cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thoracoscopic fine-needle aspiration of solitary pulmonary nodules

To determine the diagnostic efficacy of thoracoscopic fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of solitary pulmonary nodules suspicious for lung cancer, we performed intraoperative thoracoscopic FNA for diagnostic purposes in 8 consecutive patients with peripheral solitary pulmonary nodules suspicious for lung cancer. Thoracoscopic FNA yielded an accurate diagnosis in all cases. There were 5 cases of non-small cell lung carcinoma, 1 small cell lung carcinoma, 1 renal carcinoma metastasis, and 1 inflammatory nodule. Results of FNA were obtained in less than 10 minutes in 6 cases. Maximum time to diagnosis was 20 minutes. The surgical procedure was expedited in the 6 cases of lung cancer because lobectomy followed FNA rather than the performance of a diagnostic wedge resection. A minor hematoma after FNA was the single complication. Thoracoscopic FNA yielded a prompt and accurate diagnosis of peripheral solitary pulmonary nodules. Thoracoscopic FNA should be considered as an alternative to preoperative percutaneous FNA, which risks pneumothorax and patient discomfort. In cases of lung cancer, thoracoscopic FNA allows the surgeon to bypass a diagnostic wedge resection and to proceed with definitive lobectomy.
The role of histones as nuclear autoantigens in drug-related lupus erythematosus

Patients with drug-related lupus erythematosus produce antibodies to nuclear histones which can be detected by a three-step indirect immunofluorescence technique. Procainamide-related antinuclear antibodies were detected by this technique, but hydralazine-related antinuclear antibodies were not. Certain evidence suggests that antibodies induced by the two drugs are reactive with different subclasses of histones. Hydralazine was shown to interact with a soluble DNA-histone complex, and the resulting interaction rendered the histone moiety resistant to trypsin digestion. This mechanism may help to maintain DNA-histone complexes in a potentially immunogenic form and result in the production of autoantibodies.
Looking Back on 34 Years of the Journal: 1974–20??

I vividly remember the day in 1973 when I received the call from Bob Frazier asking if I would be the editor of Pediatrics . Jim McKay and Bob Haggerty, both past presidents of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), were willing to be my co-editors. I accepted, thinking that the “job” would probably last a few years. When the contract arrived, I noted it was for 1 year! We received 653 articles that first year. Our acceptance rate was 42%. Each issue of the journal contained 26 articles, and our circulation was 22000. In 2008, we received 3480 articles. Our acceptance rate was 16%, and each issue contained 50 articles. The content is very different today; topics such as obesity, asthma, HIV infection, genetics, autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, randomized, controlled trials and quality improvement, newborn vaccines, … Address correspondence to Jerold F. Lucey, MD, FAAP, FRCP, Pediatrics , Editor-in-Chief, Pediatrics Editorial Office, 89 Beaumont Ave, Given D201, Burlington, VT 05405-0068. E-mail: jerold.lucey{at}uvm.edu
Caldesmon and heat shock protein 20 phosphorylation in nitroglycerin- and magnesium-induced relaxation of swine carotid artery

Nitrovasodilators, high extracellular Mg(2+), and some other relaxing agents can cause smooth muscle relaxation without reductions in myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC) phosphorylation. Relaxations without MRLC dephosphorylation suggest that other regulatory systems, beyond MRLC phosphorylation, are present in smooth muscle. We tested whether changes in caldesmon phosphorylation, heat shock protein 20 (HSP20) phosphorylation, or intracellular pH (pH(i)) could be responsible for relaxation without MRLC dephosphorylation. In unstimulated tissues, caldesmon was phosphorylated 1.02+/-0.10 mol P(i)/mol caldesmon (mean+/-1 S.E.M.), HSP20 was phosphorylated 0.005+/-0.003 mol P(i)/mol HSP20, and estimated pH(i) was 7.21+/-0.07. Histamine stimulation induced a contraction, an intracellular acidosis, but did not significantly change caldesmon or HSP20 phosphorylation. Addition of nitroglycerin induced a relaxation, significantly increased HSP20 phosphorylation to 0.18+/-0.02 mol P(i)/mol HSP20, did not significantly change caldesmon phosphorylation, and pH(i) returned to near unstimulated values. Increase in extracellular Mg(2+) to 10 mM induced a relaxation, but did not significantly change HSP20 or caldesmon phosphorylation. These data suggest that changes in caldesmon phosphorylation, HSP20 phosphorylation, or pH(i) cannot be the sole explanation for relaxation without MRLC dephosphorylation. However, it is possible that HSP20 phosphorylation may be involved in nitroglycerin-induced relaxation without MRLC dephosphorylation.
Electroinduced structural changes in manganese dioxide + manganese hydroxide films as characterized by real-time surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Abstract Structural changes occurring during reduction of thin (ca. 10 nm) MnO2 films and oxidation of similar Mn(OH)2 films electrodeposited onto electrochemically roughened gold have been examined using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Sequences of SER spectra were obtained during potential excursions under galvanostatic and linear-sweep voltammetric conditions by using multichannel Raman detection. The electrochemical redox behavior of the MnO2 films is comparable to that for thicker layers as well as for MnO2 battery electrodes. The MnO2 film exhibits a broad asymmetric Raman band at 585 cm−1, due to Mn-O lattice vibrations. Upon initiating film reduction, this band narrows and a sharp feature at 670 cm−1 appears, also due to a metal-oxide vibration; neither band is shifted upon substituting D2O for H2O electrolyte. Further reduction yields a Mn-OH vibrational band (identified from the deuterium isotope shift) first at 415 cm−1, eventually being replaced by a broader Mn-OH feature at 470 cm−1. These latter features are consistent with the formation of MnOOH and Mn(OH)2, respectively. The 670 cm−1 band is attributed tentatively to an intermediate Mn(IV)-O-Mn(III) species en route to MnOOH. Reoxidation of this film yields comparable electro-chemical and SERS responses to oxidation of Mn(OH)2films. The 415 cm−1 Mn-OH feature reappears during Mn(OH)2 oxidation and MnO2 is eventually formed as evidenced by the appearance of the 585 cm−1 Mn-O band. However, the 670 cm−1 feature is not observed during film oxidation, an Mn-OH band at 500 cm−1 appearing in concert with the 415 cm−1 band instead. This is attributed to the formation of two distinct MnOOH phases during Mn(OH)2oxidation. The virtues of SERS for elucidating redox-induced structural changes within oxide and other thin surface films are pointed out.
MAINTENANCE OF MODALITY-SPECIFIC CONNECTIONS IN THE SPINAL CORD AFTER NEONATAL NERVE GROWTH FACTOR DEPRIVATION

We have investigated the properties of antidromically identified lamina I neurons in the rat dorsal horn (in vivo) after neonatal administration of antibody to nerve growth factor (anti-NGF). Treatment from postnatal day (P) 2 to P9 yielded normal lamina I cell physiology; most cells responded to mechanical nociception and the remainder had a wide dynamic range (WDR). Extending anti-NGF treatment to P14 reduced the proportion of cells responding to mechanical nociception, increased the proportion of WDR cells, and caused the emergence of cells not driven by cutaneous inputs. Both nociceptive-specific and WDR cells had larger receptive fields, suggestive of enhanced central action of the remaining nociceptive afferents. These findings cannot be explained by direct action of anti-NGF on spinal cord neurons since both P2-9 and P2-14 treatments should have had similar effects given the time course of development of the blood-brain barrier. The results are discussed in terms of previous findings indicating normal numbers of D-hairs and high-threshold mechanoreceptors (HTMRs) after anti-NGF treatment from P2 to P9, but a decline in the number of HTMRs and an increase in the number of D-hairs after treatment from P2 to P14. It is suggested that the reduction in nociceptive neurons and the appearance of neurons not driven by cutaneous stimulation in lamina I results from the reduction in HTMR input. However, D-hair input to lamina I did not increase despite the larger number of these afferents, suggesting that their central action was regulated to maintain appropriate modality relationships between periphery and centre.
Currently Available Quality Improvement Initiatives in Surgical Oncology

For most cancers, surgical therapy offers the only hope for cure. Nevertheless, evidence suggests wide variation in cancer care, and therefore it is imperative to ensure that high standards of care are being met. Few initiatives currently exist that are focused on cancer care quality, and there is no program measuring short-term surgical outcomes following cancer surgery. Improvements in care will likely come from performance programs that provide reliable, robust, and actionable information in a timely manner such that performance feedback can occur more frequently and at earlier stages in the treatment and disease process.
Finite element implementation of large eddy simulation for separated flows

Abstract In this paper, a finite element method is applied to the large eddy simulation of unsteady, vortex-shedding flows past a square cylinder. Galerkin FEM with linear, isoparametric elements is implemented. Unsteady computations are performed using the explicit (Euler) method, with a streamline upwind scheme for advection term. Subcycling strategy is incorporated into time integration. First, the results for two-dimensional, low Reynolds number flow with vortex shedding are presented to validate the computational methodology. Then, three-dimensional calculation of a flow past a square cylinder at Re=22 000 is discussed. The Smagorinsky model is used for parametrization of the subgrid scales. No-slip wall condition is enforced. The computed mean and root mean square of pressure as well as wake structure are compared with numerical and experimental results reported by other researchers.
Effect of fibrosis on adverse events in patients with hepatitis C treated with telaprevir.

Summary Background Data about adverse events are needed to optimise telaprevir-based therapy in a broad spectrum of patients. Aim To investigate adverse events of telaprevir-based therapy in patients with and without advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis in a real-world setting. Methods Data on 174 hepatitis C-infected patients initiating telaprevir-based therapy at Mount Sinai and Montefiore medical centres were collected. Biopsy data and FIB-4 scores identified patients with advanced fibrosis. Multivariable fully adjusted models were built to assess the effect of advanced fibrosis on specific adverse events and discontinuation of treatment due to an adverse event. Results Patients with (n = 71) and without (n = 103) advanced fibrosis were similar in BMI, ribavirin exposure, gender, prior treatment history, haemoglobin and creatinine, but differed in race. Overall, 47% of patients completed treatment and 40% of patients achieved SVR. Treated patients with and without advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis had similar rates of adverse events; advanced fibrosis, however, was independently associated with ano-rectal discomfort (P = 0.03). Three patients decompensated and had advanced fibrosis. The discontinuation of all treatment medications due to an adverse event was significantly associated with older age (P = 0.01), female gender (P = 0.01) and lower platelets (P = 0.03). Conclusions Adverse events were common, but were not significantly related to the presence of advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. More critical monitoring in older and female patients with low platelets throughout treatment may reduce adverse event-related discontinuations.
Larval survival and feeding by immature Metaseiulus occidentalis, Neoseiulus fallacis, Amblyseius andersoni and Typhlodromus pyri on life stage groups of Tetranychus urticae Koch and phytoseiid larvae

When 20 newly hatched larvae either of Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt), Neoseiulus fallacis (Garman), Amblyseius andersoni Chant or Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten were held in arenas without food at 95% RH and 20°C, the percentages of mites surviving to protonymphs were 5.0, 81.3, 86.3, and 83.8%, respectively. Unfed M. occidentalis larvae starved within 2–3 days, while immatures of the other three species lived up to 12–14 days, with some becoming adults by cannibalizing and/or scavenging. Phytosciid larvae given eggs, larvae/protochrysalis/protonymphs (L/P), deutochrysalis/deutonymphs (D) or teleiochrysalis/female adult (T/A) of Tetranychus urticae Koch, fed at different incidences during 6 h tests. Larvae of T. pyri never fed, but almost all larvae of M. occidentalis fed on eggs and L/Ps and 60–70% of M. occidentalis larvae fed on Ds and T/As. N. fallacis and A. andersoni larvae fed at incidences from 20–75% depending on the stage of spider mite given. Larvae fed more commonly on eggs and L/Ps than Ds and T/As for M. occidentalis and N. fallacis but not A. andersoni. Protonymphs and deutonymphs of all four species, readily fed on T/As after 3 h of exposure, but incidences were higher for A. andersoni and T. pyri. Feeding on phytoseiid larvae by protonymphs and deutonymphs also was more common for A. andersoni and T. pyri. Except for M. occidentalis, deutonymphs fed more than protonymphs on phytoseiid larvae. Results are discussed in relation to individual species ‘life histories and the value of these traits in predicting a species’ role in a biological control system.
Critical Need for Clinical Trials: An Example of a Pilot Human Intervention Trial of a Mixture of Natural Agents Protecting Lymphocytes Against TNF-α Induced Activation of NF-κB

Humans typically consume “natural agents” that are believed to be chemoprotective and are known to decrease inflammation biomarker NF-κB in vitro; however, no intervention studies in humans have been done to date. This commentary documents the in vivo results as a powerful example for supporting the superiority of a complex mixture of natural agents. Human volunteers consumed two 500 mg capsules (BID) containing a mixture of natural agents for a period of 2 weeks, and blood samples were collected pre- and post-intervention. The purified lymphocytes were subjected to ex-vivo exposure to TNF-α or kept as untreated control. The mean NF-κB DNA binding activity was increased upon TNF-α treatment in pre-intervention samples; however, TNF-α was unable to induce NF-κB in post-intervention samples, suggesting that the mixture of four important natural agents could be useful to protect humans against oxidative stress.
Ethylene Production By Different Age Class Ponderosa and Jeffery Pine Needles as Related to Ozone Exposure and Visible Injury

Author's manuscript for published article. See Additional Links field for link to published version.
Dissociation of long and very long chain fatty acids from phospholipid bilayers.

Dissociation of fatty acids (FA) from and transbilayer movement (flip-flop) in small unilamellar phosphatidylcholine vesicles (SUV) were monitored by measuring the pH inside the vesicle with an entrapped water-soluble fluorophore, pyranin. With a pH gradient imposed upon SUV preloaded with FA, the rate of flip-flop of saturated very long chain FA (C20:0, C:22:0, and C24:0) was shown to be fast (t1/2 < 1 s); previously, we showed by stopped flow measurements that flip-flop of long chain (14-18 carbons) FA is very fast [t1/2 < 10 ms; Kamp, F., et al. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 11928-11937]. The rates of dissociation of FA from SUV were evaluated by incorporating FA into donor vesicles and measuring transfer to acceptor vesicles. The transfer was followed by changes in internal pH of either donor or acceptor vesicles with stopped flow (C14:0, C16:0, C17:0, C18:0, C18:1, and C18:2) or on-line (C20:0, C22:0, and C24:0) fluorescence. All FA showed a single-exponential transfer process that was slower than the lower limits established for the rate of flip-flop, with t1/2 of dissociation ranging from 20 ms for C14:0 to 1900 s for C24:0. The pseudo-unimolecular rate constant (koff) for dissociation of C14:0 to C26:0 showed a 10-fold decrease for each addition of two CH2 groups to the acyl chain and a delta (delta G) of -740 cal/CH2. The dissociation rate constants for oleic acid (18:1) and linoleic acid (18:2) were 5 and 10 times faster, respectively, than that of C18:0. The rates of dissociation for typical dietary FA are sufficiently rapid that complex mechanisms (e.g. protein-mediated) may not be required for their desorption from biological membranes. The very slow dissociation rates for C24:0 and C26:0 may accentuate their pathological effects in diseases in which they accumulate in tissues.
Youth development volunteers: Their motives, how they differ from other volunteers and correlates of involvement intensity

The research objectives were to understand better the motives of youth development volunteers, determine if youth development volunteers could be differentiated from other volunteers using determinant variables from multiple conceptual domains and to discover correlates that may predict more intensive volunteering involvement. Social-lifestyle, demographic, personality and terminal value measures were obtained from a sample of 164 youth development volunteers and 849 volunteers serving in other organisations. Survey respondents were derived from over 40 nonprofit organisations in two mid-western US cities. Results, managerial implications and recommendations for future research are presented.
Type 1 equilibrative nucleoside transporter regulates astrocyte-specific glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in the striatum.

Background Adenosine signaling has been implicated in several neurological and psychiatric disorders. Previously, we found that astrocytic excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) are downregulated in the striatum of mice lacking type 1 equilibrative nucleoside transporter (ENT1). Methods To further investigate the gene expression profile in the striatum, we preformed Illumina Mouse Whole Genome BeadChip microarray analysis of the caudate–putamen (CPu) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) in ENT1 null mice. Gene expression was validated by RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence. Using transgenic mice expressing enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) under the control of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter, we examined EGFP expression in an ENT1 null background. Results Glial fibrillary acidic protein was identified as a top candidate gene that was reduced in ENT1 null mice compared to wild-type littermates. Furthermore, EGFP expression was significantly reduced in GFAP-EGFP transgenic mice in an ENT1 null background in both the CPu and NAc. Finally, pharmacological inhibition or siRNA knockdown of ENT1 in cultured astrocytes also reduced GFAP mRNA levels. Conclusions Overall, our findings demonstrate that ENT1 regulates GFAP expression and possibly astrocyte function.
STM in retardates as a function of direction and delay of recall

Direction (forward, backward) and delay (0, 2, 4 sec) of recall was investigated using three groups of 12 retardates each matched on MA and CA. Results indicated significantly more errors occurred in forward learning than in backward learning on Trial 1 only. Analysis of total errors showed delay of recall significant with no differences in frequency or kind of error in forward or backward learning.
Is Preoperative Radiation Therapy as Effective as Postoperative Radiation Therapy for Heterotopic Ossification Prevention in Acetabular Fractures

Prophylactic approaches to prevent heterotopic ossification after acetabular fracture surgery have included indomethacin and/or single-dose external beam radiation therapy administered after surgery. Although preoperative radiation has been used for heterotopic ossification prophylaxis in the THA population, to our knowledge, no studies have compared preoperative and postoperative radiation therapy in the acetabular fracture population. We determined whether heterotopic ossification frequency and severity were different between patients with acetabular fracture treated with prophylactic radiation therapy preoperatively and postoperatively. Between January 2002 and December 2009, we treated 320 patients with a Kocher-Langenbeck approach for acetabular fractures, of whom 50 (34%) were treated with radiation therapy preoperatively and 96 (66%) postoperatively. Thirty-four (68%) and 71 (74%), respectively, had 6-month radiographs available for review and were included. For hospital logistical reasons, patients who underwent operative treatment on a Friday or Saturday received radiation therapy preoperatively, and all others received it postoperatively. The treatment groups were comparable in terms of most demographic parameters, injury severity, and fracture patterns. Six-month postoperative radiographs were reviewed and graded according to Brooker. Followup ranged from 6 to 93 months and 6 to 97 months for the preoperative and postoperative groups, respectively. Post hoc power analysis showed our study was powered to detect a difference of 22% or more between patients with severe heterotopic ossification. Sample size calculations showed 915 subjects would be needed to detect a 5% relative difference in severe heterotopic ossification status between groups. We detected no difference in heterotopic ossification frequency between the preoperative (eight of 36, 22%) and postoperative (19 of 71, 27%) groups (p = 0.609). There was also no difference in heterotopic ossification severity between groups (p = 0.666). Two of 36 (6%) in the preoperative group and three of 71 (4%) in the postoperative group developed clinically significant Grade III heterotopic ossification. No patients developed Grade IV heterotopic ossification. We found no difference in heterotopic ossification frequency or severity when comparing preoperative and postoperative radiation therapy. However, given the relatively low frequency of heterotopic ossification in this population, in particular the frequency of severe or symptomatic heterotopic ossification, the possibility of a Type II error must be considered. Larger, prospective studies are required to confirm our no-difference finding, but insofar as the result in this fracture population mirrors that of the THA population, unless our finding is disproven, we believe radiation therapy can be given either before or after surgery, as dictated by the clinical scenario. Level III, therapeutic study. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
The regulation of practices that promote brand interest: a “3Cs” guide for consumer brand managers

Purpose – This research seeks to examine the regulation of practices that promote brand interest. Its goal is to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework of such practices.Design/methodology/approach – A comprehensive search of US marketing laws and regulations was conducted to find cases and regulations pertaining to practices that promote consumer interest in a particular brand. These practices were then arranged into categories by their method of influencing consumer behavior.Findings – The 3Cs approach appears to provide a useful conceptual model for consumer brand managers. This model allows managers to consider the applicable case law and regulations for each type of practice.Originality/value – The conceptual model developed here is the first of its kind. It provides a useful tool for consumer brand managers who are considering various practices to promote brand interest. It helps brand managers evaluate the legal risks of the various practices they are considering.
Fast voltage gating of Ca2+ release in frog skeletal muscle revealed by supercharging pulses

1In single frog skeletal muscle fibres, we utilized supercharging voltage clamp command pulses to boost the rate of depolarization in the transverse tubular system (T-system) such that 95 % of steady-state potential is achieved in < 2 ms (as indicated by fluorescent potentiometric dye signals detected from a global illumination region). Signals detected near the edge of muscle fibres indicate that peripheral regions of the T-system are not significantly overcompensated under these conditions. 2We explored the impact of accelerating T-system depolarization on voltage-dependent events of excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling by measuring charge movement currents (CMCs) and Ca2+ fluorescence transients in response to both supercharging and conventional step pulses. 3When compared with CMCs elicited by step pulses, supercharging CMCs are larger, and their kinetics more closely resemble those of gating current records reported for ionic channels. Furthermore, they decay bi-exponentially (τfast range, 1.3-1.8 ms; τslow range, 7.3-11.9 ms), whereas step CMCs fall with a single exponential time course (τ range, 12.5-26.7 ms). 4Similarly, supercharging produces a distinct acceleration in Ca2+ release transients, which show little evidence of the voltage-dependent onset latencies previously encountered using step pulses. 5The use of this novel methodology in skeletal muscle unveils a previously undetected component of charge movement, the rapid, voltage-dependent recruitment of which may provide the basis for understanding the fast gating of physiological E-C coupling.
Blood copper concentrations and cuproenzyme activities in a colony of cats.

BACKGROUND There is little published information on plasma copper and whole blood copper concentrations in cats, and except for extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC SOD), we are unaware of published values for cat cuproenzyme activities. OBJECTIVE In this study we determined plasma and whole blood copper concentrations, plasma ceruloplasmin (CP), EC SOD and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities, and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (RBC SOD) activity in a specific pathogen-free colony of cats. Results were evaluated for differences based on age and sex. METHODS Blood was obtained from 20 adult cats (10 males, 10 females; >1 year of age) and 20 immature cats (10 males, 10 females; <1 year of age). Copper concentrations were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. EC SOD and RBC SOD activities were determined using the pyrogallol oxidation method, and CP activity was determined by the oxidation of 0 dianisidine dihydrochloride. DAO activity was measured using a colorimetric assay. Differences among groups were analyzed using ANOVA. RESULTS There were significant differences in mean plasma copper concentration, and CP and DAO activities (P=.001,.0001, and.02, respectively) among the 4 groups of cats. No age differences were identified. Male cats had significantly greater mean (+/- SEM) plasma copper (15.4 +/- 0.9 micromol/L versus 11.3 +/- 0.6 micromol/L; P =.001) concentrations, and CP (66.8 +/- 2.9 U/L versus 39.7 +/- 2.1 U/L; P=.0001) and DAO (6.68 +/- 0.16 U/L versus 6.15 +/- 0.1 U/L; P =.03) activities compared with female cats. Males had significantly greater whole blood copper concentrations (16.16 +/- 0.55 micromol/L versus 13.36 +/- 0.52 micromol/L; P =.002) than female cats. CONCLUSION Differences exist between male and female cats with respect to blood copper concentrations, and CP and DAO activities.
Phosphorus sorption on marine carbonate sediment: Phosphonate as Model Organic Compounds

Organophosphonate, characterized by the presence of a stable, covalent, carbon to phosphorus (C–P) bond, is a group of synthetic or biogenic organophosphorus compounds. The fate of these organic phosphorus compounds in the environment is not well studied. This study presents the first investigation on the sorption of phosphorus (P) in the presence of two model phosphonate compounds, 2-aminothylphosphonoic acid (2-AEP) and phosphonoformic acid (PFA), on marine carbonate sediments. In contrast to other organic P compounds, no significant inorganic phosphate exchange was observed in seawater. P was found to adsorb on the sediment only in the presence of PFA, not 2-AEP. This indicated that sorption of P from phosphonate on marine sediment was compound specific. Compared with inorganic phosphate sorption on the same sediments, P sorption from organic phosphorus is much less in the marine environment. Further study is needed to understand the potential role of the organophosphonate compounds in biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus in the environment.
High-order parabolic beam approximation for aero-optics

The parabolic beam equations are solved using high-order compact differences for the Laplacians and Runge-Kutta integration along the beam path. The solution method is verified by comparison to analytical solutions for apertured beams and both constant and complex index of refraction. An adaptive 4th-order Runge-Kutta using an embedded 2nd-order method is presented that has demonstrated itself to be very robust. For apertured beams, the results show that the method fails to capture near aperture effects due to a violation of the paraxial approximation in that region. Initial results indicate that the problem appears to be correctable by successive approximations. A preliminary assessment of the effect of turbulent scales is undertaken using high-order Lagrangian interpolation. The results show that while high fidelity methods are necessary to accurately capture the large scale flow structure, the method may not require the same level of fidelity in sampling the density for the index of refraction. The solution is used to calculate a phase difference that is directly compared with that commonly calculated via the optical path difference. Propagation through a supersonic boundary layer shows that for longer wavelengths, the traditional method to calculate the optical path is less accurate than for shorter wavelengths. While unlikely to supplant more traditional methods for most aero-optics applications, the current method can be used to give a quantitative assessment of the other methods as well as being amenable to the addition of more physics.
Influence of local tissue temperature on vibration detection threshold

We used the Computer Assisted Sensory Examination (CASE IV) and a new, rapid 4, 2, and 1 stepping algorithm to determine the influence of local temperature on vibratory detection threshold (VDT) in the great toe of 11 healthy adult subjects. We found that over a broad range of temperatures, VDT did not vary much. A large cooling offset resulted in a small increase in VDT, but warming did not change VDT significantly.
Methylome alterations "mark" new therapeutic opportunities in glioblastoma.

In this issue of Cancer Cell , Sturm et al. report that global DNA methylation patterns in glioblastoma multiforme divide adult and pediatric tumors into subgroups that have characteristic DNA mutations, mRNA profiles, and most importantly, different clinical behaviors. These findings suggest novel opportunities for therapeutics for this dreaded disease.
A direct synthesis of (±)-neolemnanyl acetates

Synthese du compose du titre a partir d'ethoxy-3 methyl-5 cyclohexene-2one et d'iodo-4 butyne-2yl trimethyl silane
La racionalidad herética de Fernando Vallejo y el derecho a la felicidad

El presente ensayo examina la critica de la civilizacion cristiana en la obra de Fernando Vallejo. Para ello, estudia su racionalidad heretica y la forma en que esta se manifiesta en la representacion de los medios de comunicacion masiva en la novela La Virgen de los Sicarios (1994). A la luz del relato El desbarrancadero (2001) y del ensayo La puta de Babilonia (2007) se muestra como los medios asumen la funcion de control social que adquirio internacionalmente el icono religioso durante el papado de Leon XIII (1878-1903), y que afianzo en Colombia el Concordato entre el Estado y la Santa Sede. Tras analizar el tratamiento que da el ensayo a dicho papado y considerar su relevancia para la historia nacional dentro de un contexto global, se identifica al problema politico-teologico del derecho a la felicidad como el sustrato que alimenta la reflexion de Vallejo sobre las relaciones entre el trafico internacional de narcoticos y el vaciamiento de un poder constituyente civico-religioso en el nivel local.
Equation of state of nuclear matter in a virial expansion of nucleons and nuclei

We study the equation of state (EOS) of nuclear matter at subnuclear density in a virial expansion for a nonideal gas. The gas consists of neutrons, protons, alpha particles, and 8980 species of nuclei with $A\ensuremath{\geqslant}12$ and masses from the finite-range droplet model. At very low density, the virial expansion reduces to nuclear statistical equilibrium. At higher density, the virial results match smoothly to the relativistic mean field results discussed in our previous paper. We tabulate the resulting EOS at over 73 000 grid points in the temperature range $T=0.158$ to 15.8 MeV, the density range ${n}_{B}={10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ to 0.1 fm${}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$, and the proton fraction range ${Y}_{P}=0.05$ to 0.56. In the future we plan to match these low-density results to our earlier high-density mean field results, and generate a full EOS table for use in supernova and neutron star merger simulations. This virial EOS is exact in the low-density limit.
In situ measurement of plant water potentials by equilibration with microdroplets of polyethylene glycol 8000.

Microdroplets (3-5 nanoliters) of polyethylene glycol 8000 solution were allowed to equilibrate with plant water potential by placing the microdroplet on an abraded surface and covering it with mineral oil to prevent evaporation. Osmolality was followed by cryoscopic measurements, accurate to about ±0.1 bar, on subnanoliter samples. Under constant environmental conditions, apparent equilibrium between microdroplet and plant water potentials was attained in about 1 to 2 hours. Microdroplet osmolality responded promptly to treatments (illumination, excision, osmotica) which changed plant water status. The values obtained for plant water potentials appeared to be physiologically reasonable. However, comparison with values obtained by other means (dewpoint hygrometry, treatment of tissue with polyethylene glycol solutions, calculation from turgor and osmotic pressures) suggest that they might be somewhat more negative than the actual tissue water potential. Aside from the advantage of providing in situ measurements of plant water status, the method is not temperature sensitive and requires only about 10 square millimeters of surface area, which allows its use on even small structures with little interference by shading or with gas exchange.
Ricoeur's Symbolism of Evil and Cross-Cultural Comparison: The Representation of Evil in Maya Indian Culture

The principal purpose of this essay is to examine the theory of culture (and the role of symbols of the sacred in culture) which is presupposed in Ricoeur's Symbolism of Evil. The examination is motivated by the question whether or not the etiology of the symbolism of evil which Ricoeur offers in his important text will stand up to the demands imposed by crosscultural applications. It is argued that Ricoeur's exposition invites an assumption of the cross-cultural validity of his schema. The process of examination comprises two major sections. First, a synopsis of Ricoeur's text is offered to establish a working understanding of the concepts which offer themselves as integral to any cross-cultural evaluation of the "symbolism of evil." Second, a "test-case" is defined: the religious symbolisms of Maya Indian culture. The definition of this test-case involves two secondary tasks: 1) a brief description of the general features of Maya religious symbolism; and, 2) an analysis of how Ricoeur's categories of the symbolism of evil fail to define accurately symbolisms of evil which occur in Maya mythology both before and after the conquest. This analysis leads finally to an assessment of the impact of western religious symbolisms on indigenous Maya symbolisms of evil. Ultimately, Ricoeur's analysis of the symbolism of evil is argued to be invalid for cross-cultural comparisons which extend beyond the cultural ambience of the western world. As scholars, we think increasingly within the orbits of profoundly influential books and ideas. To this extent modern scholarship is more and more given over to the analysis of critical problems deriving from the important works and ideas of our time. But the proliferation of criticism also gives scholarship over to an increasing dependence on the authority of these influential works and creates an important burden: this is the burden of constantly LAURENCE L. ALEXANDER (Ph.D., Emory) is presently Assistant Professor at Emory University's Graduate Institute of the Liberal Arts where he teaches in the areas of History of Western Culture and Philosophical and Critical Methodology.
Engineering study of extreme ultraviolet interferometric lithography

Extreme ultraviolet interferometric lithography (EUV-IL) is a powerful nanopatterning technique, exploiting the interference of two beams of short-wavelength radiation (13 nm) to form high-accuracy fringe patterns. Transmission diffraction gratings of appropriate period (40-100 nm) are used to form the beams; the substrate is located in the region of overlap to expose the photoresist material, recording 20-50 nm interference fringe patterns. Although the physics of EUV-IL is simple, its actual implementation is not and requires attention to detail in order to fully exploit the power of the technique. In order to understand the impact of realistic physical conditions on the performance of EUV-IL, we have developed a set of accurate numerical models based on the Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction theory. These modeling tools are then applied to generate a complete and accurate analysis of EUV-IL, taking into account all the relevant physical processes, from finite extent of the gratings to the partial coherence of the source, and including detailed physical structure of the mask. The results are used to guide the design and implementation of EUV-IL exposure systems, down to the sub-11-nm range.
The Simulation Imperative of End-of-Life Education

Abstract A significant effort must be made to adequately prepare nursing students to anticipate personal reactions and develop appropriate coping mechanisms prior to graduation. It is particularly important for nursing curricula to equip students during academic and clinical experiences with skills necessary to productively cope with the stressors faced in difficult end-of-life situations if nurses are to be able to cope effectively in practice. Textbooks have been slow to include all content areas of end-of-life encouraged by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing presented at the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium in 2000. Simulation can be an effective teaching strategy to identify anxiety levels prior to clinical experiences and a venue for the exploration of learning and coping styles.
Photosensitive index changes in germania-doped silica glass fibers and waveguides

Recent developments in the photosensitivity of germania doped silica glass are reviewed. The cause and nature of the absorption band centered near 240 nm are discussed and possible structures for this defect are reported together with a summary of the proposed mechanisms for the UV index change. Experimental techniques for assessing the refractive index change are listed and this leads to a consideration of the effects of non-ideal grating formation. Mechanisms for enhancing the photosensitivity of fibers and germania doped silica films are assessed using a systematic study of the photosensitivity of fibers fabricated under the different techniques. Finally some of the possible applications for photosensitivity are briefly discussed.
The isolation of D-erythro-L-galacto-nonulose from the avocado, together with its synthesis and proof of structure through reduction to D-arabino-D-manno-nonitol and D-arabino-D-gluco-nonitol

Abstract D -erythro- L -galacto-Nonulose was isolated as a sirup from the avocado fruit, in very low yield, by chromatography. The structure of the sugar was determined by degradation from the reducing end with lead tetraacetate, and from the non-reducing end with sodium metaperiodate. The two sets of reaction products thus obtained were identified with known compounds whose structures could be “overlapped” to conform with the D -erythro- L -galacto-nonulose configuration. This sugar was synthesized, and its identity with that of the avocado nonulose was established by reduction, followed by isolation of crystalline D -arabino- D -manno-nonitol and D -arabino- D -gluco-nonitol from each nonulose. Assigment of configurations to the two pairs of nonitols was determined by oxidation with Acetobacter suboxydans.
Examining roles in children's group therapy: Applying a dramaturgical role instrument to group process

Abstract In this group process study of two children's verbal psychotherapy groups in an outpatient clinic, group roles were examined through the development and application of a novel dramaturgical coding instrument and the use of trained raters to analyze videotaped scenes of interaction. Exploratory data analysis was conducted that compared individual members within groups, group-level data between groups, and members who showed clinical change with those who did not. The results suggest the potential utility, for researchers and therapists, of applying dramaturgical roles to group process.
Survival and Expansion of Mechanically Transplanted Seagrass Sods

Although planting seagrass is not technically complex, the ability to plant large areas is limited by the time-consuming nature of manual methods. Additionally, manual methods use small, spatially isolated planting units (PUs; shoot bundles or plugs/cores) that are often highly susceptible to disturbance. The likelihood for harvesting intact apical meristems may be higher with large sods compared to smaller units, thus increasing survival and expansion rates. Here, we examined the survival and expansion of large units (1.5 3 1.2 m) of seagrass transplanted using a mechanized planting boat (Giga Unit Transplant System; GUTS). Twenty-seven units of seagrass (18 Halodule wrightii and 9 Thalassia testudinum) were transplanted and monitored for survival, shoot density, and expansion. After 3 years, 74.1% of the units had survived (66.7% H. wrightii and 88.9% T. testudinum) with 12 H. wrightii units having expanded substantially beyond the bounds of the original PU, merging with adjacent units to form spatially continuous patches of seagrass. High survival rates for T. testudinum should be interpreted in light of concomitant declines in density and lack of significant expansion after 3 years. In its tested configuration, the GUTS was a viable method for transplanting H. wrightii where donor and receiver sites were in close proximity (<2 km; a current limitation of the GUTS design used here). However, based on the reduced density and lack of significant expansion of T. testudinum that has persisted 3 years posttransplant, the GUTS cannot yet be fully recommended for transplanting this species.
“SWEEPING THE HEAVENS FOR A COMET”: WOMEN, THE LANGUAGE OF POLITICAL ECONOMY, AND HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE US

Abstract The importance of increased levels of education in improving the status of women throughout the world is well established. Higher levels of education are associated with lower birth rates,...
Novel approaches for the treatment of the aberrant right subclavian artery and its aneurysms

We report a minimally invasive, hybrid endovascular approach that was used to treat two patients with aberrant right subclavian arteries. The first patient was a 50-year-old woman who presented with dysphagia lusoria. She underwent endovascular plugging and depressurization of the aberrant artery and a carotid-subclavian bypass using right supraclavicular access. The second patient, a 77-year-old woman who presented with a 5.5-cm aneurysm at the origin of a previously bypassed aberrant artery on the distal aortic arch, was treated using bilateral carotid-subclavian bypasses through neck incisions and a thoracic endoluminal graft exclusion of the arch aneurysm that covered both subclavian arteries.
Calibration and validation of a model of forest disturbancein the Western Ghats, India 1920–1990

This paper introduces a new statistical method that we recommend should become standard procedure to quantify the goodness-of-fit of calibration and validation for land-use change models. We present a multiple-resolution Relative Operating Characteristic (ROC) that measures the goodness-of-fit between a reference map, which is considered reality, and a simulated map, which is a model’s output. This proposed ROC is based on: (1) multiple-resolutions, (2) soft classification, (3) sampling without replacement, and 4) explicit separation of factors of quantity versus location of land-use change. We illustrate the method with a case study in India’s Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot, where we have maps of cumulative forest disturbance for 1920 and 1990. We use a predictive modeling approach similar to GEOMOD in which we calibrate the model with the map of 1920, then predict the map of 1990, at which point we subject the model to validation. We show that the fit of calibration tends to be much larger than the fit of validation. Thus if a modeler assess a model by goodness-of-fit of calibration only, then the modeler will likely be over confident in the model’s predictive ability.
The executive functions and self-regulation: an evolutionary neuropsychological perspective.

Neuropsychology has customarily taken a molecular and myopic view of executive functioning, concentrating largely on those proximal processes of which it may be comprised. Although commendable as a starting point, such an approach can never answer the question, “Why executive functioning?” The present paper encourages neuropsychologists to contemplate the longer-term, functional nature of the executive functions (EFs), using an evolutionary perspective. For purely illustrative purposes, a previously developed model of the EFs is briefly presented and is then examined from an evolutionary perspective. That model views the EFs as forms of behavior-to-the-self that evolved from overt (public) to covert (private) responses as a means of self-regulation. That was necessary given the interpersonal competition that arises within this group-living species. The EFs serve to shift the control of behavior from the immediate context, social others, and the temporal now to self-regulation by internal representations regarding the hypothetical social future. The EFs seem to meet the requirements of a biological adaptation, being an improbable complex design for a purpose that exists universally in humans. Discovering the adaptive problems that the EFs evolved to solve offers an invaluable research agenda for neuropsychology lest that agenda be resolved first by other scientific disciplines. Some adaptive problems that the EFs may have evolved to solve are then considered, among them being social exchange (reciprocal altruism or selfish cooperation), imitation and vicarious learning as types of experiential theft, mimetic skill (private behavioral rehearsal) and gestural communication, and social self-defense against such theft and interpersonal manipulation. Although clearly speculative at the moment, these proposals demonstrate the merit of considering the larger adaptive problems that the EFs evolved to solve. Taking the evolutionary stance toward the EFs would achieve not only greater insight into their nature, but also into their assessment and into those larger adaptive capacities that may be diminished through injury or developmental impairment toward that system.