cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microsurgical treatment of symptomatic sacral Tarlov cysts.

Objective Providing relief of symptomatic radiculopathy resulting from sacral perineural cysts has proven difficult. Our goal was to improve the treatment of these cysts with microsurgical cyst fenestration and imbrication, while minimizing functional damage to neural tissues. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records for eight adult patients with large (2-3-cm) sacral perineural cysts who were treated at the University of California, San Francisco, between October 1992 and April 1999. All patients presented with radicular pain that was refractory to medical treatment. Three patients also reported urinary incontinence. We performed sacral laminectomies with microsurgical cyst fenestration and cyst imbrication for all patients, using intraoperative electromyography to minimize damage to the sacral nerve roots. For seven patients, we reinforced the closures with epidural fat or muscle grafts and fibrin glue application. For five patients with cysts that communicated with the subarachnoid space in computed tomographic myelograms, we placed lumbar drains for cerebrospinal fluid diversion for several days postoperatively. We assessed outcomes, using telephone questionnaires and periodic postoperative physical examinations, 3 to 73 months after surgery. Results After surgery, radicular pain improved markedly for four patients and moderately for three patients; one patient with initial improvement experienced pain recurrence 9 months later. Bladder control improved markedly for two of the three patients with bladder dysfunction. There were no cerebrospinal fluid leaks and no new postoperative neurological deficits. Conclusion Microsurgical cyst fenestration and imbrication are effective treatments for long-term relief of refractory painful radiculopathy and urinary incontinence associated with large sacral perineural cysts.
Dopaminergic-like activity in toxic fescue alters prolactin but not growth hormone or thyroid stimulating hormone in ewes.

Studies were conducted to determine the specificity and cause of altered pituitary hormone secretion when ewes ingest endophyte-infected (Acremonium coenophialum) GI-307 tall fescue (toxic fescue). Plasma concentrations of prolactin (PRL) but not growth hormone (GH) or thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in ewes grazing toxic fescue were significantly lower (P < .01) than concentrations measured in ewes grazing orchardgrass (OG). Comparing hormone secretory responses of ewes grazing each grasstype, ewes on toxic fescue released less PRL following thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) challenge than ewes on OG. TSH responses to TRH were not affected by grasstype. At this dose of TRH, GH secretion was not significantly affected in either group of ewes. In a separate study, dopamine hydrochloride (DA) was infused into control ewes to define the effect of a pure dopamine agonist on basal and TRH-stimulated secretion of PRL, GH and TSH. DA depressed both basal and TRH-stimulated secretion of PRL without affecting the basal concentrations or responses of GH or TSH. Based on the assumption that the active agent in toxic fescue responsible for the observed hypoprolactinemia was a dopaminergic agonist, haloperidol (HAL), a DA receptor blocking drug, was administered to ewes grazing toxic fescue or OG. HAL evoked significant PRL secretion unaccompanied by any GH or TSH effect in both toxic fescue and OG ewes. Administration of HAL resulted in a gradual increase over 4 hr in PRL in toxic fescue ewes and prolonged the duration of the PRL response to TRH. No differences in circulating plasma concentrations of DA, epinephrine or norepinephrine were measured in ewes on troxic fescue or OG. Alterations in pituitary hormone secretion due to toxic factors in fescue were confined to PRL. Hormone secretory responses to TRH and HAL suggest that the effects on PRL are mediated through dopamine-like activity in toxic fescue.
Transient conjugated heat transfer from a rectangular hot film

A numerical calculation is carried out for the transient response of a flush-mounted hot-film sensor in a gas flow heated by a step change in the hot-film output flux. The numerical method used is called the unsteady surface element method. This calculation is part of a study of unsteady behavior of hot-film anemometers that involve substrate effects. The numerical results show that the early-time film temperature agrees well with an analytical solution, and the steady-state Nusselt number agrees with an existing numerical solution. The spatial average film temperature vs time is presented for several values of the rectangular hot-film aspect ratio. Nomenclature a = streamwise half-length of the hot film, m b = span wise half-length of the hot film, m K = thermal conductivity, W/(mK) — streamwise length of the yth surface element, m = spanwise length of the yth surface element, m M = number of time steps N = number of surface elements Np = flow parameter, Eq. (16) Nu = Nusselt number P = hot-film output flux, W/m2 Pe = Peclet number, p(2a)2/af q = heat flux, W/m2 qQ = hot-film output, W/m2 T = temperature Tav = spatial average hot-film temperature TQ = initial temperature T- = (T - TQ)l(qQalKs) t+ = ast/a2 x = streamwise coordinate x+ = x/a Xj = center of the yth surface element y = spanwise coordinate y+ = yla yj = center of the ;th surface element z = coordinate normal to the interface a = thermal diffusivity, m2/s /3 = velocity gradient, s"1 F( ) = gamma function Ai/r = influence function, Eq. (13) TJ = dummy space variable in the spanwise direction A = dummy time variable //,( ) = unit step function f = dummy space variable in the streamwise direction $ = fundamental solution, defined in Appendix A
Large multichannel analyser using disk memory

Abstract This paper describes a method to build large histograms on disk memory and its implementation on an IBM 360-50 with 2311 direct access storage devices, allowing to build and manipulate up to 3×10 6 channels histograms, either on-line or off-line.
Disturbance-Accommodating Control; An Overview

Disturbance-Accommodating Control (DAC) is a relatively new branch of modern control and system theory which addresses the problems of: (i) dynamic modeling of uncertain disturbances which act on systems, and (ii) designing feedback/feedforward controllers which achieve and maintain system performance specifications in the face of such disturbances. This paper is an up-to-date tutorial account of the fundamental ideas of DAC theory and a review of the current state of its development.
Breast Cancer Pathology, Receptor Status, and Patterns of Metastasis in a Rural Appalachian Population

Breast cancer patients in rural Appalachia have a high prevalence of obesity and poverty, together with more triple-negative phenotypes. We reviewed clinical records for tumor receptor status and time to distant metastasis. Body mass index, tumor size, grade, nodal status, and receptor status were related to metastatic patterns. For 687 patients, 13.8% developed metastases to bone (n = 42) or visceral sites (n = 53). Metastases to viscera occurred within five years, a latent period which was shorter than that for bone (P = 0.042). More women with visceral metastasis presented with grade 3 tumors compared with the bone and nonmetastatic groups (P = 0.0002). There were 135/574 women (23.5%) with triple-negative breast cancer, who presented with lymph node involvement and visceral metastases (68.2% versus 24.3%; P = 0.033). Triple-negative tumors that metastasized to visceral sites were larger (P = 0.007). Developing a visceral metastasis within 10 years was higher among women with triple-negative tumors. Across all breast cancer receptor subtypes, the probability of remaining distant metastasis-free was greater for brain and liver than for lung. The excess risk of metastatic spread to visceral organs in triple-negative breast cancers, even in the absence of positive nodes, was combined with the burden of larger and more advanced tumors.
Aggregate dynamics of (S, s) inventory management

Abstract This paper identifies the criteria for dynamic synchronization of the movement of agents who make intermittent adjustment to inventory stocks, leading to “harmonic resonance” rather than cancellation. I use a discrete Markov process model of ( S , s ) inventory adjustment to establish a theoretical framework for the aggregate dynamics and use simulations to demonstrate the distribution effects of a discrete model of lumpy behavior. The paper identifies circumstances that lead to increased skewness of the distribution of agents over the inventory interval. This has application in financial, labor, and commodity markets.
The diagnosis of anal ulcers in AIDS patients.

Recent reports have suggested that routine microscopic evaluation of anal ulcer tissue from AIDS patients is not the most accurate way to diagnose viral infection. This study was undertaken to determine if either viral culture (VC) or immunohistochemistry (IHC) can improve the diagnostic accuracy as compared with routine hematoxylin and eosin (HE immunohistochemistry was also performed. Twenty-five paraffin-embedded anal ulcer biopsies from 23 male patients (age range 27-73; mean 37.4 years) with the diagnosis of AIDS or AIDS-related complex (ARC) were reviewed over a 4 year period (1988-1992). Routine H&E staining revealed 6 (22%) specimens with CMV inclusions. Four of these 6 reacted positively with IHC (67%) and one was positive on viral culture (17%). In the remaining 19 specimens that did not reveal infection with CMV (78%), IHC was positive in 2 patients (10%) and viral culture was positive in 1 patient (5%). Although HSV was not seen in any of the specimens on H&E staining, IHC was positive in one patient (3.5%) and viral culture reacted positively in 8 (29%) specimens. Thus IHC is a good confirmatory test for CMV inclusions and can be used to achieve a definitive diagnosis in equivocal cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Epithelial Tissues Have Varying Degrees of Susceptibility to KrasG12D-Initiated Tumorigenesis in a Mouse Model

Activating mutations in the Kras gene are commonly found in some but not all epithelial cancers. In order to understand the susceptibility of different epithelial tissues to Kras-induced tumorigenesis, we introduced one of the most common Kras mutations, KrasG12D, broadly in epithelial tissues. We used a mouse model in which the G12D mutation is placed in the endogenous Kras locus controlled by inducible, Cre-mediated recombination in tissues expressing cytokeratin 19 including the oral cavity, GI tract, lungs, and ducts of the liver, kidney, and the pancreas. Introduction of the KrasG12D mutation in adult mouse tissues led to neoplastic changes in some but not all of these tissues. Notably, many hyperplasias, metaplasias and adenomas were observed in the oral cavity, stomach, colon and lungs, suggesting that exposure to products of the outside environment promotes KrasG12D-initiated tumorigenesis. However, environmental exposure did not consistently correlate with tumor formation, such as in the small intestine, suggesting that there are also intrinsic differences in susceptibility to Kras activation. The pancreas developed small numbers of mucinous metaplasias with characteristics of early stage pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasms (PanINs), supporting the hypothesis that pancreatic ducts have the potential to give rise pancreatic cancer.
Mothers with a Mental Illness: Stressors and Resources for Parenting and Living:

Policy changes as well as improved treatment and rehabilitation practices mean that more women with mental illness are carrying out parenting roles. However, mental-health services have only given ...
Two-body Dirac equation for semirelativistic quarks

A semirelativistic quark model for mesons is proposed, based on a comprehensive treatment of the two-body Dirac equation introduced by Breit in 1929. Sixteen-component eigenstates of ${J}^{2}$, ${J}_{3}$, and parity are constructed. They are used to obtain radial equations for the most general local, nonderivative interaction Hamiltonian of order $\frac{{v}^{2}}{{c}^{2}}$ containing both scalar and four-vector terms. The Breit interaction is a special case of this interaction Hamiltonian, and the radial equations are considered first for that case. It has been known since 1930 that there is an ambiguity associated with the Breit equation. It arises because there are two different ways to reduce the Breit equation to four-component form. In one method the Breit interaction is regarded as a perturbation and in the other it is not. Only the first method gives correct results. This ambiguity is resolved by a consideration of the radial equations for the Breit equation. In addition, explicit solutions of the radial equations to order ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{4}$ are given for hydrogen and positronium. The conclusion is that the two-body Dirac equation is unambiguous and correct to order ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{4}$ in QED. The radial equations are used next in the context of QCD to determine which of the 24 possible combinations of scalar and vector potentials considered can give rise to quark confinement in a normalized theory. If the higher-order potentials are no larger than the zero-order potentials in magnitude, we show that there are only two possible forms for the confinement interaction: (1) the scalar interaction $S(r)$ $(1\ensuremath{-}\stackrel{^}{r}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{1}\stackrel{^}{r}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{2})$ ${\ensuremath{\beta}}_{1}{\ensuremath{\beta}}_{2}$ and (2) the combined scalar-vector interaction [$V(r)+S(r){\ensuremath{\beta}}_{1}{\ensuremath{\beta}}_{2}$] ($1\ensuremath{-}\stackrel{^}{r}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{1}\stackrel{^}{r}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{2}$) where $S\ensuremath{\ge}V$ for large $r$.
Skin lipid content during early fetal development.

Although little is known about changes in the lipid composition of the skin during fetal development, information regarding the developmental sequence of fetal skin lipid content could be important for understanding the emergence of epidermal barrier function, as well as providing baseline criteria for prenatal diagnosis of certain inherited disorders of cornification. in these studies, epidermis was separated from dermis in fetal skin samples ranging from 50 to 140 d, estimated gestational ages (EGA), and its lipid composition was analyzed by quartz rod microchromatography/flame-ionization and thin layer chromatography. Lipid biochemical data were correlated with developmental milestones observed by electron microscopy (morphologic studies). The lipid composition of epidermal and dermal fractions from skin samples between 50 and 110 d EGA was similar, with both tissues exhibiting a predominance of free sterols an phospholipids. After 110 d EGA dermis became enriched in triglycerides, corresponding to the progressive development of adipocytes after this time. EGA epidermis after 110 d was enriched not only in triglycerides, but also sterol esters. Moreover, ceramides and glycosphingolipids also became increasingly prominent, changes that were greatest in epidermis from older fetuses and from cephalad region. These changes in epidermal lipid composition corresponded morphologically to the progressive emergence of both folliculocentric epidermal cornification and sebaceous gland development.
Distributed information fusion models for regional public health surveillance

Biosurveillance systems designed and deployed in the United States and abroad to allow public health authorities to monitor the health of their communities have significant design limitations despite their wide usage. One limitation is the lack of algorithmic solutions to combine local data sources for regional situation awareness. The objective of the current study is to develop and demonstrate the value of automated information fusion methods applied to the distributed neighboring public health sites. A prototype system consisting of distributed Bayesian models was designed to enable informed regional and local cognitive decision support response. The Intelligent Decision Support Network (IDSN) is composed of Bayesian Information Fusion Models (BIFMs) that target a particular syndrome or disease type. Using local data from county health departments in Northern Virginia for the time period between August 2005 and May 2007, we estimated the probability of a gastrointestinal (GI) outbreak in two ways: First, based on data from the local hospitals only; and second, based on the relative probability of outbreak by combining local hospital data and probabilities of GI events from the neighboring counties' BIFMs. Preliminary findings showed that the network of distributed models detected events that would be undetected without multi-jurisdictional data.
High-Speed Circuit Breakers

High-speed circuit breakers have been successfully applied to d-c. railway systems for a number of years, but designs suitable for application on 12,000-volt single-phase systems have not been available until recently. A description of an air circuit breaker design suitable for 12,000-volt applications and having a speed of operation comparable with the d-c. type has been included. The method of applying the magnetic type of mechanism previously used for d-c. breakers to the a-c. type breaker has been described. The theory of the operation of the saturated transformer type of trip circuit used for this purpose has been given. Typical oscillograms of short circuit tests showing the high speed of operation on a-c. circuits are included. The method of obtaining selective operation in connection with railway feeder circuits has also been outlined. The use of this type of breaker on a 12,000-volt single-phase system makes possible the same degree of protection and selective operation as is now being realized on d-c. systems.
Extra-articular, Intraepiphyseal Drilling for Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee

Symptomatic osteochondritis dissecans lesions of the knee frequently occur in skeletally immature patients. When conservative treatment fails, retro-articular drilling, also known as intraepiphyseal extra-articular drilling, becomes a viable treatment option. The purpose of this article is to describe our surgical technique and postoperative management of patients with stable osteochondritis dissecans lesions involving the femoral condyles. This technique is reproducible, uses readily available equipment, and has yielded good clinical outcomes with high healing rates and relatively early return to sports.
Dissecting cellular processes using small molecules: identification of colchicine-like, taxol-like and other small molecules that perturb mitosis.

Abstract Background: Understanding the molecular mechanisms of complex cellular processes requires unbiased means to identify and to alter conditionally gene products that function in a pathway of interest. Although random mutagenesis and screening (forward genetics) provide a useful means to this end, the complexity of the genome, long generation time and redundancy of gene function have limited their use with mammalian systems. We sought to develop an analogous process using small molecules to modulate conditionally the function of proteins. We hoped to identify simultaneously small molecules that may serve as leads for the development of therapeutically useful agents. Results: We report the results of a high-throughput, phenotype-based screen for identifying cell-permeable small molecules that affect mitosis of mammalian cells. The predominant class of compounds that emerged directly alters the stability of microtubules in the mitotic spindle. Although many of these compounds show the colchicine-like property of destabilizing microtubules, one member shows the taxol-like property of stabilizing microtubules. Another class of compounds alters chromosome segregation by novel mechanisms that do not involve direct interactions with microtubules. Conclusions: The identification of structurally diverse small molecules that affect the mammalian mitotic machinery from a large library of synthetic compounds illustrates the use of chemical genetics in dissecting an essential cellular pathway. This screen identified five compounds that affect mitosis without directly targeting microtubules. Understanding the mechanism of action of these compounds, along with future screening efforts, promises to help elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in chromosome segregation during mitosis.
Peripheral adrenergic stimulation and indomethacin in experimental ocular shedding of HSV

The application of 6-hydroxydopamine to the cornea by iontophoresis, followed by topical epinephrine, effectively induces herpes simplex virus (HSV) shedding from the external eye of latently infected rabbits. In this study the beta adrenergic blocker, Timolol, reduced virus shedding when applied immediately before the epinephrine, but continued administration resulted in increased viral shedding. While indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor decreased HSV replication in cell culture, it failed to decrease virus shedding when applied topically to the eye in adrenergically stimulated animals. Timolol may act then by its effect on the peripheral cells of the eye rather than by stimulation of virus production in ganglionic neurons. These same animals were subsequently tested for latent infection of the trigeminal and superior cervical ganglia and corneas 14 months after primary infection. Only 2 of 14 animals had virus in the trigeminal ganglia, a finding which suggests that latent virus may be depleted by repeated reactivations. Virus was recovered from corneas of five rabbits by co-cultivation so it is possible that corneal latency occurs in this rabbit model as it does in humans.
Cultural Influences on Infant Feeding Beliefs of Mothers

Infant feeding practices are integral parts of individuals ethnic and cultural beliefs with culturally-based feeding beliefs influencing how individual mothers in various ethnic groups make decisions. Strongly held feeding beliefs have led to resistance against nationally and internationally established recommendations upon infant feeding practices. The context for mothers beliefs changes for women who immigrate to another culture and geographic region where practices differ. The authors investigated whether Asian-Indian (AI) mothers who immigrate to the US change their infant feeding beliefs from those held in India and how the infant feeding beliefs of Anglo-American (AA) mothers differ from those held by Asian-Indian-American (AIA) mothers. Survey responses from 141 AA mothers and 133 AIA mothers living in the southeastern US and 101 AI mothers living in Coimbatore India are presented. The mean ages of the ethnic groups were similar all 3 groups were relatively well educated and the AIA mothers had lived in the US for a median of 5.9 years. The infant feeding beliefs of the AIA and AI mothers indicate that they are especially in need of services provided by dietitians and other health care providers. Otherwise differences in beliefs were found between the 3 groups except that all 3 groups believe that a baby should not take a bottle to bed.
The relation of femoral notch stenosis to ACL tears in persons with knee osteoarthritis.

Summary Objective A significant risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in young athletes is a reduced femoral Notch Width Index (NWI). The purpose of this study was to test if persons with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and ACL tears have smaller NWI independent of prior joint injury and osteophyte volume. Methods We included 160 participants from the progression sub-cohort of the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) Study, an ongoing 4-year, multi-center study, focusing on knee OA. The femoral notch width, the condylar notch width at 2/3 of the notch depth, and the intercondylar notch angle ( β ) were measured on sagittal and coronal MR-images. NWI=notch width/condylar width at 2/3 of the notch depth, was calculated and outcome of ACL tear frequency was compared between two groups; NWI≤0.20 and NWI>0.20. The NWI and β were analyzed as continuous variables. Results Of the 160 subjects [51% female, age 62.1 (±9.9), BMI 30.3 (±4.7)kg/m 2 ] 14.4% showed an ACL tear. Osteophyte bone volume was available for 150 participants, of which 13% had an ACL tear. The continuous measure of NWI on the coronal images was significantly ( P =0.01) smaller in participants with ACL tear [0.246, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.234–0.258] compared to those without (0.263, 95% CI 0.258–0.268). Adjustment for demographic variables still showed significant results ( P =0.03, mean difference 0.015 95% CI −0.001–0.030) and adjustment for demographic variables and osteophyte bone volume were borderline significant ( P =0.06, mean difference 0.015 95% CI 0.001–0.029). Conclusions We identified a smaller NWI in participants with knee OA and ACL tears. Further longitudinal investigation is necessary to determine this as an independent risk factor.
The functional significance of cemented nest caps of the harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex maricopa

Harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex maricopa, construct cemented caps on the sand mound nests in a fine sand dune area. The caps are approximately 60% calcium carbonate that is transported from the underlying calcium carbonate layers. The caps protect the nest structure from being eroded away during high-wind periods. Partial erosion of the cemented caps adds calcium carbonate to the sand dune soils.
Interface effects in YBCO/(Y-Pr)BCO multilayers, and the dimensionality of high-Tc superconductivity

Measurements on YBCO/(Y-Pr)BCO trilayers show that the depression of the transition temperature in ultrathin YBCO is accompanied by a decrease in the conductance of the layers adjacent to the interfaces. The lowering of the conductance seems to be primarily the result of charge transfer across the interfaces, and perhaps to some extent also of defects. The intrinsic properties of YBCO seem to change little or not at all as the thickness decreases from bulk down to that of a single unit cell.
Young, unassimilated hispanic offenders: Absolutist vs. relativist cultural assumptions

California State Law §288(a) defines any sexual contact between a person 18 or older with someone under the age of 14 as illegal and punishable by incarceration. Data from the State Department of Justice shows that Young, Unassimilated Hispanic Offenders (YUHO) are arrested for these crimes at rates disproportionately greater than their numbers in the population. Through a review of the pertinent literature and clinical archives, we argue that YUHOs have been acculturated into a sexual morality that violates legally codified American sexual standards. While their sexual behavior is deemed morally deviant and illegal in the United States, this same behavior is not considered morally deviant or illegal within their internalized, home culture. This contrasts with the typical §288(a) offender who is motivated by a sexual perversion. Should the criminal justice system regard YUHOs differently from typical §288(a) offenders? “relativists” suggest that cultural considerations should be taken in the adjudication of these cases. Our preliminary work is to inform and articulate this debate at the crossroads of psychology, anthropology and criminal justice, without advocating either of the above perspectives. We suggest that legislatures did not anticipate the population of YUHO sexual offenders when these laws were written, and argue that YUHOs differ significantly from the typical pedophile for which these statutes were intended.
DESIGNING A COMPOSITE MATERIAL PRESSURE VESSEL FOR MANUFACTURE: A CASE STUDY IN CONCURRENT ENGINEERING

Modeling and gaining an understanding of the interaction between information from design and manufacture is an important step in the development of techniques and methods for concurrent engineering. We find that there is a need for a test problem to study and understand various issues associated with the integration of information from design and manufacture. In this context, a conceptual model of a process for design that includes two principal phases, namely, “designing for concept” and “designing for manufacture”, and a number of events along a design “time-line” is presented. Then, a comprehensive, non-textbook case study in design using composite materials and dealing with the integration of material selection, analysis, dimensional synthesis and manufacturing, is tackled using Decision Support Problems (a multiobjective formulation). The focus in the paper is on the method of formulation and solution of the case study, and understanding the subsequent ramifications of considering design and manufact...
Autoimmune disease of the ovary induced by a ZP3 peptide from the mouse zona pellucida

We describe a novel experimental system in mice for the study of ovarian autoimmune disease, a condition encountered in women with premature ovarian failure. The ovarian autoimmune disease is induced in B6AF1 mice by a 15-amino acid peptide (Cys-Ser-Asn-Ser-Ser-Ser-Ser-Gln-Phe-Gln-Ile-His-Gly-Pro-Arg) from mouse ZP3, the sperm-binding component of the zona pellucida that surrounds growing and mature oocytes. Whereas the peptide induces both T cell and antibody responses, adoptive transfer of CD4+ T cell lines derived from affected animals causes oophoritis without observable antibodies to the zona pellucida peptide. The primacy of the T cell response in the pathogenesis of disease is further substantiated by defining oophoritogenic peptides as small as eight amino acids (Asn-Ser-Ser-Ser-Ser-Gln-Phe-Gln) that do not elicit an antibody response to the full-length ZP3 peptide. The identification of a well characterized peptide as a causative agent of autoimmune oophoritis should facilitate understanding of the pathogenesis of this T cell-mediated autoimmune disease. Because the proteins of the zona pellucida are conserved among mammals (the mouse and human ZP3 proteins are 67% identical), this murine model may lead to better understanding of the pathogenesis of human autoimmune oophoritis.
Sperm Binding to the Zona Pellucida Is Not Sufficient to Induce Acrosome Exocytosis

At fertilization, spermatozoa bind to the zona pellucida (ZP1, ZP2, ZP3) surrounding ovulated mouse eggs, undergo acrosome exocytosis and penetrate the zona matrix before gamete fusion. Following fertilization, ZP2 is proteolytically cleaved and sperm no longer bind to embryos. We assessed Acr3-EGFP sperm binding to wild-type and huZP2 rescue eggs in which human ZP2 replaces mouse ZP2 but remains uncleaved after fertilization. The observed de novo binding of Acr3-EGFP sperm to embryos derived from huZP2 rescue mice supports a ;zona scaffold' model of sperm-egg recognition in which intact ZP2 dictates a three-dimensional structure supportive of sperm binding, independent of fertilization and cortical granule exocytosis. Surprisingly, the acrosomes of the bound sperm remain intact for at least 24 hours in the presence of uncleaved human ZP2 regardless of whether sperm are added before or after fertilization. The persistence of intact acrosomes indicates that sperm binding to the zona pellucida is not sufficient to induce acrosome exocytosis. A filter penetration assay suggests an alternative mechanism in which penetration into the zona matrix initiates a mechanosensory signal transduction necessary to trigger the acrosome reaction.
Estimated Risk of Death Among Employees in Agriculture and Agriculture-Related Industries in Georgia, 1985-1994

Farming has an enormous impact on the economy of Georgia, with as many as one in six Georgians working in agriculture. The purpose of this study was to compare the risk of death of white and black farmers to non-farmers in Georgia. Mortality data stratified by age and aggregated by race were retrieved from the Georgia Office of Vital Statistics for the years 1985-1994. The classification system used to code occupation on the death certificate was W473-489, which includes farmers and most all other agricultural occupations. For each cause of death, the Breslow-Day Test was used to determine homogeneity of risk across all age strata (alpha=0.05). A common odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for all homogeneous causes of death using the Mantel-Haenzel procedure. Among white farmers, the risk of death was significantly high for tuberculosis [OR=1.64 (1.01, 2.65)], fires [OR=1.60 (1.15, 2.22)], and accidental drowning [OR=1.52 (1.01, 2.28)]. The leading causes of death among black farmers were accidental drowning [OR=1.53 (1.03, 2.26)], cerebrovascular disease [OR=1.27 (1.18, 1.38)], and ischemic heart disease [OR=1.21 (1.14, 1.29)]. Causes of death reported to be significantly low were also investigated. The findings of this study are varied, but trends related to risk of death appear to be similar to observed national trends. Language: en
Multiphysics modeling of lithium ion battery capacity fading process with solid-electrolyte interphase growth by elementary reaction kinetics

Abstract A pseudo two-dimensional mathematical model is developed for a lithium ion battery, integrating the elementary reaction based solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) growth model with multiple transport processes. The model is validated using the experimental data. Simulation results indicate that the operating temperature has great effect on the SEI layer generation and growth. Under different charging–discharging rates, it is found that high charging–discharging rate can intensify the battery capacity fading process. Different cooling conditions are then applied and show that enhanced surface convective cooling condition can effectively slow down the battery capacity fading. After that, the effect of electrolyte salt concentration and exchange current density are studied. It is found that raising the electrolyte salt concentration can improve the diffusion property of lithium ions, and stabilize the battery performance under lithium ion consumption induced resistance rising. It also suggests that improving exchange current density could greatly decrease the lithium ion battery capacity fading.
Data flow graph partitioning to reduce communication cost

This paper presents a cost-effective scheme for partitioning large data flow graphs. Standard data flow machine architectures are assumed in this work. The objective is to reduce the overhead due to token transfers through the communication network of the machine. When this scheme is employed on large graphs, the load distribution on the rings of the data flow machine is also improved. A canonical form of a data flow graph is introduced to establish the relationship between the communication overhead and the size reduction of the partition cut-set. General lower estimates on the overhead are derived in terms of processing and transmission delay parameters of the machine. The method uses heuristics and an evaluation function to guide the partition algorithm. Some implications of the proposed method on the organization of the data flow machines are discussed.
Speeding the design of bioseparations : A heuristic approach to engineering design

A variety of economic and social pressures require lowering the costs of equipment and process development, and particular emphasis must be placed on speeding what is basically a heuristic activity. The early stages of conceptualization and screening of alternatives are the most critical, and it is precisely these which have largely been ignored in the public literature and academic curricula. Such early decisions must be made without detailed understanding, and they are essentially evolutionary activities (Lightfoot, E. N. Chem. Eng. Prog. 1998, Jan, 67−74). Evolution dynamics are notoriously unpredictable, and yet observation of biological evolution shows that they can be both surprisingly fast and efficient. Here methods are suggested for achieving high efficiency for equipment and process development. A critical feature of evolutionary dynamics is the need to identify system anomalies, and these can only be discussed effectively through use of specific examples. Here examples will be taken from the ge...
Parameter Estimation for the Compartmental Model

An estimation procedure is obtained for a stochastic compartmental model. Compartmental analysis assumes that a system may be divided into homogeneous components, or compartments. The main theory for the compartmental system was studied by Matis and Hartley (1971) with a discrete population in a steady state. All the transitions among the particles are considered to be stochastic in nature. An estimation procedure, Regular Best Asymptotic Normal (RBAN), discussed by Chiang (1956) is investigated for a stochastic m-compartmental system. The detailed proof of the procedure is provided here. Asymptotic properties for the estimator has been studied and computation has been carried out on our proposed nonlinear model. The downhill simplex search method, originally developed by Nelder and Mead (1965), and applied to minimize our quadratic form is inherently nonlinear in nature, thus avoiding the need to evaluate any derivative for point estimation of the parameters. The procedure applied to an experimental situation involving two compartments gives very encouraging results.
Computerized Decision Support for the Cardiovascular Clinician Applications for Venous Thromboembolism Prevention and Beyond

A 76-year-old woman with coronary artery disease, left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction = 30%), obesity, and a history of deep vein thrombosis presents with dyspnea and hypoxemia. The combination of physical examination findings of an S3, rales in the lower half of both lung fields, and peripheral edema, chest x-ray evidence of cardiomegaly and pulmonary edema, and a pro-brain-type natriuretic peptide level of 2,150 pg/mL (normal <350 pg/mL) confirms the diagnosis of decompensated heart failure. She is admitted to the Cardiology Service for diuretic therapy and optimization of her heart failure regimen. Although she is written for bedrest, her admission orders do not include venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis. While entering orders, the Medical House Officer caring for the patient receives an electronic alert identifying the patient as high-risk for VTE and recommending that she be prescribed prophylaxis.
Teaching to design with standard components

This paper describes the structure of a course that has been created to help electrical engineering seniors with design. It is expected to make the transition to the capstone design almost effortless. Students take this course after having taken several theoretical courses in the areas of digital signal processing, control theory, electromagnetic theory and so on. The course does not have written examinations but real projects. Students are required to use mathematical and simulation modeling tools before constructing any end product. Thus the emphasis is not on designs that are theoretical in nature but on systems that are physically realized. It begins with designs using operational amplifiers, optimal routing of PCBs and proceeds to the digital area by studying Verilog(R) HDL while designing systems using PLAs and FPGAs. Though an elective, this course has been well received by students.
Eleonora Masini on the empowerment of women

Abstract Eleonora Barbieri Masini's lifetime contributions as visionary sociologist and pioneering futurist are well known. Less well known, perhaps, are her roles as vital catalyst in organizing comparative research on the role and status of women and as activist leader in efforts to end the exploitation and subordination of women and to create a future world of equality, freedom, and social justice. In this article, examples of Masini's work on—and for—the empowerment of women are given.
Computing rotation distance between contacting polyhedra

Distance computation is essential for collision prediction and/or detection in real-world robotic tasks, computer simulation and animation, and CAD/CAM. This paper addresses distance computation to deal with a rarely researched type of collision prediction/detection problem: Given two objects in certain contact, determine if and when a relative rotation constrained by contact will cause a collision (which results in a new contact state) between the two objects. The authors use the positive angle of rotation as the measure of rotation distance and present a method to compute, given two contacting convex polyhedra G and H and a rotation axis containing contact point(s) between them, the shortest rotation distance (SRD) of G which will cause new collision between G and H. The method is fully implemented and used in a computer simulation system for a contact-based fine motion planning scheme. The algorithm is also efficient. If each vertex of G or H is the intersection of n/sub e//spl nu// edges, the worst-case time complexity of the algorithm is O(n/sup 2//sub e//spl nu//). This means that for two arbitrary trihedral polyhedra, the algorithm has a constant worst-time complexity.
GaN avalanche photodiodes operating in linear-gain mode and Geiger mode

For solar-blind ultraviolet detection, AlGaN avalanche photodiodes (APDs) that operate in Geiger mode can outperform conventional AlGaN photodiodes in sensitivity and should compare favorably to photomultiplier tubes. Toward this goal, we report GaN APDs that operate in the linear-gain mode and in the Geiger mode. The APDs were fabricated from high-quality GaN epitaxial layers grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. The GaN layer structure consisted of a Zn-doped /spl pi/ layer, an unintentionally doped n layer, and a Si-doped n+ layer-all on top of a thick GaN unintentionally doped n layer on a sapphire substrate. Capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements on photodiodes fabricated from some of these layers show that field strengths between 3 and 4 MV/cm are sustainable in the depletion region at voltages slightly below the observed breakdown of /spl sim/80 V. Both mesa-etched and planar devices exhibited avalanche gains of 10 in linear-gain mode and /spl sim/10/sup 6/ in Geiger mode when top illuminated with a 325 nm HeCd laser. Raster measurements of the photoresponse show highly uniform response in gain mode that becomes slightly more inhomogeneous in Geiger mode.
Coordinate transformation approach to social interactions.

A coordinate transformation framework for understanding how neurons compute sensorimotor behaviors has generated significant advances towards our understanding of basic brain function. This influential scaffold focuses on neuronal encoding of spatial information represented in different coordinate systems (e.g., eye-centered, hand-centered) and how multiple brain regions partake in transforming these signals in order to ultimately generate a motor output. A powerful analogy can be drawn from the coordinate transformation framework to better elucidate how the nervous system computes cognitive variables for social behavior. Of particular relevance is how the brain represents information with respect to oneself and other individuals, such as in reward outcome assignment during social exchanges, in order to influence social decisions. In this article, I outline how the coordinate transformation framework can help guide our understanding of neural computations resulting in social interactions. Implications for numerous psychiatric disorders with impaired representations of self and others are also discussed.
Portraits in Practice

Portraits in Practice invites companies with technically advanced software-engineering practices and intriguing research challenges to discuss them with the ICSE 2007 participants. The sessions in this track let researchers hear industrial practitioners describe their projects and concerns in some detail, and they let other practitioners hear what technologies these companies recommend. The track provides an open discussion and blunt assessment of future needs with experts from these leading industries. The goal is to encourage and foment improved communication between leading companies and academic researchers.
Monosodium urate monohydrate crystallization

The crystallization of monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) in the synovial fluid has long been associated with the joint disease gout, which is characterized by recurring attacks of pain and inflammation within the joints. In this work, in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) on single crystal (010) MSU surfaces and dynamic light scattering were used complementarily to investigate the growth of MSU in 2–10 mM urate solutions under model physiological conditions (37 °C, pH = 7.4, 150 mM NaCl). In this solution regime, crystal growth rates normal to the (010) surface followed the square of supersaturation, which is consistent with a two-dimensional island nucleation and spread mechanism. Islands observed under in situ AFM imaging conditions had sizes consistent with dynamic light scattering measurements but exhibited unique faceting not typically observed in fully developed crystals or predicted by previous theoretical work. Preferred alignment of the islands' long axis and the underlying ±c axis of the MSU (010) was observed, as was island overgrowth over time.
Deviations from Randomness in Children's Early Speech

Abstract One notion of language development suggests that infants' and toddlers' vocalizations are produced at random with no particular patterns or organization. In this article two tests (the pairs test and the gap test) that are used to check the randomness properties of computer-generated pseudorandom numbers are modified to study the sounds produced by infants 13 months of age and toddlers 24 months of age. Deviations from the expected patterns that would be observed if the children did produce sound segments at random suggest features of the development of language skills. The information provided by the lack of fit of the model corresponding to the pairs test is used to develop models that capture the common patterns in transitions among sound classifications in children's early speech.
Using high-probability instruction sequences with fading to increase student compliance during transitions

Making efficient transitions from one instructional activity to another has been shown to increase academic learning time and therefore student achievement. Because compliance with teacher instructions is a prerequisite for efficient transitions, we sought to determine if high-probability (high-p) instruction sequences issued by a classroom teacher would increase student compliance and decrease latency to comply during transitions. Three children in a regular second-grade classroom participated. Each day at the beginning of morning calendar time, the teacher issued five instructions to the class as a group while compliance data were recorded for the 3 target students. Following baseline, a multielement design was used to examine the effects of the high-p instruction sequence. We then systematically faded the number of instructions included in the high-p sequence as a means of transferring stimulus control to low-probability instructions. The procedure was effective for 2 of the 3 participants, and the results were maintained at 2-and 3-week follow-up. The implications of these findings for group applications of the high-p instruction sequence in regular education classrooms are discussed.
Olfactory mechanisms of stereotyped behavior: on the scent of specialized circuits

Investigation of how specialized olfactory cues, such as pheromones, are detected has primarily focused on the function of receptor neurons within a subsystem of the nasal cavity, the vomeronasal organ (VNO). Behavioral analyses have long indicated that additional, non-VNO olfactory neurons are similarly necessary for pheromone detection; however, the identity of these neurons has been a mystery. Recent molecular, behavioral, and genomic approaches have led to the identification of multiple atypical sensory circuits that display characteristics suggestive of a specialized function. This review focuses on these non-VNO receptors and neurons, and evaluates their potential for mediating stereotyped olfactory behavior in mammals.