cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulation of the pharmacokinetics of endogenous plasma uridine by 5-(phenylthio)acyclouridine, a uridine phosphorylase inhibitor: implications for chemotherapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the ability of oral PTAU, 5-(phenylthio)acyclouridine, to increase the concentration of endogenous plasma uridine. PTAU is a new potent and specific inhibitor of uridine phosphorylase (UrdPase, EC 2.4.2.3), the enzyme responsible for uridine catabolism. This compound was designed as a lipophilic inhibitor in order to facilitate its access to the liver and intestine, the main organs involved in uridine catabolism. Methods: PTAU was administered to mice orally and parenterally. The plasma levels of PTAU as well as those of uridine and its catabolite uracil were measured by HPLC, and pharmacokinetic analysis was performed. Results: PTAU was fully adsorbed after oral administration (over 100% oral bioavailability) and no PTAU metabolites were detected. PTAU administered orally had no apparent toxicity at doses up to 120 mg/kg per day for 5 days. Parenteral administration of PTAU at 30, 45 and 60 mg/kg increased the concentration of endogenous plasma uridine (1.8±0.2 µM) by approximately six-, seven-, and nine-fold, respectively. Plasma uridine concentration remained higher than control values until 8 h after PTAU administration. Similar results were obtained following oral administration of PTAU. The baseline concentrations of endogenous plasma uridine were increased by approximately six-, seven- and ten-fold by oral administration of PTAU at 30, 45 and 60 mg/kg, respectively, and remained higher than the controls until 8 h after PTAU administration. PTAU did not alter the concentration of endogenous plasma uracil. Conclusion: The effectiveness of the PTAU in elevating and sustaining high plasma uridine concentrations may be useful in rescuing or protecting the host from toxicities of various chemotherapeutic pyrimidine analogues as well as in the management of medical disorders that respond to the administration of uridine.
Prevalence of Major Life Events Among Patients and Community Dwellers

Life events have been shown to be associated with health and illness. We studied the number of life events experienced by hip fracture patients, nonfracture rheumatology patients, and community-dwelling asymptomatic residents in the year before interview. Fifty-four hip fracture patients, 63 ambulatory patients, and 115 community-dwelling residents participated in the study. All were older than 65 years. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric analyses were performed. The number of events reported in the previous 12months was higher for hipfracture patients than for community participants (p = 0.02). At least one bereavement was reported by 32% of hipfracture patients, 27% of ambulatory patients, and 26% of community dwellers (p = 0.8). Ten percent of all respondents reported experiencing more than one bereavement. This has important consequences when considering the care of these patients and the mental distress they may be experiencing, especially in the aftermath of local disasters or trauma. Medications may not always be the best treatment, and better psychosocial assessments and delivery systems are needed.
Vessel Size, Antioxidants, and Restenosis: Never Too Small, Not Too Little, but Often Too Late

The angioplasty restenosis experience of the last 20 years has left us with two disturbing ideas: first, that pharmacological control of this disease may well be beyond reach; and second, that animal models of restenosis simply cannot predict pharmacological success. Two recent double-blinded clinical trials with probucol therapy for elective angioplasty, the MultiVitamins and Probucol (MVP) trial1 and the Probucol Angioplasty Restenosis Trial (PART),2 offer sustaining hope. Each study sought to examine the role of oxidative stress on restenosis through the use of dietary intake of antioxidants and assessment of effect with quantitative angiography. Whereas the MVP trial examined the differential effects of probucol and the combination of vitamins C and E with β-carotene, the PART trial compared probucol with placebo alone. The probucol arms of these studies were based on the same fundamental cell culture and preclinical animal experiments, used virtually identical designs, and produced nearly identical reductions in restenosis (Table⇓). As reported in this issue of Circulation , Rodes et al3 have extended analysis of the MVP trial post hoc to patients with small-diameter vessels. As with a similar subgroup analysis of the PART trial,4 the benefit of probucol was retained in vessels <2.7 mm in diameter (Table⇓), and as in the parent MVP trial with all patients and arteries of all sizes, the addition of vitamins C and E with β-carotene negated the beneficial effect. View this table: Table 1. Summary of Data From Clinical Trials Examining Probucol in Angioplasty Restenosis Taken together, this study,3 the parent MVP trial,1 and the recently published PART trial2 not only rejuvenate the search for the elusive “magic bullet” for restenosis but pose intriguing questions and offer critical insight into the mechanism of restenosis, the validity of preclinical animal trials, and the design of clinical studies. In …
Radio Channel Characteristics of Zigbee Wireless Sensors in Machine Shop for Plant Floor Process Monitoring

Wireless sensors are envisioned to be useful for plant floor process monitoring with unprecedented flexibility and low costs, where data can be relayed via a wireless network formed among the sensors. Factory environments, however, are known harsh for radio communications. For sensor radios engineered with extremely low power and simple circuitry, the sensor radio channel characteristics must be identified for optimal network design and reliability assessment. In this paper, a preliminary radio channel measurement study was performed based on the wireless sensor pairs in normal communication at the 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) band to assess the sensor radio channel properties in a university machine workshop. The effect of both stationary and moving (forklift) obstacles on the radio propagation in terms of the received signal power, bit error and packet error rates was studied. The effect of stationary obstacles was further analyzed against a simple path loss model to find the path loss exponent. A spectrum analyzer was also used to capture the noise backgrounds in free space and the machine shop, which shows significantly different radio activities among the investigated scenarios. The proposed channel measurement methodology through directly utilizing the sensor platforms will help future radio channel characterization studies in manufacturing plant floor environments.Copyright © 2006 by ASME and Ford Motor Company
Video-assisted thoracoscopic resection for intralobar pulmonary sequestration: single modality treatment with video-assisted thoracic surgery.

of this case. This kind of tumor is usually located in the left upper lobe, as in our case. Because of the presence of thymic tissue in some mediastinal and intrapulmonary teratomas, it has been speculated that these tumors might originate in the thymic tissue. However, the suggestion that early embryogenesis can cause separation or displacement of the thymus can be correct only for tumors found in the anterior mediastinum. The other explanation is that during the initial embryo period, a teratomatous focus in the mediastinum enters that tissue during respiratory growth and settles there. We have not encountered thymic tissue in histologic examinations. Intrapulmonary teratoma is treated by surgical resection. It has been reported that 5 of 18 patients in whom resection was performed died within 1 year. In addition, 4 patients died during the immediate postoperative period. Thus, this kind of tumor causes mortality and morbidity. Lobectomy was successful in our case.
On the lamb problem with long-range elastic cohesion forces

Abstract The Lamb two-dimensional problem involving a nonlocal medium is solved by taking the constitutive equations in the Kroener—Eringen form. The Fourier exponential transform procedure leads to the equations for stresses which are subject to time-dependent boundary conditions. In the particular case of a concentrated line force, the displacements at the surface of the half-space become associated with Rayleigh, longitudinal and shear waves whose velocities in the nonlocal case and for short waves are, by about 36%, less than those of their conventional counterparts.
Experimental oxygen isotope fractionation between siderite-water and phosphoric acid liberated CO2-siderite

The equilibrium fractionation of O isotopes between synthetic siderite and water has been measured at temperatures ranging from 33° to 197°C. The fractionation between siderite and water over this temperature range can be represented by the equation: 103 ln α = 3.13 × 106T−2 − 3.50. Comparison between the experimental and theoretical fractionations is favorable only at approximately 200°C; at lower temperatures, they generally differ by up to 2 permil. Siderite was prepared by the slow addition of ferrous chloride solutions to sodium bicarbonate solutions at the experimental temperatures. It was also used to determine the O isotope fractionation factors between phosphoric acid liberated CO2 and siderite. The fractionation factors for this pair at 25° and 50°C are 1.01175 and 1.01075, respectively. Preliminary results of the measured C isotope fractionation between siderite and Co2 also indicate C isotopic equilibrium during precipitation of siderite. The measured distribution of 13C between siderite and CO2 coincides with the theoretical values only at about 120°C. Experimental and theoretical C fractionations differ up to 3 permil at higher and lower temperatures.
The social and behavioral ecology of mixed-age and same-age preschool classrooms: A natural experiment

Social interaction and task behavior of preschool children in mixed-age (MA) and same-age (SA) groups were studied longitudinally in this natural experiment, which capitalized on one preschool's transition from two SA (separate 3, 4) classrooms to two MA (combined 3/4) classrooms. In contrast to previous research examining MA and SA grouping, which has typically lacked appropriate comparison groups, the present study was essentially able to hold teachers, curriculum, location, teaching philosophy, and participant population constant. A total of 7887 naturalistic, time-sampled, classroom observations on 47 children attending the two classes were conducted over the course of 18 months. Children's goal-directed activity, sustained attention, social affiliation, inappropriate behavior, and affect were reliably recorded using a checklist instrument. Significant age differences in behavior between the 3- and 4-year-olds in SA classrooms were typically eliminated in the context of MA classrooms such that the 3-year-olds in MA classes in several ways were more like 4-year-olds in SA classrooms, and 4-year-olds in MA classes behaved more like 3-year-olds in SA classrooms. The social and behavioral ecology of the MA preschool classrooms changed significantly over time as children became more familiar with one another. Several of the social affiliation advantages of MA grouping that were found (i.e., age and gender desegregation) wore off over time as the school year progressed. The effects of MA grouping on children's social and behavioral development appear complicated. Developmental benefits that MA grouping may provide appear to come with some costs, especially for the older children in the classroom.
INTRODUCTION: SOCIOLOGY OF EMOTIONS

The articles in this Special Issue of the IJSSP, entitled ‘Sociology of Emotions’, were, with two exceptions, presented at the 90th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association held in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., from August 19–23, 1995. These outstanding papers do much to develop the theoretical grounding of two closely related fields of inquiry ‐ the social psychology of emotions and the sociology of emotions. No social relations are carried out in the absence of either thought or emotion. It immediately follows that the sociology of emotions is not so much a nascent, exotic sub‐discipline of sociology as it is a level of analysis that must be carried out if meaning is to be found in any social system, in any social process, or in any social relationship of the everyday world.
Adhesive Tiecoat/Polyimide Interactions in High Temperature Flex Packaging

The high temperature reliability of flex-based Cu/tiecoat/polyimide structures was evaluated through finite element simulation and experimental approach. This study is part of an effort to characterize and optimize polyimide flex as a substrate material for electronics packages rated to greater than 204°C. The peel strength of several common adhesion metals (Ti, Cr, Ni, Cu) on Kapton E was quantified at room temperature and after high temperature storage in inert and highly oxidizing environments. These results were used in tandem with thermal-mechanical simulations to characterize the behavior of several tiecoat materials. Experimental results showed diminished peel strengths of both the Ti and Cr after a 100-hour 250°C heat treatment in air. However when annealed in an inert N2 environment at 250°C for 100 hours, Cr, Ni, and Ti retained their as-sputtered peel strength. Ni and Cu exhibited lower mechanical stresses in the simulation; however, their relatively low reactivity limits their adhesion strength at the interface in oxidizing environments. To further understand the origin of the thermal-mechanical stress, the effect of mismatched CTE was compared to mismatched elastic modulus. Both properties were found to contribute to stress generation; however elastic modulus mismatches had a much greater influence on the overall magnitude of the stress. Through experimentation and FEA analysis this study aims to develop a flexed-based high temperature packaging solution and to shed light onto high temperature tiecoat/polyimide interactions.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Formal Modeling Of Middleware-based Distributed Systems

Effective design of middleware-based systems requires modeling notations that allow the use of process-interaction schemes provided by different middleware packages directly in designs. Traditional design notations typically only support a fixed class of interprocess interaction schemes, and designers wishing to use them for modeling middleware-based systems must devote significant effort to encoding the middleware primitives in the notation. In this paper, we demonstrate how a new graphical design notation, Architectural Interaction Diagrams (AIDs), which provides parameterized support for different interaction schemes, may be used to model a real-life middleware-based system like the Event Heap coordination infrastructure of the i-Room ubiquitous computing environment.
Oral treatment of organophosphate poisoning in mice.

Objective: Organophosphates are used as pesticides, herbicides, and chemical warfare agents. Treatment of organophosphate poisoning is with intravenous atropine and pralidoxime in addition to supportive care. This study determined the efficacy of oral agents in preventing death from organophosphate poisoning. Methods: The organophosphate paraoxon (8 mg/kg) was used in a murine model with lethality at four and 24 hours as an end point. For oral treatment, 15 male Balbc mice were given either atropine sulfate (4 mg/kg), or a combination of atropine sulfate (4 mg/kg) with pralidoxime (100 mg/kg), by oral gavage. A control group of 22 mice received water by oral gavage. Chi-square analysis was used to compare results in the different groups. Results: Of the control group, six of 22 survived to four hours after paraoxon exposure. Of the exposed animals treated with oral atropine, eight of 15 survived to four hours. Of the exposed animals treated with a combination of atropine and pralidoxime, 13 of 15 survived to four hours. All animals surviving to four hours survived to 24 hours. The increased survival of animals in the atropine group relative to the control group was not significant (p = 0.09). Survival was significant in the group treated with atropine and pralidoxime relative to atropine alone (p = 0.02) and to the control group (p = 0.0002). All treated mice surviving at four hours were alive at 24 hours. Conclusions: Both oral atropine and a combination of oral atropine and pralidoxime improved survival, and combination therapy achieved statistical significance. Generalization of this result to other organophosphate pesticides, other doses of paraoxon, and other species cannot be made without further investigations.
Equivalent Weight Loss with Marked Metabolic Benefit Observed in a Matched Cohort with and Without Type 2 Diabetes 12 Months Following Gastric Bypass Surgery

Background Bariatric surgery results in dramatic weight loss and improves metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, previous studies have noted that morbidly obese patients with T2DM experience less weight loss benefits than non-diabetic patients following bariatric surgery. We sought to determine longitudinal effects of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) on percent excess body mass index (BMI) loss (%EBMIL) and clinical metabolic syndrome parameters in patients with T2DM compared with appropriately matched cohort without T2DM.
Fabricatiion of 3D microfluidic networks with a hybrid stamp

We report on a novel methodology for fabricating multilayer, high aspect ratio, 3D microfluidic structures with through-layer vias that can be bonded between two hard substrates. It is realized by using a plastic plate embedded PDMS stamp in soft lithography to obtain flat and open PDMS structures that can be stacked to form multiplayer 3D microfluidic networks in high yield without severe structure distortion. Our method also allows the control of the curvature of the channel sidewalls and the shape of channel cross section that may open up profound applications in electrokinetics, microoptics, and inertia microfluidics.
Internal pairs from π−-proton interactions at rest

7741 examples of internal pair production in pion-proton interactions at rest were recorded in hydrogen bubble chamber photographs. These pairs originate in the reaction π−+p→n+e++e− and in the decay π0→γ+e++e−. These events were analysed to find the experimental distribution in the mass of the pair and another variable related to the energy partition between the members of the pair. These distributions were compared with a theory which includes corrections due to nucleon form factors and radiative corrections. The experimental results are in good agreement with this theory. Longitudinal virtual photon contributions are necessary to properly describe the experimental results for radiative capture pairs and as predicted theoretically are not visible for π0 pairs. In accord with present theory, the form factor effects are found to be small for both reactions.
Einstein Relation for a Class of Interface Models

A class of SOS interface models which can be seen as simplified stochastic Ising model interfaces is studied. In the absence of an external field the long-time fluctuations of the interface are shown to behave as Brownian motion with diffusion coefficient \(\) given by a Green-Kubo formula. When a small external field h is applied, it is shown that the shape of the interface converges exponentially fast to a stationary distribution and the interface moves with an asymptotic velocity v(h). The mobility is shown to exist and to satisfy the Einstein relation: \(\), where β is the inverse temperature.
Adapting a ground-based laser ranging system at NASA-GSFC for identification and tracking of orbital debris

The mitigation of orbital debris was addressed in the most recent release of the National Space Policy directing space faring agencies to pursue technologies that will “mitigate and remove on-orbit debris.” No matter what abatement technology is developed and deployed, still lacking is the remote sensing infrastructure to locate and track these objects with adequate precision. We propose using GSFC's ground-based laser ranging facility to provide meter-level or better ranging precision on optically passive 10-30 cm orbital debris targets with the goal of improving current predictions up to 85%. The improved location accuracy also has the immediate benefit of reducing costly false alarms in collision predictions for existing assets.
Distributed computing applications in forward and inverse geophysical modeling

Three-dimensional forward and inverse modeling of geophysical processes in complex geology often requires upercomputer capabilities. As modeling complexity and desired resolution increases, even the largest supercomputers are not sufficient o provide reasonable turn around time We propose here using coarse grain parallel paradigms to try to break this barrier by harnessing the power of installed networks of heterogeneous computers. We indicate areas that we have identified as amenable to these ideas, such as seismic ray tracing, travel timeinversion, cooperative inversion, and global optimization. We exemplify the approach by showing the results of a distributed ray tracing code running on a network of high end workstations. Almost perfect speed-up is attained indicating that this is an appropriate approach for this application.
Aging and the Environment: A Research Framework

The rapid growth in the number of older Americans has many implications for public health, including the need to better understand the risks posed to older adults by environmental exposures. Biologic capacity declines with normal aging; this may be exacerbated in individuals with pre-existing health conditions. This decline can result in compromised pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic responses to environmental exposures encountered in daily activities. In recognition of this issue, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing a research agenda on the environment and older adults. The U.S. EPA proposes to apply an environmental public health paradigm to better understand the relationships between external pollution sources --> human exposures --> internal dose --> early biologic effect --> adverse health effects for older adults. The initial challenge will be using information about aging-related changes in exposure, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic factors to identify susceptible subgroups within the diverse population of older adults. These changes may interact with specific diseases of aging or medications used to treat these conditions. Constructs such as "frailty" may help to capture some of the diversity in the older adult population. Data are needed regarding a) behavior/activity patterns and exposure to the pollutants in the microenvironments of older adults; b) changes in absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion with aging; c) alterations in reserve capacity that alter the body's ability to compensate for the effects of environmental exposures; and d) strategies for effective communication of risk and risk reduction methods to older individuals and communities. This article summarizes the U.S. EPA's development of a framework to address and prioritize the exposure, health effects, and risk communications concerns for the U.S. EPA's evolving research program on older adults as a susceptible subpopulation.
Left anterior descending coronary artery-to-right ventricle fistula

Coronary artery fistula is a rare complication of endomyocardial biopsy, reported to occur in up to 8% of cardiac transplant recipients. The coronary angiogram shown in the Figure⇓ was obtained from a 67-year-old man 3 years after orthotopic heart transplantation, after a continuous systolic and diastolic murmur was noted on physical exam. Color-flow images from a transesophageal echocardiogram before cardiac catheterization suggested a coronary artery–to–right ventricle communication. Hemodynamics at the time of cardiac catheterization …
Interactions of plasma osmolality with arterial and central venous pressures in control of sympathetic activity and heart rate in humans

Plasma osmolality alters control of sympathetic activity and heart rate in animal models; however, it is unknown whether physiological increases in plasma osmolality have such influences in humans ...
The production of lymphocytopenia by selective irradiation in dogs. A comparison of two techniques.

Abstract A technique for the production of profound and sustained lymphocytopenia in the dog by irradiation of the subcutaneously implanted spleen is described. This technique for producing lymphocytopenia is compared with the technique of repeated extracorporeal irradiation of the blood. Superiority of the splenic irradiation technique is demonstrated, since marked and long-lasting reduction of absolute lymphocyte counts are obtained without the development of anemia and thrombocytopenia. The simplicity of the technique as compared to extracorporeal circulation is emphasized. Despite profound levels of lymphocytopenia in selectively irradiated host animals, allogenic renal grafts developed destructive changes and lymphoid infiltrates typical of the rejection reaction.
Development of a multi-stage cloud water collector Part 1: Design and field performance evaluation

Abstract Cloud chemistry can vary as a function of drop size. In order to investigate variations in chemical composition across the drop size spectrum, a new multi-stage cloud water collector was developed. The Colorado State University 5-Stage cloud water collector (CSU 5-Stage) separates drops, based upon the principles of cascade inertial impaction, into five different fractions. Its design incorporates many features to facilitate its use in the field, and maintain both consistent performance between varying atmospheric conditions and the chemical and physical integrity of the collected sample. Limited field tests indicate the CSU 5-Stage works reasonably within field measurement uncertainty, and its results are comparable to those from other cloud collectors and consistent with additional concurrent measurements. Data obtained using the CSU 5-Stage provide additional insight into drop size-dependent chemistry in fogs/clouds. These insights should result in an improved understanding of both the impact of clouds on the fate of atmospheric species, and cloud microphysics and dynamics.
Gender differences in perceptions and consequences of an eating binge

Little systematic research has examined the factors that contribute to perceptions of an eating binge. This study showed videotapes of a single male, single female, or three females eating a variable number of doughnuts at different rates to male and female undergraduate subjects. Subjects were asked to label their own eating as a binge or not, had they eaten like the person on the videotape, and how they would feel afterward. The majority of female subject labeled their own eating as a binge under all conditions, and endorsed negative emotional outcomes. Males required a large number of doughnuts, or rapid consumption before the majority labeled it a binge, and experienced mostly gastrointestinal outcomes. Many noneating disordered women in our culture may be labeling much of their eating as a binge and experience dysphoria afterward.
High field phase transition in (TMTSF)2PF6 under pressure

Abstract A high field phase transition in the metallic phase of the organic conductor (TMTSF) 2 PF 6 at low temperatures has been studied by measuring the spin lattice relaxation rate of the methyl group protons. The transition temperature increases with field, is highly pressure dependent and depends on the projection of the magnetic field along the crystalline c axis.
Organic Hydroperoxide Resistance Protein and Ergothioneine Compensate for Loss of Mycothiol in Mycobacterium smegmatis Mutants

ABSTRACT The mshA::Tn5 mutant of Mycobacterium smegmatis does not produce mycothiol (MSH) and was found to markedly overproduce both ergothioneine and an ∼15-kDa protein determined to be organic hydroperoxide resistance protein (Ohr). An mshA(G32D) mutant lacking MSH overproduced ergothioneine but not Ohr. Comparison of the mutant phenotypes with those of the wild-type strain indicated the following: Ohr protects against organic hydroperoxide toxicity, whereas ergothioneine does not; an additional MSH-dependent organic hydroperoxide peroxidase exists; and elevated isoniazid resistance in the mutant is associated with both Ohr and the absence of MSH. Purified Ohr showed high activity with linoleic acid hydroperoxide, indicating lipid hydroperoxides as the likely physiologic targets. The reduction of oxidized Ohr by NADH was shown to be catalyzed by lipoamide dehydrogenase and either lipoamide or DlaT (SucB). Since free lipoamide and lipoic acid levels were shown to be undetectable in M. smegmatis, the bound lipoyl residues of DlaT are the likely source of the physiological dithiol reductant for Ohr. The pattern of occurrence of homologs of Ohr among bacteria suggests that the ohr gene has been distributed by lateral transfer. The finding of multiple Ohr homologs with various sequence identities in some bacterial genomes indicates that there may be multiple physiologic targets for Ohr proteins.
Parametric studies of failure mechanisms in elastic EB-PVD thermal barrier coatings using FEM

Abstract Catastrophic failure of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), usually occurs due to large scale buckling and spallation, primarily originating at the bond coat and TGO interface. Spallation in TBCs is preceded by a competition between buckling and interface delamination that is stimulated by the waviness of the interface. In the presence of thermal loading, the waviness is responsible for growth of interfacial delamination. In this paper, a finite element model of the two and three layer TBC’s is developed in the commercial code ANSYS to investigate the buckle and interface delamination mechanisms and develop a simplified parametric understanding of these mechanisms. The models for simulation are validated with analytical and experimental results. Parametric relations, in terms of geometric and material parameters representing constituents of the TBC, are developed in this paper for critical stresses and energies causing buckling and debonding initiated instabilities. Through these relations, critical parameters that control failure mechanics are identified for a fail-safe design space.
Formation of Salivary Coating and Dental Plaque on Two Different Supporting Materials: An Electron Microscopic Study

The formation of salivary coating (SC) and dental plaque on top of Vestopal W and enamel inlays was studied with scanning and transmission electron microscopy. No clear morphological differences were found between SC and dental plaque formed on either material. A thin continuous SC was formed on the supporting material in all volunteers within 30 minutes' oral exposure. The SC appeared smooth and contained numerous protruding small round bodies (40-200 nm in size), the numbers of which increased with increasing time. Bacterial colonization of the SC started between 6 and 12 hours' oral exposure. After 24 hours' oral exposure, bacterial colonies were confluenting and partly obscuring the subjacent SC. No evidence was obtained in this study contraindicating the use of Vestopal W as supporting material for experimental plaque studies.
Combined push-pull distraction for correction of syndromic midfacial hypoplasia.

Purpose Gradual midfacial advancement, applying the principle of distraction osteogenesis, reduces the restriction of the soft tissues and results in bony consolidation without need for grafting. The midface can be distracted by either pushing it forward, using semiburied devices, or pulling it forward by a rigid external device. For each method there are inherent technical problems, such as controlling the vector of movement, symmetry of advancement, and differential movement of the upper/lower face. We have used a combination of the 2 methods, called “push-pull,” in an effort to control the distraction process. The purpose of this paper is to describe our push-pull distraction technique and summarize our early experience. Materials and Methods Ten patients (5 males and 5 females) with a mean age of 11 years 2 months underwent midfacial advancement using push-pull distraction. Two orthodontists, blinded for landmark identification, traced preoperative and postoperative cephalograms and determined linear and angular measurements of midfacial position. A Student t test was used to assess differences between the cephalometric measures on the 2 radiographs. Interexaminer reliability was calculated by an intraclass correlation coefficient. Results Postdistraction cephalograms were taken a mean of 10 months (range, 3 to 20 months) after removal of the devices. Patients exhibited improvement at all levels of the midface after distraction. There was a statistically significant sagittal advancement from the infraorbital rim to dentoalveolus. The central midface was sufficiently advanced as shown by an improved convexity, nasolabial angle, and upper labial protrusion. There were no significant differences between examiners for any of the measurements in this study. Conclusions Push-pull distraction permits 1) equal movement at both the upper and lower facial levels, 2) advancement of the central midface, and 3) symmetric movement of the zygomaticomaxillary complexes. This method also provides a backup, in case one device malfunctions. In combination, the advantages of each device are additive; whereas the weaknesses are not. The push-pull technique is a practical method for midfacial distraction until a better single device is fabricated.
Optical Processing Techniques for Simultaneous Pulse Compression and Beam Sharpening

A technique is described in which the separate techniques of beam sharpening (by synthetic antenna methods) and pulse compression are converted into a single two-dimensional operation, which is carried out with a coherent optical processor.
The simian varicella virus and varicella zoster virus genomes are similar in size and structure.

Abstract Simian varicella virus (SVV) DNA was purified from viral nucleocapsids and the molecular structure of the SVV genome was determined. SVV DNA was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis of BamHl, Bglll, EcoRl, and Pstl restriction endonuclease digests. SVV and varicella zoster virus (VZV) DNAs were demonstrated to have distinct restriction endonuclease profiles. Summation of the sizes of individual restriction endonuclease fragments indicate the size of SVV DNA is ≅121 kilobase pairs (kbp) or ≅76.8 megadaltons (Md). Electron microscopy, λ exonuclease analysis, and Southern blot DNA hybridizations were utilized to determine the molecular structure of the SVV genome and to construct restriction endonuclease maps. The results indicate that SVV DNA consists of a long component (L, ≅100 kbp) covalently linked to a short component (S, ≅20 kbp) which is composed of a unique short sequence (Us, 5.3 ± 0.7 kbp) bracketed by inverted repeat sequences (TRs and IRs, ≅7.2 kbp). The presence of 0.5 MPstl restriction endonuclease fragments indicates that the S component may invert relative to the L component and that the genome exists in two major isomeric forms. The findings demonstrate that the SVV and VZV genomes are similar in size and structure.
551 CHROMOSOMAL MOSAICISM IN AMNIOTIC FLUID CELL CULTURES

The ability to differentiate true from pseudomosaicism is of major concern in prenatal diagnosis. Of 1000 amniotic fluids processed by in situ methods, a total of 26 demonstrated some degree of chromosomal mosaicism. Two, which had more than one colony possessing the same abnormality, were interpreted as true mosaicism. In both cases the same mosaicism (45,X/46,XX and 46,XX/47,XX+21) was shown to be present in the newborn or fetus. The remaining 24 cases, including 10 with trisomy 2, were interpreted as pseudomosaicism since only a single colony or partial colony demonstrated the aberrant chromosome complement. No phenotypic abnormalities have been noted in the babies delivered following a diagnosis of pseudomosaicism.
FATIGUE DAMAGE IN 1045 STEEL UNDER VARIABLE AMPLITUDE BIAXIAL LOADING

— During constant amplitude loading, two different types of crack systems have been reported In the high cycle fatigue (HCF) region, cracks nucleate on a small number of maxium shear strain amplitude planes One of these cracks becomes a dominant crack and leads to failure of the specimen In the low cycle fatigue (LCF) region, equally developed microcracks are observed over the entire gage section and grow during the majority of the life. The failure is due to a linking in which the microcracks join up during the last few cycles of the fatigue life. To investigate the interaction of these two types of crack systems in biaxial fatigue, experiments were performed on thin-wall tubular specimens in tension, torsion and combined tension-torsion loading The test program included step loading and block loading in which two equivalent strain amplitudes were employed. One of the equivalent strain amplitudes is in the HCF region and the other was in the LCF region Fatigue lives were predicted from constant amplitude damage curves when a single crack system dominated the fatigue process Two competitive crack systems were sometimes developed on the maximum shear strain amplitude planes in a single specimen under block loading This resulted in a conservative prediction of the fatigue life.
Subcellular localization of Cdc42p, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae GTP-binding protein involved in the control of cell polarity.

Abstract The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cdc42 protein, a member of the Ras superfamily of low-molecular-weight GTP-binding proteins, is involved in the control of cell polarity during the yeast cell cycle. This protein has a consensus sequence (CAAX) for geranylgeranyl modification and is likely to be associated, at least in part, with cell membranes. Using cell fractionation and immunolocalization techniques, we have investigated the subcellular localization of Cdc42p. Cdc42p was found in both soluble and particulate pools, and neither its abundance nor its distribution varied through the cell cycle. The particulate form of Cdc42p could be solubilized with detergents but not with NaCl or urea, suggesting that it is tightly associated with membranes. An increase in soluble Cdc42p was observed in a geranylgeranyltransferase mutant strain (cdc43-2ts) grown at the restrictive temperature. In addition, Cdc42p from a cdc42C188S mutant strain (that has an alteration at the prenylation consensus site) was almost exclusively in the soluble fraction, suggesting that membrane localization is dependent on geranylgeranyl modification at Cys-188. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy experiments demonstrated that Cdc42p localizes to the plasma membrane in the vicinity of secretory vesicles that were found at the site of bud emergence, at the tips and sides of enlarging buds, and within mating projections (shmoo tips) in alpha-factor-arrested cells. These results indicate that Cdc42p is localized to the bud site early in the cell cycle and suggest that this localization is critical for the selection of the proper site for bud emergence and for polarized cell growth.
Autoradiography of protein turnover in subcrestal versus supracrestal fibre tracts of the developing mouse periodontium.

Eighteen-day-old C57B1 mice were injected with 5 μCi/g body weight [3H]-proline and killed at intervals of 4 h to 7 wk later. Grain counts in three fibre tracts revealed that (1) half-lives of labelled protein in the developing periodontium were much shorter than those found previously for the mature periodontium, and (2) the half-life of labelled protein in the dento-gingival region was longer than the half-lives in the trans-septal and dento-alveolar fibre tracts (half-lives: dento-alveolar = 2.5 days, trans-septal = 3.8 days; dento-gingival = 7.9 days). Eight mice were given injections of [3H]-proline on days 11, 13, 15 and 17, which encompasses the formation of the three fibre tracts, and killed 4 h, 2.5, 5 and 8 wk after the last injection. All label incorporated during the formation of the peridontium had been lost by 5 wk post-injection, shewing that a stable core fibre (i.e. one which is not metabolized) was not present.
Rough and tumble

Human beings comprise a peculiar species on this planet with their multitude of behaviours, morphologies and proclivities. What we humans all have in common is our deep ancestry, just like all other species that have their own peculiarities. One need not look further than the daily newspaper to find examples of our worst inheritance: human-on-human aggression. It raises the question as to whether such aggression can be tied to our unique evolutionary history, particularly with regard to our prehistoric habit of hunting game for food. Questions about the relationship between the evolutionary origins of hunting behaviours and contemporary human aggression have been asked for decades, if not centuries, in one form or another. To dissect the myriad of ideas and hypotheses, none could have done a better job than Travis Rayne Pickering.
Risk Assessment and Management Teams: A Comprehensive Approach to Early Intervention in Workplace Violence

The consequences of workplace violence are too great for organizations to be surprised by or unprepared to reduce the risk. Risk Assessment and Management (RAM) Teams offer employers proactive, coordinated, and planned strategies to identify and address troubling behaviors before they become violent. RAM Teams look to identify potential problems before they evolve into crises. They help coordinate intervention strategies that seek to promptly investigate, evaluate, and effectively respond to minimize the danger and the harm to their employees. RAM Teams reduce their organizations’ vulnerabilities by planning effective policies and procedures, employment practices, security measures, and prevention education. Building a successful RAM Team requires a clearly defined mission statement, senior management commitment, operational protocols, financial and material resources, talented and committed members, a team Champion, and minimal organizational resistance.
Mass Emergency Water-Based Foam Depopulation of Poultry

When an avian influenza or virulent Newcastle disease outbreak occurs within commercial poultry, a large number of birds that are infected or suspected of infection must be destroyed on site to prevent the rapid spread of disease. The choice of mass emergency depopulation procedures is limited, and all options have limitations. Water-based foam mass emergency depopulation of poultry was developed in 2006 and conditionally approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and American Veterinary Medical Association. Water-based foam causes mechanical hypoxia and can be used for broilers, layers, turkeys, and ducks. The time to physiologic states was evaluated for broilers, layer hens, turkeys, and ducks, comparing water-based foam and CO2 gas using electroencephalogram (unconsciousness and brain death), electrocardiogram (altered terminal cardiac activity), and accelerometer (motion cessation). In broilers, turkeys, and layer hens, water-based foam results in equivalent times to unconsciousness, terminal convulsions, and altered terminal cardiac activity. With Pekin ducks, however, CO2 gas resulted in shorter times to key physiologic states, in particular unconsciousness, altered terminal cardiac activity, motion cessation, and brain death.
A Direct Midseptal Approach to Slow Atrioventricular Nodal Pathway Ablation

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to describe a midseptal approach to selective slow pathway ablation for the treatment of AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). In addition, predictors of success and recurrence were evaluated. METHODS Selective ablation of the slow AV nodal pathway utilizing radiofrequency (RF) energy and a midseptal approach was attempted in 60 consecutive patients with inducible AVNRT. RESULTS Successful slow pathway ablation or modification was achieved in 59 of 60 patients (98%) during a single procedure. One patient developed inadvertent complete AV block (1.6%). A mean of 2.7 +/- 1.4 RF applications were required with mean total procedure, ablation, and fluoroscopic times of 191 +/- 6.3, 22.8 +/- 2.3, and 28.2 +/- 1.8 minutes, respectively. The PR and AH intervals, as well as the antegrade and retrograde AV node block cycle length, were unchanged. However, the fast pathway effective refractory period was significantly shortened following ablation (354 +/- 13 msec vs 298 +/- 12 msec; P = 0.008). The A/V ratio at successful ablation sites were no different than those at unsuccessful sites (0.22 +/- 0.04 vs 0.23 +/- 0.03). Junctional tachycardia was observed during all successful and 60 of 122 (49%) unsuccessful RF applications (P < or = 0.0001). A residual AV nodal reentrant echo was present in 15 of 59 (25%) patients. During a mean follow-up of 20.1 +/- 0.6 months (11.5-28 months) there were four recurrences (5%), 4 of 15 (27%) in patients with and none of 44 patients without residual slow pathway conduction (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS A direct midseptal approach to selective ablation of the slow pathway is a safe, efficacious, and efficient technique. Junctional tachycardia during RF energy application was a highly sensitive but not specific predictor of success and residual slow pathway conduction was associated with a high rate of recurrence.
Robust Control of Mobility and Communications in Autonomous Robot Teams

A team of robots is deployed to accomplish a task while maintaining a viable ad-hoc network capable of supporting data transmissions necessary for task fulfillment. Solving this problem necessitates: (i) Estimation of the wireless propagation environment to identify viable point-to-point communication links. (ii) Determination of end-to-end routes to support data traffic. (iii) Motion control algorithms to navigate through spatial configurations that guarantee required minimum levels of service. Consequently, we present methods for: (i) Estimation of point-to-point channels using pathloss and spatial Gaussian process models. (ii) Data routing so as to determine suitable end-to-end communication routes given estimates of point-topoint channel rates. (iii) Motion planning to determine robot trajectories restricted to configurations that ensure survival of the communication network. Due to the inherent uncertainty of wireless channels, the model of links and routes is stochastic. The criteria for route selection is to maximize the probability of network survival – defined as the ability to support target communication rates – given achievable rates on local point-topoint links. Maximum survival probability routes for present and future positions are input into a mobility control module that determines robot trajectories restricted to configurations that ensure the probability of network survival stays above a minimum reliability level. Local trajectory planning is proposed for simple environments and global planning is proposed for complex surroundings. The three proposed components are integrated and tested in experiments run in two different environments. Experimental results show successful navigation with continuous end-to-end connectivity.
SoftCell/sup TM/: a multi-carrier chip-set for software definable radio base-stations

The development of cost efficient data converters and digital IF signal processors is called upon to play a crucial role in the concept of software radio transceivers. The software radio concept enables the necessary flexibility and innovation for existing and next generation of wireless systems. The general trend of wireless wide-band transceivers points to continuing reduction of radio frequency processing at the expense of increased digital signal processing. This work reviews SoftCell/sup TM/, a chipset (digital IF receive/transmit signal processors and analogue-to digital and digital to analogue converters) for flexible software radio base-station architectures for the major digital wireless standards.