cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Change in practice after the Surfactant, Positive Pressure and Oxygenation Randomised Trial.

Objective To test the hypothesis that the proportion of endotracheal intubation (ETI) in the delivery room (DR) decreased in Neonatal Research Network (NRN) centres after the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development NRN Surfactant, Positive Pressure, and Oxygenation Randomised Trial (SUPPORT). Design Retrospective cohort study using the prospective NRN generic database. Setting Eleven centres that participated in the SUPPORT trial and remained part of the NRN. Preterm neonates 24 0/7 –27 6/7 weeks’ gestational age enrolled in the SUPPORT trial were randomised to: (1) DR continuous positive airway pressure or DR ETI with early surfactant administration; and (2) oxygen saturation targets of 85–89% or 91–95%. The prior NRN feasibility trial had assessed the feasibility of randomisation to continuous positive airway pressure versus ETI. Patients Infants 24 0/7 –27 6/7 weeks’ gestational age, excluding infants with syndromes or major malformations and those on comfort care only. Main outcome measure Proportion of DR ETI. Results The proportion of DR ETI decreased significantly in the group of infants from centres that had not participated in the feasibility trial (91% before vs 75% after SUPPORT, adjusted relative risk 0.86, 95% CI 0.83–0.89, p Conclusion This study shows that DR ETI changed after SUPPORT only in NRN centres that had not participated in a similar trial. Trial registration number NCT00063063 (GDB) and NCT00233324 (SUPPORT).
Formation of stable vesicles from N- or 3-alkylindoles: possible evidence for tryptophan as a membrane anchor in proteins.

Twelve indole derivatives have been prepared and studied. Five were 1-substituted: 1, methyl; 2, n-hexyl; 3, n-octyl; 4, n-octadecyl; and 5, cholestanyloxycarbonylmethyl. Four were 3-substituted: 6, methyl; 7, n-hexyl; 8, n-octyl; and 9, n-octadecyl. Three were disubstituted as follows: 10, 1-n-decyl-3- n-decyl; 11, 1-methyl-3-n-decyl; and 12, 1,3-bis(n-octadecyl)indole. Sonication of aqueous suspensions afforded stable aggregates from 3−5 and 8−12. Laser light scattering, dye entrapment, and electron microscopy were used to characterize the aggregates. Aggregates formed from N-substituted indoles proved to be more robust than those formed from 3-alkylindoles. A stable monolayer formed from 3-n-octadecylindole but not from N- or 1,3-disubstituted analogues by using a Langmuir−Blodgett trough. The formation of aggregates was explained in terms of stacking by the relatively polar indole headgroup. In the monolayer experiment, this force was apparently overwhelmed by H-bonding interactions with the aqueou...
Bridging research and practice in the family and human sciences

Over the past decade there has been a growing concern over the gap between research and practice in family and other human sciences. Family scientists have been troubled that the scientific knowledge base is not frequently used by practitioners, whereas practitioners have complained that the research base is often not very useful for issues faced in practice. The present article examines some of the reasons for the gap between research and practice and offers some suggestions for bridging it.
Jost functions and dispersion relations

Abstract The functions discussed in this paper were introduced by Jost in connection with the solution of the nonrelativistic Schrodinger equation. They are identical with the complex determinantal function, discussed by Baker and extended to field theory. Their properties are summarized and discussed in this paper, and some applications are described. It is argued that if some additional relation were obtained, which made it possible to solve the dispersion relations for them, this formalism might have distinct advantages over that in terms of dispersion relations for the scattering amplitude. In particular, the difficulties associated with the Castillejo-Dalitz-Dyson ambiguity would no longer appear. Moreover, it is suggested that there may be a useful application to the correct description of bound states in scattering theory.
Preventing Neonatal Kidnapping

Sixty-eight kidnappings of newborns were reported between 1983 and 1991 in the United States. Assessing perinatal units for areas of vulnerability and addressing identified problems can improve security. Strategies to increase the safety of neonates, including understanding the profile of the potential kidnapper, reviewing common methods of abducting infants, developing visiting guidelines, and instituting staff identification policies and other methods, are discussed.
Exposed and transcutaneous measurement of musculoskeletal tissues using fiber optic coupled Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopic measurement of bone composition has shown promise as a medical diagnostic by measuring the molecular composition of the bone mineral and matrix. We previously demonstrated proof-of-principle transcutaneous Raman spectroscopy bone measurements in human cadavers. In this paper, we discuss further optimization of the instrumental configuration for efficient collection of bone signal using contact fiber-optic probe designs. To optimize collection of Raman signal through overlaying soft tissue, novel geometrically-accurate tissue phantoms were prepared. MRI and CT images of the human cadaveric specimens were used to create solid tissue phantoms with accurate geometric dimensions. In these tissue phantoms, optical properties can be varied systematically. Raman spectra of the prepared tissue phantoms were used to optimize the positions of the fibers in the fiber optic system, and the laser illumination sequence in the measurements. Three fiber optic probes were developed and tested with both novel tissue phantoms and human cadaveric specimens. The contact fiber optic probes were developed for arthroscopic measurements of joints, for transcutaneous measurements of bone in situ, and for contact measurements of exposed bone. By coupling the fiber optic probe to an imaging spectrograph, spectra were collected simultaneously at many positions on the tissue. Furthermore, spectra were collected with several different excitation laser patterns to enhance the effective spatial resolution of the measurements. Finally, a series of improvements were made in the data preprocessing to improve the recovered spectral signal. Together, these modifications improve signal-to-noise and spatial resolution.
The Use of Marine Electromagnetic Conductivity as a Tool in Hydrogeologic Investigations

Field procedures for collecting marine electromagnetic (EM) conductivity data were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey as part of a hydrogeologic investigation of the Delaware River shipping channel. Eighty miles of marine EM data collected along the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey were used to help interpret results from high-resolution, continuous seismic-reflection surveys done in the Summer of 1984. Comparison of EM data with lithologic logs from river borings showed a direct relationship. EM conductivity of sand or bedrock ranged from 4 to 10 millimhos per meter (mmhos/m). Extensive clay beneath the shipping channel generally gave readings exceeding 20 mmhos/m. Conductivity readings over silts were almost always between these values (11 to 20 mmhos/m). This relation was used to help interpret the continuous seismic-reflection data.
Long-term (three years) effect of estrogen replacement therapy on major adverse cardiac events in postmenopausal women after intracoronary stenting

This study examined whether estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) in postmenopausal women impacts intermediate and long-term outcome after successful coronary stenting. Our findings offer evidence that ERT significantly reduces target lesion revascularization after intracoronary stenting in postmenopausal patients who are on ERT before the intervention.
ESR hyperfine patterns for the radicals derived from C60 and C70

Abstract Theoretical ESR hyperfine patterns for the radicals derived from C 60 and C 70 fullerenes are obtained from combinatorial techniques based on the group-theoretical generating functions. Computerized combinatorial methods are used to obtained simulated ESR hyperfine patterns. The ESR hyperfine patterns for several R n C 60 radicals are obtained and compared with experiment.
The wavelet transform and the suppression theory of binocular vision for stereo image compression

In this paper we present a method for compression of stereo images. The proposed scheme is a frequency domain approach based on the suppression theory of binocular vision. By using the information in the frequency domain, complex disparity estimation techniques can be avoided. The wavelet transform is used to obtain a multiresolution analysis of the stereo pair by which the subbands convey the necessary frequency domain information.
Jurassic Lake T'oo'dichi': A large alkaline, saline lake, Morrison Formation, eastern Colorado Plateau

A large alkaline, saline lake, Lake T9oo9dichi9, occupied the entire eastern part of the Colorado Plateau region during deposition of the Brushy Basin Member of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation. The lake extended from near the site of Albuquerque, New Mexico, to near the site of Grand Junction, Colorado, and occupied a region that encompassed the San Juan and ancestral Paradox basins, making it the largest ancient alkaline, saline lake known. The lake was typically shallow and frequently evaporated to dryness, although the water table was probably never far beneath the surface. Intermittent streams carried detritus from source areas to the west and southwest far out into the lake basin, a reflection of a low depositional gradient and the ephemeral nature of the lake. Prevailing westerly winds carried silicic volcanic ash to the lake basin from an arc region to the west and southwest. A lateral hydrogeochemical gradient, characterized by increasing salinity and alkalinity from the margin of the lake to the center, developed in pore waters of the lacustrine sediments and resulted in alteration of the ash to a variety of authigenic minerals that define concentric zones within the lake basin. The basinward progression of diagenetic mineral zones is smectite → clinoptilolite → analcime ± potassium feldspar → albite. A concomitant lateral zonation of mixed-layer illite/smectite developed, from highly smectitic in the outermost zones to highly illitic in the central zone. Authigenic albite and illitic mixed-layer clay, minerals previously thought to require elevated temperatures for formation, crystallized during early diagenesis at syndepositional temperatures in the lacus trine sediments of Lake T9oo9dichi9. This study presents evidence for a syndepositional origin for both of these minerals. These findings have important implications in terms of limiting the use of these minerals as geothermometers. Recognition of alkaline, saline-lake deposits in the Morrison Formation significantly alters interpretations of depositional environments of this formation, and it also has important implications for paleoclimatic interpretation. Late Jurassic climate was apparently much more and than had previously been thought. In fact, sedimentologic evidence suggests that the lake basin was typically dry for extended periods and enjoyed only brief wet intervals. This conclusion has important consequences for environmental interpretation of the habitat that was favorable for large herbivorous dinosaurs, which thrived in the Late Jurassic.
Student Evaluations: An Assessment of Validity

TAs, in a position to evaluate teachers but not under a grading bias, give ratings correlated with those of students.
A technique to analyse the emerging zonality of heterogeneous solid tumours

A technique to analyse the time-dependent emergence of homogeneous regions composed of cells from a single clone within an artificial (clonally) heterogeneous tumour is described. Neoplasms were grown in vivo as xenografts made from varying proportions of the dichotomous subpopulations (Clones A and D). They were sampled frequently for volume and composition. A variable number of tumour cross-sections were taken as part of the sampling technique. The random subsamples obtained from each cross-section were enzymatically disaggregated into single cells. From the single cell disaggregates the composition of the tumours was estimated. An estimator for the global proportion of cells was then calculated from all the single cell disaggregates. Time-dependent changes in the overall composition of the tumour requires that a time-dependent estimate of the global proportions of the subpopulations be calculated from each sample. Analysis of the sample proportions results in a statistic which can be tested for goodness-of-fit against a standardized normal variate as a test of emerging zonality. Data from three artificial admixtures were examined. The results show that 'zonality', i.e. regions composed primarily of single subpopulations, emerges in all cases. However, the rate at which the zones emerge appears to depend on the 'compositional stability'. Robustness studies show that the technique is robust with respect to the global estimator of the proportion.
Hierarchical optimal control of a 7-DOF arm model

We apply a hierarchical control framework to a realistic arm model. With 7 degrees of freedom and 14 muscles, this arm model has complex nonlinear dynamics operating on 28-dimensional state space and 14-dimensional control space. A high-level controller is designed to capture the main features of the complex high-dimensional plant dynamics but with reduced dimensionality. This allows us to solve the original optimal control problem without running into the curse of dimensionality. We also provide a method to design a low-level controller to generate arm configurations that are consistent with high-level controls and at the same time satisfy biological constraints. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first feedback controller for a detailed 3-D model of a human arm.
The reference condition: predicting benchmarks for ecological and water-quality assessments

AbstractBenchmarks provide context and are a critical element of all ecological assessments. Over the last 25 y, hundreds of papers have been published on various aspects of ecological assessments, and most of the analyses described in these papers depend on specifying an ecological benchmark for context. Freshwater scientists and managers usually use reference sites (typically sites in natural or least-disturbed condition) to assess the ecological conditions at other sites. Accurate and precise assessments require that assessed sites be matched with appropriate reference conditions. Two general types of approaches have been proposed to predict reference conditions: classifications based on natural environmental settings and models that use continuously variable environmental attributes as inputs. Two types of classifications have been examined: geographic-dependent regionalizations based on general landscape features and geographic-independent typologies that are typically based on combinations of region...
Chirp: a practical global filesystem for cluster and Grid computing

Traditional distributed filesystem technologies designed for local and campus area networks do not adapt well to wide area Grid computing environments. To address this problem, we have designed the Chirp distributed filesystem, which is designed from the ground up to meet the needs of Grid computing. Chirp is easily deployed without special privileges, provides strong and flexible security mechanisms, tunable consistency semantics, and clustering to increase capacity and throughput. We demonstrate that many of these features also provide order-of-magnitude performance increases over wide area networks. We describe three applications in bioinformatics, biometrics, and gamma ray physics that each employ Chirp to attack large scale data intensive problems.
Characterization of a Dipole Surface Drive Actuator With Large Travel and Force

This paper presents a detailed study of the dynamic performance of an electrostatic surface drive actuator. This actuator is capable of producing 50 g's of acceleration with 70 mum travel at a 30 V bias. For the first time, air operation of a dipole surface actuator is demonstrated and we describe a fabrication process that has increased device yield more than an order of magnitude. Detailed characterization of the actuator performance is enabled by the integration of a capacitive position sensor that provides 0.5 Aring resolution in a 1-Hz bandwidth. The performance of this actuator is compared with other micromachined actuators and with more conventional milliactuators
Cone Characterizations of Approximate Solutions in Real Vector Optimization

Approximate nondominated solutions of real vector optimization problems are characterized using the concept of translated cones. Relationships between these solutions and Pareto nondominated points are examined, and the problem of optimizing over the set of approximate solutions is addressed.
Width Quantization Aware FinFET Circuit Design

This paper presents a statistical leakage estimation method for FinFET devices considering the unique width quantization property. Monte Carlo simulations show that the conventional approach underestimates the average leakage current of FinFET devices by as much as 43% while the proposed approach gives a precise estimation with an error less than 5%. Design example on dynamic logic circuits shows the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Functional Limitations in Elderly Female Cancer Survivors

Background: The elderly population, including many who are long-term cancer survivors, is increasing. Aspects of quality of life in elderly cancer survivors are not well understood. Methods: Subjects were women who enrolled in a populationbased cohort study in 1986. At follow-up in 1997, 25 719 women, at a median age of 72 years, reported on functional limitations. We used logistic regression to calculate prevalence odds ratios (ORs) and proportional hazards regression to calculate prevalence ratios (PRs) for associations between cancer survivor status and functional limitations, adjusting for baseline (precancer) characteristics including obesity, smoking, and diabetes. Results: Women who were cancer survivors for less than 2 years reported the most functional limitations, but long-term (5 or more years) cancer survivors remained more likely than cohort members who had not had cancer to report that they were unable to do heavy household work (42% of 1068 5-year survivors, versus 31% of 23 501 who never had cancer, multivariable OR = 1.47, 95% confi dence interval [CI] = 1.27 to 1.69; PR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.10 to 1.34), unable to walk a half mile (26% versus 19%, OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.1 to 1.54; PR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.32), and unable to walk up and down stairs (9% versus 6%, OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.72; PR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.56). The increased prevalence of functional limitations was apparent for 5-year survivors of breast cancer and also certain other cancers. Conclusions: Our fi ndings support the need to target elderly cancer survivors for interventions to maintain or regain physical function. [J Natl Cancer Inst 2006;98:521 – 9]
Episodic representation of diagnostic and nondiagnostic object colour

In three experiments, we investigated transsaccadic object file representations. In each experiment, participants moved their eyes from a central fixation cross to a saccade target located between two peripheral objects. During the saccade, this preview display was replaced with a target display containing a single object to be named. On trials in which the target identity matched one of the preview objects, its colour either matched or did not match the previewed object colour. The results indicated that colour changes disrupt perceptual continuity, but only for the class of objects for which colour is diagnostic of object identity. When the colour is not integral to identifying an object (for example, when the object is a letter or an object without a characteristic colour), object continuity is preserved regardless of changes to the object's colour. These results suggest that object features that are important for defining the object are incorporated into its episodic representation. Furthermore, the r...
TOTAL BRAIN DEATH: A REPLY TO ALAN SHEWMON

D. Alan Shewmon has advanced a well-documented challenge to the widely accepted total brain death criterion for death of the human being. We show that Shewmon’s argument against this criterion is unsound, though he does refute the standard argument for that criterion. We advance a distinct argument for the total brain death criterion and answer likely objections. Since human beings are rational animals – sentient organisms of a specific type – the loss of the radical capacity for sentience (the capacity to sense or to develop the capacity to sense) involves a substantial change, the passing away of the human organism. In human beings total brain death involves the complete loss of the radical capacity for sentience, and so in human beings total brain death is death.
Juvenile chronic myeloid leukemia: oncogene characterization.

A 3 1/2-year-old female presented with thrombocytopenia and anemia. The bone marrow showed marked hemophagocytosis with an increase in macrophages. Over the next 2 months, there was a progressive de-differentiation of this monocytic population with the accumulation of blasts in the blood and bone marrow. The blasts had a normal 46XX karyotype and showed no fusion of the bcr and abl genes associated with Philadelphia chromosome positive leukemia. Intensive chemotherapy produced a transient hypoplastic state during which a bone marrow transplant was performed. The bone marrow after transplant again demonstrated a large population of macrophages. These cells continued to de-differentiate over the ensuing year up until the time of the patient's death. The mononuclear blast cell population was inducible toward monocytic maturation in tissue culture by low doses of ARA-c or daunorubicin. These mononuclear blasts expressed c-myc and c-fos mRNA at high levels, a further marker of their proliferative state and mon...
Crystal structure of rabbit phosphoglucose isomerase, a glycolytic enzyme that moonlights as neuroleukin, autocrine motility factor, and differentiation mediator.

The multifunctional protein phosphoglucose isomerase, also known as neuroleukin, autocrine motility factor, and differentiation and maturation mediator, has different roles inside and outside the cell. In the cytoplasm, it catalyzes the second step in glycolysis. Outside the cell, it serves as a nerve growth factor and cytokine. We have determined the three-dimensional structure of rabbit muscle phosphoglucose isomerase complexed with the competitive inhibitor d-gluconate 6-phosphate by X-ray crystallography at 2.5 A resolution. The structure shows that the enzyme is a dimer with two α/β-sandwich domains in each subunit. The location of the bound d-gluconate 6-phosphate inhibitor leads to the identification of residues involved in substrate specificity (Ser209, Ser159, Thr214, Thr217, and Thr211). The results of previously published kinetic studies suggest that a lysine and a histidine are involved in the catalytic mechanism. The crystal structure suggests active site residues Lys518 and His388 might be t...
LytR-CpsA-Psr Enzymes as Determinants of Bacillus anthracis Secondary Cell Wall Polysaccharide Assembly

Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, replicates as chains of vegetative cells by regulating the separation of septal peptidoglycan. Surface (S)-layer proteins and associated proteins (BSLs) function as chain length determinants and bind to the secondary cell wall polysaccharide (SCWP). In this study, we identified the B. anthracis lcpD mutant, which displays increased chain length and S-layer assembly defects due to diminished SCWP attachment to peptidoglycan. In contrast, the B. anthracis lcpB3 variant displayed reduced cell size and chain length, which could be attributed to increased deposition of BSLs. In other bacteria, LytR-CpsA-Psr (LCP) proteins attach wall teichoic acid (WTA) and polysaccharide capsule to peptidoglycan. B. anthracis does not synthesize these polymers, yet its genome encodes six LCP homologues, which, when expressed in S. aureus, promote WTA attachment. We propose a model whereby B. anthracis LCPs promote attachment of SCWP precursors to discrete locations in the peptidoglycan, enabling BSL assembly and regulated separation of septal peptidoglycan.
Serum Luteinizing Hormone and Plasma Progesterone Levels During the Estrous Cycle and Early Pregnancy in Cows

Luteinizing hormone (LH) was measured in serum with a radioimmunoassay and progesterone was measured in plasma with a competitive protein binding assay throughout the cycle and early pregnancy in cows. Blood samples (162) were collectedduring five estrouscyclesand fiveperiods of early pregnancy from seven nonlactating dairy cows. LH concentrationsas high as 100 ng/ml (range 7-100 ng/ml) were obtained 3 to 6 hr afterthe onset of estrus.Elevated levelslastedfor 8 to 10hr. LH was below 1 ng/ml during most of the 20 to 25 days following estrusin both pregnant and nonpregnant cows. The concentrations of progesterone in plasma reached a peak on day 14 in pregnant cows and on day 16 in nonpregnant cows. Progesterone concentrationswere higher from days 10 to 14 in the pregnant cows than in the nonpregnant cows. The concentrations of serum LH and plasma progesterone were not associatedduring the estrous cycle or early pregnancy as determined by submitting the data to regression analyses.
Thyroid Lymphoma as a Cause of Dysphagia and Dyspnea in a Patient without Palpable Nodules or Goiter

Tumors originating in the neck are well-known causes of progressive dysphagia and dyspnea (including stridor), and thyroid lymphoma is an uncommon example. Physical examination provides an important first step in the evaluation of such complaints, as tumors large enough to produce such symptoms are typically considered to be palpable, if not able to be seen grossly. In this case presentation, the authors describe a nonsubsternal thyroid lymphoma measuring 3 × 4 cm at its largest diameter, producing dysphagia and leading to respiratory emergency, that was entirely nonpalpable to physical exam even after confirmation of its presence by computed tomography.
Marrow Adipose Tissue and its Interactions with the Skeletal, Hematopoietic, and Immune Systems

Adipocytes were identified in the bone marrow (BM) more than 100 years ago, yet until recently little has been known about their formation, function or interactions with other BM cells. We know now that marrow adipose tissue (MAT) increases with age, and in response to a variety of stressors. BM adipocytes have also been shown to have regulatory roles through their interactions with multiple cell populations within the marrow. Furthermore, recent and ongoing research is uncovering the cellular origin of BM adipocytes, implicating marrow adipose tissue as a distinct adipose depot. This chapter will highlight recent data regarding these areas, and the interaction of MAT with cells in the skeletal, hematopoietic and immune systems.
Reconstructing curves with sharp corners

In this paper we present a heuristic to reconstruct nonsmooth curves with multiple components. Experiments with several input data reveals the effectiveness of the algorithm in contrast with the other competing algorithms.
Asset Tangibility, Macroeconomic Risks, and the Diversification Discount

This paper develops a structural model of firm diversification to study the role of organizational flexibility as a tool to manage liquidity in the presence of aggregate productivity and financial shocks. The model features endogenous diversification and refocusing in a two sector economy, where each sector is characterized by a different level of asset tangibility. The estimated model is able to generate the average diversification discount as well as its substantial decrease during recessions and credit crunches as observed in the data. This decrease in the discount can be attributed to tighter collateral constraints of young single-segment firms with low asset tangibility. Counterfactual experiments show that the value of organizational flexibility -the ability to dynamically diversify and refocus- accounts for 10.5% of firm value, of which we attribute 38% to financial pooling benefits and 62% to the option to refocus.
Mainstream Teacher Candidates' Perspectives on ESL Writing: The Effects of Writer Identity and Rater Background

This study explored the extent to which the ethnic identity of a writer and the background (gender and area of teaching) of a rater can influence mainstream teacher candidates' evaluation of English as a second language (ESL) writing, using a matched-guise method. A one-page essay was elicited from an ESL learner enrolled in an intensive English program and was manipulated to incorporate error patterns often observed among Chinese- and Spanish-speaking learners. Teacher candidates were led to believe it was produced by an ESL learner whose first language was either Chinese or Spanish. One-hundred-sixty-three undergraduate students enrolled in a teacher education program at a U.S. university were asked to score the ESL essay holistically, provide qualitative comments, identify the three most troublesome errors in order of seriousness, and offer advice on how to improve ESL writing. No significant effects of writer identity on the holistic scoring were detected, but the teacher candidates revealed different categories of rater responses depending on the writer's identity. Conversely, although the raters' backgrounds (gender and area of teaching) had significant effects on global scoring, they did not have any significant impact on the qualitative nature of rater responses.
2-Deoxyglucose-induced vasodilation and hyperpolarization in rat coronary artery are reversed by glibenclamide

The mechanisms responsible for coronary vasodilation during ischemia or hypoxia are poorly understood. It has recently been suggested that alterations in intracellular ATP may play a role in this response. We examined whether dilation of isolated coronary arteries in response to metabolic blockade by 2-deoxyglucose, which competitively inhibits glycolysis and glycogenolysis, was sensitive to glibenclamide, an inhibitor of ATP-sensitive potassium channels. Pressurized rat coronary arteries with myogenic tone dilated in response to 2-deoxyglucose by an endothelium-independent mechanism. The dilation was accompanied by a substantial hyperpolarization. Addition of glibenclamide partially reversed this vasodilation and abolished the hyperpolarization. We propose that ATP-sensitive potassium channels play a significant role in the dilator response to 2-deoxyglucose. This may have implications both for ischemia-induced coronary vasodilation and for the use of oral hypoglycemic agents in general.
A State of Rightlessness: the Egregious Case of North Korea

This essay steps into the relative dearth of popular and legal academic treatment to analyze this egregious state of rightlessness (an intentional neologism) and concludes with reflections upon possible judicial redress options. Experts in the human rights field have averred that the human rights situation in North Korea is the worst in the world. The North Korean government denies any human rights abuses, insisting “that 'there is no human rigths [sic] problem in North Korea.'" This academic work challenges this outright denial by providing an analysis of various human rights abuses persisting north of the most heavily armed border in the world.Contrary to the constant denial of the North Korean government, this essay seeks to help establish the case for this state of rightlessness, the egregious case of North Korea. It lays the foundation for a subsequent article regarding judicial redress of these gross and systematic violations of human rights. Before any need for judicial redress raises itself for consideration, the case that cries out for such a forum must receive delineation: this essay proposes to expound on the major violations of human rights in North Korea together with the context that makes such violations possible.
Opinion Competition and Judge Replacement on Collegial Courts

It is common to think that replacing a judge with a new appointment nearer an ideological extreme will pull outcomes on the court in the ideological direction of the new appointment. This paper argues that this intuition is not always correct, at least for a class of close cases. The model developed here predicts that, in certain close cases, appointing a conservative (liberal) to replace a moderate may result in a loss for the court’s conservative (liberal) wing. What drives this outcome is expressive costs: judges incur a cost for signing opinions distant from their own ideal points, so that a judge nearer the swing vote can better afford the compromises required to win. The model holds implications for judicial appointment strategies and helps explain findings that have puzzled other scholars.
Stimulation of opiate receptors in the dorsal pontine tegmentum inhibits reflex contraction of the urinary bladder.

In urethane-anesthetized rats the i.v. administration of the potent short-acting opioid, fentanyl, elicited inhibition of rhythmic spontaneous reflex increases in vesical pressure (VP) evoked by urinary bladder distension. The duration of fentanyl-induced inhibition was dose-related between 0.8 and 8.0 micrograms/kg i.v. Pretreatment with the opiate receptor antagonist, naloxone HCl (250 micrograms/kg i.v.), antagonized completely fentanyl's effect on VP rhythm. Results similar to those obtained with fentanyl were observed after the bilateral stimulation of opiate receptors in the dorsolateral tegmental-subceruleus region of the pons (DLT-SC region) with D-Ala2-Met5-enkephalinamide (DAMA) microinjections. These inhibitory effects were dose-related and significant between 1.0 and 100.0 ng/site. DAMA in the DLT-SC did not alter basal cardiorespiratory parameters. The systemic and local administration of naloxone reversed rapidly the VP effects elicited by DAMA in the DLT-SC region. Naloxone alone, administered either i.v. or locally in the DLT-SC region, increased the frequency of spontaneous reflex increases in VP. Moreover, pretreatment of the DLT-SC region with naloxone microinjections significantly (55% reduction) decreased the duration of fentanyl (8.0 micrograms/kg i.v.)-induced inhibition of VP rhythm. Neurons in DLT-SC region whose discharge increased just before and throughout spontaneous increases in VP (vesical contraction-related units), were inhibited rapidly and completely by the systemic administration of fentanyl. However, fentanyl elicited a prolonged decremental discharge in neurons of the DLT-SC region with discharge patterns related to vesical relaxation (vesical relaxation-related units).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Private vs. Public Debt: Explaining Municipal Borrowing Patterns of Mexican Cities

"State and local authorities are hedging and issuing debt in order to deal with the financial crisis,” Jose Manuel Arteaga reported in an August 13, 2009 article in El Universal, a Mexican daily. Since the 1997 Legal Reform of Article 9 of the National Fiscal Coordination Law (NFCL), which allowed municipalities the right to take out commercial bank credits, there was a new emphasis on public debt in Mexico. But following the financial crisis, President Calderon sent in a “bail-in” to the largest development bank, Banobras of more than $1,800 million pesos. Since then, private capital investments have decreased and a number of firms have collapsed. The proposed paper seeks to study how and why municipalities in Mexico acquire public debt with a particular emphasis on analyzing the circumstances and conditions under which municipalities should assume indebtedness. More specifically, the paper will analyze when and why municipalities take on debt; the best offers (in terms of tenors and interest rates, public or private services); the purpose of the loans (investments in infrastructure, economic development, covering operating expenses); and the rates of repayment and/or default. The main objective is to better understand the borrowing patters of Mexican cities and whether they acquire public or private debt.
The role of multifunctional kinetics during early-stage silicon hydride pyrolysis: reactivity of Si2H2 isomers with SiH4 and Si2H6.

Kinetic parameters for the dominant pathways during the addition of the four Si2H2 isomers, i.e., trans-HSiSiH, SiSiH2, Si(H)SiH, and Si(H2)Si, to monosilane, SiH4, and disilane, Si2H6, have been calculated using G3//B3LYP, statistical thermodynamics, conventional and variational transition state theory, and internal rotation corrections. The direct addition products of the multifunctional Si2H2 isomers were monofunctional substituted silylenes, hydrogen-bridged species, and silenes. During addition to monosilane and disilane, the SiSiH2 isomer was found to be most reactive over the temperature range of 800 to 1200 K. Revised parameters for the Evans−Polanyi correlation and a representative pre-exponential factor for multifunctional silicon hydride addition and elimination reaction families under pyrolysis conditions were regressed from the reactions in this study. This revised kinetic correlation was found to capture the activation energies and rate coefficients better than the current literature methods.
The effects of gait retraining in runners with patellofemoral pain: A randomized trial.

Background Running popularity has increased resulting in a concomitant increase in running-related injuries with patellofemoral pain most commonly reported. The purpose of this study was to determine whether gait retraining by modifying footstrike patterns from rearfoot strike to forefoot strike reduces patellofemoral pain and improves associated biomechanical measures, and whether the modification influences risk of ankle injuries. Methods Sixteen subjects (n = 16) were randomly placed in the control (n = 8) or experimental (n = 8) group. The experimental group performed eight gait retraining running sessions over two weeks where footstrike pattern was switched from rearfoot strike to forefoot strike, while the control group performed running sessions with no intervention. Variables were recorded pre-, post-, and one-month post-running trials. Findings Knee pain was significantly reduced post-retraining (P < 0.05; effect size = 0.294) and one-month follow-up (P < 0.05; effect size = 0.294). Knee abduction was significantly improved post-retraining (P < 0.05; effect size = 0.291) and one-month follow-up (P < 0.05; effect size = 0.291). Ankle flexion was significantly different post-retraining (P < 0.05; effect size = 0.547), as well as ankle range of motion post-retraining (P < 0.05; effect size = 0.425) and one-month follow-up (P < 0.05; effect size = 0.425). Interpretation Findings suggest running with a forefoot strike pattern leads to reduced knee pain, and should be considered a possible strategy for management of patellofemoral pain in recreational runners. This trial is registered at the US National Institutes of Health (clinicaltrials.gov) #NCT02567123.
Super-resolution snapshot chemical imaging with plasmonic nanoholes

We show super-resolution chemical imaging with plasmonic nanoholes, Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy. Spectral and spatial content are obtained simultaneously by imaging through filters or gratings.
Research of Demodulation Method for Interferometric Fiber Optic Sensors

The paper introduces the operating principle of phase modulation,analyzes the prime elements which influence the stability of demodulation signal. On this basis,an improved method is put forward and a set of perfect fiber sensing system is established.Through a lot of experiments and analysis,error is reduced and examination sensitivity becomes higher.
Clinical trend and nursing intervention of Acinetobacter baumannii infection in pediatric intensive care unit

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical infection trend,drug resistance and nursing intervention of Acinetobacter baumannii(ABA) in pediatric intensive Care Unit(PICU).METHODS A retrospective clinical study was carried out in the patients with ABA infection admitted in PICU of Wuhan Children′s Hospital from January 2007 to December 2009.The separation rate and drug-resistance of ABA isolated from clinical specimens were analyzed.RESULTS A total of 212 cases of ABA infection were diagnosed in the 3 years.329 clinical strains of ABA were isolated.The results of drug susceptibility test indicated that the resistance rates of ABA to amikacin,levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were the lowest,which were 3.0%.Resistance rates to penicillins and cephalosporins were 70.0%,which increased year by year.CONCLUSION Infection with ABA had increasing tendency in PICU.Severe resistance and multi-drug resistance to common antimicrobial agents were observed with a yearly increased trend.We should select antibiotics according to the results of bacterial culture and drug susceptibility test.Meanwhile the disinfection of hospital environments and the effective nursing intervention should be strengthened in order to control the colonization and spread of ABA in PICU.
Kit Ligand in Synergy With Interleukin-3 Amplifies the Erythropoietin-Independent, Globin-Synthesizing Progeny of Normal Human Burst-Forming Units-Erythroid in Suspension Cultures: Physiologic Implications

Although the proliferative effects of hematopoietic cytokines on erythroid progenitors are well known, parameters that influence the initiation of expression of specialized or lineage-restricted genes are not clear. We have studied the acquisition of erythroid-differentiative features from enriched populations of human early erythroid progenitors (burst-forming unit-erythroid [BFUe]) in suspension culture and the influence of several cytokines on this process. In suspension cultures containing no erythropoietin (Epo), we have found that kit ligand (KL) in synergy with interleukin-3 not only increases the proliferation of cells and of progenitors but also consistently amplifies a population of cells that contain globin within 1 week. Our experiments suggest that neither extraneously provided nor endogenously produced Epo is critical for the generation of globin-synthesizing cells. Globin- producing cells generated mostly from late BFUe or pre-CFUe with a CD34- /EP-1+ phenotype in this system do not all express a well-coordinated erythroid program accompanied by heme or glycophorin A expression and most die maintaining an immature state. Therefore, conditions that are responsible for initiation of globin expression in these cells are not sufficient to carry them to terminal maturation. The data point to an expanded target cell population for KL, as they suggest an influence of KL on survival and/or amplification of late erythroid cells previously thought to be influenced only by Epo. Our results in aggregate are of relevance to the physiology of normal erythropoiesis and the role of Epo and KL in the initial stages of lineage-restricted gene expression. In addition, they provide insight into the understanding of anemia in W and Steel mutants in which expansion of the late erythroid progenitor pool, normally dependent on the synergistic action of KL and Epo, is curtailed.
Increase in P50 with the use of Bicarbonate Hemodialysis

We studied the effect of bicarbonate and acetate on oxygenation during dialysis in ten male chronic dialysis patients. The dialysis delivery system and dialysate constituents were identical except ...
Factors That Contribute to the Adjustment of International Students.

Leaving home to attend college is an important milestone for college students. However, the transition from home to college can be challenging, especially for students studying abroad. In this article, the authors explore factors that contribute to the academic, cultural, social, and psychological adjustments of international students. Adjustment issues include psychological distress such as homesick, depression, and anxiety. This article seeks to increase the reader’s understanding of some of the issues faced by international students during the process of adjusting to a new collegiate environment. More specifically, the article discusses factors that contribute to adjustment and different phases of cultural adjustment. This article may help the students, educational institutions, and policy makers to provide the resources necessary for a seamless transition for international students to overcome the issues.
CHEMO-IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES ON CONJUGATED CARBOHYDRATE-PROTEINS

It has been demonstrated that many multiples of minimal doses of Bacillus typhosus reacting factors can be neutralized by specific immune sera. The potency of a given serum can be conveniently titrated against increasing amounts of reacting factors. If the immune serum is diluted or if the amount of the reacting factors is too large for a given amount of serum, there is obtained neutralization but only irregularly. Normal and heterologous sera (therapeutic meningococcus and erysipelas horse sera) free of normal agglutinins or possessing normal agglutinins of a low titer (1:16) for Bacillus typhosus are not able to neutralize the reacting factors. There is obtained questionable neutralization with a serum possessing normal Bacillus typhosus agglutinins in dilution 1:64. The titer of the neutralizing antibodies increases in the course of immunization. Immune sera exercise a definite protection against the mortality induced by intravenous injection of Bacillus typhosus culture filtrates.
Identifying Direct Targets of the Hoxb4 Transcription Factor Involved in Hematopoietic Cell Self Renewal.

Abstract Hoxb4 is a member of the homeobox protein family which when overexpressed, promotes expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) both in vivo and ex vivo. The molecular mechanisms underlying the capacity of Hoxb4 to induce self-renewal of HSCs are poorly understood. In order to identify the direct transcriptional targets of Hoxb4 in primary hematopoietic progenitor cells, we created a Hoxb4-ERT2 fusion gene to allow for temporally regulated Hoxb4 activity. This gene was introduced into mouse lineage negative bone marrow (Lin− BM) cells using retroviral-mediated gene transfer. When these cells were treated with Tamoxifen (TAM), translocation of the fusion protein into the nuclei was demonstrated using confocal microscopy. Transduced cells were treated with 300nM of TAM for varying time in suspension culture and then plated into semisolid medium for myeloid progenitor assays. After 7 days, colonies from these primary CFU-C cultures were dispersed and replated for secondary CFU-C as an assay for myeloid progenitor self renewal. Treatment with TAM for 12hr in Hoxb4-ERT2 introduced cells resulted in an increase in the number (5.5 fold) and size (10 fold) of secondary colonies comparing to mock vector transduced controls, verifying that TAM treatment resulted in self-renewal of myeloid progenitors. In order to identify the target genes for this response, RNA from 12hr and 24hr TAM treated cells was analyzed for differential gene expression using Affymetrix 430v2 chips. Analysis of three independent experiments showed good reproducibility and allowed identification of candidate genes. Local pooled error test was used to analyze the data and a false discovery rate threshold at