cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vibrational Spectra and Normal Coordinate Treatment of Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric Acid

The infrared and Raman spectra of the bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acids [(C8H17O)2PO(OH), (C8H17O)2PO(OD)] and its sodium salt (C8H17O)2PO(ONa) were obtained from 4000-100 cm−1. On the basis of an approximate normal coordinate treatment and using a cyclic dimeric model, theoretical band assignments were made. These results were compared with those obtained for dimethylphosphinic acid.
Attempts to produce experimental intestinal cryptococcosis and sporotrichosis.

The technique used in this experiment for feeding infected material to hamsters led to the production of occasional primary pulmonary foci of cryptococcosis and sporotrichosis, respectively. No evidence of primary intestinal cryptococcosis or sporotrichosis was obtained.
Atmospheric effects on insolation in the Brazilian Amazon: Observed modification of solar radiation by clouds and smoke and derived single scattering albedo of fire aerosols

[1] Five aerosol and solar flux monitoring sites were established in Brazil for the Large Scale Biosphere–Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA) project. The first two sites were developed in the states of Rondonia and Mato Grosso in January 1999, while the others were initiated in September 1999 in Amazonas, Para, and near Brasilia (later relocated to Acre). Daily insolation [photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and total solar] for 1999 and 9 months of 2000 was determined from flux measurements, and the daily fraction of theoretical cloud-free, background-aerosol insolation, fB(day), was evaluated for each site. Observed daily shortfall (MJ m−2 d−1) of PAR insolation due to clouds and aerosols (relative to modeled values for background aerosol), and the instantaneous reductions of PAR irradiance due to high aerosol optical thickness (AOT) smoke events are presented for 1999 at Alta Floresta. The ratio of PAR flux to total solar flux (PAR fraction) was examined for all atmospheric conditions during 1999, and the observed dependence of this parameter on column water vapor and smoke AOT was quantified. No significant relationship with cloud amount (as quantified) was found. Instantaneous PAR irradiance measurements and concurrent, cloud-cleared aerosol data from collocated CIMEL sunphotometers were used with a radiative transfer model to investigate the optical properties of smoke aerosols during the burning season. In particular, the single scattering albedo (SSA) was evaluated in the PAR spectral range for AOT440 nm values ranging from 0.8 to 3.0. These estimates were compared with the operational retrievals of the same parameter from algorithms developed by AERONET for CIMEL sunphotometer radiance measurements.
Radiographic analysis of selective ligament sectioning at the carpal scaphoid: A cadaver study

Although scapholunate diastasis with rotatory subluxation of the scaphoid (stage I perilunar instability determined by Mayfield's classification) has been studied by several investigators, the exact contribution of the supporting ligaments is still being defined. We designed and executed an experimental study using six fresh-frozen cadaver specimens to demonstrate the radiographic changes seen on standard and stress wrist radiographs that correlate with the sequential sectioning of the scapholunate stabilizing ligaments. The radioscapho-lunate ligament, the palmar scapholunate interosseous ligament, the dorsal scapholunate interosseous ligament, and the radiocapitate ligament were sectioned sequentially to simulate a progressive wrist injury caused by an extension, intercarpal supination and ulnar deviation force. The results showed significant ligamentous injury must occur before commonly used radiographic limits are exceeded. The lateral scapholunate angle most closely reflected the progressive nature of this injury.
Tail pinch facilitation of self-stimulation in the rat--dependence upon dopamine and independence of opiates.

Abstract We have previously demonstrated that adult male Sprague-Dawley rats which are chronically maintained upon a schedule of intracranial reward (ICS) show elevated rates of response after a mild tail pinch. Both dopamine and opiates have been implicated in the mediation of other stress induced behavioral alterations, and may therefore also possibly be involved in the ICS effect. The present report replicated the initial finding of tail pinch induced facilitation of ICS, and further demonstrated that while opiate blockade failed to affect the ICS response dopaminergic blockade in fact inhibited it. These findings suggest neuropharmacological specificity for stress related behavioral change, and further implicate dopamine in stress responses.
Concise synthesis of the core bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane ring common to asperparaline, paraherquamide, and stephacidin alkaloids

Abstract A versatile synthesis of the bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane core structure of asperparaline, brevianamide, paraherquamide, and stephacidin natural products is demonstrated. This convergent synthesis relies on an intramolecular hetero Diels–Alder reaction to construct the key tetracycle from a diketopiperazine derived azadiene; which in turn was formed from prolinamide and a pyruvic acid derivative. The stereochemical outcome of the Diels–Alder reaction was found to favor the brevianamide stereochemistry.
Negative differential resistance in ultrathin Ge-on-insulator FETs

In this paper we report on the fabrication of all-epitaxial ultrathin germanium-on-crystalline lanthanum?yttrium-oxide field effect transistors. The oxide is lattice matched to Si (1?1?1) and has a dielectric constant of ~18. The transistors show ambipolar behaviour, both N- and P-channel operations on the same device at any temperature. The transistor characteristics have an ON/OFF ratio of 102 at room temperature, while at cryogenic temperatures negative differential resistance (NDR) is observed in the channel. The NDR effect, which is stronger for lower temperatures, can be attributed to a number of reasons from intervalley or intersubband electron transfer to a heavy transport effective mass (low mobility) band or to charge trapping. A germanium-on-insulator technology, provided the material (Ge and oxide) quality improves, may be useful for building circuits that combine conventional FETs with unconventional ambipolar or NDR devices all on the same substrate.
Practical guidelines for developing BP neural network models of measurement uncertainty data

The predictability of measurement uncertainty is a critical issue in quality assurance. The performance of such a process cannot be predicted if no proper mathematical model is available. For manufacturing processes where no satisfactory analytical model exists, or where a low-order empirical polynomial model is inappropriate, neural networks offer a good alternative predictive modeling approach. This paper considers the primary decisions and activities that arise during back-propagation (BP) neural network model construction, selection, and validation for this novel application. Computational experiments were designed to cross-examine the two types of hidden layers of networks with different hidden neurons, training tolerances, and testing tolerances based on the v-fold cross-validation technique. Hypothesis testing is used to evaluate different kinds of prediction errors from the models developed. The best models were very accurate in generalizing the measurement uncertainty prediction, and thus are suitable for use in a manufacturing environment. This study reveals no statistical advantages of using a two-hidden-layer net over a one-hidden-layer net in modeling the measurement uncertainty data and offers some general and simple rules for BP model selection and validation.
Amino Acid Substitutions That Convert the Protein Substrate Specificity of Farnesyltransferase to That of Geranylgeranyltransferase Type I

Protein farnesyltransferase (FTase), a heterodimer enzyme consisting of α and β subunits, catalyzes the addition of farnesyl groups to the C termini of proteins such as Ras. In this paper, we report that the protein substrate specificity of yeast FTase can be switched to that of a closely related enzyme, geranylgeranyltransferase type I (GGTase I) by a single amino acid change at one of the three residues: Ser-159, Tyr-362, or Tyr-366 of its β-subunit, Dpr1. All three Dpr1 mutants can function as either FTase or GGTase I β subunit in vivo, although some differences in efficiency were observed. These results point to the importance of two distinct regions (one at 159 and the other at 362 and 366) of Dpr1 for the recognition of the protein substrate. Analysis of the protein, after site directed mutagenesis was used to change Ser-159 to all possible amino acids, showed that either asparagine or aspartic acid at this position allowed FTase β to function as GGTase I β. A similar site-directed mutagenesis study on Tyr-362 showed that leucine, methionine, or isoleucine at this position also resulted in the ability of mutant FTase β to function as GGTase I β. Interestingly, in both position 159 and 362 substitutions, amino acids that could change the protein substrate specificity had similar van der Waals volumes. Biochemical characterization of the S159N and Y362L mutant proteins showed that their kcat/Km values for GGTase I substrate are increased about 20-fold compared with that of the wild type protein. These results demonstrate that the conversion of the protein substrate specificity of FTase to that of GGTase I can be accomplished by introducing a distinct size amino acid at either of the two residues, 159 and 362.
The Gravitational Potential Due to Uniform Disks and Rings

The gravitational potential of bodies possessing axial symmetry can be expressed as a power series in distance, with the Legendre polynomials as coefficients. Such series, however, converge so slowly in the neighborhood of thin, uniform disks and rings that too many series terms must be summed in order to obtain an accurate field measure. A gravitational potential expression is presently obtained in closed form, in terms of complete elliptic integrals.
Immunoradiometric assay measurements of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I): comparison with radioimmunoassays using native or des (1-3) IGF-I as radioligands.

Insulin-like growth-factor-binding proteins (BPs) in serum interfere with the measurement of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Various assays have been developed to overcome this interference. We evaluated an immunoradiometric (IRMA) assay and compared it with the radioimmunoassay (RIA) using both native IGF-I and a truncated form of IGF-I [des (1-3) IGF-I] as radioligands. The IRMA was simpler (one step assay) and faster (3 hr incubation) than RIA(s) (overnight incubation). Sera were extracted with acid ethanol (AE) before all three assays. Analysis of serum samples (n = 78) performed by use of the two different radioligands in the RIA assays were highly correlated (r = 0.967, P < 0.0001). Measurements of serum IGF-I by IRMA in same samples were also highly correlated with those of the RIA assays (r = 0.952 for RIA and 0.947 for triGF-I RIA, P < 0.0001 for both). To assess the effect of binding protein-3 (BP-3) levels (after AE extraction) on these assays, BP-3 levels were measured in sera from 36 healthy women. The mean BP-3 level was 3.6 +/- 0.79 (S.D.) mg/L (range 1.3-5.0), and there was no significant difference in IGF-I levels measured by the three assays. Also, BP-3 levels were inversely correlated with IGF-I levels as measured by all three methods (r = 0.73 for IRMA, 0.71 for triGF-I, and 0.75 for IGF-I RIA). To assess the effect of binding protein-1 (BP-1) levels on these assays, IGF-I was also measured by IRMA and trlGF-I RIA in 19 women with advanced breast cancer. Women with breast cancer had significantly higher (P < 0.001) BP-1 levels than age matched healthy women. IGF-I levels measured by IGF-I IRMA were slightly lower than those measured by trlGF-I RIA in breast cancer patients. However, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.56). These findings suggest that variations in BP-3 or BP-1 levels after AE extraction have no significant effect in any of these assays. "We conclude that trlGF-I as a radioligand provides no added advantage over the standard IGF-I RIA. We also conclude that the IRMA assay is valid for measuring IGF-I and is faster and more convenient than RIA.
AUTOLOGOUS BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION IN RELAPSED ADULT ACUTE LEUKÆMIA

Abstract 24 cases of adult acute leukaemia, of which 21 were evaluable, were treated in irreversible relapse with high-dose piperazinedione and supralethal total-body irradiation (T.B.I.) in conjunction with autologous marrow transplantation (A.B.M.T.). The grafted marrow cells had been collected and stored in liquid nitrogen at the time of remission. In 12 patients the marrow cells were fractionated on discontinuous albumin gradients in an attempt to separate normal cells from residual leukaemic cells. 11 patients achieved complete remission (C.R.); 7 other patients had signs of engraftment but died before C.R. The median remission duration was 4 months (2-14). 6 of 9 acute myeloblastic leukaemia patients, in whom bone-marrow transplantation was the first treatment of relapse, achieved C.R. 4 of 5 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, whose bone-marrow cells were collected during first remission, reached C.R. Autologous bone-marrow transplantation is a valuable first treatment for acute myeloblastic leukaemia in relapse and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in second relapse.
THE DIRECT ESTIMATION OF THE RATE OF THYROID HORMONE FORMATION IN MAN. THE EFFECT OF THE IODIDE ION ON THYROID IODINE UTILIZATION

THE interest of thyroidologists was recently aroused by the demonstration by Wolff and Chaikoff (1) that, with levels of serum iodide higher than 20 to 30 micrograms per cent, organic binding of iodine in the rat thyroid was inhibited. Extension of these observations to man was undertaken in view of the paradox thus presented, i.e., that adequate iodide seemed to prevent hormone formation in the rat and yet failed to control thyrotoxicosis completely or to produce myxedema in man. Although various indirect methods have been used for estimating the rate of hormone formation in man, such as the amount of thyroid necessary to alleviate myxedema, or the urinary excretion of iodine, no direct measurements of this function have been described. It is the purpose of this paper to present a method for the direct estimation of the rate of iodine utilization by the thyroid in man, and to determine the effects of various amounts of iodide on this process. A simple method for calculating the serum iodide is also descr...
Flow of Granular Materials Modeled as a Generalized Reiner-Rivlin Type Fluid

In this paper we use a non-linear constitutive model for flowing granular materials developed by Massoudi [1] which not only considers the effect of volume fraction but also has a viscosity which is shear rate dependent. This model is a generalization of Reiner’s model [2] derived for wet sand. Specifically we study the simple shear flow of granular materials between two horizontal plates, with the lower plate fixed and the upper plate moving at a constant speed. Numerical solutions are presented for various dimensionless parameters.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Resident, developer, and city staff perceptions of LID and CSD subdivision design approaches

Abstract As urban areas expand, standard approaches to development have been associated with many negative environmental effects, increasing interest in the use of low impact development (LID) and conservation subdivision design (CSD) approaches that mitigate some of these effects. In the case of residential development three major groups influence subdivision design by developing, approving, and purchasing homes: developers, city staff, and residents. Previous studies of LID and CSD have focused on residents and their purchasing decisions. In this study, we used surveys and focus groups in Ames, IA to examine developer, city staff, and resident perceptions of development in general, and LID and CSD features in particular. Residents, developers, and city staff members expressed interest in using LID and CSD approaches. Developers and city staff members believed the amenities created by including LID and CSD features would add a premium to home prices. Resident survey respondents indicated moderate interest in LID and CSD features, while focus group participants indicated stronger interest in these designs when embedded environmental attributes were made explicit. Knowledge of the perspectives of all three groups creates a clearer understanding of ways to create opportunities for implementation of LID and CSD approaches where they do not already exist, to achieve a better balance between development and conservation of natural resources in municipalities in the Midwest.
Josephson Current Flow in Pure Superconducting-Normal-Superconducting Junctions

It is shown that the Josephson current in a pure superconducting-normal-superconducting (SNS) sandwich with normal layer thickness large compared with the coherence distance can be calculated easily from the quasiparticle spectrum by use of Galilean invariance. The results agree with Ishii at $T=0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K and with an expression of Kulik for the bound-state contribution, but we do not find a larger contribution from states with $E$ near ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{0}$ as suggested by Kulik. The expected current decreases very rapidly with increase in temperature so that it would be necessary to go to very low temperatures to observe the effect.
The Aporphine Alkaloid Boldine Induces Adiponectin Expression and Regulation in 3T3-L1 Cells

Adiponectin is an adipokine secreted by differentiated adipocytes. Clinical studies suggest a negative correlation between oxidative stress and adiponectin levels in patients with metabolic syndrome or cardiovascular disease. Natural compounds that can prevent oxidative stress mediated inhibition of adiponectin may be potentially therapeutic. Boldine, an aporphine alkaloid abundant in the medicinal plant Peumus boldus, is a powerful antioxidant. The current study demonstrates the effects of boldine on the expression of adiponectin and its regulators, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-alpha (C/EBPalpha) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma, in 3T3-L1 cells. Differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were exposed to either hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) (100 microM) or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) (1 ng/mL) for 24 hours in the presence or absence of increasing concentrations of boldine (5-100 microM). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that both the oxidants decreased the mRNA levels of adiponectin, PPARgamma, and C/EBPalpha to half of the control levels. Boldine, at all concentrations, counteracted the inhibitory effect of H(2)O(2) or TNFalpha and increased the expression of adiponectin and its regulators. The effect of boldine on adiponectin expression was biphasic, with the lower concentrations (5-25 microM) having a larger inductive effect compared to higher concentrations (50-100 microM). Boldine treatment alone in the absence of H(2)O(2) or TNFalpha was also able to induce adiponectin at the inductive phase of adipogenesis. Peroxisome proliferator response element-luciferase promoter transactivity analysis showed that boldine interacts with the PPAR response element and could potentially modulate PPAR responsive genes. Our results indicate that boldine is able to modulate the expression of adiponectin and its regulators in 3T3-L1 cells and has the potential to be beneficial in obesity-related cardiovascular disease.
Real-World In-Use Activity, Fuel Use, and Emissions for Nonroad Construction Vehicles: A Case Study for Excavators

A study design was developed and demonstrated for deployment of a portable emission measurement system (PEMS) for excavators. Excavators are among the most commonly used vehicles in construction activities. The PEMS measured nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, and opacity-based particulate matter. Data collection, screening, processing, and analysis protocols were developed to assure data quality and to quantify variability in vehicle fuel consumption and emissions rates. The development of data collection procedures was based on securing the PEMS while avoiding disruption to normal vehicle operations. As a result of quality assurance, approximately 90% of the attempted measurements resulted in valid data. On the basis of field data collected for three excavators, an average of 50% of the total nitric oxide emissions was associated with 29% of the time of operation, during which the average engine speed and manifold absolute pressure were significantly higher than corresponding averages for all data. Mass per time emission rates during non-idle modes (i.e., moving and using bucket) were on average 7 times greater than for the idle mode. Differences in normalized average rates were influenced more by intercycle differences than intervehicle differences. This study demonstrates the importance of accounting for intercycle variability in real-world in-use emissions to develop more accurate emission inventories. The data collection and analysis methodology demonstrated here is recommended for application to more vehicles to better characterize real-world vehicle activity, fuel use, and emissions for nonroad construction equipment.
In vitro activity of lomefloxacin (SC 47111 or NY-198), a new quinolone antimicrobial, against clinical isolates of common pathogens

The lomefloxacin antibacterial activity was assessed against 442 clinical isolates of common bacterial pathogens and compared to the previously studied activity of ciprofloxacin, imipenem, norfloxacin, and other commonly used antibacterials. Lomefloxacin showed activity against the species of Enterobacteriaceae tested at a concentration equal to or below that of the most commonly used agents. Activity was lower against Pseudomonas species as well as most Gram-positive isolates tested with the exception of Staphylococcus aureus. Streptococcal strains were least susceptible. The results of this study support previous reports of excellent antimicrobial activity for lomefloxacin, especially against Gram-negative organisms.
IDEOLOGY AND JUDICIAL DEFERENCE IN THE D.C. CIRCUIT

This article examines the published opinions of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit—a key judicial forum for deciding administrative law appeals—to test the hypothesis that ideology is a principal element for understanding judicial control over federal agencies between 1970 and 1995. Prior studies focus on U.S. Supreme Court rulings imply, but do not directly test, the proposition that judicial deference to agencies is the product of an interactive relationship between key political variables. Using a non-additive, “integrated” model of judicial behavior, the study confirms that judicial deference is an interactive ideological decision where the court's decision to defer is conditioned upon an interaction between the panel's composition and agency policy. Ideology, though, is not the sole explanation for court behavior since other non-ideological variables contribute to deference as well. The D.C. Circuit is constrained, and defers less, by the “hard look” doctrine and landmark U.S. Supreme Court precedent. Even so, it defers more to agency rulemaking, making the type of agency proceeding at issue an important variable. Overall, these findings illustrate that circuit courts are significant sources of regulatory policy change and that they use ideology, along with other factors, to control the policy initiative of bureaucracies.
Functional neuroimaging indicators of successful executive control in the oldest old.

Abstract Attentional control, motor planning abilities, and executive cognitive functions (ECF) rapidly decline with age. In particular, older adults experience difficulty in manipulating selected motor responses in the presence of conflicting or distracting information. To examine age-related changes in the neural substrates of the attentional and motor planning components of ECF, we assessed the patterns of brain activation in 8 cognitively normal older adults (mean age 81.5) and 20 young individuals (mean age 23.0) while they responded to low and high loads of attentional demands of the Preparing to Overcome Prepotency (POP) task. In the POP task, the selection of one out of two possible motor responses in the presence of increasing attentional task loads determines the accuracy of the performance. Older individuals were slower than young adults (P 0.05). Among older adults, the most successful performers were those who responded to increasing task loads with greater activation in PPC (Brodmann area 40), despite lower dLPFC activation. Older adults who are able to perform executive control tasks as well as young adults, also seem to implement speed–accuracy trade-off strategies which may rely on increased parietal activation.
Market and Political/Regulatory Perspectives on the Recent Accounting Scandals

Not surprisingly, the recent accounting scandals look different when viewed from the perspectives of the political/regulatory process and of the market for corporate governance and financial reporting. We do not have the opportunity to observe a world in which either market or political/regulatory processes operate independently, and the events are recent and not well researched, so untangling their separate effects is somewhat conjectural. This paper offers conjectures on issues such as: What caused the scandalous behavior? Why was there such a rash of accounting scandals at one time? Who killed Arthur Andersen—the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the market? Did fraudulent accounting kill Enron, or just keep it alive for too long? What is the social cost of financial reporting fraud? Does the United States in fact operate a “principles-based” or a “rules-based” accounting system? Was there market failure? Or was there regulatory failure? Or both? Was the Sarbanes-Oxley Act a political and regulatory overreaction? Does the United States follow an ineffective regulatory model?
An architecture for a next-generation holistic e-recruiting system

Online recruiting has revolutionized the way businesses worldwide hire employees. The next step is to seamlessly integrate existing systems to create a comprehensive---and complex---corporate career center.
Gender differences in resting metabolic rate and noradrenaline kinetics in older individuals

The physiological factors mediating gender differences in resting metabolic rate (RMR) in older individuals are presently unclear. We examined the contribution of sympathetic nervous system activity to gender differences in resting metabolic rate in older men and women and its relation to body fat distribution. We performed measurements of noradrenaline (NA) kinetics from infusions of [3H]-NA, RMR, body fat distribution, body composition, peak Vo2 and dietary intake in 29 older men (69 +/- 6 years) and 26 older women (65 +/- 5 years). Older men weighed more (P < 0.01) and had a greater fat-free mass (P < 0.01) and a larger waist circumference (P < 0.01) than older women. Older men had a higher RMR (P < 0.05) than older women, which persisted after controlling for differences in fat-free mass and fat mass. Older men also showed a greater NA appearance rate (P < 0.01) at rest than older women. The higher NA appearance rate in older men was partly related to their greater waist circumference (r = 0.50, P < 0.01). We explored the sympathetic contribution to gender differences in RMR by statistically controlling for differences in body composition and NA appearance rate. After this procedure, we found no gender differences in adjusted RMR between older men (4.3 +/- 0.5 kJ min(-1)) and older women (4.3 +/- 0.4 kJ min(-1)). Our results suggest that: (a) older men have a higher RMR than older women independent of differences in body composition; (b) the higher RMR in older men may be partly due to higher levels of sympathetic nervous system activity; (c) the higher sympathetic nervous system activity in older men is partly related to their greater waist circumference, a proxy measure of central body fatness.
Effect of immunization of cats with Isospora felis and BCG on immunity to reexcretion of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts.

The effect of pretreatment with Isospora felis and bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) on the reexcretion of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts was studied in 16 coccidia-free cats. The following conclusions were drawn: (A) Chronically T. gondii-infected cats reexcreted T. gondii oocysts after superinfection with I. felis, and this reexcretion was prevented in cats infected with I. felis before T. gondii infection. (B) Administration of BCG before Toxoplasma infection had no apparent effect on the outcome of the infection.
Desorption of Carbonate From Aluminum Hydroxycarbonate Gel by Nitrogen Purging

Carbonate was completely desorbed from amorphous aluminum hydroxycarbonate gel by purging with nitrogen. The reversibility of carbonate adsorption suggests that aluminum hydroxycarbonate particles are composed of planes of aluminum hydroxide with carbonate adsorbed at edge aluminum sites. A slow-reacting phase which was identified as a precursor of gibbsite, formed when the carbonate/aluminum molar ratio was <0.20.
Relative Placement of Benefit and Risk Information in Direct-to-Consumer Advertisements of Prescription Drugs on the World Wide Web:

This research was conducted to determine how risk information is presented within direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug advertisements on the World Wide Web (WWW). Twenty prescription drug manufacturers' web sites were examined with respect to risk and benefit information placement. Measured were (a) the number of clicks required to view the benefit and risk information from the home page, (b) the number of clicks to the risk information from the benefit information, (c) the number of clicks to the benefit information from the risk information, (d) and whether scrolling was required to view both benefit and risk information. Also measured were whether the benefit and risk information was on the same page and whether a separate file reader was needed to view the risk information. Results indicated that the risk information is more difficult to find on DTC prescription medication web site advertisements compared to benefits. More clicks from the home page were required to find the risk information than the benefits...
Cyclophilin a modulates dendritic cell differentiation from myeloblastic cell KG1

Abstract Introduction. Cyclophilin A (CypA) is a ubiquitously distributed intracellular protein as well as secreted protein and has recently been reported to be an immunomodulatory molecule. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of CypA on dendritic cell (DC) differentiation, activation, and functional maturation. Methods. KG1 cells (CD34 + human myeloblastic cell line) were treated with cytokines (GM-CSF+IL-4) and/or CypA and expression of cell-surface markers was analyzed by FACS analysis. The antigen uptake capacity of different DCs was determined by FITC-dextran uptake assay. Antigen presentation capacity of DCs was determined by allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) by [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation assay. To check the T cell polarization of KG1-derived DCs, various Th1 and Th2 cytokines secreted by allo-stimulated CD4 + and CD8 + T cells were determined by Bioplex cytokine assay. Role of p38 MAP kinase in DC functions was also investigated. Results. During the differentiation of KG1 cells to immature DCs, cell-surface expression of CD11b was increased by 30.6% for CypA alone; 55% for CypA plus cytokines; and 44% for cytokines alone. Similarly, CypA alone increased the cell-surface expression of CD11c by 59% as compared to CypA plus cytokines (68%) and cytokines alone (50%). CypA up regulated the antigen uptake capacity of the immature DCs to a greater extent (5 times) as compared to cytokines alone (2.5 times). Moreover, CypA augmented the capacity of DCs to present antigens to allogenic CD8 + T cells and also increased the secretion of Th1-type cytokines TNF-α and IFN-γ from the allogenic CD4 + T cells. Furthermore, CypA induced the phosphorylation and hence activation of MAP kinase p38. Pretreatment with SB-203580, a p38 inhibitor, significantly reduced MLR stimulatory capacity of CypA-induced DCs in both CD8 + T cells and CD4 + T cells ( P Conclusions. CypA enhances DC differentiation and maturation by up regulating CD11b and CD11c expression. CypA can also augment DC antigen uptake and antigen presentation, which may be mediated by the P38 signaling pathway.
American Cartographic Transformations during the Cold War

A great convergence of cartography, secrecy, and power occurred during the Cold War. In the American case, a complex series of interactions between secret and classified programs and institutions and their publicly accessible counterparts accomplished both traditional and novel objectives of military geographic intelligence. This process also yielded the World Geodetic System, a mass-centered "figure of the earth" at accuracies adequate for warfare with intercontinental ballistic missiles. A structural and institutional separation developed between enterprises charged with overhead data acquisition systems, which were classified at increasingly high levels of secrecy, and those responsible for data reduction, analysis, and mapping systems, which remained largely unclassified and publicly accessible, in part to conceal the classified data acquisition systems. This structural separation destabilized photogrammetric mapping by displacing systems that privileged dimensional stability with systems that privile...
The vanishing free market: the formation and spread of the British and US food regimes.

In this paper, I compare the formation of food regimes during British and US hegemony, which were mirror-images in terms of the degree of free trade and state regulation as well as the direction of trade flow of grains. Many scholars recognize that the foundation for each regime was laid by the national policy and dominant political coalition in the world-economic hegemon, but my analysis pays particular attention to the divisions and coalitions within agriculture as forces that drove the shape of each regime. Though important agricultural divisions existed in each case, the political power of the resulting agricultural coalitions – and those coalitions' relations to the nation's dominant coalition – are central to understanding the formation and spread of each food regime.
Central and peripheral nervous system immune mediated demyelinating disease after allogeneic hemopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematologic disease

Immune mediated demyelinating disease (IMDD) after allogeneic hemopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is rare and its etiology unclear. In this retrospective study, we identified patients who underwent HSCT between January 1992 and December 2010 and had IMDD post transplant. A total of 1,484 patients received HSCT and 7 (0.5 %) suffered from IMDD; five were men, and the median age was 54 years (range, 29-64 years). HSCT treated acute myeloid leukemia (n = 5), myelodysplastic syndrome (n = 1), and Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (n = 1). All received an HLA matched donor graft, related (6), unrelated (1); from the bone marrow (1), peripheral blood stem cell (6); and T-cell depleted, ex vivo (6) or in vivo (1). The median time from transplant to neurologic symptoms was 120 days (range, 60-390 days). Three had acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis (ADEM), three acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculopathy (AIDP) and one autonomic neuropathy. Four of six patients tested had hemopoietic mixed chimerism prior to neurologic symptoms and low CD4(+) T-cell counts, median 76 (15-500 cells/μL). Two patients had simultaneous systemic graft versus host disease (GVHD). Two patients with ADEM had a spinal cord or brain biopsy which revealed demyelination. No patients had a viral etiology identified in the cerebrospinal fluid. Patients were treated with IV immunoglobulin, high dose steroids and/or rituximab. Five patients had a significant recovery. Response to immune modulators suggests an immune-based etiology. The incidence of de novo autoimmune disease after HSCT for hematological diseases is rare and may be difficult to differentiate from GVHD.
Obesity and eating disorders: Cognitive aspects of food preference and food aversion

Food choices in obesity and eating disorders are influenced by a number of metabolic, psychological, and sociocultural variables. Whereas obese patients often seek out fat-rich foods, anorectic women tend to avoid them. Clinical studies suggest that cravings for palatable sweet desserts have a metabolic basis and may involve alterations in the endogenous opioid peptide system. Food preferences may also be influenced by metabolic status of the organism and the prior history of “yo-yo” dieting. Sensory responsiveness to sugar/fat mixtures may be further modified by subjects’ attitudes and beliefs regarding the nutritional value of foods, notably those rich in sugars and fats. Together with changing normative beliefs, attitudes toward calorie-dense foods can modulate the hedonic taste response and influence the patterns of food selection.
Nonlinear ultrasonic inverse-scattering tomography in polar coordinates

An algorithm for the solution of a nonlinear inverse scattering problem in polar coordinates in ultrasonic tomography is presented. The scattering and diffraction of ultrasonic waves propagating through an inhomogeneous, nondispersive medium, f, may be described by the nonlinear integral equation The unknown f is to be determined from measurements of the scattered field u8 = u – ui on ?D Since k = (k, ?) contains information on frequency and direction of propagation of the incident wave both multiple frequencies and multiple angles of incidence information are used in measurements of the scattered field. These integral equations, which are given in two-dimensional rectangular coordinates, are converted to polar coordinates. Then they are written as a nonlinear operator equation T'(w) = 0 which is solved using Newton's method, with the derivative of the operator being the Frchet derivative I!W). The linear operator equations in each step of Newton's method are solved numerically by using piecewise linear function approximations and then solving the resulting linear discrete equations.
A Microwave Correlator

A method is presented for the measurement of auto- or cross-correlation functions of wide-band uhf signals. A novel method of frequency translation is used to obtain a transformation of the spectrum into a more convenient form for computation. This method involves the generation of a line spectrum of local oscillator frequencies throughout the bandwidth of the signal, and subsequent summing of the frequency differences into a narrower band of video signals containing all the coffelative characteristics of the original signal. A theoretical analysis of the operation is presented along with experimental results obtained with this correlator on a 200-mc bandwidth noise signal centered at 1.1 kmc.
Thrombocytopenia and pulmonary hypertension in the perinatal aspiration syndromes

Thirty-three of 616 consecutively admitted newborn infants had thrombocytopenia (platelet count 3 ). Only 16 of these were among the 356 infants with lung disease. However, 12 of the 16 were among the 90 infants with a diagnosis of a perinatal aspiration syndrome. The 12 thrombocytopenic infants were the only infants with PAS considered to have pulmonary hypertension. The duration of significant right-to-left shunting of blood paralleled the duration of thrombocytopenia in these infants; PHN was not associated with thrombocytopenia in other neonatal lung diseases. Thus, platelets appear to be important in the pathogenesis of PHN complicating PAS.
Theoretical assessment of dose-rate effect in endovascular brachytherapy.

Abstract Purpose. Several prospective randomized clinical trials utilizing endovascular brachytherapy after coronary angioplasty have shown promising preliminary results. Numerous clinical trials have been initiated to evaluate different delivery systems and source types. In this study, the dose-rate effect is investigated using a biophysical model derived from linear-quadratic formalism. Materials and Methods. The dose-rate effect is quantified using the Dale's formulation, which is based on a linear-quadratic model. This model converts the total absorbed dose into the biological equivalent dose (BED) based on the dose rate, total dose, treatment duration, biological endpoint (α/β ratio), and sublethal damage repair constant. The calculations are performed for two common source configurations used in current clinical trials (192Ir and 90Sr/Y). Results. At smaller radial distance, the dose rate is higher, hence BED increases due to the increase in the relative effectiveness per unit dose (RE) and absorbed dose for a given treatment duration. For 90Sr/Y source, a similar trend is observed; however, it is at a much greater magnitude. The RE for 192Ir is close to unity, which is equivalent to that of external beam irradiation. Conclusion. Although current clinical trials in endovascular brachytherapy report similar absorbed dose, the biological effects may be different due to the extremely high gradient of dose rate near the sources, a variety of isotopes and delivery systems, and different dose prescriptions. If the theoretical predictions in this study are validated in clinical trials, the proposed model can be useful to compare different protocols, design new delivery systems and isotopes, and optimize how radiation is delivered.
An NMR spectroscopic investigation of the oxidation reactions of DL-selenomethionine

Oxidation reactions of DL-selenomethionine (DL-SeMet) with hydrogen peroxide and ozone were investigated by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. Chemical shifts of the reaction products were measured at different pD values in D2O solutions. In the moderate (4–8) pD range, a pair of singlets of equal intensity appeared at 2·71 and 2·80 ppm, with the disappearance of the DL-SeMet methyl peak at 2·04 ppm. As the pD of the solution decreased, the chemical shifts of both peaks increased relative to 3-trimethylsilylpropionic acid-d4 sodium salt. In strongly acidic solutions (pD 10). These data were assigned to Met selenoxide in basic solution, stabilized by intermolecular hydrogen bonding, and to the hydration of Met selenoxide to Met dihydroxyselenide in acidic solutions. In moderate pD solutions (pD = 4–8), both forms of the selenoxide can exist. For the reaction of DL-SeMet with CNBr, two parallel reactions occur, i.e. oxidation and bond cleavage with cyanization: the bond cleavage giving the expected products, i.e. 2-amino-4-butyrolactone and methyl selenocyanate, with an additional singlet observed at 2·54 ppm. © 1988 SCI
Mediterranean-style diet and risk of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and vascular death: the Northern Manhattan Study

Background: A dietary pattern common in regions near the Mediterranean appears to reduce risk of all-cause mortality and ischemic heart disease. Data on blacks and Hispanics in the United States are lacking, and to our knowledge only one study has examined a Mediterranean-style diet (MeDi) in relation to stroke. Objective: In this study, we examined an MeDi in relation to vascular events. Design: The Northern Manhattan Study is a population-based cohort to determine stroke incidence and risk factors (mean ± SD age of participants: 69 ± 10 y; 64% women; 55% Hispanic, 21% white, and 24% black). Diet was assessed at baseline by using a food-frequency questionnaire in 2568 participants. A higher score on a 0–9 scale represented increased adherence to an MeDi. The relation between the MeDi score and risk of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and vascular death was assessed with Cox models, with control for sociodemographic and vascular risk factors. Results: The MeDi-score distribution was as follows: 0–2 (14%), 3 (17%), 4 (22%), 5 (22%), and 6–9 (25%). Over a mean follow-up of 9 y, 518 vascular events accrued (171 ischemic strokes, 133 MIs, and 314 vascular deaths). The MeDi score was inversely associated with risk of the composite outcome of ischemic stroke, MI, or vascular death (P-trend = 0.04) and with vascular death specifically (P-trend = 0.02). Moderate and high MeDi scores were marginally associated with decreased risk of MI. There was no association with ischemic stroke. Conclusions: Higher consumption of an MeDi was associated with decreased risk of vascular events. Results support the role of a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and olive oil in the promotion of ideal cardiovascular health.
Deformation and surface uplift associated with serpentinization at mid‐ocean ridges and subduction zones

[1] We employ the classical problem of an inclusion in an elastic half-space to model effects of sub-surface serpentinization on crustal deformation, change of stress state, and surface uplift. At the TAG hydrothermal field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the model suggests that an anomalous salient 3 km in diameter and 100 m high that projects 3.5 km westward from the east valley wall may have resulted from a relatively deep-seated well-serpentinized body exhibiting transformational strain. The associated large strains would likely result in sub-surface fracturing or faulting, but surface uplift may be relatively insensitive to the exact depth and shape of the serpentinized region. Serpentinization of a region beneath the footwall of the TAG detachment fault will tend to promote slip along some overlying normal faults, which may then enhance fluid pathways to the deeper crust to continue the serpentinization process. Our solution for the Miyazaki Plain above the Kyushu-Palau subduction zone in SW Japan explains the observed uplift of ≈120 m. The small transformational strains associated with serpentinization in this region may promote thrust-type events in the aseismic slip zone near the upper boundary of the subducting Philippine Sea Plate as well as intraplate earthquakes associated with normal faulting. The rate of serpentinization needed to produce the observed uplift at the Miyazaki Plain is significantly greater than that needed at TAG, though significantly smaller on per unit volume basis. Thermal effects of serpentinization in both regions appear to be small, but uplift data provide an additional constraint on inferring serpentinization from geological and seismological observations.
Seeing smells: Development of an optoelectronic nose

The development of an array of chemically-responsive dyes on a porous membrane and in its use as a general sensor for odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is reviewed. These colorimetric sensor arrays (CSA) act as an "optoelectronic nose" by using an array of multiple dyes whose color changes are based on the full range of intermolecular interactions. The CSA is digitally imaged before and after exposure and the resulting difference map provides a digital fingerprint for any VOC or mixture of odorants. The result is an enormous increase in discriminatory power among odorants compared to prior electronic nose technologies. For the detection of biologically important analytes, including amines, carboxylic acids, and thiols, high sensitivities (ppbv) have been demonstrated. The array is essentially non-responsive to changes in humidity due to the hydrophobicity of the dyes and membrane.
Rosai-Dorfman Disease Presenting with Isolated Bilateral Orbital Masses: Report of Two Cases

Rosai-Dorfman disease (sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy) is a rare benign idiopathic proliferative disease of phagocytic histiocytes. Approximately 80% of patients present with painless massive cervical lymphadenopathy. Isolated extranodal involvement is relatively uncommon. Two cases of Rosai-Dorfman disease are reported: one with isolated bilateral orbital involvement and one with marked cervical lymphadenopathy and multiple dural-based and intraventricular masses.