cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biodistribution of radiolabeled adenosylcobalamin in patients diagnosed with various malignancies.

Objective To study the biodistribution of a vitamin B l2 analog, indium In 1ll-labeled diethylenetriaminepentaacetate adenosylcobalamin (In 111 DAC), in patients recently diagnosed as having primary or recurrent malignancy. Patients and Methods: Thirty patients (14 women and 16 men) with radiographically or clinically diagnosed breast, lung, colon, sarcomatous, thyroid, or central nervous system malignancies were studied prior to definitive surgery or biopsy. A maximum of 650 µCi (2.2 µ g) of In 111 DAC was administered intravenously. Vitamin B l2 and folate levels were determined prior to injection. Serum clearance and urinary and stool excretion of the tracer were measured. Images were routinely obtained at 0.5, 3 to 5, and 20 to 24 hours after injection. Biodistribution of In 111 DAC was determined by computer analysis of regions of interest. Results: Serum T l/2 clearance was 7 minutes. Average urinary and stool excretion of the injected dose over 24 hours was 26.1% and 0.4%, respectively. The greatest focal uptake of In 111 DAC occurred in the liver and spleen, followed by the nasal cavity and salivary and lacrimal glands. The average tumor uptake of the injected dose was 2% at 30 minutes and 1.5% at 24 hours. High-grade primary and metastatic breast, lung, colon, thyroid, and sarcomatous malignancies were all imaged at 3 to 5 hours after injection. Central nervous system tumors and advanced metastatic prostate cancer were best identified at 24 hours. Mammographically occult, palpable, and nonpalpable breast cancers were delineated by In 111 DAC. Low-grade malignancies as well as early skeletal metastatic disease were not effectively imaged by the vitamin B l2 tracer. Patients with elevated baseline vitamin Bl2 or those concurrently taking corticosteroids appeared to have optimal visualization of their malignancies. Conclusion: Vitamin B l2 may be a useful vehicle for delivering diagnostic and therapeutic agents to various malignancies. Further evaluation of cobalamin analogs and their interaction with transport proteins and cellular receptors within malignant tissue and infection is warranted.
MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF THE STEROIDOGENIC 11β-HYDROXYLASE ENZYME

We have isolated bovine cDNA clones corresponding to a full length mRNA encoding cytochrome P-450 (11βOH), using a short previously described clone (John et al, J Biol Chem 260:5760) and a size-fractionated library enriched for full length 11βOH cDNA. Sequence analysis shows an open reading frame of 1500 nucleotides which contains the highly conserved heme-binding region and shows 40% homology to cytochrome P-450 (SCC) at the amino acid level. The open reading frame contains sequences corresponding to several tryptic peptides of the porcine enzyme (J, Shively, pers comm). Several human cDNA clones have been isolated, the longest of which is 3700 base pairs (bp). Hybridization analysis with human genomic DNA suggests that the gene is present in a single copy and is about 18 kbp. Analysis of genomic DNA from four patients with 11β-hydroxylase deficiency shows no gross deletions or rearrangements within the structural gene. Hybridization to a panel of somatic cell hybrid cell lines indicates that the gene is on a chromosome distinct from the other steroidogenic P-450 genes (which are on Chr 6, 10, and 15).
Human leukemic cells: biological action of exogenous human leukemic DNA.

Summary Intact exogenous human leukemie DNA derived from cells in culture was taken up by both normal and leukemic recipient human cells, wherein it migrates to the nucleus and becomes associated with host genome. Uptake of exogenous DNA averages about 15–20 percent and was relatively higher in leukemic than in normal cells in a given culture medium. Isologous and homologous human leukemic cells were more sensitive to inhibition by this exogenous DNA than were normal human cells. Both DNA and RNA synthesis were inhibited, but protein synthesis was stimulated — effects similar to those described consequent to exposure to certain viruses. Immunological studies of hamster cells treated with human leukemic DNA failed to show any presence of human surface antigens. The in vivo studies showed that this metabolically active radioactive DNA had migrated to several organs of hamsters and gerbils, the highest labeled DNA activity being found in the testis and kidney of these animals. Prolonged exposure to exogenous leukemic DNA resulted in marked phenotypic changes in normal human fibroblasts, which thus far appear to be heritable. Search for evidence of genotypic changes in these altered cells which might relate these observations to «neoplastic transformation is in progress.
Triple-center treatment of ionization in p-H collisions

A triple-center atomic-state method is proposed for treating ionization in low-energy ion-atom collisions. This method intrinsically accounts for the Wannier mechanism, in which the electron will not have been removed in a slow collision unless it is asymptotically at the point of unstable equilibrium between the nuclei (the chosen third center). When applied to p-H collisions, the method shows that most of the ionized electrons stay near the third center and that direct Coulomb ionization and charge transfer to the continuum: accounted for by normal double-center methods: are less important: The triple-center method dramatically raises the cross section above that obtained using a double-center pseudostate basis, bringing it closer to the single early experimental curve at energies below 15 keV.
Reconfiguring Health Workforce Policy So That Education, Training, And Actual Delivery Of Care Are Closely Connected

There is growing consensus that the health care workforce in the United States needs to be reconfigured to meet the needs of a health care system that is being rapidly and permanently redesigned. Accountable care organizations and patient-centered medical homes, for instance, will greatly alter the mix of caregivers needed and create new roles for existing health care workers. The focus of health system innovation, however, has largely been on reorganizing care delivery processes, reengineering workflows, and adopting electronic technology to improve outcomes. Little attention has been paid to training workers to adapt to these systems and deliver patient care in ever more coordinated systems, such as integrated health care networks that harmonize primary care with acute inpatient and postacute long-term care. This article highlights how neither regulatory policies nor market forces are keeping up with a rapidly changing delivery system and argues that training and education should be connected more closely to the actual delivery of care.
The Semi-Classical Trace Formula and Propagation of Wave Packets

Abstract We study spectral and propagation properties of operators of the form S h = ∑ N j =0 h j P j where ∀ j P j is a differential operator of order j on a manifold M , asymptotically as h → 0. The estimates are in terms of the flow {φ t } of the classical Hamiltonian H ( x , p ) = ∑ N j =0 σ P j ( x , p ) on T * M , where σ P j , is the principal symbol of P j . We present two sets of results. (I) The "semiclassical trace formula", on the asymptotic behavior of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of S h in terms of periodic trajectors of H . (II) Associated to certain isotropic submanifolds Λ ⊂ T * M we define families of functions {ψ h } and prove that ∀ t {exp(− ithS ħ )(ψ ħ )} is a family of the same kind associated to φ t (Λ).
Broker beauty and boon: a study of physical attractiveness and its effect on real estate brokers’ income and productivity

This study examines beauty and its effect on real estate agents’ wages. We develop a model of beauty and real estate agent wages, performing empirical tests of the theory. We apply Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) methodology to a combined data set that includes multiple listing service data and a unique survey designed to measure individual agents’ beauty or attractiveness; the analysis takes two forms: transaction-level analysis and agent-level analysis. Results suggest that beauty augments more attractive agents’ wages and that more attractive agents use beauty to supplement classic production-related characteristics such as effort, intelligence and organizational skills.
Gene targeting by homologous recombination in Drosophila

Drosophila offers many advantages as an experimental organism. However, in comparison with yeast and mouse, two other widely used eukaryotic model systems, Drosophila suffers from an inability to perform homologous recombination between introduced DNA and the corresponding chromosomal loci. The ability to specifically modify the genomes of yeast and mouse provides a quick and easy way to generate or rescue mutations in genes for which a DNA clone or sequence is available. A method is described that enables analogous manipulations of the Drosophila genome. This technique may also be applicable to other organisms for which gene-targeting procedures do not yet exist.
Photoperiod-Induced Dormancy in Cicer Milkvetch.

Cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer L.) does not produce as much forage as alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under Field conditions during the third growth period, which ranges from about 1 August to 15 September in Colorado. This study examined the effect of decreasing photoperiod on the herbage growth of cicer milkvetch. Spaced plants of the component polycross progenies of the cultivar Monarch were grown in the field under irrigation on a Nunn clay loam soil (fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Aridic Argiustoll). These progenies were subjected to one of four clipping treatments, removing the top growth on 18 July, 25 July, 1 August, or 8 August [...]
Influence of Fermentation in the Silo on Rumen Fermentation, Silage Intake, and Digestibility

Abstract Direct-cut wheat and ryegrass forage was ensiled as 1) forage alone, 2) forage + (5% corn + 0.25% urea), and 3) forage + (5% corn + 0.25% urea + 0.5% CaC03). The forages were fed to dairy heifers to measure the influence of fermentation in the silo in intake; to fistulated steers to measure rumen fermentation; and to sheep to estimate digestibility. Treatment 3 produced a decrease (P
Epstein-Barr virus and inflammatory bowel disease.

Die Haufigkeit und der Antikorpertiter gegen Epstein-Barr-Virus (EBV) wurde in Patienten mit Ulkus-Colitis und Crohn's Krankheit, eine granulomatische Abnormalitat ahnlich zur Sarkoidose untersucht und normale Haufigkeit und Antikorpertiter gegen EBV bei ihnen gefunden.
The strength that it takes: ten lessons learned from 28 years on the front lines.

I a live interview with renowned film critic, Gene Siskel, Oprah Winfrey was asked, ‘‘What do you know for sure?’’ At the time, she was caught off guard and found it difficult to answer the question. However, since then, Oprah has used that enquiry to assess her life, and she devotes the last page of her magazine ‘‘O’’ to a commentary about what she knows for sure. Similar to what Mary Flannery O’Connor, award-winning novelist wrote, ‘‘In the end, a people is known, not by its statistics and statements, but by the stories it tells,’’ I invite you to come with me on this personal journey as I share my story of why I do what I do and what I know for sure. In 1963, my paternal uncle who had worked in an asbestos plant in New Jersey was dying of lung cancer. Our family drove 120 mi from northeastern Pennsylvania to see him during his final days. I asked a lot of questions about his disease, but my family had few answers, leading me to wonder what it would be like to have the medical knowledge to answer those questions. During the trip home to Pennsylvania, I made the decision to become a doctor, and that decision was based largely on a gut feeling that being a doctor was what I wanted and needed to do. As knowledge is power, it seemed to me that medical knowledge was the most powerful type, and with it, one could assess a patient’s outcome. In addition, I knew that I would earn an excellent living as a physician in contrast to my parents who worked in factories and from time to time would be laid off or go on strike. Several years later, while dissecting a frog in high school biology class, I made the decision to become a surgeon, and I never looked back. This decision was made in the context of a small hometown environment, that is, a high school that included only 37 other classmates, no scientific laboratory, and no exposure to surgery. I knew in my gut that this was the right decision, and it felt as though I was born to become a surgeon. Approximately two decades later, during my fourth postgraduate year of training in general surgery, I made the decision to become a trauma surgeon. Of course, I was very influenced by my mentor and Chairman Dr. Kimball Maull, who was one of the four founding members of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) and later became the organization’s first president. Subsequently, I was blessed to have completed my trauma and surgical critical care fellowship at the Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, under the direction of Dr. Howard Champion, who was also one of the four founding members of EAST and was elected as the organization’s fourth president. Now, fast forward with me to the present. I love what I do, and it never grows old. The excitement, challenges, gratification, and cases are to die for, but throughout the years, I have developed new perspectives that have shaped my career and enhanced my joy of caring for injured patients. I would like to convey that wisdom to you as lessons learned and then share a secret that has enhanced my enthusiasm about my career as a trauma surgeon for 28 years.
Serum 5'-nucleotidase in patients with tumor in the liver.

In 11 patients with a histological diagnosis of liver tumor, the 5′-nucleotidase was elevated in each case. Only 6 of these patients showed an increase of the serum alkaline phosphatase, which was always of a smaller magnitude than the elevation of the 5′-nucleotidase. In 6 patients with an unequivocal isotope liver scan for metastatic tumor without positive tissue diagnosis 2 patients showed elevations of both enzymes; 2 patients showed slight elevation of the 5′-nucleotidase with no change in the alkaline phosphatase and 2 patients showed no change in either enzyme. These data suggest that the serum 5′-nucleotidase shows a greater sensitivity in the detection of primary or metastatic hepatic malignancy in the anicteric patient than does the serum alkaline phosphatase. The authors believe that the apparent increased sensitivity is related to the greater specificity of this enzyme for hepatobiliary disease.
Nonobstructive hydronephrosis due to social polydipsia: a case report.

Introduction: Excessive fluid intake can lead to water intoxication, electrolyte abnormalities, exacerbation of heart failure and anatomical changes in the urinary tract that may present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for patients and physicians. Although the development of nonobstructive hydronephrosis is recognized in patients with central and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, pregnancy or psychiatric polydipsia, it is rarely a diagnostic consideration in healthy individuals with excessive fluid ingestion. We now present what we believe to be the first report of nonobstructive hydronephrosis associated with social polydipsia. Case presentation: A 53-year-old African-American woman with moderate back pain was found to have bilateral moderate hydronephrosis and hydroureter by abdominal computed tomography. She underwent ureteral stent placement followed by exploratory laparoscopy with lysis of adhesions and a right oophorectomy, without resolution of the nonobstructive hydronephrosis. A careful assessment revealed a social habit of consuming approximately 5.5L of fluid daily in an effort to remain hydrated in accordance with public health service announcements. It was recommended that the patient reduce her fluid intake. A repeat ultrasound after six weeks revealed complete resolution of the bilateral hydronephrosis and hydroureter. Conclusion: Recognition of the nonobstructive nature of hydronephrosis caused by polydipsia in healthy individuals is important to prevent unnecessary interventions.
Statistical Prediction of Integrated Kinetic Energy in North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones

AbstractIntegrated kinetic energy (IKE) is a useful quantity that measures the size and strength of a tropical cyclone wind field. As a result, it is inherently related to the destructive potential of these powerful storms. In most current operational settings, there are limited resources designed to assess the IKE of a tropical cyclone because storm track and maximum intensity are typically prioritized. Therefore, to complement existing forecasting tools, a statistical scheme is created to project fluctuations of IKE in North Atlantic tropical cyclones for several forecast intervals out to 72 h. The resulting scheme, named Statistical Prediction of Integrated Kinetic Energy (SPIKE), utilizes multivariate normal regression models trained on environmental and storm-related predictors from all North Atlantic tropical cyclones occurring from 1990 to 2011. During this training interval, SPIKE outperforms persistence and is capable of explaining more than 80% of observed variance in total IKE values at a forec...
Immigrant Incorporation in Western Democracies

How much variation is there in immigrant incorporation policies and practices across the Western democracies? Concluding that the effort to capture variation in typologies of incorporation schemes is likely to prove both futile and misleading, I propose a radically dis-aggregated perspective that conceives of incorporation as the product of the intersection of migrant aspirations and strategies with regulatory frameworks in four domains — state, market, welfare, and culture. Because some but not all of the regulatory institutions in these domains were created with immigrant incorporation in mind, national incorporation frameworks are not fully cohesive, are constantly changing, and at best can be described as belonging to a handful of loosely connected syndromes.
The Many Faces of the Economic Bulletin Board

The variety of files offered on the Economic Bulletin Board can make an economist's dream come true or a researcher's nightmare come to life. Not only do they have access to the Business Cycle Indicators, petroleum supply and price information, and daily updates on trade leads, but they also have a choice of methods such as World Wide Web, gopher, telnet, ftp, dial‐up, and fax to reach the conglomeration of data.
Formylmethyl and Formylmethylperoxyl Radicals and Their Chlorinated Derivatives. Formation and Reactions in Irradiated Aqueous Solutions

The formylmethyl radical, •CH2CHO, is known to act as an oxidant. For comparison, the chlorinated analogues, •CCl2CHO and •CCl2CClO, were produced in irradiated aqueous solutions and their oxidation reactions studied. The radicals were produced by reaction of •OH with trichloroethanol (CCl3CH2OH) or tetrachloroethylene (CCl2CCl2) followed by elimination of HCl. CCl3CH2OH reacts with OH radicals, with rate constants of 1.5 × 108 L mol-1 s-1 at pH 6.6 and 1.9 × 109 L mol-1 s-1 at pH 11.4, at which the compound is partially ionized (pKa = 12.2). These reactions take place by hydrogen abstraction to yield CCl3ĊHOH or CCl3ĊHO-, which rapidly eliminate HCl or Cl- to form the •CCl2CHO radical. Parallel experiments with trifluoroethanol indicated formation of the CF3ĊHOH radical which does not eliminate HF. This radical reduces methylviologen (MV2+, 1,1‘-dimethyl-4,4‘-bipyridinium dication) slowly in acidic solutions but very rapidly in alkaline solutions. From the pH effect on the rate constant, a pKa value of 6...
Germanium-containing polymers via acyclic diene metathesis

Abstract The synthesis of unsaturated polycarbogermanes via acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization is reported. Exposure of germanadienes to well-defined olefin metathesis catalysts yields unsaturated polymers containing germanium along the backbone in a clean process. The polymers are viscous liquids with glass transition temperatures around −90°C. Thermogravimetric analysis suggests a non-volatile residue after thermal decomposition, possibly elemental germanium.
Methodological triangulation using neural networks for business research

Artificial neural network (ANN) modeling methods are becoming more widely used as both a research and application paradigm across a much wider variety of business, medical, engineering, and social science disciplines. The combination or triangulation of ANN methods with more traditional methods can facilitate the development of high-quality research models and also improve output performance for real world applications. Prior methodological triangulation that utilizes ANNs is reviewed and a new triangulation of ANNs with structural equation modeling and cluster analysis for predicting an individual's computer self-efficacy (CSE) is shown to empirically analyze the effect of methodological triangulation, at least for this specific information systems research case. A new construct, engagement, is identified as a necessary component of CSE models and the subsequent triangulated ANN models are able to achieve an 84% CSE group prediction accuracy.
Measuring Progression of Coronary Atherosclerosis with Computed Tomography: Searching for Clarity Among Shades of Gray

Computed tomography (CT) allows visualization of both calcified and noncalcified atherosclerotic plaque in the entire coronary tree. When assessing an individual patient's risk of cardiac events, direct visualization of coronary plaque has substantial advantages over assessment of surrogate markers or risk factors. Ideally, practitioners would be able to follow progression or regression of coronary disease via quantitative measurements of plaque volume and composition in individual patients. Once this is possible, CT could be used to: (1) make more informed decisions about whether and how aggressively to treat patients at risk for coronary artery disease, and (2) to follow the effects of treatment in patients with known coronary artery disease. At this point in time, coronary calcium scoring is more reproducible than CT angiography for quantifying plaque and also has a much larger body of evidence supporting its ability to predict cardiac events. In this paper we will review the current techniques for quantifying calcified and noncalcified coronary atherosclerosis with cardiac CT, the strengths and limitations of each approach and the data supporting the ability to quantify and follow progression or regression of plaque.
On the modified Leverrier-Faddeev algorithm

Abstract Properties of an eigenmatrix proposed by Faddeev and an extension thereof investigated by Gower are deduced from consideration of the adjoint and reduced adjoint of the characteristic matrix sI — A .
Redescription of Oigolaimella Carinata Zullini, 1981 (Nemata: Neodiplogasteridae)

Oigolaimella carinata is redescribed on the basis of a population from Guatemala and type specimens of the Italian population.
Toxaphene trends in the Great Lakes fish

Abstract As part of the U.S. Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (GLFMSP), more than 300 lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ) and walleye ( Stizostedion vitreum vitreum ) collected from the Laurentian Great Lakes each year from 2004 to 2009, have been analyzed for total toxaphene and eight selected congeners. The analytical results show fish toxaphene concentrations are quite different among lakes. Between 2004 and 2009, Lake Superior lake trout had the highest concentration (119 to 482 ng/g) and Lake Erie walleye had the lowest concentration (18 to 47 ng/g). Combining these results with the historical total toxaphene data (1977–2003), temporal changes were examined for each lake. Because of different analytical methods used in the previous studies, the historical data were adjusted using a factor of 0.56 based on a previous inter-method comparison in our laboratory. Trend analysis using an exponential decay regression showed that toxaphene in Great Lakes fish exhibited a significant decrease in all of the lakes with t 1/2 (confidence interval) of 0.9 (0.8–1.1) years for Lake Erie walleye, 3.8 (3.5–4.1) years for Lake Huron lake trout, 5.6 (5.1–6.1) years for Lake Michigan lake trout, 7.5 (6.7–8.4) years for Lake Ontario lake trout and 10.1 (8.2–13.2) years for Lake Superior lake trout. Parlars 26, 50 and 62 were the dominant toxaphene congeners accounting for 0.53% to 41.7% of the total toxaphene concentration. Concentrations of these congeners generally also decreased over time.
Classical cross section for charge transfer via "knock-on" capture from high-Rydberg states at asymptotically high impact velocities

It was shown recently that the classical treatment of Thomas for the double-scattering contribution to capture by a fast-moving ion of an electron from a hydrogenlike atom in its ground state: a state for which the classical description is surely not precise: becomes exact when applied to capture from a high-Rydberg state: That is, summed over all final bound states, the classical cross section becomes equal to the quantum-mechanical cross section when the initial state is a high-Rydberg state. It is here shown that the classical treatment of Bates and Mapleton for ''knock-on'' capture from the ground state also becomes exact (in the same sense as above) when applied to capture from a high-Rydberg state. The radiative and Brinkman-Kramers mechanisms, which are important for capture from the ground state at high impact velocities, vanish in the classical limit.
Optimizing Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Assessment of Current Therapies

Bronchodilators are the mainstay of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) therapy. Inhaled short-acting beta2-agonists generally have a more rapid onset of effect and shorter duration of action than short-acting anticholinergic agents, and are usually prescribed as "rescue" medication to relieve acute bronchospasm. For patients with persistent symptoms, maintenance therapy with inhaled long-acting beta2-agonists is preferable to short-acting beta2-agonists because long-acting beta2-agonists provide more predictable, longer-lasting improvements in lung function. Long-acting anticholinergic agents can provide similar prolonged improvement in lung function with once-daily dosing. Inhaled corticosteroids reduce the frequency of acute exacerbations and are recommended for patients with severe COPD and frequent exacerbations. Combining different classes of bronchodilators or combining a bronchodilator with a corticosteroid provides greater improvements in lung function and symptoms than the individual agents given alone. Nonpharmacologic interventions, including pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen therapy, and surgery, can benefit patients at various stages of disease. A treatment algorithm that combines both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions for the management of COPD is presented.
Mushroom poisoning: an indication for liver transplantation.

There are numerous causes of fulminant hepatic failure including acetaminophen, viral etiologies, acute fatty liver of pregnancy, ischemic hepatitis, and acute Budd-Chiari syndrome. One of the rare causes of fulminant hepatic failure is toxic mushroom poisoning. This article describes one case in which ingestion of a toxic mushroom, Amanita phalloides, caused a patient severe liver damage ultimately requiring organ transplantation. Early identification of liver dysfunction and referral to a liver transplant center for evaluation may be critical to save such a patient's life.
Three dimensional boundary element implicit differentiation formulation for design sensitivity analysis

An analytical formulation based on implicit-differentiation of the boundary integral equations, for the determination of structural design sensitivities of three-dimensional continua, is presented here. A semi-analytical and a full-analytical numerical implementation of the sensitivity equations are described. The singular terms for these equations are evaluated using a rigid body motion sensitivity condition. The treatment of design sensitivities due to body forces is included using the particular integral approach. A reduced design sensitivity analysis is described which involves condensation of the equations for the unchanging portion of the design and subsequent expansion of results for the entire design. Numerical results are obtained to study the dependence of the semi-analytical approach on the perturbation step size and also to validate the present formulations through comparisons with alternative solutions.
Modification of rabbit adrenal steroid biosynthesis by prolonged ACTH administration

A series of in vitro experiments using 4-14C-pregnenolone and 4-14C-progesterone as precursors were performed to determine the effects of prolonged adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) administration on adrenal steroid biogenesis in rabbits. The adrenal steroids were isolated by paper chromatography and quantitated by the double isotope derivative assay method. In the control group, there was no distinction between the roles of pregnenolone and progesterone as precursors of adrenal steroids. Following the administration of 25 U of porcine ACTH for 21 days, however, 17α-hydroxylated steroids became quantitatively important. Prolonged exogenous ACTH treatment enhanced the specific activities of the 17α-hydroxycorticosteroids from both precursors, but the specific activities were enhanced more from pregnenolone than from progesterone. Under experimental conditions more than twice as much pregnenolone was metabolized via 17α-hydroxypregnenolone bypassing the progesterone step than under control conditions. Pro...
“Almost There”...Why Clients Fail to Engage in Family Therapy: An Exploratory Study

A great deal of clinical research has sought to describe and suggest remedies for the client dropout phenomenon. However, few studies have addressed the equally pervasive, yet often ignored, non-engagement problem. An exploratory study was conducted to understand why many clients fail to engage in family therapy services after they have completed the initial intake. The results of the study suggest that therapist gender and experience level, clinic policies regarding videotaping sessions, family concerns, and changes in the presenting problem prior to the first session, had an impact on potential clients’ decision to engage in therapy. Implications and future research are discussed.
Production of rheumatic subcutaneous nodules.

Abstract The production of rheumatic subcutaneous nodules was attempted in thirtynine patients with rheumatoid arthritis, in eighteen patients with rheumatic fever, and in fifteen normal controls (1) by the injection of whole blood over the olecranon, applying friction to the injected area; (2) by injecting a solution of trypsin over the olecranon; and (3) by injecting joint fluid from a patient with active rheumatoid arthritis over the olecranon and applying friction. Patients in various stages of the disease, active and inactive, with and without naturally occurring nodules, were used. No nodules were produced experimentally in any case.
Probable Tolosa-Hunt syndrome with a normal MRI

BackgroundWe are reporting a rare case of a 60-year-old woman with a past history of end-stage renal disease and non-Hodgkin lymphoma who presented to our hospital with confusion, unilateral headache, painful ophthalmoplegia and ptosis. The patient was diagnosed clinically with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (THS).ResultsTHS is a diagnosis of exclusion. Other diseases were ruled out. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and orbit was negative twice within a week. The patient was treated with corticosteroids with marked improvement of the orbital pain and headache and mild improvement of the cranial nerves palsy.ConclusionClinical diagnosis of THS could be supported by radiological findings. According to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD)-3 beta diagnostic criteria, the diagnosis must be confirmed with an abnormal MRI and/or pathological sample. We add to the previous findings of THS with a normal MRI. Although MRI plays a crucial role in differential diagnosis, it should not, nor...
Cellular context and multiple channel domains determine cAMP sensitivity of HCN4 channels: Ligand-independent relief of autoinhibition in HCN4

Hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide–sensitive (HCN) channels produce the If and Ih currents, which are critical for cardiac pacemaking and neuronal excitability, respectively. HCN channels are modulated by cyclic AMP (cAMP), which binds to a conserved cyclic nucleotide–binding domain (CNBD) in the C terminus. The unliganded CNBD has been shown to inhibit voltage-dependent gating of HCNs, and cAMP binding relieves this “autoinhibition,” causing a depolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of activation. Here we report that relief of autoinhibition can occur in the absence of cAMP in a cellular context- and isoform-dependent manner: when the HCN4 isoform was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, the basal voltage dependence was already shifted to more depolarized potentials and cAMP had no further effect on channel activation. This “pre-relief” of autoinhibition was specific both to HCN4 and to CHO cells; cAMP shifted the voltage dependence of HCN2 in CHO cells and of HCN4 in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. The pre-relief phenotype did not result from different concentrations of soluble intracellular factors in CHO and HEK cells, as it persisted in excised cell-free patches. Likewise, it did not arise from a failure of cAMP to bind to the CNBD of HCN4 in CHOs, as indicated by cAMP-dependent slowing of deactivation. Instead, a unique ∼300–amino acid region of the distal C terminus of HCN4 (residues 719–1012, downstream of the CNBD) was found to be necessary, but not sufficient, for the depolarized basal voltage dependence and cAMP insensitivity of HCN4 in CHO cells. Collectively, these data suggest a model in which multiple HCN4 channel domains conspire with membrane-associated intracellular factors in CHO cells to relieve autoinhibition in HCN4 channels in the absence of cAMP. These findings raise the possibility that such ligand-independent regulation could tune the activity of HCN channels and other CNBD-containing proteins in many physiological systems.
SCALE INVARIANT OPTICAL CORRELATION USING MELLIN TRANSFORMS

The use of optical Mellin transforms in matched spatial filter correlation of imagery that differs in scale is discussed. Theoretical considerations and initial experimental results are included. The intensity of the correlation peak is found to be indeigendent of the input scale, and the scale difference between the two functions to be correlated can also be extracted from the location of the correlation peak.
Prognostic value of bone marrow angiogenesis in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing high-dose therapy.

Bone marrow (BM) angiogenesis is increased in multiple myeloma and is an important prognostic factor. However, prior studies were mainly done on patients receiving conventional chemotherapy and there is limited data on its prognostic value in patients undergoing high-dose therapy (HDT) as initial therapy. We studied BM angiogenesis in terms of microvessel density (MVD) in 88 newly diagnosed patients, who were uniformly treated, with 3–4 cycles of induction chemotherapy followed by HDT. We examined if MVD at diagnosis was predictive of response to induction therapy or to subsequent HDT. In addition, we also examined its prognostic value in these patients. The median MVD for primary refractory patients was 28 (range, 2–84) compared to 27 (range, 2–99) for responding patients (P=0.7). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 21 months for those with high-grade angiogenesis compared to 42 months for those with low-grade angiogenesis, P=0.017. The median overall-survival (OS) from diagnosis was 40 months for those with high-grade angiogenesis and not yet reached, for those with low-grade angiogenesis, P=0.007. BM MVD at the time of initial diagnosis is an important prognostic factor for OS and PFS in patients undergoing autologous transplantation as frontline therapy for myeloma.
The absence of mature phage DNA molecules from the replicating pool of T-even-infected Escherichia coli.

The replicating DNA pool contained in Escherichia coli infected with T-even bacteriophage was examined by chromatography of phenol-extracted lysates on columns of methylated albumin—kieselguhr and by zone sedimentation of unextracted lysates. The pool apparently contains few DNA molecules having the properties of DNA extracted from mature phage particles. Part of the replicating DNA resisted phenol extraction and part of the DNA that could be extracted was found to bind irreversibly to the chromatographic columns. If extraction was eliminated and the lysates examined by sedimentation, the bulk of the newly synthesized DNA sedimented considerably faster than mature phage DNA. These properties could be those of a large, fragile structure that contains regions of single-strandedness. In contrast with the newly synthesized DNA, the intrabacterial parental DNA immediately after infection could be identified as normal phage DNA molecules. These, however, seem to become modified in some way, since their recovery rapidly decreased with time after infection. A small part of the parental DNA became fragmented in the infected cell. A much smaller fraction of newly synthesized DNA was present as fragments. The difference between lysates produced by treating cells with detergent and treating cells first with lysozyme and then detergent is discussed, and some properties of the cells treated only with detergent are described.
Social facilitation of attitude change

Classically conditioned attitude strength was greater for Ss who were conditioned and tested in the presence of an evaluative audience than for Ss who were conditioned and tested in privacy (N = 192, p <.05). Results were interpreted in terms of neo-Hullian theories of audience-induced drive and persuasive communication.
Universal PI-algebras and algebras of generic matrices

Let Ω[ξ] denote the polynomial algebra (with 1) in commutative indeterminates {ie65-1}, 1 ≦i, j ≦n, 1 ≦k < ∞, over a commutative ring Ω. Thealgebra of generic matrices Ω [Y] is defined to be the Ω-subalgebra ofM n (Ω[ξ]) generated by the matricesY k=({ie65-2}), 1 ≦i, j ≦n, 1 ≦k < ∞. This algebra has been studied extensively by Amitsur and by Procesi in particular Amitsur has used it to construct a finite dimensional, central division algebra Ω (Y) which is not a crossed product. In this paper we shall prove, for Ω a domain, that Ω(Y) has exponentn in the Brauer group (Amitsur may already know this fact); consequently, for Ω an infinite field andn a multiple of 4, iff(X 1, …,X m) is a polynomial linear in all theX i but one (similar to Formanek’s central polynomials for matrix rings) andf 2 is central forM n (Ω), thenf is central forM n (Ω). (The existence of a polynomial not central forM n (Ω), but whose square is central forM n(Ω) is equivalent to every central division algebra of degreen containing a quadratic extension of its center; well-known theory immediately shows this is the case of 4‖n and 8χn.) Also, information is obtained about Ω(Y) for arbitary Ω, most notably that the Jacobson radical is the set of nilpotent elements.
Supreme Court Outcomes in Criminal Justice Cases (1994-2012 Terms): An Examination of Status Differential and Amici Curiae Effects

This study examines the role of status differential between the involved parties and amici curiae participation in explaining variation in U.S. Supreme Court criminal justice decisions that favor t...
Impedance changes during epileptic seizures.

SUMMARY Impedance measurements and EEG recordings were made in ventral and dorsal hippocampus, amygdala and from the cortex during epileptic seizures induced in cats by injecting tungstic acid gel into the dorsal hippocampus or basolateral amygdala. Consistent changes in impedance occurred during seizures with an increase in the resistive component and a decrease in the capacitive component. Impedance changes provided focal correlates of the presence of epileptic activity. In regions of the brain where discharges did not spread, or spread only weakly, there were no significant impedance changes, but in regions powerfully involved in the seizures, significant shifts in impedance amounting to 10–12% of baseline were found. A regional specificity is indicated by large and consistent impedance changes in hippocampus on the one hand, particularly in the ventral hippocampus, and on the other by very small changes observed in the amygdala. Impedance changes begin after the onset of the seizure and return toward a baseline after termination of the seizure. This is interpreted to indicate that the observed changes in impedance are a consequence of the ictal events. REASUMEA Les variations de l'impeAdance et l'eAlectroenceAphalogramme de l'hippocampe ventral et dorsal, de l'amygdale et du cortex furent enregistreAs sur des chats pendant des crises eApileptiques provoqueAes par injection de gel d'acide tungstique dans l'hippocampe dorsal ou dans la region basolateArale de l'amygdale. Des variations significatives de l'impeAdance ont eAteA observeAes pendant ces crises avec des augmentations de la composante reAsistive et des diminutions de la composante capacitive. Ces changements repreAsentent des manifestations localiseAes de la preAsence d'une activiteA eApileptique. Les reAgions du cerveau peu ou non atteintes par ces deAcharges n'ont montreA aucun changement significatif, par contre des variations de l'ordre de 10—12% furent rencontreAes dans les reAgions ouG la propagation des deAcharges eAtait importante. Une speAcificiteA reAgionale est indiqueAe par de larges variations de l'impeAdance dans l'hippocampe, particulieGrement dans l'hippocampe ventral, et par de petites variations dans l'amygdale. L'impeAdance commence aG varier apreGs le deAbut de la crise et tente de revenir aG son niveau initial apreGs la fin de la crise. Ce dernier point indique que les variations observeAes sont une conseAquence des eAveAnements critiques.
Gene Structure, Chromosomal Location, and Expression Pattern of Maleylacetoacetate Isomerase

The gene for maleylacetoacetate isomerase (MAAI) (EC 5.2.1.2) was the last gene in the mammalian phenylalanine/tyrosine catabolic pathway to be cloned. We have isolated the human and murine genes and determined their genomic structure. The human gene spans a genomic region of ∼10 kb, has 9 exons ranging from 50 to 528 bp in size, and was mapped to 14q24.3–14q31.1 using fluorescence in situ hybridization. The complete catabolic pathway of phenylalanine/tyrosine is normally restricted to liver and kidney, but the maleylacetoacetate isomerase gene is expressed ubiquitously. This suggests a possible second role for the MAAI protein different from phenylalanine/tyrosine catabolism. We have searched for mutations in the maleylacetoacetate isomerase gene in four cases of unexplained severe liver failure in infancy with clinical similarities to hereditary tyrosinemia type I (pseudotyrosinemia). Several amino acid changes were identified, but all were found to retain MAAI activity and thus represent protein polymorphisms. We conclude that MAAI deficiency is not a common cause of the pseudotyrosinemic phenotype.
Stigmatization, self-esteem, and coping among the adolescent children of lesbian mothers

Abstract Purpose: To examine perceived stigma, coping, disclosure, and self-esteem among adolescents with lesbian mothers. Method: Interviews were conducted with 76 adolescents ages 11–18 years. Standardized measures of self-esteem and coping skills were used. A measure of stigma was adapted for this study and a measure of disclosure was developed. The relationship between perceived stigma and self-esteem was examined. General coping skills and level of disclosure about the adolescents' mothers' sexual orientation were assessed as potential moderators of the relationship between perceived stigma and self-esteem. Results: Adolescents who perceived more stigma had lower self-esteem in five of seven self-esteem areas, compared to those who perceived less stigma. In addition, coping skills moderated the effect of stigma on self-esteem in three self-esteem areas. However, only one subtype of coping skills, that of decision-making coping, was found to moderate the relationship of perceived stigma and self-esteem in such a way that adolescents using more decision-making coping had higher self-esteem in the face of high perceived stigma. For social support coping, in the face of high perceived stigma, the adolescents with more effective coping skills had lower self-esteem. In the face of high perceived stigma, adolescents who disclosed more about their mother's sexual orientation had higher self-esteem in the subscale of close friendship than those who disclosed less. Conclusions: Results suggest that stigma is related to self-esteem among the adolescent children of lesbian mothers. The results indicate that this relationship is moderated by coping skills. These results have implications for intervention and prevention of stigmatization by the establishment of effective coping skills as well as through educational efforts to eradicate stigmatizing attitudes.
Design of a space channel simulator using virtual instrumentation software

The ability to simulate satellite channels gives protocol designers the ability to test design options prior to their use in space communications. Here, we describe a software-based space channel simulator with variable channel error-rate, channel delay, and user bit error rate. This simulator is used to model the communications channel for testing various Internet-type protocol options for space communications.
A smartphone-based platform for analyzing physiological audio signals

The prevalence of smartphone devices lends itself to a development platform for an array of applications, including patient health tracking and physiological monitoring. This paper shows a preliminary investigation of the acquiring and processing breathing signals using a smartphone running the Android Operating System. The hardware consists of a smartphone connected to an analog electronic stethoscope. The preliminary signal analysis tool includes the Fast Fourier Transform implemented with the Android Software Development Kit (SDK).
Development and Evaluation of an Enterovirus D68 Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase PCR Assay

We have developed and evaluated a real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) assay for the detection of human enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) in clinical specimens. This assay was developed in response to the unprecedented 2014 nationwide EV-D68 outbreak in the United States associated with severe respiratory illness. As part of our evaluation of the outbreak, we sequenced and published the genome sequence of the EV-D68 virus circulating in St. Louis, MO. This sequence, along with other GenBank sequences from past EV-D68 occurrences, was used to computationally select a region of EV-D68 appropriate for targeting in a strain-specific RT-PCR assay. The RT-PCR assay amplifies a segment of the VP1 gene, with an analytic limit of detection of 4 copies per reaction, and it was more sensitive than commercially available assays that detect enteroviruses and rhinoviruses without distinguishing between the two, including three multiplex respiratory panels approved for clinical use by the FDA. The assay did not detect any other enteroviruses or rhinoviruses tested and did detect divergent strains of EV-D68, including the first EV-D68 strain (Fermon) identified in California in 1962. This assay should be useful for identifying and studying current and future outbreaks of EV-D68 viruses.
In vivo Brillouin optical microscopy of the human eye

We report the first Brillouin measurement of the human eye in vivo. We constructed a Brillouin optical scanner safe for human use by employing continuous-wave laser light at 780 nm at a low power of 0.7 mW. With a single scan along the optic axis of the eye, the axial profile of Brillouin frequency shift was obtained with a pixel acquisition time of 0.4 s and axial resolution of about 60 μm, showing the depth-dependent biomechanical properties in the cornea and lens.