cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiovascular death and progression to end-stage renal disease after major surgery in elderly patients

Background Reliable estimates for risk of cardiovascular-specific mortality and progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among elderly patients undergoing major surgery are not available. This study aimed to develop simple risk scores to predict these events. Methods In a single-centre cohort of elderly patients undergoing major surgery requiring hospital stay longer than 24 h, progression to ESRD and long-term cardiovascular-specific mortality were modelled using multivariable subdistribution hazard models, adjusting for co-morbidity, frailty and type of surgery. Results Before surgery, 2·9 and 11·9 per cent of 16 655 patients had ESRD and chronic kidney disease (CKD) respectively. During the hospital stay, 46·9 per cent of patients developed acute kidney injury (AKI). Patients with kidney disease had a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular-specific (CV) mortality compared with patients without kidney disease (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for CKD without AKI 1·60, 95 per cent c.i. 1·25 to 2·01; AKI without CKD 1·70, 1·52 to 1·87; AKI with CKD 2·80, 2·50 to 3·20; ESRD 5·21, 4·32 to 6·27), as well as increased progression to ESRD (AKI without CKD 5·40, 3·44 to 8·35; CKD without AKI 8·80, 4·60 to 17·00; AKI with CKD 31·60, 19·90 to 49·90). CV Death and ESRD Risk scores were developed to predict CV mortality and progression to ESRD. Calculated CV Death and ESRD Risk scores performed well with c-statistics: 0·77 (95 per cent c.i. 0·76 to 0·78) and 0·82 (0·78 to 0·86) respectively at 1 year. Conclusion Kidney disease in elderly patients undergoing major surgery is associated with a high risk of CV mortality and progression to ESRD. Risk scores can augment the shared decision-making process of informed consent and identify patients requiring postoperative renal-protective strategies.
Chapter 4 from Margin of Trust: The Berkshire Business Model published by Columbia University Press

The freedom to make contracts is a liberating feature of commercial life, yet too often contracts turn into tyranny, when haggling over fine print makes two sides mis-trust each other. This problem, and some solutions, are explored in this chapter from Margin of Trust: The Berkshire Business Model, by Lawrence Cunningham, a professor of contract law and expert on Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway. Specific topics include Berkshire's partner 3G, and acquisitions of Scott Fetzer, National Indemnity, Nebraska Furniture Mart, Benjamin Moore, and Kraft Heinz. The chapter explains, in the context of dealmaking and contracts, business views associated with Mr. Buffett and legal views on contracts and corporate law of his partner, Charlie Munger.
Retroviral lineage markers for assessing myoblast fate in vivo.

Using a retroviral marking system, we are monitoring normal muscle development in vivo. In contrast to other reports in this volume in which the fate of myoblasts that were injected into animals was followed, we have followed the fate of the animal’s own myoblasts. Specifically, the question we are asking is: Do satellite cells migrate from one fiber to another? This, of course, is an important consideration in myoblast therapy, since the hope is that the injected myoblasts will be able to migrate and participate in myofiber formation at a distance.
Simultaneous classification of bilateral hand gestures using bilateral microelectrode recordings in a tetraplegic patient

ABSTRACT Most daily tasks require simultaneous control of both hands. Here we demonstrate simultaneous classification of gestures in both hands using multi-unit activity recorded from bilateral motor and somatosensory cortices of a tetraplegic participant. Attempted gestures were classified using hierarchical linear discriminant models trained separately for each hand. In an online experiment, gestures were continuously classified and used to control two robotic arms in a center-out movement task. Bimanual trials that required keeping one hand still resulted in the best performance (70.6%), followed by symmetric movement trials (50%) and asymmetric movement trials (22.7%). Our results indicate that gestures can be simultaneously decoded in both hands using two independently trained hand models concurrently, but online control using this approach becomes more difficult with increased complexity of bimanual gesture combinations. This study demonstrates the potential for restoring simultaneous control of both hands using a bilateral intracortical brain-machine interface.
Employee Departure from Organizations: Three Essays - Dissertation Executive Summary

This dissertation studies employee departure at multiple levels of analysis. First, I examine environmental-level processes that pull employees out of their firms and into new organizations, focusing on the release of resources that accompany the failure of rival firms. I next study the implications that employee departure has for former coworkers, examining how the departure of a highly paid woman from the firm affects the compensation of her female colleagues. Finally, I connect employee departure to organizational performance, examining whether stability at one hierarchical level in the organization can compensate for departure at another hierarchical level in the organization.
Explaining Subnational Governance: The Role of Governors’ Codified and Uncodified Knowledge

The decentralization of responsibilities has led to considerable variation in subnational performance. In this chapter, we explore the determinants of subnational government performance by suggesting that governors’ education (codified knowledge) and experience (uncodified knowledge) explain education outputs and health outcomes. We test our propositions in two data sets derived from 32 Mexican states and 32 Colombian departments during 1995–2010 and 2004–2013, respectively. Based on their findings, we caution against generalizing results, because factors driving performance in Mexican states differ from those boosting performance in Colombian departments. Neither governors’ codified nor uncodified knowledge drives subnational performance in Colombia. However, governors’ uncodified knowledge (experience) does explain health outcomes in Mexican states. Moreover, although political factors (e.g., partisanship and party ideology) explain health performance in Mexican states, no political factor does so in the Colombian departments. In sum, what drives performance in one country may not have the same explanatory power in another country.
Hidden among the hidden: by Will Ward New York, Oxford University Press, 2017. $73.00 hardback, ISBN 978-0-19-060232-1

Black, Groce, and Harmon seek to shed light on a group of people often forgotten in the literature surrounding care of older adults. Informal caregivers have often been the backbone of the elder ca...
Nativity moderates the relationship between nationality and healthcare access for some Latinx women in the United States.

Gender has been identified as a social determinant of health, particularly as it relates to healthcare access for women of color. Yet, few analyses focus on the unique barriers that impact Latinx w...
A Remote Field Course Implementing High-Resolution Topography Acquisition and Applications Applied to Geomorphology

Abstract. The course "Geoscience Field Issues Using High-Resolution Topography to Understand Earth Surface Processes" was originally intended to be conducted in-person with both field data collection and analysis to meet the "field" component of the University of Northern Colorado's Earth Science degrees (Environmental and Geology). With the 2020 world pandemic and cancellation of most in-person activities for 2020, the course was adapted for 100 % online implementation with an optional one-day field campaign. To prepare for the changed delivery model, UNAVCO and the University of Northern Colorado collected GNSS data, drone imagery for use in structure from motion, and terrestrial laser scanning from a site near Greeley, Colorado USA on the Cache la Poudre River. These data were used in mock field campaigns and real analyses implemented by students virtually through Zoom and Canvas. The objective of the course is to train students in manual and remote sensing methods of topographic data collection, including 1) GPS/GNSS surveys, 2) structure from motion (SfM), and 3) ground-based (terrestrial laser scanning, TLS) and airborne LiDAR. Course content focused on earth-surface process applications, but could be adapted to other applications. This was taught workshop style with the bulk of the instruction and application occurring within a 2-week period during the summer. Students from throughout North America attended the course, most meeting Field Camp requirements required for graduation. Despite the challenging conditions, students met the majority of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers’ Field Capstone Learning Outcomes.
Informal HIV Caregiver Proxy Reports of Care Recipients' Treatment Adherence: Relationship Factors Associated with Concordance with Recipients' Viral Suppression.

To explore the role of informal caregivers in adherence, we compared adherence reports by caregivers to those of care recipients. We identified individual-level and relationship factors associated with agreement between caregivers’ reports of recipients’ adherence and assessed viral suppression. Participants were care recipients, who were on ART and had ever injected drugs, and their caregivers (N = 258 dyads). Nearly three-fourths of caregivers’ reports of recipients’ ART adherence agreed with recipients’ viral suppression status. Agreement was associated with recipient age and expressing affection or gratitude to the caregiver, caregiver’s having been close to someone who died of HIV/AIDS, and caregiver’s fear of caregiving-related HIV (re)infection, while it was negatively associated with recipient’s limited physical functioning. Our findings support the utility of caregiver proxy reports of care recipients’ ART adherence and suggest ways to identify and promote HIV caregiver attention to and support of this vulnerable population’s ART adherence.
Injuries to the Nerves of the Abdominopelvic Region

The abdominopelvic region is comprised of a conglomeration of nerves that include motor, sensory, and autonomic nerves in addition to regional/organ-specific plexuses. Anatomical properties of nerves of the abdominopelvic region, such as length, caliber, integrity of stroma, and extent of myelination determine their susceptibility to injury. Injury can be direct (mechanical compression, laceration, or stretch), indirect (ischemia), or combination of both. Iatrogenic injury can occur during surgical approaches to the abdomen, pelvis, and spine. Nerves are particularly vulnerable when operating within the retroperitoneal space and pelvis. Lumbar plexus is made up of the subcostal, iliohypogastric, ilioinguinal, genitofemoral, lateral femoral cutaneous, obturator, and femoral nerves. The sacral plexus is made up of superior gluteal, inferior gluteal, sciatic, and pudendal nerves. Diagnosis of specific nerve injury is made by a combination of clinical exam and supportive electrophysiological tests. The authors discuss nerve-specific injuries and their associated electrophysiological findings.
Interorganizational Collaboration:An Examination of Factors That Influence the Motivation forParticipation in a Collaborative Partnership of Homeless Service Providers

INTERORGANIZATIONAL COLLABORATION: AN EXAMINATION OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE MOTIVATION FOR PARTICIPATION IN A COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP OF HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS By Jan M. Ivery, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2004 Major Director: F. Ellen Netting, Ph.D., Professor, School of Social Work This project was a mixed methods study that examined the collaboration dimensions of Homeward’s planning process and the factors that motivate organizations to participate. The study examined the collaborative strategy used by an organization called Homeward located in Richmond, Virginia. Homeward is a broker organization (Chaskin, Brown, Venkatesh, & Vidal, 2001) that was created in 1998 to mediate and nurture relationships among partnering organizations in order to facilitate the collaborative process required by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to receive Continuum of Care funding. During the quantitative component of the study, a survey was sent to Homeward’s partners (n = 44) to identify partner perceptions of Homeward’s leadership, organizational structure, benefits and drawbacks of participation, and relationships with partners. The follow-up survey and focus group in the qualitative component explored themes related to organization affiliation with Homeward, benefits and drawbacks of participation, relationships with partners, challenges that impact the ability of Homeward to facilitate collaboration, and strategies to involve key stakeholders. The findings from both methods have provided an overview of how Homeward’s
A hostile patient: fighting ire with ire.

But, of course, neither perinatologists nor philosophers will ever satisfactorily answer such a question. Its importance lies not in its being answered, but in its being asked. Perinatologists, as physicians, are called to improve the quality of newborn life and enable its potential to flourish. They are not called to be either saviors of every threatened life or workers of miracles as wondrous as birth itself.
Sodium-Potassium-activated Adenosine Triphosphatase: IX. THE ROLE OF PHOSPHOLIPIDS

Abstract The (Na+ + K+)-ATPase from Electrophorus electroplax was shown to require phospholipids. Treatment of the enzyme with phospholipase A from Naja naja venom removed almost all phosphatides with concomitant loss of enzymatic activity and of the ability to form phosphoryl enzyme. On the other hand digestion with phospholipase C from Clostridium perfringens removed nearly all of the lecithin, two-thirds of the phosphatidylethanolamine, and none of the phosphatidylserine. ATPase activity was partly inhibited by phospholipase C whereas the steady state level of the phosphoryl enzyme and the rate of the Na+-dependent nucleotide transphosphorylation were not impaired. Phospholipase C treatment produced an increased proportion of the E2 conformation at a given level of Mg++; inhibition of the ATPase and p-nitrophenylphosphatase by high Mg++ were more pronounced with the phospholipase C-treated enzyme. The reduced turnover of the phospholipase C-treated ATPase probably arises from this same effect. It was concluded that phosphatidylserine is a requirement for the formation of phosphoryl enzyme as well as its dephosphorylation, and phosphatidylethanolamine acts as a modifier which influences the affinity of the enzyme for Mg++.
The impact of initial phases of higher harmonics of the supply voltage of a single-phase transformer on the power losses in its core

The article presents the results of an experiment designed to determine the impact of initial phases of higher harmonics of the supply voltage of a single-phase transformer on the power losses in its core. It has been shown that a reliable research of the impact of harmonic of the supply voltage of a transformer on its losses is possible, taking into account not only the amplitudes of these harmonics, but also their initial phases. This is particularly important in the context of often hastily formulated conclusions that the power losses in a transformer increase at its supply with a non-sinusoidal voltage. It has been also noted that low order harmonics have a major impact on the power losses in transformer core.
Expression of stabilized β-catenin in differentiated neurons of transgenic mice does not result in tumor formation

Background Medulloblastomas, embryonal tumors arising in the cerebellum, commonly contain mutations that activate Wnt signaling. To determine whether increased Wnt signaling in the adult CNS is sufficient to induce tumor formation, we created transgenic mice expressing either wild-type or activated β-catenin in the brain.
Sertoli Cell Plasma Membrane Polypeptides Involved in Spermatogenic Cell‐Sertoli Cell Adhesion

: This study concerns Sertoli cell-spermatogenic cell adhesive interactions in the seminiferous tubule. Sertoli cell surface polypeptides involved in germ cell-Sertoli cell adhesion were identified by serological inhibition of an in vitro Sertoli-germ cell adhesion assay. This assay was modified from a previously reported adhesion assay, and employs a scanning laser cytometer for quantification of adherent cells. Reactivity of the polyclonal antiserum raised against rat Sertoli cells was also assessed via immunofluorescent microscopy. The addition of antiserum to the adhesion assay resulted in a 42% to 66% inhibition of cell-cell adhesion. Moreover, preincubation of antiserum with Sertoli cell monolayers resulted in a significant reduction of spermatogenic cell binding. Conversely, preincubation of antiserum with germ cells resulted in no reduction. Western blot analysis of the antiserum against purified Sertoli cell membranes indicated reactivity with four polypeptides. The data suggest that one or more of these polypeptides are directly involved in the adhesion of germ cells to Sertoli cell monolayers in vitro.
Race and Racism in America and in Anthropology

Race in North America: Origin and Evolution of a Worldview. Audrey Smedley Anthropology and Race. Eugenia Shanklin
Warfarin metabolites: The anticoagulant activity and pharmacology of warfarin alcohols

Abstract Metabolites of warfarin, warfarin alcohols, possessed a coumarin-like anticoagulant activity when administered to 2 human volunteers. In all 4 configurations, these metabolites produced lowered levels of activity of the vitamin K-dependent clotting factors. The rates of clearance of the (S,S), the (S,R), and the (R,R) warfarin alcohols from plasma were rapid, 4.1 to 6.3 per cent per hour. In contrast, the rates of clearance of the (R,S) enantiomer, 1.7 per cent and 2.4 per cent per hour, were even slower than warfarin. In the (S,S), the (S,R), and the (R,R) configurations, the warfarin alcohols did not appear to be metabolized; complete recovery of the unaltered drug from the urine was accomplished. In a long-term study of 1 volunteer subject, a therapeutic degree of anticoagulation required slightly less than 100 mg. of (S,S) and (S,R) warfarin alcohol daily. Neither the anticoagulant effect nor plasma levels of warfarin alcohols were altered during 5 days of pentobarbital administration.
Emotional Expression and Language: A Longitudinal Study of Typically Developing Earlier and Later Talkers from 15 to 30 Months.

Children's emotional expression and language both develop during infancy and early childhood, yet these two communication systems have been studied primarily in isolation. This study focuses instead on assessing the relation between them just as productive language emerges during toddlerhood. Seventy-seven typically developing, firstborn toddlers and their families were recruited at 13 months of age. Using an extreme groups design, earlier and later talkers were selected based on their MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory production scores. Laboratory visits occurred at 15, 21, and 30 months; home visits occurred at 3-month intervals from 15 to 30 months. Observational and parent report measures assessed child language, emotional expression, temperament, and overall developmental functioning. Parents also reported on parenting stress and family life events. Overall, results support a significant relation between emotional expression and productive language that varies according to the specific emotion, a finding that may resolve earlier contradictory results in this area. Earlier talkers expressed more joy/pleasure than did later talkers, but later talkers expressed more fear and anger than did earlier talkers. Potential contributions of various child/family factors were explored. Child temperament is proposed as influencing this relation through its effects on the child's transactions with the caregiving environment.
To Link or Not to Link? Changing the Bargaining Structure with an Issue Linkage Strategy

This paper addresses the question of when and why states use issue linkage as a bargaining strategy - changing the set of issues that characterize the bargaining agenda. It argues that a state is likely to do so: (1) if the current set of issues does not foster an exchange of concessions that could lead to agreement, and (2) if a state faces a costly alternative to agreement,and thus places signi cant value on reaching an agreement. Empirical rules for measuring these abstract concepts are presented, and an original large-N dataset of multilateral climate change conferences held from 2007- 2010 is constructed to test these hypotheses. I then illustrate the hypothesized e ects at work with a case analysis of the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. I conclude by discussing the implications of these results for future work.
Diminished cortical inhibition in an aging mouse model of chronic tinnitus.

Flavoprotein autofluorescence imaging was used to examine auditory cortical synaptic responses in aged animals with behavioral evidence of tinnitus and hearing loss. Mice were exposed to noise trauma at 1–3 months of age and were assessed for behavioral evidence of tinnitus and hearing loss immediately after the noise trauma and again at ∼24–30 months of age. Within 2 months of the final behavioral assessment, auditory cortical synaptic transmission was examined in brain slices using electrical stimulation of putative thalamocortical afferents, and flavoprotein autofluorescence imaging was used to measure cortical activation. Noise-exposed animals showed a 68% increase in amplitude of cortical activation compared with controls ( p = 0.008), and these animals showed a diminished sensitivity to GABA A ergic blockade ( p = 0.008, using bath-applied 200 nm SR 95531 [6-Imino-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1(6H)-p yridazinebutanoic acid hydrobromide]). The strength of cortical activation was significantly correlated to the degree of tinnitus behavior, assessed via a loss of gap detection in a startle paradigm. The decrease in GABA A sensitivity was greater in the regions of the cortex farther away from the stimulation site, potentially reflecting a greater sensitivity of corticocortical versus thalamocortical projections to the effects of noise trauma. Finally, there was no relationship between auditory cortical activation and activation of the somatosensory cortex in the same slices, suggesting that the increases in auditory cortical activation were not attributable to a generalized hyperexcitable state in noise-exposed animals. These data suggest that noise trauma can cause long-lasting changes in the auditory cortical physiology and may provide specific targets to ameliorate the effects of chronic tinnitus.
Yellow Rain: Radiolab and the acoustics of strategic maneuvering

The critically acclaimed WNYC program Radiolab found itself embroiled in a controversy for its recent podcast segment “Yellow Rain.” The intent of the segment was to indict the Reagan administration’s dubious pretenses for labeling yellow rain a chemical weapon. But Radiolab’s interview with survivor and historian Eng Yang took a harsh turn and concluded with one of Radiolab’s hosts, Robert Krulwich calling Yang’s experience hearsay. This essay uses the “Yellow Rain” controversy to highlight two important features of argumentation in the podcast context. First, podcasts feature what I call ‘the acoustics of strategic maneuvering,’ which describes the way sound itself acts as presentational force in the service of a standpoint. Second, podcasts ephemerality enables Radiolab to revise their arguments to incorporate audience expectations.
Vitamin E deficiency in premature infants

THE PURPOSE of this report is to present a brief overview of biochemical and nutritional aspects of vitamin E, particularly as related to premature infants. A number of review articles are available which present detailed information on absorption and metabolism of tocopherols, dietary issues, animal studies, and controversies regarding cellular function. '-3 Although the foregoing areas will not be covered in this paper, three points should be mentioned briefly: (1) there is a marked degree 9f species specificity with respect to the effects of vitamin E deficiency; (2) a great diversity of organs and tissues are adversely affected in tocopherol deficiericy states, suggesting that the vitamin plays an important role throughout the body; and (3) despite a multitude of proposals on the cellular role of vitamin E, the consensus remains that this compound functions primarily as a biologic antioxidant.
A general framework for vertex orderings, with applications to netlist clustering

We present a general framework for the construction of vertex orderings for netlist clustering. Our WINDOW algorithm constructs an ordering by iteratively adding the vertex with highest attraction to the existing ordering. Variant choices for the attraction function allow our framework to subsume many graph traversals and clustering objectives from the literature. The DP-RP method of [3] is then applied to optimally split the ordering into a k-way clustering. Our approach is adaptable to use-specified cluster size constraints. Experimental results for clustering and multi-way partitioning are encouraging.
A critical examination of ‘the patterns of development’

The decline in the share of agriculture and increase in secondary production's share have generally been found to accompany changes in per capita income. Cross‐section data have long exhibited such a ‘pattern of development’. Recent panel information combining cross‐section and time‐series data seemed to extend the behaviour to time series. Using analysis of co‐variance tests for such patterns over time, the paper rejects the assumption of homogeneous patterns over time. In addition 45 per cent of the individual countries deviate from the expected time series pattern. Thus such patterns certainly do appear in cross‐sections, but their existence across countries over time is not confirmed.
Frailty Measurements and Dysphagia in the Outpatient Setting

Objective:Deconditioning and frailty may contribute to dysphagia and aspiration. Early identification of patients at risk of aspiration is important. Aspiration prevention would lead to reduced mor...
Energy and width measurements of the pionic 2p1s transition in 23Na

Pionic 2p-1s X ray transition energy and natural linewidth and muonic 2p-1s X ray transition energy measurements for Na 23
Stability and Oxidizing Effect of Membraneless Electrolyzed Water

Membraneless electrolyzed water (MLEW) is generated by electrolysis of dilute salt water solution without a membrane separating cathodic and anodic water. The stability of MLEW under different storage temperatures and pHs, as well as its lipid oxidizing effects have not been extensively studied. In this study, three storage temperatures and two pH conditions were used to study the stability of the water. MLEW’s lipid degradation potential was investigated using two methods by measuring the degree of oxidation of lipids containing polyunsaturated fatty acids. Lipid oxidation in an emulsion model free of other interferences was conducted with MLEW containing 30, 50 and 100 mg L−1 free chlorine (FC), and lipid oxidation in a salmon fish fillet was conducted by washing the fillet pieces with MLEW containing 100 mg L−1 FC. We found that the MLEW was relatively stable in capped containers under both acidic and neutral pH during the 21-day period. Although there was significant lipid oxidation in the emulsion system, and the extent of oxidation was FC concentration dependent, we did not observe significantly more lipid oxidation in fish treated with MLEW compared to the control (stored under 4 °C for 10 days). Therefore, we conclude that MLEW may be used as a disinfectant in commercial operations without causing significant lipid oxidation and rancidity generation in foods.
U-73122 does not specifically inhibit phospholipase C in rat pancreatic islets and insulin-secreting β-cell lines

Phospholipase C is activated in insulin secretion by islets of Langerhans and insulin-secreting beta-cells such as RINm5F and beta-TC3. We have examined the effects of the aminosteroid U-73122, a phospholipase C inhibitor, on insulin secretion and phospholipase C activation. U-73122 slightly inhibited glucose-induced insulin secretion from islets, but this effect was not specific since the structural "inactive" analogue U-73343 also inhibited insulin secretion. Likewise, in RINm5F cells, U-73122 did not inhibit glyceraldehyde-induced insulin secretion. Phospholipase C activity was assessed as the accumulation of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) measured with a competitive binding assay: U-73122 failed to inhibit glucose-induced increase in Ins(1,4,5)P3. Similarly, when the effects of U-73122 and U-73343 were measured on [3H]phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis of islets, both compounds caused a slight, non-specific inhibition of phospholipase C activity. These observations suggest that U-73122 does not specifically inhibit phospholipase C in insulin-secreting cells.
Fluorescence Patterns from Supramolecular Polymer Assembly and Disassembly for Sensing Metallo- and Nonmetalloproteins

Critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of surfactants is lowered when polyelectrolytes act as counterions. At a concentration in between the CACs of the surfactant and the polymer−surfactant complex, protein-induced disassemblies can be achieved. This is because, when proteins competitively bind to the polyelectrolytes, the surfactants are not capable of sustaining a micelle-type assembly at this concentration. Since these amphiphilic aggregates are capable of noncovalently sequestering hydrophobic guest molecules, the protein binding induced disassembly process also results in a guest release from these assemblies. We show here that the change in fluorescence with different proteins is dependent not only on the nature of the polymer−surfactant complex, but also on the fluorescent transducer. Two processes can be responsible for the observed fluorescence change: fluorophore guest release from the hydrophobic interior of the assembly and excited state quenching due to complementary components in the anal...
Inhibition of Chlorella growth by the lipids of cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa

The total lipids of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa have been isolated and fractionated into its components. Of these lipid components, only the fatty acid-containing fraction inhibited the growth of the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa. The inhibitory activity appears to be due to linoleic and linolenic acids, which are both present in significants quantities. These acids may be the substances responsible for the reported toxicity of Microcystis aeruginosa to Chlorella.
Tubulin polymerization with ATP is mediated through the exchangeable GTP site

Abstract Glycerol-induced tubulin polymerization supported by non-guanine nucleotides was examined. The electrophoretically homogeneous tubulin was devoid of nucleoside kinase activity and 95% saturated with exchangeable GDP and nonexchageable GTP. All purine ribonucleoside 5′-triphosphates were active but no polymerization occurred with CTP or UTP. All polymerization reactions, as a function of nucleotide concentration, were similar: above a minimum (threshold) concentration, as the amount of nucleotide increased the reaction became progressively more rapid and extensive with a progressively shorter nucleation period. Threshold concentrations of ATP, XTP, ITP and GTP were 0.6 mM, 0.3 mM, 30 μM and 7 μM, respectively. Most ribose- and polyphosphate-modified ATP analogs also su[[roted polymerization at high concentrations, but the activity of these analogs relative to ATP was very similar to the activity of cognate GTP analogs relative GTP. Polymerization with ATP was associated with an ATPase reaction. ATP hydrolysis was potently inhibited by GDP and GTP and altered by antimitotic drugs in parallel with the effects of these agents on GTP hydrolysis. Substantial amounts of [8- 14 C]GDP bound in the exchangeable site of tubulin were displaced druing polymerization with GTP or ATP, but much higher concentrations of ATP were required for equivalent displacement of the tubulin-bound GDP. Polymerization with GTP or ATP was inhibited in a qualitatively similar manner by GDP, with increasing concentrations of GDP causing a progressive prolognation of the nucleation period and reduction in reaction rate and extent. However, complete inhibition of polymerization required that GDP: GTP ⪢ 1, but that GDP : ATP ⪡ 1. Inhibition appeared to be primarily competitive, since the higher triphosphate concentrations higher GDP concentrations were required for comparable inhibition. We conclude that ATP effects on tubulin polymerization are mediated through a feeble interaction at the exchangeable GTP site.
First trimester Down syndrome screening with dried blood spots using a dual analyte free beta hCG and PAPP-A immunofluorometric assay

Objective To determine the effectiveness of first trimester Down syndrome screening with dried blood spots using a dual analyte free beta human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG)/pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) immunofluorometric assay. Method An initial retrospective study of 54 Down syndrome cases and 1064 control specimens was performed followed by a series of 146 513 specimens from routine screening. Detection rates at a fixed 5% false-positive rate were determined separately based on reference data from the retrospective study set and then adjusted based on the routine screening study set. Results On the basis of the retrospective analysis, the estimated detection rate using free beta hCG, PAPP-A and maternal age varied from 78% at 9 weeks of pregnancy to 70% at 13 weeks of pregnancy. Using a combined protocol, including NT, the detection rate varied from 92 to 90% between 9 and 13 weeks of gestation. Adjusting distribution parameters based on the routine screening dataset reduced the detection rate by at most 1%. Conclusion Analysis of free beta hCG and PAPP-A using a dual analyte dried blood spot assay is an effective tool in Down syndrome screening, adding an important option for those considering implementation or modification of existing prenatal screening programs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CFD modeling of a thermoelectric device for electronics cooling applications

Increased power density in electronics systems is limiting the ability of air cooling to provide adequate cooling for the components in the systems. Thermoelectric cooling are solid state and highly reliable devices that can be used as either refrigeration or heat pump. The use of thermoelectric device for hot spot cooling has attracted significant research. Under specific conditions, a well-selected thermoelectric device can act as an enhancement for air cooling devices. A Thermoelectric device pumps heat from the cold to hot side, this direction is controlled by the voltage that is applied across the thermoelectric device. If the voltage is applied in opposite direction, the same thermoelectric cooler acts as a thermoelectric heater. In this paper, thermoelectric is used to study as a cooling device. A numerical test bench was set up in Icepaktrade. The power applied to thermoelectric, current supplied to thermoelectric and G factor were varied to find out the effect of each of these factors on the performance of the thermoelectric. The performance is evaluated by package temperature. In this study it was revealed that thermoelectric is not only used as a hot spot cooling solution but also can be used as a primary solution too. This study is mainly aimed for high end processors used in applications such as gaming.
Hospitalizations and return visits after chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ED visits

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to describe population-based patterns of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)–related emergency department (ED) visits. Methods We analyzed all COPD-related ED visits made by North Carolina residents 45 years or older in 2008 to 2009 using statewide surveillance system data. Return visits were identified when patients returned to the same ED within 3 or 14 days of a prior COPD-related visit. We quantify the prevalence of hospitalization and return visits by age, sex, and payment method and describe ED disposition patterns. Results Nearly half (46.3%) of the 97 511 COPD-related ED visits resulted in hospital admission. The percent of visits preceded by another COPD-related visit within 3 and 14 days was 1.6% and 6.2%, respectively. Emergency department–related hospitalizations increased with age; there were no differences by sex. Hospitalizations were less likely for uninsured, Medicare, and Medicaid visits than for privately insured visits. In contrast, 3- and 14-day return visits were more likely to be uninsured, Medicare, and Medicaid visits than privately insured visits. Fourteen-day returns were more likely to be made by men. Return visits initially increased with age compared with the 45- to 49-year age group, then decreased steadily after age 65 years. When return visits were made, discharge at both visits was the most common disposition pattern. However, 33.7% of 3-day returns and 22.7% of 14-day returns were discharged at the first visit and hospitalized upon returning to the ED. Conclusions Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease–related hospital admissions and short-term return ED visits were common and varied by age and insurance status. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease management remains a critical area for intervention and quality improvement.
The impact of prenatal cocaine exposure: Studies of the developing infant

This article traces several major phases of research evaluating the development of infants exposed to cocaine. Although initial studies focused on the medical and neurobehavioral status of the neonate, these studies often lacked appropriate comparison groups, attention to polydrug use, and follow-up after hospital discharge. As studies began to include longer follow-up periods and the types of comparison groups necessary to evaluate the unique effects of cocaine versus factors such as poverty and polydrug use, the deleterious effects of cocaine exposure were not as apparent. Although most early studies focused only on mental and motor outcomes, recent studies evaluating learning processes, emotional development, and the effects of cocaine-exposed infants' unique caretaking environments may provide more detailed descriptions of the outcomes of this growing population. This article discusses numerous methodological issues that continue to challenge this complex research area and recent research efforts that may prove beneficial in guiding future studies.
Differential effects of dithiothreitol and iodoacetamide on corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) activity of bovine hypothalamic CRFs and vasopressin.

Various fractions were tested in vivo for corticotropin- releasing factor (CRF) activity after Sephadex G-100 fractionation of 0.1-N HC1 extracts of bovine hypophyseal stalk or cerebral cortex. Female rats pretreated with chlorpromazine, morphine, and Nembutal were used for CRF assay. CRF-A (void volume fractions; big CRF), CRF-B (Kav = 0.583), and CRF-C (salt volume fractions) of bovine hyophyseal stalk and lysine or arginine vasopressin all induced clear-cut stimulation of ACTH and corticosterone in the assay rats, whereas they were ineffective in acutely hypophysectomized rats. Control fractions purified from bovine cerebral cortex had no CRF activity. Treatment of arginine and lysine vasopressin and CRF-C with dithiothreitol and iodoacetamide completely abolished their CRF activity, whereas the CRF activities of CRF-A and CRF-B were unaltered by these treatments. Treatment with iodoacetamide alone had no effect on the CRF activity of any of these substances. Fractionation of either CR -C or arginine v...
The contribution of the physical sciences to the development of radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is used in the treatment of about half of all cancer patients in the United States. The development of this specialty has been intimately involved with major advances in the physical sciences, from the discovery of x-rays by Roentgen and radium by the Curies, to the technological breakthroughs of World War II that led to the 60cobalt teletherapy unit and the modern linear accelerator--the principal treatment machines in use today. These historical events are described and the principal characters introduced.
Pd(0)/Au(I) redox incompatibilities as revealed by Pd-catalyzed homo-coupling of arylgold(I)-complexes

A Pd(II)-catalyzed homo-coupling of Au(I)-aryls is reported. The reaction is driven by a Pd(0)/Au(I) redox reaction that generates a gold mirror and Pd(II), and illustrates one of the challenges for developing dual catalytic Au-Pd systems.
Early alterations in the collagen meshwork and lesions in the ankles are associated with spontaneous osteoarthritis in guinea-pigs

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate matrix changes in knee cartilage prior to development of surface disruptions and to examine the ankle for evidence of osteoarthritis (OA)-like lesions. Design Guinea-pig ankles and knees were examined histologically or viewed with polarization microscopy to reveal changes in orientation of the collagen fibers. Results The medial femoral condyles were virtually free of histologic changes at 3 months of age. Changes were present by 6 months. Medial tibial plateau histologic changes were seen at 3 months which became more pronounced with age. Alterations in the collagen meshwork corresponding to areas of proteoglycan (PG) loss were noted in animals with an intact articular surface as early as 3 months. Histologic changes were noted in the ankles as early as 3 months of age which included surface disruptions, cell loss and loss of PG staining. Only knee joint composite histology scores were significantly elevated at 3 months while both knee and ankle scores were significantly elevated at 6 months. Knee and ankle joint scores were not different from each other at 6 months. Conclusions Alterations in the orientation of the collagen network of the cartilage correlated with Safranin-O loss suggesting that alterations in collagen:PG interactions play a role in the early phases of the OA process and precede frank histologic changes in the articular surface. The results in this study report for the first time OA-like lesions occurring spontaneously in articular cartilage of the ankle in the guinea-pig. Copyright 2002 OsteoArthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved .
An empirical investigation of the cross sectional determinants of lease use

This paper examines the determinants of cross-sectional variation in lease ratios. Results indicate that leases substitute for debt and that relative lease use is negatively related to the size of the lessee. Leased assets, as a fraction of total assets, are negatively related to the financial strength of the lessee. Relative lease use is positively related to the lessee's level of non-debt tax shields, and some support is found for a negative relationship between leasing and the tax rate. Additionally, asset factors, as proxied by industry, provide most of the explanatory power of the model.
A brief history of PEEM

Abstract The evolution of cathode lens-based photo emission electron microscopy (PEEM) from the simple beginnings in the early 1930s to its sophisticated present state is discussed. In addition to conventional ultraviolet light-excited PEEM (UV-PEEM), laser excited PEEM and the various modes of synchrotron X-ray-excited PEEM (XPEEM) particular emphasis is placed on the complementary combination of these methods with low energy electron microscopy (LEEM).
Operating one-handed: Emergency treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses

An elderly woman was brought to the emergency room (ER) hypotensive in a confused mental state from what turned out at exploration to be a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm. You are in the operating room, and the anesthesiologist has just hung the first unit of blood but has not started infusion when the ER calls. The patient and her husband were visiting their children and live in another state. Her husband, an elder in a Jehovah's Witness congregation, arrived and is adamant that she have no transfusions. Her blood pressure is dangerously low. It is being maintained by a high-dose Levophed (leave-um dead) drip and continues to slip. You have avoided operating on Jehovah's Witness patients because of the added unnecessary risk they pose. Your assistant is of like mind. What is the best ethical course at this time?
Fee comparisons of treatments for nonmelanoma skin cancer in a private practice academic setting.

OBJECTIVE To compare fees for biopsy, treatment procedure, repair, and 2-month follow-up for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) treatments: electrodesiccation and curettage (ED&C), excision, and Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS).
Explicating crisis coping in crisis communication

Abstract This study explores coping, a core construct in the cognitive appraisal theory of crisis communication, from the public's perspective. The study proposed and tested the hierarchical framework of publics’ crisis coping that examined the relationship among four types of publics’ crisis coping strategies (i.e., relational thinking, emotional venting, instrumental support, and action). For this purpose, a survey was conducted among 168 individuals from a randomly sampled general public population. The proposed model of crisis coping illustrates tenable data-model fits. Key findings of this study include direct effects of rational thinking on action as well as indirect effects of emotional venting on action through instrumental support. The results shed light on the essential coping facilitator role organizations could play in terms of providing publics with instrumental support in times of crisis and facilitate more constructive public responses in the organizational crisis-handling process.
Mechanical relaxation in polychlorotrifluoroethylene

Measurements of the viscoelastic functions Δ, G', G″, J′, and J″ as functions of temperature from −180 to +180°C. have been obtained, using a torsion pendulum apparatus, for several samples of polychlorotrifluoroethylene having widely different crystallinities as determined by density. The low crystallinity samples show two relaxations: a very broad one (γ) centered at about −35°C. which appears to be split into two processes, and one (β) at 84°C. In the higher crystallinity samples, a third process (α) appears at about 137°C., and the high temperature side of the γ relaxation peak is lower in magnitude as compared to the lower crystallinity specimens. For the β peak, which is assumed to be associated with the glass transition, the peak value for G″ is essentially independent of crystallinity, while both Δ and J″ show decreases in magnitude with increasing crystallinity. The relationship between the magnitude of the relaxation peak and crystallinity, and dependence of this relationship upon the viscoelastic function chosen to characterize the relaxation are discussed.
The Experience of Bereavement in Caregivers of Family Members With Alzheimer's Disease

This paper reports an analysis of the bereavement experience described by 13 caregivers of family members with Alzheimer's disease. Utilizing the constant comparative method, four patterns of experience and two major concepts describing bereavement were identified. Two stages of bereavement are described: The first during caregiving and the second following the death of the family member. Findings support the need for professional intervention for caregivers during the caregiving period, which may also be a time of intense bereavement.