cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of orally administered misoprostol with vaginally administered misoprostol for cervical ripening and labor induction

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to compare orally administered with vaginally administered misoprostol for cervical ripening and labor induction. Material And Methods: Two hundred twenty subjects with medical or obstetric indications for labor induction and undilated, uneffaced cervices were randomly assigned to receive orally administered or vaginally administered misoprostol. Fifty micrograms of oral misoprostol or 25 μg of vaginal misoprostol was given every 4 hours. If cervical ripening (Bishop score of ≥8 or cervical dilatation of ≥3) or active labor did not occur, repeated doses were given to a maximum of 6 doses or 24 hours. Thereafter, oxytocin was administered intravenously by a standardized incremental infusion protocol to a maximum of 22 mU/min. Results: Of the 220 subjects evaluated, 110 received orally administered misoprostol and 110 received vaginally administered misoprostol. Fewer subjects who received the oral preparation (34/110, 30.9%) were delivered vaginally within 24 hours of initiation of induction, in comparison with those who received the vaginal preparation (52/110, 47.3%) ( P = .01). The average interval from start of induction to vaginal delivery was nearly 6 hours longer in the oral treatment group (mean and SD 1737.9 ± 845.7 minutes) than in the vaginal treatment group (mean and SD 1393.2 ± 767.9) ( P = .005, log-transformed data). Orally treated patients required significantly more doses than vaginally treated patients (orally administered doses: mean and SD 3.3 ± 1.7; vaginally administered doses: mean and SD 2.3 ± 1.2) ( P P = .01, relative risk 1.28, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.54). Vaginal delivery occurred in 95 (86.4%) orally treated subjects and in 85 (77.3%) vaginally treated subjects ( P = .08, relative risk 1.12, 95% confidence interval 0.99-1.27), with the remainder undergoing cesarean delivery. There was no difference in the incidence of uterine contractile abnormalities (tachysystole, hypertonus, or hyperstimulation), intrapartum complications, or neonatal outcomes between the 2 groups. Conclusions: Oral administration of 50-μg doses of misoprostol appears less effective than vaginal administration of 25-μg doses of misoprostol for cervical ripening and labor induction. Further investigation is needed to determine whether orally administered misoprostol should be used for cervical ripening and labor induction. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:1155-60.)
Application of implication operators versus regression analysis: A case study of factors influencing differentials in price levels among counties in Florida

The article constitutes an additional case study of the application of implication operators and this time their performance is evaluated in comparison to the performance of linear regression techniques. Both methodologies are applied for the purpose of determining what factors are influencing price level differentials among counties of Florida. Eleven variables were selected as explanatory variables. In the process of applying both methodologies, the advantages as well as disadvantages of each are examined. Utilizing both methodologies, the analysis involved 12 annual cross section runs, as well as one pooled cross section-time series run. the analysis consisted of using traditional linear regression methodologies on the one hand, and four different implication operators, on the other hand. Tables I through XXXV display the results of this empirical case study. the major conclusions could be briefly summarized as follows: Both methodologies show some consistency of results from year to year, but that consistency is limited-as could be expected.1 The results of pooled regression analysis display a substantial difference in comparison to annual cross section results. In contrast, the results of year-to-year application of implication operators are fairly consistent with the corresponding pooled results. As the research progressed, it became apparent that conceptual advantages of implication operator methodologies over the regression methods2 are countered by the incompleteness of research in that area (of implication operators) as reflected by the unavailability of significance indicators. Thus, both methods have some advantages and some disadvantages. The methodology of implication operators has a potential to become the superior method of the two,3 once the research and development of these techniques is complete, and the problem of significance tests is solved. But until then, the preferred approach is to utilize both methods to extract maximum information about phenomena under investigation, and then to apply common sense to sort out and interpret the results. As a greater number of relevant but independent methods of analysis are applied to the investigation process, the results could either reinforce one another-if they at least approximately point in the same direction, or call for some caution in the case of contradictory outcome.
An isotope labeling strategy for quantifying the degree of phosphorylation at multiple sites in proteins.

A procedure for determining the extent of phosphorylation at individual sites of multiply phosphorylated proteins was developed and applied to two polyphosphorylated proteins. The protocol, using simple chemical (Fischer methyl-esterification) and enzymatic (phosphatase) modification steps and an accessible isotopic labeling reagent (methyl alcohol-d4), is described in detail. Site-specific phosphorylation stoichiometries are derived from the comparison of chemically identical but isotopically distinct peptide species analyzed by microspray liquid chomatography-mass spectrometry (μLC-MS) using a Micromass Q-TOF2 mass spectrometer. Ten phosphorylation sites were unambiguously identified in tryptic digests of both proteins, and phosphorylation stoichiometries were determined for eight of the ten sites using the isotope-coded strategy. The extent of phosphorylation was also estimated from the mass spectral peak areas for the phosphorylated and unmodified peptides, and these estimates, when compared with stoichiometries determined using the isotope-coded technique, differed only marginally (within ∼20%).
A Comparison of the Effects of Nicotinamide and Progesterone on Functional Recovery of Cognitive Behavior Following Cortical Contusion Injury in the Rat

The primary goal of this study was to compare clinically relevant doses of progesterone and nicotinamide within the same injury model. Progesterone has been shown to reduce edema and inflammation and improve functional outcomes following brain injury. Nicotinamide has also been shown to be an effective neuroprotective agent in a variety of neurological injury models. In the current study, nicotinamide was administered beginning 4 h post-cortical contusion injury (CCI) with a loading dose (75 mg/kg, i.p.) combined with continuous infusion (12 mg/h/kg, s.c.) for 72 h post-injury. Progesterone was administered beginning 4 h post-CCI at a dose of 10 or 20 mg/kg, i.p. every 12 h for 72 h. This resulted in the following groups: Injured-nicotinamide treated, Injured-progesterone-10 treated, Injured-progesterone-20 treated, Injured-vehicle treated, and Sham. Functional recovery was assessed with two spatial memory tasks in the Morris water maze (MWM) the acquisition of a reference memory task and a reversal learning task. Neuropathological assessments were conducted in the cortex and hippocampus. It was found that both progesterone (10 mg/kg) and nicotinamide improved reference memory acquisition and reversal learning in the MWM compared with vehicle treatment. The lower dose of progesterone and nicotinamide also reduced tissue loss in the injured cortex and ipsilateral hippocampus compared with vehicle. The beneficial effects of progesterone appear to be dose dependent with the lower 10 mg/kg dose producing significant effects that were not observed at the higher dose. Direct comparison between nicotinamide and low dose progesterone appears to suggest that both are equally effective. The general findings of this study suggest that both nicotinamide and progesterone produce significant improvements in recovery of function following CCI.
Parsing pediatric bipolar disorder from its associated comorbidity with the disruptive behavior disorders

The unique pattern of comorbidity found in pediatric mania greatly complicates accurate diagnosis, the course of the disorder, and its treatment. The pattern of comorbidity is unique by adult standards, especially its overlap with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), aggression, and conduct disorder. Clinically, symptoms of mania have been discounted as severe ADHD or ignored in the context of aggressive conduct disorder. This atypicality may lead to neglect of the mood component. The addition of high rates of additional disorders contributes to the severe morbidity, dysfunction, and incapacitation frequently observed in these children. A comprehensive approach to diagnostic evaluation is the keystone to establishing an effective treatment program because response to treatment differs with individual disorders. Recognition of the multiplicity of disorders guides therapeutic options in these often refractory conditions. What was previously considered refractory ADHD, oppositionality, aggression, and conduct disorder may respond after mood stabilization. We review these issues in this article.
Expression of rab GTP-binding proteins during oligodendrocyte differentiation in culture.

Oligodendrocytes (OLs) synthesize and transport vast amounts of proteins and lipids from the cell body to the morphologically and biochemically distinct domains of the myelin membrane. From our prediction that regulators of vesicular transport should be up-regulated at the time of myelin production, we hypothesized that the up-regulated and unidentified small GTPases found by Huber et al. [1994a] may be Rab proteins. We have analyzed the mRNA expression of rabs in OLs, and have detected rabs 10, 11b, 18, 24, 26, and 28 in addition to rabs that were found previously. Our data show that among the Rabs so far detected during differentiation, only Rabs 5a and 8a exhibited up-regulation in addition to the previously published Rab3a (Madison et al. [1999], J. Neurochem. 72:988–998). We discuss the limited extent of up-regulation of rabs in the context of the presumed necessity for an increase in Rab activity during myelin assembly. J. Neurosci. Res. 59:446–453, 2000 © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Empathy and Strategic Interaction in Crises: A Poliheuristic Perspective

Empirical evidence supports the poliheuristic (PH) theory of decision making, which states that leaders typically employ a two-stage non-compensatory decision-making process. In stage one leaders reject options that do not meet some minimum criteria of acceptability on one or more dimensions, and in stage two they choose among the remaining options using a more rational utility-maximizing rule. While PH theory has primarily been applied at the monadic level, to explain the process and content of states' decisions, we contend it has important implications for strategic interaction and can help to explain outcomes in world politics. Specifically, we argue that a crucial variable shaping crisis outcomes is the degree to which leaders' non compensatory decision criteria in stage one include options' acceptability to the opponent. When leaders empathize with their opponent and screen out those options the opponent considers unacceptable, crises will be resolved more quickly and with a lower likelihood of escalation. Empathy introduced during the second, utility-maximizing stage, may also dampen conflict but is less effective than stage one empathy. We illustrate this dyadic non compensatory model by examining two cases involving the U.S.–China and U.S.–Iraq bilateral relationships.
Time-resolved Optical Imaging with Patterned Light for Pre-clinical Studies

We investigated the performance of the time-gated Diffuse Optical Tomography based on Monte Carlo model with patterned wide-field illumination on a mouse model. The reconstructions outperform classical punctual excitation schemes for similar data sizes.
Modernization for Emigration: Determinants & Consequences of the Brain Drain

This essay reviews existing theories of professional emigration as background to examine the present situation. Classical theories of the brain drain neglected the possibility that immigrant professionals would return to their home countries and make significant investments and economic contributions there. They do, in fact, with beneficial consequences for the development of these countries. The advent of the transnational perspective in the field of immigration has helped clarify these dynamics, while identifying the conditions under which professional cyclical returns and knowledge transfers can take place. Implications for the future attraction of foreign professionals by the United States and other advanced countries are discussed.
Final state effects for the core-level XPS spectra of NiO

Abstract Ionization of the Ni 3s core level in NiO has been studied using ab initio wavefunctions for an NiO 6 cluster model. Three important final state effects are studied: (1) ligand to Ni 3d charge transfer, (2) exchange coupling of the ionized core level within the open 3d shell; and (3) atomic correlation effects among the metal 3s, 3p and 3d shells. Analysis of the cluster wavefunctions shows that these mechanisms are strongly coupled and must be treated on an equal footing. The ligand to metal charge transfer is often fractional, i.e. intermediate between 0 and 1.
Unnecessary and preventable hospitalizations: Report on an internal audit†

In an internal audit of admission policy, 120 consecutive daily hospitalizations in a pediatric medical center were analyzed and the incidence of unnecessary and preventable admissions systematically ascertained. Two independent medical judges rated 2.5 per cent of the admissions as unnecessary, with an additional 15.8 per cent as of doubtful necessity, whereas almost 20 per cent of the admissions were rated as preventable. Unnecessary and questionably necessary hospitalizations occurred more frequently among patients having private physicians, suffering from chronic illness, and being admitted for diagnosis or on a scheduled basis. Preventable hospitalizations occurred more frequently among patients with lengthy illness prior to hospitalization, among patients of private practitioners, and those referred for scheduled admission. The role of internal audit and other recommendations are discussed.
Accelerated radiation therapy of 2 Gy b.i.d. to 70 Gy in 3.5 weeks in glioblastoma multiforme

Review of the literature suggests that repopulation during radiation therapy (RT) might be an important cause of failure in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and that shortening the overall treatment time might be beneficial. We undertook this study in order to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of accelerated RT (ART) in GBM. We treated 48 patients with histologically proven GBM by ART (patients with anaplastic astrocytoma were excluded). Median age was 60 years (range 31–74 years). Karnofsky performance status (KPS) prior to ART ranged from 40 to 90 (median 55). ART started 7–22 days (median 14 days) after resection/biopsy. Whole brain ART 40 Gy in 2 weeks was followed by cone-down ART to 30 Gy in 1.5 weeks. The interfraction interval was 4–6 hr. No chemotherapy was given. The treatment was well tolerated and the acute toxicity was quite unremarkable. The observed survival rate at 12, 18, and 24 months was 30%, 11%, and 5%, respectively. The median survival time was 44 weeks. The overwhelming cause of death was persistent/recurrent cancer at the original tumor site. Serial computed tomographic (CT) scans typically revealed reduction in the size of the tumor over 2–3 months initially, followed by a period of stability and then rapid recurrence and death. Late toxicity was obvious only in one patient who developed bilateral blindness 1 year after treatment, having received a dose of 55 Gy in 3.5 weeks to the optic chiasm. In conclusion, 70 Gy in 3.5 weeks could be delivered to patients with GBM without excessive acute or late toxicity. The short treatment time is an advantage for these patients with a limited life expectancy. The survival rates are comparable to, but not notably better than, several contemporary series with conventional RT plus chemotherapy and/or halogenated pyrimidine radiosensitizers. While alternative dose/fractionation regimes might be more successful, the results of this study failed to support our hypothesis that repopulation during RT is an important reason for the failure of treatment in GBM. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Simulation of an electrochemical carbon dioxide concentrator

The performance of an electrochemical device for the concentration of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere of a spacecraft cabin is analyzed. The removal rates as well as the concentration distributions of the different species are calculated for any set of operating conditions by a model which embodies the fundamental electrolyte properties and design parameters.
The good and the bad: alkaloid screening and brineshrimp bioassays of aqueous extracts of 31 medicinal plants of eastern Nicaragua.

Context: Presence/absence tests for alkaloids of 31 medicinal vascular plant species from 31 genera and 26 families of eastern Nicaragua provided a baseline for bioactivity tests.Objective: To determine the bioactivity and cytoxicity of aqueous extracts of widely used medicinal species in eastern Nicaragua.Materials and methods: Ethnomedicinal applications were obtained from interviews of traditional healers. We used Dragendorff’s reagent to test alkaloids and brine shrimp for cytotoxicity of aqueous extracts.Results: Twenty-nine of the 31 species tested positive for alkaloids. The median lethal concentration that kills 50% of the larvae within 24 h of contact with the extract (LC50 was less than 1000 µg/mL for 4 (13%) species (the usual cytotoxic category), 1001–5000 µg/mL for 23 (74%) species, and between 5001–7500 µg/mL for the remaining 4 (13%) species.Discussion and Conclusion: Twenty-five of the ethnomedicines contain alkaloids but are not cytotoxic. In contrast to first suppositions, we suggest tha...
Self-management education: history, definition, outcomes, and mechanisms.

Self-management has become a popular term for behavioral interventions as well as for healthful behaviors. This is especially true for the management of chronic conditions. This article offers a short history of self-management. It presents three self-management tasks—medical management, role management, and emotional management—and six self-management skills—problem solving, decision making, resource utilization, the formation of a patient-provider partnership, action planning, and self-tailoring. In addition, the article presents evidence of the effectiveness of self-management interventions and posits a possible mechanism, self-efficacy, through which these interventions work. In conclusion the article discusses problems and solutions for integrating self-management education into the mainstream health care systems.
Mechanisms of induction of tolerance to syngeneic IgE

We have previously shown that T cell tolerance to syngeneic IgE in mice is delayed after birth for 2-3 weeks and is induced concurrently with the appearance of IgE in serum. Although inoculation of IgE in saline on the day of birth caused T cell tolerance, an apparent inconsistency was our inability to tolerize mice after day 2, despite evidence indicating that endogenously-produced IgE is effective at the age of 2-3 weeks. Data presented here indicate that repeated i.p. inoculations, during this period, of smaller doses of IgE in saline induce tolerance in many individual mice, thus mimicking to a degree the naturally occurring events. Another earlier finding was that normal adult B cells, but not T cells, can tolerize T cells to IgE when administered on the day of birth. We have now observed that B cells bearing surface IgE are much more tolerogenic than the remaining B cells.
Implications of the minor element content of some major streams of the world

Abstract Of 15 or more minor elements in the world's principal river waters only aluminum, iron, manganese, barium and strontium range much over 100 μg l . (parts per billion). Most minor elements range at or below 100 μg 1 . and have median (or middle) values of 10 micrograms per liter or less. Significant areal differences in minor element content are found in the river waters. For example, Atlantic Coastal river waters in the aggregate are slightly more enriched in concentrations of silver, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, strontium and titanium, and slightly deficient in barium and lithium when compared with median values for North America. Median values of ratios Ba Sr , Ni Cr and Ni Cu are reasonably consistent (within a factor of two) in principal drainage from North America. Noteworthy are consistent median ratios of Ni Cu for large rivers of United States, but the ratio tends to be slightly greater in global northern latitudes than in southern latitudes. Median values for aluminum, barium, copper, lead, molybdenum and silver in North American runoff are of the same order as published world averages for ocean water. Hydrologic and geochemical aspects of continental runoff are strongly implied in observations of minor element content of large rivers. Evidence to date is that median values of Ba Sr ratios are relatively uniform in global river waters. There is real danger in oversimplifying chemical systems in broad assessments of lower reaches of large drainage basins because individual hydrologic and chemical events upstream are largely obscured.
Language teaching in multilingual contexts

Multilingualism and multiculturalism are present in many parts of the world today. We cannot deny that we live in societies that are constantly drawing on and using multiple languages. As language teachers and scholars of language education, we know that the presence of multilingualism challenges a traditional view of language education – one language learned before another as first and additional (second or foreign) languages. Language teaching in multilingual contexts, the theme of this special issue, may take a diversity of forms and apply to a variety of ideas. This introduction highlights some of these forms and ideas. When we read the phrase “language teaching,” we may think of the questions, Which language? What is language? How is this particular language being taught? Who are the students being taught? Who is the teacher? What are the relationships between teacher and students? What is the language focus? What skills are being taught? Where is the language taught, in the classroom or in other contexts? If the particular language is English, the language focus of most of the articles in this special issue, we may ask, what variety of English is taught? At the same time, when we read the phrase “in multilingual contexts,” we may ask, What are these multilingual contexts? What languages make these contexts multilingual? What languages are represented in these contexts and why? What does it mean to say that a context is multilingual? What historical and political aspects of this context are we talking about? Why have we chosen the word multilingual instead of bilingual? What are the consequences of this word choice? These are all questions that the articles in this special issue consider.
Dicer-regulated microRNAs 222 and 339 promote resistance of cancer cells to cytotoxic T-lymphocytes by down-regulation of ICAM-1

The RNase III endonuclease Dicer plays a key role in generation of microRNAs (miRs). We hypothesized that Dicer regulates cancer cell susceptibility to immune surveillance through miR processing. Indeed, Dicer disruption up-regulated intercellular cell adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and enhanced the susceptibility of tumor cells to antigen-specific lysis by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs), while expression of other immunoregulatory proteins examined was not affected. Blockade of ICAM-1 inhibited the specific lysis of CTLs against Dicer-disrupted cells, indicating a pivotal role of ICAM-1 in the interaction between tumor cells and CTL. Both miR-222 and -339 are down-regulated in Dicer-disrupted cells and directly interacted with the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of ICAM-1 mRNA. Modulation of Dicer or these miRs inversely correlated with ICAM-1 protein expression and susceptibility of U87 glioma cells to CTL-mediated cytolysis while ICAM-1 mRNA levels remained stable. Immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization analyses of 30 primary glioblastoma tissues demonstrated that expression of Dicer, miR-222, or miR-339 was inversely associated with ICAM-1 expression. Taken together, Dicer is responsible for the generation of the mature miR-222 and -339, which suppress ICAM-1 expression on tumor cells, thereby down-regulating the susceptibility of tumor cells to CTL-mediated cytolysis. This study suggests development of novel miR-targeted therapy to promote cytolysis of tumor cells.
Golgi study of the mouse striatum: Age‐related dendritic changes in different neuronal populations

The Van der Loos modification of the Golgi-Cox method and morphometric analyses were used to study the neuronal types in the striatum of adult (3, 6, and 10 months) and aged (20, 25, and 30 months) C57BL/6N mice. In adult mice six types of striatal neurons were distinguished primarily on the basis of the morphology of their cell body and dendrites. Each of these types was compared with morphologically similar neurons from previous Golgi classifications in other species and discussed within the framework of recent immunocytochemical work. With similar methods the age-related changes occurring on the dendrites of three of the six striatal types were also analyzed. In the medium-sized neuron with spine-laden dendrites, various dendritic tree shapes and sizes were distinguished in all age groups studied. Qualitative observations as well as measurements of total dendritic length per cell suggested that the dendrites in this type may both grow and regress throughout the life span, although signs of dendritic atrophy and regression were observed only in the aged groups. In the other two types of neuron, one a medium aspiny cell with thin varicose dendrites and the other a large spiny neuron with many dendrites, measurements of total dendritic lengths revealed sustained growth of the tree well into advanced age, followed by moderate regression in the oldest groups. The present findings also indicate that the dendrites of each type of striatal neuron follow unique temporal patterns of growth and regression during the life span of the mouse.
Autocrine induction of c-fos expression in GT1 neuronal cells by gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

Activation of GnRH receptors in GnRH neuronal (GT1-7) cells causes marked and transient increases in c-fos expression, with peak response at 30 min. GnRH and des-Gly10-[D-Ala6]GnRH N-ethylamide induced concentration-dependent c-fos responses with EC50s of approximately 0.1 and approximately 1 nM, respectively. GnRH action was mimicked by phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), but stimulation of Ca2+ entry by K(+)-induced depolarization and Bay K 8644 was much less effective. In protein kinase C-depleted cells, the c-fos response to GnRH was reduced to that elicited by increased Ca2+ entry, and the effect of PMA was abolished. Thus, GnRH-induced c-fos expression in GT1 cells appears to be mediated predominantly by protein kinase C, and to a lesser extent by Ca2+. These findings demonstrate that c-fos expression can be induced in a peptidergic neuron by activation of receptors for its neurosecretory product. It is possible that the expression of c-fos in GnRH hypothalamic neurons during the proestrous surge...
Methoxychlor reduces estradiol levels by altering steroidogenesis and metabolism in mouse antral follicles in vitro.

The organochlorine pesticide methoxychlor (MXC) is a known endocrine disruptor that affects adult rodent females by causing reduced fertility, persistent estrus, and ovarian atrophy. Since MXC is also known to target antral follicles, the major producer of sex steroids in the ovary, the present study was designed to test the hypothesis that MXC decreases estradiol (E2) levels by altering steroidogenic and metabolic enzymes in the antral follicles. To test this hypothesis, antral follicles were isolated from CD-1 mouse ovaries and cultured with either dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or MXC. Follicle growth was measured every 24 h for 96 h. In addition, sex steroid hormone levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and mRNA expression levels of steroidogenic enzymes as well as the E2 metabolic enzyme Cyp1b1 were measured using qPCR. The results indicate that MXC decreased E2, testosterone, androstenedione, and progesterone (P4) levels compared to DMSO. In addition, MXC decreased expression of aromatase (Cyp19a1), 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (Hsd17b1), 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (Cyp17a1), 3β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (Hsd3b1), cholesterol side-chain cleavage (Cyp11a1), steroid acute regulatory protein (Star), and increased expression of Cyp1b1 enzyme levels. Thus, these data suggest that MXC decreases steroidogenic enzyme levels, increases metabolic enzyme expression and this in turn leads to decreased sex steroid hormone levels.
Effect of sorghum flour composition and particle size on quality properties of gluten-free bread

White, food-grade sorghum was milled to flour of varying extraction rates (60%, 80%, and 100%) and pin-milled at different speeds (no pin-milling, low-speed, and high-speed) to create flours of both variable composition and particle size. Flours were characterized for flour composition, total starch content, particle size distribution, color, damaged starch, and water absorption. Bread was characterized for specific volume, crumb structure properties, and crumb firmness. Significant differences were found (P < 0.05) in the composition of sorghum flours of varying extraction rate, most notably for fiber and total starch contents. Flour particle size and starch damage were significantly impacted by extraction rate and speed of pin-milling. Water absorption increased significantly with increasing extraction rate and pin-milling speed. Breads produced from 60% extraction flour had significantly higher specific volumes, better crumb properties, and lower crumb firmness when compared with all other extractions and flour types. The specific volume of bread slices ranged from 2.01 mL/g (100% extraction, no pin-milling) to 2.54 mL/g (60% extraction, low-speed pin-milling), whereas the firmness ranged from 553.28 g (60% extraction, high-speed pin-milling) to 1096.26 g (commercial flour, no pin-milling). The bread characteristics were significantly impacted by flour properties, specifically particle size, starch damage, and fiber content (P < 0.05).
Phase locking in a two-element laser array: a test of the coupled-oscillator model

The steady-state and transient dynamics of phase locking in a two-element Nd:YAG laser array have been studied. By creating two evanescent-coupled lasers in a Nd:YAG etalon using diode end pumping, the coupling strength between the laser elements in the array can be continuously varied by adjusting the positions of the pumping beams. This allows the observation of the phase-locking process over a wide range of coupling strength. We have found that the development of the phase-locked state is as fast as the onset of lasing without an evolutionary process. The instantaneous locking is also independent of the coupling strength once the coupling is strong enough to ensure phase locking. These phenomena disagree with the predictions based on the time-dependent coupled-mode theory of laser-array dynamics. Our experimental study and theoretical analysis have led to the conclusion that all predictions of optical instability in laser arrays need to be reexamined.
The coefficient problem for a shallow ocean with an unknown ihhomogeneity and an elastic seabed

This paper deals with the undetermined coefficient problem for a shallow ocean with an unknown inhomogeneity and an elastic seabed. Using a formulation of the direct problem as given in [5], we pose a scheme by which the acoustic parameters of the seabed may be determined. Our method uses the information which is reflected and scattered by the finite depth elastic seabed. The acoustic field is computed using a normal modal expansion and transmutation to obtain an explicit characteristic equation. The modal solutions are computed exactly using a computer algebra system, and the far field is then found using an integral representation.
Foced convection heat and momentum transfer to dendritic structures (parabolic cylinders and paraboloids of revolution)

Abstract Three fundamental theoretical flow models including Oseen type rectilinear flow, potential flow, and Oseen's viscous flow approximation, are developed for forced convection heat transfer to parabolic cylinders and paraboloids of revolution which are relevant to dendritic growth. Closed-form results are obtained and presented in terms of Nusselt numbers at the stagnation point which are related to downstream values by analytical expressions. The heat flux from paraboloids of revolution is much larger than that for parabolic cylinders, especially at smaller values of the Peclet number. Local expressions for the heat flux are consistent with the shape preserving growth of these configurations as isothermal dendrites in forced convection fields. Diffusion of momentum and energy extends to significantly greater distances into the flow for parabolic cylinders than paraboloids of revolution. Boundary-layer assumptions would lead to large errors for the conditions studied here, especially for low Pr fluids. The results are useful for describing the diffusion of mass also.
Oral administration of dimethylvinyl chloride increases frequency of forestomach papillomas in Tg.AC mice.

This work was initiated to determine the potential for the Tg.AC mouse model to identify chemical carcinogens by an oral route of administration. Tg.AC v-Ha-ras transgenic mice were exposed to dimethyvinyl chloride (DMVC; 1-chloro-2-methylpropene), a structural analog of the human carcinogen vinyl chloride. In the National Toxicology Program 2-yr bioassay, DMVC induced tumors in the oral, nasal, and gastric epithelia of rats and mice. Initial studies were performed in female Tg.AC mice to determine an appropriate oral dose of DMVC to evaluate the potential for stratified gastric or oral epithelia of Tg.AC mice to serve as a target tissue for a transgene-dependent induced tumorigenic response. DMVC was administered to 13- to14-wk-old Tg.AC mice by gavage at doses of 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg five times a week for 20 wk. The forestomachs of DMVC-treated Tg.AC mice had an increasing number of papillomas, which were associated with an increase in the dose of DMVC. The average numbers of papillomas per mouse per dose were 2.4, 7.6, 14.1, and 12.6 for the 0, 50, 100, and 200-mg/kg dose groups, respectively. The optimum papillomagenic dose of 100 mg/kg DMVC was established and administered for 5, 10, and 15/wk to investigate the kinetics of papilloma induction in Tg.AC mice. The average numbers of papillomas per animal were 1.8, 8.8, and 19.0 at 5, 10, and 15 wk, respectively. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assays determined that the v-Ha-ras transgene was transcriptionally active in all tumor tissues but not in nontumor tissues. In situ hybridization assays performed in conjunction with bromodeoxyuridine in vivo labeling localized the transgene-expressing cells of the forestomach papillomas to the proliferating cellular component of the tumors, as previously seen in skin papillomas of Tg.AC mice. The present results confirm that DMVC is tumorigenic and that oral routes of administration can be used to rapidly elicit a transgene-associated tumor response in the forestomach of Tg.AC mice.
Adrenal function in abstinent alcoholic men.

Abstract 1. The nocturnal secretion of plasma ACTH and serum cortisol and their responses to ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone (oCRH) were studied in acutely abstinent alcoholic and normal men. 2. Nocturnal cortisol secretion was similar in alcoholic and normal men, but nocturnal ACTH secretion tended to be decreased during the early morning hours (0600h–0900h) in alcoholic men. ACTH, but not cortisol, responses after oCRH administration tended to be attenuated in alcoholic men. CLUSTER ANALYSIS showed that the changes were not due to alterations in ACTH pulse frequency, amplitude, or interpulse interval. 3. The data suggest an intrinsic defect in response to CRH by the pituitary corticotroph cell, possibly due to genetic vulnerability or to the toxic effects of prolonged alcohol abuse.
A High Dynamic Range Coherent Optical RF Digital Receiver

Coherent optical techniques - capitalizing on linear electro-optic phase encoding, quadrature detection and DSP - are applied to analog signal transport with unprecedented linearity. Applications, results, and directions for future work will be discussed.
Long-term prognosis after peri-operative cardiac complications

The objective was to document the 5 year prognosis of patients who had cardiac complications after non-cardiac surgery. Design: 5-year follow-up of 218 patients originally enrolled in a prospective study to identify risks factors for perioperative complications. Setting: an academic medical center. Participants were hypertensives and diabetics who underwent elective surgery between 1982 and 1985. In the original study, patients were evaluated pre-operatively, monitored intra-operatively by an independent observer, and followed daily for 7 days post-operatively according to a standard surveillance protocol. Outcomes were judged by assessors blinded to the pre-operative status and intra-operative course. Patients were interviewed at 3 and 5 years post-operatively. Patients with post-operative cardiac complications had significantly higher rates of overall mortality, mortality attributable to cardiac causes (MI, CHF, arrest), and mortality attributable to other cardiovascular causes (stroke, renal failure) than patients without cardiac complications. For example, at 5 years 11% of those patients without post-operative cardiac complications had cardiac deaths, in contrast to 45% of those patients with post-operative cardiac complications. Proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that post-operative cardiac complications remained a significant predictor of cardiac (p < 0.001) and cardiovascular (p < 0.0001) mortality controlling for pre-operative cardiac disease, other non-cardiovascular comorbid diseases, age, sex, diabetes, and pre-operative renal insufficiency or stroke. Similarly, patients with post-operative non-fatal cardiac complications had higher rates of cardiac or cardiovascular events during the 5 year follow-up period. We conclude that post-operative cardiac complications have a significant adverse long-term prognostic impact comparable to the prognostic impact of myocardial infarction, ischemia or congestive failure in the non-operative setting. Understanding these events could be an important factor in identifying patients at high risk for subsequent peri-operative complications.
Audit fee residuals: Costs or rents?

Audit fee residuals (the error term from audit fee models) are widely used in the accounting research literature. Researchers, however, have adopted contrasting views of these fee residuals. One view is that fee residuals are a combination of noise and auditor rents (i.e., abnormal profits), while the other view is that they are a combination of noise and unobserved audit costs (including any risk premium and a normal rate of return on all factors of production). As a result, identical research findings are presently given conflicting policy interpretations. We use differences in fee residual persistence across continuing and new audit engagements to elucidate the extent to which fee residuals consist of unobserved audit costs, auditor rents, and noise elements. In a large sample of U.S. public company audit engagements, we find evidence suggesting that fee residuals largely consist of researcher-unobserved audit production costs common to all auditors. We discuss the implications of this finding for policy setters and for future auditing research.
Locating a scatterer in the active volcanic area of Southern Peru from ambient noise cross-correlation

We report on a strong scatterer of seismic energy in the 5–10 s period range located in the volcanic arc of Southern Peru. It is superficially like an active noise source in that it produces a continuous signal that arrives earlier than the inter-station surface wave in the noise cross-correlations. However, it is clearly determined to be a scatterer based on the coda arrivals observed in the cross-correlations, and the fact that it scatters waves from earthquake sources. We model the scatterer as a cylinder approximately 5 km in diameter with a shear wave velocity 30 per cent lower than the background velocity. It is likely to exist at the depth of 5–10 km, and is located at 71.6°W/16.1°S with an error of 10 km, which is near the inactive volcano Nevado Chachani and the active volcano El Misti which recently erupted in 1985.
Fixed points of abelian actions on S2

We prove that if is a finitely generated abelian group of orientation preserving C1 diffeomorphisms of which leaves invariant a compact set then there is a common fixed point for all elements of . We also show that if is any abelian subgroup of orientation preserving C1 diffeomorphisms of S2 then there is a common fixed point for all elements of a subgroup of with index at most two.
CYP4Fs Expression in Rat Brain Correlates with Changes in LTB4 Levels after Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4Fs constitute a subgroup of the cytochrome P450 superfamily and are involved in cellular protection and metabolism of numerous molecules, including drugs, toxins, and eicosanoids. CYP4Fs are widely distributed in rat brain with each isoform having a unique distribution pattern throughout different brain regions. The present study shows that traumatic brain injury (TBI) triggers inflammation and elicits changes in mRNA expression of CYP4Fs in the frontal and occipital lobes and the hippocampus. At 24 h post-injury, almost all CYP4F mRNA expression is suppressed compared with sham control throughout these three regions, while at 2 weeks post-injury, all CYP4F mRNAs increase, reaching levels higher than those at 24 h post-injury or uninjured controls. These changes in CYP4F levels inversely correlate with levels of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) levels in the brain following injury at the same time points. TBI also causes changes in CYP4F protein expression and localization around the ...
Generation of 260-μW Fourier-transform-limited nanosecond THz pulses by frequency-mixing two CO 2 lasers

Coherent THz pulses at 328.2 mum were generated by mixing two CO2 laser frequencies based on collinear phase-matched difference-frequency generation in GaSe crystals. The highest average output power was measured to be 260 muW.
Ahead of the pack through vision and hustle: a case study of information technology at Rosenbluth Travel

Rosenbluth Travel has grown from a regional travel agency with $40 million in annual sales to one of the five largest agencies in the US, with sales of over $1 billion. Their strategy was based on exploiting the structural changes initiated by airline deregulation in 1978, including the growth of the corporate travel market and increasing economies of scale leading to consolidation. IT was a fundamental part of this strategy. The case sheds light on several theories on gaining competitive advantage through IT: technology leadership, leveraging critical resources, the role of IT infrastructure and switching costs. While these theories contribute to an explanation of Rosenbluth's success, a critical factor appears to be the vision to see an opportunity and the ability to hustle to exploit it. >
Wide-angle, high-extinction-ratio, infrared polarizing beam splitters using frustrated total internal reflection by an embedded centrosymmetric multilayer

A centrosymmetric multilayer stack of two transparent thin-film materials, which is embedded in a high-index prism, is designed to function as an efficient polarizer or polarizing beam splitter (PBS) under conditions of frustrated total internal reflection over an extended range of incidence angles. The S(LH)kLHL(HL)kS multilayer structure consists of a high-index center layer H sandwiched between two identical low-index films L and high-index-low-index bilayers repeated (k times) on both sides of the central trilayer maintaining the symmetry of the entire stack. For a given set of refractive indices, all possible solutions for the thicknesses of the layers that suppress the reflection of p-polarized light at a specified angle, and the associated reflectance of the system for the orthogonal s polarization, are determined. The angular and spectral sensitivities of polarizing multilayer stacks employing 3, 7, 11, 15, and 19 layers of BaF2 and PbTe thin films embedded in a ZnS prism, operating at λ=10.6 μm, are presented. The 15- and 19-layer stack designs achieve extinction ratios (ER) >30 dB in both reflection and transmission over a 46°-56° field of view inside the prism. Spectral analysis reveals additional discrete polarizing wavelengths other than the design wavelength (λ=10.6 μm). The 11-, 15-, and 19-layer designs function as effective s-reflection polarizers (|Rs|2>99%) over a 2-3 μm bandwidth. The effect of decreasing the refractive index contrast between the H and L layers on the resulting ER is also considered.
Functional interactions among morphologic and tissue quality traits define bone quality.

Background Advances in diagnostic and treatment regimens that aim to reduce fracture incidence will benefit from a better understanding of how bone morphology and tissue quality define whole-bone mechanical properties.
Comparative effectiveness of coronary artery bypass grafting and percutaneous coronary intervention for multivessel coronary disease in a community-based population with chronic kidney disease.

Background Randomized clinical trials comparing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have largely excluded patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), leading to uncertainty about the optimal coronary revascularization strategy. We sought to test the hypothesis that an initial strategy of CABG would be associated with lower risks of long-term mortality and cardiovascular morbidity compared with PCI for the treatment of multivessel coronary heart disease in the setting of CKD. Methods We created a propensity score–matched cohort of patients aged ≥30 years with no prior dialysis or renal transplant who received multivessel coronary revascularization between 1996 and 2008 within a large integrated health care delivery system in northern California. We used extended Cox regression to examine death from any cause, acute coronary syndrome, and repeat revascularization. Results Coronary artery bypass grafting was associated with a significantly lower adjusted rate of death than PCI across all strata of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (in mL/min per 1.73 m2): the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was 0.81, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.00 for patients with eGFR ≥60; HR 0.73 (CI 0.56-0.95) for eGFR of 45 to 59; and HR 0.87 (CI 0.67-1.14) for eGFR Conclusions Among adults with and without CKD, multivessel CABG was associated with lower risks of death and coronary events compared with multivessel PCI.