cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Platelet malondialdehyde production and aggregation responses induced by arachidonate, prostaglandin-G2, collagen, and epinephrine in 12 patients with storage pool deficiency

We assessed the integrity of the prostaglandin synthetic pathway by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) production and studied platelet aggregation responses to arachidonic acid and PGG2 in 12 patients with storage pool deficiency (SPD). Eight patients were deficient only in dense granules (delta-SPD) and four were deficient in both dense and alpha-granules (alpha delta-SPD). Production of MDA in response to arachidonic acid (AA), epinephrine, and collagen suggested that the transformation of AA to prostaglandin metabolites was normal in delta-SPD but abnormal in alpha delta-SPD and that the liberation of AA from phospholipids were abnormal in the majority of patients with SPD. Since the content of secretable adenosine diphosphate (ADP) is diminished in SPD platelets, the aggregation responses of these platelets to AA and PGG2 were studied to help answer the question whether these agents aggregate platelets directly or through release of endogenous ADP. Among patients with delta-SPD, aggregation by both AA and PGG2 was decreased in four albinos whose platelets were markedly deficient in ADP. In contrast, normal, or less strikingly abnormal, responses were observed in patients whose platelets either contained higher levels of platelet ADP or showed increased sensitivity to ADP. The more marked impaired responses to AA and PGG2 in patients with alpha delta-SPD suggest that substances derived from alpha-granules may also play a role in platelet aggregation by these agents. The aggregation responses in these patients with various types of SPD is consistent with a theory that granule-derived ADP mediates platelet aggregation by AA and PGG2.
Quantum 120 ° model on pyrochlore lattice: Orbital ordering in MnV 2 O 4

We present an analytical model of orbital ordering in vanadium spinel ${\text{MnV}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{4}$. The model is based on recent first-principles calculation indicating a strong trigonal distortion at the vanadium sites of this compound [S. Sarkar, T. Maitra, R. Valent\'{\i}, and T. Saha-Dasgupta Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 216405 (2009)]. At the single-ion level, the trigonal crystal field leaves a doubly degenerate atomic ground state and breaks the approximate rotational symmetry of ${t}_{2g}$ orbitals. We find that the effective interaction between the low-energy doublets is described by a quantum antiferromagnetic $120\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ model on the pyrochlore lattice. We obtain the classical ground state and show its stability against quantum fluctuations. The corresponding orbital order consisting of two inequivalent orbital chains is consistent with the experimentally observed tetragonal symmetry. A periodic modulation of electron density function along orbital chains is shown to arise from the staggering of local trigonal axes. In the presence of orbital order, single-ion spin anisotropy arising from relativistic spin-orbit interaction stabilizes the experimentally observed orthogonal magnetic structure.
Combining Edge Vector and Event Counter for Time-Dependent Power Behavior Characterization

Fine-grained program power behavior is useful in both evaluating power optimizations and observing power optimization opportunities. Detailed power simulation is time consuming and often inaccurate. Physical power measurement is faster and objective. However, fine-grained measurement generates enormous amounts of data in which locating important features is difficult, while coarse-grained measurement sacrifices important detail. We present a program power behavior characterization infrastructure that identifies program phases, selects a representative interval of execution for each phase, and instruments the program to enable precise power measurement of these intervals to get their time-dependent power behavior. We show that the representative intervals accurately model the fine-grained time-dependent behavior of the program. They also accurately estimate the total energy of a program. Our compiler infrastructure allows for easy mapping between a measurement result and its corresponding source code. We improve the accuracy of our technique over previous work by using edge vectors , i.e., counts of traversals of control-flow edges, instead of basic block vectors, as well as incorporating event counters into our phase classification. We validate our infrastructure through the physical power measurement of 10 SPEC CPU 2000 integer benchmarks on an Intel Pentium 4 system. We show that using edge vectors reduces the error of estimating total program energy by 35% over using basic block vectors, and using edge vectors plus event counters reduces the error of estimating the fine-grained time-dependent power profile by 22% over using basic block vectors.
Production and Innovative Applications of Cryogenic Solid Pellets

For over two decades Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been developing cryogenic pellet injectors for fueling hot, magnetic fusion plasmas. Cryogenic solid pellets of all three hydrogen isotopes have been produced in a size range of 1- to 10-mm diameter and accelerated to speeds from <100 to {approx}3000 m/s. The pellets have been formed discretely by cryocondensation in gun barrels and also by extrusion of cryogenic solids at mass flow rates up to {approx}0.26 g/s and production rates up to ten pellets per second. The pellets traverse the hot plasma in a fraction of a millisecond and continuously ablate, providing fresh hydrogenic fuel to the interior of the plasma. From this initial application, uses of this technology have expanded to include (1) cryogenic xenon drops or solids for use as a debris-less target in a laser plasma source of X-rays for advanced lithography systems, (2) solid argon and carbon dioxide pellets for surface cleaning or decontamination, and (3) methane pellets in a liquid hydrogen bath for use as an innovative moderator of cold neutrons. Methods of production and acceleration/transport of these cryogenic solids will be described, and examples will be given of their use in prototype systems.
ABCB1 transporter and Toll-like receptor 4 in trabecular meshwork cells

Purpose: The aqueous humor nourishes the avascular tissues of the anterior segment, and the trabecular meshwork (TM) plays a role in the efflux of endogenous substances and xenobiotics from the aqueous humor. ATP (ATP)-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily members respond to stressors such as hypoxia, cytokine signaling, and aging. The innate immune system within the TM, particularly Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and its ligands, e.g., low-molecularweight hyaluronic acid (LMW-HA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), plays a significant role in maintaining a normal environment in the anterior chamber. We hypothesize that the innate immune system may interact with ATP-binding cassette sub-family members ABCB1 (p-glycoprotein and multidrug resistance protein 1) to detoxify xenobiotics from the aqueous humor and in the TM. Methods: Cell lysates of human TM cells, RAW 264.7 macrophages, and PC12 cells were subjected to western blot analysis. The TM cells were positive for TLR4, ABCB1, and CYP3A5 and were negative for the ABCC1 transporter. Human TM cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages were plated on eight-well chamber slides at 5,000 cells/well overnight in 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) cell growth medium. The medium was changed to 0.1% FBS 2 h before treatment. Cells were challenged with 1 and 10 mM lactate, 100 ng LMW-HA (20 kDa), 100 ng high-molecular-weight HA (HMW-HA, 1,000 kDa), 100 ng LPS, and/or 100 μM naloxone for 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h. Calcein acetyoxymethyl ester (calcein AM; 0.25 μM) was added for 30 min as the reporting molecule. After calcein AM was administered, it was cleaved by an esterase into a fluorescent product that is normally transported out of the cell by ABCB1. Positive controls were 100 μM verapamil and 50 μM digoxin. After the challenge, the TM cells were fixed at 4 °C in 3% paraformaldehyde for 15 min, mounted with Vectashield and 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) mounting medium, and analyzed by a masked observer using a Leica confocal microscope and software. Results: Verapamil, an ABCB1 inhibitor, significantly (p<0.001) increased fluorescent calcein retention in the cyto plasm of the TM and RAW 264.7 cells compared to the PBS control. Digoxin, an ABCB1 activator, increased calcein efflux (p<0.001). Lactate reduced ABCB1 activity. HMW-HA significantly (p<0.001) reduced ABCB1 activity, whereas LMW-HA decreased ABCB1 activity, and the HA effects were blocked by naloxone (p<0.001), a TLR4 inhibitor. LPS alone did not change ABCB1 activity whereas dephosphorylated LPS significantly (p<0.001) enhanced ABCB1 activity in the TM cells. β-amyloid significantly reduced ABCB1 activity, and the β-amyloid effects were blocked by naloxone. Conclusions: TM cells are responsive to ABCB1 inhibitors and activators. ABCB1 functional activity is affected by TLR4 agonists suggesting that modulation of TLR4 is important in ABCB1 function. The innate immune inflammatory response in the TM may play a role in the ABCB1 detoxification of potentially harmful constituents in the aqueous humor.
BACOM2.0 facilitates absolute normalization and quantification of somatic copy number alterations in heterogeneous tumor

Most published copy number datasets on solid tumors were obtained from specimens comprised of mixed cell populations, for which the varying tumor-stroma proportions are unknown or unreported. The inability to correct for signal mixing represents a major limitation on the use of these datasets for subsequent analyses, such as discerning deletion types or detecting driver aberrations. We describe the BACOM2.0 method with enhanced accuracy and functionality to normalize copy number signals, detect deletion types, estimate tumor purity, quantify true copy numbers, and calculate average-ploidy value. While BACOM has been validated and used with promising results, subsequent BACOM analysis of the TCGA ovarian cancer dataset found that the estimated average tumor purity was lower than expected. In this report, we first show that this lowered estimate of tumor purity is the combined result of imprecise signal normalization and parameter estimation. Then, we describe effective allele-specific absolute normalization and quantification methods that can enhance BACOM applications in many biological contexts while in the presence of various confounders. Finally, we discuss the advantages of BACOM in relation to alternative approaches. Here we detail this revised computational approach, BACOM2.0, and validate its performance in real and simulated datasets.
Self-Determination Theory and First-Episode Psychosis: A Replication

Self-determination theory (SDT) posits that human well-being depends on the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Although many scholars have suggested that SDT may be relevant to psychotic disorders, only one empirical study of SDT in individuals with psychosis has been completed to date by Breitborde and colleagues (2012). This study revealed that individuals with first-episode psychosis reported lower satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs as compared to individuals without psychosis. Moreover, greater satisfaction of basic psychological needs was modestly associated with lower general symptoms (e.g., anxiety and depression), greater social functioning, and better quality of life. Thus, the goal of this project was to replicate Breitborde et al.’s (2012) investigation of basic psychological need satisfaction among individuals with first-episode psychosis. Our results supported the conclusion that individuals with first-episode psychosis report lower autonomy, competence, and relatedness than individuals without psychosis. Moreover, our results comport with the finding that greater need satisfaction was associated with less severe symptomatology and better social functioning and quality of life. In total, the findings lend further credence to the hypothesis that SDT may help to inform the development of improved clinical services for individuals with psychotic disorders.
Firing frequency response to current and conductance periodic inputs in a Ih/INap biophysical neuron model.

Various neurons exhibit membrane potential (or subthreshold) resonance [1], a peak in the subthreshold voltage amplitude response to oscillatory current inputs at a certain preferred (resonant) input frequency. Previous theoretical work using linear models has shown that subthreshold resonance can be communicated to the supra-threshold regime [2,3]; i.e., the firing frequency (or signal gain) response to oscillatory input currents peaks at the subthreshold resonant frequency. Whether this property is maintained under more general conditions and for different types of inputs is still an open question. In this work, we investigate the firing frequency patterns generated in response to both current and conductance sinusoidal inputs in a biophysical (conductance-based) neuron model that includes two ionic currents: h- (Ih) and persistent sodium (INap). This model is based on measurements for stellate cells (SCs) in layer II of the medial entorhinal cortex [4] and captures various phenomena observed in SCs such as membrane potential oscillations and membrane potential (subthreshold) resonance at theta frequencies (4 - 10 Hz)[2]. The Ih/INap model describes the cell's subthreshold dynamics and the onset of spikes [5]. Spikes were generated artificially as in integrate/resonate-and-fire models (see [5]). We computed the firing rate and signal gain responses of the Ih/INap model to both current and conductance sinusoidal inputs for a wide range of frequencies and input amplitudes (Ain). The resulting patterns for current and conductance input are qualitatively different. For current inputs, the firing frequency (and signal gain) patterns show up to three prominent peaks with heights that differ only slightly. The number of peaks increases with increasing values of Ain. For small values of Ain, the peak input frequency coincides with the subthreshold resonant frequency. The voltage traces (voltage vs. time) corresponding different peaks for the same value of Ain have roughly the same number of spikes (and inter-spike intervals of similar size), and differ in the number of subthreshold oscillations interspersed in between two consecutive spikes. For conductance (excitatory) inputs, the firing rate patterns show multiple peaks with different heights. As Ain increases, the highest peak moves to the right. For input frequencies above 60 Hz, the firing rate and gain of the highest peak significantly increases relative to other peaks for the same value of Ain. This prominent peak reflects the fast time scale present in the model that has been shown to underlie hyper-excitable firing in SCs [6] observed in animal models of temporal lobe epilepsy. We use dynamical systems tools to explain the mechanism that govern the generation of the firing frequency patterns described above. We show that the nonlinearities present in the model and the time scale separation between voltage and the h-current gating variables play an important role in determining these patterns.
Lower bounds for permanents of incidence matrices

Abstract If A is the incidence matrix of a v − k − λ configuration with λ > 1, it is shown that per A−| det A|⩽λ(λ−1) (k−2)! (k−q)! where q is the least integer greater than or equal to 1 2 λ k k λ (k+λ) If A is the incidence matrix of a projective plane of order m ⩾ 3, it is shown that per A−| det A|⩽(m+1) 2 (m+1)! (m−q+5)! where q is the least integer greater than or equal to m 2 + 4 m+1 +1 It is an immediate corollary that per A > | det A | for all v − k − λ configurations except the 7 − 3 − 1 and 3 − 2 − 1 configurations.
The effects of violent video games on aggression a meta-analysis

Violent content video games such as Mortal Kombat and Doom have become very popular among children and adolescents, causing great concern for parents, teachers, and policy makers. This study cumulates findings across existing empirical research on the effects of violent video games to estimate overall effect size and discern important trends and moderating variables, Results suggest there is a smaller effect of violent video games on aggression than has been found with television violence on aggression. This effect is positively associated with type of game violence and negatively related to time spent playing the games, Directions for future programmatic research on video games are outlined. Language: en
Leaf architecture of South American Nothofagus (Nothofagaceae) using traditional and new methods in morphometrics

Abstract Leaf morphology has been the subject of several studies in Nothofagus especially in the context of the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships of taxa within the genus, which are still controversial. The leaf architecture of N. dombeyi, N. betuloides and N. nitida , dominant trees of temperate forest in southern South America, is compared using venation patterns, landmarks, and entire outlines. In terms of venation patterns N. dombeyi and N. betuloides were more similar to each other than to N. nitida . Similar results were found when differences in shape were analysed by discriminant analyses of shape coordinates (landmarks) and Fourier coefficients (outlines). For both analyses, the first discriminant function separated N. nitida from the other two species; these were also distinguished but showed greater overlap with each other. This study, in concert with information from allozyme data confirms the hypothesis of a more ancestral position for N. nitida with N. dombeyi and N. betuloides being more recently derived. In addition to differences in shape, the size component of leaf morphology indicated that whereas N. betuloides had the smallest leaves, N. dombeyi spanned the greatest range and has the biggest leaves. Given that the data shown here were obtained from seedlings grown under common-garden conditions, differences in both shape and size, seem to be important components of leaf morphology that may warrant consideration in characterizing these and other species of Nothofagus .
Behavior of gas bubbles in aqueous electrolyte solutions

A system was investigated in which a swarm of air bubbles was dispersed in aqueous electrolyte solutions. the salts used were: NaCl, NaBr, NaI, Na2SO4, Na3PO4 LiCl, MgCl2, MgSO4, CaCl2, AlCl3 and Al2(SO43. The effects of the salts on the interfacial area of dispersion and on the oxygen transfer coefficient were investigated at various salt concentrations. The results showed a definite dependence of the surface area of dispersion on the valence of the ionic species and salt concentrations. A very satisfactory correlation was obtained for all the salts with the use of ionic strength as the correlating parameter. The mechanism of the coalescence-preventing action of the salts was discussed and explained on the basis of ion—water interactions. The oxygen mass transfer coefficient was found to be only slightly dependent on the presence of electrolytes in the range of concentrations used in this work. The importance and possible practical application of the results were briefly discussed.
Myelopathy associated with fibrocartilaginous emboli (FE): review and two suspected cases.

Background Myelopathy secondary to fibrocartilaginous emboli is rarely reported and has been documented antemortem only once. The pathophysiology of fibrocartilaginous emboli lacks consensus, although the role of trauma has been previously entertained. Methods We reviewed the reported cases of myelopathy secondary to fibrocartilaginous emboli. We extensively evaluated two cases of myelopathy in otherwise healthy individuals using myelography and serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Evaluation for underlying systemic disease was conducted in both cases. Results No evidence of infectious, autoimmune, inflammatory, or neoplastic disease was found in either patient. Furthermore, no other lesions were found in the neuroaxis. Findings on serial MRIs were consistent with vascular lesions thought to be venous strokes. Conclusions We report two cases of acute myelopathies associated with heavy lifting, in otherwise healthy young men. Serial MRI studies in each case demonstrated lesions consistent with venous infarcts. We postulate that migration of disc material into the perivertebral venous system was the result of increased intervertebral disc pressure and simultaneous excessive Valsalva associated with heavy lifting. We further postulate that this may be a more prevalent cause of acute myelopathy than previously recognized.
Seismic Waves near 110°: Is Structure in Core or Upper Mantle Responsible?

Summary An analysis is given of longitudinal waves which are observed at distances between 105° and 115° some minutes after the arrival of the P waves diffracted by the mantle-core boundary. A number of seismograms which clearly show these wave trains is examined; recordings at WWSS stations from the Chilean shock of 1965 March 28 are specially studied. The observations show (i) that discernible PKiKP waves with wavelengths of order 10 km are reflected from the boundary of the Earth'sinner core back to distances of at least 105° and (ii) that many longitudinal wave onsets (the PdP phase) having travel-times up to 60 s before PKiKP and 90 s before PP arrive near 110° by means of reflection from the lower side of physical discontinuities in the upper mantle of the Earth. The first result is consistent with a relatively sharp increase in P velocity between the transition zone and the inner core at a radius of about 1220 km. The second suggests the existence of a number of discrete shells of different elastic properties in the Earth'supper mantle above 400 km; in particular, one prominent group of PdP waves of order 2 s period is consistent with reflection from a discontinuity near 385 km. This result provides confirmation of the overall high velocity gradient near this depth inferred by L. Johnson; there is an indication, however, of first-order discontinuities in the velocity function assumed to be smooth by Johnson.
A comparison of the minimum canal wall thickness remaining following preparation using two nickel–titanium rotary systems

Aim To examine in vitro whether Profile or Hero 642 nickel–titanium rotary instrument systems substantially reduce the minimum canal wall thickness present following root-canal preparation. Methodology The canal anatomy of 26 mesial roots from mandibular molars with separate buccal and lingual canals was evaluated before and after instrumentation using the Endodontic Cube. Following access, working lengths were determined and then samples invested within the cube using acrylic resin. Canal cross-sections were subsequently prepared. Samples were then instrumented within the cube and pre- and post-instrumentation images of the sections were compared to determine the minimum canal wall thickness remaining after preparation. Results Buccal and lingual canals within the sections from each level (coronal to apical) showed a reduction in minimum canal wall thickness after instrumentation. No statistically significant differences in canal wall thickness were found between the two systems at any level of the root. Conclusions Instrumentation with either of the two systems under investigation did not compromise canal wall thickness. Pre-operative canal wall thickness was found to be the most significant factor determining the minimum canal wall thickness after preparation.
Epidemiology of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma in childhood: a study of 305 cases by the Children's Cancer Group.

BACKGROUND The Children's Cancer Group conducted a case-control study to determine the role of a broad range of environmental and familial factors in the etiology of Ewing's sarcoma and osteosarcoma in children. These factors included radiation exposure and, for children with osteosarcoma, parental exposure to beryllium. METHODS The parents of 152 children with osteosarcoma and 153 children with Ewing's sarcoma were interviewed by telephone. Controls were obtained by random digit dialing and were matched to cases by age and race. RESULTS Female osteosarcoma patients had earlier onset of breast development (age 11.4 vs. 11.8 years, P = 0.03) and menarche (age 12.1 vs. 12.5 years, P = 0.002) but no significant differences in growth, whereas male osteosarcoma patients were similar in age at the onset of secondary sexual characteristics but reported significantly less weight gain during their growth spurt (6.6 vs. 11.7 kg, P = 0.003). For children with Ewing's sarcoma, the growth spurt began earlier (age 12.1 vs. 12.7 years, P = 0.12) and resulted in less weight and height gain (5.2 vs. 9.7 kg, P = 0.002, and 10.2 vs. 12.7 cm, P=0.02, respectively) for males, but no differences were observed among females. For factors not related to growth and development (including a wide range of occupational, medical, and household exposures), there was little evidence of an etiologic role with respect to either tumor type. CONCLUSIONS Differences between cases and controls with respect to growth and development showed no consistent pattern. This study did not identify any important risk factors for either type of childhood bone tumor. Cancer 1998;83:1440-1448. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Illustration of probability distribution concepts using a graphics software package

Courses in probability and statistics are taken each year by thousands of students across the country in disciplines such as business, life sciences, humanities, education, agriculture, and the social sciences. Often the students in these courses have experienced lack of success in their provious encounters with mathematics and thus many students bring a negative attitude into the probability and statistics courses. This resistant atmosphere is especially noticeable to the teacher when he or she informs the students about the required mathematical exercises and/or tedious numerical computations in the new course content.
Comparison of effects of rosuvastatin (10 mg) versus atorvastatin (40 mg) on rho kinase activity in caucasian men with a previous atherosclerotic event.

In addition to inhibiting cholesterol biosynthesis, statins also inhibit the formation of isoprenoid intermediates, which are required for the activation of the Rho/Rho kinase (ROCK) pathway. Increased ROCK activity has been implicated in causing endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. However, it is not known whether statins, at doses used to lower cholesterol levels, inhibit ROCK activity in humans with atherosclerosis. Furthermore, it is not known whether lipophilic and hydrophilic statins differ in their ability to inhibit ROCK activity. Accordingly, we enrolled 30 men with stable atherosclerosis (low-density lipoprotein [LDL] ≥100 mg/dL) in a randomized, double-blind study comparing equivalent LDL-lowering doses of a hydrophilic statin (rosuvastatin 10 mg once a day) with a lipophilic statin (atorvastatin 40 mg once a day) for 28 days. We assessed the change in lipids, ROCK activity, and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery before and after statin therapy. Both treatment groups exhibited comparable 30% to 32% and 42% to 45% reductions in total and LDL cholesterol, respectively. Only atorvastatin reduced triglycerides, and neither statin altered high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Whereas both statins inhibited ROCK activity (p
Identification of cardiovascular lineage descendants at single-cell resolution

The transcriptional profiles of cardiac cells derived from murine embryos and from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) have primarily been studied within a cell population. However, the characterization of gene expression in these cells at a single-cell level might demonstrate unique variations that cannot be appreciated within a cell pool. In this study, we aimed to establish a single-cell quantitative PCR platform and perform side-by-side comparison between cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) and cardiomyocytes (CMs) derived from mESCs and mouse embryos. We first generated a reference map for cardiovascular single cells through quantifying lineage-defining genes for CPCs, CMs, smooth muscle cells (SMCs), endothelial cells (EDCs), fibroblasts and mESCs. This panel was then applied against single embryonic day 10.5 heart cells to demonstrate its ability to identify each endocardial cell and chamber-specific CM. In addition, we compared the gene expression profile of embryo- and mESC-derived CPCs and CMs at different developmental stages and showed that mESC-derived CMs are phenotypically similar to embryo-derived CMs up to the neonatal stage. Furthermore, we showed that single-cell expression assays coupled with time-lapse microscopy can resolve the identity and the lineage relationships between progenies of single cultured CPCs. With this approach, we found that mESC-derived Nkx2-5+ CPCs preferentially become SMCs or CMs, whereas single embryo-derived Nkx2-5+ CPCs represent two phenotypically distinct subpopulations that can become either EDCs or CMs. These results demonstrate that multiplex gene expression analysis in single cells is a powerful tool for examining the unique behaviors of individual embryo- or mESC-derived cardiac cells.
Coronary-Artery Revascularization before Elective Major Vascular Surgery

Background The benefit of coronary-artery revascularization before elective major vascular surgery is unclear. Methods We randomly assigned patients at increased risk for perioperative cardiac complications and clinically significant coronary artery disease to undergo either revascularization or no revascularization before elective major vascular surgery. The primary end point was long-term mortality. Results Of 5859 patients scheduled for vascular operations at 18 Veterans Affairs medical centers, 510 (9 percent) were eligible for the study and were randomly assigned to either coronary-artery revascularization before surgery or no revascularization before surgery. The indications for a vascular operation were an expanding abdominal aortic aneurysm (33 percent) or arterial occlusive disease of the legs (67 percent). Among the patients assigned to preoperative coronary-artery revascularization, percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 59 percent, and bypass surgery was performed in 41 percent. T...
Stabilization of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and the Muted Global Hydrological Cycle Response to Global Warming

Abstract Both the global precipitation and evaporation in global warming simulations increase at 1%–3% K−1, much smaller than the rate suggested from the Clausius–Clapeyron (C–C) relation (6%–6.5% K−1). However, the reduction of surface sensible heat flux over the global ocean (5.2% K−1) matches the difference between the fractional increase of evaporation and the C–C relation, implying that the fractional decrease of the Bowen ratio over the global ocean follows the C–C relation closely. The analysis suggests that the stabilization of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) in response to global warming is the main factor responsible for the simultaneous reduction of the surface sensible flux and the muted increase in the surface latent heat. Because the stabilization of the ABL causes the same amount of fractional change in both the sensible and latent heat fluxes, the fractional decrease of the Bowen ratio closely follows the C–C relation. The ABL stabilization mechanism for the muted increase in the glob...
Interaction of extrinic fluoresence probes with E. coli glutamine synthetase

Binding of 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS) to adenylylated $$E_{\overline {11} } $$ glutamine synthetase is cooperative and time-dependent, with 3 dye sites per subunit. In fluorescence polarization experiments TNS and pyrene butyrate give normalized Perrin plots that indicate a symmetrical arrangement of dye excited state dipoles, relative to the rotational axis of the oblate ellipsoid of the dodecameric native enzyme.
Solving dielectric and plasmonic dispersion equations on a pocket calculator

We present an accurate analytical technique for rapid and automated design of multilayer-waveguide-based nano-optical devices. The method allows arbitrary-precision mode-index calculations for dielectric and plasmonic waveguides, and can be implemented on a pocket calculator.
Reinnervation of the gastrocnemius muscle by the contralateral S1 nerve root

Functional regeneration after transposition of a ventral nerve root was established in the adult cat. Reconstruction of the ventral root, using microsurgical methods, directed the right S1 ventral nerve root to innervate the left gastrocnemius muscle. Stimulus-induced unit responses were recorded from the left gastrocnemius muscle 5 to 8 months after the root cross, demonstrating the reestablishment of neuromuscular connections. The innervation of the left gastrocnemius muscle by neurons in the right vantral horn of the spinal cord was verified by injecting horseradish peroxidase into the muscle. Horseradish peroxidase reaction product was located in alpha and gamma motor neurons in the right S1 segment of the spinal cord. Computer-assisted determination of the soma area of the labeled neurons was compared with a normal S1 innervation of the gastrocnemius muscle. Analysis of the percentage of cells of a given soma area demonstrated an overall decrease in soma area in the operated animals. Because ventral root reconstruction can result in innervation of a foreign muscle, studies such as this may encourage repair or reconstruction of nerve roots to gain some functional recovery after spinal cord or nerve root injuries.
STRATEGIES FOR ROBUST MULTIRESPONSE QUALITY ENGINEERING

Virtually every manufactured product has more than one characteristic by which its overall quality is determined. Since those quality characteristics may be correlated, some changes in the levels of the controllable product design and process design variables may improve one of the quality characteristics while adversely affecting one or more of the other quality characteristics. In this paper we define a quadratic loss function for use with multiple quality characteristics. We discuss several strategies that could be employed for robust quality engineering of products and processes when there is more than one quality characteristic of interest.
Inhibition of liver metastases in murine colon adenocarcinoma by liposomes containing human C-reactive protein or crude lymphokine

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that liposomes containing LYNK or CRP inhibit lung metastases in mice bearing the malignant fibrosarcoma, T241. We have now extended these observations to the murine colon adenocarcinoma (MCA-38), which metastasizes to the liver. MCA-38 tumor cells (1×106) were implanted in the wall of the cecum by orthotopic transplantation. Three-hundred twenty-six mice bearing such tumors were divided into four treatment groups as follows: (1) no treatment (2) liposomes containing control medium (3) liposomes containing LYNK, and (4) liposomes containing CRP. Treatment was started from day 2, day 18, or 34 after tumor implantation and it was administered on 3 days per week. Each treatment, given parenterally, consisted of 4 μmol liposomes (PS-PC, 1:1) containing the appropriate agents. Mice receiving liposomes containing LYNK or CRP had significantly fewer and smaller liver metastases (25%–28%), than those in the two control groups (53%–54%). Also, a significantly better survival was noted in the two treated groups than in the two control groups. The most likely mechanism of tumor inhibition appears to be through macrophage activation. In the Winn tumor neutralization test, peritoneal macrophages harvested from normal mice 24 h after a single injection of liposomes (2.5 μmol) containing LYNK or CRP markedly inhibited tumor growth when a mixture of effector-target cells (40:1) was injected in the footpad. These studies further confirm the suggested role of CRP as an ‘immunomodulator’ or ‘biological response modifier’ in yet another tumor system.
An Investigation of Attentional Contributions to Visual Errors in Right “Neglect Dyslexia”

Abstract One type of error that is sometimes produced by patients with acquired dyslexia is the substitution of an orthographically similar word with letters that overlap the target either in early or late letter positions. When such errors affect the left sides of words, they are usually produced by patients with focal right hemisphere lesions who typically show evidence of left neglect in non-reading tasks. This pattern has thus been termed “neglect dyslexia”. When the right sides of words are affected, however, patients frequently fail to show any signs of neglect in tasks other than reading. This study presents results from a patient with left hemisphere damage, and a very clear pattern of right “neglect” errors in reading, on a series of tasks testing attentional and imagery processes. Given the magnitude and consistency of the patient's reading errors, there was little evidence that these errors resulted from inattention to the right side of space or to the right side of an internally generated visual image. It is argued that the positional errors result from an impairment to an abstract ordinal code with graded activation of letter positions from first to last, and that this code is specific to tasks involving orthographic representations.
767 INDOCYANINE GREEN (ICG): A NOVEL APPROACH TO PELVIC LYMPH NODE IDENTIFICATION IN RADICAL CYSTECTOMY SPECIMENS

Background: Lymph node (LN) count has prognostic implications in bladder cancer patients who are treated with radical cystectomy. Standard techniques may not identify all LNs, leading to additional effort and expense for report completion. Indocyanine green (ICG), a nontoxic dye with near infrared fluorescence properties, is transferred through lymphatics, allowing for identification of LNs. We investigated the ability of intravesically injected ICG to identify pelvic LNs. Materials/Methods: We assessed 14 patients for near infrared fluorescence LN imaging using ICG intravesicular injection. 0.5 to 1 ml of ICG (2.5 mg/ml) was injected at the tumor base. LN dissection was performed within 2-4 hours. The SPY imaging system (Novadaq, Bonita Springs, FL, USA) was used to detect ICG fluorescence in pelvic LN specimens both in-vivo during radical cystectomy and ex-vivo in lymph node dissection packets. Potential nodes that had positive fluorescence were confirmed by histologic examination.
Malignant hyperthermia in a patient with an ankylosed jaw.

Summary Difficult intubation was followed by malignant hyperthermia in a girl with an ankylosedjaw. The treatment, including the use of intravenous dantrolene, is described. The patient's subsequent management, and the anaesthetic implications of these two conditions are discussed.
C 1 -collocation semidiscretization of u t + cu x =0: its Fourier analysis and equivalence to the Galerkin method with linear splines

Abstract The Fourier analysis of C 1 -collocation semidiscretization at the Gauss points, for the hyperbolic equation u t + cu x = 0, is performed by use of tridiagonal C 1 -collocation, i.e., a new 3-point finite difference reformulation of the method. The results are compared with Vichnevetsky's general 3-point family and Galerkin's B-spline semidiscretizations. Furthermore, it is shown that the C 1 -collocation method with spacing h (sampling frequency ω 0 ) and the Galerkin method with linear splines and spacing 1 2 h (sampling frequency 2ω 0 ) produce the same numerical phase velocity and the same nodal approximations at both the common and the noncommon nodes.
Dismantling the behavioral treatment of obesity

A dismantling strategy was used to assess the effects of therapist participation and group contact in the behavioral treatment of obesity. A Standard Behavioral Treatment including group contact and therapist leadership was compared with a Taped Behavioral Treatment conducted in groups via audiotape without a therapist, a Bibliotherapy treatment lacking both group contact and a therapist, and a nonbehavioral Insight group conducted by a therapist. All treatments resulted in statistically significant weight loss. The Standard Behavioral Treatment was superior to the other three treatments on one of the outcome measures. The role of the therapist in maintaining participants' motivation to implement the behavioral techniques presented in treatment is discussed.
Episodic volcanism of tidally heated satellites with application to Io

A simple model of the coupled thermal and orbital evolution of a tidally heated satellite in an orbital resonance is presented and applied specifically to Io. The model quantitatively demonstrates how a feedback mechanism between the orbital and thermal energy of such a satellite can lead to periodic variations in surface heatflow and orbital eccentricity. The convective heatflow and (k/Q) of the satellite are parameterized as local power laws of the temperature, where Q is the quality factor and k is the second-degree tidal potential Love number. The time evolution of the model is determined by two nonlinear equations: an equation governing the orbital eccentricity, and a simple heat-balance equation determining the temperature. A linear stability analysis reveals that the time-independent solution is unstable if n > m + p, where n and m are the exponents in the power laws for (k/Q) and convective heatflow, respectively, and p is the ratio of the convective cooling time scale to the time scale for equilibration of the eccentricity. Numerical integration of the nonlinear equations reveals behavior in qualitative agreement with this relation. Laboratory data on near-solidus peridotites suggest 20 ≲ n ≲ 30 and parameterized convection schemes suggest m ∼ 10. Since p is of order unity, it follows that tidally heated satellites are probably in the unstable regime if they are operating near the solidus. It is thus probable that Io has no thermal steady state. The model is made more realistic by (1) arresting the reduction of (k/Q) at low temperature, and (2) arresting the growth of temperature at the mantle solidus and allowing volcanism to remove the excess heat. When the second modification is included, the unstable regime becomes periodic. In addition, a global k substantially larger than the elastic value is possible for a mostly solid Io because the body may begin to behave viscously when the tidal period is longer than or comparable to the Maxwell time. This requires a solid-state viscosity of ≲4 × 10^(15) Pa sec, which may be achievable with a small amount of partial melt. The model can easily be adjusted to pass through Io's current observed heatflow (1–2 W m^(−2)) and eccentricity (∼0.004) for reasonable choices of parameters (Q/k)_(min) ∼ 100, (Q/k)_(max) ∼ few × 10^3, solidus viscosity ∼10^(15)–10^(17) Pa sec, and Q_J within the required dynamical bounds. The periods of high heatflow and acceptable eccentricity typically have durations of ∼20–30 myr, separated in time by ∼80–100 myr. Spatial heterogeneities in Io's thermal structure are likely to make the behavior more complicated. The model predicts that Io's mean motion may be currently increasing, a possibility suggested by recent estimates of n_t from eclipse data. Since Europa's eccentricity mimics that of Io, the model also implies that the tidal stresses in Europa's ice shell may have recently been large enough to produce the observed fracturing. The episodic heating mechanism may be responsible for the resurfacing of Enceladus < 10^9 years ago.
The human side of managing risks in R&D projects

The findings of a three-year field study on R&D/product developments shows that effective risk management involves complex sets of variables related to task, people and organizational process. Specific challenges and barriers to effective risk management are identified, as well as the type of organizational environment and leadership style conducive to proactively dealing with risks. Effective managers must understand more than just the tools and techniques of enterprise risk management (ERM). They must also know how to simplify the R&D work and its transfer processes, and deal with the complex social, technical and economic issues that determine the culture and value system of the enterprise
Bi-induced acceptor states in ZnO by molecular-beam epitaxy

Bi-doped ZnO films were grown on Si (111) substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and diffraction measurements reveal that Bi was incorporated into ZnO films without any phase separation. Room-temperature Hall effect measurements show a significant reduction of electron concentration and an increase of resistivity for Bi-doped ZnO films. In addition, a 3.222eV photoluminescence emission was observed particularly in the Bi-doped ZnO films and was identified as a donor-acceptor pair transition by temperature-dependent and excitation power-dependent photoluminescence measurements. These results indicate the possibility of generating acceptor states by Bi doping.
GNP forecasts: How credible are they? A sequential test of consistency and rationality

In this study we examine the accuracy in the expectation formation process of a major macroeconomic forecast variable, namely the Gross National Product (GNP). The theoretical foundations are similar to the one used to study exchange rate expectations, i.e. a verification of consistency and rationality in forecast formation. A very reliable and continuos data set, the ASA-NBER survey is used. The Engle-Granger two step cointegration methodology and the Johansen-Juselius canonical correlation's (which has the smallest bias and dispersion) is applied to examine consistency in the gross national product expectation formation process. Our results support (reject) consistency at the short (long) forecast horizon. We then sequentially test for weak and strong form rationality using the Phillips-Hansen fully modified ordinary least squares procedure. This allows for an unrestricted cointegration test correcting for both endogeneity in the data and asymtotic bias in the coefficient estimates. Weak (strong) form rationality is upheld (rejected). This is in line with the literature which rejects orthogonality, but partially supports expectational rationality.
Toward the Fabrication of Hierarchically-Structured Porous Polymers for Tissue Engineering Scaffords

Hierarchically-structured porous polymers play an important role in scaffold-based tissue engineering. However, the fabrication of these polymers presents a significant challenge because of the requirements of controllable pore size, distribution and interconnectivity. In this work, we report on a novel porous polymer fabrication method using high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). The measurements of both spatial and temporal temperature field are reported for biocompatible PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) samples insonated with a 1.1 MHz/3.3 MHz HIFU transducer. The acoustic power and insonation duration were both varied. The results have shown that HIFU has a dramatic heating effect on polymers: the temperature increasing rate can exceed 20°C/second and the final temperature can be higher than 120°C. This rapid, localized heating effect is exploited to foam CO2 saturated PMMA samples selectively and generate hierarchical microstructures. The created microstructures were characterized using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results have shown that the amount and rate of acoustic energy dissipation during the HIFU insonation directly affect the polymer foaming process. Preliminary theoretical modeling of the acoustic field and heat transfer behavior in the porous polymers are also presented.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Involutions on odd four-manifolds

Abstract It is shown that every closed, simply connected topological 4-manifold having an odd intersection pairing, with the possible exception of the fake C P2, admits an involution. We show that in many cases the involutions described here can be constructed to be locally linear, provided the Kirby-Siebenmann triangulation obstruction vanishes. It remains an open question, reduced to a question about characteristic elements of quadratic forms, whether this is true in general.