cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of salt-incorporated diets on growth, body composition and plasma electrolytes of black sea bass Centropristis striata reared in a semi-pilot scale low salinity recirculating aquaculture system

Abstract To investigate the effects of dietary salt supplementation on growth performance, survival, body composition, and plasma electrolytes of black sea bass Centropristis striata, a feeding trial was conducted in a semi-pilot scale RAS under low salinity (10.8 ± 0.69 g L−1) rearing conditions. Four isolipidic and isonitrogenous test diets were formulated with graded levels of sea salt (99.86% NaCl): 0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5% dry wt. In addition, two control diets (0% salt test diet and a premium commercial diet) were tested for fish raised in full-strength seawater (34 g L−1). Twelve tanks (vol = 2-m3) of the low-salinity RAS were each stocked with black sea bass (mean wt. = 19.6 g) at a density of 100 fish per tank and at a starting salinity of 34 g L−1 and salinity was gradually decreased (0.5 g L−1 per day) to 10.1 g L−1 in 30 days. In addition, six tanks (2-m3) of a RAS supplied with full-strength seawater were each stocked with 100 fish from the same cohort, with 3 tanks fed either of the two control diets (0% salt or the commercial diet). After the 8-month feeding trial, fish grown at low salinity were fed their respective diets for an additional 5 weeks under adverse low-salinity conditions in which salinity was further decreased gradually from 10.1 g L−1 to 4 g L−1. Survival over the 8 months remained high (93–100%) among treatments. Growth (% body weight gain) among the treatments in low salinity ranged from 766 to 825%, comparable to fish raised in full seawater (788–813%). Plasma osmolality (mOsm kg−1) for fish ranged from 336 to 357 among all treatments. However, no significant relationships between weight gain, feed conversion ratio, survival, plasma osmolality, and electrolyte concentrations and dietary salt level were observed among fish raised in low salinity. When salinity was further reduced from 10.1 g L−1 to 4 g L−1, fish fed 0% salt showed poor survival (29%), whereas fish fed 7.5% salt showed highest survival (67%), and a significant (P
Trophic factors in aging. Should older people receive hormonal replacement therapy

The aging process is associated with significant declines in the levels of many hormones and trophic factors including estrogen, testosterone, growth hormone (somatropin, somatotropin) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1, somatomedin-1, somatomedin-C). Since the classic age-related changes resemble the signs and symptoms of endocrine deficiency, it has been hypothesised that some of the negative effects of aging are due to these hormonal deficits. Consequently, the potential role of hormonal replacement in reversing the deleterious effects of aging deserves investigation.
Environmental assessment of United States dairy farms

Abstract Dairy farms in the United States are diverse and although regional dairy production and farm strategy has been evaluated for environmental impact, a comprehensive national assessment is important to define national priorities for sustainable intensification. We estimated important environmental footprints of dairy production using process-level simulation and cradle-to-farm gate life cycle assessment. Dairy farms representing the sizes and management practices found in six regions were simulated with the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM). Regional and national environmental footprints were determined as an average of all simulated farms weighted by the portion of milk contributed by each to the total. Nationally, dairy farms were found to emit 99,000 ± 8480 Gg CO2e of greenhouse gas (GHG), equivalent to 1.5% of the estimated U.S. total GHG emission, with a commodity-based intensity of 1.01 ± 0.09 kg CO2e/kg of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) produced. Fossil energy use was 242,700 ± 38,400 TJ, 0.3% of the U.S. total, or 2.48 ± 0.39 MJ/kg FPCM. Blue (non-precipitation) water use was 11,600 ± 2480 Tg, roughly 3.0% of the estimated U.S. total freshwater withdraw, with an intensity of 119 ± 25 kg/kg FPCM. While these environmental footprints represent a small portion of the respective national inventories, the dairy industry's contribution to reactive nitrogen (N) losses appears to be considerably greater. Losses of reactive N were estimated at 970 ± 133 Gg, with an intensity of 9.92 ± 1.36 g/kg FPCM where 66% of the total was in the form of ammonia (NH3). Although there are no national estimates of total reactive N loss, dairy farms were found to contribute 19–24% of national inventories of NH3 emissions. While strategies are available to reduce NH3 emissions, finding economical and sustainable solutions that do not result in pollution swapping remains a challenge for the dairy industry.
Toxic and Teratogenic Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Fetal Development, Adolescence, and Adulthood

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can have immediate and long-lasting toxic and teratogenic effects on an individual's development and health. As a toxicant, alcohol can lead to a variety of physical and neurological anomalies in the fetus that can lead to behavioral and other impairments which may last a lifetime. Recent studies have focused on identifying mechanisms that mediate the immediate teratogenic effects of alcohol on fetal development and mechanisms that facilitate the persistent toxic effects of alcohol on health and predisposition to disease later in life. This review focuses on the contribution of epigenetic modifications and intercellular transporters like extracellular vesicles to the toxicity of PAE and to immediate and long-term consequences on an individual's health and risk of disease.
Application of FEA in a Highway Fill Embankment Slope Stability Failure Study

This paper presents the study of a slope stability failure due to a roadway widening using an FEA program. It consists of a case study of static load induced liquefaction in a simple roadway widening project constructed in the north eastern part of Ohio in 2008. The widening required an embankment fill, which moved nearly 4 feet vertically and 1 foot laterally after days of installation. The main objective of the work is to compare different approaches dealing with this static liquefaction situation; in this case, limit equilibrium method (LEM) and finite element analysis (FEA) method are being studied. The use of two approaches is important to show how the results can be compared and to determine the reliability of the factor of safety (FS). The mechanism that caused the rotational slope failure was the liquefaction of sand layers beneath the road embankment. The study explains how this loose sand layer could be simulated with the use of FEA which provides an advanced tool to perform a more complete and accurate analysis. The study concluded that each method has its advantages and limitations; however with the use of FEA, it was possible to build a more realistic model since advanced material model and properties could be defined which are more adequate for such cases as liquefaction in sands.
Optical Coherence Tomographic Angiography of Choroidal Neovascularization Associated With Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) can complicate chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and may be difficult to diagnose because CSC itself can be associated with pigment epithelial detachment, subretinal fluid, and ill-defined patterns of hyperfluorescence on fluorescein angiography (FA).1,2 Structural optical coherence tomographic (OCT) techniques such as en face OCT have been used to identify CNV but the vascular contrast is low, limiting image detail.3 This case report describes OCT angiography of CNV in chronic CSC.
Stream-Aquifer System Analysis

Under the Prior Appropriation Doctrine, the establishment of rights to use natural stream flows was determined on a basis of time, without regard to relative position on the stream of the existence of ground-water supply stored below the land. The subsequent development of ground-water supplies from alluvium below and adjacent to the streams has presented the need for planned operation of the ground-water system in conjunction with the surface supplies—such conjunctive operation being directed at both an alleviation of water right conflicts and an improvement of over-all efficiency of water use. The interrelationships of the components of a stream-aquifer system are programmed for computer analysis. A simple hypothetical model is used to present sample results of operational relationships.
An examination of the ingestion, bioaccumulation, and depuration of titanium dioxide nanoparticles by the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica).

The production rates of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles for consumer products far exceed the pace at which research can determine the effects of these particles in the natural environment. Sedentary organisms such as suspension-feeding bivalves are particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic contaminants, such as nanoparticles, that enter coastal environments. The purpose of this work was to examine the ingestion, bioaccumulation, and depuration rates of TiO2 nanoparticles by two species of suspension-feeding bivalves, the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica). Two representative TiO2 nanoparticles, UV-Titan M212 (Titan) and Aeroxide P25 (P25), were delivered to the animals either incorporated into marine snow or added directly to seawater at a concentration of 1.0 mg/L for exposure periods of 2 and 6 h. After feeding, the animals were transferred to filtered-seawater and allowed to depurate. Feces and tissues were collected at 0, 12, 24, 72, and 120 h, post-exposure, and analyzed for concentrations of titanium by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Results indicated that the capture and ingestion (i.e., transfer to the gut) of TiO2 nanoparticles by both mussels and oysters was not dependent on the presence of marine snow, and weight-standardized clearance rates of bivalves exposed to TiO2 nanoparticles were not significantly different than those of unexposed control animals. Both species ingested about half of the nanoparticles to which they were exposed, and >90% of the nanoparticles were egested in feces within 12 h, post-exposure. The findings of this study demonstrate that mussels and oysters can readily ingest both Titan and P25 nanoparticles regardless of the form in which they are encountered, but depurate these materials over a short period of time. Importantly, bioaccumulation of Titan and P25 nanoparticles does not occur in mussels and oysters following exposures of up to 6 h.
Advertising and the aggregate demand for cigarettes: A comment

Abstract The McGuinness-Cowling study represented a serious attempt to assess the impact of advertising on the demand for cigarettes in the UK, both before and after the 1962 report of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP). This note covers three points. First, it lists some general methodological criticisms of the McGuinness-Cowling approach. Second, it demonstrates a mathematical and conceptual error in their treatment of long-run elasticities. Third, it shows that corrected estimates of the long-run elasticities, based on the McGuinness-Cowling empirical results, are approximately thirty percent and forty percent of the two values given in their paper.
Endoproteolytic Processing of the Ebola Virus Envelope Glycoprotein: Cleavage Is Not Required for Function

Proteolytic processing is required for the activation of numerous viral glycoproteins. Here we show that the envelope glycoprotein from the Zaire strain of Ebola virus (Ebo-GP) is proteolytically processed into two subunits, GP1 and GP2, that are likely covalently associated through a disulfide linkage. Murine leukemia virions pseudotyped with Ebo-GP contain almost exclusively processed glycoprotein, indicating that this is the mature form of Ebo-GP. Mutational analysis identified a dibasic motif, reminiscent of furin-like protease processing sites, as the Ebo-GP cleavage site. However, analysis of Ebo-GP processing in LoVo cells that lack the proprotein convertase furin demonstrated that furin is not required for processing of Ebo-GP. In sharp contrast to other viral systems, we found that an uncleaved mutant of Ebo-GP was able to mediate infection of various cell lines as efficiently as the wild-type, proteolytically cleaved glycoprotein, indicating that cleavage is not required for the activation of Ebo-GP despite the conservation of a dibasic cleavage site in all filoviral envelope glycoproteins.
Chapter 1 EPR and ENDOR Studies of Defects in Semiconductors

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the basic concepts of magnetic resonance and some of the principal interaction terms revealed in the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron-nuclear double-resonance (ENDOR) spectra. Several examples are cited in the chapter to illustrate how each of these shows up in the spectra and how, in turn, they can be used to reveal the microscopic structure of a defect. EPR and ENDOR can be extremely powerful experimental tools for the study of point defects in semiconductors. Their magnetic resonance spectra, properly interpreted, often contain highly detailed microscopic information about the structure of a defect, which cannot be obtained in any other way. In an EPR experiment, the sample is placed in a magnetic field and transitions are induced between the Zeeman levels of the defect. Either dispersion or absorption can be studied by adjusting the phase of the reference signal derived directly from the microwave source.
Dynamic shear band development in dipolar thermoviscoplastic materials

We study thermomechanical deformations of a viscoplastic body deformed in plane strain compression at a nominal strain-rate of 5000 sec-1. We develop a material model in which the second order gradients of the velocity field are also included as kinematic variables and propose constitutive relations for the corresponding higher order stresses. This introduces a material characteristic length l, in addition to the viscous and thermal lengths, into the theory. It is shown that the computed results become mesh independent for l greater than a certain value. Also, the consideration of higher order velocity gradients has a stabilizing effect in the sense that the initiation of shear bands is delayed and their growth is slower as compared to that for nonpolar (l=0) materials.
Supernovae and high density nuclear matter

The role of the nuclear equation of state (EOS) in producing prompt supernova explosions is examined. Results of calculations of Baron, Cooperstein, and Kahana incorporating general relativity and a new high density EOS are presented, and the relevance of these calculations to laboratory experiments with heavy ions considered.
The Lost State of Franklin: America's First Secession – By Kevin T. Barksdale

In 1784 white settlers in the upper Tennessee Valley voted to secede from North Carolina and form an independent state, which they named Franklin. In short order, the new republic's leaders drafted...
Differential substituent effects of β-halogens in water-soluble porphyrins

The first water-soluble β-octafluorinated porphyrins, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octafluoroporphyrin, 1, and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2,6-difluoro-3-sulfonatophenyl)-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octafluoroporphyrin, 2, have been prepared and their aqueous aggregation, acid–base, and optical properties have been characterized. The porphyrins are tetraanionic at neutral pH (at pH = 3–11 for 1 and pH = 0–9 for 2). Semiempirical (AM1) calculations provide evidence that somewhat unusual acidity characteristics of the fluorinated compounds (with respect to similar brominated porphyrins) can be rationalized solely on the basis of chemical hardness and electronegativity arguments. These results indicate that the large conformational differences seen in the structures of brominated and fluorinated water-soluble porphyrins have little impact upon N–H acidity. Metalation of 1 and 2 with ZnCl2 yielded the zinc complexes, which were characterized by optical spectroscopy and electrochemistry.
Abstract 887: Proteome scale identification of autoantibody biomarkers in colorectal cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA It is widely appreciated that early detection is the key to making inroads in the fight against cancers. Despite the availability of endoscopic screening, compliance is poor. The diagnosis of CRC is often made in advanced stages, and the consequence is a dismal 50% five year survival across all CRC. There is urgent need for biomarkers with performance that can meet the need of early diagnosis. Like most cancers, colorectal cancers (CRCs) express tumor antigens that can induce humoral immune response. The identification of the autoantibodies against tumor antigens may facilitate early diagnosis of CRC. The goal for this pilot project was to demonstrate the feasibility of discovering autoantibody biomarkers for colorectal cancer using Nucleic Acid Programmable Protein Arrays (NAPPA). Autoantibodies in serum samples collected from 40 patients with DNA mismatch repair proficient colorectal cancer who had died of their cancer within 18 months of their blood draw and from 40 age-gender matched healthy controls were profiled on NAPPA arrays with randomly selected 2000 human protein. The fact that p53, a tumor antigen that has been previously reported to be related to various cancers including CRC, was one of the top candidates based on the statistical analysis demonstrates the validity of our discovery platform. Besides p53, thirty-one candidate antigens were identified to have sensitivity greater than or equal to 25% at 95% specificity and fifty-one candidate antigens had an area under the ROC curve (AUC) equal to or greater than 0.6. Validation of the combined 83 unique genes selected based on these two different data analysis methods in an independent sample set in a blind fashion is on-going. This pilot study using late stage cancer samples demonstrates the feasibility and power of an immunoproteomics study using protein arrays. This approach may rapidly lead to identification of markers that could have relevance in monitoring disease progression as well as in early cancer detection. Citation Format: Gokhan Demirkan, Leah Soderberg, Garrick Wallstrom, Emily Szeto, Kristi Barker, Jie Wang, Joshua LaBaer, Noralane M. Lindor, Ji Qiu. Proteome scale identification of autoantibody biomarkers in colorectal cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 887. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-887
ORIGINAL RESEARCH—BASIC SCIENCE: Cyclic Nucleotide Signaling in Cavernous Smooth Muscle

ABSTRACT Introduction Penile erection depends on cavernous smooth muscle relaxation that is principally regulated by cyclic nucleotide signaling. It is hoped that a comprehensive review of publications relevant to this subject will be helpful to both scientists and clinicians who are interested in the sciences of erectile function/dysfunction. Aims To review the roles of extracellular signaling molecules, their receptors, intracellular effectors, and phosphodiesterases in cyclic nucleotide signaling that leads to cavernous smooth muscle relaxation. The involvement of these molecules in the development of erectile dysfunction and the possibility of using them as therapeutic agents or targets are also discussed. Methods Entrez, the search engine for life sciences, was used to search for publications relevant to the topics of this review. Keywords used in the searches included vascular, cavernous, penis, smooth muscle, signaling molecules (adenosine, nitric oxide, etc.), and key elements in the cyclic nucleotide signaling pathways (cAMP, cGMP, cyclases, PKG, PKA, etc.). Articles that are dedicated to the study of erectile function/dysfunction were prioritized for citation. Results More than 1,000 articles were identified, many of which are studies of the vascular system and are therefore reviewed but not cited. Studies on erectile function have identified both cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling pathways in cavernous smooth muscle. Many signaling molecules of these two pathways have been shown capable of inducing erection when administered intracavernously. However, for sexually induced erection, nitric oxide (NO) is the responsible signaling molecule and it passes on the signal through soluble guanyl cyclase (sGC), cGMP, and protein kinase G (PKG). Conclusions The NO/sGC/cGMP/PKG pathway is principally responsible for sexually stimulated erection. Detumescence is mainly carried out by the degradation of cGMP by phosphodiesterase 5. Both cAMP and cGMP signaling pathways are susceptible to genetic and biochemical alterations in association with erectile dysfunction. Several key elements along these pathways are potential therapeutic targets.
Change detection for detecting potential threats in forward-looking video and downward-looking ground-penetrating radar data

Forward looking video can provide a large amount of tactically-relevant information to vehicle operators regarding roadside explosive threats. However it is difficult for vehicle operators to keep track of what roadside objects have changed since their last excursion, or what new objects have appeared on a road and might therefore contain an explosive threat. Furthermore, the large amount of data generated by forward looking video can overwhelm users. It would be of benefit to vehicle operators if only objects that had significantly changed since a recent excursion were flagged and presented to the user. In this work we develop techniques for video and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) tracking and aligning, and novel-object identification for application in route clearance patrols. We focus on aligning video data collected using vehicle mounted forward-looking video cameras and downward-looking GPR using locallyinvariant feature transforms and set-based distance metrics. Based on these aligned image streams, we then apply pattern classification approaches to discriminate new explosive threats from stationary and persistent objects. The techniques described in this work are widely applicable to other forward and downward-looking sensor systems, and are computationally tractable. The results indicate the potential to robustly identify recently changed roadside threats, and to present a significantly reduced amount of information to end-users for further operational analysis.
Regulation of cell-dependent viscosity in the dermis of the sea cucumber Actinopyga agassizi

Abstract The effects of various treatments on the viscosity of the deep dermis of the aspidochirote sea cucumber Actinopyga agassizi were investigated to elucidate the physiological mechanisms of viscosity regulation. Dermal specimens showed a significantly reduced viscosity in the presence of the Ca2+ chelator EGTA, the Ca2+ antagonists verapamil and TMB-8, isobutylmethyl xanthine, propranalol, phentolamine, caffeine and 1,9-dideoxyforskolin. With the exception of the Ca2+ chelator, these drugs were used in the presence of normal extracellular Ca2+ concentrations. The viscosity of the dermis was significantly increased by 100 mM K+ and by phorbol myristate acetate. These compounds were ineffective in the presence of EGTA. Inconsistent effects were seen with cyclic AMP, 8-bromo-cyclic AMP, ATP, sodium orthovanadate, staurosporine, forskolin, trifluoperazine, atropine, isoproterenol and acetylcholine. No effects were seen with okadaic acid, genistein, H-7, hypericin and epinephrine. Lysis of cellular membranes, caused either by freezing and thawing the tissue or by exposing it to the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 (1%) or to deionized water, significantly increased the viscosity, even in the continuous presence of EGTA. Extracts of frozen and thawed dermis contained one or more non-dialyzable, heat labile factors that stiffened the dermis in the presence of EGTA. The results are consistent with the notion that stiffening of the dermis is the result of a Ca2+-dependent secretory event that releases a soluble organic stiffening factor into the dermis.
Triggers of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia differ among patients with varying etiologies of left ventricular dysfunction.

Background: The mechanisms underlying the initiation of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) have not been fully elucidated. The extent to which reentry, abnormal automaticity, and triggered activity play a role in VT differs depending on the etiology of left ventricular dysfunction. By analyzing electrograms from implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), we sought to determine whether there were differences in VT initiation patterns between patients with ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Methods: We analyzed ICD electrograms in patients with ejection fractions < 40% who had sustained VT over a 27-month period. The trigger for VT onset was classified as a ventricular premature beat (VPB), supraventricular tachycardia, or of “sudden onset.” The baseline cycle length, VT cycle length, coupling interval, and prematurity ratio were recorded for each event. The prematurity ratio was calculated as the coupling interval of the VT initiator divided by the baseline cycle length. Results: Sixty-three VT events in 14 patients met the inclusion criteria. A VPB initiated the VT in 58 episodes (92%), 1 episode (2%) was initiated by a supraventricular tachycardia, and 4 episodes (6%) were sudden onset. The prematurity ratio was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (0.751 ± 0.068) as compared to patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (0.604 ± 0.139). Conclusion: VPBs initiated most sustained VT episodes. A significantly higher prematurity ratio was observed in the ischemic heart disease group. This may represent different mechanisms of VT initiation in patients with ischemic versus nonischemic heart disease.
Synthesis of ketomethylene analogs of dipeptides

Abstract A convenient method of synthesizing ketomethylene dipeptides by using homoallylic Grignard reagents as amino acid analog synthons is described.
Effect of discharge on the chlorophyll a distribution in the tidally-influenced Potomac River

In the tidal Potomac River, high river discharges during the spring are associated with high chlorophylla concentrations in the following in the following summer, assuming that summertime light and temperature conditions are favorable. Spring floods deliver large loads of particulate N and P to the tidal river. This particulate N and P could be mineralized by bacteria to inorganic N and P and released to the water column where it is available for phytoplankton use during summertime. However, during the study period relatively low concentrations of chlorophylla (less than 50 μg l−1 occurred in the tidal river if average monthly discharge during July or August exceeded 200 m3s−1. Discharge and other conditions combined to produce conditions favorable for nuisance levels of chlorophylla (greater than 100 μg l−1 approximately one year out of four. Chlorophylla maxima occurred in the Potomac River transition zone and estuary during late winter (dinoflagellates) and spring (diatoms). Typical seasonal peak concentrations were achieved at discharges as high as 970 m3 s−1, but sustained discharges greater than 1,100 m3 s−1 retarded development. Optimum growth conditions occurred following runoff events of 10 to 15 d duration which produced transit times to the transition zone of 7 to 10 d. Wet years with numerous moderate-sized runoff events, such as 1980, tend to produce greater biomass in the transition zone and estuary than do dry years such as 1981.
Scaled spatial variability of soil moisture fields

[1] This study identifies soil moisture spatial variability patterns using measurements across different extents (i.e., field, watershed, and basin) and depths (i.e., from surface to root zone profile) from 18 different soil moisture field experiments. The spatial variability patterns are well represented by negative exponential functions between the mean and the coefficient of variation of soil moisture. Principal component analysis demonstrates that rainfall and topography explain surface soil moisture variability changes as soils dry, while soil parameters control the maximum relative variability. Soil moisture's relative variability typically decreases as sampling extent increases, supporting the power law decay function proposed by Rodriquez-Iturbe et al. (1995). The finding that soil moisture relative variability increases as soil depth increases is consistent with an earlier study (Choi and Jacobs, 2006). These common soil moisture variability patterns can provide a feasible methodology to validate land surface models and to estimate variability across extents from mean soil moisture values.
Modified and "reverse" frozen elephant trunk repairs for extensive disease and complications after stent grafting.

Background The frozen elephant trunk (FET) repair technique combines conventional arch repair with the patient under circulatory arrest with stent grafting and is increasingly being used to treat extensive thoracic aortic disease. This surgical approach is evolving, including its use for complications after thoracic aortic stent grafting – the so-called reversed frozen elephant trunk (RFET). We evaluated the safety and efficacy of FET and RFET operations in high-risk patients. Methods Between July 2001 and December 2010, 31 patients underwent FET and 19 patients underwent RFET for extensive thoracic aortic disease. Causes included aneurysm (n = 32), acute dissection (n = 17), and rupture (n = 1). Twenty-three cases (46%) were for urgent or emergency indications. Patient data and outcomes were collected through a prospectively maintained clinical database and 3-dimensional analysis of computed tomography (CT) scans. Outcomes were assessed using Kaplan-Meier methodology. Results In-hospital mortality was 8% (n = 4, including 1 emergency RFET procedure for aortic rupture and 2 urgent FET procedures for symptomatic degenerative aneurysm). Stroke occurred in 5 patients (10%) and spinal cord injury in 4 patients (8%). Mean hospital stay was 14.3 days (range 4 to 67 days). Five endoleaks were observed (4 type II, 1 type I) requiring 2 endovascular reinterventions. Mean follow-up was 17 months (range, 1 to 76 months) and actuarial survival was 87% at 2 years. Conclusions Frozen elephant trunk repair is an effective surgical strategy for managing high-risk patients with extensive pathologic conditions of the thoracic aorta. The RFET approach is a feasible option for proximal aortic complications after previous descending stent grafting. Intermediate outcomes are reasonable for both approaches and further evaluation of these techniques is warranted.
Heavy Nuclei and α Particles between 7 and 100 Bev/Nucleon. I. Interaction Mean Free Paths and Fragmentation Probabilities

In a stack of nuclear emulsion exposed to the cosmic radiation near the geomagnetic equator, 540 tracks of heavy nuclei were located in a systematic scan and followed along the track. Twenty-two interactions of light ($3l~Zl~5$), 218 of medium ($6l~Zl~9$), and 99 of heavy ($Zg~10$) nuclei have been found. The average energy of the nuclei in this experiment was about 20 Bev per nucleon. The interaction mean free paths for all charge groups are in reasonably good agreement with results obtained at lower energies, indicating that the mean free path is independent of energy within the limits of error. In addition, all the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles originating in fragmentations of heavy nuclei have been followed. The mean free path of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles resulting from fragmentations is again in agreement with results obtained at lower energies. The same is true for the fragmentation probabilities.Fragmentation probabilities in hydrogen are given and their significance is discussed.
Compound-nuclear reaction cross sections via surrogate reactions

The surrogate reaction method is an indirect technique for determining cross sections for nuclear reactions that proceed through a well-defined compound nucleus. In this method, the same compound nucleus is produced by an alternate (“surrogate”) reaction and its decay products measured. The assumptions underlying the method are examined for the special case of 235 U( n , f ).
Monoclonal antibodies identify a cell-surface antigen associated with an activated cellular oncogene

A variety of antigens have been identified on the surface of the malignant cell. However, identical antigens are often found on non-malignant cells of the same or different histological origin, or of a different stage of embryonic development1–5. Many of these tumour-associated antigens appear to be only incidentally expressed on neoplastic cells. Clearly, it would be of great interest to identify cell-surface antigens whose expression is associated specifically with the transformed state and linked directly with the mechanisms responsible for transformation. The detection of activated cellular oncogenes in human and animal cancer cells by the technique of DNA transfection has allowed the isolation of genetic elements which are thought to have a critical role in malignancy6,7. Here, in an effort to identify cell-surface antigens associated with the neoplastic process, we have generated hybridomas which secrete monoclonal antibodies that react specifically with cell-surface determinants found on NIH 3T3 cells transformed by transfection with a group of rat neuroblastoma oncogenes. These antibodies bind to and immunoprecipitate a phosphoprotein of relative molecular mass 185,000 (185 K) from a DNA donor rat neuroblastoma and 13 independent rat neuroblastoma DNA transfectants. There was no antibody reactivity with normal NIH 3T3 cells or with NIH 3T3 cells transformed by various other agents.
Platelet activating factor induces expression of early response genes c-fos and TIS-1 in human epidermoid carcinoma A-431 cells.

Abstract The effect of platelet activating factor (PAF) on the induction of early response genes was investigated in A-431 cells (human epidermal carcinoma cells). PAF induced a transient expression of c-fos and TIS-1 mRNA in a time- and dose-dependent manner. As low as 10−10 M PAF caused detectable expression of these genes with a maximum observed at 10−7 M. In the presence of cycloheximide, increases in the gene expression were noticeable at 20 min and peaked between 30–60 min. A lack of induction with lyso-PAF, an inactive PAF metabolite, confirmed the specificity of PAF towards this expression. The cells pretreated with CV-6209, a PAF receptor antagonist, did not show any induction of these genes by PAF. It is concluded that PAF causes induction of the early response genes c-fos and TIS-1 in a structurally specific and receptor dependent manner. This finding offers a new role for PAF at the nuclear level and may have important implications in the long term effects of PAF in pathophysiological conditions.
The Role of Information Sources in Watershed Management

Abstract The current shift towards more community-based resource management and greater public involvement means managers and scientists will be working more closely with the public. A better understanding of which information sources citizens trust and pay attention to seems essential for developing long-term solutions. We surveyed landowners and watershed council members in the South Santiam watershed in Oregon to determine which information sources citizens found useful and trustworthy to provide information about watershed management. Our findings indicate that many landowners had little experience with information providers in the region. Personal experience was by far the most useful source of information. The most trusted information providers were the university Extension Service, university scientists, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Oregon Department of Forestry. The least useful sources were the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, wh...
Investigating Veteran Status in Primary Care Assessment

This paper emphasizes how in the process of interviewing patients, questions related to their veteran status need to be assimilated into our assessment process. Failure to determine that they are veterans may allow important issues and problems related to their health status to go undetected. Adding questions to our repertoire and knowing how to access a few key resources may assist patients in maximizing their health care options.
Induced femaleness in cucumber by 2-chloroethanephosphonic acid.

SEX expression of cucumber can be altered by exogenous plant growth regulators1–3, as well as by environmental conditions, such as temperature and day length. The work described here was undertaken to test the induction of femaleness in cucumber plants by 2-chloroethane-phosphonic acid (CEPHA), as a presumptive substitute for ethylene, both in the greenhouse and field.
A Brief Questionnaire for Student Evaluation of Foreign Language Instruction at the College Level

ABSTRACT The use of student evaluations has been shown to be a valid and reliable method of evaluating instruction; however, student surveys designed for general use do not fully meet the needs of foreign language instructors and planners. This article presents a thirty-five item, scaled questionnaire that includes questions designed to elicit information needed to evaluate foreign language teacher effectiveness and the perceived value of course content, plus data needed to determine relevant characteristics of students taking part in the survey. Uses of the information obtained are discussed. The results of a survey using this questionnaire carried out in first- and second-year Spanish classes at a large public university are presented, in addition to a comparison of data from the administration of the questionnaire in first-semester Spanish and a second administration three semesters later. Significant improvement in several areas had occurred.
Designing an expert systems course for business computer information systems professionals

The article describes a systematic process which develops an expert systems course to educate business computer information systems professionals, with emphasis on both theoretical and applied aspects. The process includes: (1) identifying the field of practice in expert systems; (2) identifying a belief in the career of prospective business computer information systems professionals; (3) establishing an educational philosophy which emphasizes the need to promote both theoretical and applied aspects in expert systems study; (4) reinforcing some important topics which are to be stressed in the course; and (5) selecting appropriate teaching methods. An implementation of this approach in a university setting is briefly discussed.
Accelerated ultraviolet weathering of PVC/wood‐flour composites

Ultraviolet weathering performance of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) filled with different concentrations of wood flour was studied. Extruded PVC/wood-flour composite samples were subjected to cyclic ultraviolet lamps/condensation exposures and assessed over a total of 400 and 2600 hours. Each assessment consisted of DRIFT-FTIR and XPS collections, contact angle measurement, color measurement, and tensile property testing. The experimental results indicated that wood flours are effective chromophore materials since their incorporation into a rigid PVC matrix accelerated the degradation of the polymeric matrix. Photodegradation converted unfilled PVC samples to a colored material of lower extensibility. Although composite samples exhibited greater discoloration than unfilled PVC samples, they retained all their original strength and stiffness properties even after 2600 hours of cyclic UV irradiation/condensation exposures.
Mitochondrial calcium accumulation and respiration in ischemic acute renal failure in the rat

Changes in mitochondrial (Mito) calcium (Ca++) and Mito respiration have been demonstrated 24 hr after a renal ischemic insult. The Ca++ accumulation has been suggested to contribute to impaired Mito function; alternatively, the Mito Ca++ accumulation could be a late event resulting from cell death. The present aim was, therefore, to determine the sequence of changes in Mito function in ischemic acute renal failure (ARF) induced by 45 min of bilateral renal pedicle clamping in the rat. Animals were studied at the end of clamping, 1, 4, and 24 hr after reflow. By 24 hr, the serum creatinine level had risen progressively to almost ten times control values and fractional excretion of sodium and water were increased. Mito respiration (state 3, adenosine diphosphate-stimulated; acceptor control ratio, state 3/state 4; and uncoupled, FCCP) was severely depressed immediately after 45 min of clamping but improved significantly at 1 and 4 hr after reflow although remaining below sham-operated controls. At 24 hr, when ischemic ARF was established, Mito respiration was again severely depressed. Mito Ca++ was increased slightly but significantly at the end of clamping and increased progressively at 1, 4, and 24 hr after reflow. The Mito Ca++ accumulation was not only demonstrated to occur very early after the ischemic insult, but was relatively selective since it was not associated with Mito Mg++ accumulation. Moreover, the increased Mito Ca++ during reperfusion (1, 4, and 24 hr) demonstrated a significant correlation with the decreased state 3 respiration and the rising serum creatinine level (P less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The effect of convective heat transfer on unsteady boundary-layer separation

The unsteady evolution of a boundary layer induced by a rectilinear vortex convecting above a heated surface is considered numerically. This model problem is representative of the types of interactions that can occur when vortices encounter solid surfaces in a wide variety of diverse applications involving high-Reynolds-number and high-Grashof-number flows. It is known that in the case without heat transfer, the vortex-induced boundary layer evolves toward a singularity as it forms a sharp spike that erupts away from the surface. Numerical solutions of the unsteady mixed-convection boundary-layer equations in the Boussinesq limit are obtained in Lagrangian coordinates. Solutions for various values of the inclination angle of the surface and Grashof number show that the coupling between the fluid flow and heat transfer can have a dramatic effect upon the transport of momentum and energy within the boundary layer induced by the vortex. The unsteady eruption convects high-temperature, near-wall fluid away from the surface and causes large gradients in the thermal boundary layer. The buoyancy force acting on the heated boundary-layer fluid can also have a significant impact on the unsteady separation process, either accelerating or delaying it, depending upon the inclination angle of the surface.
Asian ethnicity is a favorable prognostic factor for overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is independent of smoking status.

Background We previously showed that Asian ethnicity was an independent favorable prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Many Asian NSCLC patients were never-smokers, and never-smokers had improved survival than ever-smokers. We investigated whether Asian ethnicity is a favorable prognostic factor independent of smoking status. Methods Retrospective population-based study of NSCLC cases from the cancer surveillance programs of three Southern California counties from 1991 to 2005. Results A total of 20,140 NSCLC patients with known smoking status were analyzed of which 9.1% were never-smokers and 6.5% were Asians. There was a threefold increase in the percentage of Asian never-smokers as compared with ever-smokers. Asians had the highest overall survival (OS) among the 4 major ethnicities (p Conclusions Asian ethnicity is an independent favorable prognostic factor for OS in NSCLC regardless of smoking status.
Self organized multi-agent entangled hierarchies for network security

Cyber-security management is of central importance in financial, business, and military environments. Thus, we propose an effective and efficient self organized entangled hierarchial architecture of multiple agents that decentralizes network security control and communication. Considering the Cyberspace container model, the self organized multi-agent swarms are evolved based on partially observable Markov decision process formal models. Desired network security swarm behaviors are defined and formalized to interact with these models. The "optimal" policy (agent rules and parameters) for a given behavior is evolved using a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. Swarm effectiveness is compared in various network security scenarios using statistical testing techniques and visualization.
Utilizing a social work perspective to enhance sustainable development efforts in Loreto, Mexico:

EnglishSocial work with its unique person-in-environment focus can play a key role in international sustainable development efforts. This paper offers a case study of impending mega-development in the small town of Loreto, and illustrates ways that a social work perspective can contribute to efforts to address sustainability and social development.FrenchEn mettant l’accent de facon particulie re sur la personne dans son environnement, le travail social peut jouer un role dans les initiatives de de veloppement durable a l’e chelle internationale. Cet article pre sente une e tude de cas sur un imminent projet de tre s grande envergure dans la petite ville de Loreto, au Mexique. Elle illustre comment la perspective du travail social peut contribuer aux efforts de ploye s pour assurer la durabilite et le de veloppement social.SpanishTrabajo social con su perspectiva u nica que enfatiza la persona-en-ambiente puede jugar un role internacional en esfuerzos de desarrollo sostenible. Este articulo ofrece un estud...
HEALTH ISSUES OF MEN: PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

ABSTRACTPurpose: The Cross-National Survey on Men’s Health Issues was a population based, international survey of men using the health care systems of participating countries. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and its correlation with patient age, overall health and comorbidities were assessed.Materials and Methods: Men who were 20 to 75 years old in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain were recruited to participate in the study. During visits to physician offices participants completed a screening questionnaire about their overall health, and problems with prostate, urination and penile erection. Men who reported ED completed a followup questionnaire.Results: A cohort of 28,691 men completed the screening questionnaire and provided their age. Respondents in the oldest age group (70 to 75 years) were at 14-fold higher relative risk for ED than respondents in the youngest age group (20 to 29 years). ED correlated positively with poor overall health, and prostate and...