cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A suggested approach for implementing CONSORT guidelines specific to obstetric research.

Abstract The conduct and reporting of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are enhanced by being compliant with the CONsolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement. The statement was meant to be general and was aimed at most RCTs without any particular focus on specific groups of patients. However, research in pregnancy presents important unique issues and challenges that are not addressed in the CONSORT statement. Thus, we suggest that there is a need to amend the statement to address RCTs enrolling pregnant or postpartum women. We propose CONSORT-OB (OBstetrics), with more than 30 modifications to the current statement. We hope the CONSORT group would consider our proposal, and we respectfully suggest that investigators incorporate these additional data into their reporting of RCTs involving pregnant or postpartum women.
Outpatient treatment of periocular infantile hemangiomas with oral propranolol.

Background Propranolol has recently been reported to be useful in the treatment of infantile hemangiomas. However, there are still many questions regarding the dosage, duration, and method of delivery. Methods In this retrospective, observational case series, all patients had complete eye examinations and were found to have vision-threatening hemangiomas. All patients had a baseline electrocardiogram. Outpatient, oral propranolol therapy was initiated between 3 weeks and 12 months of age. The dosage was slowly increased to 2 mg/kg daily over the course of 1-2 weeks. Response to therapy was deemed "excellent" (>50% reduction in size), "good" (decreased size but Results A total of 17 patients were treated with oral therapy. Of these, 10 had excellent results, 6 had a good response, 1 fair, and none poor. Mild adverse effects were noted in 6 of the 17 patients and included the following: increased gastric reflux lasting 1 week, intermittent fatigue during the first 2 weeks, gastrointestinal upset, and slight "shakiness" with a missed dose. No symptoms were severe enough to discontinue treatment. All families were satisfied with the treatment. Conclusions Outpatient propranolol treatment reduced the size or stopped the growth of all hemangiomas treated, with excellent response in more than half of all patients treated and only minor side effects. Although this is a small initial series, we are encouraged with the efficacy of this treatment modality in comparison with other currently available treatment options.
Anticonvulsants (Antineuropathics) for Neuropathic Pain Syndromes

Our knowledge about the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain has grown significantly during last two decades. Basic research with animal models of neuropathic pain and human clinical trials with neuropathic pain have accumulated solid evidence that a number of pathophysiologic and biochemical changes take place in the nervous system at a peripheral or central level as a result of the insult or disease. Many similarities between the pathophysiologic phenomena observed in some epilepsy models and neuropathic pain models justify the rationale for the use of anticonvulsant drugs in the symptomatic management of neuropathic pain disorders. Carbamazepine (CBZ) was the first representative from this class of drugs to be studied in clinical trials. It has been used for the treatment of neuropathic pain syndromes, in particular, trigeminal neuralgia (TN), for the longest time of any of the drugs in this class. Results from clinical trials support the use of CBZ in the treatment of TN, painful diabetic neuropathy, and postherpetic neuralgia. The use of CBZ was not studied for complex regional pain syndrome, phantom limb pain, and other neuropathic conditions, however. Phenytoin was the first anticonvulsant to be used as an antinociceptive agent, but based on clinical trials, there is no evidence for its efficacy in relieving neuropathic pain. Newer anticonvulsants have marked a new era in the treatment of neuropathic pain, with clinical trials of higher quality standards. Gabapentin (GBP) has most clearly demonstrated an analgesic effect for the treatment of neuropathic pain, specifically for the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia. Gabapentin has a favorable side effects profile, and based on the results of these studies, it should be considered a first-line treatment for neuropathic pain. Gabapentin mechanisms of action are still not thoroughly defined, but GBP is effective in relieving indexes of allodynia and hyperalgesia in animal models. It still remains to be seen whether GBP is as effective in other painful disorders. One small clinical trial with lamotrigine demonstrated improved pain control in TN. Evidence in support of the efficacy of anticonvulsant drugs in the treatment of neuropathic pain continues to evolve, and benefits have been clearly demonstrated in the case of GBP and CBZ. More advances in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain syndromes should further our opportunities to establish the role of anticonvulsants in the treatment of neuropathic pain.
A meta-analysis of the effect of soy protein supplementation on serum lipids.

Hypercholesterolemia is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Some, but not all, studies have shown that soy protein intake decreases total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides and increases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The objective of this meta-analysis was to examine the effect of soy protein supplementation on serum lipid levels in adults. English language articles were retrieved by searching MEDLINE (1966 to February 2005) and the bibliographies of the retrieved articles. A total of 41 randomized controlled trials in which isolated soy protein supplementation was the only intervention and the net changes in serum lipids during intervention were reported. Information on study design, sample size, participant characteristics, intervention, follow-up duration, and treatment outcomes was independently abstracted using a standardized protocol. Using a random-effects model, data from each study were pooled and weighted by the inverse of their variance. Soy protein supplementation was associated with a significant reduction in mean serum total cholesterol (−5.26 mg/dl, 95% confidence interval [CI] −7.14 to −3.38), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−4.25 mg/dl, 95% CI −6.00 to −2.50), and triglycerides (−6.26 mg/dl, 95% CI −9.14 to −3.38) and a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (0.77 mg/dl, 95% CI 0.20 to 1.34). Meta-regression analyses showed a dose-response relation between soy protein and isoflavone supplementation and net changes in serum lipids. These results indicate that soy protein supplementation reduces serum lipids among adults with or without hypercholesterolemia. In conclusion, replacing foods high in saturated fat, trans-saturated fat, and cholesterol with soy protein may have a beneficial effect on coronary risk factors.
Insulin injection techniques. Report from the 1st International Insulin Injection Technique Workshop, Strasbourg, France—June 1997

Forty diabetes experts — among them investigators who have studied insulin injections for many years — gathered in Strasbourg, France for the first International Insulin Injection Technique Workshop. The objectives of the Workshop were to present known data on injection technique and to outline the future directions of clinical and basic research in this area, in order to define guidelines on injections techniques at the end of the Workshop.
Multi-point Adjoint-Based Design of Tilt-Rotors in a Noninertial Reference Frame

Optimization of tilt-rotor systems requires the consideration of performance at multiple design points. In the current study, an adjoint-based optimization of a tilt-rotor blade is considered. The optimization seeks to simultaneously maximize the rotorcraft figure of merit in hover and the propulsive efficiency in airplane-mode for a tilt-rotor system. The design is subject to minimum thrust constraints imposed at each design point. The rotor flowfields at each design point are cast as steady-state problems in a noninertial reference frame. Geometric design variables used in the study to control blade shape include: thickness, camber, twist, and taper represented by as many as 123 separate design variables. Performance weighting of each operational mode is considered in the formulation of the composite objective function, and a build up of increasing geometric degrees of freedom is used to isolate the impact of selected design variables. In all cases considered, the resulting designs successfully increase both the hover figure of merit and the airplane-mode propulsive efficiency for a rotor designed with classical techniques.
Asymptotic scaling of the heavy-quark potential in lattice QCD.

The scaling behavior of the heavy-quark {ital q{bar q}} potential is studied by measuring Wilson-line operator-operator correlations via extensive simulations on large lattices. By using large size loops (up to 16{times}12) and extracting the potential at large distance {ital R}{ge}4, we find that the string tension satisfies the two-loop asymptotic scaling within about 95% accuracy at the coupling {beta}=6.0, 6.1, 6.2 and {alpha} remains a constant. Thus the scaling of the string tension sets in at around {beta}=6. The obtained values {radical}{sigma} /{Lambda}{sub {ital L}}=78{plus minus}4 and {alpha}{congruent}0.54{plus minus}0.11 agree well with the potential-model analysis on the {ital c{bar c}} and {ital b{bar b}} systems. Among the existing underlying string theories, our results favor the Neveu-Schwarz string theory.
Validation of relative water content for studying plant water relations in crambe

Abstract The study of the adaptation of crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochst. ex R.E. Fries), a potential new oil seed crop, to arid lands agriculture requires the evaluation of techniques for studying plant-water relationships specifically for crambe. One such technique, relative water content (RWC),wwas studied to determine the effect of time of floating on the kinetics of rehydration and dry weight loss of leaf discs and the influence of physiological leaf age and stage of plant development at different levels of water stress on the RWC and the kinetics of rehydration of crambe leaf tissue. The objective of this study was to calibrate the RWC technique as a means of measuring the internal water balance of crambe. Four greenhouse experiments were conducted using the cultivar, Meyer, as the experimental plant material and water stress treatments ranging from 0 to −1.0 MPa soil water potential in pot culture. Leaf discs of crambe plants subjected to different levels of water stress, stages of development and leaf age completed Phase I of rehydration in 4 h. No loss in dry weight resulting from floating time up to 5 h was detected under the experimental conditions used. Leaf age, stage of plant development and level of water stress affected rate of rehydration of leaf discs in Phase I. Both rate of water uptake and quantity of water absorbed increased as leaf age and water stress increased. Leaf discs from plants in the vegetative stage absorbed more water at higher rates and had higher RWCs than those from plants in the reproductive stage. Relative water content was found to be suitable for studying plant water status in crambe, but care must be taken to use leaves of similar age from plants of comparable stage of development.
Electronic absorption spectra of platinum(II) centers in liquid alkali metal chlorides

Abstract The optical electronic absorption spectra of Pt(II) centers have been measured in liquid CsCl, KCl, LiCl, and CsClLiCl and KClLiCl mixtures over substantial temperature ranges. In CsCl at 650°–700°C and the eutectic mixtures below about 400°C the spectrum is that expected for normal square-planar PtCl42− complex anions at elevated temperatures. In LiCl and the mixed solvents at elevated temperatures the spectrum is modified by a drawing together of the two spin-allowed bands. This effect is attributed to the polarization of PtCl42− by the outer shell of Li+ ions.
Descending paralysis resulting from occult wound botulism

A 30-year-old male drug abuser developed ophthalmoplegia, bulbar paralysis, and limb weakness responsive to edrophonium. However, potentiation of a low-amplitude evoked muscle action potential was produced with repetitive nerve stimulation at 10 Hz, and the clinical and electrophysiological data suggested the diagnosis of botulism. The source of botulism type B toxin was a clinically obscure cyst produced by subcutaneous infiltration of cocaine two weeks prior to the onset of symptoms. The patient improved with chronic administration of pyridostigmine bromide and plasmapheresis. Wound botulism may be underdiagnosed because of confusion with inflammatory neuropathy or myasthenia gravis. Neuromuscular transmission studies in patients with acute craniosomatic paralysis can prevent such oversights.
Psychological assessment versus psychological testing. Validation from Binet to the school, clinic, and courtroom

Increasingly, psychological assessment is conducted with clients and patients involved in child custody and personal injury litigation. Clinical neuropsychologists are being asked sophisticated questions by attorneys regarding the validity of practitioners' most highly respected tests. Research reviewed here bears on the validity of test-buttressed clinical opinions, including research related to the following psychometric properties of individual test scores: standard errors of measurement, test-retest stability and subtest-to-subtest intercorrelations. The highest and the lowest subtest scores used as indices, respectively, of an individual's premorbid level of cognitive functioning and the degree of current impairment from that presumed earlier level is not justified when used in isolation from the life history and current medical findings. Although many practitioners use information from the wider research, courtroom experience suggests that a number do not; contrariwise, the attempt of Faust and Ziskin (1988a) to undermine the courtroom testimony of every psychologist who serves as an expert witness is also criticized.
magnetic-field spark chambers

Work was carried out to develop magnetic field spark chambers of high resolution. Initial tests were made with a 2-gap, variable spacing, variable pressure spark chamber filled successively with Ne, Ar, He, and H. A 128-gap chamber with thin plates and 3 mm spacing, having a volume of 30 x 30 x 60 cm, was built. Each plate consists of two 0.025 mm sheets of Al supported on 1.5 mm thick frames of epoxy fiberglass. The chamber drive system consists of a hard- tube trigger which fires a 3-electrode pressurized-air spark-gap. This gap then drives 8 other identical gaps, each of which has eight output cables. These go to simple ferrite-core cable-adding transformers. (M.C.G.)
Impacted supernumerary teeth: a survey of 50 cases

This survey reviews the existing literature and explains some old and new techniques for treating different types of supernumerary teeth.
Anatomy of a systems failure: Dial-a-ride in Santa Clara County, California

Late in 1974 and early in 1975 the Santa Clara County Transit District initiated, operated, and then discontinued a demand responsive dial-a-ride system within a \(5\tfrac{1}{2}\)-month span. This systems failure was primarily the result of poor systems planning. Specifically, four major mistakes were made that led to the death of the system. They were: (1) Inadequate Customer Communication System, (2) Starting the Entire System at Once, (3) Inadequate Number of Vehicles, and (4) Taxicab Buyout.
CLASS INTERVAL SYSTEMS ON MAPS OF OBSERVED CORRELATED DISTRIBUTIONS

The degree to which choropleth maps accurately reflect product-moment correlation between sets of data depends upon the statistical distributions of the data and the system by which they are divided into class intervals. Comparing results for observed distributions with earlier results for normal distributions, it is found that: (1) the expected values of rank correlations between maps (given the product-moment correlation between the data sets) appear to be similar regardless of class interval method and regardless of whether data are normal or not; (2) class intervals based on standard deviation units have relatively smaller degrees of variation about expected values when observed data are being compared, while quantiles have small variations on the normal data (quantiles being a special case of standard deviations in that situation); and (3) the choice of interval system remains important for higher numbers of observations when observed, rather than normal, data are being considered. Le degre d'exactit...
Photoacclimation and non-photochemical quenching under in situ irradiance in natural phytoplankton assemblages from the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica

Photoacclimation strategies and sensitivity to photoinhibition were determined in natural phytoplankton assemblages during a phytoplankton bloom in the Amundsen Sea (South- ern Ocean) in relation to community composition, pigment content, light, and iron (Fe). Non- photochemical quenching (qN) was measured during recovery after surface irradiance exposure (SIE) for 20 min. The qN was separated into slow (qI, photoinhibition through damage of Photosys- tem II) and fast (qE, xanthophyll cycling) relaxing components. Phytoplankton within the upper mixed layer (UML) showed a higher ratio of photoprotective xanthophyll cycle pigments (diadino- xanthin (DD) + diatoxanthin (DT)) to chlorophyll a (chl a), indicative of acclimation to high light, which resulted in lower photoinhibition after SIE when compared to phytoplankton residing below the UML. Within the UML, we found differences in photoacclimation strategies in assem- blages dominated by Antarctic diatoms versus Phaeocystis antarctica (Haptophyta). Diatoms had a higher ratio of (DD + DT)/chl a, and the ratio tracked mean light levels within the UML, whereas this relationship was not apparent in P. antarctica, which had a lower (DD + DT)/chl a ratio. Despite these differences, diatoms and P. antarctica exhibited similar degrees of qN that were dominated by qE with very little qI. Bioassays under high and low Fe concentrations revealed an increase in the (DD + DT)/chl a ratio in Fe-limited populations dominated by diatoms and decreased photoinhibition. In experiments dominated by P. antarctica or with mixed populations, acclimation to low Fe increased the (DD + DT)/chl a ratio in most experiments; however, this did not affect photoinhibition. This study shows that under in situ conditions in the Amundsen Sea (1) phytoplankton photo acclimation efficiently minimizes photoinhibition, (2) photoinhibition does not control the relative abundances of P. antarctica or Antarctic diatoms, and (3) Fe limitation does not increase photo inhibition of either P. antarctica or Antarctic diatoms.
Nuclear quadrupole resonance investigation of NdBr3 and UI3

Abstract The 79 Br and 81 Br quadrupole spectra in a single crystal of NdBr 3 in the paramagnetic state and the 127 I quadrupole spectrum in polycrystalline UI 3 in both the paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic states have been studied.
Interrogating the Carbon and Oxygen K-Edge NEXAFS of a CO2-Dosed Hyperbranched Aminosilica

Using near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, we shed light on the nature of the interaction between CO2 and the amine moieties in a hyperbranched aminosilica (HAS) material, a porous aminosilica composite with great potential for postcombustion carbon capture applications. We show that after dosing a pristine (annealed) HAS sample with CO2, the C K-edge NEXAFS spectrum presents a new π* resonance at 289.9 eV, which can be attributed to the formation of a C═O (carbonyl) bond. Additional analyses of the O K-edge using model samples containing carbamate, carbonate, and bicarbonate functional groups as reference demonstrate a carbamate bonding mechanism for the chemical adsorption of CO2 by the HAS material under the conditions employed. These findings show the capability of the C and O K-edge NEXAFS technique to identify CO2–adsorbate species despite the high concentration of C and O atoms inherently present in the sample (prior to CO2 dosing) and the significant similarities betwee...
On a paper by Kageyama and Mohan

Kageyama Mohan (1984) have presented three methods of constructing new incomplete block designs from balanced incomplete block designs, They raise questions about the designs which come from each of their methods, These questions are answered, Another series of group divisible designs is derived as a special case of their second method.
Do dyslexics misread a ROWS for a ROSE

Insufficient knowledge of the subtle relations between words’ spellings and their phonology is widely held to be the primary limitation in developmental dyslexia. In the present study the influence of phonology on a semantic-based reading task was compared for groups of readers with and without dyslexia. As many studies have shown, skilled readers make phonology-based false-positive errors to homophones and pseudohomophones in the semantic categorization task. The basic finding was extended to children, teens, and adults with dyslexia from familial and clinically-referred samples. Dyslexics showed the same overall pattern of phonology errors and the results were consistent across dyslexia samples, across age groups, and across experimental conditions using word and nonword homophone foils. The dyslexic groups differed from chronological-age matched controls by having elevated false-positive homophone error rates overall, and weaker effects of baseword frequency. Children with dyslexia also made more false-positive errors to spelling control foils. These findings suggest that individuals with dyslexia make use of phonology when making semantic decisions both to word homophone and non-word pseudohomophone foils and that dyslexics lack adequate knowledge of actual word spellings, compared to chronological-age and reading-level matched control participants.
Morphology & Exchange Kinetics in Polymer Brushes: The Physical Significance of Hydrodynamic Transitions and Stretched Exponential Evolutional Forms

This work reexamines equilibrium and kinetic features of polymer brushes end-adsorbed onto solid substrates from solution, providing a new interpretation of previously-published experimental results and insight into the comparison between experiments and existing kinetic models. The study centers on an end-modified polyethylene oxide (PEO) which may adsorb to form a polymer brush on a hydrophobic polystyrene latex, and whose main backbone also exhibits an attraction for the surface. In a previous work, Gao and Ou-Yang claim a sharp pancake-to-brush transition with increasing surface coverage of the samples with the strongest end group attraction to the substrate, and only a delicate increase in the hydrodynamic thickness of layers whose chain ends are weakly attracted to the surface. Our reevaluation of this data, however, collapses all molecular architectures to a single curve describing the hydrodynamic thickness at different surface loadings, and which shows a relatively sharp transition for all samples. Gao and Ou-Yang have also performed kinetic exchange experiments where low molecular weight species replace preadsorbed high molecular species (with the same endgroup-surface adsorption energy), and observed stretched exponential behavior in the evolution of the hydrodynamic thickness of the adsorbed layer. We employed Milner’s treatment for brush exchange kinetics, to extract equivalent phenomenological parameters for more direct comparison between fundamental parameters and experiment.
Postacquisition unexpected footshock disrupts appetitively motivated instrumental performance based on short-term retention

Water-deprived rats were trained to run for water in an E-maze on a delayed-alternation task with a 5-min retention interval. Each day, long before encountering and again long after having encountered the delayed-alternation task, all subjects consistently experienced weak footshock in Context A and no footshock in Context B. Contexts A and B were highly dissimilar to each other and to the E-maze. On delayed-alternation probe trials, subjects were exposed to Context A or Context B for the middle 30 sec of the delayed-alternation retention interval. Performance on these trials was unaffected when weak footshock occurred in Context A or no footshock occurred in Context B. However, when weak footshock occurred in Context B, retention was impaired. An absence of footshocks in Context A produced a nonsignificant tendency towards impairment. Thus, the disruptive effects of unexpected events that occur during the retention interval do not appear to depend upon the target and unexpected events’ having similar reinforcers or even having reinforcers of the same valence. The results are interpreted in terms of unexpected events’ recruiting more of the limited information-processing capacity of the subject than do otherwise similar expected events. Moreover, the tendency of unexpected shock to interfere with performance more than does unexpected nonshock suggests that the degree to which an unexpected event recruits processing capacity depends on the affective value of the event as well as on its unexpectedness.
The NIKE KrF laser fusion facility

NIKE is a second generation high power KrF laser now under construction at the Naval Research Laboratory. The project is a collaborative effort between NRL and Los Alamos National Laboratory. NIKE is designed to deliver more than 2 kJ of energy to target in a 600-μm focal spot and a 4-ns pulse duration. Echelon free induced spatial incoherence (ISI) will be used to produce uniform target illumination. Flat targets will be ablatively accelerated to study both Rayleigh-Taylor and parametric instabilities. These results will have direct implications to direct-drive inertial confinement fusion for commercial energy applications. Reliable operation of a high power KrF laser is also an important goal of the NIKE laser, with the objective of 1000 target shots per year. This would be an important step in the development of the KrF laser as an ICF driver. NIKE is cheduled to begin target experiments in early 1994. If successful, these experiments will provide a technical basis to proceed with construction of an ignition facility.
Chiral nuclear magnetic resonance shift reagents: Lanthanide mixtures with 1-(1-naphthyl) ethylurea derivatives of amino acids

Esters of 1-(1-naphthly)ethylurea derivatives of L-valine, L-leucine, L-tert-leucine, and L-proline are examined as organic-soluble chiral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) resolving agents. The reagents are useful for resolving the spectra of chiral sulfoxides, amines, alcohols, and carboxylic acids. Enantiomeric resolution is caused by a combination of diastereomeric effects and the different association constants of the substrates with the resolving agents. Organic-soluble lanthanide species are added to resolving agent-substrate mixtures and often enhance the enantiomeric resolution. The enhancement occurs because the substrate that exhibits weaker binding with the resolving agent is more available to bond to the lanthanide. Broadening in the spectra with lanthanides is reduced at 50°C. Enantiomeric resolution is still observed at elevated temperatures. Chirality 9:1–9, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A review of the challenges faced in the conservative treatment of young women with endometrial carcinoma and risk of ovarian cancer.

Abstract Objective The standard management for women diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma (EC) is hysterectomy with salpingo-oophorectomy. However, more conservative treatment approaches, including uterine and ovarian preservation, may be used for women who have a strong desire to maintain fertility in spite of potential oncologic risks. Methods We reviewed the literature regarding fertility-preserving treatment for EC. We also conducted medical chart reviews for two young patients diagnosed with EC whose treatment deviated from the standard approach in order to preserve fertility. These patients were subsequently diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Our review summarizes the literature regarding the clinical and emotional implications of fertility preservation in young women. Cases Two young nulliparous women (29 and 23 years, respectively) with grade 1 endometrioid adenocarcinoma were initially treated with conservative fertility-sparing endocrine therapy. Upon failure of endocrine treatment both women underwent hysterectomy and staging with ovarian preservation. During surveillance, both women were subsequently diagnosed with ovarian carcinoma and underwent bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) and comprehensive staging. Conclusion The management of young women with endometrial cancer can be complex and challenging. Patients and physicians are confronted with the dilemma of following standard surgical guidelines versus the desire to maintain fertility and avoid surgical menopause. Careful oncologic, psychotherapeutic, genetic and reproductive counseling is advised before offering a non-standard treatment strategy to young endometrial cancer patients.
A synopsis of the human Y chromosome.

Phenotypic features and functions known to depend on the presence of the Y chromosome or the H-Y antigen are discussed in relation to structural anomalies of the Y chromosome and other abnormalities of sexual and somatic development.
Microwave detection of carbonation in mortar using dielectric property characterization

Microwave materials characterization techniques based upon dielectric property measurements are well-suited for detection and evaluation of physical and chemical changes in cement-based materials. In this investigation, microwave dielectric properties of several mortar samples were measured at S-band (2.6-3.95 GHz) and X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz) at two different times nearly one year apart. It was found that during this period, while the samples remained in ambient environment conditions, their masses remained essentially constant over time. However their dielectric properties underwent a relatively substantial change. To investigate the reason(s) behind this phenomenon, both pH indicator test and thermogravimetric analysis were conducted and the results confirmed carbonation in the samples. In this paper, the results of these investigations are presented. Additionally, a first-order dielectric mixing model capable of carbonation depth estimation is described.
Comparison of laboratory and in situ measurements of urea decomposition by a marine diatom

Abstract The rate of decomposition of urea in situ by a marine diatom has been compared with laboratory estimated rates, at in situ urea concentrations, using an isolate of the same diatom species. The in situ measurements were made at two stations off the coast of Georgia, U.S.A. At these stations, Stephanopyxis costata Hustedt ( Skeletonema costatum ), decomposed 7.76 and 4.40 nM urea l −1 h −1 . Using a clone of Stephanopyxis costata isolated near Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, we obtained a Michaelis-Menten curve for urea decomposition. At the urea concentrations of the two stations near Georgia (0.93 and 0.85 μM) we calculated urea decomposition of 0.27 and 0.13 nM urea l −1 h −1 . Thus, the laboratory-determined rates were 3.5 and 3.7% of the actual in situ rates. Measurements of in situ decomposition of an organic solute by one species are rare. The causes of these large differences in urea decomposition rates may possibly be related to temperature or genetic differences between races of S. costata . These data suggest a cautious approach to the application of laborator-determined kinetics to in situ conditions.
Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention in Women

Each year, more than one million Americans experience a heart attack, and nearly half of them are fatal. Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death for women and men.1–3 Many people continue to believe that heart attacks represent a problem targeting solely older men, yet heart disease is the number one killer of both women and men in the United States. The difference is that among men, the risk for heart attack increases steadily after 45 years of age. In women, the risk increases after 50 years of age. However, younger women and men can also have heart attacks, and the current epidemic of obesity and inactivity among our nation’s youth will likely shift the risk toward occurrence at younger ages over the next one to two decades. Each year, nearly 700 000 Americans experience either their first or second stroke, and more than 20% of them are fatal. More women than men have strokes, and they are more likely to die as a result. The problem is particularly serious in black Americans.4–8 ### Who Is at Risk? Being familiar with factors that increase the risk for either a heart attack or stroke is the first step toward prevention. If you have one or more of these factors, please contact your healthcare provider to discuss the available means to reduce the risk. ### What Are the Signs and Symptoms? In most instances, a heart attack or stroke is caused …
An ecomorphological review of the dodo (Raphus cucullatus) and solitaire (Pezophaps solitaria), flightless Columbiformes of the Mascarene Islands

This paper describes a morphological study of the dodo Raphus cucullatus and solitaire Pezophaps solitaria extinct, flightless Columbiformes of the Mascarene Islands, Indian Ocean—based on mensural data from 387 skeletal elements, comparative data from four flighted species of Columbidae, ancillary mensural data from other Columbiformes, and the literature. Raphus cucullatus and P. solitaria are characterized by great body size and substantially reduced pectoral limbs. Sexual size dimorphism is unusually great in both R. cucullatus and P. solitaria, and sexual dimorphism of P. solitaria may be the greatest of any carinate bird. Estimates of body mass (kg), based on femur lengths of flighted columbids and adjusted for flightlessness and seasonal deposition of fat, were: 21 and 17 for male and female R. cucullatus, and 28 and 17 for male and female P. solitaria, respectively. Pectoral reduction is greater in R. cucullatus than in P. solitaria, but both species are characterized by differential shortening of wing elements, changes in the sternum and scapulocoracoidal angle. R. cucullatus has disproportionately long femora, short tarsometatarsi and long digits, whereas P. solitaria has disproportionately long tibiotarsi, short tarsometatarsi and short digits; relative shaft widths of leg elements are substantially greater in both R. cucullatus and P. solitaria than in flighted columbids. As is typical of other birds, giantism of R. cucullatus and P. solitaria probably was associated with physiological changes, increased longevity, enhanced thermodynamic efficiency and improved capacity for fasting. Evidently both R. cucullatus and P. solitaria were primarily frugivorous, and foraging-related morphological peculiarities include an enlarged crop and the retention of ‘gizzard stones’. Both species had clutch sizes of one, and egg masses of the flightless species approximated that predicted for a flighted columbid of equal size. Extreme sexual dimorphism and territoriality of P. solitaria suggest that the species may have been polygynous and perhaps lek-breeding. The description of ‘gigantic immaturity’ in R. cucullatus by Strickland & Melville (1848) probably represents the first recognition of paedomorphosis in any species of bird. Pectoral underdevelopment and (in at least R. cucullutus) comparatively ‘juvenile’ plumage in adults substantiate the role of paedomorphosis in the ontogeny of flightlessness in R. cucullatus and P. solitaria; both species also were characterized by peramorphic skulls, trunks and pelvic appendages. The common assumption of monophyly of the fligHtless species (it. Raphidae) lacks rigorous analytical support. In spite of the anthropogenous extinction of both species, both R. cucullarus and P. solitaria were evolutionarily innovative in ontogeny, morphological characters and life-history strategies.
Synthesis and characterization of biotinylated forms of insulin-like growth factor-1: topographical evaluation of the IGF-1/IGFBP-2 AND IGFBP-3 interface.

Activation of the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF)-1 receptor signaling pathways by IGF-1 and IGF-2 results in mitogenic and anabolic effects. The bioavailability of the IGFs is regulated by six ...
Social Reinforcement, Socialization, and Chronic Delinquency

This study compared the performance of delinquent and non-delinquent boys on an operant conditioning task in which social reinforcement was given. It was hypothesized that chronic delinquents would perform poorly in a social learning situation because of an inadequate social environment during the important early periods of life. Both delinquents and non-delinquents showed evidence of some learning on the task; difference between the groups was greatest in the first part of the conditioning session. Subjects who had high scores on a socialization scale—whether delinquents or non-delinquents—showed more conditioning than Ss with low scores. Results were discussed in terms of the cue property and the reinforcement property of a social stimulus.
Misdirected π-donor ligands: (η5-C5H5)2Zr(Cl) (SR) with sterically more demanding R groups have lower rotational barriers

Rotational barriers about the M-S bonds of 16-electron bent metallocene monothiolates (η 5 -C 5 H 5 ) 2 Zr(Cl) (SR) (R = −CH 3 , −CH 2 CH 3 , −CH(CH 3 ) 2 , −C(CH 3 ) 3 ) ( 1a–d ) have been measured by dynamic 1 H NMR methods: 32, 33, 35 and 26 kJ mol −1 , respectively. The ground-state orientation about the Zr-S bonds of 1 that maximizes Spπ → Mdπ bonding (Cl-Zr-S-R ≈ 90°) also maximizes CpR steric interaction, whereas the rotational transition-state orientation (Cl-Zr-S-R ≈ 0°) is one that minimizes Spπ → Mdπ bonding and maximizes ClR steric interaction. Deviation from a ground-state orientation that is ideal for Spπ → Mdπ bonding might be expected as the size of the R group and CpR steric interaction increases. Thus, the aberrant trend for the R = −C(CH 3 ) 3 derivative could be attributed to a ground-state steric effect where the sterically demanding −C(CH 3 ) 3 group forces an unfavorable (misdirected) orientation for Mdπ-Spπ bonding, but a favorable orientation with respect to CpR and ClR steric interactions. However, the solid-state structures of (η 5 -C 5 H 5 ) 2 Zr(SR) 2 (R = −CH 3 , −CH 2 CH 3 , −CH(CH 3 ) 2 , −C(CH 3 ) 3 ) ( 2a–d ) exhibit regular variation of their metric parameters as evidenced by their Zr-S-C bond angles of 108, 109, 113, and 124° and S-Zr-S′ bond angles of 97, 99, 100 and 106°, respectively. Neither the S′-Zr-S-R torsion angles nor the dihedral angles that describe the relationship between the S/Zr/S′ and Cp(centroid)/Zr/Cp′ (centroid) planes (both indicators of the relative orientation of the Zr dπ acceptor orbital and the thiolate S pπ donor orbital) reflect the steric demand of the R group. Thus, the size of the R group imposes a measured effect on the geometry of 2 and the tert-butyl group is not extraordinary. Although the enthalpic and entropic effects could not be deconvoluted for rotation about the Zr-S bond of 1 in the present study, literature precedents suggest that both enthalpic and entropic effects may play a role in determining the irregular trend that is observed.
Does Valence Matter? Effects of Negativity on Children's Early Understanding of the Truth and Lies.

Early deceptive behavior often involves acts of wrongdoings on the part of children. As a result, it has often been assumed, although not tested directly, that children are better at identifying lies about wrongdoing than lies about other activities. We tested this assumption in two studies. In Study 1, 67 3- to 5-year-olds viewed vignettes in which a character truthfully or falsely claimed to have committed a good or bad act. Children were biased to label claims that the character had committed a good act as the truth and claims that the character had committed a bad act as lies. In Study 2, 51 4- to 6-year-olds viewed vignettes in which characters either admitted or denied committing a good or bad act. Children were better at identifying truth-tellers and liars when the acts were good. Results suggest that young children initially overgeneralize the concept of lie to include all negative acts and the concept of the truth to include all good acts and only gradually make a distinction between act valence and honesty. As a result, including wrongdoing in scenarios to test children’s early understanding of the meaning of lying is likely to underestimate children’s abilities.
Molecular Mechanisms of Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling

I. Introduction II. Ligands and Receptors A. Ligands B. Receptors C. Receptor kinase signaling III. Smads A. Cloning of the Smads B. Smad regulation C. Smad nuclear function D. Smad structure E. Smads as negative regulators F. Smad-deficient mice G. Smads: an emerging model IV. TGF-β and the Cell Cycle A. TGF-β induction of the CKIs B. TGF-β-mediated decrease in Cdc25A levels in the breast epithelial cell line MCF10A C. TGF-β-mediated cyclin-CDK inhibition may be common strategy to arrest cells in G1 V. TGF-β and Cancer A. Receptor mutants B. Smad mutants C. Cell cycle mutants D. Multilevel resistance to TGF-β is important in multistep model of carcinogenesis VI. Conclusions
Landscape spatial patterns in freshwater snail assemblages across Northern Highland catchments

SUMMARY 1. Limnologists and landscape ecologists have illustrated how the spatial position of a lake in a landscape influences many of its properties, from the physical to the social. Taking a community ecology perspective, we investigated whether freshwater gastropod assemblages respond to lake landscape position. 2. We determined: (a) whether there is any spatial pattern among lakes in either the species richness or composition of gastropod assemblages; (b) the form of any spatial pattern; and (c) if any explanatory variables (e.g. dispersal corridors and limiting local conditions) show a similar pattern. 3. In three different hydrological catchments, snail species richness increased from isolated highland lakes to stream-connected lowland lakes, probably reflecting increased colonization potential and less limiting local factors for lowland drainage lakes. Catchments appear to differ from one another with regard to relative species abundance, both in terms of macrophyte-associated snail fauna and snails from all habitats aggregated. One or more historical events, such as chance dispersal, may have produced this pattern. Taken together, these results suggest that within-catchment constraints produce repeated gradients in species richness, regardless of what species composition persists in the catchment.
Effects of acute right ventricular systolic hypertension on regional myocardial blood flow in anesthetized dogs.

Abstract An important determinant of right ventricular (RV) myocardial blood flow is coronary driving pressure (CDP)—the pressure difference between RV and aorta. Since right ventricular systolic hypertension (RVSH) decreases RV CDP, it might limit blood flow to RV muscle. To study this we constricted the pulmonary artery in openchest dogs to give RV to aortic systolic pressure ratios of 0.25 to 0.40 (mild RVSH) and over 0.40 (moderate RVSH). We measured regional myocardial blood flow with 8 to 10 μ diameter radioactive microspheres, RV CDP by integrating the aortic-RV pressure difference per minute (pressure index—PI), and assessed myocardial oxygen needs of each ventricle from its tensiontime index (TTI). Flow to RV wall rose with mild and fell with moderate RVSH; differences were not significant. The ratio of RV myocardial flow to TTI remained normal with mild RVSH but fell 50 per cent with moderate RVSH. The ratio of RV PI to TTI was 10.3 ± 2.7 (mean and standard deviation) in controls, 5.6 ± 1.4 in mild RVSH, 2.4 ± 1.0 in moderate RVSH, and 1.8 ± 0.6 with acute heart failure. Reducing RV PI initially causes coronary vasodilatation. After maximal vasodilatation, further reduction decreases flow relative to oxygen needs. Underperfusion of RV myocardium may be predicted from information derived from RV and aortic pressure tracings.
Independent predictors of 28-day survival in patients with severe traumatic brain injury

RESULTS: PBMCs differentiate into mature and functional OC in the presence of all drugs. Osteoclastic resorption of SS was noted with differences in the resorption pattern under all drug treatments. Under drug treatment single areas of osteoclastic resorption were larger in size but less abundant when compared to positive controls. None of the used drugs was able to inhibit osteoclastic biocorrosion of SS.
A finite element method for steady-state conduction-advection phase change problems

Abstract A new finite element: technique is developed to solve steady-state conduction-advection problems with a phase change. The energy balance equation at the solid/liquid interface is employed to calculate the velocity of the solid/liquid interface in the Lagrangian frame. The position of the solid/liquid interface in the Eulerian frame is determined based on the composition of the velocity of the solid/liquid interface in the Lagrangian frame and the steady-state velocity of a rigid body. The interface position and the finite element mesh are continuously updated during an incremental process. No artificial diffusion is needed with this new finite element approach. An analytical solution for solidification of a pure material with a radiative boundary condition is also developed in this paper. Numerical experimentation is conducted and the corresponding results are compared with analytical solutions. The numerical results agree well with analytical solutions.
Decline in protease activities with age in the nematode caenorhabditis elegans

The activities of 3 lysosomal proteases in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans are markedly lower in older animals. The aspartyl protease cathepsin D declines about 10-fold from day 3 (early adulthood) to day 11 (near the mean lifespan); this reflects a net decline in the amount of cathepsin D antigen. The specific activity of the thiol protease cathepsin Ce1 declines about 2.5-fold over the same period, and the specific activity of the thiol protease cathepsin Ce2 declines about 8-fold. The activity of a new non-lysosomal protease, designated cathepsin CeX, is invariant with age. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that reduced protease activity in older animals may cause a decline in the rate of protein turnover with age, but do not prove this hypothesis.
The Effects of Gender on Compliance Gaining Strategy Endorsement and Suppression.

This study reports a secondary data analysis of eight separate studies of cognitive editing, with a combined sample size of 1471. These data had revealed inconsistent results with regard to the question of whether males and females edit their persuasive messages differently. This investigation reveals that gender has modest direct effects on endorse‐or‐suppress decisions. These results are consistent with those obtained in several recent meta‐analyses of related research traditions. It is possible that gender's interactions with other variables may be promising for future research.