cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Post-Transplant Outcome of the Highly Sensitized Patient Awaiting Heart Transplant Treated with Desensitization

Purpose Approximately 30% of patients (pts) awaiting heart transplantation (HT) develop anti-HLA antibodies (Abs) due to sensitizing events. Highly sensitized pts have peak Panel Reactive Antibody (PRA) levels≥80%. We assessed the efficacy of desensitization therapy (DTx) on these pts awaiting HT. Methods Between 2010-19, we assessed 78 pts awaiting HT with peak PRA≥80% (mean peak PRA 91.6%, range 80-100%). These pts received DTx with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) alone (n=18), rituximab-based therapy (n=5), plasma exchange (PE) alone (n=15), bortezomib-based therapy (BTZ)(n=30), and finally combination therapy with rituximab/BTZ (n=-10). Peak PRAs (mean fluorescent intensity, MFI) were obtained before and after treatment. All pts received ATG induction and IVIG with eculizumab given to pts crossing high level donor-specific Ab (DSA). 3-year outcomes including survival, freedom from cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV, stenosis ≥30%), freedom from non-fatal major adverse cardiac events (NF-MACE: myocardial infarction, new onset heart failure, percutaneous coronary intervention, cardioverter defibrillator/pacemaker implant, stroke), and 1-year freedom from rejection [acute cellular rejection (ACR), Ab-mediated rejection (AMR)] were obtained. A group of non-sensitized pts without pre-HT anti-HLA Abs was used as control. Results With each DTx, peak PRA was reduced (table). Post-HT, there was lower freedom from 1-year AMR in the highly sensitized pt groups compared to the control group. 3-year survival, freedom from CAV and NF-MACE were similar among all groups. 26 highly sensitized pts received eculizumab perioperatively for crossing high level DSA. Conclusion Although there is variability in how highly sensitized pts respond, pre-HT DTx appears beneficial and enables pts to undergo successful HT. Further studies and longer follow-up are needed to identify the optimal therapy for each highly sensitized individual.
Human papillomavirus-mediated carcinogenesis and tumor progression

High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) cause 5% of all human cancers and are primary etiologic agents of cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancer. HPV infection is necessary, but not sufficient per se to produce cancer: additional changes must occur that transform HPV-infected cells to malignancy. The HPV oncoproteins E6 and E7 immortalize human keratinocytes, cervical cells, and fibroblasts in culture. Each oncoprotein interacts with a variety of cellular binding partners; most important for transformation are E6 and E7’s interactions with p53 and RB (respectively) which lead to degradation of p53 and RB through the ubiquitin pathway. Inactivation of p53 and RB leads to inactivation of pivotal cell cycle checkpoints, thereby stimulating cell proliferation and allowing cell division to occur independently of the presence of DNA damage, replicative stress, and other such insults, leading to genome instability. Continuous expression of E6/E7 drives the proliferation and progression of most HPV-mediated cancers of the cervix and a substantial fraction of those of the oropharynx. However, at both cancer sites, “HPV-inactive” tumors that contain HPV DNA, but do not express E6/E7 arise. We propose that these HPV-inactive cancers begin as HPV-driven lesions, but lose E6/E7 expression at some point during progression. We have recently shown that p53 deletion in HPV-immortalized, premalignant cells allows for the emergence of cell populations that no longer express E6/E7. These findings corroborate the notion of a pivotal role of p53 in the context of HPV-mediated transformation, both at the initiation and progression stages of cancer development.
Differences in survival among multiple myeloma patients in the United States SEER population by neighborhood socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity.

We examined the combined influences of race/ethnicity and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) on long-term survival among patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Data from the 2000–2015 NCI Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER-18) were used. Census tract-level SES index was assessed in tertiles (low, medium, high SES). Competing-risk modeling was used to estimate sub-hazard ratios (SHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for SES tertile adjusted for sex and age at diagnosis and stratified by race/ethnicity. Overall, living in a low SES neighborhood was associated with worse MM survival. However, we observed some variation in the association by racial/ethnic group. Living in a low versus a high SES neighborhood was associated with a 35% (95% CI = 1.16–1.57) increase in MM-specific mortality risk among Asian/Pacific Islander cases, a 17% (95% CI = 1.12–1.22) increase among White cases, a 14% (95% CI = 1.04–1.23) increase among Black cases, and a 7% (95% CI = 0.96–1.19) increase among Hispanic cases. These results suggest that the influence of both SES and race/ethnicity should be considered when considering interventions to remedy disparities in MM survival.
Multimorbidity groups based on numbers of chronic conditions are associated with daily activity

ObjectiveInstrumental activities of daily living (IADL) are important for managing multiple chronic conditions (MCC) and maintaining independence while aging. Using data from the National Health an...
The Effective Hamiltonian for Diatomic Molecules

The H eff is not the exact Hamiltonian [1]. It is a fit-model that is constructed so that it captures all of the appropriate quantum number dependences. It is necessary to convert an infinite dimension and internuclear distance-dependent Hamiltonian into a finite dimension matrix model in which the R-dependence is encoded in the v, J dependence of the observed energy levels and transition intensities [2].
The Pattern of Gestational Weight Gain is Associated with Changes in Maternal Body Composition and Neonatal Size

The pattern of gestational weight gain (GWG) reflects general nutrient availability to support growing fetal and maternal compartments and may contribute to later health, but how it relates to changes in maternal body composition is unknown. We evaluated how the pattern of GWG related to changes in maternal body composition during pregnancy and infant size at birth. A prospective, multi-ethnic cohort of 156 pregnant women and their infants was studied in New York City. Prenatal weights were used to estimate total and rate (kg/week) of GWG by trimester. Linear regression models evaluated the association between trimester-specific GWG group (low, medium, high GWG) [total (low ≤25, high ≥75 percentile) or rate (defined by tertiles)] and infant weight, length and maternal body composition changes from 14 to 37 weeks, adjusting for covariates. Compared to the low gain group, medium/high rate of GWG in the second trimester and high rate of GWG in the third trimester were associated with larger gains in maternal fat mass (β range for fat Δ = 2.86–5.29 kg, all p < 0.01). For infant outcomes, high rate of GWG in the second trimester was associated with higher birth weight (β = 356 g, p = 0.001) and length (β = 0.85 cm, p = 0.002). First and third trimester GWG were not associated with neonatal size. The trimester specific pattern and rate of GWG reflect changes in maternal body fat and body water, and are associated with neonatal size, which supports the importance of monitoring trimester-specific GWG.
Solar cell metals and their hosts: A tale of oversupply and undersupply

Abstract Several scenarios have been proposed recently for the future electricity generation approaches that include a substantial share of renewable technologies. The proposed increase in the market share of these technologies has led to increasing concern regarding the availability of the metals required for these technologies, as well as for the impacts associated with their production. In this regards, it is of interest that most of the metals that are essential for renewable technologies are coproduced with other metals: indium, germanium, and cadmium with zinc, and tellurium and selenium with copper, for example. An increase in the demand for the companion metals can be met either by increasing the recycling of these metals, the efficiency of their recovery, or their extraction from primary resources, the latter of which will lead to an increase in the production of the host metals with possible implications on their supply and demand. In this paper we develop a “green energy” scenario to investigate these metal-related issues in detail. Among the results of interest are the following: (1) More Se and Te may require mining more copper than can be used, while extracting more arsenic than can conveniently be sequestered; (2) more In and Ge may require mining more zinc than can be used, while extracting more cadmium than can conveniently be sequestered; (3) oversupply mining of copper and zinc will decrease their virgin metal prices, and thereby discourage end of life recycling of those metals; (4) the greenhouse gases produced by mining oversupplies of the host metals zinc and copper will, in some case, exceed the greenhouse gases savings produced by a fossil fuel to solar cell transition; (5) these challenges can be minimized, but probably not avoided, by increasing the recovery rates of Se, Te, In, and Ge from the host metal ores, and by more efficient end of life recycling.
Calculated risks in the treatment of intractably suicidal patients.

(1994). Calculated Risks in the Treatment of Intractably Suicidal Patients. Psychiatry: Vol. 57, No. 3, pp. 199-212.
A prototype information retrieval system to perform a best-match search for names

Personal names are often used as keywords in searches to retrieve information. The presence of misspellings and other errors in names can make an exact match of a keyword and a search query impossible. In these cases, it is necessary to be able to retrieve personal names that are similar to that of the personal name given in the search query. In addition, if an interactive search is required, it is necessary to retrieve matches quickly and to rank them in terms of their similarity to the search query. This paper discusses a prototype information retrieval system which was developed to test the feasibility of such a search, and the experimental results obtained using this system.
Disposition of tablet and capsule formulations of digoxin in the elderly.

Study Objective. To compare digoxin tablets and liquid-filled capsules with respect to excretion of the drug and its metabolites in urine and feces at steady state. Design. A randomized, crossover trial, each period lasting 3 weeks, with no washout period. Setting. A university hospital. Patients. Six patients, five of whom were elderly, with histories of gastrointestinal disorders, such as hypochlorhydria, intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and inflammatory bowel disease. Interventions. The patients received digoxin once/day in either tablet or capsule form for 3 weeks, and then were switched to the other formulation. Total urinary and fecal excretion from the last 3 days of each regimen were analyzed for the drug and metabolites. Measurements and Main Results. No statistically significant differences were found between tablets and capsules in recovery of digoxin or its metabolites in urine or feces (p=0.05). One subject had a 4-fold increase in urinary drug excretion and 50% decrease in fecal excretion after taking the capsules compared with tablets. Intersubject variability in extent and type of metabolite excretion was greater than intrasubject variability. Conclusions. Fecal analyses may be an accurate way to classify patients as formers of digoxin reduction products.
Applying OMT : a practical step-by-step guide to using the object modeling technique

From the Publisher: Applying OMT was written to illustrate the process for implementing an application using the very popular Object Modeling Technique (OMT) created by James Rumbaugh. Designed as a how-to guide, this book instructs readers on the implementation process and on practical approaches for OMT. By using a typical business application as a case study, the author begins his instruction with such fundamental concepts as modeling and prototyping and then moves into specific implementation strategies using C++ and Smalltalk. The included diskette provides relevant C++ and Smalltalk code. Providing the code allows the reader to see firsthand how the code is mapped into the model and also allows each reader the flexibility to extend or modify the code as needed. Through this format, readers are exposed to the complete modeling process from start to finish and receive all the heuristic guidance provided in the method.
Invariants of PSL2(F11)Acting on C5

after 92:consult AMS membership list In this paper we give enerators and relations for the ring of invariants of an ducible dimensional complex representation of the finite simple group PSL 2(F11). We also discuss the geometry of the invariants. “Es ist nicht meine Absicht, alle ungeandert bleibenden ganzen Funktionen der y zu mitzuteilen; dies wurde jedenfalls eine weitldufige and vielleicht eine schwierige Aufgabe sein.” Felix Klein ([K],§4, p.146 of Ges. Math. Abh., Bd. 3)
Orbits of Darboux Groupoid for Hyperbolic Operators of Order Three

Darboux transformations are viewed as morphisms in a Darboux category. Darboux transformations of type I which we defined previously, make an important subgroupoid. We describe the orbits of this subgroupoid for hyperbolic operators of order three.
Deinstitutionalization of Persons with Mental Retardation: Behavioral Outcomes:

This article examines experimental/contrast group and longitudinal studies of the changes in adaptive behavior associated with moving from state institutions to small (15 or fewer people) community living arrangements for persons with mental retardation. It reviews 15 research reports, including 18 separate studies with 1358 subjects that met specific criterion for design and recency. It summarizes outcomes in the areas of overall adaptive behavior, seven specific domains of adaptive behavior, and overall problem behavior. All eight of the experimental/contrast group studies, and 5 of the 10 longitudinal studies reported statistically significant improvement in either overall adaptive behavior or in the basic self-help/domestic domain associated with movement to the community. All 18 studies reported at least some improvement for groups moving from institutions to community living arrangements.
Negative Energies and Field Theory

The assumption that the vacuum is the minimum energy state, invariant under unitary transformations, is fundamental to quantum field theory. However, the assertion that the conservation of charge implies that the equal time commutator of the charge density and its time derivative vanish for two spatially separated points is inconsistent with the requirement that the vacuum be the lowest energy state. Yet, for quantum field theory to be gauge invariant, this commutator must vanish. This essay explores how this conundrum is resolved in quantum electrodynamics.
Eating-Related Characteristics Questionnaire (ECQ): Scales, Scoring, and Norms

The exact format of the questionnaire as administered to subjects is given on pages 112–116, with one exception. When administering the questionnaire to subjects, omit the letters that identify the homogeneous item dimensions to which items belong and the signs that indicate direction of scoring of items. Both of these are given within parentheses preceding items.
Physical changes in the home environment to reduce television viewing and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among 5- to 12-year-old children: a randomized pilot study.

This study evaluated the feasibility of a home-based intervention to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage intake and television viewing among children. Lower income parents of overweight children aged 5-12 years (n = 40) were randomized to a home environment intervention to reduce television viewing with locking devices and displace availability of sugar-sweetened beverages with home delivery of non-caloric beverages (n = 25), or to a no-intervention control group (n = 15) for 6 months. Data were collected at baseline and 6 months. After 6 months, television viewing hours per day was significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the control group (1.7 [SE = .02] vs. 2.6 [SE = .25] hours/day, respectively, P < .01). Sugar-sweetened beverage intake was marginally significantly lower among intervention group compared to control group children (0.21 [SE = .09] vs. 0.45 [SE = .10], respectively, P < .09). Body mass index (BMI) z-score was not significantly lower among intervention compared to control children. Among a lower income sample of children, a home-based intervention reduced television viewing, but not sugar-sweetened beverage intake or BMI z-score.
Comparison of semi-empirical models for turbulent boundary layer wall pressure spectra

This paper reviews the development of semi-empirical models which calculate the turbulent boundary layer wall pressure frequency spectra. Various models published from the late 1960s to 2004 are reviewed, and the pressure spectra calculated using these models are compared to measured data obtained at various flow conditions at a substantially wide range of Reynolds number and boundary layer thickness. The experimental data consists of flows on flat surfaces in air and cylindrical surfaces in water. A summary of the results on the applicability and limitation of each of the models compared is discussed. A model is identified that provides a good overall prediction of the frequency spectra for all cases evaluated. The readers may use the information presented to choose a model appropriate for their specific applications.
A Survey of Desktop and Notebook Computer Use by Professionals

Over the last quarter century, extensive research concerning work-related musculoskeletal discomfort has been conducted in the area of desktop computer (DPC) use, among professionals and clerical w...
Decay of Time Correlations in Two Dimensions

Molecular-dynamic studies of the kinetic correlation functions for shear viscosity and heat conductivity of hard disks are consistent with the asymptotic reciprocal time behavior $\frac{1}{S}$ predicted by hydrodynamics. However, this hydrodynamic description, which predicts divergent transport coefficients, must be made self-consistent by introducing time-dependent transport coefficients, leading to a decay of $\frac{1}{S\sqrt{(\mathrm{ln}S)}}$, indistinguishable from the $\frac{1}{S}$ behavior. The hydrodynamic model predicts no such long-time behavior for the potential contributions.
The prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance among clinically significant respiratory tract isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the United States and Canada : 1997 results from the SENTRY antimicrobial surveillance program

As part of the SENTRY antimicrobial resistance surveillance program, a total of 1100 clinically significant respiratory tract isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae were tested for susceptibility to six fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agents: ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, grepafloxacin, sparfloxacin, and trovafloxacin. Isolates were obtained during the 5-month period, February to June, 1997 from 27 United States medical center laboratories and seven laboratories in Canadian health care institutions. All testing was performed in a single center. Of 1100 test strains, 3 (0.3%), all from different U.S. centers, were fluoroquinolone resistant. Among the remaining 1097 fluoroquinolone-susceptible isolates, the rank order of activity among the six agents tested in this study was grepafloxacin (modal MIC = 0.25 microgram/mL) = trovafloxacin (modal MIC = 0.25 microgram/mL) = sparfloxacin (0.25 microgram/mL) > gatifloxacin (0.5 microgram/mL) > levofloxacin (1 microgram/mL) = ciprofloxacin (1 microgram/mL). Fluoroquinolone resistance is currently uncommon among respiratory tract isolates of S. pneumoniae in North America, but there exist clear differences between the in vitro activities of different fluoroquinolones for this organism.
A depolarizing inhibitory response to GABA in brainstem auditory neurons of the chick.

Neurons in the brainstem auditory nuclei, n. magnocellularis and n. laminaris, of the chick are contacted by terminals containing the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). In this report we describe the physiological response of these neurons to GABA using an in vitro slice preparation. In brainstem auditory neurons, GABA produced a depolarization of up to 20 mV and an associated decrease in input resistance. This depolarization was inhibitory; action potentials generated by orthodromic synaptic drive, antidromic stimulation and intracellular current injection were prevented by GABA application. The GABA response still occurred when synaptic transmission was prevented by perfusing the slice with a medium containing low Ca2+ and high Mg2+ concentrations. Thus, the effects of GABA were directly on the postsynaptic neuron and not via an interneuron. Whole-cell voltage clamp of neurons revealed that the reversal potential of the inward current was approximately −45 mV, suggesting that the channel responsible for this response is not selective for Cl− or K+. Pharmacological analyses suggest that this GABA receptor has properties distinct from those typical of either GABAa or GABAb receptors. Although a similar response was observed with the GABAa agonist, muscimol, it was not blocked by the GABAa antagonist, bicuculline. The response was not evoked by the GABAb agonist, baclofen, and was not blocked by the GABAb antagonist phaclofen. This unusual depolarizing response is not a common feature of all brainstem neurons. Neurons located in the neighboring medial vestibular nucleus show a more traditional response to GABA application. At resting potential, these neurons show a hyperpolarizing or biphasic response associated with a decrease in input resistance and inhibition of their spontaneous activity. GABA-induced responses in the medial vestibular nucleus are blocked by bicuculline. These results suggest that an unusual form of the GABA receptor is present in the brainstem auditory system of the chick. It is possible that this form of GABA receptor provides an efficient mechanism for inhibiting the relatively powerful EPSPs received by brainstem auditory neurons, or it may play a trophic role in the afferent regulation of neuronal integrity in this system.
The myosin filament. XIII. The sensitivity of LMM assembly to Mg.ATP.

An LMM fragment (Mr 62,000) of myosin has been prepared which has aggregation properties that are sensitive to the presence of Mg.ATP. Aggregation of the LMM by reducing the ionic strength in the presence of 1 mM Mg.ATP produces non-periodic aggregates which gradually rearrange to paracrystals with a 43 nm axial repeat pattern. This fragment includes the C-terminal end of the myosin rod starting at residue 1376. Therefore, at least one of the Mg.ATP binding sites responsible for this effect is located somewhere along this region of the myosin rod. Although assembly of the rod fragment of myosin into paracrystals does not show sensitivity to Mg.ATP, assembly of intact myosin molecules to form filaments does show sensitivity to Mg.ATP. For myosin filaments, assembly initially gives a broad distribution around a mean length of 1.5 microns, which sharpens around the mean length with time. The rearrangement of the LMM rods and intact myosin molecules both induced by the presence of Mg.ATP are probably related. These findings highlight the complexity of the cooperative interactions between different portions of the myosin molecule that are involved in determining the assembly properties of the intact molecule.
Food vs. biofuel: an optimization approach to the spatio-temporal analysis of land-use competition and environmental impacts.

Abstract Biofuel production from food crops leads to debates about the increase in food prices and security of the food supply. On the other hand, biofuels derived from cellulosic (energy) crops offer positive environmental impacts. In this study, we develop a multi-objective mixed-integer optimization model to investigate the trade-offs and competition between biofuel and food production using switchgrass and corn. This model maximizes total economic and environmental benefits and provides optimal decisions regarding land allocations to food and energy crops, seeding time, harvesting time and amount, and budget allocations to farm operations. A piecewise linear lower approximation is developed to linearize the nonlinear revenue curve of corn grain sales. Spatio-temporal environmental impacts such as soil erosion prevention, carbon sequestration and emissions, and nitrogen pollution are included in the model. The application of the model in Kansas indicates that switchgrass is more profitable than corn in cropland, while it requires Conservation Research Program (CRP) incentives for production on marginal land unless priority is given to the environment. In order to ensure food security, our study advises managers and policy makers to provide CRP incentives or to adjust the sustainability factor, which restricts cropland availability for biofuel production. Our spatio-temporal optimization model can also be adapted to different regions with alternative energy and food crops under various management scenarios.
Classroom Assessment: Teachers’ Conceptions and Practices in Mathematics

The purpose of this study was to explore teachers’ conceptions about assessment and their actual assessment practices. The sample for the study consisted of 269 mathematics teachers in Grades 1 through 4 in a southeastern state. The teachers completed a cross-sectional, Likert-scale survey. Using chi-square to examine the relationships between grade level and teachers’ conceptions and between grade level and teachers’ practices, the researchers found several significant differences, transcending an indication of relationship by chance.
Pyrolysis gas chromatography applied to coal tar- and petroleum-pitches

Abstract Pyrolysis gas chromatography has been used to study 12 coal tar- and petroleum-pitches used as binders and impregnants, respectively, in the production of thermic graphite electrodes. Parameters such as coking value, softening point and quinoline insolubles, which are normally used to characterize these pitches, have been related to changes in some of the peaks in the chromatograms. Computerized data collection and a nitrogen-specific detector, combined with a flame ionization detector, allowed for easy comparisons of different pitches and aided in the identifications of some of the pyrolysis products. The use of this technique for possible screening of unknown samples is suggested.
CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM I. EFFECT OF B VITAMINS ON LIVER GLYCOGEN OF THYROID′FED RATS1,2

RECENT STUDIES emphasizing the interrelationships between thyroid function and the metabolism of the B vitamins have shown a), that thyroid feeding decreases the amount of vitamin B1 in rat tissues (i, 2), and b), that the food intake and weight maintenance of thyroid′fed rats depend on an adequate intake of the B vitamins (3), particularly vitamins B1, B6, and pantothenic acid (4). It has been repeatedly demonstrated that thyroid feeding will decrease the amount of glycogen in the liver (5,6,7, 8), and Abelin (9) and Abelin, Knochel, and Spichtin (10) reported that a yeast extract would prevent the fall in liver glycogen of rats that had been fed thyroid gland for 5 to 6 days. This observation was confirmed by Drill (11), who studied the liver glycogen of rats injected with small amounts of thyroxin.
Flow of Viscous Shear-Thinning Fluids Behind Cooling Coil Banks in Large Reactors

Through the use of a laminar flow loop, an ultrasound pulsed doppler device was found to accurately (±5%) measure the velocity of a viscous, opaque fluid (Xanthan Gum solution), using the entrained air (moving with the liquid) as energy reflectors. This technique was then utilized to measure the axial velocity of Xanthan Gum solutions behind cooling coil banks in two large (300 and 20 000 gal) fermentors, agitated by multiple down-pumping A315 impellers. The results indicate that, at both scales, the fluid in the annular region behind the cooling coil banks becomes completely stagnant at moderate to low agitation power (3.7 HP/1000 gal) when air is not sparged into the tank. Stagnant flow was observed at all airflow rates ≥0.1 vvm. A computational fluid dynamics (Fluent) model predicted reasonably well the actual liquid flow rate in the annular region behind the coil bank(s) of both tanks for the cases when air was not sparged. The results from an experimental design, using this Fluent model for the 20 00...
Multilevel iterative methods for mixed finite element discretizations of elliptic problems

For solving second order elliptic problems discretized on a sequence of nested mixed finite element spaces nearly optimal iterative methods are proposed. The methods are within the general framework of the product (multiplicative) scheme for operators in a Hilbert space, proposed recently by Bramble, Pasciak, Wang, and Xu [5,6,26,27] and make use of certain multilevel decomposition of the corresponding spaces for the flux variable.
First Report of Resistance to Mefenoxam in Phytophthora cactorum in the United States and Elsewhere.

Phytophthora cactorum causes crown rot of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) (2), a disease that has been particularly severe during the last 5 years in the southeastern United States. In the fall of 2001, strawberry plants (cv. Camarosa) in a field in Lexington County, South Carolina exhibited typical crown rot symptoms (2) 1 to 2 weeks after transplanting, even though plants had been drenched with mefenoxam (Ridomil Gold; Syngenta Crop Protection, Greensboro, NC) immediately after transplanting. Initially, we observed leaves that had marginal necrosis, were smaller than normal, and were discolored. Soon after, diseased plants appeared stunted and unthrifty compared with other plants in the field, and some of these plants eventually wilted and died. Severely affected plants had necrotic roots and decayed crowns. Ten symptomatic plants were collected for isolation. In the laboratory, root and crown tissues were rinsed in running tap water and blotted dry, small pieces of necrotic tissue were placed aseptically on PAR-V8 selective medium (1), and isolation plates were placed at 20°C in the dark for up to 7 days. P. cactorum was recovered from six plants. Isolates produced characteristic asexual and sexual structures directly on the isolation plates (i.e., papillate sporangia on sympodial sporangiophores and oospores with paragynous antheridia) (2). A single hypha of an isolate from each plant was transferred to fresh PAR-V8, and pure cultures were stored on cornmeal agar in glass vials at 15°C in the dark. All six isolates from the Lexington County field and nine other isolates of P. cactorum from strawberry (three from South Carolina, three from North Carolina, and three from Florida) were tested for sensitivity to mefenoxam on fungicide-amended medium. Mefenoxam was added to 10% clarified V8 juice agar (cV8A) after autoclaving so the concentration in the medium was 100 ppm. Agar plugs from active colonies were transferred to mefenoxam-amended and nonamended cV8A (three replicates per treatment), plates were placed at 25°C in the dark for 3 days, and linear mycelium growth was measured. All six isolates from Lexington County were highly resistant to mefenoxam with mycelium growth relatively unrestricted on mefenoxam-amended medium (73 to 89% of that on nonamended medium). In comparison, the other nine isolates were sensitive to mefenoxam with mycelium growth severely restricted by 100 ppm of mefenoxam (0 to 7% of that on nonamended medium). To our knowledge, this is the first report of mefenoxam resistance in P. cactorum on strawberry or any other crop in the United States and elsewhere. Because mefenoxam is the primary fungicide used to manage Phytophthora crown rot in the southeastern United States, resistance may limit use of this fungicide in strawberry production. References: (1) A. J. Ferguson and S. N. Jeffers. Plant Dis. 83:1129, 1999. (2) E. Seemuller. Crown rot. Pages 50-51 in: Compendium of Strawberry Diseases, 2nd ed. J. L. Maas, ed. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1998.
Somatic Cell Hybrid between the Established Human Line D98 (Presumptive HeLa) and 3T3

Somatic cell hybrids have been made between an established human cell line with a long culture history and established mouse fibroblast line. When first analyzed, the hybrid cells contained nearly twice as many mouse chromosomes as the mouse parent line and a human chromosome complemnent of about half that of the human parent. There was further loss of human chromosomes on continued cultivation. This behavior resembles that of other human mouse hybrids and appears to be characteristic of the human-mouse combination. However, the number of human chromosomes is greater than in hybrids made from human diploid fibroblasts. Some clones contain more than a haptoid quantity of human DNA per cell and should synthesize a much greater number of human gene products.
Reversible image rotations with modulo transforms

This paper proposes a new paradigm for the construction of reversible two point transforms or planar rotations. We show that the transform coefficients for integer to integer mappings through an integer rotation matrix are redundant in modular arithmetic. This redundancy can be exploited by quantizing transform coefficients in a critical manner, producing reversible and unit determinant transforms. For a subset of such critically quantized transforms, the quantization process can be performed by rounded integer division along each dimension. Such transforms are formed by a subset of Pythagorean triads, and can be used to implement reversible image rotations from a countable set of rotation angles. The subjective quality of the rotation so obtained compares favorably with the three shear or lifting algorithm.
"Granular" convection in a vibrated fluid.

Numerical simulation of the Navier-Stokes equation in a continuously vibrated box demonstrates the formation of convection rolls. These rolls circulate with the opposite orientation to those found in granular flows. By introducing a negative-slip boundary condition, we recover the roll orientation and roll reversal with increasing side wall angle that have been obtained in experiments on granular convection.
Behavioral and hormonal effects of prolonged high doses of LHRH in male impotency

Eight married men with secondary impotency on a nonorganic, non-psychiatric disease basis injected themselves with placebo subcutaneously (SC) twice a day (b.i.d.) for the first week in a single blind design followed by two periods of four weeks with LHRH (3 mg b.i.d. for four weeks) and placebo (b.i.d. for four weeks) in a double blind crossover design. Outcome was assessed by daily questionnaires. There were no significant differences between the effects of LHRH and placebo on frequency of intercourse, spontaneous erections, and wife's rating of her husband's libido. On these measurements, small, non-significant, trends toward improvement were associated with LHRH. The patients' rating of their own libido was higher (p<0.05) during the first week on LHRH compared to the first week of the four weeks of placebo, but the magnitude of the differences was minimal. Frequency of masturbation did not increase with LHRH. In contrast to other studies, men with premasturbatory activity improved less and there was no improvement in potency in the two month follow-up after LHRH. Baseline LH, FSH, testosterone and prolactin were all within normal limits. The LH and FSH response to LHRH decreased over the 28 days but testosterone levels and response to LHRH increased. Since there was a small trend toward improvement after LHRH, clinical trials with LHRH analogs should be explored.
Activation of PI3K/Akt signaling in rostral ventrolateral medulla impairs brain stem cardiovascular regulation that underpins circulatory depression during mevinphos intoxication

As the most widely used pesticides in the globe, the organophosphate compounds are understandably linked with the highest incidence of suicidal poisoning. Whereas the elicited toxicity is often associated with circulatory depression, the underlying mechanisms require further delineation. Employing the pesticide mevinphos as our experimental tool, we evaluated the hypothesis that transcriptional upregulation of nitric oxide synthase II (NOS II) by NF-κB on activation of the PI3K/Akt cascade in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), the brain stem site that maintains blood pressure and sympathetic vasomotor tone, underpins the circulatory depressive effects of organophosphate poisons. Microinjection of mevinphos (10 nmol) bilaterally into the RVLM of anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats induced a progressive hypotension that was accompanied sequentially by an increase (Phase I) and a decrease (Phase II) of an experimental index for the baroreflex-mediated sympathetic vasomotor tone. There were also progressive augmentations in PI3K or Akt enzyme activity and phosphorylation of p85 or Akt(Thr308) subunit in the RVLM that were causally related to an increase in NF-κB transcription activity and elevation in NOS II or peroxynitrite expression. Loss-of-function manipulations of PI3K or Akt in the RVLM significantly antagonized the reduced baroreflex-mediated sympathetic vasomotor tone and hypotension during Phase II mevinphos intoxication, and blunted the increase in NF-κB/NOS II/peroxynitrite signaling. We conclude that activation of the PI3K/Akt cascade, leading to upregulation of NF-κB/NOS II/peroxynitrite signaling in the RVLM, elicits impairment of brain stem cardiovascular regulation that underpins circulatory depression during mevinphos intoxication.
Witnessing Continuous Variable Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Steering with Discrete Measurements

We create a stronger EPR-steering inequality for continuous variables using entropic uncertainty and discrete measurements. We explore the asymmetry in this inequality and develop a new symmetric inequality. We also violate these inequalities in experiment.
Appearance of a brain-specific antigen (S-100 protein) in the developing rat brain.

— Thelevel of the S-100 protein, a brain-specific antigen, wasdetermined by quantitative complement fixation in the brain stem and cerebrum of the rat during postnatal maturation. The content was minimal at birth in the brain stem and rose to its adult value by day 25. Although S-100 protein could not be detected in the cerebrum of the 2-day-old rat, adult values were also present by the 25th day of age. Neither single dose X-irradiation with 750 rd to the head at 2 days of age or single dose X-irradiation at 11 days of age affected the adult level of S-100 protein in the brain stem or cerebrum. Similarly, hypophysectomy at 20 days of age had no effect on the subsequent levels of S-100 protein.
TRANSFORMING G PROTEIN-COUPLED RECEPTORS BLOCK INSULIN AND RAS-INDUCED ADIPOCYTIC DIFFERENTIATION IN 3T3-L1 CELLS : EVIDENCE FOR A PKC AND MAP KINASE INDEPENDENT PATHWAY

Abstract We have used the expression of muscarinic m1 receptors in the preadipocytic 3T3-L1 cell line for dissecting the nature of the G protein-linked pathways governing adipocytic differentiation, a complex process controlled by many stimuli and their downstream targets. 3T3-L1 cells can be differentiated by insulin or by ras oncogenes, and MAP kinase has been implicated in this process. However, m1 stimulation failed to induce differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. Furthermore, it prevented insulin or v-ras -induced adipocytic differentiation, utilizing a protein kinase C-independent pathway. m1 stimulation did not alter the phosphorylation state of the insulin receptor substrates IRS-1 and SHC, nor the recruitment of Grb-2. Interestingly, whereas m1 receptors potently activated MAP kinase, another differentiation-inhibitor, TNF α, did not affect it. These results suggest that the control of adipocytic differentiation can occur utilizing a biochemical route independent of protein kinase C, and acting downstream, or independently from the Ras-MAP kinase pathway.
Prevention of high current concentrations in the nozzle of MHD generators

Abstract An exact, three-dimensional, analytical description of the current distribution in the nozzle of an MHD channel, under imposed open conditions, is obtained. Strong vorticity of the current flow and high current concentration in the small regions toward the one side of the sidewalls and near the exit of the channel are found.
Off-Pump Bilateral Internal Thoracic Artery Grafting in Right Internal Thoracic Artery to Right Coronary System

Background Despite many large-volume studies on the use of bilateral internal thoracic artery (ITA) grafts, the benefits of a bilateral (B)ITA graft over a single (S)ITA graft for CABG remain controversial. This study compared midterm outcomes of BITA to SITA grafting in off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB), focusing primarily on the right (R)ITA to right coronary artery (RCA) system. Methods From January 2000 to December 2009, 1,749 patients underwent isolated OPCAB with ITA grafts. Using propensity score matching, 366 BITA patients could be pairwise propensity matched to a SITA patient. We compared midterm survival and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) between the 2 groups. All patients in the BITA group underwent bilateral ITA grafting with the RITA anastomosed to the RCA system. Mean follow-up was 84.46 ± 24.47 months (range, 5 to 120 months). Results Overall survival at 10 years was not significantly different between the 2 groups (84.6% vs 84.1%; p = 0.955). The 10-year cardiac-related death-free rate also did not significantly differ between the groups (90.0% vs 90.9%; p = 0.871). The 10-year MACCE-free rate did not significantly differ between the 2 groups (79.7% vs 74.6%; p = 0.303). Conclusions At 10-year follow-up, BITA grafting did not offer advantages over SITA grafting in midterm outcomes, at least in the RITA to RCA system. The BITA grafting was similar to SITA grafting in overall and cardiac survival, and MACCE rates.
A Model of the U. S. Apple Industry: A Quadratic Interregional Intertemporal Activity Analysis Formulation

An in-depth analysis of the U. S. apple industry and its problems requires simultaneous consideration of its multiple dimensions of space, time, resources, commodities, production activities, and marketing levels. An empirical model incorporating these dimensions is constructed and its use for policy analysis is demonstrated by measuring the impact of alternative size reductions in regional apple marketings on f.o.b. level industry and regional net returns. The model could also be used in determining the ramifications of changes in consumer demand, transportation costs, and marketing margins on such factors as production, prices, and interregional flows.
Joint contractures, hyperkeratosis, and severe hypoplasia of the posterior columns: a new recessive syndrome.

We report on 2 brothers with arthrogryposis, hyperkeratosis, and severe hypoplasia of dorsal roots and posterior columns in the one sib who was examined at autopsy. This appears to represent a new arthrogryposis syndrome with poor prognosis, most likely inherited as a single gene, either autosomal or X-linked recessive trait. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Binding energy estimates for charmed few-body systems

By solving exact three-and four-body equations, we obtain estimates of the binding energies of light nuclei containing one charmed ${C}_{0}^{+}$ baryon.NUCLEAR STRUCTURE Few-body hypernuclei, charmed analogs of hypernuclei, binding energy estimates.
Transient optical neural stimulation in vivo

The traditional method of stimulating neural activity has been based on electrical methods and remains the gold standard to date despite inherent limitations. We have developed a new paradigm - transient optical neural stimulation (TONS) to in vivo neural activation based on pulsed infrared light, which provides a contact-free, spatially selective, artifact-free method without incurring tissue damage that may have significant advantages over electrical stimulation in a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Results demonstrate that low-level laser energy can be used to consistently and reproducibly stimulate action potentials in discrete populations of peripheral nerves with resulting compound nerve and muscle potentials in frogs and rats in vivo with no appreciable tissue damage using radiant exposures well below damage threshold. This phenomenon is wavelength dependent and stimulation threshold follows the inverse of soft tissue absorption. Thus stimulation threshold is a function of the penetration depth of light in tissue. We have developed in conjunction with our industrial partner, an optical stimulator that can be used to stimulate nerves for research purposes. This unit has been shown to successfully stimulate peripheral nerves in vivo in an animal model. Preliminary investigation of the physical mechanism underlying this phenomenon, indicate that TONS is most likely a photo-thermal effect from transient tissue temperature changes resulting in direct or indirect activation of transmembrane ion channels causing propagation of the action potential.
Synthesis, Characterization and Direct Intracellular Imaging of Ultrasmall and Uniform Glutathione-Coated Gold Nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with core sizes below 2 nm and compact ligand shells constitute versatile platforms for the development of novel reagents in nanomedicine. Due to their ultrasmall size, these AuNPs are especially attractive in applications requiring delivery to crowded intracellular spaces in the cytosol and nucleus. For eventual use in vivo, ultrasmall AuNPs should ideally be monodisperse, since small variations in size may affect how they interact with cells and how they behave in the body. Here we report the synthesis of ultrasmall, uniform 144-atom AuNPs protected by p-mercaptobenzoic acid followed by ligand exchange with glutathione (GSH). Quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) reveals that the resulting GSH-coated nanoparticles (Au(GSH)) have a uniform mass distribution with cores that contain 134 gold atoms on average. Particle size dispersity is analyzed by analytical ultracentrifugation, giving a narrow distribution of apparent hydrodynamic diameter of 4.0 ± 0.6 nm. To evaluate the nanoparticles' intracellular fate, the cell-penetrating peptide TAT is attached noncovalently to Au(GSH), which is confirmed by fluorescence quenching and isothermal titration calorimetry. HeLa cells are then incubated with both Au(GSH) and the Au(GSH)-TAT complex, and imaged without silver enhancement of the AuNPs in unstained thin sections by STEM. This imaging approach enables unbiased detection and quantification of individual ultrasmall nanoparticles and aggregates in the cytoplasm and nucleus of the cells.
Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases and Interactions of Psychotropic Drugs: A Five-Year Update

Objective:This article is a five-year update on a previous review article (International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 21:47–56, 1991) on cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and interactions of psychotropic drugs.Method:In the literature review, the recent committee work on nomenclature of the P450 superfamily are highlighted. Then, the author reviewed gene clusters of three human cytochrome P450s—CYP1A2, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4 with the focus on the changes of serum levels of the coadministered psychotropic drugs in the context of enzymatic induction and inhibition of these three hepatic enzymes.Results:As indicated in one table, the author stratified probes, inducers, inhibitors, chemical reactions, and substrates under these three gene clusters. As shown in another simple table, the author compared the hepatic enzymatic inhibitions of four selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and pointed out the inhibition potentials of fluvoxamine at CYP1A2, fluoxetine and paroxetine at CYP2D6, and fluoxetine and fluvox...