cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pharmacology and Toxicology of Halogenated Anesthetics

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the pharmacology and toxicology of halogenated anesthetics. Trichloroethylene is relatively soluble in blood, and induction of anesthesia is slow, as is recovery. In clinical practice, the slow induction time if offset partially by the high anesthetic potency of the drug. The minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) necessary to maintain the first plane of surgical anesthesia is 0.17%. Trichloroethylene was the first of the inhalation anesthetics demonstrated to be biotransformed. Halothane is relatively insoluble in blood, and induction of anesthesia is relatively rapid. The minimum alveolar concentration necessary to maintain the first plane of surgical anesthesia is 0.7%. Halothane is extremely soluble in fat, allowing the body to absorb large amounts of the anesthetic. Many halogenated hydrocarbons are known to be hepatotoxic, and at least in certain individuals, halothane is no exception. The usual clinical picture of halothane hepatitis presents with fever, leukocytosis, and with eosinophilia, followed by jaundice within 5– 21 days after anesthesia. Liver dysfunction is confirmed by finding high alkaline phosphatase, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) levels.
Triple Safety: Lightweighting Automobiles to Improve Occupant, Highway, and Global Safety

Automobilesʼ negative impact on human health and welfare includes traffic-related deaths and injuries as well as the deaths and injuries caused by automobilesʼ contribution to climate change and other global environmental degradation. This paper explores solutions that both enhance vehicle performance and reduce environmental impacts, and focuses on demonstrating the ability of lightweight vehicles to provide such a solution. Some controversy exists around the question of whether lighter and more fuel-efficient vehicles can be as safe as traditional vehicles. Recent research reviewed in this paper indicates that several solutions exist that can both improve efficiency and thereby global safety, and maintain (or even improve) highway safety.
The Effects of Enzyme Synthesis and Stability and of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication on the Cellular Levels of Aspartate Transcarbamylase during the Cell Cycle of Eucaryote Chlorella

Abstract Homogenates of Chlorella pyrenoidosa (strain 7-11-05) contain an organic, low molecular weight (l 1000), heat stable, acid-soluble, Norit A adsorbable compound required for the in vitro stability of aspartate transcarbamylase. Dilution of these homogenates or removal of the stabilizer by either ultrafiltration, gel filtration, ammonium sulfate precipitation, or sucrose density gradient centrifugation resulted in the rapid first order decay of enzyme activity even at 0–3°. The apparent feedback inhibitor, UMP, was the only nucleotide effective as an in vitro stabilizer within physiological concentrations. Although carbamyl phosphate could stabilize the enzyme in vitro, it was eliminated as the possible endogenous stabilizer because carbamyl phosphate is heat labile. The other substrate, aspartate, was ineffective as a stabilizer. In cell cycle studies with synchronous cells of Chlorella, the pattern of aspartate transcarbamylase was observed to parallel the periodic DNA pattern except for a period of gradual enzyme accumulation immediately prior to the step increase in DNA level. Prior to the period of gradual enzyme accumulation, the enzyme level remained constant with a steady state existing between enzyme synthesis and breakdown. The structural gene of the enzyme appeared to be continuously transcribed and the enzyme continuously synthesized so that the enzyme increased from one steady state level to another during the period of gene replication. The gradual increase in activity prior to the step increase in DNA is proposed to be caused by the accumulation of an endogenous stabilizer (e.g. UMP) which reduces the rate of enzyme degradation. This inference is supported by the accumulation of total nucleotide-P and of an endogenous inhibitor of enzyme activity, and by the decreased rate of breakdown of the enzyme in vivo and also in cell homogenates from this period of the cell cycle.
Network Storage Management in Data Grid Environment

This paper presents the Network Storage Manager (NSM) developed in the Distributed Computing Laboratory at Jackson State University. NSM is designed as a Java-based, high-performance, distributed storage system, which can be utilized in the Grid environment. NSM architecture presents a framework offering parallelism, scalability, crash recovery, and portability for data-intensive distributed applications. Unlike several parallel research efforts, this paper introduces an architecture that is independent of systems and protocols. Therefore, the system can run in a typical heterogeneous Grid environment. We illustrates how NSM incorporates Grid-FTP and GSI authentication. We also provide a brief evaluation of the system performance.
Cutting Edge: Unique T Cells That Recognize Citrullinated Peptides Are a Feature of Protein Immunization

Abs against citrullinated proteins are present in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In this study, we describe a unique cohort of T cells that selectively responded to citrullinated variants of two epitopes of hen egg-white lysozyme, a major and a minor one, bound to the MHC molecule, I-A k . In addition, we show that when given an intact, unmodified lysozyme protein, dendritic cells and peritoneal macrophages presented citrullinated peptides and stimulated modification-specific T cells. Thus, presentation of citrullinated-peptide-MHC complex is a feature of immune responses to protein Ags.
El efecto de la frontera en el Noreste del Océano Pacifico Norte

During April 1989, an intensive, short-term study of oceanic zooplankton tested the hypothesis that multidimensional distribution (patchiness, diffusion, la...
Gravity-Induced Free Convection Effects in Melting Phenomena for Thermal Control

Gravity induced free convection effects in melting phenomena for thermal control, predicting temperature distributions and solid-liquid interface profiles by two dimensional model
Screening for Cervical Cancer and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among HIV-Infected Women

Abstract Background: Women living with HIV infection are at higher risk for cervical cancer, an AIDS-defining diagnosis. We examined the prevalence of cervical cancer and sexually transmitted disease (STD) screening among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women and factors associated with the receipt of Papanicolaou (Pap) tests. Methods: We did a cross-sectional analysis of weighted data from a sample of HIV-infected adults receiving outpatient medical care. We used matched interview (report of Pap test) and medical record data (STD screenings) from HIV-infected women. We performed logistic regression to compute adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between demographic, behavioral, and clinical factors and receipt of Pap tests among HIV-infected women. Results: Data were available for 2,270 women, who represent 112,894 HIV-infected women; 62% were African American, 17% were Hispanic/Latina, and 18% were white. Most (78%) reported having a Pap test in the pas...
RISC microcontrollers for automotive control

The price/performance characteristics of modern microcontrollers yields more performance for less money. The problem with integrating all of the automotive functions before was that the performance was not available in a microcontroller that could be used in automotive electronics. For instance, it would be very difficult to use the class of microcontrollers used in high end desk top computers in an automotive environment because these devices use such a great amount of power. In the automotive environment where heat is ever present, it would be almost impossible to keep these devices within the temperature range required for proper operation. There are now new microcontrollers, such as the MPC555, that offer the computing power to successfully handle many of the tasks described.
The Sexual Acceptability of Intrauterine Contraception: A Qualitative Study of Young Adult Women

CONTEXT: The IUD is extremely effective but infrequently used by young adult women who disproportionately experience unintended pregnancies. Research has not examined how IUD use may affect sexuality which could in turn affect method acceptability continuation and marketing efforts. METHODS: Focus group discussions and interviews were conducted in 2014 with 50 women between the ages of 18 and 29-either University of Wisconsin students or women from the surrounding community who received public assistance-to explore their thoughts about whether and how IUD use can affect sexual experiences. A modified grounded theory approach was used to identify common themes in terms of both experienced and anticipated sexual acceptability of the IUD. RESULTS: Six themes emerged: security (IUDs efficacy can reduce sexual inhibition) spontaneity (IUD can allow for free-flowing sex) sexual aspects of bleeding and cramping (IUDs side effects can affect sex) scarcity of hormones (IUD has a low level of or no hormones and reduces libido less than hormonal methods such as the pill) string (IUDs string can detract from a partners sexual experience) and stasis (IUD use can have no impact on sex). Some reported sexual aspects of IUD use were negative but most were positive and described ever-users method satisfaction and never-users openness to use the method. DISCUSSION: Future research and interventions should attend to issues of sexual acceptability: Positive sexual aspects of the IUD could be used promotionally and counseling about sexual concerns could increase womens willingness to try the method. Copyright (c) 2015 by the Guttmacher Institute.
Growth and pubertal development in children and adolescents: effects of diet and physical activity

The longitudinal growth of an individual child is a dynamic statement of the general health of that child. Measurements should be performed often and accurately to detect alterations from physiologic growth. Although any single point on the growth chart is not very informative, when several growth points are plotted over time, it should become apparent whether that individual's growth is average, a variant of the norm, or pathologic. Somatic growth and maturation are influenced by several factors that act independently or in concert to modify an individual's genetic growth potential. Linear growth within the first 2 y of life generally decelerates but then remains relatively constant throughout childhood until the onset of the pubertal growth spurt. Because of the wide variation among individuals in the timing of the pubertal growth spurt, there is a wide range of physiologic variations in normal growth. Nutritional status and heavy exercise training are only 2 of the major influences on the linear growth of children. In the United States, nutritional deficits result from self-induced restriction of energy intake. That single factor, added to the marked energy expenditure of training and competition for some sports, and in concert with the self-selection of certain body types, makes it difficult to identify the individual factors responsible for the slow linear growth of some adolescent athletes, for example, those who partake in gymnastics, dance, or wrestling.
The Affordable Care Act: objectives and likely results in an imperfect world.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has 3 main objectives: (1) to reform the private insurance market—especially for individuals and small-group purchasers, (2) to expand Medicaid to the working poor with income up to 133% of the federal poverty level, and (3) to change the way
Freeze-cast alumina pore networks: Effects of freezing conditions and dispersion medium

Alumina ceramics were freeze-cast from water- and camphene-based slurries under varying freezing conditions and examined using X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Pore network characteristics, i.e., porosity, pore size, geometric surface area, and tortuosity, were measured from XCT reconstructions and the data were used to develop a model to predict feature size from processing conditions. Classical solidification theory was used to examine relationships between pore size, temperature gradients, and freezing front velocity. Freezing front velocity was subsequently predicted from casting conditions via the two-phase Stefan problem. Resulting models for water-based samples agreed with solidification-based theories predicting lamellar spacing of binary eutectic alloys, and models for camphene-based samples concurred with those for dendritic growth. Relationships between freezing conditions and geometric surface area were also modeled by considering the inverse relationship between pore size and surface area. Tortuosity was determined to be dependent primarily on the type of dispersion medium.
What's So Special About Nations?

(1997). What's So Special About Nations? Canadian Journal of Philosophy: Vol. 26, Supplementary Volume 22: Rethinking Nationalism, pp. 283-309.
Preclinical and clinical strategies for development of telomerase and telomere inhibitors

Summary Background Telomerase is an important enzyme whose activity has been convincingly demonstrated in humans recently. It is required for maintenance of ends of chromosomes (telomeres) during cell division. Since its presence has been selectively demonstrated in dividing cells including tumor cells, it has generated considerable excitement as a potential anticancer strategy. Design In this article, we review the current relevant biology of the enzyme, the challenges encountered in the preclinical phase of target development and the current efforts that focus on telomeres and telomerase as therapeutic targets. We also speculate on the potential toxicities and mechanisms of resistance that may be encountered during use of such therapies.
Single machine scheduling to minimize total weighted late work: a comparison of scheduling rules and search algorithms

In this research the problem of scheduling n jobs to minimize the Total Weighted Late Work (TWLW) is evaluated within the single machine context. As the problem complexity increases, so does the solution complexity, and often the objective is to identify a heuristic or algorithm that may return a near optimal solution. Various scheduling rules, heuristics and algorithms, including the weighted shortest processing rule, a variation of the modified due date rule, a genetic algorithm, neighborhood job search, and space smoothing with neighborhood job search; are empirically evaluated using different parameters to determine the utility of each approach.
A New Determination of the Disintegration Constant of Uranium by the Method of Counting α-Particles

Alpha-particles emitted by a known amount of pure ${\mathrm{U}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{8}$ in the form of thin films were restricted in their passage into an ionization vessel by cylindrical channels of a grid placed over the material. The method of counting $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particles alone was that of Greinacher. All $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particles entering the ionization chamber automatically registered on a mechanical counter, for which an elaborate electrical and mechanical arrangement of apparatus was used. Over 100,000 counts were made from two specimens differing in surface density in the ratio of nearly 5 to 1. The ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathrm{UI}}$ obtained is ${1.53}_{2}$${(10)}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ ${\mathrm{yr}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ or $T={4.52}_{4}{(10)}^{9}$ yr, a value consistent with Gleditsch's ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathrm{Ra}}=4.11{(10)}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{yr}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, Boltwood's radium to uranium ratio of 7.40${(10)}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$ and branching ratio between 0.96 and 0.97.
Coram Meipso: Presence, Privilege, and Vocations in Feminist and Lutheran Languages

: Themes of simultaneity and complex identity emerge when considering the human person using Lutheran theological constructs and feminist theoretical analysis. Focusing on human life coram meipso does not mean committing the error of pride that Luther and his Augustinian brothers so feared. Instead, coupled with a robust understanding of interlocking systems of privilege and oppression, looking into ourselves illuminates multiple vocations for justice that we have in the world.
Utilization of Monolinolein as a Substrate for Conjugated Linoleic Acid Production by Bifidobacterium breve LMC 520 of Human Neonatal Origin

This study was designed to isolate bifidobacteria from human intestines that efficiently converts monolinolein, a monoglyceride form of linoleic acid, into conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), as well as to optimize culture conditions for improving CLA production during milk fermentation. Among 150 screened neonatal bifidobacteria, Bifidobacterium breve LMC 520 showed the highest CLA-producing ability and was tested with different types of fat substrates at various concentrations to determine the optimal conditions for CLA production. Monolinolein was tested as a substrate for CLA production. The incubation time optimized for CLA production was 24 h, and CLA production was proportionally increased with monolinolein concentration. The incubation of LMC 520 with commercial starter strains caused minimal reduction in CLA production. Our results demonstrate that the CLA-producing ability of B. breve LMC 520 could offer beneficial effects when utilized as a starter culture for the development of functional dairy products.
Unicortical PEEK inset locking fixation for metacarpal fractures: a biomechanical study

There are numerous constructs employed in the treatment of metacarpal fractures with varying degrees of success. While plate fixation commonly involves dorsal application of a bicortical non-locking plate, there has been recent exploration of other fixation options including unicortical locked plating. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical integrity of a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) inset locking plate and, in doing so, compare it to standard plate fixation (utilizing a clinically proven bicortical non-locking titanium plate) in a simulated porcine metacarpal fracture model. Reproducible mid-shaft fractures were created in porcine second metacarpals. The fractured specimens were reduced and plated with either a bicortical non-locking plate or a unicortical locking plate with a PEEK locking design. Constructs were then loaded to failure in the same fashion as performed to create the fracture. Peak load was measured as the apex on the load-to-failure deflection curve. Stiffness was calculated as the linear slope on the load-to-failure deflection curve. Data were analyzed via Student’s t test. Unicortical locking constructs failed at 344 ± 119 N, while bicortical non-locking constructs were found to fail at 277 ± 101 N (p = 0.19). The unicortical locking constructs demonstrated a stiffness of 80 ± 36 N/mm compared with the bicortical non-locking constructs (69 ± 36 N/mm) although again the difference was not found to be statistically different (p = 0.49). Based on this study, a locked plating construct using a polymer mechanism provides an interesting new locking fixation method for small bone fractures and with our limited number of specimens tested, provided at least a similar strength and rigidity profile in comparison with bicortical fixation in the treatment of metacarpal fractures.
The performance of desire: Gender and sexual negotiation in long-term marriages.

We integrate theoretical traditions on the social construction of gender, heterosexuality, and marriage with research and theory on emotion work to guide a qualitative investigation of how married people understand and experience sex in marriage. Results, based on 62 in-depth interviews, indicate that married men and women tend to believe that sex is integral to a good marriage and that men are more sexual than women. Moreover, husbands and wives commonly experience conflict around sex and undertake emotion work to manage their own and their spouse’s feelings about sex. We refer to this emotion work as “performing desire” and show how it is linked to gendered experiences in marriage and to competing cultural discourses around gender, heterosexuality, and marriage.
Administration of nicotinamide does not increase platelet levels in mice.

Abstract Elucidating ways to enhance megakaryopoiesis in vivo would have therapeutic applications for thrombocytopenia and transfusion medicine. Nicotinamide has been shown to enhance endomitosis in megakaryocytes cultured in vitro , suggesting that it may be beneficial for the production of platelets in culture. We hypothesized that regular injections of nicotinamide in mice would also increase platelets in vivo . However, we found that platelet counts were reduced by about 25% with daily injections of nicotinamide. Altering the schedule, duration, or nicotinamide dose did not improve platelet production. Consistent with lower platelet levels, nicotinamide also tended to decrease megakaryocyte frequency in sternum and spleen sections, as well as colony formation in vitro by bone marrow progenitor cells. However, there was no effect on the fraction or ploidy of CD41 + cells harvested from bone marrow. Together, our results suggest that, although nicotinamide increases polyploidization of megakaryocytes in culture, it does not have translatable effects in vivo .
Controlled smoking for chronic smokers: An extension and replication

Nine long-term cigarette smokers participated in a seven session controlled smoking program. Employing a multiple baseline across behaviors design, the program focused on making sequential reductions in nicotine content of the cigarette brand smoked, percent of each cigarette smoked and, finally, number of cigarettes smoked per day. Self-monitoring records indicated that subjects were successful in making reductions in each of the three target behaviors and that the timing of these changes closely followed the initiation of treatment for each specific behavior. The magnitude of change was greatest for nicotine content (49% reduction) and somewhat less for number of cigarettes (28% reduction) and amount smoked (24% reduction). Carbon monoxide levels were also reduced and these reductions, as well as the smoking behavior changes, were generally maintained at a 6-month follow-up. This study provides a systematic replication of an earlier study and illustrates the usefulness of single subject designs for studying cigarette smoking. It is concluded that controlled smoking can be achieved by chronic smokers without significant relapse or compensation for at least six months following treatment. Limitations of the study and directions for future research are also discussed.
Measures of reliability for profiles and test batteries.

A general index of reliability, termed “canonical reliability,” is developed for use with profiles, or more generally, for use with vectors of random variables. Canonical reliability is defined as the ratio of the average squared distance among true scores to the average squared distance among observed scores. Based on Mahalonobis distances, canonical reliability is shown to be consistent with multivariate analogues of parallel form correlations, squared correlation between true and observed scores, and an analysis of variance formulation. The index of reliability based on Cronbach and Gleser'sD 2 is also derived from the general formulation. A comparison of the Mahalonobis andD 2 approaches indicates that score vectors usingD 2 distances are more reliable; however, both methods of comparing profiles are useful depending on the nature of the information that is desired. Transforming the observed variables to independent canonical variates provides a basis for comparing profiles on maximally reliable profile dimensions. For illustrative purposes, profile reliability is calculated and interpreted for the WISC subscales for a 7 1/2 year age group.
Parametric module allocation on partial k-trees

The problem of allocating modules to processors in a distributed system to minimize total costs when the underlying communication graph is a partial k-tree and all costs are linear functions of a real parameter t is considered. It is shown that if the number of processors is fixed, the sequence of optimum assignments that are obtained as t varies from zero to infinity can be constructed in polynomial time. As an auxiliary result, a linear time separator algorithm for k-trees is developed. The implications of the results for parametric versions of the weighted vertex cover, independent set, and 0-1 quadratic programming problems on partial k-trees are discussed. >
Differential responses to feeding by the tomato/potato psyllid between two tomato cultivars and their implications in establishment of injury levels and potential of damaged plant recovery

An invasive new biotype of the tomato/potato psyllid (Bactericera (Paratrioza) cockerelli (Sulc.)) (Homoptera: Psyllidae) recently has caused losses exceeding 50% on fresh market tomatoes in western North America. Despite these extensive losses, little is known regarding the threshold levels at which populations must be suppressed in order to prevent economic losses. A series of experiments were therefore designed using combina- tions of two common tomato cultivars (QualiT 21 and Yellow Pear), five pest-densities (0, 20, 30, 40 and 50 nymphs/plant), and three feeding-duration (5 days, 10 days, and lifetime) treatments to test the relative importance of pest density, feeding period, and cumulative psyllid-days to establish economic threshold levels for psyllids. The cultivars differed considerably in their response to the toxin injected by the psyllid nymphs. 'Yellow Pear' plants could recover from feeding by up to 40 nymphs for as long as 10 d, whereas 'QualiT 21' plants were irreparably damaged by densities of 20 nymphs feeding for only 5 days. On 'Yellow Pear' , all plant measurements such as the number of yellow leaves and plant height were significantly better correlated with cumulative psyllid-days than with either pest density or feeding duration. On 'QualiT 21' , all plant measurements other than the number of yellow leaflets and leaves were significantly better correlated with pest density than with feeding duration or cumulative psyllid-days, and pest density was a better predictor of psyllid damage. Potential reasons for the variable responses between cultivars and the implications for psyllid sampling and integrated pest management are discussed.
Dependency of the spectral reflectance curves of the Munsell color chips

The spectral reflectance curves of 433 chips in the Munsell Book of Color have been found to depend on only three components which account for 99.18% of the variance. It is suggested that this three-component dependency may be a characteristic of all organic pigments, including those in the retina, and thus explain the trichromatic nature of color vision.
An Undocumented Review of the 1860 Leaves of Grass in the Liberator

Analyzes and reprints a review (by "T.V.") of the third edition of Leaves of Grass in William Lloyd Garrison's anti-slavery weekly, the Liberator, on September 7, 1860.
Realized volatility in the futures markets

Abstract Using intraday returns on four futures contracts over a 5-year period, we calculate and analyze model-free measures of futures return volatility. We focus on the temporal characteristics and distributional properties of daily returns, return volatilities, (log of) standard deviations, standardized returns and pairwise correlations. The behavior of a number of tests for Gaussianity under long memory is explored via a simulation study. The simulation results indicate that tests of the “goodness-of-fit” variety are appropriate to use while the commonly employed Jarque–Bera test is severely oversized and its use is not recommended. We find that the standard deviations and the pairwise correlations exhibit long memory while the standardized returns are serially uncorrelated. We also find that the (unconditional) distributions of daily returns' volatility are leptokurtic and highly skewed to the right while the distributions of the standardized returns, the standard deviations and the pairwise correlations are statistically indistinguishable from the Gaussian distribution. Our results are consistent with that of Andersen et al. [Journal of the American Statistical Association 96 (2001a) 42; Journal of Financial Economics 61 (2001c) 43] on the time-series properties of realized volatility. The dynamic characteristics of the volatility series are modelled using fractionally integrated ARMA models.
Morbidity and mortality after coronary artery bypass in octogenarians.

Abstract One hundred fifty seven consecutive octogenarians (mean age ± standard deviation, 82.4 ± 1.9 years) underwent coronary artery bypass grafting with hypothermia (mean temperature, 21.8 ° ± 1.8 °C), hyperkalemic cardioplegia, and cardiopulmonary bypass in a 9-year period. Sixty-six percent were male. Preoperatively, 115 patients (73%) were in New York Heart Association functional class IV, with the remainder being in either class III (23%) or class II (4%). Twenty percent of the patients had major complications including postoperative hemorrhage (15), sepsis (9), cerebrovascular accident (6), third-degree heart block (5), renal failure requiring dialysis (1), and pulmonary embolism (1). The 30-day or in-hospital mortality rate was 7.0%. Mean total hospital stay was 26.1 ± 17.9 days. One-year and 5-year actuarial survival rates were 85% and 62%, respectively. Higher mortality was seen to be associated with New York Heart Association class IV, left ventricular ejection fraction less than 0.40, and lesser values for cardiac output and cardiac index. At the 6-month postoperative follow-up, 73% of the survivors reported that their general health had improved as compared with before operation. This experience demonstrates that for select octogenarians with unmanageable angina pectoris, coronary artery bypass grafting is an effective therapeutic option.
Morphologic cerebral cortical asymmetry in male and female rats

Abstract Our results indicate that specific regions in the right cerebral cortex of the young adult male rat are thicker than the corresponding regions on the left. The differences attain statistical significance in areas 17, 18a, and 39. In contrast, in the young adult female, specific regions in the left cortex are uniformly thicker than the right, though the differences are not statistically significant. However, if the female is ovariectomized at birth, by young adulthood the right-left cortical pattern is similar to that of the male.
“Talk and social structure” and “studies of work”

This paper takes up the current discussion and disagreement among ethnomethodologists and conversation analysts concerning how conversation analysis should address questions of “social structure.” It also discusses the question of whether conversation analysis can address questions concerning the organisation of “work” as developed in the “studies of work” program of ethnomethodologists. Five different types of ethnomethodological and conversation analytic studies are delineated in order to show that, altough they differ in problem selection and formulation, methodological preference and foci, they are not incompatible but complementary.
Proteinases of human epidermis; a possible mechanism for polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotaxis

Three neutral proteinases (EC 3.4.--.--) and cathepsin D have been identified in human epidermis utilizing a highly sensitive radioactive method. The proteinases were extracted in 1.0 M KC1 and 0.1% Triton X-100 and separated by Sephadex G-75 chromatography. The neutral proteinase peaks were all inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate and thus were serine proteinases. Incubation of the enzyme fractions with [3H] diisopropyl fluorophosphate followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated that the two larger molecular weight proteinases were enzyme mixtures. The small molecular weight [3H] diisopropyl fluorophosphate proteinase migrated as a single band. Injection of the small molecular weight neutral proteinase into rabbit skin produced a polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration and edema. The reaction was not observed with the diisopropyl fluorophosphate-inhibited enzyme fraction. The release of neutral proteinases may be one of the signal events in the epidermal inflammatory response.
Does treated systemic hypertension affect progression of optic nerve damage in glaucoma suspects

Purpose: To evaluate whether treatment of systemic hypertension has an effect on progression of optic nerve parameters in glaucoma suspects using confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy. Methods: Two hundred eyes of 103 glaucoma suspect patients were included in this retrospective cohort study. Thirty one patients (of whom 59 eyes were included in the study) had systemic hypertension under treatment (based on medical history). The remaining 72 age-matched normotensive controls (of whom 141 eyes were included in the study) were not on blood-pressure-lowering medications. Each patient had a follow-up period of at least 4 years with a minimum of four Heidelberg retinal tomograph tests (one baseline and three follow-up scans). The slopes of progression of optic nerve head parameters with time were studied and compared between these two groups using mixed effects regression models. Results: Patients with systemic hypertension showed a statistically significant increase in cup area (slope 0.2, p = 0.03), cup-to-...
The role of NO synthases in arginine-dependent small intestinal and colonic carcinogenesis

Arginine is catabolized by NOS2 and other nitric oxide synthases to form nitric oxide. We evaluated the roles of dietary arginine and Nos2 in Apc-dependent intestinal tumorigenesis in Min mice with and without a functional Nos2 gene. NOS2 protein was expressed only in intestinal tissues of ApcMin/+Nos2+/+ mice. NOS3 expression was higher in intestinal tissues of mice lacking Nos2, mainly in the small intestine. When diet was supplemented with arginine (0.2% and 2% in drinking water), lack of Nos2 results in decreased tumorigenesis in both small intestine and colon. In Nos2 knockout mice, supplemental arginine (up to 2%) caused a decrease in small intestinal tumor number and size. The arginine-dependent decrease was associated with an increase in nitrotyrosine formation and apoptosis in the region of intestinal stem cells. Mice expressing Nos2 did not show these changes. These mice did, however, show an arginine-dependent increase in colon tumor number and incidence, while no effect on apoptosis was seen. These changes were associated with increased nitrotyrosine formation in epithelial cells. Mice lacking Nos2 did not show changes in tumorigenesis or nitrotyrosine formation, while demonstrating an arginine-dependent increase in apoptosis. These data suggest that Nos2 and dietary arginine have significant effects on intestinal and colonic tumorigenesis in Min mice. In both tissues, loss of Nos2 is associated with decreased tumorigenesis when mice are supplemented with dietary arginine. In the small intestine, Nos2 prevents the arginine-induced decrease in tumor number and size, which is associated with NOS3 expression and increased apoptosis. In the colon, Nos2 is required for the arginine-induced increase in tumor number and incidence. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
BM-03REVISED GRADED PROGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT FOR MELANOMA PATIENTS WITH BRAIN METASTASIS (MBM).

BACKGROUND: Melanoma is third most common cause of brain metastasis (MBM). We evaluated prognostic factors that predict overall survival (OS) in MBM treated at a single tertiary care institution in contemporary cohort. METHODS: With IRB approval, the Cleveland Clinic's database was used to identify MBM patients treated between 2000 and 2013. OS from the diagnosis of MBM was the primary end point. Cox proportional hazards models with stepwise variable selection were used for data analysis. RESULTS: 256 patients with median age of 55 (20-85) years were included for analysis. Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) was 100 in 17, 90 in 88, 80 in 64, ≤ 70 in 58 patients. Seventy four patients (30%) were treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), 60 (24%) with whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT), 37 (15%) with WBRT and SRS, 35 (14%) underwent surgery and WBRT, 21 (8%) surgery and SRS. Median OS was 5.7 months (95% C.I. 4.9-6.6 months). Genomic data was available for 73 patients; 34 had BRAF mutation and 39 were BRAF negative. Disease specific graded prognostic assessment (GPA) for MBM is based on KPS and age at diagnosis. Overall it was prognostic for OS (p <.0001) however separation between groups was variable. KPS, age at diagnosis of brain metastasis, gender, number of extra- cranial metastasis sites and number of BM were found to be independently prognostic for survival in our cohort. A revised GPA can be derived by assigning "points" (weights) to the levels within each of these five factors that are proportional to the regression coefficient estimates in the final model; and then adding the total number of points present. The new GPA has four groups' unfavorable, intermediate 1, intermediate 2 and favorable with OS of 1.5, 4.4, 6.6 and 11.5 months respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A revised graded prognostic assessment is proposed for MBM.
Stability of diltiazem in acid solution.

Abstract A brief study of the stability of diltiazem was conducted at 70 °C in the pH range of 0.45 to 6.1 using polarimetry. Racemization did not occur. The hydrolysis rate of the acetate ester moiety was found to be slow, with a minimum in the pH-rate catenary at ~ pH 3.5. Where reaction products are known, photoelectric polarimetry has great advantages in speed, convenience, and cost compared with chromatographic methods for measuring rates of reaction of optically active analytes.
Calcium absorption in very low birth weight infants with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Objective To evaluate the effects of early bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) on calcium (Ca) metabolism and growth in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Study design A dual-tracer, stable isotope method was used to assess Ca absorption in VLBW infants. Infants with early BPD received energy-dense feedings and mild fluid restriction. Results Sixteen of 41 preterm infants were classified as having early BPD. Fractional Ca absorption (early BPD, 58.4 ± 4.6% versus no early BPD, 50.3 ± 4.0%, P = .2), total Ca absorption (early BPD, 127 ± 14 mg/kg/d versus no early BPD, 104 ± 9 mg/kg/d, P = .9), and Ca retention (early BPD, 99.6 ± 10.0 mg/kg/d versus no early BPD, 91.0 ± 9.8 mg/kg/d, P = .2) were similar among groups. There was no significant difference in weight gain, linear growth, or head circumference growth between groups. Conclusions The ability of VLBW infants with early BPD and fluid restriction to grow and accrete calcium is similar to those without early BPD. The use of high caloric density feedings in VLBW infants with early BPD can help achieve bone and overall growth outcomes close to those achievable in utero.
Population characteristics of pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus (Forbes & Richardson, 1905), in the lower Platte River, Nebraska

Summary Pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus (Forbes & Richardson, 1905), have been studied intensively in recent years to understand a declining adult population that does not seem to be naturally reproducing; however, most of this effort has occurred in the main-stem Missouri and lower Mississippi rivers. Pallid sturgeon are known to occupy tributary streams intermittently, but the importance of tributaries for completion of essential life stages for pallid sturgeon remains unknown. Tributaries may provide uses for fish spawning and reproduction, nursery or refuge habitat, and areas for foraging. Therefore pallid sturgeon population characteristics were studied in the Platte River, Nebraska, a large tributary to the Missouri River. During 2009–2012 137 pallid sturgeon were captured. Pallid sturgeon were found throughout the lower 159 km of the Platte River throughout the entire year (March–November); however, pallid sturgeon were more abundant in the lower-most 52 km during 2009 and 2010. Capture locations were in comparatively deeper water along flow gradients between the thalweg and mid-channel sandbars. Most pallid sturgeon were of hatchery origin and dispersed an average of 197.5 km (±233 SD) from the original stocking location to the Platte River capture site. Although the direct reasons for are unknown, the lower Platte River may be providing habitat or resources that are not typically found in the channelized Missouri River. Continued research in the Platte River and other large tributaries may provide insight for recovery of endemic, large-river species. Persistence of large-river fishes may depend on population connectivity at multiple scales; identifying these connections is critical.
A model for open architecture mission control systems

A model is described which provides a theoretical underpinning open systems view of Mission Control. Various Facets of the open ecosystem approach are described as are their interactions. A hypothesis is put forward that Mission Control flexibility is best achieved not by vertically integrated systems but through a new model which tracks the IT industry’s evolution.
Improving and characterizing the performance of stochastic matched subspace detectors when using noisy estimated subspaces

We consider a stochastic matched subspace detection problem where the signal subspace is unknown and estimated by taking the eigenvalue decomposition of the sample covariance matrix of noisy signal-bearing training data. In moderate to low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regimes or in the setting where the number of samples is limited, subspace estimation errors affect the performance of matched subspace detectors. We use random matrix theory to derive an optimal matched subspace detector which accounts for these estimation errors and to analytically predict the associated ROC performance curves. What emerges from the analysis is the importance of using only the k eff ≤ k informative signal subspace components that can be reliably estimated from the noisy, limited data. Specifically, the ROC analysis shows that the performance of the optimal detector matches that of the plug-in detector that uses exactly k eff components. The analytical predictions are validated using numerical simulations.
Monoamine oxidase and homovanillic acid in boys with predispositions to substance abuse.

Both dopaminergic dysregulation and abnormalities in monoamine oxidase (MAO) have been postulated as etiological factors in substance abuse. This study assessed whether MAO activity differed in sons of substance-abusing fathers compared with sons of nonsubstance-abusing fathers. It also assessed the levels of homovanillic acid (HVA), the metabolite of dopamine, and MAO in a group of substance-using/-abusing boys compared with peers without this history In the same setting. Sixty-five boys admitted to a residential center were evaluated on blood tests for HVA and MAO, and on a series of diagnostic instruments and questionnaires designed to elicit information about parental substance abuse and about the subject's own substance use/abuse. The results indicated tentatively that younger (< 12.0 years) sons of substanceabusing fathers had higher levels of MAO than younger sons of nonsubstanceabusing fathers. Levels of MAO in older (12.0 years) sons of substance-abusing and nonsubstance-abusing fathers did not differ. Boys with histories of significant use/abuse of substances themselves had significantly higher MAO levels and significantly lower HVA levels than peers of the same age without substance use/abuse histories.
Abstract A69: aB-crystallin: A novel regulator of breast cancer metastasis to the brain

Brain metastases are a devastating complication of advanced breast cancer that result in disabling neurologic deficits and death within one year in the vast majority of patients. Triple-negative breast tumors, which lack expression of the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2, commonly metastasize to the brain. However, the genes regulating brain metastasis are poorly understood. The molecular chaperone aB-crystallin is frequently expressed in triple-negative breast cancer and has been reported to play important roles in cytoskeletal organization, cell migration and invasion. As such, we hypothesized that aB-crystallin promotes metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer. To test this hypothesis, we stably overexpressed aB-crystallin in triple-negative breast cancer cells with low endogenous expression of the protein and stably silenced aB-crystallin in triple-negative breast cancer cells with high endogenous levels. We examined the effects of altering aB-crystallin levels on adhesion to human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) and penetration of an in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In addition, orthotopic models of triple-negative breast cancer in which fluorescently labeled breast cancer cells metastasize from the mammary gland to the brain were utilized to evaluate the effects of aB-crystallin on primary and metastatic tumor burden in vivo. We observed that silencing aB-crystallin inhibited adhesion to HBMECs and penetration of an in vitro BBB model, while overexpression of aB-crystallin enhanced adhesion to HBMECs and penetration of the BBB in vitro. Consistent with these results, overexpression of aB-crystallin in triple-negative breast cancer cells increased brain metastasis in female NSG mice with transplanted mammary tumors, while silencing aB-crystallin inhibited brain metastasis. We also demonstrated that aB-crystallin enhanced adhesion to HBMECs by a b1 integrin-dependent mechanism. Taken together, our results point to a novel role of aB-crystallin in breast cancer brain metastasis and suggest that aB-crystallin may be a promising drug target for this rapidly fatal disease. Citation Format: Dmitry Malin, Elena Strekalova, Andrey Ugolkov, Vladimir Petrovic, Vincent Cryns. aB-crystallin: A novel regulator of breast cancer metastasis to the brain. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Invasion and Metastasis; Jan 20-23, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A69.
Value-balanced agglomerative connectivity clustering

In this paper we propose a new clustering framework for transactional data-sets involving large numbers of customers and products. Such transactional data pose particular issues such as very high dimensionality (greater than 10,000), and sparse categorical entries, that have been dealt with more effectively using a graph-based approach to clustering such as ROCK. But large transactional data raises certain other issues such as how to compare diverse products (e.g. milk vs. cars) cluster balancing and outlier removal, that need to be addressed. We first propose a new similarity measure that takes the value of the goods purchased into account, and form a value-based graph representation based on this similarity measure. A novel value-based balancing criterion that allows the user to control the balancing of clusters, is then defined. This balancing criterion is integrated with a value-based goodness measure for merging two clusters in an agglomerative clustering routine. Since graph-based clustering algorithms are very sensitive to outliers, we also propose a fast, effective and simple outlier detection and removal method based on under-clustering or over- partitioning. The performance of the proposed clustering framework is compared with leading graph-theoretic approaches such as ROCK and METIS.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Reciprocal transcriptional regulation of metabolic and signaling pathways correlates with disease severity in heart failure

Background—Systolic heart failure (HF) is a complex systemic syndrome that can result from a wide variety of clinical conditions and gene mutations. Despite phenotypic similarities, characterized b...