cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The triglyceride composition, structure, and presence of estolides in the oils ofLesquerella and related species

Members of the genusLesquerella, native to North America, have oils containing large amounts of hydroxy fatty acids and are under investigation as potential new crops. The triglyceride structure of oils from twenty-fiveLesquerella species in the seed collection at our research center has been examined after being hydrolysis-catalyzed by reverse micellar-encapsulated lipase and alcoholysis-catalyzed by immobilized lipase. These reactions, when coupled with supercritical-fluid chromatographic analysis, provide a powerful, labor-saving method for oil triglyceride analysis. A comprehensive analysis of overall fatty acid composition of these oils has been conducted as well.Lesquerella oils (along with oils from two other Brassicaceae:Physaria floribunda andHeliophilia amplexicaulis) have been grouped into five categories: densipolic acid-rich (Class I); auricolic acid-rich (Class II); lesquerolic acid-rich (Class III); an oil containing a mixture of hydroxy acids (Class IV); and lesquerolic and erucic acid-rich (Class V). The majority of Class I and II triglycerides contain one or two monoestolides at the 1- and 3-glycerol positions and a C18 polyunsaturated acyl group at the 2-position. Most Class III and IV oil triglycerides contain one or two hydroxy acids at the 1- and 3-positions and C18 unsaturated acid at the 2-position. A few of the Class III oils have trace amounts of estolides. The Class V oil triglycerides are mostly pentaacyl triglycerides and contain monestolide and small amounts of diestolide. Our triglyceride structure assignments were supported by1H nuclear magnetic resonance data and mass balances.
Usefulness of the PERI demoralization scale to screen for psychiatric disorder in a community sample

The authors gave the PERI Demoralization Scale (PERI-D), a measure of nonspecific psychological distress, to 528 subjects drawn from a larger longitudinal community survey. Respondents also were interviewed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS), a structured clinical interview. Based on the SADS, subjects were given diagnoses based on Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC). The results corroborate earlier findings of a modest relationship between self-reported symptoms of distress and the diagnosis of clinical psychiatric disorder. There was somewhat better fit between RDC diagnoses of depression, particularly major depression, and PERI-D symptom scores, suggesting the PERI-D items may be slightly more useful for detecting cases of depression in the community than for the broader range of psychiatric disorders. In general, the authors concur with earlier writers who suggest that brief psychiatric symptom scales may be useful as screening tests in community surveys, but such instruments do not in themselves provide good-estimates of the prevalence of clinical psychiatric disorders in the community.
Altered expression of TCR-CD3ζ induced by sera from women with preeclampsia

Abstract Objective: To investigate TCR-CD3ζ expression by cultured T lymphocytes exposed to midtrimester sera from pregnant women in whom preeclampsia developed at term compared with normotensive pregnant control subjects. Study Design: Sera obtained at 24 to 28 weeks' gestation from 16 nulliparous women in whom preeclampsia developed at term and from 32 gestational age-matched control subjects without preeclampsia were evaluated for TCR-CD3ζ chain expression with use of Jurkat cells. Subsets of serum samples from 6 women with preeclampsia and 6 control subjects were then evaluated for their ability to induce apoptosis and to suppress interleukin-2 production. Groups were compared by use of the Kruskal-Wallis test, and P Results: TCR-CD3ζ chain expression in cultured T lymphocytes was suppressed in approximately 60% of untreated control subjects after incubation with sera from normotensive pregnant women compared with 30% after incubation with sera from women with preeclampsia ( P P Conclusions: Nulliparous women in whom preeclampsia developed did not suppress TCR-CD3ζ levels to the extent of normotensive control subjects, which may be linked to decreased lymphocyte apoptosis. This occurs remotely from the manifestation of clinical disease and suggests a deficiency in a serum factor in preeclampsia that may induce T cell ζ chain suppression in normal pregnancy. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;185: 812-18.)
Resistant flat oysters offer hope against Bonamiasis.

Abstract Bonamia ostreae , provisionally a member of the Acetospora, is a blood cell parasite of the European flat oyster, Ostrea edulis . The central role of this parasite in debilitating the flat oyster industry in Europe was discussed recently in Parasitology Today . Even more recent discoveries have revealed the intriguing history of the spread of the disease throughout North America and to Europe, showing that not all stocks of O. edulis show the same susceptibility to bonamiasis. These developments offer hope that disease-resistant oysters will revitalize the European oyster industry.
Single-incision sleeve gastrectomy using a novel technique for liver retraction.

INTRODUCTION Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy has rapidly gained popularity in the field of bariatric surgery, mainly due to its low morbidity and mortality. Traditionally, 4 to 6 trocars are used. Single-access surgery has emerged as an attempt to decrease incisional morbidity and enhance cosmetic benefits. We present our initial 7 patients undergoing single-incision laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy using a novel technique for liver retraction. METHODS Patients who underwent single-incision laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy between March 2009 and May 2009 were analyzed. A 4-cm left paramedian incision was used. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy was performed in a standard fashion using a 40 French bougie. RESULTS Seven patients underwent single-incision sleeve gastrectomy at the University of Illinois at Chicago. They were all female with a mean age of 34 years. Preoperative BMI was 49 kg/m² (range, 39 to 64). There were no intraoperative complications. Mean operative time was 103 minutes. Estimated blood loss was minimal. All 7 patients were discharged on postoperative day 2 and were doing well without any complications at 3.1 ± 0.7 months after surgery. CONCLUSION Single-incision laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is safe and feasible and can be performed without changing the existing principles of the procedure. Our technique for internal liver retraction provides adequate exposure and is reproducible. Development of improved standard instrumentation is required for this technique to become popular.
Mediating effects of teacher enthusiasm and peer enthusiasm on students' interest in the college classroom

Abstract This study explored the mediating effects of students’ perceptions of teacher enthusiasm and of peer enthusiasm on the relation between students’ initial interest and their situational interest at the end of the semester. Students’ motivation for affiliation with their teacher and with peers was also measured to allow for potential associations between these variables and the students’ perceptions of teacher and peer enthusiasm. In path analysis, data from 455 undergraduates showed that perceptions of teacher enthusiasm and of peer enthusiasm had direct associations with two kinds of situational interest, both hold and catch interest. Also, the relations between initial interest and both hold and catch interest were mediated by perceptions of peer enthusiasm but not teacher enthusiasm. Students’ affiliative motivation with the teacher and peers had direct effects on their perceptions of teacher and peer enthusiasm. This study contributes to clarifying the importance of contextual factors as well as students’ own individual variables in understanding the mechanisms by which students’ interest in a course develops and is maintained throughout the semester.
A hexagonal orthogonal-oriented pyramid as a model of image representation in visual cortex

Retinal ganglion cells represent the visual image with a spatial code, in which each cell conveys information about a small region in the image. In contrast, cells of the primary visual cortex use a hybrid space-frequency code in which each cell conveys information about a region that is local in space, spatial frequency, and orientation. A mathematical model for this transformation is described. The hexagonal orthogonal-oriented quadrature pyramid (HOP) transform, which operates on a hexagonal input lattice, uses basis functions that are orthogonal, self-similar, and localized in space, spatial frequency, orientation, and phase. The basis functions, which are generated from seven basic types through a recursive process, form an image code of the pyramid type. The seven basis functions, six bandpass and one low-pass, occupy a point and a hexagon of six nearest neighbors on a hexagonal lattice. The six bandpass basis functions consist of three with even symmetry, and three with odd symmetry. At the lowest level, the inputs are image samples. At each higher level, the input lattice is provided by the low-pass coefficients computed at the previous level. >
Raman Characterization and Polarity Tuning of Aligned Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on Quartz

Raman characterization has been employed to study key features of highly aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes grown on quartz substrates. The nanotubes are observed to possess an estimated metallic/semiconducting ratio of 1:2 :7, and Raman spectra also confirm the high integrity of nanotubes before and after being transferred from quartz to Si/SiO2 substrates. Based on the as-grown and the transferred aligned nanotubes, we have further fabricated top- and back-gated nanotube devices, respectively. The top-gated transistors exhibit ambipolar transport characteristics with high transconductance, small subthreshold swing of 110 mV/decade and on/off ratio of 10 7 , while the back-gated transistors show unipolar p-type characteristics. Furthermore, we have demonstrated polarity tuning to produce both predominately n- and p-type top-gated carbon nanotube transistors by controlling the polarity of gate voltage during electrical breakdown, which has great potential for building complementary carbon nanotube circuits. # 2010 The Japan Society of Applied Physics
A permeability change in CNS tissue in chronic poisoning with disulfoton.

Abstract There is a change in permeability of the brain tissue itself following chronic poisoning with disulfoton. This change renders the tissue more permeable to the copper ferricyanide complex of the El Badawi and Schenk (1) method for visualization of ACHEase. The nature of this change was not investigated.
Brain tissue scanner enables brain microstructure surveys

Abstract A new instrument of our invention, the brain tissue scanner, allows the reconstruction of mammalian brain architecture. The instrument has been designed to volume digitize at 200 MHz a brain specimen embedded in a plastic block. The instrument delivers at 250 nm sampling resolution an aligned three-dimensional mesh of uniform volume elements (voxels), each assigned a digital signal amplitude for each optical channel (wavelength) used in scanning the specimen. Physical sectioning is used to circumvent photon-limited image capture (a speed requirement). No deconvolution of the imagery is necessary. An entire embedded mouse brain ( ∼0.74 cc ) can be scanned in 3 weeks (one-shift operation).
Component-based iterative methods for sparse linear systems

Iterative methods play an important role in solving large-scale systems of linear equations that arise in real-world applications. Due to numerous linear system properties that may affect the solution, it is rather difficult for a user to develop a good sparse linear system solver from scratch. Thus, various collections of solution methods are made available to the user. One such software package is SPARSKIT, which is well known in the scientific community. Written in FORTRAN77 and provided with a cumbersome interface, it is considered, however, a legacy code. Our objective is to enable its wider usage in modern applications and to facilitate further SPARSKIT enhancements. Applying a ‘peer-component’ design, we have created a set of SPARSKIT components that: (a) incorporate both original and new iterative methods; (b) are readily extensible with more methods; (c) may be connected to applications in a component framework; and (d) provide access from a variety of programming languages. Tools available from the Common Component Architecture (CCA) Forum enabled our component design of SPARSKIT. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Distribution and fractionation of phosphorus, cadmium, nickel, and lead in calcareous soils amended with composts.

Abstract Composts improve organic carbon content and nutrients of calcareous soils but the accumulation and distribution of phosphorus and heavy metals among various fractions in soil may vary under the south Florida conditions. The accumulation of P, Cd, Ni, and Pb with depth and the distribution of water soluble, exchangeable, carbonate, Fe–Mn oxides, organic and residual forms of each element were investigated in soils amended with municipal solid waste (MSW) compost, co-compost and biosolids compost and inorganic fertilizer (as control). Total concentrations of P, Cd, Ni, and Pb were higher in the 0–22 cm soil layers and decreased considerably in the rock layers. These elements were in the decreasing order of P ≫ Pb > Ni > Cd. Amounts of water soluble and exchangeable forms of P, Cd, Ni and Pb were negligible at 0–22 cm soil depths except for Cd in the 10–22 cm depth. Amending calcareous soil with either organic or inorganic amendments rendered phosphorus, nickle and lead in the residual form followed...
Distribution of charge on photoreceptor disc membranes and implications for charged lipid asymmetry

A novel spin labeling technique is used to determine both the inner and outer surface potentials of isolated rod outer segment disc membranes and of reconstituted membranes containing rhodopsin with defined lipid compositions. It is shown that these potentials can be accounted for in a consistent manner by the accepted model of rhodopsin, the known lipid composition, and the Gouy-Chapman theory, provided the charged lipid is asymmetric in the membrane, with approximately 75% on the external surface.
Redox chemistry of Cu(TIM) complexes

Etude de l'activite redox des complexes Cu(TIM) avec TIM=tetraazacyclotetradecene (tetramethyl-2,3,9,10) dans le methanol. Resultats d'etudes par voltammetrie cyclique de divers complexes de cuivre
A cellular DNA-binding protein that activates eukaryotic transcription and DNA replication

Transcription factor CTF, which is responsible for selective recognition of eukaryotic promoters that contain the sequence CCAAT, was purified to apparent homogeneity by sequence-specific DNA affinity chromatography. Binding sites for CTF in the human Ha-ras and alpha-globin promoters were highly homologous to sequences recognized by nuclear factor I (NF-I), a cellular DNA-binding protein that is required for the initiation of adenovirus DNA replication in vitro. To determine the relationship between CTF and NF-I, we compared the biochemical properties of these two proteins. CTF and NF-I were found to be indistinguishable in polypeptide composition, DNA-binding properties, immunological cross-reactivity, and in vitro stimulation of DNA replication and transcription initiation. We conclude that CTF/NF-I can serve both as a transcription selectivity factor for RNA polymerase II and as an initiation factor for adenovirus DNA replication.
Effects of Group, Individual, and Isolated Rearing of Calves on Weight Gain and Behavior

Abstract Thirty-six Holstein dairy calves were observed for 4 mo to determine the effect of three housing systems (group, individual, and isolated) on gain in body weight, feed consumption, age when concentrate eating commenced, daily pattern of activity, reaction to open field test, and social rank. Six calves were assigned to each of the three treatments in two separate trials. Calves were in treatments for approximately 10 wk after which they were weaned and placed together in groups of 13 for 7 additional wk. Order of greatest weight gain over 4 mo was group, individual, and isolated. Group calves gained faster post-weaning than isolated calves. Group calves commenced eating concentrate at an earlier age than calves on the other two treatments, but total feed consumed was not different during the first 10 wk. Isolated calves tended to spend a greater percentage of the time in recumbency. During an open field test isolated calves entered more squares than group or individually reared calves. Group calves were the most vocal. Group calves ranked highest in the social hierarchy in post-weaning groups.
New Fluxless Hermetic Sealing Technique Using Electroplated Sn-Rich Soft Solder

New fluxless hermetic sealing technique is reported using electroplated Sn-rich soft solder. Specific type of glass (SCG72) is chosen as a lid material to be sealed onto the alumina ceramic package to deal with thermal expansion mismatch. This glass has nominal coefficient of thermal expansion of 7ppm/degC, which is almost perfectly matching to that of alumina ceramic package. Thick Sn layer is plated over the Cr/Au patterned glass wafer, followed immediately by thin Au layer. This outer Au layer prevents the inner Sn from oxidation. In bonding, the glass lid is placed over the ceramic package having outer layers of Ni/Au. To achieve high quality hermetic sealing joint, a fluxless process is developed in vacuum environment (50 militorrs) to suppress tin oxidation. Comparing to bonding in air, the oxygen content is reduced by a factor of 15,200. Fluxless bonding is desired in many hermetic sealing applications such as MEMS, sensors, photonic devices, and imaging devices. Nearly void-free lid sealed joints are made with Sn-rich composition. Helium leakage tests are performed to evaluate the quality of the hermetic sealing. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis is done to evaluate the joint and microstructure. This new sealing process can be applied to nearly all devices that require hermetic sealing.
RECENT ψ(2S) RESULTS FROM CLEO

Latest experimental results, obtained from the ψ(2S) data, collected with the CLEO detector are reviewed.
Impact of the liaison committee on medical education requirements for emergency medicine education at U.S. schools of medicine

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accredits complete and independent medical education programs leading to the MD degree. The LCME standards for accreditation are described in the online document "Functions and Structure of a Medical School." There are ongoing minor and major changes to these standards. This article examines how the newest LCME requirements may affect emergency medicine (EM) rotations. The descriptions focus on 1) how the LCME requirements affect EM educational activities and 2) how the department of EM can help the school of medicine meet the LCME requirements. The recommendations focus on the general areas of the instructional setting, components of the educational program, resources for medical students, and faculty development. The department of EM can provide the students at the school of medicine with a number of key experiences and opportunities through its educational offerings and graduate medical education programs that will help satisfy the LCME standards. The new LCME standards will also have a significant impact on the way EM educators/clerkship directors develop curricula, assess students, provide feedback, and develop their own faculty/residents as teachers. The leadership of EM should recognize their increasingly important role within the school of medicine and be sensitive to additional requirements for faculty development and scholarship.
Clinical studies with pyribenzamine (N'Pyridil-N'Benzyl-N-Dimethylethylenediamine) in hay fever

Abstract 1.1. Pyribenzamine has been shown to give temporary symptomatic relief of the hay fever symptoms, and the relief obtained is proportionate to the dosage prescribed. 11 2.2. It does not immunize or protect the hay fever patient from the effects of the antigen-antibody reaction for any length of time. 3.3. The mode of action of pyribenzamine and similar drugs is still unknown. There is no definite proof which predicates that all allergic manifestations are the result of histamine activity. 12 4.4. Pyribenzamine administered prior to the injection of pollen extract made possible greater dosage increases of the pollen extract, and the patients were able to reach a maximum dosage almost twice the amount they usually tolerated when taking the pollen extract alone. 5.5. From our studies with pyribenzamine we may conclude that it is a valuable drug for the symptomatic relief of hay fever symptoms.
A comprehensive curriculum for thoracic surgery: Survey of opinions from program directors and residents

Background. The Comprehensive Thoracic Surgery Curriculum was developed to provide program directors with a basis for planning instruction and evaluating residents, program practices, and outcomes. A survey design was selected to obtain opinions about the curriculum from a large group of people, ie, all program directors and all active residents. Methods. Two parallel instruments were developed: one to be completed by program directors and one to be completed by active residents. Responses were collated for directors and residents, entered into a computerized database, and compared using the χ 2 statistic. Results. A response rate of 93% was obtained from the directors and 79% from the residents. The survey demonstrates broad-based support for a comprehensive curriculum by the respondents. Current perceptions of and expectations for the curriculum are diverse and regionalized. Serious concerns are expressed about quality issues and particularly the environment for residency education. Conclusions. The thoughtful responses of our colleagues will guide leaders who will implement the curriculum for thoracic surgery. Strategies for change will necessarily focus on the prerequisite curriculum.
Finding informative genes for prostate cancer: a general framework of integrating heterogeneous sources

Finding informative genes for prostate cancer has always been an important topic in cancer study. With the widespread use of genomic analysis and microarray experiments, a large number of genes can be analyzed efficiently to find the informative ones based on high-throughput microarray experiments [5--9]. On the other hand, based on clinical studies, several genes have already been identified to be important in prostate cancer development and progression [23--28]. These research results come from heterogeneous sources, with different formats, and expressing different perspectives of the problem of finding informative genes for prostate cancer. In this work, we are aiming to find the informative genes for prostate cancer by utilizing these heterogeneous sources of information from various research progresses. We propose a general framework that encodes various heterogeneous sources including ranked lists of informative genes [5--9], microarray expression data [5--9] and important genes identified by [23--28]. The proposed framework estimates the conditional probability of a gene being informative and ranks the genes by this probability. The estimation of such probability is formulated as an optimization problem, where we propose an efficient iterative algorithm to solve the optimization problem. Furthermore, we show that the problem formulation is convex and the iterative algorithm converges to the global optimal value. Extensive experiments show that the utilization of heterogeneous information is very helpful in finding informative genes and the proposed method outperforms many other baseline methods.
Right attachment and preference semantics

The paper claims that the right attachment rules for phrases originally suggested by Frazier and Fodor are wrong, and that none of the subsequent patchings of the rules by syntactic methods have improved the situation. For each rule there are perfectly straightforward and indefinitely large classes of simple counter-examples. We then examine suggestions by Ford et al., Schubert and Hirst which are quasi-semantic in nature and which we consider ingenious but unsatisfactory. We point towards a straightforward solution within the framework of preference semantics, set out in detail elsewhere, and argue that the principal issue is not the type and nature of information required to get appropriate phrase attachments, but the issue of where to store the information and with what processes to apply it.
Reassessment of Treatment Results in Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis, With Emphasis on Life-Table Analysis

Treatment of idiopathic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis remains an unsettled issue. The results of five randomized clinical trials have not provided convincing evidence for the effectiveness of any treatment. Follow-up periods in these trials were relatively short-term, ranging from 1 to 4 years. In three recently published long-term clinical studies of patients with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, 10-year cumulative survival free of renal failure improved by 20% to 35% over that described in studies published 5 to 10 years earlier. In each study, survival was estimated using life-table analysis. The survival curve in the treated group was then compared with that of a historical control group using the date of clinical onset as time zero. The survival curve in the treatment group was spuriously shifted to the right. By definition, those in the treatment groups had to survive from clinical onset to initiation of treatment, but the historical control group did not have such a constraint. The problem in this comparison is that treatments were not started in a large number of patients for years after clinical onset, resulting in a biased comparison in favor of the treatment groups. (Also, the conclusions drawn from the survival data were that the Improvement related directly to various treatments that were used.) Survival was similarly improved in patients treated with dipyridamole and aspirin when survival was plotted against time after clinical onset. However, when the data were replotted and the platelet-inhibitor-treated group was compared with a contemporary randomized control group, no difference in either patient survival or survival free of renal disease was demonstrated. No other studies are available in which both treatment and control groups can be compared by life-table analysis dated from the beginning of treatment. Although current clinical reports show that more patients with idiopathic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis are surviving free of renal failure than was evident in past studies, the improvement cannot be attributed to the treatments that were advocated.
Radiation oncogenesis in cell culture.

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the oncogenic effects of radiation with emphasis on ionizing radiation. In most cases, ionization occurs through electrically charged particles—which may be high-speed electrons or nuclear components such as protons or α- particles. These are directly ionizing radiations. They may originate from external or internal sources. They can also be generated inside the irradiated matter by indirectly ionizing radiations. Different types of ionizing radiation causes diverse biological effects. Comparison of various radiations in producing a particular effect is defined as the “relative biological effectiveness” (RBE) and is expressed as the ratio of the absorbed doses required to produce the same biological effect. Furthermore, the development of cell culture systems has made it possible to study the effects of radiation under defined conditions where complex homeostatic mechanisms do not prevail. Using in vitro systems free of host-mediated influences affords the opportunity to assess qualitatively and quantitatively dose-related and time-dependent interactions of radiation with single cells.
Applying evidence from economic evaluations to translate cancer survivorship research into care

Purpose This paper summarizes recommendations stemming from the meeting, Applying Evidence from Economic Evaluations to Translate Cancer Survivorship Research into Care, hosted by the National Cancer Institute.
Development of Antimicrobial Competencies and Training for Staff Hospital Pharmacists

Antimicrobial stewardship is an important component in health care outcomes of all patients. Many institutions are seeking the best methods to incorporate antimicrobial stewardship strategies into their hospitals including pharmacy services. Multiple factors should be considered when beginning or expanding an antimicrobial stewardship program. The purpose of this article is to discuss the development of basic antibiotic competencies and training for staff pharmacists in a community hospital. The article includes an assessment of pharmacists’ knowledge pre education and post education, perception of benefits from an antibiotic education program, and learning needs and preferences.
CAND1 Binds to Unneddylated CUL1 and Regulates the Formation of SCF Ubiquitin E3 Ligase Complex

The SCF ubiquitin E3 ligase regulates ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis of many regulatory proteins such as p27(Kip1), IkappaB, and beta-catenin. We report the isolation of a CUL1 binding protein, p120(CAND1). We found the majority of CUL1 is in a complex with CAND1 and ROC1 independent of SKP1 and F box protein SKP2. Both in vivo and in vitro, CAND1 prevents the binding of SKP1 and SKP2 to CUL1 while dissociation of CAND1 from CUL1 promotes the reverse reaction. Neddylation of CUL1 or the presence of SKP1 and ATP causes CAND1 dissociation. Our data suggest that CAND1 regulates the formation of the SCF complex, and its dissociation from CUL1 is coupled with the incorporation of F box proteins into the SCF complex, causing their destabilization.
Amyopathic dermatomyositis: Retrospective review of 37 cases

Abstract Criteria for diagnosis of amyopathic dermatomyositis vary, and the prognosis is not clear. Our purpose was to investigate prognosis regarding progression to myositis and associated malignancy. We reviewed the medical records of patients with dermatomyositis evaluated at our institution from 1976 to 1994. Of 746 patients with dermatomyositis, 37 (5%) with the amyopathic subtype were divided into 3 groups: group 1 (73%), no subjective or objective evidence of myopathy; group 2 (13%), no subjective muscle weakness but abnormalities detected by objective tests; group 3 (13%), subjective muscle weakness but no objective evidence of myopathy. Follow-up was conducted by means of a mailed questionnaire. For 25 patients, follow-up of 1 to 17 years after diagnosis showed muscle weakness in 2 patients in group 1 within 5 years after diagnosis. Five patients (13%) had associated malignancies. Of 7 (19%) patients with disease onset before the age of 18 years, none had progression to myopathy. Although it presents with cutaneous lesions indistinguishable from those of classic dermatomyositis, amyopathic dermatomyositis is a distinct entity. In most patients, amyopathic dermatomyositis does not progress to myopathy. Prognosis appears favorable, but malignancy may develop. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;46:560-5.)
Single-electron capacitance spectroscopy of few-electron artificial atoms in a magnetic field: Theory and experiment.

The evolution of charging energies of few-electron artifical atoms (quantum dots) with magnetic field is calculated and compared with results of the single-electron capacitance spectroscopy of Ashoori et al. The evidence for magnetic field induced spin and angular momentum transitions in the strongly interacting artifical atom is presented.
DSM-IV depressive symptom expression among individuals with a history of hypomania: A comparison to those with or without a history of mania

In an effort to advance an understanding of the phenomenology of bipolar II depression, the current study used methods based in item response theory to evaluate differences in DSM-IV depression symptom endorsement in an epidemiological sample of individuals with a history of hypomania (i.e., bipolar II depression) in comparison to: a) individuals with a history of mania (i.e., bipolar I depression), and b) individuals without a history of hypomania or mania (i.e., unipolar depression). Clinical interview data were drawn from a subsample (n = 13,753) of individuals with bipolar II, bipolar I, or unipolar depression who had participated in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. A two-parameter item response model was used to estimate differential item functioning (DIF) between these groups. Differences in severity parameter estimates revealed that suicidal ideation/attempt was less likely to be endorsed across most levels of depression severity in bipolar II versus bipolar I disorder. There were no significant differences between groups on the remaining DSM-IV symptoms. Although preliminary, current study data are consistent with recent assertions that depression may be understood as a clinical phenomenon that is consistent across the major affective disorders. An exception to this conclusion may be in the area of suicidal ideation, which requires additional attention.
Algorithms for determining planar area properties from peripheral points

Abstract The determination of planar properties—cross sectional areas, centroids, moments of inertia, and so forth—plays a central role in the solution of many diverse engineering problems. Despite the increasing availability of computational power to engineers and students alike in recent years with the advent of small desktop computers, however, the traditionally laborious and error-prone methods of making these determinations, involving area decomposition or strip integration, are still being taught to the present generation of engineering students, mostly due to a lack of suitable alternative techniques. These classical methods are found to be particularly difficult to adapt to general computational algorithms. This work presents a novel approach, requiring only the peripheral points of any planar area as inputs, and is ideally suited for numerical methods. It is shown that all planar properties of technical interest can be generated, once and for all, with straightforward algorithms that are readily programmed in any scientific computing language, or adapted to typical spreadsheet formats. These algorithms are fully general and require no decision-making on the part of the user. Various worked examples are presented.
Residual effects of potassium placement for conservation-till corn on subsequent no-till soybean

Biannual surface application of potassium (K) fertilizer prior to corn ( Zea mays L.) in a corn–soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation has been common in conventional-till crop production in North America; however, whether this traditional K management practice is effective for soybean when both corn and soybean are grown with conservation tillage is largely unknown. This study evaluated the residual effects of spring K fertilizer placement in conservation tillage systems applied to previous corn on subsequent no-till soybean. Experiments involving a corn–soybean rotation were conducted from 1997 to 2000 on a silt loam soil (Albic Luvisol) with 12 years of continuous no-till management near Paris, Ontario, Canada. The fields had low initial soil-test K levels ( <61 mg l −1 ) and evident soil K stratification in the top 20 cm. In the “corn” years from 1997 through 1999, spring K fertilizer placement methods of deep band (76 cm centers), surface broadcast, broadcast plus shallow band, and no K were evaluated for no-till, spring zone-till, and spring mulch-till tillage systems (1997 and 1998) but for no-till alone in 1999. From 1998 to 2000, soybean was no-till planted in 19 cm row widths on the respective previous-year corn treatments without further K fertilizer application. Soybean leaf K concentrations responded more frequently and positively to K application in no-till corn than in zone-till and mulch-till corn. Deep band and surface broadcast K placements were similar in their residual effects on soybean leaf K. Positive soybean yield responses to residual K fertilizer were observed in only 1 out of 3 years despite consistent increases in both soil K and soybean leaf K concentrations where K was applied to previous corn. On long-term no-till fields with low soil K levels, interrupting a continuous no-till corn–soybean system with mulch-till corn production provided residual benefits in soil K availability and leaf K nutrition for subsequent no-till soybean. Furthermore, the residual effects of K fertilizer applied to previous corn on subsequent no-till soybean were not affected by K placement method. © 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.
On the Coalitional Rationality of the Shapley Value and Other Efficient Values of Cooperative TU Games

In the theory of cooperative transferable utilities games, (TU games), the Efficient Values, that is those which show how the win of the grand coalition is shared by the players, may not be a good solution to give a fair outcome to each player. In an earlier work of the author, the Inverse Problem has been stated and explicitely solved for the Shapley Value and for the Least Square Values. In the present paper, for a given vector, which is the Shapley Value of a game, but it is not coalitional rational, that is it does not belong to the Core of the game, we would like to find out a new game with the Shapley Value equal to the a priori given vector and for which this vector is also in the Core of the game. In other words, in the Inverse Set relative to the Shapley Value, we want to find out a new game, for which the Shapley Value is coalitional rational. The results show how such a game may be obtained, and some examples are illustrating the technique. Moreover, it is shown that beside the original game, there are always other games for which the given vector is not in the Core. The similar problem is solved for the Least Square Values.
The genitalia of the Indian mollusk Indoplanorbis exustus

The molluscan genus Indoplanorbis is shown to differ markedly from all other members of the family Planorbidae in the generative complex, the vas deferens being encased in a long, flexible tube in which it is freely movable. The preputium of the male complex is shown to be completely evertible from the male opening and to act as a male copulatory organ. The presence of a single, heavy penial retractor innervated by an equally strong nerve is indicated. Comparisons are made with the genitalia of the European Coretus and the American Helisoma showing fundamental differences in the generative apparatus of the three groups. Indoplanorbis is most closely related to Coretus, the vas deferens of that group being also encased in a tube. Helisoma differs from both of these genera, the vas deferens not being encased in a tube and is of the same diameter throughout its length.
Relationship between the oncornavirus gene product gp70 and a major protein secretion of the mouse genital tract.

SEVERAL investigators have postulated that endogenous oncornaviruses play a role in development and differentiation, and that neoplasia is an unfortunate consequence of an otherwise important symbiosis1,2. Although attractive on theoretical grounds, these concepts remain unproven. Nevertheless, it is possible to study the relationship between viral gene expression and normal host functions. Evidence from several laboratories has suggested that expression of endogenous oncornavirus genes are under differentiation control in the mouse3–6. The clearest example of this is the case of gp70, the major envelope glycoprotein of the murine leukaemia viruses (MuLV)7–11. This protein which is coded for by the viral genome12 may be a component of the surfaces of cells which follow certain pathways of differentiation. Further, the thymocyte differentiation marker, GIX, has been shown to be a type-specific antigenic determinant of some gp70 molecules4,5.
Interaction effect on the De Haas-van Alphen oscillations

Abstract A new formula which gives the many-body effects on the De Haas-van Alphen oscillations is presented. The oscillating susceptibility consists of sine and cosine terms. The amplitude of the sine oscillations is decreased by the exchange interaction and by the collective interaction, the latter causing a dependence on field strength. The cosine oscillations are enhanced but are smaller than the sine oscillations. The difference in the field dependences of these two types of oscillations will introduce a field-dependent amplitude when the two are combined. The frequency of the oscillations is not affected by the interaction. In addition to the oscillating susceptibility, the internal energy is also determined.
Outcomes of laparoscopic ventral hernia repair with routine defect closure using “shoelacing” technique

Introduction Laparoscopic approach has become standard for many ventral hernia repairs. The benefits of minimal access include reduced wound complications, faster functional recovery, and improved cosmesis, among others. However, “bridging” of hernia defects during traditional laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) often leads to seromas or bulging and, importantly, does not restore a functional abdominal wall. We have modified our approach to LVHR to routinely utilize transabdominal defect closure (“shoelacing” technique) prior to mesh placement. Herein, we aim to analyze outcomes of LVHR with shoelacing.
Two Host-Induced Ralstonia solanacearum Genes, acrA and dinF, Encode Multidrug Efflux Pumps and Contribute to Bacterial Wilt Virulence

Multidrug efflux pumps (MDRs) are hypothesized to protect pathogenic bacteria from toxic host defense compounds. We created mutations in the Ralstonia solanacearum acrA and dinF genes, which encode putative MDRs in the broad-host-range plant pathogen. Both mutations reduced the ability of R. solanacearum to grow in the presence of various toxic compounds, including antibiotics, phytoalexins, and detergents. Both acrAB and dinF mutants were significantly less virulent on the tomato plant than the wild-type strain. Complementation restored near-wild-type levels of virulence to both mutants. Addition of either dinF or acrAB to Escherichia coli MDR mutants KAM3 and KAM32 restored the resistance of these strains to several toxins, demonstrating that the R. solanacearum genes can function heterologously to complement known MDR mutations. Toxic and DNA-damaging compounds induced expression of acrA and dinF, as did growth in both susceptible and resistant tomato plants. Carbon limitation also increased expression of acrA and dinF, while the stress-related sigma factor RpoS was required at a high cell density (>10(7) CFU/ml) to obtain wild-type levels of acrA expression both in minimal medium and in planta. The type III secretion system regulator HrpB negatively regulated dinF expression in culture at high cell densities. Together, these results show that acrAB and dinF encode MDRs in R. solanacearum and that they contribute to the overall aggressiveness of this phytopathogen, probably by protecting the bacterium from the toxic effects of host antimicrobial compounds.
Kinetics of precipitation of Ag from Pb(Ag) alloys

Abstract The rate of precipitation of Ag from Pb(Ag) alloys was resistometrically monitored between 41 and 87°C and found to be consistent with a diffusion controlled mechanism. Further, the enthalpy of activation for this process, Hd = 14.8 ± 0.41 kcal/mol, as determined by the change of slope method is in excellent agreement with that for diffusion as measured by radioactive tracers in dilute solution. Hd = 14.4 ± 0.5 kcal/mol. This result indicates that, in contrast with the behavior of dissolved Au. Ag does not associate into defect clusters in the temperature and concentration regime investigated.
Slowing of ionic currents in the voltage-clamped squid axon by helium pressure.

PRESSURE has been shown to affect the excitability of compound and single nerves1–4. The most consistent effect is a prolongation of the action potential, suggesting an influence of pressure on the kinetics of the excitation process. The physical biochemistry of pressure has been described in other systems, notably luciferin–luciferase5, but similar analysis for nerve action potentials proves difficult because of the complexity of the process measured. By use of the voltage clamp6 more direct assessment of effects on kinetic and other excitation parameters can be made with definition of pressure effects in Hodgkin–Huxley (HH) terms7. We now report the effects of pressure on the behaviour of the voltage-clamped squid axon.
Permeability of Xenopus laevis embryos: specific incorporation of precursors into eukaryotic proteins and nucleic acids.

Abstract All amino acids and several nucleic acid precursors are taken up by Xenopus laevis embryos. The embryos are completely intact and not modified in any way. These precursors are directly incorporated into the macromolecules of Xenopus embryos and not prokaryotic contaminants as has been previously claimed. Radioactive leucine is incorporated into Xenopus laevis ribosomal proteins as characterized by sucrose gradient centrifugation. The uptake of the amino acids is cycloheximide sensitive and unaffected by chloramphenicol. Radioactive adenosine and orotic acid are taken up and incorporated into tRNA and rRNA at high levels as characterized by sucrose gradients and electrophoresis. These characterizations of labeled macromolecules unequivocally show that normal Xenopus laevis embryos will take up and incorporate labeled precursors to levels which are sufficient to study cellular biochemical events at such early stages of development.
Δ9-THC stimulates food intake in Lewis rats: effects on chow, high-fat and sweet high-fat diets

Free-feeding adult male Lewis rats were administered intraperitoneal (i.p.) Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg, and effects on food intake were measured at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h postinjection. Rats were fed rat chow, a high-fat diet (HF) or a high-fat sweetened (HFS) diet. Small increases in HF and HFS intake following doses of 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg were seen at 1, 2 and 4 h, but not 6 or 24 h compared to vehicle intake. Increases following 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg did not differ from each other at any time point and 2.5 mg/kg produced smaller differences at all time points. There was no difference between HF or HFS intake at any time point although larger increases were seen in the HF group compared to both chow and HFS following 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg. This work confirms previous data in both humans and rats indicating a stimulatory role for cannabinoids in ingestive behavior.
Effect of static deformation and external forces on the oscillations of levitated droplets

The oscillations of an aspherical droplet subjected to different external forces are considered. For an arbitrary shape deformation, it is shown that the frequency spectrum splits into (2l−1) peaks for a mode l oscillation, and the splitting of the frequency spectrum is calculated for mode 2, 3, and 4 oscillations. The deformation is then treated as a consequence of a general external force, and the frequency split is obtained in terms of the external force parameters. Droplets levitated by acoustic, electromagnetic, and combined acoustic‐electromagnetic forces are considered in particular, and it is shown that the effects of asphericity adequately explain the splitting of the frequency spectrum observed commonly in experiments. The interpretation of spectra with regard to accurate surface tension measurement using the oscillations of levitated droplets is discussed, and the results applied to some previous experimental results. It is shown that the accuracy of surface tension measurements can improve if the asphericity caused by the levitating force, and the resulting frequency split, are taken into account.