cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transplantation and Palliative Care: The Convergence of Two Seemingly Opposite Realities

One of the authors once asked a great transplant surgeon what came to his mind when asked about palliative care. He had two answers: the first,was somewhat simplistic; the second was profound. He said that this type of service was helpful in the ICU when there was not much more to be done surgically for a patient who was dying; the second, was a story about an individual whom he had transplanted three times (who survived!) because he and his team did not want the patient and family to give up hope. The second answer is fundamentally more in keeping with the philosophy of palliative care, despite the extraordinary specific circumstances. The surgeon demonstrated ongoing presence and non abandonment. This patient was palliated, although few surgeons could have accomplished this by doing two retransplantations! Fortunately, for the less gifted and lucky, there are many ways in which to continue a meaningful presence to an ailing or dying patient on a transplant service that do not require a transplantation procedure. One wonders why palliative care and transplantation have not been more formally acquainted in the past given the extensive overlap of the populations served, the nature of the day-to-day problems, and the intensity of the commitment to the patient. The time is ripe for a formal mutual acquaintance between palliative care specialists and transplant teams,perhaps in the format of a work group that is similar to the work groups that promoted excellence in palliative care, such as the End Stage Renal Disease Workgroup, that were grant funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The fields of transplantation and palliative care have a treasure trove of experience that is lacking in the other that could be exchanged profitably with a great sense of satisfaction for all.
Thermal imaging of sedimentary features on alluvial fans

Abstract Aerial thermal imaging is used to study grain-size distributions and induration on a wide variety of alluvial fans in the desert southwest of the United States. High-resolution aerial thermal images reveal evidence of sedimentary processes that rework and build alluvial fans, as preserved in the grain-size distributions and surface induration those processes leave behind. A catalog of constituent sedimentary features that can be identified using aerial thermal and visible imaging is provided. These features include clast-rich and clast-poor debris flows, incised channel deposits, headward-eroding gullies, sheetflood, lag surfaces, active/inactive lobes, distal sand-skirts and basin-related salt pans. Ground-based field observations of surface grain-size distributions, as well as morphologic, cross-cutting and topographic relationships were used to confirm the identifications of these feature types in remotely acquired thermal and visible images. Thermal images can also reveal trends in grain sizes between neighboring alluvial fans on a regional scale. Although inferences can be made using thermal images alone, the results from this study demonstrate that a more thorough geological interpretation of sedimentary features on an alluvial fan can be made using a combination of thermal and visible images. The results of this study have potential applications for Mars, where orbital thermal imaging might be used as a tool for evaluating constituent sedimentary processes on proposed alluvial fans.
Two subspecies and a hybrid of big sagebrush: Comparison of respiration and growth characteristics

Abstract Environmental temperatures and growth and respiratory characteristics of natural populations of two subspecies and a hybrid of sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata ) that grow on a single hillside were measured to test a hypothesis that adaptation to microclimate temperature patterns restricts these taxa to their native locations and that plant–endophyte associations are important to temperature adaptation. Reciprocal transplants of plants and soil translocation have previously shown that plants grown outside of their native sites or in non-indigenous soil have different respiratory properties and are less vegetatively and reproductively productive than natural populations. A recent study shows that taxa specific endophytes may be responsible for the differences in respiration characteristics and productivity of transplants growing in non-indigenous soils. In this study, hourly temperatures were measured at the upper and lower sites and the newest leaves from natural populations of each subspecies and hybrid were sampled monthly from mid-February to mid-July 2005. Respiratory heat and CO 2 production rates of the leaves were measured at 5 °C intervals from 10 to 35 °C, as well as heats of combustion and carbon and nitrogen contents. Growth rates and substrate carbon conversion efficiencies were calculated from the respiration data. Monthly mean temperature differences of up to 1 °C were measured at the native sites. Differences between the respiratory and growth characteristics of the three populations may explain the hybrid zone architecture of indigenous populations, but are not large enough to explain the different respiratory characteristics and poor survival and productivity of transplants.
Therapeutic play in preparing for surgery: behavior of preschool children during the perioperative period

Objective:to describe the behavior of children during the instructional session of therapeutic play (ITP) in the preoperative period and to verify the behavior presented by them during the perioperative period. Methods: Exploratory descriptive study with a quantitative approach, developed in a large private hospital in Sao Paulo, in which the behaviors presented by 30 children between three and five years old, undergoing minor surgery were seen at the hospital during the session of TP and in the surgical center, from admission to awaken from anesthesia. Results: Most children participated in the ITP session (21; 70%), entered the surgical room spontaneously (22; 73.3%) without resisting mother separation (24; 80%), collaborating with the anesthetic procedure (16; 53.3%) and quietly awakening from anesthesia (26; 87%). Conclusion: The use of ITP led the child to understand the surgical procedure, making it less traumatic.
Development of Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae from Sheep In Cell Cultures

SYNOPSIS. Monolayer cell line cultures of ovine trachea, thyroid, thymus, and kidney cells, as well as an established cell line (Madin-Darby) of bovine kidney cells, were inoculated with sporozoites of Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae and observed for a maximum of 24 days. Sporozoites were seen penetrating cells within 5 minutes after inoculation, as well as 2 and 3 days after inoculation, and leaving cells 3 days after inoculation. Transformation from sporozoites to trophozoites occurred by a widening or by a lateral outpocketing of the sporozoite body. Trophozoites and schizonts were first seen 3 days after inoculation in all ovine cell types. Large numbers of immature schizonts were observed, but only an estimated 0.4–4.3% of these became mature in the different kinds of cells. Usually, mature schizonts were first seen 10–11 days after inoculation in the ovine cells, but they sometimes occurred as early as 8 days. More mature schizonts were seen in the ovine kidney and trachea cells than in the others; the smallest number occurred in the bovine cells. The nucleoli of cells harboring large schizonts in each type of culture were enlarged and the chromatin clumps normally seen in the nuclei of non-infected cells were not visible. The cytoplasm of some infected cells was vacuolated. The formation of merozoites occurred by a budding process from blastophores, from the surface of schizonts, and/or from infoldings and invaginations of this surface. Merozoites were observed leaving host cells, but were not seen penetrating new cells. Intracellular first-generation merozoites were observed 13 and 15 days after inoculation in lamb trachea and kidney cells, respectively. No evidence of further development of such merozoites was found.
Analysis of generalized curved beams for orthodontic applications

Abstract The generalized field equations for an arbitrary curved and twisted beam in space are presented and discussed. A numerical algorithm is generated from these equations yielding a computer code which is capable of determining the static, dynamic and free vibration characteristics of a non-uniform, non-homogeneous, anisotropic beam which has arbitrary curvature and arbitrary twist. The static portion of this analysis is shown to be directly applicable to the study of force systems delivered by simple and complex orthodontic appliances. Several orthodontic configurations are studied using the subject model. Clinical considerations are discovered as a result of this study.
The criminal law and public health context of drug policy support among young people in the European Union

This article addresses whether state-level policy differences in the European Union (EU) are associated with young people’s support for policies toward drug users, namely criminalization of drug use and availability of syringe exchanges. While historical institutionalism provides reason to expect such an association, more proximal individual-level influences, as well as the EU supranational agenda encouraging a unified approach to drug policy, may render the state-level unimportant. Using multilevel modeling of a 2002 Eurobarometer cross-national survey of young people, the results show a close alignment of individual-level support and state-level policies of decriminalization and harm reduction, net of individual characteristics. The findings suggest that any EU-level effort to unify countries’ policies concerning drug users will encounter difficulty because attitudes – even among young people – are aligned with and supportive of existing state policies.
Development of niobium powder injection molding. Part II: Debinding and sintering

Abstract This article is a continuation of feedstock preparation and powder injection molding (PIM) of pure niobium. Part II discusses debinding and sintering of injection molded niobium. PIM of pure niobium powder was analyzed for efficiency of the process. After solvent and thermal debinding, sintering of injection molded material was conducted up to 2000 °C in vacuum as well as inert-gas low-oxygen partial pressure atmosphere. This paper investigates the effect of sintering time, temperature and atmosphere on the processing of pure niobium. Under all sintering conditions the oxygen content is reduced from ∼19,000 in the as-received powder to as low as 300 ppm, at e.g. 2000 °C for 2 h in a low-vacuum atmosphere. The carbon content increased from the as-received 70 to 200–300 ppm, depending on the sintering conditions. However, this amount of carbon is not considered detrimental for structural application. Master decomposition and sintering curves are introduced for pure niobium to study the optimum debinding and sintering conditions. Further, sintering parameters (atmosphere, peak temperature and hold time) are optimized for achieving maximum densities with minimal impurities.
Portopulmonary hypertension and right heart failure in patients with cirrhosis.

Purpose of reviewIn 5–6% of patients with portal hypertension a pathological state exists in which changes in the pulmonary vasculature cause an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance. The resultant increased work of the right ventricle may cause right heart failure and liver congestion. Patients
Development of infection with beet western yellows virus in the sugarbeet.

Abstract Electron microscopy of successively older leaves of sugarbeet ( Beta vulgaris L.) infected with beet western yellows virus (BWYV) revealed the steps in the infection of leaf tissues by the virus and gave some insight into the events leading to viral multiplication in host cells. The sequence of the infection is interpreted as follows. Virus particles are seen in mature sieve elements before external symptoms develop in in the leaf. Particles then appear in parenchyma cells next to plasmodesmata connecting the parenchyma cells with the mature sieve elements. Invasion of parenchyma cells by the virus is accompanied by development of vesicles containing networks similar to those usually interpreted as nucleic acids. The vesicles are enclosed in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cisternae, singly or in groups. Some of the vesicle-containing ER fuses with the nuclear envelope so that the vesicles become located in the perinuclear space. After the vesicles and the nuclear envelope become associated, virus particles appear in the nucleus, first next to the nucleolus. As the amount of virus increases, particles are scattered throughout the nucleus. Virus partiples also increase in number in the cytoplasm, presumably by being released from the nucleus. Eventually, the virus-induced vesicles cease to be seen in association with the nucleus. Those remaining in the cytoplasm degenerate. The infected cells also degenerate. Virus multiplication first occurs in cells next to infected sieve elements. Later, cells farther away from the sieve elements also become infected.
Evaluation of sensation after segmental alveolar osteotomy in 22 patients.

The response of teeth to pulpal testing was evaluated in 22 patients before and after a segmental alveolar osteotomy procedure was performed. The ability of the dental pulp to respond to electrical stimulation after segmental alveolar surgery was tested in 22 patients. For the study, 189 teeth were tested before surgery and after surgery at six-month intervals. Twenty-eight teeth were not responsive to electrical stimulation at the last follow-up appointment. Five of these teeth required further treatment. The remaining 23 teeth show no clinical signs of loss of blood supply. This clinical study confirms the experimental evidence that careful surgery will minimize the damage to teeth involved in segmental alveolar surgical procedures.
Identifying Technically Efficient Fishing Vessels: A Non-Empty, Minimal Subset Approach

There is a growing resource economics literature, concerning the estimation of the technical efficiency of fishing vessels utilizing the stochastic frontier model. In these models, vessel output is regressed on a linear function of vessel inputs and a random composed error. Using parametric assumptions on the regression residual, estimates of vessel technical efficiency are calculated as the mean of a truncated normal distribution and are often reported in a rank statistic as a measure of a captain’s skill and used to estimate excess capacity within fisheries. We demonstrate analytically that these measures are potentially flawed, and extend the results of Horrace (2005) to estimate captain skill for thirty nine vessels in the Northeast Atlantic herring fleet, based on homogenous and heterogeneous production functions within the fleet. When homogenous production is assumed, we find inferential inconsistencies between our methods and the methods of ranking the means of the technical inefficiency distributions for each vessel. When production is allowed to be heterogeneous, these inconsistencies are mitigated.
A Computational Approach to Optimize Microring Resonators for Biosensing Applications

Microcavity structures have recently found utility in chemical/biological sensing applications. The appeal of these structures over other refractive index-based sensing schemes, such as those based on surface plasmon resonance, lies in their potential for producing a highly sensitive response to binding events. High-Q devices, characterized by sharp line widths, are extremely attractive for sensing applications because the bound analyte provides an increased optical pathlength, thus shifting the resonant frequency of the device. In this work, we design and simulate resonant microrings using full-wave finite element models. In addition to structure design, integration of the biological recognition element on the resonator is also considered. This is equally important in dictating the sensitivity of the sensing device. To this end, we take a four-step theoretical approach to optimizing the sensor. We begin by using FEM analysis to obtain the characteristic resonant wavelength, line width, and quality factor for bare ring resonators absent of surface functionalization. Next, we simulate the structure with a biorecognition element attached to the surface. The third step is to model the functionalized microring to mimic the interaction with the target analyte. At each step, we derive the transmission spectra, electric field distributions and coupling efficiencies, as well as wavelength dependence using empirical data for the refractive indices of biorecognition element and analyte. Finally, the geometry of the microrings is optimized in conjunction with the constituent material properties and the recognition chemistry using FEM combined with an optimization algorithm to maximize the sensitivity of the integrated biosensor.
Changing Java's Semantics for Handling Null Pointer Exceptions

We envision a world where no exceptions are raised; instead, language semantics are changed so that operations are total functions. Either an operation executes normally or tailored recovery code is applied where exceptions would have been raised. As an initial step and evaluation of this idea, we propose to transform programs so that null pointer dereferences are handled automatically without a large runtime overhead. We increase robustness by replacing code that raises null pointer exceptions with error-handling code, allowing the program to continue execution. Our technique first finds potential null pointer dereferences and then automatically transforms programs to insert null checks and error-handling code. These transformations are guided by composable, context-sensitive recovery policies. Error-handling code may, for example, create default objects of the appropriate types, or restore data structure invariants. If no null pointers would be dereferenced, the transformed program behaves just as the original.We applied our transformation in experiments involving multiple benchmarks, the Java Standard Library, and externally reported null pointer exceptions. Our technique was able to handle the reported exceptions and allow the programs to continue to do useful work, with an average execution time overhead of less than 1% and an average bytecode space overhead of 22%.
Leukotriene receptor antagonists and biosynthesis inhibitors: potential breakthrough in asthma therapy

Cysteinyl leukotrienes are potent bronchoconstrictors, inducers of airway microvascular leakage and oedema, and of mucus secretion, in addition to causing an eosinophilic airway infiltration. Increased urinary excretion of the cysteinyl leukotriene E4 (LTE4) has been demonstrated following allergen challenge and during acute asthma attacks. Strategies for inhibition of cysteinyl leukotriene effects include antagonism of cysteinyl leukotriene receptors and inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase activity. In experimental challenge studies in asthmatic patients, these compounds can inhibit bronchoconstriction in response to exercise, aspirin and allergen. Results from clinical studies using receptor antagonists, such as ICI 204,219 and MK-571, and synthesis inhibitors, such as zileuton, demonstrate beneficial effects, with improvement in symptoms and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and a reduction in the use of beta 2-adrenergic relief medication. Further studies are needed to clarify the exact mechanisms by which these compounds provide beneficial effects. Cysteinyl leukotrienes are important mediators of asthma, and inhibition of their effects may represent a potential breakthrough in the therapy of asthma.
The biophysical and molecular basis of intracellular pH sensing by Na+/H+ exchanger-3

Epithelial Na+/H+ exchanger-3 (NHE3) transport is fundamental for renal and intestinal sodium reabsorption. Cytoplasmic protons are thought to serve as allosteric modifiers of the exchanger and to trigger its transport through protein conformational change. This effect presupposes an intracellular pH (pHi) dependence of NHE3 activity, although the biophysical and molecular basis of NHE3 pHi sensitivity have not been defined. NHE3, when complexed with the calcineurin homologous protein-1 (CHP1), had a shift in pHi sensitivity (0.4 units) toward the acidic side in comparison with NHE3 alone, as measured by oscillating pH electrodes combined with whole-cell patch clamping. Indeed, CHP1 interaction with NHE3 inhibited NHE3 transport in a pHi -dependent manner. CHP1 binding to NHE3 also affected its acute regulation. Intracellular perfusion of peptide from the CHP1 binding region (or pHi modification to reduce the CHP1 amount bound to NHE3) was permissive and cooperative for dopamine inhibition of NHE3 but reversed that of adenosine. Thus, CHP1 interaction with NHE3 apparently establishes the exchanger set point for pHi, and modification in this set point is effective in the hormonal stimuli–mediated regulation of NHE3. CHP1 may serve as a regulatory cofactor for NHE3 conformational change, dependent on intracellular protonation.—Babich V., Vadnagara K., Di Sole, F. The biophysical and molecular basis of intracellular pH sensing by the Na+/H+ exchanger-3.
Ferroelectricity in natural samples of chalcocite, Cu2S

A structural phase transition, conductivity and dielectric permittivity anomalies, together with a polarization hysteresis loop which collapses above the Curie temperature (∼ 105°C) provide converging lines of evidence for ferroelectricity in the single and polycrystalline natural samples of chalcocite, Cu2S, investigated. Chalcocite is an important ore of copper, and its electrical properties are a factor both in exploration for the mineral and processing the ore.
A simple derivation for the skin effect in a round wire

The skin effect in a round wire is an important electromagnetic phenomenon with practical consequences; however, it is usually not presented in any detail at the undergraduate level but reserved for graduate study. The purpose of this paper is to remedy this situation by providing a simple derivation for the skin effect in a round wire that only requires background usually familiar to these students: Maxwell's equations in integral form, integral calculus (specifically integration of a power) and some elementary properties of series. Graphical results are used to clearly show the current concentrating near the surface as the frequency increases and the accompanying increase in the resistance and decrease in the inductance of the wire. A brief review of the history of the subject shows that several of the scientists familiar to students made contributions to our understanding of the skin effect in a round wire; they include J C Maxwell, Lord Rayleigh, Lord Kelvin, O Heaviside and J J Thomson. The validity of the theory is demonstrated by comparing results from the theory with resistances and inductances measured by some of the early pioneers of wireless communication.
The negative effects of expecting to evaluate: Reexamination and extension in the context of service failure

Service managers implement customer satisfaction evaluation cards (CSECs) to help them better understand and serve their customers. Yet a robust finding from recent research is that consumers who expect to evaluate provide lower satisfaction ratings than customers who are asked to evaluate without prior notice. This article reports results of two experiments that examine the effects of expecting to evaluate (here, the CSEC effect) in the negative context of service failure. The experiments utilize thought-listing protocols to differentiate between vigilant processing (VPT) and negativity bias (NBT) theories and reinforce the internal validity of the CSEC effect. The studies also extend prior research by separating CSEC effects on evaluations of the service employee from CSEC effects on the service firm overall. Study 2 examines consequences of the CSEC effect not previously studied (switching, complaining, and negative word-of-mouth intentions) and extends external validity through an international replication. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Stable isotopes serving as a checkpoint.

Modern African great apes, even the so-called “savanna chimpanzees,” have relatively restricted diets consisting largely of leaves and fruits from C3 plants (1). In contrast, fossil members of the genus Homo, like their modern descendants, are believed to have had a rather eclectic diet, consuming foods from C3, C4, and crassulacean acid metabolism plants, while also complementing their diet with calorie-rich animal foods (2). Deeper in the fossil record, stable carbon isotope data suggest that at 4.4 Ma, the putative early hominin taxon Ardipithecus had a diet similar to modern chimpanzees, mostly consuming resources derived from C3 plants (3). Thus, the timing of significant C4 inclusion in the hominin diet following evolutionary divergence from the great apes at ca. 6–7 Ma is critical, because the event represents a milestone in human evolution that may relate to major shifts in early hominin habitat, ecology, and even physiology. In PNAS, Levin et al. (4) contribute to a better understanding of these issues in early hominins.
Surface water balance to evaluate the hydrological impacts of small instream diversions and application to the Russian River basin, California, USA

Small streams are increasingly under pressure to meet water needs associated with expanding human development, but the hydrologic and ecological effects are not commonly described in scientific literature. 2. To evaluate the potential effects that surface water abstraction can have on flow regime, scientists and resource managers require tools that compare abstraction to stream flow at ecologically relevant time scales. 3. The classic water balance model was adapted to evaluate how small instream diversions can affect catchment stream-flow; the adapted model maintains the basic mass balance concept, but limits the parameters and considers surface water data at an appropriate timescale. 4. This surface water balance was applied to 20 Russian River tributaries in north-central California to evaluate how recognized diversions can affect stream flow throughout the region. 5. The model indicates that existing diversions have little capacity to influence peak or base flows during the rainy winter season, but may reduce stream flow during spring by 20% in one-third of all the study streams; and have the potential to accelerate summer intermittence in 80% of the streams included in this study. 6. The surface water balance model may be especially useful for guiding river restoration from a hydrologic perspective: it can distinguish among streams with high diversion regimes that may require more than just physical channel restoration to provide ecological benefits, and can illustrate the extent to which changing the diversion parameters of particular water users can affect the persistence of a natural flow regime. 7. As applied to Russian River tributaries, the surface water balances suggest that reducing demand for stream flow in summer may be as important as physical channel restoration to restoring anadromous salmonids in this region. Copyright r 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) may improve disease outcome in elderly patients with diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL) treated with CHOP chemotherapy.

Advanced age is an adverse prognostic factor in patients with DLCL. CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) has frequent dose-limiting toxicities, including myelosuppression. We retrospectively reviewed 50 consecutive patients > 60 years of age (median age 72) with B-cell DLCL who received CHOP with G-CSF. Patients received CHOP (median 6 cycles) at three-week intervals. G-CSF was given following all cycles of chemotherapy ("prophylactic G-CSF") in 28 of 50 patients, and following an episode of febrile neutropenia and thereafter in 19 patients, according to ASCO guidelines. Dose intensity, treatment delays, episodes of febrile neutropenia, complete response (CR) rate, disease-free survival, time-to-treatment failure, and overall survival were all analyzed according to the age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (aaIPI). The actual dose intensity for cyclophosphamide was 225.9 mg/m2/week and 0.90, respectively and for doxorubicin was 14.9 mg/m2/week (90% of ideal CHOP dosing for both drugs). Median followup was 4 years for the patients still living. Treatment delays and episodes of febrile neutropenia were less frequent among patients receiving G-CSF with all cycles of CHOP. The CR rates were 100%, 81%, 85%, and 36% for the low, low-intermediate, high-intermediate, and high aalPI risk groups, respectively. The 5-year actuarial relapse-free and overall survival for our patients were comparable to that of the cohort 60 years of age cohort used to establish the aaIPI. With optimization of CHOP dosing, advanced age may not be an adverse prognostic factor for patients with DLCL. The routine use of G-CSF in elderly patients with DLCL should be further investigated.
PEI1, an Embryo-Specific Zinc Finger Protein Gene Required for Heart-Stage Embryo Formation in Arabidopsis

We used virtual subtraction, a new gene isolation strategy, to isolate several genes of interest that are expressed in Arabidopsis embryos. These genes have demonstrated biological properties or have the potential to be involved in important biological processes. One gene isolated by virtual subtraction is PEI. It encodes a protein containing a Cys3His zinc finger domain associated with a number of animal and fungal transcription factors. In situ hybridization results showed that PEI1 is expressed throughout the embryo from globular to late cotyledon stage. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing a PEI1 antisense gene produced white seeds in which embryo development did not progress through heart stage. Aberrant embryos failed to form cotyledons, but the embryonic root appeared to be normal. Aberrant embryos did not turn green, and the expression of genes involved in photomorphogenesis was drastically attenuated. In culture, aberrant embryos did not form true leaves, but root formation was apparently normal. These results suggest that PEI1 is an embryo-specific transcription factor that plays an important role during Arabidopsis embryogenesis, functioning primarily in the apical domain of the embryo.
Teaching health education in medical education: Selected perspectives

Growing awareness of the need to incorporate prevention and psychosocial considerations into medical care practice has led to the inclusion of formal health education curricula in medical schools and residency programs. This paper examines the role of health education in medical education from several perspectives: an historical background, a review of the literature, and a characterization of current programs in the United States.
Hypocalcemic coma following two pediatric phosphate enemas.

Coma, tetany, dehydration, hypotension, tachycardia, and hyperpyrexia developed in a 21/2-year-old girl following two hypertonic phosphate pediatric enemas. She had marked hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia, hypernatremia, and acidosis. Hypocalcemia due to hyperphosphatemia can explain all of these findings. Calculations indicate that about one third of the phosphorus and sodium contents of the enema were absorbed. Physicians should be aware of the potentially lethal complication of this treatment, which is a part of everyday practice.
Isosurface extraction using fixed-sized buckets

We present a simple and output optimal algorithm for accelerated isosurface extraction from volumetric data sets. Output optimal extraction algorithms perform an amount of work dominated by the size of the (output) isosurface rather than the size of the (input) data set. While several optimal methods have been proposed to accelerate isosurface extraction, these algorithms are relatively complicated to implement or require quantized values as input. Our method is based on a straightforward array data structure that only requires an auxiliary sorting routine for construction. The method works equally well for floating point data as it does for quantized data sets. We demonstrate how the data structure can exploit coherence between isosurfaces by performing searches incrementally. We show results for real application data validating the method's optimality.
Block of Inactivation-deficient Na+ Channels by Local Anesthetics in Stably Transfected Mammalian Cells: Evidence for Drug Binding Along the Activation Pathway

According to the classic modulated receptor hypothesis, local anesthetics (LAs) such as benzocaine and lidocaine bind preferentially to fast-inactivated Na+ channels with higher affinities. However, an alternative view suggests that activation of Na+ channels plays a crucial role in promoting high-affinity LA binding and that fast inactivation per se is not a prerequisite for LA preferential binding. We investigated the role of activation in LA action in inactivation-deficient rat muscle Na+ channels (rNav1.4-L435W/L437C/A438W) expressed in stably transfected Hek293 cells. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) for the open-channel block at +30 mV by lidocaine and benzocaine were 20.9 ± 3.3 μM (n = 5) and 81.7 ± 10.6 μM (n = 5), respectively; both were comparable to inactivated-channel affinities. In comparison, IC50 values for resting-channel block at −140 mV were >12-fold higher than those for open-channel block. With 300 μM benzocaine, rapid time-dependent block (τ ≈ 0.8 ms) of inactivation-deficient Na+ currents occurred at +30 mV, but such a rapid time-dependent block was not evident at −30 mV. The peak current at −30 mV, however, was reduced more severely than that at +30 mV. This phenomenon suggested that the LA block of intermediate closed states took place notably when channel activation was slow. Such closed-channel block also readily accounted for the LA-induced hyperpolarizing shift in the conventional steady-state inactivation measurement. Our data together illustrate that the Na+ channel activation pathway, including most, if not all, transient intermediate closed states and the final open state, promotes high-affinity LA binding.
Pseudogap and unconventional pairing in the Hubbard model

The attractive (U 0) Hubbard models have been studied using the Fermi liquid perturbation approach. The attractive Hubbard model (U 0) represents a highly compressible and nearly antiferromagnetic liquid , for UNF = 0.9) with a pseudogap in the spin response. However, for U > 0 a pairing instability and superconductivity exist in the charge channel only: spin-singlet with l = 0 (s-wave), or with l = 2 (d-wave) in the case of an anisotropic Fermi surface.
Implementation of atomic primitives on distributed shared memory multiprocessors

In this paper we consider several hardware implementations of the general-purpose atomic primitives fetch and /spl Phi/, compare and swap, load linked, and store conditional on large-scale shared-memory multiprocessors. These primitives have proven popular on small-scale bets-based machines, but have yet to become widely available on large-scale, distributed shared memory machines. We propose several alternative hardware implementations of these primitives, and then analyze the performance of these implementations for various data sharing patterns. Our results indicate that good overall performance can be obtained by implementing compare and swap in the cache controllers, and by providing an additional instruction to load an exclusive copy of a cache line. >
Climate determinism revisited: multiple equilibria in a complex climate model

Multiple equilibria in a coupled ocean‐atmosphere‐sea ice general circulation model (GCM) of an aquaplanet with many degrees of freedom are studied. Three different stable states are found for exactly the same set of parameters and external forcings: a cold state in which a polar sea ice cap extends into the midlatitudes; a warm state, which is ice free; and a completely sea ice‐covered ‘‘snowball’’ state. Although low-orderenergybalancemodelsoftheclimateareknowntoexhibitintransitivity(i.e.,morethanoneclimate state for a given set of governing equations), the results reported here are the first to demonstrate that this is a property of a complex coupled climate model with a consistent set of equations representing the 3D dynamics of the ocean and atmosphere. The coupled model notably includes atmospheric synoptic systems, large-scalecirculationoftheocean,afullyactivehydrologicalcycle,seaice,andaseasonalcycle.Thereareno fluxadjustments, with the systembeingsolelyforcedby incomingsolar radiationat thetop ofthe atmosphere. It is demonstratedthat the multiple equilibriaowe theirexistence to the presence of meridional structurein ocean heat transport: namely, a large heat transport out of the tropics and a relatively weak high-latitude transport. The associated large midlatitude convergence of ocean heat transport leads to a preferred latitude at which the sea ice edge can rest. The mechanism operates in two very different ocean circulation regimes, suggestingthatthestabilizationofthelargeicecapcouldbearobustfeatureoftheclimatesystem.Finally,the role of ocean heat convergence in permitting multiple equilibria is further explored in simpler models: an atmospheric GCM coupled to a slab mixed layer ocean and an energy balance model.
Logistic Regression and EVIs for XML Books and the Heterogeneous Track

For this year's INEX UC Berkeley focused on the Book track and the Heterogeneous track, For these runs we used the TREC2 logistic regression probabilistic model with blind feedback as well as Entry Vocabulary Indexes (EVIs) for the Books Collection MARC data. For the full text records of the book track we encountered a number of interesting problems in setting up the database, and ended up using page-level indexing of the full collection. As (once again) the only group to actually submit runs for the Het track, we are guaranteed both the highest, and lowest, effectiveness scores for each task. However, because it was again deemed pointless to conduct the actual relevance assessments on the submissions of a single system, we do not know the exact values of these results.
Regional blood-brain barrier transport of cationized bovine serum albumin in awake rats.

Regional blood-brain barrier permeability-surface area products (PAs) of cationized bovine serum albumin (cBSA) with isoelectric point (pI) approximately 8 or greater than or equal to 11 and of native bovine serum albumin (nBSA;pI approximately 4) were determined in awake male Sprague-Dawley rats after bolus intravenous injection. The albumins were labeled with 125I. Brain uptakes were assessed by autoradiography and by direct assay of radioactivity in brain regions. nBSA uptake into brain was statistically insignificant over 3 h, whereas cBSA uptake was significantly even at 6 min. Mean PA values of cBSA with pI approximately 11 (1.69-2.65 x 10(-5) ml.s-1.g-1) in most brain regions were twofold higher than PAs of cBSA with pI approximately 8 (0.98-1.37 x 10(-5) ml.s-1.g-1), whereas mean PA for nBSA did not differ significantly from zero. Autoradiographs of brain slices and net distributions in brain compartments at 6 and 30 min after injection suggested that cBSA entered the brain parenchyma via blood vessels and cerebrospinal fluid but that the former was the main route. The results quantitate for the first time regional brain PA values for cationized proteins and suggest specific mechanisms at cerebral blood vessels that distinguish transport of cationized from noncationized macromolecules.
A Review of “La musa sotto I portici. Caffè e provincia nella narrativa di Piero Chiara e Lucio Mastronardi”

In the introduction to this well-researched study, Stefano Giannini begins by offering an insightful panorama of the cafe as a vibrant theatre for Italian political and cultural life from the eight...
Crack initiation and viscoplasticity in polyethylene joint replacement components

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is an abrasion resistant and bioinert polymer widely used as a bearing material in total joint replacements. Recent reports of fracture and crack initiation in these systems make the prediction of crack initiation a primary concern. Past work in assessing the resistance to crack propagation in UHMWPE has typically ignored the creeping (quasi-static) constitutive contribution to the process of failure. We conducted constant load experiments on pre-notched fracture specimens and observed the elapsed time to crack initiation and subsequent crack velocity as a function of the applied load. A hyperelastic-viscoplastic constitutive model was calibrated to three uniaxial tensile experiments; one at a constant crosshead velocity, and two delayed yield creep (viscoplastic) experiments at an engineering stress either slightly or moderately below the short-term yield strength, until the strain saturated or failure. The crack initiation phase of the fracture experiment was modeled in ABAQUS, predicting the time-dependent J-integral and average molecular chain stretch to be single-valued at the experimentally obtained crack initiation times for the three tested boundary conditions. The crack initiation time and propagation velocity were also found to scale with the applied load in agreement with an analytical power-law viscous fracture model.
AGAINST THE CORE OF THE CASE

The debate over judicial review of legislation is profuse. But differences are often due to the lack of a common methodology. This article discusses the proper way to evaluate judicial review and confronts central challenges raised against it. It develops the two main models that can be used for analyzing the intersection between democracy and constitutional decision-making and shows that judicial oversight may not be rejected, regardless of how we interpret that connection. The article discusses in detail the model developed by Jeremy Waldron. A nice attempt to answer methodological questions, Waldron's model wrongly tips the balance against judicial review. Its excessive level of abstraction and idealization renders it inoperable. Few systems meet its standards, and those that do pay a high price: they contradict the concept of democratic legitimacy that underlies the model. Paradoxically, a system with judicial review may end up being more legitimate than one without it.
Design of X-band frequency selective surface (FSS) with band pass characteristics based on miniaturized unit cell

In this manuscript a multi-layered miniaturized-element frequency selective surfaces (MEFSSs) having band pass characteristics is proposed. The frequency selective surface (FSS) is design at X-band and exhibits harmonics free frequency band upto 30 GHZ, which is suitable for the radar cross section (RCS) reduction of an object. The metallic layers are either in the form of capacitive patches or inductive wires mesh at very small sub-wavelength periods. The multiple closely spaced metallic capacitive layers act as a single capacitive layer with increased capacitance. This technique reduces the unit size cell drastically. As a result the natural resonant frequencies of the structure are shifted to very high frequencies. Thus, the unwanted transmission bands caused by these high order harmonics are shifted to an extremely high band. Using this technique, an MEFSS with a second-order band pass response is designed to operate at 10 GHz. The elements which constitute the FSS are non-resonant structures which are combined to make a second-order band pass filter. The MEFSSs unit cell size, thickness and the inter element spacing are significantly smaller than the wavelength. This overall small size makes the structure a second order band pass spatial filter with excellent stable performance with different angles of incident. The MEFSSs exhibit a stable frequency response to different angles of incidence and polarizations. Moreover, the FSS found numerous applications in communication, microwave, millimeter wave and radar systems such as spatial filters, radar absorbing materials (RAM), artificial magnetic conductors (AMC), planar lenses, radomes, sub-reflectors, polarizer and reflect arrays antennas.
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL FOR THE TREATMENT OF THEOPHYLLINE INTOXICATION

We roported two cases of theophylline intoxication in which activated charcoal was given as treatment, and we experimentally evaluated the theophylline absorbability of activated charcoal.Case 1: A 4 years and 6 months old boy had been given both of continuous intravenous infusion of aminophylline and oral sustained-release theophylline formulation by medication error. He had tremor and the peak serum theophylline level was 35.68μg/ml. Then he was given 0.5g/kg of activated charcoal orally. The elimination rate constant (Kel) was 0.158/h in the first 2.5 hours after the charcoal administration.Case 2: A 12 years and 6 months old girl took sustained-release theophylline formulation and felt discomfort after last medication. Serum theophylline level was 28.79μg/ml at 2.5 hours after the medication and the patient was given 0.5g/kg of activated charcoal orally. The elimination rate constant in the first 110 minutes was 0.148/h.In in vitro study, 7.4g of activated charcoal could absorb 1g of theophylline. Theophylline was absorbed immediately after the addition of activated charcoal. The amount of theophylline absorbed was the highest at pH5.
The value of factor VIII levels in acquired hypofibrinogenemia.

Acquired hypofibrinogenemia can result from either severe hepatic disease or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Differentiation between these two entities in the laboratory can be difficult because of similar reductions in certain coagulation factors. In addition, both pathologic events may be present in the same patient. The purpose of this investigation was to study the coagulation mechanisms in 35 patients with acquired hypofibrinogenemia (< 150 mg. per 100 ml.). Of these, 14 had DIC, 18 had hepatic disorders, and three had combinations of hepatic disease and DIC. Similar reductions in Factors II and V were found in the DIC and hepatic-disease cases. Although the platelet counts and fibrin split products values (FSP’s) tended to be normal with hepatic disease, and abnormal with DIC, many patients had thrombocytopenia and/or elevated FSP’s for reasons other than DIC. Factor VIII levels were 404 ± 18 per cent with hepatic disease and 31 ± 14 per cent with DIC (normal range 50–150%), clearly different in the two groups. Since fibrinogen, Factor II and Factor V are synthesized by the liver and are consumed with DIC, the similar results are explainable. Factor VIII has been reported to be produced by the reticuloendothelial system, but more recent evidence suggests that the liver may play a major role in its synthesis. The data suggest that if the liver is involved in Factor VIII production it probably is not totally from the hepatocyte. The data show that Factor VIII levels can be used to distinguish DIC from hepatic disease in acquired hypofibrinogenemic states.
Homogeneous hydrogenation of CO2 to methyl formate utilizing switchable ionic liquids

Combined capture of CO2 and subsequent hydrogenation allows for base/methanol-promoted homogeneous hydrogenation of CO2 to methyl formate. The CO2, captured as an amidinium methyl carbonate, reacts with H2 with no applied pressure of CO2 in the presence of a catalyst to produce sequentially amidinium formate, then methyl formate. The production of methyl formate releases the base back into the system, thereby reducing one of the flaws of catalytic hydrogenations of CO2: the notable consumption of one mole of base per mole of formate produced. The reaction proceeds under 20 atm of H2 with selectivity to formate favored by the presence of excess base and lower temperatures (110 °C), while excess alcohol and higher temperatures (140 °C) favor methyl formate. Known CO2 hydrogenation catalysts are active in the ionic liquid medium with turnover numbers as high as 5000. It is unclear as to whether the alkyl carbonate or CO2 is hydrogenated, as we show they are in equilibrium in this system. The availability of ...