cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: tracking the true occurrence is challenging.

IPF is not “just” a rare disease: better diagnosis and reporting by clinicians of this fatal disease is needed http://ow.ly/P284a
An evidence for dissociation of haemoglobin into monomer in concentrated potassium iodide.

Abstract Most of haemoglobin in 1.0 m -KI at neutral pH is in a state of dimer, which is also in rapid equilibrium with monomer. Such a mode of dissociation appears to differ from those in a concentrated NaCl solution, in which most of haemoglobin remains solely in a dimeric state. Hybridization is an extremely sensitive technique for detecting monomer since hybrids may be formed through the dissociation of haemoglobin into monomer.
Effects of Extrusion on Dietary Fiber and Isoflavone Contents of Wheat Extrudates Enriched with Wet Okara

ABSTRACT Okara is the residue left after soymilk or tofu production. In North America, okara is used either as animal feed, fertilizer, or landfill. The purpose of this study was to use wet okara to produce and enrich extruded cereal products and to study the effects of extrusion on the dietary fiber and isoflavone contents. Wet okara was combined with soft wheat flour to produce two different formulations (33.3 and 40% okara) and extruded using four combinations of two screw configurations and two temperature profiles. Various physicochemical properties, dietary fiber by enzymatic-gravimetric method, and isoflavone content by HPLC were analyzed. The radial expansion ratio decreased as fiber content increased. On the other hand, both bulk density and breaking strength increased as fiber content increased. Combining okara with soft wheat flour resulted in increased protein, dietary fiber, and isoflavone contents compared with soft wheat flour alone. Extrusion of the formulations resulted in decreased insol...
MESSAGE DISCRIMINATION AND THE INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT

The concept of message discrimination was originally developed as a means of determining actual units of content that individuals extract from encounters with mass media. Since its introduction to the literature, the concept has been used in evaluations of public information campaigns and studies of political information holding. This article describes the relationship between message discrimination and two related concepts: systemic information availability and knowledge.
A57: Four Prolonged Cases of Eosinophilic Fasciitis in Children

Background/Purpose: Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is a rare connective tissue disease characterized by a progressive inflammatory thickening of skin and soft tissues. Diagnosis is often based on characteristic clinical and biopsy findings, and treatment remains challenging. Pediatric data describing clinical course and treatment recommendations remain scarce. Methods: This is a case series of all patients diagnosed with EF at our institution in the last 8 years. A retrospective chart review was conducted and data collected on clinical signs and symptoms and laboratory data at diagnosis, disease course, and treatment outcomes. Descriptive statistics were used when appropriate. Results: We describe four pediatric patients with EF, with a mean follow-up of 54 months. Three of the four patients had preceding diagnoses before beginning treatment for EF. All patients had peripheral eosinophilia at diagnosis, two had positive anti-thyroid antibodies, and two had high levels of total cholesterol. Treatment induction in all patients consisted of intravenous methylprednisone (30mg/kg/day to a maximum of 1g daily for 3 days). All patients required at least one steroid-sparing agent (methotrexate at 15mg/m2/dose and/or mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) at 600mg/m2/dose) for disease maintenance post-induction. The mean length of treatment with methotrexate was 23 months, discontinued in only one patient. The mean length of treatment with MMF was 8.3 months. All patients had improvement in skin findings, and all abnormal laboratory findings normalized after treatment with intravenous corticosteroid. One patient had a disease flare less than 12 months after being weaned off cortico-steroids and methotrexate. Another patient developed a second autoimmune disease five years after treatment for EF. All patients had residual skin changes, and 3 patients had signs of lipodystrophy and/or subcutaneous fat atrophy after treatment. Conclusion: EF is often difficult to diagnose and has a variable course in children. We report four cases of prolonged EF, the only four EF patients diagnosed in our practice. Our data suggest a more severe course at earlier age of onset, with higher likelihood of recurrence. Our data also confirm the efficacy of corticosteroid treatment as first-line therapy, and suggest a role for methotrexate as a promising steroid-sparing agent. This is the first case series to describe successful treatment of EF with the addition of mycophenolate mofetil to a treatment course of methotrexate and corticosteroid therapy. Three of our four patients required triple therapy for disease control, which may be suggestive of a more severe disease course in the pediatric population.
6-Aminohexanoate and chloride ion in the activation by urokinase of porcine plasminogens

Abstract The rate of activation by urokinase of porcine plasminogen is accelerated by 6-aminohexanoate, although the maximally enhanced rate is 10-fold less than that of human plasminogen without the amino acid. 6-Aminohexanoate facilitates only activation of native porcine plasminogen (asp-plasminogen), but has no effect on activation of des-kringle 1−4 -plasminogen. Sodium chloride, on the other hand, inhibits activation by urokinase of both porcine asp-plasminogen and des-kringle 1−4 -plasminogen. It is concluded that 6-aminohexanoate exerts its effect via kringle 1−4 domains of plasminogen, whereas CI − acts, at least in part, through effects on the kringle 5 or proteinase domains.
Intelligent Approach to Floor Vibration Control

Genetic Algorithms (GAs) have been used to solve a multiple of engineering problems with the civil engineering applications ranging from optimal placement of sensors and actuators on structures to pipeline layouts. GAs are especially useful in finding optimal solutions to problems that have many parameters with complex search spaces and a high level of interaction among the describing parameters. The novel experimental control approach presented in this paper uses a GA and a piezoelectric actuator to control the vibration of an aluminum cantilever beam. This set-up is based on a floor vibration problem, where the human perception of vibration dictates the sensitivities in the cost function of the GA. Lightweight floors can be excited by occupant activities such as walking, jumping and dancing. Humans are especially sensitive to vibrations in the range of 4 to 8 Hz. The occupancy of a floor system — whether the floor is used in an office, a shopping mall, or a ballroom — determines the degree to which humans are annoyed by the vibration. In this paper, the GA based control limits the peak acceleration within a predefined bandwidth. Since the cantilever beam has a higher natural frequency than a lightweight floor system a bandwidth of approximately 1.6–15.9 Hz (10–100 rad/s) is used as the frequency range to control. The control to be designed will be a genetic algorithm-robust controller. The analytical results indicate that this novel approach works well.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Distribution of vesicular glutamate transporter mRNA in rat hypothalamus.

Two isoforms of the vesicular glutamate transporter, VGLUT1 and VGLUT2, were recently cloned and biophysically characterized. Both VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 specifically transport glutamate into synaptic vesicles, making them definitive markers for neurons using glutamate as a neurotransmitter. The present study takes advantage of the specificity of the vesicular transporters to afford the first detailed map of putative glutamatergic neurons in the rat hypothalamus. In situ hybridization analysis was used to map hypothalamic distributions of VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 mRNAs. VGLUT2 is clearly the predominant vesicular transporter mRNA found in the hypothalamus; rich expression can be documented in regions regulating energy balance (ventromedial hypothalamus), neuroendocrine function (preoptic nuclei), autonomic tone (posterior hypothalamus), and behavioral/homeostatic integration (lateral hypothalamus, mammillary nuclei). Expression of VGLUT1 is decidedly more circumspect and is confined to relatively weak labeling in lateral hypothalamic regions, neuroendocrine nuclei, and the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Importantly, dual-label analysis revealed no incidence of colocalization of VGLUT1 or VGLUT2 mRNAs in glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) 65-positive neurons, indicating that GABA neurons do not express either transporter. Our data support a major role for hypothalamic glutamatergic neurons in regulation of all aspects of hypothalamic function.
THE EFFECT OF IMPERFECT MIXING ON POLYMER QUALITY IN LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE VESSEL REACTORS

A mathematical model is developed for the calculation of polymer quality in low density polyethylene vessel reactors, taking into account mixing limitations at the initiator feed point. Model predictions show that imperfect mixing in the reactor can produce considerable variations in polymer molecular weight distribution. The effect of the most important process conditions, input feed temperature, solvent concentration, monomer flow rate and initiator type, on the final polymer quality is analyzed. The advantages of the design solution which divides the reactor in more compartments in series are also discussed.
Short-term memory for visual information in children and adults☆

Abstract Adults and 5-year-old children were presented tachistoscopically (150 msec) one-, two-, three-, and four-item arrays of geometric forms. Subjects reported by pointing to the items on a response card or by verbalizing. Whereas adults' short-term memory (STM) capacity was near four items, a striking limitation on the capacity of children was found of less than 2 items. An analysis of accuracy, as a function of report position, revealed a faster decrease in accuracy for children than adults as the report sequence progressed. There was evidence of a stimulus overload effect of the larger item-array sizes on children's performance. In general, adults and children used similar report strategies. Several theoretical and methodological issues raised by the present findings are discussed.
National Science-Education Standards: Around the Reform Bush...Again?.

tion system and the importance of such a system for congested city life. What are the customs concerning, for example, flowers-when is it appropriate to bring them, and what kind of flowers are appropriate for different occasions? How do such customs develop, and how are they observed in the United States? How do people make a living, and how did certain trades come about? Are there new professions being created? Which trades have become obsolete? Culture is a fascinating subject, and the teacher has to decide to what degree or depth a certain subject can or cannot be handled in the target language as language acquisition remains the ultimate goal. The possibilities seem to be endless.
Wear performance of 1900 direct compression molded, 1020 direct compression molded, and 1020 sheet compression molded UHMWPE under knee simulator testing

Abstract Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) tibial inserts as used in total knee arthroplasy (TKA) are primarily manufactured in one of two ways: (1) machining the components from already consolidated resin or (2) directly consolidating the UHMWPE resin into the final product dimensions. Because these processes involve the introduction of heat and pressure, microscopic inconsistencies may arise and possibly influence wear behavior. To investigate how the two processes affect wear rate, direct, or net shape, molded and machined Ticona (NJ) GUR 1020 resin were compared in a wear test. Results indicate that there is no statistical difference in wear rates when comparing machined or molded inserts ( P = 0.41). Additional testing was then performed to investigate how resin selection influenced wear rate. GUR 1020 and Bassell (Brussels) 1900 were both direct molded into tibial inserts and subject to wear testing. At the conclusion of the wear test no statistical differences in wear rates were found between the molded GUR 1020 and Bassell 1900 resins ( P = 0.14) or between the machined GUR 1020 and molded Bassell 1900 ( P = 0.31) inserts. From this study, it is apparent that resin type and manufacturing method of tibial inserts do not significantly affect wear behavior. More influential parameters are likely post consolidation methods including crosslinking processes with varied irradiation dosage and thermal treatments, as well as sterilization methods which can substantially alter the final molecular structure and properties of the material.
Self-Driving Cars and the Urban Challenge

Self-driving cars have been a dream as long automobiles have existed. The automobile is ubiquitous in the developed world and is becoming so in the developing world. In 2007, the world's two largest automakers sold over 18 million vehicles worldwide. As we consider domains to which we can apply intelligent systems, the automotive industry stands out as having the most potential for impact.
Centroid-moment tensor solutions for January–March, 1990

Centroid-moment tensor solutions are presented for 188 earthquakes that occurred during the first quarter of 1990. The solutions are obtained using corrections for aspherical Earth structure.
Expression of cytokeratin-19 as a marker of neoplastic progression of human prostate epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND Our earlier studies demonstrated neoplastic transformation of SV40-immortalized neonatal human prostate epithelial cells (267B1) by fractionated doses of ionizing radiation or by introduction of v-ki-ras oncogene. X-ray-treated 267B1 cells represent three different stages of neoplastic progression: nontumorigenic F3-SAC cells that acquired morphological changes and anchorage independence when treated with 2 × 2 Gy of X-rays; malignantly transformed 267B1-XR and 267B1-SXR cells that received 2-Gy doses to a total of 30 Gy. We also reported alterations in cell size, morphology, actin stress fibers, and levels of actin-binding proteins in these transformed human prostate cells. METHODS We analyzed intermediate filament-nuclear matrix (IF-NM) protein expression in the various 267B1 cells as a consequence of neoplastic progression by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunofluorescence. RESULTS Our present study revealed that the 267B1 cells experienced progressive changes in their intermediate filament protein composition during the process of neoplastic conversion, achieved either by X-rays or by ras-oncogene. In particular, we observed a stepwise downregulation of cytokeratin-19 in these in vitro transformed 267B1 cells. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that loss of expression of cytokeratin-19 accompanied the morphological alterations associated with in vitro neoplastic transformation of SV40-immortalized prostate epithelial cells. Prostate 35:203–211, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Testing for new physics in singly Cabibbo suppressed D decays

We devise tests for a new physics origin of the recently measured direct $CP$ violation in singly Cabibbo-suppressed $D$ decays. The tests take the form of sum rules for the $CP$ asymmetries in various $D$ decays. They are based on the fact that within the standard model $CP$ violation arises from interference of the dominant tree amplitudes with the $\ensuremath{\Delta}I=1/2$ penguin amplitudes. The sum rules would be violated if the observed $CP$ violation is due to new physics contributions to the effective weak Hamiltonian that change the isospin by $\ensuremath{\Delta}I=3/2$.
Sonographic estimate of birth weight among high-risk patients: feasibility and factors influencing accuracy

Objective This study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of detecting abnormal fetal growth among patients undergoing biophysical profile (BPP) and to identify the factors those influence the accuracy. Study design Retrospectively singletons with reliable gestational age (GA) having a BPP were identified. Fetal growth restriction (FGR) and large-for-gestational age (LGA) were based on estimated or actual birth weight 10% or less or 90% or greater for GA, respectively. Likelihood ratio (LR), odds ratio (OR) and 95% CIs were calculated and multivariate predictive models used. Results Among the 1934 consecutive patients that met the inclusion criteria, the LR of detecting FGR was 10.9 and of LGA, 17.4. Multivariate analysis indicates that accurate classification of fetal growth is significantly better with hydramnios (OR 1.78, 95% CI 2.68), if the GA is less than 32 weeks (OR 3.71, 95% CI 1.50-9.16) or GA is between 32.1 and 36.9 weeks (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.05-1.96). Conclusion It is feasible to accurately identify abnormal growth among high-risk patients and to delineate factors that influence the correct classification of fetal growth.
Diabetes, Intraocular Pressure, and Primary Open-angle Glaucoma in the Baltimore Eye Survey

Background: The association of diabetes with primary-open angle glaucoma ( P OAG) has been controversial and often confused by varying definitions of both diabetes and POAG. The purpose of this study is to evaluate this association in a populationbased sample of subjects from the Baltimore Eye Survey. Methods: A stratified sample of residents in 16 cluster areas of east Baltimore was recruited for a detailed ophthalmologic screening examination. A total of 5308 black subjects and white subjects participated. Of these participants,161 received a diagnosis of POAG. During a detailed interview with each subject, diabetes was defined based on a reported history of diabetes. Persons with diabetes were classified as "insulinusers" and "noninsulin-users" based on their current method of treatment. Results: Diabetes was highly prevalent in this population, with 10.6% of white subjects and 17.2% of black subjects reporting a positive history. Diabetes was associated with higher intraocular pressure, but differences were not large (means,17.4,18.0, and 17.8 mmHg) among subjects without diabetes, those with diabetes who were not using insulin, and those with diabetes who were using insulin, respectively. Diabetes was not associated with POAG (age-race-adjusted odds ratio, 1.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.85, 1.25. This was true for both types of diabetes. Persons whose POAG had been diagnosed before the examination showed a positive association with diabetes (odds ratio, l .7, 95% confidence interva1,1.03, 2.86), indicating that selection bias could explain the positive results of previous clinic-based investigations. Conclusion: There is no evidence from this population-based investigation that supports an association between diabetes and POAG.
The History of BATSE

The BATSE experiment on the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory was the first large detector system designed for the study of gamma-ray bursts. The eight large-area detectors allowed full-sky coverage and were optimized to operate in the primary energy region of emission of most GRBs. BATSE provided detailed observations of the temporal and spectral characteristics of several thousand GRBs, and it was the first experiment to provide rapid notifications of the coarse location of many them. It also provided strong evidence for the cosmological distances to GRBs through the observation of the sky distribution and intensity distribution of numerous GRBs. The large number of GRBs observed with the high- sensitivity BATSE detectors continues to provide a database of GRB spectral and temporal properties in the primary energy range of GRB emission that will likely not be exceeded for at least another decade. The origin and development of the BATSE experiment, some highlights from the mission and its continuing legacy are described in this paper.
Magnesium sulfate administered via continuous intravenous infusion in pediatric patients with refractory wheezing

Purpose: To evaluate the dosing and safety of intravenous magnesium sulfate administered via continuous infusion for refractory wheezing. Materials and Methods: All patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) between January 1998 and March 2001 who were prescribed magnesium sulfate via continuous infusion were identified via retrospective chart review. The patient's medical history, demographic data, vital signs, magnesium dosing history, and concurrent medications were recorded. Results: Forty PICU patients represent our study population. The mean age was 82.6±64.6 mo; 18 patients were boys. The mean magnesium loading dose (mg/kg) was 29.6±13.2 with a mean infusion dose (mg/kg/h) of 18.4±6.5 with a significant difference in dosing noted between patients weighing less than 30 kg and those with a higher weight. The mean magnesium loading dose (mg/kg) in the less than 30 kg group was 35.3±12.7 compared with 21.9±9.9 in the higher weight group ( P P Conclusions: For the treatment of refractory wheezing, intravenous magnesium sulfate administered via continuous infusion respresents a safe mode of drug delivery.
High-performance liquid chromatography of quinoidal imminium compounds derived from triphenylmethanes

Abstract A series of eleven p-aminotriphenylmethane dyes have been studied by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The combined use of HPLC and spectrophotometry permits specific detection of these compounds in the visible range around 600 nm. As the high affinity of the imminium cations for the active sites of the hydrocarbonaceous stationary phase has presented difficulties for reversed-phase HPLC with pure solvents, organic electrolytes were added to the mobile phase to facilitate the elution of the components with improved selectivity, sensitivity (minimum detection limit, 0.1 μg/ml), and peak symmetry. The effects of chromatographic variables on the component retentivity were investigated. Retention times of the dye analytes decreased with increasing concentration of the added ionic reagent and with decreasing number of the hydrophobic alkyl substituents on the nitrogen atom. The influence of pH on the retention parameters appears to parallel that observed previously for cationic quaternary ammonium compounds. Among the acidic reagents employed, naphthalenesulfonic acid yielded the most satisfactory results. The use of binary electrolyte systems invariably improved the chromatographic behavior of the imminium solutes analyzed. Results obtained with two different octadecylsilica columns have been compared.
Structure and function of the hyolingual system in Hynobius and its bearing on the evolution of prey capture in terrestrial salamanders

The Hynobiidae is generally regarded as the most phylogenetically basal and least derived extant family of terrestrial salamanders. As in the other families of terrestrial salamanders, prey capture in the Hynobiidae is accomplished by lingual prehension. In Hynobius, the prey capture system appears to be a mosaic of derived and primitive features. This, in conjunction with previous studies, suggests that the hyolingual systems of all families of terrestrial salamanders have evolved various degrees of specialization since the appearance of the common ancestral condition. We propose that the generalized feeding system for the extant terrestrial salamanders includes a hyolingual skeleton comprised of one basibranchial, one pair of radial or radial-like structures, two pairs of ceratobranchials, two pairs of epibranchials, one pair of ceratohyals, and one urohyal arranged in a configuration similar to that of Hynobius; a simple, sac-like secondary tongue pad; a lift and thrust system of tongue projection; a four-part gape cycle; and a forward head and body surge. Modifications to this general plan, previously described for the disparate families, include various changes in the size, shape, and definition of the tongue pad, changes in the specific types of structures and configurations in the anterior hyolingual skeleton, secondary ossification in the posterior hyolingual skeleton, the appearance of various protrusion, projection, and flipping systems for tongue protraction, simplification of the kinematic gape profile, and loss of the forward head and body surge. The evolutionary trends in these modifications have provided a rich data set from which much phylogenetic information has been inferred. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Communications on the theory of diffusion and reaction - VI. The effectiveness of spherical catalyst particles in steep external gradients

Abstract When a spherical catalyst particle in which a non-isothermal reaction is taking place is subject to a very steep gradient of external conditions, its effectiveness factor is a function of these gradients as well as of the Thiele modulus evaluated for equatorial conditions. It is shown how the effectiveness factor can be calculated for the asymptotic cases of small and large Thiele modulus. For endothermic reactions a knowledge of the asymptotic ratios suffices to give a reasonably good approximating formula. For exothermic reactions a useful approximation to the effectiveness factor curve can be sketched. An external gradient tends to stabilize the reaction in the sense of reducing the range of Thiele modulus in which more than one steady state obtains.
The role of medical informatics in telemedicine

The role of medical informatics in telemedicine is dependent on using the power of the computerized database to not only feed patient specific information to the health care providers, but to use the epidemiological and statistical information in the data base to improve decision making and ultimately care. The computer is also a powerful tool to facilitate standardizing and monitoring of care and when applied in continuous quality improvement methodology it can enhance the improvement process well beyond what can be done by hand. The coupling of medical informatics with telemedicine allows sophisticated medical informatics systems to be applied in low population density and remote areas.
Large eddy simulation of turbulent Taylor-Couette flow using isogeometric analysis and the residual-based variational multiscale method

We present an application of the residual-based variational multiscale turbulence modeling (RBVMS) methodology to the computation of turbulent Taylor-Couette flow at high Reynolds number. We show that the RBVMS formulation globally conserves angular momentum, a feature that is felt to be important for flows dominated by rotation, and that is not shared by standard stabilized formulations of fluid flow. Weak imposition of Dirichlet boundary conditions is employed to enhance the accuracy of the RBVMS framework in the presence of thin turbulent boundary layers near solid walls. Calculation of conservative boundary forces and torques is also presented for the case of weakly enforced boundary conditions. NURBS-based isogeometric analysis is employed for the spatial discretization, and mesh refinement is performed to assess the convergence characteristics of the proposed methodology. Numerical tests show that very accurate results are obtained on relatively coarse grids. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first to report large eddy simulation computations of this challenging test case.
Modulation of the LDL receptor and LRP levels by HIV protease inhibitors

Inhibitors of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 protease have proven to be effective antiretroviral drugs. However, patients receiving these drugs develop serious metabolic abnormalities, including hypercholesterolemia. The objective of the present study was to identify mechanisms by which HIV protease inhibitors increase plasma cholesterol levels. We hypothesized that HIV protease inhibitors may affect gene regulation of certain LDL receptor (LDLR) family members, thereby altering the catabolism of cholesterol-containing lipoproteins. In this present study we investigated the effect of several HIV protease inhibitors (ABT-378, Amprenavir, Indinavir, Nelfinavir, Ritonavir, and Saquinavir) on mRNA, protein, and functional levels of LDLR family members. Our results demonstrate that one of these drugs, Nelfinavir, significantly decreases LDLR and LDLR-related protein (LRP) mRNA and protein levels, resulting in the reduced functional activity of these two receptors. Nelfinavir exerts its effect by reducing levels of active SREBP1 in the nucleus. The finding that Nelfinavir reduces the levels of two key receptors (LRP and LDLR) involved in lipoprotein catabolism and maintenance of vessel wall integrity identifies a mechanism that causes hypercholesterolemia complications in HIV patients treated with this drug and raises concerns about the atherogenic nature of Nelfinavir.
Use of an on-line pager system to increase adherence to antiretroviral medications

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy is critical for treatment success. Antiretroviral therapy typically requires multiple pills at multiple dosing times. To address this, we tested the feasibility, utility, and efficacy of a customizable reminder system using pagers, which were programmed using web-based technology, to increase and maintain proper adherence in patients with pre-existing adherence problems. After a two-week monitoring period with an electronic pill-cap, participants with less than 90% adherence were randomized to continue monitoring or to receive a pager. The group who received the pagers had greater improvements in adherence from baseline to Week 2 and Week 12 than those who monitored their medications only. However, adherence in both groups at the outcome assessments points was still poor. While the provision of a reminder system helped improve adherence, it is likely that more intensive interventions are required for patients with pre-existing problems.
Modulation of the Q-T interval by the autonomic nervous system.

Recent investigations have clarified some of the effects of the autonomic nervous system on duration and spatial distribution of the Q-T interval in humans. The use of atrial pacing to fix heart rate or 24-hour continuous electrocardiographic recording to develop a regression formula for individual patients has provided a means to interpret the effects of an intervention that alters both the heart rate and the Q-T interval. Drugs that affect Ihe autonomic nervous system can influence Q-T interval directly or by changing rate. Bazett's formula to correct for rate may be misleading after certain drug interventions. For example, the Q-T interval during sinus rhythm or afrial pacing and the ventricular effective refractory period shorten after atropine plus propranolol, but corrected Q-T interval using Bazetf's formula does not change. No change occurs in the Q-T interval during sinus rhythm or atrial pacing, or in ventricular effective refractory period after administration of propranolol although corrected Q-T interval using Bazett's formula markedly shortens. Q-T interval during sinus rhythm and atrial pacing and ventricular effective refractory period decrease after atropine but correct Q-T interval lengthens. To define further the relationship of the autonomic nervous system on the duration of the Q-T interval we studied the effects of sleep. Fifteen patients receiving no drugs underwent 3–6 days of continuous electrocardiography recordings. The duration of the Q-T interval was longer during sleep in all 15 patients independent of heart rate change. This prolongation of the Q-T interval during sleep may reflect increased parasympathetic tone or decreased sympathetic tone on the ventricle. Further investigation of the relation of the autonomic nervous system to ventricular depolarization and repolarization may delineate some of Ihe trigger mechanisms for the development of lethal ventricular arrhythmias in humans.
Hormone-induced sexual differentiation of brain and behavior in zebra finches.

The male zebra finch sings, whereas the female does not. This behavioral dimorphism is correlated with the presence of morphological sex differences within the neural substrate that mediates this behavior, the song system. When a female chick is exposed to 17β-estradiol her song system is subsequently masculinized. Either testosterone or 5ɑ-dihydrotestosterone may then induce such a female to sing when an adult.
A Case of Learning to Teach Social Studies at the Prospect School Teacher Education Program

In this case study, part of a larger study of the Prospect School Teacher Education Program, the author investigates the processes of descriptive inquiry by exploring a moment in their evolution and their effect on the learning of one teacher educator and his students (“interns”) as they investigated the teaching of social studies. She also explores the long-term impact of this approach to teacher education on one of these interns. Using descriptive inquiry processes, the author finds that the school under investigation cultivated an awareness of learners as complex, capable, emerging beings-in-process with a capacity for authority, agency, and voice.
Jumping Frogs, Endangered Toads, and California's Medical-Marijuana Law

The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that Congress has the authority under the commerce clause to prohibit the medicinal use of homegrown marijuana, even in states, such as California, that have passed statutes permitting such use. In this article, George Annas explains the Court's rationale for its ruling and discusses the implications of the case.
Preferential induction of aryl hydroxylase activity in rat liver nuclear envelope by 3-methylcholanthrene.

Abstract The specific activity of aryl hydroxylase associated with the nuclear envelope from rat hepatocytes is increased 17-fold by the intraperitoneal administration of 3-methylcholanthrene. This is in marked contrast to the failure of phenobarbital to induce nuclear hydroxylase activity. Since both 3-methylcholanthrene and phenobarbital stimulate the induction of aryl hydroxlase in the endoplasmic reticulum, it appears that the cellular controls regulating the expression of the nuclear envelope enzyme differ from those operative for the control and regulation of the microsomal hydroxylase.
Translabyrinthine approach for acoustic neuroma.

THE TRANSLABYRINTHINE APPROACH has been popularized during the past 30 years for the surgical treatment of acoustic neuromas. It serves as an alternative to the retrosigmoid approach in patients when hearing preservation is not a primary consideration. Patents with a tumor of any size may be treated by the translabyrinthine approach. The corridor of access to the cerebellopontine angle is shifted anteriorly in contrast to the retrosigmoid approach, resulting in minimized retraction of the cere-bellum. Successful use of the approach relies on a number of technical nuances that are outlined in this article.
Behavioral efficacy of diazepam against nerve agent exposure in rhesus monkeys

The possibility that nerve agents will be used on the battlefield is real. The traditional therapy against nerve agent exposure consists of pyridostigmine pretreatment and atropine-pralidoxime chloride therapy administered after nerve agent exposure. This therapy regimen is extremely effective in preventing mortality in laboratory animals exposed to multilethal concentrations of nerve agent, yet these animals often display convulsions, brain damage, and behavioral incapacitation. We report here that the addition of diazepam to the traditional therapy for nerve agent (soman) exposure not only decreases the incidence of convulsions, but also attenuates the cognitive impairments of rhesus monkeys trained on a Serial Probe Recognition (SPR) task. Monkeys which received diazepam treatment required only 6 days before their performance on the SPR task returned to presoman exposure levels, compared to nondiazepam-treated monkeys which required 15 days. Moreover, only 1 out of the 5 monkeys which received diazepam treatment suffered tonic-clonic convulsions; in contrast all 5 monkeys which did not receive diazepam treatment experienced severe convulsive episodes. These results suggest that diazepam would be an excellent adjunct to traditional nerve agent therapy to facilitate behavioral recovery from nerve agent intoxication that might be encountered by US military personnel on the battlefield or accidental organophosphate poisoning encountered in industrial or agricultural accidents.
Molecular Mechanisms of Radiation Induced DNA Damage: H-Abstraction and β-Cleavage

Quantum mechanical simulations of hydrogen abstraction by hydroxyl radical from methanol and ethanol yield barriers that agree very well with those measured experimentally. Analysis of the multi configurationally wave function indicates that the strength of the C-H bond is the electronic parameter that has a major contribution to the barrier for H-abstraction. Similar analysis applied to 2-deoxy-D-ribose shows that the strength of a C-H bond together with the steric accessibility of the hydrogen determine that H4 is the most susceptible hydrogen for abstraction by a hydroxyl radical. Quantum mechanical simulations of β-cleavage show that a concerted mechanism in which a water molecule assists in the bond breaking process is more likely than a Sin mechanism. However, the polar transition state suggests that the environment of the DNA and the surrounding water will have an important effect on the reaction.
Process planning formalization in an AI framework

Abstract This paper discusses the process planning problem with a view to automate its solution methods. The problem is formulated using AI techniques. The basic issues involved in modelling the process planning problem are discussed. A hierarchical planning structure is proposed, in which the highest level is a simplification or abstraction of the plan and the lowest is a detailed plan, sufficient to solve the problem. States in the problem can be modelled using the CAD representation schemes, such as Constructive Solid Geometry and Boundary Representation. The advantages and disadvantages of these schemes are discussed. Operators which correspond physically to material removal are also modelled using the same representation scheme. The design of a control strategy is discussed.
A New Baseline Correction Algorithm Using Objective Criteria

A baseline correction algorithm using a least-squares procedure is developed. Linear or quadratic types of baselines are obtained through successive fitting and rejection of data points on a statistical basis. After the entire spectrum or a subsection is fitted to a least-squares line, the standard error of estimate is utilized as a criterion to determine if the fluctuation of each data point about the line can be thought of as the baseline fluctuation. Comments on various baseline correction procedures are also made.
Developmental Outcome at 18 Months of Age of Babies Born at 28 Weeks or Less Gestation 1083

The level of neonatal and perinatal care that is provided has been improving over the past few decades. This improved care has resulted in better outcomes of extreme premature babies. To examine the effect of the improved quality of care we performed a study on infants that were admitted to our NICU. Seventy-one infants born at a gestational age of 28 weeks or less were admitted to the St. Vincent's Medical Center Level III NICU. Twenty-four of these infants (33.8%) died and forty-seven (66.2%) survived. The mean gestational age of all the admissions was 25.7 weeks. Of the infants who died the mean age was 24.9 weeks, while those survived had an average gestational age of 26.5 weeks. Thirty-four of the infants who survived (72.3%)were followed to assess their neuro-developmental outcome. Most of these infants required ventilatory support for RDS/BPD. The ventilatory days ranged from 2 to 74 days and the length of stay ranged from 53 to 128 days. The incidence of IVH in the infants who were followed was 14.8%. Of the 34 infants, three had a grade II bleed and two had a grade III bleed; two of these required a VP shunt for hydrocephalous. The incidence of ROP in the 34 infants followed was 70%; 12 of them had stage II and 12 had stage III. Of the 12 babies who had stage III ROP, 5 of them required cryotherapy. For developmental assessment the Bayley Test and the neurological examination was performed at 18 months corrective age. This revealed that 7 infants (20%) had a significant delayed performance, 5 infants (14.7%) had mildly delayed performance, and another 5 infants (14.7%) had minimum motor function impairment. The development of the remaining infants has been as expected given their age. As a whole, the incidence of the problems mentioned above has decreased over the years to the levels stated. As the rapid progress in medical care is resulting in increased survival of very low birth weight infants, long term follow-up of these babies is warranted to assess their developmental outcome.
Surviving at sea: ecological and behavioural predictors of calf mortality in Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops sp.

We examined the behavioural ecology of mothers and calves during the first year of life to identify variables predicting calf mortality among bottlenose dolphins. Specifically, we investigated whether the primary cause of calf mortality was poor calf condition or shark predation. Seventy-five per cent of calves that died (N = 12) showed visible signs of poor health compared with 4.7% of the survivors (N = 21). Calves that spent more time swimming in infant position (in contact under the mother) in the first year of life were more likely to die by 3 years of age than calves that spent less time swimming in infant position. No other behavioural or ecological measures tested were associated with calf mortality. We suggest that the mother and/or calf may compensate for poor calf health by increasing the time spent in contact with the mother. In contrast, frequent mother–calf separation and high rates of calf socializing and foraging are proposed to be indicators of vigour. Although most of our results do not support the predation hypothesis, mothers altered one behaviour in relation to predation risk. Mothers rested less in deep water during the warm months, where and when predation risk was high, than during the cool months, when predation risk was low, suggesting that predation risk influenced maternal vigilance. However, calf mortality was not higher in warm months than in cool months. Our results suggest that poor calf condition, not predation, is the primary cause of calf mortality.
Characterization of a method for measuring primary hyperalgesia of deep somatic tissue.

Abstract Measuring primary hyperalgesia from deep somatic tissue (ie, muscle and joint) is difficult in laboratory animals but clinically important. In this study, we modified a newly developed method to measure primary hyperalgesia of muscle in rats and compared this with primary hyperalgesia from the knee. Compression withdrawal thresholds of the gastrocnemius muscle or the knee joint were measured with a device consisting of strain gauges attached to forceps. Compression of the muscle or joint with the forceps results in hind limb withdrawal, and thresholds were measured before and 4 hours after induction of inflammation by 3% carrageenan injected into the gastrocnemius muscle or 3% kaolin-carrageenan injected into the knee joint. Compression thresholds were significantly decreased 4 hours after induction of inflammation in the muscle or knee joint compared with thresholds before inflammation. Surprisingly, in animals with muscle inflammation, compression thresholds were also significantly decreased on the contralateral hind limb. Systemic morphine (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) or lidocaine (2%) injected into the inflamed tissue reversed the decreased compression threshold induced by deep tissue inflammation. However, local anesthetic applied to the skin overlying the muscle or knee joint did not affect the decreased threshold. Thus, we report a consistent and convenient method to measure primary hyperalgesia in deep tissues of rats. The measured hyperalgesia originates in the inflamed tissues and has no measurable contribution from skin. Perspective The current method measures primary hyperalgesia directly from injured deep somatic tissues. Thus it is relevant to painful clinical conditions that are aggravated by mechanical pressure at the site of injury. As such, it might serve as a model for basic mechanistic studies as well as drug discovery for musculoskeletal pain syndromes.
Ranked set sampling: an annotated bibliography

The paper provides an up-to-date annotated bibliography of the literature on ranked set sampling. The bibliography includes all pertinent papers known to the authors, and is intended to cover applications as well as theoretical developments. The annotations are arranged in chronological order and are intended to be sufficiently complete and detailed that a reading from beginning to end would provide a statistically mature reader with a state-of-the-art survey of ranked set sampling, including historical development, current status, and future research directions and applications. A final section of the paper gives a listing of all annotated papers, arranged in alphabetical order by author.
Detection of Hearing Loss Using 2f2-f1 and 2f1-f2 Distortion-Product Otoacoustic Emissions

Although many distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) may be measured in the ear canal in response to 2 pure tone stimuli, the majority of clinical studies have focused exclusively on the...
Nitrogen deposition, competition and the decline of a regionally threatened legume, Desmodium cuspidatum

Increased nitrogen (N) deposition, resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels, production of synthetic fertilizers, growth of N2-fixing crops and high-intensity agriculture, is one of the anthropogenic factors most likely to cause global biodiversity changes over the next century. This influence may be especially large in temperate zone forests, which are highly N limited and occur in regions with the highest levels of N deposition. Within these ecosystems, N2-fixing plants, including legumes, may be more sensitive to N deposition than other plant species. Though it has long been recognized that the competitive edge conferred by N2-fixation diminishes with increasing soil N availability, the conservation implications of increased N deposition on native N2-fixers have received less attention. We focus on Desmodium cuspidatum, which has experienced dramatic population losses in the last 30–40 years in the northeastern United States. We explore competition between this regionally threatened legume and a common non-N2-fixing neighbor, Solidago canadensis, across a gradient of N deposition. Our data show that increased N deposition may be detrimental to N2-fixers such as D. cuspidatum in two ways: (1) biomass accumulation in the non-N2-fixer, S. canadensis, responds more strongly to increasing N deposition, and (2) S. canadensis competes strongly for available mineral nitrogen and can assimilate N previously fixed by D. cuspidatum, resulting in D. cuspidatum relying more heavily on energetically expensive N2-fixation when grown with S. canadensis. N deposition may thus reduce or eliminate the competitive advantage of N2-fixing species growing in N-limited ecosystems.