cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Nutritional Approach to Experimental Dermatology. Nutritional Dermatoses in the Rat

The first carefully studied experimental nutritional dermatosis associated with deficiency of the Vitamin B complex was that formerly called rat pellagra. This was described in 1926 by Goldberger and Lillie (3) who fed rats a diet similar to the diets of pellagrins. The lesion they produced consisted chiefly of a bilaterally symmetric, erythematous, scaly dermatitis (pellagra-like) involving the peripheral portions of the body. Occasionally this was accompanied by dermatitis and alopecia of the head and trunk. These skin changes were prevented and cured by feeding autoclavcd yeast; thus it appeared that yeast contained the pellagra preventing vitamin. In 1928 Chick and Roscoc (4) suspected that there was more than one dermatitis preventing factor. However, the multiple nature of the heat stable fraction of the vitamin B complex was not appreciated until riboflavin was isolated in 1933 (5). Gyorgy was the first to demonstrate that riboflavin failed to cure the socallcd pellagra-likc lesion in the rat which responded, however, to a vitamin which he named B6 (6, 7). He suggested the term "rat ncrodynia" in place of rat pellagra because of the gross resemblance to human acrodynia (Pink disease, Swift-Feer disease, Erythredcma). On the other hand the skin symptoms which he found to be associated with riboflavin deficiency appeared irregularly, were often mild, and consisted chiefly of a generalized scaling and symmetric patches of nlopccia on the trunk and the head. Subsequent work on the components of the B complex has resulted in the isolation and synthesis of several other vitamins and the preparation of various biologically active concentrates. The filtrate factor components and nicotinic acid are now recognized members of the vitamin B complex. Oleson, et al. (8) have attributed spectacle alopecia to the deficiency of n component of the filtrate,
Renal insufficiency may partly explain chronic anemia in patients awaiting liver transplantation.

In patients with cirrhosis, anemia is common and is likely to be multifactorial, including decreased erythrocyte production, sequestration due to hypersplenism, hemolysis, and increased blood loss from gastrointestinal bleeding. Renal dysfunction is also common in liver disease and this may also cause anemia. However, an association between anemia and renal dysfunction has not been reported in patients with cirrhosis. Our objective was to determine whether anemia in cirrhotic patients is independently related to renal dysfunction. We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients in our institution listed for liver transplantation. We collected simultaneous data on age, hemoglobin, creatinine, albumin, liver enzymes, prothrombin time, and bilirubin. We excluded patients who were hospitalized or deceased to avoid confounding variables. Two hundred eighty-six (female n = 130) patients with a mean age of 52.8 ± 9.7 (range, 18–73) years were studied. Renal dysfunction (creatinine >1.2 mg/dL) was present in 55 (19%) patients, and anemia (hemoglobin <12 g/dL) was seen in 115 (40%) patients. Anemia was more common in patients with renal dysfunction (64 versus 34%; P < 0.001) compared to those with normal renal function. Creatinine, prothrombin time, and bilirubin showed an inverse relationship (all P's < 0.001) with hemoglobin, and albumin showed a positive correlation with hemoglobin (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that creatinine (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.05–5.3; P = 0.038), prothrombin time (P = 0.026), bilirubin (P = 0.035), and albumin (P = 0.001) were independent predictors of anemia. Renal dysfunction is an important cause of anemia in patients with cirrhosis. The role of erythropoietin in the management of anemia in patients with cirrhosis and renal dysfunction should be explored in prospective studies.
Recent Advances in Developing High Performance Isotropic Conductive Adhesives

Recently, significant advances have been made to improve isotropic conductive adhesive (ICA) technology. This paper provides an overview of research achievements in both electrical and mechanical aspects including electrical conductivity improvement, contact resistance mechanism elucidation and approaches to stabilize the contact resistance, and mechanical impact performance enhancement.
Engineers without borders: An empirical investigation of member's defining characteristics

The present study is an empirical investigation of characteristics associated with membership in Engineers Without Borders (EWB). EWB is an international organization that has grown rapidly over the past decade. Despite this growth, few studies have investigated the characteristics of EWB members. The present study investigates these characteristics via survey research targeting the student body at a large state university in the American West.
Using self-authentication and recovery images for error concealment in wireless environments

Handling packet loss or delay in the mobile and/or Internet environment is usually a challenging problem for multimedia transmission. Using connection-oriented protocol such as TCP may introduce intolerable time delay in re-transmission. Using datagram-oriented protocols such as UDP may cause partial representation in case of packet loss. In this paper, we propose a new method of using our self-authentication-and-recovery images (SARI) to do the error detection and concealment in the UDP environment. The lost information in a SARI image can be approximately recovered based on the embedded watermark, which includes the content-based authentication information and recovery information. Images or video frames are watermarked in a priori such that no additional mechanism is needed in the networking or the encoding process. Because the recovery is not based on adjacent blocks, the proposed method can recover the corrupted area even though the information loss happen in large areas or high variant areas. Our experiments show the advantages of such technique in both transmission time saving and broad application potentials.
What Is Political Philosophy

What is political philosophy’s relation to moral philosophy? Does it simply form part of moral philosophy, focusing on the proper application of certain moral truths to political reality? Or must it instead form a more autonomous discipline, drawing its bearings from the specifically political problem of determining the bounds of legitimate coercion? In this essay I work out an answer to these questions by examining both some of the classical views on the nature of political philosophy and, more particularly, some recently published writings by Bernard Williams and G.A. Cohen.
Carbohydrate Metabolism of Lactic Acid Cultures., II. Different Pathways of Lactose Metabolism of Streptococcus lactis and Their Sensitivity to Antibiotics

Abstract Enzymic studies of lactose catabolism of Streptococcus lactis UN revealed that the organism possessed lactase or β -galactosidase, and lactose dehydrogenase activities. The organism did not exhibit lactose phosphorylase activity, and it did not show that lactose-1-phosphate was an intermediate in the metabolism of lactose. S. lactis utilizes lactose by possibly two pathways: a) by hydrolytic cleavage of lactose to glucose and galactose, effected by lactase or β -galactosidase, and b) by oxidation via lactose dehydrogenase to lactobionate, before its enzymatic cleavage to gluconate and galactose. Penicillin, streptomycin, aureomycin, and terramycin inhibited the activity as well as the production of enzyme systems associated with lactose catabolism. The hydrolytie enzymes were inhibited mildly; whereas, lactose dehydrogenase was inhibited very markedly.
Comparison of Imaging Modalities in the Quantification of Cerebral Aneurysm Geometry

Longitudinal studies of a large cohort of cerebral aneurysm patients are essential for assessing the ability of geometric and biomechanical indices in predicting their growth or rupture risk [1,2]. Patients with these lesions are routinely subjected to volumetric scans, but these can be one of four modalities — 3D rotational angiography (3DRA), Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA), Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) and MR Time-of-flight (MR-TOF) — the choice of which is often dictated by clinical considerations. One of the challenges in geometric analysis of cerebral aneurysms is the consistency in the process of 3D reconstruction of aneurysm geometry when data from multiple imaging modalities are used. It is reasonable to wonder if the same aneurysm were imaged using different imaging modalities, whether the quantified measures of the aneurysm’s shape and size will be different. The objective of this study is to assess the sensitivity of geometric indices of cerebral aneurysms to the modality from which the image volume is obtained. A patient-specific silicone model of the head and neck vasculature with an aneurysm was imaged using all four modalities, geometric measures were estimated and compared.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Relation of Blood Urea Nitrogen to Long-Term Mortality in Patients With Heart Failure

Patients with chronic kidney disease and heart failure (HF) have been shown to be at higher risk for major adverse cardiovascular events and death. Recent studies have demonstrated that blood urea nitrogen (BUN) might serve as a powerful predictor of mortality in acutely decompensated HF. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of BUN on long-term mortality in patients with stage B and C HF. Our retrospective analysis included patients undergoing percutaneous intervention with a calculated left ventricular ejection fraction ≤50%. Patients on dialysis or with technically inadequate left ventriculograms were excluded. Chart review was performed and mortality data were obtained. Our population included 444 patients with a mean ejection fraction of 38 ± 10%, mean age of 59 ± 11 years, median BUN of 14 mg/dl, and median glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 81 ml/min/1.73 m 2 ; 31% had stage C HF, and 33% died during follow-up. Patients with increased BUN (≥17 mg/dl) and decreased GFR (≤69 ml/min/1.73 m 2 ) had significantly increased long-term mortality on Kaplan-Meier analysis (8-year mortalities of 57% and 55%, respectively). In patients with stage C HF, mortalities at 8 years were 69% and 73% with abnormal BUN and GFR, respectively. Proportional hazard regression analysis demonstrated that BUN and stage C HF were independently associated with increased mortality, whereas GFR was not. In conclusion, we demonstrated that BUN is strongly associated with mortality in patients with stage B and C HF and may serve as a better biomarker than GFR for prognostication.
Histologic features of melanocytic nevi seen in association with mycosis fungoides.

Background: Many different tumors have been reported to occur simultaneously as collision lesions. To date, no such events have been reported between mycosis fungoides (MFs) and melanocytic neoplasms. Methods: Two cases are presented in which patches of MF were superimposed on melanocytic nevi. In addition, 967 biopsies of MF from 411 patients were identified in an 8-year retrospective database search. Patient pathology history summaries were reviewed to identify inflamed nevi, atypical nevi, and melanoma submitted for histologic evaluation from this population. Results: The occurrence of MF in a congenital nevus was associated with a halo phenomenon restricted to the affected region of the nevus in one patient. In the other patient, nests of two morphologies (lymphocytic and melanocytic) in the same biopsy presented a potentially confusing histologic picture. No other cases of MF superimposed on a nevus were identified in 967 biopsies from 411 patients with a histological diagnosis of MF seen over the past 8 years. In this population, 57 biopsies of melanocytic lesions were identified from 28 patients, including three atypical nevi and three melanomas. Conclusions: The presence of MF superimposed on a nevus is rare and may lead to confounding histologic features or the development of a halo nevus phenomenon.
1-Carboxyfluorenone : an intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded γ-keto acid

9-Oxo-9H-fluorene-1-carboxylic acid, C 14 H 8 O 3 , adopts a planar conformation with the carboxyl group internally hydrogen bonded to the ketone O atom. The molecules stack in the a direction [a = 3.809 (1)A], with an interplanar separation of 3.496 (4) A.
Agnew Meets the Student Dissenters: An Experimental Study of Ego‐Involvement and Argumentation

The study deals with the effects of the David Frost Show, featuring Vice President Agnew and five student dissenters, on the attitudes of students. Pretests revealed that the topic of “Agnew versus student dissenters” activated a number of hard-core, high ego-involved attitudes of students toward Agnew: pretests also generated the Likert-type statements and bipolar adjectival scales used in the study. Results showed that students exposed to the program wore significantly less negative in their attitudes toward Agnew and perceived Agnew as a significantly more credible and qualified source than students not exposed to the program. The finding suggest that a “give-and-take, “attack-defense format can lead to substantial reductions in polarity of students” views of politicians and political issues.
Limit analysis of arches

Abstract In the limit analysis of frames it is usually assumed that the limiting bending moment of a cross section is not significantly reduced by the presence of axial forces. In the limit analysis of flat arches this assumption is not permissible as a rule. In the present paper the basic concepts of limit analysis are extended to members in which axial forces as well as bending moments must be taken into account. Methods of determining the critical load intensity of arches are developed and illustrated by numerical examples.
Comparison of two types of two-temperature control structures for reactive distillation columns

The purpose of this paper is to compare the effectiveness of two different types of two-temperature control structures for reactive distillation columns. The first was a structure proposed by Roat ...
Weight-Size Relationships for Three Populations in Alaska of the Blue King Crab, Paralithodes Platypus (Brandt, 1850) (Decapoda, Lithodidae)1)

Les relations entre le poids du corps et la longueur de la carapace ont ete calculees chez le Lithodidae, Paralithodes Platypus, pour trois populations: Ile St. Matthew et Iles Pribilof dans la mer de Bering orientale et Olga Bay dans le golfe d'Alaska. Les exemplaires d'Olga Bay ont un poids significativement plus eleve (d'environ 8-9%) que ceux des iles St. Matthew et Pribilof. Les differences dans les relations poids/taille laissent supposer que la morphologie de Paralithodes platypus peut egalement differer d'une localite a l'autre.
Final design and testing of the laser airborne depth sounder filter

The final design and testing of a filter for the Australian Navy’s Laser Airborne Depth Sounder is reported. This filter is a six-stage, actively tuned, Lyot birefringent filter with approximately 10 times better signal-to-noise performance than the narrow-band filter currently in use. It is expected that this filter will improve the available flying time by up to 6 h/day.
Inactivation of the Adipokinetic Property of Adrenocorticotropin, β-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone, Vasopressin and Pituitary Fraction H by Tissues of the Rat and Rabbit

This report presents data on the rates of inactivation of 4 adipokinetic hypophysial peptides by adipose and extraadipose tissues of the rat and rabbit, and correlates these data with the in vitro and in vivo adipokinetic potencies of the peptides in these 2 species. The peptides under study (adrenocorticotropin, β-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, vasopressin and pituitary fraction H) were incubated for 1 hr with various tissue homogenates, and the adipokinetic activity remaining in the incubation mixture was then determined by introducing slices of rabbit, guinea pig, hamster or rat adipose tissue. The data showed: 1) Eight tissues of the rat (kidney, liver, adrenal, adipose tissue, lung, heart, testis and spleen) inactivate one or more of the peptides. 2) Ratios of the rates of inactivation of the 4 peptides vary markedly from one organ to another, and indicate the presence of at least 3 different inactivating enzymes in the rat. 3) While rat adipose tissue inactivates all 4 peptides under study, rabbit ...
Patterns of Calcification in Nacreous Layer of Pelecypods and Gastropods: ABSTRACT

The aragonitic nacreous layer (mother-of-pearl) of Holocene pelecypods and gastropods has been studied by scanning electron microscopy of inner shell-growth surfaces. Three distinct patterns of crystal formation and growth have been distinguished which are taxonomically significant. The pattern developed in the nacre of the Atlantic pearl oyster, Pinctada radiata Leach, is characteristic of pelecypods. Thin broad mineral laminae overlap at the growth surface giving it the appearance of a series of long, parallel steps. Growth occurs along the free margins of individual laminae through the deposition of discrete, tabular crystals which, by lateral expansion, coalesce and merge evenly with the laminae. In the family Pinnidae, crystals are deposited in long, parallel rows spaced 15-20 µ apart. Euhedral crystals observed in Pinna carnea Gmelin are commonly eight sided; their long dimensions parallel the rows. With lateral expansion, the crystals merge end-to-end to form strips over which new crystals are deposited. At depth, adjacent strips merge to form the broad laminae which characterize the nacre. In the gastropods Cittarium pica (Linne) and Astraea caelata (Gmelin), no stepped patterns or crystal rows are observed. Instead, crystals are deposited in tall vertical stacks spaced 5-10 µ apart. Crystal anlages deposited at the tops of the stacks expand laterally as deposition continues and eventually merge at depth with crystals of adjacent stacks to form continuous laminae. In A. caelata crystals are euhedral and commonly six sided. Crystal orientation is constant within stacks, but not between stacks. End_of_Article - Last_Page 751------------
The U.S. defense industry after the cold war

The U.S. defense industry is adjusting to the end of the Cold War far more rapidly and effectively than was generally expected. Current security decision-makers can count on the presence of a strong defense industrial base. But that situation cannot be taken for granted in the years ahead and judging the industrial base capacity is challenging. It requires us to deal with international issues during a time of domestic concern, to consider military outlays in a period of budgetary austerity, and to worry about the competition for the production of weapons systems when the economy is undergoing a wave of mergers, consolidations, and downsizing.
Characterization of Macrolesions Induced by Myocardial Cavitation-Enabled Therapy

Intermittent high intensity ultrasound pulses with circulating contrast agent microbubbles can induce scattered cavitation caused myocardial microlesions of potential value for tissue reduction therapy. Here, computer-aided histological evaluation of the effective treated volume was implemented to optimize ultrasound pulse parameters, exposure duration, and contrast agent dose. Rats were treated with 1.5 MHz focused ultrasound bursts and Evans blue staining indicates lethal cardiomyocytic injury. Each heart was sectioned to provide samples covering the entire exposed myocardial volume. Both brightfield and fluorescence images were taken for up to 40 tissue sections. Tissue identification and microlesion detection were first done based on 2-D images to form microlesion masks containing the outline of the heart and the stained cell regions. Image registration was then performed on the microlesion masks to reconstruct a volume-based model according to the morphology of the heart. The therapeutic beam path was estimated from the 3-D stacked microlesions, and finally the total microlesion volume, here termed macrolesion, was characterized along the therapeutic beam axis. Radially symmetric fractional macrolesions were characterized via stepping disks of variable radius determined by the local distribution of microlesions. Treated groups showed significant macrolesions of a median volume of 87.3 μL, 2.7 mm radius, 4.8 mm length, and 14.0% lesion density compared to zero radius, length, and lesion density for sham. The proposed radially symmetric lesion model is a robust evaluation for myocardial cavitation-enabled therapy. Future work will include validating the proposed method with varying acoustic exposures and optimizing involved parameters to provide macrolesion characterization
A Dynamic Analysis of Hydrodynamic Wave Journal Bearings

The purpose of this paper is to study the dynamic behavior of a three-wave journal bearing using a transient approach. The transient analysis permits the determination of the rotor behavior after the fractional frequency whirl appears. The journal trajectory is determined by solving a set of nonlinear equations of motion using the Runge-Katta method. The fluid film forces are computed by integrating the transient Reynolds equation at each time step location of the shaft with respect to the bearing. Because of the large values of the rotational speeds, turbulent effects were included in the computations. The influence of the temperature on the viscosity was also considered. Numerical results were compared to experimenta1 results obtained at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Comparisons of the theoretical results with experimental data were found to be in good agreement. The numerical and experimental results showed that the fluid film of a three-wave journal bearing having a diameter of 30 mm, a length of 27 mm, and a wave amplitude ratio greater than 0.15 is stable even at rotational speeds of 60,000 RPM. For lower wave amplitude ratios, the threshold speed at which the fluid film becomes unstable depends on the wave amplitude and on the supply pocket pressure. Even if the fluid film is unstable, the wave bearing maintains the whirl orbit inside the bearing clearance.
Frequency Modulation Noise in Oscillators

Noise in oscillator tubes due to the discrete nature of the electron can result in frequency fluctuations equivalent to frequency modulation by a wide band of Gaussian noise at small mean-square frequency deviations. Amplitude fluctuations are ignored. Also, low-frequency noise due to flicker and similar phenomena is ignored. The effect of the band-pass filter normally present in an oscillator on the parameters of the noise modulation is determined. Also, the power spectrum of the oscillator output is evaluated which, as a practical measure, implies little more than the phase correlation time of the carrier. Finally, the theory is applied to reactance-modulated oscillators, some fixed-tuned conventional oscillators, and magnetrons. Noise equations which evaluate the mean-square frequency deviation and the spectral width at the output of oscillators are given.
Mitochondrial single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry using cleavable biotinylated dideoxynucleotides.

Characterization of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and mutations is crucial for disease diagnosis, which requires accurate and sensitive detection methods and quantification due to mitochondrial heteroplasmy. We report here the characterization of mutations for myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibers syndrome using chemically cleavable biotinylated dideoxynucleotides and a mass spectrometry (MS)-based solid phase capture (SPC) single base extension (SBE) assay. The method effectively eliminates unextended primers and primer dimers, and the presence of cleavable linkers between the base and biotin allows efficient desalting and release of the DNA products from solid phase for MS analysis. This approach is capable of high multiplexing, and the use of different length linkers for each of the purines and each of the pyrimidines permits better discrimination of the four bases by MS. Both homoplasmic and heteroplasmic genotypes were accurately determined on different mtDNA samples. The specificity of the method for mtDNA detection was validated by using mitochondrial DNA-negative cells. The sensitivity of the approach permitted detection of less than 5% mtDNA heteroplasmy levels. This indicates that the SPC–SBE approach based on chemically cleavable biotinylated dideoxynucleotides and MS enables rapid, accurate, and sensitive genotyping of mtDNA and has broad applications for genetic analysis.
Advances in Transfemoral Amputee Rehabilitation: Early Experience with Targeted Muscle Reinnervation

While myoelectric prosthetic devices have been used for decades in the upper extremities, only recently have motorized knee and ankle components proven durable and effective enough for use in the lower extremity amputee. The control schemes developed to capitalize on these prosthetic advances must take into account the biomechanical differences between upper and lower extremity function. Already a valuable adjunct for the myoelectric control of upper extremity prostheses, targeted muscle reinnervation in the transfemoral amputee offers the potential to further enhance lower extremity prosthesis control and may simultaneously address post-amputation neuroma pain. Current strategies for lower extremity prosthesis control are discussed, along with a review of the transfemoral TMR technique and early clinical experience.
Fermion Path Integrals And Topological Phases

Symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases of matter have been interpreted in terms of anomalies, and it has been expected that a similar picture should hold for SPT phases with fermions. Here, we describe in detail what this picture means for phases of quantum matter that can be understood via band theory and free fermions. The main examples we consider are time-reversal invariant topological insulators and superconductors in 2 or 3 space dimensions. Along the way, we clarify the precise meaning of the statement that in the bulk of a 3d topological insulator, the electromagnetic -angle is equal to .
Using Carvedilol to Treat Heart Failure

Despite current treatments, including use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, digoxin, and diuretics, morbidity and mortality remain alarmingly high. An estimated 50% of patients with severe signs and symptoms of heart failure will die within 1 year and 70% within 3 years. 3,4 Additional pharmacological therapies to mitigate this disorder, such as β-blockers, continue to be investigated. βBlockers were thought to be contraindicated in patients with heart failure because of the drugs’ negative chronotropic (heart rate) and inotropic (contractility) actions on the heart. 5 However, the findings of several recent studies 6-10 indicate that β-blockers decrease morbidity and mortality and improve signs and symptoms and quality of life for patients with heart failure. In this article, I review the pathophysiology and compensatory mechanisms in patients with heart failure and discuss the beneficial effects of β-blockers, especially carvedilol, in the treatment of heart failure. Nursing diagnoses and interventions provide nurses with information on how to safely administer carvedilol and monitor its clinical effects. The included guide for teaching patients is a tool nurses can use to instruct patients being treated with carvedilol.
10 Gb/s silicon bipolar 8:1 multiplexer and 1:8 demultiplexer

High-speed multiplexer and demultiplexer circuits are key components in high-speed optical communication systems such as SONET. As optical communication link speeds increase, faster electronic interface circuitry is required. The use of multiplexer circuits allows most of the electronic circuitry to operate on parallel data at a lower speed, reducing the speed requirements of much of the system. A retimed 8:1 multiplexer and a 1:8 demultiplexer which operate at 10 Gb/s are described. These circuits were fabricated in high-speed silicon bipolar process. Design optimization techniques were used to achieve maximum performance. The retimed multiplexer and the demultiplexer dissipate 3.8 and 4.3 W, respectively. >
Application of a Generalized Scan Statistic Model to Evaluate TOF PET Images

Noise equivalent counts (NEC) have been used as a measure or proxy of PET image quality for many years. It has been shown to be a useful metric, for example to determine clinical patient dosage. However, NEC should be used cautiously in evaluating image quality since it is a global data quality measure that does not take into account localized effects due to spatial resolution and image reconstruction, as well as the effect of time-of-flight (TOF) imaging on resultant images. In this work, we study the use of a numerical observer that uses a generalized scan-statistic model to estimate lesion detectability with localization in a uniform background phantom, for varying activity levels and scan times. Data were acquired on a clinical whole-body TOF PET scanner. Data show that ALROC increases as a function of NEC but at high activity levels it approaches a peak value earlier than the NEC peak. Also, the ALROC for images acquired with the same NEC, but at two different activity levels and scan times, is similar. Our results show that with TOF information we can either achieve improved clinical performance for heavy patients, or reduce the scan time or injected activity while maintaining similar ALROC value as in a Non-TOF image.
A trial of dipyridamole and aspirin in the prevention of smoking-induced changes in platelets and endothelium in men with coronary artery disease.

Abstract A random-order, double-blind crossover study compared the effects of placebo, dipyridamole and dipyridamole plus aspirin on smoking-induced changes in endothelium and platelets. Each of 12 male habitual smokers with coronary artery disease was given dipyridamole (75 mg) and aspirin (324 mg), dipyridamole (75 mg) and placebo for aspirin, or a placebo for each drug 3 times daily for 1 week before each of three 20-minute periods (separated by 2 weeks) of smoking 2 cigarettes after a 12-hour period of abstinence. During each period of smoking there were increases in the mean values of the plasma concentrations of β-thromboglobulin, platelet factor 4 and nicotine, the endothelial cell count and the blood level of carboxyhemoglobin. In addition, the mean platelet aggregate ratio decreased during each period. After administration of placebos for both dipyridamole and aspirin, the respective mean values ± standard deviations before and after smoking were 28 ± 8 and 30 ± 7 ng/ml (β-thromboglobulin), 7.4 ± 1.0 and 8.2 ± 1.4 ng/ml (platelet factor 4), 3.7 ± 0.6 and 15.7 ± 3.5 ng/ml (nicotine), 4.2 ± 1.4 and 5.4 ± 1.7/counting chamber (endothelial cell count), 5.0 ± 2.2 and 6.6 ± 2.2% (carboxyhemoglobin) and 0.80 ± 0.07 and 0.68 ± 0.10 (platelet aggregate ratio). Each of the differences between the means before and after smoking was statistically significant (p ≤0.02). Neither dipyridamole alone nor in combination with aspirin significantly affected the mean smoking-induced change in any of these variables. After smoking, the 36 plasma nicotine concentrations from the 3 experimental periods were correlated significantly with those of β-thromboglobulin (r = 0.80, p
How to give thrombolytic therapy safely

To maximize the safety of thrombolytic therapy, optimal patient selection is crucial. Absolute and relative contraindications must be sought before initiating treatment. All patients receiving thrombolysis should have serial examinations that include evaluating neurologic status as well as vital signs. To detect expanding groin hematomas, sites of recent cardiac catheterization should be monitored closely. More patients are eligible for thrombolytic therapy than is commonly realized. After a period of initial familiarization and education, the hospital staff will become confident and enthusiastic about using this important therapeutic modality.
Current concepts in synchronization of estrus and ovulation of dairy cows

Estrus synchronization has become a routine reproductive management tool for dairy producers. Reproductive performance has decreased over the last 25 yr on dairy farms, and the lack of estrus detection or inaccurate detection are major reasons for increased numbers of days open for the average cow. Estrus synchronization methods that control both the function of the corpus luteum and the development of follicles with viable oocytes are critical to efficacy. This article reviews some of the synchronization methods used in dairy cattle, especially the recent protocols involving the use of GnRH. Conception and pregnancy rates from a series of studies using the Ovsynch protocol averaged 34.9 and 34.9%, respectively. Conception and pregnancy rates from breeding at detected estrus after PGF2α averaged 37.7 and 19.8%, respectively. Because pregnancy rates are typically below 40%, possible methods for early identification of open cows and resynchronization will be discussed.
Distribution of free protoporphyrin within duck blood incubated with glycine-2-14C☆☆☆

Abstract The amount and specific activity of protoporphyrin in a soluble and a particulate fraction of erythrocytes and plasma from duck blood incubated with glycine-2-14C were measured. The erythrocyte glycine specific activity and incorporation of the labeled glycine were also estimated. The porphyrin specific activity was higher in the particulate than in the soluble cell fraction and about the same in plasma as in the particulate fraction. The porphyrin specific activities were less than the cell glycine specific activity. A little plasma porphyrin was converted into heme. The findings lead to the hypothesis that erythrocytes contain three protoporphyrin compartments, one of which serves as immediate source of heme porphyrin and a second as primary source of plasma porphyrin. No certain function is ascribable to the third compartment. Turnover of porphyrin is relatively rapid in the compartment drawn upon for heme synthesis, intermediate in that which supplies plasma porphyrin, and slow in the compartment of unknown function.
X-Ray and Vibrational Spectroscopy of Sulfate in Earth Materials

Sulfate is one of the most abundant inorganic ligands in the lithosphere and hydrosphere. It plays a major role in mediating mineral dissolution and precipitation, crystal growth, mineral–water and air–water interfacial reactions, aerosol chemistry and global climate, and biogeochemical cycling of several elements including inorganic and organic toxic contaminants. For several years, macroscopic methods and thermodynamic models have been used in understanding and predicting the geochemistry of sulfate in a variety of systems. As shown by several recent studies, molecular chemistry of chemical species cannot be identified by the macroscopic methods alone (Sposito 1990, Brown et al. 1999). Although researchers have been using different spectroscopic methods (especially infrared spectroscopy, IR) for examining sulfate molecular chemistry, sulfate in geologic materials has not been probed as extensively as some of the other oxoanions, such as chromate, selenate and arsenate. Details of different spectroscopic methods and their applications in geochemical studies are discussed by Hawthorne (1988). The molecular properties of sulfate, such as coordination environment (types of connecting atoms, their number and bond distances), electronic state, and symmetry, dictate how sulfate reacts in a geochemical system. Several electronic states exist in a molecule, with each electronic state containing several vibrational states, and each vibrational state containing several rotational states (Fig. 1⇓). The energies and probabilities of transitions between different electronic, vibrational, or rotational states can be measured and used in the identification of molecules and their chemical states. However, transitions among all of these states in a molecule are not feasible and the molecule symmetry determines whether a particular transition is allowed or forbidden (Cotton 1971). A variety of electron, X-ray, and optical spectroscopic methods can be used in studying the core (innermost) and valence (outermost) electronic transitions, and infrared and Raman spectroscopic methods can be used to obtain information …
Phenylalanine ammonia lyase inhibitors control browning of cut lettuce

Inhibitors of the first enzyme in the phenylpropanoid pathway, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), were used to investigate the role of phenolic metabolism in browning of lettuce tissue. Excised 4 7-cm midrib segments were soaked fo r1ha t20°C in aqueous solutions of the PAL inhibitors, a-aminooxyacetic acid (AOA; 0.1‐10 mM), 2-aminoindan-2-phosphonic acid (AIP; 50‐100 mM), and a-aminooxi-b-phenylpropionic acid (AOPP; 200 mM). Browning of the cut ends and uncut surfaces was measured using a visual score, and CIE color values (L*, a*, b*). Overall browning potential was measured as the absorbance at 340 nm of an aqueous extract of the tissue. The visual scores were more highly correlated with hue angle than with the a* and b* values; there was no correlation with the L* values. Ethylene applied at 5 m ll 1 had no effect upon browning compared with the air treatments. AIP at 50 mM and AOPP at 200 mM effectively inhibited browning; AOA was less effective requiring 3‐10 mM to reduce browning. These results confirm the view that for browning to occur in lettuce PAL activity is required to form phenolics that are subsequently oxidized and polymerized. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Cable News, Public Opinion, and the 2004 Party Conventions

In this study, the authors test for the presence of bias during Fox News and CNN’s coverage of the 2004 national party conventions. The content analysis demonstrates that Fox News’s coverage was more favorable to the Republican Party than it was to the Democratic Party, while CNN’s coverage was more impartial. The authors also use panel data from the National Annenberg Election Survey to show how opinion change toward the 2004 presidential candidates was associated with exposure to cable television coverage of the national party conventions. These findings highlight the evolving role of the cable news media in presidential campaigns and elections.
Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Are Associated with Adiposity in Moderate to Severe CKD

Adiposity contributes to inflammation and oxidative stress in the general population, but this association has not been examined in the chronic kidney disease (CKD) population. We investigated the relationship between body mass index, body fat percentage, and markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein) and oxidative stress (F(2)-isoprostanes and protein thiols) in 184 patients with stages III to IV CKD and 43 healthy controls. We found that, on average, patients with CKD had 62% higher F(2)-isoprostanes, 7% lower protein thiols (a measure of endogenous anti-oxidant capacity, inversely related to protein oxidation), and 150% higher C-reactive protein levels than healthy controls (all unadjusted P < 0.001). In separate multivariable linear regression models, body mass index and body fat percentage each positively correlated with levels of F(2)-isoprostanes and C-reactive protein and negatively correlated with levels of protein thiols among patients with CKD after adjusting for age, sex, race, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking history, estimated glomerular filtration rate, total cholesterol, serum albumin, and study site. We conclude that increased adiposity may amplify the oxidative stress and inflammation that accompany moderate to severe CKD. Interventions focused on weight loss may decrease the inflammatory and oxidative burden in CKD, which may ultimately attenuate cardiovascular risk in this population.
Isotope Shift in the First Spectrum of Silicon (Si i)

Isotope shifts of 30Si relative to 28Si have been observed in eleven ultraviolet lines of the neutral silicon spectrum. The spectra of two highly enriched samples of elemental silicon were excited separately in two hollow-cathode discharge tubes cooled in liquid nitrogen. An externally mounted Fabry-Perot interferometer, used in connection with a medium Hilger, quartz-prism spectrograph, provided the high resolution necessary for these observations. The magnitudes of the observed shifts vary from Δν~0.011±0.001 cm−1 for the (3p2 3P–4s3P0) transition to Δν~0.115±0.002 cm−1 for the (3p2 3P–3a3D0) transition.
Clinical audit: obstetric performance after caesarean section

The RCOG Clinical Audit Unit has defined two auditable standards in women labouring with a previous caesarean section (LSCS). We found documentation of a discussion in 98% of patient notes on issues relating to delivery, including a trial of vaginal delivery. Excluding patients declining a trial of vaginal delivery, the successful vaginal delivery rate was 36/60 (60%). One in three patients, although suitable, declined a trial of vaginal delivery. This request was invariably made at the booking consultation. Two in three patients required a repeat LSCS for delivery. Women were twice and 2.4 times as likely to have a repeat LSCS delivery when their primary LSCS was for fetal distress and failure to progress, respectively. There was one (1%) case of confirmed scar rupture and one stillbirth of unknown aetiology at 34/40. Recommendations include vigilance and senior supervision at primigravid labours and confident recommendation of trial of vaginal delivery by obstetrics team.
Mapping an intrinsic MR property of gray matter in auditory cortex of living humans: A possible marker for primary cortex and hemispheric differences☆

Abstract Recently, magnetic resonance properties of cerebral gray matter have been spatially mapped – in vivo – over the cortical surface. In one of the first neuroscientific applications of this approach, this study explores what can be learned about auditory cortex in living humans by mapping longitudinal relaxation rate (R1), a property related to myelin content. Gray matter R1 (and thickness) showed repeatable trends, including the following: (1) Regions of high R1 were always found overlapping posteromedial Heschl's gyrus. They also sometimes occurred in planum temporale and never in other parts of the superior temporal lobe. We hypothesize that the high R1 overlapping Heschl's gyrus (which likely indicates dense gray matter myelination) reflects auditory koniocortex (i.e., primary cortex), a heavily myelinated area that shows comparable overlap with the gyrus. High R1 overlapping Heschl's gyrus was identified in every instance suggesting that R1 may ultimately provide a marker for koniocortex in individuals. Such a marker would be significant for auditory neuroimaging, which has no standard means (anatomic or physiologic) for localizing cortical areas in individual subjects. (2) Inter-hemispheric comparisons revealed greater R1 on the left on Heschl's gyrus, planum temporale, superior temporal gyrus and superior temporal sulcus. This asymmetry suggests greater gray matter myelination in left auditory cortex, which may be a substrate for the left hemisphere's specialized processing of speech, language, and rapid acoustic changes. These results indicate that in vivo R1 mapping can provide new insights into the structure of human cortical gray matter and its relation to function.
A fracture mechanics methodology for slow crack growth in thin polyimide films

A fracture mechanics methodology for assessing the influence of stress and defect size on the structural integrity and life expectancy of thin polyimide films is presented. The approach is a synergistic one that combines fracture mechanics analyses and experiments to quantify slow crack in the films. A viscoelastic fracture model is used to deduce the crack growth history from load-point displacement records measured during long-term fracture tests of the films. The rate of crack growth is found to depend very strongly upon the crack driving force as measured by the stress intensity factor. Hence, small changes in the stress intensity factor can produce dramatic changes in the crack growth rate in the materials investigated. >
Infrared technology in animal production

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is based on the principle that the chemical bonds in organic molecules absorb or emit infrared light when their vibrational state changes. In the near IR part of the spec...
Increased nevus estrogen and progesterone ligand binding related to oral contraceptives or pregnancy

Melanocytic nevi excised from women who were pregnant or bad given birth less than 1 month previously or from women who were taking oral contraceptives were studied with the use of a fluorescent estrogen and progesterone ligand binding assay. All nevi from these patients had markedly increased numbers of estrogen- and progesterone-binding cells, similar to those observed in melanoma and melanoma precursor lesions. In contrast, nevus cells in acquired intradermal nevi from women who were not pregnant nor taking oral contraceptives had few or no detectable estrogen- or progesterone-binding cells. The induction of increased hormonal receptors by pregnancy or oral contraceptives may be related to an increased risk of melanoma and melanoma precursor lesions in specific subsets of patients, as well as to the pigmentary changes observed in female patients in general.
How Do Engineering Scientists Think? Model-Based Simulation in Biomedical Engineering Research Laboratories

Designing, building, and experimenting with physical simulation models are central problemsolving practices in the engineering sciences. Model-based simulation is an epistemic activity that includes exploration, generation and testing of hypotheses, explanation, and inference. This paper argues that to interpret and understand how these simulation models function in creating knowledge and technologies requires construing problem solving as accomplished by a researcher–artifact system. It draws on and further develops the framework of ‘‘distributed cognition’’ to interpret data collected in ethnographic and cognitive-historical studies of two biomedical engineering research laboratories, and articulates the notion of distributed model-based cognition to answer the question posed in the title.
Innate Immunity Fights Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common age-related dementia. Pathognomonic accumulation of cerebral β-amyloid plaques likely results from imbalanced production and removal of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides. In AD, innate immune cells lose their ability to restrict cerebral Aβ accumulation. At least in principle, mononuclear phagocytes can be enlisted to clear Aβ/β-amyloid from the brain. While the classical focus has been on dampening neuroinflammation in the context of AD, we hypothesize that rebalancing cerebral innate immunity by inhibiting actions of key anti-inflammatory cytokines returns the brain to a physiological state. Recent experiments demonstrating beneficial effects of blocking anti-inflammatory cytokine signaling in preclinical mouse models provide supportive evidence. This concept represents an important step toward innate immune-targeted therapy to combat AD.
Broadband Supercontinuum Generation in a Tapered-Rib Lead-Silicate Waveguide

We have studied supercontinuum generation in a tapered-rib lead-silicate waveguide. The Air-SF57 glass-SiO2 waveguide is 2 cm long, with a varying etch depth to manage the dispersion profile. Numerical simulations are conducted for input sech2 pulses centered at 1.55 μm. Due to continuous modification of the phase matching condition for dispersive wave emission, the proposed waveguide geometry generates broadband output spectrum extending from ~1 μm to ~4.6 μm at −30 dB level. With proper pumping conditions, fully coherent supercontinuum can be obtained.