cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The living donor experience: Donor health assessment and outcomes after living donor liver transplantation

Despite the increasing use of living donor liver transplantation, little is known about donor needs, concerns, and experiences. The goal of this study is to assess morbidity associated with living donation from a donor perspective, functional status after donation, and overall satisfaction with the donation process. We surveyed all living donors (LDs) from our center. Demographics, perioperative experience, and satisfaction with donation were assessed. The Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short-Form Survey (SF-12), a well-validated tool, measured overall health-related quality of life. Of 27 subjects eligible for the study, 27 subjects (100%) participated. Forty percent reported an event they deemed an immediate complication, of which 60% were recorded in the medical record. Complications requiring readmission were reported by 22%. Mean recovery time was 12 weeks (range, 1 to 52 weeks). No significant change was reported in physical activity, social activity, or emotional stability, and 92% of donors resumed their predonation occupation. Regardless of recipient outcome, 100% of donors would donate again and recommend donation to someone in contemplation. All surveyed LDs at our institution are satisfied with their donation decision. Morbidity in the first year after donation may be greater than previously appreciated. Despite complications, postoperative functional status of donors is equal to or better than population norms.
Valuation theory: A constructive view

Abstract The theory of valuations on fields is developed in the constructive spirit of Errett Bishop. As a consequence of the general theory we are able to construct all nonarchimedean valuations on algebraic number fields and compute their ramification indices and residue class degrees. The notion of a field with a valuation for which the infimum of the values of any polynomial function can be computed plays an important role. Numerous limiting counterexamples are provided.
Low-Temperature Thermal Conductivity of Polyethylene

The thermal conductivity of a sample of polyethylene has been measured in the temperature range below 1\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The results obtained are inconsistent with previous theories offered to explain thermal conduction in these materials at higher temperatures; a simple modification to the theory is suggested which is consistent with the current data.
High altitude aircraft water vapor measurements.

A hygrometer for water vapor measurements from an aircraft was developed. An aluminum oxide hygrometer mounted in an aircraft Rosemount air temperature scoop was flown on the NASA Convair 990 and on a USAF B-57 aircraft. Water vapor measurements from the Convair 990 were conducted up to 40,000 ft with penetration into the stratosphere. Good agreement was obtained with simultaneously flown remote sounders of water vapor. During transcontinental flights the hygrometer demonstrated adequate response to measure the natural variability of water vapor near the tropopause. Rapid response was demonstrated in pursuit of the jet wake of an F-104 at 35,000 ft.
Effects of U-40481 and formetanate on the isolated rabbit central ear artery

Abstract Formetanate, a formamidine-type pesticide, and U-40481 ( N -methyl- N′ -2,4-xylylformamidine), a metabolite of amitraz, also a formamidine pesticide, contract the rabbit central ear artery with their maximal contractions being 22 ± 8% and 49 ± 6% of norepinephrine contractions, respectively. Maximal contractions were obtained with 10 −3 M formetanate and 10 −4 M U-40481, and cumulatively added higher concentrations caused a decrease in tension from that maximum. Their contractions were antagonized by 10 −6 M and 3 × 10 −6 M phentolamine. U-40481 reversibly antagonized contractions induced by serotonin, norepinephrine, and histamine, and to some extent potassium. Formetanate had little antagonist activity. Neither compound altered the resting rate of washout of radioactivity from [ 3 H]norepinephrine preloaded strips. Both reduced electrically induced release, which may be related to local anesthetic-like actions on sympathetic neurones. Thus both compounds are partial agonists at the α-adrenergic receptor, and reduce electrically induced norepinephrine release, and U-40481 antagonizes contractions induced by certain other vasoactive agents.
Analysis of sequence alterations in a defined DNA region: comparison of temperature-modulated heteroduplex analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.

Abstract The ability to detect DNA sequence heterogeneity quickly and reliably is becoming increasingly important as more genes involved in disease processes are discovered. We have assessed the ability of a high pressure liquid chromatography technique (HPLC) termed temperature-modulated heteroduplex analysis (TMHA™) to detect a collection of 20 point mutations distributed throughout a 279 base pair fragment spanning the exon 8 region of the human HPRT gene. All mutant/wild type heteroduplexes formed from mutations in the lowest temperature melting domain of the fragment were easily resolved from the corresponding mutant and wt homoduplexes, while those generated from mutants in the next higher melting domain barely resolved from their parental homoduplexes. For comparison, identical heteroduplex samples were subjected to denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Heteroduplexes in the lowest temperature melting domain were easily resolved, while no resolution was achieved with those in the next higher melting domain. These results suggest that TMHA™ and DGGE are measuring similar melting characteristics in heteroduplex molecules. TMHA™ appears to be a robust approach for detecting and/or purifying a wide variety of mutations in a defined region of DNA, provided that the melting characteristics of the fragment under study are carefully considered.
Treatment-seeking for social anxiety disorder in a general outpatient psychiatry setting

Many individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) seek treatment principally for another psychiatric disorder, but when directly asked, a majority of these individuals also desire treatment for SAD. Several reasons may exist for why individuals with SAD do not seek treatment for it, such as the severity or functional impairment related to SAD. The aim of the current study was to examine factors related to SAD severity, impairment, and comorbidity, to gain a better understanding of what factors may be related to treatment-seeking for SAD. In 819 psychiatric outpatients with SAD, initial results showed that age, duration of SAD illness, number of social fears endorsed, Clinical Global Impression score, Sheehan Disability Scale ratings for social life and distress, presence of major depressive disorder, and presence of depressive disorder not otherwise specified (DDNOS) were associated with treatment-seeking for SAD status. However, a regression analysis found that DDNOS was the most robust predictor of treatment-seeking for SAD status, followed by the number of feared social situations. Other factors should be examined in the future, such as knowledge of SAD and available treatment options.
Influence of Surface Area on the Density of Quartz heated at 1,300°-1,500° C

DURING an investigation of silica brick it soon became apparent that the extent of the thermal alteration of quartz was dependent on its initial particle size. A search of the literature revealed only a few fragmentary pieces of information1–5. Most of this information merely compared the extent of alteration of two fractions, a fine and a coarse, and stated that the finer fraction is altered to the greatest extent. The finer fraction was coarse compared with the quartz used here. Therefore a systematic, qualitative investigation of the influence of the initial surface area of quartz on the extent of its thermal alteration, as measured by density changes and X-ray diffraction, was undertaken. The purpose of this communication is to emphasize graphically the extent of this surface area effect.
Clinical experience with symptomatic superior canal dehiscence in a single neurotologic practice

Objective To discuss the range of signs and symptoms of patients with superior canal dehiscence syndrome identified in a single neurotologic practice. Study Design Retrospective chart review of 35 patients diagnosed with superior canal dehiscence from April 2000 to June 2007. Results All patients had evidence of superior canal dehiscence on computed tomography. These 35 patients represented 0.56% of new patients seen over a five-year period. The incidence of clinical symptoms and signs is compared to other published series. The mean vestibular evoked myogenic potential thresholds of affected ears are significantly lower than the mean vestibular evoked myogenic potential thresholds of unaffected ears. To date, 5 of 35 patients have undergone transmastoid occlusion of the superior semicircular canal with significant improvement in clinical symptoms in 4 of 5 cases. Conclusion Not all patients with a diagnosis of superior canal dehiscence syndrome will have classic symptoms and signs. A high index of suspicion with careful clinical examination and properly performed ancillary testing is required to confirm this diagnosis.
Peak drug levels in linear pharmacokinetic systems--III. Multimodal impulse responses in multicompartment systems.

This paper deals with the unimodality of the ‘impulse response’ in compartmental systems, where the ‘impulse response’ in any given compartment is the time course of the amount of diffusing substance in that compartment after an initial instantaneous injection of the substance into that or some other compartment. It is shown that in certain compartmental structures, with injection in certain compartments, the impulse response is always unimodal or monotonic in all compartments, regardless of the numerical values of the various transfer rate coefficients. Structures with this property are here named ‘UM structures’, and they include the familiar mammillary and catenary structures. In this paper, the set of all UM structures is described. Structures which are not UM (NUM structures) are identified by showing that, by removal of certain connections and compartments according to certain rules, they can be reduced to small structures which can be shown to be NUM by numerical computation. Computations on two systems with bimodal impulse responses show that with constant infusions of a fixed amount of substance the peak level may increase paradoxically with decrease in the infusion rate over a certain range. This effect is extremely small, however.
Challenge to Authority: Bakhtin and Ethnographic Description

Anthropologists have begun reading Bakhtin since a series of careful translations of his work have been published. The Dialogical Imagination, The Problems of Dostoevsky's Poetics, and Speech Genres and Other Late Essays have prompted efforts to, once again, rethink some of the basic assumptions and postulates influencing our work. Most notable among them are the unity of cultural systems, the incontestability of cultural norms and other cultural conceptions, and the paradoxical passivity of the actor who is mindful of the norms that are supposed to guide his action. These assumptions have been incorporated into the canons of ethnographic description and, it is argued, have perhaps limited our ability to explain or even acknowledge alienation from cultural conceptions of the self, resistance to them, and the variety of challenges to cultural tradition including irony, parody, and secretive subversion that are often played out in front of our noses. Bakhtin's work' provides a means for criticizing some of these assumptions, and so challenges the traditional authority in anthropological theory. Some of the concepts he has introduced have been discussed elsewhere (Clifford 1983; Marcus and Cushman 1982) in treatises criticizing the traditions we have retained. This article will expand upon some of the points made in earlier discussions, drawing out the basic propositions in Bakhtin's translated work and developing their utility. The point of departure is an incident I observed while conducting predoctoral research on male authority in Latin American families. The incident is useful precisely because it is theoretically inexplicable, if one uses the traditional formulations of the anthropological patriarchs. The event was itself a challenge to authority, in particular, a challenge to the authority of the senior male in the household. When I went into the field, the most authoritative paradigm of anthropological research, structural functionalism, did not see this problem as a legitimate one and earlier ethnographies did not provide satisfactory methodological precedents. The incident was troubling because it did not illustrate the Durkheimian notion of the constraining or determinative character of social facts nor an associated set of assumptions, that is, that all actors agree unthinkingly about their world, and try scrupulously to maintain their tradition. I will use this young woman's challenge to her father's authority then as a metaphor for my challenge to the authority of the anthropological patriarchs.
Information matrices for normal and Laplace mixtures

The Fisher information matrices (FIMs) are derived for a mixture of two Laplace distributions and a mixture of two normal distributions. The expressions for the matrices involve the Lerch function. Practical application of the results is illustrated through two published works on aircraft navigation and borehole geophysics.
Surface melting of strained and unstrained layers: Kr, Ar, and Ne

Abstract Surface melting of Kr adsorbed on graphite depends strongly on coverage, to twelve or more equivalent layers. The long-range dependence is attributed to strains induced by substrate attraction. A quantitative model exhibits strain assisted surface melting , and displays the observed temperature dependence of the melted layer thickness. The Kr results contrast with earlier measurements of Ar and Ne, which show no coverage dependence beyond three or four layers. The Ar and Ne results are re-examined, and wetting and several mechanisms for strain release are briefly discussed. It is concluded that capillary condensation is the most probable mechanism, hence the Ar and Ne behavior at higher coverages corresponds to the surface melting of bulk crystals.
Thermoplastic properties of corundum refractories

The authors have measured the creep of certain corundum refractory materials. They have shown that it is determined by the silica content, the annealing temperature of the artifacts, and the microstructure of the latter.
Simulation of screw pumping characteristics for intermeshing counter-rotating twin screw extruders

Intermeshing counter-rotating twin screw extruders play an important role in polymer processing, especially for the extrusion of profiles and pipe, largely from polyvinyl chloride. There has been little effort on flow modeling of these machines and most of this has involved representing the machine as a “leaky” positive displacement pump and estimating leakages. In recent years, M.H. Hong and the authors have developed more general methods of simulation of flow in this machine and both applied and experimentally verified it for a few designs. Here we extend these efforts to a broader range of screw designs, especially with deeper screw channels where transverse shearing induced by the flights is important. Calculations are done for isothermal power law fluids. The results are compared with experiment. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers
Single unit study of the cochlear nucleus in the mouse.

Single unit study of the cochlear nucleus complex in the mouse was performed. Two types of units were encountered which differed in their tuning curves, their threshold excitability and their response to increasing sound stimulation. The findings suggest that a type I unit conveys information concerning the frequency of a tone and the type II unit the intensity of the stimulating sound. Inhibition with two tone interaction was shown to exist in type I units. Attempts were made to determine the mode of inhibition in peripheral auditory units. Inhibitory interbeat tracking by units indicates a neural mechanism for the inhibition encountered in peripheral auditory units seen during two tone interaction.
On the pH-dependent formation constants of iron(III)-sulfur(IV) transient complexes

An experimental study is described of Fe(III)-S(IV) formation constants measured as a function of pH (1–3), ionic strength (0.2–0.5 M) and [Fe(III)] T (2.5−5.0×10−4 M) using a continuous-flow spectrophotometric technique to make observations 160 ms after mixing. Preliminary experiments using pulse-accelerated-flow (PAF) spectrophotometry to measure rate constants on a microsecond timescale are also described. The conditional formation constant at 25 °C can be modeled with the following equation: {ie307-1} where {ie307-2}K 7 andK 8 can be interpreted as intrinsic constants for the coordination of HSO 3 − by FeOH2+ and Fe3+, respectively, but until further evidence is obtained they should be regarded as fitting constants. PAF spectrophotometry showed that the initial reaction of Fe(III) with S(IV) (pH 2.0) is characterized by a second-order rate constant of ≈4×106 M−1 s−1 which is comparable to rate of reaction of FeOH2+ with SO 4 2− . However, the PAF results should be regarded as preliminary since unexpected features in the initial data indicate that the reaction may be more complex than expected.
Positive-ion thermospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry: detection of organic acidurias

Abstract Positive-ion thermospray liquid chromatography—mass spectrometry (TSP-LC-MS) is used to detect organic acids via the direct injection of untreated urine from newborns and infants. Two methods are reported for the separation of organic acids. The separation of urinary organic acids is effected in either an acidic, pH 2.5 sulfuric acid, or a non-acidic, 0.05 M ammonium acetate, pH 6.8, mobile phase. Use of pH 2.5 sulfuric acid and an HPX-87H organic acid column produces better separation but has less sensitivity than the use of 0.05 M ammonium acetate, pH 6.8 and a C18 column. Positive ion TSP-LC-MS has been used to detect methylmalonic aciduria, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric aciduria, propionic aciduria, isovaleric aciduria and argininosuccinic aciduria.
Phosphorylation by Double-Time/CKIε and CKIα Targets Cubitus Interruptus for Slimb/β-TRCP-Mediated Proteolytic Processing

Summary Hedgehog (Hh) proteins govern animal development by regulating the Gli/Ci family of transcription factors. In Drosophila , Hh signaling blocks proteolytic processing of full-length Ci to generate a truncated repressor form. Ci processing requires sequential phosphorylation by PKA, GSK3, and a casein kinase I (CKI) family member(s). Here we show that Double-time (DBT)/CKIe and CKIα act in conjunction to promote Ci processing. CKI phosphorylates Ci at three clusters of serine residues primed by PKA and GSK3 phosphorylation. CKI phosphorylation of Ci confers binding to the F-box protein Slimb/β-TRCP, the substrate recognition component of the SCF Slimb/β-TRCP ubiquitin ligase required for Ci processing. CKI phosphorylation sites act cooperatively to promote Ci processing in vivo. Substitution of Ci phosphorylation clusters with a canonical Slimb/β-TRCP recognition motif in β-catenin renders Slimb/β-TRCP binding and Ci processing independent of CKI. We propose that phosphorylation of Ci by CKI creates multiple Slimb/β-TRCP binding sites that act cooperatively to recruit SCF Slimb/β-TRCP .
Effects of Lens Color on Target Visibility for Air-Sea Rescue

Visual detection of life rafts in the sea presents a difficult task to personnel engaged in air search and rescue operations. A possible means of aiding this task is to use an appropriate sun-glass filter with light transmission properties designed to reduce glare and atmospheric attenuation, while enhancing target-to-background contrast. To examine and evaluate this possibility, target acquisition performance associated with the following types of sunglasses was compared with that of the unaided eye: (1) Haze master (yellow), (2) Oakley-Doc (pink), (3) Cosmetan (brown) and (4) N-15 (gray). The experimental approach involved the use of a circular 1:1000 scale terrain model and associated techniques simulating an air-sea rescue operation. Each subject searched for targets while making a simulated banking turn around the model.The performance of ten subjects for each experimental lens condition was measured in terms of response time and number of targets found. Results based on these measures showed the Oak...
Diagnosis of post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome in pigs in Brazil caused by porcine circovirus type 2

This report describes the first preliminary characterization of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) isolates from pigs affected with post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in Brazil. Diseased pigs were examined at necropsy and by histopathology. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses revealed lesions reported to be typical of PMWS, which included, respectively, emaciation, enlargement of lymph nodes, thymus atrophy and interstitial pneumonia, and granulomatous lymphadenitis with syncytial cells, among others. Using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or imunoperoxidase it was possible to detected DNA or antigen of PCV2, respectively. The PCR' s amplified fragment could be differentiated from PCV1 and PCV2 from one another by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. PCV2 DNA was detected in 70% (14/20) of samples of pigs with clinical signs and lesions associated with PMWS. This study shows that PCV2 is associated with lesions and symptoms indicative of PMWS in pigs. It is also shown that the Brazilian PCV2 isolates may have variation in their genome.
Diffusion coefficients from the zonal ultracentrifuge using microgram and milligram quantities of material.

Abstract A method is presented for the determination of the diffusion coefficients of very small quantities of material in the zonal ultracentrifuge, yielding an error of 3.5% or less (the data here, from a series of experiments, gives less than 2% error overall). Both theory and supporting experimental data are presented.
Computed Tomographic Distinction of Submucosal Lipoma and Adenomatous Polyp of the Colon

Described here is a patient with 2 large pedunculated colonic tumors detected by barium enema radiography. By computed tomography (CT) 1 was found to be a submucosal lipoma characterized by oval shape, smooth demarcation, and homogeneous density with a CT number of −68 HU, whereas the other was an adenomatous polyp with slightly fuzzy outline and a much higher CT number. This case indicates that CT can be a definitive diagnostic modality for distinguishing between a colonie lipoma and other solid or cystic tumor of the colon.
Structure and Composition of Cu-Doped CdSe Nanocrystals Using Soft X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

The local structure and composition of Cu ions dispersed in CdSe nanocrystals is examined using soft X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES). Using Cu L-edge XANES and X-ray photoelectron measurements (XPS), we find that the Cu ions exist in the Cu(I) oxidation state. We also find that the observed Cu L-edge XANES signal is directly proportional to the molar percent of Cu present in our final material. Se L-edge XANES indicates changes in the Se density of states with Cu doping, due to a chemical bonding effect, and supports a statistical doping mechanism. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements indicate that Cu ions may act as deep electron traps. We show that XANES, XPS, and PL are a powerful combination of methods to study the electronic and chemical structure of dopants in nanostructured materials.
Stabilizing Control in Emergencies Part 1. Equilibrium Point and State Determination

A precondition for stabilizing control during emergencies is the knowledge of the system state (normally requires state estimation) and the system stable equilibrium point (normally requires a load flow computation). These cannot be obtained fast enough in the conventional state space and may be un-obtainable when the system structure is unknown as it can be during emergencies. This paper introduces a valid transformed state space in which the components of the state can always be obtained at each bus from small scale local computations based on local measurements at the bus itself. The stable equilibrium point is always the origin of this state space-thus, a definite target for the stabilizing control is always available. Definitions and working equations are presented and these results are utilized for devising a stabilizing control in a companion paper [1].
Binding of glycosaminoglycans to cyano-activated agarose membranes: kinetic and diffusional effects on yield and homogeneity.

Abstract Methods were developed for binding a glycosaminoglycan (GAG, a 50 kDa chondroitin sulfate) to thin agarose membranes using 1-cyano-4-(dimethylamino)pyridinium tetrafluoroborate (CDAP) as the activating agent. Process conditions were optimized to achieve high yields and spatially uniform concentrations of bound ligand. Yields were varied mainly by manipulating the duration and temperature of the aqueous washes prior to coupling, which affected the concentration of active sites available for subsequent GAG binding. The rate constants for degradation of the active cyanate esters in 0.1 M bicarbonate solutions were 0.24 ± 0.02 h−1 at 4 °C and 0.08 ± 0.03 h−1 at 0 °C. Steric limitations in the 3% agarose gels severely restricted binding, with only about 0.1% of active sites being accessible to GAG molecules. The GAG binding occurred primarily in the outer 50–70 μm of the membranes, so that coupling was homogeneous only for thin gels. A model of GAG diffusion and reaction in the coupling step was developed to explain the observed effects of parameters such as the GAG concentration in solution and the membrane thickness. An analysis of the key time scales in the synthesis provides design principles that should be useful also for other cyanylating agents, other ligands, and for beads as well as membranes.
Occurrence and metabolism of D-aspartate in the gutless bivalve Solemya reidi

High concentrations of free D-aspartate were measured in foot tissue and symbiotic bacteria containing gill tissue of Solemya reidi. The enzyme D-aspartate racemase could be shown to be present in the tissues but not D-aspartate oxidase or glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (D-aspartate as substrate). Externally administered radiolabeled D-aspartate is rapidly taken up and metabolized by the tissues of the animal. The possible role of D-aspartate in the metabolism of S. reidi is discussed.
Changes in Forest Soil Carbon and Nitrogen after a Thirty-Year Interval

Increases in atmospheric C have resulted in concerns about global warming and interest in finding the means to sequester atmospheric C through land management strategies. The purposes of this study were to: (i) compare changes in mineral soil C after a 30-yr interval, and (ii) examine the potential roles of soil N, soil texture, and topography in these changes. The Camp Branch watershed is a second-growth, oak-dominated, mixed hardwood forest on the Cumberland Plateau in central Tennessee. In July 1976, soil samples were collected at permanently identified points and archived. These points were resampled in July 2006 and both the archived and new samples of the 0- to 10-cm increment of the mineral soil were analyzed for C and N. Comparisons revealed that the changes in C and N were distinct to each of the eight soil series occurring on the site. Comparison of 2006 samples to 1976 samples indicated that changes in C concentration ranged from -13.1 to 12.0%. Changes in C mass ranged from -11.3 to 8.3%. Increases in C were most closely associated with increases in the C/total N ratio. The change in C was positively correlated with the change in exchangeable inorganic N (r 2 = 0.31, P < 0.0001). An overstory inventory indicated a decline in oak domination and site-specific changes in basal area, density, and stand age. Since regression analysis revealed that the change in C was not predicted by topographic factors or soil texture, we speculate that changes in forest cover influenced the changes in mineral soil C.
Histochemical evidence for localized inhibition of cholinesterase in the house fly.

Histochemical demonstration of cholinesterase (ChE) activity and inhibition in Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Museidae) central nervous system was observed using thiocholine substrates incubated with cryostat frozen sections. Topical application of organophosphorus (OP) and carbamate insecticides showed that the brain of the fly was a secondary site of action for the toxicants, while the peripheral regions of the thoracic ganglion were the primary areas of ChE inhibition. Inhibition with the OP compounds seemed to penetrate into the neuropile of the ganglia with time. No penetration further than the perineurium occurred with the carbamates. Reactivation of ChE was noted in dead flies with both the OP and carbamate compounds. The possible importance of the peripheral ChE of the thoracic ganglion is considered in conjunction with symptomology of poisoning.
Conversion of closed circular DNA molecules to single-nicked molecules by digestion with DNAase I in the presence of ethidium bromide.

Abstract Closed circular DNA molecules were converted to single-nicked open molecules by digestion with DNAase I in the presence of ethidium bromide. Appropriate digestion conditions were obtained for the following DNA molecules: kinetoplast DNA minicircles from Leishmania tarentolae , SV40 DNA and PM-2 DNA. The nicking was shown to be non-strand specific in the case of oX174 RF.
Oncogenic transforming potential of etanidazole.

Abstract The 2-nitroimidazole etanidazole is in Phase III randomized trials as an adjunct to radiotherapy in both the United States and Europe. Paradoxically, it is one of the more oncogenic radiosensitizers examined with the in vitro oncogenic transformation assay based on C3H 10T1 /2 cells. To obtain an estimate of the possible number of second malignancies that might be induced in patients receiving the drug, the in vitro transformation assay was used to compare etanidazole with γ-rays, for which cancer risk estimates are available from the Japanese survivors. For the clinical protocol used in RTOG studies, which results in a cumulative dose of 36 mM hr, the drug-induced cancer incidence was estimated to be 2.8 to 14%.
On-Call Treatment of Acute Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage

Urgent treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding is multidisciplinary and often variable by institution. In general, medical management is the first-line therapy for both upper and lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage. In severe upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, endoscopy is performed prior to other interventions as it is often both diagnostic and therapeutic. Embolization is performed for refractory arterial bleeding. Transjugular portosystemic shunt insertion may be performed to treat refractory variceal bleeding although its use at night is controversial. The treatment algorithm for lower gastrointestinal bleeding is less clear but in general, severe bleeding is handled in the interventional suite by superselective embolization and less severe bleeding is initially treated by endoscopy after an 8- to 12-hour bowel prep. This article will summarize the current approach in my hospital for treating patients with acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
Structure of membrane lipids and physico-biochemical properties of the plasma membrane from Thermoplasma acidophilum, adapted to growth at 37° C

Abstract Thermoplasma acidophilum, a mycoplasma-like organism, grows optimally at 56° C and pH 2. The low temperature extreme of growth is 37° C. The plasma membrane of cells grown at 37° C was isolated and characterized physicobiochemically. Membrane lipids which comprise 25% of the membrane dry weight consist mainly of two repetitively methyl-branched C40 side chains that were ether-linked to two glycerol molecules. The lipid structures were elucidated by combined gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy, direct probe mass spectroscopy and 13C NMR. 37° C-grown cells contained lipids with 42% more pentane cyclization than the 56° C-grown cells. In 37° C-grown cells, phospholipid and serine content decreased by about 10% each, carbohydrate content increased by 5%. EPR studies demonstrated an increase in membrane lipid fluidity of 37° C-grown cells with an upper transition temperature at 35° C which was shifted down by 10° C compared with cells grown at 56° C. Membrane-bound ATPase activities also indicated similar changes upon adaptation. There is a close correlation between membrane fluidity and physiological functioning of this membrane-bound enzyme.
Intergeniculate leaflet ablation alters circadian rhythms in the mouse

The intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) receives retinal input and sends afferents to the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a circadian oscillator. The effect of IGL ablation on the circadian rhythm of wheel-running activity was examined in mice maintained in constant dark (DD) and in two intensities of constant light (LL). IGL-lesioned animals demonstrated significantly longer free-running rhythms in DD conditions than IGL-intact mice similarly housed; there was no effect of IGL ablation on the period of the free-running activity rhythm in LL of either 10 or 100 lux intensity. A change in the period of the free-running activity rhythm in DD following IGL destruction is evidence that the IGL exerts an endogenous influence on the SCN circadian system.
EFFICIENT NEW SYNTHESES OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON ORTHO-QUINONES AND THEIR 2′-DEOXYRIBONUCLEOSIDE ADDUCTS

Three mechanisms have been proposed to explain the carcinogenic activities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). On the basis of the nature of the active metabolites involved, they may be termed: the diol epoxide mechanism, the quinone mechanism, and the radical-cation mechanism. In connection with studies to evaluate the relative importance of these pathways, we required practical methods for the syntheses of the active PAH metabolites involved. We now report efficient new synthesis of the o-quinones of benzo[a]pyrene (BPQ), 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBAQ), and benz[a]anthracene (BAQ). These quinones are convenient synthetic precursors of the related o-catechols, trans-dihydrodiols, and diol epoxides, as well as the stable adducts of the o-quinones with 2-deoxyadenosine and 2′-deoxyguanosine.
125 Acute Rejection in Renal Allografts With Delayed Graft Function (DGF) in the Era of T Cell Depleting Induction

ACUTE REJECTION IN RENAL ALLOGRAFTS WITH DELAYED GRAFT FUNCTION (DGF) IN THE ERA OF T CELL DEPLETING INDUCTION Usama T Hussein MD , Carlos R Franco MD, Juan C Calle MD, Fernando G Cosio MD, Hatem Amer MD. on Division of Nephrology and Hyper tension and the William J v Liebig Transplant Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN, USA Introduc on: DGF is associat ed with worse long term renal allogra survival. With poor early allogra func on there is always concern for undiagnosed acute rejec on (AR). We rou nely biopsy DGF allogra s in the first week. With T cell deple ng agents we ost hypothesized that AR would be u nlikely in the first week p transplant Methods: Between January 2005 and December 2009 we performed 725 kidney alone trans plants who were ABO compa ble and with nega ve pre-transplant flow cross match. Sixteen (2.2%) pa ents had DGF, defined as dialysis within one week of transp lant, and had a biopsy. Results: Age 52.3 ± 13.2 year, Caucasians 15 (93.7 %), male 12 (75 %), deceased donor source 10 (62. 5%), re-transplant 4(25%). T cell deple ng agents were used in all pa ents, Alemtuzumab followed by tacrolimus and myco phenolate mofe l in 2 (12.5%) the remainder, rabbit An -thymocyte Globulin followed by tacrolimus mycophenolate mofe l, and cor costeroids. DGF was more common in recipients of deceased donor kidneys 20.4 % vs. 0.9 % p <0.001. AR was seen in 2 (12.5%) cases one AR 2A and the second was an body mediated rejec on. Other findings on ) biopsy included: 11 (68.7%) ATN, 1 (6.25%) normal and 2(12.5% biopsies showed donor transmi ed histological changes. Conclusion: In this study we con firm that ATN is the commonest histological finding in pa ents with DGF and more likely to occur in recipients of deceased donor kid neys. AR is uncommon early post ransplant with T cell deple ng agent induc on but can not be xcluded without performing early biopsies. t e
Increasing cellulose production and transgenic plant growth in forest tree species

Cellulose is one of many important polymers in plants. Cellulose is made of repeat units of the monomer glucose. Cellulose is a major industrial biopolymer in the forest products, textile, and chemical industries. It also forms a large portion of the biomass useful in the generation of energy. Moreover, cellulose-based biomass is a renewable energy source that can be used for the generation of ethanol as a fuel. Cellulose is synthesized by a variety of living organisms such as plants and algae. It is the major component of plant cell walls with secondary cell walls having a much higher content of cellulose. The relationship between cellulose and lignin biosynthesis is complicated, but it is confirmed that inhibition of lignin biosynthesis in transgenic trees will increase cellulose biosynthesis and plant growth. Cellulose accumulation may be increased by down-regulating 4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase (4CL, EC 6.2.1.12) as shown in transgenic aspen. There is no similar reports on down-regulating 4CL in transgenic conifers. Based on our establishedAgrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation system in loblolly pine, we are able to produce antisense 4-CL transgenic loblolly pine which is predicted to have increasing cellulose accumulation. The overall objective of this project is to genetically engineer forest tree species such as loblolly pine with reduced amount of lignin and increased cellulose content. The research strategy includes: (1) isolate the 4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase gene from loblolly pine seedlings by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RACE-PCR) techniques from the cDNA library; (2) construct binary expression vectors with antisense 4CL coding sequences and introduce antisense constructs of the 4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase gene cloned from loblolly pine into the loblolly pine to down regulate the 4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase gene expression; (3) study the effect of the antisense transgene expression on lignin content, cellulose accumulation, and loblolly pine biomass; and (4) select fast growth and high cellulose accumulation transgenic loblolly pine lines for future commercial application.
Prevalence of psychiatric disorders among young injection drug users.

Background Studies of individuals in treatment for substance use have found high rates of psychiatric disorders, however little is known about the mental health of drug users not in treatment. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of lifetime and recent substance use and psychiatric disorders among young injection drug users (IDU) outside of a treatment setting.
Plasmonic optical trapping in biologically relevant media.

We present plasmonic optical trapping of micron-sized particles in biologically relevant buffer media with varying ionic strength. The media consist of 3 cell-growth solutions and 2 buffers and are specifically chosen due to their widespread use and applicability to breast-cancer and angiogenesis studies. High-precision rheological measurements on the buffer media reveal that, in all cases excluding the 8.0 pH Stain medium, the fluids exhibit Newtonian behavior, thereby enabling straightforward measurements of optical trap stiffness from power-spectral particle displacement data. Using stiffness as a trapping performance metric, we find that for all media under consideration the plasmonic nanotweezers generate optical forces 3–4x a conventional optical trap. Further, plasmonic trap stiffness values are comparable to those of an identical water-only system, indicating that the performance of a plasmonic nanotweezer is not degraded by the biological media. These results pave the way for future biological applications utilizing plasmonic optical traps.
Prioritizing Active Learning: An Exploration of Gateway Courses in Political Science.

Prior research in political science and other disciplines demonstrates the pedagogical and practical benefits of active learning. Less is known, however, about the extent to which active learning is used in political science classrooms. This study assesses the prioritization of active learning in “gateway” political science courses, paying specific attention to simulations, structured debates, and the case method. Nearly five hundred individual course syllabi for introductory-level political science courses are examined. Although the level of active learning prioritization is surprisingly low, the dimensions on which it varies suggest opportunities for adoption across subfields and classes of varying size.
Impact melt differentiation in the South Pole-Aitken basin: Some observations and speculations

Abstract The stratigraphy of the South-Pole Aitken basin (SPA) interior is consistent with that of a massive impact melt sheet that differentiated to form cumulates. Spectroscopic and geophysical constraints on the stratigraphy of SPA suggest a ~12.5 km thick layer of norite above ultramafic pyroxenite and dunite layers. A similar stratigraphy is produced from differentiation by crystal settling of a ~50 km thick impact melt sheet (lunar impact melt sheets >10 km thick likely undergo differentiation by crystal settling) formed by an oblique impact (and thus containing ~20 vol. % crustal material). We propose that impact melt differentiation can account for geophysical (nonzero crustal thickness) and geochemical (~2 ppm Th) anomalies in SPA.
Effect of intercalated cell-specific Rh C glycoprotein deletion on basal and metabolic acidosis-stimulated renal ammonia excretion

Rh C glycoprotein (Rhcg) is an NH3-specific transporter expressed in both intercalated cells (IC) and principal cells (PC) in the renal collecting duct. Recent studies show that deletion of Rhcg fr...
Three‐dimensional dynamics of pseudopod formation and the regulation of turning during the motility cycle of Dictyostelium

Employing a newly developed computer-assisted system for visualizing and quantitating cell motility in three dimensions, we have examined the 3-dimensional changes in cell shape and the dynamics of pseuodopod extension during translocation of Dictyostelium amoebae. Amoebae exhibit a 3-dimensional behavior cycle with an average period of 1.5 min. The cycle includes a transient pseudopod extension phase in the x, y axis followed by a z-axis expansion phase. Anterior pseudopod extension in the x, y axis is accompanied by a decrease in height, not by uropod retraction. The increase in height is accompanied by uropod retraction. In the pseudopod extension phase in the x, y axes, pseudopods form either anteriorly or laterally, and either on or above the substratum. Pseudopods which initially form on the substratum in almost all cases continue to expand as the anterior end of the cell. In the case of lateral pseuodopods, anteriorization leads to a turn. Approximately half of anterior pseudopod and two-thirds of lateral pseudopods which initially form above the substratum are retracted. These results suggest that pseudopod-substratum interaction plays a fundamental role in the regulation of directionality and turning in the translocation phase of the 3-dimensional behavior cycle. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Design and Economic Analysis for Continuous Countercurrent Processing of Milk Fat with Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Abstract Fractionation of anhydrous milk fat using supercritical CO 2 provides various fractions of different physicochemical and functional properties that should enhance its utilization. Based on a mass transfer study of a pilot plant setup of a continuous countercurrent fractionation of anhydrous milk fat by supercritical CO 2 , economic analysis of manufacturing plants was improved. Equipment was sized for six commercial-scale plant capacities, ranging from 800 to 10,000 tonnes/yr of anhydrous milk fat. Analysis considers capital investment, annual manufacturing expenses, revenues, sales, and payback time. The equipment scale-up index was .53, which is the usual literature value. For a plant processing 10,000 tonnes/yr of anhydrous milk fat, conversion cost is $.15/kg over a base price of $1.98/kg. Such a plant would have a capital investment of $4.4million and annual manufacturing costs of $21.1million. Example selling prices are calculated assuming a desired rate of return of 20% or a payback period of 5 yr, which further adds $.11/kg to the base price and conversion cost, yielding annual sales of $22.2million. The economics of the process are attractive, even though further optimization of operating conditions has not yet been performed, primarily because of the continuous nature of the process, the heat regeneration systems designed, and the large plant capacities considered. Thus, the notion that supercritical processing is expensive may be valid only for batch or semi-continuous systems rather than for continuous large-scale systems such as those studied herein.
Morphological characteristics of urban water bodies: mechanisms of change and implications for ecosystem function

The size, shape, and connectivity of water bodies (lakes, ponds, and wetlands) can have important effects on ecological communities and ecosystem processes, but how these characteristics are influenced by land use and land cover change over broad spatial scales is not known. Intensive alteration of water bodies during urban development, including construction, burial, drainage, and reshaping, may select for certain morphometric characteristics and influence the types of water bodies present in cities. We used a database of over one million water bodies in 100 cities across the conterminous United States to compare the size distributions, connectivity (as intersection with surface flow lines), and shape (as measured by shoreline development factor) of water bodies in different land cover classes. Water bodies in all urban land covers were dominated by lakes and ponds, while reservoirs and wetlands comprised only a small fraction of the sample. In urban land covers, as compared to surrounding undeveloped land, water body size distributions converged on moderate sizes, shapes toward less tortuous shorelines, and the number and area of water bodies that intersected surface flow lines (i.e., streams and rivers) decreased. Potential mechanisms responsible for changing the characteristics of urban water bodies include: preferential removal, physical reshaping or addition of water bodies, and selection of locations for development. The relative contributions of each mechanism likely change as cities grow. The larger size and reduced surface connectivity of urban water bodies may affect the role of internal dynamics and sensitivity to catchment processes. More broadly, these results illustrate the complex nature of urban watersheds and highlight the need to develop a conceptual framework for urban water bodies.
Wettability of Pyrolytic Boron Nitride by Aluminum

The wetting of pyrolytic boron nitride by molten 99.9999 percent pure aluminum was investigated by using the sessile drop method in a vacuum operating at approximately 660 micro-Pa at temperatures ranging from 700 to 1000 C. The equilibrium contact angle decreased with an increase in temperature. For temperatures at 900 C or less, the equilibrium contact angle was greater than 90 deg. At 1000 C a nonwetting-to-wetting transition occurred and the contact angle stabilized at 49 deg.