cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A multiplex PCR assay for differentiating economically important gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle

A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was developed for identifying gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes that commonly infect cattle. This assay was developed using adult-derived genomic DNA and shown capable of discriminating parasite eggs from the feces of experimentally-infected animals at both the species and genus levels. Sequence data from internal (ITS) and external (ETS) transcribed spacers of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) repeats as well as the 3'-end of the small subunit rDNA and 5'-end of the large subunit rDNA were used to generate five primer sets which, when used simultaneously in a multiplex PCR, produce a unique electrophoretic DNA banding pattern characterized by a single DNA fragment for Ostertagia ostertagi (257bp), Haemonchus placei (176bp), Oesophagostomum radiatum (329bp), Trichostrongylus colubriformis (243bp) and Cooperia oncophora (151bp). In a similar manner, the constructed primer sets amplified DNA from Ostertagia lyrata, Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus axei, Cooperia surnabada and Cooperia punctata. With respect to H. contortus, a closely migrating doublet was generated suggesting size heterogeneity in the ETS which is consistent with multiple rDNA repeat units within this species. PCR analyses using mixtures of monospecifically-purified nematode eggs indicated a sensitivity of less than 0.5 egg-DNA equivalent per species. Although, not designed as a quantitative technique, relative PCR signal intensities corresponded to relative egg burdens within the DNA samples from mixed species of eggs.
Geometrical constraints affecting crossbridge formation in insect flight muscle.

Computer-modelling studies have explored how rigor crossbridge interactions in insect flight muscle are affected by using a four-stranded helical thick filament and by restricting each myosin to forming one crossbridge with only one actin filament. Crossbridges searching over an axial range of ±7.2 nm, and within an azimuthal range around actin of ±45°, can simulate the actin-labelling patterns observed in thin electron microscope sections well. However, the number of crossbridges attached between any myosin filament and an adjacent actin filament depends on their relative axial and azimuthal positions, and can vary by a factor of two. The relative position that maximized the number of attached bridges also produced the best modelling of the ‘double chevron’ appearance of two crossbridge pairs attaching within target zones every 38.6 nm, as seen in thin longitudinal sections, and the ‘flared X’ of crossbridges extending to four out of six surrounding actins at each crossbridge level seen in thin cross-sections. Micrographs show that excellent lattice register of rigor crossbridges in longitudinal sections does not depend on lateral register of thick or thin filament ends. Our modelling suggests how the crossbridge lattice may be generated by filaments becoming mutually annealed to the axial and azimuthal positions at which most crossbridges can attach, at which time the actin filaments are arranged at the diad positions of the P64 crystalline lattice. When the actin filaments are so oriented, in a P64 lattice, two crossbridges on adjacent actin filaments will slew toward the same point on the myosin filament, producing the flared X appearance of origin from a common stem and a single myosin, even if they originate from distinct points and separate molecules.
Comparison of controlled internal drug release insert-based protocols to synchronize estrus in prepubertal and estrous-cycling beef heifers

The objective of the experiment was to examine the necessity of adding a GnRH injection to a 14-d controlled internal drug release (CIDR)-based protocol for synchronization of estrus in beef heifers that were prepubertal or estrous-cycling at the initiation of treatment. The hypothesis tested was that the addition of GnRH in a CIDR-based estrus synchronization protocol would increase the synchrony of estrus after PGF(2alpha) (PG). Beef heifers (n = 285) were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments within reproductive tract scores (2 or 3 = prepubertal; 4 or 5 = estrous-cycling) by age and BW. Heifers assigned to CIDR Select received a CIDR insert (1.38 g of progesterone) from d 0 to 14 followed by GnRH (100 microg, intramuscularly) on d 23 and PG (25 mg intramuscularly) on d 30. Heifers assigned to CIDR-PG received a CIDR insert from d 0 to 14 and PG on d 30. Heifers were fitted with a HeatWatch estrus detection system transmitter at the time of PG administration for continuous estrus detection during the synchronized period (0 to 144 h after PG); AI was performed 12 h after estrus onset. Estrous response did not differ (P = 0.43) between treatments (94% CIDR Select, 98% CIDR-PG). Mean interval to estrus after PG was 7 h shorter (P = 0.01) and variance for interval to estrus was reduced (P < 0.01) among CIDR-PG-treated compared with CIDR Select-treated heifers. Conception rate to AI tended (P = 0.09) to be greater for CIDR-PG heifers (67%) compared with CIDR Select heifers (58%), and AI pregnancy rate was greater (P = 0.05) for CIDR-PG heifers (66%) compared with CIDR Select heifers (55%). Final pregnancy rate at the end of the breeding season was similar for the 2 treatments (81% for both; P = 0.94). We conclude that the administration of GnRH 9 d after CIDR removal in the CIDR Select protocol is not required to facilitate an improvement in the synchrony of estrus in beef heifers.
Midlife Lesbian Parenting

Summary This study explores the experience of nine midlife lesbian mothers parenting young children. The participants live in the greater Bay Area of San Francisco. The participants reported positive feelings about their parenting experience. They felt confident and secure in midlife, and this enhanced their parenting. Their own maturation issues, whether they were coming out or other developmental concerns, seem successfully traversed, leaving them more inner resources for mothering. Participants experienced acceptance from the larger culture, as well as discrimination and ignorance. Participants experienced little conflict regarding nurturing with their partner and little conflict with respect to their identities as mothers.
Diel cycling and stable isotopes of dissolved oxygen, dissolved inorganic carbon, and nitrogenous species in a stream receiving treated municipal sewage

Abstract Diel and synoptic studies were undertaken in Silver Bow Creek, a small, highly eutrophic stream receiving municipal sewage from the city of Butte, Montana, USA. During mid-summer baseflow conditions, oxidation of ammonium from the Butte wastewater treatment plant created a 2-km long reach marked by nightly hypoxia and extreme growth of aquatic plants and algae. Large diel cycles in the concentrations and isotopic compositions of dissolved oxygen (DO) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) were inversely related, and are explained by the daily cycle of photosynthesis and respiration, modified by the effects of nitrification. Nitrification rates were higher during the day than at night due to a combination of higher water temperatures and higher DO concentrations. Changes in nitrification rate imparted diel cycles in the concentrations and N-isotopic compositions of NO 3 − and NH 4 + , whereas total dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations and δ 15 N-DIN values showed minimal diel variation. δ 15 N-NH 4 steadily increased with distance downstream over a 5 km reach, whereas δ 15 N-NO 3 showed a more complex spatial pattern. Plant assimilation caused downstream decreases in DIN and soluble reactive phosphorous: however, it was not possible to determine whether the plants assimilated NO 3 − , NH 4 + , or both. An important new finding of this study is the recognition that synoptic and diel changes in δ 18 O-DO in the zone of active nitrification imparted a corresponding change in δ 18 O-NO 3 . Future studies examining the O-isotope composition of nitrate need to consider whether DO has a constant or shifting isotopic composition at the source of nitrification. The results of this study underscore the complex and dynamic interactions between biologically-active solutes in nutrient-rich streams, and also emphasize the importance of recognizing these cycles when collecting samples for scientific or monitoring purposes.
Older Age and Larger Tumor Size Predict Malignancy in Hürthle Cell Neoplasms of the Thyroid

Background Hurthle cell neoplasms (HCNs) are rare tumors of the thyroid gland. The definitive treatment for Hurthle cell carcinoma (HCC) is total thyroidectomy, while thyroid lobectomy is adequate for Hurthle cell adenoma (HCA). However, differentiating HCC from HCA either before or during surgery is a challenge. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predict malignancy in patients with HCN.
Acute fatty liver of pregnancy in triplet gestation.

Abstract Background: Acute fatty liver is reported to be more common in twin than in singleton pregnancies. We report three cases of biopsy-proven acute fatty liver in triplet gestations. Cases: In all three cases of acute fatty liver complicating triplet pregnancies, the presenting features were vague abdominal complaints with elevated hepatic aminotransferase levels. A liver biopsy was performed in each case, and cesareans were performed immediately after the diagnosis was confirmed histologically. Clinical resolution occurred in all cases, and all infants did well in the neonatal period. Conclusion: Patients with triplet gestations should be monitored closely for the early signs of acute fatty liver. Triplet gestations may contribute to the onset of acute fatty liver by further stressing the fatty acid oxidation capabilities of the susceptible woman.
Mutational analysis demonstrates that specific electrostatic interactions can play a key role in the denatured state ensemble of proteins.

The nature of the denatured state ensemble has been controversial for decades owing, in large part, to the difficulty in characterizing the structure and energetics of denatured state interactions. There is increasing evidence for relatively non-specific hydrophobic clustering in the denatured states of some proteins but other types of interactions are much less well characterized. Here, we report the characterization of highly specific electrostatic interactions in the denatured state of a small α-β protein, the N-terminal domain of the ribosomal protein L9 (NTL9). Mutation of Lys12 to Met has been shown to increase the stability of NTL9 significantly through the disruption of denatured state interactions. Here, we describe the analysis of the pH-dependent stability of 13 mutants designed to probe the nature of the Lys12 denatured state interaction. Lys12 is located in a lysine-rich region of the protein but analysis of a set of Lys to Met mutants shows that it plays a unique role in the denatured state. Analysis of mutants of all of the acidic residues in NTL9 shows that Lys12 forms a specific non-native electrostatic interaction with Asp8 in the denatured state ensemble. Thus the distribution of charge–charge interactions in the denatured state ensemble of NTL9 appears to be biased by few key interactions and is very different from that expected in a random coil. We propose that these interactions are not encoded by local sequence effects but rather reflect interactions among residues more distant in sequence. These results demonstrate that electrostatic as well as hydrophobic interactions can play an important role in the denatured state ensemble.
Changes in vasculature of the periodontium associated with tooth movement in the rhesus monkey and dog

Abstract Changes in the vasculature of the periodontal ligament (PDL) of dog or monkey teeth subjected to experimental orthodontic forces were demonstrated by a perfusion method, using Pelikan carbon black. After 24 hr of force application, compression resulted in partial or complete occlusion of the vessels in the PDL, while on the tension side the PDL vessels were considerably extended. Two days later the differences were less pronounced. Seven days after force application, increased vascularity was still present within the PDL on the tension side, now characterized by new bone formation. On the pressure side, where bone resorption was evident, the vasculature was reestablished. The density of the vessels exceeded that of control regions. These vascular alterations were similar to those found in apposition and resorption sites associated with physiologic mesial migration of posterior teeth of monkeys, and are considered typical for active formation and resorption of bone. Such obervations relate well to information gathered from in-vitro studies of bone.
Learning scale ranges for the extraction of regions of interest

Scale space has been widely used in various applications. Given an application, it is essential to decide optimal scales under a certain criterion. Subsampling a scale space is a popular scheme to reduce the search space and thus computational costs. In the context of the extraction of Regions of Interest, we will introduce an alternative scheme that aims to learn scale ranges from training images in order to reduce the search space. We test the proposed scheme in a case study of face localization, and obtain promising results.
Conformational flexibility of the N-terminal domain of apolipoprotein a-I bound to spherical lipid particles.

Lipid binding of human apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) occurs initially through the C-terminal α-helices followed by conformational reorganization of the N-terminal helix bundle. This led us to hypothesize that apoA-I has multiple lipid-bound conformations, in which the N-terminal helix bundle adopts either open or closed conformations anchored by the C-terminal domain. To investigate such possible conformations of apoA-I at the surface of a spherical lipid particle, site-specific labeling of the N- and C-terminal helices in apoA-I by N-(1-pyrene)maleimide was employed after substitution of a Cys residue for Val-53 or Phe-229. Neither mutagenesis nor the pyrene labeling caused discernible changes in the lipid-free structure and lipid interaction of apoA-I. Taking advantage of a significant increase in fluorescence when a pyrene-labeled helix is in contact with the lipid surface, we monitored the behaviors of the N- and C-terminal helices upon binding of apoA-I to egg PC small unilamellar vesicles. Comparison of the binding isotherms for pyrene-labeled apoA-I as well as a C-terminal helical peptide suggests that an increase in surface concentration of apoA-I causes dissociation of the N-terminal helix from the surface leaving the C-terminal helix attached. Consistent with this, isothermal titration calorimetry measurements showed that the enthalpy of apoA-I binding to the lipid surface under near saturated conditions is much less exothermic than that for binding at a low surface concentration, indicating the N-terminal helix bundle is out of contact with lipid at high apoA-I surface concentrations. Interestingly, the presence of cholesterol significantly induces the open conformation of the helix bundle. These results provide insight into the multiple lipid-bound conformations that the N-terminal helix bundle of apoA-I can adopt on a lipid or lipoprotein particle, depending upon the availability of space on the surface and the surface composition.
Laboratory Studies of Resistance in Corn to the Corn Earworm

Heliothis zea (Boddie) larval growth rates on meridic diets supplemented with lyophilized silk powder from field-rated resistant and susceptible silks collected at 2 maturity dates were compared. Of the various silks tested, only the susceptible line Mp317 and the resistant line ‘Zapalote Chico’ yielded significant differences. There is an indication that silks from Zapalote Chico contain some chemical factor which acts as a feeding deterrent or growth inhibitor. Average eight-day weights of larvae fed on Zapalote Chico silk diet were significantly lower ( P = 0.01) than those of larvae fed the Mp317 susceptible silk diet. Silk age appeared to have little effect upon silk resistance or susceptibility. When silks collected at 1 and 7 days were compared, only larvae fed on the test diet supplemented with 7-day-old Mp317 silks showed a significant reduction in growth rate.
A CMOS optical detection system for point-of-use luminescent oxygen sensing

Abstract This work describes a stable and sensitive optical oxygen sensor based on a consumer CMOS image sensor array and polarization signal isolation. The consumer CMOS image sensor is inherently color discriminating, while the polarization is a wavelength-independent scheme for filtering excitation light. Combination of these two components generates a compact, multi-color detection system applicable to luminescence-based sensing. The optical system is applied to point-of-use oxygen sensing based on quenching of platinum octaethylporphine (PtOEP) luminophore. Sensitivity of the demonstrated portable oxygen sensor is comparable to that of benchtop spectroscopy-based systems. Taking advantage of the spatial resolution of the CMOS image sensor, an oxygen insensitive reference can be integrated to improve the reliability when powered by a battery. The low-cost and high sensitivity of the demonstrated optical sensing approach make it promising for point-of-use applications.
Interferon production and response to exogenous interferon in two cell lines of mouse brain origin persistently infected with Sendai virus.

Two persistently infected cell lines established from C3H mouse brain cells infectedin vivo with Sendai virus were shown to differ with respect to interferon (IF) production and response to exogenous IF. MB/Sen carrier cells contained 1–5 per cent antigen positive cells when examined by immunofluorescence, and virus was occasionally recovered from the culture medium. MB/SenAS carrier cells were maintained with 0.16 per cent Sendai antiserum in the supernatant medium. All MB/SenAS cells contained viral antigen and infectious virus was present in the culture medium.
Copulatory behaviour of the ram, Ovis aries. III: Effects of pre- and postpubertal castration and androgen replacement therapy

Summary In experiment 1, four sexually experienced rams were castrated and then tested for copulatory behaviour until it had ceased or until 1 year had elapsed. Two of the four rams were still exhibiting low levels of ejaculation-like responses at the end of the year. The behaviour of all animals was restored to normal levels by daily injections of 50 mg (approximately 500μg per kg) of androgen. Lesser doses tended to produce lesser effects. In experiment 2, five 2-year-old wethers (males castrated between 7 to 14 days of age) were treated with 50 mg per day of androgen and then observed for copulatory behaviour. The full complement of copulatory responses was observed in each animal after 2 to 6 weeks of therapy. Copulatory behaviour disappeared within 4 to 7 weeks after hormone withdrawal, and reappeared following 1 week of therapy.
Dynamic interpretation of atomic and molecular spectra in the chaotic regime.

A quantum partitioning theory is given for extracting dynamic information from the high-resolution spectra of highly excited atoms and molecules that is relatively simple to apply. The presented approach is applicable whenever the classical counterpart of the system studied is chaotic. The theory allows a picture of the underlying non-statistically-describable part of the dynamics to be obtained from the spectra. The theory presented effectively uses and unifies many aspects of classical trajectory approaches, Feshbach resonant-scattering partitioning theory, semiclassical periodic-orbit theory, ''scars'' theory, bright- and dark-state concepts, and Fourier transforms of the spectra. The power of the theory is demonstrated quantitatively by interpreting the dynamics underlying the absorption spectra of the hydrogen atom in a strong uniform magnetic field.
Superconductivity of some new Pt--metal compounds

Abstract Several new superconductors were discovered among compounds between Pt-metals and elements of the IV A, V A and VI A group of the periodic system. The position of the elements in the periodic system, the valence electron concentration and the crystallographic structure exhibit a strong influence on the superconducting behavior.
One-body dissipation and the super-viscidity of nuclei

Abstract This is a study of a type of fluid dynamics dominated by a “one-body” dissipation mechanism expected to be relevant for an assembly of particles whose mean free paths are comparable to or larger than the size of the system. Two simple dissipation formulas are derived, one relevant for the process of nuclear fission and the other for nuclear collisions. The resulting predictions, free of adjustable parameters, are compared quantitatively with measured fission-fragment kinetic energies and qualitatively with nucleus-nucleus collision data. The one-body dissipation concept is also tested against classical and quantal computer studies of particles in a deforming potential well. This brings out special effects associated with the symmetries of the well and points to a macroscopic dynamics of nuclear deformations which, except for super-fluidity at very low temperatures, consists of a smooth background dominated by one-body dissipation (“super-viscidity” of nuclei), on which are superposed modifications due to symmetries and quantization.
Strongly Regular Square-free Graphs with μ=2

By a square in an undirected graph ?, we mean a cyclex, y, z, wsuch thatxis not adjacent tozandyis not adjacent tow.Suppose that ? is a strongly regular graph with ?=2, and assume that ? does not contain a square. Pick any vertexxof ? and let ?? denote the induced subgraph on the first subsconstituent of ? with respect tox.It is known that ?? is strongly regular. We express the parameters of ? and ?? in terms of two integer variables,pandh,which do not depend onx.We present feasibility conditions which must be satisfied bypandh,and show that, ifpsatisfies these, thenp=(f2i+1)2for some integeri(0?i<∞), wheref0,f1,f2,... is the Fibonacci sequence, defined byf0=0,f1=1 andfj=fj-1+fj-2(2?j?∞).
SPATIAL EQUILIBRIUM RESIDENTIAL LAND VALUES IN A MULTICENTER SETTING

In his well known Location and Land Use, Alonso [l] extended the economic theory of consumer behavior to a spatial setting. According to this theory a rational household chooses a bundle of goods that maximizes the satisfaction of its preferences and that does not exceed its income. Alonso places these rational households within an ideal city in which all jobs are concentrated into a central location, and assumes that households (a) maximize their utility by choosing an optimal mix of quantity of residential land, of distance from the city’s center, as well 88 of consumption goods, (b) subject to the constraint that the sum of the expenditures for consumption goods, residential land, and commuting does not exceed their income. Alonso’s formulation however is not mathematically operational in the sense that it does not allow the derivation of continuous land value equilibrium functions generated by the households’ competitive bidding for the available residential land (Alonso [l, p. 1501). One operationalization of his model based on a spatial equilibrium technique is due to Casetti [2]. To this effect: (a) households were assumed to be identical in composition, income, and preferences; (b) a state of spatial equilibrium was postulated in which no household has any incentive to relocate or to alter its consumption mix; and (c) a sufficient condition for the existence of such spatial equilibrium was introduced by requiring that the optimal utility level attainable by the household be spatially invariant. In the present paper, Casetti’s work is extended to a central place setting with goods, services, and centers of Merent order. This generalization is based upon a method developed by Papageorgiou [3].
345. Hematopoietic Stem-Progenitor Cells Express CD52 mRNA and Membrane Protein

The gene expression profile of human hematopoietic stem- progenitor cells (HSPCs) has been studied by several groups. Among the molecules differentially over-expressed in HSPCs, cell membrane proteins are of high interest, as they might allow enhanced identification and purification of HSPC subpopulations, as well as provide further insight into functional mechanisms. Based our own transcriptomic analyses of HSPCs and meta-analysis of similar studies by others (Georgantas, Cancer Research, 2004), we identified several known cell membrane genes that were over-expressed at the mRNA level in the CD34+/[CD38/Lin]lo (HSC-enriched), as compared to the CD34+/[CD38/Lin]hi (HSC-depleted, HPC-enriched), cell subset. We then used available monoclonal antibodies and multicolorflow cytometry to investigate the expression of these molecules, at the membrane protein level, on immunophenotype-defined CD34+ cell subsets from cord blood, bone marrow, and G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood.
String field theory and equations of motion

The correspondence between free second quantized and first quantized theories implies that the equation of motion of any free string field theory is Q Φ = 0. The string have a fields have a fixed, but not unique, total ghost number. In most cases the equations of motion do not follow from lagrangians. It is noted that Witten's interacting theory should also only be used for equations of motion. Gauge fixing and the reduction of strings to physical states are studied in detail.
Studies on the biosynthesis of gibberellins from (−)-kaurenoic acid in cultures of Gibberella Fujikuroi

Abstract Gibberella fujikuroi utilizes (−)-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid as a precursor for the synthesis of gibberellins. A study of the time-course of the conversion of kaurenoic acid into gibberellins provides evidence that the sequence of steps involves an overall change toward higher oxidation levels, with GA-4 and GA-7 at an earlier stage on the synthetic pathway than GA-1 and GA-3.
Characterization of the Rep78/Adeno-Associated Virus Complex☆

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) replication proteins Rep78 and Rep68 play major roles in the life cycle of AAV. We have recently provided in vivo evidence for the existence of a covalent association between Rep78 and virion single-stranded (ss) AAV DNA (K. M. R. Prasad and J.P. Trempe(1995) Virology 214, 360-370). In this work we have further characterized the Rep78 protein-AAV DNA covalent linkage. Exonuclease and primer extension analyses revealed that in the majority of isolated ssDNA, Rep78 protein is covalently linked to one of the 5' terminal thymidines. Pulse-chase experiments with radiolabeled methionine suggest that Rep protein remains associated with the virus particle for up to 8 hr after labeling in infected cells. Quantitative immunoprecipitation indicated that approximately 30% of the ssDNA remains associated with the Rep protein after cell fractionation and partial purification. When cells are infected with Rep-associated AAV particles, a significant proportion of viral DNA remains attached to Rep after entry into the nucleus. However, the linkage does not persist after nuclear entry. These observations suggest that covalently linked Rep78 protein may play a key role during wild-type AAV infections and AAV vector transductions.
Quarkonium Production via Recombination

Abstract The contrast between model predictions for the transverse momentum spectra of J / ψ observed in Au-Au collisions at RHIC is extended to include effects of nuclear absorption. We find that the difference between initial production and recombination is enhanced in the most central collisions. Models utilizing a combination of these sources may eventually be able to place constraints on their relative magnitudes.
The Role of DNA Methylation in Mammalian Epigenetics

Genes constitute only a small proportion of the total mammalian genome, and the precise control of their expression in the presence of an overwhelming background of noncoding DNA presents a substantial problem for their regulation. Noncoding DNA, containing introns, repetitive elements, and potentially active transposable elements, requires effective mechanisms for its long-term silencing. Mammals appear to have taken advantage of the possibilities afforded by cytosine methylation to provide a heritable mechanism for altering DNA-protein interactions to assist in such silencing. Genes can be transcribed from methylation-free promoters even though adjacent transcribed and nontranscribed regions are extensively methylated. Gene promoters can be used and regulated while keeping noncoding DNA, including transposable elements, suppressed. Methylation is also used for long-term epigenetic silencing of X-linked and imprinted genes and can either increase or decrease the level of transcription, depending on whether the methylation inactivates a positive or negative regulatory element.
Cytology of metastatic thymic well‐differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (thymic carcinoid) in pleural fluid: Report of a case

Thymic carcinoid tumors (well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas) are uncommon anterior mediastinal neoplasms. These tumors are frequently accompanied by other endocrinopathies as part of a multiple endocrine neoplasia type I syndrome (MEN type I) and by paraneoplastic Cushing's syndrome and have a poor prognosis. We present the case of a 24-year-old man who presented for follow-up of thymic carcinoid with extensive bony metastases. He had recently completed radiotherapy to lesions involving his skull and mandible. An ultrasound-guided left-sided diagnostic and therapeutic thoracentesis was performed yielding 1 l of cloudy yellow fluid. The cytologic fluid preparations consisted of large “cannonballs” and atypical cell groups with salt and pepper nuclear chromatin. A panel of immunohistochemical stains were performed on the cell block material, and the atypical cells were positive for cytokeratin, synaptophysin, and chromogranin, but not for TTF1. These findings were consistent with metastatic well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (carcinoid tumor). This is the first reported case of a carcinoid tumor manifesting as large, spherical, smoothly contoured cell aggregates (“cannonballs”) in a pleural fluid. Despite its rarity, a metastatic carcinoid tumor should be considered when “cannonballs” are found in effusions. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2008;36:333–337. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Distribution, Abundance, and Range of the Round Goby, Apollina melanostoma, in the Duluth-Superior Harbor and St. Louis River Estuary, 1998–2004

Round gobies were first discovered in the Duluth-Superior Harbor, Lake Superior, in 1995. Anecdotal sightings by anglers and others suggested that the infestation was growing and expanding; however, direct evidence of the distribution and expansion rate in the harbor was largely unknown. Distribution and range of the round goby, Apollonia melanostoma, (formerly Neogobius melanostomus) was assessed using bottom trawl sampling throughout the Duluth-Superior Harbor, and portions of the lower St. Louis River from 1998 to 2004. Previous to 1998, round gobies only were reported to occupy the harbor between the two shipping entries (river kilometer 1 to 7). By 2004, they expanded throughout the harbor and upstream to river kilometer 13, but remained absent in western Lake Superior. The number of round gobies captured per 5 minutes of trawling (catch per unit effort, CPUE) increased from less than 1 fish in 1998 to an average 5.4 ± 1.2 SE fish in 2004, indicating a large increase in the population. The median yearly fish total length varied from 56.0 to 81.5 mm and wet weight varied from 2.3 to 7.0 g. As nest guarding male round gobies were located in rocky habitats inaccessible to trawling, the initial years were dominated by female round gobies with a 16:1 female to male ratio, but by 2002 the maximum ratio was 2:1. The ratio change may be indicative of the increasing population forcing males from their preferred rocky habitat onto open substrates that were more accessible to trawling.
LASER PHOTOCOAGULATION IN THE TREATMENT OF MALIGNANT DYSPHAGIA

Background: Dysphagia secondary to carcinoma of the oesophagus and gastric cardia is the principal symptom requiring palliation in those patients who present with late-stage disease or who are unfit for surgery. The primary aim of the present study was to determine the safety and efficacy of laser photocoagulation in the palliation of malignant dysphagia. Secondary aims were to look at reasons for failure and predictors of outcome; to determine the most appropriate second line therapy for treatment failures; and to look at the results of treatment for early stage disease. Methods: Sixty-seven patients treated over a 6-year period with endoscopic Nd:YAG laser photocoagulation were evaluated and the quality of swallowing assessed before and at intervals after treatment. Results: Ninety per cent of patients achieved successful initial palliation. This was sustained in 76% after 3 months of treatment. Within a month before death 71 % of patients were palliated but 29% required the addition of second-line treatment to achieve this. Complications were infrequent. There were no deaths attributable to laser treatment. Five of 10 patients treated with radiotherapy developed fibrous stricturing that required endoscopic dilatation. No variables were independently predictive for treatment failure. Six patients with early stage disease experienced prolonged survival. Conclusions: We conclude that laser photocoagulation offers safe and effective palliation of malignant dysphagia in this group of patients and is appropriate as first-line therapy.
Determining the Shape of a Convex N-Sided Polygon by Using 2n+k Tactile Probes

Abstract We show that 2n + k tactile probes are sufficient to determine the shape of a convex polygon of n sides selected from a known finite set of polygons. This result improves on the 3n probe algorithm of Cole and Yap (1983) in the finite case. We show k = 3 under the assumptions of Cole and Yap, k = 2 under slightly stronger assumptions, and k = −1 under the assumptions of Schwartz and Sharir (1984).
Facilitators and barriers to heart failure self-care

Self-care of heart failure (HF) is difficult to master, but the reasons why remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore how HF influences patients' lives, assess how they perform self-care, and determine how their life situation facilitates or impedes HF self-care. Qualitative data were obtained from 26 individuals with chronic HF. Data were gathered using structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis. Physical limitations, debilitating symptoms, difficulties coping with treatment, lack of knowledge, distressed emotions, multiple comorbidities, and personal struggles were common. Self-care involved the recognition of symptoms, but atypical symptoms such as faintness were rarely attributed to HF. Patients discussed their successes and failures in following dietary, exercise, and medication recommendations. Some adaptation strategies were practical and some involved internal resources. Many patients accepted support from others, but some withdrew. With the number of barriers these patients face, it is not surprising that self-care of HF is typically poor and that readmission rates continue to be high. Recommendations are provided for a stepped approach to patient education and counseling that uses these findings in practice.
Energy Efficient Signal Detection in Sensor Networks Using Ordered Transmissions

Signal detection is one application for which dedicated sensor networks have been proposed. Joint signal processing and communication design of such networks has been of great interest recently. We consider new approaches where transmissions can be ordered and halted when sufficient evidence is accumulated. We demonstrate that these approaches require, on average, fewer sensor transmissions and that the savings can be significant in cases of interest. We describe a highly efficient approach which saves transmissions over either the optimum unconstrained energy approach or censoring while achieving the same error probability as these approaches. The average number of transmissions saved (ANTS) is lower bounded by a quantity proportional to the number of sensors employed provided a well-behaved distance measure between the sensor distributions is sufficiently large. For such cases, the ANTS over the optimum unconstrained energy approach is shown to be larger than half the number of sensors employed. Numerical results for a mean-shift hypothesis testing problem with Gaussian noise show significant savings even for smaller values of the distance measure.
Anxiety enhances threat processing without competition among multiple inputs: a diffusion model analysis

Enhanced processing of threatening information is a well established phenomenon among high-anxious individuals. This effect is most reliably shown in situations where 2 or more items compete for processing resources, suggesting that input competition is a critical component of the effect. However, it could be that there are small effects in situations without input competition, but the dependent measures typically used are not sensitive enough to detect them. The present study analyzed data from a noncompetition task, single-string lexical decision, with the diffusion model, a decision process model that provides a more direct measure of performance differences than either response times or accuracy alone. The diffusion model analysis showed a consistent processing advantage for threatening words in high-anxious individuals, whereas traditional comparisons showed no significant differences. These results challenge the view that input competition is necessary for enhanced threat processing. Implications for theories of anxiety are discussed.
Personality Characteristics of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

• The role of emotional and personality factors in either the onset or the course (or both) of rheumatoid arthritis remains con­ troversial and has received increased atten­ tion in the medical literature and discussions in recent years. Opinions have been expressed from time to time that emotional factors con­ tribute to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis and that the course of the disease often fluc­ tuates with the patient's mental state. The question that evolves is how can the role of this possible etiologic, if not pathoge­ netic. factor or factors be evaluated in an objective, reliable, scientific fashion. The utilization of standardized psychometric tests is one possible approach. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), described in the early 1940's\ is one of the most commonly used personality tests~ and has acquired a reliabil­ ity that has been documented through many reference populations'. The MMPI is self-administered and is essentially an analysis of what people say about themselves regarding the prevailing at­ titude of the person's thinking and his nor­ mative and deviant responses to everyday de­ mands of life and life stresses'. The test con­ sists of 566 standardized propositional state­ ments covering a broad range of both medi­ cally and psychologically related subjects; the statements are answered either "true" or "false". The test provides scores for 10 clini­ cal and 4 validity scales. The clinical scales are Hypochondriasis (Hs), Depression (D), Hysteria (Hy), Psychopathic Deviate (Pd),
Multi-Electron Continua in Strongly Perturbing Collisions of Ions with Atoms

We have measured doubly differential cross sections(DDCS) d2?/dved?e for single and multiple electron emission for the collision systems p, F8+,9+ and I23+25+ + He and Ar via electron recoil coincidences. For the first time the entire relevant phase space 00??e?360? and 0<ve/vproj?2 was covered. We observe that for a large perturbation strength q/vproj the ve=vproj cusp is originating dominantly from multiple ionization of the target and not single ionization as is commonly believed. It is to be noted that the projectile centered continuum overwhelmingly prevails over the target centered continuum. We discuss the relevant structures observed in the coincident DDCS.
A novel ELF radar for major oil deposits

This letter proposes a novel extremely low frequency (ELF) radar for major oil deposits. Using our recently developed whole-Earth electromagnetic wave propagation model based upon the finite-difference time-domain method, we have determined that detection of the radial (vertical) component of the scattered H-field provides a sensitive means to detect oil fields that are located within several kilometers of the Earth's surface. As an example, we provide numerical simulations of ELF radar returns from a hypothetical Alaskan oil field excited by a 20-Hz pulse emitted from the former U.S. Navy site in Wisconsin. The proposed method would potentially provide means to rapidly and inexpensively conduct aerial surveys of thousands of square kilometers for significant oil deposits.
The actions of ibutilide and class Ic drugs on the slow sodium channel: new insights regarding individual pharmacologic effects elucidated through combination therapies.

BACKGROUND Ibutilide (I) has been reported to block I(k) and to delay inactivation of the slow Na(+) current (S-Na). There is debate about the clinical importance of the latter. Class Ic drugs block the fast Na(+) channel, but their effect on S-Na is uncertain. If Ic treatment before infusion lessened the QT increase with I, this result would suggest both an Ic effect on S-Na and significant S-Na actions of I. METHODS We infused I, 2 mg over 30 minutes, to 6 patients pretreated with propafenone (n = 5) or flecainide (n = 1) (group 1) and compared their increase with the QT increase seen with I alone in a combined group of 85 patients from our lab and the multicenter I database (group 2). RESULTS The QTc increased in group 2, 65 ms, from 413 to 478 ms. This effect was attenuated by 47% in group 1 patients to 34 ms (P <.01). There appeared to be a dose-response relationship between Ic dose and its effects on QTc prolongation. The lowest dose of propafenone had minimal effect on the increase in QTc with I (72 ms), while higher doses of propafenone and high doses of flecainide attenuated the increase to 13 to 39 ms. Nonetheless, ibutilide efficacy was not changed, possibly suggesting differing importance of K(+) channel and slow sodium-channel effects in atrial versus ventricular tissues, and having implications for means to reduce some antiarrhythmic drug proarrhythmia without reducing efficacy. CONCLUSIONS (1) Pretreatment with Ic agents can reduce the increase in QTc seen with I; (2) I's effect in humans appears to be at least partly mediated through the delay of S-Na inactivation; and (3) Ic agents probably inhibit S-Na.
Cognitive radio system with advanced environment awareness engine using integrated propagation models and multiple antennas

Cognitive radio systems adaptively adjust their radio parameters based on the feedback from the electromagnetic environment. Therefore, it is expected that cognitive radio systems will have better performance if they are integrated with accurate site-specific propagation modeling. Our group has long standing expertise in propagation modeling utilizing geo-spatial tools and indoor building models, and has focus on integrating these models as part of the environment awareness engine in cognitive radios. In this paper, we present the preliminary results for a multi-antenna based spectrum sensing algorithm with adaptive thresholds. The results show that, an almost fixed detection rate of 85% can be achieved for a mobile cognitive radio in an urban environment when the thresholds are set based on the path loss information provided by site-specific propagation modeling. On the other hand, the spectrum sensing algorithm with a fixed threshold shows a great variability in the detection performance, going as low as 65% in regions with heavy fading, which leads to harmful interference.
CULTURAL CAPITAL AND THE SCENE OF RIOTING: MALE WORKING-CLASS AUTHORSHIP IN ALTON LOCKE

In its very title, Charles Kingsley's 1850 novel Alton Locke, Tailor and Poet: An Autobiography hints at a set of questions that the novel itself never manages to answer in a very clear or convincing way: what is the relationship between manual and intellectual labor, between industrial and poetic production, between making a coat and writing a poem? How might the early Victorian imagination conceive of a working tailor who is also a working poet ? especially in light of the various actual working-class poets who ap peared on the literary scene in the first half of the nineteenth-century, complete with occupational epithets, such as Thomas Cooper, the "shoe-maker poet" (a figure who in many ways provided a model for Kingsley's fictional protagonist)? And what if, like a fair number of urban artisans, including Cooper himself, the tailor-poet is also a Chartist ? as Alton Locke indeed turns out to be? What is the relationship between the Chartist call for reform and for representation of disenfranchised men in the political realm, and the attempts of a fictional working-class man (since the novel's treatment of gender, as I will argue, is crucial to its treatment of politics and culture) to enter the early Victorian field of literary production? Or why, in the first place, should a novel that treats the "social problem" of class in the hungry forties and the appalling working conditions of the clothes trade do so by way of the literary aspirations of its title character, that is, through a fictional construction of working-class authorship? In The Industrial Reformation of English Fiction, Catherine Gallagher highlights the rift between the first-person narrative o? Alton Locke and the novel's justification for this narrative on the level of its plot ? between Alton's voice and Alton's story ? a fracture that Gallagher analyzes as a formal symptom of the novel's ambivalence about causality and free will. She argues that by writing this industrial novel in the form of a Bildungsro man, Kingsley was trying to reconcile a Romantic faith in the freedom and strength of the self with a recognition that some selves are not as free as others. Instead, according to Gallagher, Kingsley's choice of fictional form inadvertently ended up pointing out the discrepancy between Victorian realism's claim broadly to represent social life and its individualistic focus on characters and their personal struggles; the novel becomes "a
Managerial Leadership in Divided Times William Ruckelshaus and the Paradoxes of Independence

This article discusses the special constraints imposed on public managers by divided governments that make it very difficult to pursue the normal strategies of effective public management. It examines the two terms of William D. Ruckelshaus as head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to illustrate the strategy of personal and institutional independence, which Rucketshaus developed to address these constraints. In particular he focused his time and effort in four areas: (a) appointing competent professionals, (b) supporting consistent strong enforcement efforts, (c) providing good and credible information and working to define the terms of the debate, and (d) providing access to all. This managerial strategy enabled him to build institutional independence and autonomy, but paradoxically, the very strengths that helped him in these areas undercut his ability to influence the substantive agenda of the agency.