cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
JOB MIX PARAMETERS’ EFFECTS ON ALKALI SILICA REACTIVITY RELATED EXPANSION IN CONCRETE

Numerous test methods to assess aggregate reactivity (for ASR) have been proposed and standardized in the last couple of decades. However, all of the standard test methods can only find ASR potential of aggregates within the scope of the test (with standard test mix proportion) but none of these methods incorporate actual job mix propotions (with job mix w/c, total cement amount and total alkalinity, SCM replacement % etc.) and therefore can not predict correctly the actual concrete expansion potential due to ASR. This article focuses on the job mixture parameters’ effects on ASR expansion. Miniature Concrete Prism Test (MCPT)-a rapid ASR test method was employed to evluate the job mix parameters’ effects. The factors considered areinfluence of i) w/c ratio ii) Cement Alkalinity iii) Total Cement Content iii) Total Alkali Loading. The ASR expansions of concrete specimens (as % expansion) in different variable conditions were measured. Based on the results, it is found that the w/c ratio of concrete has minimal influence on the observed expansions of specimens due to ASR (within the scope of the research), but cement alkalinity and cement content (in terms of alkali loading) has significant effect(within the scope of the research) and there is a very good correlation (near linear) between the total alkali loading and the expansion due to ASR.
Gendered Experiences of Poverty and Recognition in the Finnish Welfare State

ABSTRACTWe examined experiences of recognition in the accounts of poverty of 25 women and 25 men, using directed content analysis and the concepts of recognition and gender contract. Irrespective o...
Utilization and outcomes of early respiratory support in 6.5 million acute heart failure hospitalizations.

AIMS The incidence and outcomes of a requirement for non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in acute heart failure (AHF) hospitalization are not clearly established. Thus, we aimed to characterize the incidence and trends in use of IMV and NIV in AHF and to estimate the magnitude of hazard for mortality associated with requiring IMV and NIV in AHF. METHODS AND RESULTS We used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to identify AHF hospitalizations between 2008 and 2014. The exposure variable of interest was IMV or NIV use within 24 h of hospital admission compared to no respiratory support. We analysed the association between ventilation strategies and in-hospital mortality using Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for demographics and comorbidities. We included 6 534 675 hospitalizations for AHF. Of these, 271 589 (4.16%) included NIV and 51 459 (0.79%) included IMV within the first 24 h of hospitalization and rates of NIV and IMV use increased over time. In-hospital mortality for AHF hospitalizations including NIV was 5.0% and 27% for IMV compared with 2.1% for neither (P < 0.001 for both). In an adjusted model, requirement for NIV was associated with over two-fold higher risk for in-hospital mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.01-2.19; P < 0.001] and requirement for IMV was associated with over three-fold higher risk for in-hospital mortality (HR 3.39, 95% CI 3.14-3.66; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Respiratory support is used in many AHF hospitalizations, and AHF patients who require respiratory support are at high risk for in-hospital mortality. Our work should inform prospective intervention trials and quality improvement ventures in this high-risk population.
Philip Quaque's Letters to London, 1765–1811/Arts of Being Yorùbá: Divination, Allegory, Tragedy, Proverb, Panegyric

There is the saying out there that there is the tenure book, and there is the love book. The love book is not necessarily the book that follows the tenure book, so chronology is not the critical fa...
Python for Linguists

Specifically designed for linguists, this book provides an introduction to programming using Python for those with little to no experience of coding. Python is one of the most popular and widely-used programming languages as it's also available for free and runs on any operating system. All examples in the text involve language data and can be adapted or used directly for language research. The text focuses on key language-related issues: searching, text manipulation, text encoding and internet data, providing an excellent resource for language research. More experienced users of Python will also benefit from the advanced chapters on graphical user interfaces and functional programming.
Distinct CD8+ T Cell Programming in the Tumor Microenvironment Contributes to Sex Bias in Bladder Cancer Outcome

Men and women show striking yet unexplained discrepancies in incidence, clinical presentation, and therapeutic response across different types of infectious/autoimmune diseases and malignancies (1,2). For instance, bladder cancer shows a 4-fold male-biased incidence that persists after adjustment for known risk factors (3,4). Here, we utilize murine bladder cancer models to establish that male-biased tumor burden is driven by sex differences in endogenous T cell immunity. Notably, sex differences exist in early fate decisions by intratumoral CD8+ T cells following their activation. While female CD8+ T cells retain their effector function, male counterparts readily adopt a Tcf1lowTim3- progenitor state that becomes exhausted over tumor progression. Human cancers show an analogous male-biased frequency of exhausted CD8+ T cells. Mechanistically, we describe an opposing interplay between CD8+ T cell intrinsic androgen and type I interferon (5,6) signaling in Tcf1/Tcf7 regulation and formation of the progenitor exhausted T cell subset. Consistent with female-biased interferon response (7), testosterone-dependent stimulation of Tcf1/Tcf7 and resistance to interferon occurs to a greater magnitude in male CD8+ T cells. Male-biased predisposition for CD8+ T cell exhaustion suggests that spontaneous rejection of early immunogenic bladder tumors is less common in males and carries implications for therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (8,9).
Chronic copper exposure directs microglia towards degenerative expression signatures in wild-type and J20 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Background Copper (Cu) is an essential metal mediating a variety of vital biological reactions with its redox property. Its dyshomeostasis has been associated with accelerated cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, underlying neurotoxic mechanisms elicited by dysregulated Cu remain largely elusive. We and others previously demonstrated that exposure to Cu in drinking water significantly exacerbated pathological hallmarks of AD and pro-inflammatory activation of microglia, coupled with impaired phagocytic capacity, in mouse models of AD. Methods In the present study, we extended our investigation to evaluate whether chronic Cu exposure to wild-type (WT) and J20 mouse model of AD perturbs homeostatic dynamics of microglia and contributes to accelerated transformation of microglia towards degenerative phenotypes that are closely associated with neurodegeneration. We further looked for evidence of alterations in the microglial morphology and spatial memory of the Cu-exposed mice to assess the extent of the Cu toxicity. Results We find that chronic Cu exposure to pre-pathological J20 mice upregulates the translation of degenerative genes and represses homeostatic genes within microglia even in the absence amyloid-beta plaques. We also observe similar expression signatures in Cu-exposed WT mice, suggesting that excess Cu exposure alone could lead to perturbed microglial homeostatic phenotypes and contribute to accelerated cognitive decline. Conclusion Our findings highlight the risk of chronic Cu exposure on cognitive decline and altered microglia activation towards degenerative phenotypes. These changes may represent one of the key mechanisms linking Cu exposure or its dyshomeostasis to an increased risk for AD.
Multiple polymerase acidic (PA) I38X substitutions in influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus permit polymerase activity and cause reduced baloxavir inhibition

Background Baloxavir marboxil is an antiviral drug that targets the endonuclease activity of the influenza virus polymerase acidic (PA) protein. PA I38T/M/F substitutions reduce its antiviral efficacy. Objectives To understand the effects of the 19 possible amino acid (AA) substitutions at PA 38 on influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 polymerase activity and inhibition by baloxavir acid, the active metabolite of baloxavir marboxil. Methods Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viral polymerase complexes containing all 19 I38X AA substitutions were reconstituted in HEK293T cells in a mini-replicon assay. Polymerase complex activity and baloxavir inhibitory activity were measured in the presence or absence of 50 nM baloxavir acid. Results Only three substitutions (R, K, P) reduced polymerase activity to 50% reductions (R, K, S, N, G, W, A, Q, E, D, H), while two substitutions (V, P) maintained baloxavir acid inhibitory activity. Conclusions Most PA 38 substitutions permit a functional replication complex retaining some drug resistance in the mini-replicon assay. This study provides a targeted approach for virus rescue and analysis of novel baloxavir marboxil reduced-susceptibility markers, supports the consideration of a broader range of these markers during antiviral surveillance and adds to the growing knowledge of baloxavir marboxil resistance profiles.
Population Mortality and Laws Encouraging Influenza Vaccination for Hospital Workers.

Background Since 1995, 14 states have passed laws encouraging or mandating influenza vaccination for hospital workers. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccinating health care workers to reduce disease transmission and patient risk, the effect of these laws on pneumonia and influenza mortality is unknown. Objective To measure the effect of state-level hospital worker influenza vaccination laws on pneumonia and influenza mortality. Design Quasi-experimental observational study. Setting United States. Participants Population of all states from 1995 to 2017. Intervention State adoption of a law promoting influenza vaccination for hospital workers. Measurements Pneumonia and influenza mortality per 100 000 persons by state and by month, both population-wide and separately by age group, obtained from restricted-access National Vital Statistics System files. Linear and log-linear models were used to compare changes in mortality rates for adopting versus nonadopting states. Results Implementation of state laws requiring hospitals to offer influenza vaccination to their employees was associated with a 2.5% reduction in the monthly pneumonia and influenza mortality rate (-0.16 deaths per 100 000 persons [95% CI, -0.29 to -0.02]; P = 0.022) during the years when the vaccine was well matched to the circulating strains. The largest effects occurred among elderly persons and during peak influenza months. Limitation Utilization of large-scale national data precluded analysis of more specific outcomes, such as laboratory-confirmed or hospital-acquired influenza. Conclusion State laws promoting hospital worker vaccination against influenza may be effective in preventing pneumonia- and influenza-related deaths, particularly among elderly persons. Vaccinating hospital workers may substantially reduce the spread of influenza and protect the most vulnerable populations. Primary funding source None.
Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among African American Children and Adolescents: Risk Factors, Health Outcomes, and Prevention/Intervention Strategies.

This paper examines the biological, psychosocial, cultural, and obesogenic environmental factors that might account for the high prevalence rates of overweight and obesity among African American young children (aged 2–11) and adolescents (aged 12–19). Research findings are discussed on the practices associated with the development of childhood obesity including maternal overweight and obesity, physiological predisposition, infant feeding practices, breastfeeding, rapid infant weight gain, sleep disruption, low nutrition diets, physical inactivity, and sedentary behavior. The psychological correlates of overweight and obesity are discussed. Consistent with the obesogenic arguments, this paper examines the development of childhood obesity as a function of socioeconomic disadvantages, social inequities, urban environmental contingencies, and media food product messages. The potential deleterious health consequences of overweight and obesity are discussed. There is an examination of the structural-level and individual-level prevention/intervention strategies necessary for sustainable declines in childhood overweight and obesity.
The effect of preoperative embolization on surgical outcomes for carotid body tumor resection

Objective:Compare the effects of preoperative embolization for carotid body tumor resection on surgical outcomes to carotid body tumor resections without preoperative embolization.Methods:Single-ce...
An optimal transmission line switching and bus splitting heuristic incorporating AC and N-1 contingency constraints

Abstract Optimal transmission line switching and/or bus splitting is shown to contribute in relieving congestion and reducing the operation cost by rerouting power flows throughout the network. Although bus splitting may be as powerful as line switching in congestion mitigation and is typically considered a smaller disturbance compared with line switching, it has received less attention in the literature in part due to the more complicated node-breaker modeling requirement. In this paper, an optimal transmission line switching and bus splitting heuristic is presented to minimize the operation cost while respecting AC and N-1 contingency constraints. We present a two-level solution method where switching decisions are made in the upper level problem formulated as a mixed integer second order cone programming master problem, while the resulting network topology is checked against AC and N-1 contingency constraints in lower level subproblems. Line switching and bus splitting are modeled as switching actions assuming double-bus double-breaker substation arrangements where all elements at a substation, including generators, loads, lines and shunt elements, are given switches to connect to either of the busbars if the respective substation is split. We also introduce additional constraints to model a breaker-and-a-half substation scheme. Furthermore, a pre-screening step is presented to limit the search space of the problem, thus accelerating the solution process. We demonstrate the application of the proposed method on IEEE standard test systems.
A case of burn evisceration with full-thickness injury to abdominal wall, bowel, bladder, and three extremities.

Background Severe electrical burns are a rare cause of admission to major burn centers. Incidence of electrical injury causing full-thickness injury to viscera is an increasingly scarce, but severe presentation requiring rapid intervention. We report one of few cases of a patient with full-thickness electrical injury to the abdominal wall, bowel, and bladder. Case report The patient, a 22-year-old male, was transferred to our institution from his local hospital after sustaining a suspected electrical burn. On arrival the patient was noted to have severe burn injuries to the lower abdominal wall with evisceration of multiple loops of burned small bowel as well as burns to the groin, left upper, and bilateral lower extremities. In the trauma bay, primary and secondary surveys were completed, and the patient was taken for CT imaging and then emergently to the operating room. On exploration, the patient had massive full-thickness burns to the lower abdominal wall, five full-thickness burns to small bowel, and intraperitoneal bladder rupture secondary to full-thickness burn. The patient underwent damage-control laparotomy including enterectomies, debridement of bladder coagulative necrosis, and layered closure of bladder injury followed by temporary abdominal closure with vacuum dressing. The patient also underwent right leg escharotomy and partial right foot fasciotomies. The patient was subsequently transferred to the nearest burn center for continued resuscitation and comprehensive burn care. Conclusion Severe electrical burns can be associated with devastating visceral injuries in rare cases. Though uncommon, these injuries are associated with very high mortality rates. The authors assert that rapid evaluation and initial stabilization following ATLS guidelines, damage-control laparotomy, and goal-directed resuscitation in concert with transfer to a major burn center are essential in effecting a successful outcome in these challenging cases.
Single-molecule studies of yeast Rad51 paralogs

Homologous recombination (HR) is a conserved mechanism essential for the accurate repair of DNA double stranded breaks and the exchange of genetic information during meiosis. The key steps in HR are carried out by the RecA/Rad51 class of recombinases, which form a helical filament on single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and catalyze homology search and strand exchange with a complementary duplex DNA target. In eukaryotes, assembly of the Rad51-ssDNA filament requires regulatory factors called mediators, including Rad51 paralogs. A mechanistic understanding of the role of Rad51 paralogs in HR has been hampered by the transient and diverse nature of intermediates formed with the Rad51-ssDNA filament, which cannot be resolved by traditional ensemble methods. The biochemical characterization of Rad51 paralogs, including the S. cerevisiae complex Rad55-Rad57 has also been limited by their propensity to aggregate. Here we describe the preparation of monodisperse GFP-tagged Rad55-Rad57 complex and the methodology for its analysis in our single-molecule DNA curtain assay.
How Companies Can Create a Cybersafe Culture at Work

Employees know hackers are gunning for them. Yet they still keep falling for their tricks. Companies can change that.
The Economics of Ethanol: Use of Indirect Policy Instruments

General equilibrium models typically ignore environmental goods because it is assumed that they have zero price. In the United States the Renewable Fuel Standard was introduced to offset the carbon emissions from by burning ethanol. The model in this study extends the standard general equilibrium approach to consider both positive and negative externalities. The negative externality is due to gasoline consumption while the positive externality is from substitution of ethanol for gasoline.
Geometry in design: the Be´zier method

The Bezier method for the representation of polynomial curves and surfaces is outlined, with emphasis on a geometric viewpoint. Several examples are given to underline the usefulness of the geometric approach to curve and surface design.
New York Times v. Sullivan Supreme Court decision: Freedom of Speech or a License to Lie?

This paper explores the freedom of speech and of the press precedent set by New York Times Co, v. Sullivan with regard to three ethical philosophies and social responsibility standards. This paper argues that the freedom of speech doctrine, as held in NY Times Co, v. Sullivan goes too far in protecting lies, falsity, and misrepresentation of facts. It asserts that the malicious intent requirement of law is too restrictive, truth should be the critical determining quality for freedom of speech even when it involves public and government officials, and that morality demands truth of the law. It further asserts that where the truth can easily or reasonably be known, publishers of falsity should be held liable, even absent proof of malice. Keywords: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, actual malice, truth in media, Sullivan, New York Times Co., libel, defamation, civil rights, public accountability
Postnatal development of sensory influences on neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus of the rat.

Abstract Extracellular unitary records were obtained from neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) of very young (1–25 days of postnatal age) and adult rats. Spontaneous unitary activity and evoked responses to both external (somatic, gustatory, and olfactory) and internal sensory (systemic administration of hypertonic saline and glucose solutions) stimulation were determined in order to assess the functional development of VMH neurons and their afferents. The basic electrophysiological characteristics of VMH neurons were established prenatally. From the date of birth, many VMH neurons had: (1) spontaneous action potential generation; (2) evoked responses to external or internal sensory stimulation; and (3) convergent sensory inputs. In contrast, the major developmental change in the neurophysiological properties of VMH neurons was the diminution with increasing age of the convergence of external and internal sensory influences. This developmental ‘fine-tuning’ of a complex functional feature of VMH neurons is important because the maturation of convergence coincides with a ‘critical period’ of VMH ontogenesis demonstrated in behavioral and experimental brain damage reports.
Closed-loop finite element modeling of smart structures: an overview

Smart structures incorporate sensors, actuators and control electronics that permit the structures to tailor their response to changes in the environment in an optimal fashion. The sensors and actuators are constructed from functional materials such as piezoelectric, electrostrictive, shape memory alloys and magnetostrictive materials and more recently using MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) devices. All functional materials and devices therefrom involve coupled fields involving elastodynamic, viscoelastic, electric, magnetic and thermal fields. The materials are anisotropic and often nonlinear. Finite element modeling has been successfully used to model these complex structures. More recently, closed ioop numerical simulation of the tailored response of a smart structure has become possible by combining the finite element equations of the sensor response to applied dynamical and/or thermal loads to the input voltage or current to the actuators via a control algorithm. This hybrid approach permits us to simulate the response of the structure with feedback control. Simple feedback controllers have now been replaced by robust controllers that provide stability under a range of uncertainties and do not require a very accurate system model. The talk will present an overview of the approaches of various researchers and consider numerical applications and comparison with experiments for active vibration damping, noise control and shape modification.
Quantitative descriptive analysis and principal component analysis for sensory characterization of ultrapasteurized milk

Quantitative descriptive analysis was used to describe the key attributes of nine ultrapasteurized (UP) milk products of various fat levels, including two lactose-reduced products, from two dairy plants. Principal components analysis identified four significant principal components that accounted for 87.6% of the variance in the sensory attribute data. Principal component scores indicated that the location of each UP milk along each of four scales primarily corresponded to cooked, drying/lingering, sweet, and bitter attributes. Overall product quality was modeled as a function of the principal components using multiple least squares regression (R2 = 0.810). These findings demonstrate the utility of quantitative descriptive analysis for identifying and measuring UP fluid milk product attributes that are important to consumers.
Use of microstructural statistics in predicting polycrystalline material properties

Experimental measurements of lattice orientation correlation in an oxygen-free electronic (OFE) copper plate have been employed in several statistical continuum mechanical theories to construct improved bounds and estimates of the plate’s macroscopic elastic response. One- and two-point microstructural statistics of lattice orientation were obtained through the automated analysis of spatially resolved electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) patterns. Generalized Hashin-Shtrikman (GHS) bounds incorporating two-point statistical data were found to be 75 pct narrower than the Voigt-Reuss bounds. A perturbation expansion technique yielded two sets of bounds of comparable quality. An experimental acoustic measurement of the bulk elastic response of the plate was found to lie between the calculated bounds. In addition, a perturbation estimate was obtained which exceeds the measured response, but still falls within all of the calculated bounds. The influence of crystallographic texture was investigated for a variety of simulated textured copper polycrystals and was found to cause significant differences in the macroscopic elastic properties.
Left ventricular function after monophasic and biphasic waveform defibrillation: the impact of cardiopulmonary resuscitation time on contractile indices.

UNLABELLED Previous work has suggested that low-energy biphasic waveform defibrillation (BWD) is followed by less post-resuscitation left ventricular (LV) dysfunction when compared with higher-energy monophasic waveform defibrillation (MWD). To the best of the authors' knowledge, the effect of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) duration and total ischemia time on LV function after countershock, controlling for waveform type, has not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of CPR duration on LV function after MWD and BWD. METHODS VF was electrically induced in anesthetized and instrumented swine. After 5 minutes of VF, the animals were randomized to MWD (n = 22) or one of two BWDs (n = 46). If countershock terminated VF but was followed by a nonperfusing rhythm, conventional manual CPR without drug therapy was performed until restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), defined as a systolic arterial pressure >60 mm Hg for 10 minutes without vasopressor support. Systolic LV pressure (LVP), LV dP/dt (first derivative of pressure measured over time), and cardiac output (CO) were measured at intervals for 60 minutes postresuscitation. CPR times (times to ROSC) and hemodynamic variables for the three groups were compared. Multivariable linear regression was performed to assess the contribution of defibrillation waveform, total joules, and CPR time on LVP, LV dP/dt, and CO at 15, 30, and 60 minutes postresuscitation. RESULTS When analyzed as groups, significant differences in median number of shocks to terminate VF, total joules, or CPR time were not observed between waveform groups. Regression analysis demonstrated that increasing CPR time was associated with a significant effect on indices of LV function at 15 and 30 minutes postresuscitation. Global LV function was not influenced by waveform type or total joules. CONCLUSIONS Adjustment for CPR time, a determinant of total myocardial ischemia time, is necessary when defibrillation waveforms are compared for their effect on postresuscitation cardiac function and short-term outcome.
Product differentiation and economic growth in a system of cities

Abstract This paper adapts the Dixit-Stiglitz-Romer model of product diversity and monopolistic competition as a growth model for a Henderson-type system of cities with an overlapping generations structure. The life-cycle savings of individuals are invested in urban overhead and manufacturing capital. Each city specializes in the production of a single differentiated commodity. Land developers and city governments create new cities in line with the demand for differentiated products. Under the assumption of intracity and intercity locational equilibrium, we show that there exists a unique steady-state equilibrium, at which the number of cities exponentially grows at the same rate as population and the equilibrium city size is constant. The result that lifetime utility increases exponentially along the steady state is due entirely to the monopolistic competition structure of the model.
Multiplexmethoden zur Profilierung der MikroRNA‐Expression in biologischen Proben

Die Entdeckung kleiner nichtcodierender RNA-Molekule (MikroRNAs; miRNAs), die in der Lage sind, die Genexpression zu steuern, hat eine neue Komplexitatsebene bei der Regulation der Zellfunktionen aufgezeigt. Seit einigen Jahren wird nun versucht, die regulatorische Funktion von hunderten bis tausenden von miRNAs zu verstehen, die in pflanzlichen und tierischen Zellen exprimiert werden. Um hier entscheidend weiterzukommen, ist die Entwicklung quantitativer bioanalytischer Verfahren erforderlich, mit denen ein schneller, paralleler Nachweis aller miRNAs in einer bestimmten Zelle oder Gewebeprobe moglich ist. In diesem Kurzaufsatz beschreiben wir einige der neuesten Verfahren zur Hochdurchsatzprofilierung von miRNAs und schildern die besonderen technischen Herausforderungen, die dabei gemeistert werden mussen.
Psychological Stress Reduction During Dental Procedures

Behavioral methods of patient stress reduction during amalgam restorations were evaluated. Eighty adult patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups of 20 each: a control group, a relaxation group, a perceived control group, and an active distraction group. Both relaxation and distraction were found to be effective in reducing patient discomfort.
Arbitrary black-string deformations in the black-string-black-hole transitions

We study the possible black-string black-hole transition by analyzing the structure of the apparent horizon for a large family of time-symmetric initial data. We observe that, as judged by the apparent horizon, it is possible to generate arbitrarily deformed black strings at a moment of time symmetry. A similar study for hyperspherical black holes reveals that although arbitrarily deformed hyperspherical black holes can be constructed, the proper distance between the north and south poles along the extra direction has an upper limit.
Multidimensional stimulus identification

In an absolute judgment task, total information transmitted about a set of stimuli increases as the dimensionality of the stimuli is increased. However, as the number of dimensions is increased, information transmitted about each component dimension decreases. Four factors were proposed that might, singly or in combination, account for this decrement: stimulus duration, interdimensional interference, distraction, and response complexity. The results of four experiments established that each of these factors may be operative under appropriate circumstances. It was also concluded that component dimensions were processed simultaneously rather than sequentially. However, the processing was not truly parallel because the input channels were not independent of one another.
Management of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Secondary to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia With Open Prostatectomy: Results of a Contemporary Series

Purpose: Surgical therapy remains the definitive treatment in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia sequelae. Many patients with a markedly enlarged prostate are often not amenable to minimally invasive therapies. In these patients open prostatectomy is a preferred treatment. Most studies of this procedure are quite dated. Therefore, we describe the clinical results and complications of open prostatectomy performed in a modern setting using serum prostate specific antigen, the American Urological Association symptom index and quality of life scores to determine outcomes.Materials and Methods: We performed a prospective study in 56 patients who underwent open prostatectomy at our institution. Patients were evaluated by history and physical examination, American Urological Association symptom index, quality of life forms, prostate specific antigen, transrectal ultrasound and post-void urine volume.Results: Patients were followed up to 11 years postoperatively (mean 39.2 months). Of the patients 80.3% p...
Evaluation of body weight changes after selective serotonin depletion with 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine

Abstract 1. 1. Treatment of rats with 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) after pretreatment with protriptyline failed to produce any significant effect on body weight despite a marked depletion in forebrain serotonin (5-HT) and no effect on norepinephrine content. 2. 2. These findings conflict with previous reports in the literature suggesting marked enhancement in body weight following selective 5-HT depletion with 5,7-DHT and raise questions concerning the role of 5-HT in the regulation of body weight.
A gzip-based algorithm to identify bacterial families by 16S rRNA

Aims: Microbial family identification of 16S rDNA sequences by applying a strategy based on algorithms for data compression. Methods and Results: Perl scripts were developed to analyse similarities in microbial sequences, based on a gzip data compression technique. For each bacterial family (n = 196) a 16S rRNA reference file was constructed to compare new queries looking at compression performance. An online user-friendly bioinformatics tool was built up to attribute a bacterial family to a 16S rRNA sequence. It was successfully applied to recognize different bacterial families, including Legionellaceae, Bacillaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Acetobacteriaceae and Rhizobiaceae. The percentage of positive identifications is higher than 95% for fragments over 450 bp. Conclusions: A new bioinformatics approach has been developed to assign a taxonomic classification to a 16SrDNA sequence. An online tool provides quick and easy sequence attribution. The general principle can be applied to other genes of taxonomic interest. Significance and Impact of the Study: Availability of simple bioinformatics tools can support the development of molecular-based analysis and classification of bacteria, especially for environmental or uncultured strains.
Caspase-8-mediated apoptosis in human RPE cells.

Purpose Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is an important cytokine associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). TNF-alpha activates the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. In many cells, nuclear transcription factor (NF)-kappaB upregulates antiapoptotic proteins and prevents TNF-alpha-mediated apoptosis. However, retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells are resistant to TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis, even after specific NF-kappaB blockade. Herein, the authors investigated the role of caspase-8 in RPE cell resistance to TNF-alpha-mediated cell death. Methods Caspase-8 mRNA and protein expression were measured in human RPE cells, human lens epithelial cells, human trabecular meshwork (TM) cells, human choroidal endothelial cells, human uveal melanoma cells (OCM-1, 92.1 and MKT-BR), T-98G, OVCAR-3, HCT116, and Jurkat cancer cells by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. RPE cells were coinfected with adenovirus encoding caspase-8 and Cre. RPE and T-98G cells were infected with adenovirus encoding mutant inhibitory (I)-kappaB and then were treated with media alone or with TNF-alpha. Cell viability was determined by WST-1 assay, and apoptosis was evaluated with DNA fragmentation assay and M30 assay. Caspase-3, -7, -9 expression and Bid protein expression after caspase-8 overexpression were examined by Western blot. Results Human RPE cell caspase-8 mRNA and protein levels were low compared with levels in nonneoplastic ocular cells and cancer cells. Overexpression of caspase-8 significantly decreased cell number, caused caspase-8 and caspase-3 activation, decreased full-length Bid, caspase-9, and caspase-7, and significantly increased DNA fragmentation and M30-positive RPE cells. Without TNF-alpha treatment, NF-kappaB blockade had no effect on caspase-8-mediated RPE cell death. In the presence of TNF-alpha, NF-kappaB blockade slightly but significantly enhanced caspase-8-mediated RPE cell death. Conclusions RPE cell caspase-8 protein levels are low compared with levels for other cell types and may be regulated posttranscriptionally. Low caspase-8 levels may protect RPE cells from apoptosis normally and in diseases such as AMD and may promote the survival of abnormal cells in PVR. Introduction of caspase-8 into RPE cells may be a potential strategy to treat PVR.
Review of "Pre-Data Base Survey, by Leo J. Cohen", Performance Development Corporation, 1979

This typewritten report addresses the critical question: How do you get started in data base management? The report is divided into three parts: Planning for the Data Base System Project, The Pre-Data Base Survey and Project Analysis. In the planning section, the report examines the steps associated with a data base project, the roles of personnel involved in the project and treatment of data as a corporate resource.
Chemical Structure of Retro-2, a Compound That Protects Cells against Ribosome-Inactivating Proteins

Shiga-like toxins and ricin are ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) that are lethal to mammals and pose a global health threat. No clinical vaccines or therapeutics currently exist to protect against these RIPs. Two small molecules (Retro-1 and Retro-2) were discovered with high-throughput screening and reported for their protection of cells against RIPs. Of great significance, Retro-2, reported as (E)-2-(((5-methylthiophen-2-yl)methylene)amino)-N-phenylbenzamide, fully protected mice from lethal nasal challenge with ricin. Herein, we report studies showing that the chemical structure of Retro-2 is (±)-2-(5-methylthiophen-2-yl)-3-phenyl-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one rather than (E)-2-(((5-methylthiophen-2-yl)methylene)amino)-N-phenylbenzamide. The latter is an achiral molecule that converts spontaneously to the former, which is a racemate and showed cell protection against RIPs. This calls for attention to (±)-2-(5-methylthiophen-2-yl)-3-phenyl-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one as a promising RIP inhibitor and for chemical characterization of drug leads obtained from high-throughput screens.
Natural-time measurements in a harmonically vibrating system

A method has recently been proposed for studying the time measurements in a system of reference attached to a uniformly accelerated clock-observer. The essential features werea) assigning to each point of the noninertial frame of reference a motion of the particular type considered, andb) imposing a rigidity condition in the form of the requirement that the velocity of light, as measured in the noninertial frame, be time-independent. This method is now applied to a case of nonuniform acceleration, namely, the case in which the accelerated clock-observer undergoes a rectilinear harmonic motion. It turns out that the application of the procedure in the same strict form as earlier leads to an incompatibility, which can be traced to a conflict between two « rigidity » conditions. The excessive constraint can be eliminated either by weakening the rigidity condition b) to the looser requirement for local « radar rigidity », or by weakening conditiona) through specification of the motion of the actual clock-observer only. The first approach yields a solution (in differential form) which is incompatible with the usual assumption that the timet′ in the noninertial system is identical to proper time. This result proves that, of the following three assumptions, at least one must be discarded: local radar rigidity, identity of t′ with proper time, and requirement that each point of the accelerated frameR′ undergoes a harmonic motion. The second approach, which appears to be physically preferable, furnishes a solution in which the relative rate of the noninertial clock with respect to the inertial clocks is left completely undetermined. This result proves that the « proper time » assumption is logically independent of the postulates used in this approach and indicates that these postulates are too weak to provide a completely determined solution of the problem. An outlook on possible directions for further investigations is given.
Gas Adsorption Equilibria

Abstract Gas adsorption is a process for purification or separation of gas mixtures. Distillation is usually the first choice for bulk separations when liquefaction can be accomplished conveniently and when the relative volatilities of the materials to be separated do not approach or equal unity (azeotropy). If these conditions are not met, adsorption may offer an advantage, either by avoiding high or low temperatures or by providing higher separation factors and lower energy costs. Therefore the first step in the consideration of adsorption for a particular separation is the identification of a suitable adsorbent.
Cardiotonic site directed irreversible inhibition of Na+ + K+-ATPase by 3-azidoacetylstrophanthidin, a photochemical analogue of strophanthidin

A photochemical analogue of strophanthidin, 3-azidoacetylstrophanthidin (AAS) was synthesized and tested as a cardiotonic steroid (CS) site directed photoaffinity label for Na+ + K+-ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, E.C. 3.6.1.3). AAS-inhibited rat brain ATPase with an I50 of about 1 x 10(-6) M readily displaced 3H-ouabain from its specific binding sites on this enzyme and produced a positive inotropic effect in guinea pig atrial strips. In the absence of UV light its interaction with the CS binding sites of Na+ + K+-ATPase appeared reversible. In the presence of UV light and acetylphosphate, AAS produced about 15% irreversible inhibition of Na+ + K+-ATPase, compared with about 5% irreversible inhibition in the absence of either UV light or acetyl phosphate. Since acetylphosphate supports specific glucoside binding at the CS binding sites of Na+ + K+-ATPase these data are consistent with the concept that AAS is a cardiotonic steroid site directed photoactivatable inhibitor of Na+ + K+-ATPase.
Pulmonary function testing of animals chronically exposed to diluted diesel exhaust for 267 days

Thw purpose of this work was to assess the potential effect that chronic inhalation of diesel exhaust may have on lung mechanics and lung volumes. Noninvasive pulmonary function tests have been conducted repeatedly on 25 rats exposed to diesel exhaust at a particulate concentration of 1500 μg/m3, for 20 h/day, 512 days/week for 267 days. The same tests were conducted on 25 clean air control animals. When the data is normalized, there are no apparent functionally significant changes occurring in the lungs that may be attributed to the chronic inhalation of diesel exhaust.
Joint Maneuvers: Diversity as an Asset in a Community College Exercise

With half the students seeking a transfer degree to five-year design schools and the other half looking for basic vocational instruction to pursue careers in the construction industry, teaching at ...
Inhibitory Role of the Endothelium in the Response of Isolated Coronary Arteries to Platelets

Aggregating autologous platelets caused contraction of isolated rings of canine left circumflex arteries. The contractions were augmented after removal of the endothelium and were attenuated by serotonergic antagonists. During contraction caused by prostaglandin F2 alpha, aggregating platelets caused a transient increase in tension followed by a profound relaxation of arteries with endothelium, but caused only further contraction of arteries without endothelium. These observations demonstrate the importance of the vascular endothelium in opposing the constriction of coronary vessels caused by 5-hydroxytryptamine and other substances released from aggregating platelets.
NEW HOMOTHALLIC NEUROSPORAS FROM TROPICAL SOILS

SUMMARY Two new 8-spored, non-conidial, homothallic species of Neurospora are described: N. galapagosensis Mahoney & Backus and N. africana Huang & Backus, obtained from soil samples collected on the Galapagos Islands and in Eastern Nigeria, respectively. These organisms were discovered through use of a technique which appears to be highly effective for isolating sordariaceous fungi from soil. The new Neurospora taxa share several important distinctive features with both N. terricola Gochenaur & Backus and N. dodgei Nelson & Novak but appear to be most closely related to the latter. Prior to 1960 no truly homothallic Neurospora was known, nor had any Neurospora been described which did not have a Monilia imperfect stage. This state of affairs was changed, however, with the discovery, early in the present decade, of Neurospora terricola Gochenaur & Backus (5) and N. dodgei Nelson & Novak (8)-two homothallic 8-spored species apparently devoid of both conidia and spermatia. The former had been encountered in Wisconsin lowland soil and the latter in moderately high elevation soils of Puerto Rico. In the present communication two additional specific taxa of the same general pattern are described. One of these was isolated from Galapagos Islands soil, the other from a soil sample from Nigeria. As had been the case with the discovery of N. terricola and N. dodgei, they were found through the use of selective isolation procedures. The discoveries reported here were made in the course of studies on the microfungal flora of selected tropical soils, the general results of which will be reported elsewhere.
Parallel elliptic preconditioners: Fourier analysis and performance on the connection machine

Abstract We study the performance of several widely used preconditioners for 2D elliptic partial differential equations (SSOR, ILU, MILU and polynomial preconditioners) with the natural and red-black orderings implemented on the Connection Machine (CM). Their performance is primarily influenced by two factors: the rate of convergence and the ease of parallelization. The convergence rate is analyzed by Fourier analysis and confirmed with experimental results. Although the naturally ordered SSOR and MILU preconditioners have convergence rates one order faster than the other preconditioners, the experiments show that the red-black ordered SSOR, ILU, MILU, polynomial preconditioners takes less execution time than their naturally ordered counterparts. This is partially due to the fact that the red-blavk ordering provides more parallelism than the natural ordering.
Microhardness evaluation of cyclotron foil windows

Abstract The production of radiopharmaceuticals for application to positron emission tomography necessitates radionuclides of finite specific activity and chemical purity. Reliable, routine production of the short-lived, biologically useful radionuclides has required careful selection of target system materials. The degenerative effects of high beam currents and use of refrigerated cooling units on metallic cyclotron target windows are of particular interest. Repeated subjection of the metallic windows and target bodies to energetic charged particles induces crystalline lattice imperfections and strain hardening. The reduction in ductility of the foil window appears to correlate with an increase in hardness as evaluated using the Knoop microhardness technique and optical microscopic examination on both aluminum and Havar irradiated cyclotron windows. A summary of our results on the above effects will be presented.
Flavor Stability of High-Oleic Peanuts Stored at Low Humidity

Shelf-life studies were conducted on roasted high-oleic peanuts (HOP; F1250, BC93Q10) and a reference peanut with normal oleic acid content (NOP, Florunner). HOP contained at least 80% oleic acid and 3% linoleic acid, whereas normal-oleic peanuts contained 53% oleic and 27% linoleic acids. Peanuts were dry-roasted to a medium roast (Hunter lab L=50) and stored at 40°C at 18% relative humidity. Samples were removed from storage at different intervals (0, 2, 4, 7, and 10 wk) for sensory evaluation and chemical oxidation measurements. Sensory attributes rated included roasted peanutty flavor, sweetness, crunchiness, and oxidized flavors (cardboardy and painty). The two HOP lines were not significantly different from each other in flavor quality or stability during storage but had better flavor quality and stability than NOP. The latter oxidized faster and developed painty off-flavors to a greater extent than did the HOP lines. Chemical oxidation measurements confirmed higher levels of oxidation in NOP than in the HOP lines. Peroxide values at 10-wk storage were 47 meq/kg oil for NOP and <3 meq/kg oil for the HOP lines. Both HOP lines had greater shelf lives than NOP.