cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic acetaminophen attenuates age-associated increases in cardiac ROS and apoptosis in the Fischer Brown Norway rat

There is a growing need for pharmacological agents to manage cardiovascular disease in the rapidly growing elderly population. Here, we determine if acetaminophen is efficacious in decreasing age-related increases in cardiac reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis in aging Fischer 344 X Brown Norway rats. Compared to 6-month control animals, indices of oxidative (superoxide anion [O2•–] and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal [4-HNE]) and nitrosative (protein nitrotyrosylation) stress were markedly increased in 33-month-old rat hearts. 33-month animals that had been treated with acetaminophen (30 mg/kg/day p.o. for 6 months) exhibited diminished age-related increases in cardiac ROS levels and TUNEL positive nuclei and these changes were accompanied by improvements in the Bax/Bcl2 ratio, diminished evidence of caspase-3 activation and increased phosphorylation of protein kinase B, ERK1/2, p70S6K and GSK-3β. Taken together these results suggests that acetaminophen may attenuate the age-associated increases in the cardiomyocyte apoptosis, possibly via diminishing age associated elevation in ROS production.
Unification of Yang-Mills theory and superstrings

A scheme is suggested for constructing new types of superstrings with critical dimensions D=10 and D=26 by introducing Yang-Mills potentials as auxiliary fields. The Yang-Mills gauge group is fixed by the critical dimension and the requirement that it must be spontaneously broken in order that the conformal anomaly cancel. For critical dimension D=26 a superstring may exist with an unbroken SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) gauge invariance. This superstring has N=2 supersymmetry and is constrained to move on a nontrivial 24-dimensional complex manifold. Both the first quantized and second quantized versions of these string theories give promise of an interesting mathematical interpretation.
Predictive query processing on moving objects

A fundamental category of location based services relies on predictive queries which consider the anticipated future locations of users. Predictive queries attracted the researchers' attention as they are widely used in several applications including traffic management, routing, location-based advertising, and ride sharing. This paper aims to present a generic and scalable system for predictive query processing on moving objects, e.g, vehicles. Inside the proposed system, two frameworks are provided to work in two different environments, (1) Panda framework for euclidean space, and (2) iRoad framework for road network. Unlike previous work in supporting predictive queries, the target of the proposed system is to: (a) support long-term query prediction as well as short term prediction, (b) scale up to large number of moving objects, and (c) efficiently support different types of predictive queries, e.g., predictive range, KNN, and aggregate queries.
To lump or to split

Using careful family studies and through the construction of an accurate pedigree, Kent Small succeeded in bringing together several branches of one family with so-called ‘North Carolina Macular Dystrophy’. The variability in the phenotype and the small numbers of individuals in each branch had led previous investigators to believe that they were dealing with different diseases. A number of names were given to the same retinal dystrophy. In this issue of our Journal, Small and coworkers review the clinical findings of this disease and refine their previously published mapping studies that placed the disease locus on chromosome 6q. Also in this issue, Chopdar describes the clinical findings of a variant of central areolar choroidal dystrophy in a five-generation family from Great Britain. Members of this family have a progressive macular dystrophy with visual loss starting in the second or third decade of life, as opposed to the stable visual course of patients with North Carolina macular dystrophy who do ...
Determination of the Contact Areas in the Patello-Femoral and Tibio-Femoral Joints During Deep Knee Flexion

There are many daily activities that require deep knee flexion, such as squatting and kneeling. As the knee moves into deep flexion, the contact characteristics of the knee change substantially. Contact area is inversely related to stress, as area decreases, stress increase. Increased stress levels are associated with cartilage degeneration. An understanding of deep knee flexion kinematics, contact area, and stress has not been fully reached. The primary objective of this study is to determine the contact areas in the knee joint during deep knee flexion by experimental methods and to verify these results with a computer model developed in-house to determine contact areas based on the indirect method used by Hefzy [1].Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Cyclic Nucleotides and Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthesis in Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle

Background.Nitric oxide (NO), cGMP, and cAMP affect the synthesis, metabolism, and cellular effects each other. We wanted to study how cGMP and cAMP interact to affect the induced synthesis of NO in response to interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. To further dissect the relative contributions of each cyclic nucleotide, and to detect any possible “crossover” effect of one cyclic nucleotide activating the other protein kinase, we tested how pharmacological inhibition of cGMP-dependent and cAMP-dependent protein kinases (PKG and PKA, respectively) affected responses. Materials and Methods.We tested the effects of IL-1β, dibutyryl (db)-cAMP (1–100 μM), and 8-bromo (Br)-cGMP (1 μM–1 mM) on NO synthesis in cultured rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Positive effects were then tested in the presence of KT5720 (10−9–10−5M), the pharmacological inhibitor of PKA, and KT5823 (10−9–10−5M), the pharmacological inhibitor of PKG. NO production was measured using the Greiss reaction, and mRNA abundance of the inducible NO synthase (iNOS), using semiquantitative RT-PCR. Results.IL-1β caused nitrite levels to increase nearly 10-fold over basal levels at 24 h (P< 0.05). Nitrite levels increased with the addition of either db-cAMP (100 μM, an 8-fold increase) or 8-Br-cGMP (100 μM, a 3-fold increase) to IL-1β (P< 0.05). PKA inhibition with KT5720 (10−5M) completely inhibited NO synthesis in response to the combination of IL-1β and cAMP, while KT5823 had less effect at all doses tested. NO synthesis in response to IL-1β plus cGMP also decreased to PKA inhibition, but not PKG inhibition, indicating that cGMP responses are a crossover effect. Both cAMP and cGMP in combination with IL-1β increased iNOS mRNA abundance above basal levels on reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. KT5720, but not KT5823, decreased iNOS mRNA to basal levels. Conclusion.Both cAMP and cGMP augment cytokine induction of NO synthesis through activation of PKA: cAMP does so directly; cGMP, through a crossover stimulation of PKA.
Kidney Transplant Patients' Perceptions, Beliefs, and Barriers Related to Regular Nephrology Outpatient Visits

Background Our previous work has shown substantial national variation in the frequency of nephrology visits after kidney transplant. The low frequency of nephrology visits was associated with increased risk of transplant failure. Methods We performed a qualitative study that included interviews and 5 focus groups of transplant recipients. The study took place at a transplant center in the Upper Midwest. Participants (N = 39) were selected if they had at least one of the previously described risk factors for decreased nephrology visits: ethnic minority, lower median household income, and residence less than 10 miles from the transplant center. The goal was to assess patients' perceptions and beliefs and perceived barriers to regular nephrology outpatient visits. All transcripts were coded using software for qualitative data analysis. Results Transplant recipients understood the importance of keeping nephrology appointments and reflected positively on them. Regardless, they perceived barriers to adhering to the visit schedule, such as a value on self-reliance, which they described as increasing over time since transplant; a growing sense that they could interpret their bodies independently without needing to see the physician as regularly; and finally, the multitude of physical and mental health challenges inherent to posttransplant life. Other factors motivated patients to keep their regular nephrology visits, such as peer-support relationships and talking to other patients on dialysis therapy. Patients reported that talking to patients who had received a transplant before them helped them anticipate and cope with the mental and physical challenges associated with life posttransplant. A study limitation was that all participants were from a single transplant center. Conclusions Although kidney transplant recipients understood the importance of keeping nephrology appointments, there were significant perceived barriers to these visits. Future interventions should address perceived barriers and motivate patients to keep regular nephrology visits posttransplant as a way to improve transplant outcomes.
Crack tip heating in short-fibre composites under fatigue loading conditions

Crack tip heating in cyclically loaded short-fibre polymer matrix composites occurs by a combination of hysteretic heating and frictional heating. While the former mechanism is caused by plastic and viscoelastic deformations within the polymeric matrix, the latter is due to interfacial friction between matrix and fibres, and crack surface interference associated with crack closure. The relative contribution of these two principal mechanisms depends upon a number of variables including the viscoelastic and plastic characteristics and frictional properties of the matrix polymer, the degree of interfacial adhesion, the fibre content and fibre orientation distribution and the loading conditions. The results confirm that even in a tension/tension loading mode, frictional heating may play a dominant role, at least in some systems.
Citizen forecasting: Can UK voters see the future? ☆

The leading approaches to election forecasting have been statistical models, prediction markets, or vote intention polls. This paper explores a different, little used approach – citizen forecasting – a method never yet tried for the case of the United Kingdom. Citizen forecasting simply asks voters in a scientific pre-election survey who they think will win. This aggregated (averaged) result is then assessed for its accuracy in forecasting the overall election outcome. This assessment is carried out on UK general elections from 1951 to 2005, and then applied to 2010. We find, among other things, that generally speaking the majority of the electorate can foretell the winner in advance.
Using a Fractional Factorial Design to Increase Direct Mail Response at Mother Jones Magazine

The experimental design methods so widely used to solve problems in manufacturing have seen little application to service problems. In direct marketing, the traditional approach to problem solving is A/B testing, which involves changing one factor at a ..
Umbilical pressure measurement in the evaluation of nonimmune hydrops fetalis

OBJECTIVE: Nonimmune hydrops fetalis continues to have a perinatal mortality rate>50%. Although many abnormalities are associated with non immune hydrops fetalis, the direct mechanism by which the hydrops occurs is often obscure, even after delivery. There are at least three possible mechanisms for hydrops: heart failure (whether primary or a secondary effect of obstructed venous return), lymphatic malformation, and liver or peritoneal disease. The development of safe access to the fetal circulation by cordocentesis allows for the measurement of the umbilical venous pressure, which is closely related to the fetal central venous pressure. The premise that nonimmune hydrops fetal is of cardiac origin could be distinguished from that of noncardiac origin was examined by measuring the umbilical venous pressure. STUDY DESIGN: Umbilical venous pressure was measured during indicated diagnostic cordocentesis in three groups of fetuses: 20 with non immune hydrops fetalis, four with a cardiac malformation but without nonimmune hydrops fetalis, and eight with immune hydrops (fetal hemolytic disease). In 16 of 20 fetuses with non immune hydrops fetalis the serum total protein and albumin concentrations were also measured. RESULTS: Presumed inadequate cardiac output, as indicated by an elevated umbilical venous pressure, was the mechanism of nonimmune hydrops fetalis in 13 of 20 (65%). The pathologic condition included arrhythmia, cardiothoracic abnormalities, severe polycythemia and hyperviscosity, viral infection, and severe anemia. Successful antenatal treatment normalized the umbilical venous pressure. Nonimmune hydrops fetalis secondary to noncardiac mechanisms did not progress in severity and was not amenable to antenatal therapy. Hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia were found in only six of 16 cases and were similarly distributed between cardiac and noncardiac mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report where the measurement of umbilical venous pressure was applied to the evaluation of non immune hydrops fetal is. Cardiac dysfunction was the most common mechanism causing hydrops. The finding of a normal umbilical venous pressure greatly reduces the likelihood that the heart is the cause of the hydrops, even when there is a coexistent heart malformation. This immediate information allows the practitioner either to focus on therapeutic interventions that might lower the umbilical venous pressure or to look for noncardiac causes for the hydrops.
International Perspectives on Early Intervention: A Search for Common Ground.

In this article, the author presents a framework for establishing an agenda to design or strengthen early intervention systems from an international perspective. Given the extraordinary diversity of potential factors that can influence early intervention around the world, a set of early intervention principles is put forward that appears to have achieved international consensus. The framework utilizes these generally accepted principles to derive agenda items and therefore forms the basis for establishing common ground across international communities. Examples of specific agenda items and possible barriers are discussed for each of the principles.
Nifedipine Prevents Pulmonary Hypertension But Does Not Prevent Decreased Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase in Lungs of Newborn Pigs Exposed to Chronic Hypoxia. † 1792

Decreased production of nitric oxide (NO) might contribute to the development of neonatal pulmonary hypertension. We previously showed that pulmonary hypertension develops when newborn pigs are exposed to chronic hypoxia (JAP 77:2853, 1994) and provided evidence that NO production is decreased in lungs of chronically hypoxic newborn pigs (FASEB J 10: A307, 1996). We also showed that treatment with the calcium channel blocker nifedipine prevents the development of pulmonary hypertension in chronically hypoxic newborn pigs (Ped. Research 39:332A, 1996). We wondered (a) whether the decreased NO production in lungs of chronically hypoxic newborn pigs is due to a decreased amount of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), the enzyme responsible for basal NO production and if so (b) whether treatment with nifedipine during chronic hypoxia prevented the decrease in eNOS. To answer these questions we maintained 1-3 day old pigs in a chamber filled with either room air (Control) or 11% O2 (Chronic Hypoxia) for 10 days. Some of the Chronic Hypoxia piglets were given nifedipine, 3-5 mg/kg sublingually tid (Nifedipine-treated). We applied an immunoblot analysis to whole lung homogenates of piglets from all groups. A monoclonal antibody to eNOS detected eNOS protein in the lung homogenates at a molecular mass of approximately 135 kDa. eNOS protein amounts did not differ between lung homogenates from Chronic Hypoxia piglets (n=5) as compared to Nifedipine-treated chronically hypoxic piglets (n=4). For both the Chronic Hypoxia and Nifedipine-treated chronically hypoxic piglets, eNOS protein amounts were decreased by 60% (p<0.05) as compared to Controls (n=5). Thus, eNOS decreased in lungs of chronically hypoxic newborn piglets both with and without nifedipine-treatment. Preventing decreased eNOS is not the mechanism by which nifedipine prevents pulmonary hypertension during chronic hypoxia in newborns. Supported by Children's Hospital of WI Foundation
Coordination dependent vibrational properties of amorphous semiconductors alloys

Abstract The i.r., Raman and depolarization spectra of the amorphous pseudo-binary alloy systems (GeS 2 ) 1-χ (As 2 S 3 ) χ and (GeSe 2 ) 1-χ (As 2 Se 3 ) χ are reported here. In contrast to the one-mode behavior that is anticipated on the basis of the mass ratio of the alloy atoms (Ge/As), two bond-stretching modes are observed in both the i.r. and Raman spectra. This new type of phonon behavior is interpreted in terms of differences in the local coordination via a chemical bonding model.
The partial volume as a probe of the intrinsic properties of binary mixtures including both colloidal and true solutions

Abstract It is show that the mass fraction is the most general independent variable to choose for the determination of the partial properties of mixtures. The methods of differential calculus are used to obtain exact relationships that are true at constant composition at any instant of time. The theory may be used to explore time-dependent changes that occur in a variety of systems, such as wetting, pore penetration, gas evolution from micropores and in general any interaction that leads to changes in the partial volume properties.
Attention versus distraction during in vivo exposure: Snake and spider phobias

Abstract Nineteen snake and spider phobic subjects underwent three exposure conditions and a baseline condition, each lasting six minutes. In the distracted condition, subjects listened for specific target words during audiotaped passages while continuing to observe the phobic stimulus. In the focused condition, subjects were prompted to focus on features of the phobic stimulus and their own emotional responses. Dependent measures included ongoing subjective report of fear and heart rate, retrospective fear ratings, and percent of time focused on the phobic stimulus and emotional responses. Subjective fear ratings increased over the six-minute focused exposure, in comparison to stability of fear levels during distracted and natural exposure. Heart rate did not differ between conditions. Possible treatment and theoretical implications are described, including the natural tendency for phobics to counter an initial attentional shift towards phobic stimuli with secondary cognitive avoidance strategies.
Microbiological Spectrum and Antibiotic Sensitivity in Endophthalmitis: A 25-Year Review

Purpose To identify the spectrum and susceptibility pattern of pathogens responsible for culture-positive endophthalmitis referred to a single institution and investigate possible trends in both pathogens and antibiotic sensitivities over the past 25 years. Design A retrospective, laboratory-based study of consecutive microbiological isolates. Participants A total of 988 consecutive culture-positive endophthalmitis isolates from 911 eyes. Methods All culture-positive endophthalmitis isolates collected from 1987 to 2011 were identified. Susceptibility rates to a variety of antibiotics were calculated. Chi-square test for trend was used to detect changes in spectrum or susceptibility over time. Main Outcome Measures Microbial spectrum and susceptibility pattern over time. Results A total of 988 isolates were identified from 911 eyes. The average patient age was 67±18 years, and 55% of the patients were female. The most prevalent pathogens were coagulase-negative staphylococcus (39.4%), followed by Streptococcus viridans species (12.1%) and Staphylococcus aureus (11.1%). Gram-negative organisms and fungi accounted for 10.3% and 4.6% of all isolates, respectively. With the exception of 2 isolates, Enterococcus faecium and Nocardia exalbida , all the other 725 (99.7%) gram-positive bacteria tested were susceptible to vancomycin. Of the 94 gram-negative organisms tested against ceftazidime, 2 were of intermediate sensitivity and 6 were resistant. For 8 antibiotics, increasing microbial resistance over time was observed: cefazolin ( P = 0.02), cefotetan ( P = 0.006), cephalothin ( P P = 0.04), erythromycin ( P P P = 0.01), and ceftriaxone ( P = 0.006). For 3 antibiotics, increasing microbial susceptibility was observed: gentamicin ( P P = 0.005), and imipenem ( P Conclusions Coagulase-negative staphylococcus remains the most frequently identified cause of endophthalmitis. Vancomycin and ceftazidime seem to be excellent empiric antibiotics for treating endophthalmitis. Although a statistically significant trend toward increasing microbial resistance against a variety of antibiotics, including cephalosporins and methicillin, was observed, a significant trend toward decreasing microbial resistance against aminoglycosides and imipenem also was detected.
N2 vibrational distribution in aurorae

Abstract The N 2 vibrational distribution is calculated for a specific IBC Class II aurora using as input, data obtained from coordinated rocket and satellite observations and currently accepted excitation and quenching rates. The results of the calculations indicate no significant vibrational enhancements for this specific aurora nor for “upper limit” estimates for more intense aurorae. We conclude from this study that if significantly larger concentrations of vibrationally excited N 2 molecules exist in the aurora, as recent rocket e.u.v. measurements suggest, current concepts of the sources and sinks of N 2 vibrational excitation will require significant revision.
Prevention and Management of Febrile Seizures

Febrile seizures are the most common seizures in childhood and, like all seizures, can be frightening to witness. Therefore, it is not surprising that febrile seizures have been the focus of intense research with an extensive literature describing various preventative measures. In addition, there is also an extensive and sophisticated epidemiological literature delineating the natural history of this disorder in American and British children. For simple febrile seizures, the most common form of this disorder, the epidemiological studies demonstrate a generally benign natural history, making it unlikely that any preventative measure could improve the long term outcome for most children. Children with simple febrile seizures have a slight increased risk of epilepsy, but there are no studies that demonstrate that phenobarbital or other therapy can alter this risk. Daily therapy with phenobarbital or valproic acid can reduce the number of subsequent simple febrile seizures. However, as a recent Practice Parameter from the American Academy of Paediatrics concludes, the risk of adverse effects from daily therapy appears to outweigh the benefit of preventing the short term recurrence of simple febrile seizures. It is possible that in some families, where the occurrence of an additional simple febrile seizure would be particularly distressing, the routine use of oral diazepam during febrile illnesses might be appropriate.
The Response of Poteriochromonas stipitata to Urethan and Related Compounds

SYNOPSIS. The effect of urethan on Poteriochromonas stipitata has been studied. Several concentration-dependent activities of the drug could be discerned. Low concentration increased cell yields; certain slightly higher ones resulted in complete cessation of growth. Further increase of urethan concentrations interfered with the respiration of the organism and still higher concentrations disrupted the cells.
Nurses’ Concerns and Practices With Using Interpreters in the Care of Latino Patients in the Emergency Department

This phenomenological study aimed to describe nursing care of Latinos in the emergency department to determine how care is planned relative to the patient's ethnicity, including linguistic abilities. Unstructured interviews were conducted with 15 registered nurses from four hospitals in the Northwest. Interpreters play a pivotal role in nurses' practices. Nurses' skills with working with interpreters, interpreter availability, engagement, and accuracy enhance or impede effective care. Linguistic differences challenge effective care provision. Culturally competent care requires secure avenues of accurate communication. Administrators must provide nurses with resources that promote culturally competent care, including training with interpreters to facilitate effective communication.
A case for automatic sharing over social networks

The proliferation of sharing on social networks, such as Facebook, Pinterest, Linkedin, and Foursquare, has closely connected people more than ever before. Our hypothesis is that, modulo privacy concerns, people are willing to share a lot more useful information than they are currently doing, but do not have the time and energy to do so. For instance, (1) people would like to share their current availability to receive a call with their most frequent phone contacts, (2) drivers would like to share road conditions with other drivers in the vicinity. By automating the sharing process, we posit that a whole new array of applications become possible. Smart mobile devices possess rich sensors, continuous connectivity and push notifications, which enable them to continuously share information with other devices, in real time. In this paper, we explore the opportunity for automatic sharing, and the challenges it introduces. We introduce a novel architecture called SBone which enables devices to automatically share useful information with each other, and present two applications that enable the above two scenarios by utilizing SBone.
Ontogeny of hemoglobins: Evidence for hemoglobin M

Abstract A new autosomal codominant hemoglobin mutation alters hemoglobin M of the primitive red cell line and hemoglobin D found in definitive cells. That Hb M and Hb D are altered by the same gene mutation supports the idea that Hb M shares a polypeptide chain with Hb D. It is concluded that in the switch from primitive hemoglobins to those of the definitive type, there are at least two α chains conserved; α A of Hb E in Hb A and α D of Hb M in Hb D.
Endomorphin-1 and Endomorphin-2: Involvement of Endogenous μ-Opioid Receptor Ligands in Analgesia, Antinociceptive Tolerance, Antianalgesia, and Hyperalgesia

Endomorphin-1 (EM-1) and endomorphin-2 (EM-2) are endogenous ligands for μ-opioid receptors. Both EM-1 and EM-2, given supraspinally or spinally, produce potent antinociception (analgesia) in mice and rats, measured by the thermal tail-flick response. The antinociception produced by either EM-1 or EM-2 is mediated by the stimulation of μ-opioid receptors, but not by δ- or κ-opioid receptors. EM-1 or EM-2 given supraspinally stimulates primarily μ-opioid receptors and subsequently releases spinipetal noradrenaline and serotonin, acting on α2-adrenoceptors and serotonin receptors in the spinal cord for producing antinociception. However, the antinociception produced by EM-2, but not by EM-1, also contains an additional component, which is mediated by the release of dynorphin A1–17 and Met-enkephalin acting on κ-opioid receptors and δ2-receptors, respectively, in the spinal cord for producing antinociception. Pretreatment with EM-1 or EM-2, given supraspinally or spinally, attenuates the antinociception (antinociceptive tolerance) produced by EM-1 or EM-2, respectively. Pretreatment with EM-2 attenuates the antinociception produced by EM-1; however, pretreatment with EM-1 does not attenuate the antinociception produced by EM-2 (asymmetric cross-tolerance). The antinociception produced by (–)-morphine given into the ventral periaqueductal gray is attenuated by pretreatment with a subanalgesic dose of EM-1 or EM-2 given into the ventral periaqueductal gray in rats (antianalgesia). The antianalgesia produced by EM-2, but not by EM-1, is mediated by the release of dynorphin A1–17, which antagonizes the analgesic response to (–)-morphine. EM-2, but not EM-1, given into the centromedial amygdala decreases the tail-flick latencies (hyperalgesia) in rats. The hyperalgesia induced by EM-2 from centromedial amygdala is mediated by the release of dynorphin A1–17 acting on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. It is therefore proposed that there are two separate subtypes of μ-opioid receptors: μ and μ′. The μ-opioid receptors are stimulated by both EM-1 and EM-2, (–)-morphine, and [D-Ala2,NMePhe4,Gly5-ol]enkephalin, and blocked by D-Pro2-endomorphin-1. The μ′-opioid receptors are stimulated by EM-2 but not by EM-1, and blocked by D-Pro2-endomorphin-2, naloxonazine, and 3-methoxynaltrexone. However, both subtypes of μ-opioid receptors are commonly blocked by β-funaltrexamine, D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2, and (–)-naloxone.
Cation-exchange separation of uranium in dimethylsulphoxide medium.

Abstract Cation-exchange chromatography in a dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) medium is a suitable means for separating uranium from metal ions, including copper, iron, nickel and molybdenum. Quantitative separations of uranium from 26 elements can best be effected on a column of Dowex 50W-X8 (200–400 mesh), using as the eluent a 20% v/v DMSO solution which is 0.6 M in hydrochloric acid and 0.25 M in sodium acetate. Only calcium is eluted with the uranium and all other elements studied are eluted either before or after uranium. The elution characteristics of uranium and of other metal ions were investigated with respect to changes in eluent and resin compositions. Separations were much less effective at higher concentrations of sodium ion or DMSO. None of the organic solvents methanol, ethanol, methyl glycol, acetone, dioxan or acetic acid was found to produce favourable separation conditions. Results with Dowex 50 resins of lower or higher cross-linkage were inferior to those obtained with the X8 resin.
Cost-effectiveness of bypass surgery versus stenting in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease

Abstract Purpose To compare the cost-effectiveness of surgical and angioplasty-based coronary artery revascularization techniques, in particular, angioplasty with primary stenting. Methods We used data from the Study of Economics and Quality of Life, a substudy of the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation (BARI), to measure the outcomes and costs of angioplasty and bypass surgery in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease who had not undergone prior coronary artery revascularization. Using a Markov decision model, we updated the outcomes and costs to reflect technology changes since the time of enrollment in BARI, and projected the lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for the two procedures from the time of initial treatment through death. We accounted for the effects of improved procedural safety and efficiency, and prolonged therapeutic effects of both surgery and stenting. This study was conducted from a societal perspective. Results Surgical revascularization was less costly and resulted in better outcomes than catheter-based intervention including stenting. It remained the preferred strategy after adjusting the stent outcomes to eliminate the costs and events associated with target lesion restenosis. Among angioplasty-based strategies, primary stent use cost an additional $189,000 per QALY gained compared with a strategy that reserved stent use for treatment of suboptimal balloon angioplasty results. Conclusion Bypass surgery results in better outcomes than angioplasty in patients with multivessel disease, and at a lower cost.
Degradation mechanisms in the non-aqueous vanadium acetylacetonate redox flow battery

Abstract Electrochemical and physical measurements elucidate several thermodynamic properties and chemical factors that affect the performance of a non-aqueous all-vanadium flow battery. An H-type test cell was constructed that demonstrates stable coulombic efficiencies of 70% without flow after several weeks of slow cycling, with a steady plateau voltage near 1.7 V during most of the discharge step. Environmental oxygen and water are associated with side reactions that affect long-term charge/discharge response of the battery. Oxygen passivates the electrode and may react with the solvent or supporting electrolyte, while water can cause the formation of oxovanadium complexes. Reversible cycling of the vanadyl acetylacetonate complex appears possible.
Descriptive distortions in covariance based statistics

In perhaps the most recent summary of design strategies for applied research, Cook and Campbell (1975) carefully consider four “kinds of validity.” Expanding on Campbell and Stanley’s classic 1963 essay, “construct validity” and “conclusion validity” are added to internal and external validity as criteria for judging the quality of empirical work. In this paper we will be particularly interested in construct validity: “what experimental psychologists mean by ‘confounding’-the possibility that the operational definitions of a cause or effect can be construed in terms of more than one construct, all of which are stated at the same level of reduction.” We have elsewhere summarized (Berk and Lumsdaine, 1974, p. 5) construct validity as “the fit between empirical measures and the theoretical concepts represented. Problems develop when either the measurement or conceptualization processes are faulty, or when the fit between the two is inadequate.” For example, systematic measurement error and/or conceptualizations without clear boundaries would threaten construct validity. In addition, even if measurement were by itself perfect and conceptualizations well delineated, a lack of correspondence between the two would produce poor construct validity. Thus, one might challenge on the basis of poor fit alone the construct validity of prisoner “rehabilitation” measured through parole success (Kassebaum, Ward, and Wilner, 1971). Unfortunately, Cook and Campbell almost exclusively emphasize construct validity for individual units of analysis and at best allude to problems in measuring aggregate phenomena. We would argue that “measuring” aggregates often reduces to the appropriate use of summary statistics,l and in these cases as well, one must examine the quality of conceptualizations, measurements, and their correspondence. In short, the issues are similar despite differing levels of aggregation.
What journalists retweet: Opinion, humor, and brand development on Twitter

Using Twitter, journalists may pass along comment from other users without, at least ostensibly, taking accountability for that message. Minimizing responsibility and editorial oversight, as is the case with retweets, allows a different view of individual journalists as gatekeepers. Through a qualitative textual analysis, this study finds that journalists are challenging norms of objectivity and independence on Twitter. Journalists frequently pass along subtle interpretation and analysis rather than strong opinions. Many retweets are humorous, sometimes even at journalism’s expense. Journalists also retweet many messages about themselves, working to build a personal brand and relationships with their audience. Implications for journalists, their industry, and the audience are discussed.
3.4 ps wide compressed optical pulses from electrically gain-switched vertical cavity surface emitting laser

The authors show that by using singlemode fibre it is possible to achieve significant compression in optical pulses generated by electrical gain-switching in a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL). A pulse width of 3.4 ps was achieved, which is, to the authors' best knowledge, the lowest obtained by electrical gain switching in VCSELs. The measured timing jitter of the compressed pulses is 6.6 ps and is almost identical to the timing jitter before compression.
Cosmic ray results on the A dependence of multiplicity and angular distributions in proton nuclear interactions above 100 GeV

Abstract A calorimeter-spark chamber system was used to collect data on several hundred proton-nucleus interactions above 100 GeV using targets of C, Al, Fe, Sn and Pb. The average charged prong multiplicity is found to depend on atomic mass number as 〈 n c 〉 = 〈 n c 〉(p-p) A x where x = 0.129 ± 0.004, with the dominant increase in multiplicity occuring in the backward (p-p c.m.) hemisphere. The value of x shows no significant energy dependence.
Amplitude–frequency dependence of damping properties of carbon foams

Abstract Wide dynamic and frequency range experimental measurements of dynamic shear modulus and specific damping capacity in carbon foams are presented. Samples have been placed in free vibration mounts, in vacuum. Electromagnetic excitation and optical detection of free vibration decay have been used. Elastic modulus and loss factor have been inverted from resonance frequencies and logarithmic decay measurement performed at several (up to ten) normal-mode resonances using a modified Demarest's theory of cube resonance. For the samples under investigation, the dynamic shear modulus was found to be proportional to sample density and equal to 1 GPa for 0.5 kg/m3. The specific damping capacity was found to be frequency independent in the 100 Hz–20 kHz frequency range and equal to 0.004 for 0.3 kg/m3 foam samples and 0.012 for 0.5 kg/m3 foam samples. Such behaviour cannot be explained by the difference in foam structure and must be caused by a difference in properties of the constitutive material. The specific damping capacity increases more than twice with increase in magnitude of material deformation. Technical problems, such as the contribution of parasitic damping to the loss factor, are discussed in detail.
Emr, an Escherichia coli locus for multidrug resistance.

Abstract An Escherichia coli chromosomal DNA fragment cloned on a multicopy plasmid conferred resistance to carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, nalidixic acid, and a number of other toxic compounds. The sequence of the cloned emr locus located at minute 57.5 of the chromosome revealed two open reading frames, emrA and emrB. emrB encodes a highly hydrophobic 56.2-kDa peptide, with 14 potential alpha-helices to span the inner membrane. The peptide is homologous to QacA, a multidrug-resistant pump from Staphylococcus aureus, and belongs to a gene family that includes tetracycline-resistant pumps of Gram-positive bacteria and the galactose/H+ symporter of E. coli. emrA encodes a putative 42.7-kDa peptide containing a single hydrophobic domain and a large C-terminal hydrophilic domain. An active pho-fusion to the C domain suggested that EmrA is a membrane protein. Disruption of emrB significantly increased sensitivity of cells to uncouplers. The cellular content of uncoupler increased in the order: overexpressed emrB cells greater than wild type greater than emrB-.
Altered protein metabolism following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery

The aim of the present study was to investigate the acute effect of CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) surgery on the rates of synthesis of muscle protein, the positive acute-phase protein fibrinogen and the negative acute-phase protein albumin. Synthesis rates of muscle protein, fibrinogen and albumin were measured simultaneously before and 4 h after the end of surgery from the incorporation of L-[(2)H(5)]phenylalanine (given at 43 mg/kg of body weight) in 12 patients undergoing CABG surgery. Surgery was performed either with the use of extracorporeal circulation with cardiopulmonary bypass (on-pump; n=5) or with the beating heart procedure without cardiopulmonary bypass (off-pump; n=7). Post-surgical muscle protein fractional synthesis rates were decreased by 36+/-6.5% compared with pre-surgical values (1.59+/-0.10 compared with 0.97+/-0.08%/day respectively; P<0.001). In contrast, the synthesis rates of both fibrinogen (36+/-4 compared with 100+/-11 mg.day(-1).kg(-1) of body weight; P<0.0001) and albumin (123+/-12 compared with 178+/-19 mg.day(-1).kg(-1) of body weight; P<0.001) were both significantly increased after surgery. No significant differences were found between surgery performed with or without cardiopulmonary bypass. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that CABG surgery has a profound effect on protein metabolism, with a differential response of protein synthesis in muscle and liver.
The Shape of the Michigan River as Viewed from the Land of Sweatt v. Painter and Hopwood

If general ideas and theories about what's going on in society are going to be anything other than moonshine, they have to be rooted in hard-bought knowledge of what in fact is happening in people's lives. —J. Willard Hurst (1910-96) There are 5 African Americans among the 433 students in The University of Texas School of Law's class of 2000. There are 7 in the class of 2001, and 7 in the class of 2002. With 1,387 students, the UT School of Law is big. The 19 African American students comprise 1.4% of the total.
Lessons from Sports Statistics

Abstract The author reviews and comments on his work in sports statistics, illustrating with problems of estimation in baseball's World Series and with a model for the distribution of the number of runs in a baseball half inning. Data on collegiate football scores have instructive distributions that indicate more about the strengths of the teams playing than their absolute values would suggest. A robust analysis of professional football scores led to widespread publicity with the help of professional newswriters. Professional golf players on the regular tour are so close in skill that a few rounds do little to distinguish their abilities. A simple model for golf scoring is “base +X” where the base is a small score for a round rarely achieved, such as 64, and X is a Poisson distribution with mean about 8. In basketball, football, and hockey the leader at the beginning of the final period wins about 80% of the time, and in baseball the leader at the end of seven full innings wins 95% of the time. Empirical ...
Formation and synthetic utility of formyl-, acetyl-, carbomethoxy-, and carboethoxy-cyclopentadienylthallium

Abstract Formyl- (1), acetyl- (2), carbomethoxy- (3) and carboethoxycyclopentadienylthallium (4) have been prepared in high yields from reactions of the corresponding functionally substituted cyclopentadienylsodium salts with thallium ethoxide in ethanol solution. Products 1–4 so produced are readily isolated as air-stable solids, and have been characterized by their 1H and 13C NMR spectra. Reactions of 1–4 with Mn(CO)5Br, Re(CO)5Br or [Rh(CO)2Cl]2 provide convenient routes to the respective functionally substituted cyclopentadienyl derivatives of manganese, rhenium or rhodium, and demonstrate the utility of 1–4 in organometallic syntheses.
WE‐SAMS‐AUD B‐02: Treatment Planning in the Presence of Respiratory‐Induced Target Motion

Traditional fan‐beam scans provide an anatomical model of the patient which often does not correspond well with any of the patient's anatomy during respiration. As a consequence, dose distributions computed using such image data could deviate, sometimes significantly, from the doses received by patients during the course of their treatment. Moreover, the increased uncertainty in target definition due to imaging artifacts, together with the need to account for motion excursion, may lead to large planning margins, thus increasing unnecessarily normal tissue doses, while preventing potential dose escalations. By contrast, time‐resolved computed tomography (4D CT) generates multiple volumetric imagesets that are more accurate descriptors of the various patient geometries during breathing; by using this information at the time of planning one can evaluate more accurately physical dose distributions in the presence of motion. The question is how to use the available time‐dependent anatomical information when designing treatment plans. The answer will depend on whether the same treatment plan or different treatment plans will be delivered at various phases of the breathing cycle. Regardless, dose computations may be required on multiple image datasets, followed by an accumulation of doses from all datasets onto a single dataset (“planning dataset”), via time‐weighting coefficients representing the relative amount of time spent at a particular breathing phase. The accumulation of doses involves tracking anatomical voxels between various datasets, and is accomplished by using image registration techniques that provide non‐rigid (if organ deformations are involved) voxel mapping between datasets. This lecture will provide an overview of dose accumulation techniques, planning aspects for various delivery approaches, sources of error specific to 4D planning. Also, several clinical lung and liver studies involving dose computations in the presence of motion will be reviewed. Educational Objectives: 1. Understand the rationale for accounting for respiratory motion during treatment planning. 2. Understand the principles of cumulative dose computation. 3. Learn about various sources of error specific to 4D‐based treatment planning. 4. Learn about the clinical importance of the changes induced by the respiratory motion.
The Dynamics of Quality of Life in ALS Patients and Caregivers

Background Quality of life (QOL) in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their caregivers may depend on disease progression, premorbid characteristics (e.g., personality or demographics), or idiosyncratic effects (e.g., life events unrelated to the disease). Furthermore, effects may differ for patients and caregivers; physical decline may impact the caregiver more than the patient.
Induction of pyruvate decarboxylase in Candida utilis

Induction of cytoplasmic pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) in Candida utilis increases with culture age throughout aerobic logarithmic phase growth on glucose and is due to oxygen depletion. Resting cells, grown on ethanol or acetate, fail to initiate PDC synthesis for two to three hours following anaerobic suspension in glucose although these cells are capable of glucose uptake. PDC induction occurs only at permissive growth temperatures, i.e., 5 ° C to 35 ° C. A preliminary characterization of the enzyme indicates an activity optimum of 35 ° C and a lack of any regulatory properties.
Kinetics of local anesthetic inhibition of neuronal sodium currents. pH and hydrophobicity dependence.

This study assesses the importance of local anesthetic charge and hydrophobicity in determining the rates of binding to and dissociation from neuronal Na channels. Five amide-linked local anesthetics, paired either by similar pKa or hydrophobicity, were chosen for study: lidocaine, two tertiary amine lidocaine homologs, a neutral lidocaine homolog, and bupivacaine. Voltage-clamped nodes of Ranvier from the sciatic nerve of Bufo marinus were exposed to anesthetic externally, and use-dependent ("phasic") block of Na current was observed. Kinetic analysis of binding (blocking) rates was performed using a three parameter, piecewise-exponential binding model. Changes in extracellular pH (pHo) were used to assess the role of drug protonation in determining the rate of onset of, and recovery from, phasic block. For those drugs with pKa's in the range of pHo tested (6.2–10.4), the forward binding rate during a depolarizing pulse increased at higher pH, consistent with an increase in either intracellular or intramembrane concentration of drug. The rate for unbinding during depolarization was independent of pHo. The dissociation rate between pulses also increased at higher pHo. The pHo dependence of the dissociation rate was not consistent with a model in which the cation is trapped relentlessly within a closed channel. Quantitative estimates of dissociation rates show that the cationic form of lidocaine dissociates at a rate of 0.1 s-1 (at 13 degrees C); for neutral lidocaine, the dissociation rate is 7.0 s-1. Furthermore, the apparent pKa of bound local anesthetic was found to be close to the pKa in aqueous solution, but different than the pKa for "free" local anesthetic accessible to the depolarized channel.