cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Let us stop treatments by IMRT/VMAT for localized prostate cancer

Introduction The goal of this study is to determine the best treatment technique for prostate cancer treatments depending on various patients repositioning methods. Material and methods Five patients treated for localized prostate cancer to a total dose of 60 Gy in 15 fractions were enrolled in this study. For 6 treatment fractions, different repositioning methods (tattoos, bones, fiducial markers, and organs) were simulated. Plans were calculated on CBCT for each method and treatment technique: conformal 6 fields with various PTV margins, IMRT and VMAT. Dose calculation on CBCT, respect to CT, was estimated to be correct within 2%. Approximately 500 DVHs for PTVs and rectum were obtained. Integrated doses for target volumes and rectum for each couple of treatment technique versus positioning method were calculated. An optimization function using weights for the integral doses of PTVs and rectum was created to find the best compromise between target coverage and rectum sparing. Results Conformal 6 fields plan, with PTV margins of 3 mm, was the best technique, when re-calculating the dose on the daily CBCT image with newly delineated organ contours. Unless we give considerable weight to the rectum, all other techniques appeared inferior with in particular repositioning on tattooed points to proscribe. VMAT plans simply re-calculated with no optimization on newly delineated organs but with repositioning on CBCT was the second treatment option. Conclusions The results showed clearly that a conformal 6 beams plan with reduced margins based on daily redefined contours on each CBCT is an excellent treatment choice. On-line adaptive planning for this technique would be fast enough to avoid patient's internal organ movements, without need of pre-treatment QA on phantoms, therefore feasible and superior to a dose modulated plans not adapted to daily organ motion. It is obvious that the best choice depends on department technical possibilities, on the staff organization as well as patients’ acceptance of invasive acts (installation of fiducial markers, spacer, purging, etc.). Nevertheless an advanced treatment technique (IMRT/VMAT) is not necessarily the best choice.
The use of spatially-dependent carrier capture rates for deep-level-defect transient studies

Abstract The spatial dependence of the free carrier capture rate for the defect states located near the edge of the depletion layer is investigated. A theoretical treatment is presented here to illustrate the strong variation of the capture rate near the depletion edge with distance. If a transient capacitance technique is used to observe this capture transient, computer-calculated data confirm that the resulting signal comes only from the capture of electrons by those states located near the point at which the Fermi level and the deep level intersect. The capture of electrons by the states that are located in regions other than near the intersection point does not contribute to the detectable signal. Thus the transient signal measures the empty state concentration in a narrow region. Since the electric field in the narrow region can be accurately chosen by the use of different reverse pulse heights, the empty state concentration at the region can be controlled by the emission at different field strengths. The electric field dependence of the emission rate can be measured directly from the capture transient capacitance. Detailed comparisons of the calculated and experimentally measured data show good agreement. Possible applications using this technique in study of deep-level defects are outlined.
A new lower bound for the flow shop group scheduling problem

This paper presents a new lower bound that is used to evaluate nodes in a branch and bound procedure for the flow shop group scheduling problem. This lower bound is compared to the one developed by [CIRP Annals, 25 (1976) 419] and tested on small randomly generated problems. A two-phased heuristic procedure is proposed which uses branch and bound in the first phase to develop a family sequence and then uses an interchange procedure in the second phase to develop job within family sequences. The heuristic procedure is tested on larger randomly generated problems.
Mulla Mustafa Barzani and the Kurdish rebellion in Iraq: The intelligence factor

(1994). Mulla Mustafa Barzani and the Kurdish rebellion in Iraq: The intelligence factor. International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence: Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 465-474.
Statistical thermodynamics of mixtures. A new version for the theory of conformal solution

A new method for the calculation of thermodynamic properties of simple fluid mixtures constitutes an extension of the approach defined earlier as the “van der Waals” conformal solution theory. This extension is made possible by advances in the analytical representation of the thermodynamic properties of a mixture of hard spheres which permit the properties to be calculated directly, without the use of a reference fluid. A new hard-sphere excess function, defined as a property of the mixture less the value of this property for the hard-sphere mixture, is obtained by a new conformal solution theory using a single pure fluid as a reference substance. Although the reference substance properties could be experimentally measured values, this work obtains them from an analytical form of the Barker-Henderson perturbation theory.This new method improves prediction of the effects of large molecular size differences on the excess properties of the mixture. It uses the reference fluid to account for most of the temperature dependence of the cut-off parameter needed to define the molecular diameters in the direct hard-sphere mixture calculations and the calculations need only the high temperature limit of the cut-off parameters, even far below the critical temperature. The new method extends the original vdW conformal solution method to lower temperatures and provides an opening for inclusion of three-body interactions.Conventional excess mixing functions for several binary liquid mixtures calculated by the new method are compared with the predictions of other theories and with both experimental and Monte Carlo data.
Diversification entry: Internal development versus acquisition

Summary The economic theory of barriers to entry is integrated with the corporate strategy concept oJ relatedness, to develop a model of the choice between internal detvelopment and acquisition in div ersification entry into new+ markets. The model is tested on original data collected for this studY from PIMS Program participants. These original data coter the parent companY characteristics, entryl strategy- and entrY outcomle Jor 59 entrants into 31 markets. These entry-related data are merged with existing PIMS data on the structure of the entered markets and their incumbents. Results oJ binarY regression analysis show1 that the choice betwt een the two entry modes is wt-ell explained bY measures of barriers and relatedness. Higher barriers are more lik-ely, to be associated with acquisition entry. Greater relatedness is more likely to be associated writh direct entrv.
The effect of shrinkage on the cooking of meat

Abstract In this paper the cooking of meat is modeled as a process of time-dependent conduction through a constant-property medium that shrinks as its temperature increases. The overall shrinkage is the integrated result of shrinking that is distributed volumetrically through the piece of meat and depends on the temperature history at every point. The meat temperature history and associated shrinkage are determined numerically. The geometric configuration is the one-dimensional conducting slab with convective heating on both sides. Means for calculating the required cooking time are reported in the form of dimensionless charts for the temperature in the midplane of the meat slab. A numerical example shows that the cooking time calculated by accounting for meat shrinkage is appreciably shorter than the time estimate based on the classical Heisler chart for conduction in a constant-volume slab.
Regional distribution models with lack of proximate predictors: Africanized honeybees expanding north

Species distribution models have often been hampered by poor local species data, reliance on coarse-scale climate predictors and the assumption that species-environment relationships, even with non-proximate predictors, are consistent across geographical space. Yet locally accurate maps of invasive species, such as the Africanized honeybee (AHB) in North America, are needed to support conservation efforts. Current AHB range maps are relatively coarse and are inconsistent with observed data. Our aim was to improve distribution maps using more proximate predictors (phenology) and using regional models rather than one across the entire range of interest to explore potential differences in drivers.
Intramuscular haloperidol versus intramuscular olanzapine for treatment of acute agitation: a cost-minimization study.

Study Objectives. To investigate prescribing patterns for antipsychotic regimens based on intramuscular haloperidol or intramuscular olanzapine for treating acute agitation; to compare the costs of each drug regimen, which included adjunctive anxiolytics and/or anticholinergics; and to compare the effectiveness and safety of each drug regimen. Design. Retrospective medical record review. Setting. State psychiatric facility. Patients. Twenty-seven patients who received intramuscular haloperidol to treat 47 episodes of acute agitation and 26 patients who received intramuscular olanzapine to treat 38 episodes. Measurements and Main Results. Data from patients receiving the antipsychotic regimens between August 2004 and March 2007 were reviewed. Mean ± SD doses were 6.4 ± 2.4 mg (range 2.5–10 mg) for haloperidol and 8.1 ± 2.3 mg (range 5–10 mg) for olanzapine. The mean ± SD cost of treating an episode of agitation with haloperidol was significantly lower at $4.06 ± 3.98 (range $1.74-18.35) versus $27.84 ± 10.40 (range $21.58-52.46) for olanzapine (p<0.0001). Significantly fewer patients who received haloperidol than patients who received olanzapine required additional pharmacotherapy to manage agitation (41% vs 69%, χ2=4.34, p=0.04). No significant differences were found between groups in the mean number of repeat doses of psychotropic drugs needed/episode (0.6 [range 0–5] for haloperidol vs 0.8 [range 0–3] for olanzapine, p=0.47), in the percentages of patients who required seclusion and/or restraints (59% for haloperidol vs 58% for olanzapine, χ2=0.01, p=0.91), or in time spent in seclusion and/or restraints (3.7 ± 7.1 for haloperidol vs 3.6 ± 6.5 hrs for olanzapine, p=0.92). No adverse events were documented with either drug. Conclusion. For the treatment of acute episodes of agitation, regimens based on intramuscular haloperidol were significantly less expensive than and at least as effective as those based on intramuscular olanzapine.
Using the Baldrige criteria for personal quality improvement

The global competitive environment is increasing the competitiveness for individuals. Each of us needs to have our own individual quality program to increase our personal standards. A modified version of the Baldrige Award Criteria for Excellence is offered as a framework for individuals to use as a basis for personal improvement.
El Niño and La Niña predictable climate fluctuations

The appearance of unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific, the signature of El Nino, alters the location and intensity of regions of deep convection in the tropics, and thus affects the global atmospheric circulation. The increase in the temperature of the surface waters is part of the oceanic response to the altered atmospheric conditions, especially the changes in the trade winds over the Pacific. This circular argument - the warm surface waters are both the cause and consequence of the changes in atmospheric conditions - implies that the interactions between the tropical Pacific Ocean and the atmosphere amount to a positive feedback and can result in natural modes of oscillation with timescales of the order of a few years. The Southern Oscillation, between complementary El Nino and La Nina states, corresponds to such a mode. Considerable progress has been made towards a capability to predict El Nino, La Nina, and climate fluctuations in general: an array of instruments now monitors the tropical Pacific; coupled ocean-atmosphere models capable of simulating and forecasting El Nino are growing rapidly in realism and skill. The predictability of El Nino appears to vary with time, probably because the Southern Oscillation is self-sustaining and hence highly predictable during some decades, damped and hence difficult to predict in other decades. During the latter periods, bursts of westerly winds that sporadically persist over the western equatorial Pacific for a week or two, have a spatial structure that enables them to excite the Southern Oscillation. Attention is now turning to the exchanges between the tropical and extra-tropical oceans that influence the decadal modulation of El Nino.
High fidelity simulation as a research tool

Medical simulation has grown explosively over the last decade. Simulation is becoming commonplace in clinical education but can also be used as an investigative clinical tool in its own right. There are thus two arms of simulation in clinical research. The first is investigation of the clinical impact of simulation as an educational tool and the second as an instrument to assess the function of clinical practitioners and systems. This article reviews the terminology, current practice and current research in simulation. The use of simulation in assessment of the clinical performance of devices, people and systems will then be discussed and some current work in these areas presented. Finally, medical simulation will be discussed within the paradigm of translational research. Early examples of this 'tool-bench to bedside' model will be presented as possible prototypes for future work directed towards patient safety.
Spoon River Anthology’s Heterosexual Heartland

Critics often assume Edgar Lee Masters’s best-selling 1915 collection of poems, Spoon River Anthology, to be a damning account of small-town corruption and sexual degeneration. This essay argues the counter-intuitive claim that the anthology instead confirms a pastoral image of small town life even as it appears to negate this ideal. I suggest that Spoon River Anthology paradoxically confirms the idyllic image of the small Midwestern town through the collection’s representations of adultery, unrestrained lust, and promiscuity – activities that were often associated with an “unnatural” version of heterosexuality in the early twentieth-century United States. To show that Masters’s critical account of Spoon River’s citizenry serves to substantiate representations of the heartland as an idyllic space for opposite-sex couplings, I offer close readings of two poems –“Lucinda Matlock” and “Washington McNeely”– and illustrate how they each present readers with compulsory versions of heterosexual couplings that contrast to the “deviant” opposite-sex activities that saturate the remainder of the text.
Klf2 Is an Essential Regulator of Vascular Hemodynamic Forces In Vivo

Hemodynamic responses that control blood pressure and the distribution of blood flow to different organs are essential for survival. Shear forces generated by blood flow regulate hemodynamic responses, but the molecular and genetic basis for such regulation is not known. The transcription factor KLF2 is activated by fluid shear stress in cultured endothelial cells, where it regulates a large number of vasoactive endothelial genes. Here, we show that Klf2 expression during development mirrors the rise of fluid shear forces, and that endothelial loss of Klf2 results in lethal embryonic heart failure due to a high-cardiac-output state. Klf2 deficiency does not result in anemia or structural vascular defects, and it can be rescued by administration of phenylephrine, a catecholamine that raises vessel tone. These findings identify Klf2 as an essential hemodynamic regulator in vivo and suggest that hemodynamic regulation in response to fluid shear stress is required for cardiovascular development and function.
Favorable Outcome of Pubovaginal Slings for Geriatric Women With Stress Incontinence

ABSTRACTPurpose: Traditionally pubovaginal slings have been associated with a greater risk of immediate morbidity and prolonged voiding dysfunction compared to other stress incontinence repairs. Because elderly patients already have inherently greater perioperative risk and prevalence of innate voiding dysfunction, there is some reluctance to construct slings in this age group. We examined the outcome of pubovaginal sling in elderly women versus younger controls to determine whether this concern is justified.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of 19 geriatric women older than 70 years who underwent a pubovaginal sling procedure between 1992 and 1995, and compared the findings to those of 77 younger control women with a mean followup of 22 months. All women had video urodynamically proved stress incontinence due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency and many had coexistent bladder instability symptoms. Women with neurogenic causes for incontinence were excluded from the study.Results...
Financial and Efficiency Differences in Family-Owned and Non-Family-Owned Nursing Homes: An Oregon Study:

There has been little empirical research investigating the performance differences between family-owned and non-family-owned businesses. This study investigated differences in efficiency between family-owned and non-family-owned nursing homes in the State of Oregon, as defined and identified by data envelopment analysis (DBA) and by selected traditional financial measures. More family-owned nursing homes than non-family-owned homes were identified as inefficient, and family-owned nursing homes were found to have significantly fewer assets and more liabilities than non-family-owned homes. Suggested reasons for the results are discussed.
Adrenal response in children receiving high doses of ketoconazole for systemic coccidioidomycosis.

The effect of ketoconazole on adrenal cortical function was studied in 10 prepubertal children receiving long-term (3 to 52 months) high-dose (10 to 23 mg/kg/d) orally administered ketoconazole treatment because of systemic coccidioidomycosis. Four hours after the once daily morning dose of ketoconazole, the patients had significantly elevated baseline desoxycorticosterone (DOC) and precursor/product ratios, and blunted cortisol and aldosterone responses to ACTH stimulation. Twenty-four hours after ketoconazole ingestion, both DOC and DOC/corticosterone ratio were approaching normal; the cortisol response to ACTH was normal in all but two of the 10 study patients, and these two had significantly improved response compared with their own 4-hour values. There appeared to be no differential adrenal response related to either duration of treatment (>12 vs 18 or β -hydroxylase step of steroid hormone synthesis. None of the patients required adrenal steroid replacement therapy in times of acute illness or surgery, and none had clinical evidence of adrenal insufficiency.
Use of FTA Technology to Extract Wheat streak mosaic virus and Candidatus Liberibacter Solanacearum from Single Vectors

Abstract. Detection and quantification of plant pathogens is a fundamental component of plant disease epidemiology. For vector-borne diseases, pathogen detection and quantification within the vector is often necessary to understand development and spread of disease. However, extraction and testing of pathogens from a single vector can be expensive and tedious, especially with large numbers of samples. Therefore, to simplify sample collection and reduce cost of analysis, we used a new nucleic acid elution approach using existing Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) technology from Whatman GE Healthcare. We applied this method in two very distinct vector-borne pathogen systems for Wheat streak mosaic virus (Tritimovirus) (McKinney 1937) and Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (Liefting et al. 2009). Total DNA and RNA were extracted from adult and nymphal psyllids (family Psyllidae) and wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella Keifer, respectively using FTA cards (Whatman GE Health care, Pittsburgh, PA), and resu...
Tensile properties of the human femur-anterior cruciate ligament-tibia complex: The effects of specimen age and orientation

The structural properties of 27 pairs of human cadaver knees were evaluated. Specimens were equally divided into three groups of nine pairs each based on age: younger (22 to 35 years), middle (40 to 50 years), and older (60 to 97 years). Anterior-posterior displacement tests with the intact knee at 30 degrees and 90 degrees of flexion revealed a significant effect of knee flexion angle, but not of specimen age. Tensile tests of the femur-ACL-tibia complex were performed at 30 degrees of knee flexion with the ACL aligned vertically along the direction of applied tensile load. One knee from each pair was oriented anatomically (anatomical orientation), and the contralateral knee was oriented with the tibia aligned vertically (tibial orientation). Structural properties of the femur-ACL-tibia complex, as represented by the linear stiffness, ultimate load, and energy absorbed, were found to decrease significantly with specimen age and were also found to have higher values in specimens tested in the anatomical orientation. In the younger specimens, linear stiffness (242 +/- 28 N/mm) and ultimate load (2160 +/- 157 N) values found when the femur-ACL-tibia complex was tested in the anatomical orientation were higher than those reported previously in the literature. These values provide new baseline data for the design and selection of grafts for ACL replacement in an attempt to reproduce normal knee kinematics.
RNA sequence heterogeneity in natural populations of three satellite RNAs of cucumber mosaic virus

Sequence heterogeneity within populations of three satellite RNAs of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) was assessed using two different approaches. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of several cDNA clones of each satellite RNA revealed microsequence heterogeneity, which is often seen in populations of RNA genomes. RNase protection assays using minus-sense satellite RNA probes were used to detect major sites of heterogeneity within natural populations of each satellite RNA. In RNase protection assays of WL1-sat RNA populations, no major sites of heterogeneity were detected within seven different populations, including preparations from four different host plant species. In contrast, RNase protection assays of nine populations of B1-sat RNA showed three different patterns, which were most likely due to the existence of the B1-sat RNA populations as mixtures in which different sequence variants predominated in different preparations. Assays of five independent populations of D-sat RNA revealed a single major site of heterogeneity which was common to each population and was localized at approximately nucleotide 225 of the 335-nucleotide satellite sequence. This common site of heterogeneity is a feature of the D-sat RNA population structure which may represent an equilibrium between alternative nucleotides at a selectively neutral position, or may be actively selected for and maintained.
Some Reasoned Utopian Proposals for National Health System Reform in the United States

The health system in the United States today is in need of serious reform. Several suggestions offered are utopian, not in the sense that they are wildly unrealistic, impossible to implement, or exorbitantly expensive but, rather, in that they envision restructuring the health system on the basis of reason and rationality without regard to what is already in place. Most of these proposals have already been attempted in other countries or have been employed at the state level in the United States. This article suggests that if the federal government were to play a greater role, health care costs might be contained and access might be broadened. Coordination of care and patient participation could improve health system performance. The United States might learn something from the single payer system and global hospital budgets. It may be necessary to increase the proportion of general practitioners, require local cooperation between hospitals, restructure the legal system relating to malpractice claims, and adopt a long-term accounting focus for health economics. As cost-containment features are developed, quality of care needs to be maintained and enhanced simultaneously. Evidence from the Canadian case is offered throughout.
AN IMPROVED LIQUID HYDROGEN DIFFERENTIAL CERENKOV COUNTER

Abstract A liquid hydrogen differential Cerenkov counter was developed to detect 0.3-GeV/c (β=0.92) pions for comparing π+and π− lifetimes in a check of CPT invariance. This type of counter, previously reported, has now been improved considerably so that it gives no counts when empty, remains clean with no window fogging, and has a very stable index of refraction. Two similar counters were constructed with 4″ and 7″ dia. apertures, and both could be used with either liquid hydrogen or liquid deuterium as the radiating medium. Each counter cleanly separated pions and muons of the same momentum, with a rejection of better than 104.
Russell's adaptation of the Wechsler Memory Scale as an index of hippocampal pathology

Fifty-nine patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (28 left, 31 right) completed the Visual Reproduction Subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale before surgery. Patients with right temporal seizure foci were significantly more impaired than those with left seizure foci in their performance on the Immediate Recall measure. Group differences were not found on the measures of Delayed Recall and Percent Retention. After surgical removal of the mesial temporal lobe structures, two blinded observers established volumetric cell densities for hippocampal subfields CA1, CA2, CA3, the hilar area, and the granule cell layer of the area dentata. No statistically significant correlations existed between Visual Reproduction Subtest scores and hippocampal neuronal density. These findings were discussed in combination with those of a prior study concerning the correlation of hippocampal neuron loss and impairment on the Logical Memory Subtest. The authors conclude that when testing patients with epilepsy, the Immediate Recall and Delayed Recall scores of the Logical Memory and Visual Reproduction Subtests should not be considered indices of hippocampal injury or disease. Logical Memory Percent Retention may be an index of left hippocampal injury or disease.
Prevention of scar spread on trunk excisions: a rater-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Importance Wounds that heal under tension lead to wider and more conspicuous scars and result in decreased long-term patient satisfaction. We hypothesized that prolonged intradermal suture lifetime can decrease scar spread in wounds under tension. Objective To determine whether prolonged intradermal support would help decrease scar spread. Design Prospective, randomized, controlled, rater-blinded, split-scar trial. Setting Outpatient dermatology clinic at Dallas Veterans Affairs Hospital, Dallas, Texas. Patients Patients presenting with skin cancer on the trunk were considered for the trial. We included 25 distinct surgical sites on a total of 22 patients. Intervention After excision, the wounds were closed with polyglactin 910 and poly-4 hydroxybutyrate (P4HB) sutures in opposite halves of the same wound. Main Outcome Measures Quantitative scar spread at 12 months and qualitative assessment using a visual analog scale and Hollander Wound Evaluation Scale. Results We found a statistically significant difference in scar width between the 2 suture materials, with a mean difference of 2.3 (95% CI, 1.0-3.6) mm (P Conclusions and Relevance Prolonged intradermal suture support leads to significantly decreased scar spread. However, the use of a longer-acting absorbable suture increases the rate of suture reaction noted at 3 months. Further studies into less reactive, longer-acting biomaterials are needed. In clinical practice, excisions in high-tension areas that are classically known to spread over time can benefit from longer-acting intradermal sutures. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00938691
Clinical Chemistry Trainee Council: A New Journal Initiative

Clinical Chemistry is pleased to announce the launching of a new initiative, called the “ Clinical Chemistry Trainee Council,” that will provide educational materials to trainees in clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine. This program combines the Journal's commitment to education and its mission to disseminate information to laboratory scientists throughout the world. In the past 3 years, considerable efforts have been exerted by the editors of Clinical Chemistry to build a solid educational program; the publication of Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Perspectives, Clinical Case Studies, Q&A articles, and the Clinical Chemistry Guide to Scientific Writing are examples of this commitment. Through our Reaching Out to the World program, articles from the Journal have been translated into 15 languages: The 143 articles translated into Chinese reach more than 210 000 laboratory scientists in …
Colostrum from dams living in a heartwater-endemic area influences calfhood immunity to Cowdria ruminantium

Two studies were carried out to determine whether colostrum from dams living in a heartwater-endemic area has an influence on calfhood immunity to Cowdria ruminantium infection. The initial study was conducted using Friesian calves originating from a heartwater-free herd. Experimental groups consisted of calves receiving colostrum from dams living in a heartwater-endemic area and known to be exposed to C. ruminantium (as determined by the indirect fluorescent antibody test) and calves receiving colostrum from dams located in a heartwater-free area. All calves were challenged at 3 days of age with a homologous C. ruminantium blood stabilate originating from the same area as the endemic colostrum. A significant difference in both the intensity of clinical reactions and percentage of fatal heartwater cases was noted between the two groups of calves. Three of the five calves receiving the colostrum free of C. ruminantium-specific antibodies succumbed to challenge, whereas none of the five calves receiving the colostrum from the heartwater-endemic area showed any clinical reactions. A second similar study was carried out using 12 mixed breed calves born in a heartwater-endemic area of Zimbabwe. The results from this study supported the findings of the first. The significant role of colostrum in calfhood immunity to C. ruminantium infection is discussed in relation to the epidemiology and control of heartwater.
Adsorption and coprecipitation of copper with the hydrous oxides of iron and aluminum

Hydrous oxides of iron (HFO) and aluminum (HAO) were studied for their ability to reduce Cu (initially 4.3 mg/L) to microgram per liter levels typical of increasingly stringent wastewater discharge limits. Residual soluble Cu was compared following adsorption (ADS), where Cu was contacted with preformed oxide flocs, and coprecipitation (CPT), where Cu was added prior to HFO or HAO precipitation. For the HAO-ADS system, soluble Cu levels were markedly undersaturated with respect to homogeneous precipitation (PPT) of Cu(OH)2(s) over the pH 6−9 range. In contrast, soluble Cu was lowered by HFO-ADS for pH <7.5 but comparable to PPT at higher pH. Isotherms suggest a Cu surface precipitate formed on HAO with solubility product lower than its HFO analogue. Compared to ADS, soluble Cu after CPT was similar for HAO but was dramatically lower for HFO. More Cu was incorporated internal to the HFO flocs during CPT, suggesting some Cu substitution into the HFO lattice. Removal of Cu was significantly influenced by oxi...
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support of the Fontan and bidirectional Glenn circulations.

Abstract Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can provide effective mechanical circulatory support for the failing circulation in children. Patients with failing Fontan and bidirectional Glenn physiology present additional challenges both for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cannulation and support. We report our institutional experience in patients with cavopulmonary connections who received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Methods We performed a retrospective review of 20 patients with cavopulmonary connections (14 Fontan and 6 bidirectional Glenn) who were supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation from a single, large pediatric tertiary care center. Results Of the 20 patients, ten were supported and decannulated successfully (50%) (two after cardiac transplantation), but only six (30%) are alive at follow-up. Of the 14 Fontan patients, seven (50%) were withdrawn from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or died within 48 hours of decannulation due to lack of myocardial recovery or severe neurologic injury. All four adult-sized (> 40 kg) Fontan patients were withdrawn from extracorporeal support. The seven Fontan patients who were successfully decannulated survived to discharge, and five (35.7%) are alive at follow-up (median 35 months; range, 7 to 140 months). Of the six bidirectional Glenn patients, five died before hospital discharge and the lone survivor has neurologic injury at follow-up. Conclusions Patients with failing Fontan and bidirectional Glenn physiology present significant challenges to successful extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. While the morbidity and mortality rates are high, there are select patients for whom extracorporeal support can be effective and lifesaving as a short-term resuscitative intervention.
Some robust stability theorems for polygons of discrete polynomials

How to partition an unstable polytope of polynomials into stable and unstable regions is addressed. L.R. Pujara and N. Shanghag have taken the first step by proposing a partition algorithm for unstable polygons of continuous polynomials. The present study begins with a discrete version of the segment lemma of H. Chapellat and S.P. Battacharyya (1989). Some necessary and sufficient conditions are proven for a polynomial vanishing at e* (where *=J omega /sub 0/), for some omega /sub 0/, in a polygon of discrete polynomials. These results lead directly to a method for partitioning polygons of discrete polynomials. >
Primary structures of rat and bovine liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenases deduced from cDNA sequences

The cDNA coding for rat liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase was cloned and sequenced. It contained an open reading frame of 1557 bp. Of the deduced 519 amino acid residues, 19 were proposed to correspond to the signal peptide necessary to allow the protein to enter the mitochondria [Farres, J., Guan, K.-L. and Weiner, H. (1987) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 150, 1083–1087]. The sequence of the 500 amino acid residues comprising the mature subunit was 96% identical to that of the corresponding human liver mitochondrial enzyme. The longest cDNA isolated coding for the bovine liver enzyme contained sequence information corresponding to residues 72-500 of the rat or human enzyme. The deduced protein sequence of these residues was 94% identical to those of the human enzyme. Over 60% of the bases in the coding region of the rat cDNA were G and C. These residues were clustered non-randomly and two potentially stable stem-loop structures could be calculated as existing in the mRNA. One would be found in the region coding for amino acid residues 64-79; a similar secondary structure could be responsible for the existing truncated cDNAs from the bovine-cDNA libraries. Comparisons with the amino acid sequences of other aldehyde dehydrogenases support the suggestion that the NAD-binding domain may be located in the middle portion of the mature enzyme.
The electrochemical aspects of some biochemical systems—VI. The effects of chlorpromazine on the reactivity of E. coli☆

Abstract A study of the effects of chlorpromazine on the ability of E. coli to metabolize glucose had indicated that this agent may be interfering with the cytochrome system, the phosphorylation mechanism, as well as possibly having a surface-active effect on the cell wall and membrane. In a 1·25–2·5 × 10−4 mM/45 ml concentration range, an increased coulombic output was observed which may be attributed primarily to an increased rate of phosphorylation and/or interference with the cytochrome enzyme systems. Also at the 2·5 × 10−4 mM/45 ml concentration, the usual multipathways by which glucose is oxidized by E. coli are affected to the extent of apparently almost completely inhibiting the pentose-phosphate cycle which occurs via a gluconolactone intermediate. At higher concentrations of chlorpromazine (5·00–6·25 × 10−4 mM/45 ml), the typical hypocoulombic response associated with a low metabolic state is obtained.
Pilot-symbol assisted modulation for correlated turbulent free-space optical channels

In free-space optical links using intensity modulation and direct detection, atmospheric turbulence can cause signal fading. Pilot-symbol (PS) assisted modulation (PSAM) can help to mitigate this fading, improving system performance. We periodically insert an On-state PS in front of M-1 information bits and form a M-bit frame. We derive the PS assisted maximum-likelihood (PSA-ML) decision rule under the assumption that the temporal coherence of fading is known, but the instantaneous fading state is not known. We also propose a simpler PS assisted detection scheme with variable threshold (PSA-VT), Although these two techniques will introduce some delay to the detection system, they can help to mitigate the atmospheric turbulence induced fading. We have performed numerical simulations to show this improvement. We also describe how to choose the frame size M to optimize the performance of PSAM systems.
PREDICTING DRIVER BEHAVIOR USING ADVANCED TRAVELER INFORMATION SYSTEMS

As a part of the Intelligent Vehicle Highway System (IVHS), Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) will offer tomorrow's drivers significantly expanded capabilities for getting where they want to go safely and efficiently. Vehicle-based navigation systems combined with information on highway conditions and services have the potential for improving driver performance. Though ATIS may offer considerable advantages, the system design must be consistent with the primary tasks of controlling and operating the vehicle. This paper describes an attempt to identify the likely interaction between what a driver must do to operate the vehicle safely while at the same time using the various ATIS systems. As such, it is an attempt to visualize what driving with these advanced systems will be like and to translate that vision into standard human factors task analytic techniques. Though a broad range of ATIS systems and functions were addressed in this project, this paper will address the macro-level task analyses ...
Numerical modeling of the temperature distribution in a commercial hazardous waste slagging rotary kiln

The gas, wall, and bed temperatures in a hazardous waste incineration kiln were studied using a commercially available, CFD-based, reacting flow code, which included radiation heat transfer. The model was compared to field measurements made on a co-current flow, 35 MW slagging rotary kiln. Cases were run to determine the sensitivity of the predictions to changes in the model assumptions and to simulate the normal variation in combustion inputs. The model predictions of the peak bed temperature, of the axial temperature profile, and of the gas temperature at the exit-plane were consistent with the measurements at a full-scale waste incinerator during normal operation. The model and the field observations both indicate that the peak bed temperature occurs near the middle of the kiln and that the difference between the peak bed temperature and the exit-plane gas temperature depends on the inlet flows. The geometry of the transition between the kiln and the secondary combustion chamber and the fuel-to-air equ...
B61, a ligand for the Eck receptor protein‐tyrosine kinase, exhibits neurotrophic activity in cultures of rat spinal cord neurons

Although the Eph subfamily represents the largest group of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases, the biological roles of the Eph-related receptors and their ligands are not well understood. B61 has been identified recently by receptor affinity chromatography as a ligand for the Eph-related receptor Eck (Bartley et al.: Nature 368:558–560, 1994). Here we show that Eck immunoreactivity is localized in areas of the embryonic rat spinal cord that are rich in axons, suggesting that Eck plays a role in this region of the developing nervous system. To examine the biological function of Eck, monolayer cultures of dissociated cells from embryonic rat spinal cord were treated with soluble B61. With an ED50 of approximately 10 ng/ml, B61 treatment improved the survival of the overall neuronal population. Furthermore, in the presence of B61 neurites were longer and more elaborated. B61 similarly affected survival and neurite length in cultures enriched in motor neurons. These neurotrophic effects of B61 were not observed in the presence of anti-Eck antibodies, indicating that these effects are likely to be mediated by the Eck receptor. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Central nervous system site of action of bombesin to elevate plasma concentrations of catecholamines.

Abstract To identify the central nervous system site of action of bombesin to elevate plasma concentrations of catecholamines, this peptide has been injected into numerous brain ventricular and parenchymal sites. Low doses of bombesin (1–10 ng) injected into the region of the rostral nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) elicited an elevation of plasma catecholamines greater than those observed following an injection of bombesin into other brain regions. Bombesin-induced (10 ng) elevation of plasma epinephrine but not norepinephrine was prevented by co-administration of somatostatin-28 (100 ng). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were measured following injection of bombesin into the NTS. Bombesin injected into the NTS resulted in prolonged decreases in HR without significantly altering MAP. These studies demonstrate that bombesin injected into the dorsal medulla resulted in significant changes of plasma catecholamine levels and HR. Based on these actions of bombesin and the neuroanatomic distribution of bombesin-like peptide, it is suggested that this peptide may play an important role in regulation of sympatho-adrenal and cardiac functions.
Synthetic Studies of Neoclerodane Diterpenes from Salvia divinorum: Preparation and Opioid Receptor Activity of Salvinicin Analogues

Further modification of salvinorin A (1a), the major active component of Salvia divinorum, has resulted in the synthesis of novel neoclerodane diterpenes with opioid receptor affinity and activity. We report in this study that oxadiazole 11a and salvidivin A (12a), a photooxygenation product of 1a, have been identified as the first neoclerodane diterpenes with kappa antagonist activity. This indicates that additional structural modifications of 1a may lead to analogues with higher potency and utility as drug abuse medications.
Provider and Interpreter Preferences Among Somali Women in a Primary Care Setting

Objectives: Somali people are among the largest refugee populations to resettle in North America and Europe over the past 2 decades, and health disparities are well documented, including barriers t...
Perspectives and Current Strategies for Dyslipidemia in Women

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death for women in the United States, with dyslipidemia a major contributing risk factor. A growing body of evidence supports aggressive diagnosis and treatment of dyslipidemia; however, women and physicians continue to underestimate cardiovascular risk in women. Specific evidence-based guidelines provide the clinician with strategies for safe, efficacious evaluation and treatments. Evolving risk factor assessment tools may also aid in identifying women at greater risk than predicted by traditional analysis. Ongoing concerns remain regarding the complex role of estrogen as it interacts with lipids and cardiovascular risk, with strong recommendations from the guidelines against estrogen therapy for cardiovascular risk prevention. Ongoing research is needed to understand mechanisms impacting cardiovascular risk related to dyslipidemia in women and optimize risk intervention across the life cycle.
The renal transport of taurine and the regulation of renal sodium-chloride-dependent transporter activity.

A model for the β-amino acid taurine transport is presented to help define the ionic, pH, and voltage requirements for the movement of taurine into the rat proximal tubule brush border membrane vesicle (BBMV). Sodium-(Na+)-taurine symport across the apical surface of the proximal tubule has a highly specific requirement for Cl− and Br−. Active taurine transport operates with a 2 Na+: 1 Cl−: 1 taurine-carriier complex. Complexes like the one required for maximal taurine transport may be pertinent for many other amino acids whose uptake is Na+-dependent. Renal epithelial cell lines LLC-PK and MDCK were used to define the nature of taurine uptake; they express Na+-Cl−-taurine cotransport that is inhibited by β-alanine. The cell lines up-or down-regulate taurine transport in response to changes in the taurine concentration of the medium in a manner similar to that seen in BBMV. The adaptation is present by 12 h and depends on new protein synthesis and protein import to the cell membrane. The role of trafficking in the adaptive response was also explored in brush border vesicles. During dietary surfeit, transporter could be down-regulated and transporters could be shifted back into the microtubule system, resulting in taurinuria. Use of continuous renal cell lines allowed a more mechanistic exploration of intracellular trafficking in the up- and down-expression of the Na+-Cl−-taurine cotransporter. Colchicine appeared to be a more potent inhibitor of the rapid (over hours) adaptive response to a reduction in media and, therefore, intracellular taurine content. This effect suggests that the increase in Na+ symporter is due to import of a transport protein into functional sites in the brush border membrane, rather than a major increase in mRNA synthesis. The proximal tubule luminal membrane of the neonatal rat is characterized by a high amiloride-sensitive Na+/H+ exchange activity and high permeability to Na+. The resulting increase in Na+ transport in the immature proximal tubule may contribute to the positive Na+ balance of the growing organism and may potentially influence the pattern of urinary solute excretion during early life, including an increase in urinary taurine excretion.
Effect of density and orientation on the permeability of polypropylene film

The permeability of films to O2, CO2, and H2O vapor is reduced by drawing processes. The permeability data are compatible with the hypothesis that crystallinity reduces permeability because of (1) a decrease in the volume fraction of penetrable amorphous polymer; (2) a lengthening of the diffusion path by impenetrable barriers, presumably crystallites; and (3) a reduction in segmental motion within the amorphous volume. Analysis of the effect of molecular diameter on diffusion rate shows that the segmental motion within amorphous polypropylene regions is less than that in natural rubber.