cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CORD BLOOD PEPTIDE YY3-36 CONCENTRATIONS IN HUMAN FULL-TERM PREGNANCIES WITH NORMAL AND RESTRICTED FETAL GROWTH

Objective The gut hormone peptide YY3-36 (PYY3-36), present in placental and fetal intestinal tissues, inhibits gastric and pancreatic secretion, reduces intestinal motility and mesenteric blood flow and is involved in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. We aimed to study cord blood PYY3-36 concentrations in intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR; usually associated with decreased intestinal growth, feeding intolerance and increased incidence of necrotising enterocolitis) and appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) pregnancies and investigate possible correlations of PYY3-36 concentrations with several demographic parameters of infants at birth. Methods PYY3-36 concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay in 50 mixed arteriovenous cord blood samples from IUGR (n = 14) and AGA (n = 36) singleton full-term infants. Results No significant differences in PYY3-36 concentrations were found between groups. In both groups, PYY3-36 concentrations decreased for every gram increase in birthweight (b = −0.077, 95% CI −0.134 to −0.02, p = 0.009). PYY3-36 concentrations were significantly lower in females (b = 45.38, 95% CI −88.89 to −1.86, p = 0.041). Finally, PYY3-36 concentrations did not depend on parity or delivery mode. Conclusions Lack of difference in PYY3-36 concentrations between IUGR and AGA groups possibly suggests that PYY3-36 may not be directly involved in the disturbances of intestinal growth and function associated with IUGR. However, the documented negative association with birth weight may imply the effect of this peptide on adiposity and energy homeostasis. Lower PYY3-36 concentrations in females may be due to stimulation of PYY3-36 receptors by oestradiol. However, as this is a pilot study, further reports are required to elucidate the role of PYY3-36 in the perinatal period.
Reliability Analysis of Storage Systems With Partially Repairable Devices

Modern storage devices such as hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid state drives (SSDs) have reached capacities beyond 18TB. Failure of such devices requires data recovery from parities. Given the large capacities, the recovery process may take up to a few days depending on the bandwidth and the erasure coding scheme implemented. During the recovery, the system is vulnerable to data loss if additional device failures are encountered. Therefore, it is important to complete the recovery as quickly as possible. The recovery can be accelerated if the data on the failed device is only partially corrupted, and the remaining portion is still accessible. This is indeed the case for storage devices that consist of multiple physical units of recording subsystems. For example, modern HDDs have up to 18 heads, and SSDs have multiple flash chips. These subsystems may fail independently without affecting the rest of the components in the device. In this work, we study the durability of data when the device is allowed to stay online even when a number of subcomponents fail. In addition to extending the lifetime of the devices, this also allows for faster recovery of the critical data stored on the failed subsystem, which results in significant gains in the overall data durability for the storage system.
Voluntary exercise training attenuates the enhanced sympathetic responses to muscle mechanoreflex activation in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Exercise training has beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. The purpose of this study was to examine whether regular exercise reduces abnormally exaggerated skeletal muscle mechanoreflex function in hypertension. Changes in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) to stimulation of the muscle mechanoreflex were assessed in untrained normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKYUT; n = 6), exercise trained WKY (WKYET; n = 7; housed in cage with running wheel for 3 months), untrained spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRUT; n = 3) and exercise trained SHR (SHRET; n = 7). There was no difference between WKYUT and WKYET in RSNA (40±11 vs. 47±11 %, respectively) and MAP (7.5±4.0 vs. 8.0±4.2 mmHg, respectively) responses to stimulating the mechanoreflex by passively stretching hindlimb muscles. Voluntary wheel running (3 months) significantly attenuated sympathetic responses to mechanoreflex stimulatio...
The Impact of Product Market Competition on Private Benefits of Control

This paper investigates the impact of product market competition (PMC) on private benefits of control (PBC). We estimate PBC using the voting premium between shares with differential voting rights. We use two measures of the intensity of product market competition: an external competition measure based on industry-level import penetration, and an internal measure derived from domestic product market regulations. Using data for publicly-traded firms in 19 countries for which information on dual class shares is available we find that PMC is strongly negatively correlated with PBC. The evidence indicates that the effect is particularly strong for firms in industries that are likely to be concentrated and in countries with poor legal environments. We further examine the channels through which PMC enhances governance. We find evidence indicating that improvements in the availability of industry information and the higher default probability associated with tougher competition are two important forces in reducing the estimated price gap between dual class shares. Using exchange rates and terms of trade as instruments for import penetration, we find that the link between competition in product markets and private benefits of control is not spurious. Overall, our results suggest that product market competition can help in curbing private benefits of control.
Metals: Pure and Alloyed

The sections in this article are 1 Introduction and Background 2 Experimental Details 3 Principal Theoretical Concepts 4 Pure Metals with Nonzero μI 5 Alloys 6 Nuclear Relaxation and Atomic Diffusion: Nuclear Relaxation in I = 1/2 Systems 7 Biographical Sketch Related Articles
Cell Surface Targeting of Heat Shock Protein gp96 Induces Dendritic Cell Maturation and Antitumor Immunity

gp96 is a residential heat shock protein of the endoplasmic reticulum that has been implicated in the activation of dendritic cells (DCs) for the initiation of adaptive immunity. By genetic targeting of gp96 onto the cell surface, we demonstrate that direct access of gp96 to DCs induces their maturation, resulting in secretion of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, IL-12, and chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and up-regulation of the expression of MHC class I, MHC class II, CD80, CD86, and CD40. Furthermore, surface expression of gp96 on tumor cells renders them regressive via a T lymphocyte-dependent mechanism. This work reinforces the notion that gp96 is an endogenous DC activator and unveils that the context in which Ag is delivered to the immune system, in this case surface expression of gp96, has profound influence on immunity. It also establishes a principle of bridging innate and adaptive immunity for cancer immunotherapy by surface targeting of an intracellular heat shock protein.
Use of independent component analysis to improve signal-to-noise ratio in multi-probe fluorescence microscopy.

Summary In conventional multi-probe fluorescence microscopy, narrow bandwidth filters on detectors are used to avoid bleed-through artefacts between probes. The limited bandwidth reduces the signal-to-noise ratio of the detection, often severely compromising one or more channels. Herein, we describe a process of using independent component analysis to discriminate the position of different probes using only a dichroic mirror to differentiate the signals directed to the detectors. Independent component analysis was particularly effective in samples where the spatial overlap between the probes is minimal, a very common case in cellular microscopy. This imaging scheme collects nearly all of the emitted light, significantly improving the image signal-to-noise ratio. In this study, we focused on the detection of two fluorescence probes used in vivo, NAD(P)H and ANEPPS. The optimal dichroic mirror cutoff frequency was determined with simulations using the probes spectral emissions. A quality factor, defined as the cross-channel contrast-to-noise ratio, was optimized to maximize signals while maintaining spatial discrimination between the probes after independent component analysis post-processing. Simulations indicate that a ∼3 fold increase in signal-to-noise ratio using the independent component analysis approach can be achieved over the conventional narrow-band filtering approach without loss of spatial discrimination. We confirmed this predicted performance from experimental imaging of NAD(P)H and ANEPPS in mouse skeletal muscle, in vivo. For many multi-probe studies, the increased sensitivity of this ‘full bandwidth’ approach will lead to improved image quality and/or reduced excitation power requirements. Lay Description Signal to noise ratio (SNR) is a limiting factor in many fluorescence microscopy techniques to image multiple fluorescence probes simultaneously. Conventional approaches using band-pass filters to minimize cross-talk between channels can significantly reduce SNR by limiting the number of emitted photons that are detected. Using the assumption that the fluorescent probes are not present in the same regions of the cell or tissue, a common feature for many but not all probes, a technique is presented where most of the emitted light is collected and then discriminated using Independent Component Analysis. To illustrate this approach increased the SNR by a factor of ∼3 over the conventional filter scheme in the skeletal muscle of a live mouse. This improvement in SNR can be used to improve image quality or decrease the power and time required to collect a fluorescent image if the probes are spatially distinct.
Integrated testing of the SRL-165 glass waste form

Integrated testing of the important components of a glass waste form waste package has been performed in order to gain a better understanding of the processes of radionuclide release and transport in the near field environment. Based upon an interpretation of the depth of penetration of hydrogen in reacted SRL-165 glass we have modeled the radionuclide release from the glass as a combined process of (1) the diffusive exchange of alkalis and boron in the glass for hydrogen species in the solution (D = 10{sup -16} cm{sup 2}/s) and (2) surface dissolution. Surface dissolution controls the release of components not exchanged by diffusion and takes place at a rate of 1.5 to 3.0 {mu}m/yr. Subsequent to release the radionuclides may remain in the leach solution, diffuse into the tuff, or precipitate as secondary phases. Precipitation is particularly important for plutonium and americium. Diffusive transport of radionuclides through the tuff takes place at an extremely slow rate, D = 10{sup -16} cm{sup 2}/s. As such, the mass of radionuclides incorporated in the tuff by diffusion during the tests is inconsequential relative to that in the leach solution (with the exception of plutonium) and can be ignored in mass balance calculations. Mass balance calculations based upon the release of radionuclides by surface dissolution of the glass waste form are in good agreement with observed solution chemistry when allowances are made for a pulse of dissolution early in the tests. This pulse may be due to either the rapid dissolution of high-energy surface features early in the integrated tests, or an initially high surface dissolution rate that decreases with time as silica saturation is approached, or a combination of the two.
Share Repurchases and Wealth Transfer Among Shareholders

We estimate positive and significant wealth transfers from individuals to institutions following a share repurchase. It appears that institutional investors are informed shareholders that use share repurchases as an opportunity to magnify the effect of their informational advantage over individual investors. The firm’s share repurchase activity partially obscures the impact of the institutional trading and the ultimate change in ownership. This result is robust to an array of alternative methodologies. We find that institutions usually own a larger portion of the firm, relative to individuals, after a repurchase, even when they are net sellers. They simply sell less than individual investors. Thus, using net changes in ownership as a proxy for relative institutional investor demand can lead to false inference as to the relative informational advantage of institutional investors in quarters with significant repurchasing activity.
Sylvia Porter: America's Original Personal Finance Columnist

In journalism classes, we teach students “if your mother says she loves you, check it out.” The point is to gather evidence to prove the thesis. Scholars have not followed that advice in writing ab...
Stress and coping: the influence of racism on the cognitive appraisal processing of African Americans.

Individuals who experience repeated stressful events are at risk for developing physical and psychological illnesses. African Americans are an ethnic group that is exposed to a range of stressors over time, including racism which leads to discrimination. African Americans also suffer disproportionately from hypertension, cardiac disease, obesity, and drug and alcohol abuse—all illnesses that have been linked to stress. This paper describes a model to guide nursing practice, research, and education about the influence of racism on the cognitive appraisal, stress, and coping of African Americans. Lazarus and Folk man's (1984) phenomenological approach to cognitive appraisal, stress, and coping is the theoretical framework on which the model is based.
Vitrectomy surgery for full-thickness macular holes

Macular hole is a well-recognized clinical entity that has traditionally been attributed to anteroposterior vitreoretinal traction. Recent evidence suggests that idiopathic macular holes are caused by tangential vitreoretinal traction. Macular holes have a prevalence of 3.3 per tOOO people aged 55 years and older (N. M. Bressler, verbal communication, Dec. 21, 1992). This is approximately one fourth the prevalence of neovascular age-related macular degeneration and would total approximately 100,000 cases in the United States. The classic description of a macular hole includes a central round area of absent tissue surrounded by a cuff of detached retina. Until recently there was little interest in this entity and the most important aspects focused on the differential diagnosis of macular holes from lamellar holes. Because tissue appeared to be permanently and irretrievably lost, it was thought that little could be offered in terms of therapy. Fortunately, except in cases of severe myopia, macular holes rarely progress to retinal detachment larger than the small cuff of subretinal fluid that is almost invariably present. Therapy for macular holes has largely been concentrated on reattaching and potentially restoring function to the retina overlying the surrounding cuff of subretinal fluid. Histopathologic studies have shown that the photoreceptors surrounding the actual hole have a variable amount of damage. This damage presumably is related to the fact that the retina surrounding the actual hole is detached.' Cystoid macular edema and epiretinal membranes are present in eyes with full-thickness holes, and evidence of residual vitreous traction can also be seen in histopathologic studies. The first therapy aimed at reattaching the cuff of detached retina surrounding the macular hole was laser therapy.2 Such therapy entails application of thermal laser burns in several locations to the detached retina in an attempt to reattach it. Some visual improvement can occur; obviously only retina between the laser burns could be expected to function. The clinical results of such treatment have been modest at best with several lines of improvement of Snellen visual acuity being claimed in some patients. Postlaser visual acuity as good as 20/60 has been reported.! A
Patterns of Instability of Expanded CAG Repeats at the ERDA1 Locus in General Populations

Summary A highly polymorphic CAG repeat locus, ERDA1 , was recently described on human chromosome 17q21.3, with alleles as large as 50–90 repeats and without any disease association in the general population. We have studied allelic distribution at this locus in five human populations and have characterized the mutational patterns by direct observation of 731 meioses. The data show that large alleles (≥40 CAG repeats) are generally most common in Asian populations, less common in populations of European ancestry, and least common among Africans. We have observed a high intergenerational instability (46.3%±5.1%) of the large alleles. Although the mutation rate is not dependent on parental sex, paternal transmissions have predominantly resulted in contractions, whereas maternal transmissions have yielded expansions. Within this class of large alleles, the mutation rate increases concomitantly with increasing allele size, but the magnitude of repeat size change does not depend on the size of the progenitor allele. Sequencing of specific alleles reveals that the intermediate-sized alleles (30–40 repeats) have CAT/CAC interruptions within the CAG-repeat array. These results indicate that expansion and instability of trinucleotide repeats are not exclusively disease-associated phenomena. The implications of the existence of massively expanded alleles in the general populations are not yet understood.
Anisotropy of etching behaviour in b.c.c. tungsten and the problem of edge-screw dislocation distributions

Abstract Experiments of previous workers on b.c.c. tungsten had shown that several etchants revealed etch-pits over the entire range of surface orientations which were not more than 35° from the (001) axis. This fact has been exploited to investigate the etch-pit distributions of polycrystals and single crystals of several axial orientations, using for each sample many etchable surfaces comprising a large angular spread of crystal planes. The density of etch-pits is not homogeneous for a given sample, but depends on the particular surface being etched. Etch-pit densities have a systematic dependence on etch-plane orientation and are consistently 102 to 103 smaller when the four 〈111〉 crystal directions make nearly equal angles with the surface of observation. Use of the Scanning Electron Microscope permitted measurements of the pit densities to higher values than are usually associated with etch-pit methods. The results indicate either that tungsten is not reliably etchable over the range of surface plane...
Geochemistry and Petrology of the Morrison Formation, Dillon, Colorado

The Morrison Formation in a measured drill-core section from Dillon, Colorado, is 226 feet thick and is largely a clastic accumulation of wind-and water-transported altered volcanic dust, clay minerals, and angular to rounded sand-size fragments, mainly quartz. The bottom 60 feet of the formation is a fine-grained siliceous marl containing abundant clay minerals, scattered sand grains, calcareous shell fragments, and chemically precipitated carbonates. Above the marl an interval 110 feet thick includes an alternation of more or less sandy mudstones and calcareous mudstones, and calcareous and noncalcareous sandstones. The top 56 feet is noncalcareous mudstone. Altered volcanic dust is abundant in the upper 117 feet of the formation. Chemical analyses and petrographic characteristics indicate that a large fraction of the materials in the formation came ultimately from a rhyolitic volcanic source, but sparse to abundant sand grains in many layers indicate intermixing of materials from other sources. Abundant clay minerals in the formation formed prior to, and after deposition. After deposition, illite and cryptocrystalline quartz developed at the expense of originally deposited components.
Identification of Carboniferous (320 million years old) class Ic amber.

The presence of amber, the fossil form of the resins produced by many types of higher plants, has been reported from many localities in Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks. We have found Class I (polylabdanoid) amber in Carboniferous sediments dating to ~320 million years ago. This result demonstrates that preconifer gymnosperms evolved the biosynthetic mechanisms to produce complex polyterpenoid resins earlier than previously believed and that the biosynthetic pathways leading to the types of polylabdanoid resins that are now typically found in conifers and those now typically found in angiosperms had already diverged by the Carboniferous.
Segmenting animated objects into near-rigid components

We present a novel approach to solve the problem of segmenting a sequence of animated objects into near-rigid components based on k given poses of the same non-rigid object. We model the segmentation problem as a clustering problem in dual space and find near-rigid segments with the property that segment boundaries are located at regions of large deformation. The presented approach is asymptotically faster than previous approaches that achieve the same property and does not require any user-specified parameters. However, if desired, the user may interactively change the number of segments. We demonstrate the practical value of our approach using experiments.
PDMS Surface Modification for Application on Thermally-Responsive Hydrogel Microvalves

Recent developments in (MEMS) fabrication techniques have exploited the properties of polymers. Traditional lithographic techniques have been used to create a template in a thick layer of photoresist that can be filled with a heat -0r-UV curable polymer and used to cast numerous replicas of Tesla channels in an elastomeric material-poly (dimethylsioloxane) (PDMS). The surface of this replica, and that of a flat slab of PDMS, is oxidized in oxygen plasma and brought into conformal contact to seal tightly. N-isopropylacrylamide polymers have attracted much interest in the area of scientific research and microfluidic technologies due to their unique thermal response in aqueous medium. To design microactuators of these gels with a high aspect ratio and a strong adhesion to the microchannel, substrates have to be developed. To achieve this, a modification of the simple (NIPA) polymer is needed; therefore, this calls for chemical modification of the (NIPA) material itself and the PDMS. The integration of autonomous microvalves into complex microfluidic Tesla channel networks is presented. Hydrogel directly grown onto vinyl modified PDMS and is in contact with process medium. Thermoelectric element capable of changing the temperature of the system is used to actuate the valve. A distortable diaphragm at the center coupled to a piezoelectric that is connected to the ports of two channels. The other ends are connected to two small water tanks. Valve operation results in an oscillating or a positive net flow depending on valve status.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
CONTINUING EDUCATION OFFERING

Fatigue, a common presenting complaint in primary care, is described as a lack of energy, sleepiness, tiredness, exhaustion, an inability to get enough rest, or weakness. Thus, fatigue affects quality of life. The prevalence rate of fatigue among patients with HIV infection is estimated to be 20% to 60%, and as the disease worsens, fatigue may become even more prevalent. The causes of HIV-related fatigue may be multifactorial and may include lack of rest or exercise, or improper or inadequate diet; psychological stress including depression and anxiety; the use of recreational substances; anemia; abnormalities of the thyroid gland and hypogonadism; infections; side effects of medications; sleep disturbances; and fever. This article reviews the common causes of HIV-related fatigue and briefly discusses options for reducing fatigue.
The Late-Time Light Curve of SN 1998BW Associated with GRB 980425

We report 139 photometric observations through the B, V, and I filters of the supernova SN 1998bw, an object which is associated with the gamma-ray burst GRB 980425. Detailed light curves of this unique supernova can be compared with theoretical models, so we report here our light curve for 123 days between 1998 June 27 and 1998 October 28. The light curve of SN 1998bw is consistent with those of the Type Ic class. We find that the magnitude versus time relation for this supernova is linear to within 0.05 mag in all colors over the entire duration of our study. Our measured uniform decline rates are 0.0141±0.0002, 0.0184±0.0003, and 0.0181±0.0003 mag per day in the B, V, and I bands. The linear decline and the rate of that decline suggest that the late-time light curve is powered by the radioactive decay of cobalt with some leakage of the gamma rays.
Cage effect on the photolysis of chlorine in solution

Abstract The photodissociation quantum yield of chlorine in CCl 4 was determined at 308 and 337 nm using the technique of laser-induced photoacoustic calorimetry (PAC). The quantum yield for photodissociation was observed to be wavelength dependent (0.16 and 0.22 at 337 and 308 nm, respectively). This wavelength dependence originates in the excess energy that is delivered to the geminate radical pair.
Fibroblast growth factors in the nervous system.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) exhibit widespread mitogenic and neurotrophic activities. Nine members of the family are currently known, and FGF-1 and FGF-2 are present in relatively high levels in CNS. FGF-1 is expressed by a subset of neuronal populations, while FGF-2 is expressed by astrocytes. FGF-1 and FGF-2 lack signal peptides and appear to be present mainly in inracellular compartmens. This suggests that the factors may act as initiators of a repair response after injury. Support for this notion comes from observations that FGF-1 and FGF-2 levels are low during critical phases of development, but high in the adult CNS. A family of transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors (FGFRs) mediates the effects of FGFs. Four different genes coding for FGF receptors are currently known, three of which are expressed in cell type-specific patterns in the CNS The main receptor variants present in this tissue, however, can by themselves not distinguish between FGF-1 and FGF-2. Additional selectivity may be established by interaction of the FGFs and their receptors with select heparan proteoglycans (HSPGs). Therefore, the precise physiological role of FGFs is determined by the combination of cell type-specific patterns of expression of FGFs, FGFRs and HSPGs together with the mechanisms that regulate the extracellular availability of FGFs. 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Antenatal Closure of the Ductus Arteriosus and Hydrops Fetalis

Antenatal closure of the ductus arteriosus has been speculated, but rarely reported, as a cause of hydrops fetalis. The purpose of this prospective autopsy study was to find the incidence of antenatal closure of the ductus arteriosus and hydrops fetalis in a high-risk obstetric population and to find associated factors that might give clues to the cause of antenatal closure of the ductus arteriosus. Antenatal closure of the ductus arteriosus had to be stringently sought by in situ examination. Fifteen stillborns with antenatal closure of the ductus arteriosus were found in 684 perinatal autopsies (2.2%), including 511 stillborns (2.9%). All 15 stillborns with antenatal closure of the ductus arteriosus also had hydrops fetalis and accounted for 35% of the 43 stillborns with hydrops fetalis. Antenatal closure of the ductus arteriosus in these 15 stillborns was not associated with maternal aspirin use but was associated with a myriad of factors, including intrauterine infection (60%), umbilical cord abnormalities (67%), and retroplacental hemorrhage (87%), that can cause hypoxic-ischemic stress.
Neutron spectrum from the T+T reaction

Abstract The neutron spectrum from the T+T reaction has been measured by time-of-flight techniques using the swept and bunched 0.5 MeV tritium beam from the Cockcroft-Walton accelerator. The 90° neutron spectrum shows evidence for the following reaction modes: (a) direct breakup into 2 neutrons plus alpha particle (T+T → n+n+He 4 , Q = 11.33 MeV) the three-body breakup shape being modified by the presence of the neutron-neutron interaction; (b) sequential decay proceeding via the He 5 ground state; and (c) sequential decay proceeding via a broad He 5 excited state. The branching ratios for the T+T reaction at 90° are approximately 70% for (a), 20% for (b) and 10% for (c). The neutron group leading to the He 5 ground state, estimated width 0.74±0.18 MeV, is isotropic to within an accuracy of ±10%.
High-accuracy relativistic many-body calculations of van der Waals coefficients C 6 for alkaline-earth-metal atoms

Relativistic many-body calculations of van der Waals coefficients ${C}_{6}$ for dimers correlating to two ground-state alkaline-earth-metal atoms at large internuclear separations are reported. The following values and uncertainties were determined: ${C}_{6}=214(3)$ for Be, 627(12) for Mg, 2221(15) for Ca, 3170(196) for Sr, and 5160(74) for Ba in atomic units.
Posttraumatic mid-facial pain and Meige's syndrome relieved by pressure on the nasion and retrocollis

A 42-year-old farmer developed persistent mid-facial segmental pain and Meige's syndrome several months after suffering facial trauma and a fracture of the nose. He was not afflicted by systemic ailments, had no family history of movement disorder and no history of exposure to neuroleptic drugs. He was capable of suppressing his facial pain by performing a ritual that included forcefully tilting his head backwards, lowering of his eyelids and applying strong pressure to his nasion. Exceptionally dystonic movements and elaborate behavioral rituals may serve as a mechanism of pain suppression.
Cannula fracture in first trimester abortion: a case report and survey of NAF providers

Complications in first trimester surgical abortions are uncommon. These include retained products of conception, infection, hemorrhage, perforation and hematometria. We report a case of a plastic cannula fracture. This event prompted further investigation of this issue and the factors that might increase the likelihood of its occurrence. We investigated whether the recycling of disposable cannulas may increase the frequency of cannula fracture. National Abortion Federation Members (NAF) were surveyed by mail. These providers were asked to comment anonymously on their experience with first trimester surgical abortions, resterilization of plastic cannulas and cannula fracture. The response rate was 71% after three mailings. The overall proportion of providers reporting previous cannula fractures was 9%. The rate of resterilization and reuse was 10%. Cannula resterilization did not significantly increase the likelihood of a fracture (p = 0.25). Cannula fracture is a rare complication of first trimester surgical abortion. Cannula fracture was not found to be associated with resterilization.
Computer Simulation of Aggregation with Consecutive Coalescence and Non-Coalescence Stages in Aerosols

We report results from computer simulation of aggregation in a system where during the aggregation process particles at first coalesce to spherical particles and then subsequently the coalescence stops and the particles continue to aggregate to form ramified, fractal aggregates. In the model systems studied in our paper, the regime of coalescence and the regime of fractal aggregation are separated in time scales. Such a two-step aggregation process has recently been observed in the explosive generation of silica nanoparticles in a chamber. Our simple model captures the essential features of the experimental work and presents a non-material specific scaling description. We study growth kinetics, cluster morphology, and cluster size distributions as a consequence of both the coalescence and aggregation stages.
US market potential for small and medium-sized nuclear reactors

Abstract This paper presents the results of on-site interviews with representatives of 23 investor-owned utilities and 3 publicly-owned utilities. The purpose of the interviews was to obtain information on utilities' attitudes towards small and medium-sized power plants and towards building new nuclear plants in general. Most of the utilities interviewed preferred power plants smaller than the ones currently being offered, as long as the smaller plants did not incur a major economic penalty. However, according to the utilities interviewed, without changes in the current environment it is unlikely that there will be a significant market for new nuclear plants of any size. A trend in the utility industry towards generating companies appears to be a positive step.
Outcomes Research in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Although rheumatoid arthritis causes significant disability for more than 1 million individuals in the United States, prior research regarding surgical treatment options has been limited by study sample size, study design, and methods of comparison. Furthermore, there is wide variation in the referral pattern for hand surgery consideration and type of surgical treatment of rheumatoid hand disease, yet the reasons for these differences are unclear. This review describes the role of outcomes research in rheumatoid hand disease by summarizing variations in surgical treatment, detailing current outcome assessment strategies, and offering potential strategies for designing future studies for rheumatoid hand disease.
Induced myotonia in fast and slow muscles of the rat.

Nach chronischer Applikation von 25-Azacholesterol kann auch in den langsamen Muskelfasern Myotonie erzeugt werden.
Electrophoresis of tissue glycosaminoglycans as an aid in the diagnosis of mesotheliomas

The histologic distinction between mesotheliomas and adenocarcinomas on mesothelial surfaces is sometimes difficult. High concentrations of hyaluronic acid in pleural and peritoneal fluids of mesothelioma patients have been reported. This paper describes results of glycosaminoglycan electrophoresis of papain digests of 7 mesotheliomas and 27 other tumors. Either all or almost all demonstrable glycosaminoglycans in mesotherliomas was hyaluronic acid. Control tissues had variable electrophoretic patterns showing other glycosaminoglycans in addition to hyaluronic acid. In the clinical context of differentiating mesotheliomas and adenocarcinomas in tissue samples, this technique seems simple, economical, and relatively specific.
Teaching and Evaluating Ultrasound Skill Attainment: Competency-Based Resident Ultrasound Training for AIUM Accreditation

Modern obstetrics and gynecology practice requires the frequent use of ultrasound and ultrasound training as a required component of obstetrics and gynecology residencies. Although programs do offer training in obstetric ultrasound imaging, education in gynecologic imaging is either absent or limited. This article describes a comprehensive ultrasound curriculum for obstetrics and gynecology residents that has been developed and implemented at the University of New Mexico. The curriculum is competency based and qualifies the graduating resident to seek American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine laboratory accreditation.
Initial condition effects in the evolution of a nonlinear dimer

Abstract The initial state analysis of the evolution of a nonlinear degenerate dimer shows that, in addition to the self-trapping transition, a new transition occurs while the particle is in the trapped region. This transition can be understood in part in terms of the behavior of a linear nondegenerate dimer, and is intimately related to the stationary states of the nonlinear dimer.
Meta-analysis of genome-wide scans for blood pressure in African American and Nigerian samples. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute GeneLink Project.

Background In many genetic studies of complex traits, sample sizes are often too small to detect linkages of low-to-moderate effects. However, the combined linkage evidence across several studies can be synthesized using meta-analysis with the aim of providing more definitive support of linkage. Methods In the current study using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) GeneLink Project, a meta-analysis based on a modification of Fisher’s method of pooling P values was used to investigate linkage for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) values across three studies involving African American and Nigerian families (HyperGEN, Health, Risk Factors, Exercise Training and Genetics [HERITAGE], and Genetics of Hypertension in Blacks). Results The meta results suggest two regions (2p and 7p) provide enhanced linkage evidence compared with the individual study results. The maximal meta Lod score of 2.9 on 2p14-p13.1 (64–78 cM) represented ∼1-Lod unit increase over the respective individual study scores. This general region has been implicated previously involving primarily families of white ethnicity and provides confirmatory evidence that this QTL is common across ethnic groups. The second finding at 7p21.3-p15.3 (8–25 cM) provided a meta Lod of 3.5. Although region was implicated primarily in the Nigerian subjects the low-level but consistent support involving the African American families (individual Lod score of 1.0) suggests a novel QTL with respect to BP variation in individuals of black ethnicity. Conclusions Follow-up studies involving positional cloning efforts of the combined families showing linkage evidence in these regions (particularly 2p) may be warranted to verify these findings and identify the genes and causative variants.
An electron spin resonance study on the gamma-irradiation of urea, urea-d4, 1,3-dimethylurea, 1,3-diethylurea and 1,1',3,3'-tetramethylurea

Abstract Urea, urea-d 4 , 1,3-dimethylurea, 1,3-diethylurea powder and 1,1',3,3'-tetramethylurea, and their solutions in D 2 O were γ-irradiated with 0.0882 kGy both at room temperature and at 77 K. The product radicals were identified with X-band electron spin resonance, based on the g-factor and hyperfine coupling constants. The radicals formed from urea and urea-d 4 were identified as nitrogen-centered and resulted from N-H bond dissociation. The radicals produced from 1,3-dimethylurea, 1,3-diethylurea and 1,1',3,3'-tetramethylurea were identified as carbon-centered and resulted from C-H bond cleavage. The electron spin resonance signals of 1,3-dimethylurea, 1,3-diethylurea and 1,1',3,3'-tetramethylurea are similar in both the powder and D 2 O solution. The radicals observed from 1,3-dimethylurea, 1,3-diethylurea and 1,1',3,3'-tetramethylurea were identified as . NH-Ch 2 , . NH-CHCH 3 and . N(CH 3 )(CH 2 ), respectively.
Developmental relationship between hematopoietic and endothelial cells

Blood (hematopoietic cells) and blood vessels (endothelial cells) develop from mesoderm via a transitional progenitor known as the hemangioblast. Flk-1, a receptor tyrosine kinase, and Scl, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, are two critical molecules functioning in this process. Recent studies have shown that Flk-1 expressing mesoderm contributes to the circulatory system, including hematopoietic, endothelial, smooth muscle, skeletal muscle, and cardiac muscle cells. Our studies suggest that hemangioblast specification within Flk-1 expressing mesoderm is regulated by Scl expression. Herein, we review studies that have utilized transgenic mouse models as well as an in vitro model of embryonic stem cell differentiation, both of which have greatly contributed to the current understanding of the cellular and molecular pathways regulating hemangioblast development and differentiation.
The production of 26Al in the early solar system by oxygen rich cosmic rays

Abstract Clayton and Jin[1] have proposed that the meteoritic 26 Al was produced by low energy cosmic rays in the early solar system through the 12 C( 16 O,x) 26 Al reaction. We have measured the yield of 26 Al from this reaction and find that it is too low to explain the meteorite observations.
A model for the prospective analysis of perinatal deaths in a perinatal network.

This prospective study assesses factors that contribute to perinatal mortality. The study population includes the 1362 perinatal deaths that occurred among 85,402 live births between 1983 and 1987 at hospitals of the University of Chicago Perinatal Network. After peer review of demographic, clinical, and pathologic data, each perinatal death was classified in one of the following categories: (1) the result of congenital malformation incompatible with life, (2) unavoidable, (3) potentially avoidable by patient, by health provider, or by both, or (4) of undetermined responsibility. Of 1362 deaths, 12.3% involved congenital malformations incompatible with life, 56.9% were classified as unavoidable, 28.1 % were judged potentially avoidable, and 2.7% due to undetermined causes. Of potentially avoidable deaths, 36% were due to patient factors (primarily noncompliance), 59% to health provider factors, and 15% to combined patient and provider factors. There was a significant reduction in the potentially avoidable cases during the study period. The maximum attainable reduction in perinatal mortality under optimal conditions is calculated. Intervention plans to achieve this goal are discussed. (Ann J OBSTET GYNECOL 1990;162:15-22.)
Transcutaneous glucose sensing by surface-enhanced spatially offset Raman spectroscopy in a rat model.

This letter presents the first quantitative, in vivo, transcutaneous glucose measurements using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Silver film over nanosphere (AgFON) surfaces were functionalized with a mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM) and implanted subcutaneously in a Sprague−Dawley rat. The glucose concentration was monitored in the interstitial fluid. SER spectra were collected from the sensor chip through the skin using spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS). The combination of SERS and SORS is a powerful new approach to the challenging problem of in vivo metabolite and drug sensing.
A vertical flow chamber for Xenopus oocyte electrophysiology and automated drug screening

Abstract Xenopus laevis oocytes are used extensively in the study of ion channel coupled receptors. Efficient use of oocytes for ion channel characterization requires a system that is inherently stable, reproducible, minimizes drug volumes, and maximizes oocyte longevity. We have constructed a vertical flow oocyte recording chamber to address the aforesaid issues, where the oocyte is placed in a funnel-shaped chamber and perfused from the bottom of the funnel. The vertical rather than horizontal flow of perfusate results in an unusually stable environment for oocyte recording. Two-electrode voltage clamp recordings from a single oocyte are acquired easily and routinely over several hours while maintaining stable baseline currents and reproducible response profiles. Chamber characteristics were tested using a serotonin ligand-gated ion channel receptor (5-HT 3 R). Data obtained from this system corresponds well with published data. To further test the stability and reliability of this perfusion chamber, we constructed an automated oocyte perfusion system utilizing a commonly available HPLC autosampler. We were able to obtain dose–response curves for various 5-HT 3A R ligands using the automated perfusion system with minimal user intervention. Such a system can easily satisfy need for automated oocyte electrophysiology in academic settings, especially small to medium sized laboratories.
A tetra-tert-butyl­calix­[4]­arene-12-crown-4 N,N-di­methyl­form­amide inclusion complex

The crown ether portion of the title complex, C50H66O6·C3H7NO, is not pre-organized for metal binding to the four calix­[4]­arene O atoms. N,N-Di­methyl­form­amide forms a hydrogen-bond bridge between two calix­[4]­arene–crown mol­ecules.
INTENSIVE RESPIRATORY CARE: ADVANCES IN MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

: Significant advances in the physiological concepts, diagnosis and therapy of respiratory failure are reviewed. The etiology of the respiratory failure in a given patient can be deduced by studying the ventilation, perfusion, diffusion and distribution of the inspired air. This assessment and a knowledge of the mechanics of ventilation are essential for the determination of specific therapy. Curves for bicarbonate and arterial carbon dioxide tension in animals, in normal persons and in patients with chronic pulmonary disease are discussed with regard to their clinical applications. Cardiovascular complications and neuromuscular and cerebrovascular changes due to acute relative hypocapnia and hyperbasemia induced by inadvertent mechanical hyperventilation are the most common hazards of artificial or assisted ventilation. Clinical and chemical recognition of these states by means of blood gas analyses enables prompt correction, accomplished by increasing deadspace ventilation, reducing the respiratory rate, and giving acetazolamide. In respiratory failure, the administration of oxygen is essential for the correction of hypoxia. When the respiratory failure is caused by an acute exacerbation of chronic pulmonary disease, the corrective oxygen concentrations should be kept strictly within the range of 21 to 35 per cent.
Pharmacology of palliative medicine.

Objective To describe the concepts of both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and how it applies to palliative medicine. Data sources Research and review articles and textbooks. Conclusion Most patients who have an illness that requires palliation are elderly, have co-morbid conditions, and are on many medications. Both age and disease can alter the way drugs are handled by the body (pharmacokinetics) and how they affect the body (pharmacodynamics). Implications for nursing practice The oncology nurse, armed with the correct knowledge about medications, can have an important impact on improving the patient's care, safety, and quality of life.
Smoking susceptibility among students followed from grade six to eight.

Abstract Background Smoking is a leading risk factor for heart disease and cancer. By identifying factors associated with smoking onset, more effective prevention programs can be developed. Research questions are 1) does smoking susceptibility status change from grade six to eight, 2) are indicators of risk (perceived harm, smoking susceptibility status, positive peers, and resilience) measured in sixth grade associated with smoking susceptibility status in eighth grade and, 3) are there differences by gender in either research question? Methods The current study is a secondary analysis of data collected during the evaluation of a Safe Schools Healthy Students Project. Students were followed from grade six to grade eight, with survey data collected in each grade from August 2006 to December 2008. Participants (n = 577) were in grade six at baseline, 52% were girls and 57% identified as White, non-Hispanic. Results From grade six to grade eight the number of students in the high smoking susceptibility status doubled (5% to 17%). More boys than girls moved into the high susceptibility group over time. By eighth grade, boys were twice as likely to belong to the high smoking susceptibility group compared to girls (p = 0.01). Multiple logistic regression models showed that the positive peers' variable in grade six was protective for girls in their reported smoking susceptibility in grade eight. In contrast, higher resilience scores in grade six were protective for boys' reported smoking susceptibility in grade eight. Conclusions Smoking susceptibility rose over time for all adolescents, but boys had notably sharper increases. Positive peers and having resources important to resilience may be beneficial in preventing the attitudes that support smoking initiation. Based on these results, we recommend gender-tailored, school-based smoking prevention programs that begin in grade six.
The Many Lives of Linus Pauling: A Review of Reviews

Several recent books have tried to come to terms with Pauling's chameleon-like personality. These books have been widely reviewed.