cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fitness function analysis of biological genetic codes using an evolutionary algorithm

An evolutionary algorithm model of early cells (protocells) has been studied to investigate the evolution of the universal and the several alternate genetic codes in biology. Up to one thousand protocells are initialized with randomly selected genetic codes, which are then mutated over many generations, with a continuous requirement to replicate a fixed genome consisting of one hundred genes. Representative real enzymes from biological protein databases were used for this gene set. Fidelity of replication was measured by reference to the real protein sequences using a standard table of amino acid similarities. An additional selection demands minimization of a cost function roughly proportional to the number of tRNA genes required to implement the protocell's genetic code. Various fitness functions can be evaluated in this evolutionary algorithm treatment of biological evolution of the genetic code. A function based on mRNA folding was evaluated to understand a biological bias observed in real gene sequences. Measured genetic drift was found to be dependent upon this mRNA folding fitness function for very small population sizes. The mRNA folding function is a symmetry operator acting upon the gene set by the genetic code. These results may have applicability to general problem solving in evolutionary computation.
Trends in Radiation Oncology Residency Applicant Interview Experiences and Post-Interview Communication

Purpose To report trends in applicant interview experiences and post-interview communication (PIC) between the 2016 and 2018 radiation oncology interview cycles. Methods and Materials An anonymous survey was sent to all 203 residency applicants to a single institution during the 2018 Match, and the results were compared to a similar 2016 survey. Results Response rates in 2018 and 2016 were 53% and 56%, respectively. Applicants from 2018 were asked less frequently than 2016 applicants about where else they were interviewing (71% vs 84%, P = .024) and how highly they planned to rank a program (11% vs 23%, P = .018). A higher proportion of 2018 programs explicitly discouraged PIC (median, 53% vs 33%, P Conclusions Compared to 2016, respondents in 2018 reported that fewer programs are engaging in potential Match violations, and more are actively discouraging PIC, possibly as a result of increased awareness from recent publications. A similar number of applicants continued to engage in “gamesmanship,” but more are choosing not to send thank-you notes/emails. Most respondents continue to prefer a policy discouraging PIC.
Applying a framework for creating and analyzing cybersecurity questions for peer instruction

Peer instruction is an active learning alternative to traditional lecture-style teaching. However, it can be a challenge to find or develop good questions. In this paper we select some questions drawn from an existing corpus of cybersecurity material and adapt them for peer instruction. We analyze the questions for diversity of presentation-type using an existing framework. We then demonstrate how to utilize existing questions and create new ones with diverse presentation types.
Abstract TP541: CT Angiography Leptomeningeal Collateral Assessment for Vasospasm in Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Introduction: Although leptomeningeal collaterals in acute large vessel occlusion have been well studied with respect to core infarct volume and risk of hemorrhagic conversion, their association wi...
Antipyretic Efficacy of Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients.

Objectives:To determine the antipyretic efficacy of acetaminophen (IV, enteral, rectal) and ibuprofen (enteral) in critically ill febrile pediatric patients.Design:Retrospective cohort study.Setting:Quaternary care pediatric hospital ICUs.Patients:Pediatric patients less than 19 years old who were f
Sais : Self-Adaptive Identification of Security Bug Reports

Among various bug reports (BRs), security bug reports (SBRs) are unique because they require immediate concealment and fixes. When SBRs are not identified in time, attackers can exploit the vulnerabilities. Prior work identifies SBRs via text mining, which requires a predefined keyword list and trains a classifier with known SBRs and non-security bug reports (NSBRs). The former approach is not reliable, because (1) as the contexts of security vulnerabilities and terminology of SBRs change over time, the predefined list will become out-dated; and (2) users may have insufficient SBRs for training. We introduce a semi-supervised learning-based approach, Sais , to adaptively and reliably identify SBRs. Given a project's BRs containing some labeled SBRs, many more NSBRs, and unlabeled BRs, Sais iteratively mines keywords, trains a classifier based on the keywords from the labeled data, classifies unlabeled BRs, and augments its training data with the newly labeled BRs. Our evaluation shows that Sais is useful for identifying SBRs.
Revisiting the Photon-Drag Effect in Metal Films

We demonstrate that the sign of the photon-drag effect in smooth gold films is crucially dependent on the surface environment and contrary to the prevailing intuitive model of direct momentum transfer to free electrons.
Robot Assisted Laparoscopic Hysterectomy with Fetus in-situ for Placenta Percreta in Second Trimester

Video Objective To describe a technique of robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy of a second trimester gravid uterus with placenta percreta Setting A step-by-step explanation of the surgery using video (instructive video). Interventions In this video, we describe the surgical approach opted for this patient desiring pregnancy termination and no desire for future fertility. Minimally invasive surgery was recommended considering decreased blood loss, postoperative pain and hospital stay. Also considering her prior surgical history, the laparoscopic approach would offer better visualization for lysis of adhesions. Intraoperatively, the uterus was found to have adhesions anteriorly to the abdominal wall as well as bladder adhesions to the lower uterine segment. Generalized increased vascularity was observed. The blood supply from the utero-ovarian and the uterine vessels were tackled prior to releasing the adhesion of the anterior wall of the uterus to the anterior abdominal wall. The lower uterine segment was adherent to the bladder, thereby the lateral approach was used to enter the paravesicular space to create a bladder flap to mobilize the bladder inferiorly. An End to End (EEA) sizer was used to identify the colpotomy site. The cardinal ligament were coagulated and transected to lateralize the paracervical tissue. The colpotomy was then performed and the specimen was then exteriorized intact vaginally. The vaginal cuff was then closed in a continuous fashion using 0-VLoc. Estimate blood loss was 300mL. Postoperatively, patient was hemodynamically stable, and post-operative labs were found to be within normal limits. Patient was discharged in stable condition on post-operative day one. Conclusion Robot assisted hysterectomy is feasible and superior to open approach in a patient with a second trimester pregnancy complicated by placenta percreta with completion of child bearing.
Binary topological relations on the digital sphere

Abstract Topological relations are the predominant backbone of qualitative spatial reasoning, focusing to date mostly on objects that are embedded in R 2 . With the advent of ball-shaped screen technologies and the growing importance of globally situated data, the digital sphere, known as T 2 , becomes a viable embedding. While topological relations have been investigated for a spherical embedding S 2 within a continuous framework, the lack of a full account of the relations in T 2 prevents more refined query systems on global discrete data. This paper extends the concept of spherical topological relations to the digital spherical embedding, building on the model of a planar digital region in Z 2 whose boundary comprises the pixels along the region's margin. With the 9-intersection and its detailed descendant, the 9+-intersection, 29 relations between two digital regions are derived. This set of binary digital spherical relations is jointly exhaustive and pairwise disjoint. The relations' conceptual neighborhood graph, capturing the similarity among the relations, further highlights that 18 of the 29 relations are refinements of those found in S 2 . These topological relations between digital regions coincide with the binary relations found between broad-boundary regions when the broad boundaries are of uniform thickness, a scenario preventing the inclusion of an entire interior of one region within the boundary of the other. Five different rationales for coarsening are investigated, each leading to a different group of the relations along the conceptual neighborhood graph.
Was ist Geometrie

Dieses einleitende Kapitel hat eher einen philosophischen, genauer einen metamathematischen Charakter: Es wird darin nicht Mathematik betrieben, sondern uber Mathematik gesprochen. Wir versuchen herauszuarbeiten, was „die Geometrie“ eigentlich ist, angesichts der vielen „Geometrien“, von denen in unserem Buch die Rede sein wird, wie wir geometrische Erkenntnisse gewinnen und welchen Anwendungsbereich sie haben. Es geht auch um den zweiten Teil unseres Titels, Anschauung und Begriffe. Wo haben sie jeweils ihren Ort und in welchem Verhaltnis stehen sie zueinander? Insbesondere sprechen wir uber die Bedeutung der Axiomatik, die seit Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts den Ausgangspunkt aller mathematischen Uberlegungen bildet, und wir begrunden, warum wir heute keine Notwendigkeit mehr fur eine eigene axiomatische Grundlegung der Geometrie sehen.
Collapse of a bubble injected side-by-side with another bubble into an incipiently fluidized bed: A CFD-DEM study

Computational fluid dynamics--discrete element method simulation results demonstrate the bubble collapse phenomenon observed in a prior experimental study when two bubbles are injected side-by-side into an incipiently fluidized bed. Results confirm that one of the bubbles collapses when there is a slight size difference between the two bubbles and its extent is beyond a critical value. The collapse occurs because of a preferential gas channeling toward the larger bubble, which leaves the smaller bubble without sufficient gas flow to support its shape.
Multi-agent motion planning with sporadic communications for collision avoidance

Abstract A novel multi-vehicle motion planning and collision avoidance algorithm is proposed and analyzed in this paper. The algorithm aims to reduce the amount of onboard calculations and inter-agent communications needed for each vehicle to successfully navigate through an environment with static obstacles and reach their goals. To this end, each agent first calculates a path to the goal by means of an asymptotically optimal rapidly-exploring random tree (RRT*) with respect to the static obstacles. Then, other agents are treated as dynamic obstacles and potential collisions are determined by means of collision cones. Collision cones depend on the position and velocity from other agents and are grown conservatively between inter-agent communications. Based on the available information, each agent determines if a deconfliction maneuver is needed, if it can continue along its current path, or if communication is needed to make a decision about a conflict. With probability one, our algorithm guarantees that the agents keep from colliding with each other. Under an assumption on the existence of a solution for a vehicle to its goal, this algorithm also solves the planning problem with probability one. Simulations illustrate a group of agents successfully reaching their goal configurations and examine how the uncertainty affects the communication frequency of the multi-agent system.
Justice Blackmun and the Spirit of Liberty

As we see in this symposium, Justice Harry Blackmun is as controversial in death as he was in life. His strongest critics, such as Professor Greg Sisk, view the Justice as an unprincipled judge who let his personal views on the issues before the Court control his jurisprudence. More damning words cannot be spoken about a judge, and Roe v. Wade of course is the case they focus on. His strongest proponents, most famously Yale Law School Dean Harold Koh and Stanford Law School Professor Pam Karlan, view the Justice as a man of high principle who worked carefully, methodically, courageously, and with an open mind. They, too, point to Roe v. Wade, but as a symbol of his compassion and commitment to equality for all people. My personal association with Justice Blackmun is a little more than most, although not nearly so much as Professors Ellen Deason, Tony Mauro, and some of our other participants. As a law student in the 1980s, I organized a law school program on book-banning in public schools and invited Justice Blackmun to attend. I was shocked that he considered it for about a month before respectfully declining. Justice Blackmun had a passion for libraries, and indeed, wrote what remains the most significant opinion on the topic, Island Trees Union Free School District v. Pico. As a U.S. Supreme Court reporter during the ascent of the Rehnquist Court, I came to know Justice Blackmun through his opinions as the champion of the unprivileged B prisoners, Native Americans, and others easily
Cultivating Citizenship as Feeling: A Conversation with Three Digital Alchemists Jillian Ford, in Conversation with L’Erin Alta-Devki, Moya Bailey, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs

Citizenship education as exists in contemporary U.S. social studies curriculum is irrelevant and exclusionary for many youth. A conceptual model for categorizing the ways in which issues of citizenship are taught and learned distinguishes between citizenship as status, citizenship as practice, and citizenship as feeling. Most official social studies curriculum is heavily comprised of static facts about concepts and processes related to citizenship as status . To the lesser extent that citizenship as practice appears in the curriculum, it is the dimension that is most inequitable in terms of students’ exposure to ideas, experiences, and opportunities to develop agency. The variation in quality depends largely on students’ race and class. Citizenship as feeling emerges in the official and unofficial curriculum, but it is most often regarded solely as patriotism for the United States of America. The absence of intention to help students think about citizenship as feeling in complex ways is a barrier that impedes holistic civic development. This paper is an attempt to highlight out-of-school initiatives that help people fill in the gaps from – or, in many cases, unlearn – what they learned in their k-12 schooling experience about civic identity. These are excerpts from a series of conversations with three Black queer feminist digital alchemists, each of who engage in cultivating citizenship as feeling in out-of-school contexts.
Reaction of a specific tryptophan residue in streptococcal proteinase with 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide.

Abstract The zymogen and enzyme forms of streptococcal proteinase were treated with the tryptophan-specific reagent 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide (HNB-Br) in 0.46 m phosphate solutions at pH 3.1. The zymogen failed to react with HNB-Br, and none of its potential activity was destroyed. The enzyme incorporated up to 1.8 HNB groups per molecule and lost a maximum of 95% its potential activity. Four peptides containing the HNB moiety were isolated from a tryptic digest of inactivated enzyme by gel filtration on Sephadex G-25. The HNB-peptides were eluted together in a narrow, retarded band by 0.1 n NH4OH but were resolved into broad peaks when the eluent was 0.1 m NH4HCO3. One HNB-peptide was further purified by filtration on Bio-Gel P-4. Three of these peptides had identical amino acid compositions, and the fourth had a similar composition but 4 less residues. Two peptides contained one HNB group, and the remainder had two HNB groups. Parts of the amino acid sequences of these peptides and of their chymotryptic fragments were determined by Edman degradations and digestions with aminopeptidase M and carboxypeptidases A and B. Apparently, each major HNB-peptide came from the same segment of the enzyme, and a single tryptophan residue underwent both mono- and disubstitution. The proposed sequence around the reactive tryptophan is: His-Val-Asn-Trp-Gly-Phe-Gly-Trp(HNB1or2)-Gly(Val,Ser)Asn-Gly-Phe-Arg This proposed sequence is similar to the sequence around a tryptophan residue placed at the active site of papain by x-ray crystallography. Both proteins have a Trp-Gly-X-Gly-Trp-Gly sequence. From the data of this paper, it is proposed that streptococcal proteinase also has a tryptophan residue in its active site.
Microbeam molecular spectroscopy of biological materials

Summary Molecular vibrations of microscopic areas of biological tissue specimens are observed and measured to provide in situ , highly localized, chemical information. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopic interrogation of even single cells is done. Spectra at multiple points within single cells provide images for select wavelengths representing different chemical (functional group) distributions. Spatially resolved microspectroscopy allows study of heterogeneous materials and superimposition of chemical microstructure onto morphology. Recent ultra-spatial resolution has been achieved using a bright infrared source from a synchrotron (National Synchrotron Light Source, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY) coupled with the Spectra-Tech, Inc. IRμs ™ scanning infrared microspectrometer. The combination of these powerful tools results in working at the diffraction limit with high signal/noise to obtain good spectra using 6×6 micrometer double aperturing and coadding only 16 scans. Individual adjacent cells can be readily interrogated one at a time to seek out chemical differences.
Marriage and subjective wellbeing in Ghana

This study uses individual-level data from the 2005–2008 Ghana World Values Survey (n=1 533), to explore the extent to which marriage is associated with subjective well-being (SWB) in Ghana. The analyses are carried out at three levels: the first part presents the distribution of well-being measures (happiness and life satisfaction) among Ghanaians; the second uses the chi-square technique to assess the relationship between marital status and well-being measures by gender; the third probes the relative influence of marriage on happiness and life satisfaction, paying attention to the moderating effect of gender (included as an interaction term). The main finding is that marriage has a negative association with subjective well-being among Ghanaians. The multivariate results confirm that marriage undermines happiness and life satisfaction among Ghanaians. However, the effect is only statistically significant on happiness. The marriage and gender interaction term does not have a statistically significant effect on either happiness or life satisfaction. In addition, upon introduction of the interaction term into the happiness regression model, the significant negative effect of marriage on happiness changes to positive. An attempt is made to explain these findings, paying attention to the economic and socio-cultural context in which marriages occur in Ghana. Weaknesses, policy implications, and future direction for research are discussed.
Defending the Lifeworld: Substantive Due Process in the Taft Court Era

This article studies the revival of substantive due process in the 1920s. In response to the massive augmentation of state managerial controls necessitated by World War I, the conservative Taft Court sought to return constitutional law to the values of "normalcy," which have been theorized by Habermas and others as values associated with a lifeworld. The Taft Court resisted the claims of systematic expertise championed by progressives, like Brandeis. It used the distinction between property affected with a public interest and ordinary property in order to effectuate this agenda. At root, the Taft Court sought to distinguish between a kind of law, exemplified by the common law, which it saw as internalized into the identities of citizens, and a kind of law, exemplified by progressive expertise, which it saw as externally imposed upon persons. The Taft Court sought to protect from managerial appropriation those aspects of personality deemed necessary for citizenship. The Court's substantive due process decisions were thus not merely about prohibiting class legislation, but they were also very much concerned with safeguarding spheres of life understood as prerequisites for the construction of "independent" citizens.
A Vote for Clarity: Updating the Supreme Court's Severe Burden Test for State Election Regulations that Adversely Impact an Individual's Right to Vote

On October 31, 2004, and November 1, 2004, two separate district court judges ruled that allowing the Republican Party to place challengers at election precincts to challenge the eligibility of particular voters constituted a "severe burden" on the voters' rights, and that the state had not met the strict scrutiny standard of review required for severe burdens. On the morning of the election, however, in a 2-1 decision, the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed, determining that partisan poll challengers only created a minimal burden on voters' rights, and that the state had survived the lower standard of review. The Supreme Court denied certiorari, and the Republican Party placed its challengers at election sites to challenge voters as they prepared to exercise their constitutional right to vote. What is striking about these decisions is not that they came to opposite conclusions regarding whether challengers amount to a severe burden on voters' rights. Instead, the opinions demonstrate that judges have few guidelines to inform their decision on the severe burden question and can make their determination on an ad hoc basis as they see fit. Judges simply review the regulation and subjectively decide whether it seems to impose a severe burden. Thus, the severe burden test is nebulous and unclear, resulting in vague decisions that fail to distinguish between constitutional and unconstitutional state election regulations. This Note provides a modicum of direction and objectivity to the analysis by suggesting a clear mechanism for determining when a regulation imposes a severe burden on voters' rights. The proposed solution, which requires judges to review empirical data when analyzing the severity of an election regulation, will provide certainty to political parties, states, and voters, and will truly define the scope of the right to vote by ensuring that states can only regulate elections up to a point that does not burden too many voters.
Series hybrid vehicles and optimized hydrogen engine design

Lawrence Livermore, Sandia Livermore and Los Alamos National Laboratories have a joint project to develop an optimized hydrogen fueled engine for series hybrid automobiles. The major divisions of responsibility are: system analysis, engine design and kinetics modeling by LLNL; performance and emission testing, and friction reduction by SNL; computational fluid mechanics and combustion modeling by LANL. This project is a component of the Department of Energy, Office of Utility Technology, National Hydrogen Program. We report here on the progress on system analysis and preliminary engine testing. We have done system studies of series hybrid automobiles that approach the PNGV design goal of 34 km/liter (80 mpg), for 384 km (240 mi) and 608 km (380 mi) ranges. Our results indicate that such a vehicle appears feasible using an optimized hydrogen engine. The impact of various on-board storage options on fuel economy are evaluated. Experiments with an available engine at the Sandia Combustion Research Facility demonstrated NO{sub x} emissions of 10 to 20 ppm at an equivalence ratio of 0.4, rising to about 500 ppm at 0.5 equivalence ratio using neat hydrogen. Hybrid vehicle simulation studies indicate that exhaust NO{sub x} concentrations must be less than 180 ppm to meet the 0.2 g/mile California Air Resources Board ULEV or Federal Tier II emissions regulations. We have designed and fabricated a first generation optimized hydrogen engine head for use on an existing single cylinder Onan engine. This head currently features 14.8:1 compression ratio, dual ignition, water cooling, two valves and open quiescent combustion chamber to minimize heat transfer losses.
Advancing Pediatric Psychiatry Research Linking Neurobiological Processes to Novel Treatment and Diagnosis Through the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Project

The concurrent release of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project both ignited controversy and raised clarifying questions, particularly related to their integration and utility in both research and clinical domains. As the initial debate quieted, it appeared that DSM-5 would reign in clinical practice and RDoC would take precedence in research. DSM-5 and RDoC, while theoretically different, have analogous goals, as both seek to improve the accuracy of diagnosis, advance treatments, and decrease morbidity from mental illness. To achieve these goals, clinicians and researchers must, at the earliest stages of RDoC, work together to ensure maximum clinical translation. Other areas of medicine have successfully leveraged enhanced molecular and neurobiological phenotypic specificity to refine treatments and design novel pharmacologic agents. These successes provide useful comparisons for child psychiatry in the era of RDoC and DSM-5. This article reviews the literature related to progress in child psychiatry, development of RDoC, and the role of genetic research in the advancement of other areas of medicine. Limited diagnostic and treatment advances have occurred in child psychiatry over recent decades, particularly in comparison to other medical fields. The rapidly evolving fields of molecular genetics, neurobiology, and behavioral science offer substantial promise for refining diagnosis and treatment modalities. Utilizing the advancement of care for other pediatric conditions such as cystic fibrosis and pediatric cancer as guides, this article outlines how RDoC may contribute to similar advancements for pediatric mental illness. Although requiring a paradigm shift and the building of novel transdisciplinary collaborations that incorporate clinicians, basic scientists, pharmaceutical companies, families and advocacy groups, the integration of RDoC into child psychiatry clinical research offers significant potential to advance diagnostic specificity, improve treatment, and decrease mental health stigma.
Outcomes and management strategies for graft failure after umbilical cord blood transplantation

Graft failure is a life-threatening complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Graft failure is more prevalent after umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) compared with conventional adult stem cell sources. We identified 21 consecutive patients who experienced graft failure after UCBT at our center between 2004 and 2013 and describe their treatment strategies and outcomes. Two patients experienced early death. Seven patients had return of autologous hematopoiesis including 1 patient who was given previously collected autologous stem cells. Twelve patients received a second early HSCT, six from separate UCB units and six from a haploidentical donor. With a median follow-up of 33.2 months for surviving patients, 3-year PFS is 23% and 3-year OS is 37%. Of the six long-term survivors without relapse, four received a second HSCT from a haploidentical donor with post-HSCT high-dose cyclophosphamide based GVHD prophylaxis. This strategy appears safe and merits further investigation in this setting.
Determination of Nonfibrin Protein in Fibrin Clots by Use of I131-Labeled Protein Fractions

The amount of nonfibrin proteins occluded within fibrin clots was investigated with specific radioiodinated human protein fractions. Vigorous washing of the clot followed by syneresis on absorbant paper removed all but small traces of albumin and alpha and gamma globulins. These fractions constituted approximately 6% of the total proteins in fibrin clots when fibrinogen concentrations were normal. The percentage of occluded protein increased as fibrinogen levels decreased. At fibrinogen concentrations of 48 mg./100 ml. plasma, albumin approached 20% of the total. Fibrinogen determinations which are based on the protein content, or dry weight, of the isolated clot are thus subject to systematic error which varies inversely with the fibrinogen concentration.
Transverse tubule calcium regulation in malignant hyperthermia.

Abstract Transverse tubule (TT) calcium transport and permeability were examined in the inherited skeletal muscle disorder malignant hyperthermia (MH). ATP-dependent calcium uptake by TT vesicles isolated from normal and MH-susceptible (MHS) pig muscle had a similar dependence on ionized Ca2+ concentration ( K 1 2 for Ca2+ of 0.21 ± 0.04 and 0.25 ± 0.05 μ m for MHS and normal TT, respectively), as well as a similar Vmax (20.9 ± 2.0 and 23.7 ± 4.5 nmol Ca/mg protein/min for MHS and normal TT, respectively). Furthermore, the stimulation of calcium uptake by either calmodulin or cAMP-dependent protein kinase was similar in normal and MHS TT. Halothane concentrations greater than 2 m m inhibited calcium uptake by either normal or MHS TT to a similar extent (IC50 = 8 m m ). Dantrolene (10 μ m ), nitrendipine (1 μ m ), and Bay K 8644 (1 μ m ) had no significant effect on either the initial rates of calcium uptake or maximal calcium accumulation of either MHS or normal TT vesicles. However, in the absence of any added agents, maximum calcium accumulation by MHS TT was significantly less than by normal TT (90 ± 10 versus 130 ± 9 nmol Ca/mg protein after 15 min of uptake). This difference was not due to an increased permeability of MHS TT to calcium, nor was it due to a difference in the sarcoplasmic reticulum contamination (less than 5%) of the MHS and normal preparations. Although our results indicate there is no significant defect in MHS TT calcium regulation, the diminished maximum calcium accumulation by MHS TT may contribute to the abnormal sarcoplasmic calcium homeostasis in skeletal muscle during an MH Crisis.
MANAGEMENT OF PROSTATITIS

Prostatitis is a common clinical entity with a prevalence rate of 5-9% and accounts for over 2 million hospital visits annually in the USA. It is traditionally classified into acute bacterial, chronic bacterial, abacterial prostatitis and prostatodynia. The recent consensus conference of the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in 2000 resulted in renewed interest in the prevalence, etiology, pathogenesis and treatment of the prostatitis syndromes. In this review, we present the contemporary knowledge and experience regarding the etiology, classification, evaluation and treatment of this condition including the role of transurethral microwave hyperthermia and transurethral needle ablation.
[Ru2II(ttha)(H2O)2]2− is a rapid No scavenger (ttha6− = triethylenetetraminehexaacetate)

Abstract The reaction of NO(aq.) with [Ru 2 II (ttha)(H 2 O) 2 ] 2− = (A) and [Ru 2 II (ttha) (bpy) (H 2 O)] 2− = (B), (ttha 6− = triethylenetetraminehexaacetate; bpy = 2.2′-bipyridine) was monitored by electrochemical methods (cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse polarography). Each of two sites of [Ru 2 II (ttha)] may be represented by [LRu] for convenience. Waves for the [LRu II (NO·)] → −1e− [LRu II (NO + )], 2[LRu II (NO 2 − )] → −2e− [LRu III (NO 3 − )] + [LRu III (NO + )], and [LRu II (NO + )] → −1e− [LRu III (NO + )] oxidations were identified at −0.06, +0.98, and 1.14 V vs normal hydrogen electrode, respectively. The protonated form of [LRu II (NO·)], [LRu II (NOH)], was detected as a separate Ru II/III wave at +0.10 V. The pK a of [LRu II (NOH)] is 1.80. The rate of substitution of NO on (A) is 22.7 M −1 s −1 at 22°C indicating a normal rate of neutral ligand substitution on Ru II -polyaminopolycarboxylates via dissociative intermediates. The identical waves for the nitrosylated (B) indicate that the nitrosyls of (A), [(Ru II (NO)·)) 2 (ttha)] 2− = (C), are terminally coordinated rather than a single bridged nitrosyl. The nitrosyl (C) does not react with H 2 , precluding a catalytic scavenging of NO by (A) followed by H 2 reduction for environmental control purposes. However, the nitrosyl (C) is robust and dissociates very slowly under Ar purging. Thus the parent complex [Ru 2 (ttha)(H 2 O) 2 ] 2− and related mononuclear Ru II -polyaminopolycarboxylates such as [Ru(hedta)(H 2 O)] − have several features that lend them toward uses as antisepsis agents for the control of septic shock. [Ru 2 III (ttha) (H 2 O) 2 ] also reacts directly with NO, forming [(Ru II (NO + )) 2 (ttha)] which exhibits the same waves as [Ru 2 II (ttha)(NO) 2 ] 2− since the Ru II (NO + ) units readily reduce electrochemically at glassy carbon to the Ru II (NO·) complex (C) below −0.06 V. It was observed that the [LRu III (NO + )] catalyzes the electrochemical oxidation of NO to NO + and, hence HNO 2 at 1.14 V at glassy carbon.
Restricters who purge:Implications of purging behavior for psychopathology and classification of anorexia nervosa

Abstract The significance of purging behavior that occurs in the absence of binge eating in anorexia nervosa was examined. Fifty-two women with anorexia nervosa were divided into 3 groups: 26 nonpurging or “pure” restricters, 18 purging restricters, and 8 bulimic (or binge-and-purge) individuals. Results demonstrated that purging restricters, compared to nonpurging restricters, exhibited significantly more body distortion on the Body Distortion Questionnaire, weight concern on the Eating Disorder Inventory, external locus of control on the Rotter Locus of Control Scale, depression on the Beck Depression Inventory, and general psychopathology on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2. There were no significant differences between nonpurging and purging restricters on the Family Environment Scale. Bulimic individuals did not show levels of psychopathology consistently as high as the purging restricter group. It was concluded that purging behavior in and of itself is a salient and valid marker for...
Expanding role of hospital epidemiology: employee health--chemical exposure in the health care setting.

Health care workers are exposed to a vast array of health and safety hazards, unsurpassed by any other service industry and perhaps unequaled by industry in general. These hazards include exposure to biological agents, physical agents, stress, injury and chemical agents.The hospital environment abounds with hazardous chemical agents. A hospital survey conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found at least 135 chemicals recognized as carcinogens, teratogens, mutagens, or which have some combination of these effects in humans or animals. Another 179 chemicals found in hospitals are primary irritants of the skin or eyes. Although employee risks associated with chemicals have been neglected all too frequently, attention finally is being directed to assessing and reducing these risks. Among the toxic substances that present health hazards to health care providers are disinfecting and sterilizing compounds, chemotherapeutic agents and anesthetic gases.
Interactions Among Flower-Size QTL of Mimulus guttatus Are Abundant but Highly Variable in Nature

The frequency and character of interactions among genes influencing complex traits remain unknown. Our ignorance is most acute for segregating variation within natural populations, the epistasis most relevant for quantitative trait evolution. Here, we report a comprehensive survey of interactions among a defined set of flower-size QTL: loci polymorphic within a single natural population of yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus). We find that epistasis is typical. Observed phenotypes routinely differ from those predicted on the basis of direct allelic affects in the isogenic background, although the direction of deviations is highly variable. Across QTL pairs, there are significantly positive and negative interactions for every trait. Across traits, specific locus pairs routinely exhibit both positive and negative interactions. There was a tendency for negative epistasis to accompany positive direct effects and vice versa for the trait of corolla width, which may be due, at least in part, to the fact that QTL were identified from their direct effects on this trait.
Influence of incubation time and pH changes on uptake of p-aminohippurate by renal slices.

SummaryIn the presence of sodium acetate as substrate the S:M ratio of PAH declines rapidly with time. With no added substrate and with sodium lactate or sodium pyruvate as added substrate this decline in the S:M ratio is much less, or even absent. It is shown that the increase in pH occurring in phosphate buffer is the cause of the decline of the S:M ratio.
Matrix metalloproteases and tumor dissemination.

In order for primary tumors to disseminate to secondary organs, they must undergo a number of prerequisite processes and molecular events. These events and processes include growth and establishment of the primary tumor, angiogenesis and vascular infiltration of the primary tumor, invasion and entry of tumor cells into the vascular circulation (a process known as intravasation), survival of tumor cells in the circulation, arrest in the microcirculation of the secondary organ, exit from the vasculature in the secondary site (a process known as extravasation), and finally growth and establishment of metastatic foci. The relevant molecular events that occur within this metastatic cascade can accurately be studied only with in vivo animal model systems. Quantification of the in vivo model systems is often difficult. Our laboratory has recently established quantitative in vivo assays for angiogenesis [1] and human tumor cell metastasis [2] employing the developing chick embryo as the host animal. These assays are more facile (allowing for molecular intervention) and more rapid (occurring over a 3–7 day time period) than the standard in vivo mouse assays which often require 2 weeks to 2 months duration. One of the protein families that we have examined for their possible functional role in our angiogenesis and/or metastasis models are the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). These enzymes, secreted or membrane anchored, are produced by distinct cell types and have been shown to cleave a variety of extracellular matrix components and also to activate by select cleavage other MMPs, growth factors and cytokines. In the angiogenesis model system we have shown that a sub-set of the MMPs, namely the interstitial collagenases, contribute a rate-limiting reaction to the vascular remodeling events that precede new blood vessel formation. We have been able to demonstrate the specific involvement of these collagenases by taking advantage of a genetically modified type I collagen (r/r collagen). This collagen is mutated at a single locus such that it is resistant specifically to cleavage by interstitial collagenases but is equal to wild type in its susceptibility to the gelatinases. When this mutant collagen is used in vivo as the underlying substratum, the sprouting endothelial cells exhibit a dramatically reduced ability to form new blood vessels when compared to their ability to do so on wild type collagen. The distinct MMPs that contribute to the specific cleavage of collagen in the angiogenesis model system are being identified and characterized. In the metastasis model system, specific MMP inhibitors have been shown to block some of the aforementioned steps in the metastatic cascade. One step that appears to be Matrix Metalloproteases and Tumor Dissemination
Gamma decay of the first two {ce:inline-formula}T = 3/2{/ce:inline-formula} states of 15N

Abstract Gamma transitions from the first two {ce:inline-formula}T = 3/2{/ce:inline-formula} states of 15N have been studied via the reaction 14C(p,γ) 15N. The angular distributions of the three transitions from the lowest {ce:inline-formula}T = 3/2{/ce:inline-formula} state at {ce:inline-formula}E x = 11.61MeV{/ce:inline-formula} are isotropic, in agreement with the {ce:inline-formula}J π = 1/2 +{/ce:inline-formula} assignment for the state. For the second {ce:inline-formula}T = 3/2{/ce:inline-formula} state at {ce:inline-formula}E x = 12.52MeV{/ce:inline-formula} the angular distributions are in agreement with {ce:inline-formula}J π = 5/2 +{/ce:inline-formula}. The transitions {ce:inline-formula}12.52 → 5.27{/ce:inline-formula} and {ce:inline-formula}12.52 → 6.33MeV{/ce:inline-formula} are essentially pure Ml and pure E1, respectively. A comparison of the strength of the allowed {ce:inline-formula}β −{/ce:inline-formula} decay of the 15C ground state (the supposed parent analogue state of the 11.61 MeV state of 15N) to the 5.30 MeV state of 15N with the strength of the {ce:inline-formula}11.61 → 5.30MeV{/ce:inline-formula} γ-transition in 15N suggests a considerable contribution from the orbital part in the M1 matrix element. The Zuker-Buck-McGrory shell-model wave functions for 15N give a qualitative description of the observed γ-decay. But the disagreement in decay strengths between theory and experiment and the omission of the known 1p{ce:inline-formula} 3/2{/ce:inline-formula} hole state (6.33 MeV) suggest the need of 12C core excitation in the ZBM calculation.
FLRF, a novel evolutionarily conserved RING finger gene, is differentially expressed in mouse fetal and adult hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors.

Through differential screening of mouse hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) and progenitor subtracted cDNA libraries we have identified a HSC-specific transcript that represents a novel RING finger gene, named FLRF (fetal liver ring finger). FLRF represent a novel evolutionarily highly conserved RING finger gene, present in Drosophila, zebrafish, Xenopus, mouse, and humans. Full-length cDNA clones for mouse and human gene encode an identical protein of 317 amino acids with a C3HC4 RING finger domain at the amino terminus. During embryonic hematopoiesis FLRF is abundantly transcribed in mouse fetal liver HSC (Sca-1+c-kit+AA4.1+Lin- cells), but is not expressed in progenitors (AA4.1-). In adult mice FLRF is not transcribed in a highly enriched population of bone marrow HSC (Rh-123lowSca-1+c-kit+Lin- cells). Its expression is upregulated in a more heterogeneous population of bone marrow HSC (Lin-Sca-1+ cells), downregulated as they differentiate into progenitors (Lin-Sca-1- cells), and upregulated as progenitors differentiate into mature lymphoid and myeloid cell types. The human FLRF gene that spans a region of at least 12 kb and consists of eight exons was localized to chromosome 12q13, a region with frequent chromosome aberrations associated with multiple cases of acute myeloid leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The analysis of the genomic sequence upstream of the first exon in the mouse and human FLRF gene has revealed that both putative promoters contain multiple putative binding sites for several hematopoietic (GATA-1, GATA-2, GATA-3, Ikaros, SCL/Tal-1, AML1, MZF-1, and Lmo2) and other transcription factors, suggesting that mouse and human FLRF expression could be regulated in a developmental and cell-specific manner during hematopoiesis. Evolutionary conservation and differential expression in fetal and adult HSC and progenitors suggest that the FLRF gene could play an important role in HSC/progenitor cell lineage commitment and differentiation and could be involved in the etiology of hematological malignancies.
Regionalization of Precipitation Characteristics in Montana Using L-Moments

Dimensionless precipitation-frequency curves for estimating precipitation depths having small exceedance probabilities were developed for 2-, 6-, and 24-hour storm durations for three homogeneous regions in Montana. L-moment statistics were used to help define the homogeneous regions. The generalized extreme value distribution was used to construct the frequency curves for each duration within each region. The effective record length for each duration in each region was estimated using a graphical method and was found to range from 500 years for 6-hour duration data in Region 2 to 5,100 years for 24-hour duration data in Region 3. The temporal characteristics of storms were analyzed, and methods for estimating synthetic storm hyetographs were developed. Dimensionless depth-duration data were grouped by independent duration (2, 6, and 24 hours) and by region, and the beta distribution was fit to dimensionless depth data for various incremental time intervals. Ordinary least-squares regression was used to d...
Modal spectra extracted from nonequilibrium fluid patterns in laboratory experiments on Rayleigh-Bénard convection.

We describe a method to extract from experimental data the important dynamical modes in spatiotemporal patterns in a system driven out of thermodynamic equilibrium. Using a novel optical technique for controlling fluid flow, we create an experimental ensemble of Rayleigh-Benard convection patterns with nearby initial conditions close to the onset of secondary instability. An analysis of the ensemble evolution reveals the spatial structure of the dominant modes of the system as well as the corresponding growth rates. The extracted modes are related to localized versions of instabilities found in the ideal unbounded system. The approach may prove useful in describing instability in experimental systems as a step toward prediction and control.
Long-term survival in limited-stage small cell lung carcinoma: Experience in Rochester, New York from 1975 to 1981

All patients with limited-stage small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) diagnosed between January 1975 and 1981 in Rochester, New York, were collected. One hundred one patients were evaluable. By reviewing an entire community' s experience with long follow-up, we were able to describe the response rates and survival in a large unselected population and compare them to results from concurrent cooperative group studies. Median survival for the entire group was 51 weeks, with only 18% alive at 130 weeks. There was no evidence for improvement in response or survival during the 6 years of study. Treatment results in the community as a whole were no different from that seen with cooperative group studies. A group who had initial surgery followed by adjuvant therapy had a significantly better survival and more long-term survivors than those not receiving surgery, but rare long-term survivors were seen with all treatment categories. Except for this small surgical subgroup, no other characteristics could be identified which were predictably associated with long-term disease-free survival. The overall poor survival of patient with localized SCLC suggests a need for the development of novel initial approaches to therapy.
Gases of possible interest to SSC muon detectors

We have been exploring the development of multicomponent gas mixtures with optimal electron transport, gain, electrical and chemical properties of potential interest to the Superconducting Super Collider muon detectors focusing in particular on binary and ternary mixtures of Ar, N2, CO, CO2, CH4, CF4, NH3, and H2O. In this article, we report and discuss: (i) recent measurements of electron drift velocities as a function of the density-reduced electric field EN for CO2/CF4, CO2/CH4, CO2/N2, CO/Ar, Ar/Si(CH3)4, NH3/CF4/Ar, CO2/CF4/Ar, and H2O/CF4/Ar mixtures, (ii) calculated values of the mean electron energy as a function of E/N for a number of unitary gases and the gas mixtures CO2/CF4, CO2/CH4, and CF4/Ar, and (iii) effective ionization coefficients as a function of E/N for Ar/CF4, Ar/CO2, CO2/CH4, and mixtures of Ar/CF4 containing CO2 or H2O. Addition of CO2 or H2O or NH3 to CF4/Ar causes electron “cooling” and increases the electron yield; the addition of H2O (or NH3) may, also, improve the detector aging performance. Mixtures of Ar/CF4 with CO2 or H2O appear promising. All results reported are for the case of zero magnetic field.