cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enteral Delivery of Posaconazole or Izavuconazole in Patients with Inability to Swallow Tablets Can Achieve Therapeutic Drug Levels: A Single Center Pilot Study

Purpose One of the most common challenges facing the transplant population are invasive fungal infections including aspergillosis, mucormycosis, and those due to endemic fungi. Fungal prophylaxis is becoming standard of practice to limit development of invasive fungal infections. Isavuconazole and posaconazole are commonly used antifungal medications as both prophylaxis and treatment. These drugs are approved for oral and intravenous (IV) administration however, use via alternative enteric routes have not been well studied. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted of transplant patients receiving triazole therapy for prophylaxis or treatment over a seven month period. Patients with an inability to swallow oral medications switched during their course of care from IV therapy to non-oral enteric administration of isavuconazole or posaconazole via nasogastric, orogastric, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), or percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy (PEG-J) tubes were included in the study. Results We identified 17 patients administered isavuconazole or posaconazole via non-oral enteric routes (Table 1). The indication for therapy was primarily for prophylaxis after single or double lung transplantation. The majority (83%) of cases were therapeutic at the time of their first drug level assessment, with a mean level of 2.47 +/- 0.71 for isavuconazole and 0.84 +/- 1.03 for posaconazole. All patients not therapeutic at initial assessment had doses increased and subsequently achieved therapeutic levels. Conclusion Our case series shows isavuconazole and posaconazole can be administered via non-oral enteric routes with therapeutic drug monitoring to achieve acceptable serum drug concentrations and avoid prolonged IV therapy in a transplant population. Given the increasing complexity and age of transplant recipients, continued studies are needed to address alternative antifungal dosing regimens.
Time and/or space sharing in a workstation cluster environment

The clustered parallel computer (CPC), based on a workstation cluster, is becoming popular as a choice for high-performance network or parallel computing. However, operating system overheads, network protocols, and higher message-passing latency contribute to a lower overall communication performance in a cluster of workstations, increasing the likelihood that timesharing of parallel jobs can be used to improve system throughput in a workstation cluster. The traditional means by which the CPC minimizes user job turnaround time (JTT) is through space sharing, in which user jobs are given exclusive control over clusters of processors. The objective of this study is to examine methods by which system utilization may be increased by giving timeshared access to parallel jobs without sacrificing the primary goal of minimizing user JTT.
Patient-Reported Functional Outcomes Following Treatment of Pediatric Lateral Humeral Condyle Fractures: Open Reduction is Better than Percutaneous for Operative Injuries

Purpose: Fractures of the lateral humeral condyle are relatively common in children, accounting for approximately 20% of all pediatric elbow fractures. Long-term functional and clinical outcomes remain equivocal between closed management and operative fixation. Our aim was to determine whether a functional difference exists between these treatment types. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all children with acute lateral humeral condyle fractures treated at our level-1 pediatric trauma center from 2008-2017 with minimum 1 year follow-up. Patients were sub-classified based on injury severity and fracture displacement into (1) mild (minimally displaced 2 mm displacement), or (3) severe …
Comparison of the membrane binding kinetics of bovine prothrombin and its fragment 1

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy has been used to compare the membrane binding characteristics of fluorescein-labeled bovine prothrombin and fluorescein-labeled bovine prothrombin fragment 1. The Ca(2+)-dependent association of these proteins with quartz-supported planar membranes composed of mixtures of phosphatidylserine (2-10 mol%) and phosphatidylcholine was examined. Equilibrium binding measurements showed that the apparent equilibrium dissociation constants increased with decreasing molar fractions of phosphatidylserine and that the dissociation constants were somewhat lower for intact prothrombin. Kinetic measurements, using fluorescence photobleaching recovery, showed that the measured dissociation rates were approximately equivalent for prothrombin and fragment 1 and did not change with the protein solution concentration or the molar fraction of phosphatidylserine. The kinetic data also implied that the surface binding mechanism for both proteins is more complex than a simple reversible reaction between monovalent proteins and monovalent surface sites. Measured equilibrium and kinetic constants are reported and compared for prothrombin and fragment 1 on planar membranes.
Cross-Cutting Categorization Schemes in the Digital Humanities

ABSTRACTDigital access to large amounts of scholarly text presents both challenges and opportunities for researchers in the humanities. Meeting these challenges depends on having high-quality representations of the contents of digital resources suitable for both machines and humans to use. Different ways of categorizing these contents are appropriate for different purposes, leading to the further problem of relating the contents of different categorization schemes to each other. This essay discusses the rationale for categorizing philosophical concepts and surveys some of the main approaches to doing so for materials that are continuously changing. It describes the goals and methods of the Indiana Philosophy Ontology (InPhO) project and provides an example of the kind of analysis that is made possible by powerful modeling methods.
Cognitive Psychology: History

This article is reproduced from the previous edition, volume 3, pp. 2140–2147, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Diagonal spherical means

We introduce a mean for functions and distributions of two vector variables, k∈D′(Rn×Rn), the diagonal spherical mean K, defined as K(x,y)=∫Sn−1k(x−ξ,y−ξ)dξ. We study several properties of these means as well as identities satisfied by them. We show that the Dirac delta function in the diagonal of the unit ball B in Rn admits a representation as the diagonal spherical mean of certain kernels κ, δ(x−y)=∫Sn−1κ(x−ξ,y−ξ)dξ, distributionally for (x,y)∈B×B. These representations of the delta function solve the problem of reconstruction of a distribution with compact support inside B if its standard spherical Radon transform is known in the boundary Sn−1=∂B.
Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Due To Status Epilepticus - An Underreported and Lethal Sequela (P5.081)

OBJECTIVE: To present a case of takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a patient with status epileptic. BACKGROUND: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy describes the ballooning of the apex of the heart, transiently creating a systolic dysfunction mimicking myocardial infarction and may be a rare, potentially fatal sequela of seizures thought to contribute to sudden death in epilepsy (SUDEP). DESIGN/METHODS: A 62-year old female with a past medical history of hypothyroidism was brought to our emergency department by ambulance after a 20-minute witnessed generalized seizure, which was aborted with intramuscular midazolam. Cardiac troponins rose to 10.89 ng/mL within 12 hours, and cardiac catheterization revealed apical ballooning without occlusive coronary artery disease. The patient’s ejection fraction dropped to 20[percnt], systolic blood pressure dropped to 66/36, response to IV fluid bolus. Blood pressure stabilized after 5 days follow up Echocardiogram showed EF 60[percnt] and normal left ventricular function. RESULTS: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in seizure (TCS) has been attributed to massive catecholamine surges, possibly due to overstimulation of the insular cortex. Patients may be unaware of chest pain in the post-ictal state, causing this phenomenon to be overlooked. TCS may also be caused by β-adrenergic receptor hypersensitivity due to denervation from repeated seizures, leaving it vulnerable to catecholamine surges. TCS patients are likely to be younger in age, more often male, and have higher rates of cardiogenic shock and recurrence. TCS may present up to 72 hours after seizures, and may contribute to SUDEP by causing arrhythmias and shock. To date, no specific therapy or guideline has been developed to treat TCS; only serial EKG, echocardiography, and troponins in the post-ictal period can detect this phenomenon early enough for supportive therapy. CONCLUSIONS: TCS is a rare and lethal adverse effect of seizures that warrants heightened vigilance for close cardiac monitoring. Study Supported by: Disclosure: Dr. Khan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mirchandani has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pushchinska has nothing to disclose.
Kinetics of spin relaxation in quantum wires and channels: Boundary spin echo and formation of a persistent spin helix

In this paper we use a spin kinetic equation to study spin-polarization dynamics in one-dimensional (1D) wires and 2D channels. The spin kinetic equation is valid in both diffusive and ballistic spin transport regimes and therefore is more general than the usual spin drift-diffusion equations. In particular, we demonstrate that in infinite 1D wires with Rashba spin-orbit interaction the exponential spin-relaxation decay can be modulated by an oscillating function. In the case of spin relaxation in finite length 1D wires, it is shown that an initially homogeneous spin polarization spontaneously transforms into a persistent spin helix. We find that a propagating spin-polarization profile reflects from a system boundary and returns back to its initial position similarly to the reflectance of sound waves from an obstacle. The Green's function of the spin kinetic equation is derived for both finite and infinite 1D systems. Moreover, we demonstrate explicitly that the spin relaxation in specifically oriented 2D channels with Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions of equal strength occurs similarly to that in 1D wires of finite length. Finally, a simple transformation mapping 1D spin kinetic equation into the Klein-Gordon equation with an imaginary mass is found thus establishing an interesting connection between semiconductor spintronics and relativistic quantum mechanics.
A Question of Case

In this paper I investigate a seemingly optional variation between accusative and partitive case in Finnish in yes/no questions and certain kinds of negative contexts. I discuss two possible approaches: (i) the focus/background approach, which argues that the presence or absence of a focus/background partition guides the case alternation, and (ii) the negative polarity item (NPI) approach, which argues that the ‘optional’ partitive case is NPI-like. This second approach is built on the observation that contexts in which the alternation is licensed are also contexts which license NPI ‘anyone’ in Finnish. In addition, in the second part of the paper, I discuss how these hypotheses fit in with the semantic consequences of accusative and partitive case interacting with two types of disjunction in yes/no and alternative questions.
Plasma From Patients With Idiopathic and Human Immunodeficiency Virus- Associated Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Induces Apoptosis in Microvascular Endothelial Cells

The pathogenesis of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is obscure. It is manifested classically by platelet thrombi and localized microvascular endothelial cell (EC) proliferation, in the absence of an inflammatory response. It is statistically associated with human retroviral disease, but pathological studies of TTP lesions have been unable to establish whether perturbation of the endothelium is a primary or secondary event, irrespective of the presence of retroviral infection. We document that plasma from all of four acute TTP patients, with or without human immunodeficiency virus infection, can induce apoptosis in cultured ECs of microvascular but not large vessel origin. This process was documented by three different methods, (1) laser-illuminated light scatter, (2) quantitation of the pre-G1 Ao peak on DNA histograms and direct visualization of chromatin fragmentation by acridine orange and 4'6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, and (3) agarose gel electrophoresis of low molecular weight cellular DNA. Apoptosis was independent of tumor necrosis factor-alpha secretion or the presence of CD36 on microvascular ECs but was linked to the rapid induction of Fas (CD95) on these cells. Soluble anti-Fas antibody, normal plasma depleted of cryoprecipitate, and low concentrations (< or = 0.1 micromol/L) of aurintricarboxylic acid were capable of suppressing TPP plasma-mediated EC apoptosis. In conclusion, microvascular EC apoptosis may be of pathophysiological importance in TTP may be susceptible to interruption by blockade of initiating signals for, or final common enzyme pathways leading to, programmed cell death.
READING WITH PURPOSE

Where next for inspiration on the subject of purpose?Emily Stecker Truelove and Douglas Ready suggest the following titles.
Analytical Foundation of Hypersonic Flow

Classical hypersonic theories are summarized for both inviscid and viscous flows. Theoretical developments are derived in the continuum regime, with focus on the systematic approximations that have been developed from the characteristics of hypersonic flow. These theories describe some of the most important hypersonic flow observations with relatively simple analysis. However, the effects of internal degrees of freedom of molecules are not considered, and thus the detailed treatment of the phenomena of rarefied flow, real gas effects, and radiation are excluded here. Keywords: hypersonic similitude; Newtonian flow theory; limiting Rankine–Hugoniot relations; tangent-cone and tangent-wedge approximations; equivalence principle; blast wave theory; hypersonic boundary-layer theory; reference enthalpy method; stagnation region; viscous–inviscid interaction
Transcription termination and polyadenylation in retroviruses.

The provirus structure of retroviruses is bracketed by long terminal repeats (LTRs). The two LTRs (59 and 39) are identical in nucleotide sequence and organization. They contain signals for transcription initiation as well as termination and cleavage polyadenylation. As in eukaryotic pre-mRNAs, the two common signals, the polyadenylation signal, AAUAAA, or a variant AGUAAA, and the G+U-rich sequence are present in all retroviruses. However, the AAUAAA sequence is present in the U3 region in some retroviruses and in the R region in other retroviruses. As in animal cell RNAs, both AAUAAA and G+U-rich sequences apparently contribute to the 39-end processing of retroviral RNAs. In addition, at least in a few cases examined, the sequences in the U3 region determine the efficiency of 39-end processing. In retroviruses in which the AAUAAA is localized in the R region, the poly(A) signal in the 39 LTR but not the 59 LTR must be selectively used for the production of genomic RNA. It appears that the short distance between the 59 cap site and polyadenylation signal in the 59 LTR precludes premature termination and polyadenylation. Since 59 and 39 LTRs are identical in sequence and structural organization yet function differently, it is speculated that flanking cellular DNA sequences, chromatin structure, and binding of transcription factors may be involved in the functional divergence of 59 and 39 LTRs of retroviruses.
An animated interface for X-ray laminographic inspection of fine-pitch interconnect

While the function of solder joint inspection is to assess joint quality, evolving fine-pitch mounting technologies have made some electronic assemblies impossible to inspect using human-oriented visual techniques. A group of automated inspection tools has recently been developed in response to this need, one of which uses X-ray laminography in conjunction with very elaborate software. The authors present the work that has been performed to provide an easy-to-use animated graphics-oriented, X-ray laminographic solder joint inspection system interface. The interface has been developed to aid in the study of performance-related interconnect inspection. >
Stereoselective aldol condensations with sugar aldehydes. Condensation of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D- and -L- glyceraldehyde with di-tert-butyl oxaloacetate

Abstract Aldol condensation of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- d - and - l -glyceraldehyde with di-tert-butyl oxaloacetate at pH 12 yielded tert-butyl 5-acetamido-3-tert-butoxycarbonyl-3,5-dideoxy- d - and - l -xylo-hexulopyranosonate as the major, and tert-butyl 5-acetamido-3-tert-butoxycarbonyl-3,5-dideoxy- d - and - l -arabino-hexulopyranosonates as the minor products. The ratio of the corresponding xylo to arabino diastereomers was ~3:1.
Kant's Mathematical Realism

Though my title speaks of Kant’s mathematical realism, I want in this essay to explore Kant’s relation to a famous mathematical anti-realist. Specifically, I want to discuss Kant’s influence on L. E. J. Brouwer, the 20th-century Dutch mathematician who built a contemporary philosophy of mathematics on constructivist themes which were quite explicitly Kantian.1 Brouwer’s theory (called intuitionism) is perhaps most notable for its belief that constructivism (whatever that means) requires us to abandon the traditional (classical) logic of mathematical reasoning in favor of a different canon of reasoning, called intuitionistic logic. Brouwer thought that classical logic is intrinsically bound up with a nonconstructive (or “realistic”) view of mathematics. This means that, according to Brouwer, when we do mathematics we must give up bivalence (the principle that a given sentence either is true or is determinately false), we must no longer use such familiar logical laws as excluded middle, and we must sometimes forebear from the classic method of reductio ad absurdum. All of these are intuitionistically invalid classical principles.
Aggregate-Mean Diameter and Wind-Erodible Soil Predictions Using Dry Aggregate-Size Distributions

Temporal estimates of surface soil dry aggregate-size distributions (DASD) are needed to evaluate soil management systems and estimate wind erosion. This study was conducted to determine the most accurate and precise DASD to estimate aggregate-mean diameter and amount of wind-erodible soil. Over 5400 surface samples of soil dry aggregates were collected at various times throughout the year for 2 to 4 yr at 24 locations in six states. The soils represented a wide range of management systems and intrinsic soil properties, including mineral and organic soils. We evaluated four DASDs: the log-normal determined by two methods, fractal and Weibull distributions, and compared estimates of the aggregate-mean diameter and amount of wind-erodible soil derived from the distributions. We evaluated log-normal distributions expressed as amount oversize (LNO) and undersize (LNU) and tested the effect of using different smallest and largest sieve openings sizes. The Weibull distribution is the most accurate because the ranges of error of the Weibull were generally smaller than all other distributions over the full range of sieve sizes tested, rarely exceeding 0.15. The Weibull distribution is the most precise because only the Weibull had an error mode of ±0.05 in all sieve-size classes tested. Using substantially different sizes for the smallest sieve-size openings had a great effect on estimates of aggregate-mean diameter and wind-erodible soil, but only when using LNO. Using substantially different sizes for the largest sieve size openings had a great effect on estimates of aggregate-mean diameter but little effect on estimates of wind-erodible soil.
Reply to comments on “An extended hardness limit in bulk nanoceramics”, Acta Materialia 69 (2014) 9–16

A response is provided to comments by Krell concerning the validity of the Hall–Petch relationship and the optical transmission in nanocrystalline ceramics discussed in a recent Acta Materialia paper.
Taste transduction: Linkage between molecular mechanisms and psychophysics

Abstract Taste transduction is initiated when taste stimuli interact with receptor sites on the exposed apical microvilli of receptor cells. The interaction leads to an increase in intracellular Ca ++ and transmitter release from the taste cell. Recent studies have revealed that taste cells utilize a diversity of mechanisms for transduction. Ionic taste stimuli, such as salts and acids, interact directly with apically located ion channels to depolarize taste cells. In contrast, amino acids, sweeteners and most bitter tasting stimuli bind to specific membrane receptors that are usually coupled to G proteins and second messenger systems. This review summarizes recent progress in understanding the initial events in taste transduction. Commonalities of molecular mechanisms for different taste stimuli may help explain psychophysical interactions of taste stimuli.
The chemical composition of lakes in the north-central United States1

Abstruct Lake waters of the north-central U.S.A. arc classified into five groups, based on increasing specific conductivity and changes in ionic composition from east to west, from Wisconsin through Minnesota to North and South Dakota, The most dilute group of waters has specific condllctivities <29 pmhos -cm-’ at 25°C; the most concentrated group has specific conductances that range from 7,000 to 73,000 pmhos. As conductivity increases all major ions increase, but there is a shift in cation dominance from Ca2+ to Mg2’ to Na’, and in anion dominance from HC03- to SOd2-. This shift partly reflects a westward increase in climatic aridity, and partly a westward sequence of glacial drifts from noncalcareous to calcareous and thence to calcareous with abundant sulfLlr-bearing minerals. Levels of pH, K, Cl, F, B, and SiO, also show a distinct westward increase. Concentrations of NO,- and Mn increase from east to west, but the trend is less distinct. Concentrations of Fe vary widely without any trend over the range of conductivity. Color, mostly from dissolved organic matter, is controlled chiefly by lake depth, except for lakes with cxtcnsive peatlands in their drainage basins.
Self-Regulation and Achievement Goals in the College Classroom.

This chapter reviews the existing literature on self-regulation of learning and motivation at the college level and offers practical tips to educators who struggle with disinterested learners.
Amniotic fluid volume responses to esophageal ligation in fetal sheep: contribution of lung liquid.

Objective The objective of the study was to determine the amniotic fluid volume (AFV) response to fetal esophageal ligation with and without fetal lung liquid entering the amniotic sac. Study Design AFV was measured in 3 groups of late-gestation ovine fetuses: time controls, tracheoesophageal shunted, and esophageal ligated. Results One day after surgery, AFV was similar in all groups, averaging 1064 ± 66 mL. On postsurgical day 9, AFV was unchanged in control fetuses, increased to 3025 ± 294 mL in fetuses with esophageal ligation and lung liquid shunted into the fetal stomach, and to 3437 ± 430 mL in fetuses with esophageal ligation and no shunting. Conclusion AFV expanded gradually following esophageal ligation to the highest volume thus far reported in noninfused ovine fetuses. Lung liquid entry into the amniotic sac altered neither the time course nor the extent of the AFV increase following esophageal ligation.
Dietary fat affects heat production and other variables of equine performance, under hot and humid conditions

Does dietary fat supplementation during conditioning improve athletic performance, especially in the heat? Fat adaptation has been used to increase energy density, decrease bowel bulk and faecal output and reduce health risks associated with hydrolysable carbohydrate overload. It may also reduce spontaneous activity and reactivity (excitability), increase fatty acid oxidation, reduce CO2 production and associated acidosis, enhance metabolic regulation of glycolysis, improve both aerobic and anaerobic performance and substantially reduce heat production. A thermochemical analysis of ATP generation showed the least heat release during the direct oxidation of long chain fatty acids, which have a 3% advantage over glucose and 20 to 30% over short chain fatty acids and amino acids. Indirect oxidation via storage as triglyceride increased heat loss during ATP generation by 3% for stearic acid, 65% for glucose and 174% for acetic acid. Meal feeding and nutrient storage, therefore, accentuates the advantage of dietary fat. A calorimetric model was based on initial estimates of net energy for competitive work (10.76 MJ for the Endurance Test of an Olympic level 3-day-event), other work (14.4 MJ/day) and maintenance (36 MJ), then applied estimates of efficiencies to derive associated heat productions for the utilisation of 3 diets, Diet A: hay (100), Diet B: hay and oats (50:50) and Diet C: hay, oats and vegetable oil (45:45:10), the difference between the last 2 diets representing fat adaptation. During a 90.5 min speed and stamina test, heat production was estimated as 37, 35.4 and 34.6 MJ for the 3 diets, respectively, an advantage 0.8 MJ less heat load for the fat adapted horse, which would reduce water needed for evaporation by 0.33 kg and reduce body temperature increase by about 0.07 degree C. Total estimated daily heat production was 105, 93 and 88 MJ for the 3 diets, respectively, suggesting a 5 MJ advantage for the fat adapted horse (Diet C vs. Diet B). Estimated intake energy was 348, 269 and 239 MJ for the 3 diets, respectively, and corresponding daily intakes as fed were 22.2, 16.6 and 12.9 kg, an advantage of 3.7 kg for the fat adapted horse. Water requirement was estimated to decrease by about 6 kg/day in the fat adapted horse: 4 kg less faecal water output and 2 kg less water for evaporation. This model indicated that the fat supplemented diet reduced daily heat load by 5%, feed intake by 22%, faecal output (and bowel ballast) by 31% and water requirement by 12%. The advantage of fat supplementation over hay and oats was in general about half that gained by hay and oats over hay alone.
Fairness and retaliation in a rural Nigerian village

Results from ultimatum and dictator games played in western societies routinely violate the canonical economic model. Results from non-western societies are even more problematic. In this study ultimatum and dictator games were played in the small Igbo village of Umuluwe in southeastern Nigeria. Follow-up interviews to high acceptance rates suggested that fairness, not fear of retaliation, was the overwhelming reason for high offers, suggesting the limited predictive power of the neoclassical behavioral model. The economically rational prediction of a high acceptance rate of ultimatum game offers holds in traditional societies but not for the reasons the standard model assumes.
Advanced Glycation End Products and Their Circulating Receptors and Level of Kidney Function in Older Community-Dwelling Women

Background Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and the receptor for AGE (RAGE) are implicated in the pathogenesis of kidney disease; however, their relation with level of kidney function has not been well characterized. Study Design Cross-sectional and prospective. Setting & Participants 548 moderately to severely disabled community-dwelling women in the Women's Health and Aging Study I in Baltimore, MD. Predictor Serum carboxymethyl-lysine (CML), a dominant AGE; total soluble RAGE (sRAGE); and endogenous secretory RAGE (esRAGE). Outcomes & Measurements Glomerular filtration rate (GFR), prevalent and incident decreased GFR (GFR 2 ). Serum CML, sRAGE, and esRAGE. Results Of 548 women, 283 (51.6%) had decreased GFR at baseline. Serum CML level was associated with decreased GFR (OR [all expressed per 1 SD], 1.98; 95% CI, 1.41 to 2.76; P 1c level, and chronic diseases. Serum sRAGE and esRAGE levels (both in nanograms per milliliter) were associated with decreased GFR (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.79; P = 0.003; OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.77; P = 0.001, respectively) in separate multivariate logistic regression models adjusting for potential confounders. Of 230 women without decreased GFR at baseline, 32 (13.9%) developed decreased GFR by the follow-up visit 12 months later. Serum CML (in micrograms per milliliter), sRAGE, and esRAGE levels at baseline were associated with the prevalence of decreased GFR 12 months later (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.19 to 2.71; P = 0.005; OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.74; P = 0.05; and OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.77; P = 0.05, respectively) in separate multivariate logistic regression models adjusting for potential confounders. Limitations Small number of incident cases, limited follow-up, creatinine values not standardized. Conclusions AGE and circulating RAGE levels are independently associated with decreased GFR and seem to predict decreased GFR. AGEs are amenable to interventions because serum AGE levels can be decreased by change in dietary pattern and pharmacological treatment.
Utilization of wild sunflower species for the improvement of cultivated sunflower

Abstract The genus Helianthus is composed of 49 species and 19 subspecies with 12 annual and 37 perennial species. These diverse species represent considerable genetic variability which can be utilized for the improvement of cultivated sunflower. The taxonomy of Helianthus is somewhat confusing due to the complicated natural interspecific hybridization and different ploidy levels of several species. A germplasm collection of 2000 accessions, mostly annuals, has been assembled. Interspecific hybridization has become important as a means of introducing genetic variability into the cultivated sunflower. This has been facilitated by the use of embryo culture and chromosome doubling with colchicine to increase fertility. The wild species continue to serve as a source of cytoplasmic male sterility for cultivated sunflower. Molecular techniques of restriction endonucleases of mitochondrial DNA can be used to differentiate CMS sources. The greatest impact the wild species have made on cultivated sunflower has been in the area of genes for disease resistance and, to a lesser extent, resistance to insects. The recent discovery of genes for high tolerance to the disease Phomopsis/Diaporthe helianthi Munt. Cvet. is an excellent example. Considerable variability has been reported in oil content and fatty acid concentrations in the wild species as well as agronomic and morphologic traits of plant height, days to flowering and tolerances to stress, especially salt.
Mathematical theories of shape: do they model perception?

The mathematics of shape has a long history in the fields of differential geometry and topology. But does this theory of shape address the central problem of vision: finding the best data structure plus algorithm for storing a shape and later recognizing the same and similar shapes. Several criteria may be used to evaluate this: does the data structure capture our intuitive idea of 'similarity'? does it allow reconstruction of typical shapes to compare with new input? One direction in which mathematics and vision have converged is toward multiscale analyses of visual signals and shapes. In other respects, however, the recognition process in animals shows features that still defy mathematical modeling.
LIF: Not Just a Leukemia Inhibitory Factor*

Increasingly it seems that many cytokines are pleiotropic, and individual molecules may have critical roles in several different organ systems. LIF exemplifies this phenomenon: it influences embryogenesis, bone and lipid metabolism, and hematopoietic and nervous system function. Many of LIF's effects are reminiscent of those of IL-1, TNF, and TGF-beta. Further, even within a single system, LIF can display totally different effects, i.e. induction of differentiation of one leukemic cell line vs. stimulation of proliferation of another. The corollary to these observations is that there appears to be many parallels in developmental systems. For instance, in the case of neuronal "lineage commitment," the events that relate to migration of neural crest cells along various pathways and their ultimate arrest in different locales demonstrate sufficient analogies to hematopoietic lineage commitment phenomena that, in a provocative review, Anderson coined the term "neuropoiesis". This type of analogy becomes even more intriguing when one realizes that some of the same molecules are regulating neuronal and hematopoietic "lineage" proliferation and differentiation. In this respect, several interleukins in addition to LIF are important in neuronal development, and nerve growth factor turns out to also be a hematopoietic regulatory molecule. Similar parallels are enacted in other organ systems as well. The mediation of identical effects by distinct cytokines bound to unique receptors could conceivably be explained by receptor transmodulation or by overlapping signaling sequences. It is nevertheless also unclear how a single cytokine attached to a single receptor can accomplish varied and opposing effects, although divergent intracellular signaling mechanisms could account for some of these phenomena. Yet another enigma relates to how cells from one system can be properly influenced by a pleiotropic molecule such as LIF without significant "cross-effects" on other potentially responsive systems. Cytokine production that is restricted to certain developmental stages, or very localized distribution and spheres of influence within a microenvironment, could be explanatory. The findings of Rathjan and colleagues, i.e. that LIF exists as both a diffusible molecule and as a molecule incorporated into the extracellular matrix, is of special interest in relation to the above questions. Indeed, the distinctions between the roles of diffusible and immobilized signaling molecules could be crucial to the multiplicity of LIF's actions. Diffusible regulatory factors allow communication between spatially separated cells. Cellular responsiveness to such factors is dictated by the presence of appropriate receptors and postreceptor machinery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Extinct triple junction south of Greenland and the Tertiary motion of Greenland relative to North America

Geophysical data collected by R/V Vema during cruises from 1960 to 1973 in the area south of Greenland were used to establish details of the magnetic lineation pattern and the basement morphology associated with an extinct triple junction. The sequence of magnetic anomalies 20 to 24 (49 to 60 m.y. B.P.) is continuous from the western flank of the Reykjanes Ridge into the Labrador Sea north and south of the triple junction and defines a period of simultaneous sea-floor spreading in the Norwegian Sea, the North Atlantic, and the Labrador Sea. At the time of anomaly 20 (49 m.y. B.P.) a major slowdown in the rate of spreading of the Labrador Sea Ridge occurred, and it met with extinction prior to the time of anomaly 13 (∼40 m.y. B.P.). The magnetic lineation pattern shows the amount of opening in the Labrador Sea between the interval spanned by anomalies 13 to 21 and that spanned by anomalies 21 to 23. An independent estimate of the relative motion between Greenland and North America was obtained from the difference in the opening between Greenland and Europe and that between North America and Europe. This second estimate predicts more opening of the Labrador Sea than is observed. Bounds can nevertheless be placed on the early Tertiary relative motion between Greenland and North America, and this motion compares well with the history of tectonic deformation in the Canadian Arctic islands during the Eurekan orogeny.
CP/MAS13C NMR study of Dianin's compound [4-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2,2,4-trimethylchroman]clathrates

Solid-state13C NMR spectra are reported for Dianin's compound [4-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2,2,4-trimethyl-chroman) and its clathrates with acetic acid, ethanol, acetonitrile and octanoic acid. Some of the methyl carbon chemical shifts depend on the presence of guest molecules and are also sensitive to guest size. Methyl13C spin-lattice relaxation times, reflecting the methyl reorientational barrier heights, are also extremely sensitive to guest size.
An international perspective on psychotherapy.

This commentary reviews the contributions made in each of the other articles in this issue in the context of the author's international experience. I discuss the tremendous diversity in education, training, experience, and legal status of psychologists around with world, using examples from Argentina, Australia, Brunei, Iran, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, and Spain—the eight countries represented in this issue of Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol: In Session 63: 785–790, 2007.
Least-squares fitting with errors in the response and predictor

Least squares regression is commonly used in metrology for calibration and estimation. In regression relating a response y to a predictor x , the predictor x is often measured with error that is ignored in analysis. Practitioners wondering how to proceed when x has non-negligible error face a daunting literature, with a wide range of notation, assumptions, and approaches. For the model y true = β 0 + β 1 x true , we provide simple expressions for errors in predictors (EIP) estimators for β 0 and for β 1 and for an approximation to covariance ( , ). It is assumed that there are measured data x = x true + e x , and y = y true + e y with errors ex in x and e y in y and the variances of the errors e x and e y are allowed to depend on x true and y true , respectively. This paper also investigates the accuracy of the estimated cov( , ) and provides a numerical Bayesian alternative using Markov Chain Monte Carlo, which is recommended particularly for small sample sizes where the approximate expression is shown to have lower accuracy than desired.
The effect of chloramphenicol on the polysome formation of starved stringent Escherichia coli.

Abstract A stringent strain of Escherichia coli was starved of its required amino acids and then treated with chloramphenicol. Sucrose density gradient analysis of the ribosomal fractions showed that free ribosomal subunits (50 S and 30 S) were converted by the antibiotic into nonfunctional polysomal material, and remained there after removal of the drug. Recovery of functional polysomes after removal of the drug and addition of amino acids was shown to require a time sufficient to allow synthesis of new ribosomal material.
Comparative evaluation of rate of hydration and matrix erosion of HEC and HPC and study of drug release from their matrices.

Abstract Hydrophilic polymers, in contact with the dissolution medium, may swell and make a continuous gel layer, erode or undergo combination of the two. The swelling action of these polymers is controlled by the rate of their hydration in the dissolution medium. The extent of polymer swelling, relative mobilities of dissolution medium and drug, and matrix erosion dictate the kinetics as well as mechanism of drug release from the polymeric matrices. The objective of the present investigations was to study the rate of hydration and the rate of matrix erosion of two hydrophilic, non-ionic cellulose ethers, i.e., hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) and hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), and to compare the kinetics and mechanism of drug release from their matrices. Chlorpheniramine maleate was used as the model drug. Matrix tablets containing chlorpheniramine maleate, HEC or HPC and dicalcium phosphate were compressed at 156 MPa pressure. The rate of hydration of the polymer, rate of erosion of the matrices and in vitro drug release studies were carried out in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). The hydration studies of the two polymers demonstrated that due to relatively larger water uptake, the degree of swelling of HEC matrices was considerably higher as compared to the HPC matrices. Also, HEC matrices exhibited relatively higher erosion as compared to HPC matrices. The drug release from HEC matrices occurred by non-Fickian transport, i.e., combination of drug diffusion and polymer swelling, while drug release from HPC matrices was controlled primarily by diffusion through pores and channels in the structure. The t50%, time to reach 50% drug release, for HEC matrices was 4.8 h and that for HPC matrices was 6.5 h which indicates that a higher polymer level was needed in the case of HEC matrices to sustain the drug release for up to 12 h of dissolution as compared to HPC matrices due to relatively higher hydrophilicity of HEC.
Potentiating effects of manganese dioxide on experimental respiratory infections

Single and multiple 3-hour-long exposures to manganese dioxide (MnO2) aerosol in respirable particle size, altered the resistance to bacterial and viral pneumonias. Increased mortality rates and reduced survival times were observed in mice exposed daily for 3 or 4 days to MnO2 aerosol and challenged with airborne Klebsiella pneumoniae within 1 hour of termination of the last aerosol exposure. When the interval between the exposure and challenge was extended to 5 hours, the altered resistance to infection was seen already after a single 3-hour-long exposure to MnO2 aerosol. Mice infected with airborne influenza virus 24 or 48 hours before initiation of the MnO2 exposures also showed increased mortality rates, reduced survival times, and increased pulmonary lesions. The effect was more pronounced in mice exposed to MnO2 at 48 hours after the infectious challenge.
Greater quinidine-induced QTc interval prolongation in women.

Background Prolongation of the electrocardiographic QT interval by drugs is associated with the occurrence of a potentially lethal form of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia termed torsades de pointes. Women are at greater risk than men for development of this adverse event when taking drugs that prolong the QT interval. To determine whether this may be the result of gender-specific differences in the effect of quinidine on cardiac repolarization, we compared the degree of quinidine-induced QT interval lengthening in healthy young men and women. Methods Twelve women and 12 men received a single intravenous dose of quinidine (4 mg/kg) or placebo in a single-blind, randomized crossover trial. Total plasma and protein-free concentrations of quinidine and 3-hydroxyquinidine were measured in serum. QT intervals were determined and corrected for differences in heart rate with use of the method of Bazett (QTc = QT/RR1/2). Results As expected, the mean QTc interval at baseline was longer for women than for men (mean ± SD; 407 ± 7 versus 395 ± 9 ms, P < .05). The slope of the relationship between change in the QTc interval (ΔQTc) from baseline to the serum concentration of quinidine was 44% greater for women than for men (mean ± SE; 42.2 ± 3.4 versus 29.3 ± 2.6 ms/μg per mL, P < .001). These results were not influenced by analysis of 3-hydroxyquinidine, free concentrations of quinidine and 3-hydroxyquinidine, or the JT interval. Conclusions Quinidine causes greater QT prolongation in women than in men at equivalent serum concentrations. This difference may contribute to the greater incidence of drug-induced torsades de pointes observed in women taking quinidine and has implications for other cardiac and noncardiac drugs that prolong the QTc interval. Adjustment of dosages based on body size alone are unlikely to substantially reduce the increased risk of torsades de pointes in women. (Clin Pharmacol Ther 2000;67:413-8.) Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2000) 67, 413–418; doi: 10.1067/mcp.2000.105761
G-proteins in etiolated Avena seedlings : possible phytochrome regulation

The molecular mechanism of light signal transduction in plants mediated by the photosensor phytochrome is not well understood. The possibility that phytochrome initiates the signal transduction chain by modulating a G-protein-like receptor is examined in the present work. Etiolated Avena seedlings contain G-proteins as examined in terms of the binding of GTP as well as by cross-reaction with mammalian G-protein antibodies. The binding of GTP was regulated in vivo by red/far-red light. The possible involvement of G-proteins in the phytochrome-mediated signal transduction in etiolated Avena seedlings has been implicated from the study of the light regulated expression of the Cab and phy genes.
Differences in the Likelihood of Ownership of Retirement Saving Assets by the Foreign and Native-Born

This research compares the determinants of retirement savings asset ownership between the native-born and immigrants. Analysis of Survey of Income and Program Participation data indicate there do not appear to be differences in the likelihood of ownership between European or Asian immigrants and the native-born, but there are differences between Latin American immigrants and the native-born in retirement savings asset utilization. Distributional effects related to ethnic identity, income, and education appear to compound these differences. While factors indicating greater acculturation increase the likelihood of ownership for all immigrant groups, there are substantial differences in the way these variables affect ownership. General savings asset ownership is more affected by immigration, while retirement savings is more sensitive to acculturation and ethnic identity.
Sexual selection and reproductive success in males of the bicolor damselfish, Eupomacentrus partitus (Pisces: Pomacentridae)

Abstract Relative reproductive success of male bicolor damselfish, Eupomacentrus partitus, was measured as the number of egg batches obtained per week per male during a 14-month field study. Large and consistent differences in spawning success, observed in seven colonies containing 23 males, demonstrated that mating was non-random. Various physical and behavioural characteristics of males were also monitored. Significant correlations (P
California gull chicks raised near colony edges have elevated stress levels.

Coloniality in nesting birds represents an important life history strategy for maximizing reproductive success. Birds nesting near the edge of colonies tend to have lower reproductive success than individuals nesting near colony centers, and offspring of edge-nesting parents may be impaired relative to those of central-nesting parents. We used fecal corticosterone metabolites in California gull chicks (Larus californicus) to examine whether colony size or location within the colony influenced a chick’s physiological condition. We found that chicks being raised near colony edges had higher fecal corticosterone metabolite concentrations than chicks raised near colony centers, but that colony size (ranging from 150 to 11,554 nests) had no influence on fecal corticosterone levels. Fecal corticosterone metabolite concentrations also increased with chick age. Our results suggest that similarly aged California gull chicks raised near colony edges may be more physiologically stressed, as indicated by corticosterone metabolites, than chicks raised near colony centers.