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The effects of tritium substitution in imipramine (IMI) and N-desmethylimipramine (DMI) on their liquid chromatography are described. Increased elution times for tritiated analogues of IMI and DMI were observed using isocratic reversed-phase HPLC techniques. It was shown that the retention of labelled molecules depends on number and position of the tritium atoms. An explanation of the observed phenomena is offered.

This article reports a study of the process of selecting and evaluating general surgery residents. In personnel psychology terms, a job analysis of general surgery was conducted using the Critical Incident Technique (CIT). The researchers collected 235 critical incidents through structured interviews with 10 general surgery faculty members andfour senior residents. The researchers then directed the surgeons in a two-step process of sorting the incidents into categories and naming the categories. The final essential categories of behavior to define surgical competence were derived through discussion among the surgeons until a consensus was formed. Those categories are knowledge/self-education, clinical performance, diagnostic skills, surgical skills, communication skills, reliability, integrity, compassion, organization skills, motivation, emotional control, and personal appearance. These categories were then used to develop an interview evaluation form for selection purposes and a performance evaluation form to be used throughout residency training. Thus a continuum of evaluation was established. The categories and critical incidents were also used to structure the interview process, which has demonstrated increased interview validity and reliability in many other studies. A handbook for structuring the interviews faculty members conduct with applicants was written, and an interview training session was held with the faculty. The process of implementation of the structured selection interviews is being documented currently through qualitative research.

The results of the synthesis of 11 different tritiated alkylxanthines by solid-phase catalytic isotope exchange are described. 3H-NMR analysis of the labelled compounds shows that in contrast to liquid-phase isotope exchange the tritium label is incorporated not only in the C-8 (H) position, but also in the alkyl groups. The fraction of radioactivity in an alkyl group depends on the nature and position of this group.

The possibility of chromatographic separation of different isotopic forms of tritiated nucleosides has been demonstrated. Using a reversed-phase column in 3–5% solutions of ethanol in water the labelled nucleosides eluted ahead of corresponding unlabelled analogs. Such isotope effects allow simultaneous fine purification of nucleosides and its fractionation according to molar specific activity value.

Using a modified collagenase digestion procedure, we were successful in the isolation of viable hepatocytes from human liver surgical wastes, unused transplantable livers, and diseased livers from transplant recipients. The modified procedures for isolation involved collagenase perfusion of a sample of limited size (

[G-3H]imipramine and [G-3H]desipramine with specific activities 110–160 and 80–100 kCi/mol, respectively were synthesized by high temperature solid-phase catalytic isotope exchange with gaseous tritium.

Discusses how a local farmer can sell meat and produce to local schools.

Discusses whether any U.S. state has enacted an animal abuser registry law.

Discusses requirements and age restrictions for operating a boat or personal watercraft in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.

Discusses Connecticut's ban on hunting within 500 feet of an occupied building.

Discusses requirements for obtaining real estate salesperson and broker licenses, including fees and reciprocity, in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

Summarizes new laws (public acts) affecting real estate enacted during the 2014 regular session.

Summarizes new laws affecting agriculture enacted during the 2014 regular session.

Discusses Connecticut's mandated health insurance benefits. Updates OLR research report (2012-R-0446) by incorporating laws enacted in 2013 and 2014.

Discusses bills affecting real estate passed in the 2014 legislative session and became law.

Discusses whether there is a state or federal requirement that the state health insurance exchange offer at least one plan that does not cover elective abortion services.

Discusses Maine's lake and river protection boat sticker program.

Tritiated dextran and inulin were prepared by both a catalytic solid state and a liquid phase isotope exchange with gaseous tritium. The liquid phase procedure is convenient for preparation of the polysaccharides with specific activities up to 5 mCi/g, while the solid state procedure allows specific activities up to 700 mCi/g.

The role of the enteric nervous system of the gallbladder on mucosal water absorption was evaluated by intraluminal administration of capsaicin, a selective stimulant of afferent nerve endings. It has been postulated that the neural responses of the gallbladder are peptidergic and mediated by prostanoids. Anesthetized cats underwent gallbladder perfusion with a physiological buffer solution containing 14C polyethylene glycol as a nonabsorbable tracer to quantitate mucosal water absorption. Capsaicin was added to the perfusate and administered intraluminally at a rate of 5 mg/kg-1/hr-1 for 2 hr. One experiment on five cats was performed when capsaicin was administered and five control experiments were performed when only vehicle was added to the perfusate. Five experiments were performed when indomethacin was administered intravenously (5 mg/kg-1/hr-1) and buffer solution alone was used to perfuse the gallbladder, and five experiments were performed when capsaicin was added to the perfusate and indomethacin was administered intravenously. Additional experiments were performed when lidocaine was added to the perfusate and when lidocaine and capsaicin were administered simultaneously. Gallbladder absorption and perfusate and tissue prostaglandin E and 6 keto prostaglandin F1 alpha concentrations were evaluated. To determine whether capsaicin induced gallbladder inflammation, tissue myeloperoxidase concentrations were measured. Control feline gallbladders absorbed approximately 0.6 ml/hr. Indomethacin alone significantly decreased gallbladder absorption. Capsaicin administration increased gallbladder absorption to approximately 1.6 ml/hr, and this increase was significantly inhibited by indomethacin. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cyclosporine and hydrocortisone are the main immunosuppressants used in transplant surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of intravenous administration of cyclosporine and hydrocortisone on bile flow in dogs. Cyclosporine in doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg.kg-1.hr-1 were administered along with 18 mumol/min intravenous sodium taurocholate to dogs with chronic biliary and gastric fistulas. Bile volume and bile chloride concentration and output were increased by cyclosporine in a dose-related manner, whereas bile salt concentration decreased and bile salt output was unchanged. Hydrocortisone produced small but significant increases in bile flow only at the highest dose of hydrocortisone administered. Subsequently, experiments were performed when sodium taurocholate was administered in progressively increasing doses (9, 18 and 36 mumol/min), with the dose changed every hour. Bile volume, [14C]erythritol clearance in bile and bile salt concentrations were measured with and without cyclosporine and hydrocortisone administration. Cyclosporine increased the bile salt-independent fraction of canalicular bile flow and ductular bile flow. Experiments evaluating the role of the cyclosporine carrier polyoxyethylated castor oil (Cremophor EL) demonstrated that this substance had no independent choleretic activity, whereas cyclosporine dissolved in ethanol and administered without Cremophor EL significantly increased bile flow. The results of this study indicate that cyclosporine stimulates chloride-rich choleresis independent of bile salt secretion.

The Eaton NV1002 is a high energy ion implanter with beam current capability greater than 1 mA. Acceleration to energies between 80 and 2000 keV is achieved with a variable phase linear accelerator (linac). The first production NV1002 is being tested, and the initial results are reported. Currents of 1–2 mA can be generated over an energy range of 40–1000 keV for boron, phosphorus, and arsenic. Useful currents are available at energies as low as 10 keV, and using doubly charged ions, as high as 2 MeV. Considerations for a commercial implanter such as ease of operation are discussed. Analyses of implanted wafers are presented, demonstrating uniformity, correct implant depth profiling, and freedom from contamination.

OBJECTIVE To examine the persistence of the original treatment effects 10 years after the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) in the follow-up Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC) study. In the DCCT, intensive therapy aimed at near-normal glycemia reduced the risk of microvascular complications of type 1 diabetes mellitus compared with conventional therapy. METHODS Retinopathy was evaluated by fundus photography in 1211 subjects at EDIC year 10. Further 3-step progression on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study scale from DCCT closeout was the primary outcome. RESULTS After 10 years of EDIC follow-up, there was no significant difference in mean glycated hemoglobin levels (8.07% vs 7.98%) between the original treatment groups. Nevertheless, compared with the former conventional treatment group, the former intensive group had significantly lower incidences from DCCT close of further retinopathy progression and proliferative retinopathy or worse (hazard reductions, 53%-56%; P < .001). The risk (hazard) reductions at 10 years of EDIC were attenuated compared with the 70% to 71% over the first 4 years of EDIC (P < .001). The persistent beneficial effects of former intensive therapy were largely explained by the difference in glycated hemoglobin levels during DCCT. CONCLUSION The persistent difference in diabetic retinopathy between former intensive and conventional therapy ("metabolic memory") continues for at least 10 years but may be waning. TRIAL REGISTRATION (clinicaltrials.gov) Identifiers: NCT00360815 and NCT00360893.

The current study employed a life events perspective to examine the relationship between attachment style and both adjustment and coping processes in adults during two specific life events involving both the loss of and a renegotiation of an attachment relationship: the launching of children from the family of origin and job loss, which represent both normative and nonnormative transitions, respectively. Using median splits for each attachment dimension (closeness, dependency, and anxiety) to define secure, anxious, and avoidant styles, based on the work of Collins and Read, analyses failed to yield a significant multivariate life event by style interaction. However, a statistically significant multivariate main effect for life event and for attachment style was obtained. Additionally, findings suggested that to a certain extent, the impact of attachment style and life events is moderated by gender, wherein a supplemental analysis yielded a significant life event by gender by level of closeness interaction. The data support the notion that securely attached individuals may be more equipped to meet developmental life challenges in adulthood, and extend previous work that is limited to women and to the empty nest.

Childhood abuse is linked to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which follows abuse survivors into adulthood. This study identified the neuropsychological and neuromorphological sequelae of PTSD among prepubescently abused women. Right-handed women aged 20-40 years were placed into PTSD and abuse, abuse only, and normal control groups (n = 17 per group). Participants were screened for trauma history and psychiatric symptoms, demographically matched, and given neuropsychological tests and a magnetic resonance scan of their brain. Women with PTSD did not express significant deficits in memory performance or hippocampal volume when compared with the abuse and normal control groups.

This is a retrospective study aimed to report short-term outcome among patients ageor =70 years surgically treated for colorectal cancer.All patients with the discharge diagnosis of colon and rectal cancer at St. Louis University Hospital from 1992 to 2002 were reviewed. Patients were assessed as to demographics, presenting symptoms, therapy, surgical morbidity and mortality.One hundred eighty-one patients ageor =70 years with colorectal cancer were identified. The mean age was 78 years; 107/181 (59%) were females. Rectal bleeding and change in bowel habits were the most common presenting symptoms. Fifty-four out of 181 (30%) were asymptomatic at diagnosis. The diagnosis was made by colonoscopy in 75% of the patients. One hundred forty-three out of 181 (79%) had colon cancer; 38/181 (21%) had rectal cancer. Fourteen out of 181 (8%) did not undergo surgery. Twenty-two out of 181 (12%) were operated on as a surgical emergency. ASA classification was I-II in 52%, III in 34%, and IV-V in 14%. Nineteen out of 38 (50%) with rectal cancer underwent a sphincter-preserving procedure. Overall, there was a 29% major morbidity from surgery. Thirty-day mortality was 11% (21 deaths). Only the development of a postoperative complication predicted mortality.Elderly patients tolerate surgery well for colon and rectal cancer in the short-term. Many patients are asymptomatic at diagnosis. Surgical emergencies are few and patients have a favorable stage of disease. This data supports aggressive detection of colorectal cancer in asymptomatic elderly patients who may harbor occult colorectal cancer.

Background The aim of this study was to identify risk factors, clinical characteristics, and outcome of patients with colon ischemia. Methods A 10-year (1992-2002) retrospective study was undertaken. Patients were identified from computerized hospital discharge information. Patient variables were entered into a computerized database and analyzed. Results One hundred twenty-nine patients were identified. The mean age was 66 years (range, 29-98 years); 47% were male. Forty-three patients (33%) had chronic renal failure; 73 patients (57%) were receiving vasoactive drugs, and 72 patients (56%) had atherosclerosis. Fifty-four of 129 patients (42%) had ischemic colitis in-hospital. Fifty-six of 129 patients (43%) had melena; 49 of 56 patients (88%) survived. Forty-three of 129 patients (33%) had an acute abdomen; 22 of 43 patients (51%) died. Seventy of 129 patients (54%) were treated nonoperatively initially; the condition of 17 of 70 patients (24%) required surgery. Of 76 patients who were treated operatively, 31 patients (41%) died. Eleven patients at operation had ischemia without colon infarction or perforation; 5 of these patients (45%) died. The overall mortality rate was 29% (37/129 patients). Conclusion Ischemic colitis is associated with chronic renal failure and atherosclerosis. Patients commonly have an acute abdomen. The absence of colonic infarction does not ensure a favorable outcome. Patients who are felt to be candidates for nonoperative therapy have significant mortality rates. Mortality rates remain high, despite treatment.

Abstract Bluewater developed a hull fatigue strategy for her FPSOs. This strategy supports the decision process with respect to fatigue damage during the hull selection, hull modification and lifetime extension, hull monitoring/ inspection and offshore hull repair. The essential element in this process is the correct identification of the fatigue sensitive structural details and determination of their remaining fatigue life. As this remaining fatigue life can not be measured directly, a calculation procedure is necessary to estimate this remaining life. In the presented paper, the hull fatigue strategy is discussed and the side shell structure of FPSO Uisge Gorm is used as an example. After seven years of service as an FPSO, the applied strategy for the Uisge Gorm is evaluated. Using feedback from tank inspections, the predicted remaining fatigue life is compared with the actual cracks found. This information is used to improve the assessment procedure for fatigue sensitive structural details. The consequences for the hull fatigue strategy are discussed. Attention is given to improved models that predict the loading on the structural detail. In addition, some attention is given to (future) in-service monitoring systems that can determine this loading while the FPSO is at a field. Using such methods, the remaining hull fatigue life predictions will be updated continuously during the field lifetime. Introduction The hull design and construction of Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units are often based on those of crude oil tankers. The design practices for a trading oil tanker are based on shipping experiences in which periodic drydocking for inspection and repair is requested by the classification societies. Due to the high cost of lost production, hookup and (re-) commissioning, temporary abandonment of a field is not economically feasible for a permanently moored FPSO. Consequently, an alternative hull inspection and repair program is required that takes into account the continuous production of the FPSO at the field. The FPSO will in principle stay at the field as long as the oil production is economic. The alternative inspection program must allow this continuous stay offshore and the typical structural loading due to the (severe) environment and loading/offloading regime. The following sections focus on the Bluewater strategy to manage fatigue damage in FPSO hull structures. The objective of this strategy is to control fatigue damage such that continuous FPSO service is achieved without significant inspection and repair activities offshore. This strategy requires reliable fatigue damage predictions in which the assumptions are consistent with workmanship during conversion and operational procedures during oil production at field. The following section will show that different predictions are required for each phase of the FPSO life. Life time extension strategy for FPSOs The FPSO fatigue life strategy covers the whole lifetime of the FPSO. It starts when a hull is selected and ends when the vessel is taken out of service. The following steps are important during this lifetime with respect to hull fatigue:Hull selection;Hull modification and lifetime extension;Hull monitoring/ inspection;Offshore hull repair.

Ventral hernia repair in severely obese patients represents a therapeutic challenge associated with the potential of recurrence. It was our intention in the management of patients with symptomatic ventral hernias in the presence of severe obesity to ascertain the role of weight loss produced by a gastric restrictive procedure (GRP) in the management of the hernias.Thirty-three patients underwent ventral hernia repair and a primary GRP while 37 patients underwent ventral hernia repair and revision of a failed GRP associated with unsatisfactory weight loss. Patients were followed to ascertain the effect of the GRP on body weight and the incidence of recurrent hernia.The mean +/- SEM weight in the patients undergoing primary GRPs and ventral hernia repair was 378 +/- 13 lbs (range 604 to 299 lbs) and the weight of the patients undergoing revision of GRPs and ventral hernia repair was 309 +/- 12 lbs (range 505 to 240 lbs). Mean length of follow-up was 79 +/- 18 months (range 180 to 11 months). Mean +/- SEM weight loss following the primary GRP or the GRP revision was 157 +/- 28 lbs (range 82 to 294 lbs). Repair of recurrent ventral hernia was required following stabilization of weight loss in 11 patients (16%). Long term evaluation of all patients following weight loss identified a 5% incidence of recurrent ventral hernia in those patients who had a body weight less than 200 lbs compared to a 19% incidence of recurrent ventral hernia in patients who weighed between 200 and 250 lbs. Patients who stabilized with a body weight greater than 250 lbs had a ventral hernia recurrence rate of 33%.GRPs have the potential to decrease body weight and contribute to the control of ventral hernias; however, it appears to be necessary to reach a body weight of less than 200 lbs to significantly decrease recurrent hernia formation.

A method of reliability prediction is discussed that provides a means to quantify design tradeoffs for memory systems comprised of dynamic random-access memories (DRAMs). This method, the NEW-NEW method, builds on earlier work that has predicted the reliability of narrow, specific classes of memory systems, such as systems without error detection and correction. The NEW-NEW approach provides memory reliability analysis of a wider spectrum of memory systems, and can serve as the framework for future memory evaluation as DRAMs evolve and their behaviour becomes better understood. >

Discusses how many people violated state law requiring motorists to maintain automobile insurance (CGS 14-213b and 38a-371) and the dispositions for those offenses.

Discusses statutory authority for Connecticut's coyote hunting season and legal hunting hours.

Discusses Connecticut's law establishing the farm-to-school program.

Summarizes state laws on dog breeders and commercial kennels.

Summarizes state laws on pet shops and animal importers.

Discusses legislation passed in the last five years aimed at increasing agricultural trade.

Discusses whether commercial breeders need a license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), what standards of care USDA-licensed breeders have to comply with, and how many USDA-licensed breeders there are in Connecticut.

Discusses the Animal Legal Defense Fund's model animal abuser registry law and animal abuser registry laws in New York's Albany, Rockland, and Suffolk counties. Also discusses whether the Connecticut General Assembly has considered legislative proposals for an animal abuser registry.

Discusses acts the Connecticut legislature passed in 2013 related to preparedness for and responses to major storms.

Discusses whether any states have laws that prohibit the subrogation of underinsured motorist insurance claims.

Discusses federal and state laws and regulations that establish standards for the care of animals by dog and cat breeders.

Discusses U.S. municipalities that have ordinances banning the retail sale of dogs and reviews San Diego, California's recently adopted ordinance.

Discusses laws regulating portable electronics insurance (i.e., insurance coverage for repairing or replacing lost, stolen, or damaged portable electronic devices.

Discusses the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) (P.L. 111-148), as amended.

Discusses New Hampshire's motor vehicle financial responsibility law, including what triggers the requirement that a person prove financial responsibility and when must that proof be in the form of an automobile insurance policy.

Discusses new laws (public acts and special acts) affecting agriculture enacted during the 2013 regular legislative session.

Discusses new laws (public acts and special acts) affecting insurance enacted during the 2013 regular legislative session.

Answers a series of questions related to pet shops and imported animals.