cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synchronous thymoma and thymic carcinoid in a woman with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1: case report and review.

ABSTRACT Objective To report a rare case of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1) in conjunction with concomitant thymoma and thymic carcinoid. Methods We describe a never before reported case involving a 63-year-old female patient with MEN 1 who had synchronous thymoma and thymic carcinoid tumors. A review of the pertinent literature is also undertaken. Results Although prognosis is stage dependent for patients with thymoma, patients with thymic carcinoids and MEN 1 have been reported to have an extremely poor prognosis, with many patients dying of complications from thymic carcinoid rather than dying of other manifestations of MEN 1. Our patient underwent successful surgical treatment and remains under surveillance for all aspects of the MEN 1 syndrome. Conclusion Thymic tumors are rare, and thymic carcinoids, while very rare in occurrence overall, have a definite association with MEN 1. Thus, it is important for practitioners to screen for thymic tumors routinely in patients with MEN 1 and to treat such tumors aggressively when found because they can be a major cause of mortality. Many thymic carcinoids are far advanced before diagnosis, and optimal screening for and treatment of thymic carcinoid are still being developed. (Endocr Pract. 2008;14:713-716)
Effects of High Humidity on Translocation of Foliar-applied Labeled Compounds in Plants. II. Translocation from Starved Leaves

Absorption and translocation of chemicals by cotton leaves are greatly increased under conditions of high humidity. This enhanced movement consists of increased phloem transport and induced uptake into and transport via the xylem. Studies with starved and normal leaves prove that phloem transport is greatly reduced in leaves depleted of carbohydrate reserves; starvation has no effect upon the xylem transport induced by high humidity. The relation of high humidity to herbicide usage is discussed. 15 references, 6 figures.
Detection of chlorpromazine and thioridazine metabolites in human erythrocytes

Abstract Chlorpromazine and thioridazine metabolites were detected in bound and unbound forms in the red blood cells of patients receiving these drugs. The metabolites were separated by thin-layer chromatography and identified, by comparison to reference compounds, as: unmetabolized chlorpromazine (CPZ), CPZ mono-demethyl, CPZ di-demethyl, CPZ sulfoxide, mono-demethyl CPZ-sulfoxide, di-demethyl CPZ sulfoxide; unmetabolized thioridazine (TH), TH ring sulfoxide, TH side-chain sulfoxide, demethyl TH side-chain sulfoxide. By visual comparison of the size and color intensity of the spots with those of standards at various concentrations, the content of free metabolites in 10 cc of packed red cells was, in most cases, equivalent to their concentration in 4 ml of plasma. In blood samples from patients on long-term medication, free chlorpromazine metabolites were present in the entire cell fraction of the sample at a higher concentration than in the corresponding plasma fraction. The chromatographic patterns formed by the plasma extracts showed large daily variations in the concentration of the free metabolites as well as in the ratio unbound/bound forms. More reproducible patterns were obtained from the extraction of the free metabolites present in red cells.
Regional Associations and the Chinese City: A Comparative Perspective

This essay outlines research that has occupied much of my time for the past several years. It concerns regional associations in traditional China, or what is known as hui-kuan or tung-hsiang-hui. When I began this research, inspired in part by Ho Ping-ti's masterful survey (1966), I believed, as did Ho, that most of the stones on this particular field of knowledge had been turned.What remained to be done, it seemed to me, was to record the vicissitudes of these traditional associations in the modernizing atmosphere of early twentieth-century China. But the more I began to look into these associations—into the way they operated, what they implied about Chinese society, and how they seemed to put the countryside into the city—the less I felt I knew and the less I was satisfied with previous generalizations made about them.
Regulation of mammary morphogenesis: Evidence for extracellular matrix-mediated inhibition of ductal budding by transforming growth factor-β1

Abstract Branching morphogenesis in the mammary gland involves focal regions of cell proliferation, the terminal and lateral ductal buds, that exist simultaneously with extensive regions of differentiated ducts in which budding and growth are actively suppressed. Exogenous transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) has previously been shown to locally inhibit the formation and growth of mammary ductal buds. Here we report that endogenous TGF-β1, produced by epithelial and stromal mammary cells, forms complexes with extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules surrounding those ductal structures in which budding is inhibited. The largest amounts of immunostainable TGF-β1 are found in mature periductal ECM, and the least in newly synthesized ECM. In all areas of active ductal growth, where DNA-synthetic buds were forming new ductal branches, we found a highly focal loss of TGF-β1 from the periductal ECM at the bud-forming region of the duct. When growth of the new buds terminated, the structures again became associated with TGF-β-rich ECM. These findings indicate that ECM must reach a certain state of maturity before it becomes associated with TGF-β1 and that TGF-β1 can be depleted selectively from the periductal ECM at focal growth points. A different type of growth point, the alveolar (secretory) buds, was also investigated. These buds are known not to be inhibited by exogenous TGF-β1, and we found them not to be associated with changes in ECM-bound TGF-β1. Our results support the concept that the periductal ECM acts as a reservoir for TGF-β1 that functions to maintain an open pattern of mammary branching by inhibiting ductal, but not alveolar, bud formation.
Effects of continuous positive airway pressure after oleic acid-induced lung injury in dogs.

The physiologic effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) of 5,10,15, and 20 cm H2O during spontaneous ventilation were studied in six anesthetized dogs with simulated respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) induced by iv infusion of oleic acid and in three normal controls. After oleic acid, mean PaO2 dropped to 63.6 +/- 3.1 mm Hg while breathing 100% oxygen and mean shunt fraction was 48.3 +/- 3.0%. PaO2 and shunt fraction improved significantly at the two highest levels of CPAP (e.g.,PaO2 271.3 +/- 41.3 mm Hg and shunt fraction 17.8 +/-2.2% at 20 cm H2O CPAP). Mean mixed venous PO2 rose from 37.4 +/- 1.5 mm Hg with no CPAP TO 60.8 +/- 3.1 mm Hg at 20 cm H2O CPAP. Tissue oxygenation appeared to improve during CPAP, since cardiac output, oxygen delivery, and serum lactate were not significantly affected and mixed venous PO2 rose significantly. However, significant hypoventilation occurred at all but the lowest level of CPAP, mean PaCO2 rising from 44.1 +/- 1.8 mm Hg with no CPAP to 77.6 +/-6.8 mm Hg at 20 cm H2O CPAP. The hypoventilation during CPAP is consistent with increased work of breathing due to a combination of decreased lung compliance and increased dead space ventilation due to rapid, shallow breathing.
Variations in the nucleic acid composition of tobacco mosaic virus

Abstract Fifty-five separately produced, highly purified, preparations of a single strain of TMV have been analyzed with respect to total nucleic acid content and molar proportions of the individual nitrogen bases. It was found that, to a high degree of probability, both total nucleic acid content and base composition are different from one preparation to another. The values are influenced by the length of the infection process and the character of the tissue from which the virus is isolated. Variations in nitrogen base proportions are not random but appear to be governed by reciprocal relations between purines and pyrimidines. Previously reported values for the nitrogen base composition of TMV nucleic acid are significantly divergent and follow these same purine-pyrimidine relationships. If it is assumed that all preparations of the common strain of TMV actually do contain nucleic acid of constant composition, then it must also be concluded that the analytical methods thus far employed are all subject to an artifact of unknown origin which results in 10 to 30% fluctuations in base ratios and which has inverse effects on purine and pyrimidine proportions. An alternative conclusion, which is supported by statistical analysis of the data, is that the nucleic acid content and the nitrogen base proportions of the common strain of TMV are variable to a degree, and that this variation is influenced by the length of the infection period and by the physiological character of the host tissue. According to this view virus preparations appear to be heterogeneous populations of generally similar particles which differ somewhat in nucleic acid composition. Analytical values derived from a given preparation are then to be viewed as means for the population rather than absolute characteristics. No specific values for nucleic acid content or nitrogen base proportions could then be regarded as characteristic of the common strain of TMV.
Utilizing measured energy usage to analyze design phase energy models

Energy modeling has become widely utilized in the design process of buildings due to rating programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), which require the use of modeling programs to evaluate potential energy efficiency. The accuracy of these models, however, has been under much scrutiny. Some LEED buildings have even been documented as consuming more energy than conventional buildings. If building energy cannot be accurately predicted, then the efficacy of energy modeling will be in question and broader implications, including the value of LEED, may become pervasive. This research analyzes the results of design phase energy models with respect to actual energy usage. Energy data was collected for 16 months in the case study building, a Solar House. The measured data was compared with results from three different energy models — Green Building Studio, Energy-10, and EnergyPlus. The average error rate between the measured and predicted energy usage was 59%. Discrepancies between the models and actual data included occupant activities and system efficiencies.
Electron-impact excitation cross sections for neon

An analytic atomic independent particle model adjusted to experimental single-particle energy levels is used to generate wavefunctions for the excited states of neon. Using these wavefunctions in conjunction with the Born approximation and the Russell-Saunders LS-coupling scheme, we calculate generalized oscillator strengths and cross sections for electron-impact excitation of neon from the 2p6(1 S 0) ground state.
Genetic Services in the New Era: Native American Perspectives

American Indians have arrived at a critical point in their more than 500-year history with the United States Government. With the advent of the new bio-revolution, a number of tribes have voiced vehem
Chemokines and chemokine receptors: here, there, and everywhere

Comment on Hou et al, page [3488][1]; and Paoletti et al, page [3405][2] In this issue of Blood , we explore two remarkable examples of chemokines and chemokine receptors taking part in unexpected roles and in unusual circumstances. In the first featured publication, Hou and colleagues identify a
Reproducibility of gradings of retinal photographs in eyes with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization and age-related macular degeneration in the macular photocoagulation study.

Purpose: To assess the reproducibility of the evaluation of color photographs and fluorescein angiograms of the macula of each eye for patients enrolled in the Macular Photocoagulation Study (MPS) trials of laser photocoagulation of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration. Methods: A total of 65 pre-enrollment and 26 posttreatment sets of photographs were regraded. The two gradings were compared on selected items judged to be of primary importance with respect to the role of the MPS Reading Center. Results: Agreement on eligibility of the neovascular lesion for an MPS trial was 88% (kappa statistic = 0.59); agreement on the size of the lesion was 86% (kappa statistic = 0.80); agreement on whether the lesion was covered by heavy treatment was 69% (kappa statistic = 0.35); and agreement on whether the treatment was in compliance with the study protocol was 73% (kappa statistic = 0.06). Conclusions: Interpretation of photographs of eyes with CNV secondary to...
Orthography and Reading Disabilities

Recently, a number of influential writers have emphasized the role of orthography in the development of reading disabilities. The English writing system has been described by Gleitman and Rozin (1977), for example, as possessing “rampant irregularity, redundancy, and downright misrepresentation” (p. 35), while to these writers the Japanese writing system “seems ideal” (p. 36) from the point of utilizing scripts that represent both meanings and sounds. English, it is argued, poses problems for the beginning reader that are not encountered in learning to read the logographs (Chinese characters) and syllabary used in Japanese.Could it be that the widespread incidence of reading disabilities in our culture can be traced in large part to the idiosyncracies of the spelling and writing system used in English? If this is true, what can be done to remedy the situation, other than following those who have proposed that the written form of English must be revised? The purpose of this article is to discuss these issu...
Restoring the Divided Korean Identity

Divided Korea: Toward a Culture of Reconciliation. By Roland Bleiker. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005. 224 pp., $27.95 (ISBN: 0-8166-4556-6). In Divided Korea: Toward a Culture of Reconciliation , Roland Bleiker's goal is to move the menacing conflict between North and South Korea, and between North Korea and the United States, away from the traditional security studies frame of reference, which he considers two-dimensional and intellectually sterile. He argues for a broader analytical context that allows for various strategies of engagement between the adversaries so that the very serious threat of potentially devastating war can be reduced or, ideally, removed. In the preface, Bleiker writes: I had great difficulty understanding the language of security experts, which was full of acronyms, technical details, and obscure metaphors … I became more frustrated because I was unable to communicate what I felt so passionate about: the need to take into account identity issues and rethink Korean security along interdisciplinary lines. The prevalent linguistic and academic conventions seem to make it impossible to address security issues in ways other than the prescribed technical, realist, and militaristic manner (p. xvii). In this respect, Divided Korea contributes broadly to the literatures on conflict analysis and resolution, foreign policy prescription, and indirectly (in fact inadvertently) psycho-political analysis. The first half of Divided Korea does a good job of describing the rigidity of the mutually hostile North–South relationship, which Bleiker anchors above all in the trauma of the war between the two states that began when the Pyongyang government sent its armies across the 38th parallel into South Korea on June 25, 1950. About 1 million people were killed in the war and today some 10 million individuals are still separated from their families. Fifty-six years later, almost 2 million troops face each other across the boundary line, and little is happening politically or diplomatically to indicate that this worrisome stalemate will soon abate. Bleiker's discussion of the …
Producing the Future: Getting To Be British

Enduring struggles between different historical capitalisms are concretely instantiated in the British “colony” in Porto, Portugal. In contention is the future of the community and its identity as a venerable port merchant or multinational corporate enclave. Residents, both long- and short-term, work to produce the future place and identity of their children. Church, club, and—above all—schools are the focus of their clashes and also of this essay, as it explores the articulation of practices that help to produce those futures.
The effect of geometry factors on fenestration energy performance and energy savings in office buildings

Abstract Although there have been multiple studies on window thermal properties in energy-efficient fenestration design, the effects of building geometry factors have been studied much less. The study presented in this paper evaluated the role of geometry factors, such as window orientation, window to wall ratio, and room width to depth ratio, on building energy performance in a commercial office building. A series of energy simulations were performed for six climate zones in the United States using a model of a room in a typical office building created in Design Builder, an energy analysis program, to evaluate total annual energy consumption. The simulation results were analyzed to find the combination of parameters yielding the lowest energy consumption and to define potential energy savings for office buildings located in various climate zones. The study showed that geometry factors affect energy consumption significantly in hot climates (Zones 2 and 3) and cold climates (Zones 6 and 7) but only marginally in temperate climates (Zones 4 and 5). Energy savings were on average 3% and 6% reaching a maximum of 10% and 14% in hot climates (Zones 2 and 3) and 1% in temperate and cold climates (Zones 4–7).
Survey of the Teaching of Business History

In the April, 1948, issue of the Bulletin, Dr. Charles J. Kennedy outlined a new course in the “Evolution of Business and Capitalism” at the University of Nebraska. This article provoked so much interest among various students of business history that we were prompted to solicit information from other colleges and universities in the country. The results have been gratifying, and we are pleased to report that there are at least fifteen schools in the United States where Business History, or a closely allied course, is being taught. There may be still others of which we are not aware, and in that event we should like very much to hear from them.
Fertility-sparing radical abdominal trachelectomy for clear cell adenocarcinoma of the upper vagina: a case report.

Abstract Background. Clear cell adenocarcinoma (CCA) of the vagina is traditionally treated with radical surgical resection with tailored postoperative radiation when indicated. Due to a bimodal distribution, women of reproductive age are frequently affected and could benefit from radical trachelectomy to preserve fertility. Case. A 22 year old female was diagnosed with clinical stage I vaginal clear cell adenocarcinoma in the left fornix abutting the cervix. The patient desired future fertility; therefore, she underwent radical abdominal trachelectomy and upper vaginectomy. Twenty-eight months after initial surgery, she has no evidence of recurrence with regular menstrual cycles. Conclusion. For patients with CCA of the upper vagina, where removal of the cervix is necessary, a radical trachelectomy with upper vaginectomy should be considered to conserve fertility.
Type II Thyroxine 5′-Deiodinase Activity in the Rat Brown Adipose Tissue, Pineal Gland, Harderian Gland, and Cerebral Cortex: Effect of Acute Cold Exposure and Lack of Relationship to Pineal Melatonin Synthesis

The effect of acute cold exposure for 6 hours on nocturnal type II thyroxine 5′- deiodinase (5′-D) activity was studied in brown adipose tissue (BAT), Harderian gland, cerebral cortex, and pineal gland of the rat. Moreover, the effect of iopanoic acid (IOP), a potent inhibitor of 5′-D activity, on both pineal N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and melatonin content in rats maintained in a cold environment was also examined. Results show that acute cold exposure significantly increases 5′-D activity in BAT but not in either the pineal gland, Harderian gland, or cerebral cortex. In all tissues, the injection of IOP reduced dramatically 5′-D activity, while exposure of the animals to light at night reduced 5′-D activity in pineal gland but not in either the Harderian gland or BAT while light exposure at night increased cerebrocorticol 5′-D activity. Cold exposure did not change either pineal NAT activity or the melatonin content of the gland. Finally, when pineal 5′-D activity was inhibited by IOP treatment, neither nocturnal pineal NAT activity nor melatonin content was affected.
Giant Perineal Leiomyoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

We report the case of a 40-year-old woman who presented with a large perineal mass with no rectal or vaginal involvement. Imaging could not rule out malignancy. She underwent wide surgical excision. Histological analysis revealed a large atypical leiomyoma, measuring 24 × 12 × 8 cm. Followup after two years showed no recurrence and she has been asymptomatic since surgery. This is the largest perineal leiomyoma reported so far.
Governance and Society in Colonial Mexico: Chihuahua in the Eighteenth Century

Introduction 1. The villa of San Felipe el Real de Chinhuahua 2. The people of colonial Chinhuahua 3. Labor relations 4. The ethos of governance 5. The rituals of governance 6. Social etiquette in everyday life 7. The ethos and practice of patriarchy Conclusion Appendix Glossary Notes Bibliography Index.
Development and Preliminary Evaluation of the Bedtime Routines Questionnaire

In the past, child bedtime routines have been examined through observation or sleep diaries. These methods are often expensive and hinder study comparisons due to lack of consistent operational definitions of routines. This article describes the development and psychometric evaluation of the Bedtime Routines Questionnaire (BRQ), a 31-item paper-and-pencil, parent-report measure of children’s bedtime routines. The BRQ and related measures were completed by 226 caregivers of children ages 2 to 8. The BRQ demonstrated a solid factor structure, adequate internal consistency, and fair validity coefficients. Overall, promising results for the BRQ are reported.
Tracing Migration Pathways from the Receiving End

Abstract Archaeologists disagree about the evidence indicating migration into the Rio Grande Valley. Therefore, they have proposed conflicting models of migration into the region. Four reasons for these disagreements are discussed and criteria for the data and approaches necessary to resolve these differences are suggested.
Geometric evolution of bilayers under the functionalized cahn-hilliard equation

We use a multi-scale analysis to derive a sharp interface limit for the dynamics of bilayer structures of the functionalized Cahn–Hilliard equation. In contrast to analysis based on single-layer interfaces, we show that the Stefan and Mullins–Sekerka problems derived for the evolution of single-layer interfaces for the Cahn–Hilliard equation are trivial in this context, and the sharp interface limit yields a quenched mean-curvature-driven normal velocity at O ( e −1), whereas on the longer O ( e −2) time scale, it leads to a total surface area preserving Willmore flow. In particular, for space dimension n =2, the constrained Willmore flow drives collections of spherically symmetric vesicles to a common radius, whereas for n =3, the radii are constant, and for n ≥4 the largest vesicle dominates.
In vivo evaluation of 3-O-alkyl ester transdermal prodrugs of naltrexone in hairless guinea pigs

Naltrexone (NTX) is a potent competitive antagonist with high affinity for the μ-opioid receptor. Therapeutically, NTX is used for the treatment of alcohol dependence and opioid addiction; however, it does not have the ideal physicochemical properties necessary to achieve therapeutic plasma concentrations via the transdermal route. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the in vivo transdermal delivery of three 3-O-alkyl ester prodrugs of NTX, including NTX-3-O-acetate (ACE-NTX), NTX-3-O-propionate (PROP-NTX), and NTX-3-O-hexanoate (HEX-NTX) in hairless guinea pigs. The pharmacokinetic parameters for NTX and the 3-O-alkyl ester prodrugs of NTX were determined after intravenous drug administration and topical drug application of transdermal therapeutic systems (TTS) in guinea pigs. The results of the in vivo studies showed mean steady-state plasma concentrations of NTX from NTX, ACE-NTX, PROP-NTX and HEX-NTX at 4.2, 25.2, 16.0, and 8.3 ng/mL, respectively. These NTX plasma concentrations were maintained for 48 h. The results of these in vivo studies demonstrated that ACE-NTX and PROP-NTX prodrugs of NTX were the most promising drug candidates for transdermal delivery.
High heat flux engineering in solar energy applications

Solar thermal energy systems can produce heat fluxes in excess of 10,000 kW/m2. This paper provides an introduction to the solar concentrators that produce high heat flux, the receivers that convert the flux into usable thermal energy, and the instrumentation systems used to measure flux in the solar environment. References are incorporated to direct the reader to detailed technical information.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Continuous electrophoretic separations in narrow channels with postchannel derivatization and laser-induced fluorescence detection

The development of a novel technique utilizing a postchannel gap reactor for derivatization with channel electrophoresis and laser-induced fluorescence detection is described. The reactor is made by creating a gap in the top channel plate. The channel is constructed using 25-μm spacers with a gap of 20–30 μm. A derivatizing reagent is added to the gap and allowed to diffuse into the channel and reacts with the analytes as they migrate past the gap. Separations of amino acids and a protein have been accomplished with naphthalene dicarboxaldehyde/2-mercaptoethanol postchannel derivatization and laser-induced fluorescence detection. A linear response is reported for detection of each analyte tested. Mass detection limits obtained for the amino acids are in the attomole range while that for the protein transferrin is 110 zmol. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Micro Sep 12: 279–284, 2000
The activated reactive evaporation process: Developments and applications

Abstract In this paper we review recent developments in the activated reactive evaporation process which was first conceived in 1971. The mechanism for the process, the modification of the process for resistance-heated sources and studies on corrosion resistance, the wear of engineering surfaces, the wear of cutting tools, the deposition of transparent conductive coatings and the deposition of superconducting layers are discussed.
ENHANCED SENSITIVITY OF BLADDER CANCER CELLS TO TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR RELATED APOPTOSIS INDUCING LIGAND MEDIATED APOPTOSIS BY CISPLATIN AND CARBOPLATIN

Purpose: The development and acquisition of multiple drug resistance in cancer cells are a consequence of cancer chemotherapy and remain a major obstacle in treatment. Therefore, there is an obvious need for alternative approaches, such as immunotherapy and gene therapy. Tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) is one of the tumor necrosis factor ligand families and it selectively induces apoptosis against cancer cells. Several cytotoxic anticancer drugs also mediate apoptosis and may share the common intracellular pathways leading to apoptosis. We reasoned that combination treatment of cancer cells with TRAIL and drugs may overcome this resistance. We evaluated whether bladder cancer cells are sensitive to TRAIL mediated cytotoxicity and whether TRAIL may synergize with anticancer agents in cytotoxicity and apoptosis against bladder cancer cells.Materials and Methods: Cytotoxicity was determined by a 1-day microculture tetrazolium dye assay. Synergy was assessed by isobolographic a...
An integrative framework for cross‐cultural consumer behavior

The world economy is becoming increasingly cross‐cultural. During the next decades, as marketers enter new international markets, an understanding of how culture influences consumer behavior will be crucial for both managers and consumer researchers. This article presents a framework that integrates and reinterprets current research in cross‐cultural consumer behavior. The framework also serves to identify areas that need further research and can be used as a template for marketers seeking to understand their foreign consumers. The article also attempts to integrate from an applied perspective two distinct traditions in the study of culture and consumer behavior: the anthropological approach and the cross‐cultural psychology tradition.
Solid-State 2H NMR Spectroscopy Reveals Micromechanics of Raft-Like Ternary Lipid Membranes Containing Sphingomyelin and Cholesterol

Much interest has been focussed recently on sphingomyelin as an essential component of a variety of biological membranes. Using solid-state 2H NMR spectroscopy, we investigated the micromechanical effect of varying concentrations of cholesterol in ternary mixtures composed of N-palmitoylsphingomyelin (PSM), 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), and cholesterol in unoriented multilamellar bilayers. The hydrocarbon chains of PSM or POPC were 2H labeled which enabled us to investigate the distribution and the order profiles of the individual lipid components in the mixtures [1]. A mean torque potential model [2] was employed to characterize the structural properties and map the existence of lipid domains in these mixtures. By calculating the average hydrocarbon thickness, area per lipid, and structural parameters such as chain extension and thermal expansion coefficients, we were able to further characterize the structural properties of these domains. We then measured R1Z relaxation rates, which in combination with order parameter profiles gave a signature square-law dependence corresponding to the mechanical properties of the respective lipid membranes on a mesoscopic length scale [3]. The slope of the square-law plots of relaxation rates and order parameter were found to decrease progressively with the mole fraction of cholesterol, due to a stiffening of the membrane. Different membrane domains thus gave distinctively different micromechanical signatures which indicated that the modes contributing to R1Z relaxation rates are on a length scale comparable to the lipid domain size.[1] Bartels, T. et al (2008) J. Am. Chem. Soc., in press.[2] Petrache, H.I. et al (2000) Biophys. J. 79, 3172-3192.[3] Brown, M.F. et al (2002) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 124, 8471-8484.
Preformed silos versus traditional abdominal wall closure in gastroschisis: 163 infants at a single institution.

Introduction The surgical management of gastroschisis (GS) is controversial. The most commonly used strategy for abdominal wall closure is surgery on day 1 of life with the aim of primary closure (PC) or construction of a surgical silo (SS) and secondary closure thereafter. The other widely used technique is application of a preformed silo (PFS) and reduction of contents over a few days before final closure. There is still a paucity of comparative outcome data. Methods A retrospective case note review of all infants initially treated at a single institution between October 1993 and October 2012. PFS was adopted as the technique of choice in April 2005. Infants with closed or closing GS were excluded. Data are presented as median (range). p Results There were 163 infants (156 complete data sets). PFSs were applied in 67 infants and PC/SS were applied in 89 infants of whom 19 infants required a SS. There was no statistical difference between gestational age (p = 0.8), birth weight (p = 0.7), time to first (p = 0.07) and full enteral feeding (p = 0.08), length of hospital stay (p = 0.17), or necrotizing enterocolitis (p = 0.4) and mortality (p = 0.4). Infants treated with PC + SS were closed on day 0 (range, 0–11 days) versus day 6 (range, 2–22 days) of life (p Conclusion Infants treated with PFS required less ventilation than those treated by PC + SS. There was no difference in time to full feeds, length of hospital stay mortality or morbidity.
Home visiting programs for HIV-affected families: a comparison of service quality between volunteer-driven and paraprofessional models

Home visiting is a popular component of programs for HIV-affected children in sub-Saharan Africa, but its implementation varies widely. While some home visitors are lay volunteers, other programs invest in more highly trained paraprofessional staff. This paper describes a study investigating whether additional investment in paraprofessional staffing translated into higher quality service delivery in one program context. Beneficiary children and caregivers at sites in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were interviewed after 2 years of program enrollment and asked to report about their experiences with home visiting. Analysis focused on intervention exposure, including visit intensity, duration and the kinds of emotional, informational and tangible support provided. Few beneficiaries reported receiving home visits in program models primarily driven by lay volunteers; when visits did occur, they were shorter and more infrequent. Paraprofessional-driven programs not only provided significantly more home visits, but...
Definition and classification of hydrocephalus

Results It was agreed that there would be two definitions as seen in all dictionaries. One would be for general use (1) and the second would be for those involved in pathophysiologic studies (2). Definition 1. Hydrocephalus is a dynamic imbalance between the formation and absorption of cerebrospinal fluid resulting in an excessive accumulation of the CSF within the ventricles of the brain. Definition 2 Hydrocephalus is “a dynamic imbalance between the formation and absorption of cerebrospinal fluid resulting in accumulation of excess CSF associated with ventricular dilatation and/or enlargement of the subarachnoid space. The classification would be based on the presence or absence of a point of obstruction and if there is a point of obstruction where that obstruction is located. The various types of hydrocephalus could then be modified by subclassification as to chronicity and as to treatment options. Conclusions Use of a new classification scheme is essential since the latest classification dates to 1914. Use of a classification based on a point of obstruction will lead to a common language among clinicians and researchers which has been absent generally and assure that animal models used in the laboratory can be compared to appropriate clinical conditions.
Success orientation and the attractiveness of competent males and females

Previous research found that a success orientation in a competent female did not consistently detract from or enhance her personal attractiveness. In the first experiment of the present study it was proposed that these findings may suggest a subtle bias against women in that a desire for success is treated ambivalently in women but not in men. A description of a competent person was presented to both male and female subjects. The person described was either a male or female who was either success-oriented or non-success-oriented. The results indicated that a success orientation generally was evaluated more favorably than a non-success orientation, regardless of the sex of the person. A second experiment was performed in which the relationship between a success orientation in a male and female and romantic attractiveness was examined directly. Results showed that a female who desired success was expected to have more difficulty in getting married than a female who did not desire success. In a male a success orientation was perceived as increasing the likelihood of marriage. However, these differences were not associated with other measures of romantic attraction. The overall pattern of results from both experiments suggests that the beliefs about traditional sex roles are changing.
Balance confidence and falls in nondemented essential tremor patients: the role of cognition.

Abstract Objectives To examine (1) the effect of cognitive ability on balance confidence and falls, (2) the relationship of balance confidence and falls with quantitative measures of gait, and (3) measures that predict falls, in people with essential tremor (ET). Design Cross-sectional study. Setting General community. Participants People with ET (n=132) and control subjects (n=48). People with ET were divided into 2 groups based on the median score on the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination: those with lower cognitive test scores (ET-LCS) and those with higher cognitive test scores (ET-HCS). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Six-item Activities of Balance Confidence (ABC-6) Scale and falls in the previous year. Results Participants with ET-LCS had lower ABC-6 scores and a greater number of falls than those with ET-HCS ( P P P P Conclusions People with ET-LCS have impaired gait and report lower balance confidence and a higher number of falls than their counterparts (ET-HCS) and than control subjects. We have identified assessments that are easily administered (gait speed, ABC-6 Scale) and are associated with falls in ET.
Renal, hepatic, cardiac and thymic acute toxicity afforded by bis(helenalinyl)malonate in BDF1 mice

Bis(helenalinyl)malonate [BHM], a pharmacologically active sesquiterpene lactone potentially useful as an antineoplastic agent, proved to be less toxic than its parent compound, helenalin. Its LD50 in BDF1 mice, i.p. was more than twice that of helenalin. Its lower toxicity allowed a higher therapeutic dose (15 mg/kg/day vs. 8 mg/kg/day for helenalin) which, in turn, afforded a greater T/C% (261 vs. 161). When BHM was employed at its therapeutic dose of 15 mg/kg/day, no marked toxicity was evident after three daily doses. However, continuation of treatment at this level led to both kidney and liver toxicity as measured by clinical chemistry parameters. Histological lesions in the thymus and kidney were demonstrated within 48 h at 25 mg/kg as a single dose. Apparently the toxicity was delayed with BHM but accumulated over time. Transient cardiotoxicity occurred with the drug and the agent was suspected of causing intestinal blockage.
On the correspondence between classical and quantum mechanics in macromolecular systems: Too much classical chaos

In a recent study we found the classical dynamics of a polyethylene (PE) chain to exhibit low dimensional chaos at temperatures as low as a few Kelvin. These results strongly suggest that classical molecular dynamic simulations in polymer systems can grossly overestimate vibrational motion, which consequently results in disordered structures. In contrast, quantum mechanical calculations using Internal Coordinate Quantum Monte Carlo (an improved method with an initial conjecture for the correct wave function) indicate that the quantum ground state for a three-dimensional model PE chain is far more rigid than determined from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, even at energies as low as a small fraction of the ground state energy. This result casts uncertainty on the reliability of MD estimates of dynamical or structural quantities relevant to the study of some macromolecular systems.
A water quality model for the Patuxent estuary: Current conditions and predictions under changing land-use scenarios

A water quality model was developed for the Patuxent estuary using the modeling framework CE-QUAL-W2 (called W2) to address the impact of current and projected land-use changes (stress) on the water quality. The W2 code, supported by the Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, is a two-dimensional (longitudinalvertical) model designed for hydrodynamic and water quality simulations of reservoirs and estuaries. The code was configured for the Patuxent estuary using a finite-difference grid for the water column. Also incorporated into the model calculations are flow and nutrient load results from a watershed model. The integrated model was calibrated with data of 1 yr from 1997 to 1998 by matching results with measured temperature, dissolved oxygen, chlorophylla, and nutrient levels in the water column. The calibrated model was used to predict the water quality effects of different watershed land-use scenarios. Model projection results suggest that reductions of nutrient loads would lead to improvement of anoxic conditions in the bottom waters of the lower Patuxent estuary.
Gamma-Ray Spectra Analysed by Computer Programme Using the Peak Area Method

Computer program for instrumental neutron activation analysis of chemical abundances in meteorites, examining gamma-ray spectra
The Mature Brand and Brand Interest: An Alternative Consequence of Ad-Evoked Affect:

The authors propose that for mature brands, ad-evoked affect will not have a strong influence on brand attitude; they formulate brand interest, a new construct, as a more relevant consequence of ad...
Evidence for departures from equilibrium in an RF induction plasma in atmospheric-pressure argon

Spectroscopic observations are reported of an atmospheric-pressure argon plasma generated inductively by a high-power RF oscillator. Values of the excitation temperature Tex, obtained from measurement of the relative intensities of spectral lines, were substantially greater than temperature values Teq, determined from absolute continuum and line intensities on the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). If a “collisional-radiative” plasma model is used, the absolute intensity measurements yield temperatures Tcr, which are in better agreement with the Tex values.
The Thinking Mind as Addiction: Mindfulness as Antidote

When working in the field of addiction, one simple fact prevails: Our patients, whether they are interested in personal growth or not, come to us out of desperation. It is true in any field of medi...
Spectroscopy and Photophysics in Cyclometalated RuII–Bis(bipyridyl) Complexes

A series of cyclometalated RuII coordination compounds of the general structural formula [Ru(bpy)2(C∧N)]PF6 {C∧N = 2-phenylpyridine (1), 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridine (2), 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-methylpyridine (3), benzo[h]quinoline (4); bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine} have been synthesized, structurally and electrochemically characterized, and examined by using a battery of spectroscopic techniques. The combination of static and dynamic photoluminescence at room temperature and 77 K, resonance Raman spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, spectroelectrochemistry, and ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy reveal that – although the nature of the cyclometalating ligand substantially affects the oxidation potential at the metal center – the lowest-energy metal-to-ligand charge-transfer excited state always retains pure Rubpy character across this series of molecules, and the cyclometalating subunit plays the role of ancillary ligand.
Staging of Alzheimer's Pathology in Triple Transgenic Mice: A Light and Electron Microscopic Analysis

The age-related pathological cascade underlying intraneuronal tau formation in 3xTg-AD mice, which harbor the human APPSwe, PS1M126V , and TauP301L gene mutations, remains unclear. At 3 weeks of age, AT180, Alz50, MC1, AT8, and PHF-1 intraneuronal immunoreactivity appeared in the amygdala and hippocampus and at later ages in the cortex of 3xTg-AD mice. AT8 and PHF-1 staining was fixation dependent in young mutant mice. 6E10 staining was seen at all ages. Fluorescent immunomicroscopy revealed CA1 neurons dual stained for 6E10 and Alz50 and single Alz50 immunoreactive neurons in the subiculum at 3 weeks and continuing to 20 months. Although electron microscopy confirmed intraneuronal cytoplasmic Alz50, AT8, and 6E10 reaction product in younger 3xTg-AD mice, straight filaments appeared at 23 months of age in female mice. The present data suggest that other age-related biochemical mechanisms in addition to early intraneuronal accumulation of 6E10 and tau underlie the formation of tau filaments in 3xTg-AD mice.
Effects of spatial frequency, duration, and contrast on discriminating motion directions

The minimum speed required for discriminating the direction of drifting gratings was measured at a variety of spatial frequencies, display durations, and contrasts. As was reported previously, speed thresholds were relatively constant for middle and high spatial frequencies, but speed threshold was found to be almost inversely proportional to spatial frequency in the range of 0.25 to 1.0 c/deg. Speed threshold was also found to be inversely proportional to duration between 73 and 400 ms. These results at low frequencies and short durations are shown to be consistent with limits set by the spread of energy in the stimuli, producing velocity uncertainty. A quantitative model of temporal filtering is presented that largely accounts for results at all spatial frequencies and durations by the inclusion of constant positional noise. A discussion includes the possible roles of magnocellular and parvocellular mechanisms in mediating speed thresholds.
Fast-J2: Accurate Simulation of Stratospheric Photolysis in Global Chemical Models

Modeling photochemistry in the stratosphere requires solution of the equationof radiative transfer over an extreme range of wavelengths and atmosphericconditions, from transmission through the Schumann–Runge bands ofO2 in the mesosphere, to multiple scattering from troposphericclouds and aerosols. The complexity and range of conditions makes photolysiscalculations in 3-D chemical transport models computationally expensive. Thisstudy pesents a fast and accurate numerical method, Fast-J2, for calculatingphotolysis rates (J-values) and the deposition of solar flux in stratosphere.Fast-J2 develops an optimized, super-wide 11-bin quadrature for wavelengthsfrom 177 to 291 nm that concatenates with the 7-bin quadrature (291–850nm) already developed for the troposphere as Fast-J. Below 291 nm the effectsof Rayleigh scattering are implemented as a pseudo-absorption, and above 291nm the full multiple-scattering code of Fast-J is used. Fast-J2 calculates themean ultraviolet-visible radiation field for these 18 wavelength binsthroughout the stratosphere, and thus new species and new cross sections canbe readily implemented. In comparison with a standard, high-resolution,multiple-scattering photolysis model, worst-case errors in Fast-J2 do notexceed 5% over a wide range of solar zenith angles, altitudes(0–60 km), latitudes, and seasons where the rates are important inphotochemistry.