cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emerging low-density lipoprotein (LDL) therapies: Management of severely elevated LDL cholesterol—The role of LDL-apheresis

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-apheresis is a Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) or severe heterozygous FH. Based on electrochemical principles, it selectively removes apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins through extracorporeal precipitation with either heparin (Heparin-induced Extracorporeal LDL Precipitation, ie, HELP) or dextran sulfate (Liposorber). LDL-apheresis can lead to an acute decrease in LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) of 70%-80%, but there is a rapid rebound to baseline levels within approximately 2 weeks. LDL-apheresis is typically performed once-a-week in patients with homozygous FH and every other week in those with heterozygous FH to produce time-average LDL-C reductions of ≈ 40%. Side effects associated with LDL-apheresis include hypotension (later found to be due to concomitant use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors), nausea/vomiting, flushing, angina, and fainting. Posttreatment bleeding can occur secondary to heparin used during the procedure. Challenges associated with LDL-apheresis include vascular access often requiring an arteriovenous fistula (fistulas may clot and require revision over time), the time associated with each treatment session (2-4 hours), the frequency of treatment, and the scarcity of medical centers which perform LDL-apheresis. Given the nature of LDL-apheresis, randomized placebo controlled trials are nearly impossible, and virtually all studies of clinical benefit have been non-randomized investigations of small numbers of subjects. Nonetheless, results from those studies support the benefits of LDL-C reduction for reducing coronary atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events.
Stock option compensation and the likelihood of meeting analysts' quarterly earnings targets

One role of stock options in executive compensation packages is to counterbalance the inherently short-term orientation of base salary and annual bonuses. Managerial compensation plans frequently include stock options in order to better align the interests of managers and outside shareholders and reduce agency problems. However, since option values are sensitive to fluctuations in stock prices, and investors reward firms that meet or exceed earnings expectations, executives of firms with sizable option components in their compensation plans have increased incentives to report earnings that meet or exceed analysts' forecasts. We show that the propensity to meet or exceed analysts' quarterly earnings forecasts is positively related to the use of options in top executives' compensation plans. Further, firms that employ relatively more options in their compensation plans more frequently report earnings surprises that exceed analysts' forecast by small amounts (between 0 and 1 cent per share). These results suggest that the use of stock-based compensation intensifies top executives' focus on financial analysts' short-term earnings forecasts.
Fracture of the distal radius: epidemiology and premanagement radiographic characterization.

OBJECTIVE. Fractures of the distal radius are common and frequently encountered by the radiologist. We review the epidemiology, classification, as well as the concept of instability. Salient qualitative and quantitative features of the distal radius fracture identifiable on the routine radiography series are highlighted. We conclude with a synopsis of descriptors that are of greatest utility to the clinician for treatment planning and that should be addressed in the radiology report. CONCLUSION. A detailed understanding of the intricacies of the distal radius fracture is necessary for the radiologist to provide a clinically relevant description.
Mechanisms That Determine the Electronic Dielectric Constants of Ionic Crystals

The very old and widely accepted theory for the electronic dielectric constants of ionic crystals assumes that intra-ionic excitations dominate in the crystal whereby polarizabilities of individual ions may be identified and tabulated. It is shown here that this assumption is unfounded and leads to inconsistencies and unphysical results. In turn I present theoretical and experimental evidence that the mechanism determining the dielectric constants is in fact the extreme opposite, namely strictly interionic excitations, whereby the concept of polarizability of ions in solids is physically meaningless.
Simultaneous dynamic optimization strategies: Recent advances and challenges

Simultaneous dynamic optimization strategies, also known as direct transcription methods, have been applied in a wide number of domains. These include off-line applications like optimal control, trajectory planning, nonlinear parameter estimation and optimization of reactors and batch processes, as well as on-line applications such as nonlinear model predictive control, nonlinear state estimation and dynamic, real-time optimization. Here we discuss recent advances for the simultaneous approach and emphasize the characteristics, benefits and challenges related to these strategies. In particular, we compare the properties of solutions generated by simultaneous approaches to those of classical variational methods, for a variety of problem classes. We next demonstrate why simultaneous strategies are especially beneficial for dynamic systems with unstable modes, with path constraints and for large-scale, structured problems. Finally, we outline a number of challenges and open research questions that will further improve the effectiveness of these methods on a wider range of applications.
Nitrogen Dynamics Affected by Management Practices in Croplands Transitioning from Conservation Reserve Program

Published in Agron. J. 106:1677–1689 (2014) doi:10.2134/agronj13.0481 Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Agronomy, 5585 Guilford Road, Madison, WI 53711. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ABSTRACT
Family size and evolution of Rh polymorphism.

Abstract A reproductive compensation model has been proposed, where each family produces exactly the same number of live offspring. Under that condition, the frequency of d alleles in the Rh blood group always increases. This would account for populations with high frequency of d alleles.
Construction and Analysis of Lifson ? Roig Models for the Helical Conformations of α‐Peptides

New forms of LifsonRoig algorithms are introduced for modeling stabilities of helices formed by polypeptides derived from α-amino acids. The principles of constructing and generalizing these algorithms are developed, and their application to modeling of circular dichroism ellipticities and protection factors derived from H/D exchange of α-peptide backbone amide residues are critically reviewed. With the aim of comparing the properties of structured conformations formed by α- and β-peptides, the intrinsic limitations of LifsonRoig algorithms and their underlying assumptions are analyzed. LifsonRoig state sums that provide easy structural analysis are generated by new algorithms based on products of 8×8 and 16×16 matrices, and a simple protocol is introduced for generating new state sums that are tailored for specific purposes. The N- and C-capping of highly helical α-peptides by means of tailored helix-stabilizing templates is shown to result in helical conformational manifolds that approach those of helical β-peptides in conformational homogeneity.
Psychologically Disordered and Criminal Offenders: Perceptions of their Volition and Responsibility

Numerous surveys have assessed community perceptions of the psychologically disordered. None of these surveys, however, has focused upon perceptions of psychologically disordered offenders. The present study assessed community perceptions of the volitional capacity and moral responsibility of disordered offenders, given the centrality of these constructs in criminal and civil law. Subjects taken from jury rolls were presented with a case description of a violent crime and provided with an offender history which noted either prior psychological disorder or prior criminal behavior, or they were provided with no history. Results generally support the hypotheses that offenders whose deviant acts are placed in the context of psychological disorder are perceived as having less "free will," being less morally responsible and blameworthy, and being less deserving of punishment than those whose deviance is either placed in the context of criminality or is of ambiguous origin.
Wick–Itô formula for regular processes and applications to the Black and Scholes formula

We derive a Wick–Ito formula, that is, an Ito-type formula based on Wick integration. We derive it in the context of regular Gaussian processes which include Brownian motion and fractional Brownian motion with Hurst parameter greater than 1/2. We then consider applications to the Black and Scholes formula for the pricing of a European call option. It has been shown that using Wick integration in this context is problematic for economic reasons. We show that it is also problematic for mathematical reasons because the resulting Black and Scholes formula depends only on the variance of the process and not on its dependence structure.
An extended enterprise architecture for a network-enabled, effects-based approach for national park protection

Threats to the national parks in the United States are many and varied. These range from climate changes, animal-fish population cycle variations, invasive species introduction, and cultural affects of indigenous peoples to problems associated with natural disasters, oil spills, land development, and criminal enterprises. The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service (NPS) has issued a Natural Resource Challenge to pursue the preservation of the many diverse national parks in all 50 states and U.S. territories. According to the NPS National Park Service Action Plan for preserving natural resources, a focused methodology is necessary to achieve this challenge. By investigating the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST) in Southeastern Alaska as a specific illustration of a complex U.S. national park environment, this paper proposes a solution for national park protection in the 21st century via the application of a network-enabled effects-based requirements approach married with a well-defined extended enterprise architecture. The interconnection of planning systems, monitoring sensors, visualization tools, and other information sources will allow for knowledge instantiation and quick reaction to national park threats. This paper further discusses some command systems in use by U.S. forestry agencies and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) that could be used to form an initial realization of a network-enabled, effects-based approach to national park protection. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng
Preliminary studies on interactions between metalothionein cadmium, metalothionein zinc and inorganic cadmium and zinc compounds

Abstract Metalothionein complexes divalent metals such as cadmium and thereby assists in removing Cd2+ from the bloodstream. It has been stated that excess Zn2+ in the blood stream will displace Cd2+ from the Cd metalothionein complex and release Cd2+ back into the bloodstream. This was an in vitro study to study this reaction. A metal speciation technique was utilized with a newly developed analytical thermospray nebulizer(TSP) interfaced “high‐speed high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)” with flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). The in vitro synthesis of human biological conditions in the experimental procedures allowed the mole ratio at which the replacement reaction being initiated to be determined as 1:100:1,000 mol ratio of zinc:cadmium:metalothionein. This corresponded to actual concentration ratios of 0.015:1.0:40.0 ppm, respectively.
Effects of teaching metacognitive skills to students with low mathematics ability

Abstract This report presents two studies investigating the effects of metacognitive instruction in mathematics on low-ability sixth-grade students. The first study was conducted in three classes that had scored below average on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) in an elementary school district having a Hispanic population. Two of these classes were randomly assigned to the experimental group and one to the control group. In this study the experimenter was the instructor. A second study was designed as a follow-up to eliminate possible confounded effects between the experimenter and the treatment. Thirty-two additional students were added to the sample of the first study as a new control group. These students had the same characteristics as the students in the first sample. In addition to learning outcomes, sources of errors were examined using Mayer's model of problem solving. Results from both studies showed significant main effects favoring the experimental group on achievement in mathematics and attitudes toward mathematics. A lack of linguistic, strategic, and procedural knowledge seemed to be the major source of errors students experienced in solving mathematics problems. The intervention used in this study could be tailored to regular classrooms where a majority of students have demonstrated low performance in mathematics.
Gas Phase Reactions OF 1,2:5,6-DI-O-Isopropylidene-α-D-Gluco- and Allofuranose with Electrophiles Derived From Acetone

ABSTRACT In a quadrupole mass spectrometer, under chemical ionization conditions with acetone as the reagent gas, 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-β-D-glucofuranose and 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-β-D-allofuranose form M+1, M+43, and M+59 ions in the gas phase. In addition, the allo isomer produces M+41 ions. These ions and the corresponding ions derived from isotopomers in which the isopropylidene groups were differentiated by deuterium substitution were separately subjected to collisionally activated dissociation conditions. The different reactivities of these ions were attributed to the ability of the allo structure to hydrogen bond internally and the different sizes of the electrophilic groups which formed adducts with the neutral protected sugar molecules.
Self-Coordinated Defense Mechanisms against Cyberhate: An Analysis of Postings Related to the 2010 Haiti Earthquake on Facebook

This paper seeks to conceptualize the evolution of ad-hoc and improvised self-coordination to institutionalized self-governance of non-binding virtual groups. It uses data collected from Face book group postings in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake to discuss how netizens engage in loosely coordinated actions to contain hatred messages, and eventually evolve into a process of institutionalization of online communities to better coordinate their anti-cyber hate effort. The literature on coordination and governance has focused on virtual teams, and members of these teams typically belong to an organization, or are bound by a well defined contractual arrangement. In our study, netizens are random subscribers of social networking groups who join forces to promulgate or fight against cyber hate. As adversarial external forces intensify, self-coordination needs to become more effective and the necessity of self-governance gradually leads to institutionalization.
New measure of contrast: the dynamics

On a grey level image, extrema correspond to zones of uniform altitude whose neighboring pixels have a strictly lower (maxima) or strictly higher (minima) altitude. If an image is seen as a relief, minima are located at the bottom of valleys or pits (structures darker than the background) and maxima are located at the top of plateaus, pics, or domes (structures lighter than the background). The detection of extrema is often used as the first step of a segmentation process when we just need to roughly located objects of interest. Unfortunately, the noise sensitivity of this transformation makes it uneasy to use. We propose in this paper a transformation which valuates the extrema on a contrast criterion: the dynamics. The selection of the minima of interest is easier with this contrast information. The dynamics is a measure at the scale of the structure. It does not characterize the extremum itself or its catchment basin but the structure containing the extremum. An original aspect of the dynamics is that this transformation does not consider the size and the shape of the structures. We do not need to know a priori the size of the structures to evaluate their contrast. That is not the case for contrast feature extraction like the top-hat transformation. The computation of the dynamics is not straight forward from its definition. We propose a technique of computation based on flooding simulations. Using last algorithmical developments, this implementation is particularly efficient. That will help to develop the use of the promising transformations based on the dynamics.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Awake craniotomy for aggressive resection of primary gliomas located in eloquent brain.

Objective To determine with intraoperative neurologic and language examinations the maximal tumor resection achievable with acceptable postoperative neurologic dysfunction in patients undergoing awake stereotactic glial tumor resection in eloquent regions of the brain. Patients and Methods Between October 1995 and December 2000, 65 patients underwent frameless stereotactic resection of glial tumors located in functioning tissue. During the resection, continuous examinations by a neurologist and speech pathologist were performed. The goal of surgery was to resect the maximum neurologically permissible tumor volume defined on preoperative T2 imaging. Tumor resection was stopped at the onset of neurologic dysfunction. Novel segmentation software was used to measure tumor cytoreduction based on pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging. All patients underwent 3-month postoperative neurologic examinations to determine functional outcomes. Results The cortical and subcortical white matter tracts at risk for injury were the left frontal operculum in 15 patients, the central lobule in 38, the insula in 11, and the left angular gyrus in 1. Thirty-four (52%) had a greater than 90% reduction in T2 signal postoperatively. In 26 patients thought to have low-grade tumors based on preoperative imaging, 12 proved to have grade 3 gliomas. Forty-eight patients (74%) developed intraoperative deficits; 34 (71%) recovered to a modified Rankin grade of 0 or 1 at 3 months postoperatively, 11 (23%) achieved a modified Rankin grade of 2, and 3 patients (6%) achieved a modified Rankin grade of 3 or 4 at 3-month follow-up. There was no operative mortality; 17 patients (26%) died from tumor progression during the follow-up period. Conclusions Combining frameless computer-guided stereotaxis with cortical stimulation and repetitive neurologic and language assessments facilitates tumor resection in functioning brain regions. Resecting tumor until the onset of neurologic deficits allows for a good functional recovery. Imaging software can objectively and accurately measure preoperative and postoperative tumor volumes.
E‐commerce development in China and its implication for business

China became the second largest Internet market and the biggest mobile phone market in the world in 2002. It is estimated that with China’s entry to the WTO, its commitments to liberalization in the telecommunication and financial services sectors will spur e‐commerce development in this country. The growing popularity of the telephone, the increased number of internet users, and the extensive competition in the telecommunications industry are all prerequisites for E‐commerce development, but they do not indicate the existence of expansion of the same pace in e‐commerce. There are multiple factors that contribute to the slow development of e‐commerce in China. The focus of e‐commerce in China will be different than it is in Europe and America because of the difference in traditional business models, conventional consumer behaviors, and consumer expectations. This paper analyzes the factors that have significant impact on the E‐commerce development. The paper is aimed to help businesses that want to expand e‐business in China to understand China’s e‐commerce development, its uniqueness, and its obstacles.
Identification of Antibiotics in Sensitivity Disks

Identity tests for antibiotic sensitivity disks have been developed. Suitable tests previously reported in the literature have been modified and adapted to the micro-quantities involved in these disks. Once a system of testing had been established, it was screened for interference from all other disk antibiotics. Penicillins are identified generally by an iodometric method and specifically by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The polypeptide antibiotics are differentiated by TLC in combination with nitration, reduction, and diazotization to further distinguish colistin from polymyxin. Lincomycin, oleandomycin, and kanamycin are identified by TLC systems, the tetracyclines by paper chromatography. Under varying conditions of solvents and wavelengths, streptomycin, erythromycin, nystatin, vancomycin, novobiocin, cephalothin, and viomycin are identified spectrophotometrically. Color tests have been devised for chloramphenicol, dihydrostreptomycin, and neomycin.
Cryosurgery of respiratory structures. I. Cryonecrosis of trachea and bronchus.

Although extirpative surgery is the mainstay of treatment of tumors of the trachea and bronchial tree, other methods for cure or palliation of neoplasms in these structures should be explored. The present study was designed to assess, in dogs, 1. the pathophysiologic effects of complete circumferential cryonecrosis of a segment of trachea, and 2. the feasibility of performing cryosurgery within the distal tracheobronchial tree through a bronchoscope. Eleven mongrel dogs weighing 16 to 20.5 kg were used. Each dog was anesthetized with intravenous pentobarbital. Under clean conditions, a segment of cervical trachea consisting of 10 rings (two through 12) was exposed and completely mobilized through a midline incision in eight dogs. A segment of trachea consisting of five to six tracheal rings was frozen by applying the probe tip to the anterior and lateral surfaces of the trachea and by suspending the posterior wall on the shaft of the cryoprobe tip. Each probe application lasted two minutes. This effected cryonecrosis of the entire circumference of a 15 to 18 mm segment of trachea. The probe was applied to the same site three times (repetitive freezing) and complete thawing was allowed between freezes. Copper constantan needle thermocouples embedded in 25-gauge needles were inserted into the tracheal wall, and recordings of temperature changes within the target areas were made continuously with a penline recorder during freezing and thawing. A probe 0.6 cm in diameter and 55 cm long was developed for transbronchoscopic cryosurgery. In three dogs, several focal areas including the anterior and posterior trachea, carina, main stem, and segmental bronchi were frozen. Each site was frozen repetitively (three times for two minutes each). All 11 dogs survived the procedures and resumed normal activity within 12 hours of operation. Necrosis was localized, reproducible, and followed by prompt regeneration of mucosa. The gross architecture of the trachea and bronchus was not permanently altered, and there was no local or regional infection, except in one dog in which a tracheal stricture developed. This was attributed to persistent infection around a permanent suture placed at operation for the endoscopic identification of the target area. The study indicates that trachea and bronchi may be safely frozen by application of a cryoprobe either to the external surface or to the mucosal surface.
Characterizing avulsion stratigraphy in ancient alluvial deposits

Guidelines for identifying ancient avulsion deposits were set forth by Kraus and Wells [Kraus, M.J., Wells, T.M., 1999. Recognizing avulsion deposits in the ancient stratigraphical record. In: Smith, N.D., Rogers, J. (Eds.), Fluvial Sedimentology VI, Special Publication of the International Association of Sedimentologists, vol. 28, pp. 251–268], building on the study by Smith et al. [Smith, N.D., Cross, T.A., Dufficy, J.P., Clough, S.R., 1989. Anatomy of an avulsion. Sedimentology 36, 1–23] of the modern Saskatchewan River system (Cumberland Marshes, central Canada), and serve to characterize avulsion depositional sequences in the ancient Willwood and Fort Union Formations (Paleogene, Bighorn Basin, NW Wyoming, USA). We recognize, however, that the model is not universally applicable to avulsion-dominated successions, specifically systems which lack defining “heterolithic avulsion deposits”, set forth by Kraus and Wells [Kraus, M.J., Wells, T.M., 1999. Recognizing avulsion deposits in the ancient stratigraphical record. In: Smith, N.D., Rogers, J. (Eds.), Fluvial Sedimentology VI, Special Publication of the International Association of Sedimentologists, vol. 28, pp. 251–268]. Observations in several fluvial intervals suggest that the avulsion stratigraphy outlined by Kraus and Wells [Kraus, M.J., Wells, T.M., 1999. Recognizing avulsion deposits in the ancient stratigraphical record. In: Smith, N.D., Rogers, J. (Eds.), Fluvial Sedimentology VI, Special Publication of the International Association of Sedimentologists, vol. 28, pp. 251–268] represents one category of avulsion stratigraphy found in the rock record, but does not capture the nature of avulsion deposits everywhere. Based on observations (using measured sections, outcrop photo-panels, and aerial photographs) in the Willwood Formation (Eocene, Wyoming) and Ferris Formation (Cretaceous/Paleogene, Wyoming), we present two end-member categories of avulsion stratigraphy in ancient deposits; stratigraphically abrupt, when a main paleochannel is stratigraphically juxtaposed directly atop floodplain/overbank deposits, and stratigraphically transitional, where crevasse splays and other non-floodplain/-overbank deposits stratigraphically precede a main paleochannel. This characterization provides a broader, more inclusive way to recognize and describe avulsion stratigraphy in ancient deposits and may be an important factor to consider when modeling connectivity in fluvial reservoirs. Furthermore, our observations show that one type of avulsion channel stratigraphy may prevail over another within an ancient basin, suggesting that system-wide factors such as splay-proneness or avulsion style (i.e. aggradational, incisional, etc.; [Slingerland, R., Smith, N.D., 2004. River avulsions and their deposits. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 32, 257–285]) may be primary controls on the type of avulsion stratigraphy deposited and preserved in ancient basin-fills.
Viewpoints on German partition and reunification

This article reassesses the German partition and reunification from an East German perspective. It examines culture, politics and everyday life in East Germany and analyses the sense of unease and inequality between the two Germanies since its reunification.
Should usual criteria for intervention in abdominal aortic aneurysms be "downsized," considering reported risk reduction with endovascular repair?

Abstract: Two randomized trials have demonstrated the safety of waiting until abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) diameter reaches 5.5 cm for repair in most patients. Other recent randomized trials have demonstrated lower perioperative mortality and morbidity with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) compared to open surgery. Therefore, it is logical to assume that endovascular repair may change the appropriate threshold for intervention. However, endovascular repair is not as durable as open surgery and is associated with ongoing risks of rupture and reintervention. Decision analysis based on data available in 1998 showed that endovascular repair should not change the threshold for intervention. Since that time retrospective data have emerged to suggest that outcomes with endovascular repair are improved in smaller AAAs, although this may simply represent selection bias and the natural history of small AAAs. Randomized trials are appropriate to determine whether improved endovascular outcomes in small AAAs reduce late rupture and reintervention enough to justify early intervention in patients with appropriate anatomy. In the absence of data from these trials, the threshold for intervention should not be changed.
The Occasion of Luke III:1–2

Various views have been held in the past concerning the purpose of the sixfold chronology in Luke. “The breaking of this oppressive silence [since the time of Malachi] by the voice of the Baptist caused a thrill through the whole Jewish population throughout the world. Lk. shows his appreciation of the magnitude of the crisis by the sixfold attempt to give it an exact date.” From this we may pass to a somewhat calmer later view. “The evangelist is using here a form which he has taken over from an alien sphere. … It is derived from secular historiography, which has the habit of making prominent important events, especially those with which the principal narrative begins, by means of circumstantial datings and synchronisms.”
THE EFFECTS OF TRANSURETHRAL NEEDLE ABLATION AND RESECTION OF THE PROSTATE ON PRESSURE FLOW URODYNAMIC PARAMETERS: ANALYSIS OF THE UNITED STATES RANDOMIZED STUDY

AbstractPurpose: We evaluated the effects of transurethral needle ablation and prostate resection on pressure flow urodynamic parameters in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), compared symptomatic and objective parameters of efficacy 6 months after initial treatment, and determined whether urodynamic assessment may predict symptomatic improvement.Materials and Methods: We enrolled 121 patients with clinical BPH, American Urological Association symptom index of 13 or greater and maximum urinary flow of 12 ml. per second or less in a randomized study comparing transurethral needle ablation to prostate resection at 7 institutions in the United States. Patients underwent baseline and followup assessments at 6 months, including pressure flow studies.Results: Patients who underwent each procedure had statistically and clinically significant improvement in symptom index, BPH impact index and quality of life score. After needle ablation and prostate resection maximum flow improved from 8.8 to 13.5 (p < 0...
A Single Promoter Inversion Switches Photorhabdus Between Pathogenic and Mutualistic States

Microbial populations stochastically generate variants with strikingly different properties, such as virulence or avirulence and antibiotic tolerance or sensitivity. Photorhabdus luminescens bacteria have a variable life history in which they alternate between pathogens to a wide variety of insects and mutualists to their specific host nematodes. Here, we show that the P. luminescens pathogenic variant (P form) switches to a smaller-cell variant (M form) to initiate mutualism in host nematode intestines. A stochastic promoter inversion causes the switch between the two distinct forms. M-form cells are much smaller (one-seventh the volume), slower growing, and less bioluminescent than P-form cells; they are also avirulent and produce fewer secondary metabolites. Observations of form switching by individual cells in nematodes revealed that the M form persisted in maternal nematode intestines, were the first cells to colonize infective juvenile (IJ) offspring, and then switched to P form in the IJ intestine, which armed these nematodes for the next cycle of insect infection.
Protein-based optical computing and memories

The current and potential uses of bacteriorhodopsin in optical computing and memory devices are reviewed. The protein has significant potential for use in these applications due to unique intrinsic photophysical properties, and the range of chemical and genetic methods available for optimizing performance for specific application environments. The intrinsic properties of the native bacteriorhodopsin protein are described. The applications of bacteriorhodopsin in spatial light modulators, integral components in a majority of one-dimensional and two-dimensional optical processing environments, and holographic associative memories are presented. >
Ultrasound-guided intrafollicular treatment in mares

A technique for intrafollicular treatment with a transvaginal ultrasound-guided injection needle was developed using equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) as the test substance. An injection was made into one growing follicle of a wave when the follicles were 20 to 23 mm. The treated follicles were injected with 1000 iu of eCG in 0.2 ml saline solution and control follicles were injected with 0.2 ml of the saline vehicle (10 mares per group, 1 follicle per mare). The injection system used an inner 25-gauge needle and an outer 20-gauge needle inserted together through the needle-guide channel of a linear-array trans vaginal transducer. The outer needle was pushed through the vaginal wall and the inner needle was then advanced into the follicle during monitoring on the ultrasound screen. The turbulence in the follicular fluid associated with injection was observable on the screen. Seven follicles were successfully injected in each group. The follicular fluid in the control follicles remained anechoic until the follicle was no longer identifiable or ovulated. All 7 follicles in the eCG group showed ultrasonic indications of luteinization, based on the formation of an echogenic, thickened wall or area. Five of the 7 developed a central area that had the ultrasonic appearance of a blood clot similar to the appearance of a corpus hemorrhagicum. Ovulation was not detected in any of the eCG-treated follicles. The maximum post-treatment diameter of follicles was greater (P < 0.05) for the eCG group (32.7 +/- 3.8 mm) than for the control group (23.4 +/- 1.8 mm). The mean diameter for the first 5 days post-treatment (before the occurrence of an ovulation in any mare) was also greater (P < 0.002) in the eCG group (21.6 +/- 0.8 mm vs 19.6 +/- 0.8 mm). Results indicated that this novel research approach is practical and has potential for studies on folliculogenesis. The technique provides a research model between the extremes of an in vitro culture system and treatment of the whole animal.
DECENTRALISATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Many developing countries are experimenting with decentralisation of public service delivery to elected local governments instead of bureaucrats appointed by a central government. We study the resulting implications in a theoretical model in which the central government is uninformed about local need and unable to monitor service allocations. Bureaucrats charge bribes for services as monopoly providers, resulting in underprovision of services, especially for the poor. Local governments are directly responsive to their citizens needs but may be subject to capture by elites. Effects of decentralisation on service volumes, efficiency and equity are analysed under different financing arrangements for local governments. The theme of the 2004 World Development Report is summarised by its opening paragraph: Too often, services fail poor people ‐ in access, in quantity, in quality. But the fact that there are strong examples where services do work means governments and citizens can do better. How? By putting poor people at the center of service provision: by enabling them to monitor and discipline service providers, by amplifying their voice in policymaking, and by strengthening the incentives for providers to serve the poor. Problems of accountability associated with traditional modes of delivery involving centralised bureaucracies include cost padding, service diversion, limited responsiveness to local needs, limited access and high prices charged especially to the poor. 1 Many developing countries have thus begun to experiment with initiatives to increase accountability of service providers by providing greater control rights to citizen groups. These include decentralisation of service delivery to local governments, community participation, direct transfers to households and contracting out delivery to private providers and NGOs. The programmes include a wide range of infrastructure services (water, sanitation, electricity, telecommunications, roads) and social services (education, health and welfare programmes). Countries where such trends have gathered
A novel approach (scoring system) for integrating dissolved gas analysis results into a life management system

A new method of interpreting dissolved gas analysis results for power transformers is described which attempts to tackle what is seen as the main weakness of existing schemes: the difficulty of defining a normal condition. A simple scoring system based on results from known problems is used to provide a consistent and objective assessment of the seriousness of results, to improve the effectiveness of life management decisions.
Arthroscopic Placement of a Modified Mason-Allen Stitch

Recent studies have shown all-arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs to have comparable clinical results to mini-open or open repairs. Previous drawbacks to arthroscopic repair have included not being able to place a modified Mason-Allen stitch with a suture anchor technique. We present a technique using the Arthrex Scorpion device (Arthrex, Naples, FL) to place a modified Mason-Allen stitch arthroscopically via a double-loaded FiberWire metal suture anchor (Arthrex). The Scorpion suture passer places a stitch from inferior to superior through the torn rotator cuff. The suture is grabbed and reloaded into the Scorpion device. The device is then turned upside down, and a horizontal stitch is placed from superior to inferior. The stitch is retrieved again and reloaded a third time. The last pass is placed so that the final stitch passes anterior to the inferior suture but beyond the previously placed horizontal mattress stitch. This effectively reproduces the described biomechanically superior modified Mason-Allen stitch.
Siwalik Paleosols (Miocene, northern Pakistan); genesis and controls on their formation

ABSTRACT Paleosols of the Siwalik Group (upsection, the Chinji, Nagri, and Dhok Pathan Fms) in northern Pakistan are associated with fluvial and lacustrine deposits that accumulated adjacent to the rising Himalayas. There are two types of well-developed paleosols throughout the sequence. (1) Noncalcareous/Bk paleosols are typically composed of a nodular calcite (Bk) horizon overlain by a noncalcareous horizon. Noncalcareous horizons are characterized by the absence of matrix calcite and presence of iron oxide accumulations. Nodular calcite horizons are characterized by abundant, large calcite nodules. (2) Calcareous paleosols are characterized by the presence of matrix calcite and lack of horizonation. The two paleosol types reflect differences in drainage condition , parent material, topography, and water-table elevation. Most noncalcareous horizons formed under relatively well-drained conditions on topographic highs. The lack of matrix calcite in most cases is due to noncalcareous parent material. However, some noncalcareous horizons apparently developed in well-drained topographic lows on noncalcareous and/or subsequently leached calcareous substrates. Nodular calcite horizons formed within the capillary fringe. The source of most of the calcite was groundwater; however, calcite nodule formation was largely dependent upon pedogenesis. Calcareous paleosols formed under relatively poorly drained conditions, probably within the capillary fringe, in topographic lows. Most matrix calcite was inherited from parent material. Both paleosol types formed i areas of little or no deposition. Other poorly developed paleosols represent incipient noncalcareous/Bk and calcareous paleosols, and formed in areas of moderate deposition. No soils formed in areas of high deposition. Cumulative and compound pedogenesis occurred locally. Cumulative pedogenesis was more common during deposition of the upper Nagri and lower Dhok Pathan Fms, consistent with a documented increase in compacted sediment accumulation rates upsection. Features indicative of episodic wetting and drying, including evidence of alternating calcite and iron oxide precipitation, are consistent with previous paleoclimatic interpretations indicating that the regional climate from 15 Ma to 9 Ma was warm, humid, subtropical to tropical, and markedly seasonal, attributable to monsoonal c nditions.
Chronic eosinophilic myositis in a rhesus monkey infected with sarcosporidiosis.

Absfruct. Chronic eosinophilic myositis is reported in a Rhesus monkey with disseminated sarcosporidiosis. Extension of all four limbs was limited, and sclerosis of the affected muscles was present. Sarcocysts were present in all affected muscles. This is thought to be the first report of this condition in a Rhesus monkey. The etiological relationship of Smcocystis sp. to eosinophilic myositis is discussed. Sarcosporidiosis is a coinmon protozoan parasitic infection of animals and has also been seen in man. Infection with the parasite is not usually associated with clinical disease or pathological changes in the infected host. This report describes severe chronic eosinophilic myositis in a Rhesus monkey infected with the parasite Surcocystis kortei.
Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as Vectors of Bacillus thuringiensis for Control of Banded Sunflower Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

A study was conducted in 1996 and 1997 to determine if honey bees, Apis mellifera L., could vector Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner variety kurstaki from hives equipped with a pathogen applicator to sunflower capitula and if the amount of B. thuringiensis deposited on the capitula would be sufficient to control the banded sunflower moth, Cochylis hospes Walsingham. The study dem- onstrated that honey bees became contaminated with B. thuringiensis as they exited hives equipped with filled pathogen applicators and deposited enough B. thuringiensis on the capitula to cause banded sunflower moth larval mortality. When 2 methods of applying B. thuringiensis were com- pared, the honey bee vectoring method gave better or equivalent control of the banded sunflower moth larvae than manual sprays, resulting in higher seed yields than manual sprays. The presence of honey bees also increased seed set which contributed to greater yield.
Lead Optimization and Modulation of hERG Activity in a Series of Aminooxazoline Xanthene β-Site Amyloid Precursor Protein Cleaving Enzyme (BACE1) Inhibitors

The optimization of a series of aminooxazoline xanthene inhibitors of β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is described. An early lead compound showed robust Aβ lowering activity in a rat pharmacodynamic model, but advancement was precluded by a low therapeutic window to QTc prolongation in cardiovascular models consistent with in vitro activity on the hERG ion channel. While the introduction of polar groups was effective in reducing hERG binding affinity, this came at the expense of higher than desired Pgp-mediated efflux. A balance of low Pgp efflux and hERG activity was achieved by lowering the polar surface area of the P3 substituent while retaining polarity in the P2′ side chain. The introduction of a fluorine in position 4 of the xanthene ring improved BACE1 potency (5–10-fold). The combination of these optimized fragments resulted in identification of compound 40, which showed robust Aβ reduction in a rat pharmacodynamic model (78% Aβ reduction in CSF at 10 mg/kg po) and also ...
Neuromagnetic source imaging of abnormal spontaneous activity in tinnitus patient modulated by electrical cortical stimulation

Electrical cortical stimulation (CS) of the auditory cortices has been shown to reduce the severity of debilitating tinnitus in some patients. In this study, we performed MEG source imaging of spontaneous brain activity during concurrent CS of the left secondary auditory cortex of a volunteer suffering from right unilateral tinnitus. CS produced MEG artifacts which were successfully sorted and removed using a combination of sensor and source level signal separation and classification techniques. This contribution provides the first proof of concept reporting on analysis of MEG data with concurrent CS. Effects of CS on ongoing brain activity were revealed at the MEG sensor and source levels and indicate CS significantly reduced ongoing brain activity in the lower frequency range ( 40Hz), gamma range components. Further, our results show that CS increased the spectral correlation across multiple frequency bands in the low and high gamma ranges, and between the alpha and beta bands of the MEG. Finally, MEG sources localized in the auditory cortices and nearby regions exhibited abnormal spectral activity that was suppressed by CS. These results provide promising evidence in favor of the Thalamocortical Dysrhytmia (TCD) hypothesis of tinnitus, and suggest that CS may prove to be an effective treatment of tinnitus when targeted to brain regions exhibiting abnormal spontaneous activity.
Targeting Hepatic Glycerolipid Synthesis and Turnover to Treat Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses a spectrum of metabolic abnormalities ranging from simple hepatic steatosis (accumulation of neutral lipid) to development of steatotic lesions, steatohepatitis, and cirrhosis. NAFLD is extremely prevalent in obese individuals and with the epidemic of obesity; nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has become the most common cause of liver disease in the developed world. NASH is rapidly emerging as a prominent cause of liver failure and transplantation. Moreover, hepatic steatosis is tightly linked to risk of developing insulin resistance, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Abnormalities in hepatic lipid metabolism are part and parcel of the development of NAFLD and human genetic studies and work conducted in experimentally tractable systems have identified a number of enzymes involved in fat synthesis and degradation that are linked to NAFLD susceptibility as well as progression to NASH. The goal of this review is to summarize the current state of our knowledge on these pathways and focus on how they contribute to etiology of NAFLD and related metabolic diseases.
Radiotherapeutic Alternatives to Standard Management of Adenocarcinoma of the Endometrium

Abstract Primary radiotherapy as an alternative management for adenocarcinoma of the endometrium was chosen for 117 patients treated at the University of Michigan Medical Center and University of Virginia Medical Center. Cases were selected for radiation because of contraindications to surgery (52.2%) or by protocol for disease outside the endometrium (47.8%). An overall 5-year actuarial survival rate of 49.6% was attained for all stages, with 55% 5-year survival for disease limited to the uterus or cervix. Stage and grade were the most significant risk factors. The addition of external-beam irradiation did not improve local failure rates or survival. Heyman's uterine packing technique was slightly more successful than uterine "line sources" in controlling local disease ( P = 0.08). Treatment-related mortality (0.8%) and morbidity (6.8%) were minimal. Surgery, whenever possible, remains the "best standard therapy" but the radiotherapeutic alternative is of significant benefit for those deemed nonsurgical candidates.