cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient preferences in prostate cancer: A clinician's guide to understanding health utilities

Prostate cancer treatments have positive and negative outcomes that must be taken into account when deciding how to proceed with a patient's care. One way to quickly determine a patient's preferences in this situation is to ascertain their health utilities for various health states. Health utilities are underutilized but powerful tools in aiding shared decision making between patients and physicians. This review is intended to inform physicians about the different techniques available, help the physician choose among them, and aid initial development of utilities for use in the clinic by way of the tables' references. A brief history, summary of applications and current directions of health utilities, and collection of references are provided to increase the reader's overall knowledge of health utilities and encourage their use in the clinic. Ultimately, the use and choice of one of these direct preference-based measures depends on the needs of the physician.
Im/Mobilities in a ‘Hostile Territory’: Managing the Red Line

This article examines the biopolitical dimensions of conflict manifest in Israel's disengagement from the Gaza Strip. Exploring a managed relation between life and death largely unaddressed in Foucault's conception of biopower, it contends that Israel's “disengagement” can be seen as a more sophisticated, flexible form of engagement that does not disinvest in or abandon life, but actively regulates it. Close analysis of emerging tactics of population control in Gaza illustrate that neither a “pure” politics of life or death emerges; rather, a more complex management of the two is achieved through the modulation of crucial life-sustaining and life-eliminating flows into and out of the territory. This paper links biopolitical practices of mobility regulation to the ways in which life is enabled, constrained and denied for those in a territory designated as “hostile.” Thus, it directly connects the biopolitical dimensions of conflict to territory and the geopolitical violences of territoriality.
Minimally invasive Morton's intermetatarsal neuroma decompression.

Background: We present the results of an alternative technique for decompression of a Morton intermetatarsal neuroma that is minimally invasive and does not require endoscopic instrumentation. Meth...
The Principles and Practical Application of Enteral Nutrition

Enteral feeding is indicated in patients who cannot ingest adequate amounts of calories but have sufficient gastrointestinal function to allow digestion and absorption of feeding solutions delivered into the gastrointestinal tract via an enteral feeding device. Many techniques for obtaining enteral access are available, and the decision regarding which one to implement depends on several issues, including the functional integrity of each part of the gastrointestinal tract, the duration of nutritional support, and the risk of aspiration and gastroesophageal reflux.
An algebraically partitioned FETI method for parallel structural analysis: performance evaluation

This paper presents the algorithmic performance of an algebraically partitioned Finite Element Tearing and Interconnection (FETI) method presented in a companion paper. A simple structural assembly topology is employed to illustrate the implementation steps in a Matlab software environment. Numerical results indicate that the method is scalable, provided the iterative solution preconditioner employs the reduced interface Dirichlet preconditioner. A limited comparison of the present method with the differentially partitioned FETI method with corner modes is also offered. Based on this comparison and a reasonable extrapolation, we conclude the present algebraically partitioned FETI method possesses a similar iteration convergence property of the differentially partitioned FETI method with corner modes. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Psychophysiological and psychophysical responses to experimental pain induced by two types of cutaneous thermal stimuli.

Evoked potentials (EPs) to noxious thermal stimulation of skin may provide information about integrity of the nociceptive afferent system and thus small afferent fiber integrity. Here we describe subjective report, EPs and response times to noxious contact thermal and laser stimuli in the same subjects. Pain quality to both forms of stimulation was consistently reported as a brief pricking or stinging sensation (first pain), occasionally followed, after a silent period, by a diffuse burning sensation (second pain). EPs to laser generated heat pulses consisted of bi- or triphasic waveforms with a large positive wave at approximately 300 ms following arm stimulation and 360 ms following stimulation of the leg. EPs to contact heat pulses consisted of a single, scalp positive wave occurring approximately 830ms following arm stimulation and 890ms following leg stimulation. Both forms of noxious stimulation activated afferents with a conduction velocity consistent with that of A-delta fibers (∼10m/s) and with t...
Who will do the abortions

A change in the White House has lessened some of the federally imposed burdens carried by abortion providers over the past decade, and the US Supreme Court has not dealt with abortion as harshly as reproductive rights advocates expected. American women's access to abortion services shows no signs of increasing despite a lessrestrictive government. A partial explanation is that there are not enough clinicians willing and able to do abortions for women who want a pregnancy terminated. In rural areas and for second-trimester abortions the dearth of providers is more acute and seems to be getting worse. How bad is the situation? Why are there too few clinicians? What could be done to relieve the shortage? Scholars and journalists have described "the thinning ranks" of abortion providers and the difficulty some women have in procuring an abortion. 1 Henshaw and VanVort 2 documented the declining sources of abortion services in several states and the increasing frequency with which women in some of these states must travel long distances to secure an abortion. Thirty-one percent of American women live in the 83% of US counties that are without even one provider of abortion services. Six states that already had low abortion rates in 1985 had a 25% or greater decrease by 1988. In all six, physicians or clinics active in 1985 had ceased providing abortion in the meantime. Throughout the United States, the decrease in services was most marked in rural areas, where the number of providers fell by 51% between 1977 and 1988. 2 When only a few abortion providers stop work, the effect on women can be significant because most of the abortions are done by a small proportion of the physicians, usually gynecologists. A 1985 survey of Fellows of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists showed that only 34% did abortions and that two-thirds of these performed four or fewer each month; only 5% exceeded 25 per month. 3 The failure of most gynecologists to do more abortions is not explained by opposition to abortion. Indeed, 84% said abortion was necessary in at least some circumstances, whereas only 13% said it should never be done. These figures are little changed from a survey of 14 years earlier. What has changed over the years is the intensity of the disincentives to do abortions. Harassment of physicians and their families is more common and more violent and finally led in 1993 to the first murder of an abortion clinic doctor by a © 1993 by The lacobs Institute of Women's Health 1049-3867/93/$6.00
External, noninvasive cardiac assistance and nitrate administration for patients with unstable angina pectoris or acute coronary insufficiency☆

Abstract The influence of external, noninvasive counterpulsation, alone and in combination with sublingual nitroglycerin or isosorbide dinitrate, on left ventricular volumes and ejection fractions was investigated. Patients with unstable angina pectoris or acute coronary insufficiency were selected for this evaluation. Left ventricular volumes and ejection fractions were estimated using a gated blood pool scintigraphic technique. Twenty minutes of external counterpulsation did not significantly alter left ventricular end-diastolic volumes, end-systolic volumes, or ejection fractions in 13 patients. When sublingual isosorbide dinitrate (10 mg.) was combined with 20 minutes of external counterpulsation in eight patients, left ventricular end-diastolic volumes decreased 16 ± 7 per cent (p = .05), but neither left ventricular end-systolic volumes (12 ± 7 per cent) nor ejection fractions were significantly changed. When sublingual nitroglycerin (0.4 mg.) was combined with 15 minutes of external counterpulsation in three patients, left ventricular end-diastolic volumes decreased 21 ± 3 per cent (p
Sorghum genotype comparisons under variable acid soil stress

Abstract Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is quite sensitive to acid soil stress, but differentially responsive genotypes have been found. To learn more about the overall acid soil tolerance mechanism(s), four genotypes differing in acid soil tolerance/susceptibility were evaluated for nutrient content and grain yield at three locations during 1983 to 1985. Plants were grown on soil pH >6.0 and 6.0 x 100) were 96% for SC283, 40% for SC599 (moderately susceptible), and 19 and 14% for RTx430 and TAM 428 (susceptible genotypes), respectively. Mechanisms involving Ca, Mg, and K may be important links in the overall acid soil tolerance mechanism of sorghum.
Early adolescent predictors of health in emerging adulthood: A comment on Helgeson et al

The first year after high school is characterized by multiple developmental transitions, increasing independence, and changes in relationships with parents and peers (1). Youth in this period of early emerging adulthood demonstrate increased engagement in risky behaviors that may have serious health consequences, particularly for youth with chronic illness (2–4). Examination of predictive factors associated with health and risk behaviors in emerging adulthood is a critical area of research that can directly inform intervention efforts.
Reflections on the current state of spatial statistics education in the United States: 2014

This paper surveys the current state of teaching spatial statistics in the United States (US), with commentary about the future teaching of such a course. It begins with a historical overview, and proposes what constitutes suitable content for a contemporary spatial statistics course. It notes that contemporary university-level spatial statistics courses are mostly taught across myriad units, including biology/ecology, climatology, economics (as spatial econometrics), environmental studies, epidemiology/public health, forestry, geography, geosciences/earth sciences, geospatial information sciences, mathematics, quantitative social science, soil science, and statistics. It discusses the diffusion of this course across the US, which began in the mid-1980s. One result it reports is a model spatial statistics course offering.
Pantoporate pollen in the Asteraceae (Vernonieae)

Pantoporate pollen, which occurs sporadically in the Monocots and Dicots, has now been found in Asteraceae in two apparently related genera of the tribe Vernonieae, Polydora Fenzl and Oocephala H.Rob. Disposition of pores in Polydora seems more asymmetric than in Oocephala. Based on the known relationships within the Vernonieae, some conjectures are made regarding development of the pantoporate condition in the group.
The Readability of Information Literacy Content on Academic Library Web Sites.

This article reports on a study addressing the readability of content on academic libraries' Web sites, specifically content intended to improve users' information literacy skills. Results call for recognition of readability as an evaluative component of text in order to better meet the needs of diverse user populations.
Sustainable tourism certification and state capacity: keep it local, simple, and fuzzy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the state of sustainable tourism certification in developing countries and to present methodological and practical critiques and improvements.Design/methodology/approach – The study uses methodological refinements of fuzzy logic and comparative analysis based on fieldwork in seven countries.Findings – Sustainable tourism programs should be locally designed with local logos, largely performance‐based, and aggregation should be based on fuzzy logic concepts of necessary and jointly sufficient attributes of sustainable tourism.Originality/value – The paper uses political science concepts of state capacity and methodological advances of fuzzy logic to provide keys for successful sustainable tourism certification programs in developing countries.
Molten Slag Structure and Diffusion Coefficients of Cr 3+ and Si 4+ during Micro-Carbon Cr-Fe Alloy Production

Based on the silicate structure theory, the molten slag structure and the existential state of and during micro-carbon Cr-Fe alloy production process were analysised, and then their diffusion coefficients were calculated. The results showed that, during the initial stage, the average diffusion coeffecient of and is close to the , the reaction process is controlled by the diffusion of () and corporately, during the later stage, the diffusion coefficient of is less than average diffusion coefficient of and , the controlling step is the diffusion of . According to the evolution of diffusion coefficient, molten slag composition optimization method was advised to increase the diffusion ability of and for enhancing the reaction efficiency and the recovery rate of chromium.
The new political economy and policy reform

Economists involved in offering policy advice to developing countries have often expressed frustration at the extent to which political factors within developing countries have thwarted the implementation of effective economic reform. While the focus of economic policy in the first few decades after World War II was on overcoming market failures, since the 1970s the focus has been on overcoming government failures. This paper examines how politics interacts with economic policy, in particular to consider if the new political economy can help us to achieve the political reform that seems essential if economic reform programmes are to be effective. The conclusion is that economic advice, and advisers, must understand the political environment within which policies will be implemented.
Thermal and tidal effect on the rotation of Mercury

It is shown that the influences of the thermal and tidal effects on Mercury's libration are in equilibrium with the periods of rotation and revolution of Mercury locked in the 3∶2 resonant state. The suggestion by Liu that the solar gravitational couple on the thermal bulges accelerates Mercury's rotation is investigated and the production of mechanical energy to balance the dissipation of the bodily tides is discussed. It is possible for Mercury to rotate with two bulges as a solar thermal engine; the tidal effect causes this engine to function and its maximum power is close to 1016 ergs per sec.
Zinc inhibits Ca2+ transport by rat brain NA+/Ca2+ exchanger.

CALCIUM transport by the Na + /Ca 2+ exchanger was measured in plasma membranes vesicles purified from rat brain and in primary rat cortical cell culture. Sodium-loaded vesicles rapidly accumulate Ca 2+ via Na + /Ca 2+ exchange (Na + i -dependent Ca 2+ uptake). Extravesicular zinc inhibited Na + /Ca 2+ exchange as evidenced by a reduction of the initial velocity of Ca 2+ uptake. Significant inhibition of Ca 2+ uptake was seen at concentrations of zinc as low as 3 μM. Lineweaver-Burk analysis of the data was consistent with noncompetitive inhibition with respect to extravesicular Ca 2+ concentration. The K i for zinc inhibition of Ca 2+ uptake determined from a Dixon plot was 14.5 μM. This is within the range of zinc concentrations thought to be obtained extracellularly after excitation. When vesicles were preloaded with Ca 2+ , extravesicular zinc also inhibited reversal of Na + /Ca 2+ exchange (Na + o -dependent Ca 2+ release) although its potency was much less: concentrations of ≥ 30 μM zinc were required. Zinc inhibition of Ca 2+ release was not Na + dependent. Na + i -dependent calcium uptake by rat cortical cells in primary culture also was inhibited by zinc. The extent of inhibition was similar to that seen for inhibition of Na + i -dependent Ca 2+ uptake in membrane vesicles, but the potency was less. The results suggest that Ca 2+ transport by the Na + /Ca 2+ exchanger is inhibited by concentrations of zinc thought to be attained extracellularly after excitation.
Expression of circadian clock genes in retinal dopaminergic cells

The mammalian neural retina contains single or multiple intrinsic circadian oscillators that can be directly entrained by light cycles. Dopaminergic amacrine (DA) cells represent an especially interesting candidate as a site of the retinal oscillator because of the crucial role of dopamine in light adaptation, and the widespread distribution of dopamine receptors in the retina. We hereby show by single-cell, end-point RT-PCR that retinal DA cells contain the transcripts for six core components of the circadian clock: Bmall, Clock, Cryl, Cry2, Per1, and Per2. Rod photoreceptors represented a negative control, because they did not appear to contain clock transcripts. We finally confirmed that DA cells contain the protein encoded by the Bmall gene by comparing immunostaining of the nuclei of DA cells in the retinas of wildtype and Bmal1 -/- mice. It is therefore likely that DA cells contain a circadian clock that anticipates predictable variations in retinal illumination.
Pragmatic communication skills in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Background . Pragmatic communication abilities may depend on intact frontal lobe systems. Independent evidence suggests that some persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are impaired on measures of frontal lobe function. Hypothesis . We therefore hypothesized in Study 1 that pragmatic communication skills would be impaired in some persons with PD and would be linked to frontal dysfunction in these patients. In Study 2 we hypothesized that PD patients would be unaware of their pragmatic communication deficits. Methods . In Study 1 we administered tests of pragmatic abilities and frontal lobe functioning to twenty-two persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and 10 healthy controls. In Study 2 we obtained self-ratings of pragmatic abilities from 11 PD patients and then checked these self-ratings against ratings of these same abilities by the patient’s spouses. Results . We found in Study 1 that patients with PD were: (a) significantly impaired on measures of pragmatic communication abilities, especially in the areas of conversational appropriateness, turn-taking, prosodics and proxemics, and that this impairment was significantly related to measures of frontal lobe function. In study 2 we found that PD patients overestimated their own abilities relative to spousal ratings of those abilities and thus were unaware of the extent of their problems with pragmatic social communication skills. Conclusion . We conclude that pragmatic social communication skills are impaired in PD and that this impairment may be related to frontal lobe dysfunction.
SEXUAL CONFLICT AND PROTEIN POLYMORPHISM

Sexual conflict, where male and female reproductive interests differ, is probably widespread and often mediated by male or sperm proteins and female or egg proteins that bind to each other during mating or fertilization. One potential consequence is maintenance of polymorphism in these proteins, which might result in reproductive isolation between sympatric subpopulations. I investigate the conditions for polymorphism maintenance in a series of mathematical models of sexual conflict over mating or fertilization frequency. The models represent a male or sperm ligand and a female or egg receptor, and they differ in whether expression of either protein is haploid or diploid. For diploid expression, the conditions imply that patterns of dominance, which involve neither overdominance nor underdominance, can determine whether polymorphism is maintained. For example, suppose ligand expression is diploid, and consider ligand alleles L1 and L2 in interactions with a given receptor genotype; if L1/L1 males are fitter than L2/L2 males in these interactions, then polymorphism is more likely to be maintained when L1/L2 males more closely resemble L1/L1 males in these interactions. Such fitter-allele dominance might be typical of a ligand or its receptor due to their biochemistry, in which case polymorphism might be typical of the pair.
Sequential ordering of morphed faces and facial expressions following temporal lobe damage.

A card ordering task was developed to evaluate the role of the temporal lobe in perceiving subtle featural displacements of faces that contribute to judgments of facial expression and identity. Individuals with varying degrees of temporal lobe damage and healthy controls were required to manually sort cards depicting morphs of facial expressions or facial identities so that the cards were sequentially ordered from one morph endpoint to another. Four morph progressions were used—three emotion morphs (neutral-to-anger, neutral-to-fear, and fear-to-anger) and an identity morph. Five exemplars were given per morph type. Debriefing verified that participants were using feature-level cues to sort the cards. A patient with bilateral amygdala damage due to epilepsy did not differ in her sorting abilities from unilateral temporal lobectomy patients or controls. In contrast, a post-encephalitic patient with widespread left temporal lobe damage showed impairments that were most marked on the fear-to-anger and identity sorts. These results show that amygdala-damaged individuals can use information contained in facial expressions to solve tasks that rely on feature-level analysis, which recruits processing in other temporal lobe regions involved in making fine featural distinctions.
Embryo toxicity of clomiphene citrate on mouse embryos fertilized in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract The effect of the ovulatory agent clomiphene citrate on fertilization and early embryogenesis was investigated with the use of in vitro fertilized mouse oocytes. Alterations in early embryogenesis with clomiphene citrate exposure were further studied with the use of embryos obtained from mouse oocytes fertilized in vivo. In the nontreated group, the fertilization rate was 81 %, and 61 % of the oocytes reached the blastocyst stage by 96 hours. Both fertilization and blastocyst formation declined in a dose-dependent fashion when clomiphene citrate was added to the culture media in concentrations ≥10 μg/ml (p
STRAIN DIFFERENCES IN THE INHIBITION BY HEMICHOLINIUM‐3 OF THE PRESSOR RESPONSE TO INTRAVENTRICULAR INJECTION OF NEOSTIGMINE IN RATS

Abstract The pressor response to intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of neostigmine was examined in three groups of Sprague-Dawley rats (MFS, CS and CFE) obtained from different breeders and in Long-Evans rats (MLE) obtained from one of the same breeders. All rats responded with a rise in blood pressure to i.c.v. injection of neostigmine, although the CFE strain was 6-fold less sensitive to the drug than were the other strains. Prior i.c.v. injection of hemicholinium-3 (HC-3; 0.4 μg) reduced by more than 50% the pressor response in the two strains obtained from the same breeder (MFS and MLE) and caused an 1 1% reduction in the CS strain. In contrast, the pressor response in CFE rats was not affected by as much as 40μg of HC-3, although this dose decreased the response to neostigmine by 47-66% in the other three strains.
Stress-induced sensitization and facilitated learning require NMDA receptor activation.

Exposure to an inescapable stressor facilitates acquisition of a classically-conditioned eyeblink response in the freely-moving rat. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the facilitation is mediated via activation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) type of glutamate receptor. Rats were injected with the competitive NMDA antagonist CGP-37849 (5 mg kg -1 ) or vehicle 2 h prior to exposure to restraint and 90, 1 mA, 1 s tail shocks. In contrast to the dramatic facilitation exhibited in stressed rats injected with the vehicle, rats whose NMDA receptors were blocked during exposure to the stressor did not exhibit any facilitation 24 h later. The antagonist alone had no effect on learning. These results demonstrate that the stress-induced facilitation of classical conditioning is dependent on NMDA receptor activation and support the hypothesis that stress is inducing a phenomenon similar in mechanism to that of long-term potentiation (LTP)
Refinement of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate (melanterite) with low-temperature CCD data

Refinement of the title compound, FeSO4·7H2O, with CCD data at 120 K has led to a fivefold increase in precision over the previously reported structure based on film data. The H atoms have been located and refined. Two independent octahedral [Fe(OH2)6]2+ cations lie on inversion centers, while one water mol­ecule is uncoordinated. Fe—O distances are in the range 2.0795 (9)–2.1873 (9) A.
Successful management of Ph chromosome chronic myelogenous leukemia with leukapheresis during pregnancy

We report the successful management of a 25 year-old woman diagnosed in the second trimester of her pregnancy with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). She was treated with leukapheresis until her delivery at 38 weeks of gestation. The procedure was without significant adverse effects on the patient or the fetus. Following induced vaginal delivery, the patient underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from her HLA-matched brother and is presently disease free 13 months following her transplant.
Systemic-pulmonary arterial shunts in the first year of life.

Results of systemic to pulmonary arterial shunts during the first year of life are reported in 86 infants under one year of age. Survival rates were highest in older patients and among infants whose basic cardiac defects were considered to be eventually amenable to surgical repair. Persistent hypoxia accounted for the majority of deaths. Congestive heart failure secondary to too large anastomoses occurred in 32.5% of Waterston shunts, but could be successfully managed medically in the majority of patients. Surgical revision of the shunt was accomplished successfully in two infants with subsequent alleviation of symptoms. Congestive heart failure occurred in only one of 26 patients after a Blalock shunt. Ten of the twelve patients in this series survived open-heart repair for cardiac lesions. It will eventually be necessary to compare these data with the results of single stage corrective surgery in the infant group.
Emergency medicine in the Veterans Health Administration—results from a nationwide survey

Abstract Study objective We describe emergency physician staffing, capabilities, and academic practices in US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) emergency departments (EDs). Methods As part of an ongoing process improvement effort for the VHA emergency care system, VHA-wide surveys are conducted among ED medical directors every 3 years. Web-based surveys of VHA ED directors were conducted in 2013 on clinical operations and academic program development. We describe the results from the 2013 survey. When available, we compare responses with the previously administered survey from 2010. Results A total of 118 of 118 ED directors filled out the survey in 2013 (100% response rate). Respondents reported that 45.5% of VHA emergency physicians are board certified in emergency medicine, and 95% spend most their time in direct patient care. Clinical care is also provided by part-time ( Conclusions Veterans Health Administration emergency physicians have primarily clinical responsibilities, and less than half have formal emergency medicine board certification. Despite most VHA EDs having university affiliations, traditional academic activities (eg, teaching and research) are performed in only 1 in 3 VHA EDs. Less than half of VHA EDs have availability of consulting services, including advanced stroke care and women's health.
Population correlation matrices for sampling experiments

A procedure is given for generating correlation matrices which can be used as population correlation matrices for sampling experiments. The algorithm specifies the eigenvalues and randomly selects a correlation matrix from the class of all correlation matrices which possess these same eigenvalues. It is possible to obtain a set of correlation matrices which are indexed by the degree of interdependence among the variables by parameterizing the eigenvalues with a single parameter. An example is the case in which the eigenvalues form a geometric progression. Examples are given and an application to the problem of stopping rules in stepwise regression is discussed. Other applications are also briefly discussed.
In-situ emission spectroscopy and plasmachemical analysis of carbon dioxide dissociation in atmospheric pressure microchannel plasma

Remediation of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is a priority worldwide because of its impact on global warming. Uniform and stable glow discharges of CO 2 have been achieved in an array of microchannel plasma devices and conversion (dissociation) efficiencies up to 40 % have been realized with an optimal channel structure and mass flow rate of 60 sccm per channel.
Mapping ion stability in digitally driven ion traps and guides

Abstract Spreadsheet based programs for facile production of stability diagrams have been developed to accommodate the need for rapid generation for any change in the duty cycle of rectangular waveforms. In this publication, we have used these programs to demonstrate the effects of duty cycle manipulation and visually revealed the changes in the stability diagrams for each change. The concept of equating duty cycle change with a change in the Mathieu parameter a has been reexamined and found to be incorrect with respect to matrix methods definitions. The suggestion that the 50% duty cycle stability region can be mapped by varying the duty cycle to scan along lines of constant a / q is also shown to be incorrect. These observations were possible because the spreadsheet program allowed quick alteration of the waveforms and then observation of the stability results. Finally, the needs of the operator were examined. Because the stability diagrams have to be recalculated with each change in duty cycle, it is more helpful to use the matrix methods to directly calculate the stability diagrams at a = 0 as a function of m / z and frequency. It is our intention to make these spreadsheet programs freely available to facilitate the mainstreaming of digital ion trap and guide technology.
EPIZOOTIOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY OF Chloromyxum trijugum (MYXOSPORA: MYXOSPORIDA) IN CENTRARCHID FISHES FROM IOWA

The gall bladder parasite, Chloromyxum trijugum, shows marked host specificity within the sunfish family Centrarchidae. During 1977-78 80% of 230 blue-gills (Lepomis macrochirus) in Iowa were infected. Prevalence in green sunfish (L. cyanellus) was lower (17%); one of 2 specimens of the hybrid L. macrochirus × L. cyanellus was infected; orangespotted sunfish (L. humilis) and hybrids (L. humilis × L. macrochirus) were not infected. Intensity of infection in bluegills varied throughout the year. Prevalence of free-floating Plasmodia in bluegill gall bladders was highest (100%) during winter and spring months, and decreased to 40-50% during summer and fall. Prevalence of attached plasmodia may remain 80-100% throughout the year. Sporulation and plasmotomy were observed year-round. Plasmodia were attached to underlying epithelial cells by pseudopodia-like projections and were associated with various stages of breakdown in the mucosal layer.
Glucocorticoid and prostaglandin: lack of an inhibitory effect by dexamethasone on the synthesis of 6-ketoprostaglandin F1α in rat lung

Abstract High doses of dexamethasone (1–12 mg/kg twice daily) were administered to pregnant rats for 2 days. The effect of dexamethasone on fetal and maternal lung prostaglandin metabolism was examined on day 21 of gestation. Dexamethasone treatment at all dosages significantly increased conversion of [ 14 C]-arachidonic acid to 6-ketoprostaglandin F α in both fetal and maternal lung homogenates. This finding is similar to our earlier finding using lower dosages of dexamethasone and suggests that dexamethasone enhances lung prostaglandin synthetase activity. Because dexamethasone is known to inhibit the activity of phospholipases, we also measured lung immunoreactive 6-ketoprostaglandin F α . The results showed that dexamethasone treatment did not diminish lung 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α level even at the highest dosage used (12 mg/kg). These results suggest that high dosages of dexamethasone, such as those used in the clinical treatment of septic shock, do not inhibit synthesis of lung prostaglandin.
Aspartame demand in rhesus monkeys: effects of volume and concentration manipulations.

Abstract Three rhesus monkeys’ lever presses produced aspartame-sweetened water according to a fixed-ratio schedule. The response requirement was increased across sessions and a demand-function analysis was used to assess the reinforcing effectiveness of different magnitudes of aspartame by manipulating reinforcer duration (1 and 3 s) in Phase 1 and concentration (0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0 mg/ml) in Phase 2. When duration was manipulated, the number of aspartame deliveries was mainly a function of the response requirement rather than unit price (responses/duration), suggesting that changes in duration did not significantly affect the reinforcing effectiveness of aspartame. When concentration was manipulated and the lowest concentration excluded, consumption was best described by unit price (responses/concentration) in two monkeys and by the response requirement in the third. Although results from the concentration manipulation provide some evidence that consumption was modulated by unit price, the results overall suggest that scalar equivalence does not exist between the components of unit price; specifically, the response requirement exerted a larger influence than duration or concentration on total consumption. Finally, a normalized demand analysis revealed that aspartame is a more elastic commodity than food and drug reinforcers.
Nutrition intervention program of the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study: a self-management approach.

Abstract Objective To characterize the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study nutrition intervention program by determining the frequency of intervention strategies used by the dietitians and the usefulness of program components as rated by participants. Design Dietitians recorded which of 32 intervention strategies they used at each monthly visit. Participants rated the usefulness of 19 program components. Subjects 840 adults with renal insufficiency. Intervention Participants were assigned randomly to usual-, low-, or very-low-protein diet groups. Each eating pattern also specified a phosphorus intake goal. Each participant met monthly with a dietitian for an average of 26 months. Statistical analyses Analyses of variance and χ 2 analyses. Results Dietitians used the following intervention strategies most often in all groups: providing feedback based on self-monitoring and/or food records, reviewing adherence or biochemistry data, providing low-protein foods, and reviewing graphs of adherence progress. In general, the dietitians used feedback, modeling, and support strategies more often, and knowledge and skills strategies less often, with participants who had to make the greatest reductions in protein intake and those with more advanced disease. In all groups, the dietitians' use of knowledge and skills, feedback, and modeling strategies decreased over time ( P Conclusions Three features were central to the MDRD Study nutrition intervention program: feedback, particularly from self-monitoring and from measures of adherence; modeling, particularly by providing low-protein food products; and dietitian support. We recommend the self-management approach. J Am Diet Assoc. 1995; 95:1288-1294.
OVIPOSITION BEHAVIOUR IN FOUR SPECIES OF DROSOPHILA

Debido a su importancia en la eficacia de los estadios preadultos, la eleccion del sitio de oviposicion ocupa un lugar esencial en la ecologia evolutiva de Drosophila, pues ella determina las interacciones entre especies que comparten recursos comunes. Drosophila subobscura Collin, que fue detectada en Chile por primera vez en 1978, se habia encontrado en la naturaleza, coexistiendo con D. hydei, D. immigrans y D. melanogaster, sobre frambuesa y manzana. La frambuesa ha sido usada solamente por D. subobscura como sitio de crianza; mientras tanto ella compartia la manzana con las otras especies. El objetivo principal de este trabajo fue investigar la implicancia ecologica de conducta de oviposicion de la especie nueva; analizando algunos aspectos de la relacion preferencia-eficacia. Se han realizado dos experimentos con eleccion y sin eleccion del sitio de oviposicion. Los resultados han demostrado que todas las especies usaron ambos sustratos; sin embargo D. subobscura y D. melanogaster han preferido ovipositar en frambuesa, mientras D. hydei y D. immigrans lo hicieron en manzana. En cuanto a la relacion preferencia-eficacia, solamente D. melanogaster mostro dicha relacion en terminos del tiempo de desarrollo y viabilidad. Los factores fisicos del sustrato podrian haber sido involucrados en la preferencia. Estos resultados constituyen la primera prueba empirica de que D. subobscura esta constantemente colonizando nuevos sitios de crianza.
Reactions of Cationic PNP-Supported Iridium Silylene Complexes with Polar Organic Substrates

Reactions of PNP-supported silylene complexes [(PNP)(H)Ir═SiRR′][B(C6F5)4] (R = R′ = Ph (1) and R = H, R′ = Mes (2)) with Lewis bases, carbonyl compounds, alcohols, and amines were investigated. Addition of DMAP (4-dimethylaminopyridine) to 1 and 2 produced base-stabilized silylene complexes [(PNP)(H)IrSiRR′(DMAP)][B(C6F5)4] (R = R′ = Ph (3) and R = H, R′ = Mes (4)). Reactions of 2 with benzophenone and benzaldehyde afforded the products of stoichiometric hydrosilylation, heteroatom-substituted silylene complexes [(PNP)(H)Ir═SiMes(OCH(Ph)(R))][B(C6F5)4] (R = Ph (5) and R = H (6)). Complex 1 reacted with DMF or benzophenone, and 2 reacted with DMF, to afford base-stabilized silylene complexes of the type [(PNP)(H)IrSiRR′(B)][B(C6F5)4] (R = H, R′ = Mes, B = DMF (7); R = R′ = Ph, B = DMF (8) and O═CPh2 (9)). In contrast, treatment of 1 with acetophenone afforded {(PNPH)IrH[SiPh2(OC(═CH2)Ph)]}[B(C6F5)4] (10), from activation of a C−H bond at the α-carbon position of acetophenone. Reactions of alcohols and ami...
Isolation and biochemical characterization of nuclei from immature and mature guinea pig granulocytes.

Abstract Intact nuclei were isolated in high yield from enriched fractions of immature and mature guinea pig granulocytic leukocytes. These nuclei were used to determine whether any changes in synthesis and content of nuclear proteins accompany the striking increase in chromatin condensation and the nuclear lobation which occur during granulocyte maturation. The results indicate that the synthesis of nuclear proteins and the nuclear RNA content decrease markedly during granulocyte maturation. The incorporation of l -[ U - 14 C]leucine into the acid-soluble histone-rich fraction of chromatin from immature cells is about 25 times that of mature cells, and the incorporation into the acid-insoluble, nonhistone proteins of chromatin from immature cells is about 6 times that of mature cells. It appears that there is very little quantitative change with respect to the protein components of nuclei from immature and mature granulocytic leukocytes. No significant differences in the amounts of histone, nonhistone protein, or phosphoprotein between nuclei of immature and mature granulocytes could be detected. No major differences in gel electrophoretic patterns of histones or nonhistone proteins could be detected. The fact that the amount of the chromatin proteins remains relatively constant during cell maturation in spite of the pronounced decrease in the rate of synthesis suggests that the rate of turnover of these proteins decreases significantly as the maturation of granulocytic leukocytes proceeds.
The production of inactive phage P22 particles following induction

Abstract Using an in vitro system for tail attachment, it is demonstrated that following ultraviolet (UV) induction of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 (P22) most of the particles formed lack a functional tail. This effect is found at all temperatures studied, but is more pronounced at temperatures of 37° and above. Similar results are described for thermal and spontaneous induction. Tailless particles are found following infection only at temperatures of 42° and above. Temperature pulse experiments on UV-induced lysogens suggest that late in the growth cycle tail synthesis is inhibited by high temperature. There is also an earlier temperature-sensitive step, which probably causes the production of inactive heads at 40°.
The role of fiber morphology on the creep behavior of discontinuous-fiber-reinforced composites

Abstract The role of the geometrical parameters of the fibers and effects of fiber distribution in the matrix on the creep deformation behavior of 20% discontinuous-fiber-reinforced composite were numerically investigated, including the debonding and fiber pull-out mechanisms. During the analyses, it is assumed that the matrix deforms with a power-law creep relationship and the fibers are rigid. The debonding behavior at the interface was stimulated in terms of a cohesive zone model which describes the decohesion by both normal and tangential separation. The results indicate that, for a given fiber geometry and distribution parameters in the matrix, an increase in the interfacial strength or an increase in the work of separation per unit area of interface reduces the creep rates. For even very weak interface characteristics, it is possible to achieve lower creep rates and delayed interface failure by suitable selection of the geometrical parameters of fibers and by controlling the distribution of fibers in the matrix. The role of applied stress direction and formation of a more ductile phase between the fibers and the matrix in the overall creep behavior were also elucidated.
Optical Resonator Modes—Rectangular Reflectors of Spherical Curvature*

A combined analytic and numerical technique for solving the integral equation for optical-resonator modes based on the work of Schmidt is introduced. The method involves a kernel expansion which converts the integral equation to a matrix equation. Numerical diagonalization of the matrix then yields all modes simultaneously.The potentialities of the method in treating resonator configurations such as those with tilted or irregular mirrors, which are intractable by present analytic or semi-analytic theories, are discussed. Numerical results of mode patterns, including both magnitude and phase, losses, and resonance conditions are presented for a resonator formed by two spherical mirrors of differing curvature and rectangular cross section. These results are for a moderately large Fresnel number and include “high-loss” geometries.
The Diagnostic Accuracy of Kernig's Sign, Brudzinski's Sign, and Nuchal Rigidity in Adults with Suspected Meningitis

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of Kernig's sign, Brudzinski's sign, and nuchal rigidity for meningitis, 297 adults with suspected meningitis were prospectively evaluated for the presence of these meningeal signs before lumbar puncture was done. Kernig's sign (sensitivity, 5%; likelihood ratio for a positive test result [LR(+)], 0.97), Brudzinski's sign (sensitivity, 5%; LR(+), 0.97), and nuchal rigidity (sensitivity, 30%; LR(+), 0.94) did not accurately discriminate between patients with meningitis (>/=6 white blood cells [WBCs]/mL of cerebrospinal fluid [CSF]) and patients without meningitis. The diagnostic accuracy of these signs was not significantly better in the subsets of patients with moderate meningeal inflammation (>/=100 WBCs/mL of CSF) or microbiological evidence of CSF infection. Only for 4 patients with severe meningeal inflammation (>/=1000 WBCs/mL of CSF) did nuchal rigidity show diagnostic value (sensitivity, 100%; negative predictive value, 100%). In the broad spectrum of adults with suspected meningitis, 3 classic meningeal signs did not have diagnostic value; better bedside diagnostic signs are needed.
GABA(A) receptors as molecular targets of general anesthetics: identification of binding sites provides clues to allosteric modulation.

Purpose The purpose of this review is to summarize current knowledge of detailed biochemical evidence for the role of γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAA–Rs) in the mechanisms of general anesthesia.
CREAM-MAC: Cognitive Radio-EnAbled Multi-Channel MAC Protocol Over Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks

As the novel and effective approach to improving the utilization of the precious radio spectrum, cognitive radio technology is the key to realize the dynamic spectrum access (DSA) networks, where the secondary (unlicensed) users can opportunistically utilize the unused licensed spectrum in a way that confines the level of interference to the range the primary (licensed) users can tolerate. However, there are many new challenges associated with cognitive-radio-based DSA networks, such as the multi-channel hidden terminal problem and the fact that the time-varying channel availability differs for different secondary users, in the medium access control (MAC) layer. To overcome these challenges, we propose an efficient Cognitive Radio-EnAbled Multi-channel MAC (CREAM-MAC) protocol, which integrates the cooperative sequential spectrum sensing at physical layer and the packet scheduling at MAC layer, over the wireless DSA networks. Under the proposed CREAM-MAC protocol, each secondary user is equipped with a cognitive radio-enabled transceiver and multiple channel sensors. Our cooperative sequential spectrum sensing scheme improves the accuracy of spectrum sensing and further protects the primary users. The proposed CREAM-MAC enables the secondary users to best utilize the unused frequency spectrum while avoiding the collisions among secondary users and between secondary users and primary users. We develop the Markov chain model and M/GY/1 queueing model to rigorously study our proposed CREAM-MAC protocol for both the saturation networks and the non-saturation networks. We also conduct extensive simulations to validate our developed protocol and analytical models.
Glutamate in the nucleus of the solitary tract activates both ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors

Glutamate is the proposed neurotransmitter of baroreceptor afferents at the level of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors with kynurenic acid blocks t...
Administrative Responsibility Revisited: Moral Consensus and Moral Autonomy

The dominant approaches to administrative responsibility have been preoccupied with defining, mobilizing, and rehabilitating an intelligible and reliable "public, " one that provides an unambiguous...