cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RELATIVISTIC DISTORTED-WAVE COLLISION STRENGTHS AND OSCILLATOR STRENGTHS FOR THE 45Δn=0 TRANSITIONS WITH n=2 IN THE 79 O-LIKE IONS WITH 14≤Z≤92

Relativistic distorted-wave collision strengths have been calculated for the 45 Δn=0 transitions with n=2 in the 79 O-like ions with nuclear charge number Z in the range 14≤Z≤92. The calculations were made for the six final, or scattered, electron energies E′=0.03, 0.08, 0.20, 0.42, 0.80, and 1.40, where E′ is in units of Z2eff Ry with Zeff=Z−5.83. In addition, the transition energies and electric dipole oscillator strengths are given. To our knowledge the present work is the first comprehensive publication of the results of fully relativistic calculations of the collision strengths for excitation of highly charged O-like ions.
Convexifying Multilinear Sets with Cardinality Constraints: Structural Properties, Nested Case and Extensions

The problem of minimizing a multilinear function of binary variables is a well-studied NP-hard problem. The set of solutions of the standard linearization of this problem is called the multilinear set. We study a cardinality constrained version of it with upper and lower bounds on the number of nonzero variables. We call the set of solutions of the standard linearization of this problem a multilinear set with cardinality constraints. We characterize a set of conditions on these multilinear terms (called properness) and observe that under these conditions the convex hull description of the set is tractable via an extended formulation. We then give an explicit polyhedral description of the convex hull when the multilinear terms have a nested structure. Our description has an exponential number of inequalities which can be separated in polynomial time. Finally, we generalize these inequalities to obtain valid inequalities for the general case.
Arabidopsis thaliana as a model for studying Sclerotinia sclerotiorum pathogenesis

Abstract Among the economically important plant pathogens, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum has an unusually broad host range attacking a wide range of crop plants. Pathogenesis of S. sclerotiorum is complex and not fully understood. Recent work in our laboratories has demonstrated the importance of oxalic acid (OA) in the infection process. S. sclerotiorum mutants specifically deficient in oxalic acid production are unable to infect host plants. We explored the possibility of using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model host due to its attractive genetic features. Here we show that Sclerotinia sclerotiorum readily infects A. thaliana. Moreover, OA mutants of S. sclerotiorum are non-pathogenic in A. thaliana. Thus, A. thaliana is not only a suitab e host for the fungus, but pathogenesis is likely to proceed in a manner similar to that described for its natural hosts. We have identified bacterial strains capable of degrading OA using a plate bioassay technique. Furthermore, using a plant bioassay, we show that these bacterial strains can prevent S. sclerotiorum infection in A. thaliana. These bacterial strains will serve as a source for isolating gene(s) for oxalic acid degradation. These genes may be useful in developing transgenic crop plants resistant to S. sclerotiorum infection.
Robustness of the negative binomial distribution to model purchase incidence: A simulation study

Negative Binomial Distribution (NBD) has been widely employed in marketing to model purchase incidence. In this paper, we undertake a simulation study to examine the sensitivity of NBD when the number of purchases in a given period is Poisson or Erlang 2 but the underlying heterogeneity is different from gamma. In particular, we allow the heterogeneity to follow three other flexible and well-known distributions: inverse Gaussian, lognormal and Weibull. All these distributions have shapes that are similar to the gamma. Moreover, we evaluate the performance of three alternative models namely, the Condensed Negative Binomial (CNBD), the Generalized Negative Binomial (GNBD) and the Generalized Poisson (GPD). Our simulation results indicate that NBD is robust to the violation of gamma heterogeneity when the interpurchase time is exponential and the coefficient of variation of the heterogeneity distribution is either low or moderate. CNBD exhibits similar robustness when the interpurchase time is Erlang 2. Howe...
Purification and properties of leucyl-tRNA synthetase from Bakers' yeast.

Abstract Leucyl-tRNA synthetase from bakers' yeast was purified to homogeneity and characterized. The native enzyme has a molecular weight of 120,000 and contains two identical subunits that upon dissociation display very low aminoacylation activity. From the molecular weight and the sedimentation coefficient of the native enzyme (s20,w0 = 6.05 x 10-13) a value of 5.18 x 10-7 was calculated for d20,w0, which leads to a Stokes radius of 40.7 A. For a spherical molecule this radius corresponds to a volume of 282,000 A3. The kinetic parameters for the enzyme with its substrates are typical for this class of enzymes.
Purification and characterization of two G-proteins that activate the beta 1 isozyme of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C. Identification as members of the Gq class.

Plasma membranes from bovine liver contain a phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate-specific phospholipase C (PLC) activity that is activated by guanine nucleotides. The G-proteins involved retained their ability to activate bovine brain PLC-beta 1 in a guanosine 5‘-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S)-dependent manner following extraction from the membranes with cholate and reconstitution with phospholipids. This reconstitution assay was used to purify the G-proteins by chromatography on heparin-Sepharose, DEAE-Sephacel, octyl-Sepharose, hydroxylapatite, Mono Q, and Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration. Gel electrophoresis showed that two alpha-subunits with molecular mass of 42 and 43 kDa were isolated to a high degree of purity, together with a beta-subunit. Neither alpha-subunit was a substrate for pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation. Gel filtration of the final activity indicated an apparent molecular mass of 95 kDa, suggesting the presence of an alpha beta gamma heterotrimer. Immunological data revealed that the 42- and 43-kDa proteins were related to alpha-subunits of the Gq class recently purified from brain (Pang, I.-H., and Sternweis, P. C. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 18707-18712) and identified by molecular cloning (Strathmann, M., and Simon, M. I. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 87, 9113-9117). The activation of PLC-beta 1 by the purified G-protein preparation was specific for nonhydrolyzable guanine nucleotides, the efficacy decreasing in order GTP gamma S greater than guanylimidodiphosphate greater than guanylyl(beta,gamma-methylene)-diphosphonate. Half-maximal activation required 4 microM GTP gamma S suggesting that the affinity of the G-proteins for GTP analogues is low. The GTP gamma S-dependent activation of PLC-beta 1 required millimolar Mg2+ and was inhibited by guanosine 5‘-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) and by excess beta gamma-subunits. Aluminum fluoride also activated PLC-beta 1 in the presence of the G-proteins. The G-proteins were inactive toward PLC-gamma 1 or PLC-delta 1. In summary, these findings identify two G-protein activators of PLC-beta 1 that have the properties of heterotrimeric G-proteins and are members of the Gq class.
The merger of the international union of Mine, Mill and Smelter workers into the United Steelworkers of America

(1974). The merger of the international union of Mine, Mill and Smelter workers into the United Steelworkers of America. Labor History: Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 36-43.
Recruiters' Assessment and Use of Social Capital in Résumé Screening1

An experiment was conducted with undergraduate business students to investigate how human resource (HR) recruiters use social capital conceptualized as friendship between applicants and the recruiter in screening resumes. Results showed that social capital influenced recruiters' assessment of applicants above and beyond human capital. In addition, the influence of friendship ties in applicant assessment was more prominent among female HR recruiters than among male recruiters. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed in the context of employee selection.
Exploration of Mono Lake with an ROV: a prototype experiment for the MAPS AUV program

Describes a field experiment to explore Mono Lake using the Telepresence Controlled Remotely Operated Vehicle (TROV). It was a prototype study demonstrating the science capabilities defined for an AUV developed by a consortium called MAPS. The goal was to study mineralization processes associated with thermal and nonthermal spring inflow into Mono Lake, a hypersaline, alkaline lake in eastern California located in a volcanically active area. TROV is a tethered ROV which can be controlled using a virtual reality user interface. It has a matched pair of stereo video cameras on a rapid pan and tilt platform and a single fixed downward pointing camera. It has high resolution 750 kHz pencil beam SONAR and 1 MHz scanning SONAR for navigating in the murky water, instruments for measuring water column properties (C,T,D, pH), a syringe water sampler, and a three function manipulator arm used to collect mineral samples and place them in a sample box mounted on the vehicle. TROV was navigated using a DiveTracker acoustic navigation system. TROV was deployed from the deck of a houseboat anchored above the field sites with control and data recording equipment also onboard. The boat's location was continuously recorded using a differential GPS system. During 10 days of field operations, TROV had a total of 38 hours of bottom time.
Optimized radiofrequency resonators for high field NMR clinical imaging

In high field (>4 Tesla) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, a major challenge is the design of radiofrequency (RF) coils that exhibit a good signal to noise ratio, tangential magnetic field (B/sub 1/) uniformity, and low specific absorption rate (SAR) in the biological tissues. As the static magnetic field increases, the frequency of operation rises and consequently the electrical dimensions of the head/body and the RF coil become comparable to the operational wavelength. Thus, for these high field systems, the need for an accurate full wave analysis is very apparent to accurately study the electromagnetic interactions between the head/body and the coil. In this work, in accordance with the suggestion of Chen et al. (1998) both the RF coil and the human head are modeled as a single system using the FDTD method. A complete analysis of the TEM resonator (Vaughan et al. 1994) is presented. The FDTD representation accurately models the geometrical structure of the coil including the excitation source, coaxial rods, and the shield. The simulations were performed using a newly developed anatomically detailed human head model with 18 tissue types. Furthermore, new excitation techniques that utilize phased array concepts are proposed and evaluated in 8, 16, and 24 struts TEM resonators.
46th Mary McMillan Lecture: Not Eureka

Lynn Snyder-Mackler, PT, PhD, ScD, ATC, SCS, FAPTA, for more than 25 years, has been a leader in developing evidence-based approaches for the rehabilitation of knee injuries, educating new physical therapy professionals and mentoring future rehabilitation scientists. She has received almost all of APTA's distinguished awards and is an international leader in physical therapy. Holding several positions and appointments at the University of Delaware, Dr Snyder-Mackler is Alumni Distinguished Professor of Physical Therapy, Academic Director of the Delaware Physical Therapy Clinic, Faculty Athletics Representative, and Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering. She is also a visiting researcher for the Norwegian Research Center for Active Rehabilitation. Dr Snyder-Mackler earned a bachelor of arts from Johns Hopkins University, a certificate in physical therapy and a master of science in organizational behavior from the University of Pennsylvania, and an ScD in applied anatomy and physiology from Boston University. Named a Catherine Worthingham Fellow in 2003, Dr Snyder-Mackler has earned many other APTA honors, including the Eugene Michels New Investigator Award, Golden Pen Award, Chattanooga Research Award, Marian Williams Award, Helen J. Hislop Award, Orthopaedic Section Steven J. Rose Award, and Section on Research John H.P. Maley Award. I thank President Rockar and the Board of Directors for honoring me (Fig. 1). While I may be in doubt that I deserve this honor over others, there is no question of my happiness in receiving it. We in Delaware have had a tough couple of weeks. Steve Cope, who used his innovative harness systems to give mobility to those with disabilities, whose test kitchen was our new University of Delaware physical therapy home at STAR Campus, died after a very brief illness on May 20. Our colleague and friend, Seema Sonnad, a world-renowned health services researcher who codirected the Value Institute at Christiana Care in Delaware, …
Lipid Self‐Assembly

This article has no abstract. Keywords: phase behavior; hydrophobic effect; packing parameter; lipids; vesicles; GUV; phospholipids; cholesterol; micelles; lamellar phase; gel phase
Intraepithelial and postinvasive neoplasia as a stochastic continuum of clonal evolution, and its relationship to mechanisms of chemopreventive drug action

The progression of intraepithelial and postinvasive neoplasia depends on the occurrence of clonal evolution, defined as the continuous development of mutations and selective clonal expansions in the neoplastic cell population. The two continuously repeating events of clonal evolution, mutation and clonal expansion, occur at unpredictable times and locations. Therefore the neoplastic process is best characterized as a stochastic, i.e., probabilistic, continuum. The rate of intraepithelial neoplastic progression is continuously driven by the dosage level of exposure to mutagens and mitogens. For example, in chronic smokers the length of time before development of lung cancer depends on the number of cigarettes smoked per day. A commonly held misconception is that human carcinogenesis develops after an initial short period of mutation followed by a long period of stimulated proliferation (the multistage model). This incorrect idea derives from the sequential nature of the consecutive two- or three-step operational protocols imposed on experimental animal models by the experimenter. In reality, human carcinogenesis develops as the result of simultaneous and continuous exposure to mutagens and mitogens over the entire period of tumor development. A recent example is the finding that the intraepithelial neoplasia of colorectal adenomas continuously progresses through serial waves of mutation and clonal expansion. The rational design of chemopreventive agents should be based on blocking the two parameters which continuously drive neoplasia: mutagenesis and mitogenesis. In addition to blocking exposure, chemopreventive agents may act at many points during activation and DNA adduction of mutagens, or during stimulation of the proliferation signal pathway by mitogens. Based on the chemopreventive strategy of blocking mutagenesis and mitogenesis, chemopreventive agents are classed as either antimutagenic or antimitogenic. A third class, the antioxidants, are both antimutagenic and antimitogenic, and operate by the common mechanism of breaking free radical chain reactions initiated by reactive oxygen species. In the program of the Chemoprevention Investigational Studies Branch, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Cancer Institute, preclinical development of antimutagens, antimitogens, and antioxidants is well under way, and some of these agents are highlighted here.
Progressive accumulation of toxic metabolite in a genetic leukodystrophy

Progressive accumulation of a cytotoxic metabolite, galactosylsphingosine (psychosine), was found in the brain of the twitcher mouse, a mutant caused by genetic deficiency of galactosylceramidase. Similar abnormal accumulation was also found in the brain of the genetic galactosylceramidase deficiency disease in the dog and in human patients (globoid cell leukodystrophy or Krabbe disease). Galactosylphingosine was absent in the brains of normal and heterozygous mice. The finding provides support for the psychosine hypothesis as the biochemical pathogenetic mechanism of globoid cell leukodystrophy. Analogous mechanisms may be important in the pathogenesis of other genetic lysosomal diseases.
Comparative In Vitro Activity of Azlocillin, Ampicillin, Mezlocillin, Piperacillin, and Ticarcillin, Alone and in Combination with an Aminoglycoside

The in vitro activities of the newer semisynthetic penicillins azlocillin, mezlocillin, and piperacillin were compared with those of ampicillin and ticarcillin by using 290 clinical laboratory isolates. Piperacillin and mezlocillin were the most active against Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella spp., and Enterobacter spp. When Pseudomonas aeruginosa was tested, piperacillin and azlocillin were more active than either mezlocillin or ticarcillin. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae species were highly susceptible to all of the penicillins tested. Ticarcillin had relatively poor activity against enterococci. The rate of bacterial killing with multiples of the minimal inhibitory concentration of azlocillin, ampicillin, or ticarcillin was tested for E. coli, P. mirabilis, P. aeruginosa , and Klebsiella spp. Increasing concentrations increased the bactericidal effect. The effect of combining azlocillin, ampicillin, or ticarcillin with an aminoglycoside was studied by using both killing curves and checkerboards. The isobolograms constructed from the checkerboards showed a synergistic pattern for the organisms tested, which included E. coli, P. aeruginosa, Klebsiella spp., P. mirabilis , and enterococci. However, the rate of killing was increased by the combination only for P. aeruginosa and enterococci.
Maximum entropy estimation of directional wave spectra from an array of wave probes

Abstract A procedure for estimating directional wave spectra from an array of wave probes based on the Maximum Entropy Method (MEM) is developed in the present paper. The MEM approach yields an angular spreading function at each frequency band consistent with the input cross-spectral density matrix. The method is evaluated using numerical simulations of directional sea states. The MEM is also used to analyze data obtained from the three-dimensional wave basin of the Hydraulics Laboratory, National Research Council of Canada. Finally, the MEM is compared with the Maximum Likelihood Method (MLM) and is shown to be a powerful tool for directional wave analysis.
Glycoprotein characteristics of the sodium channel saxitoxin-binding component from mammalian sarcolemma

The saxitoxin-binding component of the excitable membrane sodium channel exhibits glycoprotein characteristics as evidenced by its specific interaction with various agarose-immobilized lectins. The detergent-solubilized saxitoxin-binding component interacts quantitatively with immobilized wheat germ agglutinin and concanavalin A and fractionally with immobilized Lens culinaris hemagglutinin and Ricinus communis agglutinin. These lectins preferentially bind N-acetylglucosamine and sialic acid (wheat germ agglutinin), mannose (concanavalin A and Lens cunilaris) and galactose (Ricinus communis). Removal of terminal sialic acid residues by neuraminidase markedly decreases binding to immobilized wheat germ agglutinin but uncovers sites capable of interacting with lectins specific for galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine. beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, an exoglycosidase, has no effect on the binding of the channel protein to wheat germ agglutinin. Similarly, phospholipase C has no effect on binding of the solubilized toxin binding component to this lectin. Neither wheat germ agglutinin nor concanavalin A free in solution alters the number of toxin binding sites or their affinity for toxin. The sodium channel saxitoxin-binding component to wheat germ agglutinin. Similarly, phospholipase C has no effect on binding of the solubilized toxin binding component to this lectin. Neither wheat germ agglutinin nor concanavalin A free in solution alters the number of toxin binding sites or their affinity for toxin. The sodium channel saxitoxin-binding component to wheat germ agglutinin. Similarly, phospholipase C has no effect on binding of the solubilized toxin binding component to this lectin. Neither wheat germ agglutinin nor concanavalin A free in solution alters the number of toxin binding sites or their affinity for toxin. The sodium channel saxitoxin-binding component appears to be a glycoprotein containing terminal sialic acid residues and internal mannose, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, and N-acetylgalactosamine residues. The toxin binding site is spatially separated from the binding sites for the lectins studied. The effect of these sugar moieties must be considered when evaluating the biophysical parameters of the sodium channel.
Kyphoplasty versus vertebroplasty to increase vertebral body height : A cadaveric study

PURPOSE: To prospectively compare the vertebral height restoration achieved with kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty in fresh cadavers by using multi–detector row computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional review board approval was not required because the donors had registered in and consented to an anatomic gift program prior to their death. Thirty-seven vertebrae were harvested from four donated cadavers of elderly female individuals (mean age, 82 years; age range at death, 73–87 years). The vertebrae were dissected free of the surrounding muscles and imaged with multi–detector row CT. Compression fractures were induced, and the vertebrae were again imaged. The vertebrae were randomized to be treated with kyphoplasty (n = 19) or vertebroplasty (n = 18) and were then imaged at multi–detector row CT. The anterior, central, and posterior vertebral body heights and wedge angles were measured in the midsagittal plane of the reformatted images. The amount of cement injected was determined by w...
Occupational physical activity and breast cancer risk in the upper Cape Cod cancer incidence study.

Background In several epidemiological studies, breast cancer risk has been reduced among women who reported high levels of occupational or leisure-time physical activity. We used data from a population-based case control study to evaluate the effect of occupational physical activity on breast cancer risk. Methods Two hundred-thirty three incident cases of breast cancer and 670 controls or their next of kin were interviewed for information on breast cancer risk factors and a complete job history. Physical activity level of jobs were classified using a Department of Labor rating scheme. We calculated adjusted odds ratios for light and medium/heavy activity jobs compared to sedentary jobs. Results Odds ratios for women who held medium/heavy jobs for less than 10 years and more than ten years were, respectively, 0.7 (95% CI = 0.4,1.3) and 1.7 (95% CI = 0.9,3.3). Conclusions In these data there was no evidence that holding a job of medium/heavy activity reduced breast cancer risk. The study was limited by misclassification inherent in the occupational exposure scheme and by the lack of information on leisure time physical activity. The modest risk increase for subjects holding a medium/heavy job for at least 10 years probably represents either confounding or random variation. Am. J. Ind. Med. 36: 279–285, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Applied cancer prevention in practice

In 1982, more than 125,000 cancer cases in the United States should be preventable. Every physician should advise all patients to eliminate all tobacco use, moderate alcohol use, avoid the use of drugs which are carcinogenic, minimize sun and x-ray exposure, maintain an ideal weight, and follow a ''prudent'' diet. Secondary prevention efforts would include the American Cancer Society recommendations for the early detection of cancer in asymptomatic persons. Worldwide epidemiologic studies suggest that over 80% of human cancer is due to factors in the environment such as diet, life style, and synthetic chemical contaminants, and perhaps a complex interaction of factors including genetic susceptibility. Current research into the mechanisms of carcinogenesis and in the role of diet in cancer cause, are underway. Chemoprevention of cancer may someday be possible using retinoids, vaccines, and diet alteration.
Increased Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) Concentrations and Eosinophils in the Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid of Preterm Infants Delivered Following Chorioamnionitis. † 1564

Increased Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) Concentrations and Eosinophils in the Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid of Preterm Infants Delivered Following Chorioamnionitis. † 1564
Pulsar dispersion measures and the mean and mean-squared interstellar electron density

Theoretical distributions of pulsar dispersion measures (times sinbII) are computed for various assumed pulsar spatial distributions above (and below) the galactic plane, assuming a distribution for the ionized gas. The statistics on the twelve high-latitude pulsars lead to the conclusion that the pulsar distribution inz is at least as broad as the distribution of the ionized gas. The value derived for the local mean interstellar electron density in the galactic plane is 0.12 cm−3 and is interpreted to be due to a uniform ionized intercloud medium.
Adaptive Bayesian design for phase I dose-finding trials using a joint model of response and toxicity.

We present a new adaptive Bayesian method for dose-finding in phase I clinical trials based on both response and toxicity. Although clinical responses are usually rare in phase I cancer trials, molecularly targeted therapy may make clinical responses more likely. In addition, biological responses may be common. Thus responses may be frequent enough to help decide how aggressive a phase I escalation should be. The model assumes that response and toxicity events happen depending on respective dose thresholds for the individual, assuming that the thresholds jointly follow a bivariate log-normal distribution or a mixture. The design utilizes prior information about the population threshold distribution as well as accumulated data. The next dose is assigned to maximize a patient-oriented expected utility integrated over the current posterior distribution. The design is evaluated through simulation with population parameters equaling estimates from early Gleevec trials. This exercise provides evidence for the v...
You must be joking...: cares about the endangered species

For those of us in academia, tenure is great. Unless you don't have it, in which case it pretty much sucks. In fact, it goes beyond sucking: it kills. Mainly your personal life, sometimes your spirit. I claim that assistant professors are an endangered species. Are we heading towards an environmental disaster that is going to destabilize the academic ecosystem or did I just have too much to drink last night? Either way, I think I deserve the Noble prize for Peace.
Model performance for the determination of appropriate harvest levels in the case of data-poor stocks

The determination of harvest limits for data-poor and data-limited stocks poses unique challenges for traditional complex stock assessment methods. Simulation is used to examine the performance of two new data-poor assessment methods, Depletion Corrected Average Catch (DCAC) and Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis (DB-SRA), and a more complex catch-at-age method, Stock Synthesis (SS), in terms of estimating harvest levels for two life-history types (U.S. west coast flatfish and rockfish) under varying mis-specifications of parameter distributions. DCAC and DB-SRA are fairly robust to mis-specification of the distributions for natural mortality and the productivity parameter (the fishing mortality rate that corresponds to maximum sustainable yield relative to natural mortality) for the flatfish life-history, but led to greater error for the rockfish life-history when estimating harvest levels that would not result in overfishing. SS estimates of the harvest level increased when natural mortality was set to a higher value than the true value for both life-histories. Both DCAC and DB-SRA were highly sensitive to the assumed distribution for the ratio of the current to starting biomass and provided overestimates of the harvest level when based on an overly optimistic value for this ratio.
Bilateral abductor vocal cord paralysis in association with herpes simplex infection: A case report

Bilateral abductor vocal cord paralysis can be a life-threatening condition that may be initially unrecognized because of the lack of voice symptoms. In adults, the majority of cases are iatrogenic; however, 3% to 14% of cases have no identifiable cause.’ Viruses and other cranial nerve palsies probably cause many of the unexplained vocal cord paralyses, but much of the evidence to support this is presumptive. Absolute diagnosis requires isolation and identification of the virus that can be very difficult.’ Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is postulated to cause a polyganglionitis that includes vocal cord paralysis.3 We report a case of bilateral abductor vocal cord paralysis after the onset of herpes labialis.
Detection of fracture and quantitative assessment of displacement measures in pelvic X-RAY images

Fracture detection in cases of traumatic pelvic injuries is crucial for rapid and successful patient treatment. Initial diagnosis is typically made via X-ray images, which can be challenging and time-consuming to analyze due to their low resolution and the differing visual characteristics of fractures by their location. This paper presents a fracture detection method for the pelvic ring based on Discrete Wavelet Transform and boundary tracing applied to windows extracted from the ring, as defined by prior automated region segmentation via a deformable Spline/ASM model. Results so far are promising, and indicate that the approach can extract useful features for a trauma decision-making system to assist physicians and improve patient care.
γ-Tubulin is present in Drosophila melanogaster and homo sapiens and is associated with the centrosome

The mipA gene of A. nidulans encodes a newly discovered member of the tubulin superfamily of proteins, gamma-tubulin. In A. nidulans, gamma-tubulin is essential for nuclear division and microtubule assembly and is associated with the spindle pole body, the fungal microtubule organizing center. By low stringency hybridizations we have cloned cDNAs from D. melanogaster and H. sapiens, the predicted products of which share more than 66% amino acid identity with A. nidulans gamma-tubulin. gamma-Tubulin-specific antibodies stained centrosomes of Drosophila, human, and mouse cell lines. Staining was most intense in prophase through metaphase when microtubule assembly from centrosomes was maximal. These results demonstrate that gamma-tubulin genes are present and expressed in humans and flies; they suggest that gamma-tubulin may be a universal component of microtubule organizing centers; and they are consistent with an earlier hypothesis that gamma-tubulin is a minus-end nucleator of microtubule assembly.
Prognostic factors and staging in multiple myeloma.

The field of multiple myeloma prognostication is replete with studies that have shown the value of independent predictors in determining clinical outcome. It is clear that host factors and factors intrinsic to the cells are the ultimate determinants of prognosis. In the immediate period after diagnosis, those factors related to the host are likely to be more relevant, whereas with passing time factors intrinsic to the cells predominate. At a minimum, we recommend that a comprehensive molecular cytogenetic assessment be performed at diagnosis, together with conventional evaluation, including β 2 -microglobulin and albumin. In addition, information on proliferative activity of plasma cells may be of value. The introduction of novel methods of prognostication should be strongly considered in all clinical trials.
Distribution of pyruvote kinase isozymes among rat organs

Abstract Pyruvate kinase isozymes were isolated in several variable forms using column isoelectric focusing techniques. Five separable forms of the kidney cortex (K-type) isozyme migrated toward the cathode when subjected to electrophoresis on cellulose acetate, but not necessarily with identical mobilities. The isolatedliver (L-type) isozyme migrated toward the anode, as a split activity band; whereas, the isolated muscle (M-type) isozyme remained at the origin. Homogenates from 11 rat organs also were subjected to cellulose acetate electrophoresis and then examined for pyruvate kinase activity. A total of at least five distinct activity bands were observed. However, comparison to the data obtained using enzymes previously separated showed that two of these could be variants of the K-type isozyme, and two could be L-type variants. The fifth band was M-type enzyme. These data thus support the concept that only three basic forms of pyruvate kinase exist in the rat. The K-type enzyme, in its variant forms, was the most widely distributed isozyme. Extracts of the rat organs also were subjected to gel electrofocusing. No evidence of isozymes other than K, L, or M types was obtained.
The shorthand bone age assessment: a simpler alternative to current methods.

Background Radiographic assessment of skeletal age in pediatric patients is a common practice among orthopaedic surgeons. Current methods of assessment remain labor intensive and require special resources. This study sought to investigate a novel, abridged method of bone age assessment that may serve as a simpler and more efficient alternative to the current standard. Methods A shorthand bone age (SBA) method developed at our institution was compared against the Greulich and Pyle method from which it was derived. Standard left hand bone age radiographs of 140 male and 120 female patients, previously assigned skeletal ages ranging from 12.5 to 16 years in males and 10 to 16 years in females by musculoskeletal radiologists using the Greulich and Pyle radiographic atlas, were read using the shorthand method by 3 attending pediatric orthopaedic surgeons and an orthopaedic surgery resident. The shorthand method utilizes a single, univariable criterion for each age, rather than a multivariable subjective comparison to a radiographic atlas. All reviewers were blinded to the original bone age determination. Interobserver reliability, intraobserver reliability, and agreement with the previous records utilizing the atlas were calculated using weighted κ. Results The SBA method readings demonstrated substantial agreement with readings by the Greulich and Pyle atlas, demonstrating weighted κ values ranging from 0.71 to 0.75. The SBA method also demonstrated substantial to almost perfect interobserver and intraobserver reliability, with values ranging from 0.77 to 0.87 and from 0.87 to 0.95, respectively. Conclusions These results are comparable or superior to previous reports which investigate the validity and reliability of other skeletal age assessment tools. The SBA assessment tool offers a simple and efficient alternative to current methods. Level of evidence Diagnostic study, level III.
Progressive supranuclear palsy: Clinical features and response to treatment in 16 patients

Among 415 patients with parkinsonism, 16 (3.9%) had findings of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). This report reviews the clinical features and response to drug therapy in those 16 patients. Anticholinergic drugs failed to benefit any of the 5 patients treated, while presynaptic dopaminergic drugs (Sinemet or amantadine) were beneficial in only 5 of 22 patient trials. Alternatively, dopamine agonists (bromocriptine and pergolide) caused improvement in 9 of 14 patient trials despite the fact that all but 1 of these patients had previously failed to respond to presynaptic dopaminergic drugs. Dopamine agonists such as bromocriptine and pergolide may be useful in some patients with PSP.
All-Sky Doppler Interferometer (ASDI): Determinations of thermospheric wind and temperature fields over large regions of the upper atmosphere

A novel all-sky Doppler interferometer (ASDI) has been used to measure Doppler shifts and widths of nightglow emission lines from the upper atmosphere, thereby permitting determination of the neutral wind and temperature fields over regions up to 2000 km in diameter. The ASDI instrument consists of efficient all-sky (160 degree(s) field-of-view) input optics, a 100 mm aperture Fabry-Perot interferometer and output optics which focus 5 orders of the interference ring pattern superposed on the sky image onto a 512 X 512 pixel, LN2-cooled (-150 degree(s)C) CCD detector. Good quality CCD images of the midlatitude nightglow oxygen 630.0 nm red line (approximately equals 300 km altitude) and 557.7 nm green line (approximately equals 105 km altitude) and the OH 799.4 nm line (approximately equals 86 km altitude) are obtained in 5 - 15 min exposures. The image signal-to-noise ratio is sufficient for division of the 5 circular interference rings into 24 equal azimuthal sectors, so that Doppler shifts and widths for 120 distinct regions of the sky can be obtained from one exposure. Wind and temperature fields derived from the ASDI nightglow 630 nm measurements are compared for observations following the autumnal and the vernal equinoxes.
High-Temperature Properties of Steel for Fire Resistance Modeling of Structures

Fire is one of the most severe conditions to which structures can be subjected, and hence, the provision of appropriate fire safety measures for structural members is an important aspect of design. The recent introduction of performance-based codes has increased the use of computer-based models for fire resistance assessment. For evaluating the fire resistance of steel structures, high-temperature properties of steel are to be specified as input data. This paper reviews high-temperature constitutive relationships for steel currently available in American and European standards, and highlights the variation between these relationships through comparison with published experimental results. The effect of various constitutive models on overall fire resistance predictions is illustrated through case studies. It is also shown that high-temperature creep, which is not often included in constitutive models, has a significant influence on the fire response of steel structures. Results from the case studies are used to draw recommendations on the use of appropriate constitutive models for fire resistance assessment.
Thermochemical estimation of explosive energy output

Abstract The effective specific energy, E g , of an explosive in metal acceleration applications is less than that determined by detonation calorimetry, because internal energy remaining in the product gases late in their expansion does not take part in the acceleration. For CHNO explosives, a correlation is shown between the conversion of internal to kinetic energy by threefold expansion of the products, as calculated by the TIGER thermochemical code, and experimental values of E g . Specific energy is also correlated with the density of the explosive and with the o factor developed by Kamlet, which in turn involves the molecular weight and quantity of product gases and a simple estimate of the thermochemical energy of an explosive.
Genomic understanding of dinoflagellates

The phylum of dinoflagellates is characterized by many unusual and interesting genomic and physiological features, the imprint of which, in its immense genome, remains elusive. Much novel understanding has been achieved in the last decade on various aspects of dinoflagellate biology, but most remarkably about the structure, expression pattern and epigenetic modification of protein-coding genes in the nuclear and organellar genomes. Major findings include: 1) the great diversity of dinoflagellates, especially at the base of the dinoflagellate tree of life; 2) mini-circularization of the genomes of typical dinoflagellate plastids (with three membranes, chlorophylls a, c1 and c2, and carotenoid peridinin), the scrambled mitochondrial genome and the extensive mRNA editing occurring in both systems; 3) ubiquitous spliced leader trans-splicing of nuclear-encoded mRNA and demonstrated potential as a novel tool for studying dinoflagellate transcriptomes in mixed cultures and natural assemblages; 4) existence and expression of histones and other nucleosomal proteins; 5) a ribosomal protein set expected of typical eukaryotes; 6) genetic potential of non-photosynthetic solar energy utilization via proton-pump rhodopsin; 7) gene candidates in the toxin synthesis pathways; and 8) evidence of a highly redundant, high gene number and highly recombined genome. Despite this progress, much more work awaits genome-wide transcriptome and whole genome sequencing in order to unfold the molecular mechanisms underlying the numerous mysterious attributes of dinoflagellates.
Australian History: A Long Story

Australia's history is paradoxical. It has some of the oldest rocks on earth, yet its recorded history is relatively brief, usually measured from the first British colony established at what is now the city of Sydney in 1788. Yes, the Dutch and French had landed at a number of sites on the continent before this, but their visits didn't result in any long-term settlements. Also, as I noted in an earlier column (Flannery, 2011), the British pirate William Dampier landed on the west coast of Australia in 1699. When I was there last summer, I visited one of those landing sites, Shark Bay, which according to Alex George (1999) is almost as wild now as it was 400 years ago. One of the thrills of my trip to Western Australia was seeing Dampiera alata in bloom with its beautiful blue flowers (Scott & Negus, 2005). This is one of several plants named for this naturalist who brought plant, insect, and bird specimens back to England. As far as the natural history and, especially, the botany of Australia are concerned, the French actually did more of the early work than the British. And the Dutch were a formidable enough presence that the continent was referred to as "New Holland," even after British colonization began. The name "Australia" wasn't widely used until the British naval officer Matthew Flinders argued for its adoption after he had mapped the coastline while circumnavigating the continent. As I mentioned last month (Flannery, 2012), the botanist Robert Brown was a member of Flinders's party; a number of other British biologists also arrived in Australia on navy ships. The most notable is Charles Darwin on the Beagle , which sailed into Sydney Harbor in January 1836, more than 4 years after leaving England. In anticipation of the 200th …
Image-based compensation of dynamic effects in scanning tunnelling microscopes

In this paper, we address the problems associated with the identification and compensation of adverse dynamic effects (magnitude and phase distortions) that limit the operating speed in currently available scanning tunnelling microscopes (STMs). To minimize errors caused by dynamic effects, current STM systems are operated at relatively low speeds (scan frequencies) when compared to the first resonant frequency of the system. Low operating speed limits the temporal resolution of STMs, which in turn limits the STM's ability to observe fast surface phenomena, and reduces the throughput of STM-based applications such as nanofabrication. Our main contribution is the development of an image-based approach that exploits the extant imaging capabilities of the STM to identify and compensate for errors caused by unwanted dynamic effects, thereby enabling high-speed STM operation. The proposed image-based method is illustrated by applying it to an experimental STM.
On the usefulness of the 't Hooft and Adler transformations of the running coupling constant in perturbative quantum chromodynamics☆

Abstract It is argued that the 't Hooft transformation of the running coupling constant, in which the two-loop renormalization group (RG) function becomes exact, will be useful in the framework of perturbative quantum chromodynamics at least to three-loop order. On the other hand, the coupling constant expansion obtained by the Adler transformation, in which the RG equation takes its one-loop form, may suffer from large corrections in a finite order.
Effect of some physical and chemical factors on the rate of hydrolysis of Nitrapyrin (N-Serve)

Abstract The effectiveness of Nitrapyrin (NI) as a nitrification inhibitor is largely determined by the rate at which it is hydrolyzed. A procedure was developed in which Cl − liberated during NI hydrolysis was used to follow NI degradation in laboratory studies. The procedure allowed determination of Cl − from as little as 0.5 mg·l −1 Nitrapyrin and permitted analysis of up to 20 samples h −1 . The method must be restricted to experiments where background Cl −1 can be either removed by leaching or corrected for by use of control samples. Temperature was the most important factor affecting NI hydrolysis and the process was not biologically-mediated. The rate of hydrolysis was not affected by pH in the range 2.7–11.9, or by sorption on colloidal surfaces providing the surfaces remained in contact with the solution. Hydrolysis was slower in a soil at field moisture capacity than at saturation. The findings also showed that experiments conducted in containers with lipophilic components (e.g. rubber or polyethylene) may be suspect due to sorption of NI.
Lipids, protein and carbohydrate in over-wintered boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, from woods trash

Abstract 1. 1. The dry weight of diapausing boll weevils increased from 26 to 68% from November to March. 2. 2. The concentration of fatty acids in the neutral lipids averaged 130.2 ± 19.6 μ g/mg dry weight. The total fatty acids declined to 50.0 ± 1 μ g/mg dry weight over the period studied. 3. 2. The concentration of fatty acids in the neutral lipids averaged 130.2 ± 19.6 μ g/mg dry weight. The total fatty acids declined to 50.0 ± 1 μ g/mg dry weight over the period studied. 4. 3. The concentration of fatty acids in the polar lipids averaged 5.6 ± 1.6 μ g/mg dry weight; the range was 15.3-1.0 μg/mg dry weight; 5. 4. The average concentrations for protein and for carbohydrate were 337.0 ± 62.1 and 64.8 ± μ g/mg dry weight, respectively.
EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF AFFILIATION FACTORS EXISTENT AMONG MEMBERS OF SENIOR CENTERS

One hundred members, 60 years of age or older, of Seattle, Washington, senior citizen centers were interviewed for the purpose of determining educational implications of affiliation phenomenon. A modified semantic differential technique was used to determine the rank ordering of four affiliation factors. The results showed that members tend to affiliate with groups primarily to gather new information, second for stimulation, third for assistance, and fourth for self‐evaluation. The recommendations include the using of senior citizen centers as classroom environments for community colleges. Suggestions for further study call for an examination of how these factors would fit within the expressive/instrumental functions.
Direct commissural connections to the basket cells of the hippocampal dentate gyrus: anatomical evidence for feed-forward inhibition

After lesions were placed in the hippocampal commissures, degenerating terminals could be localized above, inside and beneath the granule cell layer of the contralateral dentate gyrus. The terminals formed asymmetric synapses with spines, dendritic shafts and somata of granule cells. Degenerating terminals also formed synapses with dendrites and somata of basket cells identified by the Golgi-electron microscope technique. These basket cells were located either at the hilar border of the granule cell layer or in the molecular layer and each formed an axonal plexus around the somata and proximal dendrites of granule cells. These observations provide an anatomical basis for the recently described feed-forward inhibition in this brain region.