cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Telehealth in Psychiatric Nursing Education: Lessons From the Field:

BACKGROUND: This article summarizes the experiences that a Midwest college of nursing had when telepsychiatry was introduced for psychiatric-mental health post-master's nurse practitioner students to use in a clinical internship. AIMS: Implications for nurse practitioner educators will be identified, and recommendations for future research will be explored. METHOD: Described are the following: (1) policies and procedures the institution considered, (2) challenges that were encountered by faculty and students, and (3) strategies and limitations of these strategies defining best practice, what didactic content should be taught, and how clinical placements needed to be structured. RESULTS: Implications for nurse practitioner educators, practice, and research are identified. CONCLUSIONS: It is clear that telepsychiatry has an important role in the clinical education of psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners. It is working well as a clinical internship option. The college of nursing is continuing to examine and address issues and is looking forward to enhancing the telepsychiatry experiences for students in the future.
Chronic Cough Related to Acute Viral Bronchiolitis in Children: CHEST Expert Panel Report.

Background Acute bronchiolitis is common in young children, and some children develop chronic cough after their bronchiolitis. We thus undertook systematic reviews based on key questions (KQs) using the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) format. The KQs were: Among children with chronic cough (> 4 weeks) after acute viral bronchiolitis, how effective are the following interventions in improving the resolution of cough?: (1) Antibiotics. If so what type and for how long? (2) Asthma medications (inhaled steroids, beta2 agonist, montelukast); and (3) Inhaled osmotic agents like hypertonic saline? Methods We used the CHEST expert cough panel's protocol and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) methodological guidelines and GRADE framework. Data from the systematic reviews in conjunction with patients' values and preferences and the clinical context were used to form these suggestions. Delphi methodology was used to obtain consensus. Results Several studies and systematic reviews on the efficacy of the three types of interventions listed in the introduction were found but no data were relevant to our KQs. Thus, no recommendations on using the interventions above could be formulated. Conclusions The panel made several consensus-based suggestions and identified directions for future studies to advance the field of managing chronic cough post-acute bronchiolitis in children.
Understanding Empowerment Practice: Building on Practitioner-Based Knowledge:

The concept of empowerment has become popular within the human service professions, but little agreement about its meaning or dimensions has been displayed. The authors describe an effort to clarif...
The AAHKS Clinical Research Award: Prophylactic Tamsulosin Does Not Reduce the Risk of Urinary Retention Following Lower Extremity Arthroplasty: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract Background Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is common. Selective alpha-1 adrenergic antagonists, such as tamsulosin, are effective for treating urinary retention. The purpose of this study is to determine whether perioperative prophylactic tamsulosin reduces the incidence of POUR following total hip and knee arthroplasty. Methods Male patients 35 years of age and older undergoing primary total hip or knee arthroplasty at a single center from 2015 to 2018 were eligible for inclusion. Patients were randomized to receive tamsulosin 0.4 mg or placebo daily for 5 days preoperatively, the morning of surgery, and the first postoperative day. The incidence of POUR was determined during the postoperative hospitalization. Results A total of 176 patients were enrolled in the study. Two patients were withdrawn prior to randomization. The remaining 174 were randomized to tamsulosin (n = 87) or placebo (n = 87). After an additional 43 patients were withdrawn prior to surgery, 131 patients completed the study (tamsulosin, n = 64; placebo, n = 67). A total of 42 patients (32.1%) developed POUR, with 18 cases (28.1%) in the tamsulosin group and 24 cases (35.8%) in the placebo group (P = .345), resulting in an odds ratio of 0.701 and a risk difference of 7.69%. Conclusion Prophylactic tamsulosin did not reduce the incidence of POUR after hip and knee arthroplasty compared to placebo. The odds ratio indicates an approximately 30% decreased odds of developing POUR in the tamsulosin group, albeit not statistically significant. Tamsulosin does not appear to be effective as a prophylactic measure for reducing POUR in male hip and knee arthroplasty patients.
A Learning Loop Model of Collaborative Decision-Making in Chronic Illness

Abstract Shared decision-making is a core attribute of quality health care that has proved challenging to implement and assess in pediatric practice. Current models of shared decision-making are limited, including their capacity to incorporate multiple stakeholders; to integrate downstream effects of subacute or minor decisions; and to account for the context(s) in which such decisions are being made and enacted. Based on a review of literature from organizational psychology, cognitive sciences, business, and medicine, we propose an iterative decision-making model of care planning and identify targets at several levels of influence warranting measurement in future studies. Our learning loop model posits the relationship between pediatric patients, their parents, and their clinicians as central to the collaborative decision-making process in the setting of chronic illness. The model incorporates the evolution of both context and developmental capacity over time. It suggests that “meta-learning” from the experience of and outcomes from iterative decision is a key factor that may influence relationships and thus continued engagement in collaboration by patients, their parents, and their clinicians. We consider the model in light of the needs of children with special health care needs, for whom understanding the ongoing iterative effects of decision making and clinician−parent−child dynamics are likely to be particularly important in influencing outcomes.
Changes throughout a Genetic Network Mask the Contribution of Hox Gene Evolution.

Summary Hox genes pattern the anterior-posterior axis of animals and are posited to drive animal body plan evolution, yet their precise role in evolution has been difficult to determine. Here, we identified evolutionary modifications in the Hox gene Abd-B that dramatically altered its expression along the body plan of Drosophila santomea . Abd-B is required for pigmentation in Drosophila yakuba , the sister species of D. santomea , and changes to Abd-B expression would be predicted to make large contributions to the loss of body pigmentation in D. santomea . However, manipulating Abd-B expression in current-day D. santomea does not affect pigmentation. We attribute this epistatic interaction to four other genes within the D. santomea pigmentation network, three of which have evolved expression patterns that do not respond to Abd-B. Our results demonstrate how body plans may evolve through small evolutionary steps distributed throughout Hox-regulated networks. Polygenicity and epistasis may hinder efforts to identify genes and mechanisms underlying macroevolutionary traits.
PRODUCTS OF CELL-FREE RNA SYNTHESIS USING CONDITIONS PREVENTING INITIATION AND PROCESSING

ABSTRACT Nuclei prepared by a non-aqueous method, in which lyophilized cells were fractionated in glycerol, were rehydrated in the presence of nucleotide triphosphates and incubated at 35°. Sodium heparin was added to 1 to 3 mg/ml to suppress ribonuclease activities. Heparin incidentally disrupted nuclear structure somewhat and presumably prevented reinitiation of RNA synthesis. Overall rates of RNA synthesis in the presence or absence of heparin were 0.05-0.10 p moles UMP incorporated per μg DNA per min for 20 min, with decreasing rates of synthesis beyond 40 min. The products of 20 min of synthesis, analyzed by non-denaturing sedimentation and by α-amanitin sensitivity, were 45s RNA as polymerase I product (no added KCl) and a heterogenous population of polymerase II products (0.3 M KCl plus 1 mM MnCl2) with a distinct peak near 9-13s. Polymerase II products became larger with incubation beyond 20 min.
Effects of Visual Sensory Range on the Emergence of Cognition in Early Terrestrial Vertebrates: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach

As water dwelling vertebrates began to progressively evolve features that enabled them to survive on land, they also developed larger eyes, which would have considerably increased their range of vi...
TRAJECTORIES OF PAIN, INSOMNIA, AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS BEFORE ONSET OF DEMENTIA

This study examined the trajectories of pain, insomnia, and depression during a four-year period in community-dwelling participants aged 65 or older (N=2,486) from the National Health and Aging Trends Study. Self-reported pain, insomnia, and depressive symptoms were collected at each wave. Dementia status was determined using a modified previously validated algorithm. We analyzed retrospective trajectories of each symptom using mix-effect models and a backward timescale. We also tested for differences in each symptom trajectory between those with and without dementia. Results showed that the trajectory of depression significantly differed by dementia status (Wald χ2=388.34; P<.001). Participants with dementia had persistently higher depression level than those without dementia, particularly during the year before dementia onset. Trajectories of pain and insomnia did not differ before dementia onset. Depression increases risks of dementia and studies with longer length of follow-up are needed to detect significant trajectories of pain and insomnia before dementia onset.
Efficient electrochemical synthesis of robust, densely functionalized water soluble quinones.

Conjugate addition of thiols to benzoquinones has been coupled to in situ electrochemical oxidation of the resulting hydroquinone to enable full substitution of quinone C–H bonds. The sulfonated thioether-substituted quinones exhibit high solublity and stability in aqueous solution and have redox potentials ranging from 440–750 mV vs. SHE. The electrosynthetic protocol is effective on >100 g scale.
Suicidal Risk and Management in Borderline Personality Disorder

This article provides an update from Goodman and colleagues’ 2012 article “Suicidal Risk and Management in Borderline Personality Disorder.” This review will cover the importance of assessing suicide risk in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), the differences in “No-Suicide Contracts” versus “Safety Plans,” and treatment options for suicidality in BPD. While there have been developments in treatments for suicide in BPD, up to 84% of patients with BPD display suicidal behaviors and have an average of at least three suicide attempts in their lifetime. Since 2012 limited research has focused on assessment of suicide risk or prevention for those with BPD and more research has focused on treatment. Further research has examined several different types of psychotherapies that have emerged to treat suicidality in patients with BPD, which are discussed including Dialectical Behavioral-Therapy, Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality Treatment, Abandonment Psychotherapy, Mentalization-Based Therapy, and Project Life Force have emerged since the 2012 review. The efficacy of involving family members in treatment and use of medication when treating this population are also reviewed. This literature search suggests there are several well-established modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for suicide across diagnoses, but there is a paucity of research on BPD specific risk factors or protective factors when treating suicide in BPD patients, which may be helpful to better understand treatment of suicidality in this population. Keywords: Borderline personality disorder, BPD, Suicide, Risk assessment
The Association of Prenatal Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccination With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

As prenatal vaccinations become more prevalent, it is important to assess potential safety events. In a retrospective cohort study of Kaiser Permanente Southern California (Pasadena, California) mother-child pairs with birth dates during January 1, 2011-December 31, 2014, we investigated the association between prenatal tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination and risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring. Information on Tdap vaccination during pregnancy was obtained from electronic medical records. ADHD was defined by International Classification of Diseases codes (Ninth or Tenth Revision) and dispensed ADHD medication after age 3 years. Children were followed to the date of their first ADHD diagnosis, the end of Kaiser Permanente membership, or the end of follow-up (December 31, 2018). In Cox proportional hazards models, we estimated unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios for the association between maternal Tdap vaccination and ADHD, with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) used to adjust for confounding. Of 128,756 eligible mother-child pairs, 85,607 were included in the final sample. The ADHD incidence rate was 3.41 per 1,000 person-years in the Tdap-vaccinated women and 3.93 per 1,000 person-years in the unvaccinated (hazard ratio = 1.01, 95% confidence interval: 0.88, 1.16). The IPTW-adjusted analyses showed no association between prenatal Tdap vaccination and ADHD in offspring (hazard ratio = 1.00, 95% confidence interval: 0.88, 1.14). In this study, prenatal Tdap vaccination was not associated with ADHD risk in offspring, supporting recommendations to vaccinate pregnant women.
Factors influencing adoption and rejection of fire hazard severity zone maps in California

Abstract Community wildfire preparedness programs are an important means of protecting residents living in hazardous areas like the wildland-urban interface. Different programs rely on various sets of drivers, such as legal enforcement or engaged citizens. Here, sociopolitical motivations and barriers for participation are evaluated in a state-recommended, though not legally required, local program in California (Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones). Through this regional case study, we examine how and why communities do or do not participate in wildfire preparedness programs when given the choice. Drawing on interviews with state and local leadership, the research team identifies motivating factors inducing participation (related to public safety) and factors dissuading participation (related to economic concerns). Following recent catastrophic wildfires, state policy has changed the previously optional Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone program to mandatory, indicating stronger oversight of local decision-making to promote public safety. By understanding the factors driving local participation, higher levels of government can incentivize or require greater engagement throughout hazardous areas to protect lives and properties.
Comfort Care after Self-Immolation: Is the Physician Complicit?

Burns constitute a significant global health crisis resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Patients who survive often experience devastating consequences. Quality-of-life is diminished d...
The effects of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, forskolin, and theophylline on motility parameters in gossypol-treated human sperm

Objective To examine the effect of gossypol on human sperm in vitro and the mechanism for the effect. Design Fresh sperm ejaculates obtained from normal donors to the University of Kentucky Andrology Donor Program were exposed to gossypol. Motility was studied manually and using computer-assisted sperm analysis. In subsequent experiments, the effects of forskolin, theophylline, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) on sperm motion were measured. Setting University of Kentucky Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Andrology Laboratory. Main Outcome Measures Manual and computer-assisted measurements of sperm motility and motion characteristics. Results Gossypol inhibited sperm motility, which could be reversed partially by increasing cAMP. Conclusion Gossypol exposure in vitro adversely affects sperm motility in a dose- and time-dependent manner by a cAMP-dependent mechanism.
Secondary structure of the mRNA encoding listeriolysin O is essential to establish the replicative niche of L. monocytogenes

Intracellular pathogens are responsible for an enormous amount of worldwide morbidity and mortality, and each has evolved specialized strategies to establish and maintain their replicative niche. Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular pathogen that secretes a pore-forming cytolysin called listeriolysin O (LLO), which disrupts the phagosomal membrane and, thereby, allows the bacteria access to their replicative niche in the cytosol. Nonsynonymous and synonymous mutations in a PEST-like domain near the LLO N terminus cause enhanced LLO translation during intracellular growth, leading to host cell death and loss of virulence. Here, we explore the mechanism of translational control and show that there is extensive codon restriction within the PEST-encoding region of the LLO messenger RNA (mRNA) (hly). This region has considerable complementarity with the 5' UTR and is predicted to form an extensive secondary structure that overlaps the ribosome binding site. Analysis of both 5' UTR and synonymous mutations in the PEST-like domain that are predicted to disrupt the secondary structure resulted in up to a 10,000-fold drop in virulence during mouse infection, while compensatory double mutants restored virulence to WT levels. We showed by dynamic protein radiolabeling that LLO synthesis was growth phase-dependent. These data provide a mechanism to explain how the bacteria regulate translation of LLO to promote translation during starvation in a phagosome while repressing it during growth in the cytosol. These studies also provide a molecular explanation for codon bias at the 5' end of this essential determinant of pathogenesis.
Onset of Photospheric Impacts and Helioseismic Waves in X9.3 Solar Flare of 2017 September 6

The X9.3 flare of 2017 September 6, was the most powerful flare of Solar Cycle 24. It generated strong white-light emission and multiple helioseismic waves (sunquakes). By using data from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory as well as hard X-ray (HXR) data from the KONUS instrument on board the WIND spacecraft, and Anti-Coincidence System on board the INTERGRAL space observatory, we investigate spatio-temporal dynamics of photospheric emission sources, identify sources of helioseismic waves, and compare the flare photospheric dynamics with the HXR temporal profiles. The results show that the photospheric flare impacts started to develop in compact regions in close vicinity of the magnetic polarity inversion line (PIL) in the preimpulsive phase before detection of the HXR emission. The initial photospheric disturbances were localized in the region of strong horizontal magnetic field of the PIL, and, thus, are likely associated with a compact sheared magnetic structure elongated along the PIL. The acoustic egression power maps revealed two primary sources of generation of sunquakes, which were associated with places of the strongest photospheric impacts in the preimpulsive phase and the early impulsive phase. This can explain the two types of helioseismic waves observed in this flare. Analysis of the high-cadence HMI filtergrams suggests that the flare energy release developed in the form of sequential involvement of compact low-lying magnetic loops that were sheared along the PIL.
Self-Organized Growth of 111-Oriented (VNbTaMoW)N Nanorods on MgO(001)

Refractory high-entropy alloy nitride, (VNbTaMoW)N, layers are grown on single-crystalline MgO(001) via ultrahigh vacuum direct current magnetron sputtering of a VNbTaMoW target in Kr/N2 gas mixtures at 1073 K. X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy characterizations revealed the formation of B1-structured, 111-textured (V0.21Nb0.18Ta0.19Mo0.21W0.21)N1.05 with lattice parameter a = 0.4249 nm. The alloy nitride film exhibits dense columnar microstructure near the substrate-film interface with coherent 001 grain growth limited to a few tens of nanometers, followed by an outgrowth of quasi one-dimensional nanorods with 3-fold symmetric facets. We attribute the self-organized growth of rather unusual 111-textured nanorods on isostructural MgO(001) to kinetic limitations of the sputter-deposition process exacerbated by the sluggish diffusion of the multicomponent adspecies and the preferential growth of {111} crystals.
How Worker Centers Organize Low-Wage Workers: An Exploration of Targets and Strategies:

In response to the growing absence of unions from the private sector, community-based organizations known as worker centers have emerged as a new front in protecting and organizing workers. Scholar...
Striving for Diversity: National Survey of OB-GYN Program Directors Reporting Residency Recruitment Strategies for Underrepresented Minorities.

Objective To characterize strategies among OB-GYN residency programs to recruit underrepresented minorities in medicine, the relative effectiveness of these approaches, and the associated barriers to recruitment. Design We conducted a survey to solicit strategies from OB-GYN PDs at 253 United States (U.S.) accredited programs for recruiting underrepresented minorities in medicine (URiM) applicants. We also sought their relative effectiveness and barriers to recruitment. Setting A national survey of U.S. accredited residency programs in OB-GYN in 2017-2018. Results A total of 56 (22% response rate) PDs responded. Programs reported either “some” or “significant emphasis” on URiM recruitment (77%), with only 32% employing specific recruitment strategies. Fifteen (83%) reported using race and/or ethnicity data in the U.S.’s centralized electronic residency application service, 10 (56%) recruiting applicants from URiM association events, 9 (50%) meeting with potential URiMs prior to official interviews, and 5 (28%) offering a second visit. Efforts perceived to be most effective were second visits (39%), identifying race/ethnicity in electronic residency application service (33%), URiM recruitment events (28%), and individual phone calls (22%). Barriers included the lack of applicant pool (32%), lack of department diversity (29%) and lack of institutional diversity (30%). Conclusions This systematic collation of URiM recruitment practices and perceptions of their effectiveness represents a toolbox of options for residency programs to consider in diversifying their workforce.
Conflicts of Interest in Municipal Bond Advising and Underwriting

A regulation following from Dodd-Frank prohibits municipal financial advisors from simultaneously acting as municipal bond underwriters. Using a difference-in-differences approach, I test whether this reduction in advisor privileges affects financial advice and bond outcomes. Bonds with potential dual advisor-underwriters see financing costs fall by 11.4 basis points (5.3% of average yield) after the advisor is no longer allowed to underwrite. The decline is concentrated in opaque school district bonds and new money issues. Non-advisors compete for underwriting business more aggressively since they are less likely to face adverse selection after previously conflicted advisors encourage creditworthy borrowers to obtain credit ratings.
Pixelated semiconductor detectors for gamma-ray spectroscopy

This presentation summarizes advancement in 3-dimensional position-sensitive room-temperature semiconductor gamma-ray spectrometers and imagers. Applications of 3-D CZT detectors in national security, nuclear power industry, international nuclear safeguard, space exploration and medical imaging, will be introduced. Sustained advancement on CZT detector technology, including larger detection volume, next-generation digital application specific integrated circuit (H3DD-UM ASIC) and integrated electronic data acquisition systems will be described, as well as research and development on alternative semiconductor gamma-ray spectrometers.
Evolving spiking neural networks: a novel growth algorithm exhibits unintelligent design

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) have drawn considerable excitement because of their computational properties, believed to be superior to conventional von Neumann machines, and sharing properties with living brains. Yet progress building these systems has been limited because we lack a design methodology. We present a gene-driven network growth algorithm that enables a genetic algorithm (evolutionary computation) to generate and test SNNs. The genome for this algorithm grows O(n) where n is the number of neurons; n is also evolved. The genome not only specifies the network topology, but all its parameters as well. Experiments show the algorithm producing SNNs that effectively produce a robust spike bursting behavior given tonic inputs, an application suitable for central pattern generators. Even though evolution did not include perturbations of the input spike trains, the evolved networks showed remarkable robustness to such perturbations. In addition, the output spike patterns retain evidence of the specific perturbation of the inputs, a feature that could be exploited by network additions that could use this information for refined decision making if required. On a second task, a sequence detector, a discriminating design was found that might be considered an example of “unintelligent design”; extra non-functional neurons were included that, while inefficient, did not hamper its proper functioning.
Marijuana use and cancer incidence (California, United States)

The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to examine therelationship of marijuana use to cancer incidence. The study populationconsisted of 64,855 examinees in the Kaiser Permanente multiphasic healthcheckup in San Francisco and Oakland (California, United States), between1979-85, aged 15 to 49 years, who completed self-ad-ministered questionnairesabout smoking habits, including marijuana use. Follow-up for cancer incidencewas conducted through 1993 (mean length 8.6 years). Compared withnonusers/experimenters (lifetime use of less than seven times), ever- andcurrent use of marijuana were not associated with increased risk of cancer ofall sites (relative risk [RR] = 0.9, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] =0.7-1.2 for ever-use in men; RR = 1.0, CI = 0.8-1.1 in women) in analysesadjusted for sociodemographic factors, cigarette smoking, and alcohol use.Marijuana use also was not associated with tobacco-related cancers or withcancer of the following sites: co lorectal, lung, melanoma, prostate, breast,cervix. Among nonsmokers of tobacco cigarettes, ever having used marijuanawas associated with increased risk of prostate cancer (RR = 3.1, CI =1.0-9.5) and nearly significantly increased risk of cervical cancer (RR =1.4, CI = 1.0-2.1). We conclude that, in this relatively young study cohort,marijuana use and cancer were not associated in overall analyses, but thatassociations in nonsmokers of tobacco cigarettes suggested that marijuana usemight affect certain site-specific cancer risks.
Molecular cloning, DNA sequence, and gene expression of the oxalyl-coenzyme A decarboxylase gene, oxc, from the bacterium Oxalobacter formigenes.

Abstract Oxalic acid, a highly toxic by-product of metabolism, is catabolized by a limited number of bacterial species by an activation-decarboxylation reaction which yields formate and CO2. oxc, the gene encoding the oxalic acid-degrading enzyme oxalyl-coenzyme A decarboxylase, was cloned from the bacterium Oxalobacter formigenes. The DNA sequence revealed a single open reading frame of 1,704 bp capable of encoding a 568-amino-acid protein with a molecular weight of 60,691. The identification of a presumed promoter region and a rho-independent termination sequence indicates that this gene is not part of a polycistronic operon. A PCR fragment encoding the open reading frame, when overexpressed in Escherichia coli, produced a product which cross-reacted antigenically with native enzyme on Western blots (immunoblots), appeared to form homodimers spontaneously, and exhibited enzymatic activity similar to that of the purified native enzyme.
Development of a controller for an automatic variable rate fertilizer applicator

In this paper, armed at the shortage of domestic agricultural controlling equipments, combined with the current Chinese made fertilizer equipment, introduces an automatic controller of variable rate fertilizer applicator which suitable domestic food-producing area to promote and use. The automatic controllers of variable rate fertilizer applicator can fully automatic intelligent control the agricultural machinery and equipment. Agricultural workers only need to input the operation parameters to achieve the aim of automatically variable rate fertilization. Automatic controller of variable rate fertilizer applicator can also connect GPS controller to achieve fully automated variable rate fertilization. Paper on controller introduced the hardware and software design in detail, and carried out experiments and tests. Through field experiments and tests show that automatic controller of variable rate fertilizer applicator can achieve the purpose of precise variable rate fertilization.
Mixed Protonic-Electronic Conducting Membrane for Hydrogen Production from Solid Fuels

Gas Technology Institute is developing a novel concept that incorporates a hydrogen-selective membrane closely coupled with a gasifier for direct extraction of hydrogen from coal/biomass. Mixed protonic-electronic conducting ceramic materials of perovskite type have been identified as good candidate membranes for the high temperature hydrogen separation application in the gasification system. In this article, hydrogen permeation rates for the candidate perovskite membranes at temperatures of up to 950?C and pressures of up to 12 bar were measured. A rigorous model for hydrogen permeation through mixed proton-electron conducting ceramic membranes was also developed based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics.
The role of ACE-inhibitors in patients with coronary artery disease.

ACE-inhibitors have been shown to be effective in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure due to systolic left ventricular dysfunction, post myocardial infarction, in patients with hypertension, and in patients with renal disease associated with diabetes mellitus. The heart outcome prevention trial (HOPE) extended these indications by showing that patients with vascular disease without a history of heart failure and those with diabetes mellitus with an additional risk factor had a significant reduction in death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, need for revascularization, and new onset of diabetes mellitus [1]. These findings are supported by a wide variety of pre-clinical and clinical studies showing that ACE-inhibitors reduce oxidative stress, improve nitric oxide availability, endothelial function, activation of adhesion molecules and cytokines, transport and oxidation of LDL cholesterol into macrophages, composition of the atherosclerotic plaque, as well as preventing myocardial and perivascular fibrosis and ventricular hypertrophy [2‐5]. Given the accumulating data showing the benefit of ACE-inhibitors in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease what can we expect to learn from further trials in this area such as EUROPA. EUROPA has much to teach us and its results will
SQP Methods and their Application to Numerical Optimal Control

In recent years, sequential quadratic programming (SQP) methods have been developed that can reliably solve constrained optimization problems with many hundreds of variables and constraints. These methods require remarkably few evaluations of the problem functions and can be shown to converge to a solution under very mild conditions on the problem.
Metastatic phenotype of human prostate tumor cells in athymic nude mice: alteration by exposure to ethyl methanesulfonate and "reversion" by 5-azacytidine.

The human prostate tumor subline 1-LN-PC-3-1A (1-LN) is reproducibly metastatic in adult athymic nude mice. Cells surviving a brief in vitro exposure to ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) exhibited a profound decrease in capacity for experimental lung metastasis in nude mice. Thirty days after EMS treatment, 1×106 uncloned EMS-treated 1-LN cells (1-LN-EMS-10) were injected IV into groups of 6 to 8-week-old male athymic nude mice (BALB/cAnBOM). A median of 8.5 colonies/lung was observed among 20 1-LN-EMS-10-injected mice, which was significantly different from the median of 51 colonies/lung produced among 14 1-LN-injected mice (P=0.0002). This altered phenotype remained stable during 150 days of continuous culture. However, the 1-LN-EMS-10 cells were tumorigenic in 10/10 nude mice injected SC. Single lung tumor colonies recovered from 1-LN-EMS-10-injected mice and reinjected IV into nude mice produced medians of 32–63 colonies/lung. The altered metastatic phenotype resulting from treatment of 1-LN with EMS was reversed by exposure to a noncytotoxic dose of 5-azacytidine, but unaffected by a second exposure to EMS. Collectively these data demonstrate that the metastatic phenotype of these human tumor cells in athymic nude mice can be heritably altered by in vitro exposure to EMS and 5-azacytidine. Analysis of the mechanisms underlying these phenotypic changes may provide insight into parts of the complex process of tumor cell evolution.
Weight gain associated with adjuvant tamoxifen therapy in stage I and II breast cancer: fact or artifact?

There is a perception that tamoxifen causes weightgain in breast cancer patients. The purpose ofthis research study was to determine if weightgain is associated with tamoxifen therapy and toobserve the impact of weight gain on recurrenceand survival. Prognostic indicators, changes in weight, anddisease status from diagnosis to the end oftreatment were studied in 200 consecutive Stage Iand II breast cancer patients, not receiving systemicchemotherapy, admitted from 1986 to the present, withobservation periods ranging from 3–5 years. A meanweight gain of 1.2 Kgs was seen inall patients; however, weight gain was not significantlydifferent for those receiving tamoxifen vs. those notreceiving tamoxifen, (P=0.66, CI 95% forthe difference –1.8 Kgs to +1.2 Kgs). Weightgain during treatment with tamoxifen was not correlatedwith treatment duration or with recurrence or survival.Age at diagnosis was positively correlated to weightgain in all groups. Our data failed toshow that tamoxifen is associated with weight gain.The moderate weight gain observed in this patientpopulation is comparable to the general aging disease-freepopulation and may not be treatment-related. These findingsmay help to alleviate some concerns of bothphysicians and patients when tamoxifen is the drugof choice for adjuvant therapy.
Use of Interactive Computer Graphics to Solve Routing Problems

AbstractAn interactive computer graphics package to solve vehicle routing problems is presented in this paper. It uses computer graphics interactively to direct the use of a hybrid algorithm to solve individual routing problems. This ability permits the user judiciously to tailor improved versions of existing algorithms to individual routing problems to alleviate the shortcomings of individual algorithms while capitalizing on their favorable characteristics. The interactive computer graphics package is designed to permit an individual with little or no training in vehicle routing to find near optimal routes for a real problem in a short period of time.
Improved Results Using a Modification of the Young-Dees-Leadbetter Bladder Neck Repair

Forty-seven patients with primary total incontinence underwent bladder neck reconstruction (BNR) between 1978 and 1988. This included 31 patients with exstrophy/epispadias, 14 with myelomeningocele and 2 with caecoureteroceles. The patients were divided into 5 groups based on the type of BNR: Group 1--standard Young-Dees-Leadbetter (YDL) BNR; Group 2--YDL+Silastic sheath; Group 3--modified YDL; Group 4--Kropp BNR; Group 5--other BNRs. Group 1 included 18 patients with a 45% primary continence failure rate, a 44% reoperation rate and only a fair ability to void spontaneously after BNR. There were 11 patients in Group 3 with a 9% primary continence failure rate, a 27% reoperation rate and excellent post-operative emptying. None of the 3 patients in Group 4 was incontinent post-operatively, but they all required reoperation and had poor post-operative emptying. We feel that the modified YDL BNR provides better overall voiding and continence with less morbidity than the other bladder neck/urethral reconstructive procedures.
A cyclic nucleotide-gated conductance in olfactory receptor cilia

Olfactory transduction is thought to be initiated by the binding of odorants to specific receptor proteins in the cilia of olfactory receptor cells (reviewed in refs 1–3). The mechanism by which odorant binding could initiate membrane depolarization is unknown, but the recent discovery of an odorant-stimulated adenylate cyclase in purified olfactory cilia4,5 suggests that cyclic AMP may serve as an intracellular messenger for olfactory transduction. If so, then there might be a conductance in the ciliary plasma membrane which is controlled by cAMP. Here we report that excised patches of ciliary plasma membrane, obtained from dissociated receptor cells, contain a conductance which is gated directly by cAMP. This conductance resembles the cyclic GMP-gated conductance that mediates phototransduction in rod and cone outer segments6,7, but differs in that it is activated by both cAMP and cGMP. Our data provide a mechanistic basis by which an odorant-stimulated increase in cyclic nucleotide concentration could lead to an increase in membrane conductance and therefore, to membrane depolarization. These data suggest a remarkable similarity between the mechanisms of olfactory and visual transduction and indicate considerable conservation of sensory transduction mechanisms.
Some Properties of Invariant Sets

?0. Introduction. In [1] two interesting invariance notions were introduced: the notions of a set of gddel numbers being invariant to automorphisms of the structures (o, -) and (w, E) respectively. Here, and E are defined by n * m cpn(M) and nEm if and only if n E Wm. where {Pn} and WIn} are acceptable enumerations of the partial recursive functions and r.e. sets respectively. In this paper we continue the study of the invariant sets, and especially the invariant r.e. sets, of gddel numbers. We start off with an easy result which characterizes the Turing degrees containing invariant sets. We then take a closer look at r.e. sets invariant with respect to automorphisms of (co, E). Using the characterization [1, Theorem 4.2] of such sets, we will derive a somewhat different characterization (which was stated, but not proved, in [1, Proposition 4.4]) and, using it as a tool for constructing invariant sets, prove that the r.e. sets invariant with respect to automorphisms of (W, E) cannot be effectively enumerated. We will next discuss representations of r.e. sets invariant with respect to automorphisms of (wt, -). Although these sets do not have as nice a characterization as the r.e. sets invariant with respect to automorphisms of (w, E) do, the techniques of [1] can still profitably be used to investigate their structure. In particular, if f is a partial recursive function whose graph is invariant with respect to automorphisms of (w, -), then for every a in the domain of f, there is a term t(a) built up from a and only such that f (a) t(a). This is an analog to [1, Corollary 4.3]. We will also prove an analog to a result mentioned in the previous paragraph: the r.e. sets invariant with respect to automorphisms of (co, ) cannot be effectively enumerated. Like the results in [1], the main theorems of this paper have analogs for the applicative and enumeration structures associated with various generalizations of ordinary recursion theory, such as the theory of functions partial recursive in some set of natural numbers or various ordinal recursion theories.
Cellular immune response against tropomyosin isoform 5 in ulcerative colitis.

We have reported an autoantibody response in ulcerative colitis (UC) against human tropomyosin isoform 5 (hTM5), the predominant colonic epithelial cell hTM isoform. In this report, we determined the number of IFN-gamma-secreting cells (spot-forming cells, SFC) against hTM5 by an enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay. Another cytoskeletal protein, caldesmon, CaD40, was used as a control antigen. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated by a Ficoll density gradient from 28 patients with UC, 13 patients with Crohn's disease (CD), and 9 healthy subjects (HS). The mean (+/-SEM) SFC values against hTM5 in UC, CD, and HS were 48.8 +/- 8.1, 18.6 +/- 4.6, and 20.8 +/- 8.6, respectively. The value in UC was significantly higher than those in CD (P < 0.005) and HS (P < 0.025). SFC values in CD did not differ from those in HS. None of the 50 samples (except 1 UC) reacted to the CaD40 antigen. This study demonstrates, for the first time, a defined colon epithelial cell antigen, hTM5, that is capable of inducing a significant T cell response in UC but not in CD.
Effect of angiotensin II on ammonia production and secretion by mouse proximal tubules perfused in vitro.

Abstract The effects of angiotensin II on total ammonia (tNH3) production and net secretion were investigated using in vitro microperfused mouse S2 proximal tubule segments incubated in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer containing 0.5 mM L-glutamine. Basolateral exposure of mouse S2 segments to 10(-11), 10(-10), and 10(-9) M angiotensin II stimulated tNH3 production rates by 23, 52, and 49%, respectively. Addition of 10(-6) M angiotensin II inhibited the tNH3 production rate by 34%. 10(-10) M angiotensin II inhibited net luminal secretion of tNH3 in the presence of enhanced luminal acidification and in the absence of altered luminal tNH3 efflux rates. Measurements of intracellular pH (pHi) and intracellular calcium concentration [( Ca2+]i) suggested that the effects of angiotensin II on tNH3 production were not mediated by changes in pHi but by the stimulatory effect of angiotensin II correlated with increased [Ca2+]i. Inhibition of the calcium-calmodulin-dependent pathway with W-7 blocked the stimulatory effect of 10(-10) M angiotensin II on tNH3 production and luminal acidification. These results indicate that angiotensin II has concentration-dependent effects on tNH3 production; that its action to stimulate tNH3 production may be mediated by rises in [Ca2+]i and the calcium-calmodulin pathway; and that angiotensin II, at concentrations that stimulate tNH3 production, inhibits net luminal ammonia secretion by a mechanism that is not mediated by diminished luminal acidification or by changes in luminal ammonia efflux rates.
Observations on the effect of volume fraction on the coarsening of γ′ precipitates in binary NiAl alloys

Shortly after it was recognized that the kinetics of diffusion-controlled coarsening should depend on the equilibrium volume fraction, re, of precipitates [1], Chellman and Ardell (CA) [2] published the first systematic investigation of the coarsening behavior of Y' (Ni3Al) precipitates in binary Ni-AI alloys containing from 9 to 60% 7'. The authors concluded that there was no measurable effect of fe on either the kinetics of growth of the average particle size, or on the rate at which the Al concentration in the matrix decreases with time. This conclusion has been questioned on several occasions. Tsumuraya and Miyata (TM) [3] analyzed several published sets of data on y' particle size distributions in binary and ternary alloys, and showed that a loose correlation existed between fe and the width, W, of the distributions. Since W is predicted to increase with increasing fe by all theories of coarsening, and since TM found partial agreement with two of their six models of coarsening, they concluded that an effect of fe was present. Voorhees and Glicksman (VG) [4] argued that the investigations of CA were conducted over a "limited" range of fe, and that the predicted dependence of the coarsening rate on fe was so small over this limited range that the true dependence was obscured by the "error in their measurements". VG did not specify the nature of the error that purportedly affected the accuracy of CA's results. The most recent, and superficially the most convincing, demonstration that there exists a systematic effect offe on the kinetics ofy' coarsening is embodied in the data of Jayanth and Nash (JN) [5]. They investigated the coarsening kinetics of the 7' precipitate in four alloys at three temperatures and showed that over the range ofT' volume fractions studied (0.03 to 0.42) there was a systematic increase of the coarsening rate with increasing re. Conley et al. [6], convinced of the validity of JN's data, suggested that the conclusion of CA was erroneous for the reason that an unsuspected impurity had "crept" into their alloys, segregated to the TIT' interfaces and counteracted the effect of re. These interpretations and additional experimental observations raise the legitimate issue of whether or not there is truly a dependence of the coarsening behavior of 7' precipitates in binary Ni-AI alloys on the volume fraction. That issue is addressed in this note.
Futures for hydrogen produced using nuclear energy

What is the future of hydrogen (H2) produced from nuclear energy? Assuming that economically competitive nuclear H2 can be produced, production of H2 may become the primary use of nuclear energy and the basis for both a nuclear-H2 renewable (solar, wind, etc.) energy economy and a nuclear-H2 transport system. The technical and economic bases for these conclusions are described. In a nuclear-H2 renewable energy economy, nuclear energy is used to produce H2 that is stored and becomes the energy-storage component of the electrical generating system. The stored H2 replaces piles of coal and tanks of liquid fuel. Capital-intensive renewable energy sources and nuclear reactors produce electricity at their full capacity. The stored H2 is used in fuel cells to produce the highly variable quantities of electricity needed to fill the gap between the electricity demand by the customer and the electricity generated by the rest of the electrical generating system. Hydrogen is also used to produce the liquid or gaseous transport fuels. This energy-system architecture is a consequence of the fundamental differences between the characteristics of electricity (movement of electrons) and those of H2 (movement of atoms). Electricity can be generated, transformed, and used economically on either a small or a large scale. However, it is difficult to generate, store, and transform H2 economically on a small scale. This distinction favors the use of large-scale nuclear systems for H2 production.
Membrane abnormalities of Huntington's chorea fibroblasts in culture.

Abstract Huntington's Chorea is an autosomal dominant disease of the nervous system. Proliferating fibroblasts of one such case express metabolic and morphological abnormalities in addition to delayed adhesion to plastic substratum when compared to age, sex and passage number matched human fibroblasts when grown in a minimal essential medium supplemented with glycine or serine and the macromolecular fraction of fetal calf serum. The abnormalities expressed by Huntington's Chorea fibroblasts are fully corrected when the fibroblasts are grown in whole non-filtered fetal calf serum or when 10 −3 M glucosamine is added to the culture medium.