cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New Theory of the Earth: The eclogite engine

The World's great age begins anew, The golden years return, The Earth doth like a snake renew Her winter weeds outgrown Shelley The water cycle drives geological processes at the surface. The fact that water coexists as fluid, vapor and solid is crucial in shaping the Earth's surface. The fact that conditions in the upper mantle can readily convert eclogite to magma to basalt, and back, with enormous density changes, is crucial in global magmatism and tectonics. Phase changes in the mafic components of the upper mantle are larger than thermal expansion effects and they drive the eclogite engine . There are several ways to generate massive melting in the mantle; one is to bring hot material adiabatically up from depth until it melts; the other is to insert low-melting point fertile material – delaminated lower arc-crust, for example – into the mantle from above and allow the mantle to heat it up. Both mechanisms may be involved in the formation of large igneous provinces – LIPs. The timescale for heating and recycling of lower-crust material is much less than for subducted oceanic crust because the former starts out much hotter and does not sink as deep. The standard petrological models for magma genesis involve a homogenous pyrolite mantle, augmented at times by small-scale pyroxenite veins or recycled oceanic crust. It is increasingly being recognized that large blocks of eclogite in the mantle may be an important fertility source. Delaminated continental crust differs in many important respects from recycled MORB.
Radio-Frequency Multipliers

The sections in this article are 1 Applications of Frequency Multipliers 2 Passive Frequency Multipliers 3 Active Frequency Multipliers
The Psychology of Working: A New Perspective for Career Development, Counseling, and Public Policy

Contents: Preface. Psychology and the Experience of Working: A Blurred Focus That Is Sharpening. The Changing Nature of Work in the 21st Century. Working as a Means of Survival and Power. Working as a Means of Social Connection. Working as a Means of Self-Determination. Social Barriers and Working: Exploring Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Disability Status, Heterosexism, and Classism at Work. Implications of an Inclusive Psychology of Working for Research and Theory. Implications of an Inclusive Psychology of Working for Practice: Counseling and Psychotherapy. Toward an Inclusive Psychological Practice. Conclusion--The Future of the Psychology of Working.
Fused thiazole derivatives having affinity for the histamine H3 receptor

A group of structurally related thiazoloazepines displaying high affinity for histamine receptors of the H3 subtype, with pKi values in the range of 7.5 – 9.5, are disclosed in the latest of a series of such applications from Glaxo. These compounds have potential utility in the treatment of CNS disorders, in particular for the improvement of cognitive deficits and alleviation of some symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, when administered either alone or in combination with other psychotherapeutic agents, for example, muscarinic M1 agonists or acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.
Inpatient Management of Parkinson Disease Current Challenges and Future Directions

Parkinson disease (PD) is usually managed through outpatient clinical care. Reasons for hospital admissions are either directly related to PD or may reflect comorbidities. When hospitalized, patients with PD may face many challenges. Most commonly these are related to medication management, falls, mental status changes, infections, and emergence of psychiatric symptoms. Timely recognition and proper management of PD-specific hospitalization-related problems may be delayed, given the common lack of expertise in PD management of hospital physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals. With increasing prevalence of PD, it is expected that more patients will require inpatient hospital care. It is therefore very important to recognize problems that may arise upon hospitalization of a patient with PD and provide education to health care professionals involved in the inpatient care of patients with PD. This approach may lead to reductions in complication rates and duration of hospital stays. Aim: In this review, we outline the most common reasons for hospitalization of patients with PD, discuss challenges related to inpatient hospital care of patients with PD, and comment on future directions aimed at optimizing hospitalization outcomes in the population with PD.
Minimally Invasive Surgical Technique for the Treatment of Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract Background . To avoid sternotomy-related complications after cardiac operations, we developed a minimally invasive surgical technique for the treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease. Methods . From November 1996 to May 1997, 39 patients (age range, 50 to 78 years) with coronary artery disease were treated with the use of this technique. Through a small (6- to 9-cm) left lateral chest incision in the third intercostal space, the left internal mammary artery was harvested directly. With the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest in all patients except 1, the left internal mammary artery was anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery. In addition, vein grafts and other arterial conduits were used for revascularization of the other coronary arteries. Results . There were no intraoperative complications. All the patients survived the procedure and had an uneventful postoperative course. Wound complications occurred in 2 patients. The median (± standard error of the mean) hospital stay was 6 ± 1 days. Conclusions . This technique combines minimally invasive surgical conditions with the safety standards of routine cardiac operations. With the use of this approach, even extensive coronary artery disease can be treated.
Expression and amplification in transgenic mice of a polyoma virus mutant regulatory region

Two hybrid gene constructs consisting of wild-type and mutant polyoma regulatory regions fused to a bacterial reporter gene were inserted in the mouse germline. Both transgenes were expressed in a large number of different organs. However, marker gene expression controlled by the polyoma wild-type regulatory region was not detectable in the early embryo and remained low throughout the life of the animal while expression controlled by the polyoma F9-1 mutation was detectable in blastocysts and was significantly higher at later stages of development. The F9-1 hybrid gene was also amplifiable when large T-antigen was supplied in trans to mice or to kidney cells derived from these transgenic mice. Amplification resulted in the appearance of several hundred copies of episomal transgenes and a marked increase of marker gene RNA and protein. Our results suggest that the F9-1 mutation does not alter the target spectrum of gene expression in vivo but does create a more efficient enhancer element in the polyoma early control region. Transgene amplification based upon use of the polyoma regulatory elements may be a means of increasing expression of genes in transgenic mice.
Applications of GRP in structures

Abstract Some milestones in the structural use of glass-reinforced plastics are described. The importance of these projects was in proving the material's capabilities and opening new areas of general application. Most applications to date have utilised hand lay-up methods of manufacture and the author argues that this situation will continue for the foreseeable future.
Justice: The root of american business ideology and ethics

Although there are many conceptions of “Justice”, these different perceptions can provide many interesting insights into a business person's ethical standards as well as that person's decision-making processes. Using the Bishops' Pastoral Letter on the U.S. Economy as the basis for asking questions about “justice”, twenty-four business executives were interviewed about their conception of justice. An analysis of these interviews reveals that this group of businesspeople operated under very different conceptions of “Justice” at the Macroenvironmental and Microenvironmental levels. This result has some interesting implications not only for those scholars concerned with business ethics but for everyone who has a stake in business education.
Calculation of Alkane to Water Solvation Free Energies Using Continuum Solvent Models

The FDPB/γ method and the PARSE parameter set have been recently shown to provide a computationally efficient and accurate means of calculating hydration free energies.1 In this paper this approach is extended to the treatment of the partitioning of various solute molecules between the gas phase, water, and alkane solvents. The FDPB/γ method treats the solute molecule as a polarizable cavity embedded in a dielectric continuum. The solute charge distribution is described in terms of point charges located at atomic nuclei. Electrostatic free energies are obtained from numerical (finite difference) solutions to the Poisson (or Poisson−Boltzmann) equation, while nonpolar contributions are treated with a surface area-dependent term proportional to a surface tension coefficient, γ. To apply the FDPB/γ method to nonaqueous phases, it is necessary to derive a continuum representation of solute−solvent interactions appropriate for such systems. It is argued in this work that solute cavities in nonpolar solvents ar...
E-cadherin and P-cadherin have partially redundant roles in human epidermal stratification

Classical cadherins are Ca2+-dependent homotypic intercellular adhesion molecules that play major regulatory roles in tissue morphogenesis. Human epidermis, which expresses two classical cadherins (E- and P-cadherins), undergoes continual differentiation and morphogenesis, not just during embryonic development, but throughout life. The relative roles of E- and P-cadherin in epidermal morphogenesis have been studied in human epidermal keratinocytes in culture. In these cultures, tissue morphogenesis can be initiated simply by elevation of the extracellular Ca2+ concentration, which activates the cadherins, initiates desmosome organization, and then induces reorganization of the culture from a monolayer into a multilayered, more differentiated, epithelial-like structure. By examination of cultures after several days in high Ca2+, previous data have shown that concurrent inhibition of both E- and P-cadherins nearly abrogates the Ca2+-induced stratification response; however, it has not been possible to discern from these studies whether the two cadherins have unique or redundant regulatory properties. The present study has demonstrated, via electron-microscopic analysis of cultures at an early stage in stratification, that inhibition of either of the cadherins alone does not affect the initiation of stratification, i.e. the formation of up to 2-3 cell layers. Thus, E-cadherin and P-cadherin may have similar regulatory functions with respect to the initiation of stratification. However, if stratification is to continue further to produce a tissue-like structure of 5-7 cell layers, then E-cadherin is required and P-cadherin cannot act as a substitute, presumably because of the distinct localizations of E- and P-cadherins; E-cadherin is found in all cell layers of the stratified epithelium, whereas P-cadherin is lost after the basal keratinocytes become detached from the basement membrane and assume a suprabasal position. Therefore, basal cells, which have two cadherins, can utilize either cadherin to initiate stratification, whereas superficial cells, which have only E-cadherin, are dependent on this cadherin for further stratification.
Preliminary outcome analysis in patients with breast cancer and a positive sentinel lymph node who declined axillary dissection.

Background:This retrospective study was designed to provide a preliminary outcome analysis in patients with positive sentinel nodes who declined axillary dissection. Methods:A review was conducted of patients who underwent lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node excision for invasive disease between January 1998 and July 2000. Those who were found to have sentinel lymph node metastasis without completion axillary dissection were selected for evaluation. Follow-up included physical examination and mammography. Results:Thirty-one patients were identified who met inclusion criteria. Primary invasive cell types included infiltrating ductal carcinoma, infiltrating lobular carcinoma, and mixed cellularity. Most primary tumors were T1. Nodal metastases were identified by hematoxylin and eosin stain and immunohistochemistry. Twenty-seven of the metastases were microscopic (<2 mm), and the remaining four were macroscopic. All patients received adjuvant systemic therapy. With a mean follow-up of 30 months, there have been no patients with axillary recurrence on physical examination or mammographic evaluation. Conclusions:We have presented patients with sentinel lymph nodes involved by cancer who did not undergo further axillary resection and remain free of disease at least 1 year later. This preliminary analysis supports the inclusion of patients with subclinical axillary disease in trials that randomize to observation alone.
Energy and momentum conservation during energetic-carrier generation and recombination in silicon.

The threshold energies of electrons and holes to generate electron-hole pairs, and energetic holes and electrons, by the interband impact and Auger mechanisms are computed analytically from energy and momentum conservation and found to be nearly equal to the minimum values based on energy conservation alone as was recognized by Kane as due to the intervalley impact generation pathway of electron-hole pairs. Experimental thresholds and energy dependency of the carrier generation efficiencies appear to support the analytic theory. The experimental data are obtained using the nearly monoenergetic primary electrons from Fowler-Nordheim tunneling through a thin gate oxide to generate secondary electron-hole pairs in a crystalline silicon substrate, or secondary hot holes in the polysilicon gate or thin crystalline silicon surface layer of p- and n-type channel silicon-gate/silicon-oxide/silicon field-effect transistors.
Masking personal health information on real-time echocardiographic images.

Provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 ensure patient confidentiality for all health care–related information. The requirements of HIPAA apply to any person or group storing and/or transmitting patient-identifiable information on electronic media. This affects physicians in the field of echocardiography, particularly when echocardiographic real-time images are shown for educational purposes. Identifying information needs to be masked or deleted. Frequently, real-time echocardiographic images shown in Power Point presentations for educational purposes are adjusted so the identifying information is extended beyond the field of view. In addition to containing identifying information, even unseen, this type of adjustment runs the risk of inadvertent exposure of identifying information. Although some digital imaging companies and software vendors provide the capability to mask or delete identifying information, not all do. Furthermore, videotaped images converted from analog to digital format also need to be stripped of identifying information (Figure 1). We report a relatively simple method to mask personal health information contained in real-time echocardiograms. This can be done on an office or home desktop or laptop computer using:
Asian Exchange Rates during the Credit Crisis: Policies to Avoid Depreciation

Abstract A few policy recommendations become apparent to avoid depreciation relative to other regional currencies when examining intra-Asian exchange rates during the most recent credit crisis. One, avoid large fiscal deficits. Two, avoid high inflation and current account deficits in order to maintain low interest rates to avoid depreciation from the unwinding of the carry trade. Third, build large official reserves or, more importantly, build large reserves of foreign currency assets. Additional results show an unexplained depreciation of the Australian dollar and the Indian rupee and appreciation of the Thai baht as the TED spread widened and credit crisis worsened.
Clinical features of early onset, familial Alzheimer's disease linked to chromosome 14

Early onset familial Alzheimer's disease (AD) has an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Two genes are responsible for the majority of cases of this subtype of AD. Mutations in the beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta APP) gene on chromosome 21 have been shown to completely cosegregate with the disease. We and others have previously described the clinical features of families with beta APP mutations at the codon 717 locus in an attempt to define the phenotype associated with a valine to isoleucine (Val-->Ile) or a valine to glycine (Val-->Gly) change. More recently, a second locus for very early onset disease has been localized to chromosome 14. The results of linkage studies in some families suggesting linkage to both chromosomes have been explained by the suggestion of a second (centromeric) locus on chromosome 21. Here we report the clinical features and genetic analysis of a British pedigree (F74) with early onset AD in which neither the beta APP locus nor any other chromosome 21 locus segregates with the disease, but in which good evidence is seen for linkage on the long arm of chromosome 14. In particular we report marker data suggesting that the chromosome 14 disease locus is close to D14S43 and D14S77. Given the likelihood that F74 represents a chromosome 14 linked family, we describe the clinical features and make a limited clinical comparison with the beta APP717 Val-->Ile and beta APP717 Val-->Gly encoded families that have been previously described.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Quasiparticle dynamics in ballistic weak links under weak voltage bias: an elementary treatment

Abstract A simple one-dimensional model for SNS weak links in the ballistic limit is presented. In the presence of a bias voltage, the quasiparticle state at any given instant of time is described as a superposition of that particular set of phase-dependent Andreev bound states that belongs to the specific phase difference present at that instant between the superconducting banks. The treatment—basically a form of adiabatic perturbation theory—has a strong formal similarity to the treatment of the k -space dynamics of an electron in a periodic potential under perturbation by an external electric field, sufficiently strong to cause transitions across the energy gaps between bands (Zener tunneling). It is shown that the quasiparticle wavefunction retains its phase information during analogous transitions between Andreev bands. The experimental observation of Shapiro steps at one-half the canonical voltage follows naturally from the model, along with some of the experimental properties of these steps, especially their much weaker temperature dependence, compared to the canonical steps.
Interfacial Barriers in Interphase Transport: Retardation of the Transport of Diethylphthalate Across the Hexadecane-Water Interface by an Adsorbed Gelatin Film

In order to investigate the possible influence of an adsorbing substance upon the oil-water interphase transport rate of a solute, experiments were conducted on the rate of release of diethylphthalate from hexadecane droplets dispersed in an aqueous sodium sulfate solution. It was found that when an adsorbed layer of gelatin is presented, the rates of solute release are the order of 1 × 104 times slower than diffusion controlled. The permeability coefficient for the interfacial barrier was estimated to be 1.5 × 10−5 ± 0.3. These findings are, to the authors' knowledge, the first of their kind, and suggest the possible importance of such nonspecific barriers in biopharmaceutics. The data have been critically analyzed by several physical models that relate the interphase transport rate to the partition coefficient, the diffusion coefficient in the aqueous phase, the particle-size distribution of the droplets, the interfacial resistance of the gelatin layer, and the adsorption of the solute to the interface. The analysis has shown that under certain conditions adsorption of diethylphthalate at the interface must be accounted for to provide quantitative agreement of the theory with the data.
Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Pancreas: A Case Report

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is an unusual mesenchymal neoplasm that most often arises in the pleura; however, it has recently been described in a number of extrapleural sites. This report describes an extremely rare case of a benign SFT arising in the pancreas. A 41-year-old woman presented in the clinic with right upper abdominal pain. Subsequent ultrasonographic studies revealed a 1.5x1.5x1.4 cm hypoechoic mass within the pancreatic body, which was later confirmed on both helical computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging studies. An endocrine tumor was clinically suspected. Laparoscopic enucleation of the mass was performed. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of bland uniform spindle cells arranged between collagen bundles. On immunohistochemical studies, these spindle cells were positive for CD34 and bcl-2 but negative for cytokeratin (AE1+AE3 and Cam5.2), smooth muscle actin, desmin, S-100, and c-kit. Based on the light microscopic morphology and immunohistochemical staining profile, the diagnosis of SFT was rendered.
Picasso and Éluard: Kinder, Gentler Heroes for War-damaged France

In collaborative projects that Picasso and Eluard produced in the 1940s and 1950s—particularly the 1948 book Picasso a Antibes and the 1951 book Le Visage de la Paix—they constructed images of one another and especially of Picasso that incorporate the stereotypically masculine quality of commanding leadership and appropriate the stereotypically feminine quality of supportive nurturing. This article argues that these representations usurp aspects of the feminine to figure Picasso and Eluard as peace heroes for a community of men in which women appear largely as vehicles for men's endeavors.
Asymmetric dihydroxylation of aryl allyl ethers

Abstract Asymmetric dihydroxylation of substituted aryl allyl ethers is described. Para-substituents are shown to favor high enantioselectivity (89–95%ee), while ortho-groups have a deleterious effect (28–63%ee). Four medicinal agents were prepared: guaifenesin (expectorant), mephenesin (muscle relaxant), chlorphenesin (antifungal) and propranolol (β-blocker).
Fine-Tuning of the Actin Cytoskeleton and Cell Adhesion During Drosophila Development by the Unconventional Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors Myoblast City and Sponge

The evolutionarily conserved Dock proteins function as unconventional guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). Upon binding to engulfment and cell motility (ELMO) proteins, Dock–ELMO complexes activate the Rho family of small GTPases to mediate a diverse array of biological processes, including cell motility, apoptotic cell clearance, and axon guidance. Overlapping expression patterns and functional redundancy among the 11 vertebrate Dock family members, which are subdivided into four families (Dock A, B, C, and D), complicate genetic analysis. In both vertebrate and invertebrate systems, the actin dynamics regulator, Rac, is the target GTPase of the Dock-A subfamily. However, it remains unclear whether Rac or Rap1 are the in vivo downstream GTPases of the Dock-B subfamily. Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent genetic model organism for understanding Dock protein function as its genome encodes one ortholog per subfamily: Myoblast city (Mbc; Dock A) and Sponge (Spg; Dock B). Here we show that the roles of Spg and Mbc are not redundant in the Drosophila somatic muscle or the dorsal vessel. Moreover, we confirm the in vivo role of Mbc upstream of Rac and provide evidence that Spg functions in concert with Rap1, possibly to regulate aspects of cell adhesion. Together these data show that Mbc and Spg can have different downstream GTPase targets. Our findings predict that the ability to regulate downstream GTPases is dependent on cellular context and allows for the fine-tuning of actin cytoskeletal or cell adhesion events in biological processes that undergo cell morphogenesis.
Design and Testing for a Nontagged F1-V Fusion Protein as Vaccine Antigen against Bubonic and Pneumonic Plague

A two-component recombinant fusion protein antigen was re-engineered and tested as a medical counter measure against the possible biological threat of aerosolized Yersinia pestis. The active component of the proposed subunit vaccine combines the F1 capsular protein and V virulence antigen of Y. pestis and improves upon the design of an earlier histidine-tagged fusion protein. In the current study, different production strains were screened for suitable expression and a purification process was optimized to isolate an F1-V fusion protein absent extraneous coding sequences. Soluble F1-V protein was isolated to 99% purity by sequential liquid chromatography including capture and refolding of urea-denatured protein via anion exchange, followed by hydrophobic interaction, concentration, and then transfer into buffered saline for direct use after frozen storage. Protein identity and primary structure were verified by mass spectrometry and Edman sequencing, confirming a purified product of 477 amino acids and removal of the N-terminal methionine. Purity, quality, and higher-order structure were compared between lots using RP-HPLC, intrinsic fluorescence, CD spectroscopy, and multi-angle light scattering spectroscopy, all of which indicated a consistent and properly folded product. As formulated with aluminum hydroxide adjuvant and administered in a single subcutaneous dose, this new F1-V protein also protected mice from wild-type and non-encapsulated Y. pestis challenge strains, modeling prophylaxis against pneumonic and bubonic plague. These findings confirm that the fusion protein architecture provides superior protection over the former licensed product, establish a foundation from which to create a robust production process, and set forth assays for the development of F1-V as the active pharmaceutical ingredient of the next plague vaccine.
Modeling of Spherically Symmetric Droplet Flames Including Complex Chemistry: Effect of Water Addition on n-Heptane Droplet Combustion

A spherically symmetric quasi-steady model has been formulated for droplet combustion which includes complex chemistry and variable properties. The model is applied to mixtures of heptane and water. Calculations from the model show that the acetylene concentration inside a heptane flame increases with increasing droplet diameter. This trend suggests an increased propensity for soot formation with increasing droplet diameter which is in agreement with some qualitative trends from experiment. Predicted quasi-steady burning rate constants for pure heptane droplets, however, do not vary with droplet diameter which may be attributed to the model's inability to account for the physical presence or soot particles and aggregates and their effect on heat transfer to the droplet. The addition of water to heptane is found to lower burning rates and C2H2 concentrations, and a limiting water concentration for stable burning is predicted, similar to prior reported analyses based on a simplified one-step reaction mechanism.
The relationship of isolated chromosome fibers to the fibers of the embedded nucleus

Nuclei and chromosome fibers isolated from the amphibians Triturus viridescens and Rana pipiens , and the milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus , by the Langmuir trough—critical point method were investigated in an effort to relate the 250 A fiber of the isolated nucleus to the chromosome fibers in the typical thin-sectioned nucleus, which are significantly smaller in dimensions, 100 A and less. It has been shown that a change in diameter in the chromosome fibers occurs early in the breakdown of cells, whether spread on a water surface or lysed in hypotonic solutions. This change probably occurs at the time of rupture of the cell membranes. Since chromosome fibers isolated from lysed cells prove to have the same diameter and morphology as fibers isolated by the spreading method, the 250 A diameter is not considered to result from the spreading forces of the Langmuir trough. Similarly, no further changes in structure or diameter occurring as a result of the critical point method were detected. The effect of these findings on concepts of chromosome structure based on the Langmuir trough—critical point isolation technique is discussed.
Monopoles, dyons, and black holes in the four-dimensional Einstein-Yang-Mills theory

A continuum of monopole, dyon, and black hole solutions exists in the Einstein-Yang-Mills theory in asymptotically anti\char21{}de Sitter space. Their structure is studied in detail. The solutions are classified by non-Abelian electric and magnetic charges and the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner mass. The stability of the solutions which have no node in non-Abelian magnetic fields is established. There exist critical spacetime solutions which terminate at a finite radius, and have universal behavior. The moduli space of the solutions exhibits a fractal structure as the cosmological constant approaches zero.
Floristic summary of plant species in the air pollution literature

Abstract A floristic summary and analysis was performed on a list of the plant species that have been studied for the effects of gaseous and chemical air pollutants on vegetation in order to compare the species with the flora of North America north of Mexico. The scientific names of 2081 vascular plant species were extracted from almost 4000 journal articles stored in two large literature databases on the effects of air pollutants on plants. Three quarters of the plant species studied occur in North America, but this was only 7% of the total North American flora. Sixteen percent and 56% of all North American genera and families have been studied. The most studied genus is Pinus with 70% of the North American species studied, and the most studied family is the grass family, with 12% of the species studied. Although Pinus is ranked 86th in the North American flora, the grass family is ranked third, indicating that representation at the family level is better than at the genus level. All of the top ten families in North America are represented in the top 20 families in the air pollution effects literature, but only one genus (Lupinus) in the top ten genera in North America is represented in the top thirteen genera in the air pollution literature. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd
Risk factors for vancomycin-resistant enteroccocci colonization in infants in neonatal intensive care unit

We aimed to evaluate the risk factors for VRE colonization in neonatal intensive care units. In December 2007, we identified a neonate with VRE infection (urinary tract infection and we performed blood and stool cultures for VRE until the last colonized patient was discharged from our clinic. All the neonates hospitalized in NICU during December 2007 to January 2008. Active surveillance cultures for VRE fecal carriage was carried out in neonatal intensive care unit. Resistance to vancomycin was detected by the E-test method. Epidemiological data was recorded for all patients included in the study and was used for the risk factors. Totally 54 infants in NICU were screened for VRE colonization. Totally 11 infants (20%) were colonized with vancomycin-resistant enterococci. The average duration of all antimicrobial therapy was significantly longer in colonized patients. The infants who were hospitalized for more than 10 days were found to be significantly more colonized with VRE when compared to the infants with shorter hospital stay (p 0.05). The premature infants and the mature infants were under risk of VRE colonization. Longer duration of hospitalization and antimicrobial usage were the prominent risk factors. Since infants in neonatal intensive care units were under risk of infections, periodic active surveillance cultures should be combined with logical antimicrobial therapy.
Effect of drought stress on survival of clover rhizobia W14-2 and its plasmid-cured derivatives in soil

Abstract Little is known on the role of plasmids in the survival of rhizobia under adverse soil conditions. Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii W14-2 contains four plasmids ranging in size from 260 to 560 MDa. We used plasmid-cured derivatives of the strain, including a plasmidless derivative, to investigate the relationship between plasmid content and survival under drought stress in sterile soil. Plasmids a (260 MDa) and c (350 MDa) contributed to the survival of W14-2 in soil under drought stress, whereas the presence of plasmid d (560 MDa; pSym) was detrimental to the strain. No plasmid-cured derivative performed better than the wild-type at a soil water potential of −7.0 MPa, suggesting that presence of plasmids may be necessary for survival in the field under drought stress.
Thermocatalytic treatment of industrial discharges to remove gasoline vapor

This article reports on oxidation experiments performed on a model mixture of air with B-70 gasoline vapor (4-17 g/m/sup 3/) in an integral flow reactor with various thicknesses of the catalyst bed, oxidation temperatures, and feed rates of the model mixture. Uses AP-56 platinum catalysts and the oxide catalysts iron-chromium, copper-chromium, and nickel. Recommends the iron-chromium catalyst for the treatment of the vapor-air mixture to remove B-70 gasoline vapor, since this catalyst gives a high degree of purification at 350-400 C. Suggests that it is also advisable to use the iron-chromium catalyst for the oxidation of other organic compounds that are frequently encountered in industrial discharges (e.g., methyl methacrylate and isopropylbenzene).
EWS/FLI1-induced manic fringe renders NIH 3T3 cells tumorigenic

EWS/FLI1, a fusion gene found in Ewing's sarcoma, encodes a transcriptional regulator and promotes cellular transformation by modulating the transcription of specific target genes. We have found that EWS/FLI1 and structurally related fusion proteins upregulate manic fringe (MFNG), a recently described member of the Fringe gene family instrumental in somatic development. MFNG is also expressed in human tumour-derived cell lines expressing EWS/FLI1. Overexpression of MFNG in NIH 3T3 cells renders them tumorigenic in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID). These data demonstrate that part of the oncogenic effect of EWS/FLI1 is to transcriptionally deregulate a member of a family of morphogenic genes.
High-spin negative-parity states in 200Hg from 200mAu decay and 198Pt(α, 2nγ) reaction spectroscopy

Abstract Levels in 200Hg populated in the β− decay of the 19 h isomer of 200Au and in the reaction 198Pt(α, 2nγ)200Hg have been investigated. The β-decay populates an 11− level in 200Hg at 2642 keV, which de-excites through levels at the following energies (spin-parities): 2144(9−), 1963(7−), 1852(5−), 1707(6 +), 947(4+) and 368(2+) keV. The relative γ-ray intensities measured in the in-beam experiment were invaluable in the construction of an unambiguous 200Hg level spectrum. The 9 − → 7 − and 7 − → 5 − E 2 transitions are considerably enhanced suggesting that the negative-parity levels constitute a collective “band”. It is proposed that the β− decay involves a one-particle transition between the ( h 11 2 π, i 13 2 ν)12 − isomer of 200Au and a ( h 9 2 ν, i 13 2 ν) two-neutron admixture in the 200Hg 11− state. Indications of the systematic occurrence of similar sequences of negative-parity levels in other A = 190–200 transitional nuclei are discussed.
Effects of ethanol administration on components of the ubiquitin proteolytic pathway in rat liver

Hepatic protein accumulation during ethanol administration may result partly from an ethanol-elicited decline in hepatic protein degradation, which we have previously shown. We conducted the current studies to examine the effects of ethanol administration on the levels of hepatic ubiquitin, an 8.5-kd protein which is an important mediator of extralysosomal protein catabolism. Rats were pair-fed liquid diets containing either ethanol (36% of calories) or isocaloric maltose-dextrin for 1 to 5 weeks. Ubiquitin was immunochemically quantified by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in crude cytosol fractions from whole liver and in 12,000g supernatants of hepatocyte lysates. Ubiquitin levels in hepatic cytosol fractions of ethanol-fed rats exceeded those of controls by about 30%. Isolated hepatocytes from ethanol-fed animals also showed a 40% to 75% elevation of ubiquitin above that in cells of pair-fed controls and this difference exceeded the relative rise in hepatocellular protein. In hepatocyte lysates subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting, we detected monomeric ubiquitin and higher molecular mass ubiquitin-protein conjugates. However, the immunoblot analyses revealed no quantitative changes in the level of either free or conjugated ubiquitin. The ubiquitin conjugating activity of crude and diethyl aminoethyl-fractionated liver cytosols of ethanol-fed rats had equal capacities to those from controls in catalyzing the formation of ubiquitin-protein conjugates. Our findings indicate that chronic ethanol consumption increased the level of immunoreactive ubiquitin in rat liver. This may have resulted from enhanced ubiquitin production because of an ethanol-elicited stress response and/or decreased catabolism of ubiquitin and its conjugates. Our findings also provide no indication that the ethanol-elicited reduction in hepatic proteolysis is because of a ubiquitin-mediated mechanisms.
Relating and approximating discrete probability distributions with component distributions

Abstract Present methods of approximating a joint probability distribution of a set of binary variables from some of its marginal distributions are reviewed, and some new suggestions in this area are made. Results pertaining to the exact determination of a binary distribution are surveyed, certain of their implications are pointed out and related to the approximation problem, and some new observations are given.
Physician and patient: respect for mutuality.

Philosophers and physicians alike tend to discuss the physician-patient relationship in terms of physician privilege and patient autonomy, stressing the duty of the physician to respect the autonomy and the variously elaborated ‘rights’ of the patient. The authors of this article argue that such emphasis on rights was initially productive, in a ‘first generation’ of debate on medical ethical issues, but that it is now time for a second generation effort that will stress the importance of the unique experiential aspects of the physician-patient relationship — mutual trust, suffering and healing. We attempt here to initiate this second-generation discussion, presenting the first generation's philosophical background, criticizing it from the perspective of clinical experience, and seeking a synthesis in the relational qualities of patient and physician interacting in a medical context.
Equilibrium and heat of adsorption for organic vapors and activated carbons.

Determination of the adsorption properties of novel activated carbons is important to develop new air quality control technologies that can solve air quality problems in a more environmentally sust...
Ketoconazole and 25-hydroxycholesterol produce reciprocal changes in the rate of transcription of the human LDL receptor gene

Abstract Sterol-dependent regulation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor gene expression was studied in the human hepatoma HepG2 cell line. Incubation of HepG2 cells with 20 μM ketoconazole increased the level of LDL receptor mRNA. After a lag of approx. 1.0 h the level rose 6.5-fold within 8.0 h and remained elevated for up to 24 h. Incubation with 10 μg 25-hydroxy-cholesterol/ml for 24 h produced a 40–50% reduction in the level of LDL receptor mRNA. Ketoconazole- and 25-hydroxy-cholesterol-induced changes in LDL receptor mRNA accumulation were due to alterations in the relative rate of LDL receptor gene transcription as measured by nuclear run-on transcription. Incubation with 20 μM ketoconazole for 4 h or 10 μg 25-hydroxycholesterol/ml for 24 h produced a 3.6-fold increase and a 40% reduction, respectively, in the transcription rate of LDL receptor gene. Removal of the Alu -like sequence elements within the LDL receptor cDNA was required to consistently measure changes in LDL receptor gene transcription. No significant changes were noted in the half-life of LDL receptor mRNA in ketoconazole or 25-hydroxycholesterol-treated cells. These data demonstrate that sterol-dependent changes in the level of LDL receptor mRNA can be completely accounted for by changes in the rate of LDL receptor gene transcription.
Catalytic Hydrogenation of Nitriles over Supported Mono- and Bimetallic Catalysts

Abstract The bimetallic catalyst systems Pd–Ag/SiO 2 , Pt–Sn/SiO 2 , M –Cu/NaY ( M =Ru, Rh, Pd, Pt), and M –Ni/NaY ( M =Ru, Rh, Pd, Pt) have been tested for the gas phase hydrogenation of acetonitrile and butyronitrile in a fixed-bed microreactor and for the liquid phase hydrogenation of butyronitrile in an autoclave. Addition of M ( M =Ru, Rh, Pd, Pt) to Ni promotes the reduction of Ni 2+ and significantly increases the hydrogenation rate of butyronitrile in both the gas and the liquid phase. This enhanced activity is indicative of the formation of mixed ensembles on the surface of the bimetallic clusters. Addition of Sn to Pt decreases the activity for acetonitrile hydrogenation and improves the selectivity toward secondary amines. Addition of M ( M =Ru, Rh, Pd, Pt) to Cu enhances the reduction of Cu 2+ and lowers the activity for acetonitrile hydrogenation. Addition of Ag to Pd lowers the activity for acetonitrile hydrogenation. All M –Cu/NaY catalysts display high selectivity toward the formation of the secondary amine. The interaction between Ru and Ni depends on the Ru precursor; it is stronger with RuCl 3 than with Ru(NH 3 ) 6 3+ . Addition of ammonia to the reaction mixture lowers the reaction rate, but increases the formation of primary amine.
Ecteinascidin-743 drug resistance in sarcoma cells: transcriptional and cellular alterations.

A human chondrosarcoma cell line, CS-1, was treated successively with increasing concentrations of the marine chemotherapeutic Ecteinascidin-743 (ET-743), yielding a variant cell line displaying a significant degree of resistance to the cytotoxic action of this drug. Various experiments were performed to discern molecular aberrations between the parent and resistant cell line, and also identify potential molecular markers indicative of drug resistance. Although no significant differences in the levels of membrane transporters such as P-glycoprotein or multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) were detected, the cell migratory ability of the ET-743-resistant cell variant was reduced, as was its attachment capability to gelatin-coated cell culture dishes. Staining of the actin-containing cytoskeleton with fluorescent-labeled phalloidin revealed marked differences in the cytoskeleton architecture between the parent and ET-743-resistant CS-1 cell lines. Comparison of serum-free conditioned medium from both cell lines showed conspicuous differences in the levels of several proteins, including a quartet of high molecular weight proteins (≥140 kDa). The protein sequences of two of these high molecular weight proteins, present at significantly higher concentrations in conditioned medium obtained from the parent cell line, corresponded to subunits of types I and IV collagen. Analysis of type I collagen α1 chain mRNA revealed a significantly lower level in the ET-743-resistant CS-1 cell line. Thus, prolonged exposure to ET-743 may cause changes in cell function through cytoskeleton rearrangement and/or modulation of collagen levels.
The collaborative practice model for bipolar disorder: design and implementation in a multi‐site randomized controlled trial

Bipolar disorder remains a high morbidity and costly illness in general clinical practice, despite the availability of efficacious medications. This 'efficacy-effectiveness gap' may be addressed by better organizing systems of care. One type of intervention is the 'collaborative practice model' which can be defined as an organization of care that a) emphasizes development in the patient of illness management skills, and b) supports provider capability and availability in order to c) engage patients in timely, joint decision-making regarding their illness. This article describes such a collaborative practice model for bipolar disorder, designed to be widely adoptable and sustainable in general clinical practice. The first part of the article describes the theoretical background from which the collaborative practice approach developed, emphasizing its origins in the lithium clinics of the 1970s, in nursing theory and practice, and more recently in the management of chronic medical diseases. The second part describes the structure of one such intervention, the Bipolar Disorders Program (BDP) developed in the Veterans Affairs health care system. The third part summarizes results from single-site studies of the intervention. The fourth part describes several key issues in its implementation in an ongoing multi-site randomized controlled trial, VA Cooperative Study Program (CSP) # 430. Data to date indicate that such collaborative practice interventions may improve important process and intermediate outcome variables for bipolar disorder. The BDP provides an example of a multi-faceted collaborative practice model that can be manualized and implemented across multiple sites in a randomized controlled trial.
Potassium Cyanide as Catalyst for Deesterification of Acid- and Base-Sensitive D-Galactopyranosides

Abstract β-D-Galactopyranosides which suffered galactosidic bond cleavage upon treatment with bases that are normally used for deesteri-fication, were successfully deesterified with KCN in 95% ethanol. Also α-D-galactopyranosides bearing acid- or base-sensitive sub-stituents were deesterified using the same reagent without damage to those substituents.
Dependence of Gas-Phase Crotonaldehyde Hydrogenation Selectivity and Activity on the Size of Pt Nanoparticles (1.7–7.1 nm) Supported on SBA-15

The selectivity and activity for the hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde to crotyl alcohol and butyraldehyde was studied over a series of Pt nanoparticles (diameter of 1.7, 2.9, 3.6, and 7.1 nm). The nanoparticles were synthesized by alcohol reduction of a Pt salt in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), followed by incorporation into mesoporous SBA-15 silica. The rate of crotonaldehyde hydrogenation and selectivity towards crotyl alcohol both increase with increasing particle size. With an increase in particle size from 1.7 nm to 7.1 nm, the selectivity towards crotyl alcohol increases from 13.7% to 33.9% (8 Torr crotonaldehyde, 160 Torr H2 and 353 K). The turnover frequency increases from 2.1 × 10−2 s−1 to 4.8 × 10−2 s−1 with increasing particle size. Additionally, the decarbonylation pathway to form propene and CO is enhanced over smaller nanoparticles. The apparent activation energy remains constant (~16 kcal mol−1 for the formation of butyraldehyde and ~8 kcal mol−1 for the formation of crotyl alcohol) as a function of particle size as does the reaction order in H2, which is unity. In the presence of 130–260 mTorr CO, the reaction rate decreases for all products with a CO reaction order of −1 to −1.4 for crotyl alcohol and butyraldehyde. Hydrogen reduction at 673–723 K results in increased activity and selectivity relative to reduction at either higher or lower temperature; this is discussed with respect to the organic capping agent, PVP.