sinner" while hating the "sin." Data for this study come from both a variety of religious periodicals and official statements of religious denominations.