cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Editorial Comment: Symposium: 2013 Knee Society Proceedings.

This symposium includes more than 30 papers spanning a variety of issues related to the surgical management of the arthritic knee. The papers presented at the Annual Meetings of The Knee Society Symposium include selected manuscripts from the 2012 Knee Society Members Meeting in September 2012 and the 2013 Open Scientific Meeting of The Knee Society in March 2013. It is the intention of The Knee Society to provide readers with clinically valuable information that advances surgical practice or piques intellectual curiosity to guide further research endeavors. While each study investigates key questions in surgical management of the arthritic knee, I would like to highlight the three award-winning papers featured in our symposium. Minas and colleagues [1] were honored with The 2013 John Insall Award for their 10-year followup study of autologous chondrocyte implantation for full thickness articular cartilage defects in the knee. The authors are widely recognized as experts in this area, and it is with interest that we can now point to 10-year results with this technique. This technique appears to have an established role and with 10-year results now available we have a baseline against which to judge alternative treatments as we move forward. Tetreault and colleagues [2] received The 2013 Chitranjan Ranawat Award for their multicenter study that addressed a clinically useful question regarding the practice of withholding prophylactic antibiotics prior to revision hip and knee replacement. The rationale for such action has long been that the deep tissue cultures obtained at the time of surgery might prove falsely negative because of the intravenous antibiotics administered prior to the skin incision. These authors suggest that is not necessarily the case. Some surgeon judgment is still called for in this area as the data available do not allow definitive answers for all clinical situations. For instance, many intelligent surgeons might still choose to selectively withhold preoperative antibiotics in those revision cases where deep infection is strongly suspected based on clinical circumstances but where one or more preoperative joint aspirations fail to grow an organism. For the majority of straightforward aseptic revisions, however, it appears beneficial to administer prophylactic antibiotics prior to the skin incision. The 2013 Mark Coventry Award paper was another study that looked at the always-relevant issue of preventing infection in total knee arthroplasty. Young and colleagues [3] performed a randomized clinical trial to assess the utility of a novel method of delivering prophylactic antibiotics namely through a low-dose intraosseous modality. These authors were able to demonstrate higher concentrations of vancomycin with this protocol, raising the question as to whether this might be a more successful strategy for limiting deep prosthetic infection. I (Fig. 1) would like to thank the dedicated staff at CORR® for their work in navigating the authors through the review process. Fig. 1 Mark W. Pagnano MD
The Use of Water and Some Inorganic Salt-solutions To Advance Sugar-beet Seed .2. Experiments Under Controlled and Field Conditions

SUMMARY The effect of seed advancement on the early growth of sugar beet was determined in two experiments made under controlled conditions and eight field experiments made between 1974 and 1978. The experiments in the growth room suggested that seed advancement increased the rate of emergence and seedling dry weight over a wide range of soil moisture contents but seedling numbers were only greater under sub-optimal moisture conditions. Similarly, in most field experiments, seed advancement resulted in more rapid emergence and larger seedlings. In four field experiments, seed advancement gave up to 16% more plants, and in three experiments a significant increase in final sugar yield of up to 0–7 t h-1 was detected. The plants were hand-singled to a uniform stand and had the crops been drilled to a stand, some yield responses would have been larger. Seed advancement did not decrease the plant stand or final yield in any experiments. Results in 1977 and 1978 provided some evidence that seed advancement may help reduce the damage caused by field mice and the number of plants which bolt and, by making emergence more rapid, be particularly beneficial on soils prone to slumping or capping. There might, however, be a slightly increased risk of frost injury if advanced seed is used for early sowings.
3D Particle-in-Cell Modeling of the Saturn Post-Hole Convolute

Summary form only given. Most of the previous convolute simulations have used either short-circuit or Z-pinch loads. For Z-pinch loads the impedance starts as a short circuit and rises near the peak of the X-ray signal as the Z-pinch collapses causing a rapid change in the inductance. Electron-beam-diode loads are currently being developed for the Saturn machine located at Sandia National Laboratories. The impedance history for an electron beam diode is quite different than a Z-pinch. The impedance history of the diode can lead to dramatically higher flow currents in the magnetically insulated transmission lines (MITL's) and produce higher electron losses in the convolutes. These enhanced losses can cause plasmas to short out the convolutes leading to a substantial loss of usable power at the load. The diode impedance is initially very high during the time when electron and ion emission thresholds are being met and electrode plasmas are being formed. It is during this critical time when the voltage is high and the current is low that substantial losses can occur. In recent experiments, it was shown that a plasma-filled diode (PFD) substantially improved the power delivered to an electron beam diode load on Saturn. In a PFD, the diode impedance is initially a short circuit which then rises to a finite value as the current pulse redistributes the plasma. The impedance history of the PFD has many potential advantages over the vacuum diode. The early-time power-flow through the convolutes should improve with a PFD since the current is initially high and the voltage is low. The three-dimensional particle-in-cell code, LSP, is being used to study the effect of the load-impedance history on power-flow through the Saturn convolutes. Available simulation results will be discussed
Nanostructured Biosensor for Measuring Neuropathy Target Esterase Activity

Neuropathy target esterase (NTE) is a membrane protein found in human neurons and other cells, including lymphocytes. Binding of certain organophosphorus (OP) compounds to NTE is believed to cause OP-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN), a type of paralysis for which there is no effective treatment. Mutations in NTE have also been linked with serious neurological diseases, such as motor neuron disease. This paper describes development of the first nanostructured biosensor interface containing a catalytically active fragment of NTE known as NEST. The biosensor was fabricated using the layer-by-layer assembly approach, by immobilizing a layer of NEST on top of multilayers consisting of a polyelectrolyte (poly-l-lysine) and an enzyme (tyrosinase). The biosensor has a response time on the order of seconds and gives a concentration-dependent decrease in sensor output in response to a known NEST (and NTE) inhibitor. Potential applications of the biosensor include screening OP compounds for NTE inhibition and inve...
The effects of autonomic dysfunction and endurance training on cardiovascular control

The effects of autonomic dysfunction and regular activity on the cardiovascular system were investigated. The 48 participants included 12 subjects with tetraplegia, 12 subjects with paraplegia, 12 sedentary subjects, and 12 endurance-trained able-bodied controls. Central and peripheral autonomic data were obtained at rest to estimate efferent cardiac vagal output and sympathetic vasomotor control, and plasma norepinephrine concentration was determined as a marker of peripheral sympathetic activity. Cardiovascular parameters were obtained using a noninvasive cardiac output maneuver. The group with paraplegia did not differ from the sedentary group for efferent cardiac vagal output, but all other group comparisons were different (p<0.05). Sympathetic vasomotor control and stroke index were also similar between the paraplegia and sedentary groups, whereas both were increased in the endurance-trained group and were significantly reduced in the tetraplegia group. A strong relation between efferent cardiac vagal output and stroke index was established for the total group (r=0.78, p<0.01), and analysis of covariance determined that the slope of this relation was similar among the groups. Sympathetic vasomotor control correlated significantly with plasma norepinephrine (r=0.57, p<0.01), and a relation between sympathetic vasomotor control and stroke index was identified for the total group (r=0.40, p<0.01). These results suggest that vagal control of resting central cardiac function is maintained despite autonomic dysfunction. The comparable findings in the paraplegia and sedentary groups suggest that regardless of peripheral autonomic dysfunction, the absence of regular physical activity has a similar effect on the resting vagal modulation and stroke index.
Amino acid sequence of the basic subunit of Mojave toxin from the venom of the Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus s. scutulatus)

The complete sequence of the basis subunit of Mojave toxin from the venom of the Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus s. scutulatus) is presented. It is shown to have great similarity to the basic subunits of related toxins from the venoms of the South American and midget faded rattlesnakes.
Withaferin A suppresses tumor promoter 12‐O‐tetradecanoylphorbol 13‐acetate‐induced decreases in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 activity and mitochondrial function in skin epidermal JB6 cells

Withaferin A (WA) is a bioactive compound derived from Withania somnifera. The antitumor activity of WA has been well studied in human cancer models; however, its chemopreventive potential is unclear. In the present study, we used the skin epidermal JB6 P+ cells, a well-established model for tumor promotion, and demonstrated that WA suppressed the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced cell transformation and cell proliferation. Interestingly, TPA inactivated isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1), which was reversed by WA. Similar results were also observed in mouse skin tissue. Therefore, we focused on metabolism as the potential mechanism of action. We found that mitochondrial functions were downregulated by TPA treatment, as indicated by reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, complex I activity and mitochondrial respiration. However, all of these downregulations were inhibited by WA. In addition, we examined the levels of α-ketoglutarate, a product of IDH1, and WA blocked its reduction upon TPA treatment. Finally, we detected the lactate level as a glycolysis marker, and WA suppressed its elevation caused by tumor promoter treatment. Altogether, these results suggest that WA might exert its chemopreventive activity via inhibiting not only oncogenic activation, but also IDH1 inactivation and mitochondrial dysfunction in early tumorigenesis.
Repair of Nonmalignant Postlaryngectomy Pharyngotracheal Fistula

The repair of nonmalignant postlaryngectomy pharyngotracheal fistulae is not commonly encountered in medical literature. This rare complication can occur years after laryngectomy for cancer and reconstruction of a neopharynx, and is often associated with adjuvant radiation to the area, making the choice of method for surgical repair critical for success. Optimally, a pedicled myofascial flap from the pectoralis major muscle, from outside the field of radiation, is used to reinforce the repair of the fistula. We present 2 rare cases.
Particle gathering and microstreaming near ultrasonically activated gas-filled micropores.

Nonthermal bioeffects of ultrasound can be induced by the physical mechanisms of radiation force and acoustic microstreaming. In this study, microscopical observations of the influence of these mechanisms on small particles near ultrasonically activated gas‐filled micropores in thin plastic sheets were compared to approximate theoretical treatments of the particle behavior. The microstreaming flow was localized within a toroidal eddy around an active micropore, as indicated by isopycnic 1‐μm polystyrene spheres. The size of the flow pattern seemed to decrease slowly with increasing frequency in the range 0.7–3.5 MHz. Flow was radially inward along the surface, rather than outward as expected from the theory. All the particles tested, which included particles with density less than, equal to, or more than the medium, seemed to accumulate at the micropores. From the theory for the radiation force, the particles less dense than the medium were expected to be repulsed from the micropores. Therefore, the theories for these phenomena, at least to the level of approximation available, may not be completely adequate for the detailed analysis of these phenomena.
Tissue transglutaminase regulates chondrogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells on collagen type XI matrices

Tissue transglutaminase (tTG) is a multifunctional enzyme with a plethora of potential applications in regenerative medicine and tissue bioengineering. In this study, we examined the role of tTG as a regulator of chondrogenesis in human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) using nanofibrous scaffolds coated with collagen type XI. Transient treatment of collagen type XI films and 3D scaffolds with tTG results in enhanced attachment of MSC and supports rounded cell morphology compared to the untreated matrices or those incubated in the continuous presence of tTG. Accordingly, enhanced cell aggregation and augmented chondrogenic differentiation have been observed on the collagen type XI-coated poly-(L-lactide) nanofibrous scaffolds treated with tTG prior to cell seeding. These changes implicate that MSC chondrogenesis is enhanced by the tTG-mediated modifications of the collagen matrix. For example, exogenous tTG increases resistance to collagenolysis in collagen type XI matrices by catalyzing intermolecular cross-linking, detected by a shift in the denaturation temperature. In addition, tTG auto-crosslinks to collagen type XI as detected by western blot and immunofluorescent analysis. This study identifies tTG as a novel regulator of MSC chondrogenesis further contributing to the expanding use of these cells in cartilage bioengineering.
Fuzzy topologies with specified level properties

Abstract Recently the author and P. Wuyts have studied the problem of defining fuzzy topologies when one is given the family of α-closure operators or the family of level topologies. This paper is concerned with the relationship between these two problems. When the family of topologies is a chain with the LT-property, there is a natural family of closure operators that generates the Wuyts maximum, i.e., the largest fuzzy topology with the given level topologies. As a corollary, it is shown that the fuzzy neighborhood spaces are precisely the α-pseudo-regular spaces. In general, the relationship between the two problems is weak. For example, given an LT-family of topologies and an L-FTP family of semi-closure operators, there is a fuzzy topology associated with both if and only if the 0-level closure generates the 0-level topology and the α-closure of a set is always closed in the α-level topology. Lastly, it is shown that, when a function's domain has a Wuyts maximum as its topology, fuzzy continuity is equivalent to level continuity.
Pollen dispersal in a mountain area

Abstract Atmospheric pollen, phenologic and meteorologic data collected during 12 intervals throughout one year in Tauber traps at different elevations allowed conclusions on vertical pollen dispersal in a mountain/valley system in the Niederhorn, Switzerland. Thus, pollen spectra at higher elevations near the timberline cannot be explained by dispersal through upslope winds but through gradient winds, i.e., winds from the general prevailing direction. The gradient wind direction lying perpendicular to the slope in consideration resulted in high elevation pollen spectra representing a regional aspect whereas the lower elevation spectra more or less faithfully recorded the local vegetation. High pollen numbers occur only during the respective local pollen production period. Secondary high pollen numbers related to precipitation maxima amount to about 10%, exceptionally 20% of the total annual pollen of the respective taxon. Thus, the washout of the pollen filtered in the vegetation seems to be of minor imp...
The impact of social support: an analogue investigation of the aftermath of trauma exposure

Recent meta-analytic studies suggest that social support plays an important role in regulating the severity of post-traumatic adjustment; however, few studies have manipulated potential underlying mechanisms. This analogue study examined how various social reactions, following trauma exposure, influenced subsequent anxiety, affect, and intrusive thoughts. Ninety-three participants viewed a distressing videotape followed by a portrayal of positive, negative, or neutral social reactions. While negative reactions increased initial negative affect, neutral reactions increased later frequency and severity of intrusive thoughts. Based on this, it was suggested that "neutral" social reactions following trauma exposure may have the potential for being highly invalidating and in some circumstances may actually have more negative later effects than overtly negative ones.
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Of Optical Surfaces

We have imaged diamond turned gold surfaces and a gold coated silicon surface with the STM. In order to determine the reproducibility of the topographic information obtained with the STM, we imaged the same diamond turned gold surface with different tips. Both mechanically formed and electrochemically etched tips were used. Surface images observed with the STM varied from tip to tip for both methods of preparation. The use of the STM to image optical surfaces hinges on the ability to manufacture stable and reproducible tips.
Paraquat elicited neurobehavioral syndrome caused by dopaminergic neuron loss.

The herbicide paraquat, bearing structural similarity to the known dopaminergic neurotoxicant MPTP, has been suggested as a potential etiologic factor in Parkinson's disease. Consideration of paraquat as a candidate neurotoxicant requires demonstration that systemic delivery produces substantia nigra dopaminergic neuron loss and the attendant neurobehavioral syndrome reflecting depletion of dopamine terminals within the striatum. To address these issues paraquat was administered systemically into adult C57 bl/6 mice, ambulatory behavior monitored, substantia nigra dopamine neuron number and striatal dopamine terminal density quantified. The data indicate that paraquat like MPTP elicits a dose-dependent decrease in substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons assessed by a Fluoro-gold prelabeling method, a decline in striatal dopamine nerve terminal density assessed by measurement of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity; and neurobehavioral syndrome characterized by reduced ambulatory activity. Taken together, these data suggest that systemically absorbed paraquat crosses the blood-brain barrier to cause destruction of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, consequent reduction of dopaminergic innervation of the striatum and a neurobehavioral syndrome similar to the well characterized and bona fide dopaminergic toxin MPTP.
Natural Infection of a Homozygous Δ24 CCR5 Red-capped Mangabey with an R2b-Tropic Simian Immunodeficiency Virus

A homozygous 24-bp deletion (Δ24) was found in the CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) of 11 out of 15 red-capped mangabeys (RCMs), Cercocebus torquatus torquatus, both in Africa and in an American zoo. The CCR5 Δ24 defect encompassed eight amino acids in frame in the fourth transmembrane region. Unexpectedly, RCM-009, one of 11 homozygotes (Δ24CCR5/ Δ24CCR5), was found to be naturally infected with a divergent simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) strain, which was not R5-tropic, but used CCR2b (R2b) as its major coreceptor. SIVrcmGab1 was the only R2b-tropic SIV among other divergent SIVs tested. Cells transfected with the Δ24 CCR5 did not support entry of R5-tropic SIVmac, SIVcpz, SIVmne, HIV-2, or HIV-1, and were also inactive in signal transduction mediated by β-chemokines. At 86.6%, the Δ24 allelic frequency was significantly higher than that of the 32-bp deletion found in humans. The Δ24 frequency was 4.1% in 34 sooty mangabeys (SMs), a geographically isolated subspecies that was naturally infected with R5-tropic SIV. Finding identical deletions in two mangabey subspecies separated for 10,000 years or more dates the Δ24 CCR5 deletion as ancient. However, the source of the selective pressure for the high rate of CCR5 deletion in RCMs remains to be determined. The high allelic frequency of the Δ24 CCR5 in RCMs, in comparison to that of SMs, suggests that R2b-tropism may have been acquired by SIVrcm, as an adaptation to CCR5 genetic defects appeared in its host.
Gender-specific association of ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 (ABCA1) polymorphisms with the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder caused by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Increasing evidence highlights a potential role for cholesterol in the pathophysiology of AD. The ABCA1 gene, located in close vicinity to the 9q linkage peaks identified by genome-wide AD linkage studies, plays an important role in cellular cholesterol efflux, and is likely a good candidate gene. However, results from published genetic association studies between ABCA1 and AD are ambiguous. In the present study, we examined the role of two ABCA1 polymorphisms, R219K (rs2230806) and G-17C (rs2740483) in modifying the risk of late-onset AD (LOAD) in a large American white cohort of 992 AD cases and 699 controls. We observed significant gender × R219K interaction ( p = 0.00008). Female carriers of the 219 K allele showed a 1.75-fold increased risk of developing AD compared to non- 219K carrier females (95% CI 1.34–2.29; p = 0.00004). The overall two-site haplotype distribution was also significant between female AD cases and controls ( p = 0.017). The risk associated with the R219K polymorphism was independent of the recently reported significant association in the ubiquilin (UBQLN1) gene in this region on chromosome 9q. Our data suggest a gender-specific and APOE and UBQLN1 independent association between the ABCA1/R219K polymorphism and LOAD.
Organ cultures of human fallopian tubes for the propagation of viruses.

Attempts were made to grow certain viruses in organ cultures of Fallopian tube. Influenza A2 and B, parainfluenza type 2, rhinovirus type 2, ECHO virus type 11 and adenovirus type 7 were observed to multiply, but poliovirus type 1, a human “coronavirus” and rhinovirus type 3 did not.
Slow hydrogen atom transfer reactions of oxo- and hydroxo-vanadium compounds: the importance of intrinsic barriers.

Article on slow hydrogen atom transfer reactions of oxo- and hydroxo-vanadium compounds and the importance of intrinsic barriers.
Challenge of bioassay plants in a monitored outdoor environment

Des plantes en pot placees dans un champ peuvent reveler des episodes propices et non-propices au developpement de maladies dans un environnement changeant. Les modeles d'infection et autres composantes d'une maladie ayant ete obtenus dans des enceintes climatisees peuvent etre valides avec cette methode d'essai biologique. En 1992, des plantes saines de ble (Triticum aestivum) furent placees dans un champ de ble a 32 reprises pour des periodes de 24 heures et ensuite soumises a une periode humide de 24 heures ou retournees directement en chambre de croissance. Les agents pathogenes les plus communement retrouves furent le Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, le Phaeosphaeria nodorum et le Cochliobolus sativus. Parmi les trois, le Pyrenophora tritici-repentis a cause le plus grand nombre de lesions tout en demontrant la plus grande efficacite d'infection. On a determine une correlation positive entre les agents pathogenes et la quantite d'infections, mais les correlations de la tache aureolee et de la bipolariose avec la moucheture furent plus faibles quand une periode humide etait ajoutee. Les donnees du temps furent enregistrees pour voir s'il y avait des correlations avec la periode d'infection. On a trouve qu'une periode minimale de 6 a 7 heures d'humectation des feuilles est necessaire pour qu'il y ait infection avec le P. tritici-repentis, ce qui confirme les resultats obtenus a temperatures constantes. Les periodes d'infection peuvent aussi etre associees a des variables non-conventionnelles comme la direction du vent, indicateur des associations environnementales qui peuvent etre revelees par cette technique d'essai biologique. Les presentes techniques d'analyses se revelent tres prometteuses pour aider a comprendre et predire les epiphyties.
Acoustic Control of Thermoacoustic Instabilities Using Experimental Model-Based Controllers

This paper presents an implementation of active control of thermoacoustic instabilities for a swirl- stabilized spray combustor. Loudspeakers located upstream of the burner were used as control actuators in the closed-loop system. Experimental models of the combustor dynamics were developed using a non-parametric identification method. Several controllers were obtained based on optimal control strategies. These controllers were simulated and tested in the experimental setup showing good agreement. Phase-delay control was used as a baseline method to compare the performance of these different controllers. The advantages of the model-based controllers over the baseline strategy are clearly presented.Copyright © 2001 by ASME
Effects of an extract from the sea squirt ecteinascidia turbinata on dna synthesis and excision repair in human fibroblasts

An aqueous ethanol extract from the marine tunicate species Ecteinascidia turbinata was studied to determine its effect on semiconservative DNA synthesis in human skin fibroblast cultures as measured by [3H] thymidine uptake in acid-insoluble cell fractions. In addition, the effect of this extract on DNA excision repair in ultraviolet light (254 nm) irradiated fibroblasts was measured by the bromodeoxyuridine photolysis assay, thymine dimer chromatography, and DNA single-strand break analysis on alkaline sucrose gradients. An extract concentration of 0.5 mg/ml resulted in 91 and 98% reductions in cell growth and DNA synthesis, respectively, after 20 hr. An extract concentration of 3.0 mg/ml resulted in a 44% reduction in excision repair in ultraviolet-irradiated cells over a 6 hr repair period; this was reduced to 26% after 24 hr of repair, and to 15% after 48 hr. Repair inhibition was accompanied by an accumulation of single-strand DNA breaks which was enhanced by the addition of 2 mM hydroxyurea. These results are discussed with respect to a mechanism of action of the marine tunicate extract at the level of DNA polymerases and are contrasted with previously studied inhibitory mechanisms of arabinofuranosyl nucleosides.
A CONTINUOUS ANALOGUE OF SPERNER'S THEOREM

One of the best-known results of extremal combinatorics is Sperner’s theorem, which asserts that the maximum size of an antichain of subsets of an -element set equals the binomial coefficient , that is, the maximum of the binomial coefficients. In the last twenty years, Sperner’s theorem has been generalized to wide classes of partially ordered sets. It is the purpose of the present paper to propose yet another generalization that strikes in a different direction. We consider the lattice of linear subspaces (through the origin) of the vector space . Because this lattice is infinite, the usual methods of extremal set theory do not apply to it. It turns out, however, that the set of elements of rank of the lattice , that is, the set of all subspaces of dimension of , or Grassmannian, possesses an invariant measure that is unique up to a multiplicative constant. Can this multiplicative constant be chosen in such a way that an analogue of Sperner’s theorem holds for , with measures on Grassmannians replacing binomial coefficients? We show that there is a way of choosing such constants for each level of the lattice that is natural and unique in the sense defined below and for which an analogue of Sperner’s theorem can be proven. The methods of the present note indicate that other results of extremal set theory may be generalized to the lattice by similar reasoning. c 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Random laser thresholds in pulsed and cw regimes

We show that the threshold pumping density measured in random lasers at the appearance of the first giant spike of stimulated emission can be much different from that calculated in cw regime.
On the fourth-order anharmonic equation of state of solids

Abstract The non-uniqueness of the definition of finite ‘strain’ is demonstrated to lead to significant ambiguities in the equation of state of elastic solids. The ambiguities are resolved by the rigorous derivation (due to Leibfried and Ludwig) of the Mie-Gruneisen equation. Closed expressions for φ0(V) and γ(V) are presented which contain no assumptions additional to those already present in the simple M-G equation. Numerical equations of state for NaCl and MgO are presented which satisfy all ultrasonic and shock-compression data. Comparison with previous tabulations for NaCI reveals small but significant discrepancies.
Effect of Carbopol and polyvinylpyrrolidone on the mechanical, rheological, and release properties of bioadhesive polyethylene glycol gels.

This study examined the mechanical (hardness, compressibility, adhesiveness, and cohesiveness) and rheological (zero-rate viscosity and thixotropy) properties of polyethylene glycol (PEG) gels that contain different ratios of Carbopol 934P (CP) and polyvinylpyrrolidone K90 (PVP). Mechanical properties were examined using a texture analyzer (TA-XT2), and rheological properties were examined using a rheometer (Rheomat 115A). In addition, lidocaine release from gels was evaluated using a release apparatus simulating the buccal condition. The results indicated that an increase in CP concentration significantly increased gel compressibility, hardness, and adhesiveness, factors that affect ease of gel removal from container, ease of gel application onto mucosal membrane, and gel bioadhesion. However, CP concentration was negatively correlated with gel cohesiveness, a factor representing structural reformation. In contrast, PVP concentration as negatively correlated with gel hardness and compressibility, but positively correlated with gel cohesiveness. All PEG gels exhibited pseudoplastic flow with thixotropy, indicating a general loss of consistency with increased shearing stress. Drug release T50% was affected by the flow rate of the simulated saliva solution. A reduction in the flow rate caused a slower drug release and hence a higher T50% value. In addition, drug release was significantly reduced as the concentrations of CP and PVP increased because of the increase in zero-rate viscosity of the gels. Response surfaces and contour plots of the dependent variables further substantiated that various combinations of CP and PVP in the PEG gels offered a wide range of mechanical, rheological, and drug-release characteristics. A combination of CP and PVP with complementary physical properties resulted in a prolonged buccal drug delivery.
A bridging ethyl complex of aluminium

Treatment of triethylaluminium (2 equiv.) with diphenylpyrazole (1 equiv) affords a pyrazolate-bridged dialuminium complex that contains a bridging ethyl group between the two aluminium centers; this complex has been structurally characterized and its reactivity and properties are described.
Gain of 1q Is a Potential Univariate Negative Prognostic Marker for Survival in Medulloblastoma

Purpose: Tumor risk stratification during diagnosis is paramount for children with medulloblastomas, primarily because very young patients ( Experimental Design: Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) was used to identify chromosomal copy number abnormalities in a cohort of 49 medulloblastoma tumors. Based on the karyotypes generated from aCGH analysis, each tumor was scored for copy number abnormalities, and the log-rank test was used to evaluate whether any cytogenetic events were associated with survival. Results: A single copy gain of 1q was shown to be a negative prognostic marker for survival in medulloblastomas with high statistical significance ( P Conclusion: A gain of 1q provides a potential means of predicting overall survival in medulloblastoma.
Complex, Performance-Based Assessment: Expectations and Validation Criteria

In recent years there has been an increasing emphasis on assessment results, as well as increasing concern about the nature of the most widely used forms of student assessment and uses that are made of the results. These conflicting forces have helped create a burgeoning interest in alternative forms of assessments, particularly complex, performance-based assessments. It is argued that there is a need to rethink the criteria by which the quality of educational assessments are judged, and a set of criteria that are sensitive to some of the expectations for performance-based assessments is proposed.
Eigenstates of the (sp) 3P Multiplet for Two‐Electron Atoms and Phonon‐Induced Optical Transitions

Eigenfunctions of L2, S2, J2, and Jz have been obtained for the (sp) 3P multiplet. Matrix elements of the linear electron-lattice interaction show how only Γ12 and Γ′25phonons relax selection rules to permit electric dipole transitions to 3P0 and 3P2 states. It is suggested that the 3P0 state may play a significant role in both absorption and emission processes for mercury-like impurities in alkali halides. Die Eigenfunktionen von L2, S2, J2 und Jz fur das (sp) 3P-Multiplett fur Zwei-Elektron-Atome werden berechnet. Die Matrixelemente der linearen Elektron–Gitter-Wechselwirkung zeigen, das nur Γ12- und Γ′25-Phononen zur Aufhebung von Auswahlregeln bei tragen, wodurch Dipolubergange zu 3P0- und 3P2-Zustanden ermoglicht werden. Es wird vorgeschlagen, das der 3P0-Zustand eine wichtige Rolle in Absorptions- und Emissionsprozessen fur Hg-ahnliche Storionen in Alkalihalogeniden spielen konnte.
Strategic Materials Selection In The Automobile Body: Economic Opportunities for Polymer Composite Design

Previous studies on materials choice in automotive bodies have looked at both composite and aluminum alternatives, but have always found steel to be the most cost-effective option at the production volumes found in the overwhelming majority of vehicle models. This study finds composites to have significant economic potential when considering emerging advances in the polymer composite body-in-white design against the mild-grade steel body currently on the road. With the significant implications of a polymer composite body for vehicle light-weighting and thereby improved fuel efficiency, these results come at a time when they are particularly pertinent. The results presented in this paper are based on a consortium-developed, 25-part unibody design not available to previous studies. Also presented for the first time are data on competing alternatives in fiber composite component assembly and implications of platform sharing across vehicle models. Finally, developments in process-based cost modeling capabilities are presented for (a) fiber-reinforced composite component production, (b) component assembly, and (c) design implications of glass versus carbon reinforcement. 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Intermountain Presettlement Juniper: Distribution, Abundance, and Influence on Postsettlement Expansion

Abstract Successful implementation of watershed restoration projects involving control of pinon and juniper requires understanding the spatial extent and role presettlement trees (> 140 yr) play in the ecology of Intermountain West landscapes. This study evaluated the extent, abundance, and spatial pattern of presettlement western juniper ( Juniperus occidentalis Hook.) in four woodlands located in southeast Oregon and southwest Idaho. The potential for modeling presence/absence of presettlement juniper using site characteristics was tested with logistic regression and the influence presettlement trees had on postsettlement woodland (trees t -test. Pre- and postsettlement tree densities, tree ages, site characteristics, and understory vegetation were measured along four 14–27 km transects. Presettlement juniper occurred in 16%–67% of stands in the four woodlands and accounted for 1%–10% of the population of trees > 1 m tall. Presettlement trees were generally widely scattered and more common in lower elevation stands with greater surface rock cover and higher insolate exposure. Presettlement trees sparsely occupied productive sites on deeper soils in southwest Idaho, suggesting the area had sustained a different disturbance regime than southeast Oregon. Southwest Idaho might have experienced a high frequency of lower severity fire that afforded survival to widely distributed legacy trees. This supposition is in contrast to most reports of a disturbance regime including either stand replacement or frequent fire of sufficient intensity to preclude survival of trees to maturity. Stands sustaining presettlement trees initiated woodland expansion 24 yr earlier than stands lacking presettlement trees. Presettlement trees may serve as a seed source potentially reducing the longevity of juniper control treatments. For areas with greater abundances and spatial distribution of presettlement trees such as southwest Idaho, management maintaining low intensity fire or cutting treatments at frequencies of less than 50 yr should sustain relatively open stands.
Identification of nuclear factors that enhance binding of the thyroid hormone receptor to a thyroid hormone response element.

Using a gel shift assay, we analyzed the binding of in vitro translated α- and β-thyroid hormone (T3) receptors to a T3-response element (TRE) derived from the rat GH gene. No receptor-TRE complexes were observed when translated receptor alone was incubated with the TRE. However, addition of a nuclear extract from liver to the translational products resulted in the formation of two receptor-DNA complexes for both the α- and β-receptors. These complexes were shown to contain translated receptor by comigration of 32P-labeled TRE and 35S-labeled receptor in the gel shift assay. A competition experiment demonstrated that formation of the complexes was sequence specific. Preincubation of the liver nuclear extract at 60 C abolished formation of both complexes indicating that receptor-TRE binding required a heat-labile nuclear factor. Phosphocellulose chromatography of the nuclear extract resulted in separation of the activities required for formation of the two complexes. Analysis of nuclear extracts from diffe...
Treatment of murine pulmonary blastomycosis with SCH 51048, a broad-spectrum triazole antifungal agent.

The in vitro and in vivo activities of a new broad-spectrum triazole derivative, SCH 51048, against Blastomycesdermatitidiswereevaluated.AsdeterminedbyusingthenewNationalCommitteeforClinicalLaboratory Standards proposed standard for susceptibility testing of yeasts, SCH 51048 was the most active of the four agentstestedinvitroagainst13strainsofB.dermatitidis.Inawell-describedmurinemodelofacutepulmonary blastomycosis, SCH 51048 was comparable to amphotericin B and at least 30 times more active than itraconazole. On the basis of these experiments, clinical evaluation of SCH 51048 for the use in treatment of human blastomycosis should proceed.
Narcissistic Self‐Sorting in Self‐Assembled Cages of Rare Earth Metals and Rigid Ligands

Highly selective, narcissistic self-sorting can be achieved in the formation of self-assembled cages of rare earth metals with multianionic salicylhydrazone ligands. The assembly process is highly sensitive to the length of the ligand and the coordination geometry. Most surprisingly, high-fidelity sorting is possible between ligands of identical coordination angle and geometry, differing only in a single functional group on the ligand core, which is not involved in the coordination. Supramolecular effects allow discrimination between pendant functions as similar as carbonyl or methylene groups in a complex assembly process.
International collaboration: a concept model to engage nursing leaders and promote global nursing education partnerships

Summary This article describes a newly developed, internationally focused concept model, Engaging tomorrow’s international nursing leaders (ETINL). The primary tenets of the ETINL model encourage advocacy, activism, and professional accountability in preparing nursing leadership. The article presents the foundation and application of the ETINL model in providing an on-going forum for student and faculty exploration of global nursing issues. The concept model has been applied in a collaborative partnership between a United States school of nursing and two United Kingdom schools of nursing to create a leadership development course ’blending web-based learning and mentored experiential travel. This pilot project illustrates the ways alliances between international schools of nursing build nursing leaders who can facilitate global health outcomes. c 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Rift Valley Fever Virus Vaccine Lacking the NSs and NSm Genes Is Safe, Nonteratogenic, and Confers Protection from Viremia, Pyrexia, and Abortion following Challenge in Adult and Pregnant Sheep

ABSTRACT Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-borne human and veterinary pathogen causing large outbreaks of severe disease throughout Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Safe and effective vaccines are critically needed, especially those that can be used in a targeted one-health approach to prevent both livestock and human disease. We report here on the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of the ΔNSs-ΔNSm recombinant RVFV (rRVFV) vaccine (which lacks the NSs and NSm virulence factors) in a total of 41 sheep, including 29 timed-pregnant ewes. This vaccine was proven safe and immunogenic for adult animals at doses ranging from 1.0 × 103 to 1.0 × 105 PFU administered subcutaneously (s.c.). Pregnant animals were vaccinated with 1.0 × 104 PFU s.c. at day 42 of gestation, when fetal sensitivity to RVFV vaccine-induced teratogenesis is highest. No febrile reactions, clinical illness, or pregnancy loss was observed following vaccination. Vaccination resulted in a rapid increase in anti-RVFV IgM (day 4) and IgG (day 7) titers. No seroconversion occurred in cohoused control animals. A subset of 20 ewes progressed to full-term delivery after vaccination. All lambs were born without musculoskeletal, neurological, or histological birth defects. Vaccine efficacy was assessed in 9 pregnant animals challenged at day 122 of gestation with virulent RVFV (1.0 × 106 PFU intravenously). Following challenge, 100% (9/9) of the animals were protected, progressed to full term, and delivered healthy lambs. As expected, all 3 sham-vaccinated controls experienced viremia, fetal death, and abortion postchallenge. These results demonstrate that the ΔNSs-ΔNSm rRVFV vaccine is safe and nonteratogenic and confers high-level protection in sheep.
Effect of dietary magnesium on voluntary feed intake and rumen fermentations.

Abstract In experiments with intact and ruminal fistulated sheep, the influence of magnesium on voluntary feed intake and physiological functions of the rumen was studied. In addition, rumen fluid from a normally fed steer was serially diluted to determine the effect of supplemental magnesium on in vitro cellulose fermentation. Intact sheep fed diets essentially devoid of magnesium reduced voluntary intake to 32% of controls after receiving the diet for four days. When magnesium was added, the minimum dietary requirement of magnesium, as magnesium oxide, to restore normal intake was between 8 and 10 mg/kg body weight daily. In ruminal fistulated sheep, there was a close correlation between voluntary feed intake and cellulose digestion both in vitro and in vivo. The concentration of acetic and propionic acid in rumen fluid was reduced and ruminal pH increased when feed intake decreased. Rumen microflora from a steer receiving adequate magnesium gave a positive response to magnesium as measured by cellulose digestion after a series of dilutions and fermentations.
Measurement of rotational line strengths in HCl by asymmetric Fourier transform techniques.

The strengths of the first thirteen rotational lines of HCl have been measured by asymmetric Fourier transform techniques. From these strengths, the dipole moment is determined to be 1.134 ± 0.015 D. This value is substantially greater than the value determined from rf polarization measurements. A number of possible sources of systematic error in the interferometer are considered in an attempt to resolve this discrepancy.
Skeletal Muscle Function Deficit: A New Terminology to Embrace the Evolving Concepts of Sarcopenia and Age-Related Muscle Dysfunction

BACKGROUND Concerns remain as to the best terminology to embrace sarcopenia's evolving conceptualization. Many of these concerns stem from the fact that age-related decrements in muscle performance associated with physical impairment are only partially explained by decreases in muscle mass and that other pathophysiologic factors contribute to age-related impairments in muscle performance. METHODS Review of literature on the evolving conceptualization of sarcopenia since its early definition in 1989 and concerns with terminology. RESULTS Early definitions of sarcopenia were based solely on muscle mass in relationship to the range of muscle within a reference population. Subsequent definitions added performance criteria to muscle mass alone. The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Sarcopenia Project identified criteria for clinically relevant low muscle strength (weakness) and low lean mass. Progress on the sarcopenia's evolving definitions has not been accompanied by recommendations on specific terminologies that address the lack of sufficient specificity from the use of an anatomic term to define a functional condition with numerous now known nonanatomic contributory factors. Skeletal Muscle Function Deficit is a broader construct that accommodates a set of diagnoses that includes both sarcopenia and other age-related muscle dysfunctions. CONCLUSIONS Skeletal Muscle Function Deficit is proposed as a new terminology to embrace the evolving conceptualization of sarcopenia and other age-related muscle dysfunctions. It comprises a variety of contributory etiologies and has the potential to provide a framework for developing diagnostic categories that are useful for both clinical practice and research.