cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Catecholamine localization, content, and metabolism in the gill of two lamellibranch molluscs.

1. 1. Catecholamines were localized in the branchial nerve within the gill epithelium of Mytilus edulis and Elliptio complanata. 2. 2. Denervation or treatment with reserpine depleted catecholamines within the branchial nerve in both species. 3. 3. Application of a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (nialamide) increased catecholamines in the gill. 4. 4. Chemical assays for catecholamines revealed large amounts of dopamine in E. complanata; no dopamine was detectable in M. edulis; norepinephrine was not detectable in either species. 5. 5. Intact gill was found to metabolize [l-3H]DOPA and [l-3H]tyrosine to [3H]dopamine but not to [3H]norepinephrine. 6. 6. This and other evidence implicate dopamine as a probable inhibitory agent in the control of ciliary motion of molluscs.
The relationships of communication with supervisor and decision‐participation to employee job satisfaction

This study examined the relationship of communication‐related variables to employee job satisfaction. Specifically, employee communication satisfaction with supervisor, perceived supervisor receptivity to information and ideas, employee participation in decision‐making, participation versus desired participation level, and job satisfaction with supervisor, co‐workers, promotions, pay, and work were studied. The subjects for the study were classified employees (secretaries, clerks, lowest level supervisors, etc) in three administrative units (Controller, Personnel, and Admissions & Records) of a comprehensive Eastern university. The communication‐related variables accounted collectively for a substantial amount of variance (76%) in employees job satisfaction. Moreover, communication satisfaction with supervisor and supervisor receptivity in information were found to be more powerful “predictors”; of job satisfaction than the decision participation variables. The study cast some doubt upon the comparative v...
Network coding meets decentralized control: Capacity-stabilizabililty equivalence

The main difference between centralized and decentralized control is the communication. Controllers in a decentralized system can communicate with each other to achieve their common goal. In this paper, we argue that even linear time-invariant controllers in a decentralized linear system “communicate” via linear network coding to stabilize the plant. To justify this argument, we propose an algorithm to “externalize” the implicit communication between controllers that we believe must be occurring to stabilize the plant. Based on this, we show that the stabilizability condition for decentralized linear systems comes from an underlying communication limit, which can be described by an algebraic mincut-maxflow theorem.
Tissue culture analysis of immunological capacity of snapping turtles.

Spleens obtained from the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina (Linne), have been analyzed for immunological competence in several in vitro systems. Spleen fragments can be maintained in tissue culture for several weeks under conditions permitting antibody formation. Such fragments can produce specific agglutinins to sheep or mouse red blood cells when presented with these antigens in vitro. Cells obtained from adult turtle spleens can elicit splenomegaly or hepatomegaly in vitro in a manner suggestive of a graft-versus-host reaction. Using these in vitro procedures, it has been observed that maturation of the immunological system of the turtle occurs several months after hatching, and that hibernating turtles are defective in immunological capacity. Histological studies indicate that the snapping turtle has cloaca-associated lymphoid tissues similar to the bursa of Fabricius.
Tomotherapy for prostate adenocarcinoma: a report on acute toxicity.

Abstract Background and purpose To analyze the impact of Tomotherapy (TOMO) intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) on acute gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicity in prostate cancer. Materials and methods The records of 55 consecutively treated TOMO patients were reviewed. Additionally a well-matched group of 43 patients treated with LINAC-based step and shoot IMRT (LINAC) was identified. Acute toxicity was scored according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group acute toxicity criterion. Results The grade 2–3 acute GU toxicity rates for the TOMO vs. LINAC groups were 51% vs. 28% ( p =0.001). Acute grade 2 GI toxicity was 25% vs. 40% ( p =0.024), with no grade 3 GI toxicity in either group. In univariate analysis, androgen deprivation, prostate volume, pre-treatment urinary toxicity, and prostate dose homogeneity correlated with acute GI and GU toxicity. With multivariate analysis use of Tomotherapy, median bladder dose and bladder dose homogeneity remained significantly correlated with GU toxicity. Conclusions Acute GI toxicity for prostate cancer is improved with Tomotherapy at a cost of increased acute GU toxicity possibly due to differences in bladder and prostate dose distribution.
A demographic examination of grandparent caregivers in the Census 2000 Supplementary Survey

As part of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act, the Census Bureau is required to determine how many grandparents are serving as caregivers to a grandchild. Using data from the Census 2000 Supplementary Survey, this paper presents demographic information on two types of grandparent households, and outlines the challenges associated with use of the new questions about grandparent care developed by the Census Bureau. We compare skipped-generation households, in which a grandparent and grandchild coreside but no parent is present, to three-generation shared-care households in which the grandparent claims primary responsibility for the grandchild. We focus on two geographic regions of the United States, New England and the Deep South, providing the first report on the prevalence and characteristics of these households, and the extent to which these attributes are geographically variable. We estimate that the population of three-generation shared-care families is at least as large as the population ofskipped-generation grandparent care families.We identify a number of differences between skipped-generation and shared-care households, especially with respect to the age of the grandchildren involved and the levels of economic hardship. Significant regional differences are also observed, with grandparent care households of both types being more common in the Deep South than in New England. We conclude that data using these new questions have the potential to greatly enrich our demographic understanding of grandparent households by shedding new light on a type of grandparent care often hidden from analysis: grandparents who are responsible for grandchildren in three-generation households.
Stellar fibril magnetic systems. II - Two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equations. III - Convective counterflow

The dynamics of magnetic fibrils in the convective zone of a star is investigated analytically, deriving mean-field equations for the two-dimensional transverse motion of an incompressible fluid containing numerous small widely spaced circular cylinders. The equations of Parker (1982) are extended to account for the inertial effects of local flow around the cylinders. The linear field equation for the stream function at the onset of convection is then rewritten, neglecting large-scale heat transport, and used to construct a model of convective counterflow. The Kelvin impulse and fluid momentum, convective motion initiated by a horizontal impulse, and the effects of a viscous boundary layer are considered in appendices.
The effects of a stable analogue of PGE1 on the IgG subclass response to particulate bovine tubular basement membrane in the brown-Norway rat.

The IgG subclass and the IgM isotype response to immunization with particulate bovine tubular basement membrane (TBM) and adjuvants was studied in Brown-Norway rats receiving daily injections of a stable analogue of PGE, (M-PGE,). M-PGE, slightly reduced the average quantity of circulating TBM antibody as well as the average quantity of eluted IgG per gram of renal tissue as compared to controls. However, M-PGEI did not qualitatively affect the distribution of the IgG subclass or IgM isotype response to TBM. The IgG response, which occurred predominantly in the IgG, and IgG,, subclasses, increased from Days 8 to 14 after immunization, while the IgM response decreased over the same time period. The percentage of TBM antibody in the IgGZb subclass was markedly decreased as compared to the percentage of IgG2b antibody in total IgG. A substantial heterogeneity in the IgG subclass response was noted among individual rats with IgGl constituting from 46 to 82% of circulating TBM antibody. Although no correlation between the IgG subclass response and the severity of tubulointerstitial nephritis was noted, het- erogeneity in the IgG subclass response to autoantigens may, nevertheless, theoretically play an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune inflammatory phenomena. o 1987 society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.
On theorems of Whitney and Tutte

Abstract Short proofs of two theorems are given: (i) Whitney's 2-isomorphism theorem characterizing all graphs with the same cycle matroid, and (ii) Tutte's excluded minor characterization of those binary matroids that are graphic. Graph connectivity plays an important role in both proofs.
GPIbα-vWF Rolling under Shear Stress Shows Differences between Type 2B and 2M von Willebrand Disease

Both type 2B and type 2M von Willebrand disease result in bleeding disorders; however, whereas type 2B has increased binding affinity between platelet glycoprotein Ibα and von Willebrand factor (vWF), type 2M has decreased binding affinity between these two molecules. We used R687E type 2B and G561S type 2M vWF-A1 mutations to study binding between flowing platelets and insolubilized vWF mutants. We measured rolling velocities, mean stop times, and mean go times at 37°C using high-speed video microscopy. The rolling velocities for wt-wt interactions first decrease, reach a minimum, and then increase with increasing shear stress, indicating a catch-slip transition. By changing the viscosity, we were able to quantify the effects of force versus shear rate for rolling velocities and mean stop times. Platelet interactions with loss-of-function vWF-A1 retain the catch-slip bond transition seen in wt-wt interactions, but at a higher shear stress compared with the wt-wt transition. The mean stop time for all vWF-A1 molecules reveals catch-slip transitions at different shear stresses (gain-of-function vWF-A1 < wt vWF-A1< loss-of-function vWF-A1). The shift in the catch-slip transition may indicate changes in how the different mutants become conformationally active, indicating different mechanisms leading to similar bleeding characteristics.
Role of eicosanoids and vitamin E in fish oil-induced changes of splenocyte proliferation to T cell mitogens in mice

Abstract The effect of (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-enriched diets on T cell blastogenesis and the contributions of (n-3) PUFA-derived eicosanoids and tocopherol to this effect were investigated in C57BL/6NIA mice. Splenocytes from male, 2 month old mice (n=24/group) fed diets enriched in either (n-3) or (n-6) PUFA (10 g/100g diet) for 8 weeks were activated with T-cell mitogens and cultured with and without varying concentrations of PGE 2 , PGE 3 , LTB 4 , LTB 5 , vitamin E or indomethacin. There was a significant decrease in the percentage of T cells, CD4+, CD8+ and macrophages in spleens from the (n-3) PUFA-fed group. Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) response was significantly suppressed (−15%) in splenocytes from the (n-3) PUFA-fed group. In vitro addition of PGE 2 or PGE 3 at both 10 −7 M and 10 −8 M significantly suppressed PHA-activated proliferation in the (n-6) PUFA-fed group (p −7 M PGE 2 . or PGE 3 only (p 2 had no significant effect on concanavalin A (Con A) activation of splenocytes from either dietary group, PGE 3 (10 −7 M) significantly suppressed Con A activation of splenocytes from both dietary groups (−21±8% in the (n-6) PUFA group vs −24±7% in the (n-3) PUFA group; p 5 at 10 −10 to 10 −12 M to cultures from the (n-3) PUFA group resulted in a weak suppression of Con A-induced response while no effect in the (n-6) PUFA diet group was observed. Vitamin E significantly enhanced proliferation by 281% in the (n-3) PUFA-fed group (p
Action potential of the garfish non-mylinated olfactory nerve

Abstract The interesting Garfish olfactory nerve has been described by D. Easton (6). His structural analysis of the preparation shows homogeneous, uniform diametered axons measuring about 0.24 microns. The present study is an attempt to characterize its electrical and ionic property. The duration of the extracellularly measured action potential is about 60 msec at 20°C and increases to about 500 msec at 5°C, a time dispersion of about 8X. The conduction velocity varies from 20 cm/sec at 20°C to 4 cm/sec at 0°C. Recordings from small isolated fiber bundles have been shown to be viable. Reduction of sodium concentration to 5 mM in the external medium annihilates the A.P. response. Increase in external potassium concentration to about 16 mM makes the nerve inexcitable.
Computer model of the growth of monolayer clusters

Abstract The nearest-neighbor model is used for simulation of the post-deposition growth of monolayer clusters. At long times, cluster growth is fastest when E b kT ≈ 3.5 , where E b is the binding energy, k is Boltzmann's constant, and T is the absolute temperature. This is due to the balance between the driving force and the mobility.
Chronic inflammation in the gingival tissue of germ-free dogs.

Abstract The gingival crevice area was examined in 3 nine-month-old germ-free beagle dogs. It was not possible to determine with any degree of certainty the relative proportion of crevicular epithelium and junctional (attachment) epithelium facing the tooth surface of gingival samples removed by sharp dissection. In demineralized samples this was more readily evident. The most interesting observation was the presence of lymphocytes and plasma cells in the connective tissue immediately beneath the epithelium facing the tooth. The degree of cellular infiltration varied greatly between specimens as well as between animals. Because of the localization of the chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate to the immediate vicinity of the crevicular and junctional epithelium, it is suggested that the cellular infiltration is due to a response to foreign products diffusing from the gingival crevice rather than to mechanical trauma. The concentration of chronic inflammatory cells in this region may be of a similar nature to that observed along other parts of the gastro-intestinal tract of germ-free animals.
The Optimal Combination Research of System Configuration and T&M Policy of Standby Safety System

The unavailability equations of several aging scenarios of standby safety component are derived and the risk of standby safety system is quantified. The different maintenance strategies are adopted for no aging scenario and several aging scenarios respectively. The two kind of test and maintenance (T&M) policies are adopted for no aging scenario and several aging scenarios. A numerical example is introduced for the illustration. The system unavailabilities under different configurations of parallel safety system and T&M policies are computed and compared. It can be derived that the combination of different T&M policies and configurations is significant effect on the risk of standby safety system and optimal STI and T&M interval.
Perceptions of the family, personality characteristics, and adolescent internalizing symptoms

ABSTRACT Objective: To explore the influences of adolescent self-reported and interviewer-rated perceptions of family functioning, parent perceptions of the family, and adolescent personality on internalizing symptoms. Method: Two hundred one adolescent twins (mean age = 16.2 ± 2.0 years; 90% white) completed the Family Assessment Device (FAD), Eysenck Personality Inventory, Children's Depression Inventory, and Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children and participated in an interview about their relationships with parents. Parents completed the FAD. Twins were divided into two samples for analysis. Results: Multiple regression analyses in sample A showed that adolescent perceptions of family function accounted for 35% of the variance in depressive symptoms, but did not significantly predict anxiety. Self-reported perceptions were more strongly associated with symptoms than were interviewer-rated perceptions. Parent FAD and adolescent neuroticism accounted for 24% of the variance in adolescent self-reported perceptions. Results were similar in sample B. Conclusions: Adolescent perceptions of the family are linked to their depressive symptoms and associated with neuroticism. Adolescents who are high in neuroticism may perceive their families more negatively. Clinicians need to carefully discern components of family function that lead to teen depression versus biased cognitions that lead teenagers to perceive family relationships as negative.
Phylogenetic and Taxonomic Problems of Some Tertiary Planktonic Foraminiferal Lineages: ABSTRACT

The basic phylogeny and classification of five major lineages of Tertiary planktonic Foraminifera are considered and several revisions are suggested. The definition of Globorotalia is broadened to include keeled and non-keeled forms; its range is Danian to Recent. Globorotalia pseudobulloides (Plummer) is interpreted to be highly polytypic and ancestral to all later Tertiary members of the Globigerinacea with End_Page 605------------------------------ the exception of the Heterohelicidae, which have had their own separate evolutionary development. Globoconusa daubjergensis (Bronnimann) is classified with the Guembelitriinae in this paper. Four lineages within the genus Globorotalia are differentiated: one leading toward low-conical, keeled and non-keeled forms (G. spiralis-pusilla-convexa-broedermanni) became extinct during the middle Eocene; a second leading toward compressed, keeled, and non-keeled forms (G. compressa-ehrenbergi-pseudomenardii-chapmani-planoconica-pseudoscitula) became extinct at the end of the middle Eocene; a third is postulated as having led from low- to high-conical forms ("conical globorotaliids") which became extinct at the end of the middle Eocene; and a fourth lineage is postulated as having led to the Neogene and Recent globorotaliid faunas. The acarininids appear to be characterized by species which are distinguished from Subbotina and Globorotalia by a strongly spinose wall texture. Two, and possibly three, branches within this lineage appear to lead independently, through parallel trends, to the development of the polytypic, but monophyletic, genus Truncorotaloides. In terms of normal criteria of divergence (gaps) and monophyly, there seems to be justification for recognition of the acarininids as a genus, provided the genus were emended to include primarily spinose forms. The genus Truncorotaloides also is accepted as valid, although it seems unlikely that it warrants a separate subfamily. End_of_Article - Last_Page 606------------
Akrasia, instincts and revealed preferences

The standard economic theory of choice is extended to accommodate a particular form of akratic choice. The empirical content of the new theory is fully characterized. A characterization of revealed akratic choice, in terms of observable choice only, is also provided. These results are consistent with the viewpoint that akrasia is a concept that can be empirically substantiated.
Transcriptional regulation of the chemokine co-receptor CCR5 by the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway

The cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent signaling pathway directs the expression of several genes involved in diverse neuroendocrine, immune, metabolic, and developmental pathways. The primary effectors of this pathway are members of the cAMP response element binding (CREB) family of transcription factors, in particular the CREB-1 and cAMP response element modulator (CREM). Both these genes encode alternative splice variants that serve as activators or repressors in a context- and position-specific manner. Although the β-chemokine receptor CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) has been identified on progenitor cells in the bone marrow, the regulatory mechanisms orchestrating its expression are not fully understood. Previous reports have identified putative cAMP response elements in the CCR5 promoter and have described a suppressive role of cAMP in CCR5 expression. In this study, the CD34+CD4+CCR5+ human bone marrow progenitor cell line TF-1 was used to investigate the detailed kinetics of CCR5 transcription in response to the elevation of intracellular cAMP levels and the underlying molecular events. We hypothesize that CCR5 transcription follows an asymmetrical sinusoidal pattern in TF-1 cells that parallels a protein kinase A-dependent alternating change in the ratio of activator pCREB-1-α,Δ to repressor pCREM-α,β isoforms. However, elevated CCR5 mRNA levels do not correlate with enhancement in infectivity with respect to the R5 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strain. Our results lend critical insight into the precise mechanism governing the cAMP-CCR5 axis in progenitor cells and pose interesting questions regarding its functional role in HIV-1 infection.
The incudostapedial joint angle: implications for stapes surgery prosthesis selection and crimping.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of the incudostapedial joint (ISJ) angle in stapes prosthesis size selection and crimping. METHODS: The ISJ of 13 cadaveric human temporal bones were photographed, then measured using computer-aided design software. The relationship of ISJ angle to prosthesis length was modeled. A literature review evaluated factors contributing to stapedectomy failure. RESULTS: The mean ISJ angle was 93.0 degrees (SD = 8.3 degrees ) (range, 75.0 degrees -104.0 degrees ). The mean ISJ angle deviation from 90 degrees was 7.35 degrees (SD = 4.45 degrees ) (range, 0.3 degrees -15.0 degrees ). The mean distance along the incus accessible for prosthesis placement was 3.21 mm (SD = 0.55 mm) (range, 2.00-4.00 mm). CONCLUSIONS: Significant deviation of the ISJ angle from 90 degrees was found (P <.0001). The length along the incus accessible for prosthesis placement was sufficient to result in errors in prosthesis size selection and crimping with only small variations in the ISJ angle. Incorrect prosthesis sizing and crimping are frequently associated with stapedectomy failure. Variations in ISJ anatomy should be considered when selecting stapes prostheses lengths and may affect crimping technique.
Surgically Induced Leukocytic Infiltrates Within the Rat Intestinal Muscularis Mediate Postoperative Ileus

Background & Aims: Postoperative ileus is a poorly understood and common problem. We previously demonstrated an association between a suppression in jejunal circular muscle activity and a massive extravasation of leukocytes into the muscularis after surgical manipulation of the small bowel. This study was pursued to establish a direct causal link between these events. Methods: Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were used to detect and localize expression of adhesion molecules: P-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and lymphocyte function‐associated antigen 1 (LFA-1). Leukocyte infiltration and in vitro jejunal circular muscle function were quantified in controls and manipulated animals with and without antibody treatment (1A29, WT.1, and WT.3). Results: Surgical manipulation caused a significant up-regulation within the muscularis of ICAM-1 and P-selectin messenger RNA. ICAM-1 and P-selectin protein expression was increased within the muscularis microvasculature, and ICAM-1 and LFA-1 were expressed on infiltrating cells. Administration of adhesion molecule antibodies prevented the recruitment of monocytes and neutrophils into the muscularis and also averted jejunal circular muscle dysfunction. Conclusions: The data demonstrate that adhesion molecule antibodies prevent surgically induced suppression of intestinal muscle contractions and therefore suggests that late postoperative ileus is mediated through a leukocytic inflammatory response within the intestinal muscularis externa.
A Services University

Of the three major sectors of the world's economy, the services industry is becoming the largest as growing numbers of people shift their jobs away from manufacturing and extraction (which includes agriculture, mining, and so on). Training people to work in the modern services economy will increasingly require innovative approaches to evolve our traditional education systems, which haven't necessarily changed with this shift. Therefore, building an extensible and flexible skills scale-up model is essential to help modernize the services industry. From a technology perspective, service-oriented architecture (SOA) and Web services are promising tools for achieving this goal. However, most SOA and Web services books and courses concentrate on one or a few topics, so they lack a comprehensive overview that can address the foundational challenges in the modern services industry.
The deepest wounds: a labor and environmental history of sugar in northeast Brazil, by Thomas D. Rogers

The deepest wounds: a labor and environmental history of sugar in northeast Brazil, by Thomas D. Rogers, Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press, 2010, xvi + 302 pp., $25.95 (paper), ISBN 9...
Prevalence of Risk Factors for Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes During Pregnancy and the Preconception Period—United States, 2002–2004

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcome during the preconception stage and during pregnancy, and to assess differences between women in preconception and pregnancy. Methods: Data from the 2002 and 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, were used to estimate the prevalence of selected risk factors among women 18–44 in the preconception period (women who wanted a baby in the next 12 months, and were not using contraception, not sterile and not already pregnant) with women who reported that they were pregnant at the time of interview. Results: Major health risks were reported by substantial proportions of women in the preconceptional period and were also reported by many pregnant women, although pregnant women tended to report lower levels of risk than preconception women. For example, 54.5% of preconception women reported one or more of 3 risk factors (frequent drinking, current smoking, and absence of an HIV test), compared with 32.0% of pregnant women (p .05). Conclusions: Women appear to be responding to messages regarding behaviors that directly affect pregnancy such as smoking, alcohol consumption and taking folic acid, but many remain unaware of the benefits of available interventions to prevent HIV transmission and birth defects. Although it appears that some women reduce their risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes after learning of their pregnancy, the data suggest that a substantial proportion of women do not. Furthermore, if such change occurs it is often too late to affect outcomes, such as birth defects resulting from alcohol consumption during the periconception period. Preconception interventions are recommended to achieve a more significant reduction in risk and further improvement in perinatal outcomes.
Tyrosine-derived stimuli responsive, fluorescent amino acids

A series of fluorescent unnatural amino acids (UAAs) bearing stilbene and meta-phenylenevinylene (m-PPV) backbone have been synthesized and their optical properties were studied. These novel UAAs were derived from protected diiodo-L-tyrosine using palladium-catalyzed Heck couplings with a series of styrene analogs. Unlike the other fluorescent UAAs, whose emissions are restricted to a narrow range of wavelengths, these new amino acids display the emission peaks at broad range wavelengths (from 400–800 nm); including NIR with QY of 4% in HEPES buffer. The incorporation of both pyridine and phenol functional groups leads to distinct red, green, and blue (RGB) emission, in its basic, acidic and neutral states, respectively. More importantly, these amino acids showed reversible pH and redox response showing their promise as stimuli responsive fluorescent probes. To further demonstrate the utility of these UAAs in peptide synthesis, one of the amino acids was incorporated into a cell penetrating peptide (CPP) sequence through standard solid phase peptide synthesis. Resultant CPP was treated with two different cell lines and the internalization was monitored by confocal fluorescence microscopy.
Testicular Development and Formation of Spermatic Granulomas of Epididymis After Obstruction of Vas Deferens in Immature Rats

AbstractPurpose: Aims were to determine the effects of obstruction of the vas deferens prior to sexual maturation on testicular growth and the formation of spermatic granulomas.Materials and Methods: The vas deferens was ligated and divided bilaterally in 10-day-old Lewis rats.Results: Testis weight and volume did not differ significantly between obstructed rats and sham controls at the majority of the intervals studied, including the end of the experiment at 128 days, although some temporary changes were observed. Testes of obstructed animals showed normal histological differentiation. Nearly all obstructed animals developed spermatic granulomas of the epididymis once they matured.Conclusions: When obstructed prior to sexual maturation, the testes are affected only transiently, but significant epididymal alterations occur. Spermatic granulomas are located predominantly in the epididymis rather than the vas deferens.
Realization theory for two-time-scale distributions through approximation of Markov parameters

In this article, the problem of approximating the Markov parameters of a two-time-scale (TTS) distribution is studied. It is shown that the Markov parameters of a TTS distribution can be approximated in terms of the Markov parameters of its fast distribution only. This is an O(e1-i) approximation, which deteriorates by a factor of 1/e at each step as higher order Markov parameters are computed. In order to use the Markov parameters of the slow distribution in the approximation scheme, an inversion map is introduced by which a TTS distribution and its slow distribution are mapped into two new distributions. It is then shown that every Markov parameter of the inverted distribution approximates that of the inverted slow distribution with an O(e) accuracy. An approximate expression for the Hankel matrix of the Markov parameters of a TTS distribution is also obtained. This expression is in the form of a telescopic series and involves the Markov parameters of the fast distribution only.
Long-Term Effects of High Intensity Prescribed Fire on Vegetation Dynamics in the Wine Spring Creek Watershed, Western North Carolina, USA

We examined the long-term effects of a prescribed fire in a southern Appalachian watershed in Nantahala National Forest, western North Carolina, USA. Fire was prescribed in 1995 on this site by forest managers to restore a degraded pine (Pinus spp.)-hardwood community, specifically to stimulate forage production, promote pine and oak (Quercus spp.) regeneration, and increase plant diversity. Before and after the prescribed fire, permanent plots were sampled across a south-facing hillslope, which corresponded to three community types: mesic, near-stream cove (riparian); dry, mixed-oak (mid-slope); and xeric, pine-hardwood (ridge). In an earlier paper, we reported the first two years of post-burn vegetation response from this prescribed burn. In our current study, we compared the pre-burn (1994) forest condition with 10 years post-burn (2005) vegetation measurements to determine the effects of fire on the mortality and regeneration of overstory trees, understory shrubs, and herbaceous-layer species. Overstory mortality was high immediately after the burn at the ridge location and ten years after the fire. Mortality of pitch pine (Pinus rigida Miller) (91.8 %) and hickory (Carya spp.) (77.5 %) reduced overstory basal area from 26.97 m2 ha−1 pre-burn to 18.86 m2 ha−1 post-burn in 1995 and to 9.13 m2 ha−1 in 2005. At the mid-slope and riparian locations, no significant overstory mortality occurred over time. Understory density was significantly higher 10 years after the burn (2005) than pre-burn, and basal area had returned to pre-burn levels. Density of mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia L.), black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata [Wang.] K. Koch), and blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) had increased due to prolific sprouting. The prescribed fire had varying effects on diversity across the hillslope gradient over time. On the ridge, overstory diversity declined following the fire (H’basal area = 1.14 in 1994, H’basal area = 0.75 in 1995, and H’basal area = 0.80 in 2005). Diversity significantly increased in the herbaceous layer and remained higher than pre-burn conditions through 2005 (H’cover = 1.02 in 1994, H’cover = 1.97 in 1995, and H’cover = 2.25 in 2005). For the mid-slope and riparian positions, no change in diversity was observed in the overstory, understory or herbaceous layer.
Efficiency of first-trimester uterine artery Doppler, a-disintegrin and metalloprotease 12, pregnancy-associated plasma protein a, and maternal characteristics in the prediction of preeclampsia.

Objective To estimate the efficiency of first-trimester uterine artery Doppler, A-disintegrin and metalloprotease 12 (ADAM12), pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and maternal characteristics in the prediction of pre-eclampsia.
An envelope-following approach to switching power converter simulation

The implementation of an envelope-following method that is particularly efficient for open-loop switching power converters with fixed clock frequencies is described. A simple method for computing envelopes that involves solving a sequence of two-point boundary value problems is derived. The two-point boundary value problems are solved with a shooting or Newton method. The computations involved are explained and their implementation in the Nitswit program, along with results from using it to simulate several switching power circuits, is described. Results demonstrating the method's effectiveness are presented. >
William Harvey Research Conference on PDE inhibitors: drugs with an expanding range of therapeutic uses.

Presentations at the William Harvey Research Conference on PDE Inhibitors described the molecular biology, biochemical regulation, pharmacology, and therapeutic utility of inhibitors of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs). Most of the talks focused on PDE4 and PDE5, two members of the 11-member PDE family that have attracted much interest over the last several years. These enzymes have been shown to be targets for drugs with wide-ranging clinical utility, including treatment of inflammation, depression, and male erectile dysfunction. The continued investigation of PDEs and the development of potent and selective inhibitors should provide even more therapeutic agents in years to come.
Pemetrexed induced pneumonitis

Pemetrexed is an antifolate chemotherapy agent that is active in malignant mesothelioma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Pneumonitis is a rare side effect of Pemetrexed. We report the case of 72-year-old female with metastatic poorly differentiated lung adenocarcinoma. She was placed on maintenance pemetrexed and developed gradual progressive dyspnea after first cycle of maintenance of pemextrexed. The computed tomography (CT) of the chest showed ground glass opacity in both lung fields. Transbronchial lung biopsy showed uniform interstitial widening by a cellular chronic infiltrate with areas of type II pneumocyte and exudation of pale eosinophilic edema fluid; features consistent with acute lung injury. Patient improved both clinically and radiological after stopping pemetrexed and starting prednisone. Although pemetrexed induced lung injury is relatively rare, with the increasing use of pemetrexed in first-line treatment and in maintenance therapy of non-small cell lung cancer, awareness of this potential adverse effects is important.
Population demographics in species with biphasic life cycles

We develop and test models for the population dynamics of species that undergo regular alternations of generations between independent, free-living, haploid and diploid phases. The models are patterned after the dioecious, haploid-diploid lifecycle of many marine algae. If the two phases have equal demographic rates, all models (with or without density dependence) predict a stable distribution with a ratio of :1 ( ;60% ˇ2 haploids and 40% diploids). We find that observable deviations from this distribution can occur when the demographic rates (mortality, fecundity) between phases vary widely. Field surveys of three macroalgal species with independent, free-living haploids and diploids, Mazzaella flaccida, M. laminarioides, and M. splendens, reveal a consistent pattern of haploid dominance that significantly exceeds this null model expectation (72%, 76%, and 66%, respectively). These species also exhibit significant variation in haploid frequency among sites. We estimated the per capita fecundity and mortality rates for each phase of both M. flaccida and M. laminarioides and used this information to address two basic questions: (1) Which parameter better explains the overall high relative haploid abundance for each species? and (2) Which parameter better explains the variation in relative haploid abundance among sites? Differences in haploid and diploid mortality rates did not explain the high relative abundance of haploids for either M. flaccida or M. laminarioides. However, differences in fecundity rates between phases were consistent with the high relative abundance of haploids for M. flaccida; diploids usually had significantly higher per capita fecundity rates than haploids. For M. laminarioides, there were no significant differences in fecundity rates between phases. For M. flaccida, among-site variation in relative abundance of haploids can be explained by differences in mortality rates. The relative abundance of haploids was positively cor- related with the ratio of diploid:haploid mortality rates; the sites with the highest ratio of diploid:haploid mortality had the highest percentage of haploids. Differences in mortality rates for M. laminarioides, and fecundity rates for M. flaccida and M. laminarioides, could not explain the observed variation in haploid abundance among sites.
The Fairchild KS-120A Panoramic Reconnaissance Camera System

Prior to the 60's, most reconnaissance information was obtained mainly by frame photography which limited the area viewed by frame size and angle of view. Important information was sometimes missed if it lay outside the coverage of the available system. Sensing the problem, Fairchild set about enlarging this field of view to the extreme. Lateral coverage from horizon to horizon along the flight path was set up as a goal. This goal was met in 1964 with the KA-60(A) Camera system, the first in a family of 3-inch moving 70mm film prismatic panoramic cameras. There followed the KA-60B, KA-60C, KA-89, KA-60C-2, KS-120 A and the KA-97. These systems generally are provided with automatic exposure control, image motion compensation to enhance the photographic image and operate at speeds from pulse to 12 frames per second. The images are produced on standard or thin base 70mm film with a frame length of approximately 11 inches. The KS-120 A Camera system, the most sophisticated of the family, is now operational with the Air Force.
Using Geometrical, Textural, and Contextual Information of Land Parcels for Classification of Detailed Urban Land Use

Detailed urban land use data are important to government officials, researchers, and businesspeople for a variety of purposes. This article presents an approach to classifying detailed urban land use based on geometrical, textural, and contextual information of land parcels. An area of 6 by 14 km in Austin, Texas, with land parcel boundaries delineated by the Travis Central Appraisal District of Travis County, Texas, is tested for the approach. We derive fifty parcel attributes from relevant geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing data and use them to discriminate among nine urban land uses: single family, multifamily, commercial, office, industrial, civic, open space, transportation, and undeveloped. Half of the 33,025 parcels in the study area are used as training data for land use classification and the other half are used as testing data for accuracy assessment. The best result with a decision tree classification algorithm has an overall accuracy of 96 percent and a kappa coefficient of...
Management of High Caries Risk and High Caries Activity Patients: Rampant Caries Control Program (RCCP)

The purpose of this article is to describe the Rampant Caries Control Program established in the operative dentistry third-year clinic at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. This program represents a new approach to the management of high caries risk and high caries activity patients who come to the school. The patients are referred initially to the third-year operative clinic only for disease control (phase I) to help them decrease the caries risk and activity. The disease control phase has three important components: 1) caries risk assessment evaluation and reevaluation throughout their treatment, in which individual risk factors are identified and recommendations are made; 2) caries removal and placement of transitional restorations using fluoride release restorative materials (glass ionomers); and 3) chemotherapeutic agents and preventive treatment in which a therapeutic regimen for prevention and nonsurgical treatment is established according to each patient's individual risk factors. About 50 percent of patients have dropped from the program, 36 percent currently are under disease control treatment, and 14 percent have finished the disease control phase of the program. After the disease is controlled through modification of risk factors and activity, the patients can be referred for reevaluation prior to beginning the rehabilitation phase.
Effect of Early Palliative Care on Chemotherapy Use and End-of-Life Care in Patients With Metastatic Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose Prior research shows that introducing palliative care soon after diagnosis for patients with metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with improvements in quality of life, mood, and survival. We sought to investigate whether early palliative care also affects the frequency and timing of chemotherapy use and hospice care for these patients. Patients and Methods This secondary analysis is based on a randomized controlled trial of 151 patients with newly diagnosed metastatic NSCLC presenting to an outpatient clinic at a tertiary cancer center from June 2006 to July 2009. Participants received either early palliative care integrated with standard oncology care or standard oncology care alone. By 18-month follow-up, 133 participants (88.1%) had died. Outcome measures included: first, number and types of chemotherapy regimens, and second, frequency and timing of chemotherapy administration and hospice referral. Results The overall number of chemotherapy regimens did not differ signifi...
Physical therapy in the United States of America

This paper outlines the origin and development of the profession of physical therapy in the United States of America. Its early history at the time of the First World War is traced, and an account is given of the formation of the national professional organisation. The changing face of education in physical therapy is described, including the advent of post–baccalaureate entry into professional training, and the growth of postgraduate specialisation. The nature and location of clinical practice, and the controls under which it takes place, are briefly outlined, and the paper concludes by taking a view of the future evolution of the profession.
Social Security: Visions and Revisions: Social security: the early years

It took the Great Depression to launch social security in the United States. Every major European country had already embraced the logic of social insurance. But the rationale for a public income security program did not take root here until the Progressive period, when social insurance was promoted as a way to prevent and combat “the three fears” that plagued workers – unemployment, poverty in old age, and ill health. Social insurance proponents also sought to promote “social efficiency” – to advance the well-being of some of the nation's more vulnerable citizens without infringing on middle-class ideals of self-reliance and prudence. Compulsory social insurance gained support among American Progressives, but it also met stiff opposition. Business associations worked tirelessly against old-age assistance and public retirement benefits, denouncing proposals for federal social insurance as “alien” to the American way of life. Union leaders advanced their own reasons for opposing social insurance. Grassroots labor organizations lobbied for old-age relief at the state level, but Samuel Gompers argued that a federal program would threaten the viability of trade-union pensions and divert attention from the need to increase wages and improve working conditions. The Depression, however, made it clear that economic misfortune was not always the consequence of individual irresponsibility or failure of character. The notion that economic insecurity was a social risk predates the 1930s.
Operating system process management and the effect on maintenance: a comparison of Linux, FreeBSD, and Darwin

Process management is one of the most important and relevant tasks in operating system design. In this paper, we investigate the process management in Linux, FreeBSD, and Darwin. We compare the data structures used to represent process and the global variables used to control the current active process in three operating systems. Based on the definitionuse analysis, we study how the number of instances of process control global variable can affect the maintenance of the operating system kernel. This effect is demonstrated in an empirical study in the relationship between the number of kernel lines of code modified and the number of instances and number of definitions of process controller global variable. We conclude that the way process management implemented in Linux makes it more difficult to maintain than FreeBSD and Darwin.
Balance between O2 availability and VO2 in rest-work transition as measured by myoglobin saturation in subcellular volumes.

The rate of O2 consumption (VO2) may increase 100-fold between rest and steady work in red skeletal muscles (1,2). Does hyperemia supply O2 at a rate which keeps pace with this massive increase in O2 demand, or is an O2 debt incurred? Does exercise hyperemia depend on O2 lack (3), a redox signal (4), or cytosolic energy charge (5)? To answer these questions we related the time course of exercise hyperemia to myoglobin (Mb) saturation in subcellular volumes (6,7). ATP, creatine phosphate (PCr), lactate (LA), and pyruvate (Pyr) concentrations were co-variates.
Damage Awards and Earnings Management in the Oil Industry

This paper examines the relationship between the incidence of litigation events with potentially large damage awards and managers' accounting choices. We argue that the size of damage awards is a function of reported net income and net worth, and that this relationship provides management an incentive to manipulate accounting numbers. Our results indicate that managers of oil firms facing potentially large damage awards choose income decreasing non-working capital accruals relative to managers of other oil firms. Further, the results indicate that the management of these firms make accounting choices that result in lower non-working capital accruals during the litigation period than in other years. These negative non-working capital accruals appear to result from the underestimation of new reserves.