cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complete thymectomy in adult rats with non-invasive endotracheal intubation.

Thymectomy in neonatal rodents is an established and reliable procedure for immunological studies. However, in adult rats, complications of hemorrhage and pneumothorax from pleural disruption can result in a significant mortality rate. This protocol is a simple method of rat thymectomy that utilizes a mini-sternotomy and endotracheal intubation. Intubation is accomplished with a non-invasive and easily reproducible method and allows for positive pressure ventilation to prevent pneumothorax and a controlled airway that allows sufficient time for careful thymus dissection to minimize pleural disruption. A 1.5 cm sternal incision decreases contact with mediastinal vessels and pleura, while still providing full visualization of the thymus. Following exposure of the mediastinum, the thymus is removed by blunt dissection under magnification. The pleural space is then sealed by suture closure of the pre-tracheal muscles followed by the application of surgical glue. The thorax is then closed by suture closure of the sternum, followed by suture closure of the skin. All thymectomies were complete as evidenced by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of mediastinal tissue, and absence of naive T-cells by flow cytometry, and the procedure had a 96% survival rate. This method is suitable when complete thymectomy with minimal complications is desired for further immunological studies in athymic adult rats.
Review of the Governing Equations, Computational Algorithms, and Other Components of the Models-3 Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Modeling System

This article describes the governing equations, computational algorithms, and other components entering into the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system. This system has been designed to approach air quality as a whole by including state-ofthe-science capabilities for modeling multiple air quality issues, including tropospheric ozone, fine particles, acid deposition, and visibility degradation. CMAQ was also designed to have multiscale capabilities so that separate models were not needed for urban and regional scale air quality modeling. By making CMAQ a modeling system that addresses multiple pollutants and different spatial scales, it has a “one-atmosphere” perspective that combines the efforts of the scientific community. To implement multiscale capabilities in CMAQ, several issues (such as scalable atmospheric dynamics and generalized coordinates), which depend on the desired model resolution, are addressed. A set of governing equations for compressible nonhydrostatic atmospheres is available to better resolve atmospheric dynamics at smaller scales. Because CMAQ is designed to handle scale-dependent meteorological formulations and a large amount of flexibility, its governing equations are expressed in a generalized coordinate system. This approach ensures consistency between CMAQ and the meteorological modeling system. The generalized coordinate system determines the necessary grid and coordinate transformations, and it can accommodate various vertical coordinates and map projections. The CMAQ modeling system simulates various chemical and physical processes that are thought to be important for understanding atmospheric trace gas transformations and distributions. The modeling system contains three types of modeling components (Models-3): a meteorological modeling system for the description of atmospheric states and motions, emission models for man-made and natural emissions that are injected into the atmosphere, and a chemistry-transport modeling system for simulation of the chemical transformation and fate. The chemical transport model includes the following process modules: horizontal advection, vertical advection, mass conservation adjustments for advection processes, horizontal diffusion, vertical diffusion, gas-phase chemical reactions and solvers, photolytic rate computation, aqueous-phase reactions and cloud mixing, aerosol dynamics, size distributions and chemistry, plume chemistry effects, and gas and aerosol deposition velocity estimation. This paper describes the Models-3 CMAQ system, its governing equations, important science algorithms, and a few application examples. This review article cites 114 references. DOI: 10.1115/1.2128636
Bouveret’s syndrome: Diagnosis by helical CT scan

Calculous cholecystitis severe enough to result in pyloric outlet obstruction is a rare occurrence. Impaction of a large calculus in the duodenum or stomach as a consequence of fistula formation is usually diagnosed on upper gastrointestinal series. Computed tomography is uncommonly used to diagnose this condition and was diagnostic in our patient.
The Relations of Regulation and Emotionality to Children's Externalizing and Internalizing Problem Behavior

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation of different types of negative emotion and regulation and control to 55- to 97-month-olds' internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Parents and teachers provided information on children's (N = 214) adjustment, dispositional regulation and control, and emotion, and children's regulation was observed during several behavioral tasks. Internalizing was defined in two ways: as social withdrawal (to avoid overlap of items with measures of emotionality) or, more broadly, as anxiety, depression, and psychosomatic complaints. In general, children with externalizing problems, compared with children with internalizing problems and nondisordered children, were more prone to anger, impulsivity, and low regulation. Children with internalizing symptoms were prone to sadness, low attentional regulation, and low impulsivity. Relations between internalizing problems and emotionality were more frequent when the entire internalizing scale was used. Findings suggest that emotion and regulation are associated with adjustment in systematic ways and that there is an important difference between effortful control and less voluntary modes of control.
Modification of Food Cariogenicity in Rats by Mineral-rich Concentrates from Milk

Dairy products, including milk, cheese, and casein, can reduce the caries-causing potential of cariogenic substrates as measured in various animal, plaque acidity, and in vitro systems. Although the mechanisms responsible for protection are not completely identified, substances containing Ca and P may contribute to the protective potential by reducing demineralization and/or promoting remineralization of enamel. Casein may reduce demineralization by forming a protective coat on the enamel surface. By means of a rat model, this study evaluated the ability of three casein-free milk mineral concentrates with various levels of whey protein, calcium, and phosphate to modify the cariogenicity of a powdered diet containing 20% sucrose. Analysis of these data indicates that there were no significant differences among groups for weight gain, total food consumption, or feeding frequency, as monitored by a computer-based infrared activity monitor. All three mineral concentrates significantly reduced buccal caries, a...
Use of small‐scale testing to predict Cal 133 performance

The use of the cone calorimeter to predict the performance of upholstered furniture in open-flame ignition tests such as Cal 133 is reviewed. Fabric-fire blocker-foam composite tests are correlated to full-scale chair burn results for a wide range of upholstery fabrics. The ACT/DFA study as well as CBUF models are discussed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Reality of an Integrative Sex Therapy

Although sex therapy from its inception has been acknowledged to be an integrative modality, little attention has focused on integrating various systemic approaches into sex therapy; yet the majority of sex therapists are probably familiar with these approaches. This article attempts to convey the reality of a newer sex therapy that integrates systemic thinking. Through a detailed case analysis and explication of the conceptual framework, it demonstrates the utility of several systemic strategies in treating sexual dysfunction; accounts for which techniques were and were not effective; and acknowledges the significance of the therapeutic relationship and of ethical and value issues that are present in all therapy.
Depressive Symptoms and Sleep Disturbance in Adults with Histories of Childhood Abuse

Abstract Depressive symptoms including sleep disturbance are clinically apparent in many patients with histories of childhood abuse. This study investigated the nature and severity of depressive symptoms, sleep disturbance, and trauma-related symptoms in a group of female participants with abuse histories, as compared to a non-abused group of female participants with major depression. Sixty (60) participants with a history of childhood abuse and 13 participants with major depression completed several self-report instruments which examine past life experiences, depressive symptoms, post-traumatic symptoms, dissociative symptoms, and sleep problems. To control for differences in background characteristics, a subset of participants with abuse histories were matched to and compared with the 13 depressed participants. Both the abused and depressed groups showed high levels of depressive symptoms, but there were no significant differences between the groups. The abused group had significantly more intrusive pos...
Polymerization in gel‐like emulsions

Polymerization of styrene in gel-like emulsions (concentrated emulsions which have a volume fraction of monomer greater than 0.74), by using sodium dodecylsulfate as emulsifier and small amounts of water, was carried out with an oil-soluble initiator, AIBN. Both higher conversions and higher molecular weights of the polymer were obtained as compared to the polymerization in bulk. The higher “rigidity” of the monomer in the interior of the cells of the gel is responsible for the increased rate of polymerization and molecular weight. The polymer particles thus obtained have diameters in the range of 0.1 to 0.3 μm, depending upon the conditions of preparation of the gel. The effects of the concentration of the initiator, the concentration of surfactant, the monomer volume fraction, termperature, and ionic strength of the aqueous solution have been investigated.
Flux-creep activation energy in high-Tc superconductors.

We investigated the relationship between the effective flux-creep activation energy {ital U} and the current density {ital j} ({similar to}M), for both the YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub {ital x}} and Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub {ital x}} systems. We found that the {ital U}-versus-{ital M} curves can be best fitted by a power law. More specifically, for a single crystal of Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub {ital x}} at a given temperature, a logarithmic relation between {ital U} and {ital M} is found in the low-temperature region, while a power-law behavior takes place near the irreversibility line. The validity of the apparent activation energy {ital U}{sub 0} is also discussed.
Nutritional Counseling for Women with Eating Disorders

Abstract Karen is a 20-year-old college junior who's captain of her tennis team, a straight-A student, and a frequent volunteer for worthwhile causes around campus. Sometimes, while staying up late to study, she overeats. To rid herself of that bloated feeling, she makes herself throw up in the bathroom. Emma is a 14-year-old budding adolescent who loves to dance and play outdoors, but at school some of the girls have told her she looks fat. Although she's within the normal height and weight range for her age, she's starting to skip lunch so she doesn't appear "piggy" or "greedy" in front of the other girls. Anne is a career-climber with a prestigious middle management position at age 30 and on the fast track for the corner office. She has been struggling to stay in her size six suits and gets frustrated when forced to buy a size eight. In the past she has dieted, exercised relentlessly, and often skipped meals to maintain her trim figure. Now that she's getting a little older, she's finding it harder and harder to remain diligent in her weight-monitoring routines. She's often tired and just doesn't have the same amount of energy that she used to have.
CB2 receptors in the brain: role in central immune function

Recently, it has been recognized that the cannabinoid receptor CB2 may play a functionally relevant role in the central nervous system (CNS). This role is mediated primarily through microglia, a resident population of cells in the CNS that is morphologically, phenotypically, and functionally related to macrophages. These cells also express the cannabinoid receptor CB1. The CB1 receptor (CB1R) is constitutively expressed at low levels while the CB2 receptor (CB2R) is expressed at higher levels and is modulated in relation to cell activation state. The relatively high levels of the CB2R correspond with microglia being in ‘responsive' and ‘primed' states, suggesting the existence of a ‘window' of functional relevance during which activation of the CB2R modulates microglial activities. Signature activities of ‘responsive' and ‘primed' microglia are chemotaxis and antigen processing, respectively. The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonylglycerol has been reported to stimulate a chemotactic response from these cells through the CB2R. In contrast, we have shown in vivo and in vitro that the exogenous cannabinoids delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and CP55940 inhibit the chemotactic response of microglia to Acanthamoeba culbertsoni, an opportunistic pathogen that is the causative agent of Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis, through activation of the CB2R. It is postulated that these exogenous cannabinoids superimpose an inhibitory effect on pro-chemotactic endocannabinoids that are elicited in response to Acanthamoeba. Furthermore, the collective results suggest that the CB2R plays a critical immune functional role in the CNS.
Effects of chronic protein deficiency on skeletal development of young rats

Protein deficiency was produced by freely feeding young rats a 1% lactalbumin diet for 12 weeks in order to study the effects of protein-calorie malnutrition on skeletal development. During the experiment the food and caloric intake and weight of the experimental animals decreased, while those parameters of the control animals progressively increased. However, when gross caloric intake was expressed as a function of the metabolic size of the animal, the caloric consumption was similar for both groups of animals. The protein-deficient animals exhibited micro-radiographic and histological features of an abnormal pattern of endochondral bone formation. Appositional bone growth, as determined by the daily appositional rate and the percentage of endosteal surfaces undergoing active bone formation, was significantly decreased in these animals, as was the percentage of periosteal surfaces exhibiting resorption. Both chemical analyses of the whole bone and electron probe microanalysis in the specific area of actively calcifying bone revealed no significant differences between the mineral content of control and protein-deficient animals. This study distinguishes the effects of protein deficiency from that of combined protein-calorie deprivation and demonstrates that the abnormal skeletal development observed was the result of a decrease in the quantity of bone formed rather than an altered mineral content.
Fertilizing Ability of Structurally Abnormal Spermatozoa

No detailed description of abnormal forms of fertilization1–3 has mentioned the occurrence of ova activated or fertilized by abnormal spermatozoa. The rarity of such a phenomenon is probably best accounted for by the fact that predominance of abnormal sperm forms is usually associated with infertility4–6. Furthermore, it is widely assumed that the mechanisms which reduce the numbers of sperm passing into and through the oviduct would allow only the more vigorous spermatozoa to reach the site of fertilization3. We have now observed mouse ova fertilized by structurally defective spermatozoa.
Ultrastructural and immunocytochemical analysis of the circuitry of two putative directionally selective ganglion cells in turtle retina.

Two well-stained, horseradish peroxidase-filled varieties of putative ON-OFF directionally selective ganglion cells, G14a and G15, that project to the dorsolateral optic tectum (Guiloff and Kolb [1992a] Vis. Neurosci. 8:295–313) were studied qualitatively and quantitatively. Both were bistratified ganglion cells with one tier of dendrites; in the OFF sublamina and the other in the ON sublamina of the inner plexiform layer (IPL). The cells were serially sectioned and examined for synaptic inputs by electron microscopy. Portions of the dendritic trees were also analyzed after postembedding immunocytochemistry for neurotransmitter candidates gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), and glutamate in presynaptic neurons. Both G14a and G15 are dominated by amacrine cell inputs and have only minor bipolar cell involvement. Probably at least two different types of bipolar cell are presynaptic. Both ganglion cells receive some GABA-Positive (GABA+) amacrine inputs and G14a receives ChAT+ amacrine inputs. Glycine+, and glutamate+ inputs could not be detected in either cell. The GABA+ inputs appeared to be regionally arranged in the dendritic trees. The general distribution of amacrine and bipolar inputs to the two tiers of dendrites in both cell types appeared to be asymmetrical, both along the radial extent of the dendritic trees and within the depth of the IPL. Our data support some aspects of the current models for directional selectivity. We suggest candidate bipolar and amacrine cells that could have input to these ganglion cells. Since many of the putative presynaptic amacrine cells coincide with directionally selective types recorded and stained, by other authors, we propose that in turtle retina directional selectivity arises in neurons presynaptic to the ganglion cells. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Heterogeneity of liver microsomal cytochrome P-450: The spectral characterization of reactants with reduced cytochrome P-450☆

Abstract The aerobic metabolism of benzphetamine by liver microsomes, during a cytochrome P-450-catalyzed mixed-function oxidation reaction, results in the formation of an easily detected spectral complex with an absorption band maximum at 456 nm. Electron paramagnetic resonance studies, as well as studies with the chemical reductant, sodium dithionite, or the oxidant, potassium ferricyanide, indicate that the spectral complex results from the formation of a product adduct with reduced cytochrome P-450. The spectral properties of this product complex of cytochrome P-450 have been compared to those observed with carbon monoxide, metyrapone, and ethylisocyanide. The reaction of these reagents to specific pools of microsomal cytochrome P-450 permits the identification of at least two major and two minor types of cytochrome P-450 in liver microsomes prepared from phenobarbital-treated rats.
The reaction of 3-aminoisoquinoline with nitrous acid

The product of the reaction of 3-aminoisoquinoline and nitrous acid has been identified as the previously unreported 3,4-isoquinolinedione 4-oxime hydrate.
Prostaglandin E2 induces up-regulation of murine macrophage β-endorphin receptors

Abstract Cultured murine bone marrow macrophages specifically bound 125I-labeled β-endorphin. Binding was displaceable by 100 times molar excess of full-length β-endorphin but was insensitive to the opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone. Binding was inhibited by β-endorphin's C-terminal tetrapeptide, lys-lys-gly-glu, but not by the truncated N-terminal 27 amino acid fragment, indicating that binding of β-endorphin to this receptor is dependent on its C-terminus. Macrophages incubated for 24 h with 10−8–10−5 M prostaglandin E2 showed a dose-dependent increase in β-endorphin binding, implying receptor up-regulation. This was also observed in response to the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, isobutylmethylxanthine, indicating that regulation of these receptors may be mediated through a cAMP-dependent process. This is the first demonstration that β-endorphin receptor expression can be positively regulated.
Displacement and Ionization Fractions of Fast Neutron Kerma in TLDS and Si

Neutrons produce damage in materials by means of recoil ions and charged secondary particles. The kerma deposited in five materials has been separated into displacement and ionization parts using Lindhard's work. The calculations require data on individual reactions, including angular distributions. Tables and graphs are presented for ~ 1 keV to 18 MeV neutrons on Si, CaF2, 6LiF, 7LiF, and natural LiF. The integrated response is given for a fission spectrum and for two fast reactor spectra.
Participatory Ergonomics and Macroergonomic Organizational Questionnaire Surveys

In this paper we describe a participatory ergonomics framework and we show how macroergonomic organizational questionnaire surveys can be used within this framework to support and sustain worker participation in the identification of ergonomic problems and solutions and the implementation of change. An example is presented of how the participatory ergonomics conceptual framework is implemented in a work organization intervention study.
THE MAYORAL CAMPAIGNS OF HARVEY GANTT: PROSPECTS AND PROBLEMS OF COALITION MAINTENANCE IN THE NEW SOUTH

Recent United States Supreme Court rulings suggest that future gains in the number of black elected officials will likely derive primarily from districts which are predominantly white. The series of mayoral races (1979 primary and the 1983, 1985, and 1987 general elections) run by Harvey Gantt in Charlotte, North Carolina illuminates the problems and prospects of coalition maintenance in the New South. Specifically, these races suggest that in order to win in non-black majority districts, it is imperative for black office seekers to formulate a biracial coalition which by its very nature consists of disparate social groups. Although deracialized electoral strategies can facilitate the formation of biracial coalitions by emphasizing issues which transcend racial boundaries, such strategies are not foolproof given the complexity of modern racism. This research addresses a significant void in the political science literature resulting from the lack of scholarly attention to these campaigns, and more generally to biracial political contests and coalition maintenance in the southern region.
The Evolution of Density-Driven Circulation Over Sloping Bottom Topography

Abstract The short timescale temporal evolution of buoyancy-driven coastal flow over sloping bottom topography is examined using a two-dimensional, vertically averaged numerical model. Winter shelf circulation driven by a coastal “point source” buoyancy flux is modeled by initiating a coastal outflow with density anomaly ϵ into well-mixed shelf water. The nonlinear interaction between the time-varying velocity and density field is represented by an advection-diffusion equation. Three cases are discussed: that of a buoyant (ϵ 0) outflow. Results are similar to observations from well-mixed shelf areas and show that density-topography interactions are capable of substantially influencing coastal circulation. A negative (buoyant) coastal buoyancy flux is shown to generate alongshore motion with relatively small cross-shelf transport. Conversely, positive (dense) coastal buoyancy flux is shown to generate flow that travels across isobaths to initiate an...
Inhibition of voluntary activity by growth hormone.

Abstract During food deprivation and subsequent refeeding there are alterations in growth hormone (GH) secretion and wheel-running activity such that wheel running increases when GH secretion decreases and vice versa. To investigate if there might be a causal relationship between GH secretion and wheel running, the effect of GH administration on wheel running was studied. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were placed singly in activity-wheel cages shortly after weaning. Beginning at 70–75 days of age the rats received 14 daily control injections of saline followed by 14 daily injections of GH and a further 14 days of control injections. Wheel-running activity was inhibited during the period of growth hormone injections. Possible implications of this result are discussed.
Matrix metalloproteinase expression during blastema formation in regeneration-competent versus regeneration-deficient amphibian limbs.

We used an antibody array to compare the protein expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-1, -2, -3, -8, -9, -10, and -13, as well as the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs)-1, -2, and -4 during blastema formation in amputated hindlimbs of regeneration-competent wild-type axolotls and stage-54 Xenopus, and regeneration-deficient short-toes axolotls and Xenopus froglets. Expression of MMP-9 and -2 was also compared by zymography. Both short-toes and froglet failed to up-regulate MMPs in a pattern comparable to the wild-type axolotl, suggesting that subnormal histolysis is at least in part responsible for the poor blastema formation characteristic of both short-toes and froglet. MMP levels were much lower in amputated stage-54 Xenopus limb buds than in the other animals, suggesting that blastema formation in these limb buds requires much less extracellular matrix degradation than in fully differentiated limbs. TIMP expression patterns followed the same trends as the MMP's in each group of animals. Developmental Dynamics 240:1127–1141, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Evolutionary ecology and the conservation of biodiversity

Studies on evolving interactions among species and the coevolutionary process have suggested that the conservation of biodiversity requires a broad geographic perspective, if the `interaction biodiversity' of the earth is to be conserved with its species diversity. Continued maintenance of the geographic mosaic of specialization, defense and population structure appears to be crucial to the coevolutionary process and the long-term persistence of some interspecific interactions.
Interfacial Chemistry in Indoor Environments

Although many researchers have studied ozone chemistry on indoor surfaces, little is known about the consequences of higher levels of ozone reaction products in indoor air.
A Knudsen Cell Study of the Heterogeneous Reactivity of Nitric Acid on Oxide and Mineral Dust Particles

The heterogeneous reactivity of gaseous nitric acid on α-Al2O3, α-Fe2O3, SiO2, MgO, and CaO, as well as authentic samples of Gobi dust and Saharan sand, was investigated at 295 K using a Knudsen cell reactor. Through total uptake calculations and mass dependent studies, nitric-acid diffusion into the underlying layers is shown to be an important process for all of the systems studied. As such, models that account for the increased surface area and the concomitant increase in “internal collisions” were used to calculate uptake coefficients. The initial uptake coefficients for α-Al2O3, α-Fe2O3, SiO2, MgO, and CaO all lie in the 10-5 to 10-3 region at gas concentrations between 1011 and 1012 molecules/cm3. As expected, on the basis of their high SiO2 composition, the measured initial uptake coefficients for the authentic dust samples are close to the value found for SiO2 and are between 2 and 6 × 10-5. Uptake of nitric acid on most of the oxide particles and the authentic dust samples results in irreversible...
Structure of the Uranian rings. I - Square-well model and particle-size constraints

A least squares fitting is added to the diffraction model for the Uranian rings and the model is then used to determine the relative optical depths of the rings at visible and near-IR wavelengths. Light transmission is assumed constant on a scale of a few radial km in the rings. The amount of starlight passing through the rings is calculated from occultations with account taken of a monolayer ring, diffraction effects, and multiple ring layers. A diffracted occultation profile is generated with consideration given to the angular diameter of the star, the impulse response of the detector, and atmospheric aberrations. Calculation procedures which remove noise are outlined and results are compared with the observational data base. The wavelength dependence of optical depth is formulated. It is shown that occultation data do not support the presence of a large fraction of submicron particles. No optical depth variations are projected for 0.88-2.2 microns wavelengths. Unchopped data are needed to verify the model predictions.
Photoperiodic and pineal influences on estrogen-stimulated behaviors in female Syrian hamsters

Abstract Three experiments investigated the effects of short photoperiod exposure on the estrogenic facilitation of locomotor activity and lordosis. In Experiment 1, ovariectomized female hamsters were administered exogenous estrogen to stimulate locomotor activity in running wheels. Estrogen was effective in the long photoperiod group but did not stimulate running-wheel activity in the short photoperiod group. In Experiment 2, the role of the pineal gland in mediating photoperiodic influences on female hamster behavior was examined. Both estrogen-induced locomotor activity and estrogen + progesterone-stimulated lordosis behavior were significantly reduced in short photoperiod females. Both these photoperiodic effects were absent in pinealectomized hamsters. Sham-pinealectomized, short photoperiod females expressed behavioral deficits; pinealectomized hamsters in the short photoperiod did not. Experiment 3 investigated lordosis only and used hormone injections rather than silastic implants to administer estrogen. The photoperiodic and pineal effects observed in Experiment 2 were replicated in Experiment 3. Additionally, the suppression of lordosis responsiveness by short photoperiod exposure was estrogen dose dependent. Photoperiodic effects were present when 2 μg estradiol cypionate was used but absent when higher estrogen doses were used. These findings are discussed in the context of other results that suggested photoperiodic effects on hamster lordosis were pineal independent.
1015-72 Elevated Plasma Homocysteine: An Important Independent Risk Factor for Coronary Artery Disease in the Elderly

Background High plasma homocysteine (HCY) concentration is an established risk factor for premature vascular disease which can be reduced using vitamin therapy. The role of increased homocysteine as a coronary risk factor in the elderly, however, remains uncertain. Methods We studied 228 patients with angiographically documented coronary disease (≥ 70% stenosis in at least one major epicardial vessel). These included 136 patients less than, and 92 greater than 65 years old. Patients were compared to 223 healthy controls 199 (l65) and 24 (g 65). The presence of traditional risk factors including hypertension, smoking, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus were noted. Total fasting plasma homocysteine was measured in all subjects. A gender-adjusted threshold for a high homocysteine level was defined as the 80th percentile for healthy controls (corresponding to a level of 11.7 μmol/L in women and 13.6 μmo1/L in men). Results Age l 65 Age g 65 Patients Controls Patients Controls Homocysteine 12.2 ± 4.0 * 11.0 ± 3.4 14.2 ± 4.6 * 11.9 ± 3.6 High HCY(%) 33 * 20 50 † 25 Odds Ratios 2.0 * NA 2.9 * NA Confidence Interval 1.2–3.2 NA 1.0–8.3 NA * p l am vs controls † p l 0.03 Conclusions Homocysteine concentrations are elevated in patients with coronary artery disease older than 65 years in age. A high value confers an independent three-fold risk for coronary disease in this patient group. Accordingly, intervention studies designed to reduce plasma homocysteine levels should not exclude the elderly.
Surface magnetoplasmon-optic phonon modes in InSb

Abstract Surface magnetoplasman-optic phonon modes have been measured in n-InSb in the geometry with magnetic field parallel to the surface-mode wave vector.
Wage gradients, rent gradients, and the price elasticity of demand for housing: An empirical investigation

Abstract As developed in Muth's “Cities and Housing,” attainment of locational equilibrium within an urban area implies a necessary functional correspondence between wage and price gradients and the compensated price elasticity of demand for housing. In this paper estimates of the rent and wage gradients are utilized to generate price-elasticity estimates via this equilibrium correspondence. The Box-Cox transformation technique is used with data from the metropolitan Chicago area to test for the functional forms of the wage and rent gradients. The optimal maximum-likelihood functional forms for both gradients yield a price-elasticity estimate of −0.40.
Excitatory and inhibitory effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine in mesenteric arteries of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Abstract Some of the presynaptic and postsynaptic excitatory and inhibitory actions of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the rat mesentric arteries were reexamined with particular reference to the genetic hypertensive rat model. Mesentric arteries were perfused and the perfusion pressure monitored in the presence or absence of 5-HT, norepinephrine or periarterial sympathetic nerve stimulation. The vasoconstrictor response to 5-HT was resistant to prazosin but effectively inhibited by cyproheptadine and ketanserin. The vasoconstrictor responses to norepinephrine and nerve stimulation were markedly potentiated by 5-HT, and this potentiation was blocked by ketanserin at concentrations which inhibited the 5-HT-induced vasoconstriction, while much higher concentrations were required for cyprohheptadine. No significant difference was found in these regards between mesenteric arteries from the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and those from the normotensive Kyoto Wistar rats (WKY). 5-HT significantly increased the nerve stimulation-evoked 3 H overflow in [ 3 H]norepinephrine-treated mesenteric arteries of SHR, but reduced the 3 H overflow in the WKY preparations. These results suggest that ketanserin-sensitive 5-HT 2 receptors are involved in the potentiating effect of 5-HT in the rat mesenteric arteries, and that an increase in transmitter release by 5-HT may contribute to its potentiation of nerve stimulation-induced vasoconstriction in SHR.
Sustaining Latin America's Resurgence: Some Historical Perspectives

This paper looks at the historical lessons that might serve to entrech Latin America's newly resurgent growth phase. It briefly reviews the post-World War II experiences in Latin America and Asia, focusing on the conditions that favored capital accumulation and productivity growth in the faster growing economies. Among these, the paper highlights the importance of stable macroeconomic policies, especially fiscal policy.
Ergodic averages with generalized weights

Two types of weighted ergodic averages are studied. It is shown that if F = {Fn} is an admissible superadditive process relative to a measure preserving transformation, then a Wiener-Wintner type result holds forF. Using this result new good classes of weights generated by such processes are obtained. We also introduce another class of weights via the group of unitary functions, and study the convergence of the corresponding weighted averages. The limits of such weighted averages are also identified. 1. Introduction. This article is inspired by the celebrated Wiener- Wintner theorem which has been instrumental in studying various proper- ties of weighted and subsequential averages as well as constructing some nontrivial classes of good sequences. It turns out that, utilizing the tools developed in (C¸, CF), one can obtain a version of this theorem in the setting of a class of superadditive processes. In turn, this superadditive version of Wiener-Wintner theorem leads to new classes of weights. In Sections 2-4 of this article, besides proving these results, we will also study convergence of sequences of weights defined by such superadditive processes. The study of the behavior of the ergodic averages modulated by means of Besicovitch's sequences was initiated by C. Ryll-Nardzewski (Ry) (for p = 1), and A. Tempelman (T) (for p > 1 and in the context of Besicovitch functions on LCA groups). Later, various generalizations of this result were obtained (BeL, JO, LO, LOT). Recently, another such attempt was made in (Li) in the non-commutative setting. The tools utilized in (Li) have some interest- ing ramifications in the commutative case as well. In Sections 5 and 6 of this article, following an observation made on the Wiener-Wintner theorem and adapting some of the techniques of (Li), we arrive at two rather distinct weighted ergodic theorems in the spirit of (Ry). First we define a generalized Besicovitch sequence associated with a subset of the group of unimodular
The Synchronization Trap: Cross-border Acquisition Pacing during Institutional Transition

To address global competition serial acquirers from emerging markets undergoing significant institutional transition are largely motivated by strategic asset seeking and capability upgrading. Withi...
Collisional mixing of the lowest bound molecular states in xenon and argon

Abstract Rates are reported for transitions induced between the lowest excited 1 u and O + u states of Xe 2 by collisions with electrons and ground-state xenon atoms. Upper limits are established for the corresponding rates in argon, in the case of molecule-atom collisions.
Extended work hours and risk of acute occupational injury: A case-crossover study of workers in manufacturing.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to determine whether injury risk among manufacturing workers was related to hours worked during the previous week. METHODS: A case-crossover design was utilized to contrast hours worked prior to an injury shift with those worked prior to a non-injury shift for hourly workers. Paired t-tests were used to determine significance of the difference. Conditional logistic regression was used to assess dose-response. RESULTS: Hours worked prior to injury significantly exceeded hours during the control week. Workers who worked more than 64 hr in the week before the shift had an 88% excess risk compared to those who worked 40 hr or fewer, P < 0.05. CONCLUSION: The study provides evidence that injury risk is related to time worked during the previous week. Control of overtime in manufacturing may reduce risk of worker injury. Language: en
Decline of the Nesting Population of Hawksbill Turtles at Tortuguero, Costa Rica

The hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a marine turtle with a circumtropical distribution and considerable commercial value. The scutes that cover the shell of this species are the source of tortoiseshell, which has been in international trade for several centuries. Although reports of the decline of this species in the Caribbean have been made over many years (Carr et al. 1966; Carr & Stancyk 1975; Carr & Meylan 1980; Meylan & Mack 1983; Bjorndal et al. 1985), substantial trade in this species has only recently been reduced. From 1970 to 1988, tortoiseshell from approximately 272,700 hawksbills was imported into Japan from the Caribbean (Donnelly 1989). In 1990, 12,886 kg of tortoiseshell (equivalent to about 12,200 hawksbills) were exported from the Caribbean to Japan (Canin 1991). These turtles were drawn from a region for which the maximum estimate of nesting female hawksbills each year is only 5,000 (Meylan 1989). Japanese authorities agreed to decrease the import quota of tortoiseshell to 5,000 kg as of August 1991, to end the importation of tortoiseshell in December 1992, and to withdraw Japan's reservation on hawksbills under the Convention
The Coffee Shop: Social and Physical factors Influencing Place Attachment

This study explored the characteristics that encourage gathering behavior and contribute to place attachment in selected coffee shops in the context of literature suggesting social gathering places contribute to social capital. These gathering places, with the potential to enhance community in this manner, have been called third places. The study was qualitative in nature and included the research techniques of visual documentation, observation and behavioral mapping, interview, and survey. A transactional approach to this study was chosen to better understand the meaning of the person-environment relationship. Each coffee shop was observed for twenty-five hours for a total of seventy-five hours. Eighteen interviews were conducted and surveys were collected from 94 patrons to reveal patron attitudes toward the physical and social aspects of the coffee shop as well as their feelings regarding the community in which they live. The key findings regarding the physical characteristics showed the top five design considerations included: cleanliness, appealing aroma, adequate lighting, comfortable furniture, and a view to the outside. A number of themes emerged related to people, their activities, and their feelings and attitudes regarding the coffee shop. Each coffee shop was found to have a unique social climate and culture related to sense of belonging, territoriality and ownership, productivity and personal growth, opportunity for socialization, support and networking, and sense of community. Regarding feelings of community, survey findings from coffee shops patrons showed a positive correlation between length of patronage and their sense of attachment to their community.
Laparoscopic Ladd's Procedure in Infants With Malrotation

Abstract Purpose: This clinical study was undertaken to examine the feasibility of a laparoscopic approach for the treatment of documented malrotation. Methods: From May 1994 through January of 1997, 12 patients, aged 5 days to 4 months, weighing 3 to 7 kg, underwent laparoscopic Ladd's procedure for malrotation. All patients had symptoms of intermittent upper intestinal obstruction, and malrotation was documented by an upper gastrointestinal contrast study. None of the patients had acute volvulus or compromised bowel. The procedure was performed using 3 trocars of 3.5 mm diameter. Ports were placed in the infraumbilical ring, and the right and left mid to lower quadrants. A standard Ladd's procedure with appendectomy was performed in all cases. Results: All procedures were completed successfully through the laparoscope. Operative times averaged 58 minutes (35 to 120 minutes). One patient with Pierre-Robin underwent a laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication and gastrostomy tube placement at the same time requiring 120 minutes. Feedings were started on postoperative day (POD) 1 in 10 cases and POD 2 in two cases. Hospital stay ranged from 2 to 4 days (average, 2.2) in the patients with isolated malrotation. The patient with Pierre-Robin had a prolonged hospitalization because of chronic respiratory problems not associated with surgery. There were no complications. All patients had resolution of their symptoms. Conclusions: Laparoscopic Ladd's procedure is a safe and effective technique. It can be performed in neonates in times equivalent to standard open techniques, and it appears to allow for earlier feeds and decreased hospital stays.
Discontinuous finite element solution of the radiation diffusion equation on arbitrary polygonal meshes and locally adapted quadrilateral grids

In this paper, we propose a piece-wise linear discontinuous (PWLD) finite element discretization of the diffusion equation for arbitrary polygonal meshes. It is based on the standard diffusion form and uses the symmetric interior penalty technique, which yields a symmetric positive definite linear system matrix. A preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm is employed to solve the linear system. Piece-wise linear approximations also allow a straightforward implementation of local mesh adaptation by allowing unrefined cells to be interpreted as polygons with an increased number of vertices. Several test cases, taken from the literature on the discretization of the radiation diffusion equation, are presented: random, sinusoidal, Shestakov, and Z meshes are used. The last numerical example demonstrates the application of the PWLD discretization to adaptive mesh refinement.
NEURONAL MECHANISMS OF VISUAL STABILITY

Human vision is stable and continuous in spite of the incessant interruptions produced by saccadic eye movements. These rapid eye movements serve vision by directing the high resolution fovea rapidly from one part of the visual scene to another. They should detract from vision because they generate two major problems: displacement of the retinal image with each saccade and blurring of the image during the saccade. This review considers the substantial advances in understanding the neuronal mechanisms underlying this visual stability derived primarily from neuronal recording and inactivation studies in the monkey, an excellent model for systems in the human brain. For the first problem, saccadic displacement, two neuronal candidates are salient. First are the neurons in frontal and parietal cortex with shifting receptive fields that provide anticipatory activity with each saccade and are driven by a corollary discharge. These could provide the mechanism for a retinotopic hypothesis of visual stability and possibly for a transsaccadic memory hypothesis, The second neuronal mechanism is provided by neurons whose visual response is modulated by eye position (gain field neurons) or are largely independent of eye position (real position neurons), and these neurons could provide the basis for a spatiotopic hypothesis. For the second problem, saccadic suppression, visual masking and corollary discharge are well established mechanisms, and possible neuronal correlates have been identified for each.
Subbasal nerve density and corneal sensitivity after laser in situ keratomileusis: femtosecond laser vs mechanical microkeratome.

Objective:To compare changes in subbasal nerve density and corneal sensitivity after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with the flap created by a femtosecond laser (bladeless) vs a mechanical microkeratome. Design: In a randomized paired-eye study, 21 patients received myopic LASIK with the flap created by a femtosecond laser in one eye and by a mechanical microkeratome in the fellow eye. Eyes were examined before and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 36 months after LASIK. Central subbasal nerve density was measured by using confocal microscopy. Corneal mechanical sensitivity was measured by using a gas esthesiometer and was expressed as the ratio of mechanical threshold in eyes that received LASIKtomechanicalthresholdinconcurrentcontroleyes. Results: Subbasal nerve density and corneal sensitivity did not differ between methods of flap creation at any examination. Mean (SD) nerve density was decreased at 1 month (bladeless, 974 [2453] µm/mm 2 ; microkeratome, 1308 [2881] µm/mm 2 ) compared with the preoperative examination(bladeless,10883[5083]µm/mm 2 ,P.001; microkeratome, 12464 [6683] µm/mm 2 , P.001) and remained decreased through 12 months (P.001). Mechanical threshold ratios did not differ from that at the preoperative examination through 36 months for either LASIK treatment; when all LASIK eyes were combined, the mechanical threshold ratio was transiently higher (decreased sensitivity) at 1 month (1.29 [0.85]) compared with the preoperative examination (0.89 [0.73], P=.05). Conclusions: The planar configuration of the femtosecond laser flaps is not associated with faster reinnervation compared with the microkeratome flaps. The prolonged decrease in subbasal nerve density after LASIK is not accompaniedbyaprolongeddecreaseincornealsensitivity. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier NCT00350246