cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Persistent Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus After the Control of Convulsive Status Epilepticus

Summary: Purpose: Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is a major medical and neurological emergency that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite this high morbidity and mortality, most acute care facilities in the United States cannot evaluate patients with EEG monitoring during or immediately after SE. The present study was initiated to determine whether control of CSE by standard treatment protocols was sufficient to terminate electrographic seizures. Methods: One hundred sixty-four prospective patients were evaluated at the Medical College of Virginia/VCU Status Epilepticus Program. Continuous EEG monitoring was performed for a minimum of 24 h after clinical control of CSE. SE and seizure types were defined as described previously. A standardized data form entry system was compiled for each patient and used to evaluate the data collected. Results: After CSE was controlled, continuous EEG monitoring demonstrated that 52% of the patients had no after-SE ictal discharges (ASIDS) and manifested EEG patterns of generalized slowing, attenuation, periodic lateralizing epileptiform discharges (PLEDS), focal slowing, and/or burst suppression. The remaining 48% demonstrated persistent electrographic seizures. More than 14% of the patients manifested nonconvulsive SE (NCSE) predominantly of the complex partial NCSE seizure (CPS) type (2). These patients were comatose and showed no overt clinical signs of convulsive activity. Clinical detection of NCSE in these patients would not have been possible with routine neurological evaluations without use of EEG monitoring. The clinical presentation, mortality, morbidity, and demographic information on this population are reported. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that EEG monitoring after treatment of CSE is essential to recognition of persistent electrographic seizures and NCSE unresponsive to routine therapeutic management of CSE. These findings also suggest that EEG monitoring immediately after control of CSE is an important diagnostic test to guide treatment plans and to evaluate prognosis in the management of SE.
Control networks in paediatric Tourette syndrome show immature and anomalous patterns of functional connectivity

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a developmental disorder characterized by unwanted, repetitive behaviours that manifest as stereotyped movements and vocalizations called ‘tics’. Operating under the hypothesis that the brain's control systems may be impaired in TS, we measured resting-state functional connectivity MRI (rs-fcMRI) between 39 previously defined putative control regions in 33 adolescents with TS. We were particularly interested in the effect of TS on two of the brain's task control networks—a fronto-parietal network likely involved in more rapid, adaptive online control, and a cingulo-opercular network apparently important for set-maintenance. To examine the relative maturity of connections in the Tourette subjects, functional connections that changed significantly over typical development were examined. Age curves were created for each functional connection charting correlation coefficients over age for 210 healthy people aged 7–31 years, and the TS group correlation coefficients were compared to these curves. Many of these connections were significantly less ‘mature’ than expected in the TS group. This immaturity was true not only for functional connections that grow stronger with age, but also for those that diminish in strength with age. To explore other differences between Tourette and typically developing subjects further, we performed a second analysis in which the TS group was directly compared to an age-matched, movement-matched group of typically developing, unaffected adolescents. A number of functional connections were found to differ between the two groups. For these identified connections, a large number of connectional differences were found where the TS group value was out of range compared to typical developmental age curves. These anomalous connections were primarily found in the fronto-parietal network, thought to be important for online adaptive control. These results suggest that in adolescents with TS, immature functional connectivity is widespread, with additional, more profound deviation of connectivity in regions related to adaptive online control.
Carbon isotope exchange during polymetamorphism in the Panamint Mountains, California, USA

Carbon isotope fractionations between calcite and graphite in the Panamint Mountains, California, USA, demonstrate the importance of mass balance on carbon isotope values in metamorphosed carbon-bearing minerals while recording the thermal conditions during peak regional metamorphism. Interbedded graphitic marbles and graphitic calcareous schists in the Kingston Peak Formation define distinct populations on a δ13C(gr)–δ13C(cc) diagram. The δ13C values of both graphite and calcite in the marbles are higher than the values of the respective minerals in the schists. δ13C values in both rock types were controlled by the relative proportions of the carbon-bearing minerals: calcite, the dominant carbon reservoir in the marble, largely controlled the δ13C values in this lithology, whereas the δ13C values in the schists were largely controlled by the dominant graphite. This is in contrast to graphite-poor calcsilicate systems where carbon isotope shifts in carbonate minerals are controlled by decarbonation reactions. The marbles record a peak temperature of 531±30 °C of a Jurassic low-pressure regional metamorphic event above the tremolite isograd. In the schists there is a much wider range of recorded temperatures. However, there is a mode of temperatures at c. 435 °C, which approximately corresponds to the temperatures of the principal decarbonation metamorphic reactions in the schists, suggesting that the carbon exchange was set by loss of calcite and armouring of graphite by newly formed silicate minerals. The armouring may explain the relatively large spread of apparent temperatures. Although the modal temperature also corresponds to the approximate temperature of the Cretaceous retrograde event, retrograde exchange is thought less likely due to very slow exchange rates involving well-crystallized graphite, armouring of graphite by silicates during the earlier event, and because of other barriers to retrograde carbon exchange. Thus, only the calcite–graphite carbon isotope fractionations recorded by the marbles demonstrate the high-temperature conditions of the low-pressure Jurassic metamorphic event that was associated with the emplacement of granitic plutons to the west of the Panamint Mountains.
Pushing Back Against Push‐In: ESOL Teacher Resistance and the Complexities of Coteaching

As U.S. school districts struggle to address persistent achievement gaps between increasing numbers of English language learners (ELLs) and their native-English-speaking counterparts, many districts are moving away from segregative models like pull-out to implement more collaborative approaches such as coteaching, or push-in. In contrast to pull-out, coteaching has been lauded for its good intentions of creating an inclusive educational environment by coordinating the expertise of grade-level teachers and teachers of English to speakers of other languages into single coteaching settings. Using ethnographic and arts-based approaches to research, this study adopts a critical perspective that challenges this unproblematic presentation of coteaching as a panacea for educating ELLs. Additionally, the study examines the potential for performance-based focus groups (Boal, 1979) to cultivate dialogue and coalition building among coteachers of ELLs. Data from the study suggest that coteaching is a complex social act influenced by hierarchical relations of power and status in the school setting. Performance-based focus groups reveal that language, race, and ethnicity also are implicated as important social factors in the coteaching enterprise. In the context of these demographic and instructional trends, this study offers timely insight into the challenges, complexities, and possibilities of coteaching, with clear implications for pedagogy and professional development.
Coalition formation for uplink device to device coordination with cooperation costs

Cooperation in the uplink of wireless networks allows users to form coalitions and improve their throughput by jointly transmitting to the base station. As the users are geographically separated, they must first share the information to be transmitted, among themselves, before joint encoding can be performed. In this paper, we propose a framework to maximize the throughput of each coalition by optimizing the fraction of time and energy spent in sharing data between the coalition members in comparison to the time spent in subsequent joint transmission to the base station. Using the throughput obtained from this framework, we model the problem of determining which users should cooperate as a coalitional game with non-transferable utility and propose a coalition formation algorithm which determines an optimal coalition structure using a Pareto improvement criterion. Numerical simulations show that while users close to the base station obtain little benefit from cooperation, the throughput of cell edge users more than doubles, showing the benefits of cooperation even with significant cooperation costs.
System architecture to integrate and query XML data

The ability to summarize information from many XML data sources is becoming crucial. Problems that need to be addressed are related to different representations of data and different levels of generality/specificity of data. In this paper we propose to solve these problems by creating a methodology for efficient XML schema diagram transformations in static and dynamic situations. We focus on a graphical approach for XML schema diagram transformations and XML data querying. This approach allows us to design XML processing system for diverse XML documents. In the paper we classify schema diagram changes based on adding/removing/modifying element attributes, and changing the structure of the elements.
Tamoxifen-associated venous thrombosis and activated protein C resistance due to factor V leiden

BACKGROUND Thromboembolic events are well recognized complications of cancers and their treatment. Tamoxifen, an antiestrogen used in the treatment of breast carcinoma and other malignancies, has been associated with thrombotic events. Activated protein C resistance due to Factor V Leiden is the most prevalent inherited prothrombotic defect in populations of European descent and has been reported as a major cofactor in the development of thrombosis in women receiving estrogens. METHODS The authors report three patients who developed thromboembolic complications while receiving tamoxifen. These patients were studied for the presence of activated protein C resistance by coagulation assay and the presence of Factor V Leiden by molecular analysis. RESULTS All three patients had resistance to activated protein C by coagulation assay and were determined to be heterozygous for Factor V Leiden by molecular analysis. CONCLUSIONS The authors propose that inheritance of Factor V Leiden significantly increases the risk of thrombosis in patients who receive tamoxifen therapy. All patients prescribed tamoxifen should be carefully questioned regarding personal and family histories of thrombosis and, when indicated, screened for Factor V Leiden. Cancer 1997; 79:2024-7. © 1997 American Cancer Society.
Professional Development That Works: Shifting Preschool Teachers' Beliefs and Use of Instructional Strategies to Promote Children's Peer Social Competence

This study examined the effectiveness of a professional development (PD) experience on preschool teachers' instructional strategy development. Focusing on supporting young children's peer social competence as a common interest, preschool teachers were guided to design the specific contents of the PD workshops and were offered an on-site facilitation opportunity, delineating teacher-driven and job-embedded approaches, respectively. Findings from this study suggest that teacher-driven PD workshops significantly increased teachers' perceived feasibility of implementing instructional strategies, and their actual use of those strategies was significantly influenced by job-embedded facilitations. In addition, preschool teachers considered physical classroom environment and children's language to be the most challenging factors in their instructional strategy implementation. Implications and directions for an effective PD model for preschool teachers are discussed.
Import prices and the political economy of tariffs: evidence from Germany, Japan, and the United States, 1954–1994

Abstract Endogenous protection theory suggests that macroeconomic conditions affect tariffs through policy responses to political pressure. However, import prices affect average tariffs even in the absence of policy changes. I examine the effects of import prices and macroeconomic conditions in postwar Germany, Japan, and the United States, finding strong evidence for the effect of import prices but little evidence consistent with endogenous protection theory.
Infrared Liquid Crystal Tunable Filters

Computer simulations on Fabry-Perot liquid crystal tunable filters are performed in the 3-5 and 8-12 µm bands and some discrete laser lines. Effects of transmittance, contrast ratio and response time on liquid crystal birefringence, layer thickness, absorption coefficient and reflectivity of mirrors are analyzed. Absorption spectra and responsible mechanisms of liquid crystals in the 2.5-20 µm region are studied. The fluorinated tolane and diphenyl-diacetylenes and dialkyl diphenyldiacetylenes are found to possess low absorption in the mid-IR range. Mixtures of these compounds will find useful applications for the proposed IR tunable filters.
Intraspecific Variation in Seed Characteristics of Powell Amaranth (Amaranthus Powellii) from Habitats with Contrasting Crop Rotation Histories

Abstract The objectives of this research were to characterize the extent of intraspecifc variation in seed characteristics of Powell amaranth and to evaluate whether such variation was correlated with crop rotation history of the collection sites. We compared characteristics of seeds originating from dairy farms with a corn–alfalfa crop rotation history with seeds originating from farms with a history of intensive vegetable production. We hypothesized that (1) multiple years of perennial alfalfa would select for greater seed dormancy and longevity in seeds of the summer annual Powell amaranth, (2) earlier spring planting dates of corn and alfalfa compared with most vegetable crops would select for earlier emergence, and (3) greater competition and lower soil moisture in the nonirrigated corn–alfalfa rotation would select for greater seed size. Seeds from 10 to 20 plants from each of 10 farms from each habitat were collected in the fall of 2002 and 2003 in central New York. To control for maternal effects ...
DC to 65 GHz Wide Bandwidth InGaAs Photodiodes and Photoreceivers

We have developed 65 GHz Wide Bandwidth InGaAs Photodiodes and Photoreceivers for optical fiber driven telecommunication applications. The Photodiode operates at a nominal reverse bias of -3V and has a minimum responsivity of 0.5 A/W at 1300 and 1550 nm wavelength. The Ripple Factor is less than ± dB for a wide band of frequencies, DC to 50 GHz. The salient feature of the PIN is an on-chip co-planar waveguide output for proper impedance matching. We have also designed Ultra Wide Bandwidth Amplifiers using InGaAs p-HEMT technology and monolithically integrated them with InGaAs Photodiodes. These Opto-electronic Integrated Circuits (OEICs) which combine optical, microwave, and digital functions on the same chip is a technology that has significant potential for commercial applications such as ethernet fiber local area networks and optical communications systems (Synchronized Optical Network SONET, ISDN, telephony and digital CATV). Important inter-service military applications are optically fed phased array systems and optically controlled microwave networks for airborne and spaceborne systems.
New insights on the use of desipramine as an inhibitor for acid ceramidase

Treatment of different cancer cell lines with desipramine induced a time- and dose-dependent downregulation of acid ceramidase. Desipramine's effect on acid ceramidase appeared specific for amphiphilic agents (desipramine, chlorpromazine, and chloroquine) but not other lysomotropic agents such as ammonium chloride and bafilomycin A1, and was not transcriptionally regulated. The cathepsin B/L inhibitor, CA074ME, but not the cathepsin D inhibitor, pepstatin A, blocked desipramine's effect on acid ceramidase. Desipramine led to a more pronounced downregulation of sphingosine compared to ceramide suggesting acid ceramidase inhibition is important to desipramine's mechanism of action. This study reveals a new mechanism of action for desipramine.
An interferometric method for thickness measurements in nuclear track detectors

Abstract A technique has been developed for precise automatic thickness measurements in solid state track detectors. The dependence on angle of the optical path length through the sample is determined using a laser interferometer and a rotary encoder coupled to a mini-computer. A prototype device has demonstrated a fractional resolution of 4 × 10−5. The method may be applied to thickness measurements of flat plates of any transparent material.
Introducing the computer at a small liberal arts college

Description of a computer course to attract humanities oriented students. Current computer projects in Music, Art, Social Science and English were discussed. PL/I was the language used. In addition to the basic instructions, string manipulation and tape and disk processing were covered. Problems were geared to a non-mathematical group and covered alphabetic arrays and text scanning.
A critical evaluation of the putative role of C3adesArg (ASP) in lipid metabolism and hyperapobetalipoproteinemia.

Abstract The acylation stimulating protein, ASP is a small, basic serum protein capable of stimulating triglyceride synthesis in cultured fibroblasts and adipocytes. Sequence analysis of ASP has shown that ASP is identical to C3adesArg — the inactive fragment of the complement anaphylatoxin peptide, C3a. It has been proposed that C3adesArg (ASP) can be generated by mature adipocytes secreting the three complement proteins: complement protein C3, factor B and factor D (adipsin). There have also been indications that adipocytes may express a specific C3adesArg (ASP)-receptor that is distinct from the recently cloned C3a-receptor. This suggests that C3adesArg (ASP) acts as an adipocyte autocrine and that it plays a central role in the metabolism of adipose tissue. Based on these observations a hypothesis for the etiology of hyperapobetalipoproteinemia (hyperapoB) has been proposed. Hyperapobetalipoproteinemia (hyperapoB), is a familial lipoprotein disorder characterized by increased hepatic secretion of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles. If C3adesArg (ASP) function in the adipose tissue is impaired, a reduced rate of triglyceride synthesis will follow, generating an increased flux of fatty acids to the liver. In response to an increased flow of fatty acids, the liver will increase its production of VLDL particles yielding the phenotype of hyperapoB. This review critically assesses this hypothesis and the potential role of C3adesArg (ASP) as a major determinant for triglyceride synthesis in the light of data collected in vitro and in vivo.
Belief when evidence does not support theory

Marketing has looked to other scientific disciplines to supplement its understanding of motivation. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory is frequently uncritically cited in texts, even though most evidence has failed to support its validity. Science requires that theory be supported by empirical facts. Maslow's theory is briefly summarized, along with a review of the related literature. Reasons are given and empirically supported for the continued popularity of Maslow's theory in marketing despite lack of scientific support. A cautionary note for the continued development of marketing theory concludes the presentation. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Changes in the dynamics of the vertical vestibulo-ocular reflex due to linear acceleration in the frontal plane of the cat

The vertical and horizontal components of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) were recorded in alert, restrained cats who were placed on their sides and subjected to whole-body rotations in the horizontal plane. The head was either on the axis or 45 cm eccentric from the axis of rotation. During off-axis rotation there was a change in the linear force acting on the otolith organs due to the presence of a centripetal acceleration along the animal's vertical axis. Otolith forces (defined to be opposite to the centripetal acceleration) directed ventrally with respect to the animal (negative) decreased both the amplitude and time constant of the first-order approximation to the slow phase eye velocity of the vertical vestibulo-ocular reflex (VVOR). Otolith forces directed dorsally (positive) increased the amplitude and time constant. The effects were greater for the up VOR. The asymmetry in the VVOR time constant also depended on the otolith forces, being less in the presence of negative otolith forces that caused the resultant otolith force to move ventrally, towards the direction along which gravity normally acts when the animal is in the upright position. The effects of otolith forces on the up VVOR were independent of whether the animals were tested in the dark or in the light with a stationary visual surround (i.e., during visual suppression). In contrast, the changes in the time constant of the down VVOR were smaller during visual suppression. Simulations of the eye velocity storage mechanism suggest that the gain of the feedback in the storage integrator was modified by the angle between the resultant otolith force and an animal-fixed reference. This could be the animal's vertical, i.e., the direction along which gravity normally acts. For larger angles the feedback was less and the amplitude and time constant of the VVOR increased. The transformation of the otolith input was the same for both the up and down VOR, even though the final effect on the eye velocity was asymmetric (larger for up VOR) due to a separate, asymmetric gain element in the velocity storage feedback pathway.
Murder Most Russian. True Crime and Punishment in Late Imperial Russia

Blood spatter, decapitated bodies, scorned lovers, wily fugitives, violent drunks, and cocaine-snorting nobles join melodramatic defence attorneys, depressed beat cops, professionalising forensic e...
Consumer Centered Family Consultation: New York State's Recent Efforts to Include Families and Consumers as Partners in Recovery

Partnering with families while also ensuring that the consumer is at the center of all decisions is a profound challenge for practitioners who work with adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses. Consumer centered family consultation (CCFC) is a brief, education-based engagement and consultation service designed to promote collaboration among adult consumers of mental health services, members of their family or social network, and service providers to support each consumer's recovery. In the present article, we describe the CCFC model and its development, with an emphasis on strategies to engage and include both consumers and family members as equal partners. We also provide a brief overview of the Family Institute for Education, Practice and Research's CCFC training and implementation activities to date in New York State. We highlight findings from preliminary program evaluations as well as lessons learned from helping clinicians conduct CCFCs at more than 50 agencies.
Shock tube determination of the overall rate of NH2+NO→products at high temperatures

The rate coefficient of the reaction NH 2 +NO→products (R1) was determined in shock tube experiments using frequency modulation absorption spectroscopy for detection of NH 2 . Due to the sensitivity of the diagnostic system, very low reactant concentrations could be employed to reduce the influence of secondary reactions on the NH 2 profiles. The source of the NH 2 radicals in the experiments was the thermal decomposition of CH 3 NH 2 . To determine k 1 , a perturbation strategy was employed that is based on changes in the NH 2 profiles when NO is added to the CH 3 NH 2 /Ar mixtures. Analysis showed that NH 2 profiles in the CH 3 NH 2 /NO/Ar mixtures were sensitive primarily to reaction R1, with significantly lower sensitivity to the branching ratio and other NH 2 reactions. The measured NH 2 profiles were interpieted by detailed kinetic modeling to obtain k 1 values in the temperature range 1716–2507 K. The present, k 1 values are consistent with recent theoretical results of Miller and coworkers. There is no evidence for a positive activation energy for this reaction at elevated temperatures as report in several other high-temperature experimental studies. Combining the present high-temperature data with lower temperature determinations yields the following simple expression for the overall reaction rate. k 1 =2.08×10 16 T −1.34 cm 3 /mol s for the temperature range 300–2500 K.
Tetragonal crystals of canine myeloperoxidase suitable for X-ray structural analysis

Abstract A new tetragonal crystal form of canine myeloperoxidase grown by precipitation with ammonium sulfate is described. The space group is P41212 or P43212 with unit cell dimensions. a = b = 133.0 A , c = 203.6 A , and a single molecule in the asymmetric unit. The crystals diffract to Bragg spacings of 2.5 A and are suitable for a medium-resolution structure determination.
The complexity of lifted inequalities for the knapsack problem

Abstract It is well known that one can obtain facets and valid inequalities for the knapsack polytope by lifting simple inequalities associated with minimal covers. We study the complexity of lifting. We show that recognizing integral lifted facets or valid inequalities can be done in O(n2) time, even if the minimal cover from which they are lifted is not given. We show that the complexities of recognizing nonintegral lifted facets and valid inequalities are similar, respectively, to those of recognizing general (not necessarily lifted) facets and valid inequalities. Finally, we show that recognizing valid inequalities is in co- NPC while recognizing facets is in Dn. The question of whether recognizing facets is complete for Dn is open.
The G-CSF receptor carboxyl terminus, truncated in AML/SCN, is required for induction of a Stat5 protease activity

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been shown to stimulate the activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (Stat5). We show here that G-CSF-stimulated activation of Stat5 was attenuated when myeloid cells were induced to differentiate with G-CSF. Attenuated activation of Stat5 correlated with reduced Stat5 protein levels, which was associated with upregulation of a Stat5 protease activity. Carboxyl terminal truncation of the G-CSF receptor or expression of leukemogenic proteins Bcr-Abl and Tel-Jak2 abolished the upregulation of the Stat5 protease activity by G-CSF. These data add to our understanding of the roles of G-CSF and Stat5 in normal granulopoiesis and leukemogenesis.
Justice John Paul Stevens--the practice of medicine and the rule of law.

George Annas writes that, although it's not a thought that has leapt to the minds of commentators, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens will be missed by physicians and patients.
Fission-track age determinations of accessory apatite from the Tatra Mountains. Poland.

Abstract Fission track ages of apatites from 17 samples of granitic and metamorphic rocks from the Tatra Mountains range between 10 and 36 my. They are believed to express the time of the postorogenic uplift and unroofing. Regional variations are tentatively explained by some differences in the depth of burial during the Early Tertiary.
Functionality-rich versus minimalist platforms: a two-sided market analysis

Should a new "platform" target a functionality-rich but complex and expensive design or instead opt for a bare-bone but cheaper one? This is a fundamental question with profound implications for the eventual success of any platform. A general answer is, however, elusive as it involves a complex trade-off between benefits and costs. The intent of this paper is to introduce an approach based on standard tools from the field of economics, which can offer some insight into this difficult question. We demonstrate its applicability by developing and solving a generic model that incorporates key interactions between platform stakeholders. The solution confirms that the "optimal" number of features a platform should offer strongly depends on variations in cost factors. More interestingly, it reveals a high sensitivity to small relative changes in those costs. The paper's contribution and motivation are in establishing the potential of such a cross-disciplinary approach for providing qualitative and quantitative insights into the complex question of platform design.
Nanomanipulation of Individual Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes have been found to have excellent electrical and mechanical properties [1]. Much work has been done to characterize the properties of individual nanotubes [2,3]. Traditional methods of characterizing nanotubes by lithographical metallization have are effective, yet arduous and expensive. In addition, these experiments are limited to so-called static characteristics of nanotubes, whether mechanical or electrical. Using a scanning electron microscope (Leo 1530VP FE-SEM) with a nanomanipulation system (Zyvex S100), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) have been isolated and characterized in situ. The characterization of nanotubes with the S100 is dynamic in that the electrical properties as a function of mechanical strain can be uncovered.
Effects of acute and chronic minoxidil administration on rest and exercise hemodynamics and clinical status in patients with severe, chronic heart failure

The effects of acute and chronic oral administration of the vasodilator minoxidil on hemodynamics, oxygen consumption, exercise performance, and clinical status were investigated in 10 patients with severe, chronic heart failure refractory to digitalis and diuretic therapy. The cardiac index was 1.99 +/- 0.38 liters/min/m2 at rest and 2.88 +/- 0.79 at symptom-limited maximal exercise on conventional therapy, compared with 2.64 +/- 0.33 liters/min/m2 at rest and 3.55 +/- 0.84 at maximal exercise after short-term minoxidil administration (p less than 0.02, control versus minoxidil at both rest and exercise). Stroke volume was increased after minoxidil treatment, without significant effect on heart rate. Systemic vascular resistance was decreased by minoxidil from 2,050 +/- 722 to 1,325 +/- 374 dynes . s/cm-5 at rest and from 1,500 +/- 830 to 1,206 +/- 589 dynes . s/cm-5 at maximal exercise (p = 0.01, control versus minoxidil). No significant effect was observed on left ventricular filling, right atrial, or mean pulmonary arterial pressure, but pulmonary vascular resistance decreased both at rest and on exercise (p less than 0.05). Maximal exercise oxygen consumption increased from 8.9 +/- 3.2 ml/kg/min on conventional therapy to 10.5 +/- 2.4 on minoxidil therapy (p less than 0.03), median maximal exercise work load increased from 25 to 50 W and medium exercise duration increased from 6.0 to 9.0 minutes. On chronic minoxidil administration all 5 patients who completed a scheduled 6 week follow-up showed symptomatic improvement. However, worsening edema developed in all patients, requiring increased diuretic dosage and close supervision. Symptoms of ischemic heart disease worsened in 2 of 10 patients. We tentatively conclude that minoxidil may be a useful vasoactive agent in the pharmacologic therapy of severe chronic heart failure.
Locally constrained nodal connectivity refinement procedures for unstructured triangular finite element meshes

This paper presents specific procedures for locally refining nodal connectivity of two-dimensional unstructured triangular meshes to improve the quality of the mesh as well as to increase solution accuracy and computational speed. Details of the procedure are outlined along with a discussion of similar work, and an example problem from hydrodynamics is shown.
Organic Matter–Surface Area Relationships in Acid Soils

Soil organic matter (OM) and mineral surfaces are intimately related, affecting the dynamics of each and their reactivity with many environmentally important substances. We examined the coverage of mineral surfaces by OM in acid soils of Massachusetts. Specific surface areas are controlled by a combination of clay and sesquioxide contents. Subsurface horizons, especially C horizons with pH 4.6 to 4.8, contained a phase with significant microporosity (pores <2 nm) that could be eliminated by 350°C muffling. Organic C (OC) concentrations in surficial (A, O) horizons have surface area-normalized loadings usually above the monolayer-equivalent (ME) level (1 mg OC m -2 ), while B and C horizons usually have loadings at this level. Surface area-normalized loadings are inversely related to pH for each horizon type. Samples with high loadings show occlusion of the bulk of mineral surface area by OM, as evidenced by release of significant surface area after OM removal. However, a new method of assessing OM coverage of exposed surfaces, using the energetics of gas adsorption, indicate that the bulk of surface area exposed in most untreated samples consists of mineral rather than organic material. The data are consistent with a model in which the occluding OM is present in a low-surface area configuration, such as organoclay aggregates, rather than as dispersed coatings on mineral grains.
Induction of heterotypic virus resistance in adult inbred mice immunized with a variant of Coxsackievirus B3.

Abstract Infection of adult male C3H/HeJ mice with a host range variant of Coxsackievirus B3 (CB3W-RD) induced resistance in these mice to an otherwise lethal dose of Coxsackievirus B1 (CB1). The protective effect induced by CB3W-RD was detectable as early as 1 day post-vaccination and was still present 10 weeks later. While untreated mice infected with CB1 died within 5 days because of massive hepatic necrosis, the liver was spared in mice immunized with CB3W-RD and then challenged with CB1. In general, CB1 titers in heart, liver, and pancreas of CB3W-RD-vaccinated animals were lower than that found in unvaccinated animals. Virus neutralizing antibody was not a mediator of this heterotypic, virus-induced protective effect. In addition, the outcome of CB1 infection could be modified if superinfection with CB3W-RD took place within 1–4 days following CB1 infection. In this regard, maximum therapeutic efficacy was observed when CB1 infected mice were superinfected 2 days after CB1 infection. CB1-infected mice that survived as a result of treatment with CB3W-RD exhibited liver regeneration but did develop myocardial necrosis.
Securing Intellectual Assets in a Global Environment

Protecting an organization's intellectual property (IP) in the US and Western Europe is relatively straightforward because laws and enforcement mechanisms are reasonably well developed. However, other parts of the world pose significant challenges in safeguarding IP assets due to relatively weak laws and enforcement. This paper examines ways in which multinational enterprises (MNE) can secure knowledge assets across global operations. A comparative company analysis is conducted using a resource based view of the firm. The resulting best practice recommendations could be beneficial for enterprises working in global settings.
Comparison of a new hemostatic agent to current combat hemostatic agents in a Swine model of lethal extremity arterial hemorrhage.

Background:Gaining hemostatic control of lethal vascular injuries sustained in combat using topical agents remains a challenge. Recent animal testing using a lethal arterial injury model has demonstrated that QuikClot zeolite granules (QCG) and the HemCon chitosan bandage (HC) are not capable of pro
Removal of Zinc by Adsorbing Colloid Foam Flotation: Pilot Plant Study

Abstract Zinc was removed from simulated industrial wastewater in a pilot scale foam flotation plant. Sodium lauryl sulfate was used as the carrier surfactant, and Al(OH)3 was found to be preferable to Fe(OH)3 as the adsorbing floe. Optimum pH was 7.5−7.8, at which effluent zinc concentrations below 1 mg/L are easily achieved. The effects of varying the hydraulic loading rate, the surfactant concentration, Al(III) concentration, and ionic strength were studied. Surfactant could be displaced from the sludge in the collapsed foamate by addittion of sodium carbonate.
WAIS and neuropsychological tests: Common and unique variance within an epileptic population

Neuropsychological assessment batteries, which traditionally require lengthy administration times, may be composed of multiple tests which measure essentially the same performance attributes. Test redundancies of this nature compromise the adequacy of a test battery from a cost containment perspective. The present study evaluated the common and unique variance of the WAIS relative to a modified and expanded Halstead-Reitan test battery to determine if information obtained from the WAIS is sufficiently nonredundant to justify its inclusion as part of this assessment battery. Cross-validated estimates of bivariate and multivariate relationships between these instruments were generated from two samples (n = 125) of epileptics. Results indicated statistically significant redundancies, yet, when interpreted from a clinical perspective it was evident that neuropsychological tests could not accurately duplicate information provided by the WAIS. Accordingly, it was not recommended that the WAIS be eliminated from this test battery in order to reduce test administration time.
Reading the Judeans and the Judean War in Martial's Liber spectaculorum:

Martial's Liber spectaculorum celebrates spectacles at the Flavian amphitheatre, which was most likely built with money gained from the Judean War. This article contextualizes epigrams from Martial...
Persistence of ventricular arrhythmia after resolution of occult myocarditis in children and young adults

AbstractObjective. We sought to examine whether resolution of occult myocarditis in children with associated ventricular arrhythmia correlated with the presence of arrhythmia at late follow-up.Back...
Mono-allelic POLG expression resulting from nonsense-mediated decay and alternative splicing in a patient with Alpers syndrome.

Abstract Alpers syndrome is an autosomal recessive mitochondrial DNA depletion disorder that affects children and young adults. It is characterized by a progressive, fatal brain and liver disease. This syndrome has been associated with mutations in POLG , the gene encoding the mitochondrial DNA polymerase (pol γ ). Most patients with Alpers syndrome have been found to be compound heterozygotes, carrying two pathogenic mutations in trans at the POLG locus. POLG is a nuclear-encoded gene whose protein product is imported into mitochondria, where it is essential for mtDNA replication and repair. We studied the skin fibroblasts of a patient with Alpers syndrome having the genotype E873stop/A467T. The E873stop mutation produces a premature termination codon (TAG) in exon 17. The A467T mutation produces a threonine to alanine substitution at a highly conserved site in exon 7. The allele bearing the stop codon (E873-TAG) is predicted to produce a truncated, catalytically inactive polymerase. However, only full-length pol γ protein was detected by Western blot analysis. Here, we show that transcripts containing this stop codon undergo nonsense-associated alternative splicing and nonsense-mediated decay. More than 95% of the functional POLG mRNA was derived from the allele bearing the A467T mutation and less than 5% contained the E873stop mutation. These events ensured that virtually all POLG protein in the cell was expressed from the A467T allele. Therefore, the Alpers phenotype in this patient was a consequence of a single-copy gene dose of the A467T allele, and selective elimination of transcripts bearing the E873stop mutation.
Optical-pumping charge-exchange method for studying nuclear-spin orientation in $sup 1$S$sub 0$ atomic ions

A detailed description is presented of an optical-pumping charge-exchange method for establishing and observing nuclear-spin orientation in atomic ions having a $^{1}S_{0}$ electronic configuration. ${\mathrm{Rb}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{Cs}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{K}}^{+}$, and free protons have been studied thus far. Various applications of the method include precision measurements of the nuclear moments in the ions and the first measurements of resonant charge-exchange cross sections at thermal energies.
My shadow, myself: cast-body shadows are embodied.

Objects that serve as extensions of the body can produce a sensation of embodiment, feeling as if they are a part of us. We investigated the characteristics that drive an object’s embodiment, examining whether cast-body shadows, a purely visual stimulus, are embodied. Tools are represented as an extension of the body when they enable observers to interact with distant targets, perceptually distorting space. We examined whether perceptual distortion would also result from exposure to cast-body shadows in two separate distance estimation perceptual matching tasks. If observers represent cast-body shadows as extensions of their bodies, then when these shadows extend toward a target, it should appear closer than when no shadow is present (Experiment 1). This effect should not occur when a non-cast-body shadow is cast toward a target (Experiment 2). We found perceptual distortions in both cast-body shadow and tool-use conditions, but not in our non-cast-body shadow condition. These results suggest that, although cast-body shadows do not enable interaction with objects or provide direct tactile feedback, observers nonetheless represent their shadows as if they were a part of them.
Engineering Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus to Overproduce Its Cytoplasmic [NiFe]-Hydrogenase

The cytoplasmic hydrogenase (SHI) of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus is an NADP(H)-dependent heterotetrameric enzyme that contains a nickel-iron catalytic site, flavin, and six iron-sulfur clusters. It has potential utility in a range of bioenergy systems in vitro, but a major obstacle in its use is generating sufficient amounts. We have engineered P. furiosus to overproduce SHI utilizing a recently developed genetic system. In the overexpression (OE-SHI) strain, transcription of the four-gene SHI operon was under the control of a strong constitutive promoter, and a Strep-tag II was added to the N terminus of one subunit. OE-SHI and wild-type P. furiosus strains had similar rates of growth and H2 production on maltose. Strain OE-SHI had a 20-fold higher transcription of the polycistronic hydrogenase mRNA encoding SHI, and the specific activity of the cytoplasmic hydrogenase was ∼10-fold higher when compared with the wild-type strain, although the expression levels of genes encoding processing and maturation of SHI were the same in both strains. Overexpressed SHI was purified by a single affinity chromatography step using the Strep-tag II, and it and the native form had comparable activities and physical properties. Based on protein yield per gram of cells (wet weight), the OE-SHI strain yields a 100-fold higher amount of hydrogenase when compared with the highest homologous [NiFe]-hydrogenase system previously reported (from Synechocystis). This new P. furiosus system will allow further engineering of SHI and provide hydrogenase for efficient in vitro biohydrogen production.
Control of Centrin Stability by Aurora A

Aurora A is an oncogenic serine/threonine kinase which can cause cell transformation and centrosome amplification when over-expressed. Human breast tumors show excess Aurora A and phospho-centrin in amplified centrosomes. Here, we show that Aurora A mediates the phosphorylation of and localizes with centrin at the centrosome, with both proteins reaching maximum abundance from prophase through metaphase, followed by their precipitous loss in late stages of mitosis. Over-expression of Aurora A results in excess phospho-centrin and centrosome amplification. In contrast, centrosome amplification is not seen in cells over-expressing Aurora A in the presence of a recombinant centrin mutant lacking the serine phosphorylation site at residue 170. Expression of a kinase dead Aurora A results in a decrease in mitotic index and abrogation of centrin phosphorylation. Finally, a recombinant centrin mutation that mimics centrin phosphorylation increases centrin's stability against APC/C-mediated proteasomal degradation. Taken together, these results suggest that the stability of centrin is regulated in part by Aurora A, and that excess phosphorylated centrin may promote centrosome amplification in cancer.
Larval biology of the crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould): a synthesis.

This synthesis reviews the physiological ecol- ogy and behavior of larvae of the benthic crab Rhithropan- opeus harrisii, which occurs in low-salinity areas of estu- aries. Larvae are released rhythmically around the time of high tide in tidal estuaries and in the 2-h interval after sunset in nontidal estuaries. As in most subtidal crustaceans, the timing of larval release is controlled by the developing embryos, which release peptide pheromones that stimulate larval release behavior by the female to synchronize the time of egg hatching. Larvae pass through four zoeal stages and a postlarval or megalopal stage that are planktonic before metamorphosis. They are retained near the adult population by means of an endogenous tidal rhythm in vertical migration. Larvae have several safeguards against predation: they undergo nocturnal diel vertical migration (DVM) and have a shadow response to avoid encountering predators, and they bear long spines as a deterrent. Photo- responses during DVM and the shadow response are en- hanced by exposure to chemical cues from the mucus of predator fishes and ctenophores. The primary visual pig- ment has a spectral sensitivity maximum at about 500 nm, which is typical for zooplankton and matches the ambient spectrum at twilight. Larvae can detect vertical gradients in temperature, salinity, and hydrostatic pressure, which are used for depth regulation and avoidance of adverse envi- ronmental conditions. Characteristics that are related to the larval habitat and are common to other crab larval species are considered.
State-space realizations of covariance-invariant discrete-time models

This correspondence derives a state-space realization of a discrete-time signal model whose autocovariance is identical to the autocovariance of the sampled output of a continuous-time signal model.
A Prospective Evaluation of T2-Weighted First-Pass Perfusion MR Imaging In Diagnosing Breast Neoplasms

Objective To compare the results from breast cancer patients who undergo T2-weighted first-pass perfusion imaging after dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging during the same examination, and to evaluate if T2-weighted imaging can provide additional diagnostic information over that obtained with T1-weighted imaging.