cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tetrabenazine in Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

SUMMARY The results are reported of a double-blind, cross-over trial of tetrabenazine in 30 children with athetoid cerebral palsy. Statistically significant improvement occurred in hand-function tests while patients were receiving this drug, but the results must be interpreted with caution because the over-all clinical improvement was minimal. Tetrabenazine appeared to improve the standard and speed of handwriting or typing in 10 out of 15 patients, and there was improvement in the activities of daily living in 16 out of 28. The one common side-effect was drowsiness, which was dose-related. RESUME Les auteurs rapportent les resultats d'un essai en double aveugle croise d'un traitement par la tetrabenazine de 30 imcâges de 3 a 19 ans presentant un syndrome athetosique. Une amelioration dans la function de la main est survenue pendant que les malades recevaient le traitement mais les resultats ne sont pas convaincants. Ce sont surtout sur des indications subjectives qu'il a semble que le traitement ameliorait l'allure et la vitesse de l'ecriture manuelle ou a la machine chez 10 sur 15 malades et les activites de la vie quotidienne chez 16 sur 28 malades, mais l'amelioration clinique globale observee a ete minime. L'effet secondaire habituel, la somnolence, etait liea l'importance de la dose. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Es wird uber die Ergebnisse eines gekreuzten Doppelblindversuches mil Tetrabenazinen bei 30 Patienten (im Alter von 3 bis 19 Jahren) mit athetoider Cerebralparese berichtet. Unter der Therapie traten bei den Patienten Verbesserungen der manuellen Fahigkeiten auf, ohne das jedoch die Resultate uberzeugten. Es gab subjektive Hinweise darauf, das Tetrabenazin die Qualitat und Schnelligkeit des Schreibens mit der Hand oder der Maschine bei 10 von 15 Patienten und die Aktivitaten im Tagesablauf bei 16 von 28 Patienten verbesserte, das aber der klinische Gesamteindruck sich kaum veranderte. Die ubliche Nebenwirkung: Benommenheit, war von der Dosishohe abhangig. RESUMEN Se comunican los resultados de un ensayo doble ciego cruzado con tetrabenazina en 30 pacientes (de 3 a 19 anos de edad) con paralisis cerebral de tipo atetosico. La mejoria de la funcion manual aparecio mientras los pacientes recibian el farmaco pero los resultados no eran convincentes. Habia evidencia subjetiva de que la tetrabenazina aumentaba el nivei y rapidez de la escritura manual o a maquina en 10 de 15 pacientes asi como las actividades de la vida diaria en 16 de 28, pero el conjunto de mejoria clinica observada fue minima. El efecto secundario comun (inseguridad), estaba en relacion con la talla y la dosis.
Palatal receptor contribution to and effects of palatal alteration on taste acuity thresholds

To determine the contribution of the soft palate to the overall taste mechanism and the effects of palatal compromise (surgery, cleft palate, and trauma), four taste solutions representing sweet, salty, sour, and bitter were applied to the apex and base of the tongue and to the soft palate of 12 subjects in each of the control and palatally compromised groups. Each group was tested on two different occasions with the sessions 2 weeks apart and one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Results indicate that the soft palate contributes to bitter and salty sensations to a greater degree than the other two sensations. Of these two, bitter is the more acutely experienced. Patients with compromised palates revealed higher taste acuity thresholds than the normal control group, particularly with bitter solutions. Taste acuity thresholds increased with age.
Video Compression and DICOM-Proxies for Remote Viewing of DICOM Images

Digital medical images are rapidly growing in size and volume. A typical study includes multiple image "slices." These images have a special format and a communication protocol referred to as DICOM (Digital Imaging Communications in Medicine). Storing, retrieving, and viewing these images are handled by DICOM-enabled systems. DICOM images are stored in central repository servers called PACS (Picture Archival and Communication Systems). Remote viewing stations are DICOM-enabled applications that can query the PACS servers and retrieve the DICOM images for viewing. Modern medical images are quite large, reaching as much as 1 GB per file. When the viewing station is connected to the PACS server via a high-bandwidth local LAN, downloading of the images is relatively efficient and does not cause significant wasted time for physicians. Problems arise when the viewing station is located in a remote facility that has a low-bandwidth link to the PACS server. If the link between the PACS and remote facility is in the range of 1 Mbit/sec, downloading medical images is very slow. To overcome this problem, medical images are compressed to reduce the size for transmission. This paper describes a method of compression that maintains diagnostic quality of images while significantly reducing the volume to be transmitted, without any change to the existing PACS servers and viewer software, and without requiring any change in the way doctors retrieve and view images today.
Rapid, direct extraction of DNA from soils for PCR analysis using polyvinylpolypyrrolidone spin columns

Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone spin columns were used to rapidly purify crude soil DNA extracts from humic materials for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. The PCR detection limit for the tfdC gene, encoding chlorocatechol dioxygenase from the 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid degradation pathway, was 101−102 cells/g soil in inoculated soils. The procedure could be applied to the amplification of biodegradative genes from indigenous microbial populations from a wide variety of soil types, and the entire analysis could be performed within 8 h.
Assessing effects of changing environment by a multiple pathway model of carcinogenesis

To assess impacts of changing environment, in this paper we propose a multiple branching model of carcinogenesis and use the model to demonstrate how the changing environment would affect the incidence and the survival function of cancer tumors. It is shown through some computer simulation that if there are initiation and promotion on the two-stage pathway, then the effects of changing environment seem to be negligible.
Independent and dependent variables of acid-base control☆

Basic physical principles and concepts plus computer-implemented numerical techniques now make possible a thorough quantitative analysis of acid-base systems. Some important conclusions from that analysis are presented: 1. 1. Acid-base balance for physiological solutions should be defined as the value of [OH−]/[H+]. 2. 2. pH is a dangerously misleading indirect representation of [H+]. 3. 3. Strong electrolytes affect [H+] and other dependent acid-base variables primarily through their resultant, the strong ion difference. 4. 4. Hydrogen ion concentration in biological solutions is determined by the strong ion difference, the carbon dioxide partial pressure, and the total weak acid present. Changes in hydrogen ion concentration can be brought about only by changing one or more of these three independent variables. The same statements apply to all the other dependent variables, notably bicarbonate ion concentration. None of the dependent variables determines any other dependent variable, although their quantitative behaviors are necessarily correlated. 5. 5. Solutions separated by membranes can interact in acid-base terms only by processes which alter the values of their independent variables. Interaction of intra- and extracellular acid-base balance can only occur by the cell membrane altering these independent variables in the extracellular fluid and in the cytosol.
Deafening decreases neuronal incorporation in the zebra finch caudomedial nidopallium (NCM)

New neurons formed in the adult brain are incorporated into existing circuits. However, the number of new neurons recruited into a given brain region varies widely depending on the experience of the animal. An emerging general principle is that recruitment and early neuronal survival may be correlated with activity or use of the brain region. Here we show that use-dependent neuronal survival also occurs in the higher order auditory processing region of the songbird caudomedial nidopallium (NCM). We suggest that retention of young neurons may in part be influenced by use of the system without an increased demand for learning or behavioral plasticity.
Extensions of compressed sensing

We study the notion of compressed sensing (CS) as put forward by Donoho, Candes, Tao and others. The notion proposes a signal or image, unknown but supposed to be compressible by a known transform, (e.g. wavelet or Fourier), can be subjected to fewer measurements than the nominal number of data points, and yet be accurately reconstructed. The samples are nonadaptive and measure 'random' linear combinations of the transform coefficients. Approximate reconstruction is obtained by solving for the transform coefficients consistent with measured data and having the smallest possible l1 norm.We present initial 'proof-of-concept' examples in the favorable case where the vast majority of the transform coefficients are zero. We continue with a series of numerical experiments, for the setting of lp-sparsity, in which the object has all coefficients nonzero, but the coefficients obey an lp bound, for some p ∈ (0, 1]. The reconstruction errors obey the inequalities paralleling the theory, seemingly with well-behaved constants.We report that several workable families of 'random' linear combinations all behave equivalently, including random spherical, random signs, partial Fourier and partial Hadamard.We next consider how these ideas can be used to model problems in spectroscopy and image processing, and in synthetic examples see that the reconstructions from CS are often visually "noisy". To suppress this noise we postprocess using translation-invariant denoising, and find the visual appearance considerably improved.We also consider a multiscale deployment of compressed sensing, in which various scales are segregated and CS applied separately to each; this gives much better quality reconstructions than a literal deployment of the CS methodology.These results show that, when appropriately deployed in a favorable setting, the CS framework is able to save significantly over traditional sampling, and there are many useful extensions of the basic idea.
Force controller design and evaluation for robot-assisted die and mould polishing

Abstract A significant portion of the total manufacturing time for a die or a mould, both used extensively in producing complex shaped parts, is spent on surface finishing operations following the primary machining of the die or mould cavity. Hence, there is considerable incentive in pursuing even partial automation of die or mould surface finishing operations. This paper concentrates on the control issues that arise during automation of die and mould surface finishing using industrial robot held tools, with particular attention being devoted to the design and evaluation of force controllers to maintain the desired tool-workpiece interaction. Simplified models of the polishing process including the effect of robot structural compliance are presented first, for analysing and designing controllers. A through-the-arm robot force control implementation using off-the-shelf tooling is discussed next. However, the major focus of this paper is on active end effector force control since there are limitations in the performance of the through-the-arm force control loop. Active end effector force controller design requirements and a simple robust stability test in the face of model uncertainty are given and applied to several design examples. Results of force controller analysis and design are verified by experiments where force regulation during polishing and trajectory tracking are demonstrated.
Degradation of diuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea] in cows

Abstract Five dairy cows were fed 0–50 ppm diuron herbicide [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea] for 33 days and samples of milk, blood, urine, and feces were collected at regular intervals during the experiment. Approximately 50% of the diuron was recovered in urine, 10% in feces, and 5% in blood. No herbicide was detected in milk. In general, there was a positive correlation in the concentration of diuron products between urine and blood and a negative correlation between urine and feces. However, the percentage excretion of diuron residues in urine, feces, or blood was consistent in all treatments. The remaining > 35% of diuron, which was not detected, could have been absorbed in the body or degraded into undetectable metabolites. Two diuron metabolites, 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methylurea (DCMU) and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea (DCU), were identified and determined only in urine from animals treated with 25 and 50 ppm due to experimental difficulties. Moreover, DCMU and DCU accounted for 8 and 25%, respectively, of diuron intake.
ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITIES of SELECTED SOLID FOODS DURING OHMIC HEATING

Electrical conductivities of three vegetable and two meat samples were determined by subjecting them to a constant voltage power supply in a static ohmic heating device. Conductivities of vegetable samples were increased by soaking them in salt solutions, while soaking in water resulted in reduced conductivity due to leaching of electrolytes. Conductivities under ohmic heating conditions increased linearly with temperature. When field strengths were decreased, the conductivity-temperature curve gradually became nonlinear, and under conventional heating conditions, a sharp transition was observed.
The Role of Tele-Mental Health in Therapy for Couples in Long-Distance Relationships

The rates of long distance romantic relationships are increasing, and it is important to realize that many of these couples may face unique challenges compared with geographically close couples. However, because of geographical separation, couples in long distance relationships may not have access to therapy services that could benefit their relationships. Therefore, therapists need to make accommodations for working with them. One way of supporting this population is through videoconferencing. Videoconference services are programs that allow people in different places to talk to each other in real time. One of the more popular videoconferencing services is Skype. This article will explore the use of Skype in therapy with couples in long distance relationships. The current state of the literature on Internet based psychotherapeutic interventions and the ethical considerations associated with this type of treatment will be addressed. Drawing on a clinical case study, implications of Skype therapy for long ...
Progression from marijuana use to daily smoking and nicotine dependence in a national sample of U.S. adolescents

Abstract Background While it has been demonstrated that smoking cigarettes in adolescence increases the likelihood of progressing to marijuana use, few studies have considered the reverse scenario in which early use of cannabis leads to greater tobacco smoking. Methods Participants ( n = 5963), who had never smoked cigarettes daily by wave I of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, were followed 6 years (waves I–III) from adolescence into young adulthood. Measures of marijuana use (lifetime use, monthly use, age at first use), as assessed at wave I within 12–16 ( n = 3712) and 17–21 ( n = 2251) year-olds, were separately modeled as predictors of three tobacco-related outcomes: (1) age at onset of daily cigarette smoking, (2) lifetime nicotine dependence, (3) current nicotine dependence. Results In the older cohort (17–21-year-olds at wave I), lifetime (>10 times) and past-month marijuana use at wave I were predictive of an earlier initiation into daily cigarette smoking and a greater likelihood of developing nicotine dependence by wave III. Furthermore, age at first use of cannabis was negatively associated with risk of nicotine dependence in the older, but not younger cohort. Conclusion After controlling for baseline measures of tobacco smoking and other demographic risk factors, the use of marijuana in adolescence was modestly associated with daily cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence in young adulthood.
Dynamic material handling for a class of flexible manufacturing systems

A real-time hierarchical routing control scheme for a large class of material handling systems is presented. The higher level (coordinator) performs resource allocation tasks and supplies parameter values to the lower (local control) level. The lower level operates in an autonomous (without continuous supervision) and distributed fashion. If state information is made available to the coordinator, the routing strategy can furthermore be adaptively adjusted.
Assessing providers of coronary revascularization: a method for peer review organizations.

OBJECTIVES. Current methods to evaluate quality of care are usually limited to reviews of individual cases or comparisons of hospital mortality rates. We present an alternative method that compares complication rates adjusted for patient characteristics. METHODS. Detailed clinical data that were specifically designed for quality comparisons of providers of revascularization procedures were abstracted from the medical records of 1998 Medicare patients, in 16 hospitals, who had coronary artery bypass surgery and 2091 patients, in 16 hospitals, who had angioplasty. Providers were ranked on the basis of an unadjusted risk, a risk adjusted for detailed clinical information, and a risk adjusted only for patient comorbidities. RESULTS. Complication rates differed significantly and substantially among the hospitals. Clinical adjustment changed the hospital rankings for the bypass surgery hospitals, but not for the angioplasty hospitals. Adjustment for comorbidities did not affect hospital rankings for either proc...
A Comparison of Cognitive and Behavioral Treatments for Pediatric Obesity

We compared outcomes for cognitive, behavioral, and comparison group treatments for pediatric obesity. Fifty children (M = 11.5 years) and their parents were randomly assigned to weight management groups with either cognitive or behavioral components. Data from an additional 25 children and their parents who had previously received treatment for pediatric obesity were used as a comparison condition. Participants in all of the conditions had a significant decrease in their percentages over their ideal body mass indexes (BMIs). The results indicate that the behavioral condition was superior to the comparison condition after age, sex, and change in height were controlled. No statistical difference was found between the cognitive and comparison conditions or between the cognitive or behavioral conditions. However, more children in the behavioral condition evidenced positive change in BMI status (e.g., from very obese to obese) than children in the cognitive or comparison conditions.
Critical Choices Relating to the Economic Structure of the Farming Sector: Discussion

In the coming years, important decisions about the structure of the farming sector will be made. These decisions, including making no change in current policies, will be based on facts or perceptions about the consequences flowing from alternative structures. The challenge to our profession, and to other professions concerned with agriculture, will be to provide information needed for decision making on a timely basis. We will be called upon to interpret our stock of research findings and to fill important gaps in our knowledge about farm structure relationships. The paper by Flinn and Buttel contains an excellent summary of the work by sociologists on farm structure and provides a basis for identifying the research that will be needed. Because of its scope, I will direct most of my comments to that paper. The Flinn-Buttel paper is provocative and grapples with major issues in the farm structure debate. The authors indicate that sociologists would be divided on their interpretations of research findings and implications. Economists likewise will be divided.
Malignant transformation of human papilloma viral lesion into squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in the HIV population: Case reports and review of literature

Summary Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted viral disease responsible for mucosal warts and anogenital malignancies. HPV-associated oral lesions include condyloma, focal epithelial hyperplasia and some squamous cell carcinomas. Both oral and genital lesions caused by HPV are more commonly seen in those co-infected with HIV. While there is some degree of HPV genotypespecific clinical presentation, unusual manifestations of oral HPV disease in the HIV-positive patient frequently occur. Examinations of oral-wart biopsy specimens from HIV-positive individuals reveal a range of HPV genotypes, including cutaneous type 2; genital types 6, 11, 16 and 18; and oral type 13. However, the most common HPV genotypes identified in HIV-associated oral warts are oral specific HIV type 32 and the cutaneous HPV type 7. This paper presents two cases of HPV lesions associated with these types, which progressed into oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Modeling equine race surface vertical mechanical behaviors in a musculoskeletal modeling environment.

Abstract Race surfaces have been associated with the incidence of racehorse musculoskeletal injury, the leading cause of racehorse attrition. Optimal race surface mechanical behaviors that minimize injury risk are unknown. Computational models are an economical method to determine optimal mechanical behaviors. Previously developed equine musculoskeletal models utilized ground reaction floor models designed to simulate a stiff, smooth floor appropriate for a human gait laboratory. Our objective was to develop a computational race surface model (two force–displacement functions, one linear and one nonlinear) that reproduced experimental race surface mechanical behaviors for incorporation in equine musculoskeletal models. Soil impact tests were simulated in a musculoskeletal modeling environment and compared to experimental force and displacement data collected during initial and repeat impacts at two racetracks with differing race surfaces – (i) dirt and (ii) synthetic. Best-fit model coefficients (7 total) were compared between surface types and initial and repeat impacts using a mixed model ANCOVA. Model simulation results closely matched empirical force, displacement and velocity data (Mean R2=0.930–0.997). Many model coefficients were statistically different between surface types and impacts. Principal component analysis of model coefficients showed systematic differences based on surface type and impact. In the future, the race surface model may be used in conjunction with previously developed the equine musculoskeletal models to understand the effects of race surface mechanical behaviors on limb dynamics, and determine race surface mechanical behaviors that reduce the incidence of racehorse musculoskeletal injury through modulation of limb dynamics.
Dual effects of the snake venom polypeptide vipoxin on receptors for acetylcholine and biogenic amines in Aplysia neurons

Abstract Vipoxin, a 13,000-dalton polypeptide component of Russell's viper venom, has a dual pattern of effects on the responses of voltage-clamped Aplysia neurons to acetylcholine and biogenic amines. Application of low doses of vipoxin by pressure ejection reversibly antagonized all three types of ionic response to acetylcholine and carbachol. The blockade by vipoxin of acetylcholine responses was not prevented by eserine. The order of susceptibility of acetylcholine responses to blockade by vipoxin was Na + > K + > Cl − . Low doses of vipoxin also produced a reversible potentiation of excitatory responses to dopamine with a slower time course of onset and recovery. Inhibitory responses to dopamine (Cl − , K + ) and both excitatory and inhibitory responses to histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine were little affected by vipoxin. Higher doses of vipoxin directly evoked current responses which were always of the same ionic type as that evoked by acetylcholine or carbachol. Responses to cholinergic agonists and vipoxin were both blocked by cholinergic antagonists but not by antagonists of biogenic amine receptors, which reversibly antagonized the responses to amines on the same cell. These results suggest that vipoxin, which has no demonstrated actions on vertebrate acetylcholine receptors, acts as a partial agonist at all three types of acetylcholine receptor in Aplysia neurons. Our observations thus provide evidence for some degree of phylogenetic difference between vertebrate and molluscan acetylcholine receptors.
Angiotensin inhibition after myocardial infarction: does drug class matter?

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin converting enzyme-inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin-II-receptor blockers (ARB) are equally efficacious in reducing mortality after MI, although the latter are far more costly. Little is known about their relative use after MI in typical care settings, and about their relative effectiveness outside the clinical trial setting.
Mechanism of eukaryotic protein synthesis inhibition by brusatol

The mechanism by which brusatol inhibits protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocytes has been investigated. When added to reticulocyte lysates, brusatol inhibits endogenous protein synthesis only after a lag of 2-4 min at 30 degrees C. During this period 80 S ribosomes accumulate. Brusatol is equally effective in inhibiting endogenous protein synthesis in lysates and poly(U)-directed polyphenylalanine synthesis with runoff ribosomes. In fractionated reticulocyte systems, brusatol does not inhibit formation of the ternary, 40 S, and 80 S initiation complexes, but does inhibit the reaction of puromycin with initiation complexes containing [35S]Met-tRNAf. These data suggest that brusatol inhibits the peptidyl transferase elongation reaction of protein synthesis, but can do so only after one round of protein synthesis has been completed. Thus, the mechanism of action of brusatol in the rabbit reticulocyte system is very similar to the effects previously reported for bruceantin in a yeast system.
Cytoplasmic inheritance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: comparison of first zygotic budsite to mitochondrial inheritance patterns.

Zygotic first budsite in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was studied in relation to defined mitochondrial inheritance systems: both petite and drug resistance. It was hypothesized that a highly asymmetric inheritance pattern would be correlated to a high frequency of first budsites on the petite or drug resistant end of the zygote (i.e., that portion of the zygote which was originally the drug resistant or petite haploid before zygote formation). The data collected did not support the hypothesis. For drug resistance, the budsite pattern is identical for a highly biased and a moderately biased inheritance pattern. In a grande by grande cross there is a high probability of the first bud appearing on the conjugation bridge, with lower but equal probabilities of the first bud appearing on one end or the other of the zygote. A grande by petite cross changes this pattern to a high probability of the first bud appearing on the grande end of the zygote, with a lesser probability of the first bud appearing on the conjugation bridge and virtually no budding of the petite end. This phenomenon is independent of degree of neutrality or suppressiveness of the petite strain used, however. The difference between a grande by grande and a grande by petite pattern may be due to the relative functional ability of the mitochondria in each end of the zygote. Tests using antimitochondrial drugs suggest that selection of first budsite on a zygote is a complex phenomenon, not simply dependent upon mitochondrial phenotype. In conclusion, selection of the first zygotic budsite appears to be independent of mitochondrial inheritance patterns.
Employer Stigma as a Mediator Between Past and Future Hiring Behavior

This study examined the mediating effect of stigma on the link between past and future hiring behavior for individuals with serious psychiatric disabilities. Structural equation modeling of data fr...
Research Report-The Relevance of Application Domain Knowledge: The Case of Computer Program Comprehension

The field of software, has, to date, focused almost exclusively on application-independent approaches. In this research, we demonstrate the role of application domain knowledge in the processes used to comprehend computer programs. Our research sought to reconcile two apparently conflicting theories of computer program comprehension by proposing a key role for knowledge of the application domain under examination. We argue that programmers use more top-down comprehension processes when they are familiar with the application domain. When the application domain is unfamiliar, programmers use processes that are more bottom-up in nature. We conducted a protocol analysis study of 24 professional programmers comprehending programs in familiar and unfamiliar application domains. Our findings confirm our thesis.
Isotope Shifts in Thorium—Th 230 and Th 232*

More than 250 spectrum shifts have been measured for lines of the neutral thorium atom (Th I) and of the singly-ionized thorium atom (Th II) in a sample of thorium containing 13 percent Th 230 (ionium). The observed isotope shifts between Th 230 and Th 232 spectrum lines range in magnitude up to 0.94 cm−1. The Th 232 line in every case is to longer wavelength, and hence the Th 230 energy levels are more tightly bound than the corresponding levels of Th 232. A summary is given of isotope shift data.
Theory and methodology

Abstract The hierarchial network design problem with transshipment facilites was first formulated in Current, J. (1988), “The design of a hierarchical transportation network with transshipment facilities”, Transportation Science 22, 270–277. The objective of the FC-HNDP is to identify a least cost, two-level network. The network must include a primary path from a prespecified origin node to a prespecified terminus node. All nodes not on the primary path must be connected to that path via secondary arcs. In addition, transshipment facilities are required at the intersections of the two network levels. In this paper we present two efficient heuristics for solving the FC-HNDP. These heuristics were based upon a Lagrangian relaxation of the problem. To facilitate this relaxation, we have reformulated the original problem. Results for 240 randomly generated problems are summarized. The heuristics yielded the optimal solution in 72% of these problems. The mean gap between the Lagrangian lower bound and the feasible solution value was 0.38% and the maximum gap was 4.33% of the lower bound.
Presynchronization using a modified Ovsynch protocol or a single gonadotropin-releasing hormone injection 7 d before an Ovsynch-56 protocol for submission of lactating dairy cows to first timed artificial insemination.

Presynchronization strategies, such as Presynch-Ovsynch and Double-Ovsynch, increase fertility to timed artificial insemination (TAI) compared with Ovsynch alone; however, simpler presynchronization strategies could reduce costs and simplify reproductive management. Lactating Holstein cows (n=601) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 presynchronization treatments before beginning an Ovsynch-56 protocol (GnRH at 70 ± 3 DIM, PGF2α 7 d later, GnRH 56 h after PGF2α, and TAI 16 h later at 80 ± 3 DIM) for first TAI. Cows (n=306) in the first treatment (Double-Ovsynch; DO) were presynchronized using a modified Ovsynch protocol (GnRH at 53 ± 3 DIM, 7 d later PGF2α, and GnRH 3 d later) ending 7 d before the first GnRH injection (G1) of an Ovsynch-56 protocol. Cows (n=295) in the second treatment (GGPG) were presynchronized using a single injection of GnRH 7 d before G1 of an Ovsynch-56 protocol at 63 ± 3 DIM. Blood samples were collected at G1 and the PGF2α injections of the Ovsynch-56 protocol to determine progesterone (P4) concentrations. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed using ultrasonography 32 d after TAI, and pregnant cows were reexamined 46 and 70 d after TAI. Overall, DO cows had more pregnancies per artificial insemination (P/AI) compared with GGPG cows 32 d after TAI (53 vs. 43%). Overall, P/AI did not differ by parity (primiparous vs. multiparous), and pregnancy loss did not differ between treatments or parities. More DO cows had P4 in a medium range (>0.5 to 4 ng/mL) at the PGF2α injection of the Ovsynch-56 protocol compared with GGPG cows (67 vs. 36%). Thus, presynchronization with a modified Ovsynch protocol increased P/AI after TAI at first AI by increasing synchrony to the Ovsynch-56 protocol compared with presynchronization using a single injection of GnRH.
Design, synthesis and conformational analysis of γ-turn peptide mimetics of bradykinin

Abstract Gamma-turns are regular secondary structure elements, found with some frequency in small peptides, that have been implicated in the biologically active conformations of several systems. This report describes the design, synthesis and conformational analysis of a non-peptide γ-turn mimetic. Low energy conformations of the mimetic system exhibit good conformational agreement with an experimentally observed peptide γ-turn. The mimetics were incorporated into the nonapeptide bradykinin, for which a γ-turn, formed by residues Ser 6 to Phe 8, has been hypothesized to be a bioactive conformation. The results indicate that a bioactive conformation of bradykinin may include a reverse turn at this position.
Atmospheric pressure plasmas penetrating through a packed-bed reactor

Atmospheric pressure micro-discharges in porous media (MDPMs) potentially play an important role in plasma assisted fuel reforming, porous material surface treatment and high efficiency NOx removal from mobile and stationary sources. MDPMs are also of considerable interest to the biological applications of low temperature plasmas since all bio-tissues are to some degree porous media. To investigate the complex plasma-surface interactions in MDPMs, numerical simulations were performed of atmospheric pressure argon and air plasmas penetrating through an idealized packed bed reactor. The simulation platform was nonPDPSIM, a 2-dimensional plasma hydrodynamics model with radiation transport. Continuity equations for charged and neutral species, and Poisson's equation are solved coincident with the electron energy equation with transport coefficients obtained from solutions of Boltzmann's equation. The photon transport is based on a propagator or Green's function method which accounts for view angles and obstructions. The idealized packed bed is 5 mm thick and placed between two planar electrodes separated by a 7 mm discharge gap. The packed bed consists of dielectric rods (e/e0 = 4-400) producing a characteristic pore size of about 100 μm. The applied pulsed voltage is between 10-20 kV of either polarity.
Stimulus-Driven Traveling Solutions in Continuum Neuronal Models with a General Smooth Firing Rate Function

We examine the existence of traveling wave solutions for a continuum neuronal network modeled by integro-differential equations. First, we consider a scalar field model with a general smooth firing rate function and a spatiotemporally varying stimulus. We prove that a traveling front solution that is locked to the stimulus exists for a certain interval of stimulus speeds. Next, we include a slow adaptation equation and obtain a formula, which involves a certain adjoint solution, for the stimulus speeds that induce locked traveling pulse solutions. Further, we use singular perturbation analysis to characterize an approximation to the adjoint solution that we compare to a numerically computed adjoint. Numerical simulations are used to illustrate the traveling fronts and pulses that we study and to make comparisons with our analytically computed bounds for stimulus-locked wave behavior.
Synthesis and structure of an infinite-chain form of ZrI2 (α)

Abstract The synthesis of a second polymorph of ZrI2 has been achieved by a transport reaction between ZrI4 and zirconium metal under a 750 850 ° C gradient in a sealed tantalum tube. The black lath-like crystals produced in the 775°C region occur in space group P2 1 m with a = 6.821(2) A, b = 3.741(1) A, c = 14.937(3) A, β = 95.66(3)°, Z = 4. A total of 669 independent reflections with 2θ ≤ 50° and I > 3σ(I) were measured at room temperature on a four-circle automated diffractometer with monochromatized MoKα radiation and were corrected for absorption (μ = 190 cm−1). The structure was solved by direct methods and full-matrix least-squares refinement of all atoms with anisotropic thermal parameters to give final residuals R = 0.064 and Rw = 0.079. This phase is isoelectronic and isostructural with β-MoTe2, a distorted CdI2-type structure in which the zirconium atoms are displaced 0.440 A from the octahedral centers along a to form infinite zigzag metal chains (dZrZr = 3.182(3) A) parallel to b. The phase is a diamagnetic semiconductor at room temperature (Eg ∼ 0.1 eV).
Prostate-specific antigen to determine progression-free survival after radiation therapy for localized carcinoma of prostate.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels after radiation therapy will more precisely and objectively identify the presence of persistent prostate carcinoma. We determined the impact of PSA marker levels on progression-free status for 123 patients treated by interstitial implantation (I-125) and 311 patients treated by external beam therapy (XRT) who have been followed for a median of 109 and 51 months, respectively. Actuarial progression-free survival curves were calculated, using standard clinical criteria, and then recalculated, using PSA marker criteria. Sera obtained twelve months or more after the initiation of XRT and twenty-four months or more after the date of I-125 were used for determination of PSA levels. Using normal PSA level (by Hybritech assay ≤ 4.0 ng/mL) as the criterion for progression-free status for patients treated by XRT, 35 percent of patients with Stage A2, 20 percent of patients with Stage B1 or B2, and 10 percent of patients with Stage C tumor were progression-free at ten years. The progression-free survival by clinical criteria for Stage A2 was 65 percent, B 1 was 40 percent, B2 was 35 percent, and C was 25 percent. Using undetectable PSA level (≤ 0.5 ng/mL) as the criterion, less than 10 percent of patients were progression-free at ten years, regardless of stage, grade; and treatment modality. This information should not be interpreted as indicating that radiation is ineffective therapy for prostate cancer, since clinical control of the disease among men in their eighth decade is a more practical goal than marker control. However, PSA monitoring after radiation therapy and after any local therapy for prostate cancer will provide more precise information on the success of that therapy in ablating disease.
A FEAR SURVEY SCHEDULE FOR USE IN BEHAVIOUR THERAPY.

Behavior therapy (or conditioning therapy) is the use of techniques based on experimentally tested principles of learning to overcome persistent un-adaptive habits. It has been mainly applied to the treatment of neuroses (Wolpe, 1958; Eysenck, 1960; Rachman, 1963), which, there is now good reason to believe, are persistent, unadaptive habits—most often autonomic habits of an anxiety response pattern. In all cases, it is a necessary preliminary to have a full picture of the stimulus antecedents of the neurotic reactions. While many such antecedents are easily discernible, and indeed may be brought forward by the patient among his presenting complaints, others may be quite obscure, recognized only after a great deal of questioning and observing the patient—and sometimes not even then.
Women's interest in visual sexual stimuli varies with menstrual cycle phase at first exposure and predicts later interest

This study investigated whether women's interest in visual sexual stimuli varied with their hormonal state. Viewing times of 30 women, 15 normal cycling (NC) and 15 oral contracepting (OC), to sexually explicit photos were measured at three different times. NC women were tested during their menstrual, periovulatory, and luteal phases, and OC women were tested at equivalent temporal intervals. Subjects viewed stimuli as long as desired, thus viewing time measured subject interest. Subjective ratings of stimulus sexual attractiveness were obtained on each test. There was no overall relationship between menstrual cycle phase and viewing time. However the participant's menstrual cycle phase during first exposure to sexual stimuli predicted subsequent interest in sexual stimuli during the next two tests. NC women who first viewed stimuli during their periovulatory phase looked longer at the sexual stimuli across all sessions than did women first tested in their luteal phase. OC women first exposed to the sexual stimuli during menstruation looked longer at the stimuli across all sessions than did OC women first exposed at other test phases. Neither current test phase nor initial cycle phase influenced subjective ratings. Women had increased interest in sexual stimuli across all sessions if first exposed to sexual stimuli when endogenous estrogens were most likely highest. These data suggest that women's interest in visual sexual stimuli is modulated by hormones such that the hormonal condition at first exposure possibly determines the stimuli's emotional valence, markedly affecting subsequent interest in sexual stimuli.
Time-course effects of two barbiturates on cardiovascular activity and temperature in the squirrel monkey☆

Abstract Heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (BP) and core temperature (TEMP) were recorded from conscious, chair-restrained squirrel monkeys surgically prepared with chronically indwelling arterial and venous catheters to determine the effects of acute intravenous injections of methohexital and secobarbital. Methohexital (0.3–17.0 mg/kg) and secobarbital (1.0–30.0 mg/kg) decreased HR, BP and TEMP in a dose-dependent manner. Methohexital resulted in a greater decrease in blood pressure than secobarbital, but the latter caused greater decreases in heart rate and temperature. The duration of all effects of methohexital was substantially briefer than the effects of secobarbital at the higher doses studied. The data show that these two barbiturates differ not only in duration of action but also in the magnitude of effect on cardiovascular activity in the squirrel monkey.
Infectious complications of percutaneous biliary drainage

The infectious complications of percutaneous biliary drainage were reviewed in 132 patients with obstructive jaundice. Cholangitic or septic episodes occurred more frequently in patients with malignant (54%) than in those with benign (22%) disease, and frequently were not related to catheter insertions or manipulations. The frequency and mechanisms of bacterial colonization of bile and blood in patients with obstructive jaundice before and after biliary drainage are reviewed. The significant morbidity and mortality related to postdrainage infectious episodes is stressed, and the efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis is discussed. The significant risks and complications of percutaneous biliary drainage must be considered prior to catheter placement, particularly in the most debilitated patients.
MRI hippocampal and entorhinal cortex mapping in predicting conversion to Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Objective Using MRI surface morphometry mapping, to evaluate local deformations of the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and entorhinal cortex in predicting conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods Baseline brain MRI with surface morphological analysis was performed in 130 outpatients with MCI, broadly defined, and 61 healthy controls followed for an average of 4 years in a single site study. Results Patients with MCI differed from controls in several regions of the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex, and to a lesser extent in the parahippocampal gyrus. In the MCI sample, Cox regression models were conducted for time to conversion comparing converters to AD (n = 31) and non-converters (n = 99), controlling for age, sex and education. Converters showed greater atrophy in the head of the hippocampus, predominantly in the CA1 region and subiculum, and in the entorhinal cortex, especially in the anterior–inferior pole bilaterally. When distances of specific points representing localized inward deformation were entered together with the corresponding hippocampal or entorhinal cortex volume in the same Cox regression model, the distances remained highly significant whereas the volumes of the corresponding structures were either marginally significant or not significant. Inclusion of cognitive or memory measures or apolipoprotein E e4 genotype as covariates, or restricting the sample to patients with amnestic MCI (24 converters and 81 non-converters) did not materially change the findings. In the 3-year follow-up sample of patients with MCI, logistic regression analyses using the same measures and covariates yielded similar results. Interpretation These findings indicate selective early involvement of the CA1 and subiculum regions of the hippocampus and provide new information on early anterior pole involvement in the entorhinal cortex in incipient AD. Fine-grained surface morphometry of medial temporal lobe structures may be superior to volumetric assessment in predicting conversion to AD in patients clinically diagnosed with MCI.
FLUID MANAGEMENT IN BACTERIAL MENINGITIS (BM)

Elevated plasma arginine vasopressin concentrations [AVP] and cerebral edema occur in BM. Therefore fluid restriction has been recommended in early management. However dehydration may also increase [AVP] and fluid restriction may decrease cerebral perfusion. A randomized, prospective study is in progress to establish the relationship between initial hydrastatus and [AVP], and to determine the effect of rehydration or fluid restriction on subsequent [AVP]. Six children with BM have been studied to date (table). Hydration was estimated clinically and determined by bromide space. [AVP] was measured at presentation, 24 hours later, and at the end of antibiotic therapy. No patient developed hyponatremia, SIADH, or fluid overload. Results to date suggest that children with BM are often dehydrated at the time of presentation and that replacement fluid therapy results in the normalization of [AVP].
Engineering of Bacterial Methyl Ketone Synthesis for Biofuels

We have engineered Escherichia coli to overproduce saturated and monounsaturated aliphatic methyl ketones in the C₁₁ to C₁₅ (diesel) range; this group of methyl ketones includes 2-undecanone and 2-tridecanone, which are of importance to the flavor and fragrance industry and also have favorable cetane numbers (as we report here). We describe specific improvements that resulted in a 700-fold enhancement in methyl ketone titer relative to that of a fatty acid-overproducing E. coli strain, including the following: (i) overproduction of β-ketoacyl coenzyme A (CoA) thioesters achieved by modification of the β-oxidation pathway (specifically, overexpression of a heterologous acyl-CoA oxidase and native FadB and chromosomal deletion of fadA) and (ii) overexpression of a native thioesterase (FadM). FadM was previously associated with oleic acid degradation, not methyl ketone synthesis, but outperformed a recently identified methyl ketone synthase (Solanum habrochaites MKS2 [ShMKS2], a thioesterase from wild tomato) in β-ketoacyl-CoA-overproducing strains tested. Whole-genome transcriptional (microarray) studies led to the discovery that FadM is a valuable catalyst for enhancing methyl ketone production. The use of a two-phase system with decane enhanced methyl ketone production by 4- to 7-fold in addition to increases from genetic modifications.
Calcification in a gastric mucinous adenocarcinoma

A case of a mucus-secreting carcinoma of the stomach with calcification has been presented. Calcification in gastric carcinoma is rare, with only 13 previously reported cases found in the English literature. The fine, sand-like calcification found in gastric carcinomas appears to be characteristic of a mucus-secreting tumor.