cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statistical signal estimation methods in X-ray differential phase contrast imaging

In x-ray differential phase contrast imaging (DPCI), a simple sinusoidal model is used to describe the measured signal intensities. When there is no noise added to the measurements, one is able to estimate the three unknown parameters, absorption contrast, phase-contrast, and small angle scatter, directly from the signal model. However, for x-ray detections, noise is always present and the noise level increases with a decrease in x-ray flux. When noise is involved, an experimental ensemble average is needed to make the above parameter estimation method accurate. Unfortunately, an ensemble average requires a large number of measurements acquired under identical experimental conditions. Such repetition procedures would significantly prolong the data acquisition time and require additional radiation dose to the image object. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a reliable parameter estimation method from a group of single x-ray signal intensity measurements. This paper addresses this concern by proposing a statistical signal estimation method. This method maximizes the joint probability of measurements in a complete phase stepping period and is able to estimate the three unknowns in DPCI simultaneously. Our numerical simulations demonstrate that the statistical signal estimation method outperformed the current blind estimation method by minimizing the noise variance of each parameter. As a result, this method has the potential to further improve the dose efficiency of DPCI.
An update on GABAA receptors.

Recent advances in molecular biology and complementary information derived from neuropharmacology, biochemistry and behavior have dramatically increased our understanding of various aspects of GABAA receptors. These studies have revealed that the GABAA receptor is derived from various subunits such as alpha1-alpha6, beta1-beta3, gamma1-gamma3, delta, epsilon, pi, and rho1-3. Furthermore, two additional subunits (beta4, gamma4) of GABAA receptors in chick brain, and five isoforms of the rho-subunit in the retina of white perch (Roccus americana) have been identified. Various techniques such as mutation, gene knockout and inhibition of GABAA receptor subunits by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides have been used to establish the physiological/pharmacological significance of the GABAA receptor subunits and their native receptor assemblies in vivo. Radioligand binding to the immunoprecipitated receptors, co-localization studies using immunoaffinity chromatography and immunocytochemistry techniques have been utilized to establish the composition and pharmacology of native GABAA receptor assemblies. Partial agonists of GABAA receptors are being developed as anxiolytics which have fewer and less severe side effects as compared to conventional benzodiazepines because of their lower efficacy and better selectivity for the GABAA receptor subtypes. The subunit requirement of various drugs such as anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, general anesthetics, barbiturates, ethanol and neurosteroids, which are known to elicit at least some of their pharmacological effects via the GABAA receptors, have been investigated during the last few years so as to understand their exact mechanism of action. Furthermore, the molecular determinants of clinically important drug-targets have been investigated. These aspects of GABAA receptors have been discussed in detail in this review article.
Propeller-wing interaction using a frequency domain panel method

The unsteady aerodynamic coupling between a propeller and a wing is analyzed using linear compressible aerodynamic theory. The periodic loads are decomposed into harmonics, and the harmonic amplitudes are found iteratively. Each stage of the iteration involves the solution of an isolated propeller or wing problem; the interaction is done through the Fourier transform of the induced velocity field. The method was validated by comparing the predicted velocity field about an isolated propeller with detailed laser Doppler velocimeter measurements and by comparison with mean loads measured in a wing-propeller experiment. Comparisons have also been made between the fluctuating loads predicted by the present method and a quasisteady vortex lattice scheme.
Microalbuminuria: is it a valid predictor of cardiovascular risk?

Microalbuminuria strongly predicts cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, clinical nephropathy, and progression of renal disease in high-risk populations. We recommend screening patients with type 2 diabetes, older patients with type 1 diabetes, and older patients with stage 2 hypertension or higher (ie, > 160/100 mm Hg). KEY POINTS Microalbuminuria is defined as albumin excretion of 20 to 200 μg/minute (30-300 mg/24 hours) in a 24-hour sample, or an albumin-to-creatinine ratio greater than 30 mg/g in a first morning midstream sample. In type 2 diabetes, microalbuminuria is strongly associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors and is a harbinger of later cardiovascular complications. In type 1 diabetes, microalbuminuria might be an independent predictor of cardiovascular complications, particularly in patients older than 45 years. In people older than 45 years with stage 2 or higher hypertension, microalbuminuria seems to be strongly associated with several traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors and with target-organ damage. Whether microalbuminuria is a good predictor of cardiovascular disease in people with well-controlled essential hypertension remains to be determined.
Mouse hepatitis virus replicase protein complexes are translocated to sites of M protein accumulation in the ERGIC at late times of infection.

The coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) directs the synthesis of viral RNA on discrete membranous complexes that are distributed throughout the cell cytoplasm. These putative replication complexes are composed of intimately associated but biochemically distinct membrane populations, each of which contains proteins processed from the replicase (gene 1) polyprotein. Specifically, one membrane population contains the gene 1 proteins p65 and p1a-22, while the other contains the gene 1 proteins p28 and helicase, as well as the structural nucleocapsid (N) protein and newly synthesized viral RNA. In this study, immunofluorescence confocal microscopy was used to define the relationship of the membrane populations comprising the putative replication complexes at different times of infection in MHV-A59-infected delayed brain tumor cells. At 5.5 h postinfection (p.i.) the membranes containing N and helicase colocalized with the membranes containing p1a-22/p65 at foci distinct from sites of M accumulation. By 8 to 12 h p.i., however, the membranes containing helicase and N had a predominantly perinuclear distribution and colocalized with M. In contrast, the p1a-22/p65-containing membranes retained a peripheral, punctate distribution at all times of infection and did not colocalize with M. By late times of infection, helicase, N, and M each also colocalized with ERGIC p53, a specific marker for the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi-intermediate compartment. These data demonstrated that the putative replication complexes separated into component membranes that relocalized during the course of infection. These results suggest that the membrane populations within the MHV replication complex serve distinct functions both in RNA synthesis and in delivery of replication products to sites of virus assembly.
Radiology of midline facial and skull base lesions

Radiologic evaluation of midline facial and skull base lesions has evolved significantly since the advent of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A large number of pathological entities in the face and skull base now may be detected and differentiated by CT and MRI. This article provides a radiologic overview of many of the entities that may be encountered.
Reaction of N-bromosuccinimide with lysozyme.

Abstract 1. 1. Amino acid analysis of lysozyme treated with N-bromosuccinimide at pH 4 and 5.5 revealed extensive destruction of tyrosine and histidine at reagent concentrations at which the spectral technique indicated incomplete reaction with tryptophan. Rotatory dispersion and viscosity measurements demonstrated the occurrence of a conformational change in lysozyme after reaction at these N-bromosuccinimide levels. 2. 2. Amino acid analysis for tryptophan after alkaline hydrolysis of N-bromosuccinimide-treated lysozyme showed higher degrees of oxidation of this amino acid than revealed by the spectral procedure. In contrast with the observations made spectrally, no pH dependence of oxidation was evident. 3. 3. The apparent pH dependence of N-bromosuccinimide reactivity, as well as the apparent differential reactivity of the six tryptophans, is most likely an artifact of the spectral procedure arising from oxidation of tyrosyl groups. 4. 4. The lack of specificity of the reaction of N-bromosuccinimide with respect to tryptophan groups of lysozyme, the induction of a conformational change on reaction and the lack of correspondence of spectral and amino acid analysis data suggests that caution must be exercised in the use of N-bromosuccinimide as a reagent for determining the extent of ‘exposure’ of side chains of native proteins.
The Question of Adaptive Sex Ratio in Outcrossed Vertebrates

Of various published theories of adaptive control of progeny sex ratio only two are plausible, a physiological theory by Trivers & Willard, and a demographic theory by Verner. The first applies to species in which sons and daughters impose different costs on parents, and in which only one or very few young are produced at once. They ought to show positive correlations in the sex of successive offspring and high sex-ratio variance among progenies. Verner's theory postulates a minimization of competition for mates in neighbourhoods subject to random fluctuation in sex ratio. Optimal progenies would exactly match the population's evolutionary equilibrium sex ratio. There would be little variance among progenies. Evidence from vertebrates is unfavourable to either theory and supports, instead, a non-adaptive model, the purely random (Mendelian) determination of sex. The apparent absence of parental control of progeny sex ratio is a serious theoretical difficulty.
AP-S Turnstile: National microwave days

About five years ago, I wrote a column [1, 2] poking light-hearted fun at how both the government and the people of France were displaying a lot of skittishness about microwave radiation. At the time, a university library in Paris, fearing for the health of its patrons, had done away with its wireless network. Cell-phone operators were being attacked by numerous local and national groups demanding that cell-phone towers be removed from locations close to schools, hospitals, and homes. It therefore came as a bit of a pleasant surprise to recently learn that for a number of years, France has been hosting the French National Microwave Days (Journees Nationales Microondes). The prestigious conference brings together French and international (especially, from the francophone parts of the world) researchers, who wish to present their work in French. The 18th edition [3] of this biennial conference was held during summer 2013 in Paris, and attracted more than 550 attendees [4]. A total of 323 technical papers were presented in oral and poster formats over three days, and an exhibition accompanied the technical sessions.
Values and limitations of serum aminotransferases in clinical trials of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

: Background/aims: Choosing endpoints in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) trials is challenging because of the lack of validated surrogates and the trade-off between accuracy and invasiveness. In this study, we assessed diagnostic accuracy of serum aminotransferase changes in predicting histological changes in NASH trials. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal cohort study by using 102 participants in ursodeoxycholic acid–NASH trial who had both baseline and 2-year liver biopsy and multiple measurements of serum aminotransferases. We calculated rates of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) [or aspartate aminotransferase (AST)] change as slopes of linear regression over 2 years (IU/l/month) and changes in each histological feature as differences in Brunt's scores of two biopsies in each individual. Results: Rate of aminotransferase change correlated with changes in inflammation and fibrosis, but not steatosis and only with change in inflammation in multivariable analysis. In each histological feature, changes were inversely correlated with baseline histological grade. In predicting improvement of inflammation, areas under the receiver–operating characteristic curve of aminotransferase information alone were 0.72 for ALT and 0.73 for AST and were improved to 0.88 and 0.89, respectively, when baseline histology were taking account of. Conclusions: Serum aminotransferase changes could be useful as surrogates in screening therapies for NASH in clinical trials with appropriate consideration of baseline aminotransferase and histology.
The two distinct phase of inflammatory response in the dog's knee joint

The inflammations caused by various agents may be quite different from each other in the details of the mechanisms involved, even though the gross features of the swelling, redness and pain may not be ostensibly different. In this chapter we will demonstrate some differences among agents and will attempt to explain them to some extent. The agents used were bradykinin, serotonin, Hageman factor, ellagic acid, carrageenan, sodium urate, and cellulose sulfate. The findings permit us to set up certain hypotheses about the general nature of the acute inflammatory reaction, particularly the role of the neutrophil.
Golgi targeting of human guanylate-binding protein-1 requires nucleotide binding, isoprenylation, and an IFN-γ-inducible cofactor

Human guanylate-binding protein-1 (hGBP-1) is a large GTPase, similar in structure to the dynamins. Like many smaller GTPases of the Ras/Rab family, it is farnesylated, suggesting it may dock into membranes and perhaps play a role in intracellular trafficking. To date, however, hGBP-1 has never been associated with a specific intracellular compartment. Here we present evidence that hGBP-1 can associate with the Golgi apparatus. Redistribution from the cytosol to the Golgi was observed by immunofluorescence and subcellular fractionation after aluminum fluoride treatment, suggesting that it occurs when hGBP-1 is in its GTP-bound state. Relocalization was blocked by a farnesyl transferase inhibitor. The C589S mutant of hGBP-1, which cannot be farnesylated, and the previously uncharacterized R48P mutant, which cannot bind GTP, both failed to localize to the Golgi. These two mutants had a dominant-negative effect, preventing endogenous wild-type hGBP-1 from efficiently redistributing after aluminum fluoride treatment. Furthermore, hGBP-1 requires another IFN-γ-induced factor to be targeted to the Golgi, because constitutively expressed hGBP-1 remained cytosolic in cells treated with aluminum fluoride unless the cells were preincubated with IFN-γ. Finally, two nonhydrolyzing mutants of hGBP-1, corresponding to active mutants of Ras family proteins, failed to constitutively associate with the Golgi; we propose three possible explanations for this surprising result.
Bayesian Selection of Decomposable Models With Incomplete Data

This article describes a new approach to Bayesian selection of decomposable models with incomplete data. This approach requires the characterization of new ignorability conditions for the missing-data mechanism and the development of new computational methods. Both issues are considered, and solutions are proposed. Theory and methods are assessed in controlled experiments and in the analysis of one real-life incomplete dataset.
Arkansas pharmacists’ perceptions toward emergency contraception and nonprescription Plan B

Objective: This study describes Arkansas pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding emergency contraception.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a convenience sample of pharmacists prior to a continuing education lecture. The 16-item survey included multiple choice and true/false questions to assess knowledge in addition to Likert-type scale questions regarding attitudes and beliefs. Frequency and descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables.Results: Eighty-eight pharmacists completed the survey. A majority (73%) knew that Plan B had been FDA-approved for nonprescription use yet 42% believed that it works by disrupting a newly implanted ovum. On a scale from 1-5 where 5=strongly agree, the mean item score was 3.2 for whether emergency contraception should be available for nonprescription use with counseling and 1.6 for nonprescription use without counseling. When asked what they would do if presented with a request for emergency contraception, 45.8% indicated they would dispense the drug, 22.9% would refer the patient to another pharmacist or pharmacy, 3.6% would refuse to dispense, and 27.7% were not sure. Almost half (48.6%) did not believe they were competent instructing patients on the use of emergency contraception.Conclusions: The results show that pharmacists could benefit from additional training on emergency contraception.
AFSCM 375-5 as a Methodology for System Engineering

The recently published Air Force Systems Command Manual 375-5 (AFSCM 375-5), System Engineering Management Procedures, prescribes the management policies and procedures to be followed in the establishment of requirements for, and in the design, development, test, operation, and maintenance of future Air Force systems. The life cycle of systems requiring AFSCM 375-5 implementation is described and the prescribed system engineering management process and significant documentation tools are discussed in detail. In addition, possible implementation problems and solutions associated with the application of AFSCM 375-5 are discussed.
Meteorological data assimilation for oceanographers. Part I: Description and theoretical framework☆

Abstract The main theme of this article is the central role that dynamics plays in estimating the state of the atmosphere and of the ocean from incomplete and noisy data. The evolution of meteorological data usage in estimation and prediction is reviewed, from manual synoptic analysis through objective analysis to four-dimensional assimilation into a prediction model. Four-dimensional data assimilation tries to balance properly the roles of dynamical and observational information. Sequential estimation is presented as the proper framework for understanding this balance, and the Kalman filter as the optimal procedure for data assimilation. The optimal filter computes forecast error covariances of a given atmospheric or oceanic model exactly, and hence data assimilation should be closely connected with predictability studies. A simple barotropic model of geophysical flow is used to illustrate the basic concepts. This model's results with simulated data are compared with the accumulated experience from full-scale meteorological models, assimilating real data. The so-called initialization problem of eliminating fast, inertia-gravity waves in meteorological data assimilation is described within the context of sequential estimation. Improvements to operational schemes of data assimilation in current meteorological use are suggested, with a view to ocean applications.
Posttranslational modifications of human inter-alpha-inhibitor: identification of glycans and disulfide bridges in heavy chains 1 and 2.

Abstract Inter-alpha-inhibitor (IalphaI) is a serine proteinase inhibitor found in high concentrations in human plasma. The protein is composed of a light inhibitory chain called bikunin and two heavy chains of unknown function. The three polypeptide chains are covalently assembled via a carbohydrate cross-link [Enghild, J. J., Salvesen, G., Hefta, S. A., Thogersen, I. B., Rutherfurd, S., & Pizzo, S. V. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 747-751]. The aim of this study was to complete the primary structure by characterizing additional covalent posttranslational modifications of the heavy chains. Analysis revealed three N-linked oligosaccharides located on Asn251 and Asn554 of heavy chain 1 and on Asn64 of heavy chain 2: all these were complex biantennary structures composed of (Asn)-GlcNAc2-Man-(Man-GlcNAc-Gal-SA)2. In addition, the IalphaI heavy chains carried several O-linked glycans located on Thr619 of heavy chain 1 and a cluster of four O-linked oligosaccharides on Thr612, Ser619, Thr621, and Thr637 of heavy chain 2. The oligosaccharides were short (Ser/Thr)-GalNAc-Gal-SA trisaccharides. The IalphaI heavy chains contain nine Cys residues, of which eight are involved in disulfide bridges. The unpaired Cys residue residing on heavy chain 1, Cys26, appears to be modified by dihexosylation. The other Cys residues exclusively form intrachain disulfide bridges. In heavy chain 1 the two disulfide bonds are formed between Cys210 and Cys213 and between Cys234 and Cys506, and in heavy chain 2, between Cys207 and Cys210 and between Cys596 and Cys597. Interestingly, three of these four disulfides are formed between Cys residues that are either adjacent or only two amino acid residues apart.
Pronomes resumptivos em Português Brasileiro adulto e infantil

In this study, I investigate the emergence of resumptive pronouns in the spontaneous production of a child acquiring Brazilian Portuguese as her native language. I adopt a theory of resumptive pronouns in which these elements are taken to be a last resort strategy. The child's behavior in this respect, together with an analysis of resumptive pronouns in adult BP, lead to the conclusion that the Brazilian Portuguese data is in accordance with a last resort analysis of resumptive pronouns, although it may look otherwise on the surface. I assume this last resort nature of resumptives is part of an innate knowledge. I conclude this paper discussing the advantages that the analysis presented here brings to a better description of adult Brazilian Portuguese.
Sexual function after radical surgery for rectal cancer

Abstract Advances and innovations in the multimodality therapy for rectal cancer have significantly improved oncologic outcomes with regard to overall and disease-specific survival. Accordingly, quality of life and functional outcomes are becoming increasingly important. Sexual dysfunction after treatment for rectal cancer has been reported in up to 69% of patients. However, the specific factors leading to sexual dysfunction are poorly understood with limited relevant data. This review aims to clarify the incidence of sexual dysfunction after radical rectal cancer resection and identify surgical contributing factors in an effort to improve quality of life outcomes and identify questions that should be addressed in future studies.
The Synthesis of Possible Degradation Products of Nicotine

The following compounds have been synthesized as possible degradation products of nicotine: γ-keto-γ-(3-pyridyl)butyric acid, β-amino-β-(3-pyridyl)-propionic acid, and β-methyhmino-β-(3-pyridyl)-propionic acid. Certain derivatives of these compounds have been prepared.
A Longitudinal Assessment of the Associations Among Response Access, Attention Problems, and Aggression during Childhood

Children with ADHD symptoms often display social competence deficits, yet mechanisms for their social difficulties remain unclear. Using data from the normative sample of non-intervention respondents (N = 387; 50 % male; 49 % non-European-American; age at initial assessment: M = 6.5 years, SD = 0.48) in the Fast Track project (Lochman and CPPRG Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 63:549–59, 1995), the social-information processing ability of accessing responses for social situations was modeled across four time points from kindergarten to third grade. Teacher-rated aggression and ADHD symptoms were included as predictors of the intercept and slope. Low ADHD symptoms were associated with a decline in aggressive responses across childhood, whereas high ADHD symptoms were linked to an increase in aggressive responses that decelerated between second and third grade. Regarding competent responses, low ADHD symptoms predicted increases in competent responses, but this increase decelerated between second and third grade. High ADHD symptoms were also associated with a slight increase in competent responses into first grade, but competent responses decreased from first to third grade. Neither aggression nor the interaction of ADHD symptoms and aggression accounted for a significant amount of variance in aggressive or competent responses. Future research should identify if differences in response access associated with high and low ADHD symptoms link to difficulties making and keeping friendships.
Binding of α2-macroglobulin to hepatocytes: mechanism of in vivo clearance

The binding of 125I-labeled human α2-macroglobulin-methylamine to adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture was studied at 4°C. Cells which had been in culture for 4 hours exhibited steady state ligand binding after 1 hour, a receptor number of 22,400 receptors per cell, and a dissociation constant of 0.6 nM. Adult rat hepatocytes exhibited a significant decrease in receptor number with increased time in primary culture with less than 10% of the initial number of receptors remaining after 2 days (p <0.01). In autopsy studies of mice injected intravenously with 125I-labeled α2-macroglobulin-methylamine, greater than 90% of the cleared ligand was found in the liver. Autoradiography of the liver demonstrated that 80% of the ligand was cleared by hepatocytes. It is concluded that the hepatocytes are the primary pathway for clearance from the circulation of receptor recognized α2-macroglobulin.
ePathBrick: A Synthetic Biology Platform for Engineering Metabolic Pathways in E. coli

Harnessing cell factories for producing biofuel and pharmaceutical molecules has stimulated efforts to develop novel synthetic biology tools customized for modular pathway engineering and optimization. Here we report the development of a set of vectors compatible with BioBrick standards and its application in metabolic engineering. The engineered ePathBrick vectors comprise four compatible restriction enzyme sites allocated on strategic positions so that different regulatory control signals can be reused and manipulation of expression cassette can be streamlined. Specifically, these vectors allow for fine-tuning gene expression by integrating multiple transcriptional activation or repression signals into the operator region. At the same time, ePathBrick vectors support the modular assembly of pathway components and combinatorial generation of pathway diversities with three distinct configurations. We also demonstrated the functionality of a seven-gene pathway (~9 Kb) assembled on one single ePathBrick vector. The ePathBrick vectors presented here provide a versatile platform for rapid design and optimization of metabolic pathways in E. coli.
Thermodynamic consistency of the dynamical mean-field theory of the double-exchange model

Although diagrammatic perturbation theory fails for the dynamical-mean field theory of the double-exchange model, the theory is nevertheless Phi-derivable and hence thermodynamically consistent, meaning that the same thermodynamic properties are obtained from either the partition function or the Green's function. We verify this consistency by evaluating the magnetic susceptibility and Curie temperature for any Hund's coupling.
Isothermal grain-growth kinetics in sintered UO2 pellets

Abstract An investigation was conducted on grain-growth kinetics in sintered UO 2 samples with a theoretical density of 97% and at temperatures between 1800 and 2100°C. The results were in close agreement with the cubic rate law, in which the grain growth was limited by pore migration. The overall kinetics were interpreted as being controlled by vapor transport through the pore with the pressure maintained at 2γ r , where γ is the surface tension and r is the pore radius. An obvious consequence of such behavior is the decrease in density after grain growth, which was experimentally verified. The mean grain diameter D (μm) after annealing for time t (h) at a temperature T (K) is given by D 3 −D 0 3 = 5.2 × 10 14 exp( −120 300 RT )t , where d 0 is the initial grain size. The relationship between the final stage of sintering and the grain growth in stoichiometric UO 2 has been discussed.
Nanoparticles in a Diblock Copolymer Background: The Potential of Mean Force

We have investigated the potential of mean force between two nanoparticles that are surrounded by a symmetric diblock copolymer matrix. The hard nanoparticles are modeled as attractive to one kind of polymer. Using self-consistent-field theory (SCFT), we analyze the energy change of the system when the distance between the particles is changed and subsequently derive the potential of mean force between the particles. Above the order−disorder transition (ODT) the attractive potential of the particles for one kind of monomers leads to a lamellar structure around the particles. These density waves interfere with each other when the distance between the particles is changed, leading to separations with alternating attraction and repulsion between the particles. We further derive analytic results for the potential of mean force in the limit of a weak influence of the particles on the system using the random phase approximation for a diblock copolymer melt. These analytical results are compared with SCFT result...
Datalogging instrument arrays: Powerful yet inexpensive tools for recording the heterogeneous physical environment of coral reefs

Abstract The physical structure of coral reefs, like that of rainforests and other spatially-complex ecosystems, modulates light, fluid flow, and other physical variables to create a spatially and temporally complex mosaic of microhabitats. Accurate and affordable methods for quantifying this spatio-temporal variation are required to address many basic and applied research questions related to the ecology and management of reefs. Recent advances in semiconductor electronics technology have made it easier and much less expensive to build small and reliable datalogging instruments, which can be deployed in arrays to record spatio-temporal patterns of ecologically-important variables. Suitable instruments are already commercially available for $100 (US) or less per unit, and more are being produced. Moreover, people with modest electronics training and equipment can now design and build their own instruments successfully using the powerful features and modularity of modern “off-the-shelf” integrated circuits. Commercial instruments, as well as all of the parts necessary to construct custom-made instruments, can be ordered by telephone or internet and shipped worldwide. Thus, these technologies are now available for reef research and monitoring in remote regions, including the many developing island nations whose people depend on healthy reefs for healthy economies.
Intracoronary thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction.

Abstract Forty-seven patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) underwent intracoronary infusion of Thrombolysin ® or streptokinase. In 41, a completely reoccluded artery was reopened. Patency was associated with appearance of arrhythmias, relief of pain, gradual return of the ST-segment to the baseline and appearance of abnormal Q waves. Creatine kinase (CK) and MB-CK enzyme levels peaked earlier. Serial thallium scintigrams showed reduction in defect size after reperfusion, and the ejection fraction was higher compared with control. Eighteen patients were recommended for coronary bypass surgery for recurrent pain or severe multivessel disease.
Human factors facilitating the implementation of automation

Abstract This paper recommends five important steps for introducing automatic equipment: (1) plan the transition with advance notice to employees, (2) anticipate the widespread effects and identify which departments will influence the automation's success, (3) design the jobs created by the change in accordance with human factors principles, (4) set up a placement and training program for employees whose jobs are replaced or changed, and (5) conduct a follow-up check to determine how well the new system has succeeded.
The Short‐Term Psychological Health of Alcoholic and Non‐Alcoholic Liver Transplant Recipients

In response to limited resources and overwhelming clinical need, we previously developed an approach to alcoholic patient selection for liver transplant based on factors reported to predict short- and long-term sobriety in prospective studies of alcoholics. The present study reports follow-up data comparing alcohol dependent (n = 22, DSM-3-R criteria) and non-dependent (n = 39) subjects followed from 6 months to 3 years post-transplant. Nine percent of the alcoholics had returned to symptomatic drinking with 14% reporting some exposure to ethyl alcohol. Nearly half (46%) of the non-alcoholic group reported occasional social alcohol use. The alcoholic patients were less likely to be in their first marriage and more likely to be asked about alcohol use at follow-up clinic visits. In most other respects the two groups resembled each other more often than they differed. The alcoholic group reported continued high rates of prognostic factors associated with long-term abstinence although the content of these shifted noticeably between pre- and postoperative assessment. Members of both groups reported high frequencies of medication side effects, of missed doses of medications, and of depressive symptoms. Most felt the transplant had improved their lives but had brought on significant financial burden. There were no differences in subjective appraisals of either psychological or physical health between the two groups. These follow-up data suggest that carefully selected alcohol dependent patients will do as well as non-dependent patients after liver transplant.
Case report: intermittent sciatic herniation of the ureter

Sciatic herniation is the rarest form of pelvic hernia. Herniation of the ureter into the sciatic formane is extremely uncommon with only 11 cases reported in the literature. We describe an unusual case of intermittent herniation of the ureter during an intravenous urogram.
Kinetics of myo-inositol transport in rat ocular lens.

Myo-inositol (MI) influx as a function of concentration in rat lens consisted of a saturable component, fit by a rectangular hyperbola, and a linear component which was more distinct at high myo-inositol concentrations suggesting passive diffusion. The hyperbolic component was half-maximally saturated (Kt) at 61.3 μM and had a maximal transport rate (Jmax) of 44.6 μMol/kg wet wt/h. The linear component had an apparent permeability coefficient of 1.44 × 10−6 s−1. Sorbitol, which distributed rapidly in the extracellular space (6.83 ml/100 g wet wt), also appeared to enter the intracellular space with a permeability coefficient of 1.37 × 10−6 s−1, similar to that of myo-inositol. The influx of myo-inositol was critically dependent on the concentration of extracellular sodium consistent with a sodium-myo-inositol contransport. The kinetics of influx activation by sodium suggested an apparent 2:1 coupling ratio for sodium and myo-inositol. When potassium was used as sodium substitute, a significantly stronger influx inhibition was observed than with nondepolarizing sodium substitutes, indicating that myoinositol was driven by the electrochemicl gradient of sodium rather than the chemical gradient only. Reducing the extracellular Na concentration increased the MI concentration at which transport was half-maximally activated, suggesting an ordered binding sequence of Na followed by MI. Myo-inositol influx was competitively inhibited by phlorizin with an inhibitory coefficient (Ki) of 35 μM. Phloretin also was capable of inhibition but with a much lesser efficacy. Myoinositol desaturates from the lens at a rate of 0.00862 h−1. Approximately 19% of the efflux can be inhibited with phlorizin, suggesting that it represents carrier-mediated flux. The phlorizin insensitive flux has a rate of 0.00695 h−1 or 1.93 × 10−6 s−1, similar to the Na-independent passive influx. MI influx is due to a Na-dependent, phlorizin-sensitive active transport while the efflux consists largely of a phlorizin-independent passive leakage. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Influence of indenter tip geometry on elastic deformation during nanoindentation

Nanoindentation with a Berkovich indenter is commonly used to investigate the mechanical behavior of small volumes of materials. To date, most investigators have made the simplifying assumption that the tip is spherical. In reality, indenter tips are much more complex. Here, we develop a new method to describe the tip shape using the experimentally determined area function of the indenter at small depths (0--100 nm). Our analysis accurately predicts the elastic load-displacement curve and allows the theoretical strength of a material to be determined from pop-in data. Application of our new method to single crystal ${\mathrm{Cr}}_{3}\mathrm{Si}$ shows that the predicted theoretical strengths are within 12% of the ideal strength $G/2\ensuremath{\pi}$, where $G$ is the shear modulus.
Generation, detection and spectroscopic studies of high-frequency nonequilibrium phonons in crystals

In this article we will review studies conducted in the past two decades on the dynamic properties of high-frequency (THz) phonons generated monochromatically with high power far infrared (FIR) laser pulses using defect-induced phonon absorption and detected using a vibronic sideband spectrometer fashioned after that devised by Kaplyanskii, the honoree of this special issue. The temporal and spectral evolution of the phonon signature provides information on the mechanisms that dominate the relaxation of high-frequency phonons in real crystals.
Differences in binding and effector functions between classes of TNF antagonists

There are currently two Food and Drug Administration-approved classes of biologic agents that target tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha): anti-TNF monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) (adalimumab and infliximab), and soluble TNF receptors (etanercept). This study examined the ability of the TNF antagonists to: (1) bind various polymorphic variants of cell surface-expressed Fc receptors (FcgammaRs) and the complement component C1q, and (2) mediate Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-mediated cytotoxicity (CDC) killing of cells expressing membrane-bound TNF (mTNF) in vitro. Both mAbs and the soluble TNF receptor demonstrated low-level binding to the activating receptors FcgammaRI, FcgammaRIIa, and FcgammaRIIIa, and the inhibitory receptor FcgammaRIIb, in the absence of exogenous TNF. However, upon addition of TNF, the mAbs, but not etanercept, showed significantly increased binding, in particular to the FcgammaRII and FcgammaRIII receptors. Infliximab and adalimumab induced ADCC much more potently than etanercept. In the presence of TNF, both mAbs bound C1q in in vitro assays, but etanercept did not bind C1q under any conditions. Infliximab and adalimumab also induced CDC in cells expressing mTNF more potently than etanercept. Differences in the ability to bind ligand and mediate cell death may account for the differences in efficacy and safety of TNF antagonists.
Calculation of the Index of Refraction of Neon and Argon

We use the Kramers–Kronig dispersion relation to calculate the real part of the index of refraction of neon and argon for energies ranging from zero into the x-ray region. The cross sections of these gases are known experimentally to an accuracy of about 5%. We also use calculations of the oscillator strengths of the discrete transitions. We first correct the values of the cross sections to make them agree with the very accurate experimental value of the polarizability, and with the Thomas–Reiche–Kuhn sum rule.Our results for the index of refraction generally agree with existing theoretical calculations and experimental measurements to within 10%.
Metal ion-assembled micro-collagen heterotrimers.

Collagen mimetic peptides (CMPs) provide critical insight into the assembly, stability and structure of the triple helical collagen protein. The majority of natural fibrous collagens are aab or abc heterotrimers, yet few examples of heterotrimeric CMPs have been reported. Previously CMP heterotrimers have only been accessible by total syntheses or by introducing complementary interstrand electrostatic or steric interactions. Here we describe an abc CMP heterotrimer in which each contributing CMP consists of only three amino acids: glycine, proline and 4-hydroxyproline. Assembly of the heterotrimeric triple helix is directed by a combination of metal-ion coordination to set the relative register of the CMPs, and minimization of valence frustration to direct heterotrimerization. Assembly of the four-component mixture is facile and extremely rapid, and equilibration to the abc heterotrimer occurs within a few hours at modestly elevated temperatures. The melting temperatures of the metal-assembled collagen trimers are higher by some 30 °C than the apopeptide assemblies. Two iterations of the design are described, and the outcomes suggest possibilities for designing self-assembling abc and abb heterotrimers.
The Associations of Suicide Attempts in Adolescents

Objective. Suicide completion has increased in the United States among 15- to 24-year-olds from 4.5 per 100 000 (1950) to 13.2 per 100 000 (1990). Suicide attempts have been found to be associated with depression, substance use, overall number of life stressors, gender, and impulsive behaviors. We hypothesized that suicide attempt is associated with many other health risk behaviors. Design. To evaluate this hypothesis, we analyzed the data from the 1993 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey from a representative sample of students in grades 9 through 12 in public and private high schools. We examined the relationships between ever attempting suicide and engaging in other health risk or problem behaviors (eg, sexual activity, substance use, violence, and seat belt nonuse). Results. The 3054 students were distributed among the 9th to 12th grades; 50.7% were female, 77.7% white, 6.7% black, 5.9% Hispanic, 4.6% Asian, .8% Native American, and 4.4% other; and the mean age was 16 ± 1.2 years. Based on logistic regression analysis, ever attempting suicide was associated with physical fights in the past 12 months (odds ratio [OR] = 1.3[95% confidence interval (CI), 1.22–1.44]), regular cigarette use in the past 30 days (2.0[1.41–2.97]), female gender (3.2[2.21–4.71]), lack of seat belt use (1.3[1.21–1.34]), gun carrying in the past 30 days (1.4[1.12–1.70]), substance use before last sexual activity (1.4[1.09–1.84]), Native American or other (2.4[1.21–4.71]), and lifetime use of other drugs (1.2[1.04–1.40]). The full model correctly assigned 92% of the youth. There were small differences in models for males, females, and sexually active youth. Same gender sexual experiences for sexually active youth did not significantly improve the model (partial r = .0, OR = .87 [95% CI, .33–2.30]) and fewer (88%) of the youth were correctly assigned by the model. Conclusions. Ever attempting suicide is associated with other problem behaviors. This research proposes an empirical model of the relationship between suicide attempts and other health risk behaviors. Identifying which adolescents are at risk for suicide attempts from the presence of accompanying risk behaviors will help clinicians to evaluate suicide risk when other problem behaviors are identified, thus enabling the design of possible prevention strategies.
Monte Carlo evaluations of ten focus measures

A high-performance focus measure is one of the key components in any autofocus system based on digital image processing. More than a dozen of focus measures have been proposed and evaluated in the literature, yet there have be no comprehensive evaluations that include most of them. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate and compare the performance of ten focus measures using Monte Carlo simulations, run on a self-built scalable inhomogeneous computer cluster with distributed computing capacity. From the perspective of a general framework for focus measure evaluations, we calculate the true point spread functions (PSFs) from aberrations represented by OSA standard Zernike polynomials using fast Fourier transform. For each run, a range of defocus levels are generated, the PSF for each defocus level is convoluted with an original image, and a certain amount of noise is added to the resulting defocused image. Each focus measure is applied to all the blurred images to obtain a focus measure curve. The procedure is repeated on a few representative images for different types and levels of noise (Gaussian, salt & pepper, and speckle). The performance of the ten focus measures is compared in terms of monotonicity, unimodality, defocus sensitivity, noise sensitivity, effective range, computational efficiency and variability.
Uncoupling the functions of a multifunctional protein: The isolation of a DNA pilot protein mutant that affects particle morphogenesis

Defective oX174 H protein-mediated DNA piloting indirectly influences the entire viral lifecycle. Faulty piloting can mask the H protein's other functions or inefficient penetration may be used to explain defects in post-piloting phenomena. For example, optimal synthesis of other viral proteins requires de novo H protein biosynthesis. As low protein concentrations affect morphogenesis, protein H's assembly functions remain obscure. An H protein mutant was isolated that allowed morphogenetic effects to be characterized independent of its other functions. The mutant protein aggregates assembly intermediates. Although excess internal scaffolding protein restores capsid assembly, the resulting mutant H protein-containing particles are less infectious. In addition, nonviable phenotypes of am(H) mutants in Su+ hosts, which insert non-wild-type amino acids, do not always correlate with a lack of missense protein function. Phenotypes are highly influenced by host and phage physiology. This phenomenon was unique to am(H) mutants, not observed with amber mutants in other genes.
THE USE OF GLYCEROL EXTRACT OF THE ADRENAL CORTEX IN THE TREATMENT OF ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY1

It appears that Obrigia (1) was the first to use a glycerol extract of the adrenal gland. This was employed in the treatment of patients with hyperthyroidism. Later Rogoff and Stewart (2) employed glycerol extracts in the treatment of patients with Addison's disease. Rogoff and Stewart extracted the cortex after removing the medulla but made no further attempt to reduce the epinephrin content of their extract. Such reduction is desirable because epinephrin is detrimental in some patients. (The cortex contains about 1/5 as much epinephrin as the medulla, per gm.). For 5 years the authors have used a glycerol extract of the adrenal cortex, from which much of the epinephrin had been removed. Patients with Addison's disease and some of those with suspected adrenal insufficiency have responded favorably to such treatment. Fresh, ground beef cortex is extracted with an equal volume of glycerol at 4° C. for several days. Then, an equal volume of alcohol is added to reduce the viscosity so that it can be passed t...