cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment with 2,4-dinitrophenol mimics ontogenetic and phylogenetic changes in a hydractiniid hydroid.

Abstract Clonal plants, fungi, and invertebrate animals often display both intra- and interspecific heterochronic variation in the relative proportions of ramets (e.g., polyps, plantlets) and stolons (or rhizomes, hyphae). Treatment of developing colonies of Podocoryne carnea, a hydractiniid hydroid, with dilute solutions of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation, accelerates the usual ontogenetic trajectory of polyp and stolon production. This morphological heterochrony can be related to the hydrodynamic behavior of the gastrovascular system under the conditions of "loose-coupling" of oxidative phosphorylation produced by DNP. In its normal ontogeny, Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus, a closely related hydractiniid hydroid, not only shows morphological heterochrony similar to that induced in P. carnea by DNP, but also shows a pattern of gastrovascular flow similar to that observed in P. carnea under treatment with DNP. These results support hypotheses linking metabolic activity to heterochronic variation and provide a potentially widely applicable experimental basis for the study of such variation.
Volatile substance abuse.

Although not as notorious as alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana, VSA remains a common problem in the industrialized world. Some investigators believe that VSA has quietly reached near-epidemic proportions as no consistent system exists for gathering data on the extent of inhalant-related toxicity in most countries. Doctors and emergency medical personnel are often not well-trained to recognize VSA. Greater attention needs to be drawn to the societal problems and potential physiological dangers of VSA. Information on VSA should be more widely disseminated to healthcare workers and educators. The best treatment for VSA may be prevention through extensive education, as the availability of many volatile compounds makes them attractive for abuse by adolescents who would otherwise have to acquire ethanol or illegal street drugs.
Transesophageal echocardiographic guidance of transseptal left heart catheterization during radiofrequency ablation of left-sided accessory pathways in humans.

UNLABELLED Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of left-sided accessory pathways can be achieved using catheters introduced by a retrograde or transseptal approach. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has previously been demonstrated to be safe and efficacious in guiding transseptal puncture in patients during mitral valvuloplasty (MV). This study was undertaken to assess the feasibility, safety, and clinical utility of TEE during transseptal puncture and RFA of left-sided accessory pathways. METHODS TEE was performed during transseptal puncture in 30 patients (41 +/- 12 years, 19 females), 15 patients during attempted RFA of a left-sided accessory pathway and 15 patients during attempted balloon MV. RESULTS There was no difference in age, sex distribution, or procedural complications when MV patients were compared to RFA patients. At baseline, left atrial dimension was increased and congestive heart failure was more common when MV patients were compared to RFA patients (P < 0.05) Adequate baseline two-dimensional and Doppler TEE images were obtained in all patients. One patient sustained mild esophageal bleeding during the TEE. Positioning of the transseptal catheter in the fossa ovalis was facilitated and confirmed by TEE in 29 of 30 cases. One case of cardiac perforation occurred and was associated with inadequate TEE localization of the fossa ovalis. Thrombus was detected on the transseptal catheter by TEE in two cases prior to systemic heparinization. In both cases, thrombus was removed without embolic event. CONCLUSIONS TEE safely guides transseptal puncture in patients undergoing RFA of left-sided accessory pathways. TEE markers of the fossa ovalis facilitate puncture and may reduce the risk of cardiac perforation particularly in patients with a normal size left atrium. TEE may be especially valuable for identifying thrombus during transseptal puncture.
An update on the electrolytic conductivity values for the primary standard KCl solutions: Conversion to the ITS-90 temperature scale

A new international temperature scale has replaced the 1968 scale. Here, we report the changes required in our previous results for primary conductivity standards for 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 Demal KCl solutions at 0,18 and 25°C.
FDA Actions Against Health Economic Promotions, 2002-2011

Objective: To investigate Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory actions against drug companies’ health economic promotions from 2002 through 2011 to understand how frequently and in what circumstances the agency has considered such promotions false or misleading. Methods: We reviewed all warning letters and notices of violation (“untitled letters”) issued by the FDA’s Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communications (DDMAC) to pharmaceutical companies from January 2002 through December 2011. We analyzed letters containing a violation related to “health economic promotion,” defined according to one of several categories (e.g., implied claims of cost savings due to work productivity or economic claims containing unsupported statements about effectiveness or safety). We also collected information on factors such as the indication and type of media involved and whether the letter referenced Section 114 of the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act. Results: Of 291 DDMAC letters sent to pharmaceutical companies during the study period, 35 (12%) cited a health economic violation. The most common type of violation cited was an implied claim of cost savings due to work productivity or functioning (found in 20 letters) and economic claims containing unsubstantiated comparative claims of effectiveness, safety, or interchangeability (7 letters). The violations covered various indications, mostly commonly psychiatric disorders (6 letters) and pain (6 letters). No DDMAC letter pertained to Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act Section 114. Conclusion: The FDA has cited inappropriate health economic promotions in roughly 12% of the letters issued by the DDMAC. The letters highlight drug companies’ interest in promoting the value of their products and the FDA’s concerns in certain cases about the lack of supporting evidence.
Haemostatic variables in phenylketonuric children under dietary treatment

Classical phenylketonuria (PKU) (McKusick 261600) is an inborn error of metabolism treated by a controlled low-phenylalanine (Phe) diet started as soon as possible in the first days of life. Such a diet can be achieved with vegetable protein and can be considered non-atherogenic because of the reduction of animal products. Thirty patients with PKU were classified into two groups according to their annual mean Phe levels. Their daily protein intake was largely replaced by PKU2 Milupa which contains a mixture of amino acids. The product has no phenylalanine or fat of any kind. Thirty-eight (38) individuals of comparable age were used as controls. Group A (n=15) had good compliance with the special diet (Phe mean 192±115 µmol/L); group B (n=15) did not strictly adhere to the diet (Phe mean 595±263 µmol/L). Certain haemostatic components (factors I, VII, VIII, and X, antithrombin III, protein C, and plasminogen) and lipid variables (cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, very-low-density lipoprotein) as well as Phe levels were estimated. All the haemostatic factors studied were found within the normal range with the exception of a significant reduction in protein C in both groups of PKU patients. Furthermore, a statistically significant reduction in factor VII and X concentrations was observed in patients on strict diet. Cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein concentrations were significantly lower in PKU children compared to normal controls. It is suggested that even though the special diet of PKU children, especially in group A, is rich in vegetables, the reduced fat intake might have impaired the absorption of vitamin K and its delivery to the site of synthesis of vitamin K-dependent haemostatic factors.
Molecular photoelectron spectroscopy at 132.3 eV. Methane, the fluorinated methanes and hydrogen fluoride

Abstract Molecular photoemission spectra of the valence orbitals of HF, CH4, CH3F, CH2F2, CHF3, and CF4 were taken using the 132.3 eV Mζ line of yttrium. Dramatic decreases of relative intensity were observed, in comparison to higher-energy photoemission spectra, for molecular orbitals with substantial atomic 2s character, thereby facilitating orbital assignments.
Oxygen Isotopic Analysis of the Size Fraction Between 62 and 250 Micrometers in Caribbean Cores P6304-8 and P6304-9

Oxygen isotopic analysis of the carbonate sediment fraction between 62 and 250 micrometry yields curves following the general trend of those obtained from Globigerinoides sacculifera. Warm stages 11, 13, and 15 are characterized by heavy postdepositional solution. which makes the sediment fraction between 62 and 250 micrometers rich in shell fragments of the more resistant, deeper-living species. As a result, oxygen isotopic analysis of these samples yields comparatively low temperatures, in contrast to those obtained from Globigerinoides sacculifera.
Adsorption of Chiral Hydrocarbons on Chiral Platinum Surfaces

Binding energies and configurations of chiral hydrocarbons adsorbed on stepped Pt surfaces are calculated using Monte Carlo simulations. McFadden et al. have recently shown that many stepped single-crystal surfaces have chiral characteristics and that chiral molecules adsorbed on these surfaces should display enantiospecific properties [McFadden, C. F.; Cremer, P. S.; Gellman, A. J. Langmuir 1996, 12, 2483]. The results presented here provide the first theoretical predictions of this phenomenon by measuring enantiomeric shifts in the binding energies of chiral hydrocarbons on chiral Pt surfaces. Multiple examples of enantiomeric shifts that should be readily detectable using temperature-programmed desorption experiments are identified. The role of adsorbate size and surface structure on the magnitude of enantiomeric shifts in binding energies is discussed.
A Note on Comparing the Estimates of Models for Cluster-Correlated or Longitudinal Data with Binary or Ordinal Outcomes

When using linear models for cluster-correlated or longitudinal data, a common modeling practice is to begin by fitting a relatively simple model and then to increase the model complexity in steps. New predictors might be added to the model, or a more complex covariance structure might be specified for the observations. When fitting models for binary or ordered-categorical outcomes, however, comparisons between such models are impeded by the implicit rescaling of the model estimates that takes place with the inclusion of new predictors and/or random effects. This paper presents an approach for putting the estimates on a common scale to facilitate relative comparisons between models fit to binary or ordinal outcomes. The approach is developed for both population-average and unit-specific models.
Formation of Nanostructured Zeolite Particle Surfaces via a Halide/Grignard Route

A two-step reaction sequence, dealumination via thionyl chloride followed by reaction with a Grignard reagent, has created a nanoscale morphology that appears as significantly roughened outer surfaces on zeolite 4A particles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements revealed that such surface nanostructures are composed of Mg(OH)2 crystals. The formation mechanism of this specific surface morphology was explored. It was discovered by solid-state 29Si and 27Al NMR and XPS surface analysis that thionyl chloride partially removes aluminum from the zeolite 4A framework and yields NaCl and AlCl3. Precipitation of these extracted inorganic salts on the surfaces of zeolite particles occur. Subsequently, methylmagnesium bromide is reacted with 2-propanol in a quenching process and generates Mg(OH)2. The previously deposited NaCl and AlCl3 nanoparticles on zeolite surfaces are believed to function as heterogeneous nuclei for the growth of Mg(OH)2 crystals and thereby creates ...
Optimal imperfect phylogeny reconstruction and haplotyping (IPPH).

The production of large quantities of diploid genotype data has created a need for computational methods for largescale inference of haplotypes from genotypes. One promising approach to the problem has been to infer possible phylogenies explaining the observed genotypes in terms of putative descendants of some common ancestral haplotype. The rst attempts at this problem proceeded on the restrictive assumption that observed sequences could be explained by a perfect phylogeny, in which each variant locus is presumed to have mutated exactly once over the sampled population’s history. Recently, the perfect phylogeny model was relaxed and the problem of reconstructing an imperfect phylogeny (IPPH) from genotype data was considered. A polynomial time algorithm was developed for the case when a single site is allowed to mutate twice, but the general problem remained open. In this work, we solve the general IPPH problem and show for the rst time that it is possible to infer optimal q-near-perfect phylogenies from diploid genotype data in polynomial time for any constant q, where q is the number of \extra" mutations required in the phylogeny beyond what would be present in a perfect phylogeny. This work has application to the haplotype phasing problem as well as to various related problems in phylogenetic inference, analysis of sequence variability in populations, and association study design. Empirical studies on human data of known phase show this method to be competitive with the leading phasing methods and provide strong support for the value of continued research into algorithms for general phylogeny construction from diploid data.
Eye problems in breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen.

Background:Tamoxifen is an oral anti-estrogen used in the treatment of breast cancer and recently approved to reduce the incidence of breast cancer in high risk women. As a large clinical trial of tamoxifen has reported an increased risk of cataract, we conducted a study of women with breast cancer to evaluate the association of tamoxifen with cataracts and other eye problems. Methods:We attempted to recruit previously interviewed patients who were cases in a population-based case-control study of 2653 women with primary breast cancer diagnosed between 1987 and 1996 at ages 55–72 years in Los Angeles County, California, USA. In November 1997, each case was mailed a questionnaire to ascertain self-reported incidence of eye diseases and Amsler grid test scores. Information from 1297 women aged 57–75 years of age was analyzed. Women reporting treatment with tamoxifen were categorized as standard-term users (4–5 years), short-term users (<4 years), or long-term users (6+ years) and compared to non-users. All p-values, relative risks, and confidence intervals for differences in eye problems and grid test results are adjusted for age and stage of disease at diagnosis. Findings:Standard-term and long-term users of tamoxifen more frequently reported developing cataracts than non-users (18.2%, 21.4% vs. 14.8%). The relative risk was 1.40 (95% confidence interval 0.94–2.10) for standard-term users and 1.70 (1.11–2.59) for long-term users. Tamoxifen use was unrelated to frequency of glaucoma or macular degeneration or to Amsler grid test results. Interpretation:Our study suggests that five or more years of tamoxifen use increases risk of cataracts. Healthy women considering tamoxifen use to reduce risk of breast cancer should be advised of the possibility of cataract development. Women choosing such therapy should be diligent about receiving regular ocular exams.
Heterocyclic steroids synthesis of 3′-methylsoxazolino-[17,16-d]-5-androsten-3β-ol and derivatives

Abstract The treatment of the acetate of 16α-chloro-3β-hydroxypregn-5-en-20-one with hydroxylamine hydrochloride in pyridine affords the heterocyclic isoxazolino steroid, 3′-methylisoxazolino-[17, 16-d]-adrost-5-en-β-ol acetate in high yield.
Enzyme derivatives containing reactive groups. Immobilization of alpha-amylase on human erythrocytes

Summary p-Chloromercuribenzoate was coupled to α-amylase using isobutyl-chloroformate in a dioxane-water system. The enzyme derivative was immobilized on human erythrocytes via surface sulfhydryl groups. The α-amylase activity on the erythrocytes was measurable whereas erythrocytes treated with control enzyme solutions possessed no detectable activity. Enzyme derivatives containing reactive groups might be useful in enzyme therapy.
Intracranial stimulation as an avoidance or escape response

Rats approached intracranial stimulation (ICS) in a T-maze under massed trials, but avoided it when the trials were spaced 30 min. apart. In a second experiment, rats approached ICS in a modified Skinner box on an FI schedule of 15 sec., but avoided it when the FI schedule was 5 min. The results are interpreted in terms of ICS being an avoidance or escape response from noxious after-effects of the previous ICS.
Intraspecific competition and subterranean herbivory: individual and interactive effects on bush lupine

High mortality of plants growing in dense monospecific stands (i.e. self-thinning) usually results from intense intraspecific competition. However, inconspicuous below-ground insect herbivory might be a potent but overlooked source of mortality within dense stands of plants, particularly if crowding limits a plant's ability to compensate for herbivore damage. Here I ask how high conspecific density influences a plant's ability to cope with heavy below-ground insect herbivory. I manipulated conspecific density and exposure to an abundant root-borer, the ghost moth (Hepialus californicus), and examined the impacts on the fecundity, growth, and survival of bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus), a fast-growing shrub that grows in dense monospecific stands in coastal grasslands, Both herbivory and intraspecific competition affected seed production, size, and mortality of bush lupine over the two years of the experiment. Plants consistently produced fewer seeds when growing at high versus low density and ghost moth herbivory also significantly reduced seed production. The negative effects of herbivory on plant fecundity were similar, regardless of plant density. In contrast, plant survival was affected by both competition, herbivory, and the interaction of these factors. In high density plots, plant survival was uniformly low (averaging 0.45-0.50); plants exposed to herbivores died from heavy herbivory, and plants protected from herbivores died due to intense intraspecific competition that compensated for losses due to herbivory. In low density plots, ghost moth herbivory similarly reduced lupine survival, from an average survival probability of 0.94 in plots protected from these herbivores to 0.55 in plots exposed to herbivory, Thus, results show that regardless of plant density, below-ground herbivory can be a potent source of mortality.
Uptake and release of naphthalene and its metabolites in skin and epidermal mucus of salmonids

Abstract Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) exposed to 1,4,5,8-[3H]naphthalene through force feeding, via ip injection, or in flowing water, accumulated significant concentrations of both naphthalene and its metabolic products in skin, regardless of the mode of exposure. Concentrations of naphthalene and its metabolites in skin increased with time initially and subsequently declined. Concentrations of naphthalene decreased more rapidly than the metabolites in all three experiments: as much as 17.6 (force-feeding study), 15.1 (injection study), and 52.0% (water-immersion study) of the total radioactivity in the skin was attributable to the metabolites at the end of each experiment. This tendency of skin to retain metabolites preferentially was also exhibited by the liver. Based on 1 g of dry tissue, skin contained 34 to 84% of naphthalene and 13 to 26% of the metabolites present in the liver 24 hr after the initiation of naphthalene exposure; activity of skin with respect to liver was the highest for the water-immersion study, as may be expected, and lowest for the injection study. Epidermal mucus of the test fish in the injection and force-feeding experiments contained small concentrations of naphthalene and considerably larger concentrations of metabolites for several days after the initial treatment. Because epidermal mucus of fish exists in a state of continuous flux (that is, a small amount of mucus is continuously sloughed off and renewed), these results imply that epidermal mucus is involved in the excretion of hydrocarbons and their metabolites.
Cloning and molecular characterization of a novel gene encoding a WD-repeat protein expressed in restricted areas of adult rat brain.

Abstract We describe the cloning and characterization of a novel rat gene, bwd (brain-enriched WD), which encodes a protein with four copies of the WD amino acid motif, suggesting involvement in protein-protein interaction and a regulatory function in the cell. Northern analysis reveals two size classes of mRNA (1.8 and 2.2 kb), expressed in many adult tissues and developmental stages. Expression is highest in brain, where the longer of the two RNAs predominates. cDNA sequences show that both RNAs encode the identical protein, differing only in their 3′ untranslated regions, where the longer transcript contains two RNA instability signals (AUUUA). In situ hybridization to bwd RNA in adult brain shows a highly restricted pattern, localizing expression mainly to the Purkinje and granule neurons of the cerebellum, the pyramidal cells of the hippocampus, and the dentate gyrus. In cryosections of rat cerebellum and kidney, BWD is shown by immunohistochemistry to be localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm of cerebellar Purkinje and granule neurons, and in predominantly the cytoplasm of cells surrounding kidney ducts. Taken together, these results suggest a specialized function for BWD in the brain. Sequence similarity comparisons with bwd reveal structural homologs of unknown function in human, mouse, Drosophila, Arabidopsis and C. elegans , and provide evidence that this set of sequences forms a new subfamily of WD-repeat genes. By sequence comparisons with expressed sequence tags (ESTs), the human homolog of bwd is predicted to reside in the chromosome 1q12-23 region, where several genetic diseases are known to map.
Neurotransmitter synthesis in Limulus ventral nerve photoreceptors.

Radiochemical precursor compounds for neurotransmitters were incubated withLimulus ventral nerve photoreceptor preparations. Octopamine was preferentially synthesized by a photoreceptor rich fraction of the nerve, acetylcholine was made by a photoreceptor poor fraction, and γ-aminobutyric acid was made about equally well in both fractions. The possibility that the ventral nerve photoreceptor cells serve a neurosecretory function in the adultLimulus is discussed.
User Cooperation Network Coding Approach for NoC Performance Improvement

The astonishing rate of sensing modalities and data generation poses a tremendous impact on computing platforms for providing real-time mining and prediction capabilities. We are capable of monitoring thousands of genes and their interactions, but we lack efficient computing platforms for large-scale (exa-scale) data processing. Towards this end, we propose a novel hierarchical Network-on-Chip (NoC) architecture that exploits user-cooperated network coding (NC) concepts for improving system throughput. Our proposed architecture relies on a light-weighted subnet of cooperation unit routers (CUR) for multicast traffic. Coding network interface (CNI) performs encoding/decoding of NC symbols and shares the data flows among cooperation units(CUs). We endow our proposed NC-based NoC architecture with: (i) a corridor routing algorithm (CRA) for maximizing network throughput and (ii) an adaptive flit dropping (AFD) scheme to mitigate congestion, branch-blocking and deadlock at run-time. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed platform offers up to 127X multicast throughput improvement over multiple-unicast and XY tree-based multicast under synthetic collective traffic scenario. We have evaluated the proposed platform with different realworld benchmarks under network sizes of 4x4 to 32x32. Simulation results show 21%--91% latency improvement and up to 25X runtime reduction over conventional mesh NoC performing genetic-algorithm based protein folding analysis. FPGA implementation results show minimal overhead.
X-ray photoemission and optical spectra of NiPS3, FePS3 and ZnPS3

Abstract X-ray-induced photoemission spectra were obtained for the valence bands and core levels of ZnPS3 and FePS3 for comparison with earlier XPS spectra of NiPS3. The valence band spectra are interpreted on the basis of a two-dimensional model in which the transition metal is ionized, with the two electrons appearing in covalent bonds in the SP3 groups. The absorption edge for each crystal was obtained by optical transmission measurements and the dielectric function for energies above the edge was obtained from a Kramers-Kronig analysis of the reflectance up to an energy of 30 eV. The optical properties are consistent with the view that the transition metals exist primarily as ions, with localized 3d levels. There is evidence, however, that transition metal 4s and 4p states mix with ligand states.
Technology Help 2.0: Solutions for the Information Commons

ABSTRACT Access services librarians at Southeastern Louisiana University's Sims Memorial Library observed patrons' technology help needs and created an interactive training manual that empowers library faculty and staff to provide public service technology help in the Information Commons. The new training manual takes technology help in the academic library to the next level, “Technology Help 2.0,” because it allows librarians to learn about technology by directly observing the needs of patrons, develop new skills at their own pace, and adapt to the constantly evolving technology demands of the Information Commons.
Meta-Analysis of the MMPI-2 Fake Bad Scale: Utility in Forensic Practice

Some clinical researchers disagree regarding the clinical utility of the MMPI-2 Fake Bad scale (FBS ) within forensic and clinical settings. The present meta-analysis summarizes weighted effect size differences among the FBS and other commonly used validity scales (L, F, K, Fb, Fp, F-K, O-S, Ds2, Dsr2 ) in symptom overreporting and comparison groups. Forty studies that included FBS were identified through exploration of online databases, perusal of published references, and communication with primary authors. Nineteen of the 40 studies met restrictive inclusion criteria, resulting in a pooled sample size of 3664 (1615 overreporting participants and 2049 comparison participants). The largest grand effect sizes were observed for FBS (.96), followed by O-S (.88), Dsr2 (.79), F-K (.69), and the F- scale (.63). Significant within-scale variability was observed for seven validity scales, including FBS (Q = 119.11, p < .001). Several subsequent FBS moderator analyses yielded moderate to large effect sizes and were statistically significant for level of cognitive effort, type of overreporting comparison group, and condition associated with overreporting (e.g., traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress, chronic pain). Findings suggest that the FBS performs as well as, if not superior to, other validity scales in discriminating overreporting and comparison groups; the preponderance of the present literature supports the scale's use within forensic settings.
Genetics of adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Results of behavioral genetic investigations using family twin and adoption studies converge with those of molecular genetic studies in showing that genes influence susceptibility to'attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These finding suggest that genetic mechanisms that predispose individuals to ADHD are complex. It seems likely that the disorder is caused by the combined actions of several genes. It is equally clear that aberrant genes create a vulnerability to the disorder that is not expressed in all environments. The literature about the genetics of adult ADHD is relatively small, but it suggests not only that the persistent form of ADHD is familial, but that it is more familial than the nonpersistent form. More work from twin and molecular genetic studies is needed to determine if the increased familiality of persistent ADHD reflects the actions of genes or of familial environmental causes.
Insulin resistance and arterial stiffness in healthy adolescents and young adults

Aims/hypothesis Increased arterial stiffness is a risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events in adults with obesity-related insulin resistance (IR) or type 2 diabetes mellitus. Adolescents with type 2 diabetes have stiffer vessels. Whether stiffness is increased in obesity/IR in youth is not known. We sought to determine if IR was a determinant of arterial stiffness in youth, independent of obesity and cardiovascular risk factors.
Creative trends in the content of beatles lyrics

(1996). Creative trends in the content of beatles lyrics. Popular Music and Society: Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 103-125.
Fibrinogen seattle II: Defective release of fibrinopeptide a in a slow clotting fibrinogen

Abstract A functionally abnormal fibrinogen was detected in a 27-year-old woman with no prior history of bleeding. Investigation of the defect revealed abnormal release of fibrinopeptide A and incomplete polymerization of fibrin monomers. Crosslinking of polymerized fibrin by Factor XIII was normal. To further characterize the dysfibrinogen, the increase in mechanical impedance during clot development was measured. Fibrinogen Seattle II showed several differences from normal fibrinogen: delayed onset of clotting, decreased rate of clot formation, and lower final clot impedance. Taken cumulatively, these data are consistent with an amino acid substitution at or near residue 16 in one of the Aα chains, the point at which thrombin cleaves.
The relationship between obesity and complications after neonatal circumcision.

Purpose: Penile adhesions with hidden penis and penile skin bridges are complications after neonatal circumcision that seem to develop more often in overweight children. They could possibly be avoided if there were neonatal parameters predicting circumcision complications. We hypothesized that penile adhesions with hidden penis and skin bridges may be predicted by the height and weight of a newborn.Materials and Methods: We performed an institutional review board approved case-control study. Boys younger than 5 years who presented for evaluation of penile adhesions with hidden penis and/or penile skin bridges after newborn circumcision were compared to boys of the same age who were circumcised at birth and did not have penile adhesions with hidden penis and/or skin bridges when evaluated for cryptorchidism or hernia/hydrocele. Weight for length percentiles were compared at birth and at urological evaluation.Results: We evaluated 51 patients with penile adhesions and hidden penis after newborn circumcision...
Molecular dynamics simulations of amorphisation in Al and Ni3Al

Abstract Using Molecular Dynamics and an Embedded Atom Method (EAM) potential derived by Voter and Chen [1] for the NiAl binary alloy system, simulations of the crystalline to amorphous transition have been performed in fcc Al and L12 Ni3Al lattices containing approximately 10 000 atoms under shock loading conditions. With tensile stress simulations, at 300 K Al turned amorphous after copious emission of dislocations, while at 10 K it did not become amorphous. The regions of amorphisation were found to be well correlated to high levels of local volume change (ΔV/V = 10%). For the Ni3Al simulations, only shear stresses were used, and in this case the onset of amorphisation appeared to be triggered by copious dislocation multiplication. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleations were observed and the propagation pattern of the amorphisation transformation very much resembled a percolation process.
Viscosity Solutions of an Infinite-Dimensional Black—Scholes—Barenblatt Equation

We study an infinite-dimensional Black—Scholes—Barenblatt equation which is a Hamilton—Jacobi—Bellman equation that is related to option pricing in the Musiela model of interest rate dynamics. We prove the existence and uniqueness of viscosity solutions of the Black—Scholes—Barenblatt equation and discuss their stochastic optimal control interpretation. We also show that in some cases the solution can be locally uniformly approximated by solutions of suitable finite-dimensional Hamilton—Jacobi—Bellman equations.
Maya In Exile: Guatemalans in Florida

Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Jeronimo Camposeco 1. Maya Refugees and Applied Anthropology 2. Escape and Arrival 3. Life Crisis and Ritual 4. The Maya in Community and Ethnic Context 5. Work and Changes in Social Structure 6. Conflict and the Evolution of a New Maya Identity 7. Visual Anthropology and the Maya 8. Always Maya Bibliography Index
Time-resolved diode laser absorption spectroscopy of CF2 produced in UV photodissociation of C2F4 and measurement of ν3 absorption band strength

Abstract Difluorocarbene (CF 2 ) has been observed by time-resolved diode laser absorption spectroscopy following excimer-laser photolysis of C 2 F 4 . A band strength of 2.8×10 −17 cm molecule −1 for the ν 3 band may be inferred from the absorption measurements, assuming a quantum yield from C 2 F 4 photodissociation. This agrees well with other experimental estimates, but is somewhat lower than theoretical predictions.
The pyrolysis of dimethyl sulfide, kinetics and mechanism

The kinetics of the gas phase pyrolysis of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) was studied in a static system at 681–723 K by monitoring total pressure-time behavior. Analysis showed the pressure increase to follow DMS loss. The reaction follows two concurrent paths: with a slow, minor, secondary reaction: In a seasoned reactor the reaction follows a 3/2 order rate law with rate coefficient given by with θ = 2.303 RT in kcal/mol. A free radical mechanism is proposed to account for the data and a theoretical rate coefficient is derived from independent data: which agrees well with the experimental one over the range studied. The reaction is initiated by Me2S Me + MeS⋅ and propagated by metathetical radical attack on Me2S. C2H4 is formed by an isomerization reaction which may in part be due to a hot radical: Thermochemical data are listed, many from estimations, for both molecular and radical species of interest in the present system.
Numerical Simulation of Flow Field in Bloom Continuous Casting Mold with Electromagnetic Stirring

A coupled numerical simulation of magnetic field and flow field was conducted basing on Φ250mm bloom during continuous casting with electromagnetic stirring.The distribution of the flow field was analyzed in different current and frequency.At the same current,the velocity first decrease and then increase as the frequency increase along the casting direction.At the same frequency, tangential velocity is dominant in the radial of EMS center,velocity increase with the current. Considered the results of numerical simulation,the optimized EMS parameters of Φ250mm bloom are the stirring current of 480A and the stirring frequency of 3Hz.
Nasal prostaglandin challenge increases N2O exchange from blood to middle ear.

Abstract Nasal inflammation (NI) resulting from allergy or virus infection is causally associated with otitis media. Impaired Eustachian tube (ET) function consequent to NI may mediate this relationship. Moreover, the functional demand placed upon the ET for gas supply may be increased by NI, a hypothesis tested here. A total of five experiments were done at a minimum 2-week interval on four monkeys. For each experiment, the monkey was anesthetized and acclimated for 60 min. Then, the monkey was breathed with a 40% N 2 O gas mixture for 60 min followed by air breathing for 100 min. Fifteen minutes into air breathing, the nose was challenged with one of the five substances: saline, PGD2, capsaicin, histamine or bradykinin. Throughout, middle ear (ME) pressures were recorded at 5-min intervals. All pressure–time curves had a similar form consisting of a curvilinear decrease during acclimation, a linear increase during N 2 O breathing and a linear decrease during air breathing. The rates of pressure increase were ear-specific and not different across experiments. Compared to saline, the rate of pressure decrease was greater for challenge with all the substances and significantly greater after PGD2 challenge. Like N 2 , N 2 O is an inert gas whose transmucosal exchange is perfusion-limited for the ME. The measured pressure change is linearly related to the volume gas exchange between ME and blood. Therefore, nasal challenge with PGD2 and perhaps the other substances increases transmucosal inert gas exchange. ME to blood N 2 transfer rate determines the physiological demand placed upon the ET for gas supply. That demand is increased by nasal exposure to certain inflammatory mediators.
The dependence of catalytic carbon filament growth kinetics upon gas phase carbon activity

Abstract Previous studies using an α-iron catalyst showed that the rate of carbon filament growth was linearly proportional to the gas-phase carbon activity (ac) at lower ac. At higher ac the rate then became nearly independent of the gas-phase carbon activity. It was also reported that γ-iron did not show two regions of linear behavior, but instead a smooth transition from low ac where the rate was strongly dependent, to high ac where it was nearly independent. In the present study, nickel has been observed to behave in a manner similar to that of γ-iron. A model is presented which explains this behavior. The model includes the effect of concentration upon the diffusivity of carbon in the metal. It predicts qualitatively the observed dependence of rate upon gas-phase carbon activity.
Analysis of Solid Structures and Stresses in a Gas Fluidized Bed

Structures and stresses for the solid phase in a gas-solid fluidized bed are analyzed using results from hybrid simulations. The hybrid method couples the discrete element method (DEM) for particle dynamics with the averaged two-fluid (TF) equations for the gas phase. The coupling between the two phases is modeled using an interphase momentum transfer term. Structure information is characterized using force network size distribution, which shows no large force network existing in the fluidized bed. The normal contact forces have an exponentially decaying distribution. Solid phase continuum fields (local volume fraction, strain rate, stress tensor, and granular temperature) are computed using a coarse-graining process. The results show that the stress has difference in normal stress components. The collisional contribution is larger than the kinetic contribution and spatially correlated to force networks. Stresses are also computed using a kinetic theory stress model. It is demonstrated that the kinetic theory model predicts no difference in normal stress components and larger normal stresses than those computed from the coarse-graining process.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Noninvasive prenatal testing for fetal aneuploidy: clinical assessment and a plea for restraint

The recent introduction of clinical tests to detect fetal aneuploidy by analysis of cell-free DNA in maternal plasma represents a tremendous advance in prenatal diagnosis and the culmination of many years of effort by researchers in the field. The development of noninvasive prenatal testing for clinical application by commercial industry has allowed much faster introduction into clinical care, yet also presents some challenges regarding education of patients and health care providers struggling to keep up with developments in this rapidly evolving area. It is important that health care providers recognize that the test is not diagnostic; rather, it represents a highly sensitive and specific screening test that should be expected to result in some false-positive and false-negative diagnoses. Although currently being integrated in some settings as a primary screening test for women at high risk of fetal aneuploidy, from a population perspective, a better option for noninvasive prenatal testing may be as a second-tier test for those patients who screen positive by conventional aneuploidy screening. How noninvasive prenatal testing will ultimately fit with the current prenatal testing algorithms remains to be determined. True cost-utility analyses will be needed to determine the actual clinical efficacy of this approach in the general prenatal population.
A Conjecture about Fashion and Vertical Process Integration

The prosperity of an industrial enterprise depends upon its ability to adapt continuously to the evolving market for its goods. This paper considers the consequences of one kind of industrial strategy — vertical integration — when the relevant market is strongly influenced by fashion.
The Best-Interests Standard as Threshold, Ideal, and Standard of Reasonableness

The best-interests standard is a widely used ethical, legal, and social basis for policy and decision-making involving children and other incompetent persons. It is under attack, however, as self-defeating, individualistic, unknowable, vague, dangerous, and open to abuse. The author defends this standard by identifying its employment, first, as a threshold for intervention and judgment (as in child abuse and neglect rulings), second, as an ideal to establish policies or prima facie duties, and, third, as a standard of reasonableness. Criticisms of the best-interests standard are reconsidered after clarifying these different meanings.
On the Dynamics of Trade Diversion : Evidence from Four Trade Blocs

This paper studies the dynamics of trade reorientation experienced when a country joins a regional trade bloc. We find that the joining country's trade orientation toward bloc countries typically rises along an 'S'-shaped path. We estimate the size, speed, and timing of this adjustment path for a 'typical' joining country, for four trade agreements. We find that, in the European Union (EU), the incumbent bloc countries' share of the joining country's trade typically rose by eighteen percentage points over the course of the adjustment; that this took twelve years; and that the adjustment began four years before the date of accession. MERCOSUR shows a similar pattern in progress, but NAFTA and EFTA are more idiosyncratic. We argue that the data provide strong evidence of anticipatory sunk investments made to prepare for accession.
Extrinsic Performance Limitations of AlGaN/GaN Heterostructure Field Effect Transistors

Extrinsic effects on the DC output characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HFETs with 1μm gate lengths are examined. The devices investigated were fabricated on MOCVD-grown AlGaN/GaN heterostructures on sapphire substrates. An analytical model that takes into account parasitic resistances and thermal effects is constructed, and its results are compared with experimental data. With parameters determined from characterization experiments on the same wafer and from independent theoretical results, the agreement between the data and the model predictions is found to be very good. The model is then applied to performance predictions for devices with improved series resistances and heat sinking.
An investigation of relationships among instructor immediacy and affective and cognitive learning in the online classroom

Abstract A significant body of literature has supported the assertion that communication in the classroom is central to the learning process. Prosocial behaviors, such as nonverbal and verbal immediacy, have been found to promote affective and cognitive learning in traditional instructional settings. This study examined the relationships among instructor verbal immediacy and affective and cognitive learning in the online classroom. One hundred and forty-five online learners evaluated instructor immediacy, affective, and cognitive learning through the use of a Web-based survey instrument. The results of this study found that students who rated their instructors as more verbally immediate expressed greater positive affect and higher perceived cognition than students taught by less immediate instructors. These results are consistent with similar studies in traditional courses and reinforce the influential role of the instructor in creating a conducive online learning environment.
Meaning of zero coronary calcium score in symptomatic patients referred for coronary computed tomographic angiography

The clinical implication of a zero coronary calcium score (CCS) in patients with chest pain syndrome has been under debate. This study was undertaken to determine the meaning of a CCS of zero in a large sample of symptomatic patients referred for coronary computed tomographic (CT) angiography. Methods and results We consecutively enrolled 2088 patients (age 58+10 years, 1028 men) who had undergone 64-slice cardiac CT due to chest pain syndrome. A CCS of zero was detected in 1114 patients (471 men and 643 women). Of these 1114 patients, obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) was found in a total of 48 patients (4.3%); 35 men (7.4%) and 13 women (2.0%). Among the zero CCS patients with obstructive CAD, men had a higher prevalence of both premature CAD (49 vs. 0%) and multivessel disease (20 vs. 8%) than women. During the follow-up period (1033+136 days), early revascularization was done in 25 patients (2.2%, 18 men and 7 women) and there were 14 major adverse cardiac events (1.3%, 8 men and 7 women) among the zero CCS patients. CAD severity was a strong prognostic indicator in the zero CCS patients. Conclusion A CCS of zero cannot be used by itself to exclude obstructive CAD in symptomatic patients referred for coronary CT angiography (CCTA). The prevalence of obstructive CAD and adverse cardiac events are not negligible in symptomatic patients with a CCS of zero, and CAD severity by CCTA is associated with higher rates of adverse cardiac event.
Accelerating DNA analysis applications on GPU clusters

DNA analysis is an emerging application of high performance bioinformatics. Modern sequencing machinery are able to provide, in few hours, large input streams of data which needs to be matched against exponentially growing databases of known fragments. The ability to recognize these patterns effectively and fastly may allow extending the scale and the reach of the investigations performed by biology scientists. Aho-Corasick is an exact, multiple pattern matching algorithm often at the base of this application. In this paper we present an efficient implementation of the Aho-Corasick algorithm for high performance clusters accelerated with Graphic Processing Units (GPUs). We discuss how we partitioned and adapted the algorithm to fit the Tesla C1060 GPU and then present a MPI based implementation for a heterogeneous high performance cluster. We compare this implementation to MPI and MPI with pthreads based implementations for a homogeneous cluster of x86 processors, discussing the stability vs. the performance and the scaling of the solutions, taking into consideration aspects such as the bandwidth among the different nodes.
The Use of Selection Criteria for Campus Interviews

This paper explores two research questions. What is the relative importance of academic criteria, work experience, demographic characteristics, and extracurricular activities on the decision to select applicants for job interviews in a college placement setting? Second, does the relative importance of criteria change across job types? Using a sample of 19 recruiters who screened applicants for campus interviews at a large state university, the study found that academic criteria were the most important screening criteria. However, there was great variance in the use of criteria across 19 recruiters. Job type accounted for some of this variance in relation to both academic criteria and demographic criteria.