cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of a pulsed electromagnetic field for treatment of post-operative pain in dogs: a pilot study.

Abstract Objective To determine if pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy reduces post–operative pain in dogs following ovariohysterectomy, and to evaluate PEMF interaction with post–operative morphine analgesia. Study design Randomized controlled clinical trail. Animals Sixteen healthy dogs weighing 18 (10–32) kg [median (range)] and aged 13 (3–36) months. Materials and methods Anesthesia consisted of atropine (0.04 mg kg−1, SC), acepromazine (0.02 mg kg−1, SC), fentanyl (0.01 mg kg−1, SC), thiopental (10–15 mg kg−1, IV) and halothane in oxygen. Ovariohysterectomies were performed by senior veterinary students. Pain score (numeric rating scale, 0–28), pulse rate, respiratory rate, indirect mean arterial pressure (MAP), and body temperature were evaluated prior to anesthetic premedication, at extubation, 30 minutes after extubation, and then hourly for 6 hours. Following extubation, dogs were randomly divided into four groups: a control group that received 0.9% NaCl, IV, and no PEMF; a magnet group that received 0.9% NaCl, IV, and PEMF; a morphine group that received morphine 0.25 mg kg−1, IV, and no PEMF; and, a magnet/morphine group that received morphine 0.25 mg kg−1, IV, and PEMF. A single observer, blinded to treatment, obtained all behavioral observations and physiologic data. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis statistical test with a significance of p Results Significant differences in MAP (mm Hg) [median (range)] occurred at 300 minutes [morphine 108 (83–114) and magnet/morphine 90 (83–97) Conclusions and clinical relevance Although no clear benefit was seen in this study, the results suggest that PEMF may augment morphine analgesia following ovariohysterectomy in dogs, and that further study of the analgesic effects of PEMF is warranted.
Psychological Sources of Political Belief: Self-Esteem and Isolationist Attitudes

Research has shown that political attitudes spring from diverse sources. This paper focuses on isolationism, a set of beliefs that can stem from social factors (e.g., economic deprivation, poor education, social or geographic isolation) and from psychological factors (e.g., n. aggression, inflexibility and low self-esteem). The purpose is not to demonstrate again that there is a connection between personality and political belief. Instead, the authors ask whether or not it matters if a political attitude—in the present case, isolationism—stems from personality influences rather than from some other sources, for example, education, group memberships, or ideology. Isolationists low in self-esteem are shown to differ from those high in self-esteem on a range of values and beliefs: liberalism-conservatism, extreme political values, and specific foreign policy questions. Thus, those who hold common beliefs on one set of issues are likely to differ in the opinions they hold on other political questions depending on whether they owe their convictions to their personality characteristics or to some other influence.
Radiation belt electron enhancements: History and new results from RBSP

Energetic electron data from low-altitude Earth-orbiting spacecraft show both a long historical record of the Van Allen radiation belts and the specific effects of powerful storms such as the 2003 Halloween storms. The fluxes of 2-6 MeV electrons measured by the Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) from July 1992 to the current time are presented in this talk. Data demonstrate intense electron acceleration events (associated with high-speed solar wind), for example, in 1993-95 for 3 <; L <; 6. During sunspot minimum (1996), there were significant electron events only briefly around the spring and autumn equinoxes. The SAMPEX electron data for 2003 and throughout 2004 and 2005 show the shifted position of the outer Van Allen zone and the filling of the slot region (L<; 3). A persistent new belt of electrons was produced in the wake of the Halloween storms and this was clearly seen for L <; 2 for several years. We note that SAMPEX data demonstrate that in 2008 and 2009, the radiation belts virtually disappeared due to very weak solar wind driving conditions associated with the recent profound solar activity minimum period. Building on this historical record, we describe the new, exciting results from the Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescope (REPT) instrument that were launched successfully onboard the Radiation Belt Storm Probes mission on 30 August 2012. Key areas of scientific progress using REPT will be addressed. Excellent new data from the twin REPT instruments are available from the initial turn-on (Launch+3 days) of the instruments to the present. Inner and outer zone electron spectra have been compared with model expectations.
Operant conditioning of primate H-reflex: phases of development

This study sought to determine whether operantly conditioned change in the primate triceps surae (TS) H-reflex develops in distinct phases. Data from 20 animals in which the TS H-reflex in one leg was trained up (i.e., HRup mode) and 18 in which it was trained down (i.e., HRdown mode) were averaged to define H-reflex behavior in trained and control legs. In HRup animals, the trained-leg H-reflex showed a large phase I increase in the first two days followed by gradual phase II increase that continued for weeks. The control-leg H-reflex appeared to show much smaller phase I and phase II increases. In HRdown animals, the trained-leg H-reflex decreased gradually over weeks, while the control-leg H-reflex appeared to increase within 2 days and did not change from then on. The initial rapid increase in the HRdown control leg suggested that two early events occurred in the HRdown trained leg: a nonspecific increase like that in the control leg and an operantly conditioned mode-specific decrease. These two effects may have obscured each other, so that H-reflex size in the HRdown trained leg did not drop rapidly in the first few days. These results improve understanding of adaptive H-reflex change as an operantly conditioned phenomenon, and provide encouragement and direction for efforts to reproduce and study the phenomenon in reduced or anesthetized preparations.
Experimental realization of a one-atom laser in the regime of strong coupling

Conventional lasers (from table-top systems to microscopic devices) typically operate in the so-called weak-coupling regime, involving large numbers of atoms and photons; individual quanta have a negligible impact on the system dynamics. However, this is no longer the case when the system approaches the regime of strong coupling for which the number of atoms and photons can become quite small. Indeed, the lasing properties of a single atom in a resonant cavity have been extensively investigated theoretically. Here we report the experimental realization of a one-atom laser operated in the regime of strong coupling. We exploit recent advances in cavity quantum electrodynamics that allow one atom to be isolated in an optical cavity in a regime for which one photon is sufficient to saturate the atomic transition. The observed characteristics of the atom–cavity system are qualitatively different from those of the familiar many-atom case. Specifically, our measurements of the intracavity photon number versus pump intensity indicate that there is no threshold for lasing, and we infer that the output flux from the cavity mode exceeds that from atomic fluorescence by more than tenfold. Observations of the second-order intensity correlation function demonstrate that our one-atom laser generates manifestly quantum (nonclassical) light, typified by photon anti-bunching and sub-poissonian photon statistics.
The effects of source credibility and message information quantity on the attitude change of apathetics

The paper develops and tests a theoretical rationale for treating the attitude change of apathetic receivers as a function of their capacities to process the quantities of information contained in a message within an environmental constraint established via source credibility inductions.
Min and Max Scorings for Two-Sample Ordinal Data

Abstract To analyze two-sample ordinal data, one must often assign some increasing numerical scores to the ordinal categories. The choice of appropriate scores in these types of analyses is often problematic. This article presents a new approach for reporting the results of such analyses. Using techniques of order-restricted inference, we obtain the minimum and maximum of standard two-sample test statistics over all possible assignments of increasing scores. If the range of the min and max values does not include the critical value for the test statistics, then we can immediately conclude that the result of the analysis remains the same no matter what choice of increasing scores is used. On the other hand, if the range includes a critical value, the choice of scores used in the analysis must be carefully justified. Numerous examples are given to clarify our approach.
High dose intracoronary N-acetylcysteine in a porcine model of ST-elevation myocardial infarction

We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on ischemia and reperfusion in a pig model focusing on cardio-renal protection. High doses of NAC may provide protection from contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). NAC has also been demonstrated to reduce myocardial infarction size and improve left ventricular function after ischemia in both humans and animals studies. In this study we tested the safety and cardiorenal protective efficacy of intracoronary NAC delivered in the radiographic contrast agent in a pig model that simulates the catheter based reperfusion therapy of ST elevation myocardial infarctions. 27 pigs underwent 45 min of ischemia after surgical ligation of distal left descending coronary artery. With coronary reperfusion the animals received at total of 200 mL of the contrast agent Iopamidol with and without NAC to mimic radiographic contrast use during invasive reperfusion therapy. At 24 h the following endpoints were compared: LV function (MRI, echocardiography), myocardial injury (infarct size, area-at-risk, troponin, creatinine kinase) and CIN (creatinine, BUN and renal histology). The effects of NAC on platelet reactivity were also evaluated. Intracoronary administration of NAC administered in the contrast agent is safe. NAC reduces platelet reactivity and there was a trend towards a better cardiac function at 24 h. There was no significant difference in the size of the myocardial infarction. In this model of ischemia-reperfusion high dose NAC did not protect from CIN. High dose intracoronary NAC administered with the radiographic contrast is safe but does not provide significant cardio-renal protection.
Andrew Deener 2012: Venice: A Contested Bohemia in Los Angeles. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

The article reviews the book "Venice: A Contested Bohemia in Los Angeles," by Andrew Deener.
State-of-the-practice in data center virtualization: Toward a better understanding of VM usage

Hardware virtualization is the prevalent way to share data centers among different tenants. In this paper we present a large scale workload characterization study that aims to a better understanding of the state-of-the-practice, i.e., how data centers in the private cloud are used by their customers, how physical resources are shared among different tenants using virtualization, and how virtualization technologies are actually employed. Our study focuses on all corporate data centers of a major infrastructure provider that are geographically dispersed across the entire globe and reports on their observed usage across a 19-day period. We especially focus on how virtual machines are deployed across different physical resources with an emphasis on processors and memory, focusing on resource sharing and usage of physical resources, virtual machine life cycles, and migration patterns and frequencies. Our study illustrates that there is a huge tendency in over provisioning resources while being conservative to the several possibilities opened up by virtualization (e.g., migration and co-location), showing tremendous potential for the development of policies aiming to reduce data center operational costs.
Improving the Presentation and Interpretation of Online Ratings Data with Model-Based Figures

Online ratings data are pervasive, but are typically presented in ways that make it difficult for consumers to accurately infer product quality. We propose an easily understood presentation method that has the virtue of incorporating a parametric model for the underlying ratings data. We illustrate the method with new data on the content quality of news outlets, and demonstrate its reliability and robustness with an experiment of online users and a simulation study. Our simple approach is easy to implement and widely applicable to any presentation of ratings data.
Dr. Marjory Warren and the Origin of British Geriatrics

The life and works of the pioneer British geriatrician, Marjory Warren, are worthy of closer examination. The transformation of a Public Assistance Institution into her unit at the West Middlesex Hospital in 1935 represented the first organized geriatric medicine service in the United Kingdom. She promoted multidisciplinary rehabilitation and holistic appreciation of elderly patients, and emphasized the economic, social, and moral problems associated with their care. She was particularly concerned with the rehabilitation of hemiplegics and amputees, preventive medicine, patient responsibility, and home nursing. She underscored the need for geriatrics to maintain a close link with general medicine and its training programs. Her innovative methods, influential writings, committee work, and personal force were instrumental in the evolution of modern British geriatrics and rehabilitation medicine.
Usefulness of electron microscopy in the diagnosis of "small" round cell tumors of the sinonasal region.

The sinonasal region is known to harbor several types of tumors that belong to the general category of “small” round cell tumors and offer considerable diagnostic challenges. This study evaluated 33 cases of such tumors by electron microscopy to characterize their ultrastructural features in conjunction with immunohistochemistry, in an attempt to define diagnostic criteria of various types. Electron microscopy was useful in the proper classification of tumors in 27 cases: esthesioneuroblastoma (EN), 12; undifferentiated carcinoma, 6; melanoma, 3; lymphoma, 3; melanotic neuroectodermal tumor, 1; rhabdomyosarcoma, 1; and pituitary adenoma, 1. In the remaining six cases, the ultrastructural features were those of poorly differentiated carcinomas. They usually exhibited some epithelial characteristics as well as neuroendocrine features by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. These tumors could be best described as poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (malignant neuroepitheliomas). The most...
Object-space point blending and splatting

We present a novel point-based rendering approach based on object-space point interpolation. We introduce the concept of a transformation-invariant covariance matrix of a set of points to efficiently determine splat sizes in a multiresolution hierarchy. We analyze continuous point interpolation in object-space, and define a new class of parametrized blending kernels to achieve smooth blending. Furthermore, we present a hardware accelerated rendering algorithm based on α-texture mapping and α-blending.
Impact of PGE1 on cyclosporine A induced up-regulation of TGF-β1, its receptors, and related matrix production in cultured mesangial cells

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) plays a major role in cyclosporine A (CsA) induced glomerulosclerosis. We have recently shown that CsA up-regulates the expression of TGF-beta1 and its receptors type I (TbetaR-I) and type II (TbetaR-II) in rat mesangial cells (MCs). Prostaglandins of the E series (PGEs) are known to exert substantial anti-fibrotic effects. Here, we assessed the effect of PGE1 on CsA induced up-regulation of TGF-beta1, TbetaR-I, TbetaR-II and related matrix production in MCs. Co-incubation with PGE1 reduced CsA induced up-regulation of TGF-beta1 and TbetaR-II at the mRNA and protein level. Alike, PGE1 reduced TbetaR-I protein expression, which is posttranscriptionally up-regulated by CsA. Whereas a low PGE(1) concentration decreased CsA induced production of fibronectin (FN) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1), a higher PGE1 concentration did not change FN production, but further increased PAI-1 production. In vivo studies will show, whether treatment with PGE1 analogues will be useful in preventing CsA induced glomerulosclerosis.
Syntheses of Ru−S Clusters with Kinetically Labile Ligands via the Photolysis of [(cymene)3Ru3S2](PF6)2

Three ruthenium sulfide clusters with labile CH3CN ligands have been photochemically synthesized. Irradiation of [(cymene)3Ru3S2](PF6)2 ([1](PF6)2) in CH3CN gives [(cymene)2(CH3CN)3Ru3S2](PF6)2 ([2](PF6)2), which has been characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, ESI mass spectrometry, and chemical reactivity. Treatment of [2](PF6)2 with PPh3 gives [(cymene)2(CH3CN)2(PPh3)Ru3S2](PF6)2 ([3](PF6)2) and [(cymene)2(CH3CN)(PPh3)2Ru3S2](PF6)2 ([4](PF6)2), while treatment with 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane (9S3) gives [(cymene)2(9S3)Ru3S2](PF6)2 ([5](PF6)2). A crystallographic study demonstrated that the Ru3 core in [3](PF6)2, [4](PF6)2, and [5](PF6)2 is distorted with a pair of elongated Ru-Ru bonds. Cyclic voltammetry shows that [3](PF6)2 and [4](PF6)2 undergo two closely spaced reversible one-electron reductions whereas [5](PF6)2 undergoes one irreversible one-electron reduction and one reversible one-electron reduction. Prolonged irradiation of [1](PF6)2 in CH3CN causes decomposition, resulting in the pentanuclear cluster [(cymene)4Ru5S4](PF6)2 ([6](PF6)2).
Flight investigation of various control inputs intended for parameter estimation

An experiment assessing the stability and control derivatives resulting from various control inputs was undertaken using the F-8 digital fly by wire aircraft. Improved control inputs have been proposed as a means of making stability and contol derivative estimation more efficient, thus reducing the cost of flight testing and data analysis. The subject inputs were either generated by the pilot or preprogrammed in a remote ground computer and telemetered to the aircraft. Nine preprogrammed inputs and three pilot generated inputs were assessed at subsonic and supersonic flight conditions, and both unaugmented and highly augmented flight control systems were used. Effects of input amplitude were also assessed. The inputs were divided into two general types - sinusoidal or with corners (a rapid and distinct change in slope). The inputs with corners, performed in the unaugmented mode, produced the best sets of stability and control derivatives. The simplest of these inputs, the pilot generated doublet, produced sets of derivatives as good as those produced by the more complex inputs. Small inputs produced worse derivatives than the unaugmented mode, and sinusoidal inputs produced worse derivatives than corner containing inputs.
Comparisons of the IQ and vocabulary scores on Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence‐Revised and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test‐Revised

The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised were administered to 51 preschool, kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade students. Although 2 of 4 Pearson correlations between these two instruments were statistically significant, they may not be of practical significance.
Measurement of chemoresistance markers in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer: a novel approach for patient selection.

Abstract Background The long-term survival of patients with stage III non–small cell lung cancer treated with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation is 10% to 20%. Survival could potentially be increased and toxicity limited if one could identify patients most likely to respond to a particular treatment regimen. This project prospectively evaluated a panel of potential immunohistochemical markers of chemoresistance in a population of patients with pathology-confirmed stage III non–small cell lung cancer in order to determine the prognostic value of each marker in relation to response to chemotherapy or survival. Methods Immunohistochemical staining was performed on histologically positive mediastinal nodal specimens obtained from 59 patients (mean age, 62 years; range, 41 to 79 years) without evidence of distant metastatic disease treated with navelbine-based chemotherapy and external beam radiation therapy between 1996 and 2001. Included were markers for apoptosis (p53, bcl-2), drug efflux/degradation (MDR, GST-π), growth factors (EGFr, Her2-neu), and mismatch repair (hMLH1, hMSH2). After chemotherapy, patients underwent radiologic evaluation for response measured by standard criteria. Results After a median 41 months of follow-up (range, 17 to 55 months), 43 patients had recurrent disease and 38 of these patients were dead of cancer (median cancer-free survival of 10 months and overall survival of 18 months). Patients who demonstrated a complete or partial response (n = 38) had a significantly improved survival ( p = 0.002) compared with those with stable or progressive cancer (n = 21). Multivariable Cox step-wise regression analysis of marker expression associated overexpression of p53 and low expression of hMSH2 with poor treatment response and cancer death. Conclusions These preliminary data suggest that marker expression may allow the separation of patients into low- and high-risk groups with respect to survival after combined navelbine-based chemotherapy and XRT. This could represent a novel method of selecting patients for a particular treatment regimen if these data are reproduced in a larger prospective trial.
Chlorpromazine-induced hypothermia and increased plasma creatine phosphokinase activity.

The rate of efflux of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) from rat extensor digitorum longus muscle in vitro was significantly less at 22° than at 30°. Chlorpromazine (Cpz) at 10−3 M and 10−4 M, but not at 10−5 M increased the efflux of CPK in vitro. In vivo, Cpz produced levels of CPK in plasma which were significantly correlated with the hypothermia that developed after the drug was administered (R = −0.958, P < 0.001). When the hypothermia subsequent to Cpz administration was blocked by keeping rats at 31° or by administering the drug to cold acclimated rats, no increase in plasma CPK levels developed. Cpz, 25 mg/kg, produced a greater fall in body temperature and a greater increase in plasma CPK activity in rats kept at 2° than in rats kept at 22°. Cpz, given intramuscularly (i.m.) or intraperitoneally (i.p.) to rats kept at 22° produced equivalent increases in plasma CPK activity although the hypothermia following i.m. administration was slightly greater. Ganglionic blockade did not inhibit the increase in plasma CPK levels. Adrenalectomized rats did not differ from intact rats in the extent of increase in plasma CPK levels for a given degree of hypothermia. It is suggested that the increased plasma levels of CPK in vivo following Cpz in rats is due to the hypothermia produced by this drug rather than a direct toxic effect. In man, where IM Cpz does not produce hypothermia, the increased levels of CPK in plasma are probably due to the toxic effects of the drug, or its vehicle, on muscle.
The influence of ion sputtering on the elemental analysis of solid surfaces

Abstract Ion bombardment sputtering is widely used in combination with various analytical approaches to determine the elemental composition of thin solid layers as a function of depth. It is generally recognized that the sputter-etching process can seriously influence the nature of experimentally determined composition depth profiles. The characteristics of the sputter-etching process which must be considered in depth profile work include ion-bombardment-induced alteration of the surface composition, ion-bombardment-induced motion of atoms in the near-surface region and ion-bombardment-induced roughening of the sample surface. A discussion of these processes is presented and much of the recent work in this field is summarized.
The N-terminal sequence affects distant helix interactions in hemoglobin. Implications for mutant proteins from studies on recombinant hemoglobin felix.

The N-terminal 18-amino acid sequence of the β-chain of hemoglobin, as far as the end of the A helix, has been replaced by the corresponding sequence of the γ-chain of fetal hemoglobin with the remaining sequence of the β-chain retained (helices B through H). The γ-β-chain had the correct mass, and its entire sequence was established by mass spectrometric analysis of its tryptic peptides; the α-chain also had the correct mass. This recombinant hemoglobin (named Hb Felix) retains cooperativity and has an oxygen affinity like that of HbA both in the presence and absence of the allosteric regulators, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate or chloride but differs from HbF in its 2,3-diphosphoglycerate response. However, Hb Felix has some features that resemble fetal hemoglobin,i.e. its significantly decreased tetramer-dimer dissociation and its circular dichroism spectrum, which measure the strength of the tetramer-dimer interface in the oxy conformation and its rearrangement to the deoxy conformation, respectively. Even though Hb Felix contains the HbA amino acids at its tetramer-dimer interface, which is located at a distance from the substitution sites, its interface properties resemble those of HbF. Therefore, the N-terminal sequence and not just those amino acids directly involved at the subunit interface contacts with α-chains must have a strong influence on this region of the molecule. The results reinforce the concept of fluid long range relationships among various parts of the hemoglobin tetramer (Dumoulin, A., Manning, L. R., Jenkins, W. T., Winslow, R. M., and Manning, J. M. (1997) J. Biol. Chem.272, 31326–31332) and demonstrate the importance of the N-terminal sequence, especially in some mutant hemoglobins, in influencing its overall structure by affecting the relationship between helices.
[9-Isoleucine]ACTH1–24, a competitive antagonist of ACTH1–24 induced cyclic AMP and corticosterone production

Abstract Substitution of tryptophan 9 in ACTH 1–24 by isoleucine results in complete loss of biological activity. A dose of 3.4 × 10 −5 M per ml fails to stimulate corticosterone and cyclic AMP production. This analogue inhibits cyclic AMP production and corticosterone production induced by ACTH 1–24 in isolated adrenal cortex cells. The I 50 values for corticosterone and cyclic AMP inhibition are 2.3 × 10 −6 M and 3.4 × 10 −6 M respectively.
In Situ Infrared Study of the Role of PEG in Stabilizing Silica‐Supported Amines for CO2 Capture

The CO(2) capture capacity, adsorption mechanism, and degradation characteristics of two sorbents, silica-supported tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA/SiO(2)) and polyethylene-glycol-modified TEPA/SiO(2) (PEG/TEPA/SiO(2)), are studied by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The CO(2) capture capacities of TEPA/SiO(2) and PEG/TEPA/SiO(2) are determined to be 2087 and 1110 micromol CO(2) g(-1) sorbent, respectively. Both sorbents adsorb CO(2) as hydrogen-bonding species, NH(2)--O, and carbamate/carboxylate species. The CO(2) adsorption half-time increases with the number of CO(2) capture cycles. Infrared results suggest that the increased adsorption half-time is a result of diffusion limitation, caused by accumulation of TEPA and PEG species on the surface of the sorbent particles. The degradation of TEPA/SiO(2) is found to correlate with the accumulation of carboxylate/carbamic species. The addition of PEG decreases the degradation rate of the sorbent and slows down the formation of carboxylate species. These carboxylate species can block CO(2) capture on amine (NH(2)/NH) sites. The stabilizing role of PEG on TEPA/SiO(2) can be attributed to hydrogen-bonding between TEPA (NH(2)/NH)and PEG (OH).
Electrical control of optical properties of monolayer MoS2

Abstract We investigate electrical gating of photoluminescence and optical absorption in monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) configured in field effect transistor geometry. We observe a hundredfold increase in photoluminescence intensity and an increase in absorption at ∼660 nm in these devices when an external gate voltage is decreased from +50 to −50 V, while the photoluminescence wavelength remains nearly constant. In contrast, in bilayer MoS2 devices we observe almost no changes in photoluminescence with gate voltage. We propose that the differing responses of the monolayer and bilayer devices are related to the interaction of the excitons in MoS2 with charge carriers.
Portrait of a female.

Editor's Note: “Portrait of a Female” was the theme of the 1914 Conference of District I of NAACOG, held at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in October. Dr. Robinson delivered the keynote address, and the following article is adapted from that presentation.
Comparative effects of pancuronium and d-tubocurarine on blood histamine and sympathetic activity.

SummaryPancuronium does not cause any change in heart rate, mean arterial pressure, blood histamine or spontaneous postganglionic sympathetic activity, at a neuromuscular blocking dose equivalent to a demonstrably adverse dose of d -tubocurarine.
Single Event Transient Analysis of an SOI Operational Amplifier for Use in Low-Temperature Martian Exploration

Abstract The next generation of Martian rovers to be launched by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are to examine polar regions where temperatures are extremely low and the absence of an earth-like atmosphere results in high levels of cosmic radiation at ground level. Cosmic rays lead to a plethora of radiation effects including Single Event Transients which can severely degrade microelectronic functionality. As such, a radiation-hardened, temperature compensated CMOS Single-on-insulator (SOI) Operational Amplifier has been designed for JPL by the University of Tennessee and fabricated by Honeywell using the SOI V process. SOI technology has been shown to be far less sensitive to transient effects than both bulk and epilayer Si. Broad beam heavy-ion tests at the University of Texas A&M using Kr and Xe beams of energy 25 MeV/amu were performed to ascertain the duration and severity of the SET for the op-amp configured for a low and high gain application. However, some ambiguity regarding the location of transient formation required the use of a focused MeV ion microbeam. A 36 MeV O 6+ microbeam at the Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) was used to image and verify regions of particular concern.
RESIDUAL ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY IN THE BASAL LATERAL AMYGDALA FOLLOWING SOMAN-INDUCED STATUS EPILEPTICUS

Soman (pinacolylmethylphosphonofluoridate) causes seizures and seizurerelated brain damageresulting from theirreversibleinhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the central nervous system (CNS). The authors have examined the possibility that the loss of AChE reactivity in discrete brain regions may have importance in the development of status epilepticus caused by soman. In these studies, male Sprague-Dawley rats were given GM monosialoganglio1 side, intracerebroventricularly, via an osmotic minipump. Four days after initiation of GM1 infusions, rats were injected with 1.25 LD50 soman (83mug/kg,im). Electrocorticogram (ECoG) recordings were monitored via indwelling cortical electrodes. All rats were euthanized 27 h after soman administration. Brain tissue was sucrose-saturated, cryostat-sectioned, and processed for AChE histochemistry. A Quantimet 600 Image Analysis System and Biological Microscope were used to assess the optical density of histochemical staining for AChE in the piriform cortex, basol...
From psychoprophylactic to orgasmic birth.

The assumptions on which educators based childbirth education principles were valid when psychoprophylactic birth became available. Yet, educators and health-care providers have changed their assumptions about birth as they have learned more from the midwifery model of care, how women want to give birth, and how capable the body is to give birth. Educators' teaching must now emphasize the synchrony of hormones that facilitates birth, the Sphincter Law, and the sharing of woman-to-woman stories throughout the generations if birth is to be set in its rightful place—in the hands of the mothers.
Synaptic instability in a neuronal population as an element of encoding information

Abstract An unexpected and novel finding is described and discussed here concerning the synaptic physiology of hippocampal slices during the period of recovery after brain dissection. Contrary to the common notion that the amplitude of synaptic responses recovers in a single exponential rising fashion, we found that synaptic response amplitude displayed an oscillatory pattern. The period of oscillation was of 6 h and its frequency depended on the input frequency of stimulation. Based on these preliminary data we can make an assumption that the recovery-associated oscillatory behavior of synaptic responses may be hippocampus specific. These data suggest the existence of a previously undescribed element that modifies the electrical properties underlying the modulation of synaptic responses in a neuronal population. The article hypothesizes a mechanism for this phenomenon.
Patient preparation: the physical assessment.

RECENTLY, I RECEIVED a clinical practice inquiry regarding the preoperative physical assessment of patients. The nurse asked whether or not a comprehensive head-to-toe physical assessment is required on admission. Because of time management concerns, her facility wanted the assessment to only include heart and lungs. This question gave me pause to evaluate my personal practice and to take a look at what other perianesthesia nurses are doing. In this article, I would like to provide opposing views and ask you, the Journal readers, to share your opinions and practices with me. Perhaps a best practice can be developed to meet the needs of the patients while providing efficiency of services.
Selected references on resilience.

(2004). Selected References on Resilience. Substance Use & Misuse: Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 811-825.
Critical Thinking in and through Interactive Computer Hypertext and Art Education

Computers and technology are an integral component of human lives both inside and outside of school. From e-mail communication to Internet shopping and from grade reports to academic research, computers and technology have altered approaches to living and learning. In turn, as a result of their experience with computers and technology, students today often have different expectations of schooling than their counterparts did in the past. Because of the wealth of information available to them on the Internet and the speed with which they make discoveries with technology, students today are more likely to be accustomed to a faster paced way of learning than what they witness in traditional classrooms; they may also demand more choices, more relevancy, and more ways to connect what they are doing in school with their lives outside of school.
Contact sensitivity to captafol in BALB/c mice.

The fungicide captafol has been reported us causing irritant and allergic contact dermatitis in humans and in guinea pigs. This study investigated the ability of purified captafol to cause contact sensitization in BALB/c mice. Female mice were pretreated with an intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide or saline. Applications of captafol (18.7 or 37.4 mg/ml), dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB; 5 mg/ml) or sulvent (4:1 acetone ethanol mixture) were administered to the shaved abdomen on 2 consecutive days, or on days 1, 2, 8, 15, 22 and 29. Following challenge with captafol (37.4 mg/ml) or DNFB (2 mg/ml) on the right ear 6 days after, the last induction, cat thickness ratios (right ear/left ear) were significantly larger after challenge in captafol-iuduced and DNFB-induced mice compared to control mice. A slightly larger response was observed with the smaller induction dose level of captafol and with multiple inductions over the course of a month. The overall maximum response to captafol was not increased by pretreatment with cyclophosphamide, Histologically, ears from captafol-induced and DNFB-induced mice showed edema and cellular infiltration. This study demonstrated the ability of captafol to produce contact hypersensitivity in the BALB/c mouse.
Factors predictive of acute renal failure and need for hemodialysis among ED patients with rhabdomyolysis.

Objective: We assessed the primary causes of rhabdomyolysis, the factors associated with the development of acute renal failure (ARF), and the need for hemodialysis (HD) among a series of patients presenting to an urban emergency department with rhabdomyolysis. Methods: A chart review between January 1992 and December 1995 was conducted of patients aged 18 years or older with a diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis and an initial serum creatine phosphokinase greater than 1000 U/L. Patients were excluded if they had evidence of myocardial ischemia, cerebrovascular insufficiency, or the development of rhabdomyolysis after hospitalization. Demographic information, presumed causative factors, past medical history, medication usage, and laboratory data were collected. Results: Ninety-seven patients (93 men, 4 women) were enrolled, with a mean age of 35.7 years. The most common causes of rhabdomyolysis were cocaine (30), exercise (29), and immobilization (18). Seventeen of 97 (17.5%) patients developed ARF; 8 patients (8.25%) needed HD. Several clinical and laboratory factors were statistically associated with development of ARF and need for HD. The only variable that was predictive of both ARF and need for HD in separate multivariate regression models was the initial creatinine (Cr). Initial blood urea nitrogen also was predictive of the need for HD. No patient developed ARF with an initial Cr less than 1.7 mg/dL. Conclusion: Acute renal failure and need for HD are common complications of rhabdomyolysis. Except for initial serum Cr and blood urea nitrogen, clinical and laboratory factors were not reliable predictors for
Joint optimal planning of industrial cogeneration and conventional electricity systems

This study presents a model that integrates the supply planning of potential cogenerating industries with that of the host electric utility suppliers. It provides a tool for electric utilities and potential cogenerators to analyze the effect of cogeneration on their energy supply plans. The model can analyze how much the potential benefits of cogeneration might be and how the benefits might be distributed among the participating industries.
Recent developments in soft x-ray laser sources and applications

Plasma-based x-ray lasers continue to make advances in pump efficiency, output energy, high repetition rate, coherence and in ultra-high brightness. Results are presented for recent developments in sources and applications.
Grow with the flow: entrepreneurial marketing and thriving young firms

There is a common understanding that customer, market and entrepreneurial orientations together and individually impact the success of companies. This paper investigates the impact of these management orientations on the growth of young and innovative companies and focuses thereby on the interface between marketing and entrepreneurship. Connections between the different constructs will be outlined; thereupon, a model of growth antecedents of young and innovative firms will be developed. It will be shown that moderators like the availability of resources and the business environment have an impact on growth potentials and growth trajectories. It turns out that the concept of entrepreneurial marketing can be used to balance different resource configurations and market dynamics to achieve sustainable growth of young and innovative companies.
Alkali-alumina sorbents for high-temperature removal of SO2

The high-temperature removal of SO_2 by sorbents consisting of sodium and lithium salts supported on α-Al_2O_3 has been investigated with emphasis on the chemistry of regeneration. The sulfated sorbents were regenerated by reduction with CO at 700–800°C in a thermogravimetric analyzer and a packed-bed microreactor. Sulfur removal from the sorbent and distribution of gaseous products were measured at different alkali loadings, temperatures, and CO concentrations. The results are interpreted in terms of a network of reactions wherein alumina is important as a catalyst and as a reactant. During regeneration sulfate is converted to aluminate and sulfide, the fraction of aluminate defining the extent of regeneration. The rate and extent of sulfur removal increase with the ratio of alumina to alkali and are higher in the presence of lithium. The product gas consists of SO_2, COS, and elemental sulfur, the latter compound constituting up to 35% of the sulfur removed.
Capsules: Expressing Composable Computations in a Parallel Programming Model

A well-known problem in designing high-level parallel programming models and languages is the "granularity problem", where the execution of parallel task instances that are too fine-grain incur large overheads in the parallel run-time and decrease the speed-up achieved by parallel execution. On the other hand, tasks that are too coarse-grain create load-imbalance and do not adequately utilize the parallel machine. In this work we attempt to address this issue with a concept of expressing "composable computations" in a parallel programming model called "Capsules". Such composability allows adjustment of execution granularity at run-time. In Capsules, we provide a unifying framework that allows composition and adjustment of granularity for both data and computation over iteration space and computation space. We show that this concept not only allows the user to express the decision on granularity of execution, but also the decision on the granularity of garbage collection, and other features that may be supported by the programming model. We argue that this adaptability of execution granularity leads to efficient parallel execution by matching the available application concurrency to the available hardware concurrency, thereby reducing parallelization overhead. By matching, we refer to creating coarse-grain Computation Capsules, that encompass multiple instances of fine-grain computation instances. In effect, creating coarse-grain computations reduces overhead by simply reducing the number of parallel computations. This leads to: (1) Reduced synchronization cost such as for blocked searches in shared data-structures; (2) Reduced distribution and scheduling cost for parallel computation instances; and (3) Reduced book-keeping cost maintain data-structures such as for unfulfilled data requests. Capsules builds on our prior work, TStreams, a data-flow oriented parallel programming framework. Our results on an SMP machine using the Cascade Face Detector, and the Stereo Vision Depth applications show that adjusting execution granularity through profiling helps determine optimal coarse-grain serial execution granularity, reduces parallelization overhead and yields maximum application performance.
Efficient, Chemical-Catalytic Approach to the Production of 3-Hydroxypropanoic Acid by Oxidation of Biomass-Derived Levulinic Acid With Hydrogen Peroxide

3-Hydroxypropanoic acid (HPA), a precursor to acrylic acid, can be produced in high yield by oxidation of the biomass-derived platform chemical levulinic acid. While treatment of levulinic acid with H2 O2 under acidic conditions gives predominantly succinic acid, a remarkable reversal of selectivity is observed under basic conditions, leading either directly to HPA or, under modified conditions, initially to 3-(hydroperoxy)propanoic acid, which can be quantitatively hydrogenated to HPA.
Unit‐Linked Business

This article is about unit-linked insurance business, including unitised with-profits (UWP) business. The major distinguishing feature of unit-linked business is that a separate and explicit asset account is maintained for each policy. Each policy can therefore be invested entirely independently of the others, and this investment flexibility is under the control of the policyholder, not the insurer. The value of a unit-linked policy is directly linked to the investment performance of the unitised funds selected by the policyholder. Unlike traditional with-profits business, there is no element of discretion for setting bonuses for pure unit-linked business. An important consequence of this for the insurer is that expenses and charges are explicitly separated, and the simple ‘cost-plus’ approach to managing pricing has to be abandoned in favor of profit testing. Keywords: unit-linked; unitised with-profits; units
Analysis of left ventricular systolic function using midwall mechanics in patients >60 years of age with hypertensive heart disease and heart failure.

Normal ejection fraction (EFs) is often equated with normal systolic function. However, midwall mechanics reveal systolic dysfunction in hypertensive heart disease accompanied by hypertrophic remodeling. Midwall mechanics are unstudied in patients with acute diastolic heart failure (HF). This study analyzed left ventricular (LV) midwall stress-shortening relations in 61 patients aged >60 years with hypertensive heart disease, HF, and normal EF. Sixty-one hypertensive patients (mean age 78 ± 10 years) who presented with HF, each with an EF >50%, underwent echocardiography. Midwall mechanics were compared with those of 79 controls (mean age 75 ± 8 years) without structural heart disease. Relative wall thickness (0.63 ± 0.11 vs 0.46 ± 0.10 mm) and LV mass (237 ± 67 vs 177 ± 57 g) were significantly greater in patients with HF compared with controls. Mean EFs were similar in patients with HF and controls (64 ± 9% vs 67 ± 9%). Although mean endocardial fractional shortening (35 ± 7% vs 37 ± 7%) was not significantly different, midwall shortening in patients with HF was significantly less compared with controls (16 ± 2% vs 19 ± 3%, p
Water and Western Energy: Impacts, Issues, and Choices

Since the 1973 oil embargo numerous studies have been commissioned on the subject of water and energy, and thus the proliferation of books and reports on associated problems is not surprising. The importance of the issues at stake and the realization that we were relatively unprepared to deal with the anticipated high level of future coal and shale development in the West altered our perceptions of many water-energy issues; the issues were elevated, at least in some quarters, from the level of a common planning problem to the level of a crisis. For those of us who were captured in this syndrome and were a part of these “crisis studies,” this document inescapably brings a sense of deja vu. The review of books serves multiple goals and purposes for readers as well as authors. For example, when I read book reviews in Eos, I am most interested in one that briefly introduces the book's topics, indicates the depth and breadth of the discussion, constructively highlights the major attributes and limitations of the book, critically evaluates the book as a whole, and, if possible, suggests other documents that either supplement or complement the book's writings. I will attempt to do just this.