cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of Fos in the superior lateral subdivision of the lateral parabrachial (LPBsl) area after generalized tonic seizures in rats

Generalized tonic-clonic seizures of brain stem origin in rats are associated with acute induction of neuronal Fos in several discrete regions of the brain. One particular site in the dorsal pons shows remarkable Fos induction following generalized tonic seizures induced by maximal electroshock in normal rats or by audiogenic stimulation in genetically epilepsy-prone rats (GEPRs). Although this area shows the most intense Fos induction of any brain area following generalized tonic seizures, its identity has been uncertain. Based on its general location, we hypothesized that this nucleus was either 1) a component of the pedunculopontine tegmentum nucleus-pars compacta (PPTn-pc) or 2) the superior lateral subnucleus of lateral parabrachial area (LPBsl). The present study used Fos-protein immunocytochemistry in combination with the reduced form of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase histochemistry, cholecystokinin (CCK) immunocytochemistry, and neuronal tract-tracing to determine the identity of this cluster of Fos-immunoreactive neurons in the dorsal pons. Following maximal electroshock seizure (MES), Fos labeling was compared to NADPH diaphorase staining (a marker for cholinergic neurons of the PPTn-pc); retrograde transport of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) injected into the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH; to identify the LPBsl) or CCK immunoreactivity (also a marker for LPBsl neurons). Results showed this cluster of Fos immunoreactive (FI) neurons to be closely associated, but not overlapping, with the lateral and most caudal aspect of the PPTn-pc. Alternatively, WGA-HRP retrograde-labeled neurons corresponded precisely with the seizure-induced FI neurons. Additionally, the location of CCK immunoreactive neurons directly overlapped with the FI neurons, although they were not nearly as prevalent. These results demonstrate that the seizure-induced FI neurons in this area are neurons of the LPBsl and not cholinergic neurons of the PPTn-pc. This is the first report of seizure-induced Fos expression specifically localized to the superior lateral subnucleus of the lateral parabrachial area.
Pacific Basin futures texts

Research George Chaplin and Glenn Paige (editors), Hawaii 2000: Continuing Experiment in Anticipatory Democracy (Honolulu, HI, University of Hawaii Press, 1973) This book describes the path-breaking efforts of the State of Hawaii’s Governor’s Conference on the Year 2000. A tenmonth effort during 1969 and 1970, it united an array of community leaders, state government representatives, businesspeople, and scholars in developing images and visions for different sectors of Hawaii’s society, culture, and economy in the year 2000. One of the first and best examples of widely participatory, anticipatory community planning, it culminated in an open conference attended by over 700 Hawaii residents which participants uniformly characterized as a watershed experience for themselves personally as
Aldicarb Poisoning: A Case Report With Prolonged Cholinesterase Inhibition and Improvement After Pralidoxime Therapy

Aldicarb is the most potent of the commercially available carbamate pesticides and is an unusual source of acute human poisonings. We present the case of a 43-year-old man exposed to aldicarb who developed severe cholinergic symptoms and progressive weakness requiring intubation for 5 days. Both his red blood cell cholinesterase and plasma pseudocholinesterase levels were depressed for a minimum of 44 hours. He demonstrated neuromuscular improvement concurrent with pralidoxime administration. The pertinent medical literature on aldicarb poisoning is reviewed. (Arch Intern Med. 1994;154:221-224)
Expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor-3α in rat prostate, seminal vesicle, and bladder

Hepatocyte nuclear factor-3a (HNF-3a), a member of the hepatocyte-forkhead- homolog family of transcription factors, regu- lates gene expression in the endoderm-derived liver and lung. To determine if HNF-3a might also play a role in endodermal derivatives of the urogenital sinus, the expression of HNF-3a in male accessory sex organs was assessed by North- ern blotting, in situ hybridization, and electropho- retic mobility shift analysis. RNA from the dorso- lateral prostate (DP), ventral prostate (VP), anterior prostate (AP), seminal vesicle (SV), and bladder was compared with RNA from the liver and spleen as positive and negative controls, respectively. HNF-3a mRNA levels in the DP, VP, AP, and bladder were 20, 14, 5, and 6 times higher than the SV equivalent in the liver. HNF-3a mRNA was detected in 8 of 10 prostate epithelial cell lines (rat NRP 152 and 154, mouse Pr14, and human DU-145, PC3, LNCaP, ND-1, and BPH-1) but not in rat Dunning epithelial or mouse Pr12 cells. Addition of testosterone to castrated rats was found to prevent a drastic loss of HNF-3a mRNA in the VP. This result suggests that HNF-3a mRNA levels are at least indirectly regulated by testosterone. The HNF-3a mRNA is expressed in epithelial cells of the urogenital sinus derivatives VP, AP, DP, and bladder and Wolffian duct deriva- tive, the SV. To confirm that functional HNF-3a protein is produced in the VP, electrophoretic mobility shift assays were performed with whole- cell extracts and high-affinity oligonucleotide (TTR-S) from the transthyretin promoter. Bind- ing to TTR-S was disrupted when the extract was incubated with HNF-3a, but not with HNF-3b, antibody. Taken together, the results using VP, AP, DP, SV, and bladder suggest that HNF-3a may play an important role in development and main- tenance of urogenital tract epithelial cells. Dev. Dyn. 1998;211:131-140. r 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The composition of bone marrow for a dual-energy quantitative computed tomography technique. A cadaver and computer simulation study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES.The authors have been developing a dual-energy quantitative computed tomography (DEQCT) technique that requires calibration standards that mimic the x-ray attenuation properties of bone, red marrow, and yellow marrow. To resolve questions regarding the compositions of red an
Virulence of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli: role of molecular crosstalk

Abstract Many bacterial exotoxins, originally defined by cytopathic effects, may also possess additional biological activities. The capacity of exotoxins to elicit the synthesis and secretion of pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines may be as important as their direct toxic effects in pathogenesis. One example of such `molecular crosstalk' occurs between Shiga toxins and the cytokines made in response to these toxins during the development of disease.
Update on Feline Asthma

This article provides an overview of recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of feline asthma. The authors discuss the potential pitfalls in the diagnosis of feline asthma. In addition, current literature investigating new therapies for the treatment of feline asthma is reviewed.
Clock network sizing via sequential linear programming with time-domain analysis

In this paper, we present a novel approach to the problem of clock skew minimization by buffer and wire sizing. The original nonlinear programming problem is transformed to a sequence of linear programs, by taking the first order Taylor's expansion of clock path delay with respect to buffer and wire widths. The sensitivities of clock path delay, with respect to buffer and wire widths, are efficiently updated for each linear program by applying time domain analysis to the clock network in a divide-and-conquer fashion. Our technique can take into account the power supply variations, which have significant impact on clock skew. We demonstrate experimentally that in several iterations, the proposed technique is capable of reducing substantially the skew of clock networks.
Theory of dynamical conductivity of interacting electrons

Starting from the current-current correlation function $Q(\ensuremath{\omega})$, and taking into account the fact that the current operator (or the total momentum operator) commutes with the total Hamiltonian of the interacting electrons in the absence of impurities, we generate a series of diagrams for the dynamical conductivity. One essential feature of this approach is that at finite external frequency $\ensuremath{\omega}$, each of these diagrams vanishes in the limit of zero impurity concentration. We give a formal expression for the conductivity $\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\omega}) \mathrm{at} \ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\gg}1$ ($\ensuremath{\tau}$ is the electron scattering lifetime), and we evaluate explicity $\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ for $\ensuremath{\omega}$ and ${\ensuremath{\tau}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\ll}{E}_{F}$, the Fermi energy. Our results in the limit $\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$ are in complete agreement with those obtained previously.
High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support as salvage therapy in recurrent gestational trophoblastic disease.

Background Gestational trophoblastic disease usually follows a molar pregnancy but can occur also after an abortion or a term pregnancy. In only 10% of cases will treatment be required; and usually, single-agent chemotherapy will suffice. In high-risk disease, the multiagent regimen EMA-CO is usually used; and if that fails, most oncologists will use the EMA-EP regimen. If this does not produce a remission, there is no unanimity of opinion as to how to proceed. Numerous salvage regimens are in current use, and some centers do not consider high-dose chemotherapy. Case A young woman presented 4 months after a normal spontaneous delivery with an elevated human chorionic gonadotropin level and multiple pulmonary metastases. She failed both the EMA-CO and EMA-EP regimens as well as additional standard chemotherapy. She was then treated with 4 separate courses of high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support, which produced a complete remission. Conclusion Even patients with high-risk gestational trophoblastic disease are usually cured with standard chemotherapy. Patients who fail such treatment should be considered for high-dose chemotherapy.
Observation of Structures in the pp Total-Cross-Section Difference of Pure Helicity States in the Mass Range of 2100 to 2500 MeV

We have measured the difference between the $\mathrm{pp}$ total cross sections for parallel and antiparallel longitudinal spin states at beam momenta of 1.0, 1.1, 1.30, 1.58, 1.71, 2.1, and 2.25 GeV/c in a transmission counter experiment. These results reveal new structure in the ${p}_{\mathrm{lab}}$ range of 1.0 to 2.5 GeV/c.
Nonlinear Tomographic Imaging of Scattering and Attenuation

We consider the problem of simultaneously computing the unknown scattering and attenuation in a sample, in the short wavelength limit. We demonstrate the method applied to reconstruction of an opaque object without correspondence.
Existence and regularity theorems for a two-phase degenerate Stefan problem with convection

Existence of a classical solution is demonstrated for an one-dimensional two-phase Stefan problem in which the spccilic heat may oscillate wildly near the melting temperature 0 in the sense that it is unbounded above and it is not bounded away from zero in a neighborhood of 0. The convective terms involved also display some type of singularity.
An In Vitro Comparison of Torsional Stress Properties of Three Different Rotary Nickel-Titanium Files with a Similar Cross-Sectional Design

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to compare the in vitro torsional stress characteristics of Twisted Files (TFs; SybronEndo, Orange, CA) with 2 milled files of a similar cross-section: EndoSequence (Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA) and ProFile Vortex (DENTSPLY Tulsa Dental, Tulsa, OK). Methods File sizes of 25/.06 and 30/.06 from the 3 file types were compared (n = 20/group). Torsional stress resistance was evaluated by measuring the torque in grams per centimeters and the angle of rotation (°) required for instrument separation with the use of a torsiometer instrument. The fractured files were examined using a scanning electron microscope to look at deformation and fracture surface characteristics. The data were analyzed with analysis of variance to determine statistical differences. Results The 3 file types showed a statistically significant difference in both the maximum torsional stress and the angle of rotation before failure. TFs displayed the least amount of torsional stress resistance and the highest angle of rotation. The 30/.06 size files of all 3 types withstood more torsional stress than the size 25/06 files of the same type. Within each file design, there was not a statistically significant difference in angular rotation between the 25/.06 and 30/.06 groups. The scanning electron microscopic analysis of all 3 file types revealed dimpling near the center of rotation on the fractured surface indicative of torsional stress. Conclusions The novel techniques used in manufacturing TFs do not make them more resistant to torsional stress as compared with milled nickel-titanium endodontic files of a similar cross-sectional design.
Abnormal Unsaturated Fatty Acid Metabolism in Cystic Fibrosis: Biochemical Mechanisms and Clinical Implications

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited multi-organ disorder caused by mutations in the CFTR gene. Patients with this disease exhibit characteristic abnormalities in the levels of unsaturated fatty acids in blood and tissue. Recent studies have uncovered an underlying biochemical mechanism for some of these changes, namely increased expression and activity of fatty acid desaturases. Among other effects, this drives metabolism of linoeate to arachidonate. Increased desaturase expression appears to be linked to cystic fibrosis mutations via stimulation of the AMP-activated protein kinase in the absence of functional CFTR protein. There is evidence that these abnormalities may contribute to disease pathophysiology by increasing production of eicosanoids, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, of which arachidonate is a key substrate. Understanding these underlying mechanisms provides key insights that could potentially impact the diagnosis, clinical monitoring, nutrition, and therapy of patients suffering from this deadly disease.
Isolated radial nerve palsy in newborns--case report of a bilateral manifestation and literature review.

Uni- or bilateral radial nerve palsy in newborn is a rare symptom. We report about a case of unusual bilateral radial nerve palsy in a term-born girl who recovered completely after 10 months and review the English-speaking literature about this condition. Review of the literature shows less than 60 reported cases of radial nerve palsy, most of them unilateral. Conclusion: Besides the clinical examination, in most cases, no further diagnostic investigation is necessary. An incomplete restitution is rare as recovery mostly occurs within 3–6 months.
Spatial probability learning by cats

Groups of six cats were trained, with noncorrection or with guidance, for 1200 trials on each of four ratios of reinforcement: 70:30, 60:40, 40:60 and 30:70, in a spatial probability learning experiment. Both groups eventually learned to choose the more frequently rewarded stimulus on almost every trial, the noncorrection Ss learning to do so much sooner than the guidance Ss. The results of this experiment with cats tend to agree with previous observations that rats and monkeys maximize on spatial probability problems. The available evidence, however, indicates that cats tested with guidance on spatial probability problems learn to maximize considerably more slowly than rhesus monkeys and that monkeys are, in turn, inferior to rats.
Compensation of Dominant Frequency Component of Non-Repeatable Runout in Hard Disk Drives

This paper presents an approach to compensating for the dominant frequency component of non-repeatable runout (NRRO). Frequency of the dominant component is estimated by the least mean square (LMS) algorithm within a short time window. Based on the frequency estimate, the basis function algorithm is applied to adaptively identify the magnitude and phase of the dominant component. The performance of this compensation scheme is demonstrated by simulation on a realistic hard disk drive model.
Sociodemographic and Health‐Related Determinants of Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Behavior, 2005

ABSTRACT Objectives To identify sociodemographic and health-related determinants of Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening behaviors and evaluate progress toward Healthy People 2010 cancer-related objectives. Design The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2005 data served as the numerical predicate for identifying or validating sociodemographic and health-related quality of life predictors, or both, and for determining any relative progress. Setting/Participants Eleven U.S. states ( n = 27,625 women). Main Outcome Measures Determinants of Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening and assessment of progress toward Healthy People 2010 objectives 3-11 and 3-13. Results Nine significant predictors of annual Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening (reported as odds ratios) were identified through regression analysis: adequate health care coverage, nonsmoking, age between 40 and 64 years, age greater than or equal to 65 years, no activity limitations, Black, non-Hispanic race, income greater than or equal to $35K, current exercise performance, and no risk for high blood cholesterol. Also, Healthy People 2010 objective 3-11 was not met; however, objective 3-13 was exceeded by 2.0%. Conclusions The national health initiatives appear to benefit select American women (overall declining mortality rates from breast and cervical cancer); however, there seems to be a negative economy of scale with respect to age—as age increases, Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening declines and morbidity/mortality increases. Given this disparity, as of 2005, related Healthy People 2010 objectives remain unrealized.
The MADS-Domain Factors AGAMOUS-LIKE15 and AGAMOUS-LIKE18, along with SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE and AGAMOUS-LIKE24, Are Necessary to Block Floral Gene Expression during the Vegetative Phase

Multiple factors, including the MADS-domain proteins AGAMOUS-LIKE15 (AGL15) and AGL18, contribute to the regulation of the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth. AGL15 and AGL18 were previously shown to act redundantly as floral repressors and upstream of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). A series of genetic and molecular experiments, primarily focused on AGL15, was performed to more clearly define their role. agl15 agl18 mutations fail to suppress ft mutations but show additive interactions with short vegetative phase (svp) mutations in ft and suppressor of constans1 (soc1) backgrounds. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses with AGL15-specific antibodies indicate that AGL15 binds directly to the FT locus at sites that partially overlap those bound by SVP and FLOWERING LOCUS C. In addition, expression of AGL15 in the phloem effectively restores wild-type flowering times in agl15 agl18 mutants. When agl15 agl18 mutations are combined with agl24 svp mutations, the plants show upward curling of rosette and cauline leaves, in addition to early flowering. The change in leaf morphology is associated with elevated levels of FT and ectopic expression of SEPALLATA3 (SEP3), leading to ectopic expression of floral genes. Leaf curling is suppressed by sep3 and ft mutations and enhanced by soc1 mutations. Thus, AGL15 and AGL18, along with SVP and AGL24, are necessary to block initiation of floral programs in vegetative organs.
Optimal loop parallelization

Parallelizing compilers promise to exploit the parallelism available in a given program, particularly parallelism that is too low-level or irregular to be expressed by hand in an algorithm. However, existing parallelization techniques do not handle loops in a satisfactory manner. Fine-grain (instruction level) parallelization, or compaction, captures irregular parallelism inside a loop body but does not exploit parallelism across loop iterations. Coarser methods, such as doacross [9], sacrifice irregular forms of parallelism in favor of pipelining iterations (software pipelining). Both of these approaches often yield suboptimal speedups even under the best conditions-when resources are plentiful and processors are synchronous. In this paper we present a new technique bridging the gap between fine-and coarse-grain loop parallelization, allowing the exploitation of parallelism inside and across loop iterations. Furthermore, we show that, given a loop and a set of dependencies between its statements, the execution schedule obtained by our transformation is time optimal: no transformation of the loop based on the given data-dependencies can yield a shorter running time for that loop.
Long-term effects of Head Start on academic and school outcomes of children in persistent poverty: Girls vs. boys

Abstract Using various years of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and their two Child Development Supplements of 1997 and 2002, this study focused on the long-term effects of Head Start programs on academic achievement and school outcomes of children who grew up in chronic poverty after controlling for their home environments and neighborhood qualities. Findings suggest that (1) Head Start participation was associated with higher scores on Woodcock Johnson-Revised Test and decreased involvement with school suspension, expulsion, and grade repetition throughout all school years (from age 7 to 17) for chronically poor girls and that (2) home environments and parents' education are more consistent and significant determinants of children's long-term outcomes than Early Childhood Care and Education programs including Head Start. The findings of this study offer implications for policy and research.
Hybrid chip-scale optical interconnects using multiple quantum well devices bonded to silicon

A hybrid MQW-device-based chip-scale optical interconnect is demonstrated. Novel small-footprint couplers are fabricated with gray-scale lithography to enable high-density fabrics and low-capacitance devices, with sub-pJ/b link performance. Contrast ratio and refined coupler results are presented.
Compact real-time modeling of seated humans by video sprite sequence quantization

We propose an image-based method for real-time modeling of seated humans using upper-body video sprites, which is suitable for applications such as teleconferencing and distance learning. A database of representative video sprite sequences is pre-acquired and pre-uploaded to each remote rendering site. At run-time, for each input sprite, a closely matching sprite is located in the database and the index of the matching sprite is sent to the rendering site, which drastically reduces the data rate. Unlike other data compression methods, our method takes advantage of the limited number of significant body positions a participant assumes during a session. Exploiting redundancy between frames with distant time stamps enables aggressive compression rates with high visual and semantic fidelity.
Neonatal ethics at the limits of viability.

In this month's Pediatrics electronic pages , Dr Sayeed1 does the neonatology community an important service by calling our attention to the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002 and its implications for the clinical standards and ethics of neonatal practice. This new federal legislation goes beyond the Baby Doe rule from 1984,2,3 which technically required reporting of cases in which infants were allowed to die without one of the stipulated exceptions applying. As Sayeed reports, the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act has been interpreted by the Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services to mean that the department “will investigate all circumstances where individuals and entities are reported to be withholding medical care from an infant born alive in potential violation of federal statutes for which we are responsible.”1 The strategy seems to be to continue that envisaged (but never really enforced) under the Baby Doe rule: to respond to reports rather than seek to directly regulate the practice of neonatology, a regulatory function traditionally left to the states in our federal system of self-government. Sayeed's summary of the law's potential effect invokes a vivid and apt metaphor: “the current administration's resurrection of recently quiescent oversight of the treatment of imperiled newborns agitates the legal fault line that physicians walk along when caring for these infants.”1 Sayeed raises a number of serious ethical concerns about this new law, and he should be saluted for doing so. Sayeed is entirely correct to point out that the law may be more substantive and serious in its effect on clinical practice in neonatology than the American Academy of Pediatrics seems to think, based on the opinion that Sayeed quotes. I will address some of the major concerns that he has identified. Sayeed reads the new … Address correspondence to Laurence B. McCullough, PhD, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail: mccullou{at}bcm.tmc.edu
Update on the epidemiology and systemic treatment of psoriasis

Recent epidemiological observations reveal that the prevalence of psoriasis increases more rapidly in young women compared with young men, and that the prevalence of psoriasis may decrease in the e...
The Case for a Subcutaneous Magnesium Product and Delivery Device for Space Missions

Cardiovascular (CV) complications, associated with space flight (SF), are caused by microgravity, hypokinesia and radiation, particularly beyond earth orbit, with all three conducive to oxidative stress. Except for emergencies, pharmaceuticals appear to be contraindicated, because of unpredictable side effects from malabsorption (M) and potential hepatic and renal impairment. Magnesium (Mg) depletion and elevations of cytokines (interleukin 6) occur during SF, conducive to self-sustaining vascular inflammation mechanisms. There are potential endothelial injuries (EI) and reduced Cyclic GMP (a second messenger of nitric oxide: NO) and elevated urinary excretion of C-peptide (insulin resistance: IR). Recent findings that show reductions in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) suggest that this may result from SF-related thrombocytopenia since platelets (P) are the major source of VEGF, and that NO might play a role. Both VEGF and Mg are vital for angiogenesis, endothelial function and reendothelialization. Insulin is necessary for VEGF expression. To prevent SF-related CV complications in the presence of IR and M and with the potential for renal insufficiency, closely monitored subcutaneous (SC) Mg should be provided. The dosage can be monitored by sublingual intracellular Mg assays. Needed is development of a SC Mg reservoir device, which can be replenished before extra-vehicular activities (EVA) and which must be reliable despite vigorous movements during EVA, that can last up to 8 hours. This could also be protective against decompression sickness and EVA-related 100% oxygen requirements before and during this activity, both of which predispost to EI.
Binding of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) to the mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor. Contrasting interactions of full-length and soluble forms of uPAR

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) binding by the mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor (Man-6-P/IGF2R) is considered important to Man-6-P/IGF2R tumor suppressor function via regulation of cell surface proteolytic activity. Our goal was to map the uPAR binding site of the Man-6-P/IGF2R by analyzing the uPAR binding characteristics of a panel of minireceptors containing different regions of the Man-6-P/IGF2R extracytoplasmic domain. Coimmunoprecipitation assays revealed that soluble recombinant uPAR (suPAR) bound the Man-6-P/IGF2R at two distinct sites, one localized to the amino-terminal end of the Man-6-P/IGF2R extracytoplasmic domain (repeats 1–3) and the other to the more carboxyl-terminal end (repeats 7–9). These sites correspond with the positions of the two Man-6-P binding domains of Man-6-P/IGF2R. Indeed, the suPAR-Man-6-P/IGF2R interaction was inhibited by Man-6-P, and binding-competent su-PAR species represented a minor percentage (8–30%) of the suPAR present. In contrast, Man-6-P/IGF2R binding of endogenous, full-length uPAR solubilized from plasma membranes of the prostate cancer cell line, PC-3, was not inhibited by Man-6-P. Further studies showed that very little (
Continuous intravenous diltiazem infusion for short-term ventricular rate control in children

Intravenous diltiazem was administered to 10 pediatric patients with primary atrial tachyarrhythmias with rapid ventricular response. Rapid, consistent, and safe temporary ventricular rate control was obtained in all patients given this medication.
Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of the factor IIIlac gene of Lactobacillus casei

The lactose-specific factor III (FIIIlac of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system (PTS) was isolated from Lactobacillus casei and purified to homogeneity by conventional protein purification methods. Its apparent native Mr, estimated from steric exclusion chromatography (approx. 39 kDa), and subunit Mr, estimated from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, indicated that it exists as a trimer of identical subunits of 13 kDa. The gene for FIII L. casei lac was cloned into Escherichia coli using the vector pUC18. The coding sequences were contained on an 860-bp BglII-HindIII DNA fragment of the L. casei lactose plasmid, pLZ64. A protein identical in properties to FIII L. casei lac was isolated from clones of E. coli carrying this DNA insert. The nucleotide sequence of the FIII L. casei lac gene was determined by the dideoxy chain-termination technique. The 336-bp open reading frame for FIII L. casei lac was followed by a stem-loop structure, analogous to a Rho-independent terminator. We concluded that the FIII L. casei lac was the terminal gene in what appears to be an operon comprised of the lactose-PTS-P-beta Gal-coding genes. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of FIII L. caseilac with the amino acid sequence of FIII S. aureus lac (derived from peptide sequencing) demonstrated a high degree of homology (49 identical residues and 21 conservative exchanges out of 103 total aa residues). The FIII L. casei lac lacked his82, previously identified as the phosphorylation site of FIII S. aureus. lac His80 was proposed to be the site of histidyl phosphorylation of FIII L. casei lac.
Implementing mixed methods research in supply chain management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe how to implement mixed methods research in supply chain management.Design/methodology/approach – A review of past journal analyses on research methods used in supply chain management‐related disciplines is conducted to demonstrate the low incidence of mixed methods research in supply chain management. Drawing from literature on multiple and mixed methods research, the paper provides guidelines for designing and reporting such studies.Findings – Knowledge development in logistics and supply chain management relies primarily on single‐method quantitative research designs, while mixed methods approaches are rarely used. Thus, there is a significant opportunity to advance the discipline through the rigorous application of mixed methods research.Research limitations/implications – Supply chain management phenomena are complex and dynamic. Thus, the application of mixed methods research would serve the advancement of the discipline as these approaches provide r...
Weed Control with Crop Residues in Vegetable Cropping Systems

Summary Crop residues have many potential uses in cropping systems, among which are imparting weed control. The principal objective of this research was to evaluate residues from corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max Merr.), and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) for their effects on weed control and on crop productivity of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and summer squash (Cucumis pepo L. var. melopepo Alef.). In one experiment, residues were imported to the vegetable plots and applied as surface mulches or incorporated shallowly into the ground. In another experiment, the residues were grown on site as cover crops in the year preceding vegetable production and disked into the plots. Application of imported residues was more effective in weed control and yield enhancement than the cover crop residues. Imported residues were effective in control of early emerging weeds, whereas with the cover crops supplemental weed management was required for early weed control. Weed control did not differ substa...
Fine structure and perturbation analysis of the a3II state of CO

Abstract The Cameron absorption bands of CO (v′ = 1−; v″ = 0) have been photographed at high resolution. The analysis of these bands along with a reanalysis of the a3II, v = 0 level and an analysis of the perturbations of the a3II state by levels of the a′3Σ+, e3Σ−, d3Δi and I1Σ− states will be presented. Deperturbed molecular constants for the a3II state and accurate perturbation parameters for the interactions of a3II with nearby states have been determined by a least-squares matrix diagonalization technique. The input data included: (i) earlier measurements from triplet-triplet emission transitions, (ii) the new measurements of the Cameron bands, (iii) rf measurements of a3II lambda doubling transitions, and (iv) measurements of absorption spectra to the neighboring perturbing states.
Missile longitudinal autopilot design using a new suboptimal nonlinear control method

A missile longitudinal autopilot is designed using a new nonlinear control synthesis technique called the /spl theta/-D approximation. The particular /spl theta/-D methodology used is referred to as the /spl theta/-D H/sub 2/ design. The technique can achieve suboptimal closed-form solutions to a class of nonlinear optimal control problems in the sense that it solves the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation approximately by adding perturbations to the cost function. An interesting feature of this method is that the expansion terms in the expression for suboptimal control are nothing but solutions to the state-dependent Riccati equations associated with this class of problems. The /spl theta/-D H/sub 2/ design has the same structure as that of the linear H/sub 2/ formulation, except that the two Riccati equations are state dependent. Numerical simulations are presented that demonstrate the potential of this technique for use in an autopilot design. These results are compared with the recently popular SDRE H/sub 2/ method.
Assessment of hemodynamic status in the intensive care unit immediately after closure of ventricular septal defect

Abstract Hemodynamic values measured 12 to 24 hours postoperatively in the intensive care unit (ICU) were compared with those measured at a later cardiac catheterization in 68 patients after closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD). A pulmonary arterial (PA) saturation of more than 80% or a pulmonary to systemic blood flow ratio (Qp:Qs) greater than 1.5 in the ICU were sensitive indicators for identifying patients at risk of having a hemodynamically significant residual left-to-right shunt (Qp:Qs greater than 1.5) at catheterization. Measurement of PA pressure in the ICU was a useful predictor of PA pressure at catheterization. In the absence of factors known to alter PA pressure, measurement of PA pressure in the ICU overestimates what it will be at a subsequent cardiac catheterization. Early assessment of hemodynamics after closure of VSD is useful in identifyng patients at risk of having hemodynamically significant residual VSD and those who may have persistent PA hypertension.
FREQUENCY-DOMAIN METHODS IN OPTICAL TOMOGRAPHY - DETECTION OF LOCALIZED ABSORBERS AND A BACKSCATTERING RECONSTRUCTION SCHEME

We studied the ability to detect small absorbing objects embedded in a highly scattering medium. Absorbing spheres of varying size, from 0.8 mm to 6.8 mm radius, submerged in a solution of highly scattering, low absorbing liquid: skim milk, were studied in a trans- illumination geometry. Groups of more than one sphere and a single circular disk, with radius identical to that of one of the spheres, were also studied. Single linear raster scans in the plane of the sphere, with the spheres centered between the source and detector, were made. Data was taken in the frequency-domain, yielding profiles of the objects in each of the three measurable quantities: dc intensity, phase, and modulation. The diffraction pattern form the sphere differed from that of the disk, demonstrating a volume effect associated with photon diffusion. The diffraction pattern of multiple spheres differed from that of single spheres.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Enabling on-demand science via cloud computing

The advantages of on-demand resource availability are making cloud computing a viable platform option for research and education that may enable new practices in science and engineering.
Brain abscess in glycogen storage disease type Ib.

. Neutropenia, neutrophil dysfunction, and recurrent infections are important manifestations of glycogen storage disease type Ib. We report here a child who has had adequate metabolic control, but developed brain abscess, an infection not previously described in this disease. This case provides further evidence that the neutrophil anomaly is related to the basic enzyme defect, not secondary to the metabolic derangement.
Functionalization of polymeric organolithium compounds with 3,4‐epoxy‐1‐butene: Precursors for diene‐functionalized macromonomers

The functionalization of polymeric organolithiums (PLi) with 3,4-epoxy-1-butene (EPB) in a hydrocarbon solution yielded the corresponding hydroxybutene-functionalized polymers in high yields (>95%). Three modes of addition of PLi to EPB were observed (1,4, 3,4, and 4,3). The products and chain-end structures were characterized by 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, attached-proton-test 13 C NMR, calculated 13 C NMR chemical shifts, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The regioselectivity of the addition depended on the PLi chain-end structure, the reaction conditions, and the addition of lithium salts or Lewis bases. In the absence of additives, the functionalization of poly(styryl)lithium (PSli) produced equal amounts of 1,4-, 3,4-, and 4,3-addition, as determined by quantitative 13 C NMR analysis. The use of a low temperature (6 °C), inverse addition, the addition of triethylamine (TEA; [TEA]/[PSLi] = 20) as a Lewis base, or dienyllithium chain ends produced polymers with only the 1,4-addition product. Mild dehydration of the hydroxybutene-functionalized polymer with p-toluenesulfonic acid produced the corresponding diene-functionalized macromonomer, as shown by MALDI-TOF MS.
Revolution, Restoration, and Debt Repudiation: The Jacobite Threat to England's Institutions and Economic Growth

This study provides an empirical test of North and Weingast's theory of British capital-market development after the Glorious Revolution. The evidence is consistent with the hypotheses that institutional innovation in the 1690s led to the dramatic growth in London capital markets, and that threats to these institutions caused financial turmoil. We also find the economic motivation for these innovations to be consistent with the work of Ekelund and Tollison.
Nanoparticle Self-Structuring in a Nanofluid Film Spreading on a Solid Surface

Liquids containing nanoparticles (nanofluids) exhibit different spreading or thinning behaviors on solids than liquids without nanoparticles. Previous experiments and theoretical investigations hav...
Sequential analysis of the proportional hazards model

Abstract : For the proportional hazards model of survival analysis, an appropriate large sample theory is developed for cases of staggered entry and sequential analysis. The principal techniques involve an approximation of the score process by a suitable martingale and a random rescaling of time based on the observed Fisher information. As a result we show that the maximum partial likelihood estimator behaves asymptotically like Brownian motion. (Author)
Prediction of muscle stretch receptor behavior using Wiener kernels.

Abstract The input-output characteristics of muscle stretch receptors can be represented by a set of Wiener kernels estimated from responses to random length stimuli. We use these kernels to predict the response of the receptor to deterministic length changes and show that significant non-linearities are present in receptor responses to length stimuli of only a fraction of a millimeter.
Blocking Dynamics of the SMR Transporter EmrE Impairs Efflux Activity

EmrE is a small multidrug resistance transporter that has been well studied as a model for secondary active transport. Because transport requires the protein to convert between at least two states open to opposite sides of the membrane, it is expected that blocking these conformational transitions will prevent transport activity. We have previously shown that NMR can quantitatively measure the transition between the open-in and open-out states of EmrE in bicelles. Now, we have used the antiparallel EmrE crystal structure to design a cross-link to inhibit this conformational exchange process. We probed the structural, dynamic, and functional effects of this cross-link with NMR and in vivo efflux assays. Our NMR results show that our antiparallel cross-link performs as predicted: dramatically reducing conformational exchange while minimally perturbing the overall structure of EmrE and essentially trapping EmrE in a single state. The same cross-link also impairs ethidium efflux activity by EmrE in Escherichia coli. This confirms the hypothesis that transport can be inhibited simply by blocking conformational transitions in a properly folded transporter. The success of our cross-linker design also provides further evidence that the antiparallel crystal structure provides a good model for functional EmrE.
A Tiered Approach to Flight Safety Analysis

A flight safety analysis quantitatively demonstrates that a launch or reentry vehicle is capable of flying a proposed mission below accepted limits for risk to the uninvolved public. Over time, sophisticated methodologies have been developed to estimate the risks posed by a particular mission by probabilistically modeling the outcomes of multiple potential vehicle failure scenarios and the various influences on those outcomes to a high level of engineering fidelity. However, variations in planned operations, along with limitations in the availability or quality of data, suggest a need for the identification of a broader, more generalized approach. Accordingly, a “tiered” approach to flight safety analysis is explored that advocates the use of simplifying, conservative assumptions in place of complex models as an initial iteration step. Subsequent iterations, if necessary, would employ increasingly less conservative assumptions and more complex modeling techniques until either an acceptable solution is reached or the highest available level of fidelity had been applied. The advantage of such an approach is twofold in that it encourages the design of safer operations for the sake of simplicity in the analysis and it standardizes methodologies for better comparison of results and determination of uncertainties.
A revisit of mucosal IgA immunity and oral tolerance

Induction of mucosal immunity by oral immunization with protein antigen alone is difficult: potent mucosal adjuvants, vectors, or other special delivery systems are required. Cholera toxin (CT) has been shown to be an effective adjuvant for the development of mucosal vaccines and, when given with vaccine, induces both mucosal and systemic immune responses via a Th2 cell-dependent pathway. However, and in addition to potential type-I hypersensitivity, a major concern for use of mucosal adjuvants such as CT is that this molecule is not suitable for use in humans because of its inherent toxicity. When we examined the potential toxicity of CT for the central nervous system, both CT and CT-B accumulated in the olfactory nerves/epithelium and olfactory bulbs of mice when given by the nasal route. The development of effective mucosal vaccines for the elderly is also an important issue; however, only limited information is available. When mucosal adjuvanticity of CT was evaluated in aged mice, an early immune dysregulation was evident in the mucosal immune system. The present review discusses these potential problems for effective mucosal vaccine development. Tolerance represents the most common and important response of the host to environmental antigens, including food and commensal bacterial components, for the maintenance of an appropriate immunological homeostasis. We have examined whether Peyer patches could play a more important role for the maintenance of oral tolerance. Using Peyer patch-null mice, we found that mice lacking this gut-associated lymphoid tissue retained their capability to produce secretory IgA antibodies but did not develop normal oral tolerance to protein antigens.
Why Youngsters With Autistic Spectrum Disorders Remain Underrepresented in Special Education

Although numerous investigations have examined the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) in the general population, have special education identification rates of autism kept pace? From the 1992–1993 to 2001–2002 school years, U.S. Department of Education data indicate an increase from 15,580 to 97,904 students with autism, an expansion of 528% and an annual average growth of 22.69%. The number of students with autism per 10,000 public school enrollees has correspondingly increased from 3.64 to 20.53 during this period. Despite this expansion, there remains a substantial gap between students identified with autism under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and current prevalence estimates of ASD, in large part due to underidentification of youngsters on the higher functioning end of the spectrum.
Terahertz vibrational modes of the rigid crystal phase of succinonitrile.

Succinonitrile (N≡C–CH2–CH2–C≡N), an orientationally disordered molecular plastic crystal at room temperature, exhibits rich phase behavior including a solid–solid phase transition at 238 K. In cooling through this phase transition, the high-temperature rotational disorder of the plastic crystal phase is frozen out, forming a rigid crystal that is both spatially and orientationally ordered. Using temperature-dependent terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, we characterize the vibrational modes of this low-temperature crystalline phase for frequencies from 0.3 to 2.7 THz and temperatures ranging from 20 to 220 K. Vibrational modes are observed at 1.122 and 2.33 THz at 90 K. These modes are assigned by solid-state density functional theory simulations, corresponding respectively to the translation and rotation of the molecules along and about their crystallographic c-axis. In addition, we observe a suppression of the phonon modes as the concentration of dopants, in this case a lithium salt (LiTFSI), increases,...
Experimental Plate Wave Dispersion Analysis

In an effort to verify theoretical models which relate matrix cracking to strength reduction, acoustic emission (AE) was used to locate matrix cracking in flat graphite/epoxy cross-ply tensile coupons. Using independent test methods [1] it was discovered that errors of up to 2 inches were common in the AE data (specimen length — 8 inches). Dispersion of the AE event caused the AE analyzer location clocks to trigger on different phase components of the event [2,3].