cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reduction and methyl transfer kinetics of the alpha subunit from acetyl coenzyme a synthase.

OAK-B135 Stopped-flow was used to evaluate the methylation and reduction kinetics of the isolated alpha subunit of acetyl-Coenzyme A synthase from Moorella thermoacetica. This catalytically active subunit contains a novel Ni-X-Fe4S4 cluster and a putative unidentified n =2 redox site called D. The D-site must be reduced for a methyl group to transfer from a corrinoid-iron-sulfur protein, a key step in the catalytic synthesis of acetyl-CoA. The Fe4S4 component of this cluster is also redox active, raising the possibility that it is the D-site or a portion thereof. Results presented demonstrate that the D-site reduces far faster than the Fe4S4 component, effectively eliminating this possibility. Rather, this component may alter catalytically important properties of the Ni center. The D-site is reduced through a pathway that probably does not involve the Fe4S4 component of this active-site cluster.
The influence of advertising context on perceptions of offense

This study quantitatively investigates the role of context in advertising offensiveness. Specifically, the combined impact of product type, executional style, media channel and audience make‐up were measured. Results revealed variability within and across these elements suggesting that offensiveness is subject to contextual influences. Specifically, products influence perceptions primarily in traditional media, and in the use of nudity, religious references and violence. Interestingly, product identification was shown to temper perceptions of offense; respondents who were not informed of a specific product often found advertising scenarios more offensive than those who were exposed to either a condom, beer, or hand soap scenario. Findings also revealed that ‘other’ media generate the highest overall offense levels and that religious and political values influence perceptions of offense. Contrary to popular belief, nudity and sex were not perceived as offensive, per se. Rather, offensiveness depended large...
Do top-down and bottom-up controls interact to exclude nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria from the plankton of estuaries? An exploration with a simulation model

Explaining the nearly ubiquitous absence of nitrogen fixation by planktonic organisms in strongly nitrogen-limited estuaries presents a major challenge to aquatic ecologists. In freshwater lakes of moderate productivity, nitrogen limitation is seldom maintained for long since heterocystic, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria bloom, fix nitrogen, and alleviate the nitrogen limitation. In marked contrast to lakes, this behavior occurs in only a few estuaries worldwide. Primary production is limited by nitrogen in most temperate estuaries, yet no measurable planktonic nitrogen fixation occurs. In this paper, we present the hypothesis that the absence of planktonic nitrogen fixers from most estuaries is due to an interaction of bottom-up and top-down controls. The availability of Mo, a trace metal required for nitrogen fixation, is lower in estuaries than in freshwater lakes. This is not an absolute physiological constraint against the occurrence of nitrogen-fixing organisms, but the lower Mo availability may slow the growth rate of these organisms. The slower growth rate makes nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria in estuaries more sensitive to mortality from grazing by Zooplankton and benthic organisms.
DSM-5 under-Identifies PDDNOS: Diagnostic Agreement between the DSM-5, DSM-IV, and Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Abstract Agreement between the DSM-5, DSM-IV, and Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder was assessed in 125 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which included high and low functioning autism (HFA and LFA) and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDDNOS), and children with other clinical disorders (e.g., ADHD, mental retardation, and oppositional-defiant disorder). Diagnostic specificity (true negatives) was 100% for the DSM-5 and 97% for the DSM-IV. Sensitivity (true positives) was high for LFA and HFA (DSM-5 98%, DSM-IV 100%), but only 27% of children with PDDNOS were identified by the DSM-5 as having ASD. The unidentified children had significant autism symptoms on an autism severity measure compared to controls. Overall, children with ASD identified by the DSM-5 increased from 75% to 91% when one less symptom was required for an ASD diagnosis, with only a slight change in specificity (97%), similar to previously published research. Diagnostic agreement between the DSM-5 and DSM-IV for the entire sample increased from 86% to 94% when one less DSM-5 symptom was required. Therefore, under-identification of ASD and low agreement between the DSM-5 and other measures may be resolved if one less symptom is required for an ASD diagnosis.
Peer modeling influences on smoking behavior of heavy and light smokers.

Twelve heavy (>20 cigs/day) and twelve light (< cigs/day) male smokers were individually exposed to a high rate smoking confederate model in one session and a low rate smoking confederate model in another session. In both conditions, the model was “warm and friendly” to enhance his effectiveness. Cigarette frequency, inter-cigarette interval, and the various topographical components of smoking (puff frequency, percent tobacco burned, cigarette duration, puff duration, and average inter-puff interval) served as the dependent measures. Subjects smoked more cigarettes and took less time between cigarettes when exposed to a high rate model compared with exposure to a low rate model. Topography measures were not significantly influenced by the modeling conditions. There were no significant differences between heavy and light smokers with respect to any of the dependent measures.
Comparison of circulating and peritoneal leukocyte cationic proteins in release of histamine from rat mast cells

Abstract Lysosomal cationic proteins which release histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells were prepared from circulating as well as peritoneal leukocytes of rabbits. The release of histamine by cationic proteins and by compound 48 80 was compared as a function of temperature, pH and concentration. Cationic protein-mediated histamine release appears to be a non-cytotoxic energy requiring process similar to compound 48 80 - mediated release . It was inhibited by iodoacetate, n-ethylmaleimide, 2,4-dinitrophenol, malonate, oxamate, glutamate and slightly inhibited by 2-deoxyglucose. Pharmacologic inhibition of release by isoproterenol, aminophylline, dibutyryl cyclic AMP and prednisone was also demonstrated.
Evaluating NCEP Eta Model–Derived Data against Observations

Data derived at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction via four-dimensional data assimilation using the Eta Model were evaluated against surface observations from two observational arrays, one located in the semihumid, continental climate of Oklahoma and Kansas and the second in the semiarid climate of southern Arizona. Comparison was made for the period of the Global Energy Water-cycle Experiment Continental-scale International Project’s ‘‘GIST’’ dataset in 1994 and their ‘‘ESOP-95’’ dataset in 1995, and for the months of March and May in 1996. Coding errors in the Eta Model’s postprocessor used to diagnose near-surface temperature and humidity are shown to have compromised the GIST and ESOP-95 near-surface data. A procedure was devised to correct the GIST and ESOP-95 near-surface fields by mimicking the corrected code used in the Eta Model since January 1996. Comparison with observations revealed that modeled surface solar radiation is significantly overestimated except in clear-sky conditions. This discrepancy in cloudy-sky solar radiation was altered little by the substantial January 1996 revisions to Eta Model physics, but the revisions are shown to have greatly improved the model’s ability to capture daily and seasonal variations in near-surface air temperature, specific humidity, and wind speed. The poorly modeled surface radiation complicates evaluation of modeled surface energy fluxes, but comparison with observations suggests that the modeled daytime Bowen ratio may be systematically high. This study clearly demonstrates the strong sensitivity of model-calculated, near-surface variables to the physics used to describe surface interactions in the data assimilation model. To mitigate against this and to aid intercomparisons between other data, it is recommended that model-derived data always include sufficient information to allow potential users to recalculate the extrapolation to the surface using a user-defined model of surface‐atmosphere exchanges.
Free and protein-bound amino acids in the tissues of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), during metamorphosis

Abstract 1. 1. The free and protein-bound amino acids in the pupal tissues during metamorphosis in the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, were identified and their amounts estimated. 2. 2. Twenty-one amino acids plus ammonia were detected and identified in the extract of free amino acid; hydrolysis revealed 3 more. 3. 3. In the tissue protein 22 amino acids were identified. 4. 4. The total amounts of the free amino acids from a low point at the prepupal stage, receded at pupal stage 2 and rose to a higher level just before eclosion. 5. 5. The protein-bound acids remained constant, showing little fluctuation; the individual amino acids followed a similar course.
Facial growth during treatment with the function regulator appliance

Facial growth was examined in ten patients who had completed one year of treatment with the function regulator 2 (FR-2) as described by Frankel. Cephalometric headfilms taken before and one year into treatment were superimposed on stable structures in the anterior cranial base, and the qualitative changes were analyzed. The results showed that facial growth in most patients was mainly in the vertical plane, but considerable individual variations were seen. The maxilla generally became more retrognathic during treatment and showed backward rotation and posterior displacement in some patients. Marked individual variations were seen in the mandible. No indications were found that the FR-2 promoted forward growth of the mandible as used in this study (no notching of teeth and less than 5 mm of mandibular advancement). The improvement in dental occlusion observed was primarily due to changes in the vertical relationship between the jaws.
Pretreatment Endorectal Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging Features of Prostate Cancer as Predictors of Response to External Beam Radiotherapy

Purpose To evaluate whether pretreatment combined endorectal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) findings are predictive of outcome in patients who undergo external beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Methods and Materials We retrospectively identified 67 men with biopsy-proven prostate cancer who underwent combined endorectal MRI and MRSI at our institution between January 1998 and October 2003 before whole-pelvis external beam radiotherapy. A single reader recorded tumor presence, stage, and metabolic abnormality at combined MRI and MRSI. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox univariate and multivariate analyses explored the relationship between clinical and imaging variables and outcome, using biochemical or metastatic failure as endpoints. Results After a mean follow-up of 44 months (range, 3–96), 6 patients developed both metastatic and biochemical failure, with an additional 13 patients developing biochemical failure alone. Multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated that the only independent predictor of biochemical failure was the volume of malignant metabolism on MRSI (hazard ratio [HR] 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29–2.06; p p = 0.028) and the finding of seminal vesicle invasion on MRI (HR 28.05, 95% CI 3.96–198.67; p = 0.0008). Conclusions In multivariate analysis, MRI and MRSI findings before EBRT in patients with prostate cancer are more accurate independent predictors of outcome than clinical variables, and in particular, the findings of seminal vesicle invasion and extensive tumor predict a worse prognosis.
A Hybrid Adaptive ENO Scheme

This paper describes a new hybrid adaptive ENO scheme for partial differential equation in conservative form. The scheme is hybrid because it combines finite difference approximations for points away from the shock and ENO approximations near the shock. The method is adaptive in two ways. The first is that this method changes the computational grid in order to maintain a uniform approximation. Second, the method determines where to use the conservative ENO approximation to the derivative. The combination of these produces a quick algorithm for the solution of conservation laws.
Surface chemistry: molecular cart-wheeling.

Energetic adsorption of molecules on surfaces is known to either trigger local chemical reactions or initiate the recoil of adsorbates away from the surface. Now, another possible outcome has been observed — the long-range 'cart-wheeling' of energetic molecules across a surface.
Cadmium induces cell cycle arrest in rat kidney epithelial cells in G2/M phase.

Abstract Cadmium (Cd) has been reported to cause cell cycle arrest in various cell types by p53-dependent and -independent mechanisms. This study was designed to investigate cell cycle progression in kidney cells that are the target of chronic Cd toxicity. Rat renal proximal tubular epithelial cells, NRK-52E, were treated with up to 20 μM CdCl 2 in DMEM containing 10% calf serum for up to 24 h. Flow cytometric analysis revealed time- and concentration-dependent increases in cells in G2/M phase of the cell cycle. As compared to the control cells, the cells exposed to 20 μM Cd showed a doubling of the number of cells in this phase after 24 h. The cell cycle arrest was associated with a decrease in protein levels of both cyclins A and B. Further investigation into the mechanism revealed that Cd treatment led to down-modulation of cyclin-dependent kinases, Cdk1 and Cdk2, apparently by elevating the expression of cyclin kinase inhibitors, KIP1/p27 and WAF1/p21. Furthermore, the wild-type p53 DNA-binding activity was up-regulated. Based on these observations, it appears that Cd causes G2/M phase arrest in NRK-52E cells via elevation of p53 activity, increasing the expression of cyclin kinase inhibitors p27 and p21, and decreasing the expression of cyclin-dependent kinases Cdk1 and 2, and of cyclins A and B.
Slavery in Brazil

Herbert S. Klein and Francisco Vidal Luna. Slavery in Brazil. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010. Pp. xi. 364. Covering more than three centuries, Slavery in Brazil seeks to fill out a long...
Hardening Shrinkage and Hygroscopic Expansion of Composite Resins

Polymerization shrinkages of various restorative resins were measured. The specimens stored in water expanded, but most did not recover sufficiently to countervail the losses from polymerization.
Human plasma kallidins: Isolation and chemical studies

Abstract The action of the kallikreins on plasma to form a hypotensive and smooth muscle stimulating peptide, substance DK, was first reported by Werle and coworkers ( Werle, Gőtze and Keppler, 1937 ; Werle and Grunz, 1939 ). Subsequent studies ( Werle and Hambuechen, 1943 ; Werle and Berek, 1950 ; Werle, 1955 ) showed that the kallikreins act enzymatically on a plasma α 2 -globulin, called kallidinogen, to release the peptide, renamed kallidin (Werle and Berek, 1948) . Simultaneously with these investigations, Rocha e Silva, Beraldo and Rosenfeld (1949) reported that trypsin and some snake venoms are capable of releasing from plasma a hypotensive and smooth muscle stimulating peptide which they called bradykinin. Bradykinin formed by the action of trypsin on a bovine plasma fraction (Elliott, Horton and Lewis, 1961) has been shown to be the nonapeptide H.Arg.Pro.Pro.Gly.Phe.Ser.Pro.Phe.Arg.OH by degradation (Elliott, Lewis and Horton, 1960) and by synthesis (Boissonnas, Guttmann and Jaquenoud, 1960) . Crude preparations of bradykinin and kallidin were found to be chemically and pharmacologically indistinguishable by several investigators ( Werle, kehl and Koebke, 1950 ; Goldstock, Mathias and Schachter, 1957 ; Mathias and Schachter 1958; Gaddum and Horton, 1959 ; Schachter, 1960 ). Similar results were obtained by Van Arman and Miller (1961) , with the notable exception that two bradykinins and probably two kallidins could be detected. The present report describes the isolation of two kallidins from the incubation of human urinary kallikrein with acid-treated human plasma.
ISOLATION OF INFECTIOUS POLIOVIRUS RIBONUCLEIC ACID FROM SUPERNATANT FLUIDS AFTER ULTRACENTRIFUGATION.

Huppert and Sanders1 reported earlier that after pelleting the intact encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus in the ultracentrifuge and extracting both the pellet and supernatant with cold phenol, infectious ribonucleic acid (RNA) was obtained only from the supernatant. Recently, Colter et al.2 contradicted the above results; they found the yield of infectious RNA from EMC virus and mengo-encephalitis virus was a function of the infectivity titre of the intact virus pellet, and after removal of virus by centrifugation, infectious RNA could not be extracted from the supernatant. Herein we report results obtained with poliovirus after ultracentrifugation.
Moving North: engaging community with place through dance

Abstract Moving North used postmodern dance as an aesthetic and experiential entry point for engaging community with questions about how people experience north as a place and direction, and how the pole figures in systems of mapping. Moving North sponsored workshops for Anchorage residents culminating in a site-specific performance that traveled across the University of Alaska, Anchorage campus. The workshops established distinct ways of approaching movement corresponding to the difference between conceptions and perceptions, producing a set of experiential exercises that could be replicated in studies of embodiment, and investigations of how mapping systems can affect a sense of place. Moving North used active experimentation to combine representational and nonrepresentational approaches to understanding.
Gastric cancer-survival at the Pennsylvania Hospital with and without adjuvant chemotherapy.

From 1964 to 1974, 122 patients were treated for gastric cancer; none of these patients received chemotherapy; 13 of this group were lost to follow-up. In 34 patients, the disease was too far advanced for surgical resection. Their survival ranged from 0.1 month to 7.5 months with a median survival of 1.1 months. Seventy-four patients were resected for cure; 60 patients underwent a subtotal gastrectomy. Survival ranged from 0 to 72 months with a median of eight months. Fourteen patients had total gastrectomies; survival ranged from 0.1 to 72 months with a median of 5.5 months. Only six of the resected patients had negative lymph nodes; their survival ranged from four to 36 months. In this series there were 11 operative deaths and only seven patients survived five years. Thirty-one patients who had resections were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of 0.5 g 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) IV on days 1, 8, 15, etc, and hydroxyurea (HU), 80 mg/kg per os (p.o.), on days 4, 11, 18, etc. This group has a range of survival from three to 164 months and a median survival of 25 months. Fifteen consecutive patients with nonresectable gastric cancer were treated with HU-FU with a survival of one to 30 months and a median survival of eight months. In patients with measurable disease, objective regression was clearly demonstrated.
Transnational threats: Drug trafficking and weapons proliferation

(1994). Transnational threats: Drug trafficking and weapons proliferation. Contemporary Security Policy: Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 127-151.
Flow-induced modulation of the permeability of endothelial cells cultured on microcarrier beads.

The maintenance of endothelial barrier function is important in the regulation of fluid and solute balance between the vascular space and the surrounding tissue. Since fluid flow across endothelial cells stimulates a wide variety of endothelial responses, the effect of shear stress on barrier function was investigated. Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells were cultured on permeable microcarrier beads, placed in a chromatography column, and perfused. Indicator-dilution techniques were used to estimate the permeability of the cell-covered beads to low molecular weight tracers (sodium fluorescein-NaFlsc; cyanocobalamin-B12) as a function of flow rate through the column. Permeability values for both tracers were significantly increased (9.3 +/- 0.6 to 19.3 +/- 1.7 for NaFlsc; 8.2 +/- 0.5 to 20.4 +/- 3.1 for B12; mean+/-SEM, x 10(-5) cm/s, P < .05) when the flow rate was increased from 0.9 ml/min to 3.2 ml/min (corresponding to average shear stresses of 4.7 and 16.8 dynes/cm2). The permeability increase occurred within minutes of the flow increase, and was reversed by decreasing the flow rate to 0.9 ml/min. In the presence of cytochalasin D, the flow-induced permeability increase was not reversible. Neither inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (with NG-monomethyl-L-arginine) nor inhibition of cyclooxygenase (with indomethacin) was capable of blocking the flow-induced permeability increase. These results indicate that the rapid modulation of endothelial barrier by flow in vitro is probably not due to prostacyclin or nitric oxide.
DNA and RNA-based vaccines: principles, progress and prospects.

DNA vaccines were introduced less than a decade ago but have already been applied to a wide range of infectious and malignant diseases. Here we review the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying the activities of these new vaccines. We focus on recent strategies designed to enhance their function including the use of immunostimulatory (CpG) sequences, dendritic cells (DC), co-stimulatory molecules and cytokine- and chemokine-adjuvants. Although genetic vaccines have been significantly improved, they may not be sufficiently immunogenic for the therapeutic vaccination of patients with infectious diseases or cancer in clinical trials. One promising approach aimed at dramatically increasing the immunogenicity of genetic vaccines involves making them ‘self-replicating’. This can be accomplished by using a gene encoding RNA replicase, a polyprotein derived from alphaviruses, such as Sindbis virus. Replicase-containing RNA vectors are significantly more immunogenic than conventional plasmids, immunizing mice at doses as low as 0.1 μg of nucleic acid injected once intramuscularly. Cells transfected with ‘self-replicating’ vectors briefly produce large amounts of antigen before undergoing apoptotic death. This death is a likely result of requisite double-stranded (ds) RNA intermediates, which also have been shown to super-activate DC. Thus, the enhanced immunogenicity of ‘self-replicating’ genetic vaccines may be a result of the production of pro-inflammatory dsRNA, which mimics an RNA-virus infection of host cells.
Reconsidering the methodology of “stress” research in inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract Background and Aims The goals of this paper are: 1) to critically review and analyze the methodology of the studies since 1990 linking stress to inflammatory bowel disease; and 2) to make recommendations for future research in this area of research. Methods Articles were restricted to empirical reports in the English language with human subjects. Eleven empirical articles were able to answer "How is psychological stress related to inflammation and/or the expression or course of inflammatory bowel disease?" Results Studies varied by choice of participant groups, method for classifying disease activity, choice of design, and definition and measurement of stress. Only half of the studies supported the hypothesis that stress affected IBD in some way. Conclusions Current methodological limitations in the stress and gut inflammation research have made it difficult for us to ascertain the role of stress in inflammatory bowel disease. Authors provide a checklist of items to consider when designing future studies.
Initiation of Floral Primordia in Cestrum diurnum and Cestrum nocturnum in Response to Various Photoperiodic Patterns.

Information concerning the photoperi.odic response of Cestrutm nocturnum L. was initially reported by Sarhs (4). From his investigation he found it was a long-short day (LSD) plant and, under experimental conditions he used, did not produce flioral primordia in response to other light patterns. More recent work with C. nocturnum confirmed the previously reported LSD response 'but added that this species also produced floral primordia when grown continuously under an 18-hour photoperiod (2). Previous work on C. diurnum L. indicated that it also responded to a LSD stimulus in floral primordia initiation (2). Further investigation over a wider range of photoperiods and time periods, giving a more concise picture of floral primordia initiation patterns of these 2 species is herein reported.
Syneretic response to pressure in bovine and rhesus monkey vitreous.

Abstract Excised bovine and rhesus monkey vitreous samples were subjected to different hydrostatic pressures (0.03, 1 and 2 atm) for 12 hr. At the end of the experiment the samples were frozen in a −70°C dry ice-acetone bath and thereafter maintained in frozen conditions. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to obtain freezable water (FW) content. The total water content of the samples was obtained by thermogravimetric (TGA) techniques. The non-freezable water (NFW) content was obtained as a difference between total and freezable water contents. The total water content did not show a trend in pressure dependence, neither in bovine nor in rhesus monkey vitreous samples. However, the free water/bound water ratio, i.e. FW/NFW, increased with increasing pressure in vitreous samples of both species. The trend of the average FW/NFW values as a function of hydrostatic pressure implies a simple syneretic response, i.e. the conversion of bound (non-freezable) water to free water as pressure was increased.
Dose-Response Relationship for Nicotine-Induced Up-Regulation of Rat Brain Nicotinic Receptors

Abstract: The chronic administration of nicotine to animals has been shown to result in an increase in brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) density. It has been suggested that this agonist-induced receptor up-regulation is a consequence of long-term nAChR desensitization in vivo. In this study, the effects of different nicotine doses and administration schedules as well as the resulting blood and brain nicotine levels were determined to assess the effect of in vivo nicotine concentration on nAChR density in the brain. Rats with indwelling subcutaneous cannulas were infused for 10 days with 0.6–4.8 mg/kg/day nicotine either 2×, 4×, or 8×/day or by constant infusion. The nAChR density in cortical, striatal, and hippocampal tissue measured by [3H]cytisine binding as well as the corresponding plasma and brain nicotine levels measured by GC analysis were determined. The results showed a dose-dependent increase in nAChR density with significant increases achieved at 2.4 mg/kg/day in all three brain areas. It is surprising that at this dose there was little difference between the constant infusion of nicotine and twice-daily administration, whereas more frequent periodic injections were actually less effective at up-regulating nAChRs. An analysis of the blood and brain levels of nicotine compared with the concentrations that produce nAChR desensitization suggests that in vivo desensitization alone is not sufficient for nAChR up-regulation to occur.
Postural Stability of Biped Robots and the Foot-Rotation Indicator (FRI) Point

The focus of this paper is the problem of foot rotation in biped robots during the single-support phase. Foot rotation is an indication of postural instability, which should be carefully treated in...
Fluxes of particulate carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the upper water column of the northeast Pacific

Abstract Concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were determined in particles that passively sank into multi-replicate collectors set at 50, 250, and 700 m in coastal waters, and 75, 575, and 1050 m in the open ocean. Fluxes as high as 36, 4.1, and 0.19 mmoles of C, N, and P m−2 day−1 were observed at 50 m under coastal upwelling conditions; at 700 m, upwelling period fluxes (9.6, 0.9, and, 0.053 mmoles of C, N and P m−2 day−1) exceeded those measured at 50 and 75 m when samplers were set under low productivity surface waters. 210Pb flux estimates were made on coastal trap particulates. The resulting values were close to the expected and suggest that overall flux estimates are representative of those occuring in the environment. Atomic ratios of C:N:P under upwelling conditions were similar to values reported for living plankton (∼180:18:1), while in the open ocean, atomic ratios of C and N in relation to P were markedly higher (400 to 900:30:1). Fecal pellet fluxes were two orders of magnitude higher under upwelling conditions (∼1 to 3 × 105m−2 day−1) than those in the open ocean (∼1000 m−2 day−1). Quantities of passively sinking particulate C, N, and P appeared to be equal to or in excess of the amounts required to meet the nutritional needs of the mid-water zooplankton. Rates of change for C, N, and P and inferred rates of oxygen change varied widely in relation to surface productivity. For example, oxygen utilization rates were as high as 790 μll−1 yr−1 in near-surface waters under upwelling conditions and as low as 4.4 μll−1 yr−1 at mid-depth in the open ocean. Our rates of change, determined by direct measurement, generally agree with previously published estimates from mathematical models.
The Role of Chemotherapy at the End of Life: “When Is Enough, Enough?”

Patients face difficult decisions about chemotherapy near the end of life. Such treatment might prolong survival or reduce symptoms but cause adverse effects, prevent the patient from engaging in meaningful life review and preparing for death, and preclude entry into hospice. Palliative care and oncology clinicians should be logical partners in caring for patients with serious cancers for which symptom control, medically appropriate goal setting, and communication are paramount, but some studies have shown limited cooperation. We illustrate how clinicians involved in palliative care and oncology can more effectively work together with the story of Mr L, a previously healthy 56-year-old man, who wanted to survive his lung cancer at all costs. He lived 14 months with 3 types of chemotherapy, received chemotherapy just 6 days before his death, and resisted entering hospice until his prognosis and options were explicitly communicated. Approaches to communication about prognosis and treatment options and questions that patients may want to ask are discussed.
Early Postnatal Dexamethasone Increases the Risk of Focal Small Bowel Perforation in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants

OBJECTIVE: We observed two clusters of spontaneous pneumoperitoneums in extremely low birth weight infants during the use of a protocol for early dexamethasone prophylaxis (EDP) for bronchopulmonary dysplasia from 1996 to 1997. During surgery, focal small bowel perforation (FSBP) was found in eight of nine cases. A retrospective study was designed to identify risk factors for FSBP in these extremely low birth weight infants. METHODS: A case-controlled analysis was performed using all infants born weighing <1001 gm and admitted to the University of Washington Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during a 13-month period. A total of 51 infants were identified and divided into groups based on treatment or not with dexamethasone and indomethacin. These cohorts were homogeneous for gestational age, birth weight, and perinatal stability. Relative risk and confidence intervals were calculated for each of the comparisons. Routine pathology was performed on all surgical specimens and additional sections were cut and stained for further study. RESULTS: Infants who received EDP had a relative risk of perforation that was 12.3 times that of untreated infants. Those treated with indomethacin had a risk that was comparable with that for infants who did not receive indomethacin. Infants who received both EDP and indomethacin tended to have higher rates of pneumoperitoneum than infants who received EDP alone but comprised a cohort too small for valid analysis. The pathology of surgical specimens revealed FSBP with segmental loss of the muscularis externa. There was no evidence of fungal or bacterial infection in any of the surgical specimens. CONCLUSION: These findings implicate EDP, but not indomethacin, as a significant risk factor for FSBP.
Sarcomere length-tension relationship in failing human myocardium

The Starling relationship is a fundamental component of cardiac muscle physiology. Although many researchers have studied the length-tension relationship in human myocardium, none have done it at the sarcomere level. The present study examined the effects of sarcomere length (SL) on contractile parameters in cardiac trabeculae from ischemic and non-ischemic failing human hearts, as well as those mechanically unloaded by a left ventricular assist device (LVAD).Methods:Using laser diffraction techniques, resting SLs were measured in right ventricular cardiac trabeculae (n 10: Average dimensions (mm): 0.33 0.05 Width, 0.19 0.01 Thickness, 2.94 0.32 Length) from failing human hearts. As muscle length was incremented in a stepwise manner (25.0 um/step), resting SL and isometric contractile tension were assessed. Based on the SL-tension relationship, we determined the SLs that produced a developed tension of 20, 50, and 80% of maximal developed tension (Tmax) for each trabeculae. Results: For all groups, developed tension, rate of maximal tension rise, and rate of maximal tension decline all increased linearly as SL was increased. Diastolic tension increased minimally between SLs of 1.7 um to 2.0 um, and in some cases at SLs beyond 2.0 um, it increased in a nonlinear fashion. The SL associated with a particular percent of Tmax was remarkably consistent across all trabeculae: 1.92 0.02 um 20%(Tmax-To); 2.09 0.02 um 50%(Tmax-To); and 2.25 ± 0.01 um 80%(Tmax-To); (To represents the minimal developed tension). These relationships did not seem to be affected by etiology or prior LVAD support. Conclusion: SL can be reliably measured in very thin cardiac trabeculae from human hearts. Although the shapes of the active SL-tension relationships are quite similar, there is substantial heterogeneity in the shapes of the passive SL-tension relationships. Our study also shows that Tmax, often used as a starting point during in vitro analysis, is achieved at non-physiological SLs ( 2.35 um). Therefore, in studies where SL cannot be measured, using a percent of the tension between Tmax and To one can reliably set the preload at a more physiologic SL.
Update on perioperative right heart assessment using transesophageal echocardiography

Abstract Purpose of the review . This review aims to summarize recent findings relevant for perioperative 2- and 3-dimensional imaging of the right heart with transesophageal echocardiography. Special attention is given to developments that are likely to affect future approaches for prevention and therapy of perioperative right heart failure. Recent findings . Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography techniques are becoming more common for the evaluation of anatomy, volumes, and functional indices. Summary . Right heart failure continues to contribute to morbidity and mortality in the context of cardiothoracic surgery. The advent and widespread clinical use of innovative tools permitting more accurate echocardiographic assessment of the right heart will open the door to renewed interest in novel therapeutic strategies. Keywords transesophageal echocardiography, 3-dimensional echocardiography, right ventricle, perioperative, cardiothoracic anesthesia, ultrasound imagingDownloaded from scv.sagepub.com
Microscopic observation of filter cake formation

Abstract Particle collisions and filter cake collapse are observed through a microscope during the formation of filter cakes. Cake filtration is widely applied throughout industry for fluid-particle separations. Models and theories have been developed to describe and predict filter cake performance, but there is little literature on direct observation of particle packing and cake formation. A filter assembly the size of a microscope slide is placed on the microscope such that the slurry flow and cake formation is across the field of view. The cake formation is recorded on video tape. Photographs of the video image show particles in the slurry colliding with and sometimes adhering to other particles when forming the filter cake. The photographs also show the cake structure collapse as the cake compacts or compresses.
The e-HR advantage: The complete handbook for technology-based human resources

The e-HR advantage: The complete handbook for technology-based human resources, by Deborah D. Waddill and Michael J. Marquardt, Boston, London, Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2011, 306 pp., $49.95 (p...
Selective hypopituitarism with deficiency of anterior pituitary basophils: a case report.

ABSTRACT A patient is described in whom adrenal insufficiency resulted from failure of adrenocorticotropin secretion. Thyroidal function was normal and gonadal function was only questionably impaired. At autopsy, the basophil cells of the anterior pituitary gland were markedly decreased in number. The hypothalamus was normal.
Microwave-assisted solution combustion synthesis of high aspect ratio calcium phosphate nanoparticles

Calcium phosphates (CaPs) are major chemical constituents of mammalian bone. Their osteoconductivity in vitro and in vivo has encouraged their use in biomaterial applications such as implant materials and drug delivery. High aspect ratio nanoparticles are attractive for many biomedical applications; however, precise control of the phase and morphology is challenging. The impact of fuel-to-oxidant ratio, pH, and cation chemistry on morphology and phase was studied for CaP-based compositions by microwave-assisted solution combustion synthesis (MASCS) in a urea–nitrate (fuel–oxidant) system. An initial calcium to phosphate ratio of 1.5 was used. Highly crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) and biphasic CaP nanoparticle compositions were produced as confirmed by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. MASCS was capable of synthesizing high aspect ratio (∼5 to 20) single and biphasic CaP nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 250 to 500 nm and lengths between 2 and 10 μm.
Tandem duplication of bands g13.13g13.33 resulting in partial trisomy of long arm of chromosome 19

Tandem duplication of bands g13.13g13.33 resulting in partial trisomy of long arm of chromosome 19
Numerical description of the structure of counterflow heptane-air flames using detailed and reduced chemistry with comparison to experiments

Numerical calculations were performed using a simplified chemical kinetic mechanism to determine the structure of counterflow, heptane-air diffusion flames. The configuration used is a diffusion flame stabilized in the vicinity of a stagnation plane, which is formed by directing an oxidizing gas flow onto the vaporizing surface of a pool of heptane. The elementary chemical kinetic mechanism, referred to as the starting mechanism, consists of forty elementary reactions. The predicted structure of the flame using the starting mechanism was found to agree reasonably well with previous measurements. The calculations suggest that the outer flow in the experiments cannot be modeled using strictly rotational or strictly irrotational flow boundary conditions. Reduced chemical kinetic mechanisms, consisting of six and four overall steps, were deduced from the elementary chemical kinetic mechanism. The predicted structure of the flame using the reduced mechanisms agree reasonably well with that calculated by using the starting mechanism. The results suggest that a reduced fourstep chemical kinetic mechanism can predict the structure of the flame fairly accurately.
Daily Temporal Self-Care Responses to Osteoarthritis Symptoms by Older African Americans and Whites

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent form of arthritis and is among the most prevalent chronic conditions in the USA. Because there is no known cure for OA, treatment is directed towards the alleviation of pain, improving function, and limiting disability. The major burden of care falls on the individual, who tailors personal systems of care to alleviate troublesome symptoms. To date, little has been known about the temporal variations in self-care that older patients with OA develop, nor has it been known to what extent self-care patterns vary with ethnicity and disease severity. This patient-centered descriptive study was designed to demonstrate the self-care strategies used by older African Americans and whites to alleviate the symptoms of OA on a typical day and during specific segments of a typical day over the past 30 days. A sample of 551 older adults participated in in-depth interviews, and the authors clustered their responses into six categories. Findings showed that the frequency of particular behaviors varied by time of day, disease severity, and race. Overall, patterns of self-care behaviors were similar between African Americans and whites, but African Americans used them in different proportions than whites. This study contributes to our knowledge of the dynamic and changing nature of self-care actions even within a single day. By defining how self-care is used in one illness by two different ethnic groups, we may be able to design appropriate educational programs that are more culturally specific to better meet the needs of patients with OA.
A Synthesis of the March 2001 Conference on the Viability of Transboundary Protected Areas at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies

SUMMARY Efforts to protect land on an ecosystem scale have led to the creation of numerous transboundary protected areas, often called international peace parks. In some cases, the appropriate leadership, infrastructure, community support, and political and legal frameworks exist to achieve the objectives of a transboundary protected area, and to realize the benefits of transboundary management across national borders despite the inherent costs and risks involved. There is a danger, however, that regional conservation initiatives may be pursued in inappropriate situations or with strategies that do not respect the rights of local populations. The challenge is to determine under what conditions transboundary approaches might be appropriate and what factors can help us make these approaches more effective at achieving their site-specific goals. This paper synthesizes the experiences and perspectives of a diverse group of managers, social and natural scientists, consultants, local leaders and policy makers w...
Diagnostic accuracy of pancreatic scanning.

Pancreatic scans of 200 patients have been analyzed and presented. The pancreatic scan must be rigidly controlled technically if its maximum clinical value is to be achieved. An unequivocally normal pancreatic scan is strong evidence that the acinar portion of the gland is normal. In our experience, 89.5% of the patients who had normal pancreatic scans were judged to be clinically normal after 2 years of followup. A technically satisfactory abnormal scan correlated 94.1% with proven carcinoma of the pancreas. Based on the result of this study, it is our feeling that pancreatic photoscanning with75SE-methionine is a useful procedure in the diagnosis of pancreatic disease.
Ultrasmall Copper Nanoparticles from a Hydrophobically Immobilized Surfactant Template

Ultrasmall copper nanoparticles are produced by N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPDA) reduction of aqueous Cu2+ on a hydrophobically immobilized sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) surfactant template in the presence of sodium citrate at room temperature. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) act as a scaffold controlling the size of the SDBS micelle, which in turn confines a limited number of copper ions near the nanotube surface. TMPDA reduction forms copper nanoparticles as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron diffraction, whose size was determined by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy to be approximately 2 nm. Particles formed in the absence of the SWNT immobilizer range from 2 to 150 nm.
Process monitoring during manufacturing of large-scale composite parts

One of the inherent problems with the processing of composites is the development of internal stresses and the resulting warpage, which results in out-of-tolerance components. This investigation examines possible fiber-optic sensor methods, which can be applied to measure internal strain and thus residual stress during production. Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometers (EFPI) and Bragg gratings are utilizes to monitor the strain behavior during manufacturing of large-scale composite parts. Initially, a 24 in X 18 in X 1 in thick part was manufactured using the vacuum- assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) technique. In this part, one Bragg grating, multiple thermocouples and a resin flow sensor (SMARTweave) were integrate to measure the flow and cure behavior during production. An AGEMA thermal image camera verified the temperature history on the part surface. In addition, several EFPI's and Bragg gratings were implemented into three temperature history on the part surface. In addition, several EFPI's and Bragg gratings were implemented into three 13 ft X 32 ft X 20.3 in civilian bridge deck test specimens manufactured with the VARTM process. The Bragg gratings showed great promise to capture the changes in strain due to the residual stress during cure. The actual implementation of fiber optics into large composite parts is a challenge and the problems of sensor survivability in these parts are addressed in this study. The fiber optic measurements in combination with SMARTweave's ability to monitor flow could lead to a sensor system, which allows feedback for process control of the VARTM technique. In addition, the optical fibers will be used for health monitoring during the lifetime of the part.