cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling the effects of estradiol and progesterone on the acute phase proinflammatory axis: variability in tumor necrosis factor-α, nitric oxide, and xanthine oxidase responses to endotoxin challenge in steers.

Abstract The severity of host response in some diseases differs between sexes, and this dimorphism has been attributed to the immunomodulating effects of reproductive steroid hormones. In females, susceptibility to disease stress has been associated with reproductive status and attributed to prevailing progesterone (P4) or estrogen concentrations during different estrous cycle phases. Our objective was to clarify and define the effect of P4 or 17β-estradiol (E2) on the acute proinflammatory component of the innate immune system by administering these hormones to steers and evaluating initial and tolerance-associated concentration patterns of circulating proinflammatory immune response mediators after two consecutive lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenges (LPS1 and LPS2, 6 d apart; 2.5 μg/kg BW, intravenously, Escherichia coli 055:B5). Plasma concentrations of the proinflammatory initiation cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), nitrate+nitrite [NO x , estimate of nitric oxide (NO) production], haptoglobin (HG; acute phase protein) and plasma xanthine oxidase activity (mediator of superoxide production) were measured. Crossbred steers (392 ± 7 kg) were fed a forage-concentrate diet (15% CP) to appetite and assigned to control (C; n=7), P4 (n = 8), or E2 (n = 5) treatment. Jugular blood samples were obtained at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 24 h relative to each of the two LPS injections. For each proinflammatory biomarker, the area under the time by concentration curve (AUC) was used to evaluate and compare responses to the LPS challenge. Treatment with E2 disrupted LPS tolerance as observed in augmented plasma TNF-α ( P x ( P x AUC after LPS2 ( P P = 0.08). Plasma xanthine oxidase activity AUC was increased ( P P
PFPE Modified Silicon Nano-Textured Surfaces for Adhesion and Friction Reduction

This paper reports a new technique of producing hydrophobic surfaces with WCA as high as 147°. This technique consists of first generating nano-textures on a silicon surface via aluminum-induced crystallization (AIC) of amorphous silicon (a-Si) and then applying perfluoropolyether (PFPE) on the nano-textured surface (NTS). The resulting PFPE-modified NTS showed significant improvement on both surface hydrophobicity and tribological performances compared to a PFPE-modified smooth silicon surface.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
LPM‐N: A Lumped Parameter Model for Nitrogen Leaching in Agricultural Lands

This paper documents a lumped parameter model for the assessment of nitrogen leaching under agricultural lands. The model considers nitrogen transformation processes, climate data, and multiple irrigation and fertilizer applications. The model is efficient due to its analytical nature and the limited data requirements. The documentation introduces a PC-Windows interface module that simplifies the preparation of input data and the presentation of results. It also presents an example application of the model that compares simulated to measured nitrate values. The model is suitable for managing fertilizer applications, and for estimating leachate concentrations reaching ground water aquifers.
The Challenge of Problem Residents

Internal medicine residency training is demanding and residents can experience a wide variety of professional and personal difficulties. Residency programs everywhere have had and will continue to have problem residents. Training programs should be equipped to effectively identify and manage residents who experience problems. Previous articles that have been published on the topic of problem residents primarily addressed concerns such as impairment due to depression and substance abuse. The content of this article is derived from a comprehensive review of the literature as well as other data sources such as interviews with program directors and workshops at national professional meetings. This article focuses primarily on four issues related to problem residents: their identification, underlying causes, management, and prevention. The study attempts to be evidence-based, wherever possible, highlighting what is known. Recommendations based on the synthesis of the data are also made. Future ongoing studies of problem residents will improve our understanding of the matters involved, and may ultimately lead to improved outcomes for these trainees.
Outcome of surgically treated mucous cysts of the hand

The results of a surgical procedure for the treatment of mucous cysts of the hand are described. One hundred ninety-one mucous cysts from 178 patients were treated from 1973 to 1992. The average age of the study population was 57 years. The long finger was most frequently involved. There were only two recurrences and two postoperative infections. Both patients with recurrences presented more than 40 months after surgery. Sixty-four of the cysts had been previously treated elsewhere. The most common postoperative complaint was tenderness of the joint. Associated nail deformities were corrected in 40 of 46 cases.
Nitric oxide variations in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere during the November 1993 storm period

The variability of nitric oxide has not been fully quantified. Particle precipitation is known to enhance nitric oxide; however, a detailed understanding of this process is lacking, and its importance has not been quantified. In this paper, we present nitric oxide measurements between 80 and 200 km altitudes from the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) on UARS during the November 1993 space weather special study period, near solar minimum conditions. The nitric oxide mass mixing ratio routinely varies by 3 orders of magnitude above 80 km altitudes. The variation of NO with magnetic activity is discussed, using two measures of magnetic activity level. The first is the well-known Kp index, and the second is derived from the particle environment monitor (PEM) on UARS. The Kp index varied between 0 and 7 during the study period. A detailed comparison of NO enhancements with ionization rates derived from the PEM data indicates that the particle precipitation can account for much of the NO. In the context of the November 1993 storm period, this study is interesting because it emphasizes the potential importance of space weather for the entire atmosphere and not only regions above 100 km altitude.
A study of naturally occurring hydrOcarbons in the gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean

The Department of Oceanography at Texas A&M University has been engaged, for the last 4 years, in a project to study hydrocarbon seepage on the bottom and beaches, and in the water column in the Gulf of Mexico and contiguous areas (Figure 1), as well as at the surface in the Caribbean and the Gulf (Figure 2). This project has been funded during this period, by as many as 14 major oil companies and the National Sea Grant program of NOAA. Major results are presented of the research conducted in all major branches of oceanography with emphasis on the chemical, geological and biological aspects, as well as a discussion of the methods and techniques used. The U. S. Geological Survey and U. S. Coast Guard have cooperated in the study of currents in coastal waters.
Targeting events in melanoma carcinogenesis for the prevention of melanoma

Melanoma is one of the few tumors that have increased in incidence over the last few decades. Strategies devoted solely to protecting against ultraviolet radiation have, at best, had a modest impact on the development of melanoma. Chemoprevention is an under-explored approach that could significantly decrease the morbidity and mortality from this deadly cancer. However, the scientific and logistical challenges of performing clinical studies in chemoprevention require innovative approaches to prove the effectiveness of putative preventive agents. There are several pharmacological and nutriceutical agents that are mechanistically linked to events in melanoma carcinogenesis that are candidates for advanced human studies. We will review the data for several promising agents, including statins, curcumin, resveratrol, silymarin and green tea, and discuss some importance issues and concepts that should be considered in any melanoma chemoprevention strategy.
Resistance to ciprofloxacin appearing during therapy.

Abstract The development of resistance to ciprofloxacin in nine clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated. Isolates had increases in minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) from 0.25 to 16 μg/ml. The isolates also became resistant to ofloxacin and norfloxacin, but did not show increases in MICs to aminoglycosides, antipseudomonas penicillins, or cephalosporins. One isolate from a patient with endocarditis showed a reduction in a 43-kD outer membrane protein and simultaneous increase in the imipenem MIC. This isolate also showed impaired uptake of ciprofloxacin. Respiratory isolates from cystic fibrosis patients did not show loss of outer membrane protein. MICs were lowered by ethylene diaminetetra-acetic acid, suggesting changes in lipopolysaccharide. Resistant isolates were synergistically inhibited by combinations of ciprofloxacin plus tobramycin or ceftazidime, but MICs remained beyond the achievable serum level.
Approaches for cardiovascular gene therapy in animal models

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Currently available pharmacological and interventional options have improved dramatically over the last few decades, but therapies are generally inadequate to cure congestive heart failure, multivessel coronary disease, or many common arrhythmias. Novel approaches to these common cardiovascular diseases are needed. This review focuses on the potential for gene therapeutics to treat or possibly cure cardiovascular disease.
Usage of high-resolution Landsat 7 band 8 for single-band snow-cover classification

With the launch of Landsat 7 a new band was added to the Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+). The new panchromatic band 8 covers wavelengths of 0.52–0.92μm and extends over band 2 (0.525–0.605 μm), band 3 (0.630–0.690 μm) and band 4 (0.750–0.900 μm). Its high resolution, with a pixel length of 15 m, is of interest for high-spatial-resolution analysis. This project focused on using Landsat 7 band 8 as a precise tool to obtain remotely the size and shape of permanent snowpatches in the mountainous area west of Abisko, Sweden. In the supervised classification employed, shadowed and non-shadowed areas were classified separately. Supervision of the classification was based on ground-truthing consisting of photographic mapping of the snow cover in the study area. The results from this single-band classification were compared to the results from the normalized- difference snow index (NDSI) and false-color images using bands 2, 4 and 5. This comparison showed similar estimates of the total amount of snow-covered area, with the additional advantage that the Landsat 7 band 8 (LB8) classification detects details in the extent of individual snowfields. This new application and the insights documented here support the use of Landsat 7 band 8 for snow-cover investigations in the future.
Vegetative anatomy of subtribe Habenariinae (Orchidaceae)

Leaves of Habenariinae are characterized by anomocytic stomatal apparatuses, homogeneous mesophyll, collateral vascular bundles in a single series, and thin-walled bundle sheath cells. There is no foliar sclerenchyma nor a hypodermis. Cauline cortex consists of thin-walled living cells among which are large and numerous intercellular spaces. The ground tissue is bordered externally by a layer of thick-walled living cells, except inHabenaria repens. Central ground tissue cells are living, and usually thin-walled surrounding intercellular spaces of various dimensions. These are conspicuously large inH.repens. Collateral vascular bundles are scattered across the ground tissue. Sclerenchyma is absent. Absorbing roots are generally velamentous, exodermal dead cells are thin-walled, and passage cells usually have a thickened outer wall. A regular vascular cylinder is present, and vascular tissue is embedded in parenchyma. Root tubers are velamentous, exodermal cells are usually thin-walled, and passage cells frequently have thickened outer walls. Vascular tissue of root tubers is organized into two classes: (1) those with a single vascular cylinder surrounded by a cortex and (2) those with a series of meristeles dispersed throughout the ground tissue. In group (1) cortex is homogeneous either with or without mucilage cells except inStenoglottiswhere the cortex is heterogeneous, consisting of water-storage and assimilatory cells, and lacks mucilage cells. In group (2) the ground tissue consists of larger mucilage-containing cells and smaller assimilatory cells.
Some Turán type results on the hypercube

For graphs H,G a classical problem in extremal graph theory asks what proportion of the edges of H a subgraph may contain without containing a copy of G. We prove some new results in the case where H is a hypercube. We use a supersaturation technique of Erdos and Simonivits to give a characterization of a set of graphs such that asymptotically the answer is the same when G is a member of this set and when G is a hypercube of some fixed dimension. We apply these results to a specific set of subgraphs of the hypercube called Fibonacci cubes. Additionally, we use a coloring argument to prove new asymptotic bounds on this problem for a different set of graphs. Finally we prove a new asymptotic bound for the case where G is the cube of dimension 3.
Circuit-Switched Memory Access in Photonic Interconnection Networks for High-Performance Embedded Computing

As advancements in CMOS technology trend toward ever increasing core counts in chip multiprocessors for high-performance embedded computing, the discrepancy between on- and off-chip communication bandwidth continues to widen due to the power and spatial constraints of electronic off-chip signaling. Silicon photonics-based communication offers many advantages over electronics for network-on-chip design, namely power consumption that is effectively agnostic to distance traveled at the chip- and board-scale, even across chip boundaries. In this work we develop a design for a photonic network-on-chip with integrated DRAM I/O interfaces and compare its performance to similar electronic solutions using a detailed network-on-chip simulation. When used in a circuit-switched network, silicon nanophotonic switches offer higher bandwidth density and low power transmission, adding up to over 10x better performance and 3-5x lower power over the baseline for projective transform, matrix multiply, and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), all key algorithms in embedded real-time signal and image processing.
Effect of antiserum on leukemia 15178y cells: [3H]thymidine incorporation does not reflect dna synthesis

Abstract 1. 1. The total amount of DNA present in L5178Y cells treated with antiserum in the absence of complement was decreased whereas the rate of incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA during a 1 hr pulse was increased as compared with those of controls. 2. 2. This increase in specific activity of [3H]thymidine in the DNA of antiserum-treated cells appeared to be due, at least in part, to an increase in thymidine kinase activity.
Clinical and Histological Features of Idiosyncratic Acute Liver Injury Caused by Temozolomide

Objective To describe the clinical, biochemical and histological features of 4 patients with apparent hepatotoxicity due to temozolomide and to summarize the available literature of hepatotoxicity associated with this agent.
Dipalmitoyl lecithin surfactant adsorption by kaolin dust in vitro.

Abstract Dipalmitoyl lecithin adsorbs from micellar dispersion in brine onto respirable sized kaolin particles. In the concentration range of 1 to 10 n M /μl and at 37°C, one gram of kaolin adsorbs about 0.18 grams of lecithin, and at 21°C the dominant characteristic time of the double exponential adsorption is 0.54 hours. When compared with values for the amount of pulmonary surfactant in man and its normal replacement rate, dust doses which might produce an in vivo deficit can be predicted. Several functions in the pulmonary surfactant system which have not been quantified would determine the duration and localization of the deficit.
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Low-Temperature Heat Pipes With Multiple Heat Sources

A numerical analysis and experimental verification of the effects of heat load distribution on the vapor temperature, wall temperature, and the heat transport capacity for heat pipes with multiple heat sources is presented. A numerical solution of the elliptic conjugate mass, momentum and energy equations in conjunction with the thermodynamic equilibrium relations and appropriate boundary conditions for the vapor region, wick structure, and the heat pipe wall are given. The experimental testing of a copper-water heat pipe with multiple heat sources was also made showing excellent agreement with the numerical results. An optimization of the heat distribution for such heat pipes was performed and it was concluded that by redistribution of the heat load, the heat capacity can be increased.
An improved technique for the determination of respiratory 14CO2 as Ba 14CO3, utilizing thermal decomposition in a sample oxidizer

Abstract Respiratory 14CO2 radioactivity determination as Na2 14CO3 or Ba 14CO3 by liquid-scintillation counting is prone to procedural errors. Ba 14CO3 was collected on filter paper which was oxidized in a commercial sample oxidizer. The high temperatures generated by the combustion of the filter paper decomposed the Ba 14CO3 to BaO and 14CO2, the latter of which was trapped and prepared for liquid-scintillation counting by the sample oxidizer. Recoveries of 14C were 96%±4%. This method can be performed in minutes and is particularly applicable where large quantities of trapping solution are required for 14CO2 collection, because the Ba 14CO3 may be collected quantitatively on filter paper.
An Integration Technique Especially Efficient in Dynamic Initialization

Abstract The application of a simple variation of the Euler-backward integration method to dynamic initialization is discussed. The variation involves few additional computations, is easily programmed and permits the rate of damping to be selected. The technique can be substantially more strongly damping than the Euler-backward method, but at the expense of a reduced time step. The efficiency of the variation when used in dynamic initialization is confirmed by a numerical experiment.
Hepatitis B and C in children.

Universal immunization against HBV and blood-donor screening for HBV and HCV have greatly decreased the risk of transmission of these viruses; however, a significant number of children still become chronically infected with HBV and HCV. In this Review, the authors consider the epidemiology, transmission, prevention, clinical presentation and natural history, management and screening, and treatment of hepatitis B and C in children. Chronic infection with hepatitis B affects nearly 350 million individuals worldwide and is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis. Universal infant immunization has decreased rates of HBV infection, although transmission continues to occur via vertical (mother-to-child) and horizontal (sexual, parenteral and household) routes. Treatments are now available for children with chronic HBV infection, but appropriate selection of those most likely to respond to treatment is important. Interferon α and lamivudine are currently approved in the US for the treatment of children older than 2 years of age who have chronic HBV infection. Hepatitis C infection affects almost 170 million individuals worldwide. Of individuals exposed to HCV, 60–80% develop chronic hepatitis, and 10–15% of those chronically infected develop cirrhosis within several decades. No vaccine exists for HCV; therefore, prevention of parenteral transmission is important. A high index of suspicion is essential for the diagnosis of HCV infection given its silent clinical presentation. Appropriate evaluation of infected individuals is warranted when considering their suitability for therapy. Interferon α and ribavirin, used in combination, are currently approved in the US for the treatment of children older than 3 years of age with chronic HCV infection.
Cell-free activation of phagocyte NADPH-oxidase: Tissue and differentiation-specific expression of cytosolic cofactor activity

We examined a variety of tissues for the presence of cytosolic cofactor activity that would support arachidonate-dependent cell-free activation of NADPH-oxidase in isolated human neutrophil membranes. Cofactor activity was not found in cytosol isolated from erythrocytes, lymphocytes, placenta, brain, liver, or the human promyelocytic leukemic cell line HL-60. Induction of differentiation in HL-60 cells led to expression of cytosolic cofactor activity. In dimethylsulphoxide-induced HL-60 cells the level of cytosolic cofactor activity was closely correlated with phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated whole cell superoxide production. These results strongly suggest that the cytosolic cofactor is a phagocyte-specific regulatory protein of physiologic importance in NADPH-oxidase activation.
Performance evaluation of the reactor pattern using the OMNeT++ simulator

The design of large-scale, distributed, performance-sensitive systems presents numerous challenges due to their network-centric nature and stringent quality of service (QoS) requirements. Standardized middleware implementations provide the key building blocks necessary to address these requirements of the distributed systems. However, middleware are designed to be applicable for a wide range of domains and applications, which results in system developers requiring to choose the right set of building blocks to design their system. To reduce the impact on development costs and time-to-market, decisions on the right set of building blocks to use in systems design must be made as early as possible in system design. This paper addresses this concern by describing a model-driven systems simulation approach to analyze, catch and rectify incorrect system design decisions at design-time. In this paper we focus on model-driven OMNeT++ simulation of the Reactor pattern, which provides event demultiplexing and handling capability. Our experience with modeling the Reactor shows that this approach can be extended to the performance analysis of other pattern-based blocks and indeed in the long term to the entire composed middleware framework.
Geocoronal hydrogen: An analysis of the Lyman-alpha airglow observed from OGO-4

OGO-4 observations of hydrogen Lyman-alpha airglow surrounding earth, measuring dependence on solar zenith angle
Segmental versican expression in the trabecular meshwork and involvement in outflow facility.

PURPOSE. Versican is a large proteoglycan with numerous chondroitin sulfate (CS) glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains attached. To assess versican’s potential contributions to aqueous humor outflow resistance, its segmental distribution in the trabecular meshwork (TM) and the effect on outflow facility of silencing the versican gene were evaluated. METHODS. Fluorescent quantum dots (Qdots) were perfused to label outflow pathways of anterior segments. Immunofluorescence with confocal microscopy and quantitative RT-PCR were used to determine versican protein and mRNA distribution relative to Qdot-labeled regions. Lentiviral delivery of shRNAsilencing cassettes to TM cells in perfused anterior segment cultures was used to evaluate the involvement of versican and CS GAG chains in outflow facility. RESULTS. Qdot uptake by TM cells showed considerable segmental variability in both human and porcine outflow pathways. Regional levels of Qdot labeling were inversely related to versican protein and mRNA levels; versican levels were relatively high in sparsely Qdot-labeled regions and low in densely labeled regions. Versican silencing decreased outflow facility in human and increased facility in porcine anterior segments. However, RNAi silencing of ChGn, an enzyme unique to CS GAG biosynthesis, increased outflow facility in both species. The fibrillar pattern of versican immunostaining in the TM juxtacanalicular region was disrupted after versican silencing in perfusion culture. CONCLUSIONS. Versican appears to be a central component of the outflow resistance, where it may organize GAGs and other ECM components to facilitate and control open flow channels in the TM. However, the exact molecular organization of this resistance appears to differ between human and porcine eyes. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011;52:5049 –5057) DOI:
Functional expression of frog and rainbow trout melanocortin 2 receptors using heterologous MRAP1s.

Analysis of the functional expression of the melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R) from a rather broad spectrum of vertebrates indicates that MC2R is exclusively selective for the ligand, ACTH, and the melanocortin receptor accessory protein 1 (MRAP1) is required for high affinity ACTH binding and activation of MC2R. A phylogenetic analysis of MRAP1 suggested that tetrapod sequences and bony fish sequences may represent two distinct trends in the evolution of the mrap1 gene. To test this hypothesis, a frog (Xenopus tropicalis) MC2R was expressed in CHO cells either in the presence of a tetrapod (mouse) MRAP1 or a bony fish (zebrafish) MRAP1. The response of frog MC2R to different concentrations of human ACTH(1–24) was more robust in the presence of mouse MRAP1 than in the presence of zebrafish MRAP1. Conversely, the cAMP response mediated by the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) MC2R was almost twofold higher and occurred at 1000-fold lower ACTH concentration in the presence of zebrafish MRAP1 than in the presence of mouse MRAP1. Collectively, these experiments raise the possibility that at least two distinct trends have emerged in the co-evolution of MC2R/MRAP1 interactions during the radiation of the vertebrates.
Dissipation in steady states of chemical systems and deviations from minimum entropy production

Abstract According to the linear thermodynamic theory of irreversible processes, entropy production is minimized at the steady states of nonequilibrium systems. The principle of minimum entropy production is obtained if the dissipation is expanded in the deviation δ from equilibrium, truncated to lowest order (δ 2 ), and then differentiated. At this level of apprximation, the derivative of the dissipation is linear in δ and vanishes at the steady state. For a simple chemical reaction mechanism in a well-defined model system, we have derived the corrections to this approximation, by first evaluating the dissipation and its derivative exactly, and then expanding as a series in δ. To leading order in δ, the ratio of the derivative to the dissipation at the steady state is 1 2 (in dimensionless units), and this ratio does not decrease as equilibrium is approached. The steady state coincides with the state of minimum entropy production only at equilibrium. Given sufficient accuracy in measurements of species concentrations, the breakdown of the principle of minimum entropy production can be detected experimentally when the relative standard deviation in measurements of the dissipation is less than δ. Our example shows that the dissipation in a reaching chemical system may increase in time, in the later stages of relaxation toward a near-equilibrium steady state.
A Comparison of Direct and Servo Methods for Utilizing Cesium Beam Resonators as Frequency Standards

Two systems, in which the frequency of a high quality quartz crystal oscillator can be controlled by a servo system employing as a reference frequency the (F = 4, m F = 0)?(F = 3, m F = 0) transition in the ground electronic state of cesium133, have been in operation for about one year at the National Bureau of Standards. These systems are presently used in conjunction with the United States Frequency Standard, NBS II, and the alternate standard, NBS I, for measuring the frequencies of the United States Working Frequency Standards on a regular basis. The dependability, precision, and accuracy of the servo-derived measurements have been compared with the corresponding figures for the more direct manual method. Although both measurement systems have been found to be highly dependable, the servo method has significant advantages with respect to convenience of operation and measurement precision. These advantages can be utilized with no sacrifice of accuracy. Typical servo measurement precision is 2×10-12 for a 30-minute averaging time, while the measurement accuracy for both methods is 1.1×10-11. For longer measurement periods of 12-14 hours, precisions and reproducibilities of 2×10-13 have been observed.
Liquid chromatographic determination of nitro-substituted polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons by sequential electrochemical and fluorescence detection.

Nitro-substituted polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons occur in ambient suspended particulate matter and are of special concern because they act as direct mutagens. Determination of these compounds in a complex matrix such as particulate matter present in diesel engine exhaust is complicatedeven mass spectrometry requires initial cleanup and separation steps. We propose a sensitive liquid chromatographic method with an unique selectivity: an electrochemical detector operating in the reductive mode is followed by a fluorescence detector. When the NO2 group is reduced to the NH2 group, there is a major increase in fluorescence; nitro-PAH compounds are essentially nonfluorescent. A difference fluorescence signal or a difference chromatofluorogram is generated by subtracting the chromatogram obtained with the electrochemical detector off from that obtained with the electrochemical detector on. Applications to diesel engine exhaust samples are demonstrated.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Masquerading as Coronary Artery Disease (Pseudoangina)

Abstract Forty-four patients presenting with chest pain suggesting coronary artery disease had normal exercise stress tests and selective coronary angiography and subsequently were found to have an unsuspected thoracic outlet syndrome. Thirteen additional patients had both significant coronary artery disease and thoracic outlet syndrome. Esophageal and pulmonary disease were ruled out and the diagnosis of brachial plexus compression in the thoracic outlet established by a reduction of the ulnar nerve conduction velocity (UNCV) below normal, the normal value being 72 meters per second. Clinical improvement from thoracic outlet compression resulted either from physical therapy if the UNCV's were above 55 m./sec, or from transaxillary surgical extirpation of the first rib if the UNCV's were below 55 m./sec. Thirteen patients with coronary artery disease and thoracic outlet syndrome required therapy for both problems before improvement ensued. Although the usual symptomatology for thoracic outlet syndrome involves pain and paresthesias of the shoulder, arm, and hand, the chest wall is frequently involved. If the chest pain is predominant with minimal shoulder-hand symptoms, the diagnosis is not suggested clinically and can only be established by the high index of suspicion, positive UNCV reduction, and a normal coronary angiogram. Pathways of pain in angina pectoris and afferent stimuli originating from brachial plexus compression at the thoracic outlet stimulate the same autonomic and somatic spinal centers that induce referred pain to the chest wall and arm.
Nummular eczema in children; report of six cases.

Summary Six patients, five children and one infant, the subjects of so-called nummular eczema, are reported. The youngest child was 1 year of age, the oldest 4 years. Five of these six patients gave a definite history of allergy. One patient illustrated an unusual location of the nummular lesion upon the right side of the face. The histologic picture in nummular eczema is variable, depending upon the duration of the eczematous condition. Clinically, nummular eczema is characterized by sharply defined discoid lesions or plaques consisting of pin-point vesicles which may resemble those of atopic dermatitis, of neurodermatitis, or even of dermatitis herpetiformis, as has been pointed out by Sachs and associates. In two of the reported patients the histopathologic picture was that of a psoriasiform neurodermatitis, a condition generally recalcitrant to topical therapy, with recurrence the rule. We have found the tars, particularly the oil of cade, most useful for therapeusis. It is our feeling that nummular eczema is more common than is supposed, usually being overlooked in the routine dermatologic examination of infants and children. The fact that five reportable cases have come to hand in a comparatively short time offers proof that this dermatosis occurs fairly frequently.
Behavioral Interventions to Address Sleep Disturbances in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review.

Sleep problems are a common occurrence among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In addition to the adverse effects that sleep problems present for children’s neurodevelopment, learning, and daytime behaviors, these sleep problems also present significant challenges for the entire family. This article outlines the results of a comprehensive review of behavioral intervention literature to address sleep problems in young children with ASD using the National Autism Center (NAC) criteria. Results indicate that a variety of antecedent- and consequence-based interventions have been evaluated with young children with ASD to address sleep disturbances. The empirical strength of the literature reviewed reveals an emerging evidence base. These findings suggest the need for more research evaluating behavioral interventions with young children with ASD to contribute to best practices for early childhood special educators and practitioners working with these children.
Mode of action of bullatacin, a potent antitumor acetogenin: Inhibition of NADH oxidase activity of HeLa and HL-60, but not liver, plasma membranes.

Bullatacin, a potential antitumor substance isolated from plants of the Annonaceae, and analogs of bullatacin, known collectively as acetogenins, have been reported previously to show potent activity in the inhibition of growth of murine tumors and human tumor xenografts grown in athymic mice as well as an ability to inhibit mitochondrial electron transport. In this report, we show activity of bullatacin in inhibition of NADH oxidase activity of plasma membrane vesicles isolated from HeLa cells and HL-60 cells but not with plasma membrane vesicles isolated from rat livers which, unlike the inhibition of mitochondrial activity, correlated with the ability of the acetogenins to kill tumor cells. Additionally, bullatacin is active against HL-60 cells that are resistant to adriamycin which may suggest utility for bullatacin in management of drug-resistant cells and cell lines.
Mutational Specificity of γ-Radiation-Induced Guanine−Thymine and Thymine−Guanine Intrastrand Cross-Links in Mammalian Cells and Translesion Synthesis Past the Guanine−Thymine Lesion by Human DNA Polymerase η

Comparative mutagenesis of γ- or X-ray-induced tandem DNA lesions G[8,5-Me]T and T[5-Me,8]G intrastrand cross-links was investigated in simian (COS-7) and human embryonic (293T) kidney cells. For G[8,5-Me]T in 293T cells, 5.8% of progeny contained targeted base substitutions, whereas 10.0% showed semitargeted single-base substitutions. Of the targeted mutations, the G → T mutation occurred with the highest frequency. The semitargeted mutations were detected up to two bases 5′ and three bases 3′ to the cross-link. The most prevalent semitargeted mutation was a C → T transition immediately 5′ to the G[8,5-Me]T cross-link. Frameshifts (4.6%) (mostly small deletions) and multiple-base substitutions (2.7%) also were detected. For the T[5-Me,8]G cross-link, a similar pattern of mutations was noted, but the mutational frequency was significantly higher than that of G[8,5-Me]T. Both targeted and semitargeted mutations occurred with a frequency of ∼16%, and both included a dominant G → T transversion. As in 293T c...
Application of bar codes to enhance a clinical engineering service system

A mainframe and PC-linked system for equipment management has been augmented with a bar code reader and laser printer to improve service documentation. The bar coding methods were coupled with changes in service coding procedures to include use of predetermined service codes. The hardware and procedural changes resulted in data collection that was faster, more accurate, and of greater management value. >
Ultrastructural comparison of rheumatoid and nonrheumatoid synovial fibroblasts grown in tissue culture

Ten rheumatoid and seven nonrheumatoid tissue culture strains of synovial fibroblasts were studied biochemically and by electron microscopy. No obvious differences in the ultrastructure of the rheumatoid and nonrheumatoid cell strains were detected. Acid phosphatase and β-glucuronidase measurements were similar in the two groups. No morphologic evidence of an infectious agent was found in any of the cell strains. The diverse morphology found in both groups of cells is described.
The role of a large particle fraction from yeast in protein synthesis

Abstract Yeast cells were observed to incorporate in vivo radioactive sulfate into the proteins of a lipo-protein particulate fraction at rates several times that of the ribosomal particles. Over half the newly incorporated sulfate was rapidly displaced by the addition of unlabelled sulfur amino acids. The lipo-protein fraction is rich in mitochondrial fragments and membranes with attached ribosomal particles.
Examining the potential of community design to limit human conflict with white‐tailed deer

Modification of habitat has the potential to be both less costly and less controversial than direct management of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations in addressing problems related to suburban deer overabundance. A novel approach to reducing deer–human conflict would involve anticipating issues of deer management when communities are designed. We tested the hypothesis that the compact character of traditional neighborhood designs will result in reduced habitat suitability for deer as compared to suburban-sprawl patterns of development. We evaluated landscape pattern and estimated deer densities in 2 communities in upstate New York, USA, and then predicted habitat condition and potential deer densities in different types of development. Comparisons of the habitat conditions in the neighborhood versus sprawl areas revealed significant differences in the amount of edge between the tree and lawn class (P < 0.05), with sprawl development having a greater tree–lawn edge density. Both field and tree disjunct core-area densities were significantly higher in areas of sprawl development (P < 0.01). Increasing amounts of field and the distribution of tree canopy across the landscape were associated with increased deer densities. In the suburban environment, where food is abundant, the availability of cover throughout the landscape becomes an important factor affecting deer density. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Suspicion and treatment of the macrosomic fetus: a review.

Objective To review the prevalence of and our ability to identify macrosomic (birthweight >4000 g) fetuses. Additionally, based on the current evidence, propose an algorithm for treatment of suspected macrosomia. Study design A review. Results According to the National Vital Statistics, in the United States, the prevalence of newborns weighing at least 4000 g has decreased by 10% in seven years (10.2% in 1996 and 9.2% in 2002) and 19% for newborns with weights >5000 g (0.16% and 0.13%, respectively). Bayesian calculations indicates that the posttest probability of detecting a macrosomic fetus in an uncomplicated pregnancy is variable, ranging from 15% to 79% with sonographic estimates of birth weight, and 40 to 52% with clinical estimates. Among diabetic patients the post-test probability of identifying a newborn weighing >4000 g clinically and sonographically is over 60%. Among uncomplicated pregnancies, there is sufficient evidence that suspected macrosomia is not an indication for induction or for primary cesarean delivery. For pregnancies complicated by diabetes, with a prior cesarean delivery or shoulder dystocia, delivery of a macrosomic fetus increases the rate of complications, but there is insufficient evidence about the threshold of estimated fetal weight that should prompt cesarean delivery. Conclusion Due to the inaccuracies, among uncomplicated pregnancies suspicion of macrosomia is not an indication for induction or for primary cesarean delivery.
How Persistent and General Is the Contextual Interference Effect

The persistence and generality of the contextual interference (CI) effect was tested using a rapid sequential aiming task. Participants (N = 48) practiced three movement patterns for three blocks of 18 trials under a blocked (BL) or random (RA) schedule. Movement patterns were displayed and KR provided throughout practice and testing. A 24-hr delayed knowledge of results (KR) retention test included three blocks of 18 trials, followed by a transfer test of a single new movement pattern. In contradiction of the CI effect, RA practice provided an advantage for RA retention only, not BL retention. Furthermore, group differences at transfer were not persistent. Hence, RA practice does not necessarily provide enhanced, context-free learning, but it is essential training for task switching. Overall the findings reveal limited persistence and generality of the CI effect.
Agitation of viscous Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids

Viscous fluids are frequently agitated by multiple impellers and in vessels only slightly larger than the impeller. This paper presents data for both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids agitated under such conditions. The large decreases in power requirements (at a given level of mixing rate in the non-Newtonian system) which are possible by use of low tank diameter, impeller diameter ratios and/or two impellers, have been quantitatively studied. The types of impellers used in the non-Newtonian work and the ranges of conditions over which power requirement correlations were developed are summarized as follows: Text Table Text. D T/D n NRe Marine propeller 0.42-1.0 1.4 -4.8 0.16-1.0 0.67-1320 Fan turbine 0.33-0.67 1.3 -3.0 0.21-1.4 6.6 -160 Flat-Bladed turbine: one impeller 0.17-0.67 1.3 -5.5 0.20-1.5 2.0 -1800 two impellers per shaft 0.33-1.00 1.023-3.5 0.14-1.00 0.15-620 The results generally confirm an approach developed earlier, for the broader ranges of variables listed above. For the non-Newtonian fluids of primary interest in this study, that is purely viscous materials having flow behavior indexes of less than unity (pseudoplastics, Bingham plastics), the prediction of power requirements has been developed to nearly the same level of perfection as for Newtonian fluids.
Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease activity is associated with response to radiation and chemotherapy in medulloblastoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumors

Purpose: Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (Ap endo) is a key DNA repair activity that confers resistance to radiation- and alkylator-induced cytotoxic abasic sites in human cells. We assayed apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease activity in medulloblastomas and primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) to establish correlates with tumor and patient characteristics and with response to adjuvant radiation plus multiagent chemotherapy. Experimental Design: Ap endo activity was assayed in 52 medulloblastomas and 10 PNETs from patients 0.4 to 21 years old. Ape1/Ref-1, the predominant human Ap endo activity, was measured in 42 medulloblastomas by immunostaining. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to analyze the association of activity with time to tumor progression (TTP). Results: Tumor Ap endo activity varied 180-fold and was significantly associated with age and gender. Tumor Ape1/Ref-1 was detected almost exclusively in nuclei. In a multivariate model, with Ap endo activity entered as a continuous variable, the hazard ratio for progression after adjuvant treatment in 46 medulloblastomas and four PNETs increased by a factor of 1.073 for every 0.01 unit increase in activity ( P ≤ 0.001) and was independent of age and gender. Suppressing Ap endo activity in a human medulloblastoma cell line significantly increased sensitivity to 1,3-bis(2-chlororethyl)-1-nitrosourea and temozolomide, suggesting that the association of tumor activity with TTP reflected, at least in part, abasic site repair. Conclusions: Our data ( a ) suggest that Ap endo activity promotes resistance to radiation plus chemotherapy in medulloblastomas/PNETs, ( b ) provide a potential marker of treatment outcome, and ( c ) suggest clinical use of Ap endo inhibitors to overcome resistance.
In vitro susceptibility testing and totally drug-resistant tuberculosis.

To the Editor: We find the article by Migliori et al. [1], on extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB), very informative and would like to commend them for the excellent meta-analysis. Without any doubt, XDR-TB is an extensive global problem; the use of the lower susceptibility breaking points that we recently suggested [2] mean that the burden of XDR-TB could be even higher. Although there are recent reports of “totally drug-resistant (TDR)” TB, the World Health Organization does not recognise this term [3]. There is already a social stigma attached to having TB in many parts …
Relationship between local cell division and cell displacement during regeneration of embryonic Xenopus eye fragments.

We examined the relationship between early healing modes and extra cell division (via tritiated thymidine incorporation) during embryonic retinal regeneration. Nasal (N) and dorsal (D) one-third sized eye fragments were surgically created in stage 32 Xenopus laevis embryos. Embryos were injected with tritiated thymidine two days postsurgery (stage 43), and then fixed and processed for autoradiography one day postinjection (stage 46). Histological analysis revealed that all nasal one-third sized fragments showed cell displacement in healing regions. These displaced cells were located in the ventral retinal region and showed heavy thymidine label incorporation. Alternatively, most dorsal one-third sized fragments showed little cell displacement during healing; in addition, no extra thymidine incorporation was evident. A minority of dorsal one-third sized fragments showed cell displacement during healing, and also showed significant local label ventrally through all regions of the eye. Therefore, in both dorsal and nasal one-third sized retinal fragments, when cell displacements were observed during early healing, associated mitosis was apparent in ventral retinal regions. Furthermore, by 60 hours postsurgery, all eyes which showed cell displacements during healing were greater in volume than those eyes which showed little cell displacement. Increases in volume appear to be derived from a combination of both cells migrating in from underlying optic stalk tissue and from related extra cell division during healing. These data further support a model which predicts that specific healing interactions which involve cell displacement during embryonic retinal regeneration and subsequent intercalary growth underlie visuotectal pattern formation. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.