cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Behavioral and anatomical consequences of unilateral fornix lesions and the administration of nimodipine.

Male Wistar rats subjected to unilateral fimbria-fornix transection by mechanical knife cut or to sham operations were tested in a water maze and in an open field. Half the animals in each group were treated with either 0.06 mg/kg nimodipine or vehicle, administered i.p. for 7 days, beginning the day of surgery. Animals were sacrificed and brains were processed for acetylcholine esterase (AChE) histochemistry. In the water maze, lesioned rats showed a significant impairment relative to the sham-operated animals. Nimodipine treatment did not improve performance. There were no differences among the groups in the observed frequencies of the open field behaviors of locomotion, hole-poke, rearing and grooming. A significant reduction of AChE-positive cell bodies was found in the medial septal region on the side of the lesion. There were no differences in water maze performance among groups of rats treated with 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, or 5.0 mg/kg nimodipine for 7 days, beginning the day of fimbria-fornix transection, in an attempt to determine any dose-dependent effect of the drug.
Rhetoric in Competition: The Formation of Organizational Discourse in Conference on College Composition and Communication Abstracts

This study explores features of conference proposals submitted to the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) in 1989, 1990, and 1992. In total, 345 abstracts were examined for g...
Differential effects and generic biases in observational studies

There are two treatments, each of which may be applied or withheld, yielding a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with three degrees of freedom between groups. The differential effect of the two treatments is the effect of applying one treatment in lieu of the other. In randomised experiments, the differential effect is of no more or less interest than other treatment contrasts. Differential effects play a special role in certain observational studies in which treatments are not assigned to subjects at random, where differing outcomes may reflect biased assignments rather than effects caused by the treatments. Differential effects are immune to certain types of unobserved bias, called generic biases, which are associated with both treatments in a similar way. This is explored using several examples and models. Differential effects are not immune to differential biases, whose possible consequences are examined by sensitivity analysis.
Safety, tolerability, and efficacy of overnight switching from sildenafil to tadalafil in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Summary Aims Tadalafil, a once-daily phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE-5I), offers clinicians an alternative to sildenafil, a 3-times-daily (t.i.d.) PDE-5I for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, there are limited data describing the risks and benefits or recommended methodology of switching patients from sildenafil to tadalafil. Methods Chart reviews were conducted on all World Health Organization group 1 patients on sildenafil for ≥3 months who transitioned to tadalafil with documented clinic visits and 6-min walk tests on both drugs. Most patients were transitioned by discontinuing sildenafil after the evening dose and initiating tadalafil 40 mg/day the next day. Data collected included demographics, PAH etiology, diagnostic hemodynamics, 6-min walk distance (6MWD), PDE-5I side effects, and concomitant medications. Data on B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were available for most patients also receiving endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs). Results Medical records from 98 patients were evaluated. Most patients (92%) were on sildenafil for >1 year, and 78% were receiving sildenafil 80–100 mg t.i.d. Ninety-seven percent of patients (95/98) were successfully transitioned and maintained on 40 mg/day. With a mean duration on tadalafil therapy of 243 ± 127 days at the time of analysis, 6MWD was unchanged. Patient-reported adverse events included headache (4%) and heartburn (2%). There was minimal change in BNP levels in the subset of patients receiving an ERA concomitantly. Conclusions Transition from sildenafil to tadalafil 40 mg/day appears feasible without clinical deterioration or intolerable side effects. This study provides guidance to physicians considering transition from sildenafil to tadalafil for selecting patients.
The immediate energy supply and the cost of maintenance of isometric tension for different muscles in the hamster

1. The resting levels of ATP and creatine in different (untreated) hamster muscles were measured and compared with their physiological properties. Muscles which normally fatigue quickly were found to have high levels of ATP and creatine. 2. The utilization of ATP by these muscles in developing and maintaining isometric tension was also measured. The inhibition of the creatine phospho-transferase reaction was accomplished by incubating the muscles in DNFB Ringer for 35 min at 2° C. The muscles were frozen during contraction by rapid immersion in a mixture of Freons 12 and 13 cooled to −160° C. 3. The amount of tension developed and maintained per micromole of ATP was as follows; biceps brachii 30.8×103, diaphragm 36.3×103, extensor digitorum longus 103.3×103 and soleus 191.0×103g sec per gram. The efficiency of the muscles in maintaining tension was inversely proportional to their rate of contraction. 4. This information was compared with data from a preceding paper on the efficiency of the true slow muscle in the chick. It was concluded that the slow muscles are more efficient in maintaining isometric tension because of a long cross link engagement time (as the cross links only use ATP when breaking and remaking). However slow muscles are inefficient in shortening and doing work because the cross links that are shortening are working against those that have shortened but which are still holding.
A promising opportunity for developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the interface of neuroscience, psychology, and social policy: remarks on receiving the 2005 C. Anderson Aldrich Award.

I am deeply grateful to the American Academy of Pediatrics for this wonderful award and truly humbled by the distinguished list of previous recipients. I view this recognition less as a personal accolade and more as an opportunity to reflect on how the evolution of my own career might contribute to the ongoing process of defining both the science and the practice of pediatrics. Twenty years ago, I was the director of a division of developmental and behavioral pediatrics in a university hospital. Ten years ago, I changed my work address but not my core interests and accepted a position as dean of a graduate school for social policy and management. Five years ago, I participated in a press conference at the National Academy of Sciences to announce the release of a new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council entitled, From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. 1 And, 3 years later, I had the pleasure of joining 11 distinguished neuroscientists, developmental psychologists, economists, and communications researchers to launch the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. The mission of the National Scientific Council is to build informed, bipartisan leadership in both the public and the private sectors to close the gap between what we know and what we do to create a strong foundation for successful learning, adaptive behavior, and sound physical and mental health beginning in the earliest years of life. Central to this concept is the ongoing generation, analysis, and integration of established knowledge and the critical task of educating policy-makers, business executives, and civic leaders about the rapidly growing science of early childhood development and its underlying neurobiology. My personal commitment to this effort is deeply grounded in a recognition that the promotion of healthy development requires far more … Address correspondence to Jack P. Shonkoff, MD, FAAP, Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, 50 Church St, 4th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138. E-mail: jack_shonkoff{at}harvard.edu
The Magnuson–Stevens act (1976) and its reauthorizations: Failure or success for the implementation of fishery sustainability and management in the US?

Abstract The Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (1976), opened a new era of federal fishery management in the United States. It was enacted primarily to establish a system for conserving and managing fisheries in the new 200-mile (EEZ). The US assumed exclusive authority for managing all fisheries within the EEZ, except for highly migratory species such as tunas and billfishes. Within the framework of the Act, eight Regional Fishery Management Councils (Regional Councils) were created, which are responsible for preparing Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) in federal waters under their jurisdiction. Each FMP must meet a series of National Standards (NSs) for conservation and management. The Act was reauthorized in 1996 with the passage of the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA), which aimed at fine tuning the fishery regulatory apparatus that was established under the original Act. This "fine tuning" involved increased attention to biological concerns, and removal of ambiguities within it. The Act was reauthorized again in 2007, mainly to provide for more clear directives and regulations to end overfishing. After more than thirty years since the Act was passed into law, the debate among conservationists, commercial and recreational fishery representatives, and politicians on the effectiveness of the Act in achieving its purported goals it still continues. Is the Act delivering on its promises? Do NSs reflect the most important priorities for the US fishery resources, conservation and sustainable exploitation? Do the Regional Councils represent all parties that should be involved in the fisheries resources management? The aim of this paper is to provide a critical analysis to answer these questions. This paper begins with a review of the Act and its background, followed by discussion and analysis of the Act's benefits and flaws. Finally, suggestions for the implementation of its structure and future directions in fishery management strategies are made.
The possessive states disorder: The diagnosis of demonic possession

This article addresses the validity of viewing demonic possession as a phenomenon distinct from any other form of pathology. It does so by briefly examining the historical relationship of demon possession and other forms of illness; reviewing some of the psychological research into the phenomena of possession; and then presenting a description of possession derived from a study of fourteen possessed individuals. The article concludes that possessions do exist as a phenomena independent of the current commonly accepted forms of psychopathology. A diagnostic description of possession is then presented to enable a greater ability to differentiate cases of possession from the present categories of the DSM-III.
Biographical Sketch: Ernest Amory Codman, MD (1869–1940)

This biographical sketch on E.A. Codman corresponds to the historic text, The Classic: A Study in Hospital Efficiency: As Demonstrated by the Case Report of the First Five Years of a Private Hospital (1918), available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-012-2751-3.
Effect of loop distortion on the stability and structural dynamics of DNA hairpin and dumbbell conjugates.

The thermal stability and conformational dynamics of DNA hairpin and dumbbell conjugates having short A-tract base pair domains connected by tri- or hexa(ethylene glycol) linkers is reported. The formation of stable base-paired A-tract hairpins having oligo(ethylene glycol) linkers requires a minimum of four or five A-T base pairs. The formation of base-paired dumbbells having oligo(ethylene glycol) linkers by means of chemical ligation of nicked dumbbells requires a minimum of two A-T base pairs on either side of the nick. Molecular modeling indicates that the hexa(ethylene glycol) linker is sufficiently long to permit formation of strain-free loop regions and B-DNA base pair domains. In contrast, the tri(ethylene glycol) is too short to permit Watson−Crick base pairing between the bases attached to the linker. The shorter linker distorts the duplex, resulting in fluxional behavior in which the base pairs adjacent to the linker and at the open end of the hairpin dissociate on the nanosecond time scale. T...
Cluster-forming Molecular Cloud Cores

We model a turbulent cloud core ionized by cosmic rays, having Bonnor-Ebert condensations that are both critically stable and cut off from MHD waves in the core. We take these condensations to be the precursors of stars in clusters. The model predicts that such condensations can exist in massive cores having a FWHM line width greater than 0.9 km s -->−1 and a column density greater than 1×10 -->22 cm -->−2, as is observed in cluster-forming cores in Perseus, Orion, and Cepheus, but cannot exist in the less turbulent, less opaque low-mass cores in Taurus, which have no associated clusters. In cluster-forming cores, these condensations are predicted to have mass ~1 M☉ and radius ~0.03 pc, consistent with the mass and spacing of most young stars in clusters. Such critically stable, cutoff condensations may be identified by their small size and narrow spectral lines, if observed with sufficient sensitivity, spectral resolution, and angular resolution.
Concepts for an ideal ocean wave-measuring buoy

A survey of several national buoy wave data collection programs is given to establish a rough idea of the state of the art in automated wave data acquisition systems, including buoys, sensors and techniques. The largest program is that of the National Data Buoy Center, managed under the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; however, the most popular commercial wave buoy is Datawell B.V.'s Waverider®, followed by the OCEANOR Wavescan buoy. These two buoy types have been deployed around the world by several countries. The latest technique for wave measurement from buoys, done independently by the United States, the Netherlands, Japan and South Africa, uses displacements obtained from the Global Positioning System constellation of polar orbiting satellites. Communications systems using geosynchronous and low earth orbiting satellites and ground radio are discussed. Three concepts for improving the quality of wave data from buoys are presented.
Degradation kinetics of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons by methane oxidizers naturally-associated with wetland plant roots

Abstract Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) are common groundwater contaminants that can be removed from the environment by natural attenuation processes. CAH biodegradation can occur in wetland environments by reductive dechlorination as well as oxidation pathways. In particular, CAH oxidation may occur in vegetated wetlands, by microorganisms that are naturally associated with the roots of wetland plants. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the cometabolic degradation kinetics of the CAHs, cis -1,2-dichloroethene ( cis DCE), trichloroethene (TCE), and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1TCA), by methane-oxidizing bacteria associated with the roots of a typical wetland plant in soil-free system. Laboratory microcosms with washed live roots investigated aerobic, cometabolic degradation of CAHs by the root-associated methane-oxidizing bacteria at initial aqueous [CH 4 ] ~ 1.9 mg L − 1 , and initial aqueous [CAH] ~ 150 μg L − 1 ; cis DCE and TCE (in the presence of 1,1,1TCA) degraded significantly, with a removal efficiency of approximately 90% and 46%, respectively. 1,1,1TCA degradation was not observed in the presence of active methane oxidizers. The pseudo first-order degradation rate-constants of TCE and cis DCE were 0.12 ± 0.01 and 0.59 ± 0.07 d − 1 , respectively, which are comparable to published values. However, their biomass-normalized degradation rate constants obtained in this study were significantly smaller than pure-culture studies, yet they were comparable to values reported for biofilm systems. The study suggests that CAH removal in wetland plant roots may be comparable to processes within biofilms. This has led us to speculate that the active biomass may be on the root surface as a biofilm. The cis DCE and TCE mass losses due to methane oxidizers in this study offer insight into the role of shallow, vegetated wetlands as an environmental sink for such xenobiotic compounds.
Skeletal muscle hypertrophy in response to isometric, lengthening, and shortening training bouts of equivalent duration

Movements generated by muscle contraction generally include periods of muscle shortening and lengthening as well as force development in the absence of external length changes (isometric). However, in the specific case of resistance exercise training, exercises are often intentionally designed to emphasize one of these modes. The purpose of the present study was to objectively evaluate the relative effectiveness of each training mode for inducing compensatory hypertrophy. With the use of a rat model with electrically stimulated (sciatic nerve) contractions, groups of rats completed 10 training sessions in 20 days. Within each training session, the duration of the stimulation was equal across the three modes. Although this protocol provided equivalent durations of duty cycle, the torque integral for the individual contractions varied markedly with training mode such that lengthening > isometric > shortening. The results indicate that the hypertrophy response did not track the torque integral with mass increases of isometric by 14%, shortening by 12%, and lengthening by 11%. All three modes of training resulted in similar increases in total muscle DNA and RNA. Isometric and shortening but not lengthening mode training resulted in increased muscle insulin-like growth factor I mRNA levels. These results indicate that relatively pure movement mode exercises result in similar levels of compensatory hypertrophy that do not necessarily track with the total amount of force generated during each contraction.
Comparison of the thermodynamic properties of particulate and monolithic columns of molecularly imprinted copolymers.

A variety of polymerization techniques can be used to prepare molecularly imprinted copolymers (MIPs) for the purpose of the separation of enantiomers by HPLC. Unfortunately, the lack of thermodynamic and kinetic data characterizing the imprinted polymers prepared by these different techniques prevents the rational choice of the one most suited for a specific application. We investigated and compared the thermodynamic properties of copolymers imprinted for Fmoc-l-tryptophan and prepared by two different methods. The first was an in situ polymerization method that gives monolithic columns (monolithic MIPs), the second, a traditional method giving bulk MIPs. Examination of the thermodynamic properties on these two different MIPs showed that three types of binding sites coexist on their surface. The highest energy sites adsorb only the imprinted molecule or template. Most of the intermediate energy sites adsorb both the template and its antipode, although part of them may adsorb only the template. Finally, t...
Positive matrix functions on the bitorus with prescribed Fourier coefficients in a band

Let S be a band in Z2 bordered by two parallel lines that are of equal distance to the origin. Given a positive definite l1 sequence of matrices {cj}j∈S we prove that there is a positive definite matrix function f in the Wiener algebra on the bitorus such that the Fourier coefficients\(\widehat{f(k)}\) equal ck for k ∈ S. A parameterization is obtained for the set of all positive extensions f of {cj}j∈S. We also prove that among all matrix functions with these properties, there exists a distinguished one that maximizes the entropy. A formula is given for this distinguished matrix function. The results are interpreted in the context of spectral estimation of ARMA processes.
Fermi surface of field-induced ferromagnetic CeSb

The Fermi surface of ferromagnetic CeSb is analyzed with use of a model in which the f electrons in the system are treated as localized (unhybridized) j=(5/2), \ensuremath{\mu}=(5/2) states interacting only weakly with the conduction electrons through electrostatic and exchange interactions. The ordering of the f orbital moments along the [001] easy-magnetization axis breaks the cubic symmetry introducing noncubic contributions to the potential seen by the conduction electrons. Because spin-orbit coupling in the conduction bands proves quite significant, the requisite model includes both the spin-orbit coupling and the polarization effects. The application of the model compares quite favorably with the measured de Haas--van Alphen frequencies except that the calculated polarization splittings, while quite small, are still overly large. It is found that the electron masses have little or no enhancement beyond the electron-phonon enhancement.
Wage structure analysis: An empirical approach to pay equity in segregated jobs

The job attributes, seniority, and pay of county employees in 64 male- vs. 120 female-dominated jobs were analyzed to distinguish wage inequity from mere wage disparity. Using 11 different criteria, independent rates evaluated 300-to 500- word descriptions of each of 184 jobs. Means on the five most reliable job attributes for each job type were compared. Regressions of actual pay on worker and job attributes revealed multipleRs of .84 and .70, respectively, for male-dominated vs. female-dominated jobs, with sex of worker contributing significantly to both. Structural equations models were fit separately to the two job types, using job attributes and seniority of 1644 workers as predictors of pay. For the male-dominated jobs, a 2-factor structure provided the best fit to the data. A 3-factor structure was needed to predict the pay in female-dominated jobs. Implications of these differences in the wage structures for the two families of jobs are discussed.
Flying wings / flying fuselages

The present paper has documented the historical relationships between various classes of all lifting vehicles, which includes the flying wing, all wing, tailless, lifting body, and lifting fuselage. The diversity in vehicle focus was to ensure that all vehicle types that map have contributed to or been influenced by the development of the classical flying wing concept was investigated. The paper has provided context and perspective for present and future aircraft design studies that may employ the all lifting vehicle concept. The paper also demonstrated the benefit of developing an understanding of the past in order to obtain the required knowledge to create future concepts with significantly improved aerodynamic performance.
Synthesis of pentafluorobenzyloxy mono- to tetra-fluoroacetophenones

Abstract Pentafluorobenzyloxyacetophenones are formed by reacting 2',3',4',5',6'-pentafluoroacetophenone and 2',3',4',5'-tetrafluoroacetophenone with pentafluorobenzyl alcohol (PFBA) in refluxing toluene under phase-transfer conditions. This provided seven new such acetophenones. Pentafluorobenzyloxy-substituted mono- and difluoro-acetophenones were synthesized by reacting p -hydroxyacetophenone with pentafluorobenzyl bromide.
Germacranolides in Helianthus mollis

Abstract Desacetyleupaserrin, eupaserrin and two new germacranolides, mollisorin-A and mollisorin-B, were isolated from H. mollis . 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR data and chemical interconversions of the four germacranolides are described.
The Performance of Numerical Methods for Elliptic Problems with Mixed Boundary Conditions

We consider solving linear, second order, elliptic partial differential equations with boundary conditions of types Dirichlet (DIR), mixed (MIX), and nearly Neumann (Neu) by using software modules that implement five numerical methods (one finite element and four finite differences). They represent both the new generation of improved methods and the traditional ones; they are: Hermite collocation plus band Gauss elimination (HC), ordinary finite differences plus band Gauss elimination (5P), ordinary finite differences with Dyaknov iteration (DY), DY with Richardson extrapolation to achieve fourth order convergence (D4), and ordinary finite differences with multigrid iteration (MG). We carry out a performance evaluation in which we measure the grid size and the computer time needed to achieve three significant digits of accuracy in the solution. We compute the changes in these two measures as we change boundary condition types from DIR to MIX and MIX to NEU and then test the following hypotheses: (i) the performance of all the modules is degraded by introducing the derivative terms into the boundary conditions; (ii) finite element collocation (HC) is least affected; (iii) the fourth order modules (HC and D4) are less affected than the other second order modules; and (iv) the traditional 5-point finite differences (5P) are most affected. We establish these hypotheses with high levels of confidence by using several sample problems. The most significant conclusion is that a high order collocation method is preferred for problems with general operators and derivatives in the boundary conditions. We also establish with considerable confidence that these modules have the following rankings in absolute comparative time performance: MG (best), HC and D4, DY, and 5P (worst).
Pectin copolymers with organosiloxane grafts as corrosion-protective coatings for aluminum

Abstract When polygalacturonic acid methyl ester (pectin, PE), selected from among the natural polymers, is used as environmentally benign water-based coating material to protect aluminum (Al) alloys against corrosion, it is necessary to incorporate an antimicrobial agent into its aqueous solution to prevent the growth of microorganisms. In this study, N-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]-4, 5-dihydroimidazole (TSPI) was used as the antimicrobial agent. However, TSPI also played an important role in ensuring that TSPI-modified PE coatings adequately protect Al; this function was due to a combination of the following three factors: (1) the removal of hydrophilic groups from PE by a chemical reaction between OH or COOH groups in PE, and silanol hydrolysate in TSPI, (2) the grafting of polyorganosiloxane (POS) into the PE polymer chains, and (3) the interfacial covalent oxane bonds formed by interactions between the silanol end groups in the POS graft and Al2O3 at the surface of Al substrates.
An efficient calibration method for freehand 3-D ultrasound imaging systems

A phantom has been developed to quickly calibrate a freehand 3-D ultrasound (US) imaging system. Calibration defines the spatial relationship between the US image plane and an external tracking device attached to the scanhead. The phantom consists of a planar array of strings and beads, and a set of out-of-plane strings that guide the user to proper scanhead orientation for imaging. When an US image plane is coincident with the plane defined by the strings, the calibration parameters are calculated by matching of homologous points in the image and phantom. The resulting precision and accuracy of the 3-D imaging system are similar to those achieved with a more complex calibration procedure. The 3-D reconstruction performance of the calibrated system is demonstrated with a magnetic tracking system, but the method could be applied to other tracking devices.
Oral calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) does not augment UVB phototherapy for plaque psoriasis

as salicyclic acid in transdermal patches had a 3-month cure rate of 68%, whereas placebo with the occlusive patch material alone resulted in cleating in 28%. 4 Carbon dioxide laser has a cure rate of more than 95% after multiple treatments, but discomfort, risks of scarring, and cost make laser therapy a less optimal treatment in children. 6 In this small group of patients, our results were not as promising as those reported by Orlow and Paller. 1 One reason for this difference may be that they used cimetidine in conjunction with standard treatments in two thirds of their patients, all of w h o m had previously tried various topical agents alone without success. W e compared the effect of cimetidine alone with standard treatment in children who had, at most, one previous attempt with standard therapy. Although cimetidine might be helpful as adjuvant therapy for warts, we believe there is no compell ing evidence that it is effective by itself; in our view, it should not be used as a first-line treatment of common warts. Further studies comparing cimetidine with placebo (or other treatments) for recalcitrant warts may be warranted, but general prescribing of cimetidine for standard treatment of warts in children cannot be recommended on the basis o f the data available.
A study of the chemical and physical processes governing CO2 laser-induced pyrolysis and combustion of RDX

Abstract The flame structure of 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX) propellants under laser-assisted combustion was studied to better understand related chemical and physical processes in the gas phase. Experiments were conducted from 0.1 to 3 ATM in pressure with heat fluxes of 50 to 600 W/cm 2 . Gaseous products were extracted through the use of quartz microprobes and analyzed by a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (TQMS). Temperature profiles were measured using micro-thermocouple techniques to investigate reaction zones in RDX flames. Flame behavior was observed using a high-magnification video system. Major species in RDX flames were identified as H 2 , H 2 O, HCN, H 2 CO, NO, HNCO, N 2 O, and NO 2 at low masses ( m / z ≤ 47). In addition to these species, H 2 CNH with m / z = 29 was found to exist in the near-surface reaction zone as an important minor species. Higher molecular weight species were found at m / z values of 47, 54, 56, 70, 81, and 97; with the daughter mode operation of TQMS, they were identified as HONO, C 2 H 2 N 2 , C 2 H 4 N 2 , C 2 H 2 N 2 O, C 3 H 3 N 3 , and C 3 H 3 N 3 O, respectively. Increasing heat flux and decreasing pressure stretched out the reaction zones and were useful for investigating reactions near the deflagrating surface. However, the conditions appeared to have no effect on major reaction pathways. Two-stage chemical reaction pathways in the gas phase were explicitly identified from the major species profiles at all experimental conditions. Also, the reactions of minor high-mass species occurred in the primary reaction zone. The decomposition of RDX at the surface showed evidence of the two competing branch reactions into H 2 CO + N 2 O and HCN + HONO, as well as two subsequent reactions: H 2 CO + N 2 O → H 2 O + CO + N 2 and 2HONO → H 2 O + NO + NO 2 . With the consideration of the previous four reactions, the branching ratio for the two decomposition pathways of RDX was estimated to be about 2:1. For all experimental conditions, temperature profiles had a near-surface region where temperature increased very slowly; the extent of this zone increased as the near-surface reaction zones expanded. After this region, the temperature profiles increased to final flame temperatures without any dark zone temperature plateau. Based on comparisons of species and temperature profiles, this near-surface region is believed to be related to the consumption of NO 2 , production of NO and H 2 O, and production and consumption of high-mass species.
ACTION OF CERTAIN SULFONAMIDES AND OF THIOUREA UPON THE FUNCTION OF THE THYROID GLAND OF THE RAT1

GOITER changes in the thyroid gland have been observed to follow a variety of experimental conditions. A century ago iodine was used in the treatment of thyroid enlargement and it has become well established that hyperplastic goiters ensue when the dietary iodine is reduced below a certain level. Although iOdine deficiency is said to be the commonest cause of thyroid hyperplasia in the human being and in experimental animals, a great many agents have been seen to cause a similar thyroid effect in such animals as rodents, ungulates, birds,fishand man. Reference to the extensive literature on this subject shows that the following agents have, under the conditions of the several experiments, induced thyroid enlargement: high protein diets (1–5), diets containing a large proportion of liver (4–7), fat (5), soybeans (8), or calcium salts (9–11), polluted water, bacterial cultures, fecal filtrates and filtrates from cultures of anerobic bacteria (12), diets composed largely of cabbage or related greens (13,14),...
Molecular modeling of the three-dimensional structure of dopamine 3 (D3) subtype receptor: discovery of novel and potent D3 ligands through a hybrid pharmacophore- and structure-based database searching approach.

The dopamine 3 (D3) subtype receptor has been implicated in several neurological conditions, and potent and selective D3 ligands may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of drug addiction, Parkinson's disease, and schizophrenia. In this paper, we report computational homology modeling of the D3 receptor based upon the high-resolution X-ray structure of rhodopsin, extensive structural refinement in the presence of explicit lipid bilayer and water environment, and validation of the refined D3 structural models using experimental data. We further describe the development, validation, and application of a hybrid computational screening approach for the discovery of several classes of novel and potent D3 ligands. This computational approach employs stepwise pharmacophore and structure-based searching of a large three-dimensional chemical database for the identification of potential D3 ligands. The obtained hits are then subjected to structural novelty screening, and the most promising compounds are tes...
Ingroup Versus Outgroup Conflict in the Context of Violent Video Game Play The Effect of Cooperation on Increased Helping and Decreased Aggression

Previous research has demonstrated a positive influence of cooperative video game play on participants’ cooperative strategies (tit-for-tat behaviors) in a modified Prisoner’s Dilemma task (Ewoldsen et al., 2012). The current study tested whether these positive effects are applicable to ingroup and outgroup conflict. Eighty participants were assigned to play a violent video game cooperatively or competitively with a confederate posing as an outgroup or ingroup member. The main findings corroborate previous research on the beneficial effects of cooperative game play and suggest playing cooperatively can increase helping behavior. Furthermore, cooperation with an outgroup member can actually reduce aggression. Implications of findings for future research are discussed.
Developing effective social support: Team building and the social support process

Abstract Team members who provide each other with several types of social support (e.g., listening support, reality confirmation support, and task appreciation support) offer each other the opportunity to increase their physical and emotional well-being. Also, teams that employ strategies to enhance their social support as part of a team-building intervention are more likely to build a working, achieving, successful organization, one with effective communication and a shared commitment to team goals and a team vision of success. This article presents a rationale for enhancing the development of team social support, describes the social support process and a measurement tool based on the characteristics of that process, outlines strategies for maintaining and enhancing student-athletes' social support, and concludes with comments regarding intervention evaluation.
Systematic review: The role of race and socioeconomic factors on IBD healthcare delivery and effectiveness.

Introduction Race and socioeconomic status (SES) significantly affect the content and delivery of healthcare for multiple chronic disease states. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a set of complex, chronic diseases with the potential for significant morbidity if the content or delivery of healthcare is suboptimal. However, the literature related to race, SES, and IBD remains fragmented.
The omni-transform in the renewal model and in single-channel queues

Some basic results of the renewal model are effectively summarized by $$E\psi '(r) = E[\psi (x) - \psi (0)]/Ex,$$ (1) wherex is the random variableservice time, r is its associatedresidual time, Ψ ( ) is an arbitrary “well behaved” function, andE is the expectation operator. The process “waiting time for service of a new arrival”, denoted byw, is effectively summarized in the modelM/G/1 by $$E\psi (w) = (1 - \rho )\psi (0) + \rho E\psi (w + r).$$ (2) We refer toEΨ (Z) as theomni-transform of the random variable or processZ, and to equations typified by (2) asomni-equations, i.e. equations valid for an arbitrary well-behaved functionΨ ( ). The omni-transform owes its flexibility to the arbitrariness ofΨ ( ) and its ease of handling to its simplicity when applied to mixtures and sums of random variables. From (2) we obtain the moments ofw by puttingΨ (w)=wk, the Laplace transform ofw by puttingΨ(w)=e−sw, and the convolution equation (2a) for the distribution ofw by puttingΨ(w)=1 ifw≥t andΨ(w)=0 otherwise: $$\Pr (w \leqslant t) = (1 - \rho ) + \rho \Pr (w + r \leqslant t),$$ (2a) a result equivalent to the Takacs integro-differential equation. Using repeatedly the so-called shift property of omni-equations, (2a) can be solved by representing the distribution ofw as an infinite series of convolutions: $$\Pr (w \leqslant t) = (1 - \rho ) + (1 - \rho )\rho \Pr (r_1 \leqslant t) + (1 - \rho )\rho ^2 \Pr (r_1 + r_2 \leqslant t) + + ,$$ (3) where theri are a set of independent random variables, each distributed liker. Equation (3) is equivalent to a theorem by Benes. An analogy between the process “waiting time inM/G/1” and the process “toss a coin till heads shows up” where the tossing time is a random variable is also pointed out. The omni-calculus also sheds some light on the modelG/G/1. In forthcoming publications, we will apply the omni-calculus to the process “number in queue” inM/G/1, to the analysis of the busy period inM/G/1, and to some modifiedM/G/1 models, e.g. a vacationing server. In these publications too, the omni-method lifts the “Laplace veil” from much of the physical reality underlying the models considered.
Endoscopic Palliation of Pancreatic Cancer

There is no doubt that our long-range goal is to cure pancreatic cancer. Realistically, most of what we can do currently is treat the disabling symptoms of this dreadful disease. Biliary decompression, intestinal stenting, celiac plexus neurolysis, and fiducial placement are some of the endoscopic procedures that aim to provide better quality of life to patients suffering from this disease. A thorough understanding of these options will help patients make good decisions in choosing the proper treatment. Endoscopists who perform these procedures must possess great skills, but importantly, they must also be compassionate and act with good judgment.
Attribution of Decadal-Scale Lake-Level Trends in the Michigan-Huron System

This study disentangles causes of the Michigan-Huron system lake-level variability. Regional precipitation is identified as the primary driver of lake levels with sub-monthly time lag, implying that the lake-level time series can be used as a proxy for regional precipitation throughout most of the 1865–present instrumental record. Aside from secular variations associated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, the lake-level time series is dominated by two near-decadal cycles with periods of 8 and 12 years. A combination of correlation analysis and compositing suggests that the 8-y cycle stems from changes in daily wintertime precipitation amounts associated with individual storms, possibly due to large-scale atmospheric flow anomalies that affect moisture availability. In contrast, the 12-y cycle is caused by changes in the number of instances, or frequency, of summertime convective precipitation due to a preferred upper-air trough pattern situated over the Great Lakes. In recent decades, the lake-level budget exhibited an abnormal—relative to the remainder of the instrumental record—evaporation-driven trend, likely connected to regional signatures of anthropogenic climate change. The latter effect must be accounted for, along with the effects of precipitation, when assessing possible scenarios of future lake-level variability.
Dimensions of Social Competence: Method Factors in the Assessment of Adaptive Behavior, Social Skills, and Peer Acceptance.

Abstract Dimensions of social competence were investigated by several measures of adaptive behavior, social skills, and peer acceptance. Principal components analysis of the measures revealed that the method of measurement was clearly the most important factor in the assessment of social competence. The five-factor solution to the principal components analysis was defined by the five methods used to operationalize social competence (i.e., method factors). Correlation analysis showed relatively weak relations among the same social competence domains measured by different methods. The results are discussed in the context of convergent and discriminant validity and the interacting influences of method, setting, and content on the assessment of social competence.
Performance of full-pupil line-scanning reflectance confocal microscopy in human skin and oral mucosa in vivo

Point-scanning reflectance confocal microscopes continue to be successfully translated for detection of skin cancer. Line-scanning, with the use of a single scanner and a linear-array detector, offers a potentially smaller, simpler and lower cost alternative approach, to accelerate widespread dissemination into the clinic. However, translation will require an understanding of imaging performance deep within scattering and aberrating human tissues. We report the results of an investigation of the performance of a full-pupil line-scanning reflectance confocal microscope in human skin and oral mucosa, in terms of resolution, optical sectioning, contrast, signal-to-noise ratio, imaging and the effect of speckle noise.
Effects of Environmental Stress on the Architecture and Permeability of the Rat Mesenteric Microvasculature

Objective:This study was performed to determine the effects of environmental stress on the leakage to albumin and architecture of microvessels in the rat mesentery. Methods:One group of rats (Group A, n= 6) were examined immediately upon arrival at the animal care facility. Groups B (n= 24) and C (n= 32) were housed in rooms with high and low personnel activity, respectively, for up to 7 weeks. Group D (n=18) was housed in the high activity room for 2, 3, or 4 weeks followed by the low activity room. Results:Rats in the low activity room for 3–4 weeks showed robust microvascular networks within 25% to 50% of the mesenteric windows (each window consisting of the tissue extending between two adjacent feeding arterioles in the mesentery), whereas rats in Group B only showed fragile vessels at the edges of the mesenteric windows within fat deposits. Groups A and C demonstrated little mesenteric fat and few fragile vessels, in contrast to group B. Group D showed increased mesenteric networks and decreased mese...
An incessant repetitive tachycardia in a patient with prior AVNRT ablation: What is the mechanism?

Figure 1 Spontaneous initiation of tachycardia. The first atrial beat of tachycardia is denoted by A*. Shown in the figure are electrocardiographic leads I, II, and V1 and intracardiac recordings from the high right atrium (HRA), a septal catheter placed just proximal to the His recording position along the atrial septum (Sept; p, m, and d for proximal, mid, and distal locations, respectively), and right ventricular (RV) apex. Case presentation A 69-year-old man with systolic heart failure and a remote history of successful slow pathway ablation for typical atrioventricular (AV) nodal tachycardia (AVNRT) underwent a diagnostic electrophysiology study because of a newonset incessant repetitive tachycardia with a left bundle branch block (LBBB) configuration. Multielectrode catheters were placed at the high right atrium, His bundle region, coronary sinus, and right ventricular (RV) apex. The baseline QRS morphology was an LBBB pattern, and the baseline sinus cycle length, QRS duration, AH interval, and HV interval were 765, 130, 85, and 60 ms, respectively. The tachycardia was consistently initiated after spontaneous premature ventricular beats or ventricular pacing (Figure 1). The first atrial beat of tachycardia (A*) had an atrial activation sequence similar to the preceding sinus beat. The QRS morphology during tachycardia was an LBBB pattern and was identical to the baseline QRS morphology. Ventricular stimuli delivered when the His bundle was refractory failed to advance the atrium. At the onset of tachycardia, there was often variability in the HH and the VV cycle length without a corresponding change in the AA interval (Figure 2). To confirm the mechanism of tachycardia, pacing was performed from the RV apex at cycle lengths just below the tachycardia cycle length (TCL). Figures 3A and 3B demonstrate RV pacing at 430 and 440 ms, respectively. Based on the information supplied on the onset of tachycardia, the spontaneous variability in the TCL, and
Experimental and computational mutagenesis to investigate the positioning of a general base within an enzyme active site.

The positioning of catalytic groups within proteins plays an important role in enzyme catalysis, and here we investigate the positioning of the general base in the enzyme ketosteroid isomerase (KSI). The oxygen atoms of Asp38, the general base in KSI, were previously shown to be involved in anion–aromatic interactions with two neighboring Phe residues. Here we ask whether those interactions are sufficient, within the overall protein architecture, to position Asp38 for catalysis or whether the side chains that pack against Asp38 and/or the residues of the structured loop that is capped by Asp38 are necessary to achieve optimal positioning for catalysis. To test positioning, we mutated each of the aforementioned residues, alone and in combinations, in a background with the native Asp general base and in a D38E mutant background, as Glu at position 38 was previously shown to be mispositioned for general base catalysis. These double-mutant cycles reveal positioning effects as large as 103-fold, indicating tha...
The critically ill patient and regional anesthesia.

Purpose of review The review presents an overview of indications, limitations and practical aspects of regional anesthesia and analgesia in critically ill medical and surgical patients. Recent findings A Medline search from 1966 to 2006 with the search terms regional anesthesia, regional analgesia, critically ill and nerve blocks, as well as a search of the Cochrane Library, revealed no studies specifically designed to evaluate the use of regional anesthesia and analgesia in the intensive care unit setting. The available evidence is limited to case reports, cohort studies and expert opinions, and relies heavily on extrapolation from studies primarily designed to examine intraoperative management of surgical patients in whom an intensive care unit admission was part of the perioperative course. Summary Regional anesthesia and analgesia in the critically ill can help to improve respiratory function, bowel function, mental status and patient comfort secondary to its opioid-sparing effects. Limitations for the use of regional anesthetic techniques are mainly associated with bleeding risks, hemodynamic side-effects, difficulties in neurologic assessment and the potential of local anesthetic toxicity.