cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Current surgical outcomes for cranial base chordomas: cohort study of 95 patients.

Background Chordomas of the skull base are locally aggressive neoplasms for which maximal surgical resection confers prolonged survival. Objective To present the largest consecutive surgical series of cranial base chordomas to date, including complications, functional outcome, and overall (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in early and late eras of our experience. Methods From 1988 to 2011, 95 patients with cranial base chordomas were treated, including 56 patients from 1988 to 1999 and 39 from 2000 to 2011. Mean age and average follow-up were 42.6 ± 16.8 years and 38.3 ± 38.5 months, respectively. A historically controlled study design was implemented comparing both eras with respect to 5-year OS, RFS, Karnofsky performance scale at last-follow-up, and complications. Results Mean 5-year OS and RFS for the entire cohort was 74% ± 6% and 56% ± 8%, respectively. Complete resection rates were similar between groups (68% and 74%, respectively; P = .494). In the 2000 to 2011 era, overall (26%), cranial nerve (10%), vascular (3%), and systemic (0%) complications were less frequent than in the 1988 to 1999 era. Patients in the 2000 to 2011 era were 1.50 times more likely to have a Karnofsky performance scale ≥ 70 than in the 1988 to 1999 era (95% confidence interval 1.15-1.94; P = .003). There was no significant difference in 5-year RFS between the 1988 to 1999 and 2000 to 2011 eras. Five-year OS was higher in the 2000 to 2011 era (93% ± 6% vs 64% ± 8% for the 1988-1999 era; P = .012). Conclusion Aggressive surgical resection implementing contemporary skull base approaches can be performed with an acceptable complication profile with preservation of functional status, while conferring a similar OS and RFS.
Weakly least integer closed groups

An archimedean lattice-ordered groupA with distinguished weak unit has the canonical Yosida representation as an l-group of extended real-valued functions on a certain compact Hausdorff spaceY A. Such an l-groupA is calledleast integer closed, orLIC (resp.,weakly least integer closed, orwLIC) if, in the representation,a ∈A implies [a] ∈A (resp., there isa′ ∈A witha′=[a] on a dense set inY A), where [r] ≡ the least integer greater than or equal tor. Earlier, we have studiedLIC groups, with an emphasis on their a-extensions. Here, we turn towLIC groups: we give an intrinsic (though awk-ward) characterization in terms of existence of certain countable suprema. This results also in an intrinsic characterization ofLIC, previously lacking. Also,wLIC is a hull class (whichLIC is not), and the hullwlA is “somewhere near” the projectable hullpA. The best comparison comes from a (somewhat novel) factoringpA=loc(wpA), wherewpA is the “weakly projectable” hull (defined here), andlocB is the “local monoreflection”; then,wpA≤wlA≤loc(wpA), andpA≤loc(wlA), while with a strong unit, all these coincide. Numerous examples and special cases are examined.
Detergent Foam Images as Analogue/Digital Model Fluids. 2. Investigation of Neighborship Partition of the Radial Distribution Function

Investigation continues of detergent foam images as analogue/digital (A/D) model fluids. Attention turns to the radial distribution function G(r) and how it is partitioned in terms of individual neighborships:first, second, third, etc. Data are illustrated for liquid- and gaslike systems, and key features of the neighborship partition are enumerated. Data are compared with mathematical constructs offered by the ideal gas, hard disk, and hexagonal crystalline models. Such comparison points to an indirect method for partitioning G(r) into neighborship distributions in agreement with experiment. Notably, the method requires no specification of particle shapes and potentials. The indirect method is applied to liquid sodium using X-ray data of previous researchers. Structures of liquid sodium are offered via an alternative, empirical way.
Modeling of the impact of diode junction capacitance on high voltage high frequency rectifiers based on 10kV SiC JBS diodes

There is strong industrial need to boost the power density of the high voltage generators, for example, in medical radiology applications. 10kV SiC JBS diode is potential candidate to be employed in the high voltage high frequency rectifier in future high voltage generator applications. However, the impact of the relatively large diode junction capacitance of SiC JBS diode cannot be neglected at high frequency and high voltage conditions. An electric circuit model is proposed to describe this effect for full bridge and half bridge high voltage diode rectifiers based on mathematical derivations. The effect of junction capacitance is to decrease the output voltage and to increase the ratio of capacitive reactive power in the circuit, which can be represented by an equivalent shunt capacitor with input source and ideal diode rectifier. The model is validated by simulation results, and can be used for the further design of the high voltage generators.
Interspecific mating in the Piriqueta caroliniana (turneraceae) complex: effects of pollen load size and composition

Two taxa of Piriqueta (P. caroliniana and P. viridis) form a broad hybrid zone that extends over much of the centralFlorida peninsula. We used genetic markers to examine the strength of the isolation barriers between these taxa and the patterns of mating at the initial stages of hybridization. Regression models were employed to analyze the effects of pollen load size and the proportions of intra- and interspecific pollen on the frequency of first-generation (F 1 ) hybrid formation. Overall, the postpollination mating barriers between these two taxa were relatively weak. However, there were significant effects of pollen load composition and size on the patterns of hybridization in both taxa with frequency-dependent responses to composition in both taxa. The frequency of F1 hybrid formation was generally lower than expected based on the frequency of each pollen type on the stigma for P. caroliniana recipients. The lower frequencies of F1 seeds in this taxon were apparently due to a greater competitive ability for intraspecific pollen, since hybrid seed formation decreased with increasing pollen load size. Pollen from P. caroliniana donors was also competitively superior on P. viridis recipients, leading to higher than expected frequencies of hybrid seed formation. Pollen from P. caroliniana did suffer higher rates of pollen-tube attrition than intraspecific pollen on P. viridis recipients, so the frequency of hybrid seed formation would be lower when pollen load sizes were small. In general, reproductive isolation mechanisms were stronger in P. caroliniana, suggesting that introgression should occur into P. viridis when these taxa come into close contact. Comparison of these expected patterns of mating to the distribution of hybrid genotypes in Florida provides insights into the relative roles of mating and selection in the evolution of hybrid populations of Piriqueta.
Neurological complications with acute sphenoid sinusitis a surgical emergency

Background Isolated acute sphenoid sinusitis is an uncommon sinus infection, frequently misdiagnosed and not usually considered in the differential diagnosis of acute severe headache, with the potential of serious neurologic complications.
Anterior Transposition of the Inferior Oblique Muscle for Dissociated Vertical Deviation

Background: Recently, anterior transposition of the inferior oblique muscle was reported to be an effective treatment for dissociated vertical deviation (DVD), but data on long-term stability have not been reported. Methods: A retrospective, longitudinal analysis of 17 consecutive patients (22 eyes) with dissociated vertical deviation and inferior oblique overaction who had an anterior transposition of the inferior oblique for significant dissociated vertical deviation and a minimum of 12 months postoperative follow-up was undertaken. The size and degree of control of the dissociated vertical deviation and the degree of inferior oblique overaction were assessed preoperatively, and postoperatively at 1 week, at 4 to 6 months, and when last seen. The frequency of postoperative hypotropia and elevation deficits were noted. Results: The mean preoperative dissociated vertical deviation measured 13.4 ▵ , and the mean total vertical deviation measured 16.2 ▵ in primary position at 6 meters. The mean dissociated vertical deviation at last follow-up measured 6.7 ▵ , and the mean total vertical deviation was 7 ▵ . The dissociated vertical deviation remained controlled based on objective evaluation and subjective patient/relative response in 19 of 22 eyes after a mean follow-up of 2 years (range, 1 to 4.9 years). It recurred in one eye by 6 months postoperatively and in 3 eyes at the last examination. The inferior oblique overaction did not recur to a significant extent in any patient. The best results were achieved in eyes with preoperative dissociated vertical deviations less than 15 ▵ (0 of 11 failures). When the preoperative dissociated vertical deviation measured ▵ , 3 of 11 were failures. Postoperative primary position hypotropia was uncommon (1 of 17 patients), whereas 27% of eyes had mild postoperative elevation deficits in abduction and adduction. Conclusion: Anterior transposition of the inferior oblique is an effective treatment for dissociated vertical deviation with inferior oblique overaction but may be less stable in the long term when the preoperative dissociated vertical deviation is in excess of 15 ▵ .
Restriction enzyme/multi-locus probe combinations useful for DNA fingerprinting of the striped bass, white bass and their F1 hybrid

Abstract DNA fingerprints were produced in striped bass (Morone saxatilis), white bass (Morone chrysops) and their F1 hybrid to identify useful restriction enzyme/probe combinations, determine within- and between-genetic group bandsharing and identify allelic and linkage relationships among fingerprint bands. Five restriction enzymes (AluI, HaeIII, HinfI, Sau3A and DraI) and three multi-locus probes (33.6, 33.15 and R18.1) were screened. AluI/33.15, AluI/R18.1, HinfI/33.15 and HinfI/R18.1 were identified as the best enzyme/probe combinations. Within-group bandsharings calculated using these combinations ranged from 0.19 to 0.35 for striped bass, 0.39 to 0.65 for white bass and 0.34 to 0.45 for their hybrid. Between-group bandsharing ranged from 0.12 to 0.26 for striped bass vs. white bass, 0.27 to 0.47 for striped bass vs. hybrid and 0.24 to 0.46 for white bass vs. hybrid. Pedigree analysis of a full-sib, F1 hybrid family indicated no bands were linked, allelic pairs were present in the dam (striped bass) and no allelic pairs were present in the sire (white bass). Potential uses of DNA fingerprinting in Morone breeding programs are discussed.
Large-time structure of solutions of scalar conservation laws without convexity in the presence of a linear source field

Abstract Using the method of generalized characteristics, we study the large-time structure of admissible weak solutions of a scalar conservation law, in one space variable, with a single inflection point, in the presence of a linear source field, under Cauchy data that are periodic and have mean zero. We show that for all times sufficiently large, the solution stays uniformly in a bounded set which is independent of the size of the data. Moreover, when the data are of class C 0 then, generically, the number of shocks per period attains a finite value which remains constant thereafter. In particular, all shocks become left-contact discontinuities while their evolution is governed by a nonlinear system of functional and delay-differential equations.
Mechanism of the Photocatalytic Oxidation of Ethanol on TiO2

Transient, isothermal photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) was combined with isotope labeling and temperature-programmed desorption and oxidation to directly identify reaction pathways and intermediates for the room-temperature PCO of ethanol on TiO2. The intermediates identified are acetaldehyde, acetic acid (acetate), formaldehyde, and formic acid (formate). The α-carbons of ethanol, acetaldehyde, and acetic acid were labeled with13C so that the reaction pathway of each carbon could be followed. For each molecule, the α-carbon preferentially oxidized to CO2as the two-carbon species were sequentially oxidized. Ethanol forms acetaldehyde, which either desorbs or oxidizes through at least two parallel pathways, only one of which involves acetic acid. Part of the ethanol reacts on the surface through the pathway: acetaldehyde → acetic acid → CO2+formaldehyde → formic acid → CO2. The remaining ethanol oxidizes more slowly through a pathway that does not contain acetic acid as an intermediate: acetaldehyde → formic acid+formaldehyde → formic acid → CO2. The oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde is not the rate-determining step. The oxidations of formaldehyde to formic acid, and formic acid to CO2, occur at about the same rate, which is faster than acetic acid oxidation. Acetaldehyde oxidizes to form intermediates at approximately the same rate as they are oxidized. The presence of acetaldehyde on the surface, however, decreases the reactivity of other intermediates, suggesting that increasing the rate of acetaldehyde oxidation would increase the overall rate of CO2production.
Comparison of quality-of-life changes in patients with stress urinary incontinence after midurethral sling placement.

Abstract Objective To compare changes in quality of life for women undergoing either suprapubic or transvaginal midurethral sling placement for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 113 patients who underwent transvaginal or suprapubic midurethral sling placement for SUI over 2 years at a US institution. All patients completed a short form of the urogenital distress inventory (UDI-6) questionnaire preoperatively and postoperatively. Preoperative and postoperative UDI-6 scores were compared between the 2 groups. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Fisher exact test. Results A midurethral sling was placed using the suprapubic approach in 70 patients, and 43 patients underwent the procedure using the transvaginal approach. Preoperatively, there was no statistical difference between mean UDI-6 scores for the suprapubic versus the transvaginal group (48.5 versus 51.0 P = 0.9). Postoperatively, patients who underwent a suprapubic procedure had significantly lower mean UDI-6 scores than those who underwent a transvaginal procedure (10.6 versus 17.0; P Conclusion Suprapubic midurethral sling placement was associated with a significantly greater quality of life postoperatively compared with the transvaginal procedure.
A non-classical Mindlin plate model based on a modified couple stress theory

A non-classical Mindlin plate model is developed using a modified couple stress theory. The equations of motion and boundary conditions are obtained simultaneously through a variational formulation based on Hamilton’s principle. The new model contains a material length scale parameter and can capture the size effect, unlike the classical Mindlin plate theory. In addition, the current model considers both stretching and bending of the plate, which differs from the classical Mindlin plate model. It is shown that the newly developed Mindlin plate model recovers the non-classical Timoshenko beam model based on the modified couple stress theory as a special case. Also, the current non-classical plate model reduces to the Mindlin plate model based on classical elasticity when the material length scale parameter is set to be zero. To illustrate the new Mindlin plate model, analytical solutions for the static bending and free vibration problems of a simply supported plate are obtained by directly applying the general forms of the governing equations and boundary conditions of the model. The numerical results show that the deflection and rotations predicted by the new model are smaller than those predicted by the classical Mindlin plate model, while the natural frequency of the plate predicted by the former is higher than that by the latter. It is further seen that the differences between the two sets of predicted values are significantly large when the plate thickness is small, but they are diminishing with increasing plate thickness.
Targeting of Liposomes to the Blood-Brain Barrier in Rats

AbstractThe delivery of hydrophilic drugs, peptides, and proteins to the brain is restricted by tight junctions between the endothelial cells of the cerebral capillaries which contribute to the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Injection of liposomes as drug delivery vehicles is re-ported to enhance the uptake of certain drugs into the brain. We demonstrate that liposomes with diameters of less than 1000 A covalently coupled to Fab' fragments of the OX-26 monoclonal antibody, which recognizes the transferrin receptor in rat brain capillary, can bind significantly to brain capillaries following intracarotid infusion in rats. Liposomes covalently coupled to insulin were not effective in targeting to the BBB. Our study indicates that liposomes coupled to antibodies for brain capillary receptors may be effective as drug delivery vehicles to the brain.
The Effects of Feeding High Protein Diets to Chickens

Abstract DIETS for chickens containing more than 22% crude protein have been considered high protein diets in this study. Milne (1932) observed an adverse effect on the growth and liveability of chickens fed diets containing 38% protein. Heller and Penquite (1945) found poor growth in chickens on diets containing 35 or 40% protein. Almquist and Asmundson (1944), Heller and Penquite (1945), and Singsen (1949) obtained satisfactory growth of chickens fed diets up to 30% protein. Donaldson et al. (1956) found that less protein was required for a unit gain in weight of chicks as the calorie/protein ratio was increased for the diets containing 15 to 27% protein and 1760 and 2640 kcal./kg. of productive (P.E.) energy. Sunde (1956) overcame the growth-depressing effects in the diets containing 1440 and 1700 kcal./kg. P.E. due to an increase in the protein level from 20 to 28% by increasing the energy levels from 1760 to …
Phenology and Ecophysiology of the Tropical Tree, Tabebuia Neochrysantha (Bignoniaceae)

Phenology and seasonal variations in water stress, as reflected in variations in stem circumference, were monitored throughout 1978 in numerous Tabebuia neochrysantha growing at several dry and wet sites in a lowland deciduous forest in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The rate of leaf fall during the early dry season was strongly correlated with the decline in soil moisture and increasing water stress of the trees. Without exception, recovery from water stress was required for flowering and shoot emergence. At dry sites rehydration ocurred only after isolated rain showers or irrigation; at wet sites it took place during continued drought, probably as a consequence of the decrease in transpiration during leaf fall. Flowering has been observed to occur at any time between the beginning (December) and end (May) of the dry season. Differences in the timing and intensity of flowering as well as in the timing of leaf fall and shoot emergence can be accounted for by site—dependent differences in the rates of desiccation and rehydration of trees in conjunction with year—to—year variation in the timing and intensity of rainfall. No evidence for the control of seasonal development by other environmental factors, such as variations in temperature of photoperiod, was obtained.
Homomorphism bounds for oriented planar graphs

If ${\cal C}$ is a class of oriented graphs (directed graphs without opposite arcs), then an oriented graph is a homomorphism bound for ${\cal C}$ if there is a homomorphism from each graph in ${\cal C}$ to H. We find some necessary conditions for a graph to be a homomorphism bound for the class of oriented planar graphs and prove that such a graph must have maximum degree at least 16; thus there exists an oriented planar graph with oriented chromatic number at least 17. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 55: 175–190, 2007
Truth-in-sentencing, law enforcement, and inmate population growth☆

Abstract This paper presents the empirical estimation of an econometric model of the flow of prisoners into a state correctional system. Specifically, an econometric model was built to control for the number of parolees, the probability of admission to the state system, the size of the state population, the unemployment and poverty rates, the number of law enforcement officers within the state, and the state-wide “truth-in-sentencing” law, which requires convicts to serve at least 85% of their sentences. One primary result was that increases in the number of law enforcement officers has generated a decline in the growth rate of the prison population. This suggests that a “deterrent effect” is created when more police are placed on the beat. Furthermore, the results indicate that the truth-in-sentencing law has also slowed the rate of inmate population growth. This finding may reflect the growing trend for courts to hand down nontraditional sentences and to adjust prison sentences to reflect a constant “real time” of incarceration by crime.
cis-Regulatory Elements within the Odorant Receptor Coding Region

Complex regulatory mechanisms lead to the expression in each olfactory neuron of one allele of only one of the 1000 odorant receptor (OR) genes. In this issue, Nguyen et al. (2007) provide evidence that regulatory elements residing within the coding region of OR genes are involved in the singularity of OR gene expression.
Reduction by Propranolol of Myocardial Necrosis following Temporary Coronary Artery Occlusion in Dogs

The effect of propranolol on the severity of myocardial necrosis following 40 minutes of temporary coronary artery occlusion was assessed in dogs. The circumflex coronary artery was occluded 1-2 cm from the aorta in open-chest dogs anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. One group of dogs was untreated and a second group received propranolol (5.0 mg/kg, iv) 10 minutes prior to the occlusion. After 40 minutes the clamp was removed and arterial perfusion was restored. Dogs which survived this procedure were killed 2-5 days later for gross and histologic assessment of the necrosis. The relative area of necrosis (percent of fibers involved) in the posterior papillary muscle of each heart was quantified from stained histologic sections prepared from serial longitudinal slices of each posterior papillary muscle. Dogs treated with propranolol showed significantly less necrosis than did untreated controls, but the mechanism of the drug's action remains unknown. During coronary artery occlusion, propranolol-treated dogs exhibited somewhat lower heart rates, systolic blood pressures, and S-T segment elevations than did untreated dogs. However, none of these latter differences between groups was significant.
The literature of library acquisitions: A selective bibliography

(1977). The literature of library acquisitions: A selective bibliography. Library Acquisitions: Practice & Theory: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 33-79.
Development of reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid detection of an emerging potyvirus: Tomato necrotic stunt virus

Tomato necrotic stunt virus (ToNStV) is an emerging potyvirus that causes severe stunting to infected tomato plants. A reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed for sensitive detection of ToNStV. The sensitivity of RT-LAMP was comparable to that of conventional RT-PCR, with detection of ToNStV in a reaction containing only 8 pg of total tomato RNA or with 1:20,000 dilution of crude tissue extract. This assay was able to detect ToNStV in a broad range of solanaceous plant species. The RT-LAMP for ToNStV was specific with no cross-reactivity to other potyviruses (i.e. Potato virus Y and Tobacco etch virus), as well as several other common tomato viruses. RT-LAMP should complement RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR assays reported previously, with a potential to provide a simple, rapid, and sensitive field diagnostic method for ToNStV.
Temperature-induced complementarity as a mechanism for biomolecular assembly.

Recent advances in the measurement and theory of “hydration” interactions between biomolecules provide a basis on which to formulate mechanisms of biomolecular recognition. In this paper we have developed a mathematical formalism for analyzing specificity encoded in dynamic distributions of surface polar groups, a formalism that incorporates newly recognized properties of directly measured “hydration” forces. As expected, attraction between surfaces requires complementary patterns of surface polar groups. In contrast to usual expectations, thermal motion can create these complementary surface configurations. We have demonstrated that assembly can occur with an increase in conformational entropy of polar residues. Elevated temperature then facilitates recognition rather than hinders it. This mechanism might underlie some temperature-favored assembly reactions common in biological systems that are usually associated with the “hydrophobic effect” only. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Language use of depressed and depression-vulnerable college students

Essays written by currently-depressed, formerly-depressed, and never-depressed college students were examined for differences in language that might shed light on the cognitive operations associated with depression and depression-vulnerability. A text analysis program computed the incidence of words in predesignated categories. Consistent with Beck's cognitive model and with Pyczsinski and Greenberg's self-focus model of depression, depressed participants used more negatively valenced words and used the word, "I" more than did never-depressed participants. Formerly-depressed (presumably depression-vulnerable) participants did not differ from never-depressed participants on these indices of depressive processing. However, consistent with prediction, formerly-depressed participants' use of the word "I" increased across the essays and was significantly greater than that of never-depressed writers in the final portion of the essays.
Putting the Earth into Global Media Studies

What place does the Earth have in global media studies? In the study of media and globalization, despite the careful treatment of such issues as cultural imperialism, civil society, postcolonialism, identity, cultural hybridity, representation, and so on, there has been little focus on the environment. Looking specifically at the underlying but largely unrecognized discourses about the environment privileged by corporate media and circulated through local mediascapes and ideoscapes, this article presents media scholars with an argument for why a focus on media, globalization, and the environmental is urgently needed and a path for how a translocal approach to its study can be elaborated.
Nanotechnology occupational and environmental health and safety: Education and research needs for an emerging interdisciplinary field of study

Commercialization of nanotechnology (NT) has the potential to affect the health and safety of the industrial workforce and the general public. The main objective of this position paper is to present an education and research framework for the emerging interdisciplinary field of NT occupational and environmental health and safety. The specific aims of this program are to (a) establish evidence-based guidelines for the protection/promotion of individual health and safety along the life cycle of nano-based products in light of the best available scientific information, technologies, and best practices; (b) present and address issues of importance to individual health and safety in nanomanufacturing enterprises in different industry sectors, environment, and public consumer health (civilian and military); (c) provide a forum for idea exchange and research agenda on the use of NT in prevention/treatment of specific occupational/environmental diseases; and (d) disseminate the latest research findings on NT and occupational and public health, and nano-health technologies for occupational diseases. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 16: 247–253, 2006.
The Pleasant Events Schedule – Nursing Home Version: A useful tool for behavioral interventions in long-term care

Objectives: Behavioral interventions for depression emphasize increasing engagement in pleasant events, requiring reliable and valid assessment of events. Versions of the Pleasant Events Schedule (PES) have been developed for this purpose. Although depression is prevalent in nursing homes, no PES version is yet available specifically for this setting, where access to pleasant events is circumscribed. Our goal was to develop and evaluate a nursing home version of the PES. Method: We developed the PES-NH on two samples of nursing home residents. We first sampled activity frequency and pleasantness for 10 residents of a large, urban facility. Using these pilot data and PES-Alzheimer's Disease items, we interviewed 37 more residents from the same facility, yielding a comprehensive list of events that residents find pleasant. From the second sample of 48 residents, we present normative and psychometric data on the new scale. Results: A 30-item inventory was able to cover the content of daily activities availab...
Neurofilament spacing, phosphorylation, and axon diameter in regenerating and uninjured lamprey axons.

It has been postulated that phosphorylation of the carboxy terminus sidearms of neurofilaments (NFs) increases axon diameter through repulsive electrostatic forces that increase sidearm extension and interfilament spacing. To evaluate this hypothesis, the relationships among NF phosphorylation, NF spacing, and axon diameter were examined in uninjured and spinal cord-transected larval sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus). In untransected animals, axon diameters in the spinal cord varied from 0.5 to 50 μm. Antibodies specific for highly phosphorylated NFs labeled only large axons (>10 μm), whereas antibodies for lightly phosphorylated NFs labeled medium-sized and small axons more darkly than large axons. For most axons in untransected animals, diameter was inversely related to NF packing density, but the interfilament distances of the largest axons were only 1.5 times those of the smallest axons. In addition, the lightly phosphorylated NFs of the small axons in the dorsal columns were widely spaced, suggesting that phosphorylation of NFs does not rigidly determine their spacing and that NF spacing does not rigidly determine axon diameter. Regenerating neurites of giant reticulospinal axons (GRAs) have diameters only 5–10% of those of their parent axons. If axon caliber is controlled by NF phosphorylation via mutual electrostatic repulsion, then NFs in the slender regenerating neurites should be lightly phosphorylated and densely packed (similar to NFs in uninjured small caliber axons), whereas NFs in the parent GRAs should be highly phosphorylated and loosely packed. However, although linear density of NFs (the number of NFs per micrometer) in these slender regenerating neurites was twice that in their parent axons, they were highly phosphorylated. Following sectioning of these same axons close to the cell body, axon-like neurites regenerated ectopically from dendritic tips. These ectopically regenerating neurites had NF linear densities 2.5 times those of uncut GRAs but were also highly phosphorylated. Thus, in the lamprey, NF phosphorylation may not control axon diameter directly through electrorepulsive charges that increase NF sidearm extension and NF spacing. It is possible that phosphorylation of NFs normally influences axon diameter through indirect mechanisms, such as the slowing of NF transport and the formation of a stationary cytoskeletal lattice, as has been proposed by others. Such a mechanism could be overridden during regeneration, when a more compact, phosphorylated NF backbone might add mechanical stiffness that promotes the advance of the neurite tip within a restricted central nervous system environment. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Exercise prescription and the patient with type 2 diabetes: a clinical approach to optimizing patient outcomes.

Purpose: To review the current recommendations for physical activity in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and propose methods to optimize compliance, reduce the pharmaceutical burden, and improve the general health and well­ being of patients with T2DM. Data sources: PubMed, SportDiscus, Ovid MEDLINE, Psychinfo, Web of Science, LexisNexis, and EBM reviews. Conclusions: T2DM is a condition in which physical activity has been documented to improve patient outcomes, yet research has noted that healthcare professionals inadequately address this issue, resulting in physical activity being an underutilized therapy. Implications for practice: An exercise prescription consists of mode (type), frequency, intensity, duration, and progression. Determining the appropriate mode depends upon patient preference and safety issues regarding the state of T2DM or other conditions. Frequency, intensity, and duration are specific to the type of activity and should be tailored to the patient’s abilities to safely perform the activity. Finally, the health professional addresses periodic progression in order to maintain the exercise stimulus needed to promote continued health improvements and prevent ‘‘plateauing.’’ In this article, on the basis of the current scientific research, we propose recommendations that enable healthcare professionals to advocate for their patients with T2DM by offering safe and effective treatment options.
A simplified in vitro model of oxidant injury using vascular endothelial cells

Oxidant injury of the vascular endothelium is considered an early event in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The model of oxidant injury is crucial to the investigation of antioxidants. In the present study, a convenient in vitro model of oxidant injury induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was developed using bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC). Viability of PAEC grown in 96-well culture plates was determined with methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) colorimetric assay. Cell membrane integrity was measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from PAEC grown in 24-well plates. Malondialdehyde (MDA, a product of lipid peroxidation) in PAEC grown in 6-well plates was detected by a thiobarbituric acid fluorometric assay. Incubation of H2O2 with PAEC caused a dose-dependent decrease of cell viability, an increase of LDH release, and an elevation of MDA production. MTT assay was convenient, quantitative, non-radioactive, and suitable for testing a large number of samples. The fluorometric assay for measuring MDA production in endothelial cells used 6-well plates instead of 80-cm2 flasks employed by previous investigators. The use of multiwell culture plates in these assays made it possible for more samples to be tested in any single experiment. The three assays are reproducible with low intraplate and interplate coefficients of variation. This in vitro model is suitable for screening antioxidants and for studying pharmacodynamics at the cellular level.
Ravel a framework for embedded-gateway-cloud applications

Ravel is a software framework for developing sensor network applications that follow the eMbedded-Gateway-Cloud architecture. Developers describe a Ravel application as a data processing pipeline in terms of two abstractions: models and transforms between models. This pipeline generates code for controllers that can compile to and run on any element of the architecture, from embedded devices to cloud servers. Developers also specify views, that represent the data set on a particular device. Therefore, each device type is a space where data flows via transform. The framework automatically handles moving data between spaces using appropriate network protocols. Compile-time tools verify that the code, once modified by the developer, still follows application specification as defined by the data pipeline.
Contextual factors affecting the integration of enterprise systems in post-merger oil and gas companies

This study examines the contextual factors of the external business environment, organization, information systems, and enterprise system software as they affect integration of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems after a merger or acquisition in the oil and gas industry. A multiple case study method using primary and secondary data revealed: ERPs are operational necessities rather than strategic differentiators; best practice adoption is a viable alternative that supports successful integration of cultures and knowledge from two experienced organizations; schedules are extended when best practices from both companies are consolidated into a single instance; consolidation facilitates Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and lowers the cost of ownership; imposing acquirer systems on targets facilitates timely decision-making and shorter schedules.
Unusual problems in parathyroid surgery

Although parathyroid surgery is difficult because of the smallness of the glands and the variability in their location and number, a surgeon who is well versed in the embryology, gross anatomy, pathology of the glands, and the fine points of gross identification of normal and abnormal tissue should be able to identify these glands in most instances. In a review of 122 cases during a two year period, pathologic change was found in 96 per cent, even though 11 per cent were secondary cervical explorations and the mediastinum was entered by a sternal split approach in only two cases. Although the abnormal glands were found in varying locations and ten were outside the usual areas of search, all were consistent with failure to descend or excessive descent and with a relationship to anatomic structures having similar embryologic origin. Sophisticated localizing procedures such as arteriography and selective venous sampling for parathormone are rarely necessary.
Raising children's performance expectations

An experimental procedure to increase children's rate of hand-raising is reported. The procedure was tried with 240 grade school children from two residential areas and is apparently effective. This procedure, involving raising children's expectations for their own performance, differs in approach from previous work raising teachers' expectations. Similarities between the procedure and laboratory research in expectation theory are noted. The experimental results are useful in interpreting educational research designed to raise teacher's expectations and also useful in suggesting further work along similar lines.
Comparative groundwater management: findings from an exploratory global survey

We present data from a comparative exploratory global survey on groundwater resource management on issues of law and policy, legal ownership, control, and access. A questionnaire pilot-survey was mailed to agencies and departments involved in water management in 185 countries. We obtained feedback from 104 countries representing a 54% response rate. Data results were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study proceeds with a brief introduction to the study followed by a discussion of the methods of data collection, sources of data, major findings, and problems of the survey. It concludes with a discussion on the policy implications of the survey's results on conventional groundwater resource management.
1590 DEMYELINATION IN PELIZAEUS-MERZBACHER DISEASE

The pathogenesis of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher (P-M) disease is unknown. A 17-year-old male, whose brother died at 12 years with pathological findings of classical P-M disease, had congenital nystagmus, ataxia, dementia, and progressive quadriparesis. Electronystagmographic testing showed prolonged latency and slow phase duration during rotation and caloric stimulation. These findings suggest ongoing involvement of myelinated fibers in brain stem-cerebellar connections which may underlie the abnormal eye movements of P-M disease. Electron microscopic examination of CSF ultrasediment (100,000 g) disclosed scattered cells containing lipid droplets (1-3 μ diameter) with unique satellite aggregation which were not represented in over 200 normal and pathological controls. In the white matter of the deceased sibling, the activities of cholesterol ester esterase (pH 6.6) and 2′3′-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase were decreased to 40% and 20% of controls, respectively. The cholesterol ester fraction was 10X normal, and this fraction contained disproportionately increased amounts of oleic as opposed to arachidonic and other polyunsaturated fatty acids. This pattern is highly similar to that in other demyelinating diseases. These clinical and biochemical findings suggest that P-M disease is characterized by a chronic ongoing demyelinating process. (Supported in part by USPHS grants HD 05515 and HD 04147)
Kinematics of décollement folding in the Lost River Range, Idaho

Decollement folding of massive (< 2 m thick) carbonate beds of the Scott Peak Formation, within the Willow Creek anticline, northern Lost River Range, Idaho was associated with the development of thin (< 0.25 m), widely-spaced deformation zones. Incremental strain histories determined from fibrous overgrowths in strain fringes from the deformation zones provide a basis for kinematic analysis of the anticline. Plane strain is indicated by coaxial up-dip extension on cleavage (XY) planes and a lack of extension in the Y direction. In XZ sections, coaxial incremental strain histories characterize fold hinges and document pinned hinges during folding. The sense of rotation on opposing limbs indicates that the fiber curvature records primarily the spin of layers through fixed, moderately steep (66 ° ± 12 dg (lσ)), diverging extension directions. The magnitude of the external rotation for each sample is typically less than the bedding dip, suggesting that the external rotation also includes a component of internal rotation related to layer-parallel shear toward the upper flat panel or the hinge pin line. The magnitude of this internal rotation varies within and between layers.
An integral equation of radiative equilibrium in infrared radiating gases

Abstract It is shown that the problem of radiative equilibrium in an infrared radiating gas can be specified by an integral equation the kernel of which will be the second derivative of the integrated band emissivity, i.e. the equivalent band width.
CELL COUNTS OF MOUSE BONE MARROW.

Abstract An electronic cell counter has been used to quantify the numbers of bone marrow cells in the mouse tibia. Preliminary experiments have revealed that a single injection of a bacterial endotoxin causes a significant decrease in the absolute numbers of mature neutrophils from the bone marrow after 5 hours and a partial recovery to normal values after 22 hours.
Raman spectral studies of nucleic acids. XVI. Structures of polyribocytidylic acid in aqueous solution

Raman spectra of polyribocytidylic acid show the formation of an ordered single-stranded structure [poly(rC)] at neutral pH and an ordered double-stranded structure containing hemiprotonated bases [poly(rC)·poly(rC+)] in the range 5.5 > pH > 3.7. Below 40°C, poly(rC) contains stacked bases and a backbone geometry of the A-type, both of which are gradually eliminated by increasing the temperature to 90°C. Below 80°C, poly(rC)·poly(rC+) contains bases which are hydrogen bonded and stacked and a backbone geometry also of the A-type. In this structure the bases of each strand are shown to be structurally identical, i.e., hemiprotonated, and therefore distinct from both neutral and protonated cytosines. Infrared and Raman spectra indicate the existence of a center of symmetry with respect to the paired cytosine residues, which suggests that the additional proton per base pair is shared equally by the two hydrogen-bonded bases. Denaturation of poly(rC)·poly(rC+) occurs cooperatively (tm ≈ 80°C) with elimination of base stacking, base pairing, and the A-helix geometry. Each of the separated strands of the denatured complex is shown to contain comparable amounts of both neutral and protonated cytosines, most likely in alternating sequence [poly(rC, rC+)]. In both poly(rC, rC+) and poly(rC), at 90°C, the backbones do not exhibit the phosphodiester Raman frequencies characteristic of other disordered polyribonucleotide chains. This is interpreted to mean that the single strands, though devoid of base stacking and A-type structure, contain uniformly ordered backbones of a specific type. Fully protonated poly(rC+), on the other hand, forms no ordered structure and may be characterized as a disordered (random chain) polynucleotide at all temperatures. Several Raman lines of poly(rC) are absent from the spectrum of poly(rC)·poly(rC+) and vice versa. These frequencies, assigned mainly to vibrations of the ribose groups, suggest that the furanose ring conformations are different in the single-stranded and double-stranded structures of polyribocytidylic acid. Several other Raman group frequencies have been identified and correlated with the polymer secondary structures.
Thinking ahead: The role and roots of prediction in language comprehension.

Reviewed are studies using event-related potentials to examine when and how sentence context information is used during language comprehension. Results suggest that, when it can, the brain uses context to predict features of likely upcoming items. However, although prediction seems important for comprehension, it also appears susceptible to age-related deterioration and can be associated with processing costs. The brain may address this trade-off by employing multiple processing strategies, distributed across the two cerebral hemispheres. In particular, left hemisphere language processing seems to be oriented toward prediction and the use of top-down cues, whereas right hemisphere comprehension is more bottom-up, biased toward the veridical maintenance of information. Such asymmetries may arise, in turn, because language comprehension mechanisms are integrated with language production mechanisms only in the left hemisphere (the PARLO framework).
New Myths and Old Realities: Defense and Its Critics

The national malaise over Vietnam has had many spillovers. Among them can be counted a shelf of works on the militaryindustrial complex and the role of the military establishment in American policy-making. Much of this material should never have been written; it is uninformed, naive, biased, and even nonsensical. Several recent contributions to the debate have attempted to raise the level of discussion by considering the defense problem as a matter of allocative theory and decision. Each of these books will be widely regarded as an authoritative pronouncement on the causes and cures of America's defense dilemmas. They have been written by distinguished scholars or former policy-makers whose reputations in their fields are excellent.