cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of carbonated beverage on myocardial perfusion imaging

2437 Objectives Intestinal interference during myocardial perfusion scan has been an area of concern due to the potential of the activity near the heart resulting in artifacts on the reconstructed data. Previous research has shown that consumption of a carbonated beverage prior to stress images reduces the artifacts caused by myoview uptake in the upper gastric region. Methods A random group of 105 patients from October 2010 to January 2011 were given a choice of diet or regular ginger-ale and were asked to consume 6-12 oz. ten minutes prior to stress pictures. This group was then reviewed to get a group of 24 patients who had a previous scan done within four years of present scan to be included in this study. The data was both visually and numerically analyzed. Visual assessment compared both sets of cine images to determine which study showed the bowel activity farthest away from the heart. The numerical data was analyzed by placing an unvarying region of interest (ROI) over the heart and the total counts were recorded. The ROI was then positioned in the upper gastric region, directly below the heart (Bowel region), and the total counts for this area was recorded. Xeleris software was used to get the values. The ratio of heart to bowel counts was calculated for each study. Results Upon visual inspection, 17 of 24 patients had decreased bowel activity adjacent to the heart for a total of 71 percent. Upon numeric analysis, 12 of 24 patients had a better bowel to heart ratio when ginger-ale was consumed for a total of 50 percent. Conclusions For the specific patient population, the majority of the images showed significant improvement visually, but statistical analysis does not show a definite improvement. The total heart counts increased from previous studies; however, so did the bowel counts, which was not expected. Clinically, 50% of the patient population did show a reduction of bowel activity adjacent to the heart warranting clinical application of carbonated beverages for myocardial perfusion imaging
Predictors of a successful external cephalic version: A population-based study of Washington state births.

Abstract Background Breech presentation affects approximately 3% of women with singleton pregnancies. External cephalic version is a manual procedure that reorients a foetus to cephalic position in preparation for birth, reducing indications for caesarean birth. However, unsuccessful attempts are associated with some adverse health outcomes. Versions are successful in 17–86% of attempts. Temporal trends in version success and association between maternal height or prenatal care and version success are unknown. Few population-based studies and no recent investigations in the United States have evaluated predictive factors for version success. Objectives This study aimed to estimate the proportion of successful version procedures in the United States and to evaluate factors associated with version success. Methods We used birth certificate and hospital administrative data. The study included all women who had a singleton birth in Washington State between 2003–2014 following a version procedure (total n = 4981). Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Poisson regression. Findings 57.2% of version attempts were successful. Primiparity (Prevalence Ratio:1.43; 95% Confidence Interval:1.29–1.60) and multiparity (Prevalence Ratio:1.68; 95% Confidence Interval:1.50–1.88) were associated with procedure success. Oligohydramnios was associated with lower version success (Prevalence Ratio:0.75; 95% Confidence Interval:0.57–1.00). Maternal height, pre-pregnancy weight, polyhydramnios, frequency of prenatal care, smoking, infant sex, and year of birth were not significantly associated with version outcome. Conclusion We found that most version procedures are successful. This reinforces that procedures may be able to reduce the frequency of caesarean birth. These contemporary results can help women and clinicians make decisions with realistic estimates of success.
Reasoned Managerial Discourse

O’Neill posed some broad Kantian-derived principles applicable to society’s discourse. They are reviewed and utilized here as especially relevant for reasoned managerial discourse. Applications to the politically sensitive issues of globalism, diversity (racism, sexism, and other problems), the company’s control system (responsibility assignment, performance evaluation, and rewards systems), and environmental degradation and restoration are provided. The latter is examined in detail as a significant issue capable of benefitting from these principles of social discourse.
Responding to Sensitive Disclosures on Social Media: A Decision-Making Framework

When people disclose information on social media that is sensitive or potentially stigmatized (e.g., mental illness, pregnancy loss), how do others decide to respond? We use interviews and vignettes to provide a response decision-making framework (RDM) that explains factors informing whether and how individuals respond to sensitive disclosures from their social media connections. The RDM framework includes factors related to the self, poster, and disclosure context (i.e., relational, temporal, social). Our findings include how people's decisions are complicated by balancing their own needs (e.g., privacy, wellbeing) as well as the posters’ (e.g., support) when seeing what they consider sensitive posts on social media. We identify empirically grounded insights and information that social media designs could surface to support both potential disclosers and responders. We argue that social media sites should provide privacy controls for both disclosers and responders, and facilitate the visibility of network-level support.
Implementation of alcohol and drug screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment: Nurse practitioner learner perspectives on a mobile app.

Background and purpose Screening, brief Intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is a widely trained evidence-based strategy to identify and address alcohol and drug use problems. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experience of family nurse practitioner (FNP) learners in the implementation of SBIRT and the perceived clinical utility of an SBIRT mobile app. Methods Twenty-two FNP learners completed didactic SBIRT training and orientation to an SBIRT mobile app. At the conclusion of the study, participant focus groups explored overall SBIRT delivery (N = 19) and SBIRT mobile app utilization (N = 14). Focus group data were analyzed within a Theory of Planned Behavior framework. Results Participants indicated that the mobile app was useful in the ongoing development of SBIRT knowledge, skill confidence, and motivation. Learners identified the clinical context as a major factor in facilitating the delivery of SBIRT overall. Participants who did not deliver SBIRT indicated that the most significant barriers to SBIRT implementation were lack of support from clinical preceptors and health systems. Conclusions Findings suggest that a mobile app is an acceptable and feasible tool to improve the delivery of SBIRT. However, collaboration with preceptors and clinical training organizations is essential to optimize clinical translation.
Affection substitution: The effect of pornography consumption on close relationships:

Scholars have stated that humans have a fundamental need to belong, but less is known about whether individuals can use other resources to substitute for close relationships. In this study, 357 adu...
Aortic recoarctation and pseudoaneurysm five decades after repair.

Background Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital cardiac defect characterized by a narrowing of the proximal thoracic aorta. Despite excellent long-term results, surgical repair is rarely complicated by recoarctation. Methods/results We describe a case with the longest time to reintervention to date, featuring surgical repair of delayed aortic recoarctation and pseudoaneurysm 53 years after the initial operation. Discussion This case emphasizes the need for lifelong surveillance in this patient population and exemplifies a multidisciplinary approach in evaluating treatment options of complex aortic pathology, including open and endovascular considerations.
Updated evaluation metrics for optimal intensity measure selection in probabilistic seismic demand models

Abstract This study proposes an update on the criteria that are typically used to select the optimal intensity measures (IMs) for development of probabilistic seismic demand models (PSDMs), which relate the input seismic hazard and structural responses. Employing an optimal IM contributes to decreasing the uncertainty in the PSDMs, which, in turn, increases the reliability of the PSDMs used in performance-based earthquake engineering analyses. In the literature, the optimality of the IMs is generally evaluated by the following metrics: efficiency; practicality; proficiency, which is the composite of efficiency and practicality; sufficiency; and hazard computability. The present study shows that the current criteria for evaluating the practicality and proficiency features may mislead the selection of the optimal IM when IMs with different ranges and magnitudes are investigated. Moreover, the efficiency metric can provide biased results when comparing IMs for predicting demands of different structural components or types of systems. As a result, alternative solutions are proposed to investigate the efficiency, practicality, and proficiency features of the IMs. The suggested metrics are employed in a case study to evaluate the IMs used to develop PSDMs for multi-span continuous steel girder bridges in Texas subjected to human-induced seismic hazard.
Immersed Boundary Projection Methods

Immersed boundary methods are an attractive alternative to body-fitted grids for complex geometries and fluid–structure interaction problems. The simplicity of the underlying Cartesian mesh allows for a number of useful conservation and stability properties to be embedded in the numerics, and for the resulting discrete equations to be solved efficiently and scalably. We review the immersed boundary projection method for incompressible flows, which implicitly satisfies the no-slip condition at immersed surfaces by solving a system of algebraic equations for surface traction. We discuss issues related to the smoothness of the surface stresses and solution strategies for strongly coupled fluid–structure interaction. For three-dimensional flows on unbounded domains, we discuss a fast lattice Green’s function method that provides for an adaptive domain comprising the vortical flow region and at the same time can be solved efficiently using extensions of the fast multipole method. To illustrate the methods, we present a series of benchmark simulations in two and three dimensions, ranging from inverted flag flutter, flow past spinning and inclined disks, and turbulent flow past a sphere.
The Habitat Assay, a Platform to Study In Vivo Properties of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are at the forefront as therapeutic tools for an extensive number of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. MSC differentiation properties have been extensively studied in vitro by this laboratory and many others. The generation and validation of in vivo potency assays would be a valuable tool for the study of cellular properties relevant for in vivo applications. We have developed a unique system, we call the Habitat assay, in which porous ceramic cube carrier loaded with human bone marrow (BM)-MSCs (hMSCs) is subcutaneously implanted into immune-compromised mice. These cells have the capacity to create bone tissue and reconstitute the hematopoietic microenvironment within the "Habitat." These donor-derived hMSCs form bone structures by 3-4 weeks and associate as perivascular MSCs. In this study, we have extensively analyzed data generated with the habitat (ceramic cube in vivo assay) using cells derived from 117 hMSC-donors (iliac aspiration); this analysis provides a validation of the platform as a way to study the in vivo effect of several variables involved in the generation of the bony Habitat. These studies show that passage number and the age of the hMSC donor influence the sequence of in vivo bone formation within the Habitat. These variables have been shown to have an effect on in vitro properties of MSCs; in this study, for the first time, we show these effects to be important on an in vivo setting.
On Maximum A Posteriori Approximation of Hidden Markov Models for Proportional Data

Hidden Markov models (HMM) have recently risen as a key generative machine learning approach for time series data study and analysis. While early works focused only on applying HMMs for speech recognition, HMMs are now prominent in various fields such as video classification and genomics. In this paper, we develop a Maximum A Posteriori framework for learning the Generalized Dirichlet HMMs that have been proposed recently as an efficient way for modeling sequential proportional data. In contrast to the conventional Baum Welch algorithm, commonly used for learning HMMs, the proposed algorithm places priors for the learning of the desired parameters; hence, regularizing the estimation process. We validate our proposed approach on a challenging video processing application; namely, dynamic texture classification.
Strain generation and right ventricular systolic function: The sum of all its parts.

BACKGROUND Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) has provided a reliable means to enhance characterization and quantification of global right ventricular (RV) systolic function. The use of Automated Functional Imaging (AFI) software has been previously used to quantify RV longitudinal peak global strain (PGS) values during two-dimensional (2D) transthoracic echocardiographic examinations. However, there is a paucity of data regarding relative strain contribution of each individual regional segments when compared with global strain assessment. Consequently, our goal was to use AFI STE to examine the strain contribution of each regional segment when assessing RV function. METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed on 107 patients that met our study criteria to correlate 2D TTE measures of RV systolic function to both RV AFI STE longitudinal peak global strain (PGS) and each individual regional RV free wall (RVFw) and inter-ventricular septum (IS) strain values. RESULTS We found that TTE variables of RV systolic function only correlated with PGS (RVFAC; P < .0001, TAPSE; P < .0001, and TA TDI S'; P < .0001) but none of the six individual regional AFI strain values. When PGS was not included in the multivariate analysis, only the mid RVFw and mid IS strain regions correlated with measures of RV systolic function. CONCLUSIONS Regional differences do exist with regards to strain generation along the RVFw and IS. These differences could be physiologically and anatomically explained based on our current understanding of RV muscle fiber arrangement. Further research is now needed to better characterize RV function in different clinical entities.
Metabolics of PH - an update.

Purpose of the review While there has been a longstanding interest in metabolic disease in pulmonary hypertension, publications in the last several years have translated basic science findings to human disease and even led to recently published studies of metabolic therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension that are discussed here. Recent findings Progress has been made in four key areas including mechanisms of insulin resistance in pulmonary arterial hypertension, the role of obesity in pulmonary vascular disease, novel clinical trials targeting metabolism in pulmonary hypertension, and the role of metabolism in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Summary : Insulin resistance in pulmonary arterial hypertension is primarily in the lipid axis. There are systemic manifestations of insulin resistance including right ventricular lipotoxicity. Obesity is associated with elevation of right ventricular systolic pressure even in a healthy population and therapies in pulmonary arterial hypertension that target metabolism hold promise for improving exercise, right ventricular function, and visceral adiposity. Finally, there are emerging data that chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is similarly characterized by metabolic alterations, though the specific metabolites may be different from pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Genomic approaches to trace the history of human brain evolution with an emerging opportunity for transposon profiling of ancient humans.

Transposable elements (TEs) significantly contribute to shaping the diversity of the human genome, and lines of evidence suggest TEs as one of driving forces of human brain evolution. Existing computational approaches, including cross-species comparative genomics and population genetic modeling, can be adapted for the study of the role of TEs in evolution. In particular, diverse ancient and archaic human genome sequences are increasingly available, allowing reconstruction of past human migration events and holding the promise of identifying and tracking TEs among other evolutionarily important genetic variants at an unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. However, highly degraded short DNA templates and other unique challenges presented by ancient human DNA call for major changes in current experimental and computational procedures to enable the identification of evolutionarily important TEs. Ancient human genomes are valuable resources for investigating TEs in the evolutionary context, and efforts to explore ancient human genomes will potentially provide a novel perspective on the genetic mechanism of human brain evolution and inspire a variety of technological and methodological advances. In this review, we summarize computational and experimental approaches that can be adapted to identify and validate evolutionarily important TEs, especially for human brain evolution. We also highlight strategies that leverage ancient genomic data and discuss unique challenges in ancient transposon genomics.
Microvascular pressure responses of second-generation rats chronically exposed to 2 G centrifugation.

Preliminary results are presented for a study aimed at a quantitative comparison of microvascular dynamics in second-generation rats reared in a 2-g force field produced by centrifugation with similar data from animals reared in a centrifuge that produced only a 1-g force. It is shown that the pressure distribution in the mesenteric microvasculature of the second generation of rats reared in a 2-g environment, as well as the animals' blood pressure response to epinephrine, are significantly different compared to their 1-g counterparts. In particular, 1-g and 2-g chronic centrifugation enhances the arterial blood pressure, and the 2-g force field attenuates the pressor effects of norepinephrine.
Demands of the Marketplace Require Practical Skills: A Necessity for Emerging Practitioners, and Its Clinical Impact on Society - A Paradigm for Change

Many articles have been written focusing on the benefits that the law students receive from participating in a rigorous program of clinical study early on in their careers. However, little focus has been given to the clients who participate in law school clinics. Most of the time these clients are poor and minorities with few, if any, options for legal representation. In general, law student clinical work has been confined to local clients with local issues. Even law schools that handle national issues have clients that are local and the issues that give rise to the national representation occur locally. This article poses two questions (1) what if student participation in law school clinical programs was made mandatory, thus expanding the number of law students available to offer legal assistance to the underrepresented; and (2) what if law school clinics unite with one another to form an alliance to take on cases, thereby creating a broader impact on a national level. Specifically, if law school clinics decided to unite and share information, data, briefs, and forms, they would have the concentrated power of a nationwide public interest law firm to address issues that are below the economic radar screen of for-profit lawyers and law firms. For example, the housing crisis is both local and national and has a disproportionate impact on the poor. The nature of this crisis calls for a global solution rather than a local approach. Therefore, in a nationwide effort to positively impact the housing crisis, law school clinics forming an alliance could set a standard for practical training and potential resolution while impacting history in ways that were never envisioned by the doctrinal curriculum. " The clinic thus becomes a 'case book' not, however, of dead letters descriptive of past controversies, but always of living issues in the throbbing life of the day, the life the student is now living."1 *Assistant Professor of Law and Director of the Legal Clinic and Pro Bono Programs at Florida
Hydraulics and Uniformity for Drip Irrigation

A drip irrigation system consists of a main line, submains, and laterals and emitters. The flow condition in the submain and laterals is steady, spatially varied with laterals outflows; the discharge is decreasing with respect to the length of the line. By considering them as smooth pipes, Blasins equation for friction coefficient is used to determine energy drop between outlets along a drip irrigation line. The energy gradient line is not a straight line but a curve of exponential type which can be determined by calculating energy drop of all sections along the line. A simple way of estimating energy gradient line with only about 1% of error can be done by dividing the line into three or four segments and using the average discharge for each segment to calculate energy drops along the line. The pressure distribution along the line can be determined for both level and sloping surfaces. Uniform water application along a drip irrigation line can be achieved by using different size of emitters, length or size microtube, and spacing between emitters.
Non-uniform solute segregation at semi-coherent metal/oxide interfaces

The properties and performance of metal/oxide nanocomposites are governed by the structure and chemistry of the metal/oxide interfaces. Here we report an integrated theoretical and experimental study examining the role of interfacial structure, particularly misfit dislocations, on solute segregation at a metal/oxide interface. We find that the local oxygen environment, which varies significantly between the misfit dislocations and the coherent terraces, dictates the segregation tendency of solutes to the interface. Depending on the nature of the solute and local oxygen content, segregation to misfit dislocations can change from attraction to repulsion, revealing the complex interplay between chemistry and structure at metal/oxide interfaces. These findings indicate that the solute chemistry at misfit dislocations is controlled by the dislocation density and oxygen content. Fundamental thermodynamic concepts – the Hume-Rothery rules and the Ellingham diagram – qualitatively predict the segregation behavior of solutes to such interfaces, providing design rules for novel interfacial chemistries.
Purification and characterization of a novel, distinct isoform of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase induced by human chorionic gonadotropin in granulosa cells of rat preovulatory follicles

To purify and characterize the isoform of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase (rPGSi) induced by human chorionic gonadotropin in granulosa cells of rat preovulatory follicles, solubilized cell extracts were subjected to anionic exchange chromatography, column fractions were resolved by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and rPGSi was visualized by immunoblotting and silver staining techniques. Immunoreactive rPGSi and peroxidase activity co-eluted at pH 6.5 and 6.0. Amino-terminal amino acid sequence of three immunoreactive rPGSi bands (Mr = 72,000, 70,000, and 59,000) were identical, Mr = 59,000 being a proteolytic fragment. Alignment of the amino-terminal sequences of rPGSi with those of ovine PGS (oPGS) indicated that only 15 of 26 residues were identical (58% identity). In contrast, rPGSi was closely related to the deduced amino acid sequence of PGS-related cDNA clones isolated from chicken and mouse cell lines, with 77% (20/26 residues) and 96% (25/26 residues) identity, respectively. Whereas tryptic digests of oPGS generated fragments of Mr = 38,000 and Mr = 33,000, only a small peptide appeared cleaved from the carboxyl terminus of rPGSi. Peroxidase activity of partially purified rPGSi exhibited lower apparent Km and maximal velocity than that of oPGS. Collectively, these results document the existence of a novel rat PGS isoform (based on purification, enzymatic activity, and amino-terminal amino acid sequence) which is hormonally induced and obligatory for a known biological process, ovulation.
Clothing Matters: Dress and Identity in India

Clothing Matters: Dress and Identity in India. Emma Tarlo. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996. 360 pp.
Correction of image artifacts from treatment couch in cone-beam CT from kV on-board imaging.

PURPOSE To investigate image artifacts caused by a standard treatment couch on cone-beam CT (CBCT) images from a kV on-board imager and to develop an algorithm based on spatial domain filtering to remove image artifacts in CBCT induced by the treatment couch. METHODS Image artifacts in CBCT induced by the treatment couch were quantified by scanning a phantom used to quantify CT image performance. This was performed by scanning the phantom setup on a regular treatment couch and in air with the kV on-board imager. An algorithm was developed to filter image artifacts from the treatment couch by processing of cone-beam radiographic projections using two scans: one scan of the phantom and treatment couch and a second scan of the treatment couch only. This algorithm is based on a pixel-by-pixel removal of beam attenuation due to the treatment couch from each projection of the phantom and couch scan. The net couch-filtered projections were then used to reconstruct CBCT. RESULTS We found that the treatment couch causes considerable image artifacts: CT number uniformity is degraded and varies as much as 15%, and noise in CBCT scans with phantom plus couch (3.5%) is higher than for the phantom in air (1.5%). The spatial domain filtering technique reduces noise by more than 1.5%, improves uniformity by a factor of 2, and removes ringing and streaking artifacts related to the standard treatment couch in CBCT reconstructed from couch-filtered projections. This filtering technique was tested successfully to filter other hardware objects such as a patient immobilization body-fix frame. CONCLUSIONS The standard treatment couch causes image artifact in CBCT from kV on-board imaging systems. The spatial domain filtering technique developed in this work improves image quality of CBCT by preprocessing the projections prior to CBCT reconstruction. This technique might be useful to filter other hardware objects from CBCT which may contribute to the degradation of image quality.
Assembling a Toolkit

Media industries scholarship reaches an important benchmark with the establishment of its own focused journal. The strength of this area of inquiry is its range of intellectual foci and scholarship priorities, which a publication outlet such as Media Industries should endeavor to keep vibrant. Rather than view the relative youth and breadth of approaches to media industry studies as a weakness, this essay identifies the existing variation in approaches, methods, foci, and central theories to studying media industries as a useful strategy that should be maintained as benchmarks of institutionalization are achieved.
Gamma Rays, Electrons, Hard X-Rays, and the Central Parsec of the Milky Way

The complex interplay of processes at the Galactic Center is at the heart of numerous past, present, and (likely) future mysteries. We aim at a more complete understanding of how spectra extending to > 10 TeV result. We first construct a simplified model to account for the peculiar energy and angular dependence of the intense central parsec photon field. This allows for calculating anisotropic inverse Compton scattering and mapping gamma-ray extinction due to ! e + e attenuation. Coupling these with a method for evolving electron spectra, we examine several clear and present excesses, including the diffuse hard X-rays seen by NuSTAR and GeV gamma rays byFermi. We address further applications to cosmic rays, dark matter, neutrinos, and gamma rays from the Center and beyond.
Market manipulation and a model of the United States Treasury securities market

This paper develops in a new framework, an equilibrium model of the U.S. Treasury Securities auction market under both discriminatory and uniform price auction rules. In the model, traders participate in forward trading of Treasury securities in a "when-issued" market before the Treasury auction. Next, bidding takes place in a Treasury auction and securities are delivered. Last, a resale market occurs where "short-cornering" and market manipulating "squeezes" can happen with rational traders. These manipulations occur in auctions by dealers who, participating in the when-issued market, use their knowledge of the net order flow to bid aggressively in the auction in order to corner the market and squeeze the shorts (from the when-issued market). This equilibrium is shown to be consistent with the abnormal price behavior of Treasury securities surrounding dealer induced squeezes. Our analysis also shows that manipulations will not occur in long-run equilibrium under uniform price auctions. Under this long-run equilibrium condition, the uniform price auction enhances social welfare by yielding greater revenue to the Treasury than does the discriminatory auction.
Rural telephony, small business and regional development

In the past few years telecommunications technologies have drawn much attention as potential vehicles for revitalizing rural economies. The success of telecommunications as a catalyst for rural development hinges on the ability of small businesses to use the technological infrastructure effectively once it has been deployed. This paper explores the different ways in which small businesses can employ telecommunications technologies to enhance their operations. The impact of telecommunications technologies on local economies is also discussed. Finally, suggestions are made as to how the local telephone company can serve as a major telematics resource for small businesses in rural areas.
Nucleotide sequence of the beta-lactamase gene from Enterococcus faecalis HH22 and its similarity to staphylococcal beta-lactamase genes.

Abstract The nucleotide sequence of the constitutively produced beta-lactamase (Bla) gene from Enterococcus faecalis HH22 was shown to be identical to the published sequences of three of four staphylococcal type A beta-lactamase genes; more differences were seen with the genes for staphylococcal type C and D enzymes. One hundred forty nucleotides upstream of the beta-lactamase start codon were determined for an inducible staphylococcal beta-lactamase and were identical to those of the constitutively expressed enterococcal gene, indicating that the changes resulting in constitutive expression are not due to changes in the promoter or operator region. Moreover, complementation studies indicated that production of the enterococcal enzyme could be repressed. The genes for the enterococcal Bla and an inducible staphylococcal Bla were each cloned into a shuttle vector and transformed into enterococcal and staphylococcal recipients. The major difference between the backgrounds of the two hosts was that more enzyme was produced by the staphylococcal host, regardless of the source of the gene. The location of the enzyme was found to be host dependent, since each cloned gene generated extracellular (free) enzyme in the staphylococcus and cell-bound enzyme in the enterococcus. On the basis of the identities of the enterococcal Bla and several staphylococcal Bla sequences, these data suggest the recent spread of beta-lactamase to enterococci and also suggest the loss of a functional repressor.
Bilateral adrenal gland hemorrhage and pulmonary embolism: The value of CT in diagnosis of life threatening post-operative complications

Abstract Bilateral adrenal gland hemorrhage (BAH) is a rare and serious adverse event. Due to its nonspecific presentation, BAH is a diagnostic challenge. BAH often occurs in the post-operative period when prophylactic anticoagulation is common. Presented in this case report is a patient who suffered from BAH discovered by computed tomography (CT) and confirmed with ACTH stimulation tests. The patient was treated and recovered well until he suffered a fatal pulmonary embolus. The case emphasizes the importance of CT in the diagnosis of two serious post-operative complications associated with coagulation abnormalities.
Chromosome 7q: where autism meets language disorder?

On the basis of evidence from twin and family studies, both autism and developmental language disorder—also referred to as specific language impairment (SLI)—are believed to be genetically mediated. The genetic mechanisms involved, however, are not clear. For example, the prevalence of autism is currently estimated at 1/1,000 (Fombonne 1999), whereas the recurrence risk in families is 6%–8% (Santangelo and Folstein 1999). On the basis of combined data from three population-based twin studies, the concordance rate for MZ twins is estimated to be ∼65%, contrasted with a concordance rate of 0% in DZ twins (Bailey et al. 1995). Presumably, the DZ rate of 0% is a type II error, since the combined samples contain .90, and there is no convincing evidence for perinatal or other environmental risk factors. Genetic modeling based on these data has been consistent with a model of oligogenic inheritance with epistasis (Pickles et al. 1995).
Hydrogen storage in hydrofullerides

Highly reduced fullerenes containing nearly 5 wt. % of dihydrogen can be synthesized using readily available reagents. Hydrides prepared from C60 by dissolving metal reductions give complex mixtures of unstable isomers of C60H36. High temperature syntheses using transfer hydrogenation reagents such as dihydroanthracene provide mainly two stable isomers of C60H36 that have been characterized spectroscopically. Dihydrogen can be removed thermally from these materials at 500 °C. The experimentally determined activation energy for the thermal removal of dihydrogen from C60H2 is 61.4 kcal/mol. This value is in good agreement with the value determined computationally for a multi step radical reaction. The 92 kcal/mol barrier determined computationally for the concerted loss of dihydrogen reflects the symmetry-imposed barrier to dehydrogenation.
The deposition of hydrogen beams on tungsten

Abstract The deposition and chemisorption of hydrogen on tungsten have been investigated with a molecular beam apparatus to which a field emission microscope is attached. The FEM is operated under liquid helium. The surface temperature of both the surface on which the deposition is made, and the beam, can be varied independently. Advantage is taken of the formation of a sharp boundary line after spreading on a shadowed emitter to evaluate the effect of beam temperature on the condensation process. There is a very marked effect which suggests that the deposition depends on a critical velocity for the hydrogen molecule in the beam. This effect is found only for the second layer where the adsorption forces are relatively weak. The course of the deposition in the first layer can be followed from the characteristics of the electron emission from the tip as coverage proceeds.
Crystallization of DsbA, an Escherichia coli Protein Required for Disulphide Bond Formation in Vivo

DsbA is a 21 kDa protein that facilitates disulphide bond formation and is required for the correct folding and stability of a number of exported proteins in Escherichia coli. Crystals of oxidized DsbA have been obtained from polyethylene glycol 8000 (20 to 25%), 0.1 M-cacodylate buffer (pH 6.5) and 1% 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol. Oxidation of the protein is critical for reproducibly obtaining high quality crystals. The resulting crystals diffract to 2 A and belong to the monoclinic space group C2 with cell dimensions a = 117.5 A, b = 65.0 A, c76.3 A, beta = 126.3 degrees with two molecules in the asymmetric unit.
Effects of succinyl-con A on the growth of normal and transformed cells

Covering con A binding sites on virally transformed mouse fibroblasts with succinyl con A has no significant effect on their growth pattern.
T cell receptor signaling induced by an analog peptide of type II collagen requires activation of Syk.

Abstract We have previously described an analog peptide of type II collagen (CII) that can suppress collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). This analog peptide represents CII 245–270 , the immunodominant epitope of CII, but with substitutions at 260, 261, and 263 — CII 245–270 (A 260 , B 261 , and N 263 ) (A9). To elucidate the mechanisms responsible for suppression, we used mice transgenic for a collagen-specific T cell receptor (TCR). When we found that APCs pulsed with A9 failed to induce T cell phosphorylation of TCR-ζ and ZAP-70, we explored alternative signaling pathways. We determined that A9 instead induced phosphorylation of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk). The importance of Syk was confirmed by the use of chemical Syk inhibitors, which blocked both cytokine secretion and activation of GATA-3 mediated by peptide A9. In summary, T cells use an alternative pathway in response to A9 that involves Syk. This novel T cell pathway may represent an important means for altering T cell phenotypes.
cGMP is tightly bound to bovine retinal rod phosphodiesterase

Abstract Although the total concentration of cGMP in rod outer segments is thought to be substantially greater than the free concentration, no quantitatively relevant site for the bound cGMP has been described in mammalian photoreceptors. We have found that preparations of purified bovine rod photoreceptor cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) contain 1.8 +/- 0.3 mol of tightly bound cGMP per mol of PDE. When subunits of the purified PDE were separated by reverse-phase HPLC in 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid and acetonitrile, a peak of material having spectral properties characteristic of a guanine ring was seen. This material was identified as cGMP by comigration with authentic cGMP on HPLC, conversion to 5-GMP by trypsin-activated rod PDE, and conversion to guanosine by a combination of trypsin-activated PDE and 5'-nucleotidase-containing snake venom. When incubated with 1 microM [3H]cGMP, only 0.1 mol of [3H]cGMP bound per mol of purified PDE, presumably because nearly all binding sites were occupied by tightly bound endogenous cGMP carried through the purification. Scatchard plots of [3H]cGMP binding have indicated that two classes of binding sites are present on the rod PDE. The off-rate of cGMP from the slowly dissociating site is extremely slow; it has a t1/2 of approximately 4 hr at 37 degrees C. At lower temperatures, very little cGMP dissociates; the amount of [3H]cGMP bound to rod PDE after 2 hr at 4 degrees C was essentially the same as at the beginning of the incubation. The observation that stoichiometric amounts of cGMP are tightly bound to PDE accounts for the inability to purify the bovine rod PDE on cGMP affinity columns or to demonstrate stoichiometric high-affinity binding sites with [3H]cGMP. More significantly, the tightly bound cGMP may resolve the apparent discrepancy between the free and total cGMP concentrations of photoreceptor outer segments.
Naloxone administration impairs autoshaped learning

Effects of naloxone on acquisition of autoshaped behavior were investigated. Rats deprived to 85% of free-feeding weights were trained to touch a retractable lever; delivery of a food pellet occurred on every trial following lever retraction. The lever was retracted immediately if a touch occurred within 15 s, or automatically after 15 s. Analyses were conducted on number and latencies of touches of the extended lever, nose-pokes (touches) directed at the retracted lever during intertrial intervals (a measure less constrained by ceiling effects than extended lever touches), and unconditioned exploratory rearing activity, measured as touches of a metal strip mounted above the grid floor of the apparatus. In an initial experiment, male Sprague-Dawley rats were given saline or naloxone (2.0 mg/kg, ip) 5 min before a training session of 12 trials. Two days later they were tested, in the absence of drug, in a session of 36 (three blocks of 12) trials. Naloxone depressed training levels of lever responding, in addition to slowing acquisition rate. No effect of naloxone was observed on rearing activity. Previous work showed that injection of saline 5 min before behavioral testing increases the rate of autoshaping compared to injections 30 min before (Messing & Sparber, 1984). Thus, effects of naloxone on acquisition of lever-directed behaviors may have been confounded by behavioral depressant effects and/or by an injection effect such a short time before testing. In a second experiment naloxone (0.5 or 2.0 mg/kg) was injected after five of seven training sessions (12 trials each) to male and female rats. A 6-s delay of reinforcement was inserted between lever retraction and food delivery, slowing acquisition rates and providing the opportunity to test the effects of naloxone throughout a multiple-session task. The low dose retarded acquisition of extended lever touching in both sexes; both doses retarded acquisition of interim lever touching in males. Thus, in some circumstances, post-training naloxone administration may impair learning. The results support the notion that low doses of naloxone may have agonist activity.
Radial keyhole sequences for low field projection reconstruction interventional MRI.

Interventional magnetic resonance imaging (IMRI) is a rapidly emerging application for MRI in which diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are performed with MR image guidance. Real-time or near-real-time image acquisition and relative insensitivity to motion are essential for most intraoperative, therapeutic, and diagnostic procedures performed under MR guidance. The purpose of this work was to demonstrate the development and utility of two alternative rapid acquisition strategies during IMRI that are analogous to computed tomography fluoroscopy or keyhole MRI in a radial rather than rectilinear coordinate frame. The two strategies discussed here, interleaved projection reconstruction and continuous projection reconstruction, are compared and the feasibility of their application in experimental interventional applications is studied. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2001;13:142-151.
Time perspective of substance abuse patients: comparison of the scales in Stanford Time Perspective Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Hopelessness Scale.

This study examined the correlations between the Stanford Time Perspective Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale for an in-patient substance-abuse population of 50. Analysis did not support the hypothesis that substance abusers would be more likely to be present-hedonistic and present-fatalistic rather than past- or future-oriented. However, the results modestly supported the hypothesis that future orientation would be negatively correlated with scores on depression and hopelessness measures. In this sample, there was a slight tendency toward the time orientations of future- and present-fatalistic. Correlations among scores on the three measures were generally low (range = .06 to -.38).
Associative memories for third-generation passive ranging

Abstract An exciting discovery has recently been made in the long history of passive ranging. The simple approach of associative memories has been found to be very effective. Numerical experiments show that, through training, a memory matrix can be determined that produces an accurate emitter location estimate based on few noisy observations and minimal computing. If these results hold up under more stringent tests and for more realistic applications, there will be a great impact on airborne passive ranging in the near future.
The role of a colon resection in combination with a Malone appendicostomy as part of a bowel management program for the treatment of fecal incontinence.

Abstract Purpose Surgical options previously described by us as part of a bowel management program for the treatment of soiling and fecal incontinence include (1) resection of a megarectosigmoid to reduce a patient’s laxative requirement or (2) a Malone appendicostomy in patients who require enemas. We have found that some patients may benefit from both procedures. Methods We reviewed 18 fecally incontinent patients with structural or functional disorders of the anorectosigmoid (16 ARM, 1 spina bifida, and 1 SCT) who underwent both procedures. Results Of 18 patients, the enema regimen prior to resection had an average volume of 681 ml of saline (Range 400–1000 ml) and 60 ml (Range 48–117 ml) of additives (glycerine, castile soap and/or phosphate). Following the colon resection, the average volume of saline and additives was 335 ml (Range 130–650 ml) and 25 ml (Range 0–60 ml), respectively, a 50% reduction for both (P Conclusion In patients with poor continence potential and a megarectosigmoid, combining a colon resection with a Malone appendicostomy can make the enema more effective. In some rare cases we found the resection may allow for a better response to laxatives.
Tweens at risk: Examining car safety practices in four economically disadvantaged urban elementary schools in Virginia

INTRODUCTION: Children aged 8- to 12-years-old ("tweens") are at high risk for crash injury, and motor vehicle crashes are their leading cause of death. METHOD: Data are presented from behavioral observations (N=243), surveys (N=677), and focus groups (N=26) conducted with tweens attending four urban elementary schools in Virginia. The populations assessed were predominantly Black (77.9%) and economically disadvantaged (61.9%). RESULTS: Focus groups revealed a number of inconsistencies in and misconceptions about safety practices. Among the 677 tweens who completed anonymous surveys, the majority (58.1%) reported wearing their seat belts "not very much at all" or "never." Many students (47.8%) reported usually sitting in the front seat or sitting in the front and back seats equally. This is despite the fact that most (92.0%) knew that the back seat was the safest place to sit. Of the 243 tweens observed in vehicles, 65.0% were unrestrained and 60.1% were seated in the front passenger seat. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Findings of this study shed light on the great disparity between the national rates for child safety practices and those of children living in an economically disadvantaged urban school district. Additional intervention programs that are culturally appropriate and specifically target this age group are needed. Language: en