cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Referral of Patients With Pain From Pancreatic Cancer for Neurolytic Celiac Plexus Block

Objective To assess whether patients with pancreatic cancer-associated pain living near a pain control center were more likely to undergo neurolytic celiac plexus block (NCPB) than those living at a distance and to determine the rationale of physicians at our institution for referring patients for NCPB. Design We retrospectively reviewed the frequency of use of NCPB in patients with pancreatic cancer and conducted an anonymous physician survey of referral patterns for NCPB for such patients. Material and Methods A prospective database of medical diagnoses and a clinical database at our institution were used to identify patients with pancreatic cancer within three geographic regions who were assessed during the inclusive years 1980 through 1989: group I ("local") = all patients with pancreatic cancer in Olmsted County, Minnesota; group II ("surrounding") and group III ("distant") = patients referred for pancreatic cancer evaluation who lived within 100 miles of our institution (excluding Olmsted County) or more than 100 miles from our institution, respectively. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to assess the use of NCPB at any time during the course of pancreatic cancer. For the physician survey component, all medical oncologists, gastroenterologists, and general surgeons at our institution who might be responsible for the care of patients with pancreatic cancer were sent a questionnaire about their referral patterns for NCPB among patients with pancreatic cancer. Results Overall, approximately 15 % of the 292 patients with pancreatic cancer studied underwent NCPB. Distance from our pain control center was not found to be associated with frequency of use of NCPB. Of the 78 physicians surveyed, 59 (76%) responded, and 35 of the responders (59%) had encountered at least 1 patient with pancreatic cancer during the preceding 12 months. In that subset of physicians, perceived barriers for referral for NCPB were limited appointment availability and need for repeating the procedure. Conclusion On the basis of this study, referral patterns for NCPB in patients with pancreatic cancer do not seem to be associated with the geograpbic distance of a patient's residence from a pain control center. Improving appointment availability for NCPB might increase the number of patients offered this technique for control of pain.
Dimensional Stability of Ramie, Cotton and Rayon Knit Fabrics:

Dimensional stability of ramie jersey knit fabric was compared to that of cotton and rayon jersey fabric. Three experimental laundering procedures were employed: hand washing with flat drying, mach...
Cyclodextrin assisted enantiomeric recognition of benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3-dione derived amino acids

Abstract Spectroscopic evidence for enantiomeric recognition of properly modified amino acids through the cyclodextrin assisted formation of polymer like self-assemblies is presented. The requirements for the formation of these assemblies through aromatic π–π stacking are discussed. It is suggested that this approach can be used for enantiomeric separation of chiral compounds that contain both electron-rich and electron-poor moieties.
Volume change determination of metastatic lung tumors in CT images using 3-D template matching

The ability of a clinician to properly detect changes in the size of lung nodules over time is a vital element to both the diagnosis of malignant growths and the monitoring of the response of cancerous lesions to therapy. We have developed a novel metastasis sizing algorithm based on 3-D template matching with spherical tumor appearance models that were created to match the expected geometry of the tumors of interest while accounting for potential spatial offsets of nodules in the slice thickness direction. The spherical template that best-fits the overall volume of each lung metastasis was determined through the optimization of the 3-D normalized cross-correlation coefficients (NCCC) calculated between the templates and the nodules. A total of 17 different lung metastases were extracted manually from real patient CT datasets and reconstructed in 3-D using spherical harmonics equations to generate simulated nodules for testing our algorithm. Each metastasis 3-D shape was then subjected to 10%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 90% scaling of its volume to allow for 5 possible volume change combinations relative to the original size per each reconstructed nodule and inserted back into CT datasets with appropriate blurring and noise addition. When plotted against the true volume change, the nodule volume changes calculated by our algorithm for these 85 data points exhibited a high degree of accuracy (slope = 0.9817, R 2 = 0.9957). Our results demonstrate that the 3-D template matching method can be an effective, fast, and accurate tool for automated sizing of metastatic tumors.
Unsteady three-dimensional mixed convection in a heated horizontal channel with applications to chemical vapor deposition

Abstract The flow and heat transfer of a gas in a horizontal channel with a heated bottom surface, a cooled top surface, and adiabatic side walls is studied. Numerical solutions of the transient, threedimensional Navier-Stokes and energy equations reveal that the fluid is unstable thermally for conditions of interest in chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The instability appears as a combination of transverse, traveling waves and longitudinal rolls. The unsteady nature of the flow and the heat transfer is shown for two Reynolds numbers, Re = u H/ν 0 (5 and 10), Grashof number, Gr = geH3/ν20 = 5000, Prandtl number, Pr = ν 0 /α 0 = 2 3 , aspect ratios, L/H = 8 and W/H = 2, for the temperature ratio e = (Ts-T0)/T0 = 0.01, corresponding to constant property flow. The instability results in an increase in the average heat transfer from 15% to more than 40% above the fully developed condition in the absence of the instability.
The Effects of Failure on Subsequent Group Performance in a Professional Sports Setting

Abstract Recent management theories and research studies have devoted increasing attention to work teams, usually on the assumption that teams will be successful. Virtually no research has been focused on the effects of failure on work teams: therefore, we extrapolated theories about failure at the individual level to the group level to study subsequent performance of work teams that had failed. Using a strong-inference methodology (Platt, 1964), we examined data for all National Football League games in the United States for three seasons (1987-1988, 1988-1989, and 1989-1990). Among teams that suffered very large losses, subsequent performance significantly worsened.
Three-Dimensional Metallic Microstructures Fabricated by Soft Lithography and Microelectrodeposition

Soft lithography offers a convenient set of methods for the transfer of patterns to planar and nonplanar substrates. Microelectrodeposition can transform thin metal patterns into self-supporting microstructures, weld components together, and strengthen microstructures after deformations. Together, soft lithography and electrochemistry provide synergistic technologies and the basis for a strategy for converting planar patterns into three-dimensional (3D) microstructures with complex topologies. This strategy is illustrated in the formation of folded tetrahedra, square-based pyramids, cylinders with joints, “pop-up” cubes, and linked chains and knots.
Recombinant human interleukin-1 beta causes histamine release from human basophils.

Abstract Histamine releasing factors (HRFs) have been demonstrated to be secreted by human lymphocytes and monocytes (alveolar macrophages); however, none has been purified to date. Because of the similarity of our HRF to the physical chemical properties of interleukin-I (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), we have assessed the ability of preparations of IL-1 and TNF to cause basophil histamine release (HR). Human recombinant pro-IL-1 beta, recombinant mature IL-1, and, to a lesser extent, human recombinant TNF caused significant HR from a subpopulation of donor basophils. The pro-IL-1 beta elicited a dose response between 40 and 800 ng/ml; higher concentrations were inhibitory. Approximately 30% of subjects tested are responsive to either mature IL-1 or TNF. These share the same responder subset, but the magnitude of the TNF response is considerably less. A response to the pro-IL-1 was restricted to those subjects with prominent HR to anti-IgE; the response to mature IL-1 and TNF was unrelated to the response to anti-IgE. As in other functional assays, the pro-IL-1 is 50- to 100-fold less potent than mature IL-1, and unlike human HRF, it is highly unstable and rapidly loses activity. Mononuclear cell-derived HRF differs in physicochemical properties from IL-1 or TNF; nevertheless, it appears likely that a variety of cytokines may possess histamine-releasing capability.
Fatty acid metabolism and mitochondrial proteins in the C57BL/6J-dy2Jdy2J dystrophic mice.

Abstract 1. 1. Measurements of [1- 14 C]oleoyl CoA oxidation in homogenates and isolated mitochondria of skeletal muscles, hearts and livers from dystrophic C57BL/6J mice and unaffected litter-mates indicate that rates are lower in dystrophic mitochondria, but are comparable in whole homogenates. 2. 2. These findings are not due to differences in the endogenous concentrations of the fatty CoA esters. 3. 3. Qualitative and quantitative differences in the molecular weight distribution of the proteins in the mitochondria and post-mitochondrial supernatants are found in the skeletal muscles with increases in the post-mitochondrial supernatant and decreases in the mitochondria in dystrophic samples. 4. 4. We suggest that these results are due to increased leakiness of the mitochondrial membranes in dystrophic muscles. Such differences were not observed in preparations from normal animals.
Quality of life in newly diagnosed glaucoma patients : The Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study.

Abstract Objective The Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study (CIGTS) was designed to determine whether patients with newly diagnosed open-angle glaucoma are better treated initially by medicine or immediate filtering surgery. This paper describes the quality-of-life (QOL) measurement approach, instruments included, and the CIGTS participants' QOL findings at the time of diagnosis. Design Baseline results from a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Participants Six hundred seven patients from 14 clinical centers were enrolled. Intervention Patients randomized to initial medication received a stepped medical regimen (n = 307). Those randomized to initial surgery underwent a trabeculectomy (n = 300). The baseline interview was conducted before treatment initiation. All baseline and posttreatment QOL assessments were conducted by telephone from a centralized interviewing center. Main outcome measures The primary outcome measure described in this paper was QOL. The QOL instrument is multidimensional and incorporates both disease-specific and generic measures, including the Visual Activities Questionnaire, Sickness Impact Profile, and a Symptom and Health Problem Checklist. Results The correlations between QOL measures and clinical outcomes were in the expected direction, but relatively weak. At initial diagnosis, difficulty with bright lights and with light and dark adaptation were the most frequently reported symptoms related to visual function, whereas visual distortion was the most bothersome. Approximately half of the patients reported at least some worry or concern about the possibility of blindness. Within the Visual Activities Questionnaire, higher scores on the Peripheral Vision subscale were associated with more field loss ( P P Conclusions Newly diagnosed glaucoma patients reported experiencing some visual function symptoms at the time of diagnosis that would not be intuitively expected based on clinical testing. Some discussion about the association between clinical presentation and worry about blindness may reduce unnecessary concern. These results provide the basis for long-term comparisons of the QOL effects of initial medical and surgical treatment for open-angle glaucoma.
Nanofabricated plasmonic nano-bio hybrid structures in biomedical detection

Our study of biological systems increasingly depends on our ability to dynamically and quantitatively measure the molecular processes with high sensitivity, speed, fl exibility, multiplexity, throughput, and reproducibility, usually within the context of a complex biological and chemical mixture of tiny amount. To address these major challenges, plasmon-resonant nanostructure biomolecule hybrids (nano-bio hybrids), so-called plasmonic nanobiosensors, are being developed and viewed as one key breakthrough area for real-time and parallelized biomedical analysis with high sensitivity and selectivity. Hereby, we present a solution of integrated plasmonic system by synergizing three core techniques: (i) nanoplasmonics that manipulates electromagnetic radiation (light) at dielectric-metal interfaces by tuning properties of nanomaterials, (ii) nanofabrication and controlled synthesis of nanomaterials containing noble metals (e.g., Au, Ag, Pt, and Cu), and (iii) bioconjugates techniques that modify surface of nanomaterials with various bioprobes (e.g., antibodies, enzymes, aptamers, and molecular imprint polymers). Applications of these plasmonic nano-bio hybrid structures are also discussed.
Simple aspects of post-Newtonian gravitation

The physical ideas that are unified in general relativity have been separated out and their effects introduced as separate perturbations of Newtonian mechanics. Compression of space and proportional dilation of time contribute the main parts of all observed and expected quasistatic first‐order post‐Newtonian gravitational phenomena. In this approach, tests measuring trajectories are variants on a single refraction‐in‐a‐nonuniform‐medium experiment; their similarity has been obscured by the few small contributions from special relativity (in only the DeSitter and perihelion precessions) and from gravitation by the gravitational field (in only the perihelion precession).
Activation of titanium electrodes for voltammetric detection of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide in alkaline media

Bright, freshly-polished Ti electrodes give minimal cathodic response for O2 and H2O2 in 1.0 M NaOH. However, the response is increased gradually by repeated application of a triangular waveform within the approximate potential limits of O2 response (ca. −1.5 to −0.7 V vs. SCE). This same voltammetric pretreatment applied for excessive periods results in formation of golden films on the Ti surfaces that are active for reduction of O2 and H2O2. Levich plots of cathodic current for O2 and H2O2 at rotated golden-Ti disk electrodes in 1.0 M NaOH (−1.35 V) are linear over a large range of rotational velocity (42 to 513 rad s−1), a behavior considered to be indicative of fast heterogeneous kinetics. Ring-disk data demonstrate that a small amount of H2O2 is produced throughout the potential region for O2 reduction and H2O2 is concluded to be an intermediate product in the O2-reduction mechanism. These observations are consistent with those reported previously for single-crystal TiO2 electrodes.
Biofilm affected characteristics of porous structures

Formation of biofilm within a porous matrix reduces the pore size and the total open space of the system, altering the porosity and permeability of the medium. This change in the pore size distribution can be quantified by expressing the porous structure with a proper geometrical model. A set of pertinent multispecies biofilm models is used to arrive at the dynamic biofilm thickness distribution. The obtained results are utilized within a modified Kozeny–Carman framework to establish permeability and porosity distribution during the biofilm formation. The biofilm thickness and the obtained permeability profile for a special microorganism, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are compared with available experimental data. The potential reasons attributing to the differences between the numerical and experimental data are discussed.
Cholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disease and has become an urgent public health problem in most areas of the world. Substantial progress has been made in understanding the basic neurobiology of AD and, as a result, new drugs for its treatment have become available. Cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs), which increase the availability of acetylcholine in central synapses, have become the main approach to symptomatic treatment. ChEIs that have been approved or submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include tacrine, donepezil, metrifonate, rivastigmine and galantamine. In this review we discuss their pharmacology, clinical experience to date with their use and their potential benefits or disadvantages. ChEIs have a significant, although modest, effect on the cognitive status of patients with AD. In addition to their effect on cognition, ChEIs have a positive effect on mood and behaviour. Uncertainty remains about the duration of the benefit because few studies of these compounds beyond one year have been published. Although ChEIs are generally well tolerated, all patients should be followed closely for possible adverse effects. There is no substantial difference in the effectivenes of the various ChEIs, however, they may have different safety profiles. We believe the benefits of their use outweigh the risks and costs and, therefore, ChEIs should be considered as primary therapy for patients with mild to moderate AD.
Ultrastructure of the dento-epithelial junction.

The dento-epithelial junctions (DEJ) of Rhesus monkeys were examined by electron microscopy. Various fixation procedures were employed in this study. It was revealed that the basal lamina between the junctional epithelium and the tooth surfaces was composed of three layers: the lamina lucida, the lamina densa and the sub-lamina lucida. Fine filaments often coursed through the lamina densa, lamina lucida and hemidesmosomes and combined them into a structural unit. An electron-dense linear border, presumably derived from tissue fluid, was generally observed on the tooth surface at the DEJ except that composed of the fibrillar cementum. This border was helpful in distinguishing the afibrillar cementum from the dental cuticle. The existence of a sub-lamina lucida between the lamina densa and the tooth surfaces is a newly defined layer. It is hypothetically considered to be an area of competetive electrostatic forces of repulsion and London Van der Waals forces of attraction.
Host mutants resistant to phage lambda killing.

Abstract Host mutants have been isolated which are resistant to killing by the kil protein of an induced λ prophage. In general, such host mutants are defective in adsorption and production of lambdoid phages, and show altered sensitivities to deoxycholate, colicins, and antibiotics. Most of the mutants are cold sensitive and form filaments at the restrictive temperature. These properties seem to implicate the cell envelope in the kil phenomenon. The cold-sensitive host mutants cannot be cured of their prophage; furthermore, growth of the mutants at different temperatures shows a marked negative correlation with the degree of repressor activity of the temperature-sensitive cI 857 repressor. These observations suggest that some phage product, perhaps kil protein, is required for cell survival in these mutants.
The influence of axial loading on the electromechanical response of the outer hair cell

Abstract The cylindrically-shaped outer hair cell functions as an active support beam in the inner ear. We develop a model for electromechanical transduction when the cell supports a load. The model is an extension of Jerry and Dutta [Chemical Engineering Communications, 166 (1998), 81 -110]. We use our model to simulate a “tensile test” on the cell, similar to that used to measure the elastic modulus for plastic, metal and ceramic specimens. Our work demonstrates the importance of accurate control of cell volume or intracellular pressure during experiments, and also suggests that voltage clamping may not be necessary when measuring the elastic properties of the cell. A plot of the polyelectrolyte-associated charge (that is moved across the wall) vs. the load reveals a charge reversal effect: at a particular value of the load, the direction of charge movement changes. The effect can be explained using our model.
The activity for the metathesis of propylene of Mo(CO)6/Al2O3

The activity ofMo(CO)6/γ-Al2O3 for the metathesis of propylene in a pulse reactor, mostly at 53 °C, has been investigated. A number of different surface species which are the products of various pretreatments exhibit catalytic activity. The degree of dehydroxylation of the alumina is an important variable. On partially dehydroxylated alumina, theinitial catalytic activity increases in the sequence Mo(CO)3ads, Mo(CO)2O2ads, “(σ-O−)2Mo, ” and “(σ-O−)2Mo” treated with oxygen at 23 °C. “Mo(CO)(O2)2ads” andMo(CO)6/Al2O3 activated at 500 °C are inactive. A Mo(CO)6 on dehydroxylated alumina activated at 100 °C is somewhat less active than that on partially dehydroxylated alumina but material activated at 500 °C (average oxidation number, O.N. = 0.4) is active. Mo(CO)3ads and Mo(CO)2O2ads on hydroxylated alumina are inactive. No more than about 1% of a pulse of propylene is retained by the various catalysts. Activity for metathesis of propylene on Mo(CO)3ads increases with pulse number and pulses of ethylene are also effective in activating Mo(CO)3ads. On most other catalysts, activity declines with pulse number, often rapidly. Selectivities in the metathesis to the primary products, ethylene and 2-butene, exceed 99%. It appears likely that only a rather small fraction of the surface molybdenum becomes catalytically active.
Acne vulgaris. Studies in pathogenesis: fatty acids of human surface triglycerides from patients with and without acne.

A qualitative study of fatty acids of human surface triglycerides (41 samples from 31 young men) is reported, with quantitative comparison of fatty acids of human surface triglycerides from 20 young men, 12 with acne and 8 without acne. A total of 59 peaks were found by gas-liquid chromatography, representing 59 triglyceride fatty acids from n-C 8 to n-C 18 . Of these 59 fatty acids, only one was found to be present in significantly greater amounts in patients with acne, the fatty acid with carbon number of 17.52 (on nonpolar liquid phase). Whether this fatty acid has any role in the pathogenesis of acne can only be postulated. Several alternatives of its possible chemical structure are discussed. The absence of significant qualitative or quantitative differences in the n-C 8 to C 14 fatty acids from skin surface triglycerides of patients with acne probably excludes this alternative as a major pathogenic factor in acne.
A Means for Ought from Is

Rejecting claims that science and religion are nonoverlapping magisteria, Harris argues for values based on reason rather than faith.
Group decision-making and the analytic hierarchy process: exploring the consensus-relevant information content

Abstract The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is being increasingly applied to managerial and technical group decision-making problems in which it is necessary to determine the preferences of the group as a whole. In such contexts unless there is an acceptable level of group consensus, it is premature to use mathematical techniques to generate “consensus” preference vectors. Hence it is necessary to assess the current level of group consensus before applying mathematical techniques to generate a “consensus” preference vector. In this paper, we explore possibilities that could result from the use of consensus relevant information embedded in the preference data that arise in group decision-making contexts. We offer a set of similarity measures and consensus indicators for assessing the level of group consensus that could also be used by the group facilitator to develop strategies for increasing the level of group consensus.
Theoretical and Experimental Investigations on the Reactions of Positively Charged Phenyl Radicals with Aromatic Amino Acids

The chemical behavior of positively charged phenyl radicals 3-dehydro-N-phenylpyridinium (a), N-(3-dehydro-5-chlorophenyl)pyridinium (b), and N-(3-dehydrophenyl)pyridinium (c) toward L-tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan was investigated in the gas phase both theoretically by performing molecular orbital calculations and experimentally by using FT/ICR mass spectrometry. All radicals react with phenylalanine and tryptophan nearly at the collision rate. The overall reactivity of the radicals toward tyrosine follows the order a > b > c, which is consistent with the electron affinity (EA) ordering of the radicals. The higher the electrophilicity (or EA) of the radical, the greater the reactivity. As expected, all radicals abstract a hydrogen atom from all of the amino acids. However, the most electrophilic radical a was also found to react with these amino acids via NH2 abstraction. A new reaction observed between radicals a-c and aromatic amino acids is the addition of the radical to the aromatic ring of the amino acid followed by Calpha-Cbeta bond cleavage, which leads to side-chain abstraction by the radical.
Politics, Administration, and Markets: Conflicting Expectations and Accountability

Politics can be viewed as the search for consensus on underlying values to foster a sense of community. This search challenges contemporary political and administrative leadership because the polic...
Toward the Computable Transcriptome

Applying a combination of innovative approaches to understanding neuronal gene regulation in C. elegans, an article in the latest Developmental Cell (Wenick and Hobert, 2004) gives hope that reading the genome's transcriptional regulatory code may one day be possible.
Finite size Lyapunov exponent at a saddle point

Abstract A simple stochastic system is considered modeling Lagrangian motion in a vicinity of a hyperbolic stationary point in two dimensions. We address the dependence of the Finite Size Lyapunov Exponent (FSLE) λ on the diffusivity D and the direction of the initial separation θ . It is shown that there is an insignificant difference between the curves λ = λ ( θ ) for pure dynamics ( D = 0 ) and for infinitely large noise ( D = ∞ ). For small D a well known boundary layer asymptotic is employed and compared with numerical results.
Suprachiasmatic nucleus and photoperiodic regulation of gonadal development in the Siberian hamster, Phodopus sungorus

Photoregressed Siberian hamsters exposed at 19 days of age to constant light for 24 h manifested increased testicular development 16 days later. Hamsters that sustained lesions of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) 3 days after the light pulse had significantly heavier gonads than did sham-operated animals or hamsters pinealectomized at 19 days of age. Enhanced reproductive development after SCN ablation is not due solely to lesion-induced elimination of melatonin secretion. SCN neural activity beginning 3 days after the light pulse is not necessary for light-induced gonadal growth.
Inflammasome sensor Nlrp1b-dependent resistance to anthrax is mediated by caspase-1, IL-1 signaling and neutrophil recruitment.

Bacillus anthracis infects hosts as a spore, germinates, and disseminates in its vegetative form. Production of anthrax lethal and edema toxins following bacterial outgrowth results in host death. Macrophages of inbred mouse strains are either sensitive or resistant to lethal toxin depending on whether they express the lethal toxin responsive or non-responsive alleles of the inflammasome sensor Nlrp1b (Nlrp1bS/S or Nlrp1bR/R, respectively). In this study, Nlrp1b was shown to affect mouse susceptibility to infection. Inbred and congenic mice harboring macrophage-sensitizing Nlrp1bS/S alleles (which allow activation of caspase-1 and IL-1β release in response to anthrax lethal toxin challenge) effectively controlled bacterial growth and dissemination when compared to mice having Nlrp1bR/R alleles (which cannot activate caspase-1 in response to toxin). Nlrp1bS-mediated resistance to infection was not dependent on the route of infection and was observed when bacteria were introduced by either subcutaneous or intravenous routes. Resistance did not occur through alterations in spore germination, as vegetative bacteria were also killed in Nlrp1bS/S mice. Resistance to infection required the actions of both caspase-1 and IL-1β as Nlrp1bS/S mice deleted of caspase-1 or the IL-1 receptor, or treated with the Il-1 receptor antagonist anakinra, were sensitized to infection. Comparison of circulating neutrophil levels and IL-1β responses in Nlrp1bS/S,Nlrp1bR/R and IL-1 receptor knockout mice implicated Nlrp1b and IL-1 signaling in control of neutrophil responses to anthrax infection. Neutrophil depletion experiments verified the importance of this cell type in resistance to B. anthracis infection. These data confirm an inverse relationship between murine macrophage sensitivity to lethal toxin and mouse susceptibility to spore infection, and establish roles for Nlrp1bS, caspase-1, and IL-1β in countering anthrax infection.
Hepatic stellate cells are an important cellular site for β-carotene conversion to retinoid.

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are responsible for storing 90–95% of the retinoid present in the liver. These cells have been reported in the literature also to accumulate dietary β-carotene, but the ability of HSCs to metabolize β-carotene in situ has not been explored. To gain understanding of this, we investigated whether β-carotene-15,15′-monooxygensase (Bcmo1) and β-carotene-9′,10′-monooxygenase (Bcmo2) are expressed in HSCs. Using primary HSCs and hepatocytes purified from wild type and Bcmo1-deficient mice, we establish that Bcmo1 is highly expressed in HSCs; whereas Bcmo2 is expressed primarily in hepatocytes. We also confirmed that HSCs are an important cellular site within the liver for accumulation of dietary β-carotene. Bcmo2 expression was found to be significantly elevated for livers and hepatocytes isolated from Bcmo1-deficient compared to wild type mice. This elevation in Bcmo2 expression was accompanied by a statistically significant increase in hepatic apo-12′-carotenal levels of Bcmo1-deficient mice. Although apo-10′-carotenal, like apo-12′-carotenal, was readily detectable in livers and serum from both wild type and Bcmo1-deficient mice, we were unable to detect either apo-8′- or apo-14′-carotenals in livers or serum from the two strains. We further observed that hepatic triglyceride levels were significantly elevated in livers of Bcmo1-deficient mice fed a β-carotene-containing diet compared to mice receiving no β-carotene. Collectively, our data establish that HSCs are an important cellular site for β-carotene accumulation and metabolism within the liver.
Bartonella spp. Infection in Healthy and Sick Horses and Foals from the Southeastern United States

Background Bartonella species bacteremia has been identified in numerous animal species. These bacteria cause, or have been associated with, a spectrum of clinical manifestations in dogs and human patients. The frequency of exposure to or infection with Bartonella spp. among healthy and sick horses has not been reported. Objective To test healthy and sick horses and sick foals from the southeastern United States for serological, microbiological, and molecular evidence of Bartonella infection. Animals Forty-seven healthy horses, 15 sick foals, 22 horses with musculoskeletal manifestations, and 8 horses with colic were tested for Bartonella. Methods IFA serology and PCR before and after BAPGM (Bartonella alpha-Proteobacteria Growth Medium) enrichment blood culture. Results Bartonella antibodies were not detected in foals or horses. Three Bartonella species, B. henselae, B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii (genotypes I and III), and a Bartonella species with closest homology to Candidatus Bartonella volans, were PCR-amplified and sequenced from blood or BAPGM enrichment blood culture samples from 1/47 healthy horses, 3/15 sick foals, 5/22 horses with musculoskeletal disease, and 0/8 horses with colic. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Horses in the southeastern United States are naturally infected with B. henselae, B. vinsonii subsp. berkhofii genotypes I and III, and a bacteria most similar to Candidatus Bartonella volans. Antibodies were not detectable by indirect fluorescent antibody assay (IFA) testing in bacteremic foals or horses, and prolonged enrichment culture for periods up to 21 days were necessary to document bacteremia in most horses. Further investigation into the pathogenic potential of Bartonella spp. infection in horses is warranted.
A heat transfer study on packed bed reactors of immobilized glucoamylase

Enzymes are generally sensitive to temperature changes. Porous glass particles used for glucoamylase immobilization are poor thermal conductors and a non-uniform temperature distribution can conceivably develop in a packed bed reactor of immobilized glucoamylase on porous beads. This study was made to determine experimentally the temperature and concentration profiles in an immobilized glucoamylase column. This work provides a procedure for examining possible heat effects on reactor column performance in enzyme applications.
Interactive Evolution Modules Promote Conceptual Change

We developed a suite of online modules ( http://ats.doit.wisc.edu/biology/ ) to improve student understanding of challenging concepts in our introductory biology course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Here we assess the effectiveness of two of the modules, Species and Speciation and Natural Selection. In Year 1, unannounced pre-tests and post-tests were used to assess students’ prior knowledge and any gains resulting from lecture attendance alone. Then to test the effectiveness of the modules we divided the class into three groups. Group 1 was assigned the interactive speciation module and their analysis of the final case study in the module was graded. Groups 2 and 3 were controls. In Group 1, the subgroup of students whose mean scores on the first two exams in the course were <80% scored an average of 10.5 percentage points better on exam 3, a significant improvement. In contrast, none of the other student groups showed significant improvements in their grades. In Year 2, we tested the effectiveness of the online modules when offered as optional, ungraded, activities. We again saw significant improvement (+3.8 percentage points) only in those students who completed the modules and whose averages on the previous two exams were <80%. The differences in improvement between years 1 and 2 suggest that it is not enough simply to provide students with tools that help them learn; they also need an incentive in the form of a grade or course credit to use the tools most effectively.
Adaptive CFD analysis for rotorcraft aerodynamics

Abstract An adaptive, parallel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique is developed to compute rotor-blade aerodynamics. For this purpose an error indicator is formulated and coded into an adaptive finite element framework. It is shown that the error indicator is effective in resolving the global features of the flow-field. Furthermore, for efficiency and problem size considerations, once the interpolation errors are reduced to acceptable levels, the adaptive refinement is done only in regions affected by the vortical flows. To accomplish this, a novel vortex core detection technique is used to capture vortex tubes. The combination of interpolation error estimate and vortex core detection technique proved to be very effective in computing vortical flow-field of rotor blades. Example adaptive, parallel calculations of hovering rotor blades, requiring 1–3 million tetrahedral elements, are presented.
Mutational analysis of the PTEN gene in human uterine sarcomas.

Abstract Objective: Uterine sarcomas are rare, lethal cancers, and little is known about their molecular etiology. The PTEN gene is located on chromosome 10q23.3, a region that displays frequent loss of heterozygosity in human uterine sarcomas. PTEN mutations have been described in 40% to 60% of uterine adenocarcinomas. To determine whether the PTEN gene is involved in the pathogenesis of uterine sarcoma, we analyzed deoxyribonucleic acid from uterine sarcomas and cell lines. Study Design: Single-strand conformation analysis and direct sequencing of deoxyribonucleic acid were used to screen for PTEN mutations. Results: Silent polymorphisms were detected in 2 of 36 primary uterine sarcomas. A 4–base pair deletion and a point mutation producing a stop codon were identified in 1 cell line. Conclusions: Mutational inactivation of PTEN does not play a major role in uterine sarcoma tumorigenesis, and another gene or genes on chromosome 10q may be implicated as a cause of these cancers. Differences in the molecular alterations underlying the development of uterine sarcomas and adenocarcinomas are significant. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;184:1051-3.)
Active control of wind-tunnel model aeroelastic response using neural networks

Under a joint research and development effort conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Boeing Company three neural-network based control system were developed and tested. The control system were experimentally evaluate using a transonic wind-tunnel model in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. One system used a neural network to schedule flutter suppression control laws, another employed a neural network to schedule flutter suppression control laws, another employed a neural network in a predicative control scheme, and the third employed a neural network in an inverse model control scheme. All three of these control schemes successfully suppressed flutter to or near the limits of the testing apparatus, and represent the first experimental applications of neural networks to flutter suppression. This paper will summarize the findings of this project.
Comments on "Design of a class of time-constrained FIR digital filters by successive projections

For the original article see ibid., vol.36, no.1, p.164-7 (1989). The commenter suggests a more generalized approach to the design problem of a class of time-constrained FIR digital filters reported by S.-C. Pei and I.-I. Yang. >
Plasma lipoproteins in healthy octogenarians: Lack of reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels: Results from the Framingham Heart Study

Genetic low density lipoprotein (LDL) deficiency and high density lipoprotein (HDL) excess have been associated with enhanced longevity. This investigation assessed the prevalence of lipoprotein abnormalities in octogenarians free of clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the Framingham Heart Study. Plasma lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol determinations were carried out by standard techniques between 1971 and 1974. Participants who were free of clinical evidence of CVD in an examination approximately 10 years later (1981 to 1982) had their lipoprotein values tabulated based on the earlier examination. There were 106 women and 57 men who met these criteria, with mean ages of 83.3 and 82.9 years, respectively, at examination 16 (called cases). Mean levels (+/- SEM) of LDL cholesterol in cases were 152 +/- 3 mg/dL for women, and 147 +/- 5 mg/dL for men. For HDL cholesterol, these values were 57 +/- mg/dL for women and 46 +/- 2 mg/dL for men. These values were not statistically different from those of other study subjects (who did not meet the CVD criteria or were decreased) or middle-aged controls. In contrast, HDL cholesterol levels below the tenth percentile of normal were not observed in any male cases and in only 1.0% of female cases (P less than .05) as compared with observations in control subjects. The data are consistent with the concept that there is not an overrepresentation of either decreased LDL cholesterol or elevated HDL cholesterol values in subjects who subsequently become healthy octogenarians, but that these subjects are exceedingly unlikely to have reduced HDL cholesterol levels.
Energy deposition assessment and electromagnetic evaluation of electroexplosive devices in a pulsed power environment

This paper assesses critical activation limits of electroexplosive devices (EED), such as blasting caps, which have recently found more usage in pulsed power environments with high EMI background. These devices, EEDs, can be very sensitive to low levels of energy (7–8 mJ) which make them dangerous to unintended radiation produced by compact pulsed generators. Safe operation and use of these devices are paramount when in use near devices that produce pulsed electromagnetic interference. The scope of this paper is to provide an evaluation of activation characteristics for EEDs that include energy sensitivity tests, thermodynamic modeling, and electromagnetic compatibility from pulsed electromagnetic interference. Two methods of energy deposition into the bridgewire of the EED are used in the sensitivity tests. These methods include single and periodic pulses of current that represent the adiabatic and non-adiabatic heating of the bridgewire. The heating of the bridgewire is modeled by a solution to the heat equation using COMSOL™ with physical geometries of the EED provided by the manufacturer.
Attenuation of inotropic interventions by myocardial ischaemia

Inotropic interventions are frequently utilized to augment the performance of the depressed heart. The effects of myocardial ischaemia on the response to two such interventions (heart rate and paired ventricular pacing) were evaluated in 15 isolated perfused isovolumic canine hearts. With normal perfusion pressure, increases in heart rate caused parallel changes in left ventricular pressure (LVP) and dP/dt, while similar increments in heart rate in the ischaemic heart caused LVP and dP/dt to fall. At normal perfusion pressures paired ventricular pacing resulted in stable increments in LVP and dP/dt, but during ischaemic perfusion initial increments in LVP and dP/dt were not maintained. The presence of ischaemia therefore places definite limits on the response of the myocardium to inotropic interventions. The effectiveness of these agents may therefore be severely limited in these circumstances.
Distributional Representations for Handling Sparsity in Supervised Sequence-Labeling

Supervised sequence-labeling systems in natural language processing often suffer from data sparsity because they use word types as features in their prediction tasks. Consequently, they have difficulty estimating parameters for types which appear in the test set, but seldom (or never) appear in the training set. We demonstrate that distributional representations of word types, trained on unannotated text, can be used to improve performance on rare words. We incorporate aspects of these representations into the feature space of our sequence-labeling systems. In an experiment on a standard chunking dataset, our best technique improves a chunker from 0.76 F1 to 0.86 F1 on chunks beginning with rare words. On the same dataset, it improves our part-of-speech tagger from 74% to 80% accuracy on rare words. Furthermore, our system improves significantly over a baseline system when applied to text from a different domain, and it reduces the sample complexity of sequence labeling.
Endoscopic Management of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma in Patients With a History of Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma

Purpose: Endoscopic management of renal pelvis and ureteral urothelial carcinoma is gaining acceptance as a conservative treatment modality. Patients with a history of bladder urothelial carcinoma are at high risk for upper tract recurrence. We evaluate the role of endoscopic management of upper tract urothelial carcinoma in patients with a history of primary bladder urothelial carcinoma.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 90 patients with a history of primary bladder urothelial carcinoma who underwent endoscopic treatment of localized upper tract urothelial carcinoma between 1983 and 2004.Results: Median patient age at diagnosis was 73 years (range 50 to 90). A total of 13 (14.4%) patients previously underwent cystectomy. With a median followup of 4.3 years (range 0.1 to 17), 105 upper tract urothelial carcinoma recurrences developed in 55 patients at a mean of 0.6 years (range 22 days to 5.9 years). Of these recurrences 76 were amenable to endoscopic management while 29 required nephroure...
Free Boundary Problems Associated with Multiscale Tumor Models

The present paper introduces a tumor model with two time scales, the time t during which the tumor grows and the cycle time of individual cells. The model also includes the effects of gene mutations on the population density of the tumor cells. The model is formulated as a free boundary problem for a coupled system of elliptic, parabolic and hyperbolic equations within the tumor region, with nonlinear and nonlocal terms. Existence and uniqueness theorems are proved, and properties of the free boundary are established.
Integrated load balanced and energy aware routing in large scale wireless sensor networks

We propose a load balanced and energy aware routing protocol (LEAR) that is designed to improve the lifetime of large-scale wireless sensor mesh networks by balancing the energy consumption in the nodes. The proposed protocol selects routes to enable equitable traffic distribution across the nodes so that all nodes maintain similar expected lifetimes. We implement LEAR in a commercially available wireless sensor platform and perform extensive experimental evaluations of different aspects of the protocol in the laboratory. Our results show that LEAR can significantly improve the lifetime of large-scale wireless sensor networks that typically experience a high degree of load imbalance and inefficient resource utilization when using a link quality based routing protocol.
Implementation of rapid cortisol during adrenal vein sampling.

We read with great interest the consensus statement on adrenal vein sampling (AVS) by Rossi et al,1 particularly their discussion of rapid cortisol. We recently implemented rapid cortisol during AVS and found it to be a valuable asset in the performance of this essential, but challenging, diagnostic procedure. Before rapid cortisol, our center had a 50% AVS success rate during a 20-month period (n=12) with all the failures because of difficulties cannulating the anatomically challenging right adrenal vein. …
n-Sec1: a neural-specific syntaxin-binding protein.

Abstract We have identified n-Sec1, a rat brain homolog of the yeast Sec1p protein that participates in the constitutive secretory pathway between the Golgi apparatus and the plasma membrane. The rat brain cDNA is predicted to encode a 68-kDa protein with 65% amino acid identity to Drosophila rop, 59% identity to Caenorhabditis elegans unc-18, and 27% identity to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sec1p. By RNA blot analysis, n-Sec1 mRNA expression is neural-specific. An anti-peptide antiserum directed against the n-Sec1 carboxyl terminus detects a 68-kDa protein in rat brain cytosol and membranes, but not in peripheral tissues. In the presence of syntaxin 1a, a plasma membrane protein implicated in synaptic vesicle docking, n-Sec1 becomes membrane-associated. n-Sec1 binds to syntaxin 1a, 2, and 3 fusion proteins coupled to agarose beads, but not to syntaxin 4 fusion protein or beads coupled to a variety of other proteins. These findings indicate that n-Sec1 is a neural-specific, syntaxin-binding protein that may participate in the regulation of synaptic vesicle docking and fusion.