cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of cocaine on rat pineal melatonin synthesis in vivo and in vitro.

Abstract Moderate concentrations (10 μ M ) of cocaine increased melatonin content and N -acetylserotonin and serotonin- N -acetyltransferase activity in rat pineal glands freshly placed in organ culture. Pineals cultured for 48 hours or taken from ganglionectomized animals did not respond to cocaine. Both procedures markedly reduced pineal noradrenalin (NA). Cocaine (5, 10, 20 mgkg) given to adult intact rats stimulated pineal melatonin synthesis but only in animals exposed to constant light for 24 hours. Pineal denervation and/or adrenal demedullation neither completely eliminated NA from blood nor prevented cocaine-induced stimulation of melatonin synthesis in these light-primed animals.
Evaluation of semi-autonomous convoy driving

Autonomous mobility technologies may have applications to manned vehicle convoy operations—they have the ability to enhance both system performance and operator capability. This effort examines the potential impact of introducing semi-autonomous mobility [Convoy Active Safety Technologies (CAST)] into manned vehicles. Twelve civilians with experience driving military vehicles in convoy-type operations participated in this experiment. For the experiment, they were tasked with following a lead vehicle while completing a concurrent security task (scanning the local environment for targets). The control of the manned vehicle was varied between CAST and manual control at several different speed levels. Several objective speed and accuracy variables along with subjective operator assessment variables were examined for each task. The results support the potential benefits of incorporating semi-autonomous mobility technologies into manned vehicle convoy operations. The semi-autonomous mobility system was associated with significantly better performance in several aspects of operator situational awareness and convoy integrity, including enhanced target identification, improved maintenance of following distance, and improved performance for unanticipated stops. This experiment also highlighted a critical human factors issue associated with the incorporation of autonomy in real-world applications: participants felt that, overall, they outperformed the semi-autonomous system on the simulated convoy operation. The operator's perception of the system's performance could potentially affect his or her willingness to use the system in real-world applications. This experiment demonstrated that enhancements to overall system performance in real-world applications are achieved by considering both technological and human factors solutions. Published 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain of the United States of America.
Appropriate Use of Information Systems: A Policy Training Approach

With the advancement of technology, there has been a commensurate increase in the use of information systems in American Universities. However, these increases have yielded an increase in both resource misuse and attacks on University information system networks. Data from 155 undergraduate students was used to investigate the role of policy presentation, on studentsâ€™ knowledge and transfer of information system policies. Results indicate that policy training does improve knowledge of information systems policies and transfer to novel situations however the form in which this training is presented is not important, as long as the information is presented in some format.
Photodynamic therapy of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia with 5-aminolevulinic acid.

Background and Objectives To determine the safety and efficacy of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) as a topically applied photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Study Designs/Materials and Methods Forty women, who were at least 18 years old with persistent biopsy-proven CIN 2 and CIN 3 within the previous 3 months of enrollment, underwent PDT in a phase I and II design. Five escalating radiant energies (increments of 25 J/cm2, beginning at 50–150 J/cm2) using a Coherent Dye Model 920 argon pumped dye laser providing light at 630 nm (maximum output 0.8 W) were used to perform PDT with a fixed dose of ALA (200 mg/ml). ALA was placed in a cervical cap fitted to the cervix. After 90 minutes, the cap was removed and the ectocervix was illuminated for 5–16 minutes, depending on the irradiance. Success was defined as the absence of CIN on Pap smear or colposcopic examination at 12-months. Patients were monitored for toxicity. Results Thirty-two women (80%) completed the study with 1 year of follow-up. Sixty percent had CIN 3 and 40% CIN 2. Success rates at 4, 8, and 12 months were 51, 46, and 31%, respectively, and were not light-dose dependent. Three patients progressed from CIN 2 to CIN 3. Toxicity was tolerable and only consisted of spotting, vaginal discharge, mild cramping, and vaginal warmth. There was no apparent dose relationship to toxicity. Conclusions PDT at this light and ALA dose is well tolerated but has minimal activity in the treatment of CIN 2 and CIN 3. Other doses and schedules of light and ALA or novel photosensitizers may improve efficacy. Lasers Surg. Med. 31:289–293, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hageman Factor: Alterations in Physical Properties during Activation

Highly purified preparations of Hageman factor, a potent clotpromoting agent in normal mammalian plasma, had a sedimentation coefficient of approximately 5S before activation. After activation, the Hageman factor behaved as a much less soluble or larger molecule during ultracentrifugation and gel filtration. No significant change in sedimentation behavior was noted when the Hageman factor in plasma deficient in plasma thromboplastin antecedent was activated. The altered sedimentation behavior of purified activated Hageman factor probably reflects its decreased solubility in aqueous media.
Amino acid and albumin losses during hemodialysis

Amino acid and albumin losses during hemodialysis. Protein and calorie malnutrition are prevalent in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients and has been linked to increased mortality and morbidity in this patient population, Concern has been raised that the open pore structure of high flux membranes may induce the loss of more amino acids (AA) compared to low flux membranes. To address this issue, we prospectively analyzed pre- and post-HD plasma AA profiles with three different membranes in nine patients. Simultaneously, we measured dialysate AA losses during HD. The membranes studied were: cellulosic (cuprophane-CU), low flux polymethylmethacrylate (LF-PMMA), and high flux polysulfone (HF-PS) during their first use. Our results show that pre-HD plasma AA profiles were abnormal compared to controls and decreased significantly during HD with all dialyzers. The use of HF-PS membranes resulted in significantly more AA losses into the dialysate when compared to LF-PMMA membranes (mean ± SD; 8.0 ± 2.8 g/dialysis for HF-PS, 6.1 ± 1.5 g/dialysis for LF-PMMA, p
Role of very low density lipoproteins in the accumulation of o,p'-DDT in fish ovaries during gonadal recrudescence

The binding of o,p′-DDT by plasma lipoproteins and its accumulation in the gonads of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) were investigated. Tissue accumulation of o,p′-DDT was determined in fish fed o,p′-DDT for a 3 week period during gonadal recrudescence at concentrations of 1.8, 10.8, and 54.6 μg o,p′-DDT per 100 g fish day−1. The ovaries accumulated significantly more o,p′-DDT than the testes at the three dosage levels (P < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a positive linear correlation between the size of the ovaries, as calculated by the gonadosomatic index, and their o,p′-DDT content (r2 = 0.52, 0.85, and 0.76 for the low, middle and high doses, respectively). Compartmentalization of o,p′-DDT within the oocyte occurred, with over 95% of the o,p′-DDT present in the triglyceride-rich oil globule. The triglyceride-rich, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) fraction of the plasma contained the highest percentage of o,p′-DDT (40%) with little (less than 7%) in the vitellogenin-containing VHDL. In addition, ovarian uptake of o,p′-DDT when it was bound to VLDL was six times greater than that observed after injection of o,p′-DDT bound to vitellogenin or in corn oil. The results suggest that o,p′-DDT is carried in the plasma via lipoproteins and that oocyte uptake of triglyceride-rich VLDL is a major mechanism of o,p′-DDT accumulation in croaker ovaries.
THE CAR RADIO: AN AUTOETHNOGRAPHIC SHORT STORY

In this evocative autoethnography, I share the story of my last visit with a family member who was dying of cancer. Using the metaphor of a journey, I present the complex and emotionally contradictory meaning of a loved one's death within the context of my life as it continues to unfold in mundane, everyday fashion. Through my story, I explore the ways in which love, loss, and remembrance are inextricably bound together in lived experience. By embracing a purely literary and embodied form of representation, I invite others into my experience in an effort to create a space for a dialogue of possibilities around the subject of loss and trauma.
In situ hybridization for the detection of Epstein–Barr virus in central nervous system lymphomas

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in the development of lymphomas in immunocompromised patients. To test this hypothesis, 26 lymphomas involving the central nervous system (CNS) (11 primary, 15 systemic) were studied for the presence of EBV. In situ hybridization (ISH) was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue using a sulfur 35 (35S)-labeled EBV probe (EBV BAMHl-W). The results were interpreted without knowledge of the patients' immunologic status. The EBV sequences were detected in 11 lymphomas, nine of which were mixed or large cell subtypes. Review of the clinical information revealed that nine of the 26 lymphomas occurred in immunocompromised patients secondary to renal transplantation, human immunodeficiency virus infection, leukemia, and WiskottAldrich syndrome. The EBV sequences were detected in all nine lymphomas occurring in immunocompromised patients, whereas two of the 17 lymphomas occurring in immunocompetent patients expressed EBV sequences. The authors conclude that the presence of EBV sequences in CNS lymphomas is highly correlated with a history of compromised immune status supporting a pathogenetic role of EBV in the development of CNS lymphomas in immunocompromised patients. Cancer 67:444-448, 1991. T Is WELL KNOWN that in situ hybridization (ISH) is a I useful technique for detecting and localizing EpsteinBarr virus (EBV) infections in routinely processed tissue. Weiss et al. used this technique to identify EBV sequences in Hodgkin's disease, lymphoepithelioma, infectious mononucleosis, and posttransplant B-cell lymphoproliferati~ns.'-~ Kornstein and associates reported a single case of an EBV lymphoproliferative disorder, documented by ISH.4 Niedobitek et a/. used this technique to identify EBV-infected cells in tonsils of patients with infectious m~nonucleosis.~ Although the vast majority of EBV-related lymphoproliferative disorders consists of B-cells, Jones el al. have documented the presence of EBV genome in T-cell lymphomas using ISH techniques6 Although other molecular techniques can be used to document the
Effects of gamma radiation on oxygen utilization, iodine metabolism and leucine incorporation by surviving sheep thyroid tissue slices.

The immediate effects of high energy gamma radiation derived from a Co60 source have been studied on oxygen utilization, iodine metabolism, and leucine incorporation into protein in surviving sheep thyroid tissue slices. Radiation in doses up to 500,000 rads failed to have any noteworthy effect on oxygen intake. Leucine incorporation was reduced to approximately 50% by 75,000 rads. Incorporation of iodide into protein was reduced to 50% of control value by 200,000 rads. Iodide trapping was less sensitive to radiation than was iodide incorporation. The ratio of monoiodotyrosine to diiodotyrosine formation in the tissue slices increased with increasing radiation.
Efficacies of roadway safety improvements across functional subclasses of rural two-lane highways

Abstract Introduction Highway crash occurrence is a leading cause of unnatural deaths, and highway agencies continually seek to identify engineering measures to reduce crashes and to assess the efficacy of such measures. Most past studies on the effectiveness of roadway improvements in terms of crash reduction considered all rural two-lane sections as a single category of roads. However, it may be hypothesized that the differences in the mobility and accessibility characteristics that are reflected in (and due to) the different design standards between different functional subclasses in the rural two-lane highway system can lead to differences in efficacies of safety improvements at these subclasses. This paper investigates the efficacy of roadway improvements, in terms of crash reduction, at the various subclasses of rural two-lane highways. Methods An empirical analysis of safety performance at each of the three subclasses of rural two-lane highways was carried out using the negative binomial modeling technique. For each subclass, crash prediction models were developed separately for the three levels of crash severity: property-damage only, injury, and fatal/injury. The crash factors that were considered include lane width, shoulder width, pavement surface friction, pavement condition, and horizontal and vertical alignments. After having developed the safety performance functions, the effectiveness (in terms of the extent of crash reduction, for different levels of crash severity) of highway safety enhancements at each highway subclass were determined using the theoretical concepts established in past literature. These enhancements include widening lanes, widening shoulders, enhancing pavement surface friction, and improving the vertical or horizontal alignment. Results and Conclusion The study found that there is empirical evidence to justify the decomposition of the family of rural two-lane roads into its constituent subclasses for purposes of analyzing the effectiveness of safety enhancement projects and thus to avoid underestimation or overestimation of benefits of safety improvements at this class of highways.
Statins and diabetes risk: how real is it and what are the mechanisms?

Purpose of reviewIn randomized trials and many observational studies, statins are associated with a modest excess of type 2 diabetes mellitus. High-intensity statins, such as atorvastatin 80 mg and rosuvastatin 20 mg, are associated with a higher excess risk of diabetes than moderate-intensity stati
Spatial embedding of fMRI for investigating local coupling in human brain

In this paper, we have investigated local spatial couplings in the human brain by applying nonlinear dynamical techniques on fMRI data. We have recorded BOLD-contrast echo-planar fMRI data along with high-resolution T1-weighted anatomical images from the resting brain of healthy human subjects and performed physiological correction on the functional data. The corrected data from resting subjects is spatially embedded into its phase space and the largest Lyapunov exponent of the resulting attractor is calculated and whole slice maps are obtained. In addition, we segment the high-resolution anatomical image and obtain a down sampled mask corresponding to gray and white matter, which is used to obtain mean indices of the exponents for both the tissues separately. The results show the existence of local couplings, its tissue specificity (more local coupling in gray matter than white matter) and dependence on the size of the neighborhood (larger the neighborhood, lesser the coupling). We believe that these techniques capture the information of a nonlinear and evolving system like the brain that may not be evident from static linear methods. The results show that there is evidence of spatio-temporal chaos in the brain, which is a significant finding hitherto not reported in literature to the best of our knowledge. We try to interpret our results from healthy resting subjects based on our knowledge of the native low frequency fluctuations in the resting brain and obtain a better understanding of the local spatial behavior of fMRI. This exploratory study has demonstrated the utility of nonlinear dynamical techniques like spatial embedding in analyzing fMRI data to gain meaningful insights into the working of human brain.
Analog Simulation of Left Ventricular Bypass Mode Control

The subject of this study is optimal mode control for the left ventricular bypass pump used to assist the failing heart. A mathematical model has been formulated for the overall cardiovascular system both with and without bypass assistance. The closed-loop, uncontrolled model of the unassisted circulation has been implemented on an analog computer and has been demonstrated capable of simulating normal as well as abnormal physiological behavior. A simple bypass pump model has been implemented and shown to produce the general hemodynamic effects expected during assistance: pressure in the left atrium is diminished while that in the systemic arterial load is increased. Four logical modes of pump control have been described and compared on the basis of their effect upon a scalar performance index used to reflect the basic goals of cardiac assistance.
Depression of legume growth by liming

Early growth or nodulation of certain species was depressed when a Hawaiian Oxisol was limed at rates above 6 tons/ha (pH 6). In 8 legumes, the depression later gave way to positive response. This was evident in plant weights of Desmodium intortum and Glycine wightii var. Cooper, and in pod weights of Phaseolus vulgaris. A transient depression was observed visually in Desmodium canum, Dolichos axillaris, Glycine wightii var. Tinaroo, and Trifolium subterraneum.
Default assembly of early adenovirus chromatin.

Abstract In adenovirus particles, the viral nucleoprotein is organized into a highly compacted core structure. Upon delivery to the nucleus, the viral nucleoprotein is very likely to be remodeled to a form accessible to the transcription and replication machinery. Viral protein VII binds to intra-nuclear viral DNA, as do at least two cellular proteins, SET/TAF-Iβ and pp32, components of a chromatin assembly complex that is implicated in template remodeling. We showed previously that viral DNA–protein complexes released from infecting particles were sensitive to shearing after cross-linking with formaldehyde, presumably after transport of the genome into the nucleus. We report here the application of equilibrium-density gradient centrifugation to the analysis of the fate of these complexes. Most of the incoming protein VII was recovered in a form that was not cross-linked to viral DNA. This release of protein VII, as well as the binding of SET/TAF-Iβ and cellular transcription factors to the viral chromatin, did not require de novo viral gene expression. The distinct density profiles of viral DNA complexes containing protein VII, compared to those containing SET/TAF-Iβ or transcription factors, were consistent with the notion that the assembly of early viral chromatin requires both the association of SET/TAF-1β and the release of protein VII.
Assaults from penetrating trauma in the State of Illinois

Abstract This study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence, epidemiology, and temporal relationships of assaults in the State of Illinois from penetrating trauma presenting to Level I and Level II trauma centers, and to project the impact of these variables on hospital staffing. A retrospective analysis was performed on 4 months of data (7/1/92 to 10/31/92) provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health describing consecutive assaults with firearms or knives presenting to all Level I and Level II trauma facilities in the State of Illinois. Data were analyzed for epidemiological parameters including age, gender, and race. Other variables analyzed included trauma score, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, ethanol levels, urine toxicology results, and mortality. The data were also analyzed for temporal patterns of hospital presentations with respect to the time of day and day of the week. A total of 1,288 cases of penetrating wounds were analyzed. Of these, 881 (68.4%) resulted from firearms and 407 (31.6%) resulted from stab wounds. Ages of all penetrating trauma victims ranged from less than 1 year to 84 years of age. The mean age for firearm victims was 25.0 ± 10.8 (SD) years and 30.5 ± 11.4 years for stabbing victims. Ninety percent of penetrating trauma victims were male and 10% were female. Seventy-two percent of the victims were African-American, 13% Hispanic, 13% Caucasian, and 2% other. Alcohol levels were available for 727 of the 1,288 (56.4%) patients. Of these 727, 433 (59.6%) had measurable levels. The results of drug screens were available for 582 of the 1,288 (45.1%) victims. Of these 582, 208 (35.7%) were positive. Other than alcohol, cocaine was the most frequently detected drug, accounting for 58.4% of the positive drug screens. Firearm victims had significantly lower trauma scores (10.5 v 11.2) and GCS scores (13.2 v 14.3) than stab victims. Significant circadian patterns of penetrating trauma were observed for both types of assaults. For assaults with firearms, the circadian rhythm peaked at 23.1 ± 0.36 hours. For assaults with knives, the circadian rhythm peaked at 23.7 ± 0.44 hours. Weekly patterns were not statistically significant for each individual type of assault. However, when the data were pooled, a weekly pattern peaking on Thursday was observed. These patterns of presentation for assaults are a significant finding that may have implications for hospital staff scheduling of trauma center physicians, nurses, technicians, security, social service, and other ancillary staff.
The unusual magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune

Voyager 2 discovered the unusual non-dipolar and non-axisymmetric magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune (U/N) in the 1980s. The cause of the unique fields of U/N has been a major scientific question since then. The answer lies in physical properties of fluids that generate planetary magnetic fields by a dynamo: convecting, electrically-conducting fluids at high pressures P and temperatures T in planetary interiors. Fluids in planets at finite temperatures are degenerate condensed matter because of high densities: T/TF ≪1, where TF is Fermi temperature. For metallic fluid H, T/TF≈0.015. The vast majority of measured properties of fluids at planetary P/Ts were made under dynamic compression to few 100 GPa (1 Mbar) and few 1000 K. Fluids in U/N are discussed in terms of experimental data. Major conclusions: (i) Magnetic fields of U/N are made by metallic fluid H at outer planetary radii in the vicinity of the crossover from insulating fluid H2 to metallic fluid H. (ii) Because those fields are made near outer surfaces, it is reasonable to observe non-dipolar non-axisymmetric fields. (iii) A proposed mechanism for the existence of those fields is decoupling of global rotation of U/N from convective motions in their dynamos, unlike Earth with a dipolar field.
Effects of selected pharmacological agents on avian auditory and vestibular compound action potentials.

Abstract Glutamate is currently the consensus candidate for the hair cell transmitter in the inner ear of vertebrates. However, other candidate transmitter systems have been proposed and there may be differences in this regard for auditory and vestibular neuroepithelia. In the present study, perilymphatic perfusion was used to deliver prescribed concentrations of ten drugs to the interstitial fluids of the inner ear of hatchling chickens ( n =124). Dose–response curves were obtained for four of these pharmacological agents. The work was carried out in part to distinguish further the neuroepithelial chemical receptors mediating auditory and vestibular compound action potentials (CAPs). Kainic acid (KA) eliminated both auditory and vestibular responses. d -α-Aminoadipic acid (DAA) and dizocilpine maleate (MK-801), both NMDA-specific antagonists, failed to alter vestibular CAPs at any concentration. MK-801 significantly and selectively reduced auditory CAPs at concentrations equal to or greater than 1 mM. Similarly, kynurenic acid (4-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxylic acid, 1 mM), a glutamate antagonist, significantly reduced auditory but not vestibular CAPs. A non-NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist, 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), reduced vestibular CAPs significantly but only at the highest concentration tested (1 mM). In contrast, CNQX reduced auditory responses at concentration as low as 1 μM. The CNQX concentration effective in reducing auditory CAPs by 50% (EC 50 ) was approximately 20 μM. Glutamate (1 mM) as well as α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA), a glutamate agonist, significantly reduced auditory CAPs (AMPA EC 50 =100 μM). Bicuculline, a GABA A receptor antagonist, and l -NAME, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, failed to alter responses from either modality. These findings support the hypothesis that glutamate receptors mediate auditory CAPs in birds. However, the results underscore a remarkable difference in sensitivity of the vestibular neuroepithelium (here gravity receptors) to non-NMDA receptor antagonists. The basis of the vestibular insensitivity to glutamate blockers is unknown but it may reflect differences in receptors themselves, differences in the transmission modes available to vestibular synapses or differences in the access of compounds to vestibular neuroepithelial receptors from the interstitial-perilymphatic fluid spaces.
Electronic structural effects in self-exchange reactions.

We report rate constants for electron self-exchange reactions of a series of trinuclear ruthenium clusters substituted with three pyridines [Ru3O(OAc)6(L)3]+/0 or one carbonyl and two pyridines [Ru3O(OAc)6(CO)(L)2]0/−. For the 0/− couple in the latter series, the observed rate constant is determined by orbital overlap. More electron-withdrawing pyridine ligands increase the donor−acceptor overlap and more effectively reduce a large reorganization barrier (λ ≈ 10 000 cm−1), leading to faster exchange. Larger aromatic ligands also increase the rate by increasing the coupling. For the +/0 couple in tris-pyridyl clusters, there is no observable trend based on pyridine electron-withdrawing ability, and we conclude that charge density on peripheral ligands is not a determining factor for this exchanging pair. From structural and vibrational data, the inner sphere reorganization barrier, λis, is estimated to be 1520 cm−1 and outer sphere reorganization energy, λos is estimated to be between 1800 and 3600 cm−1 in...
Maurofilia y maurofobia en el Libro del conde de Castilla

The Poema de Fernan Gonzalez (or Libro del conde de Castilla) is not a crusade song, nor is it an epic poem or a historical account commemorating the foundation of San Pedro de Arlanza Monastery. It is rather a hybrid text that employs all the literary and historical resources available around the middle of the thirteenth century to an educated poet who was intent on transmitting to future generations the memory of the Count who made possible the independence of Castile. All episodes in the poem point to Castile's unique place in history, describing through the protagonist's bellicose deeds its hegemonic ascendency as the most important kingdom of the Iberian peninsula. Its destiny is determined by the hero's combative character against all enemies, whether Christians or Moors, and more specifically by confronting the powerful kings of neighboring states Leon and Navarre.
Ecological niche models and coalescent analysis of gene flow support recent allopatric isolation of parasitoid wasp populations in the Mediterranean.

Background The integration of multiple complementary approaches is a powerful way to understand the processes of diversification and speciation. The parasitoid wasp Aphidius transcaspicus Telenga (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a parasitoid of Hyalopterus aphids across a wide geographic range. This species shows a remarkable degree of genetic structure among western, central, and eastern Mediterranean population clusters. In this paper we attempt to better characterize this genetic structure.
Time-Domain Ab Initio Study of Nonradiative Decay in a Narrow Graphene Ribbon

We investigate nonradiative decay in the (16,16) armchair graphene nanoribbon (GNR) using surface-hopping with decoherence in a time-dependent Kohn−Sham scheme. The lowest singlet excitation decays within 300 ps in the ideal GNR by coupling to the 1450 cm−1 disorder mode associated with edges. The C2-insertion defect doubles the decay rate. Compared to carbon nanotubes (CNTs), GNRs are more anharmonic and show faster phonon-induced pure dephasing of electronic transitions. Defects relieve strain better and, therefore, exhibit weaker electron−phonon coupling in GNRs than CNTs. The slower nonradiative decay of GNRs compared to similar size CNTs makes GNRs better candidates for the semiconductor applications.
Molecule-specific darkfield and multiphoton imaging using gold nanocages

Due to their robust optical properties, biological inertness, and readily adjustable surface chemistry, gold nanostructures have been demonstrated as contrast agents in a variety of biomedical imaging applications. One application is dynamic imaging of live cells using bioconjugated gold nanoparticles to monitor molecule trafficking mechanisms within cells; for instance, the regulatory pathway of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) undergoing endocytosis. In this paper, we have demonstrated a method to track endocytosis of EGFR in MDA-MB-468 breast adenocarcinoma cells using bioconjugated gold nanocages (AuNCs) and multiphoton microscopy. Dynamic imaging was performed using a time series capture of 4 images every minute for one hour. Specific binding and internalization of the bioconjugated AuNCs was observed while the two control groups showed non-specific binding at fewer surface sites, leading to fewer bound AuNCs and no internalization.
Cost analysis of endoscopic antireflux procedures: endoluminal plication vs. radiofrequency coagulation vs. treatment with a proton pump inhibitor.

Abstract Background Both endoluminal gastroplication and radiofrequency coagulation of the lower esophageal sphincter and gastroesophageal junction (Stretta procedure) represent emerging endoscopic therapies for GERD. The economic impact of endotherapy for GERD has not been described. The aim of this study was to apply a decision analysis model to compare the costs of endoluminal gastroplication vs. the Stretta procedures vs. a proton pump inhibitor for treatment of GERD. A cost minimization approach was used. Methods Model entry criteria were GERD responsive to daily or twice daily administration of a proton pump inhibitor. Performance characteristics of endotherapy were determined from published data. The baseline probabilities for annual endotherapy failure rates (20%), partial failure rates (10%), and complication rates (1%) were varied through a plausible range by using sensitivity analysis. Cost data for endotherapy were calculated from per case instrumentation costs plus professional fees plus facility fees for ambulatory patient classification codes; cost of treatment with a proton pump inhibitor was based on national average wholesale price. The endpoint was sustained resolution of GERD symptoms. Results In patients requiring twice daily use of a proton pump inhibitor for symptom relief, endotherapy proves to be the most economical strategy after 17 months. If uniform endotherapy failure rates over time are assumed, medication regains superiority after 29 months. Sensitivity analysis revealed that a proton pump inhibitor remains the most economical option beyond 3 years, provided annual endotherapy failure rates remain greater than 20% (endoluminal gastroplication) or 19% (Stretta). Pharmacotherapy is the least costly approach, irrespective of time, if the daily cost of a proton pump inhibitor is less than $140 a month or endotherapy costs more than $3400. For patients in whom symptoms are relieved with once daily dosing with a proton pump inhibitor, medication remains the most economical option regardless of endotherapy failure rate. Conclusion Endotherapy appears to offer an economical treatment option for patients requiring a proton pump inhibitor twice daily, with its cost superiority enduring for 2.5 years. More long-term follow-up data are required to determine the durability of the endotherapy benefit over time.
Factors influencing enlargement rate of small abdominal aortic aneurysms

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors influencing enlargement rate of small abdominal aortic aneurysms. Fifty-seven high-risk patients with asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms initially measuring 3.5 to 5.9 cm in the largest transverse diameter were followed with serial echographic measurements for 6 to 78 months (mean 24). The mean enlargement rate (MER) and the occurrence of sudden change in size (SCS) for each aneurysm were correlated to 23 variables. MER ranged from 0 to 1.8 cm/year (mean 0.48). During the study period 17 aneurysms showed SCS. The results of univariate analysis indicated that 8 variables were statistically correlated to the degree of MER and 5 to the occurrence of SCS. A multiple regression model was generated by stepwise regression analysis and demonstrated that 2 variables were independent predictors of the degree of MER: (1) the absence of distal arterial occlusive disease and (2) the ratio of the diameter of the aneurysm to that of the aorta (RD). The overall model P value was less than 0.001. A statistically valid multiple regression model to predict the occurrence of SCS was not feasible (P = 1.0). We conclude that the occurrence of SCS of small abdominal aortic aneurysms is often unpredictable and that the RD rather than the value of the aneurysmal diameter per se must be considered in selecting high-risk patients for echographic follow-up.
Steane code single qubit Clifford gates

We apply single ‘logical’ qubit Clifford gates to states encoded in the [7,1,3] quantum error correction code in a nonequiprobable Pauli matrix error environment. The gates we analyze are the NOT, Phase, and Hadamard gates. We calculate accuracy measures of the applied gates by determining output state and logical gate fidelities. The latter is determined from the logical gate -matrix. In addition, we apply perfect and noisy quantum error correction to the output state of the Clifford gate. Perfect error correction allows the determination of whether errors that occurred during the gate are ‘correctable’. Noisy error correction gives an idea of what can be expected in a realistic quantum computation.
Analysis of sulfonamides, trimethoprim, fluoroquinolones, quinolones, triphenylmethane dyes and methyltestosterone in fish and shrimp using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) screening method is described for the detection and identification of 26 veterinary drugs in fish and other aquaculture products. The analytes include: 13 sulfonamides, trimethoprim, 3 fluoroquinolones, 3 quinolones, 3 triphenylmethane dyes, 2 leuco dye metabolites, and 1 hormone. In this method, tissue is mixed with EDTA-McIlvaine buffer, double-extracted with acetonitrile, p-toluenesulfonic (p-TSA) acid and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride (TMPD), and analyzed using LC-MS/MS. Inclusion of p-TSA and TMPD in the extraction procedure was critical for simultaneous analysis of dyes with the other groups of veterinary drugs. The proposed procedure was validated as both a quantitative analysis method and as a semi-quantitative screening method for multiple fish and shrimp matrices. The method was applied to eight types of fish (catfish, eel, pangasius, sablefish, tilapia, swai, salmon, and trout) and shrimp at the appropriate level of concern: 10ng/g for sulfonamides, trimethoprim, and quinolones, 5ng/g for fluoroquinolones, 1ng/g for dyes and their metabolites, and 0.4ng/g for methyltestosterone.
Observation of Franz-Keldysh oscillations in the stress-modulated spectra of (001) n-type GaAs

We report the observation of Franz-Keldysh oscillations (FKO) with a modulation technique other than electromodulation. Three GaAs samples with well-controlled, uniform built-in electric fields were used for this study. Room-temperature piezoreflectance and photoreflectance measurements were taken under identical experimental conditions. Both types of spectra exhibited distinct FKO and the obtained electric fields are in excellent agreement. While FKO have been seen in electromodulation spectra for both uniform and nonuniform electric fields, we show that a uniform field provides the best condition for the observation of FKO in other modulation methods.
Managed health plan effects on the specialty referral process: results from the Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network referral study.

OBJECTIVES. The specialty referral process is one of the chief targets of managed care constraints on ambulatory medical decision-making. This study examines the influence of gatekeeping arrangements and capitated primarycare physician (PCP) payment on the specialty referral process in primary care settings. RESEARCH DESIGN. Primary care practice-based study of referred and nonreferred office visits. SUBJECTS. The study comprised 14,709 visits made by privately insured, nonelderly patients who were seen by 139 primary care physicians in 80 practices located in 31 states. MEASURES. Visits were grouped by health plan type: gatekeeping with capitated PCP payment; gatekeeping with fee-for-service PCP payment; no gatekeeping. Dependent measures included the proportion of visits referred, characteristics of referrals, and physician coordination activities. RESULTS. The percentages of office visits resulting in a referral were similar between the two gatekeeping groups and higher than the no gatekeeping group. Patients in plans with capitated PCP payment were more likely to be referred for discretionary indications than those in nongatekeeping plans (15.5% v 9.9%, P <0.05). The frequency of referring physician coordination activities did not vary by health plan type. The proportion of patients in gatekeeping health plans within a practice was directly related to employing staff as referral coordinators, allowing nurses to refer without physician consultation, and permitting patients to request referrals by leaving recorded telephone messages. CONCLUSION. The specialty referral process for privately insured nonelderly patients enrolled in managed health plans is generally similar, regardless of the presence of gatekeeping arrangements and capitated PCP payment. An increase in the number of discretionary referrals among patients in plans with capitated PCP payment provides support for exploring strategies that encourage PCPs to manage in their entirety conditions that straddle the boundaries between primary and specialty care. In response to increasing numbers of patients enrolled in managed health plans with gatekeeping arrangements, physicians appear to modify the structure of their practices to facilitate access to and coordination of referrals.
Remark on the phase of the Deck model

The phases used in a recent Reggeized-Deck-model calculation can be approximated by a model obeying the Steinmann relations. (AIP)
Geometric matching under noise: combinatorial bounds and algorithms

In geometric pattern matching, we are given two sets of points P and Q in d dimensions, and the problem is to determine the rigid transformation that brings P closest to Q. under some distance measure. More generally, each point can be modelled as a ball of small radius, and we mav wish to find a transformation approximating the closest d&axe between P and Q. This problem has many applications in domains such as computer vision and computational chemistry In this paper we present improved algorithms for this problem, by allowing the running time of our algorithms to depend not only on n, (the number of points in the sets), but also on A, the diameter of the point set. The deoendence on A also allAws us to effectively *process point se& that occur in practice, where diameters tend to be small ([EVW91]). Our algorithms are also simple to implement, in contrast to much of the earlier work. To obtain the above-mentioned results, we introduce a novel discretization technique to reduce geometric pattern matching to combinatorial pattern matching. In addition, we address various generalizations of the classical problem first posed by Erd8s: “Given a set, of n points in the plane, how many pairs of points can be exactly a unit distance apart?“. The combinatorial bounds we prove enable us to obtain improved results for geometric pattern matching and may have other applications.
Atrial Diastolic Friction

A typical triphasic pericardial rub was heard in a patient with acute myocardial infarction. Phonocardlograms during atrioventricular block demonstrated a fourth rub component in atrial diastole following every sufficiently isolated P wave.
Magnetic properties of Nd2(CoxFe1-x)14B alloys

Abstract An investigation of the magnetic properties of Nd 2 (Co x Fe 1- x ) 14 B pseudoternary systems is described. We find that the Nd 2 Fe 14 B structure type is maintained over the entire range of cobalt concentration x . The Curie temperature, saturation moments, and measurements as well as molecular field analyses of the temperature dependence of the magnetizations are reported. We also establish that spin reorientations in these materials can be observed by thermal methods.
Should policy-makers allocate funding to vehicle electrification or end-use energy efficiency as a strategy for climate change mitigation and energy reductions? Rethinking electric utilities efficiency programs

In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by an order of magnitude, a portfolio of mitigation strategies is needed. Currently, many utilities pursue energy efficiency programs. We study a case where utilities could choose whether to allocate their energy efficiency budget to either end-use efficiency or vehicle electrification as a means to reduce CO2 emissions. We build a decision space that displays the conditions under which utilities should pursue either strategy. To build such decision space, assumptions are needed on how consumers respond to electric vehicle incentives, and what would be the baseline vehicle selected by consumers if no incentives were in place. Since these two aspects are highly uncertain, we treat them parametrically: if consumers are replacing a conventional vehicle with a PHEV, utility incentive programs to induce PHEV adoption appear to be cost-effective for a wide range of efficiency program costs and grid emissions factors.
The biotechnological future for newly described, extremely thermophilic bacteria.

Recent explorations of aquatic volcanic environments have led to the isolation of novel microorganisms with optimal growth temperatures of 80°C or higher. Expectations of equally novel, highly thermostable biocatalysts and specialty chemicals from such organisms remain high but must be tempered with the laboratory realities of manipulating unusual bacteria whose growth characteristics are as yet poorly defined. Advancing the biotechnological future of “super-thermophiles” will require new cultivation methods, including the use of highly thermostable gels and pressurized bioreactors.
Crises and Hysteresis in Coupled Logistic Maps

A new type of "crisis" is found in coupled logistic maps. In this crisis several chaotic attractors undergo cyclic collisions with their basin boundaries and merge into a bigger one, whose chaotic dynamical behavior exhibits cyclic transitions among its components with a well defined overall period.
A 15-Myr-Old Genetic Bottleneck

Balancing selection preserves variation at the self-incompatibility locus (S-locus) of flowering plants for tens of millions of years, making it possible to detect demographic events that occurred prior to the origin of extant species. In contrast to other Solanaceae examined, SI species in the sister genera Physalis and Witheringia share restricted variation at the S-locus. This restriction is indicative of an ancient bottleneck that occurred in a common ancestor. We sequenced 14 S-alleles from the subtribe Iochrominae, a group that is sister to the clade containing Physalis and Witheringia. At least 6 ancient S-allele lineages are represented among these alleles, demonstrating that the Iochrominae taxa do not share the restriction in S-locus diversity. Therefore, the bottleneck occurred after the divergence of the Iochrominae from the lineage leading to the most recent common ancestor of Physalis and Witheringia. Using cpDNA sequences, 3 fossil dates, and a Bayesian-relaxed molecular clock approach, the crown group of Solanaceae was estimated to be 51 Myr old and the restriction of variation at the S-locus occurred 14.0-18.4 Myr before present. These results confirm the great age of polymorphism at the S-locus and the utility of loci under balancing selection for deep historical inference.
In vitro evaluation of iris chafe protection afforded by hydrophilic surface modification of polymethylmethacrylate intraocular lenses

Abstract An in vitro iris chafe test was developed to evaluate possible differences in abrasive interaction of various intraocular lens (IOL) materials with the posterior surface of the iris. The materials that were compared in initial tests with rabbit irides were high molecular weight polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), the primary IOL material in current use, and surface-modified PMMA, which had a permanent, chemically bound, hydrophilic, polymer surface. Scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy, and examination of histological sections were used to assess tissue damage. A “window defect” type of abrasive damage was observed by light microscopy for PMMA lenses and is very similar in appearance to that seen for iris abrasion by human implants when viewed in vivo in slitlamp examinations. Results for both pigmented and albino rabbit irides indicate a reduction in abrasive insult to the external iris basement membrane and underlying pigment epithelium by the hydrophilic surface modification of PMMA. These results are consistent with our observation of a major reduction in corneal endothelium damage on contact with the hydrophilic surface-modified PMMA as compared with PMMA itself. This in vitro iris abrasion test, therefore, appears to be a useful technique for future evaluation of IOL surface properties.