cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intersection of the ATF6 and XBP1 ER stress pathways in mouse islet cells

Success or failure of pancreatic beta cell adaptation to ER stress is a determinant of diabetes susceptibility. The ATF6 and IRE1/XBP1 pathways are separate ER stress-response effectors important to beta cell health and function. ATF6α. and XBP1 direct overlapping transcriptional responses in some cell types. However, the signaling dynamics and interdependence of ATF6α and XBP1 in pancreatic beta cells have not been explored. To assess pathway-specific signal onset, we performed timed exposures of primary mouse islet cells to ER stressors and measured the early transcriptional response. Comparing the time course of induction of ATF6 and XBP1 targets suggested that the two pathways have similar response dynamics. The role of ATF6α in target induction was assessed by acute knockdown using islet cells from Atf6αflox/flox mice transduced with adenovirus expressing Cre recombinase. Surprisingly, given the mild impact of chronic deletion in mice, acute ATF6α knockdown markedly reduced ATF6-pathway target gene expression under both basal and stressed conditions. Intriguingly, although ATF6α knockdown did not alter Xbp1 splicing dynamics or intensity, it did reduce induction of XBP1 targets. Inhibition of Xbp1 splicing did not decrease induction of ATF6α targets. Taken together, these data suggest that the XBP1 and ATF6 pathways are simultaneously activated in islet cells in response to acute stress and that ATF6α is required for full activation of XBP1 targets, but XBP1 is not required for activation of ATF6α targets. These observations improve understanding of the ER stress transcriptional response in pancreatic islets.
CP-675,206 anti-CTLA4 antibody clinical candidate enhances IL-2 production in cancer patient T cells in vitro regardless of tumor type or stage of disease

709 Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4) is a cell surface receptor expressed on activated T cells. The natural B7 ligands for CTLA4 are expressed on antigen-presenting cells. Experimental evidence indicates that binding of B7 to CTLA4 delivers a negative regulatory signal to T cells, and that blocking this negative signal results in markedly enhanced T cell immune function and antitumor activity in animal models. A fully human potent anti-huCTLA4 antagonist IgG2 antibody, CP-675,206, was generated in XenoMouse® mice at Abgenix, Inc. CP-675,206 was tested for its ability to enhance IL-2 production in normal and cancer patient whole blood (WB) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) superantigen. WB and PBMC cultures were stimulated with SEA and anti-CTLA4 mAb, or an isotype-matched control mAb, for 72 hours at 37°C and assayed for secreted IL-2 by ELISA. Blood samples were obtained from normal donors and patients with cancers at different stages. Cancer types included prostate, renal, colon, rectal, ovarian, melanoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The percentage of positive responses, average magnitude of IL-2 enhancement, and average IL-2 fold increase were generally similar for normal and cancer patient WB or PBMC cultures treated with CP-675,206 mAb (30 ug/ml). Remarkably, CP-675,206 concentration response profiles (0.1 to 100 ug/ml) from normal and cancer patient samples were comparable regardless of cancer type or disease stage. Additional studies showed that soluble CTLA4 levels determined by ELISA were undetectable (
Esophageal Varices: Primary and Secondary Prophylaxis

Esophageal varices are common in cirrhosis and their presence correlates with increasing severity of liver disease. Esophageal varices are the manifestation of clinically significant portal hypertension defined by a hepatic venous pressure gradient. Prevention of variceal hemorrhage is crucial in the management of the patient who suffers from cirrhosis because it is associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Screening guidelines and different modalities for primary and secondary prophylaxis are described in this chapter.
Theoretical insights from upscaling Michaelis–Menten microbial dynamics in biogeochemical models: a dimensionless approach

Abstract. Leading an effective response to the accelerating crisis of anthropogenic climate change will require improved understanding of global carbon cycling. A critical source of uncertainty in Earth system models (ESMs) is the role of microbes in mediating both the formation and decomposition of soil organic matter, and hence in determining patterns of CO 2 efflux. Traditionally, ESMs model carbon turnover as a first-order process impacted primarily by abiotic factors, whereas contemporary biogeochemical models often explicitly represent the microbial biomass and enzyme pools as the active agents of decomposition. However, the combination of non-linear microbial kinetics and ecological heterogeneity across space and time guarantees that upscaled dynamics will violate mean-field assumptions via Jensen's inequality. Violations of mean-field assumptions mean that parameter estimates from models fit to upscaled data (e.g., eddy covariance towers) are likely systematically biased. Likewise, predictions of CO 2 efflux from models conditioned on mean-field values will also be biased. Here we present a generic mathematical analysis of upscaling Michaelis–Menten kinetics under heterogeneity and provide solutions in dimensionless form. We illustrate how our dimensionless form facilitates qualitative insight into the significance of this scale transition and argue that it will facilitate cross-site intercomparisons of flux data. We also identify the critical terms that need to be constrained in order to unbias parameter estimates.
Systematic review of the costs for vaccinators to reach vaccination sites: Incremental costs of reaching hard-to-reach populations.

Abstract Introduction Economic evidence on how much it may cost for vaccinators to reach populations is important to plan vaccination programs. Moreover, knowing the incremental costs to reach populations that have traditionally been undervaccinated, especially those hard-to-reach who are facing supply-side barriers to vaccination, is essential to expanding immunization coverage to these populations. Methods We conducted a systematic review to identify estimates of costs associated with getting vaccinators to all vaccination sites. We searched PubMed and the Immunization Delivery Cost Catalogue (IDCC) in 2019 for the following costs to vaccinators: (1) training costs; (2) labor costs, per diems, and incentives; (3) identification of vaccine beneficiary location; and (4) travel costs. We assessed if any of these costs were specific to populations that are hard-to-reach for vaccination, based on a framework for examining supply-side barriers to vaccination. Results We found 19 studies describing average vaccinator training costs at $0.67/person vaccinated or targeted (SD $0.94) and $0.10/dose delivered (SD $0.07). The average cost for vaccinator labor and incentive costs across 29 studies was $2.15/dose (SD $2.08). We identified 13 studies describing intervention costs for a vaccinator to know the location of a beneficiary, with an average cost of $19.69/person (SD $26.65), and six studies describing vaccinator travel costs, with an average cost of $0.07/dose (SD $0.03). Only eight of these studies described hard-to-reach populations for vaccination; two studies examined incremental costs per dose to reach hard-to-reach populations, which were 1.3–2 times higher than the regular costs. The incremental cost to train vaccinators was $0.02/dose, and incremental labor costs for targeting hard-to-reach populations were $0.16–$1.17/dose. Conclusion Additional comparative costing studies are needed to understand the potential differential costs for vaccinators reaching the vaccination sites that serve hard-to-reach populations. This will help immunization program planners and decision-makers better allocate resources to extend vaccination programs.
The Nature and Structure of MS-13 in Los Angeles County:

Recent descriptions of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) by senior U.S. government officials suggest that the gang is highly organized, has significant transnational capacity, and is heavily involved in vio...
Effect of substrate tilt on sputter-deposited AuTa films

Abstract Gold-tantalum alloy films are of interest for biomedical and magnetically-assisted inertial confinement fusion applications. However, growth mechanisms of such Au-Ta alloy films are not well understood. Here, we systematically study the effect of substrate tilt on properties of films deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering from a AuTa alloy target. Experimental data is correlated with distributions of landing energies and incident angles of sputtered and backscattered species calculated by Monte Carlo simulations of ballistic collisions and gas phase atomic transport. Results reveal that the deposition rate and film density monotonically decrease with increasing substrate tilt. Properties are similar for films with a tilt of 40 ° and below: films are amorphous, with an average compressive stress of 0.5 GPa, a density of 16 g/cm3, and electrical resistivity of 200 μ Ω cm. The critical substrate tilt angle for the onset of porosity, a transition to a reduced stress state, and an increase in electrical resistivity lies between 40 and 60 ° . Based on Monte Carlo simulations, these changes in film properties are correlated with an increase in the average impact angle of the ballistic component of atomic flux. Implications of these results to deposition onto non-planar substrates are discussed.
Physiological Signal Monitoring System to Analyze Driver Attentiveness

With the increase in the number of accidents, driver attentiveness is becoming more and more important, and driver attentiveness detection is a technology that is needed to save lives. This research presents preliminary results on the methods of detecting driver drowsiness through the analysis of electromyography (EMG), electroencephalography (EEG) electrocardiography (ECG) signals. EMG signals will be sensing the eye muscle movements, which indicates eye blink rate. Similarly, the sensing of ECG signals monitors the heart rate while driving. A three-lead electrode system was used for measuring EMG and ECG signals while participants were in a variety of scenarios. EEG signals monitor driver drowsiness. Scenarios include a restful state, a driving simulation, and in a moving vehicle. Filtering and correlation techniques were used to process different types of signals to determine heart rates, eye blink rates and brain activities. These rates were compared with rates indicating drowsiness, whether the participant was showing signs of drowsiness.
Preclinical assessment of Class IV proximal contacts following different teaching strategies.

INTRODUCTION Class IV composite restorations are one of the biggest challenges in dentistry. Furthermore, replacing adequate proximal contours on Class IV restorations is crucial for the function and aesthetics. The objective of this study is to assess four different teaching strategies used to improve first-year dental students' Class IV restoration proximal contact performance over a period of 4 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS We assessed four cohorts of first-year dental students who were exposed to four different teaching strategies during the first-year preclinical training over two consecutive academic terms. The four different teaching strategies used were: (a) two waxing exercises (control cohort, strategy 1); (b) digital dentistry and four waxing exercises (strategy 2); (c) four waxing exercises (strategy 3); and (d) four waxing exercises and live demonstrations (strategy 4). All cohorts were exposed to the same didactic lecture of Class IV restorations. RESULTS Our results showed that all teaching strategies resulted in better student's performance and content retention compared to the control cohort. However, the teaching strategy that resulted in the best pass/fail ratio was the association of waxing exercises with live demonstrations (strategy 4). DISCUSSION Increasing the number of waxing exercises may improve students' performance either alone or associated with different teaching strategies. However, when associated with live demonstrations, waxing exercises have significantly reduced critical errors. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated for the first time the benefits of the affordable and traditional waxing exercises associated with instructor demonstrations as a teaching strategy for first-year dental students.
Characterization of Ultrafine Particles and Other Vehicular Pollutants Near an International Bridge in United States – Mexico Border Region

An intensive continuous hotspot study was conducted in the City of Laredo to characterize levels of ultrafine particles (UFP), black carbon (BC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) from December 2007 to January 2008. Data were categorized into three different time periods: (1) Before Christmas, (2) During Christmas, and (3) After Christmas. The mean UFP number concentration throughout the study was 1.87 × 104 per cm3. Average traffic density was 1,099 per hour. The average concentrations of BC, CO, CO2, NOx, and O3 were 1.825 μg/m3, 0.05 parts per million (ppm), 499 ppm, 28 parts per billion (ppb), and 21.6 ppb, respectively. There was a significant correlation between both NOx and BC with UFP particle count, with R 2 = 0.63 and 0.60, respectively. Wind direction was found to have a significant effect on UFP and other pollutants. An exponential decay in UFP (20–290 nm) concentrations with increases in wind speed was observed. Significant correlation (R 2 = 0.99) was observed between the vehicle speed and the particle number emission factors. About a 1.5-fold increase in concentration of particle number emission factors was observed when the vehicle speed increased from 16 to 50 km/h.
Relating Baseball Seam Height to Carry Distance

Abstract Past work has shown large variation in the drag of baseballs. Little is known concerning the causes of variation in ball drag. Ball diameter, weight, seam height, surface roughness, and shape influence lift and drag, and therefore carry distance. The aim of this work was to quantify the effect of seam height and roundness on ball lift and drag, which, to our understanding, has never been done outside of a wind tunnel. A bespoke, non-contact, ball surface profiler, was used to measure ball radius, including seam height. The profiles were analyzed to describe ball roundness and seam height separately. Balls with three different seam heights were projected in an enclosed stadium 102-122 m (describing a typical fly ball). Redundant radar devices were used to measure launch angle, speed, and flight paths. High speed video was used to confirm launch angle and ball spin rate. Hit distance was verified with a physical tape measure. The ball's roundness influenced the effective height of a seam. Measurements of the non-seam area of a ball were necessary to characterize the seams of a ball. A strong correlation was observed between seam height and a ball's drag coefficient. Lift, however, was not sensitive to seam height or ball shape.
Recontextualizing French History: The French Atlantic Triangle and Globalization

French Atlantic slavery and the slave trade have not, given the foundational role they played in shaping the coordinates of the global economic and political landscape today, received the kind of concerted scholarly attention they warrant. Yet, the subject itself continues to inform public debate on the appropriateness of commemorative mechanisms, claims for reparation, official revisionist discourse, pedagogic and institutional responses, lingering structures of inequity associated with the disparities the trade engendered, and naturally the claims made by and on behalf of minority populations in europe with historical ties to slavery and the slave trade. Discussion of these issues has more often than not been characterized by a glaring absence of accurate information, countered in part by a handful of innovative measures such as the international Slavery museum in Liverpool and educational initiatives such as London’s Hackney museum’s special
The essentials of conditioning and learning

1. Basic Concepts and Definitions. 2. The Structure of Unconditioned Behavior. 3. Habituation and Sensitization. 4. Pavlovian Conditioning: Basic Concepts. 5. Stimulus Relations in Pavlovian Conditioning. 6. Theories of Associative Learning. 7. Instrumental or Operant Conditioning. 8. Schedules of Reinforcement. 9. Theories of Reinforcement. 10. Extinction of Conditioned Behavior. 11. Punishment. 12. Avoidance Learning. 13. Stimulus Control of Behavior. 14. Memory Mechanisms. Glossary.
A novel human cell culture model for the study of familial prostate cancer

Research into molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying familial prostate cancer would be greatly advanced by in vitro models of prostate tumor cells representing primary tumors. We have successfully established an immortalized human prostate epithelial cell culture derived from primary tumors of familial prostate cancer patients with telomerase. The actively proliferating early-passaged 957E cells were transduced through infection with a retrovirus expressing the human telomerase catalytic subunit, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). A high level of telomerase activity was detected in 957E/hTERT cells, but not in 957E cells. 957E/hTERT cells are currently growing well at passage 40, whereas 957E cells senesced at passage 5. 957E/hTERT cells exhibit epithelial morphology. Expression of an androgen-regulated prostate specific homeobox gene NKX3.1 and an epithelial cell-specific cytokeratin 8, but not prostate specific antigen or androgen receptor, was detected in 957E/hTERT cells. Prostatic stem cell antigen and p16 were also expressed in this line. 957E/hTERT cells showed growth inhibition when exposed to retinoic acid and transforming growth factor beta1, potent inhibitors of prostate epithelial cell growth. Chromosome analysis showed that the 957E/hTERT cell line (passage 10) was near diploid human male (XY), with most chromosome counts in the 44-46 range. However, there was random loss of chromosomes 8, 13, X, Y, and alteration in chromosome 4q. The late passage 957E/hTERT cell line (passage 32) was karyologically similar to the early passage 957E/hTERT cell line (passage 10) and also had the same alteration of 4q observed in the early passage 957E/hTERT cell line (passage 10) as well as a trisomy of chromosome 20. The well-characterized human cancer lines derived from such patients will be useful for the identification and characterization of prostate cancer susceptibility genes. This is the first documented case of an established human prostate cancer cell line from primary tumor of a familial prostate cancer patient.
Consumer, advocate, provider: a paradox requiring a new identity paradigm1

Abstract Strax TE. Consumer, advocate, provider: a paradox requiring a new identity paradigm. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2003;84:943-5. The best measure of a society is how well it cares for its weakest members. Over the past 60 years, I have had to merge the roles of consumer, advocate, and provider into a new identity paradigm. This address shares my experiences—the best and the worst of what I have seen. On reflection, I offer the following words of advice to both persons who have disabilities and those who are able-bodied: "if there is no wind, row!"
Quality-of-life trajectories at the end of life: assessments over time by patients with and without cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To compare quality-of-life (QOL) ratings of terminally ill patients with and without cancer over time. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of prospective data from a randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Trial conducted with terminally ill patients in Seattle, Washington, testing the efficacy of massage and guided meditation in improving patients' QOL. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred sixty-seven trial participants, of whom 127 provided follow-up data and died before data analysis. MEASUREMENTS: At enrollment, participants reported demographic characteristics, symptom distress, QOL, and primary life-limiting diagnosis. At enrollment and at follow-up interviews after every two study-provided treatment sessions, participants rated their perceived quality of life on a scale from 0 (no quality of life) to 10 (perfect quality). At the end of the study, the investigators added measures of patient's survival status, number of days between study enrollment and death, and receipt of hospice services to the data set. RESULTS: Multilevel models showed significantly steeper QOL declines for patients with cancer than for those without after adjustment for time between study enrollment and death. Over a 4-month before-death period, the average patient without cancer was estimated to experience a QOL decline of approximately 0.6 on a scale from 0 to 10, compared with a 1.2-point decline for patients with cancer. CONCLUSION: Patients with cancer face more-precipitous end-of-life challenges to quality of life than do other terminally ill persons. Therefore, clinicians must address QOL issues—not just symptom burden and distress. By introducing and discussing expected QOL declines at the end of life, clinicians may help to prepare, support, and reassure patients and their families.
Zircaloy—Three Years after the Hearings

The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Acceptance Criteria for Emergency Core Cooling Systems stipulated conservative positions with respect to the transient temperature limits of Zircaloy because of the scatter or nonstatistical nature of existing data. In the United States and in a number of other countries, programs were initiated to obtain the desired information. The results of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) sponsored new research on Zircaloy oxidation kinetics, expansion and rupture, transient radiation damage annealing, and oxygen diffusion in β-Zircaloy are presented which serve to quantify the conservative positions taken. Additional short-term data needs are presented. Expected trends of future research are indicated to be in the direction of improved understanding of cladding failure from pellet-cladding interaction during power ramps or anticipated transients without scram (ATWS) and in understanding (experimentally and analytically) the multiaxial yielding of anisotropic materials such as Zircaloy.
Cross-cultural Studies of Personality Development

The maturational processes that shape personality development are likely to be guided by a combination of biological, environmental, and social factors. Cross-cultural studies can test to what extent these factors contribute to personality development given that people grow up in environmental and social contexts that vary greatly across nations. Yet, a growing body of research indicates that the pattern of personality development is remarkably similar across cultures. In most samples from every continent, older adults are generally more emotionally stable, introverted, close-minded, agreeable, and conscientious than adolescents and younger adults. Although some cross-cultural differences are found, it is still uncertain whether these differences are reliable. Even stereotypical beliefs about the personality of adolescents and older adults are similar across cultures, albeit these stereotypes exaggerate the actual age differences. Future research could benefit from longitudinal studies in more diverse samples, especially from Arabic, African, and Asian cultures. Keywords: cross-cultural psychology; cultural difference; lifespan and development psychology; personality; stereotyping
Independent influences of current and childhood socioeconomic status on health outcomes in a North Carolina family practice sample of arthritis patients.

Objective Compelling evidence suggests that socioeconomic status (SES) is a determinant of health outcomes among persons with arthritis. SES in early life has likewise been associated with various aspects of health, but the connection between childhood SES and health among people with arthritis remains to be investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine the influences of current and childhood SES on self-reported disability, depression, and physical and mental health among people with self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Methods Data originated from a North Carolina network of primary care centers. Participants with self-reported arthritis with complete sociodemographic and relevant health information were retained in our sample (n = 782). We created summary measures for current and childhood SES from indicators of education, occupation, and homeownership, using parental SES as a proxy for participants' childhood SES. Linear regression models were used to assess the associations between health outcomes and SES variables separately and together, adjusting for key covariates. Results Lower childhood and current SES scores were associated with worse disability and physical health. Current SES was furthermore associated with mental health and depressive symptoms. Associations of low current and childhood SES with health outcomes remained significant when concurrently included in a linear model. Conclusion Childhood and current SES are both determinants of health among persons with arthritis. This underscores the importance of childhood SES as a determinant of adult health among individuals with arthritis. Further studies should focus on these associations in different populations and across different types of arthritis.
Cosmopolitan Taste : The Morphing of the New Catalan Cuisine

It is rare that a gastronomical debate turns into a media sensation. However, that is exactly what happened during the summer of 2008 when Catalan chef Santi Santamaria criticized his rivals for the use of “suspect materials” in their food preparations and for creating “dishes that our parents would never have served us,” while reclaiming “traditional and artisan” cuisine. During the endless diatribes, the opposition between traditional Catalan cuisine and molecular or techno-emotional cuisine was clearly drawn. In this paper I analyze how Catalan cuisine has moved from being home-based, straightforward and locally accented to become a highly sophisticated, cosmopolitan restaurant cuisine with a strong drive toward innovation and iconoclastic creation. Such a rapid yet profound change in culinary culture could be easily dismissed as a consequence of dramatic socioeconomic upheaval, but this change mirrors the same relentless quest for the Catalan community to achieve cosmopolitanism in all areas.
Time-averaged shadow-moiré method for studying vibrations

A time-averaged shadow-moire method is presented which permits the determination of the amplitude distribution of the deflection of a plate in steady state vibration. No stroboscope is required, and the recording is done statically. The method is less sensitive than holographic methods and is therefore suitable for studying relatively large amplitudes.
Inhibition of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway by curcumin

Curcumin, a dietary pigment in curry, suppresses tumor initiation and tumor promotion. Curcumin is also a potent inhibitor for AP-1 and NF-kappaB activation. In this report, we show that curcumin inhibits JNK activation by various agonists including PMA plus ionomycin, anisomycin, UV-C, gamma radiation, TNF-alpha, and sodium orthovanadate. Although both JNK and ERK activation by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus ionomycin were suppressed by curcumin, the JNK pathway was more sensitive. The IC50 (50% inhibition concentration) of curcumin was between 5-10 microM for JNK activation and was 20 microM for ERK activation. In transfection assays, curcumin moderately suppressed MEKK1-induced JNK activation; however, it effectively blocked JNK activation caused by co-transfection of TAK1, GCK, or HPK1. Curcumin did not directly inhibit JNK, SEK1, MEKK1 or HPK1 activity. Although curcumin suppressed TAK1 and GCK activities at high concentrations, this inhibition cannot fully account for the JNK inhibition by curcumin in vivo. Our data suggest that curcumin may affect the JNK pathway by interfering with the signaling molecule(s) at the same level or proximally upstream of the MAPKKK level. Taken together, the inhibition of the MEKK1-JNK pathway reveals a possible mechanism of suppression of AP-1 and NF-kappaB signaling by curcumin, and may explain the potent anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects of this chemical.
Performance of Commercially Available Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Tag Systems Used for Fish Identification and Interjurisdictional Fisheries Management

Abstract Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag systems are commonly used in identification and monitoring programs with fisheries applications. Transponders of different frequencies, sizes, and code formats are available from numerous manufacturers, and there is increasing concern regarding the need to coordinate tagging efforts with appropriate equipment. Given the high cost of PIT tag systems and the adverse management implications of using incompatible equipment, we evaluated the performance of 20 transponder models and 11 transceiver models currently used in the United States. Compatibility among transceivers ranged from 14% to 81% when evaluated with the 20 transponders in this study. The maximum read distance across all tags and tag readers averaged 9.5 cm (range, 2.0–31.3 cm), and there were significant differences among reader and tag type combinations. Both transponder size and frequency significantly affected the maximum read distance, but transceiver model choice appeared to allow for the gr...
Untreated and treated patients with hypertension.

Observations have been made on renal hemodynamics in patients with hypertension. When the blood pressure was markedly elevated glomerular filtration rate was reduced consistently, indicating renal damage. Effective reduction in blood pressure with anti-hypertensive drugs arrested the vascular deterioration associated with severe hypertension. This occurred in both patients with malignant hypertension and in those with non-malignant hypertension. The drug therapy of hypertension can be divided into (1) the treatment of emergencies associated with severe essential hypertension and (2) the out-patient management of hypertension. As a general rule, reserpine given parenterally is the drug that should be used initially for treating emergency states. When this is not adequate a ganglionic blocking agent or a parenterally administered veratrum preparation should be used. The treatment of ambulatory patients consists of pre-medication with chlorothiazide for depleting the amount of sodium in the body followed by drugs which depress the sympathetic nervous system. Of the sympathetic depressants, we prefer to use rauwolfia initially. When this agent, given in combination with chlorothiazide, is not adequate in any patient with severe and maintained blood pressure elevation, then a ganglionic blocking agent should be added to the regimen. Adequate precautions should be taken to minimize the severity of the side refactions associated with the ganglionic blocking agents.
Selective detection of the tolyl cation among other [C7H7]+ isomers by ion/molecule reaction with dimethyl ether

The ion/molecule reaction of the tolyl cation with dimethyl ether has been investigated using triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Three isomers with [C7H7]+ composition, the 3-tolyl, benzyl, and tropylium cations, were individually selected and reacted with dimethyl ether at a pressure of 1 mtorr in the second quadrupole (Q2) collision cell. Only the tolyl ion reacted to yield a methoxylated product ion peak at m/z 122. This reaction product having m/z 122 is postulated to be identical in structure with the molecular ion of 3-methyl anisole, as supported by thermochemical data and the similarity of the collision induced dissociation (CID) daughter ion mass spectra of the product ion and the molecular ion of authentic 3-methyl anisole. The daughter ion mass spectra of the three [C7H7]+ isomers during CID, by using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, are nearly identical; on the other hand, the analytical approach based on the ion/molecule reaction with dimethyl ether clearly exhibits distinct gas-phase chemistry reflecting structural differences among the isomers. Sot
Does Parental Smoking Cessation Discourage Adolescent Smoking

Abstract Background.We examined the relationship of smoking cessation in parents to smoking and uptake and cessation by their adolescent children. Methods.We analyzed a cross-sectional sample of 4,502 adolescents, ages 15–17 years, who lived in two-parent households that were interviewed as part of the 1992–1993 Tobacco Supplement of the Current Population Survey, which questioned householders 15 years of age and older about their smoking history. Ever smokers reported smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. Former smokers were ever smokers who had quit. Results.Multivariate analyses, adjusted for demographic characteristics of adolescents, as well as father's age, education, and family income, found that adolescents whose parents had quit smoking were almost one-third less likely to be ever smokers than those with a parent who still smoked. Furthermore, adolescent ever smokers whose parents quit smoking were twice as likely to quit as those who had a parent who still smoked. Parental quitting is most effective in reducing initiation if it occurs before the child reaches 9 years of age. Conclusion.Encouraging parents to quit may be an effective method for reducing adolescent smoking, through decreased uptake and increased cessation. The earlier parents quit, the less likely their children will become smokers.
REDUCTION OF 1,2,3-TRIMERCAPTOPROPANE CONTENT OF DIMERCAPROL.

A multiple batch extraction procedure is described which can serve to reduce the trithiol content of dimercaprol to levels conforming to the U.S.P. XVI monograph.
Effect of prolonged general anesthesia with sevoflurane and laparoscopic surgery on gastric and small bowel propulsive motility and pH in dogs.

Abstract Objective To determine if general anesthesia with sevoflurane and laparoscopic surgery changed gastric and small bowel propulsive motility or pH in dogs. Study design Prospective, controlled trial. Animals Twelve, 19–24 months old, female, Treeing Walker Hound dogs, weighing 23–30 kg. Methods Dogs were anesthetized for a median of 8.5 hours during another study to determine the minimum alveolar concentration of sevoflurane using a visceral stimulus. Gastric and small bowel motility were determined using a sensor capsule that measures pressure, pH and temperature. Gastric transit time and motility index were calculated. For 8/12 dogs, gastric motility, pH and transit time were measured. In 4/12 dogs, small bowel motility and pH were measured. Results Anesthesia decreased gastric and small bowel motility but did not change luminal pH. Mean gastric contraction force decreased from median (range) 11 (8–20) to 3 (1–10) mmHg (p Conclusions and clinical relevance The force of gastric and small bowel contractions decreased during sevoflurane anesthesia for laparoscopy. Although gastric motility returned to normal within 12–15 hours the impairment of gastric emptying lasted 30–40 hours, predisposing dogs to postoperative ileus.
Mechanism of Cadmium Ion Substitution in Mammalian Zinc Metallothionein and Metallothionein Alpha Domain: Kinetic and Structural Studies

Cellular metallothionein (MT) protects against Cd(2+) exposure through direct binding of the metal ion. The model reaction between rabbit liver Zn(7)-MT-2 with Cd(2+) was studied with stopped flow kinetics. Four kinetic steps were observable. Comparison of this reaction with an analog utilizing the MT Zn(4)-alpha domain revealed that only the fastest step involved the Zn(3)-beta domain. Each step of the Zn(4)-alpha domain reaction with Cd(2+) displayed hyperbolic dependence of the observed rate constant on Cd(2+) concentration, with the first step comprising 50% of the total reaction and each of the other two, 25%. The two constants extracted from each of these relationships were interpreted as the equilibrium constant for the initial binding of Cd(2+) to the Zn((4-n)),Cd(n)-thiolate cluster (n = 0-3) of the alpha domain and the first order rate constant for the exchange of Cd(2+) for Zn(2+) in the cluster. Activation enthalpies and entropies were determined for each constant. A suite of Zn((4-n)),Cd(n)-thiolate clusters (n = 0-3) was prepared by titration of the Zn(4)-alpha domain with (113)Cd(2+). The products were analyzed by one-dimensional (113)Cd(2+) NMR spectroscopy to define the distribution of (113)Cd(2+) among the four cluster binding sites. Each of these species was also reacted with Cd(2+). The properties of these reactions were similar to those extracted from the reaction of Cd(2+) with the overall domain. Thus, the kinetic results were linked to (113)Cd(2+) occupancy among the cluster metal binding sites. In turn, this linkage permitted the interpretation of the various constants determined for the reaction of Cd(2+) with the Zn(4)-alpha domain in relation to the alpha domain cluster structure.
Patterning ligands on reactive SAMs by microcontact printing

This report describes a method for patterning ligands onto mixed SAMs of alkanethiolates on gold by microcontact printing (μCP). The mixed SAMs were made from thiols presenting terminal tri(ethylene glycol) groups (HS(CH2)11(OCH2CH2)3OH, 1) and terminal hexa(ethylene glycol)−CH2CO2H groups (HS(CH2)11(OCH2CH2)6OCH2CO2H, 2). Ligands were printed using a two-step procedure. The carboxylic acid groups of 2 were first converted to reactive pentafluorophenyl esters. A freshly oxidized PDMS stamp, inked with a ligand derivatized with a primary amine, was then brought into contact with the activated SAM; in the areas of contact, the amine reacted with the activated ester and formed an amide. Two ligands, biotin and benzenesulfonamide, were printed onto these SAMs. The formation of patterned SAMs presenting biotin ligands was detected by fluorescence microscopy of substrates that were incubated with a solution of fluorescently labeled antibiotin antibody. The formation of patterned biotin was also detected using a...
Improving Instructional Practices, Policies, and Student Outcomes for Early Childhood Language and Literacy Through Data-Driven Decision Making

Since the passage of No Child Left Behind, data-driven decision making has become one of the central foci in schools in their attempt to attain and maintain adequate levels of student academic performance. The importance of early childhood education is well established with language and literacy proficiency in the early years being viewed as a leading indicator in children’s educational development. It provides schools with the initial signs of progress towards academic achievement. In this article, a conceptual framework for improving instructional practice and student outcomes in early childhood language and literacy through data-driven decision making was described. Four questions served as the structure around which the conceptual framework was built. These questions include (1) Why do data need to be collected? (2) What kinds of data need to be collected? (3) How are the data collected? (4) How are the data used for making decisions? Responses to these questions serve as tenets for guiding the decision making process.
Using atmospherically-corrected Landsat imagery to measure glacier area change in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru from 1987 to 2010

Abstract The dynamic, tropical glaciers of the Peruvian Cordillera Blanca are rapidly changing and these changes are expected to affect water availability, especially during the dry season. In this study, we quantify recent changes to these water reservoirs, providing estimates of glacier area in the Cordillera Blanca and sub-watersheds of the Rio Santa for the following years 1987, 1996, 2004, and 2010. We explore the effects of atmospheric and topographic corrections by comparing debris-free glacier area estimates generated using raw scenes and corrected scenes. Our results suggest that these corrections can have a significant impact on debris-free glacier area estimates when the same threshold is applied. Debris-free glacier area estimates derived from uncorrected scenes are approximately 5% less than debris-free glacier area estimates derived from atmospherically-corrected scenes. We determined that debris-free glacier area estimates are most sensitive to the choice of threshold and topographic effects. To map glacier area change, we used high-resolution satellite imagery to calibrate our selection of a single threshold for the Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI). This threshold value was applied to all NDSI images, which were derived from four carefully selected and atmospherically-corrected Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) scenes acquired at the end of the dry season. In order to calculate total glacier area, we manually mapped debris-covered glaciers, because automated methods were unsuccessful in this region. As of August 2010, the Cordillera Blanca had a total glacier area of 482 km 2 , which amounts to a 25% decrease since 1987. Glaciers in the southern portions of the Cordillera Blanca, which have lower median elevations on average, lost a greater percentage of their area from 1987 to 2010, relative to their northern counterparts. Overall, glacier area change in the Cordillera Blanca appears to be accelerating. Between 2004 and 2010, glaciers in the Cordillera Blanca lost area at a rate that was approximately 3.5 times the average rate of area loss from 1970 to 2003.
Parameters of association schemes that are both P- and Q-polynomial

Si (X, R) est un schema d'association qui est a la fois P- et Q-polynomial, alors sans se soucier du nombre d des classes il suffit de connaitre seulement les parametres K=p 1 10 , a 1 =p 1 11 , a 2 =p 22 1 , c 2 =p 1 12 , θ 1 , K*, a o *, c 1 *, ou θ 1 est la 1ere valeur propre sous l'ordre impose par le Q-polynome et K* est sa multiplicite
Multistate impact-parameter calculation of atom-atom excitation cross sections - Excitation of H/1s/ by 1/1/S of He

A general method of calculating the time-dependent matrix elements needed for multistate impact-parameter calculations of atom-atom inelastic cross sections is presented and applied to the collision processes $\mathrm{H}(1s)+\mathrm{He}(1^{1}S)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{H}(2s, 2{p}_{m})+\mathrm{He}(1^{1}S)$. Cross sections calculated in the distorted Born, two-state, and four-state impact-parameter approximations over the incident energy range $1.0 \mathrm{keV}\ensuremath{\le}E\ensuremath{\le}200.0 \mathrm{keV}$ are compared with previous experimental results and first Born-wave calculations. The first Born-wave calculations are in better agreement with the experimental measurements than are the distorted Born, two-state, and four-state impact-parameter calculations, but the fact that the corrections to the first Born become significant for $v\ensuremath{\le}1.0$ a.u. suggests that the good agreement may be accidental. Polarization fractions are calculated, and good agreement is shown with experiment for $v\ensuremath{\le}0.8$ a.u.
Idoneidad anatómica de los aneurismas de aorta abdominal rotos para la reparación endovascular

La mortalidad por rotura de aneurismas aorticos abdominales (AAAr) sigue siendo elevada, a pesar de las mejoras en la anestesia, los cuidados intensivos postoperatorios y las tecnicas quirurgicas. Series pequenas recientes y la experiencia de determinados centros sugieren que la reparacion endovascular de los aneurismas (REVA) en caso de AAAr es factible y puede mejorar la supervivencia a corto plazo. Sin embargo, se desconoce si la REVA es aplicable en todos los casos de AAAr. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la idoneidad anatomica de la rotura de aneurisma para la REVA a traves de tomografias axiales computarizadas. Se reviso de forma retrospectiva una serie consecutiva de AAAr presentadas en un centro terciario universitario. Se revisaron las imagenes radiograficas preoperatorias y se evaluo la idoneidad para la REVA sobre la base de los dispositivos disponibles actualmente. Los pacientes cuya morfologia aneurismatica presento un diametro de cuello > 32 mm, una longitud 60°, tortuosidad iliaca grave, o diametro de la arteria iliaca externa 60° (10 frente a 45%, p = 0,0002), mayor diametro de la arteria iliaca externa (8,9 frente a 7,3 mm, p = 0,015), y presentaron perdidas de sangre menores durante la correccion quirurgica (2,4 frente a 6,0 l, p = 0,02). Ademas, recibieron el alta domiciliaria con mayor frecuencia (71 frente a 25%, p = 0,05). No se observaron diferencias en la mortalidad a los 30 dias, 1 ano, o global, entre los candidatos a REVA y los no candidatos. Solamente el 49% de los pacientes con AAAr de esta serie fueron considerados candidatos a la REVA con endoprotesis convencionales. Las diferencias en la demografia, morfologia del aneurisma, y resultados entre candidatos y no candidatos sometidos a cirugia abierta sugieren la existencia de riesgos diferenciales en los pacientes con rotura de aneurisma. Los protocolos y los informes futuros sobre REVA en casos de AAAr deben ajustarse a estos resultados. Son necesarias modificaciones en los dispositivos y la tecnica de implante para aumentar la aplicabilidad de la REVA en los AAAr.
Transient junction temperatures in power transistors

Very little information is presently available on transistor junction temperatures for pulsed input waveforms. In the study described, a simple thermal model of a power transistor is assumed and a heat-flow analysis of the model, using Laplace transforms, is made.
Markov bases for noncommutative Fourier analysis of ranked data

To calibrate Fourier analysis of S5 ranking data by Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques, a set of moves (Markov basis) is needed. We calculate this basis, and use it to provide a new statistical analysis of two data sets. The calculation involves a large Grobner basis computation (45825 generators), but reduction to a minimal basis and reduction by natural symmetries leads to a remarkably small basis (14 elements). Although the Grobner basis calculation is infeasible for S6, we exploit the symmetry of the problem to calculate a Markov basis for S6 with 7,113,390 elements in 60 symmetry classes. We improve a bound on the degree of the generators for a Markov basis for Sn and conjecture that this ideal is generated in degree 3.
Comparison of spectral variation from spectroscopy to spectral imaging

Optical biopsy has been shown to discriminate between normal and diseased tissue with high sensitivity and specificity. Fiber-optic probe-based spectroscopy systems do not provide the necessary spatial information to guide therapy effectively, ultimately requiring a transition from probe-based spectroscopy to spectral imaging. The effect of such a transition on fluorescence and diffuse reflectance line shape is investigated. Inherent differences in spectral line shape between spectroscopy and imaging are characterized and many of these differences may be attributed to a shift in illumination-collection geometry between the two systems. Sensitivity of the line-shape disparity is characterized with respect to changes in sample absorption and scattering as well as to changes in various parameters of the fiber-optic probe design (e.g., fiber diameter, beam steering). Differences in spectral line shape are described in terms of the relative relationship between the light diffusion within the tissue and the distribution of source-detector separation distances for the probe-based and imaging illumination-collection geometries. Monte Carlo simulation is used to determine fiber configurations that minimize the line-shape disparity between the two systems. In conclusion, we predict that fiber-optic probe designs that mimic a spectral imaging geometry and spectral imaging systems designed to emulate a probe-based geometry will be difficult to implement, pointing toward a posteriori correction for illumination-collection geometry to reconcile imaging and probe-based spectral line shapes or independent evaluation of tissue discrimination accuracy for probe-based and spectral imaging systems.