cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hemodynamic changes following wingspan stent placement--a quantitative magnetic resonance angiography study.

BACKGROUND Quantitative magnetic resonance angiography (QMRA) is a noninvasive imaging modality that provides anatomic and physiologic measurements of arteries. We used QMRA to assess hemodynamic changes following Wingspan stent placement for intracranial stenosis. METHODS We reviewed patients treated with Wingspan stents for intracranial stenosis who had baseline and follow-up QMRA data. We compared volumetric flow rates (VFRs) (mL/minute) pre- and poststenting using paired t-tests. P < .05 was considered significant. RESULTS Among 9 patients (mean age 65.8 years, mean 71% degree of stenosis), lesions were located in the supraclinoid internal carotid arteries in 3, middle cerebral arteries in 3, and intracranial vertebrobasilar arteries in 3. VFR and degree of stenosis were moderately correlated (r=– .670, P= .002). The mean VFR in the stenotic artery increased from 81.2 mL/minute to 133.3 mL/minute (P= .020) or by 64.2% after stenting. Total cerebral blood flow, flow in nonstented vessels, and collateral flow in circle of Willis vessels did not significantly change. CONCLUSION We found that QMRA is a promising noninvasive method for the measurement of cerebral hemodynamics following intracranial Wingspan stent placement. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Substance Use Disorders

“Mr. J” is a 28-year-old single male financial services representative who self-referred because of problems with focus, distractibility, and completing tasks. He says his work performance is poor because of “inefficiency, poor organization, and carelessness.” He has difficulties with time management and procrastination and always works “right up to the deadlines.” He also reports having high levels of fidgetiness, internal restlessness, intrusiveness, talkativeness, and impulsivity. He denies frank depressive or manic symptoms but notes being “easily frustrated.”
Generating function zeros for hadron multiparticle distributions

A theorem is proved that delineates criteria for the radii of the annulus of the zeros in the complex plane of the generating function for factorial moments as it applies to high-energy charged-hadron multiproduction. It is shown how this theorem and the general features of the negative binomial distribution provide an explanation of the distribution of generating-function zeros along an open circular ring of approximately unit radius found in simulations and collider data.
A Life or Death InfoSec Subversion

Details about failures of complex and well-implemented information-based attacks on systems are extremely difficult to obtain. However, here the authors examine a real-life analogue - an information attack on a highly complex security system, that of the Colombian guerrilla group FARC. This operation included a man-in-the-middle attack, targeted denial of service (DoS), and authentication subversion. The attack on FARC's communications structure is interesting not only because of its electronic and analog components, but also because it was a life or death matter. The authors examine the hostages' liberation from an information security perspective, compiling data from several Colombian newspapers and magazines and using the most accepted version of the events.
New method for qualitative quantum chemical deductions on organic or inorganic molecules or clusters directly from structural formulas or ORTEP diagrams

A pictorial “blackboard mnemonic” type method presented allows the molecular orbital level patterns, the numbers of non-bonding, bonding, and anti-bonding orbitals to be figured out from the actual or tentative structural formulas (or ORTEP diagrams) of saturated or unsaturated molecules or intermediates regardless of symmetry. The simple pictorial rules are illustrated on: bicyclo[p.q.0] hydrocarbons, pyridine, alkyl groups, quaternium ions, some amines, ethers, water and alcohols, and on some fluorohydrocarbons. The readily obtained MO level patterns, e.g. during rearrangements, give a handle on the qualitative behaviour of various structures or species. The method applies also to metal atom and other clusters.
Developmental expression of the three iroquois genes of amphioxus (BfIrxA, BfIrxB, and BfIrxC) with special attention to the gastrula organizer and anteroposterior boundaries in the central nervous system

Abstract Here we describe the developmental expression of the three iroquois genes ( BfIrxA , BfIrxB , and BfIrxC ) of amphioxus. BfIrxB transcription is first detected at the gastrula stage in mesendoderm just within the dorsal lip of the blastopore (a probable homolog of Spemann’s organizer) and in ectoderm. In early neurulae, expression begins in presumptive pharyngeal endoderm, somitic mesoderm, and neural plate. Mid-neurulae express BfIrxB throughout the hindbrain, posterior somites, pharyngeal endoderm, and notochord. In early larvae, expression is largely downregulated in the nerve cord, somites and notochord, but remains strong in the pharyngeal endoderm associated with the forming gill slits; also, a late expression domain appears in the ciliary tuft ectoderm. BfIrxA and BfIrxC , are not as widely expressed as BfIrxB . Both are first expressed in the presumptive hindbrain and presumptive pharyngeal endoderm at the early neurula stages. In the mid-neurula, additional expression domains appear in the extremities of the notochord. Neural expression is downregulated by late neurula. In the early larva, expression is chiefly limited to pharyngeal endoderm associated with the forming gill slits, excepting a small new domain of BfIrxC (not BfIrxA ) expression in the ciliary tuft ectoderm. In comparison to developing vertebrates, embryos and larvae of amphioxus express iroquois genes in fewer tissues. Thus, iroquois genes of the proximate ancestor of the vertebrates evidently assumed numerous new roles during vertebrate evolution, including the division of the central nervous system into several sub-regions along its anteroposterior axis.
Effective therapy for a murine model of human anaplastic large-cell lymphoma with the anti-CD30 monoclonal antibody, HeFi-1, does not require activating Fc receptors.

CD30 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family. Overexpression of CD30 on some neoplasms versus its limited expression on normal tissues makes this receptor a promising target for antibody-based therapy. Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) represents a heterogeneous group of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas characterized by the strong expression of CD30. We investigated the therapeutic efficacy of HeFi-1, a mouse IgG1 monoclonal antibody, which recognizes the ligand-binding site on CD30, and humanized anti-Tac antibody (daclizumab), which recognizes CD25, in a murine model of human ALCL. The ALCL model was established by intravenous injection of karpas299 cells into nonobese diabetic/severe combined immuno-deficient (SCID/NOD) wild-type or SCID/NOD Fc receptor common γ chain–deficient (FcRγ–/–) mice. HeFi-1, given at a dose of 100 μg weekly for 4 weeks, significantly prolonged survival of the ALCL-bearing SCID/NOD wild-type and SCID/NOD FcRγ–/– mice (P < .01) as compared with the control groups. In vitro studies showed that HeFi-1 inhibited the proliferation of karpas299 cells, whereas daclizumab did not inhibit cell proliferation. We demonstrated that the expression of FcRγ on polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes was not required for HeFi-1–mediated tumor growth inhibition in vivo, although it was required for daclizumab.
Effects of adenosine and calcium entry blockers on 3,4-diaminopyridine-induced rhythmic contractions in dog coronary artery.

Abstract 3,4-Diaminopyridine, a potassium (K + ) channel blocker, was used to induce phasic contractions in an isolated K + -contracted dog left anterior descending coronary artery ring preparation. The effects of adenosine, N 6 -L-phenyl-isopropyl-adenosine (L-PIA) and 5′-N-ethylcarboxamide-adenosine (NECA) were compared with those of calcium (Ca 2+ ) entry blockers (nifedipine, verapamil, diltiazem) on the maximum developed force, minimum developed force and contraction frequency in this model. Adenosine, L-PIA and NECA significantly relaxed the minimum force and decreased the contraction frequency without any effect on the maximum force. The order of potency was: NECA > L-PIA > adenosine. Nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem significantly relaxed the maximum force and increased the contraction frequency without a significant relaxing effect on minimum force. It is, therefore, likely that adenosine (and its analogs) and Ca 2+ entry blockers have different mechanisms for the relaxation of coronary smooth muscle and that adenosine probably relaxes the vessels through A 2 receptor.
Annealing effects of triboluminescence production on irradiated ZnS:Mn

Abstract The current interest in returning to the Moon and Mars by 2030 makes cost effective and low mass health monitoring sensors essential for spacecraft development. In space, there are many surface measurements that are required to monitor the condition of the spacecraft including: surface temperature, radiation fluence, and impact. Through the use of phosphors, materials doped with trace elements that give off visible light when excited, these conditions can be monitored. Practical space-based phosphor sensors will depend heavily upon research investigating the resistance of phosphors to ionizing radiation and the ability to anneal or self-heal from damage caused by ionizing radiation. Preliminary investigations into these sensors have recently been performed using a highly triboluminescent phosphor, ZnS:Mn. This phosphor has been found to be temperature sensitive from 100 to 350 °C and responsive to both impact and radiation fluence. A 3 MeV proton fluence as small as 2.3 × 10 13 mm − 2 was found to statistically reduce the ZnS:Mn fluorescence decay time for temperatures less than 200 °C. Reductions in decay time appear to be proportional to increasing fluence. These results have stimulated research into the effects of thermal annealing on triboluminescence. While this testing is not all-inclusive; it does illuminate the process that can be used in the selection of appropriate sensor materials.
Dynamic effects of thermal shutters

Abstract Contrary to the common assumption made, thermal shutters on windows rarely offer their full rated resistance. Because of the combined effects of thermal and infiltrative fields acting on the air inside the shutter cavity, a finite time has to elapse before the shutters begin to offer their full resistance. This phenomenon is approximately described with a simple first order model and the dynamic effects of shutters on the house heating requirements are examined. The results suggest that, on an annual basis, it is reasonable to expect a 5% increase in the heating requirements over those of a house with perfect shutters. This increase depends on the heat loss coefficient of the window shutter and its thermal time constant.
Magnetization processes in patterned media

Abstract Recent theoretical and experimental results on domain patterns and switching processes in patterned media are reviewed. For thin permalloy islands ∼0.5 to 4 μm in size the domain patterns observed correspond closely to theoretical expectations, showing a variety of closure domain configurations. Thin film islands ∼0.2 μm in size of hard magnetic materials are typically single domain in remanence. Coercivity fields show a wide dispersion in all cases, for both hard and soft materials.
Carving Devotion in the Jain Caves at Ellora

A humbly dressed kneeling male devotee figure carved out of stone with visible chisel marks on the surface of the rock is the centrepiece on the cover of Lisa Owen’s Carving Devotion in the Jain Ca...
The Y of Geography: Developing a Model World Geography Course for Pre-service Teachers

Abstract “World Geography for Teachers” is a unique four-credit college course offered for pre-service elementary and secondary education majors at Keene State College. This article outlines the origins of the course as an outgrowth of activities sponsored by the New Hampshire Geographic Alliance. The course is a model of integrating basic geography content with teaching strategies based on the National Geography Standards. Pre-service teachers develop geographic knowledge as they plan and design lessons for future classroom use.
Development of the parent response to child illness (PRCI) scale.

The aims of this study were to develop an instrument to measure parents’ responses and perceptions related to the onset of either seizures or asthma in a child (aged 4–14) and to assess the initial reliability and validity of the instrument. The 35-item scale developed comprised five subscales: Child Support, Family Life/Leisure, Condition Management, Child Autonomy, and Child Discipline. Subjects were parents of 224 children with new-onset seizures and 104 parents of children with new-onset asthma. Internal consistency reliabilities were stronger for Child Support, Family Life/Leisure, and Condition Management than for Child Autonomy and Child Discipline for both samples. Test–retest reliability ranged from good to fair for both samples. The associations between parent positive mood and all of the subscales for both samples in the predicted directions provided key empirical support for validity. The scale has potential for use in research and in the clinical setting. In addition, the scale has potential to be used with other conditions.
On the growth of shear bands and failure-mode transition in prenotched plates: A comparison of singly and doubly notched specimens

Recent studies of the initiation and propagation of shear bands using doubly or singly notched plates loaded asymmetrically have yielded valuable insight into this phenomenon. The same experiments also demonstrated that the shear banding mode of failure and a more brittle, “fracture”, mode of failure can coexist in the impact-loaded specimens and transitions between the two modes were documented. However, different investigators have reported significantly different types of failure mode transitions. Due to the slightly different experimental configurations used in the studies, direct comparisons could not be made to analyze the causes of the different results. This investigation focuses on isolating the cause of this discrepancy by conducting experiments on the same material using both configurations simultaneously. The results suggest that the different types of failure mode transitions are caused by the different material properties used in the studies and the difference in specimen geometry does not seem to be primarily responsible for the differing behaviors.
Simulating electric machine performance

This paper presents details of a computer program EMSP (Electric Machine Simula tion Program), which provides the capabil ity to simulate the steady state and dynamic performance of five fundamental devices: the transformer; the dc machine; the polyphase induction machine; the polyphase synchronous machine; and the single phase induction machine. A power factor correction analysis is also provided. EMSP constructs its machine simulation models from approximating functions derived from ANSI/IEEE/NEMA standards, from the author's own expertise, from information provided in manufacturer's application guides, and from user-provided data.
Pathologic consequences of increased angiotensin II activity

Advances in molecular medicine and pharmacology have allowed clinicians to critically reassess the renin-angiotensin system. Angiotensin II (AII) participates in the control of cardiovascular function and electrolyte balance, and plays a part in the regulation of cellular oncogenes and the expression of growth factors. The expression of the proteins of the renin-angiotensin system in organs other than the kidneys suggests that these diverse actions are associated with the peptide in the local environment. Tissue renin-angiotensin activity has prompted the investigation of alternate pathways for the production of AII and characterization of novel forms of angiotensin peptides that counteract the vasoconstrictor and proliferative actions of AII. The heptapeptide angiotensin-(1-7) appears to be critically involved in regulating the angiotensinogen activity of AII through stimulation of vasodilator prostaglandins and release of nitric oxide. Study in this area has been accelerated by the identification of receptors that convey the actions of angiotensin peptides at the cellular level and the pharmacologic characterization of agents that inhibit the ability of AII to bind to target receptors. The introduction of a new class of orally active AII-receptor blockers has provided a specific test of the role of AII in the development of essential hypertension and the potential for improved therapy for hypertension and cardiac and vascular sequelae.
The adult Drosophila posterior midgut is maintained by pluripotent stem cells

Vertebrate and invertebrate digestive systems show extensive similarities in their development, cellular makeup and genetic control. The Drosophila midgut is typical: enterocytes make up the majority of the intestinal epithelial monolayer, but are interspersed with hormone-producing enteroendocrine cells. Human (and mouse) intestinal cells are continuously replenished by stem cells, the misregulation of which may underlie some common digestive diseases and cancer. In contrast, stem cells have not been described in the intestines of flies, and Drosophila intestinal cells have been thought to be relatively stable. Here we use lineage labelling to show that adult Drosophila posterior midgut cells are continuously replenished by a distinctive population of intestinal stem cells (ISCs). As in vertebrates, ISCs are multipotent, and Notch signalling is required to produce an appropriate fraction of enteroendocrine cells. Notch is also required for the differentiation of ISC daughter cells, a role that has not been addressed in vertebrates. Unlike previously characterized stem cells, which reside in niches containing a specific partner stromal cell, ISCs adjoin only the basement membrane, differentiated enterocytes and their most recent daughters. The identification of Drosophila intestinal stem cells with striking similarities to their vertebrate counterparts will facilitate the genetic analysis of normal and abnormal intestinal function.
Confined and interface phonon scattering in finite barrier GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wires

We report on the calculation of the total scattering rate in finite barrier GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wires based on the interaction Hamiltonian of confined longitudinal optical (LO) phonon and surface (SO) phonon modes. With multisubband processes being properly taken into account, our calculation indicates that for GaAs type of phonons the high‐frequency symmetric (s+) branch plays an important role among all the other SO phonon branches; it can even dominate over confined LO phonons in highly confined quantum wires as observed by K. W. Kim, M. A. Stroscio, A. Bhatt, R. Mickevicius, and V. V. Mitin [J. Appl. Phys. 70, 319 (1991)]. Our results also demonstrate that the total contributions of confined LO and SO phonon scattering resemble closely to GaAs bulk LO phonon scattering. Selection rules between intersubband transitions for SO modes suggest the possibility of a bottle‐neck effect for carrier relaxation in square wires compared with rectangular wires.
Fatty acids of Pinus elliottii tissues

The total fatty constituents of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) tissue cultures, seeds, and seedlings were examined by GLC and MS. Qualitatively, the fatty acid composition of these tissues was found to be very similar to that reported for other pine species. The fatty acid contents of the tissue cultures resembled that of the seedling tissues. The branched-chain C(sub 17) acid reported for several other Pinus species was confirmed as the anteiso isomer.
Managing drug‐drug interactions with boceprevir and telaprevir

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Examining the connection between classroom technology and student engagement

Pedagogical strategies increasing rely on technology as a way to address challenges facing the contemporary higher education classroom. This study investigated the use of a tool designed with the specific purpose of student engagement in a large classroom. The tool allows students to post to a community based discussion in a manner similar to a Twitter feed. Despite engaging in a community dialogue, results show that as usage of the technology went up a student’s sense of community learning went down. This result prompted the authors to consider how this tool was utilized in the classroom, and while implementation diverged from the original design intention the usage mirrored common technological teaching tools like a threaded discussion board. We close with a warning that adoption of a novel technology alone does not produce a greater sense of community learning.
Multivariate gamma distributions

A representation is given for a large class of n-dimensional multivariate gamma random variables as defined by Verre-Jones. In particular, the probability density functions of all 2-dimensional gamma random variables are given explicitly and it is shown how to obtain the probability density functions of all 3-dimensional gamma random variables.
Supply Chain Dynamics With Decision Making and Production Delays: Stability Analysis and Optimum Controller Selection

Delays in supply chains due to decision making (of managers) and lead time (in production) cause undesirable effects to inventory levels. Via system’s thinking, key mechanisms leading to such effects are investigated by analyzing the stability of an inventory, departing from a commonly studied model. On this model, two distinct delays and a PI controller to remove offset in inventory, are incorporated. On the plane of delays, stable and unstable operational behavior of inventory level are identified on so-called stability maps. Next, effects of PI controller to stability are revealed and this controller is optimized for avoiding oscillatory nature of inventory level. Case studies are provided to demonstrate counter-intuitive effects of delay presence to supply chain management and how stability maps may serve as decision-making tools for managers in achieving better control on inventory behavior.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
The analysis of forms of sulfur in ancient sediments and sedimentary rocks: comments and cautions

Assumptions commonly made during analysis of the amount of monosulfides [acid-volatile sulfides (AVS)] and disulfides in modern sediments, may not be valid for ancient sedimentary rocks. It is known that ferric iron can oxidize H2S during AVS analysis unless a reducing agent such as stannous chloride is added to the treatment. In addition, some monosulfides such as greigite and pyrrhotite require heat during the AVS analysis in order to dissolve completely. However, the use of heat and/or stannous chloride in the AVS treatment may partially dissolve disulfides and it is generally recommended that stannous chloride not be used in the AVS treatment for modern sediments. Most of the monosulfides are assumed to be recovered as AVS without the addition of stannous chloride. This study investigates the recovery of monosulfides during sulfur speciation analysis with application to ancient sedimentary rocks. Sulfur in samples containing naturally occurring greigite and mackinawite or pyrite was measured using variations of a common sulfur-speciation scheme. The sulfur-speciation scheme analyzes for monosulfide sulfur, disulfide sulfur, elemental sulfur, inorganic sulfate and organically bound sulfur. The effects of heat, stannous chloride and ferric iron on the amounts of acid-volatile sulfide and disulfide recovered during treatment for AVS were investigated. Isotopic compositions of the recovered sulfur species along with yields from an extended sulfur-speciation scheme were used to quantify the effects. Hot 6 N HCl AVS treatment recovers > 60% of the monosulfides as AVS in samples containing pure greigite and mackinawite. The remaining monosulfide sulfur is recovered in a subsequent elemental sulfur extraction. Hot 6 N HCl plus stannous chloride recovers 100% of the monosulfides as AVS. The addition of ferric iron to pure greigite and mackinawite samples during AVS treatment without stannous chloride decreased the amount of monosulfides recovered as AVS and, if present in great enough concentration, oxidized some of the AVS to a form not recovered in later treatments. The hot stannous chloride AVS treatments dissolve <5% of well-crystallized pyrite in this study. The amount of pyrite dissolved depends on grain size and crystallinity. Greigite in ancient sedimentary rocks was quantitatively recovered as AVS only with hot 6 N HCl plus stannous chloride. Hot 6 N HCl AVS treatment of these rocks did not detect any monosulfides in most samples. A subsequent elemental sulfur extraction did not completely recover the oxidized monosulfides. Therefore, the use of stannous chloride plus heat is recommended in the AVS treatment of ancient sedimentary rocks if monosulfides are present and of interest. All assumptions about the amount of monosulfides and disulfides recovered with the sulfur-speciation scheme used should be verified by extended sulfur-speciation and/or isotopic analysis of the species recovered.
Polarization, m, and emotionality in words

Summary This study was an exploration of some of the conditions under which two measures of meaningfulness (Noble's association technique and semantic-differential polarization) are related. It dealt with the influence of two parameters, frequency of usage and emotionality of the stimuli, on each of the instruments and on the relationship between them. Thirty neutral and thirty emotional words were presented to forty college undergraduates, who evaluated them on both measures. The significance of the contribution of the relevant variables was determined through comparisions of simple and multiple correlations. Two hypotheses were strongly supported by the results. Frequency of usage and m were found to be significantly related for all words. As predicted, a significant connection was obtained between m and polarization for neutral but not for emotional words. The prediction that frequency of usage is an important correlate of polarization for neutral but not for emotional words failed to be supported unequivocally by the results. It is concluded that frequency of usage is related to polarization indirectly through its correlation with association values. The factor of emotionality produced no important differences in m ratings, while polarization proved very sensitive to the presence of that factor in the stimuli.
Analysis of the Impact of Selected Fuel Thermochemical Properties on Internal Combustion Engine Efficiency

In this study we model the effects of 23 different fuels on First and Second Law thermodynamic efficiencies of an adiabatic internal combustion engine. First Law efficiency is calculated using the ...
Predation on early juvenile spiny lobsters Panulirus argus (Latreille): influence of size and shelter

Abstract Juvenile spiny lobsters Panulirus argus (Latreille) from three behaviorally and ecologically distinct ontogenetic groups (algal, 5–15 mm carapace length; transitional, 16–25 mm CL; and post-algal, 26–35 mm CL) were tethered in their characteristic shelters and on open substratum to evaluate size related differences in predation risk. Field experiments performed at two sites near Long Key, Florida Bay nursery habitat indicate that juveniles attain a partial size refuge from a suite of abundant algal lobster predators at about the time they emerge from settling habitat. Algal lobsters experience significantly decreased mortality by sheltering at night, thereby attaining a survival rate comparable to that of larger, older juveniles that forage nocturnally in the open. Diver surveying and limited net sampling revealed an array of lobster predators including octopus, portunid crabs, bonnethead sharks, nurse sharks, sting rays, gray snapper and toadfish, as well as general crustacean predators including bonefish and permit. High relative mortality of the smallest juveniles suggests that predation on the algal and early transitional phases is a potential bottleneck to population recruitment.
Antihemophilic factor (recombinant) plasma/albumin-free method for the management and prevention of bleeding episodes in patients with hemophilia A

Hemophilia is a rare genetic bleeding disorder that, if not adequately controlled, is associated with life-threatening bleeding events and serious and costly complications, primarily from joint damage. The advent of effective clotting factor replacement therapy for patients with hemophilia is considered one of the foremost medical advances of the 20th century. The last 3 decades of experience in hemophilia care have witnessed the effectiveness of the care of patients with hemophilia within specialized comprehensive care centers, advances in factor replacement therapies, the benefits of prophylaxis over on-demand replacement therapy, and the role of aggressive management of joint disease to prevent dysfunction. Ongoing challenges, including the management of inhibitors to factor therapies and the consequences of thousands of patients with hemophilia becoming infected with human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus in the 1980s from contaminated plasma-derived factor concentrates, have highlighted the need for vigilance with respect to clotting factor product safety, access to care, and a full complement of choice of factor replacement therapies. Advate((R)) (antihemophilic factor [recombinant] plasma/albumin-free method [rAHF-PFM]) is the first recombinant factor VIII therapy manufactured without human or animal protein additives to eliminate the risk of pathogen transmission that could be carried by these additives. Preclinical studies established bioequivalence with recombinant antihemophilic factor (Recombinate((R))), a product with 16 years of clinical experience. Currently licensed in 44 countries worldwide, rAHF-PFM has over 7 years of clinical research within 5 global studies supporting its safety and efficacy in the treatment of patients with hemophilia A.
Design of industrial storage racks

The current design provisions for steel industrial storage racks are summarized and a progress report on a current Cornell University Research project is given.
Diaminopimelic Acid Content of Feeds and Rumen Bacteria and Its Usefulness as a Rumen Bacterial Marker

Abstract Several feeds were examined and most were devoid of diaminopimelic acid. Small amounts of diaminopimelic acid were in corn silage, sorghum silage, beet pulp, and two samples of alfalfa hay. Nine strains of rumen bacteria were grown in pure culture in rumen fluid media containing three concentrations of carbohydrate. After incubation, bacteria were harvested and analyzed for diaminopimelic acid and total nitrogen. Among bacterial species there were significant differences in the ratio of diaminopimelic acid nitrogen to total bacterial nitrogen when they were grown in media containing different concentrations of carbohydrate. Diaminopimelic acid nitrogen concentration ranged from none in Streptococcus bovis to 1.61% in Ruminococcus flavefaciens . Six rumenfistulated cattle were fed either a high-roughage (85% hay) or high-concentrate (85% concentrate) diet to study the effect of diet on diaminopimelic acid content of mixed rumen bacteria. Bacteria from cattle fed the high roughage diet contained more diaminopimelic acid nitrogen to total nitrogen (.65%) than those fed the high-concentrate diet (.50%). Time of sampling in relation to feeding had no effect on diaminopimelic acid nitrogen to total nitrogen content of bacteria. We concluded that to use diaminopimelic acid to predict bacterial production in the rumen accurately, it will be necessary to correct for dietary effects on diaminopimelic acid composition of bacteria.
Very early MS--insights from MRI.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is likely to play an increasing role in efforts to understand the earliest changes in multiple sclerosis (MS) and narrowing the gap to new insights provided by the recent pathology literature showing early meningeal and cortical inflammatory disease and cortical gray matter demyelination. Much of the insight into early MS already comes from MRI as it evaluates patients at the time of a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). Series show transition of tissue from normal to abnormal, and now often reveal gray matter more so than white matter pathology, deep gray more than cortical gray, and quantitative MRI changes preceding atrophy in early MS. But the CIS population is heterogeneous, likely including patients with many years’ duration, as well as relatively recent onset disease. Efforts to evaluate earlier disease, possibly sub-populations of CIS, patients at risk for MS with strict criteria for a radiologically isolated syndrome, and tumefactive MS, combined with advanced MRI technology, may bring us closer to in vivo insight into truly early or earliest MS.
Gene expression profiling of whole blood: Comparison of target preparation methods for accurate and reproducible microarray analysis

Peripheral blood is an accessible and informative source of transcriptomal information for many human disease and pharmacogenomic studies. While there can be significant advantages to analyzing RNA isolated from whole blood, particularly in clinical studies, the preparation of samples for microarray analysis is complicated by the need to minimize artifacts associated with highly abundant globin RNA transcripts. The impact of globin RNA transcripts on expression profiling data can potentially be reduced by using RNA preparation and labeling methods that remove or block globin RNA during the microarray assay. We compared four different methods for preparing microarray hybridization targets from human whole blood collected in PAXGene tubes. Three of the methods utilized the Affymetrix one-cycle cDNA synthesis/in vitro transcription protocol but varied treatment of input RNA as follows: i. no treatment; ii. treatment with GLOBINclear; or iii. treatment with globin PNA oligos. In the fourth method cDNA targets were prepared with the Ovation amplification and labeling system. We find that microarray targets generated with labeling methods that reduce globin mRNA levels or minimize the impact of globin transcripts during hybridization detect more transcripts in the microarray assay compared with the standard Affymetrix method. Comparison of microarray results with quantitative PCR analysis of a panel of genes from the NF-kappa B pathway shows good correlation of transcript measurements produced with all four target preparation methods, although method-specific differences in overall correlation were observed. The impact of freezing blood collected in PAXGene tubes on data reproducibility was also examined. Expression profiles show little or no difference when RNA is extracted from either fresh or frozen blood samples. RNA preparation and labeling methods designed to reduce the impact of globin mRNA transcripts can significantly improve the sensitivity of the DNA microarray expression profiling assay for whole blood samples. While blockage of globin transcripts during first strand cDNA synthesis with globin PNAs resulted in the best overall performance in this study, we conclude that selection of a protocol for expression profiling studies in blood should depend on several factors, including implementation requirements of the method and study design. RNA isolated from either freshly collected or frozen blood samples stored in PAXGene tubes can be used without altering gene expression profiles.
Epidemiologic cohort studies of critical nutritional issues in the care of the dialysis patient: Report of the epidemiology work group

ALNUTRITION is associated with an increased risk of death among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and is a risk factor for hospitalization and impaired quality of life (Table 1).1-28 As reviewed elsewhere, this association is strongly predictive and consistent across studies, and risk increases with increasing malnutrition.“9-32 The association is consistent with our current understanding of the pathophysiology of ESRD and supported by biologically plausible mechanisms.29-32 Despite these facts, a causal role of malnutrition for mortality among ESRD patients has not been unequivocally established.29-3” This is true for several reasons. First, multiple mechanisms are responsible for malnutrition in ESRD patients, and an independent contribution of malnutrition to risk of death after controlling for these antecedent factors has not been established.29,31 For example, there are both nutritional and nonnutritional factors responsible for hypoalbuminemia in ESRD patients. 33 Inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A are positively associated with declining serum albumin levels and are predictors of mortality.34 Second, little is known about the distribution and time-course of malnutrition among incident ESRD patients, so that it is possible that an association between nutrition abnormalities and death is a result of changes in nutritional status
Cryogenic Liquid Sensing Using SAW Devices

Sensing at cryogenic temperatures is required for many critical applications, but is extremely difficult. There are a wealth of problems for cryogenic sensor devices, which include the extreme cold, which makes many sensors inoperable due to freeze-out of conduction carriers, mechanical stress and strain which impacts reliability, undesirable device heat generation in the vessel, and a host of others. In addition, consideration of sensor wiring and vessel penetration is required. In principle, acoustic devices can successfully operate to extremely low temperatures without any serious performance degradation. In particular, SAW devices operate as sensors, and certain embodiments are passive, wireless, and coded for multi-sensor applications. However, few results are reported on SAW devices for cryogenic applications. Research has been performed on the use of SAW devices for operation as liquid level sensors. The initial application is for a level sensor to be used by NASA in its cryogenic liquid fuel tanks, for both ground and space vessels. The work has investigated the use of both quartz and lithium niobate devices as liquid level sensors in liquid nitrogen. In principle, the devices can operate as simple switches, with the devices turned off due to liquid SAW damping when submerged. One primary concern in using SAW devices is the survivability of the devices when shocked by rapid, large, thermal changes in the submersion and withdrawal from the liquid. Another concern is the ability of a packaged device to be reliable. Experiments were performed on bare die, commercially available packaged devices, and on UCF fabricated devices. Samples underwent a host of rapid thermal cycling by liquid submersion and data was taken under varying test conditions. Survivability of devices and the operational parameters were measured throughout the year long study. The results found that the samples are remarkably robust. All packaged devices showed no failures in the entire study. This paper will present the experimental data and results from the study on SAW quartz and lithium niobate device operational performance parameters. A review of the various test conditions and device results will be shown. The results of this study conclude that under proper conditions, SAW devices can be used as liquid sensors at cryogenic temperatures.
Impact of Changes in Infant Death Classification on the Diagnosis of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

This study evaluates the hypothesis that a decline in sudden infant death syndrome in Minnesota is associated with increases in other categories of sudden unexpected infant death. Matched birth and death certificates, autopsy reports, and home visit questionnaires were reviewed for 722 sudden unexpected infant deaths that occurred from January 1, 1996 through December 31, 2002. Descriptive data and cause of death were recorded. Cause of death was compared for 2 periods: early (1996-1998) and late (2000-2002). The age of the infant at death, sex, race, and infant death rates were similar between the 2 periods ( P = .637). Sudden infant death syndrome declined by 50.1% (P < .001). Overlay deaths increased 235.5% (P < .01). Asphyxia related deaths increased 259.6% (P < .001). Injury-related deaths increased 840.0% (P < .001). A decline in sudden infant death syndrome in Minnesota was associated with increased deaths in categories that are asphyxial in nature and are potentially preventable.
THE MOORE-PENROSE INVERSE OF A FREE MATRIX ∗

A matrix is free, or generic, if its nonzero entries are algebraically independent. Necessary and sufficient combinatorial conditions are presented for a complex free matrix to have a free Moore-Penrose inverse. These conditions extend previously known results for square, nonsingular free matrices. The result used to prove this characterization relates the combinatorial structure of a free matrix to that of its Moore-Penrose inverse. Also, it is proved that the bipartite graph or, equivalently, the zero pattern of a free matrix uniquely determines that of its Moore-Penrose inverse, and this mapping is described explicitly. Finally, it is proved that a free matrix contains at most as many nonzero entries as does its Moore-Penrose inverse.
Surface Electrical Stimulation for the Affected Shoulder After Stroke: Reconsidering the Findings of Church and Colleagues

To the Editor: We would like to raise serious methodological concerns with Church et al’s recent article, “Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Surface Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation to the Shoulder After Acute Stroke.”1 First, we are perplexed by the authors’ choice for a primary outcome measure, the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and their use of the Frenchay Activities Index (FAI) as an outcome measure. Sixteen of the 19 ARAT items assess affected hand and finger movement. The FAI asks patients to rate how often they have undertaken valued activities (eg, preparing meals). Most items comprising these measures evaluate active movement in the distal regions of the affected arm. However, …
Actinide Metallocene Hydride Chemistry: C–H Activation in Tetramethylcyclopentadienyl Ligands to Form [μ-η5-C5Me3H(CH2)-κC]2– Tuck-over Ligands in a Tetrathorium Octahydride Complex

Hydrogenolysis of the dimethyl actinide metal- locenes (C5Me4SiMe3)2UMe2 and (C5Me4H)2AnMe2 (An = Th, U) was examined for comparison with the hydrogenolysis of (C5Me5)2AnMe2 that forms the hydrides ((C5Me5)2ThH2)2, ((C5Me5)2UH2)2, and ((C5Me5)2UH)2. Parallel reactivity is not found with the (C5Me4SiMe3) � and (C5Me4H) �
Utility of Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiography in the Assessment of Residual Cardiac Defects

To investigate the accuracy of immediate postbypass transesophageal echocardiography in the assessment of residual cardiac defects, we compared intraoperative transesophageal echocardiograms with intra/postoperative data in 86 patients, aged 4 days to 30.7 years (median = 1.4 years), at risk for a total of 174 postoperative lesions: right (n= 55) or left (n= 26) ventricular outflow tract obstruction, ventricular septal defect (n= 65), aortic (n= 12) or mitral regurgitation (n= 8), or mitral stenosis (n= 8). Accuracy of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography was evaluated based on comparison with (1) immediate post-bypass left (n= 4) or right (n= 9) ventricular outflow tract pressure gradients by pullback in the operating room, (2) direct surgical inspection of residual ventricular septal defects (n= 3), (3) pulmonary artery oxygen saturation (n= 49), (4) right ventricular outflow tract pullback gradient (n= 24), and (5) transthoracic echocardiogram (n= 51) performed within 40 days of surgery. The results indicate that intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography agreed with intra/postoperative data in 87% of patients at risk for right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, 96% at risk for left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, 97% at risk for ventricular septal defect, and 100% at risk for aortic regurgitation, mitral regurgitation, or mitral stenosis. Significant residual lesions led to immediate surgical revision in 11 cases: 3 ventricular septal defects, 6 right and 2 left ventricular outflow tract obstructions. Of these, intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography confirmed and quantified suspected residual lesions in 7 and identified unsuspected lesions in 4 cases. Immediate postbypass transesophageal echocardiography proved reliable for assessing residual ventricular septal defect, mitral stenosis, and mitral or aortic regurgitation. Although accurate for assessment of the left and right ventricular outflow tracts in most patients, transesophageal echocardiography may not reliably reflect the severity of obstruction in all cases.
The globus extensible input/output system (XIO): a protocol independent IO system for the grid

In distributed heterogeneous grid environments the protocols used to exchange bits are crucial. As researchers work hard to discover the best new protocol for the grid, application developers struggle with ways to use these new protocols. A stable, consistent, and intuitive framework is needed to aid in the implementation and use of these protocols. While the application must not be burdened with the protocol details some of it may need to be exposed to take advantage of potential optimizations. In this paper we examine how the Globus XIO API provides this framework. We explore the performance implications of using this abstraction layer and the benefits gained in application as well as protocol development.
Optimal path-planning under finite memory obstacle dynamics based on probabilistic finite state automata models

The v⋆-planning algorithm is generalized to handle finite memory obstacle dynamics. A sufficiently long observation sequence of obstacle dynamics is algorithmically compressed via Symbolic Dynamic Filtering to obtain a probabilistic finite state model which is subsequently integrated with the navigation automaton to generate an overall model reflecting both navigation constraints and obstacle dynamics. A v⋆-based solution then yields a deterministic plan that maximizes the difference of the probabilities of reaching the goal and of hitting an obstacle. The approach is validated by simulated solution of dynamic mazes.