cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of an eccentric severe stenosis on fibrin(ogen) deposition on severely damaged vessel wall in arterial thrombosis. Relative contribution of fibrin(ogen) and platelets.

BACKGROUNDCoronary thrombosis is a dynamic process dependent on the pathological substrate, the local shear forces, and blood factors.METHODS AND RESULTSWe investigated the effect of a severe (80%) eccentric stenosis on fibrin(ogen) interaction with a deeply damaged vessel wall, its relation to platelet deposition in thrombus formation, and the influence of time on thrombus growth. Porcine 125I-fibrinogen and autologous 111In-platelets were injected into pigs instrumented for extracorporeal circulation and treated with low-dose heparin (aPTT ratio < 1.5) that has been previously shown and herein confirmed not to affect platelet and/or fibrin(ogen) attachment. Tunica media, as a model of severely injured vessel wall, was mounted in a tubular perfusion chamber containing an eccentric axisymmetric sinusoidal stenosis obstructing the lumen and exposed for 1, 5, and 10 minutes to perfusing blood. A shear rate of 424 s-1 at the laminar, parallel parabolic local flow perfused segments one to two orders of magnit...
Optimization of systems governed by hyperbolic partial differential equation with equality and inequality constraints

An optimal control problem involving nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations, which includes restrictions on controls and equality and inequality constraints on the terminal states, is formulated. Using this problem, a framework for obtaining (first order) necessary conditions for control problems governed by partial differential equations with equality and inequality constraints is developed.
Wave Run-Up and Wave Forces on a Truncated Cylinder

The results of a small scale experimental study to investigate the wave run-up and wave forces on a truncated cylinder, representing a single TLP leg are presented. The
Tracing the origin of Arctic driftwood

Tracking the origin of driftwood samples could help scientists to reconstruct past currents in the Arctic Ocean, a new study suggests. Arctic currents are likely to be affected by changing climate, but there are few observations that provide evidence on past ocean current dynamics.
Demographic characteristics, migration traumatic events and psychological distress among Sri Lankan Tamil refugees: a preliminary analysis

The objective of this preliminary analysis is to examine the differences in risk factors by host country in addition to overall risk factors based on demographic features of Sri Lankan Tamil refugee participants. This original research used a two -group comparison, cross-sectional design to conduct a pilot study among Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Canada and India. Statistical analyses that compared the mean number of pre-migration trauma events for those in Canada (M = 10.98, SD = 4.77) to those in India (M = 6.63, SD = 4.65) was found to be statistically significant at an alpha level of 0.05, t(81) = −4.20, p < 0.001, indicating that those living in Canada had experienced more pre-migration traumatic events. Research results also indicate that post-migration traumatic events for those in Canada were statistically significant (M = 5.12, SD = 1.23) at an alpha level of 0.05, t(69.26) = −2.66, p = 0.010, indicating that those living in Canada had experienced more post-migration traumatic events. A deeper an...
Thin films of a-SiGe:H with device quality properties prepared by a novel hollow cathode deposition technique

Abstract Using a novel hollow cathode plasma-jet reactive sputtering system in which an intense plasma, ignited in an Ar/H2 flow, is directed through silicon and germanium nozzles, a series of a-SiGe:H thin films have been prepared on silicon and on glass substrates. These films have been optically characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy, surface Raman spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry (335–1000 nm). Total hydrogen concentrations, as determined by FTIR, varied with deposition conditions and ranged from 2.5×1021 to 1.6×1022 atom cm−3 and correlated with secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) elemental analyses to within 10%. The ellipsometric spectra of the films have been fitted with a modified Tauc–Lorentz model for the determination of film properties, including thickness (ranging from 400 to 1100 nm) along with film uniformity and surface roughness. Conductivity measurements in the dark and under simulated AM1 solar illumination have indicated that the films grown exhibit device-quality properties. The light-to-dark conductivity ratio has consistently been greater than 1000 for films with bandgaps down to 1.3 eV. Relationships between deposition parameters, light-and-dark conductivity properties, and chemical structural features are discussed.
Therapeutic effects of ruxolitinib in patients with myelofibrosis without clinically significant splenomegaly

To the editor: Ruxolitinib is the first JAK inhibitor approved as therapy for high- and intermediate-risk myelofibrosis (MF). Two phase 3 trials have shown that ruxolitinib provides significant clinical benefit to patients with MF by reducing spleen size and ameliorating debilitating disease-
Cerebral metabolic effects of glycerol infusion in diabetics with stroke.

Abstract Measurement of cerebral blood flow and metabolism before and after intravenous infusion of 10% glycerol was investigated in 22 patients with acute cerebral ischemia, 10 of whom had diabetes mellitus and 12 of whom did not. In diabetic patients, resulting increases of hemispheric blood flow and reduction of oxygen consumption and CO 2 production were not significant whereas these changes in the non-diabetic group were significant. In diabetics cerebral glucose consumption and glucose:oxygen utilization ratio increased significantly but remained unchanged in non-diabetics. Following glycerol infusion, release of free fatty acids and inorganic phosphate from the infarcted hemisphere was diminished or reversed in both groups. It is postulated that the differences in cerebral metabolic responses to glycerol among an acute stroke population with diabetes compared to a similar group with acute stroke but without diabetes may be accounted for by the depressed cerebral glucose consumption in diabetics resulting from elevated blood levels of β-hydroxybutyrate, which tends to be reversed by the antiketogenic effect of glycerol and/or by the greater rise in blood glucose in diabetics following glycerol administration. Hence glycerol would not reduce cerebral oxygen consumption and CO 2 production in the diabetics as much as in the non-diabetics although the release of cerebral free fatty acids and inorganic phosphate from the infarcted brain would be reduced or reversed in both groups. It is concluded that intravenous glycerol infusion may improve uncoupled cerebral oxidative phosphorylation or provide the brain with an additional source of high energy phosphate bonds (ATP production) such as glycerol phosphate.
Epidemiology of urinary tract infections : Transmission and risk factors, incidence, and costs

Uropathogenic E. coli have special features that allow them to take advantage of the bladder environment. There UPEC can grow to substantial numbers in pure culture that are shed frequently into the environment and have a high probability of transmission to other hosts. A better understanding of the transmission system and the host and bacterial factors influencing transmission is essential for the identification of effective prevention strategies. Although the risk of severe morbidity among otherwise healthy populations is low, the incidence is high. Further, the potential impact of antibiotic treatment on the emergence of increasingly antibiotic-resistant UPEC (the resistant mechanisms that may be transmitted to other bowel inhabitants) is high. The benefits of successfully preventing UTI are substantial.
The Utility of the Proximate-Ultimate Dichotomy in Ethology

We defend the organizing principle that there are fundamentally different levels of analysis in biology, notably proximate and ultimate. Despite recent claims to the contrary, the proximate-ultimate distinction is a true dichotomy, not an artificial division of a continuum. Acceptance of this dichotomy does not imply that ultimate questions are of greater importance than those dealing with proximate mechanisms, nor does it result in confusion of current reproductive consequences with evolutionary causes.
A digital time scale at the National Institute for Standards and Technology

A novel, all-digital measurement system has been developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as an alternative to the traditional analog approach to measuring time differences between the outputs of atomic standards used in the implementation of an ensemble time scale. The novel approach has been demonstrated viable for time scale applications and we are now working toward a full implementation of the system in an all-digital time scale.
Cardiomyocyte health: adapting to metabolic changes through autophagy

Autophagy is important in the heart for maintaining homeostasis when changes in nutrient levels occur. Autophagy is involved in the turnover of cellular components, and is rapidly upregulated during stress. Studies have found that autophagy is reduced in metabolic disorders including obesity and diabetes. This leads to accumulation of protein aggregates and dysfunctional organelles, which contributes to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Autophagy is primarily regulated by two components: the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Although mTOR integrates information about growth factors and nutrients and is a negative regulator of autophagy, AMPK is an energy sensor and activates autophagy when energy levels are low. These pathways therefore present targets for the development of autophagy-modulating therapies.
Effect of comorbid symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder on responses to atomoxetine in children with ADHD: a meta-analysis of controlled clinical trial data

Up to 60% of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) suffer from comorbid affective or behavioral impairments, the most common condition being oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), which occurs in 40–60% of children with ADHD. This post hoc meta-analysis was performed to determine the effect of the presence of comorbid ODD symptoms on clinical outcomes among pediatric and adolescent subjects being treated for ADHD. Acute-phase data were analyzed from three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in outpatients aged 6–16 and meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, criteria for ADHD. Subjects received placebo or atomoxetine (max 1.8 mg/kg/day, daily) for 6–8 weeks. Patients were diagnosed with comorbid ODD on structured diagnostic interview (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-aged Children—Present and Lifetime Versions). Of the 512 subjects studied, 158 were diagnosed with comorbid ODD. Relative to placebo, atomoxetine treatment significantly reduced ADHD symptoms in both ODD-comorbid and noncomorbid subjects irrespective of the comorbidity with ODD. ADHD subjects also showed significant improvements from baseline on most of the psychosocial measures of the child health questionnaire irrespective of the comorbidity with ODD. Reduction in ODD symptoms was highly related to the magnitude of ADHD response. Atomoxetine treatment significantly reduced ADHD symptoms in both ODD-comorbid and noncomorbid subjects to similar extents, indicating that the presence of comorbid symptoms of oppositionality does not affect clinical outcomes of treatment of ADHD with atomoxetine.
Reproductive impairment and induction of alkaline-labile phosphate, a biomarker of estrogen exposure, in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to waterborne 17β-estradiol

The objectives of this research were: (1) to assess the effects of waterborne 17β-estradiol [E2; (17β)-estra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17-diol; CAS RN 50-28-2] on the reproduction of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) as a benchmark to which xeno-estrogens can be compared, and (2) to correlate the effects on reproductive function with plasma vitellogenin expression, measured as alkaline-labile phosphorous. Histopathological changes were also noted but are reported elsewhere. Duplicate groups of six fish (3 male and 3 female) were exposed to waterborne E2 at nominal concentrations of 10, 1, and 0.1 nM (2724, 272.4, and 27.24 ng l−1) administered via a flow-through proportional diluter apparatus for 19 days. An ethanol carrier solvent was used at a final tank concentration of 1 ppm v/v in the treated tanks and in the solvent control tanks; the latter did not receive E2. Duplicate control tanks received neither ethanol nor E2. Dissolved E2 concentrations, measured throughout the exposure period using an ELISA, averaged 79% of nominal concentrations in the treated tanks. ELISA-detectable concentrations of E2 were found in all tanks (ranging from 3.5 to 15 ng E2 l−1), including the control and solvent control tanks, which indicated that fish in the untreated tanks may have been the source of some E2. The EC50 (concentration expected to cause 50% effect), based on measured E2 concentrations, for inhibition of egg production was 120 ng E2 l−1 (log10 EC50=2.08±1.22, ±S.E.). The EC50 for induction of vitellogenin (measured as plasma alkaline-labile phosphate) in males was 251 ng E2 l−1 (log10 EC50=2.40±0.33, ±S.E.). No vitellogenin induction plateau was observed in females, therefore no EC50 could be calculated. Egg production, expressed as eggs laid per female, was significantly correlated with plasma vitellogenin in both males (linear r2=0.46, P<0.03) and females (linear r2=0.81, P<0.0004), though the relationship was stronger with female plasma vitellogenin expression than with males. The primary effect of E2 exposure on female fathead minnows appeared to be alteration of the timing of recrudescence including vitellogenin production. Spawning was inhibited in a way that indicated that exposure to waterborne E2 may have `reset' the cycle of recrudescence toward the beginning of the oogenic cycle. Vitellogenin induction in male fathead minnows was strongly correlated with E2 exposure, but less so with egg production. The results of this experiment link a biochemical indicator of waterborne estrogen exposure, vitellogenin, with a reproductive performance indicator, egg production, an important parameter affecting fish populations in the environment.
Changes in the human visually evoked cortical potential in response to chromatic modulation of a sinusoidal grating

Abstract Human visually evoked cortical potentials (VECPs) were recorded from 4 subjects in response to the counterphase alternation of an equal brightness chromatic grating pattern. The pattern was constructed from 2 monochromatic sinusoidal gratings registered 180 deg out of phase. Eleven wavelengths from 450 to 650 nm (at 20 nm intervals) were used. Each wavelength was paired in the grating stimulus with every other to produce a total of 55 different chromatic gratings. The chromatic modulation depth (contrast) of each grating was varied and resulting VECPs were recorded. VECP amplitude was found to vary linearly with log chromatic modulation depth. VECP threshold values were inferred by extrapolation of linear regression lines to zero VECP amplitude. Chromatic modulation sensitivity functions were derived and a multidimensional scaling analysis of the data for each subject was performed. The data were adequately described by a two-dimensional geometric configuration of the 11 wavelengths used. The configurations were similar in shape to those obtained psychophysically by Butler and Riggs (1978) Vision Res . 18 , 1407–1416, who used a similar stimulus pattern. Their shapes are consistent with an opponent-color model of color vision.
Comparison of Beliefs about Advertising, Attitude toward Advertising, and Materialism Held by African Americans and Caucasians

This research investigated the relationship between advertising and materialism across African-American and Caucasian groups (87 students and 79 community adults) as well as general attitude toward advertising and beliefs about advertising. The association between attitude toward advertising and materialism was positive. The African-American respondents held more materialistic values than their Caucasian peers; they exhibited a more favorable general attitude toward advertising and held more favorable beliefs about advertising. These findings are consistent with the criticism that advertising is at least connected with materialistic values in our society.
The early development of the thymus glands in amia calva

Three pairs of thymus primordia are found at 6 to 6.5 mm. on the dorsal lateral ends of the second, third and fourth visceral pouches. Those on each side after fusing by growth and migratin come to lie above the third visceral pouch, whence the thymus migrates upward and backward; growing in size, it stretches above the ends of all the gill pouches. It pushes inward into the mesenchyme at 12 to 13 mm. and becomes perforated and surrounded by blood vessels and connective tissue which separate it almost completely from the epithelium. No septa are found; occasionally the third primordium fails to fuse and forms a separate lobe. The early thymus is a syncytium in which are found lymphoblasts, identified by structure of the cytosome and its behavior during mitosis. Evidence is presented that lymphoblasts migrate into the thymus where they increase in number with corresponding increase in length of cytoplasmic bridges and size of intercellular spaces. At 10 mm. begins a rapid increase in size of the thymus and in number of lymphoblasts and decrease in size of the latter, culminating at 12 to 13 mm. in their transformation into thymocytes. A medulla associated with blood vessels is unmistakable at 30 mm.
Hypertension Following Kidney Transplantation

Patients often have hypertension after successful kidney transplantation. In the long term, this hypertension adds to patient mortality and morbidity. The widespread use of cyclosporine appears to have changed the nature of posttransplantation hypertension. In humans, cyclosporine-associated hypertension seems to involve sodium retention and stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system.
Insertional inactivation of oprD in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa leading to carbapenem resistance

Recently, a Texas, USA hospital isolated seven Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains displaying dual resistance to fluoroquinolones and imipenem. These isolates were resistant to the fluoroquinolones through overexpression of the MexXY efflux pump and/or QRDR mutations and resistant to imipenem through downregulation of oprD transcription. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the molecular events responsible for decreased transcriptional expression of oprD in these strains. Expression of oprD could only be detected in two of the strains, but expression was very low as indicated by the high number of RT-PCR cycles required to amplify the product. PCR was performed to amplify the oprD gene using primers upstream of the promoter and downstream of the structural gene. Amplified products were sequenced, and sequences were compared to wild-type P. aeruginosa strain PAO1. Two isolates provided PCR products of the predicted size of 1586 bp, but sequencing revealed a single base change within the structural gene resulting in a premature stop codon. The other five isolates provided PCR products that were 1.3–1.6 kb larger than expected, suggesting the presence of large inserts. Sequence analysis indicated these inserts were novel insertion sequence elements transposed into different locations within oprD. In summary, loss of OprD in all seven isolates was associated with mutations or insertions within oprD. Although the point mutations that resulted in premature stop codons would explain the loss of the OprD protein in two isolates. This observation does not explain the observed decrease in transcriptional expression. This is the first report of carbapenem resistance occurring through insertional inactivation of the oprD gene by IS elements.
Identification of a Potent Peptide Deformylase Inhibitor from a Rationally Designed Combinatorial Library

Peptide deformylase catalyzes the removal of the N-terminal formyl group from nascent polypeptides during prokaryotic protein synthesis and maturation and is essential for bacterial survival. Its apparent absence from mammalian organisms makes it an attractive target for designing novel antibacterial agents. Based on the substrate specificity of peptide deformylase from Escherichia coli, a focused library of peptide thiols was synthesized on TentaGel resin using a disulfide linkage. Screening of the library against the purified deformylase was carried out in solution phase after the inhibitors were released from the resin with a reducing agent. A potent deformylase inhibitor was obtained from a 750-member library and was further optimized through rational modification into a low nanomolar inhibitor (KI = 15 nM against E. coli deformylase).
Environmental Justice and Regional Inequality in Southern California: Implications for Future Research

Environmental justice offers researchers new insights into the juncture of social inequality and public health and provides a framework for policy discussions on the impact of discrimination on the environmental health of diverse communities in the United States. Yet, causally linking the presence of potentially hazardous facilities or environmental pollution with adverse health effects is difficult, particularly in situations in which diverse populations are exposed to complex chemical mixtures. A community-academic research collaborative in southern California sought to address some of these methodological challenges by conducting environmental justice research that makes use of recent advances in air emissions inventories and air exposure modeling data. Results from several of our studies indicate that communities of color bear a disproportionate burden in the location of treatment, storage, and disposal facilities and Toxic Release Inventory facilities. Longitudinal analysis further suggests that facility siting in communities of color, not market-based "minority move-in," accounts for these disparities. The collaborative also investigated the health risk implications of outdoor air toxics exposures from mobile and stationary sources and found that race plays an explanatory role in predicting cancer risk distributions among populations in the region, even after controlling for other socioeconomic and demographic indicators. Although it is unclear whether study results from southern California can be meaningfully generalized to other regions in the United States, they do have implications for approaching future research in the realm of environmental justice. The authors propose a political economy and social inequality framework to guide future research that could better elucidate the origins of environmental inequality and reasons for its persistence.
Spectroscopically distinct sites present in methyltrioxorhenium grafted onto silica-alumina, and their abilities to initiate olefin metathesis.

Deposition of CH3ReO3 onto the surface of dehydrated, amorphous silica−alumina generates a highly active, supported catalyst for the metathesis of olefins. However, silica−alumina with a high (10 wt %) Re loading is no more active than silica−alumina with low (1 wt %) loading, while CH3ReO3 on silica is completely inactive. Catalysts prepared by grafting CH3ReO3 on silica−alumina contain two types of spectroscopically distinct sites. The more strongly bound sites are responsible for olefin metathesis activity and are formed preferentially at low Re loadings (≤1 wt %). They are created by two Lewis acid/base interactions: (1) the coordination of an oxo ligand to an Al center of the support and (2) interaction of one of the adjacent bridging oxygens (AlOSi) with the Re center. At higher Re loadings (1−10 wt %), CH3ReO3 also interacts with surface silanols by H-bonding. This gives rise to highly mobile sites, most of which can be observed by 13C solid-state NMR even without magic-angle spinning. Their forma...
Practical Alternative Synthesis of 1-(8-Fluoro-naphthalen-1-yl)piperazine

Convergent synthesis of 8-fluoronaphthalen-1-ylamine (6) was achieved through the reaction of 1H-naphtho[1,8-de][1,2,3]triazine (15) with HF-pyridine under mild conditions. This new synthesis for the preparation of 6 overcame many scale-up challenges that exist in the methods reported in the literature and provided a practical alternative synthesis of 1-(8-fluoronaphthalen-1-yl)piperazine (1).
Morphologies and transformations of celestite in seawater: The role of acantharians in strontium and barium geochemistry

Abstract Free-drifting sediment traps deployed at 400, 1500, and 3200 m were used to collect particles near the US JGOFS Time-Series Station (31°49.5′N and 64°08.2′ W) in the Atlantic Ocean. Acantharian specimens isolated from our samples were abundant at the 400-m depth horizon and were rare to non-existent in our 1500-m traps. No specimens were detected in the 3200-m traps. This trend parallels those noted for the Pacific and has been linked to the oceans' Sr Cl profiles. Our collections revealed the presence of myriad, heretofore undocumented, minute SrSO 4 particles. These particles are most likely related to the acantharian reproductive cycle. The extreme abundance of acantharians and acanthari-anderived particles may have implications beyond the oceans' Sr budgets. Barium/strontium molar ratios in acantharian-derived celestite on the order of 3 sx 10 −3 indicate that acantharians may play an important role in oceanic Ba cycling.
Major and trace element and Sr‐Nd isotope signatures of the northern Lau Basin lavas: Implications for the composition and dynamics of the back‐arc basin mantle

[1] We present new major element, trace element and Sr-Nd isotope analyses of volcanic glasses from Mangatolu Triple Junction (MTJ), Peggy Ridge (PR), Rochambeau Bank (RB), and Niuafo'ou Island (NF) within the northern Lau Basin (NLB). Lavas from MTJ range from tholeiitic basalts to basaltic andesites and andesites: such a lava series can be ascribed to fractional crystallization. Lavas from NF, RB and PR are mainly tholeiitic basalts save for two transitional basalts from RB. The lavas came from a compositionally heterogeneous mantle that exhibits compositional features similar to those of the mantle source of Indian mid-ocean basalt and bears the influence of both subduction and ocean island basalt (OIB) components. The subduction components consist mainly of fluid dehydrated from subducted oceanic crust and a minor amount of sediment melt. The geochemically enriched signature of enriched RB, PR and NF lavas comes from two OIB end-member components, most likely derived from enriched Samoan mantle plume materials leaking into NLB. The Rochambeau Rifts (RR)-RB corridor receives the greatest, although still variable, influence from the mantle source of Samoan shield magmatism whereas the outlying PR and NF regions experience a Samoan plume post-erosional type of magmatism. The relatively recent mixing of Samoan plume materials with the subduction-metasomatized Indian-type mantle may be responsible for some of the observed complex relationships between noble gases and other geochemical tracers in some NLB lavas.
Experimental Study of the Spray Characteristics of a Research Airblast Atomizer

Airblast atomization was studied using a especially designed atomizer in which the liquid first impinges on a splash plate, then is directed radially outward and is atomized by the air passing through two concentric, vaned swirlers that swirl the air in opposite directions. The effect of flow conditions, air mass velocity (mass flow rate per unit area) and liquid to air ratio on the mean drop size was studied. Seven different ethanol solutions were used to simulate changes in fuel physical properties. The range of atomizing air velocities was from 30 to 80 m/s. The mean drop diameter was measured at ambient temperature (295 K) and atmospheric pressure.
Factor IXa as a target for anticoagulation in thrombotic disorders and conditions

From acute coronary syndrome (ACS) to the prevention of cardioembolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation and thrombosis of mechanical heart valves, there is a quest to develop a new generation of anticoagulants. Perhaps the 'holy grail' of antithrombotic therapy is not only a drug that will prevent coagulation without promoting bleeding but also an anticoagulant that is easily reversible should the clinical need arise. Further, an optimally designed anticoagulant would have broad applications to include arterial, venous, hybrid conditions (atrial flutter and fibrillation) and nonbiological materials. Factor (F)IXa plays a pivotal part in tissue factor (TF)-mediated thrombin generation, and therefore represents a potentially promising target for drug development. FIXa activity has been targeted by multiple modalities, including oral inhibitors, RNA aptamers, monoclonal antibodies and synthetic active-site-blocking competitive inhibitors. Herein, we summarize the biochemistry of FIXa as it applies to thrombotic disorders and conditions, as well as the evolution of targeted therapies.
Endoscopic Septoplasty: Indications, Technique, and Results

Endoscopic septoplasty is an attractive alternative to traditional "headlight" approaches to septoplasty. The primary advantage of the technique is the ability to reduce morbidity and postoperative swelling in isolated septal deviations by limiting the dissection to the area of the deviation. This ability to markedly reduce the extent of subperichondrial dissection is particularly valuable in patients who have undergone prior septal cartilage resection. Other advantages include improved visualization, particularly in posterior septal deformities; improved surgical transition between septoplasty and sinus surgery; and its use as an effective teaching tool. We present our experience with endoscopic septoplasty in a series of 111 patients. Surgical indications, technique, and complications are discussed.
Evaluation of Rice Cultivars Grown in North America for Resistance to the Rice Water Weevil

A total of 106 cultivars of rice, Oryza sativa (L.), introduced, selected, or developed in the United States since the 1700s were evaluated for resistance to rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, larval infestation, and adult foliage feeding in 1979 and 1980. The Phihppine cultivars Bontoc, Finindoc, and Carangiang; Nira, a pure line selection from an unknown Philippine variety: and Dawn, a hybrid with Philippine parents, all had significantly (P 30 larvae per core) larval populations.
Complete and ‘incomplete’ [2 × 2] grids by self-assembly with a sterically hindered ditopic imidazole hydrazone ligand—structural and magnetic studies

A ditopic hydrazone ligand (ioap) synthesized from the condensation of 4-methyl-5-imidazole carboxylic acid hydrazide with the iminoester of 2-pyridinecarbonitrile formed targeted [2 × 2] M4L4 (M = Cu(II), Ni(II); L = ioap) grids, and a mixed oxidation state dinuclear cobalt complex. An ‘incomplete’ trinuclear M3L4 (M = Mn(II)) grid, based on a [2 × 2] grid architecture, resulting from steric congestion of the imidazole methyl-substituent, was also produced. These results lead to the suggestion of one possible route to the self-assembly pathway of the [2 × 2] grids. The Mn(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes have hydrazone oxygen bridges between metal centres, which lead to antiferromagnetic exchange in the Mn(II)3 and Ni(II)4 cases, but, due to the presence of orthogonal bridging connections, to ferromagnetic exchange for the Cu(II)4 example. Structural and magnetic properties are discussed based on the bridging connections.
Performance in appropriate Rh testing and treatment with Rh immunoglobulin in the emergency department.

Study objective The quality measure "Rh immunoglobulin administration for Rh-negative women at risk for fetal blood exposure" was recently endorsed by the National Quality Forum. No published data have shown a related performance gap in US emergency departments (EDs). We determine performance in a US ED for appropriate Rh testing and treatment among pregnant ED patients at risk of fetal blood exposure. Methods This was a retrospective, observational study in an urban, academic ED with 97,000 annual visits. We performed record review of all pregnant ED patients aged 14 to 50 years and presenting between June 1, 2009, and June 1, 2010, to determine whether a sensitizing event or a potential sensitizing event occurred and whether Rh testing and treatment with Rh immunoglobulin were performed when indicated. Performance rates were calculated under 2 different assumptions for patients without Rh testing ordered in the ED but who had previous data in the electronic medical record: (1) unless explicitly documented by the treating physician, previous Rh data were considered as not having been checked; and (2) when available in the electronic medical record, Rh status was always considered as having been checked. Interrater reliability was assessed for whether a trauma represented a sensitizing event. Results Among 1,465 patients identified, 808 met inclusion criteria; 560 had a sensitizing event and 248 had a potential sensitizing event. Interrater reliability for determination of sensitizing event or potential sensitizing event in trauma was moderate (κ=0.42). Performance rates for Rh testing among patients with sensitizing events, with potential sensitizing events, and overall were 73% (95% confidence interval [CI] 69% to 76%) (408/560), 36% (95% CI 31% to 43%) (90/248), and 62% (95% CI 58% to 65%) (498/808). Appropriate treatment for patients with a sensitizing event, with a potential sensitizing event, and overall was 56% (95% CI 39% to 71%) (19/34), 0% (95% CI 0% to 49%) (0/5), and 48% (95% CI 33% to 63%) (19/39). Assuming that physicians were aware of previous Rh results yielded performance rates of 96% (95% CI 93% to 97%) (535/560), 73% (95% CI 67% to 78%) (181/248), and 89% (95% CI 86% to 91%) (716/808) and treatment performance rates of 54% (95% CI 38% to 69%) (20/37), 0% (95% CI 0% to 30%) (0/11), and 42% (95% CI 29% to 56%) (20/48). Conclusion In this single-center study, among patients with a sensitizing event, performance was moderate for Rh testing and treatment with Rh immunoglobulin. Despite lack of consensus or uncertainties in certain measure definitions, in at least 1 US academic ED there appears to be an opportunity for further evaluation and performance improvement in this area.
Role of the amino-terminal domain of simian virus 40 early region in inducing tumors in secretin-expressing cells in transgenic mice

Background & Aims: The early region of simian virus 40 (SV40) encodes 2 transforming proteins, large T (Tag) and small t antigen, that produce neuroendocrine tumors in the intestine and the pancreas when expressed in secretin cells of transgenic mice. Methods: Two SV40 early-region transgenes containing a deletion that eliminated expression of the small t antigen were expressed in transgenic mice under control of the secretin gene. The 2 lines of mice, one expressing the native large T antigen and the other T antigen with a mutation in its N-terminal J domain, were examined to determine which biological activities of the SV40 early region were required for tumorigenesis. Results: Most animals expressing wild-type large T antigen developed pancreatic insulinomas and lymphomas and died between 3 and 6 months of age. However, small intestinal neoplasms were extremely rare in the absence of small t antigen expression. Transgenic lines expressing the J domain mutant failed to develop tumors. Conclusions: Transformation of secretin-producing enteroendocrine cells by SV40 requires functional cooperation between intact large T and small t oncoproteins. In contrast, large T antigen alone is sufficient to induce tumors in the endocrine pancreas and thymus.
Forced Convection Heat Transfer at an Inclined and Yawed Square Plate—Application to Solar Collectors

Experiments have been performed to determine the average heat transfer coefficients for forced convection airflow over a square plate that is inclined and yawed relative to the oncoming flow. The experiments involved mass transfer and were carried out via naphthalene sublimation technique, with air as the working fluid. By means of the analogy between heat and mass transfer, the results are presented in a form that can be used directly for heat transfer applications. The experiments encompassed a wide range of angles of yaw and angles of attack, and extended over a Reynolds number range from about 20,000 to 100,000. It was found that owing to three dimensional flow effects, the transfer coefficients were remarkably insensitive to both the angle of attack and the angle of yaw. This enabled all the results to be correlated by the equation j=0.931Re/sup -1/2/ (where j= (h/rhoc/sub p/Uinfinity) Pr/sup 2/3/) with an accuracy of +- 2 1/2 percent. The correlation equation was applied to the determination of the heat transfer coefficient for wind-related heat losses from a flat plate solar collector. It was demonstrated that the currently standard computational equation (which is, in reality, not well suited to the application) substantially overestimates the heatmore » transfer coefficient.« less
Vasopressin analog delays extinction of classically conditioned bradycardia.

Abstract Albino rabbits were subjected to Pavlovian (classical) conditioning and extinction of concomitant heart rate and eyeblink responses. Sixty minutes before each of three extinction sessions animals were treated with 5 or 20 μg/kg of deamino-dicarba-arginine-8-vasopressin or saline. Vasopressin treatment delayed extinction of bradycardiac conditioned responses but did not affect concomitant eyeblink conditioned responses. It was concluded that classically conditioned autonomic responses may be useful tools for studying the effects of peptides on learning.
Tetranychus Tumidus Banks versus Tetranychus Gloveri Banks (Acarina, Tetranychidae)

When Banks described these two species in 1900, the distinctions between them were based upon artifacts visible in the mounted specimens. At that time little was known concerning the reliable morphological features of the male aedeagus for taxonomy, and Banks described only females. In many genera of mites females are so similar that in some cases males must be examined to be certain of identification.
Linear stability analysis of a premixed flame with transverse shear

One-dimensional planar premixed flames propagating in a uniform flow are susceptible to hydrodynamic instabilities known (generically) as Darrieus–Landau instabilities. Here, we extend that hydrodynamic linear stability analysis to include a lateral shear. This generalization is a situation of interest for laminar and turbulent flames when they travel into a region of shear (such as a jet or shear layer). It is shown that the problem can be formulated and solved analytically and a dispersion relation can be determined. The solution depends on a shear parameter in addition to the wavenumber, thermal expansion ratio, and Markstein lengths. The study of the dispersion relation shows that perturbations have two types of behaviour as wavenumber increases. First, for small shear, we recover the Darrieus–Landau results except for a region at small wavenumbers, large wavelengths, that is stable. Initially, increasing shear has a stabilizing effect. But, for sufficiently high shear, the flame becomes unstable again and its most unstable wavelength can be much smaller than the Markstein length of the zero-shear flame. Finally, the stabilizing effect of low shear can make flames with negative Markstein numbers stable within a band of wavenumbers.
Occipitotemporal activation evoked by the perception of human bodies is modulated by the presence or absence of the face

We investigated the degree to which activation in regions of the brain known to participate in social perception is influenced by the presence or absence of the face and other body parts. Subjects continuously viewed a static image of a lecture hall in which actors appeared briefly in various poses. There were three conditions: Body-Face, in which the actor appeared with limbs, torso, and face clearly visible; Body-Only, in which the actor appeared with his or her face occluded by a book; and Face-Only, in which the actor appeared behind a podium with only face and shoulders visible. Using event-related functional MRI, we obtained strong activation in those regions previously identified as important for face and body perception. These included portions of the fusiform (FFG) and lingual gyri within ventral occipitotemporal cortex (VOTC), and portions of the middle occipital gyrus (corresponding to the previously defined extrastriate body area, or EBA) and posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) within lateral occipitotemporal cortex (LOTC). Activation of the EBA was strongest for the Body-Only condition; indeed, exposing the face decreased EBA activation evoked by the body. In marked contrast, activation in the pSTS was largest when the face was visible, regardless of whether the body was also visible. Activity within the lateral lingual gyrus and adjacent medial FFG was strongest for the Body-Only condition, while activation in the lateral FFG was greatest when both the face and body were visible. These results provide new information regarding the importance of a visible face in both the relative activation and deactivation of brain structures engaged in social perception.
Side by Side: What a Comparative Usability Study Told Us About a Web Site Redesign

Library Web sites must compete against easy-to-use sites, such as Google Scholar, Google Books, and Wikipedia, for students’ time and attention. Library Web sites must therefore be designed with aesthetics and user perceptions at the forefront. The Music and Performing Arts Library at Urbana-Champaign's Web site was overcrowded and in much need of a user-focused redesign. This article presents a usability study that compared participants’ use of the old site versus the new site to determine if performance improved on the redesigned site. Participants were asked to complete library-related tasks on both the old Web site and on the redesigned Web site to determine if they could both complete more tasks and complete tasks more quickly on the new site. Participants showed a marked improvement on the new site, and their “think-out-loud” responses to the tasks helped further improve site design and wording. Participants were also surveyed about their perceptions of ease of use and navigation on the old and new ...
Overweight and Obesity in Childhood: In Reply

Although the use of a substance-abuse model to treat overeating could prove beneficial, it would pose some challenges in that, unlike drugs and alcohol, food is necessary for life, is often readily accessible …
CLARITY for mapping the nervous system

With potential relevance for brain-mapping work, hydrogel-based structures can now be built from within biological tissue to allow subsequent removal of lipids without mechanical disassembly of the tissue. This process creates a tissue-hydrogel hybrid that is physically stable, that preserves fine structure, proteins and nucleic acids, and that is permeable to both visible-spectrum photons and exogenous macromolecules. Here we highlight relevant challenges and opportunities of this approach, especially with regard to integration with complementary methodologies for brain-mapping studies.
Interactive Effects of Insulin with Dihydrotestosterone on Adrenergic Tone in Isolated Rat Tail Arterial Rings

Reversal of sex-related differences in incidence of vascular diseases in Type II diabetics suggests that high circulating insulin may reverse normal differences in vascular actions of sex steroids. We have found that a high concentration of insulin can reverse small inhibitory actions of low estradiol on adrenergic tone in isolated arterial rings. Thus, we measured effects of high insulin on actions of dihydrotestosterone on adrenergic tone and specificity of these effects with respect to time of exposure to the steroid and its concentration. In the first of two studies, tail arterial rings from 16 male rats were incubated for 2 h with either dihydrotestosterone (0.0012 mumol/ L), insulin (0.5 mU/mL), dihydrotestosterone plus insulin, or vehicles. Rings were then contracted with norepinephrine administered cumulatively from 10(-9) to 10(-4) mol/L. Contractile responses to norepinephrine from 10(-7) to 10(-4) mol/L were increased by dihydrotestosterone in the absence (P < .05) but not in the presence of insulin. Also, norepinephrine's EC50 was reduced by dihydrotestosterone in the absence (P < .05) but not in the presence of insulin. In a second study (with rings from 12 more rats), the same low level of dihydrotestosterone failed to affect norepinephrine contractions acutely (that is, within 6 min), whereas much higher levels (12 and 120 mumol/L) rapidly inhibited the same contractions, independent of 2-h preincubation with insulin. Thus, prolonged exposure to a low physiological level of dihydrotestosterone enhances adrenergic tone, whereas acute exposure to high levels inhibits it. In addition, a high level of insulin specifically blunts the delayed enhancing effect of the low dihydrotestosterone. These results suggest possible mechanisms underlying sex-related differences in arterial vascular tone and the potential impact of hyperinsulinemia on such differences.
Corticotrophin-releasing factor receptors within the ventromedial hypothalamus regulate hypoglycemia-induced hormonal counterregulation

Recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia impair sympathoadrenal counterregulatory responses (CRRs) to a subsequent episode of hypoglycemia. For individuals with type 1 diabetes, this markedly increases (by 25-fold) the risk of severe hypoglycemia and is a major limitation to optimal insulin therapy. The mechanisms through which this maladaptive response occurs remain unknown. The corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) family of neuropeptides and their receptors (CRFR1 and CRFR2) play a critical role in regulating the neuroendocrine stress response. Here we show in the Sprague-Dawley rat that direct in vivo application to the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), a key glucose-sensing region, of urocortin I (UCN I), an endogenous CRFR2 agonist, suppressed (~55–60%), whereas CRF, a predominantly CRFR1 agonist, amplified (~50–70%) CRR to hypoglycemia. UCN I was shown to directly alter the glucose sensitivity of VMH glucose-sensing neurons in whole-cell current clamp recordings in brain slices. Interestingly, the suppressive effect of UCN I–mediated CRFR2 activation persisted for at least 24 hours after in vivo VMH microinjection. Our data suggest that regulation of the CRR is largely determined by the interaction between CRFR2-mediated suppression and CRFR1-mediated activation in the VMH.
The Onset of Blocking and Cyclogenesis in Southern Hemisphere Synoptic Flows: Linear Theory

Abstract A study is made of the instability properties of two instantaneous Southern Hemisphere synoptic flow fields. The growth rates, phase frequencies, perturbation streamfunctions and, for some modes, eddy heat and momentum fluxes of growing disturbances are obtained using a linear, spherical, five-level, quasi-geostrophic model. Both the zonally averaged and three-dimensional flow fields are studied and the eigenmodes are compared with the observed regions of the onset of blocking and of developing midlatitude cyclones. The two principal latitude bands of development are picked out by the instability solutions for the zonally averaged basic flows. For the three-dimensional basic states, the linear solutions reproduce the geographical locations of some of the principal regions of the onset of blocking and cyclogenesis reasonably well.