cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DRIADE: a data repository for evolutionary biology

NESCent (The National Evolutionary Synthesis Center) is developing DRIADE (Digital Repository of Information and Data for Evolution) to address synthetic research challenges fundamental to advancing the field of evolutionary biology. This poster highlights results from a survey of selected repositories' functionalities, DRIADE's functional requirements, and DRIADE's functional model. We also summarize ongoing research activities, studying evolutionary biologists' data preservation practices and use requirements.
Meaningful use of patient-centric health records for healthcare transformation

Healthcare transformation through the use of information technologies is partly dependent on effectively applying the most up-to-date knowledge to the complete representation of the patient's past medical history at the point of care. In order for health knowledge to be effectively used, patient information should be sufficiently detailed, and more importantly, the semantics of the data should be made explicit and machine processable. Often, the semantics of data are represented implicitly and are hidden in unstructured and disconnected descriptions of the data. Alternatively, they may be known to human experts, such as the researchers or caregivers involved in the generation of that data. Predefined schemas of health information systems are insufficient; it is extremely important to explicitly represent the patient-specific context of each discrete data item and how it relates to other data items (e.g., indications and outcomes of an operation), as well as how it fits into the entire health history of an individual. Dispersed and disparate medical records of a patient are often inconsistent and incoherent. An independent patient-centric electronic health record may provide an explicit, coherent, and complete representation of contextual data. This paper reviews healthcare transformations, with consideration of an independent health record.
Search Committee Effectiveness in Determining a Finalist Pool: A Case Study

Abstract One hundred twenty five applications for an entry-level librarian position were examined to determine whether a search committee at one major Midwestern university library chose finalists based on form over substance, and whether candidates who met the required qualifications were advanced to the finalist pool. Methodology determined the number of applicants who self-reported having each qualification, by round. Findings showed that the search committee was not unduly influenced by resume format over qualifications, and the few applicants who met all of the required qualifications as well as one or more of the preferred ones were not advanced to the finalist pool. Discussion and implications for future study are presented.
Nafion®-based composite polymer electrolyte membranes

Abstract Microporous poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) and Celgard® films were used as support material for Nafion®-based composite membranes. The microporous supports were impregnated by soaking in a 18 wt% Nafion®/ethanol solution. Although there was considerable Nafion® uptake by Celgard® (43–45 wt%), the conductivity at 65°C of 0.021 S/cm (Celgard® 2400) or 0.027 S/cm (Celgard® 2500) is relatively low in comparison to that of 0.114 S/cm for Nafion® 112. In contrast, a larger uptake (∼70 wt%) and conductivity (0.101 S/cm) were measured for the microporous PTFE support. Because the Nafion®/PTFE composites are only 31 μ m thick, their areal resistance is lower than that of Nafion® 112 membranes: 0.031 vs 0.036 Ω cm 2 . Nafion® is uniformly distributed across the PTFE support, as evidenced by EDAX visualization of Ag + -exchanged membranes, but does not completely plug the micropores, as suggested by the relatively low bubble-point and the relatively high N 2 and O 2 permeabilities of the composites.
Placentation in the garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis

The placental memebranes and uterus of the garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis, were studied using histological, histochemical, electron microscopic, dye transfer, and radioisotopic techniques. The conceptuses are completely enclosed throughout gestation by a transparent shell membrane which is produced by glandular epithelia in the uterine segment of the oviduct. Both chorio-allantoic and omphalo (yolk-sac) placentation are observed in this snake. The growth of the extra-embryonic mesoderm takes place in a manner peculiar to placental reptiles, and results in the isolation of the omphaloplacenta from the yolk-sac wall. On the basis of morphology, enzyme histochemistry, and phagocytosis of Trypan blue particles, this structure is interpreted as a site of histiotrophic absorption. The chorio-allantoic region of placentation is simple in structure. Fetal and maternal capillaries are closely apposed but always separated by layers of uterine and chorionic epithelium and the thin shell membrane. The placental membranes of the garter snake are similar in many respects to those of other live-bearing snakes, but less specialized than most lizard placentate. Isotopically labelled sodium and glycine are passed to the fetus following maternal injection, the latter at least apparently via the omphaloplacenta. The permeability to iron and phospate is extremely low. On the basis of these results and the selective transfer of certain dyestuffs, it appears that the shell membrane functions as a dialyzing membrane.
Pediment response to drainage basin evolution in south-central Arizona

The Sonoran Desert portion of the Basin and Range physiographic province contains a number of streams that now flow across once-closed basins. We explore here the research questions of if and how granitic rock pediments respond to the transition from rimming endorheic basins to bordering through-flowing streams. Granitic rock pediments of the northern Usery and eastern McDowell Mountains once graded to the closed Miocene–Pliocene Pemberton basin that occupied the present-day location of the confluence of the Salt and Verde Rivers. The process of lake overflow, which integrated these rivers, first aggraded fill terraces that, in turn, caused aggradation of a mantle of transported grus on bedrock pediments. Subsequent episodic incision of the Salt and Verde rivers lowered the base level; this led to the development of erosional features such as rolling topography of a degrading pediment mantle; exposure of the former piedmont angle and its associated zones of enhanced bedrock decay and regolith carbonate; a...
Novel Methods For Acquisition And Display Of Three Dimensional Surfaces

This article is in two parts. Part I discloses the invention of a new range finding method, and Part II describes a novel video display architecture useful for viewing data acquired by such a range finder. Range finding by diffraction depends on the curvature of the wave front radiated from a point source as a proportional measure of distance. The novel display architecture, Random Address Processing, is a form of content-addressable memory built into a raster-scan graphics display.
The effect of light intensity and light period on the development of thallus form in the marine red alga Pleonosporium squarrulosum (Harvey) Abbott (Rhodophyta: Ceramiales) I. Apical cell division — main axes

Abstract An analysis and discussion of two mechanisms of apical cell division in filaments of Pleonosporium squarrulosum (Harvey) Abbott (Ceramiales) is given. It is suggested that the alternate, oblique orientation of cross-wall formation during sequential divisions of apical cells of filaments of unlimited growth is characteristic of actively growing axes and is involved in determining the alternate branching pattern of the thallus. A second method of apical cell division, namely, that resulting in the formation of horizontal crosswalls, is frequently characteristic of filaments that have become limited in growth. The rates of division of apical cells of main axes of regenerates were determined under light intensities ranging from 269–1614 lx and light periods of 16L-8D and 8L-16D. Rates of division were found to be highly affected by both light intensity and light period, and a significant interaction between the two was demonstrated. The effects of light period are interpreted as acting by increasing or decreasing the duration of exposure to illumination rather than as a ‘trigger’ effect. A method of presenting a summary of the effects of light period and light intensity is to express the data in terms of Mean Daily Illuminance (MDI = illumination (lux) × day − length (h)/24 h). Analysis of the data as MDI show that the rate of division of apical cells increased with increasing MDI up to a value of 538 MDI.
Macrocycle Formation by Ring-Closing Metathesis. Application to the Syntheses of Novel Macrocyclic Taxoids

A series of novel macrocyclic taxoids 6 and 6‘ bearing 16-, 17-, and 18-membered rings connecting the substituents at the C-2 and C-3‘ positions were designed and synthesized. The syntheses of these macrocycles 6 and 6‘ were accomplished using the highly efficient ruthenium-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis (RCM) of taxoid-ω,ω‘-dienes 7 in the key step. Taxoid-ω,ω‘-dienes 7 were obtained through the ring-opening coupling of 4-alkenyl-β-lactams 9 with 2-alkenoylbaccatins 8 in good to high yields. Although various novel pentacyclic macrocycles 6 and 6‘ were successfully synthesized, there were cases in which the desired RCM did not proceed. The scope and limitation of RCM in its application to highly functionalized complex substrates are discussed. All macrocyclic taxoids 6 and 6‘ were found to be cytotoxic, with some of them exhibiting submicromolar IC50 values against a human breast cancer cell line.
Proposed animal neurosensitization model for multiple chemical sensitivity in studies with formalin.

Abstract A potentially promising line of animal research relevant to multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is that of sensitization in the central nervous system (CNS), particularly limbic pathways in the brain. Sensitization is the progressive and enduring enhancement in behavioral and neurochemical responses that occurs after repeated exposure to psychostimulants or environmental stressors. Since the onset and progression of sensitization has many parallels with that of MCS, it has been proposed that MCS may be initiated through a mechanism similar to the sensitization of CNS components occurring in the rodent. To test this hypothesis, female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to formalin vapors (FORM, 11 ppm) or water vapor (control) 1 h/day for 7 days. The next day, a saline injection was given followed by a cocaine injection (15 mg/kg i.p.) 24 h later, and locomotor activity was monitored. Animals pretreated with repeated FORM inhalation demonstrated a significantly enhanced locomotor response to cocaine compared to controls, an indicator that specific limbic pathways may have been sensitized. At 4 weeks of withdrawal from FORM exposure, a subset of animals remained sensitized to a cocaine challenge. No differences were found between groups after a saline injection. In a second experiment, animals were screened prior to FORM or water exposure for their response to a novel situation, a measure believed to reflect an animal's general responsiveness to stimuli. Rats were divided into high responders (HR) or low responders (LR), based on their locomotion in a novel cage. Results from three behavioral tests demonstrated that HR and LR were differentially affected by exposure to FORM. In a passive avoidance test, HR and LR appeared to be different in their distribution of responses, while HR and LR responses in the FORM group were nearly identical. On the elevated plus maze test of anxiety, HR spent more time on the open arms than LR in both treatment groups, with significant differences between HR and LR in the FORM, but not water, treated group. On a hot plate test to measure nociceptive levels, no differences occurred between HR and LR in the control group, whereas nociception of LR tended toward an increase compared to HR in the FORM-exposed group. Results from the second experiment suggest that the effects of FORM exposure may be obscured by examining behavior in a heterogeneous population (HR and LR). This approach using animal models may help define neural substrates that mediate the amplification of responses of a subpopulation of individuals to chemicals in the environment.
E-Health: A New Kind of Telemedicine

ABSTRACT This paper examines e-health in detail. E-health is the use of distant communication technologies in the healthcare context and the use of advanced information and communication technologies (i.e., the Internet) that meet the needs of citizens, patients, healthcare practitioners and professionals. The goal of the authors is to show that e-health services have improved telemedicine to the point of substantially transforming its very meaning. As such, e-health expands and redefines the operational usage of telemedicine services. E-health, for instance, is much more oriented to the wide-range possibilities of service delivery (i.e., e-health offers Web services such as WebMD.com, which receives a very high number of visitors). Besides, legal and licensing matters are no longer issues in e-health, in the same way that health insurance is not an obstacle with e-health, which may also be the cure to the paucity of knowledge that telemedicine services used to provide. Nevertheless, e-health also present...
(-)-Isoproterenol modulation of maxi-K(+) channel in nonpigmented ciliary epithelial cells through a G-protein gated pathway.

Purpose. Adrenergic agents decrease intraocular pressure by reducing aqueous humor secretion from ciliary epithelial cells. Since the ionic concentration of aqueous humor contributes to intraocular pressure, we have investigated the effect of (-)-isoproterenol, a s-adrenergic agonist on the maxi-K + channel in rabbit nonpigmented ciliary epithelial (NPE) cells. Methods. Single-channel currents were recorded from the basolateral surface of acutely isolated NPE cells using patch clamp techniques. Results. A calcium dependent maxi-K + channel was identified in 31% of cell-attached patches. In the excised condition the channel was activated in presence of calcium. In symmetrical K + solution a linear current-voltage relationship and unitary conductance of 158 ± 15pS was observed. Replacing K + with Na + the current-voltage curve shifted to the right and approached a reversal potential for K + (~–80 mV). Barium (2 mM) from the intracellular side or iberiotoxin (50 nM) from the extracellular side blocked the ch...
LEGAL ASPECTS OF EPILEPSY

It is a truism in understanding epilepsy and seizure disorders that the social consequences of the condition can far outweigh the medical effect. Many people report shock and dismay over, in particular, the legal consequences they experience after being diagnosed with epilepsy. Perhaps the greatest effect is on driver licensing and employment, although insurance difficulties, child custody concerns, special education issues, and inappropriate encounters with the police and public transit officials are also frequently reported. In this article, the focus is on the two areas of most concern to the individual with epilepsy, driving and employment. The author discusses the general state of the law in each area, and the implications for and role of the treating physician.
Synthesis and Structure of a Magnesium Hydroxide Complex Supported by Tris(pyrazolyl)hydroborato Ligation, {[Tp(Ar,Me)]Mg(m-OH)}(2) (Ar = p-Bu(t)C(6)H(4)).

A well-defined magnesium hydroxide complex has been synthesized by using a tris(pyrazolyl)hydroborato ligand with p-tert-butylphenyl substituents. Specifically, the dinuclear complex {[TpAr,Me]Mg(μ-OH)}2 (Ar = p-ButC6H4) is prepared by the reaction of the magnesium alkyl derivative [TpAr,Me]MgMe with H2O.
A noninvasive technique for in vivo measurement of joint torques of biarticular muscles.

Abstract The objective of this work was to develop a noninvasive method to measure the joint torques produced by biarticular muscles at two joints simultaneously. During intramuscular stimulation of the cat medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle, torques at the ankle and knee joints were calculated from forces measured in two dimensions at the end point of the cat paw under isometric conditions. The method was verified by the known anatomical properties of cat MG muscle and the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle. The MG muscle was shown to produce a significant flexion torque at the knee, besides an extension torque at the ankle. This was in agreement with its anatomical arrangement. The TA muscle produced primarily an ankle flexion torque. The small knee torque, due to measurement errors, yielded an estimate of measurement accuracy of 3.0±2.1% ( n =52). The coupling ratio of the MG muscle, defined as T (ankle)/ T (knee), varied significantly with both knee and ankle angles. The profile of MG mechanical coupling agreed qualitatively with changes in limb configuration. The method can be used to measure recruitment properties of electrically stimulated biarticular muscles, and may potentially be used to study the biomechanics of biarticular coupling.
Efficient coupling of optical-antenna based nanoLED to a photonic waveguide

An optical-antenna nanoLED is coupled into an InP waveguide. Optical emission measurements of Yagi-Uda antennas show a 5x increase in forward coupled light, giving 70% waveguide coupling efficiency and directional emission.
Oncolytic Vesicular Stomatitis Virus as a Treatment for Neuroendocrine Tumors

Background Therapeutic goals for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) not amenable to operative cure are limited to relieving symptoms and slowing progression. Many malignancies acquire defective antiviral responses as they undergo unregulated proliferation. Therefore, we explored the abilities of recombinant wild-type vesicular stomatitis virus and an attenuated matrix protein mutant (M51R-VSV) to exploit defective antiviral pathways in NETs. Methods Viral infectivity and lethality were evaluated in a panel of human NET cell lines H727, UMC-11, and CNDT2.5. We evaluated β-interferon pathways in these cells to define the acquired defect. Murine xenografts were treated with a single intratumoral injection of M51R-VSV to study viral efficacy in vivo. Results VSV infected >99% of cells within 24 hours and killed >95% within 72 hours. NET cells did not produce relevant amounts of β-interferon after infection, but exogenous β-interferon protected cells from oncolysis. Treatment with M51R-VSV resulted in suppressed tumor growth (mean value ± standard error of the mean) compared with mock-infected xenografts for H727 (87 ± 72% vs 2,197 ± 335%; P P P = .001). Conclusion VSV infects and kills human NETs by exploiting their inability to produce a type I antiviral response. Therefore, M51R-VSV is an excellent candidate for the treatment of advanced NETs.
Spontaneous micronucleus frequency and age : what are normal values?

Micronucleus frequency in epidemiological studies of human exposure has become a preferred biomarker. A generally recognized observation is that micronucleus frequency increases with age. One requirement for comparison of data, which is being generated in many countries, is some common agreement about what constitutes a typical or normal background frequency of micronuclei. This is also a requirement when examining any individual value, especially one which might be considered an outlier. A mean value for normal micronucleus frequency with age is developed via the analysis of multiple studies, all of which employed large population bases and generally were conducted with the intent of determining population values. The result is presented here, with the understanding that it may over- or under-estimate the actual values in certain populations.
Comparison of Pediatric Levalbuterol and Albuterol Exposures Reported to Texas Poison Centers

Background:Levalbuterol is R-albuterol, which is the active isomer and accounts for the therapeutic activity of albuterol. The effects of S-albuterol are often the opposite of those of levalbuterol, and the effects of levalbuterol may be diminished in the presence of S-albuterol.Objective:To compare exposures among young children to levalbuterol and albuterol that were reported to poison centers.Methods:Cases included levalbuterol and albuterol exposures among patients age 0–5 years reported to Texas poison centers during 2000–2009. The distribution of total cases for each medication was determined for selected characteristics. For cases not involving other substances and where a final medical outcome was known, the distribution of each medication was determined for outcome and management site of the exposure and most common clinical effects and treatments. Comparisons were made by calculating the rate ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval.Results:There were a total of 1,012 levalbuterol and 4,338 albute...
Determination of phospholipase D-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylethanolamine.

While phospholipase D-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine is well documented, we have recently shown that phospholipase D-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) [Kiss, Z., and Anderson, W.B.,J. Biol. Chem. 264, 1483–1487 (1989);J. Biol. Chem. 265, 7345–7350 (1990)] is equally prominent. This made it necessary to define in detail the conditions required for the detection of agonist-stimulated PtdEtn hydrolysis. Using the [14C]ethanolamine-prelabeled rat-1 fibroblast model and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbor 13-acetate (TPA) as a model compound with the known ability to stimulate phospholipase D, we demonstrated that optimal detection of TPA-induced ethanolamine release requires i) fractionation of water-soluble ethanolamine products; ii) addition of unlabeled ethanolamine to quench the phosphorylation of newly formed [14C]ethanolamine; and/or iii) prolonged preincubation of prelabeled cells in an isotope-free medium before the addition of TPA. This preincubation step reduces the cellular content of unincorporated14C-labeled ethanolamine metabolites and improves the signal-to-noise ratio.
Sleep: A Neuropeptidergic Wake-Up Call for Flies

Endogenous circadian rhythms exert strong effects on sleep, but the neuronal mechanisms that produce these effects have remained obscure. New work implicates neuropeptidergic signaling in a subset of circadian clock cells in the regulation of sleep late at night.
Low access resistance perforated patch recordings using amphotericin B

We present experimental procedures describing the creation of perforated patches by use of amphotericin B. In 13 different cellular preparations, access resistances below 10 M omega were achieved and with blunt electrode tips, access resistances of 3-4 M omega were possible. In addition to using the techniques to measure whole cell currents, we have used them to measure single channel currents in a new "outside-out patch" preparation and we have utilized them to measure the resting voltage of epithelial monolayers. We conclude that these new approaches can provide a substantial increase in versatility and quality for many kinds of electrophysiological measurements.
Alterations in acetylcholine-induced stimulation of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis in the dorsal hippocampus of kindled rats.

Abstract Agonist-induced turnover or release of inositolphosphates (IP) was studied in the dorsal and the ventral hippocampus 24 h, 1 month, and 3 months after the last electrical stimulus of kindled rats. A significant increase in acetylcholine (ACh)-stimulated IP turnover was observed in dorsal, but not ventral, hippocampus 24 h and 1 month after the last electrical stimulus. However, this effect was not evident 3 months after kindling. The excitatory amino acids (quisqualic acid and ibotenic acid) at the concentrations used, however, failed to produce any change in receptor-stimulated release or turnover of IP. Thus the changes in ACh-induced IP release, although long-term, are not permanent and do not appear to be related to the neurobiological alterations associated with the long-term maintenance of the kindling phenomenon.
Effect of Thermodynamic Restriction on Energy Cost Optimization of RO Membrane Water Desalination

Advances in highly permeable reverse osmosis (RO) membranes have enabled desalting operations, in which it is practically feasible for the applied pressure to approach the osmotic pressure of the exit brine stream. However, energy cost remains a major contributor to the total cost of water produced by RO membrane desalination. Reduction of the overall cost of water production represents a major challenge and, in the present work, various elements of water production cost are evaluated from the viewpoint of optimization, with respect to various costs (energy, membrane area and permeability, brine management, and pressure drop), as well as the important thermodynamic cross-flow constraint, utilization of energy recovery devices, and operational feed and permeate flow rate constraints. More specifically, in the present study, an approach to the optimization of product water recovery at pressures that approach the osmotic pressure of the exit brine stream is presented via several simple RO process models that...
Fatigue among Clinicians and the Safety of Patients

Clinicians, especially physicians in training, often work long hours and get inadequate sleep. The implications of fatigue among clinicians for the quality of medical care have not been adequately studied, but sleep deprivation is likely to cause medical errors. This article reviews the effect of fatigue on performance, as well as current policies regulating residents' hours of work and options for new regulations governing residency shifts. The authors argue that reform is needed because the long work hours of clinicians adversely affect the quality of health care.
A SPATIAL EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MODEL

This paper describes a powerful yet user-friendly large-scale model for urban and regional economic development planning, which is under development at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The procedure, called the Spatial Employment and Economic Development (SEED) procedure, currently gives a variety of labor-shed information. It can also provide the means to evaluate job-training and transportation system improvements.
The mode of synaptic linkage in the cerebro-ponto-cerebellar pathway of the cat. I. Responses in the brachium pontis

Cerebrally-induced responses of pontine nuclei cells (PN cells) were studied in cats anesthetized with pentobarbitone sodium and with the midbrain transected bilaterally sparing only the cerebral peduncles. After stimulating the subcortical white matter, the internal capsule or the cerebral peduncle, mass potentials were recorded from the cut end of fibres in the brachium pontis (BP) and in the pyramid at the level of the trapezoid body. These potentials were regarded as indicating, respectively, the size of an output volley of PN cells and the size of its causative input volley through the pyramidal tract. BP responses consisted of short- and long-latency potentials which were caused by fast and slow conducting pyramidal tract volleys, respectively. The input-output relations for fast component responses took a characteristic S-shaped form resembling those obtained for the monosynaptic spinal reflex. The input-output relations for slow component responses were almost linear. Both fast and slow BP responses were remarkably potentiated after single or relatively brief repetitive peduncular stimulation, but were depressed after long-lasting high-frequency activation. During repetitive stimulation with varied frequencies, fast and slow BP responses showed different patterns of frequency-dependence of their amplitudes. These results suggest the existence of two separate transmission lines with different properties in the cerebro-ponto-cerebellar pathway.
Representing the patient in data

In today's world, medical information on patients is usually recorded by a variety of health care providers who write their thoughts either on paper or in a word processing program. Telemedicine and other high technology initiatives add to the existing information database. However, most stored data are not easily linked. This makes it difficult to do process evaluations and nearly impossible to determine treatment effectiveness. Any aggregate data analysis must rely on the very few standardized patient data points that may include some demographic information, diagnosis and codable procedures. This paper demonstrates the utility of business process reengineering techniques using Integrated Computer Assisted Manufacturing Definition modeling to create a data model in which patient information is used to build an analyzable database. This provides the infrastructure in which to store all patient data.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Preliminary experience using directional coronary atherectomy for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction.

Directional coronary atherectomy (DCA) has proven to be an effective treatment for coronary artery disease, both in multiple anatomical locations and in various clinical settings. Little has been published, however, regarding efficacy of DCA for treatment of acute myocardial infarction (MI). This brief report reviews our early experience with DCA in this new role. Twelve patients presenting from April 1993 through February 1994 were identified by review of the DCA Registry at Hamot Medical Center. The group comprised six men and six women, mean age 60 years (range 39–81 years). Patients were administered oral aspirin and intravenous nitroglycerin. Heparin dose was titrated to maintain ACTs > 300 seconds. DCA was performed using 9.5-, 10-, and 11 Fr guiding catheters. Seven Fr EX, 7Fr graft, 7Fr surlyn, and 6Fr EX devices were used. Predilation and/or postdilation with balloon angioplasty was performed when clinically indicated. Postprocedure stenoses were determined using comparable orthogonal angiographic views. Lesions were measured by manual caliper assessment and tissue weights were obtained from all specimens. The procedural success rate was 92% (11/12) and the mean postprocedural diameter stenosis was 15% (range – 20% to 52%). The mean tissue weight from atherectomy specimens was 16 mg (range 7.6–35 mg). The mean time from onset of pain to reperfutsion was 2.8 hours (range 40 min to 5.5 hours). Clinical success was achieved in 83% (10/12) of patients. Two deaths occurred in patients presenting with cardiogenic shock. Ten patients experienced no ischemic events, heart failure, or arryhthmias following their interventional procedure. This review is the largest series evaluating the efficacy of DCA in acute MI. The low mean postprocedure diameter stenosis obtained by DCA, as well as the lack of significant recurrent ischemic events postprocedure, may both indicate a potential advantage over the present therapy for acute MI in selected patients. (J Interven Cardiol 1994:7:519–524)
RELATION BETWEEN LIGHT INTENSITY AND RATE OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS OF LOBLOLLY PINE AND CERTAIN HARDWOODS.

One of the most important forestry problems in the south concerns the tendency of pine stands to be succeeded by hardwoods. This occurs because pine seedlings usually fail to survive under forest canopies while the seedlings of many hardwood species survive and grow. It is often supposed that the failure of pine seedlings to grow under a forest canopy results from their high light requirements. Pine seedlings are assumed to be unable to carry on photosynthesis rapidly enough in the shade of a forest canopy to survive. Many hardwoods which presumably have lower light requirements and can therefore manufacture food more efficiently in the shade are able to grow" vigorously under these conditions. Experiments of Korstian and Coile (?) indicate, however, that pine seedlings will thrive in the shade of a pine or hardwood stand if protected from the root competition of the over-story trees by trenching. Evidently pine seedlings can carry on enough photosynthesis in the shade to provide food for growth, if supplied with sufficient water.
The Interaction of UVA and UVB in the Production of Threshold Erythema

A study was done to demonstrate quantitatively and graphically the way in which suberythemogenic doses of broadband UVA and UVB interact in producing a visible erythema. On the backs of fair-skinned human volunteers the minimal erythema dose (MED) was determined for polychromatic UVA and UVB. Increasing fractions of the UVA MED were given to sites already exposed to various fractions of the UVB MED resulting in sites exposed to various doses of both UVA and UVB. The same experiment was repeated with the order of wave- bands reversed. It was demonstrated that when UVA was followed by UVB an erythema was produced in those sites where the sum of the fractions was equal to one, an interaction termed photoaddition. When the UVA exposure followed the UVB, erythema was again predominantly noted in those sites demonstrating photoaddition. However, in the latter case, numerous sites of threshold erythema were noted where the sum of the fractions was greater than one. This is suggestive of photorecovery. No evidence of photoaugmentation was observed with either order of exposure.
Alemtuzumab and multiple sclerosis: Is it safe?

The treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) is complex. In the United States, we have 8 different classes of drugs approved for treating relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS).1 The first-generation therapies, glatiramer acetate and the β-interferons, have an impressive 20-year record of safety and many patients with RRMS have their disease well-controlled by these agents. Newer treatments, such as natalizumab, fingolimod, and dimethyl fumarate, may be more efficacious and convenient than the first-generation therapies. However, they lack a long-term safety record and some, such as natalizumab, have proved to be riskier than the first-generation therapies. In assessing any new therapy for RRMS, we must assess not just its efficacy but also its safety. Increased efficacy that comes with excessive risks is a Faustian bargain we should refuse.
The unusual bonding of actinide systems

Abstract The actinide elements have unusual bonding capabilities because of the availability of 5f, 6d, 7p and 7s orbitals. Spectroscopic data along with predictive models are sufficiently complete to assign promotion energies for the various electronic configurations and the bonding contributions of the various types of electrons. The availability of a number of electronic configurations of comparable stability makes it possible for actinide metals to form complex crystal structures in which atoms in different lattice positions have different electronic configurations and different sizes. Bonding models provide predictions of thermodynamic properties that can be used to calculate phase diagrams of many systems with reasonable accuracy. The major challenge is provided by mixtures of actinide metals with platinum-group metals because of very strong generalized Lewis acid-base interactions that are difficult to characterize with sufficient accuracy. The behavior of a wide range of actinide systems is reviewed.
Effect of contact geometry on initial scuffing damage in simple sliding elastohydrodynamic lubrication contacts

Abstract A previous study on initial scuffing damage in simple sliding contacts between a stationary barrel and a rotating cylinder is extended to examine the effect of contact geometry on the nature of the initial damage. Variations in contact geometry were achieved by using a ball or a needle in place of a spherical roller. Long-time tests were also run to obtain a general relationship between contact load at failure and sliding speed.
Pathways Connecting Sexual Minority Stressors and Psychological Distress Among Lesbian Women

Mechanisms underlying the relationship between proximal sexual minority stressors and psychological distress among self-identified lesbian women are examined. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that stigma consciousness and concealment of one's sexual orientation were indirectly associated with psychological distress via increased difficulty talking with others about sexual orientation (i.e., social constraints) and brooding as sequential mediating variables. These findings suggest that lesbian women's concealment of sexual identity and expectations of discrimination and rejection are associated with difficulty talking with others about sexual identity. This difficulty in talking with others is then associated with more rumination and brooding about one's life situation, eventually associated with more psychological distress. Research limitations and future directions are presented.
Genetic variation, heritability, and selection response to iron deficiency chlorosis in dry beans 1

Abstract Forty dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars/lines were evaluated in 1986 for iron deficiency chlorosis on a highly calcareous soil. The cultivars/lines differed in severity of iron chlorosis and showed a continuous variation in symptoms ranging from highly resistant to susceptible. Some of the highly resistant cultivars/lines with no symptoms were Great Northern (G.N.) ‘Sapphire’, Pinto ‘UI 111’, A‐55, G.N. WMl‐85–46, and G.N. WMl‐86–40. Some of the most susceptible cultivars/lines were Pinto ‘Topaz’, Midnight, Navy‐'ExRico’, Dark Red Kidney ‘Montcalm’, and G.N. WMl‐85–48. Eleven cultivars/lines previously screened for leaf iron deficiency chlorosis under field conditions on a calcareous soil in 1983 were tested in 1986. A genotype x environment interaction was noted between 1983 and 1986 tests. Environment influenced considerably the range in expression of the chlorosis, particularly in the susceptible cultivars/lines. Moderately high estimates of realized heritability based on evaluation o...
Passive Microwave Precipitation Mapping and Retrieval Simulation

A numerical simulation of the satellite-based multispectral passive microwave mapping and precipitation retrieval process is described. The simulation contains three major components: (1) the forward radiative transfer calculation; (2) the sensor observation simulation; and (3) the precipitation retrieval algorithm. Secondary components include a Karhunen-Loeve transformation module and antenna pattern deconvolution module. The simulation facilitates the investigation of candidate precipitation retrieval algorithms using sub-Nyquist brightness temperature imagery, and the comparison of the relative merits of proposed radiometric systems such as the EOS multispectral imaging microwave radiometer (MIMR), the tropical rainfall measurement mission (TRMM) microwave imager (TRMM TMI), and the geosynchronous satellite sensors. A procedure for retrieving rain rates using a statistical iterative approach is outlined.
Kin keepers and good providers: influence of gender socialization on well-being among USA birth cohorts.

Previous research has suggested happiness and distress differ for men and women over the life course, but little attention has focused on whether the predictors of well-being vary for each group. The second wave of the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH2) data was used to study whether hypothesized differential exposure to traditional gender socialization has influenced perceptions of life achievement, global happiness and depression for adult men and women in distinct USA birth cohorts. Numerous findings illustrated similarity among cohort and gender groups in predictors of well-being. There was also evidence of a change in USA gender socialization, and determinants of the dependent variables varied according to these shifts by sex and cohort membership. For example, in the earliest born cohort, women's happiness was related to frequency of contact with relatives, consistent with the kin keeper role. Assets and income predicted depression and global happiness for older men, suggesting a lin...
Discrete Geometric Optimal Control on Lie Groups

We consider the optimal control of mechanical systems on Lie groups and develop numerical methods that exploit the structure of the state space and preserve the system motion invariants. Our approach is based on a coordinate-free variational discretization of the dynamics that leads to structure-preserving discrete equations of motion. We construct necessary conditions for optimal trajectories that correspond to discrete geodesics of a higher order system and develop numerical methods for their computation. The resulting algorithms are simple to implement and converge to a solution in very few iterations. A general software implementation is provided and applied to two example systems: an underactuated boat and a satellite with thrusters.
Optimizing virtual private network design using a new heuristic optimization method

In virtual private network (VPN) design, the goal is to implement a logical overlay network on top of a given physical network. We model the traffic loss caused by blocking not only on isolated links, but also at the network level. A successful model that captures the considered network level phenomenon is the well-known reduced load approximation. We consider here the optimization problem of maximizing the carried traffic in the VPN. This is a hard optimization problem. To deal with it, we introduce a heuristic local search technique called landscape smoothing search (LSS). This study first describes the LSS heuristic. Then we introduce an improved version called fast landscape smoothing search (FLSS) method to overcome the slow search speed when the objective function calculation is very time consuming. We apply FLSS to VPN design optimization and compare with well-known optimization methods such as simulated annealing (SA) and genetic algorithm (GA). The FLSS achieves better results for this VPN design optimization problem than simulated annealing and genetic algorithm.
Medial Frontal White and Gray Matter Contributions to General Intelligence

The medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) are part of a wider neural network that plays an important role in general intelligence and executive function. We used structural brain imaging to quantify magnetic resonance gray matter volume and diffusion tensor white matter integrity of the mOFC-rACC network in 26 healthy participants who also completed neuropsychological tests of intellectual abilities and executive function. Stochastic tractography, the most effective Diffusion Tensor Imaging method for examining white matter connections between adjacent gray matter regions, was employed to assess the integrity of mOFC-rACC pathways. Fractional anisotropy (FA), which reflects the integrity of white matter connections, was calculated. Results indicated that higher intelligence correlated with greater gray matter volumes for both mOFC and rACC, as well as with increased FA for left posterior mOFC-rACC connectivity. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that DTI-derived FA of left posterior mOFC-rACC uniquely accounted for 29%–34% of the variance in IQ, in comparison to 11%–16% uniquely explained by gray matter volume of the left rACC. Together, left rACC gray matter volume and white matter connectivity between left posterior mOFC and rACC accounted for up to 50% of the variance in general intelligence. This study is to our knowledge the first to examine white matter connectivity between OFC and ACC, two gray matter regions of interests that are very close in physical proximity, and underscores the important independent contributions of variations in rACC gray matter volume and mOFC-rACC white matter connectivity to individual differences in general intelligence.
Detector concept for OPET-a combined PET and optical imaging system

The design of an imaging system capable of detecting both high-energy /spl gamma/-rays and optical wavelength photons is underway at the UCLA Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging. This system, which we call optical PET (OPET), will be capable of noninvasively and repeatedly imaging small animal models in vivo for the presence of PET and optical signals. In this study, we describe the physical principles behind the operation of the OPET imaging system and discuss the design concept for one of the detector modules. Additionally, we demonstrate the operation of an initial prototype detector module for simultaneous detection and imaging of annihilation radiation and single optical photons emanating from separate sources. These results indicate that the construction of an imaging system based on this detector technology is feasible.
Fluorinated Electrolytes for 5-V Li-Ion Chemistry: Synthesis and Evaluation of an Additive for High-Voltage LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4/Graphite Cell

A fluorinated carbonate compound was identified as an electrolyte additive capable of stabilizing the new fluorinated electrolyte/electrode interphase in a high-voltage spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4/graphite cell. The synthesis and characterization of the additive are described, and the electrochemical performance and post-analysis using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry revealed that this additive actively participates in passivation formation on the graphite anode, making it an effective additive for enabling all-fluorinated electrolytes supporting reversible Li+ intercalation chemistry in a LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4/graphite cell at elevated temperature.
Local Learning Algorithm For Optical Neural Networks

An anti-Hebbian local learning algorithm for two-layer optical neural networks is introduced. With this learning rule, the weight update for a certain connection depends only on the input and output of that connection and a global, scalar error signal. Therefore the backpropagation of error signals through the network, as required by the commonly used back error propagation algorithm, is avoided. It still guarantees, however, that the synaptic weights are updated in the error descent direction. With the apparent advantage of simpler optical implementation this learning rule is also shown by simulations to be computationally effective.
Measurements of mantle wave velocities and inversion for lateral heterogeneity and anisotropy. II - Analysis by the single-station method

Phase and group velocities of G_2, G_3, R_2 and R_3 (100-330_s) are measured by the single-station method and are inverted to give a spherical harmonic representation of the velocity lateral variation. Approximately 200 paths have been studied. The results are presented for degrees and orders up to 6. The even harmonics of the phase velocity representation are consistent with those obtained from great circle phase velocities (Paper I). The odd harmonics are less constrained and generally have larger standard deviations than the even harmonics. To suppress the poorly determined harmonics in the velocity contour maps we construct a filter which is derived from an inverse problem formulation. The filter reduces the amplitudes of regional variations, but does not change the overall pattern. The patterns of the regional variations are generally consistent with those obtained by regionalized inversion of great circle data (Paper I). The velocity maps show significant differences within oceans and continents. An analysis is made of correlations of surface wave velocities with heat flow and the non-hydrostatic geoid. The slownesses correlate well with heat flow for l = 1-6. The correlation peaks at l = 2 and 5. The geoid has an anticorrelation with the slownesses at l = 2 and 3, and a positive correlation from l = 4 to 6.