cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of corneal thermal shrinkage

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of temperature and heating duration on the kinetics of thermal shrinkage in corneal strips using a custom-made shrinkage device. Methods: Thermal shrinkage was induced and measured in corneal strips under a constant load placed while bathed in 25% Dextran irrigation solution. A study was performed on 57 Florida Lions Eye Bank donated human cadaver eyes to determine the effect of temperature on the amount and rate of thermal shrinkage. Further experiments were performed on 20 human cadaver eyes to determine the effects of heating duration on permanent shrinkage. Data analysis was performed to determine the effects of temperature, heating duration, and age on the amount and kinetics of shrinkage. Results: Shrinkage consisted of two phases: a shrinkage phase during heating and a regression phase after heating. Permanent shrinkage increased with temperature and duration. The shrinkage and regression time constants followed Arrhenius type temperature dependence. The shrinkage time constants where calculated to be 67, 84, 121, 560 and 1112 (s) at 80, 75, 70, 65, and 60°C respectively. At 65°C the permanent shrinkage time constant was calculated to be 945s. Conclusion: These results show that shrinkage treatments need to raise the temperature of the tissue above 75°C for several seconds in order to prevent regression of the shrinkage effect immediately after treatment and to induce the maximum amount of permanent irreversible shrinkage.
Inactivation of Copper, Zinc superoxide dismutase by H2O2 : Mechanism of protection

Cu,Zn SOD is known to be inactivated by HO(2)(-) and to be protected against that inactivation by a number of small molecules including formate, imidazole, and urate. This inactivation has been shown to be due to oxidation of a ligand field histidine residue by a bound oxidant formed by reaction of the active site Cu(II) with HO(2)(-). We now report that protective actions of both formate and NADH increase as the pH was raised in the range 8.0-9.5. This is taken to indicate increased accessibility of the Cu site with rising pH and/or increased reactivity of the bound oxidant toward exogeneous substrates at high pH. Formate appears to act as a sacrificial substrate that protects by competing with the endogenous histidine residue for reaction with the bound oxidant, or that repairs the damage by reducing the histidyl radical intermediate. The same is likely also true of NADH.
Some results on the time-frequency sampling of the short-time Fourier transform magnitude

Nawab et al. [1] have shown that a signal can he reconstructed, under mild conditions, from knowledge of the magnitude of the short-time Fourier transform (STFT). The algorithm presented by Nawab for signal reconstruction requires knowledge of all of the STFT magnitude, regardless of window overlap. In this paper, we develop a general relationship between time and frequency sampling of the STFT magnitude. Specifically, we show that if an L point shift exists between adjacent windows in an STFT analysis, then almost any 2L samples of the STFT magnitude from each window are enough for signal reconstruction.
New approaches to HIV protease inhibitor drug design II: testing the substrate envelope hypothesis to avoid drug resistance and discover robust inhibitors

Purpose of review Drug resistance results when the balance between the binding of inhibitors and the turnover of substrates is perturbed in favor of the substrates. Resistance is quite widespread to the HIV-1 protease inhibitors permitting the protease to process its 10 different substrates. This processing of the substrates permits the virus HIV-1 to mature and become infectious. The design of HIV-1 protease inhibitors that closely fit within the substrate-binding region is proposed to be a strategy to avoid drug resistance. Recent findings Cocrystal structures of HIV-1 protease with its substrates define an overlapping substrate-binding region or substrate envelope. Novel HIV-1 protease inhibitors that were designed to fit within this substrate envelope were found to retain high binding affinity and have a flat binding profile against a panel of drug-resistant HIV-1 proteases. Summary The avoidance of drug resistance needs to be considered in the initial design of inhibitors to quickly evolving targets such as HIV-1 protease. Using a detailed knowledge of substrate binding appears to be a promising strategy for achieving this goal to obtain robust HIV-1 protease inhibitors.
An analysis of 1,331 sedations using inhalation, intravenous, or other techniques.

The efficacy, patient acceptance, and safety of various sedative techniques were evaluated in this study; most of the sedations were administered by students under faculty supervision. Inhalation, intravenous, oral, intramuscular, and combined sedation techniques were effective 87% of the time, and 93% of the sedations were judged “pleasant” by the patients. Complications and side effects were few and were easily managed. A total of 1,331 sedations administered as part of dental treatment were evaluated for efficacy, patient acceptance, and safety. Of this group, 1,060 were nitrous oxide-oxygen, 183 were intravenous, and the remainder were either oral, intramuscular, or combinations of these. Efficacy and patient acceptance were satisfactory in the majority of cases even if the patient had evidence of serious systemic disease. Safety also appeared satisfactory; most complications or side effects were trivial and of short duration. Potentially serious side effects were few in number and were rapidly detected; they did not result in morbid sequelae.
Photoinduced dimerization of thymine in microemulsion for UVB radiation exposure measurements

A dosimeter for UVB radiation was developed based on photoinduced dimerization of thymine in microemulsion. The UV absorption change of the dosimeter can be monitored spectroscopically. The sensitivity of the dosimeter can be adjusted by varying the local concentration of thymine in the microemulsion while keeping the overall concentration the same. Thus, the dosimeter can be used to measure a wide range of radiation doses with a set of tailored sample conditions. The use of such a dosimeter can provide a parameter that indicates an accumulative irradiation effect on human skin. The dosimeter potentially can be used in the development of a simplified UVB radiation index that is correlated with the permanent skin damage rather than just erythema.
Cholesterol in childhood: friend or foe?: Commentary on the article by Merkens et al. on page 726.

Cholesterol in Childhood: Friend or Foe?: Commentary on the article by Merkens et al. on page 726
Characterization of whole genome amplified (WGA) DNA for use in genotyping assay development

Genotyping assays often require substantial amounts of DNA. To overcome the problem of limiting amounts of available DNA, Whole Genome Amplification (WGA) methods have been developed. The multiple displacement amplification (MDA) method using Φ29 polymerase has become the preferred choice due to its high processivity and low error rate. However, the uniformity and fidelity of the amplification process across the genome has not been extensively characterized. To assess amplification uniformity, we used array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to evaluate DNA copy number variations (CNVs) in DNAs amplified by two MDA kits: GenomiPhi and REPLI-g. The Agilent Human CGH array containing nearly one million probes was used in this study together with DNAs from a normal subject and 2 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Each DNA sample was amplified 4 independent times and compared to its native unamplified DNA. Komogorov distances and Phi correlations showed a high consistency within each sample group. Less than 2% of the probes showed more than 2-fold CNV introduced by the amplification process. The two amplification kits, REPLI-g and GenomiPhi, generate very similar amplified DNA samples despite the differences between the unamplified and amplified DNA samples. The results from aCGH analysis indicated that there were no obvious CNVs in the CFTR gene region due to WGA when compared to unamplified DNA. This was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR copy number assays at 10 locations within the CFTR gene. DNA sequencing analysis of a 2-kb region within the CFTR gene showed no mutations introduced by WGA. The relatively high uniformity and consistency of the WGA process, coupled with the low replication error rate, suggests that WGA DNA may be suitable for accurate genotyping. Regions of the genome that were consistently under-amplified were found to contain higher than average GC content. Because of the consistent differences between the WGA DNA and the native unamplified DNA, characterization of the genomic region of interest, as described here, will be necessary to ensure the reliability of genotyping results from WGA DNA.
Field enhancement at crystal steps: an intensity effect in vibrational spectra of adsorbed molecules

Abstract An enhancement of the electric field near a step in a single-crystal metal surface could give rise to an increase in the molar extinction coefficient for molecules adsorbed on the step. For CO adsorbed on a stepped surface, Pt(S)−[4(111) × (100)], we calculate the extinction coefficient to be about 2.2 times greater for molecules adsorbed on the step than for molecules adsorbed on the middle of the terrace.
Experimental geochemistry of Pu and Sm and the thermodynamics of trace element partitioning

The partitioning of Pu and Sm between diopside/liquid and whitlockite/liquid has been investigated experimentally to evaluate the geochemical coherence of Pu and the light REEs. ^(Pu)D/^(Sm)D is 2 ~ for both diopsidic pyroxene and whitlockite. This small amount of fractionation would be decreased further if Pu were compared to Ce or Nd. Our experimental results thus validate the suggestion that Pu behaves as a LREE during igneous processes in reducing environments. Our data and the data of Ray et al. (1983) indicate that temperature rather than melt composition is the most important control on elemental partitioning. This is true even though we demonstrate that additions of only 1–2 wt.% of P2_O_5 to the diopside-anorthite-albite system change ^(Pu)D_(cpx) by a factor of two. Our data suggest that P_2O_5 in aluminosilicate melts serves as a complexing agent for the actinides and lanthanides.
Ventricular Rate During Atrial Fibrillation Before and After Slow-Pathway Ablation Effects of Autonomic Blockade and β-Adrenergic Stimulation

Background Radiofrequency catheter modification of AV conduction can be used to control the ventricular rate during atrial fibrillation both in the baseline state and during exercise. Slow-pathway ablation has been suggested to be the mechanism for this response. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of slow-pathway ablation on the ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation during autonomic blockade and sympathetic stimulation in patients with AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). Methods and Results Thirty-five patients undergoing slow-pathway radiofrequency ablation for AVNRT were assigned to autonomic blockade (0.2 mg/kg propranolol and 0.04 mg/kg atropine; n=14) or isoproterenol (2 μg/min; n=21). Atrial fibrillation was induced before and after slow-pathway radiofrequency ablation. During autonomic blockade, the mean ventricular cycle length (448±34 versus 525±103 ms, P<.01) and maximum ventricular cycle length (640±105 versus 798±226 ms, P=.04) were prolonged after ablation, whereas th...
PreTrans: reducing TLB CAM-search via page number prediction and speculative pre-translation

The need for fast address translation within tight time constraints (before L1 tag check but after effective address computation) imposes many design constraints. The freedom from such constraints can potentially lead to lower TLB energy costs. In this paper, we observe that (1) data accesses commonly use base-displacement addressing modes in which the effective address is computed as the sum of a base and a displacement, and (2) the effective page numbers are predictable once the base address is known. Further, it is easy to cache address translations alongside the predicted page numbers thus enabling speculative address translation that can filter accesses to the TLB. The two observations enable our PreTrans design in which (a) a speculative translation is available based solely on the base address, and (b) the translation is available simultaneously with the effective (virtual) address. PreTrans replaces most of the energy-expensive CAM-lookups for TLB access with RAM lookups, which translates to significant power improvements in the TLB.
Health System Dashboard: It's All Coming Together:

We are all familiar with the function and purpose of dashboards in our automobiles. Dashboards that serve a similar purpose are increasingly being found in hospitals and health systems. In this installment, we describe the convergence that is enabling dashboards to be powerful components of care delivery workflow. We also describe several example dashboards and how they are used.
The Role of Renin in the Exaggerated Natriuresis of Hypertension

Hypertensive patients were classified according to their plasma renin response when challenged by the potent diuretics, ethacrynic acid (50 mg IV), or furosemide (40 mg IV), into renin-unresponsive and renin-responsive groups. In the latter plasma renin activity rose by at least 0.5 ng of angiotensin/ml/hr after the diuretic. The response to volume expansion with 2 L of isotonic saline infused over 60 min was then studied. Peak rate of sodium excretion after saline loading was 994±186 µEq/min in the renin-unresponsive group and peak urine flow was 11.9 ± 2.1 ml/min. In the renin-responsive hypertensives peak sodium excretion was 448 ± 149 µEq/min and peak urine flow was 5.4 ± 1.5 ml/min. Both the sodium excretion and urine flow responses were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the renin-unresponsive group. The degree of saline-induced diuresis and natriuresis was not related to the preexisting level of aldosterone production. Plasma renin changed little in either group during saline infusion but tended to...
An automated method for preparation of [18F]sodium fluoride for injection, USP to address the technetium-99m isotope shortage

The worldwide shortage of technetium-99m has created an immediate and urgent need for access to [18F]sodium fluoride for PET imaging of bone metastasis. In order to facilitate global availability of [18F]sodium fluoride for diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging procedures, a straightforward method for rapid production of [18F]sodium fluoride for injection, USP, using a modified GE Tracerlab FX-FN is presented.
Cholesterol metabolism and embryogenesis

Although cholesterol has long been known to be an essential component of cell membranes in vertebrate organisms, recent studies have suggested that cholesterol plays a crucial role in specific processes during embryonic development, including the covalent modification of Hedgehog proteins. Here we review the overlapping developmental phenotypes associated with pharmacologically or genetically induced defects in cholesterol biosynthesis, embryonic cholesterol transport and Hedgehog proteins. Shared aspects of these phenotypes suggest that common mechanisms underlie impaired central nervous system development associated with cholesterol deficiency.
Improving yield and performance in pseudo-ternary thermoelectric alloys (Bi2Te3)(Sb2Te3)(Sb2Se3)

Abstract Thermoelectric alloys of Bi 2 Te 3 Sb 2 Te 3 Sb 2 Se 3 have typically been fabricated by Bridgman growth and zone growth [1, 2]. This study showed that the method of growth does not appear to produce a significant difference in the figure of merit. However, it was found that the zone techniques can produce a higher yield of material than Bridgman techniques in both the p- and n-type material without a degradation in the high figure of merit. The maximum figure of merit for p-type alloy (Bi 2 Te 3 ) 72 (Sb 2 Te 3 ) 25 (Sb 2 Se 3 ) 3 was found to be 3.6 × 10 −3 K −1 and for the n-type (Bi 2 Te 3 ) 90 (Sb 2 Te 3 ) 5 (Sb 2 Se 3 ) 5 , 3.2 × 10 −3 K −1 [1].
Lipid Lateral Mobility in Cochlear Outer Hair Cells: Regional Differences and Regulation by Cholesterol

The outer hair cell (OHC) lateral plasma membrane houses the transmembrane protein prestin, a necessary component of the yet unknown molecular mechanism(s) underlying electromotility and the exquisite sensitivity and frequency selectivity of mammalian hearing. The importance of the plasma membrane environment in modulating OHC electromotility has been substantiated by recent studies demonstrating that membrane cholesterol alters prestin activity in a manner consistent with cholesterol-induced changes in auditory function. Cholesterol is known to affect membrane material properties, and measurements of lipid lateral mobility provide a method to asses these changes in living OHCs. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), we characterized regional differences in the lateral diffusion of the lipid analog di-8-ANEPPS in OHCs and investigated whether lipid mobility, which reflects membrane fluidity, is sensitive to membrane cholesterol. FRAP experiments revealed quantitative differences in lipid lateral mobility among the apical, lateral, and basal regions of the OHC and demonstrated that diffusion in individual regions is uniquely sensitive to cholesterol manipulations. Interestingly, in the lateral region, both cholesterol depletion and loading significantly reduced the effective diffusion coefficient from control values. Thus, the fluidity of the OHC lateral plasma membrane is regulated by cholesterol levels in a non-monotonic manner, suggesting that the overall material properties of the lateral plasma membrane are optimally tuned for OHC function in the native state. These results support the idea that the cholesterol-dependent regulation of prestin function and electromotility correlates with changes in the properties of the lipid environment that surrounds and supports prestin.
Questions of Identity: Personhood and collectivity in transnational migration to the United States

Les etudes sur les identites des migrants aux Etats-Unis ont d'abord developpe le modele bipolaire (migrant retournant chez eux, migrant s'installant definitivement) et le concept d'identite localisee avant de presenter les images alternatives des espaces sociaux transnationaux et des affiliations multi-locales. La politique qui entoure le discours identitaire a suivi l'histoire du concept d'identite dont les idees cles actuellement sont la personnalite, la collectivite et la lutte sociale. Des liens etroits existent entre la logique et le discours identitaire et les projets hegemoniques bourgeois. Or la dependance envers les concepts d'organisations risquent de renforcer l'influence et le controle bourgeois. A partir du cas des migrants d'Aguililla (Michoacan) venus s'installer a Redwood City, l'A. montre le rapport entre l'identite collective et l'identite personnelle et presente la politique d'identification au Mexique et aux Etats-Unis
Acetylcholine levels, choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase molecular forms during thyroxine-induced cardiac hypertrophy

The effects of left ventricular hypertrophy induced by hyperthyroidism on three biochemical markers of parasympathetic innervation were investigated. In response to subcutaneous injections of thyroxine (400 micrograms/kg; T4) for 6 days, the left ventricle, but not the right, developed significant hypertrophy (20%). In the enlarged left ventricle, acetylcholine (ACh) content and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity per chamber were elevated approx. 25-30%, although no change in these two markers was evident when the data were expressed per unit wet weight. Immunoblot analysis showed that the relative abundance of ChAT protein increased in the hypertrophied left ventricle in correlation with the increased ChAT activity. No changes in ACh content, ChAT activity and ChAT relative abundance were evident in the right ventricle of T4-treated animals. Although hyperthyroidism did not alter AChE specific activity (per unit wet weight) in the left ventricle, the percent activities of the individual AChE globular forms were affected in this chamber. Specifically, T4-treatment reduced the percent activity of globular (G)4 AChE by 20% and increased that of the combined G1 and G2 AChE pool by 15%. Interestingly, in the hypertrophied left ventricle total AChE activity in its extracellular or functionally-relevant pool was reduced due to a loss of G4 AChE activity. These results show that a compensatory increase in parasympathetic innervation can occur during hyperthyroid-induced left ventricular hypertrophy. However, the reduced activity of the functionally-relevant AChE pool suggests that the clearance of ACh after release may be slowed in the hypertrophied left ventricle.
Eschatological Images of Prophet and Priest in Edward Schillebeeckx’s Theology of suffering for Others

Eschatological images of Jesus as found in Jewish and Christian texts constitute the foundation of Edward Schillebeeckx’s positive orientation to suffering for others. Jewish prototypes provided the early Christians with an understanding of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection as the advent of the eschaton. The pre-existing biblical figures, which early Jewish Christians appropriated in the aftermath of the devastating crucifixion, provided traditional categories through which the life and death of Jesus could be meaningfully interpreted. Jesus as the eschatological prophet-martyr and Jesus as the suffering, eschatological high priest of the Epistle to the Hebrews are the most prominent and complex of the ancient figures. In Schillebeeckx’s analysis, each of the two composite titles ascribed to Jesus is an amplification of a prophetic or priestly prototype. The use of both models is predicted on Jesus’ compassionate and redemptive response to suffering – healing the sick, comforting the bereaved, giving hope to the oppressed, and proclaiming eschatological salvation. Schillebeeckx’s historical-critical investigation of Jesus’ perception of his anticipated death, as revealed in the Last supper narrative, and his analysis of the meaning ascribed to the crucifixion in primitive Christianity establish the basis for a theology of redemptive suffering in the early church. Schillebeeckx has critically examined three pre-New Testament interpretations applied to Jesus’ crucifixion: (1) the death of the eschatological prophet-martyr in the Deuteronomic tradition of the prophets whose proclamations were typically misjudged by Israel; (2) the fulfilment of the divine scheme of salvation through the suffering of the ‘righteous one’, who is ultimately exonerated by God; and (3) a vicarious, atoning sacrifice (the Jewish prototype that later influenced Anselm’s substitution theory). The interpretative categories examined by Schillebeeckx with respect to the crucifixion are closely related to the biblical images upon which his theology of suffering is based.
Connected capitalism: How business can tackle twenty-first-century challenges

The economic crisis that shook the world at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century is still reverberating and still being felt by businesses and countries in every corner of the globe. The future of capitalism is at stake and, as business leaders, we cannot stand by silently and let others decide the agenda for the role of business in the new century. This article sounds a warning and issues a challenge to global business leaders to speak up about their companies' contributions to the discussion surrounding the new shape of capitalism, to redesign their businesses to take into account the fast-paced changing economic environment, and to connect their businesses to the communities in which they operate on the regulatory front, the values front, and the sustainability front. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Walker Percy's Alternative to Reductive Scientism in The Thanatos Syndrome

Abstract While Walker Percy's The Thanatos Syndrome shows how a reductive scientism always dehumanizes, it also suggests that human language—particularly of the sort we find in the literary arts—functions both as a testament to the reality of non-material things and as an impediment to the “progress” of scientism. This article first summarizes Percy's view of language and, second, examines how reading plays a role in Thomas More acting morally.
What is the Best Strategy to Obtain Legislative Support? Survey Evidence from Brazilian State Assemblies

The legislative success of governments in Latin America has been explained by two main theories. For some authors, the main explanation involves the proactive and reactive powers of the chief executive. Other scholars argue that negotiations with deputies for portfolios and pork are the most important factors behind success in approving legislation. This paper proposes an innovative methodological strategy to test the mechanisms behind each of these theories. Original survey data of 12 Brazilian state-level assemblies is examined to assess elites' attitudes in regard to governors' strategies to obtain legislative support. Results suggest that there is not a unique equilibrium to the problem of coalition formation in multiparty settings. Deputies with concentrated constituencies, from more decentralized parties, and from conservative parties, tend to believe that the most efficient way a governor can obtain legislative support is to negotiate amendments with deputies. On the other hand, the more scattered a legislator's constituency and the more liberal or centralized his or her party, the more likely a deputy is to think that governors achieve better legislative success when they negotiate cabinet positions.
Stochastic transportation problems and other newtork related convex problems

A class of convex programming problems with network type constraints is addressed and an algorithm for obtaining the optimal solution is described. The stochastic transportation problem (minimize shipping costs plus expected holding and shortage costs at demand points subject to limitations on supply) is shown to be amenable to the solution technique presented. Network problems whose objective function is non-separable and network problems with side constraints are also shown to be solvable by the algorithm. Several large stochastic transportation problems with up to 15,000 variables and non-negativity constraints and 50 supply constraints are solved.
VIRAL INFECTION, INFLAMMATION, AND THE RISK OF IDIOPATHIC DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY: CAN THE FIRE BE EXTINGUISHED?

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) remains an enigmatic disease (or group of diseases) in which the clinical phenotype is an impairment of left ventricular systolic function. The last 2 decades have witnessed advances in pharmacologic therapy and an improved understanding of the natural history, added to the recent exciting development of serum biomarkers that may provide further insight into prognosis and response to therapy. Nonetheless, the etiology or etiologies continue to elude us despite intriguing recent studies identifying a genetic substrate in some families with IDC. A common thread of investigation has centered on a viral-mediated insult leading to the final common pathway of IDC (Figure 1). This commentary reviews recent advances in myocarditis research, suggests investigative goals for the near future, and identifies the obstacles that must be overcome to reach these targets. In the 1970s and 1980s, extensive experimental data from murine models of postviral and autoimmune myocarditis suggested that autoreactive antibodies 1 and T-lymphocytes 2 contributed to myocardial dysfunction and damage. The early, innate immune responses helped with viral clearance and included inducible nitric oxide, interferon-, and natural killer T-lymphocytes. The next wave of immune defenses to reach the myocardium included antigen-specific Tlymphocytes and antibodies. 3 A major hypothesis generated from these studies is that in some forms of human myocarditis the antigen specific reactions that rid the heart of virus could also cause damage, killing virus-infected myocytes. Uncontrolled clinical studies in the 1980s suggested that in some patients with histologic evidence of inflammation on endomyocardial biopsy, left ventricular function improved after immunosuppressive treatment. These data led to the multicenter Myocarditis Treatment Trial, which tested the effect of cyclosporine and/or azathioprine with prednisone on left ventricular function for patients with myocarditis. 4 However, the Myocarditis Treatment Trial failed to reveal a statistically significant benefit with these immunosuppressive agents. Although there are a number of possible explanations for these results, including the choice of immunosuppressive agents and the timing of treatment, widespread interest in clinical research in myocarditis subsequently waned. Nonetheless, dedicated laboratories continued to pursue the mechanisms underlying myocardial inflammation, and extended the observations of the 1980s to reveal novel mechanisms of direct viral damage through apoptosis, viral protease cleavage of host proteins, and complement-mediated cell death. These observations in turn set the stage for innovative new approaches to treatment. APOPTOSIS Apoptosis is now recognized as an important path
A cascade of preventable complications following a missed femoral neck fracture after antegrade femoral nailing

Occult femoral neck fractures associated with femoral shaft fractures are frequently missed and may lead to adverse outcomes. A 46-year old female presented to our institution with increasing groin pain one month after antegrade intramedullary nailing of a femoral shaft fracture at an outside hospital. Radiographic evaluation revealed a displaced ipsilateral femoral neck fracture, adjacent to the piriformis starting point of the nail. A revision fixation of the femoral shaft and neck fracture was performed. The patient sustained a series of complications requiring multiple revision surgeries, including a total hip arthroplasty. Despite the cascade of complications, the patient had an uneventful long-term recovery, without additional complications noted at one-year follow-up. This case report illustrates the necessity of increased awareness with a high level of suspicion for the presence of associated femoral shaft and neck fractures in any patient undergoing antegrade femoral nailing. Arguably, the cascade of complications presented in this paper could have been prevented with early recognition and initial stabilization of the occult femoral neck fracture. Standardized diagnostic protocols include “on table” pelvic radiographs to rule out associated femoral neck fractures. The diagnosis must be enforced in case of equivocal radiographic findings, either by computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging.
LC–MS/MS method for simultaneous estimation of candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide in human plasma and its use in clinical pharmacokinetics

Background: ATACAND HCT® (candesartan cilexetil-hydrochlorothiazide [CAN–HCTZ]) combines an angiotensin II receptor (type AT1) antagonist and a diuretic. Quantification of CAN and HCTZ in biological matrices has traditionally been difficult – developing a single method with the desired sensitivity has been the issue. Results: A high-throughput bioanalytical method for the analysis of CAN and HCTZ in human plasma using liquid–liquid extraction and LC coupled to negative ion mode MS/MS has been developed and validated according to US FDA guidelines. The method uses 100 µl plasma and covers the calibration range 1–160 ng/ml for CAN and 2–160 ng/ml for HCTZ for routine pharmacokinetic studies in humans. The intra- and inter-day precision values for CAN and HCTZ met the acceptance criteria. CAN and HCTZ were stable in a battery of stability studies (benchtop, autosampler and long-term). Conclusion: The advantages of the described technique included a single method with a shorter run time (2.5 min), simple extr...
A Learning Approach for Interactive Marketing to a Customer Segment

When a marketer in an interactive environment decides which messages to send to her customers, she may send messages currently thought to be most promising (exploitation) or use poorly understood messages for the purpose of information gathering (exploration). We assume that customers are already clustered into homogeneous segments, and we consider the adaptive learning of message effectiveness within a customer segment. We present a Bayesian formulation of the problem in which decisions are made for batches of customers simultaneously, although decisions may vary within a batch. This extends the classical multiarmed bandit problem for sampling one-by-one from a set of reward populations. Our solution methods include a Lagrangian decomposition-based approximate dynamic programming approach and a heuristic based on a known asymptotic approximation to the multiarmed bandit solution. Computational results show that our methods clearly outperform approaches that ignore the effects of information gain.
Social models fail to induce diet and feeding site avoidance in naïve yearling steers.

Social learning can be of critical importance to cattle grazing rangeland environments with high variability of food resources across space and time. Experienced individuals can greatly facilitate foraging decisions (what to eat and where to eat) of naive peers in such settings. We conducted an experiment with cattle to investigate strength and persistence of socially induced food and feeding site avoidance behaviours. Sixteen naive yearling steers were paired with 16 social models that had either not been trained (control) or been trained with an emetic (LiCl), electrical shock or both to avoid: (a) an unsafe high-quality food (LiCl); (b) an unsafe high-quality feeding site (shock); or (c) both the unsafe high-quality food and the unsafe high-quality feeding site (LiCl + shock). Ten-minute trials were conducted in an experimental arena containing three artificial feeding sites each consisting of groups of bowls with either high- (HQ) or moderate-quality (MQ) foods (HQ = barley and oat grain; MQ = Bermuda grass hay). Unsafe high-quality (UHQ, surrounded by traffic cones) and safe moderate-quality (SMQ) feeding sites consisted of nine rubber bowls containing either HQ or MQ foods. The safe high-quality (SHQ) feeding site consisted of two groups of eight bowls containing HQ food, which surrounded the UHQ and SMQ feeding sites. Social models did not induce diet and feeding site avoidance behaviours in naive steers; they exerted small and transient changes in the feeding behaviour of their naive counterparts. Consequences to the individual outweighed social influences; when naive animals experienced the same punishment contingencies as their social models, their behavioural patterns closely resembled those of their social model. Conditioned food and location aversions via LiCl were apparently influenced by prior exposure to target foods and the experimental arena. Conversely, conditioned feeding site avoidance via shock was apparently not influenced by prior exposure to target foods or the experimental arena.
A rule-based visual language for small mobile robots

Altaira is a visual language intended for the control of small mobile robots. It is a rule-based language, combining information from sensors, navigation and the current robot state to determine actions to be taken by the robot and changes required in the state. The language, implemented in the Spring of 1997, is proving to be a powerful and flexible language for robot control, and has also been useful for providing an introduction to programming for children.
Solid-solid reaction between sulfacetamide and phthalic anhydride

Thermal and kinetic data for the solid-state addition reaction of sulfacetamide and phthalic anhydride are presented. A compaction method was used so that the influence of some pharmaceutical parameters (compressional pressure, particle size, concentration, and temperature) on the reaction kinetics could be observed.
Complete and Essentially Complete Classes

We have previously observed that it is unwise to use inadmissible decision rules. (The possible exception is when an inadmissible rule is very simple and easy to use, and is only slightly inadmissible.) It is, therefore, of interest to find, for a given problem, the class of acceptable (usually admissible) decision rules. Such a class is often much easier to work with, say in finding a minimax or a Γ-minimax decision rule, than is the class of all decision rules. In this chapter, we discuss several of the most important situations in which simple reduced classes of decision rules have been obtained. Unfortunately, the subject tends to be quite difficult mathematically, and so we will be able to give only a cursory introduction to some of the more profound results.
Neighbouring optimal guidance for aeroassisted non-coplanar orbital transfer

Abstract The fuel-optimal control problem in aeroassisted non-coplanar orbital transfer is addressed. The equations of motion for the atmospheric manoeuvre are non-linear and the optimal )nominal) trajectory and control are obtained. In order to follow the nominal trajectory under actual conditions, a neighbouring optimum guidance scheme is designed using linear quadratic regulator theory for onboard real-time implementation. One of the state variables is used as the independent variable in preference to the time. The weighting matrices in the performance index are chosen by a combination of a heuristic method and an optimal modal approach. The necessary feedback control law is obtained in order to minimize the deviations from the nominal conditons. The results are presented to a typical aeroassisted non-coplanar orbital transfer problem.
Biogeographical implications of mitochondrial DNA variation in the Bockadam snake (Cerberus rynchops, Serpentes: Homalopsinae) in Southeast Asia

Aim The biogeography of Southeast Asia has been greatly affected by Pleistocene sea-level changes and the consequent alteration of coastline and land mass configurations. We investigated the effect of these Pleistocene events on genetic divergence in Cerberus rynchops, the Bockdam, an Asian water snake (Homalopsinae) associated with tidal mudflats and coastal mangrove forests in Southeast Asia. Location Localities for the Cerberus included the Andaman sea coast of Thailand, Sumatra, and Borneo (Sunda Shelf localities), the Philippines and Sulawesi, and from northern Australia (Sahul Shelf). Methods We analysed mtDNA sequences (12 s, 16 s, and cyt b) from seven C. rynchops populations (twenty-six specimens), from two specimens of Cerberus microlepis (a freshwater species known only from Lake Buhi in the Philippines), and from one Enhydris enhyris (Schneider), another homalopsine used as an outgroup. Results We found a strong correlation between genetic divergence and geographical distance (r = 0.922, P < 0.001) and the biogeographic history of the region. Cerberus rynchops populations from the Sunda Shelf localities, the Philippines, Sulawesi and C. microlepis from the Philippines were genetically similar (mean divergence = 2.1%, range = 0.7–2.8%) compared to the C. rynchops population from northern Australia (mean divergence from all other Cerberus populations = 6.6%, range = 6.0–7.3%). This divergence was comparable to that observed between the E. enhydris outgroup and all Cerberus populations (mean distance = 7.3%, range = 6.8–8.6%). Main conclusions These findings suggest a relatively high degree of movement and gene flow among Sunda Shelf localities, the Philippines, and Sulawesi (biogeographic region west of Weber’s Line) and isolation of the northern Australian (Sunda Shelf) Cerberus. Taxa will be differentially affected by these Pleistocene sea level changes dependent on their physiology and ecology. We discuss how the dispersal of the coastal, saltwater tolerant C. rynchops would have been affected by changing configurations of Pleistocene coastlines and the implications of these results for the systematics of Cerberus.
Freud and medicine in Vienna*: Some scientific and medical sources of his thought

Freud as a medical student accepted the role of a man of science as defined by the medical milieu of Vienna, as well as the accompanying philosophy and methodology of clinical and scientific research. These forms became a part of his thought and into them he fitted his psychological discoveries as well as his view of himself. Without the medical Vienna in which he developed, Freud would not have been what he was.
Activation of microglia reveals a non-proteolytic cytokine function for tissue plasminogen activator in the central nervous system

Tissue plasminogen activator mediates excitotoxin-induced neurodegeneration and microglial activation in the mouse hippocampus. Here we show that tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) acts in a protease-independent manner to modulate the activation of microglia, the cells of the central nervous system with macrophage properties. Cultured microglia from tPA-deficient mice can phagocytose as efficiently as wild-type microglia. However, tPA-deficient microglia in mixed cortical cultures exhibit attenuated activation in response to lipopolysaccharide, as judged by morphological changes, increased expression of the activation marker F4/80 and the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-(α). When tPA is added to tPA deficient cortical cultures prior to endotoxin stimulation, microglial activation is restored to levels comparable to that observed in wild-type cells. Proteolytically-inactive tPA can also restore activation of tPA-deficient microglia in culture and in vivo. However, this inactive enzyme does not restore susceptibility of tPA-deficient hippocampal neurons to excitotoxin-mediated cell death. These results dissociate two different functions of tPA: inactive enzyme can mediate microglial activation, whereas proteolytically-competent protein also promotes neuronal degeneration. Thus tPA is identified as a new cytokine in the central nervous system.
The Freethinker, the Jews, and the Missionaries: George Houston and the Mystery of Israel Vindicated

In 1820, a volume entitled Israel Vindicated, written by "An Israelite," was published in New York City. It was the first Jewish polemic composed in response to the founding of a missionary society, the American Society for Meliorating the Condition of the Jews, and it remained influential throughout the nineteenth century. The author of this work, however, has never been identified. Nor has the volume itself received the attention it deserves. This article attempts to fill both of these lacunae.Section one describes and analyzes Israel Vindicated. It places the work within the context of its times, and compares it to other, more traditional anti-Christian polemics. Section two outlines the postpublication history of Israel Vindicated. Soon after it appeared, some New Yorkers attempted to have the work banned, and its author exposed and punished. Later, the work was variously invoked by Jews and Judeophobes alike, though, of course, for different purposes. In section three, the author of Israel Vindicated assumes center stage. A review of old and new evidence leads to the conclusion that the work flowed from the pen of freethinker George Houston, assisted probably by his Jewish printer, Abraham Collins. Finally, section four analyzes the motivations of George Houston and his Jewish supporters. As is shown, this was far from the first time that Jews joined forces temporarily with other, sometimes hostile minority groups in pursuit of self-interest. Adversity makes strange bedfellows.
Phonetic analysis in phonological description: Prenasalized consonants and Meinhof's rule

Abstract In this paper, I provide a re-analysis of a well-known case of dissimilation of nasal compounds in many Eastern Bantu languages known as the Ganda Law or Meinhof's law. It is demonstrated that far from being a case of dissimilation, the ‘law’ involves natural assimilatory processes uniquely. More importantly, I examine the nature and traditional analysis of prenasalized consonants in general. Using ‘secondary phonetic data’ from a wide range of languages, including representatives from all areas where prenasalized consonants are regarded as an areal phenomenon (Africa, Amerindia, and the Pacific), a series of arguments is presented suggesting that prenasalized consonants do not occur at the level of underlying representation in any language. A sketch of a universal model for the derivation of prenasalized consonants is provided which delivers a great deal of explanatory power. Finally, some brief remarks about the nature and use of phonetic data in phonological analysis are presented attempting to elucidate the role of explanation in phonology.
α2A-Adrenergic Receptors Mediate Sympathoinhibitory Responses to Atrial Natriuretic Peptide in the Mouse Anterior Hypothalamic Nucleus

In the rat, activation of α 2 -adrenergic receptors in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus inhibits sympathetic nervous system activity. Furthermore, local release of atrial natriuretic peptide inhibits norepinephrine release in this nucleus, blocking local activation of α 2 -adrenergic receptors, and thereby contributes to NaCl-sensitive hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats. To further test the specificity of this mechanism, either α 2 -adrenergic receptor agonists or atrial natriuretic peptide was microinjected into anterior hypothalamic nucleus of conscious C57BL/6 mice in which the α 2 -adrenergic receptor was functionally deleted by a single point mutation (n=10 per group). In control mice, microinjection of either clonidine or guanabenz (10 −3 to 10 −7 mol/L) caused a rapid fall in mean arterial pressure that lasted for several minutes. In the knockout mice there was no response to the injection of either dose of either agonist. Microinjection of atrial natriuretic peptide (10 −6 to 10 −7 mol/L) caused a rapid increase in mean arterial pressure (8.2±1.3 and 6.55±1.2 mm Hg, respectively) in the control mice that was similar to the responses previously observed in Wistar-Kyoto rats. In contrast, the microinjections did not significantly alter mean arterial pressure in the knockout mice. These experiments demonstrate that in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus of the mouse (and probably in the rat) α 2A -adrenergic receptors mediate both sympathoinhibitory responses to α 2 -adrenergic receptor agonists and the action of atrial natriuretic peptide.
A current-mode CMOS/memristor hybrid implementation of an extreme learning machine

In this work, we propose a current-mode CMOS/memristor hybrid implementation of an extreme learning machine (ELM) architecture. We present novel circuit designs for linear, sigmoid,and threshold neuronal activation functions, as well as memristor-based bipolar synaptic weighting. In addition, this work proposes a stochastic version of the least-mean-squares (LMS) training algorithm for adapting the weights between the ELM's hidden and output layers. We simulated our top-level ELM architecture using Cadence AMS Designer with 45 nm CMOS models and an empirical piecewise linear memristor model based on experimental data from an HfOx device. With 10 hidden node neurons, the ELM was able to learn a 2-input XOR function after 150 training epochs.