cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chinese records on the correlation of heliocentric planetary alignments and earthquake activities

Abstract A short account of the correlation of heliocentric planetary alignments and the earthquake activities in Northern China is given. It appears that such arrangement of planetary orbital positions has no effect on the triggering of earthquakes.
Laparoscopically assisted anorectal pull-through for high imperforate anus—A new technique

Abstract Background/Purpose: This report describes a new technique of laparoscopically assisted anorectal pull-through (LAARP) for repair of high imperforate anus. The procedure utilizes minimal perineal dissection, preservation of the distal rectum, and accurate placement of the rectum within the levator ani and external anal sphincter muscle complex. Methods: Sharp dissection and cautery was used laparoscopically to expose the rectal pouch down to the urethral or vaginal fistula, which was clipped distally and divided. The pelvic floor musculature was then assessed and the levator sling identified. Externally, electrostimulation was used to define the center of the anal dimple. An 8-mm skin incision was made, centered at the strongest cephalad contraction. Using a hemostat, minimal blunt dissection on the perineum was guided by transillumination from the laparoscopic light source. A trocar, consisting of a radially expandable sheath over a Varess needle, was passed through this defined plane in the external sphincter muscle complex and advanced into the pelvis between the 2 bellies of the pubococcygeus muscle, guided by laparoscopic visualization. This perineal trocar therefore formed a passage through the center of the striated muscle complex and levators. The rectal fistula, which had been dissected out laparoscopically, was grasped using the perineal trocar and exteriorized to the perineum. Anorectal anastomosis was performed with absorbable interrupted suture. Results: Seven patients were treated with initial colostomy in the newborn period followed by delayed LAARP 2 to 12 months later. In 4 newborn infants, the LAARP was performed as a primary procedure without prior colostomy. Laparoscopic mobilization has been possible on all cases attempted. All of the patients have a brisk and symmetric anal contraction with perineal electrostimulation. Conclusions: Lack of long-term follow-up precludes accurate assessment of the potential for fecal continence. However, short-term experience has been that this new method of pull-through for imperforate anus offers many advantages, including excellent visualization of the rectal fistula and surrounding structures, accurate placement of the bowel through the anatomic midline and levator sling, and minimally invasive abdominal and perineal wounds. J Pediatr Surg 35:927-931. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Functional Composite Membranes Based on Mesoporous Silica Spheres in a Hierarchically Porous Matrix

We demonstrate a synthetic strategy toward functional, composite porous materials by incorporating functionalized porous silica spheres into a hierarchically porous silica matrix. Monodisperse mesoporous silica spheres decorated with organic probe molecules for visual Cd2+ ion detection were coated with a thin protecting poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) layer to form core−shell particles. When these particles were redispersed in a mixture of a silica precursor, surfactant and hydrochloric acid, hierarchically structured composite films could be prepared by spin-coating and aging. The PMMA capsule protected the mesoporous silica spheres from being exposed to the silica precursor in the assembly step, which could have blocked the mesopores and/or reacted with the surface functional species. Once the polymer and surfactant components were removed by extraction while preserving the organic probe molecules within the silica spheres, composite porous structures were derived in which the mesoporous silica sphere...
Autoimmune Complications in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL)

Patients with B-chronic lymphocytic leukaemia /small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL) have a 5-10% risk of developing autoimmune complications, which primarily cause cytopaenia. These autoimmune cytopaenias can occur at any stage of CLL and do not have independent prognostic significance. The most common autoimmune complication is autoimmune haemolytic anaemia with a lower frequency of immune thrombocytopaenia and pure red blood cell aplasia and only rarely, autoimmune granulocytopaenia (AIG). Autoimmune cytopaenia should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of cytopaenia in patients with CLL. Patients with CLL can also have more than one form of autoimmune cytopaenia, which can occur together with bone-marrow failure. Treatment is usually effective but rarely curative for autoimmune cytopaenia complicating CLL. Optimal therapy will depend on a timely and accurate diagnosis of autoimmune cytopaenia and should be individualised according to the severity of the cytopaenia and the presence or absence of concomitant progressive CLL requiring therapy.
Electromagnetic wave propagation in quasiperiodically stratified media

We explore the wave number dependence of the transmission of electromagnetic waves in quasiperiodic dielectric multilayers. Using the transfer-matrix technique, we also establish the connection to the tight-binding Schrodinger problem. As an example, we consider a multilayer constructed according to the Fibonacci inflation rule. In contrast to the periodic case, we find a highly fragmented distribution of stop bands and self-similar structure in the wave number dependence of transmission.
Investigating patient characteristics on pain assessment using virtual human technology

Pain assessment and treatment is challenging and can be influenced by patient demographic characteristics. Few research studies have been able to specifically examine these influences experimentally. The present study investigated the effects of patients’ sex, race, age, and pain expression on healthcare students’ assessment of pain and pain-related sequelae using virtual human (VH) technology. A lens model design was employed, which is an analogue method for capturing how individuals use environmental information to make judgments. In this study, decision-making policies were captured at the nomothetic and idiographic level. Participants included 107 healthcare students who viewed 32 VH patients that differed in sex, race, age, and pain expression in an online study. Participants provided ratings on a 100-point scale on the VH pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, negative mood, coping, and need for medical treatment. Nomothetic analyses revealed that female, African–American, older, and high pain expression VH were rated higher than male, Caucasian, younger, and low pain expression VH, respectively, on most of the five ratings. Idiographic analyses revealed detailed findings for individuals’ decision-making policies. VH technology and the lens model design were shown to be highly effective in examining individuals’ decision-making policies. Pain assessment often varied among individuals based on patient demographic and facial expression cues. This study could serve as a model for future investigations of pain assessment and treatment in healthcare students and providers.
Operation of a single wedge gap beta ray spectrometer and an on-line computer for the measurement of short lived beta spectra

Abstract A system designed to measure the beta spectra of short lived isotopes with energies up to 15 MeV is discussed. It makes use of the focusing properties of a single wedge gap spectrometer and of the data acquisition and processing facility of an on-line SDS 925 computer. The separation of the data in their component half-lives and their normalization is discussed. An application to the beta decay of 24 Al and 24m Al is presented.
Spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality in children, 2 decades later.

Objective Much new research has emerged since 1982, when the original description of spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) as a self-contained syndrome was reported. This article reviews new and old data on SCIWORA, from the past 2 decades. Methods This article reviews what we have learned since 1982 about the unique biomechanical properties of the juvenile spine, the mechanisms of injuries, the profound influence of age on injury pattern and outcome, the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features, and management algorithms of SCIWORA. Results The increasing use of MRI in SCIWORA has yielded ample evidence of damage in virtually all nonbony supporting tissues of the juvenile vertebral column, including rupture of the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments, intervertebral disc disruption, muscular and interspinal ligament tears, tectorial membrane rupture, and shearing of the subepiphyseal growth zone of the vertebral endplates. These findings provide the structural basis for the postulated "occult instability" in the spine of a patient after SCIWORA. MRI also demonstrated five classes of post-SCIWORA cord findings: complete transection, major hemorrhage, minor hemorrhage, edema only, and normal. These "neural" findings are highly predictive of outcome: patients with transection and major hemorrhage had profoundly poor outcome, but 40% with minor hemorrhage improved to mild grades, whereas 75% with "edema only" attained mild grades and 25% became normal. All patients with normal cord signals made complete recovery. The large pool of clinical data from our own and other centers also lends statistical power to uphold most of our original assertions regarding incidence, causes of injury, pathophysiology, age-related changes in the malleability of the spine, vectors of deformation, and the extreme vulnerability of young children to severe cord injury, particularly high cervical cord injury. Thoracic SCIWORA has been identified as an important subset, comprising three subtypes involving high-speed direct impact, distraction from lap belts, and crush injury by slow moving vehicles. Computation of the sensitivities of MRI and somatosensory evoked potentials in detecting SCIWORA shows that both tests were normal in 12 to 15% of children with definite, persistent myelopathy; all of these children were nevertheless braced for 3 months because of their clinical syndrome. Children with transient deficits but abnormal MRI and/or somatosensory evoked potentials were also braced, but the 60% with transient deficits and normal MRI and somatosensory evoked potentials were not braced. This is a change from our original policy in 1982 of bracing all children with persistent or transient deficits, brought on by our new MRI and electrophysiology data. Conclusion Injury prevention, prompt recognition, use of MRI and electrophysiological verification, and timely bracing of SCIWORA patients remain the chief measures to improve outcome.
Combating the threat of anthrax: a quantitative structure-activity relationship approach.

Bacterial agents or products more likely to be used as biological weapons of mass destruction are Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, Yersinia pestis, and the neurotoxin of Clostridium botulinum. Anthrax is an acute infectious disease with a high mortality rate caused by Bacillus anthracis, reinforcing the need for better adjunctive therapy and prevention strategies. In this paper, we developed 7 QSAR models on penicillin-based inhibitors of the class A and B β-lactamases from B. anthracis and inhibitors of anthrax lethal factor to understand the chemical−biological interactions. Hydrophobic and steric factors are found to be the most important determinants of the activity. Internal (cross-validation (q2), quality factor (Q), Fischer statistics (F), and Y-randomization) and external validation tests have validated all the QSAR models.
The assessment of chondrocyte proteoglycan metabolism using molecular sieve column chromatography as compared to three commonly utilized techniques

Abstract Objective: Various methods have been used to quantify [ 35 S] sulfate incorporation into proteoglycans and separate this from unincorporated [ 35 S] sulfate. The methods currently used have not been compared for accuracy or precision, ease of completion and relative economics. This experiment evaluated and compared cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) precipitation, potassium acetate (KAc) precipitation, rapid filtration, modified dye-binding (AB) technique to molecular weight exclusion chromatography (PD-10) as techniques to quantitate chondrocyte proteoglycan metabolism. Methods: Each of the first three techniques was compared to the PD-10 technique as a ‘gold standard' based on this technique's accuracy, precision and repeatability in molecular weight exclusion utilizing sieve chromatography. Articular cartilage was harvested, cultured and labeled with [ 35 S] sulfate in a routine manner. Seventeen samples were processed and each was analyzed by the four different methodologies. Linear regression analysis was used to predict the linear relationship of PD-10 chromatography to the other methods (CPC, KAc, and AB) in the amount of proteoglycan synthesis in a pulse chase experiment. Results: The KAc and AB methods had a significant linear relationship to the PD-10 method but the CPC did not. The AB technique was much easier than the KAc method to complete although the relative economics were similar per sample, when capital equipment costs were not considered. Conclusions: Either the KAc or AB methods compared favorably to the PD-10 method, although the AB procedure was much easier, and was more precise and more accurate. The CPC method did not compare favorably to the PD-10 method in precision or accuracy although it was easier and cost effective.
A method for evaluating statistical averages

Abstract : Many problems in solid state physics and related areas involve the calculation of statistical averages over grand canonical ensembles for one or more components of the system of interest. This report describes a statistical variant of a generalized Wick's theorem which can often be used to transform such statistical averages so as to obtain alternative expressions which more obviously display the physics of the problem or which are better suited for the introduction of approximations. An application of the method to the calculation of an expression for the absorption coefficient of a physical system interacting with the electromagnetic field is then given. In the framework of the usual infinite system model, a simple relation giving the absorption coefficient in terms of a double-time Green's functions for the system is obtained; this relation is exact to all orders in the electromagnetic field, and therefore includes such features as natural line widths, which are lost in the standard calculation. To illustrate further the use of the technique being described, an application to the problem of computing energy transfer in an electron-photon-phonon system is also given, to show how the method may be used when the statistical nature of the system plays a more direct role. (Author)
Modeling simultaneous hexavalent chromium reduction and phenol degradation by a defined coculture of bacteria.

Based on the kinetics of Cr(VI) reduction by Escherichia coli ATCC 33456 and phenol degradation by Pseudomonas putida DMP-1, a mathematical model is developed to describe simultaneous Cr(VI) reduction and phenol degradation in the coculture of the two species. The developed model incorporates the toxicity effects of Cr(VI) and phenol on phenol degradation and Cr(VI) reduction in the coculture. The model illustrates the inhibitory effects of phenol on Cr(VI) reduction and Cr(VI) toxicity toward phenol degradation. The model also reveals the recoveries of the activities of the repressed bacterial cells with continuous Cr(VI) reduction and phenol degradation in the coculture. The model is capable of predicting simultaneous Cr(VI) reduction and phenol degradation within a broad range of Cr(VI) and phenol concentrations and under an appropriate composition of populations. However, the model simulates lower concentrations of phenol than experimental observations once Cr(VI) is reduced to a low level (< 7 mg/L). The model simulation for Cr(VI) also deviates from experimental data when P. putida is outnumbered by E. coli by a ratio of 1:5.
Boerhaave and the Flight from Reason in Medicine

Plutot que d'unifier le corps a l'esprit, Boerhaave declare que le medecin n'a besoin de connaitre et comprendre que le corps. Dans sa religion et sa medecine, il croit plus en l'experience qu'en la raison
The Significance of Matrix Metalloproteinases during Early Stages of Tumor Progressiona

: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) orchestrate tissue remodeling and play diverse roles during organ development. They are produced excessively during the course of various pathological conditions, including solid tumors. An important function of MMPs during tumor progression is to provide the proteolytic activity that is necessary both for tumor cells to invade extracellular matrix (ECM) and for neovascularization of tumor tissue by endothelial cells. Recently, independent studies in transgenic animals suggest that MMPs may, in addition, promote very early stages of tumor progression. To investigate this possibility further, we have analyzed the consequences of MMP overexpression in functionally normal and nontumorigenic mouse mammary epithelial cells in culture. Our observations demonstrate that the MMP stromelysin-1 (SL-1) triggers an epigenetic molecular program in mammary epithelial cells that results in a number of phenotypic alterations that eventually culminate in the generation of a malignant tumor-cell phenotype.
On a theorem of bell-campbell-hughes

Let G be a finite group of n elements. The order structure of G is the sequence (a1,a2.., ) where ai is the number of elements of order i in G. The order structures satisfy the following properties
The Role of Nuclear Stiffness and Resilience in Mechanotransduction

Mechanical force is found to be increasingly important during development and for proper homeostatic maintenance of cells and tissues. The nucleus occupies a large volume fraction of the cell and is interconnected with the cytoskeleton. Here, to determine the direct role of the nucleus itself in converting forces to changes in gene expression, also known as, mechanotransduction, we examine changes in nuclear mechanics and gene reorganization associated with cell fate and with extracellular force. We measure mechanics of nuclei in many model cell systems using micropipette aspiration to show changes in nuclear mechanics. In intact cells we characterize the rheological changes induced in the genome organization with live cell imaging and particle tracking, and we suggest how these changes relate to gene expression.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Myosin-I in mammalian liver

Myosin-I refers to a class of proteins with a molecular weight of approximately 110-kDa, which have characteristics of conventional myosin but are unable to form filaments. Previous studies have implicated myosin-I in motile cellular processes including cell migration and phagocytosis. Although the first example of myosin-I in higher eukaryotes was the intestinal 110K-calmodulin complex, which forms in microvilli the lateral links connecting the core bundle of actin filaments to the membrane, myosin-I has now been shown to be a component of rat kidney and to be present in bovine adrenal gland and brain. We have now purified and characterized two polypeptides from rat liver which have several characteristics of the intestinal 110K-calmodulin complex. Both liver polypeptides are solubilized with ATP and co-elute on gel filtration with calmodulin. The polypeptides, of 110-kDa and 130-kDa, bind calmodulin in 1 mM EGTA. Both polypeptides bind to F-actin in an ATP reversible fashion, and crosslink actin filaments. The purified polypeptides possess an actin-activated Mg(2+)-ATPase activity typical of brush border myosin-I. A polyclonal antiserum directed against the chicken intestinal 110-kDa polypeptide recognizes both rat liver polypeptides, whereas another serum recognizes the 130-kDa but not the 110-kDa rat liver polypeptide. Controlled proteolysis of the purified polypeptides with alpha-chymotrypsin indicates that the two polypeptides are distinct but related. Immunofluorescence microscopy on isolated hepatocytes shows distribution of myosin-I to be vesicular, distributed throughout the cytoplasm, but more concentrated near the nucleus. These data contribute new evidence by several functional criteria that multiple myosin-I molecules are present in higher organisms and may coexist in a single cell type.
Catalytic Copolymerization of CO and Ethylene with a Charge Neutral Palladium(II) Zwitterion

The synthesis of a zwitterionic Pd(II) complex supported by an anionic bis(phosphino)borate ligand, Ph2B(CH2PPh2)2 (abbreviated as [Ph2BP2]), is reported. The new complex, [Ph2BP2]PdMe(THF), is active for CO and ethylene copolymerization. The copolymerization activity and polyketone molecular weight for the neutral, zwitterionic system are compared with those for the cationic systems [R2E(CH2PPh2)2PdMe(THF)][B(C6F5)4] where ER2 = SiPh2 and CH2. Surprisingly, the more electron rich zwitterionic system is a catalyst of activity comparable to that of the more conventional cationic systems.
Pneumocystis pneumonia during primary HIV infection: a case report and review of the literature

More than 90 % of cases of pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in adults occur in patients with chronic HIV infection with CD4 counts lower than 200 cells/ml. Even though primary HIV infection can cause transient profound CD4 lymphocytopenia, PCP is rarely reported during primary HIV infection. We report a case of a 26-year-old man who was diagnosed with PCP in the setting of primary HIV infection. He was successfully treated with a 21-day course of oral co-trimoxazole.
Interstitial lung disease and sleep: What is known?

Abstract Objectives Pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a group of disorders characterized by progressive scarring of the lung parenchyma, affects over 500,000 Americans. Fatigue is a common and frequently disabling symptom in PF. We have previously described poor subjective sleep quality in this patient population. We sought to ascertain what is known regarding sleep in PF. Methods We reviewed the English language literature for reports on sleep and sleep disorders in patients with PF. Results The existing literature is small and heterogeneous with regard to inclusion criteria. There are a number of distinctive changes in sleep architecture associated with PF including decreased REM sleep and increased sleep fragmentation. In addition, there is suggestion of possible sleep disturbances in this population including OSA, although the frequency of such sleep abnormalities as well as predictors of these abnormalities remain uncertain. Conclusions There is significant need for larger studies characterizing sleep in patients with defined PF. These studies are particularly critical given the limited options for therapy in patients with PF and the impact of fatigue in this disorder.
Ensemble: creating a national digital library for computing education

Ensemble is a new NSF NSDL Pathways project working to establish a national, distributed digital library for computing education. Our project is building a distributed portal providing access to a broad range of existing educational resources for computing while preserving the collections and their associated curation processes. We want to encourage contribution, use, reuse, review and evaluation of educational materials at multiple levels of granularity and we seek to support the full range of computing education communities including computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, information science, information systems and information technology as well as other areas often called "computing + X" or "X informatics".
Influence of Electrode Coatings on the Breakdown Strength of Transformer Oil

IN two previous communications1–2 we have reported the results of conduction current measurements and space charge measurements in transformer oil using bare electrodes and electrodes coated with thin insulating films. The influence of such films on the breakdown strength of an oil gap is discussed in the present communication. The direct voltage breakdown strength of the oil has been measured using two bare electrodes, two coated electrodes, and one coated and one bare electrode. Plane-parallel electrodes with Bruce profiles and overall diameters of 1 cm were used. The insulating film on the electrodes consisted of a 0.25 mm thick coating of the polyether ‘Penton’. All the tests were carried out in a closed test cell using filtered air-saturated oil at atmospheric pressure3.
Beamsplitter cube for white light interferometry

Beamsplitter cubes are widely used in white light interferometers to ensure that each interferometer path is balanced with equal amounts of glass. However, commercially available beamsplitter cubes can have alignment errors and size deviations that introduce path differences into the interferometer. A technique for constructing a beamsplitter cube that has extremely well balanced paths is described. Using a tunable dye laser with rhodimine 6G, we have readily measured path differences less than 0.5 μm. By monitoring the beamsplitter path difference with the dye laser, we can adjust the path difference during assembly, thereby sliding the prisms into proper alignment on a layer of UV-cured cement.
A study of the influence of superimposed low-frequency modulation on the drilling process

Abstract A preliminary investigation of the effects of low-frequency modulation of the force in drilling has been completed. Important changes occur in the drilling of aluminum with the imposition of modulation at frequencies below 200 Hz. The effects depend on the amplitude of the modulation and the relationship of the frequency of modulation f p to the frequency of rotation of the drill f d . When f p / f d is an even integer, the modulation introduces no significant effects in the force, torque, or chip morphology. When f p / f d is an odd integer, the average drilling force decreases, and a large dynamic component of force and torque is seen with a frequency dependence f p . For peak-to-peak amplitudes of vibration that are greater than one-half of the drill feed/rev, the chips are broken. A simple explanation of these effects is provided.
Effect of sodium sulfide on Ni-containing carbon monoxide dehydrogenases.

The structure of the active-site C-cluster in CO dehydrogenase from Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans includes a μ2-sulfide ion bridged to the Ni and unique Fe, whereas the same cluster in enzymes from Rhodospirillum rubrum (CODHRr) and Moorella thermoacetica (CODHMt) lack this ion. This difference was investigated by exploring the effects of sodium sulfide on activity and spectral properties. Sulfide partially inhibited the CO oxidation activity of CODHRr and generated a lag prior to steady-state. CODHMt was inhibited similarly but without a lag. Adding sulfide to CODHMt in the Cred1 state caused the gav = 1.82 EPR signal to decline and new features to appear, including one with g = 1.95, 1.85 and (1.70 or 1.62). Removing sulfide caused the gav = 1.82 signal to reappear and activity to recover. Sulfide did not affect the gav = 1.86 signal from the Cred2 state. A model was developed in which sulfide binds reversibly to Cred1, inhibiting catalysis. Reducing this adduct causes sulfide to dissociate, Cred2 t...
A New Approach to Organ Pharmacokinetics Using Noninvasive Radionuclide Measurement Methods

Proper chemotherapy requires that the right dose of the right drug be administered to a given patient at the correct rate. This can be achieved if there is proper monitoring of the drug's biodistribution and metabolism in an individual patient. We have documented that radionuclidic measurements, coupled to a systems-based multicompartmental model approach, are ideally suited in providing proper monitoring of the time course of a drug in a patient. The results achieved to date can best be illustrated through the studies we have conducted with cisplatin and with KS1 /4, a monoclonal antibody directed against a human lung tumor. Radiolabeled cisplatin has been used to monitor the relative rate of drug localization and retention in patients with brain astrocytomas, following either standard intravenous (IV) or intraarterial (IA) drug administration. The preliminary results obtained in such patient studies have shown that a much higher amount of radioactive platinum (Pt) was deposited in such tumors during IA ...
Nonlinear optical studies of the pure liquid/vapor interface: Vibrational spectra and polar ordering

Using infrared-visible sum-frequency generation we have obtained the vibrational spectra of CH stretches of methanol molecules at the interface between methanol vapor and liquid. This is the first vibrational spectrum ever observed from a neat liquid surface. The measured polarization dependence and phase of the nonlinear susceptibility allow us to conclude that the surface methanol molecules are polar oriented with the ${\mathrm{CH}}_{3}$ group pointing away from the liquid with a very broad orientational distribution.
Classifying features of the Intrinsic Mode Functions generated by Empirical Mode Decomposition of isometric force response using a fuzzy classifier

The analysis of isometric force may provide early detection of certain types of neuropathology such as Parkinson's disease. Our long term goal is to determine if there are detectable differences between model parameters of healthy verses unhealthy individuals. As a first step toward our long-term goal, we studied 24 healthy young adults ages 18 through 24 years, both male and female. The experiments involved the participants exerting isometric force over a range from 5% to 65% of maximal voluntary contraction. The analysis involved the steady-state portion of the recorded time series. Each times-series was decomposed into a set of Intrinsic Mode Functions using Empirical Mode Decomposition. Next, eight features were extracted and used to train a Fuzzy Set Classifier. The participants in this study were assigned to two categories: (1) high strength; and (2) low strength based upon the values of the eight extracted features. Even though the participants were all healthy and young, the features exhibited enough differences to successfully classify 99% of the participants. This finding suggests that, when clinical data become available, the features extracted from the Intrinsic Mode Functions and input into the Fuzzy Set Classifier may be capable of discriminating between healthy individuals and those who are in an early stage of neurodegenerative disease.
Chondrodysplasia punctata in an adult recognized as vitamin K antagonist* embryopathy

A 32-year-old man with disproportionate short stature and striking facial dysmorphism came to genetic counseling as his wife was expecting their first child. In early infancy he had been diagnosed as having chondrodysplasia punctata, later regarded to be the autosomal dominant hereditary form. The expectant father was therefore convinced of a high risk of recurrence and vacillated between thoughts of taking his own life and of having his wife's pregnancy terminated. When his history revealed recurrent thromboses in his mother, treated with anticoagulants during pregnancy, her medical records of 1953 were located, and they disclosed that she had been treated with phenprocoumon (Marcoumar) from the 8th to the 12th and from the 13th to the 15th weeks of pregnancy. The patient has since become the father of a healthy son.
Scattering Involving a Bound State

Granting that the formation of a bound state is a "sudden" process (as compared to the scattering which may be regarded as a process taking place "adiabatically"), a formulation of the scattering involving a bound state is discussed, in which an independent set of creation-annihilation operators is introduced for a particle in the bound state. There appears here a subsidiary condition which prevents the system from having an unduly increased number of degrees of freedom. In the case of potential scattering, this subsidiary condition restricts the intermediate states in a multiple scattering process to states which are orthogonal to the bound state. This orthogonality condition gives rise to a simple explanation of the theorem concerning the scattering phase shift at zero energy, in which it is stated that when there is one bound state, the scattering phase shift starts with pi at zero energy, if it is to go down to zero at extreme high energy. (auth)
Proteomic Analysis of Human Parotid Gland Exosomes by Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology (MudPIT)

Human ductal saliva contributes over a thousand unique proteins to whole oral fluids. The mechanism by which most of these proteins are secreted by salivary glands remains to be determined. The present study used a mass spectrometry-based, shotgun proteomics approach to explore the possibility that a subset of the proteins found in saliva are derived from exosomes, membrane-bound vesicles of endosomal origin within multivesicular endosomes. Using MudPIT (multidimensional protein identification technology) mass spectrometry, we catalogued 491 proteins in the exosome fraction of human parotid saliva. Many of these proteins were previously observed in ductal saliva from parotid glands (265 proteins). Furthermore, 72 of the proteins in parotid exosomes overlap with those previously identified as urinary exosome proteins, proteins which are also frequently associated with exosomes from other tissues and cell types. Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analyses found that cytosolic proteins comprise the largest ...
Family affect and communication related to schizophrenia

Parents with a high level of communication deviance and negative expressed emotion or emotional overinvolvment have children who are at greater risk for schizophrenia.
Prediction of Turbulent Heat Transfer and Pressure on Swept Leading Edges

As a result of an extensive experimental study, a technique has been developed for predicting shock shapes, pressures, and turbulent heat-transfer rates on the leading edge of a fin, swept wing, antenna, or similar highly swept protuberance near its intersection with a high-velocity vehicle. Comparison of predictions with data of the present experiment and those of others indicates good agreement. While pressures in the intersection region are higher than infinite swept cylinder theory predictions, heat-transfer rates can be either significantly greater or less than values predicted by this theory depending on local flow conditions and geometry.
The protamine family of sperm nuclear proteins

The protamines are a diverse family of small arginine-rich proteins that are synthesized in the late-stage spermatids of many animals and plants and bind to DNA, condensing the spermatid genome into a genetically inactive state. Vertebrates have from one to 15 protamine genes per haploid genome, which are clustered together on the same chromosome. Comparison of protamine gene and amino-acid sequences suggests that the family evolved from specialized histones through protamine-like proteins to the true protamines. Structural elements present in all true protamines are a series of arginine-rich DNA-anchoring domains (often containing a mixture of arginine and lysine residues in non-mammalian protamines) and multiple phosphorylation sites. The two protamines found in mammals, P1 and P2, are the most widely studied. P1 packages sperm DNA in all mammals, whereas protamine P2 is present only in the sperm of primates, many rodents and a subset of other placental mammals. P2, but not P1, is synthesized as a precursor that undergoes proteolytic processing after binding to DNA and also binds a zinc atom, the function of which is not known. P1 and P2 are phosphorylated soon after their synthesis, but after binding to DNA most of the phosphate groups are removed and cysteine residues are oxidized, forming disulfide bridges that link the protamines together. Both P1 and P2 have been shown to be required for normal sperm function in primates and many rodents.
GABA‐immunoreactive boutons contact identified OFF and ON cells in the nucleus raphe magnus

The pontomedullary raphe magnus (RM) contains two physiologically defined types of neurons that participate in the opioid-induced modulation of dorsal horn nociceptive messages: OFF cells, which decrease, and ON cells, which increase their discharge rates when reflex behavior is evoked by noxious pinch or heat. Because both types of neuron have inhibitory inputs and because there is evidence that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibitory mechanisms within RM contribute to the antinociceptive action of opioids, we have sought anatomical evidence for a direct GABAergic input to OFF and ON cells. In this study, cells of each type located in the RM were electrophysiologically defined and intracellularly filled with horseradish peroxidase or Neurobiotin. One cell of each type was labeled in the cat, and 2–3 cells of each type were labeled in the rat. Thin sections were labeled by a postembedding immunogold procedure by using an antibody directed against glutaraldehyde-conjugated GABA. GABA-immunoreactive (GABA-ir) boutons contained small, round, clear vesicles and made symmetrical synapses with identified dendrites. GABA-ir boutons were apposed to soma and to proximal and distal dendrites of both cell types in both species. These findings demonstrate direct GABAergic input to identified OFF and ON cells in the RM. J. Comp. Neurol. 378:196–204, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The origin of jadeitite-forming subduction-zone fluids: CL-guided SIMS oxygen-isotope and trace-element evidence

Jadeitite, a rare high P/T rock, is associated spatially with blueschist and/or eclogite terranes. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and cathodoluminescence (CL) petrography of jadeitite samples from several major occurrences [in Burma (Myanmar), Guatemala, Japan, Kazakhstan, and the U.S.A.] show that grains were deposited from s uids. Jadeite grain compositions indicate these s uid compositions changed with time. CL imagery guided the acquisition of oxygen-isotope and trace-element analyses with the ion microprobe. Jadeite grains in each rock grew in cycles that began with red- and/or blue-luminescent and ended with green-luminescent zones. The CL images were used to order the data into crystallization sequences. These data and electron-microprobe, major-element analyses document the association of green CL with increases in Ca, Mg, and Cr: (1) toward grain exteriors; (2) in Þ ne-grained matrix around porphyroblasts; (3) in shear zones that cut grains; (4) in former open spaces now Þ lled with jadeite; or (5) in veins. Abundances of many trace elements are greater in green-CL jadeitite compared with the red- or blue-CL zones. Some of these elements—in particular Li, Rb, Sr, Ti, Hf, Zr, Y, and REE—are unlikely to have been derived from serpentinite. Although crystal-chemical effects may explain some of the trace-element systematics (e.g., preferential incorporation of REE into Ca-richer jadeite), some kinetic control is suggested by sector-zoned, rhythmically zoned grains. The oxygen-isotope data suggest that jadeitite-depositing s uids either had multiple sources or evolved in composition along their s ow paths (or both).
Enhanced Sensitivity to Oxidative Stress in Cultured Embryonic Cells from Transgenic Mice Deficient in Metallothionein I and II Genes

Embryonic cells from transgenic mice with targeted disruption of metallothionein I and II genes expressed no detectable metallothionein either constitutively or after treatment with cadmium, in contrast to cultured cells that were wild type or heterozygous for the loss of the metallothionein genes. Metallothionein null cells were most sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of cadmium, the membrane permeant oxidant tert-butylhydroperoxide, and the redox cycling toxin paraquat. No marked differences were seen among the wild type, heterozygous, or metallothionein null cells in glutathione levels or in the activity of CuZn-superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, or catalase. Nevertheless, metallothionein null cells were more sensitive to tert-butylhydroperoxide-induced oxidation as ascertained by confocal microscopic imaging of dichlorofluoroscein fluorescence. These results indicate basal metallothionein levels can function to regulate intracellular redox status in mammalian cells.
A dual microscale glucose sensor on a contact lens, tested in conditions mimicking the eye

We report a microscale dual (signal and control) glucose sensor on a contact lens, and test its performance using a physiologically accurate eye model built on a polymer platform complete with fluidic channels mimicking tear ducts. We show that the sensor incorporated into a contact lens has enough sensitivity to detect glucose at levels found in the tear film. We also demonstrate that the differential design can be used to reject the impact of interfering chemicals found in the tear film such as ascorbic acid, lactate and urea. The test platform presented here enables the testing of contact lenses in a controlled environment that mimics the surface of the eye.
Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian finite element analysis of large deformation in contacting bodies

The primary aim of this research is to implement the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian finite element description to model large deformation of interacting bodies. A pure Lagrangian description is often incapable of representing their contact with sufficient precision. In this work, the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) description has been extended to the surface nodes of interacting bodies to overcome these limitations. A penalty formulation has been implemented to account for the impenetrability constraint. The materials have been characterized as elastic-viscoplastic. Implicit integration schemes have been used at the global and constitutive levels for'improved stability.
Effect of Colored Fluorescent Light on Growth, Cannibalism, and Subsequent Egg Production of Single Comb White Leghorn Pullets

Abstract LITTLE information is available on the influence of colored lights on the performance of pullets maintained under colored lights for long periods of time. Dakan (1936) observed satisfactory egg production when pullets were exposed to red and yellow light, but egg production decreased when hens were exposed to blue light for two months. Carson et al. (1958) found that hens kept under red, green, or cool white light laid significantly more eggs than hens which were exposed to normal daylight during an 11-week period. Platt (1952, 1953) improved egg production by supplementing daylight with dim red light during the night. McGinnis et al. (1966) supplied pullets with filtered incandescent light from day of age and observed reduced egg production when hens were exposed to a narrow band of light from either the red, green, or blue portions of the spectrum. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the influence . . .
“Keeping the Bully Out”: Understanding Older African Americans' Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Depression:

BACKGROUND: Few studies examine older African Americans’ beliefs and attitudes toward depression, yet this population is more likely than other ethnic groups to be underdiagnosed and undertreated for depression. OBJECTIVE: To examine the beliefs and attitudes about depression in a sample of community-dwelling older African Americans. STUDY DESIGN: A qualitative approach embedded within a survey design was used. The sample included 51 community-dwelling African Americans older than age 60 who were recruited from a northeast state. Participants’ descriptions of the meaning of depression were analyzed using editing analysis style. RESULTS: Four major themes emerged from the data: (a) Keeping the Bully Out, (b) God Will Provide, (c) Losing Control, and (d) That’s Not Me. CONCLUSIONS: These data can assist mental health nurses in understanding older African Americans’ beliefs and attitudes toward depression. Culturally sensitive educational programs, reminiscence interventions, and suggestions to assist with screening for depression in this population are discussed. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc, 2007; 13(4), 230-236. DOI: 10.1177/1078390307305926
Portfolio selection via constrained stochastic gradients

In this paper, we consider the online portfolio selection problem. We develop several algorithms for portfolio selection based on sequential regularized optimizations and constrained stochastic gradient based approximations to this. We relate these methods to related results in stochastic gradients and universal portfolios, and compare results of simulations using historical data. We also demonstrate that these results compare favorably with respect to so-called universal portfolios.
EFFECTS OF HYDROGEN ON THE INTERACTIONS OF FUEL CELL SEALING GLASSES WITH INTERCONNECT ALLOYS

In situ X-ray diffraction was used to study the interactions of the PNNL G18 fuel cell sealing glasses with the oxides that form on candidate interconnect alloys and with the ebrite alloy. Experiments under 4% hydrogen and air at temperatures up to 1000 °C showed that both sealants react rapidly with alumina and chromia, but not with NiO. The crystallization of the high-CTE phase BaCrO4 was noted for G18 in contact with chromia or ebrite under air, but reducing conditions inhibit the crystallization. The reactions in all cases begin within a few hours at temperatures above 800 °C and go to completion or near completion after ~12 h.
Implications for an exercise prescription authoring notation

Communicating dynamic motion content, such as exercise, with a static medium, such as paper, is difficult. The technology exists for presenting 3D animated exercise content to patients, however, the tools for allowing exercise domain experts to effectively author the content do not exist. We conducted two formative studies with exercise science domain experts to discover the requirements for an exercise prescription authoring notation. Based on our findings, we implemented a software prototype and performed a think-aloud study to understand its strengths and weaknesses. The results of our studies have implications for any software solution aimed at the authoring of physical activity content.
Challenging the Limits of Esophageal Manometry

After steady improvement until about 1980, the technology behind esophageal manometry saw little change until recent years. A variety of sensor technologies existed including solid-state strain gauge transducers, circumferentially sensitive transducers, multilumen perfused catheters with external pressure transducers, and the Dentsleeve device. However, irrespective of transducer design, the basic format of manometric studies was of multiple line-tracings representing pressure change versus time at several discrete esophageal loci. Furthermore, of the sensor designs available, only the Dentsleeve device provided a validated method for assessing sphincter relaxation. However, the Dentsleeve accomplished this at the expense of pressure response rate and spatial resolution leading some experts to focus instead on these limitations. In brief, little standardization existed in methodology among centers and there was no agreement regarding optimal assembly design or study interpretation.