cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolving trends in the treatment of anorectal diseases.

Abstract During the first half of this century, the safe and effective treatment of benign anorectal disorders perhaps did more to establish our specialty as a viable and distinct entity than anything else. A thorough understanding of anorectal anatomy and physiology, improved methods of local anesthesia, and an appreciation of proper postoperative care made the care of patients with diseases of the rectum and anus the domain of true specialists. Hirschman stated, "It is the action of the profession itself which has created the special field of proctology--the anus and rectum being organs peculiar to themselves and being subject to many medical and surgical diseases in the same way as the eye, the ear, the nose, the genital and urinary organs; and call for just as much special medical and surgical care. The general surgeon knows nothing about, and cares less for, the medical treatment of these organs; and the general practitioner who is able to treat the medical conditions is not, as a rule, properly equipped to do so. Thus, the proctologist came into existence--a man who, by special study of this particular region of the body, is able to give special care of either a surgical or medical nature, and often both in the same case, as may be required."
Hydrogen-bonded monolayers and interdigitated multilayers at the air-water interface.

Crystalline monolayers of octadecylsulfonate amphiphiles (C18S) separated by hydrophilic guanidinium (G) spacer molecules were formed at the air−water interface at a surface coverage that was consistent with that expected for a fully condensed monolayer self-assembled by hydrogen bonding between the G ions and the sulfonate groups. The surface pressure−area isotherms reflected reinforcement of this monolayer by hydrogen bonding between the G ions and the sulfonate groups, and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) measurements, performed in-situ at the air−water interface, revealed substantial tilt of the alkyl hydrophobes (t = 49° with respect to the surface normal), which allowed the close packing of the C18 chains needed for a stable crystalline monolayer. This property contrasts with behavior observed previously for monolayers of hexadecylbiphenylsulfonate (C16BPS) and G, which only formed crystallites upon compression, accompanied by ejection of the G ions from the air−water interface. Upon compr...
Axions and family symmetry breaking

Possible advantages of replacing the Peccei-Quinn U(1) quasisymmetry by a group of genuine flavor symmetries are pointed out. Characteristic neutral Nambu-Goldstone bosons will arise, which might be observed in rare $K$ or $\ensuremath{\mu}$ decays. The formulation of Lagrangians embodying these ideas is discussed schematically.
Effect of lateral stresses on fiber debonding/pull-out

Abstract The performance of fiber reinforced composites is strongly dependent on the behavior of the fiber/matrix interface. The fiber pull-out test has been widely used to determine interfacial properties, from which fiber debonding/pull-out behavior in the composite can be deduced. Pull-out test results reported in the literature are almost always obtained under the condition of zero far-field lateral stresses. However, in many practical applications, crack bridging fibers can be under significant lateral compression (e.g. splitting cracks, shear cracks) or tension (cracks at the bottom of plates under biaxial bending). In this investigation, a novel experimental set-up is developed to study the effect of lateral stresses on fiber debonding and pull-out. Steel fiber reinforced mortar specimens were tested to provide an example. With lateral compression, both the initial interfacial friction and the effective interfacial shear strength are found to increase. A higher lateral compression, however, also results in a more rapid decrease in the interfacial friction during fiber pull-out. Therefore, while lateral compression can significantly increase the peak pull-out load, the energy absorption capacity (denoted by the area under the pull-out curve) does not increase to the same degree. Qualitatively, lateral tension imposes opposite effects to lateral compression. Quantitatively, a small lateral tension can result in changes in interfacial properties comparable in magnitude to those caused by a much higher lateral compression. Therefore, although the lateral tension that can act on a fiber is limited by the low tensile strength of the matrix, it may still impose a noticeable effect on the fiber debonding/pull-out behavior.
Bradykinin-evoked modulation of cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations in cultured renal epithelial (MDCK) cells

We have investigated the effect of bradykinin on cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations of renal MDCK cells cultured as monolayers. Bradykinin rapidly (within 5 to 20 s) increased cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations, measured by using the fluorescent indicator quin-2, from the basal value of 103 nM to a maximal value of 578 nM at about 10(-8) M bradykinin. The increase of Ca2+ was transient, returning to baseline within 1.5 to 2 min. The transient response appeared to be due to cell desensitization rather than peptide degradation. Previously desensitized cells could be resensitized after a 10 min incubation in the absence of bradykinin. The removal of extracellular Ca2+ or the addition of verapamil did not have a major effect on the maximal bradykinin-evoked changes of Ca2+, suggesting that Ca2+ released from intracellular stores plays a pivotal role in this process. Bradykinin-evoked Ca2+ metabolism may play an important role as modulator of the cellular functions of MDCK cells.
IncP2 group of Pseudomonas, a class of uniquely large plasmids.

IN Pseudomonas bacteria, the plasmids of the P-2 incompatibility group (IncP2) are notable for several reasons: they include both antibiotic resistance plasmids of nosocomial origin (R plasmids) and degradative plasmids that allow dissimilatory oxidative metabolism of unusual carbon sources; they are a naturally occurring high frequency transfer system with a host range restricted primarily to Pseudomonas; they are reported to be the most frequent incompatibility group of R plasmids found in nosocomial Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates; and they show a wide geographical distribution1–4. Until now, their classification as plasmids has primarily been on the basis of genetic evidence: cotransfer of plasmid phenotypic markers independent of chromosome transfer; and co-curing of plasmid markers by another IncP2 plasmid. We have developed a novel method to permit routine physical isolation of these plasmids5. Using this method, a survey of the sizes of 12 different IncP2 plasmids reveals them to be notable in another way: they constitute an unique group of very large bacterial plasmids, generally having a homogeneous, unprecedented size range between approximately 280 and 312 megadaltons.
The side-chain cleavage of cholesterol sulfate—II. The effect of phospholipids on the oxidation of the sterol sulfate by inner mitochondrial membranes and by a reconstituted cholesterol desmolase system

Abstract This study compares the side-chain cleavage of aqueous suspensions of cholesterol sulfate with the side-chain cleavage of cholesterol sulfate which is incorporated into phospholipid vesicles. Three different cholesterol desmolase systems are examined: (1) the membrane-bound cholesterol side-chain cleavage system present in inner mitochondrial membranes isolated from bovine adrenal mitochondria; (2) a soluble, lipid-depleted, reconstituted side-chain cleavage system prepared from cytochrome P-450scc, adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase; (3) a membrane associated side-chain cleavage system prepared by adding phospholipid vesicles, prepared from adrenal mitochondrial, to the reconstituted system. Soluble cholesterol sulfate, in low concentration, is a good substrate for the lipid-depleted reconstituted side chain cleavage system. However, at concentrations above 2 μM, in the absence of phospholipids, the sterol sulfate appears to bind at a non-productive site on cytochrome P-450scc which leads to substrate inhibition. Phospholipids, while inhibiting the binding of cholesterol sulfate to the cytochrome, also appear to prevent non-productive binding of the sterol sulfate to the cytochrome. Thus the addition of phospholipids to the lipid-depleted enzyme system leads to an activation of side-chain cleavage of high concentrations of the sterol sulfate. Soluble cholesterol sulfate is a good substrate for both the native and reconstituted membrane-bound systems and no substrate inhibition is observed when the membrane bound enzyme systems are employed in the assay of side-chain activity. However, the cleavage of cholesterol sulfate, which is incorporated into phospholipid vesicles, by both membrane bound enzyme systems appears to be competitively inhibited by the phospholipids of the vesicles. The results of this study suggest that the regulation of the side-chain cleavage of cholesterol sulfate may be entirely different than the regulation of the side-chain cleavage of cholesterol, if cholesterol sulfate exists intracellularly as a soluble non-complexed substrate. If, on the other hand, cholesterol sulfate is present in the cell in lipid droplets as a complex with phospholipids, its metabolism may be under the same constraints as the side-chain cleavage of cholesterol.
The Impact of Nutrition Standards on Competitive Food Offerings and Purchasing Behaviors of High School Students

BACKGROUND: With adolescent obesity rates on the rise, the school food environment is receiving closer scrutiny. This study looks at the effects of nutrient standards as part of a wellness policy that was implemented in 3 public high schools in 1 county, by analyzing the nutritional value of competitive food offerings and purchases before and after the development of the standards. METHODS: All food offerings and purchases were labeled based on their nutritional density using a stoplight approach of green, yellow, and red colors for the pre- and post- period. The stoplight approach to ranking foods is on a continuum of nutrient density, with green foods being the healthiest choices and red foods offering minimal nutrient density. RESULTS: Results showed that after the implementation of the standards, red foods made up 30% of offerings, down from 48% of offerings prior to the existence of the guidelines. The proportion of red food purchases also decreased, from 83% to 47%. Additionally, yellow food offerings increased from 18% to 48% and purchases increased from 6% to 34%. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that the nutrient standards as part of the wellness policy contributed to a positive shift in the nutritional value of competitive food purchases and offerings.
Implementation of digital filters via VLSI array processors

This paper describes the implementation of infinite impulse response (IIR) digital filters via VLSI array processors. The IIR digital filter is described by the general state-space model of a multiple-input, multiple-output discrete linear system. The implementation of the associated block parallel state-space model is also described. Finally, the implementation of a single-input, single-output time-varying digital filter is given. The throughput rate and the latency of all the above implementations are considered.
Crack bridging in functionally graded coatings

Abstract A crack bridging analysis is carried out to predict crack propagation in coatings made of functionally graded materials (FGM). The FGM coating is taken to be a ceramic/metal composite with its gradation characterized by the local volume fractions of metal and ceramic phases. Fracture in the FGM coating is resisted by the plastic deformation of metal ligaments in the crack wake that bridge the crack; the crack bridging, however, is not uniform. A position-dependent crack bridging model is developed taking into account the coating gradation and metal plasticity. The model is subsequently used in a finite element analysis to predict the reduced fracture driving force. It is found that crack bridging in the FGM coating can significantly reduce the crack tip stress intensity. It is also found that coating gradation has a strong influence on the fracture driving force and the crack length at arrest. The present finite element model can be extended readily to study the effect of large-scale plastic deformation on crack growth in a FGM coating.
The role of tyrosines in elastase.

Abstract The conformational behavior of elastase between pH 7 and 11 has been investigated, with particular emphasis on tyrosine residues. Of these, ten titrate normally and one is totally inaccessible to ionization. On the basis of chemical modification, the eleven tyrosines can be subdivided into three reactive classes and one totally unreactive. The first class, consisting of eight groups, can be cyanurated and is easy to acetylate; the other two classes consist of one group each, which can be acetylated with increasing difficulty but cannot be cyanurated. The eleventh residue is inaccessible to either reagent. Circular dichroism studies showed that the secondary structure remains invariant between pH 5 and 11, since the far uv CD spectrum remains unchanged. The fact that acetylation of ten tyrosines neither affects the far uv CD spectrum nor the enzymatic activity rules out the structural stabilization of the active enzyme by a tyrosine. Circular dichroism studies at higher wavelengths indicate that the alkaline transitions found in chymotrypsin do not occur in elastase.
Long-Term Outcomes and Temporal Trends With Endovascular vs Open Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in the Medicare Population†

Substantial Variation Exists Between SVS VQI Regions in Patient Selection and Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysmsy Dominique B. Buck, Jeremy Darling, Jack L. Cronenwett, Philip P. Goodney, Frans L. Moll, Jason T. Lee, Marc L. Schermerhorn. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass; Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH; UMCU, Utrecht, Netherlands; Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, Calif
Immunoreactive luteinizing hormone-containing neurons in the brain of the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus

The distribution of immunoreactive LH in the brain of the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) was determined using immunocytochemical procedures. Immunoreactive fibers are located in the hypothalamus, preoptic area, septum and amygdala. Stained cell bodies are seen in the arcuate nucleus and preoptic area. Gonadectomy enhances staining for LH in the brain.
Habituation to light and spontaneous activity in the isolated siphon of Aplysia: Pharmacological observations

Abstract 1. 1. Application of dopamine (DA) produces a prolonged slow contracture and stimulates high-frequency brief contractions. DA elevates the amplitude of responses to light. At high doses (10−5 and 10−4 g. per ml.) DA retards habituation of the light response; at low doses (10−6 g. per ml.) it speeds habituation. Ergonovine inhibits spontaneous contractions and the light response. 2. 2. Both acetylcholine (ACh) and eserine inhibit spontaneous contractions and the light response. They speed habituation. 3. 3. L -Glutamic acid usually produces a contracture similar to that produced by DA, superimposed by high-frequency contractions. This response is quickly followed by inhibition. Light responses are inhibited by L -glutamic acid.
β-catenin/cyclin D1 mediated development of suture mesenchyme in calvarial morphogenesis

Background Mouse genetic study has demonstrated that Axin2 is essential for calvarial development and disease. Haploid deficiency of β-catenin alleviates the calvarial phenotype caused by Axin2 deficiency. This loss-of-function study provides evidence for the requirement of β-catenin in exerting the downstream effects of Axin2.
Comparison of Semi-Empirical and Computer Derived Methods for Estimating Urinary Saturation of Brushite

Purpose: The Equil 2 computer program has been questioned by the new Joint Expert Speciation System program (Mayhem Unit Trust and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa) for estimating the urinary saturation of stone forming salts to gauge the propensity for stone formation. To attempt resolution the supersaturation index according to the Joint Expert Speciation System and the relative saturation ratio according to Equil 2 were compared with the semi-empirically derived concentration-to-product ratio.Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from a recent article in The Journal of Urology®, in which pH, calcium and citrate were varied over a wide range in 72 urine samples. We calculated the relative saturation ratio and the supersaturation index of brushite, and compared them with the available concentration-to-product ratio derived from the growth or dissolution of synthetic brushite.Results: The mean concentration-to-product ratio did not differ from the supersaturation ...
HUMMOCKING BY LOTIC CHARA: OBSERVATIONS ON ALTERATIONS OF HYPORHEIC TEMPERATURE PATTERNS

Hendricks, S.P. and White, D.S., 1988. Hummocking by lotic Chara: observations on alterations of hyporheic temperature patterns. Aquat. Bot., 31:13-22 Stream-bed temperature profiles were used to examine hyporheic water patterns beneath Chara hummocks in a northern Michigan (U.S.A.) stream. Hummocks were found to alter expected hyporheic temperature patterns significantly, causing apparent upwellings of deeper, colder waters into the hummock. The magnitude of temperature pattern alterations was proportional to the size of the hummock, and hummocks were often situated in areas of the stream where cooler hyporheic water was closest to the stream-bed surface. Upwelling and downwelling patterns caused by hummocks conformed to the literature on hyporheic flow alterations imposed by inanimate objects on the stream-bed surface. Hyporheic water upwellings may be of benefit to Chara by exposing the anchorage system to higher nutrient or ion levels existing in interstitial water.
Leaf uptake of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in a tropical wet forest: implications for tropospheric chemistry

Tropical forest soils are known to emit large amounts of reactive nitrogen oxide compounds, often referred to collectively as NOy (NOy = NO + NO2 + HNO3 + organic nitrates). Plants are known to assimilate and emit NOy and it is therefore likely that plant canopies affect the atmospheric concentration of reactive nitrogen compounds by assimilating or emitting some fraction of the soil-emitted NOy. It is crucial to understand the magnitude of the canopy effects and the primary environmental and physiological controls over NOy exchange in order to accurately quantify regional NOy inventories and parameterize models of tropospheric photochemistry. In this study we focused on nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is the component of NOy that most directly catalyzes the chemistry of O3 dynamics, one of the most abundant oxidative species in the troposphere, and which has been reported as the NOy species that is most readily exchanged between plants and the atmosphere. Leaf chamber measurements of NO2 flux were measured in 25 tree species growing in a wet tropical forest in the Republic of Panama. NO2 was emitted to the atmosphere at ambient NO2 concentrations below 0.53–1.60 ppbv (the NO2 compensation point) depending on species, with the highest rate of emission being 50 pmol m–2 s–1 at <0.1 ppbv. NO2 was assimilated by leaves at ambient NO2 concentrations above the compensation point, with the maximum observed uptake rate being 1,550 pmol m–2 s–1 at 5 ppbv. No seasonal variation in leaf NO2 flux was observed in this study and leaf emission and uptake appeared to be primarily controlled by leaf nitrogen and stomatal conductance, respectively. When scaled to the entire canopy, soil NO emission rates to the atmosphere were estimated to be maximally altered ±19% by the overlying canopy.
Insulin resistance following cardiothoracic surgery in patients with and without a preoperative diagnosis of type 2 diabetes during treatment with intravenous insulin therapy for postoperative hyperglycemia.

Abstract Objective To assess insulin resistance postoperatively in patients with (DM) and without (nonDM) a prior diagnosis of diabetes. Research Design and Methods Following cardiac surgery, 122 nonDM and 33 DM were treated with insulin infusions to obtain glucose levels −1 . Glucose levels, insulin infusion rates, and insulin infusion rate/glucose ratios were calculated to assess insulin resistance. Results The average blood glucose at insulin drip initiation (209 vs. 173 mg dl −1 ; P −1 ; P −1 ; P −1 ; P −1 mg −1 dl −1 ; P P =.57). To eliminate glucotoxicity as a cause of the insulin resistance, 23 DM patients were pair matched with 23 nonDM patients based first on glucose levels at drip initiation then by body mass index (BMI) and then catecholamine use to maintain blood pressure. The average blood glucose levels, insulin drip rates, and insulin resistance ratios were not significantly different between the pair-matched groups at all time points. Conclusions When matched for initial glucose levels, insulin resistance is not different between DM and nonDM following cardiac surgery, likely due to the overwhelming stress response. Insulin drip protocols used postoperatively do not have to be modified for those with a prior diagnosis of diabetes.
Systematic errors in lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT): a caution on mixing and matching target delineation methods and planning CTs

Precise tumor alignment is vital in lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Differences in center of mass (COM) resulting from mixing and matching target delineation methods, and planning image datasets could introduce systematic errors. Thirty consecutive lung SBRT patients were simulated with free-breathing CT (FBCT), maximum inhalation and exhalation breath hold CT (BHCT), and 4D-CT. Four planning target volumes (PTV) were created: 5/10-mm expansion from the gross tumor volume (GTV) in FBCT (PTVFBCT), 5-mm expansion from the internal target volume (ITV) in BHCT (PTVBHCT), 5-mm expansion from the ITV in the maximum intensity projection (PTVMIP), and 5-mm expansion from the ITV in 4D-CT (PTV4D-CT). Using average intensity projection CT (AIP-CT) or FBCT as the reference images, PTVs were transferred after bony registration to compare COMs. When AIP-CT was used as reference, the mean COM vector shifts of the PTVFBCT, PTVBHCT, and PTV4D-CT were 2.94 mm (p = 0.0094), 4.35 mm (p = 0.0001), and 1.45 mm (p = 0.57), respectively, relative to the COM of the GTV on AIP-CT. When FBCT was used as reference, the mean COM vector shifts of the PTVBHCT, PTVMIP, and PTV4D-CT were 3.6 mm (p = 0.0006), 2.78 mm (p = 0.003), and 2.94 mm (p = 0.002) relative to the GTV on FBCT, respectively. Depending on the reference images used, the COMs of the PTVFBCT, PTVBHCT, and PTV4D-CT are inconsistent, exhibiting significant shifts relative to each other. To avoid possible systematic localization errors, we recommend using 4D-CT/MIP for target delineation and AIP-CT for planning and alignment.
Predictability of Crop Production in a Clay Soil Based on a Comprehensive, Post-land-leveling Soil Property Evaluation

Land leveling is a common, yet severe, soil disturbance in the rice (Oryza sativa L.)-producing regions of the mid-southern United States. Land leveling is a soiland crop-management practice that can disrupt the theoretically predictable soil-plant relationship that exists in undisturbed conditions. The objective of this study was to determine whether crop growth and production were predictable with some degree of confidence based on a comprehensive soil-property characterization following land leveling of a clay soil at the Northeast Research and Extension Center in Mississippi County, Ark. Significant correlations between soil properties and crop responses were generally weak (r < 0.4) and inconsistent across crops and growing seasons. Results indicate that soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and rice growth and response in the first three growing seasons following land leveling cannot be reliably predicted based on a suite of 25 immediate post-leveling soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Based on the results of this and a previous study, it appears that the negative effects of land leveling on soil properties may be less in clay than in silt-loam soils. Though land leveling may facilitate the uniform distribution of irrigation waters, the resulting increased spatial variability and distributions of soil properties and crop response will likely make long-term, post-leveling management challenging.
The influence of cobalt, tantalum, and tungsten on the microstructure of single crystal nickel-base superalloys

The influence of composition on the microstructure of single crystal nickel-base superalloys was investigated. Co was replaced by Ni, and Ta was replaced by either Ni or W, according to a matrix of compositions based on MAR-M247. Substitution of Ni for Co caused an increase inγ′ solvus temperature, an increase inγ-γ′ lattice mismatch, and the precipitation of W-rich phases in the alloys with high refractory metal levels. Substitution of Ni for Ta caused large decreases inγ′ solvus temperature,γ′ volume fraction, andγ-γ′ lattice mismatch, whereas substitution of W for Ta resulted in smaller decreases in these features. For the alloys withγ′ particles that remained coherent, substitution of Ni for Co caused an increase inγ′ coarsening rate. The two alloys with the largest magnitude of lattice mismatch possessedγ′ particles which lost coherency during unstressed aging and exhibited anomalously low coarsening rates. Creep exposure at 1000 °C resulted in the formation ofγ′ lamellae oriented perpendicular to the applied stress axis in all alloys.
Absolute charge capture cross sections from a Rydberg target: experimental results and comparison with theoretical models

Absolute charge capture cross sections from laser excited rubidium Rydberg atoms have been measured for projectile velocities between 0.05 and 0.6 atomic units, and for projectile charges of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 40. The results are compared with predictions of the Bohr - Lindhard model and classical trajectory Monte Carlo calculations. The data are also presented in a Knudsen plot, which demonstrates a convenient scaling law based on the Bohr - Lindhard model.
Side-chain interactions determine amyloid formation by model polyglutamine peptides in molecular dynamics simulations.

The pathological manifestation of nine hereditary neurodegenerative diseases is the presence within the brain of aggregates of disease-specific proteins that contain polyglutamine tracts longer than a critical length. To improve our understanding of the processes by which polyglutamine-containing proteins misfold and aggregate, we have conducted molecular dynamics simulations of the aggregation of model polyglutamine peptides. This work was accomplished by extending the PRIME model to polyglutamine. PRIME is an off-lattice, unbiased, intermediate-resolution protein model based on an amino acid representation of between three and seven united atoms, depending on the residue being modeled. The effects of hydrophobicity on the system are studied by varying the strength of the hydrophobic interaction from 12.5% to 5% of the hydrogen-bonding interaction strength. In our simulations, we observe the spontaneous formation of aggregates and annular structures that are made up of β-sheets starting from random configurations of random coils. This result was interesting because tubular protofibrils were recently found in experiments on polyglutamine aggregation and because of Perutz's prediction that polyglutamine would form water-filled nanotubes.
Reachability and reverse reachability analysis of CFSMs

Reachability analysis and the recently proposed reverse reachability analysis are two important verification techniques for communicating finite state machines (CFSM). The issue of the relative efficiency of reachability analysis and reverse reachability analysis is still unsettled. In this paper, we first propose a new theory of reachability and reverse reachability analysis. Based on the new theory, we discuss and analyse the suitability of these two reachability analysis methods. We then present a reachability evaluator which, given any network of CFSMs, will try to estimate the sizes of the reachable and reverse reachable state spaces by taking snapshots of the reachability and reverse reachability spaces. The core of the evaluator is the notion of random state generation with seed states, which extends the idea of random state exploration proposed in [1]. Results from example applications have shown that the evaluator provides an excellent guidance in choosing the better of the two methods.
Genome complexity and organization in the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren.

Summary The red imported fire ant Solenopsis inaicta is the most destructive invading arthropod in the southern United States, yet little is known about its genome complexity and organization. Here we report the size, organization and GC content of S. inaicta genome. DNA reassociation kinetics using S1 nuclease assay and a modified second-order kinetics model indicated that the S. inaicta genome is approximately 0‐62 picograms or 5‐91‹10) base pairs, composed of 36% unique, 41% moderately repetitive and 23% highly repetitive}foldback sequences. Comparison of the reassociation kinetics of short and long DNA fragments revealed that the sequence arrangement follows a pattern of short period interspersion, as in most organisms with relatively large genomes. Melting-temperature analysis showed that the GC content of the fire ant genomic DNA is 34‐8%, similar to that of most eukaryotic organisms. The results reveal that the fire ant genome is much larger and more complex than those of a number of hymenopteran insects studied to date. Our study provides a foundation for further analysis and genetic manipulation of the S. inaicta genome.
Data Processing Considerations in the Handling of Medical Data

This paper examines the growing interest in data processing of medical data, exploring problems of machine design, problem formulation, and analysis. In addition, it discusses data-processing systems in relation to four basic medical-data-handling problem areas and their relation and interaction with equipment design, and reports that these problem areas are: clinical patient data, basic research, diagnosis, and medical-document retrieval. It also reports that any failure of the computer, at the present time, to provide required information is due to inability to feed it precise instructions on what it should do, and that results of further study will be reflected in improved equipment design. Finally, it concludes that the greatest problem is that of education?the necessity for engineers to understand medical problems better in order to design better equipment, and the necessity for the physician to know about the techniques and equipment of data processing.
Quantum interference in acyclic systems: Conductance of cross-conjugated molecules

We calculate that significant quantum interference effects can be observed in elastic electron transport through acyclic molecules. Interference features are evident in the transmission characteristics calculated for cross-conjugated molecules; significantly, these effects dominate the experimentally observable conduction range. The unusual transport characteristics of these molecules are highlighted through comparison with linearly conjugated and nonconjugated systems. The cross-conjugated molecules presented here show a large dynamic range in conductance. These findings represent a new motif for electron transfer through molecules that exhibit both very high and very low tunneling conductance states accessible at low bias without nuclear motion. In designing single molecule electronic components, a large dynamic range allows a high on/off ratio, a parameter of fundamental importance for switches, transistors, and sensors.
The neural basis of morality: not just where, but when.

We have known for some time that an intact ventromedial prefrontal cortex (PFC) is essential for normal social and moral functioning, thanks in large part to studies of individuals who have suffered damage to it (Damasio, 1994). In this issue of Brain , Taber-Thomas and colleagues report that the specific nature of a person’s moral impairment depends not only upon where brain damage occurs, but also when (Taber-Thomas et al. , 2014). Their point of departure is a landmark study showing that individuals with damage to ventromedial PFC make abnormal judgements when faced with a specific class of moral dilemma (Koenigs et al. , 2007). These dilemmas hinge on a trade-off between allowing several people to die, or saving them by personally killing a single victim. For instance, the trolley problem asks whether it is acceptable to save five people from being hit by a runaway trolley by shoving a man in front of it in order to slow it down (such a bizarrely unfortunate railway mishap may seem the stuff of pure fantasy, but try telling that to Phineas Gage). Koenigs and colleagues (2007) showed that although neurotypical individuals and those with brain damage to regions outside the ventromedial PFC tended to disfavour such direct harm despite its utilitarian benefits, individuals with adult-onset damage to ventromedial PFC are significantly more likely to judge such harms acceptable. Importantly, however, the differences between groups did not extend to another class of moral ‘dilemma’. Specifically, ventromedial PFC participants were just as likely as others to condemn self-interested harmful actions (bumping off a stingy boss, stealing a wallet, selling a daughter into the …
Construct validity of the dimensions of Cloninger's tridimensional personality questionnaire

Abstract Cloninger (1986, 1987) has recently proposed a theory purporting that personality is made up of three dimensions termed Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, and Reward Dependence. The Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) is a self-report inventory designed to assess these three dimensions. The present study tested the construct validity of the dimensions of the TPQ by assessing their relationships with a series of established personality questionnaires in a sample of 807 university students. Correlational and principal-component analyses indicated that the Novelty Seeking and Harm Avoidance scales possess a good degree of construct validity, however, findings regarding the Reward Dependence scale were inconclusive. Although the Reward Dependence scale may require revision, the TPQ demonstrates promising applicability for both research and clinical purposes.
Organization in the perception of segmental and suprasegmental information by infants

In this study, we investigated whether infants are capable of discriminating not only differences in pitch and syllable-initial consonants but also the manner in which these components are combined. Using a modification of the high-amplitude sucking procedure, we found that three- and four-month-old infants were able to recognize rearrangements of these components, which, together with earlier findings, indicates that the infant's speech processing system is sensitive to the organization in the basic elements of human language.
Effects of Insecticide Attributes on Within-Season Insecticide Product and Rate Choices: The Case of U.S. Apple Growers

We use a random utility framework to examine within-season choices of insecticide products and application rates made by U.S. apple growers. Impacts on pesticide choices of insecticide efficacy, environmental safety, user safety, and regulatory attributes, as well as integrated pest management (IPM) practices, are investigated using cross-sectional data from the USDA Fruit and Nut Chemical Use Survey. The results show that the product and rate choices are most influenced by efficacy and user safety attributes, respectively. Impacts of IPM practices are mainly on the choice of insecticide products, but effects differ by practice and by product.
Electrical Features of Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant

This paper describes unique features of the electrical equipment and some of the considerations involved in its selection for a 1,700-MVA underground pumped-storage project with four reversible pump/turbines. Considerations of cost and maintenance of the machines, transmission system, and powerhouse construction led to selection of generator/motors with direct water-cooled stator and rotor windings, static-converter synchronous starting of pumps with synchronous dynamic braking, use of generator circuit breakers, and underground main transformers with self-contained 161-kV single-section cables having 1,100-ft change in elevation.
Fibrotic Aortic Stenosis in a Patient with Dwarfism

In this report, we present an adult patient with dwarfism who had severe aortic stenosis with markedly thickened fibrotic valve leaflets without calcification. These findings were well demonstrated by both two- and three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography and confirmed at surgery and by pathological examination.
Measuring ammonia concentrations and emissions from agricultural land and liquid surfaces: a review.

Abstract Aerial ammonia concentrations (C g) are measured using acid scrubbers, filter packs, denuders, or optical methods. Using C g and wind speed or airflow rate, ammonia emission rate or flux can be directly estimated using enclosures or micrometeorological methods. Using nitrogen (N) recovery is not recommended, mainly because the different gaseous N components cannot be separated. Although low cost and replicable, chambers modify environmental conditions and are suitable only for comparing treatments. Wind tunnels do not modify environmental conditions as much as chambers, but they may not be appropriate for determining ammonia fluxes; however, they can be used to compare emissions and test models. Larger wind tunnels that also simulate natural wind profiles may be more useful for comparing treatments than micrometeorological methods because the latter require larger plots and are, thus, difficult to replicate. For determining absolute ammonia flux, the micrometeorological methods are the most suita...
The effect of vascular curvature on three-dimensional reconstruction of intravascular ultrasound images

Objective: To characterize the effect of vessel curvature on the geometric accuracy of conventional three-dimensional reconstruction (3DR) algorithms for intravascular ultrasound image data.Background: A common method of 3DR for intravascular ultrasound image data involves geometric reassembly and volumetric interpolation of a spatially related sequence of tomographic cross sections generated by an ultrasound catheter withdrawn at a constant rate through a vascular segment of interest. The resulting 3DR is displayed as a straight segment, with inherent vascular curvature neglected. Most vascular structures, however, are not straight but curved to some degree. For this reason, vascular curvature may influence the accuracy of computer-generated 3DR.Methods: We collected image data using three different intravascular ultrasound catheters (2.9 Fr, 4.3 Fr, 8.0 Fr) during a constant-rate pullback of 1 mm/sec through tubing of known diameter with imposed radii of curvature ranging from 2 to 10 cm. Image data were also collected from straight tubing. Image data were digitized at 1.0-mm intervals through a length of 25 mm. Two passes through each radius of curvature were performed with each intravascular ultrasound catheter. 3DR lumen volume for each radius of curvature was compared to that theoretically expected from a straight cylindrical segment. Differences between 3DR lumen volume of theoreticalversus curved (actual) tubes were quantified as absolute percentage error and categorized as a function of curvature. Tubing deformation error was quantified by quantitative coronary angiography (QCA).Results: Volumetric errors ranged from 1% to 35%, with an inverse relationship demonstrated between 3DR lumen volume and segmental radius of curvature. Higher curvatures (r 6.0 cm). This trend was exhibited for all three catheters and was shown to be independent of tubing deformation artifacts. QCA-determined percentage diameter stenosis indicated no deformation error as a function of curvature. Total volumetric error contributed by tubing deformation was estimated to be 0.05%.Conclusions: Catheter-dependent geometrical error arises in three-dimensionally reconstructed timed linear pullbacks of intravascular ultrasound images due in part to uniplanar vascular curvature. Three-dimensional reconstruction of timed linear pullbacks is robust for vessels with low radii of curvature; however, careful interpretation of three-dimensional reconstructions from timed linear pullbacks for higher radii of curvature is warranted. These data suggest that methods of spatially correct three-dimensional reconstruction of intravascularultrasound images should be considered when more pronounced vascular curvature is present.
A Novel Current-Based Differential CT Supervision Function

This paper reviews some traditional supervision functions and presents a new advanced universal current based current transformer supervision (CTS) function, which has been developed for differential protection applications. Traditional CT supervision methods for instance rely on a voltage measurement in order to compare sequence components, and in the case of transformer differential protection may not be feasible if no voltage transformer is available, or the user preference is not to wire-in a VT. A novel technique is shown that evaluates the ratios of sequence components at CT ends for differential current transformer supervision. This technique is suitable for line, transformer and busbar differential protection schemes with no additional requirements placed on CT or VT inputs compared to existing relay hardware.
Further exploration of the effect of “diagnosis threat” on cognitive performance in individuals with mild head injury

The present study further explored the phenomenon of “diagnosis threat” (Suhr & Gunstad, 2002), by examining the potential explanatory roles of anxiety, effort, and depression. Individuals with mild head injury history were randomly assigned to receive either neutral instructions (controls, N = 25) or to have attention called to their head injury history as a reason for invitation into the study (diagnosis threat, N = 28). Depression was measured at baseline. Following the neuropsychological battery, ratings of effort, test pressure, and state anxiety were completed. The diagnosis threat group performed worse than controls on attention/working memory, psychomotor speed, and memory tasks, but not on measures of executive functioning, post-test anxiety, or effort. Effort, anxiety and depression were not related to cognitive performance, nor did depression interact with expectations in explaining group differences in performance. Results provide further support for the “diagnosis threat” effect, but offer no support for effort, anxiety, or depression explanations for diminished performance. (JINS, 2005, 11, 23–29.)
Formulation and Solution of Nonlinear Integer Production Planning Problems for Flexible Manufacturing Systems

A flexible manufacturing system FMS is an integrated, computer-controlled complex of automated material handling devices and numerically controlled machine tools that can simultaneously process medium-sized volumes of a variety of part types. FMSs are becoming an attractive substitute for the conventional means of batch manufacturing, especially in the metal-cutting industry. This new production technology has been designed to attain the efficiency of well-balanced, machine-paced transfer lines, while utilizing the flexibility that job shops have to simultaneously machine multiple part types. Some properties and constraints of these systems are similar to those of flow and job shops, while others are different. This technology creates the need to develop new and appropriate planning and control procedures that take advantage of the system's capabilities for higher production rates. This paper defines a set of five production planning problems that must be solved for efficient use of an FMS, and addresses specifically the grouping and loading problems. These two problems are first formulated in detail as nonlinear 0-1 mixed integer programs. In an effort to develop solution methodologies for these two planning problems, several linearization methods are examined and applied to data from an existing FMS. To decrease computational time, the constraint size of the linearized integer problems is reduced according to various methods. Several real world problems are solved in very reasonable time using the linearization that results in the fewest additional constraints and/or variables. The problem characteristics that determine which linearization to use, and the application of the linearized models in the solution of actual planning problems, are also discussed.
A Study of Adrenal Cortical Function in Acromegaly

Adrenal cortical function was studied in a group of patients with acromegaly. The secretion rate of cortisol (isotope dilution method) was elevated in both untreated females (24.0 and 34.2 mg/day) and in 2 of 3 patients undergoing conventional pituitary radiation (33.2 and 33.7 mg/day). The mean value for 10 patients treated with pituitary radiation was also elevated (27.2 mg/day; mean for 18 normal subjects, 10.9). In one female patient with acromegaly and coexisting thyrotoxicosis, cortisol production rate fell from a markedly elevated value of 34.5 to 21 mg/day, still a high value, after pituitary radiation and restoration of normal thyroid function. Of the 13 acromegalic patients, 5 had elevated 24-hr urinary 17-ketosteroids and 9 had elevated 17-ketogenic steroids. Suppression of urinary steroid excretion by administered corticosteroid was adequate in the 9 patients so studied, and other indices of adrenal cortical function—response of plasma cortisol levels to ACTH and diurnal variation of plasma co...
B-meson gateways to missing charmonium levels.

We outline a coherent strategy for exploring the four remaining narrow charmonium states [$\eta_{c}^{\prime}(2^1S_0$), $h_c(1^1P^1$), $\eta_{c2}(1^1D_2$), and $\psi_2(1^3D_2$)] expected to lie below charm threshold. Produced in $B$-meson decays, these levels should be identifiable $now$ via striking radiative transitions among charmonium levels and in exclusive final states of kaons and pions. Their production and decay rates will provide much needed new tests for theoretical descriptions of heavy quarkonia.
Harmonic suppression in unbalanced analog MOSFET circuit topologies using body signals

Analytical and experimental results are presented which demonstrate that the nonlinearities of integrated MOS transistors operated in nonsaturation can be suppressed by driving the body terminals of these MOSFETs in an appropriate manner. In contrast with previous techniques, the proposed method does not require matched devices or operational amplifiers with differential outputs. It does require the correct choice of amplitude and phase of the body signal, which is derived from the input signal. Experimental measurements show that individual even or odd harmonics can be reduced at least 90 dB below fundamental in MOSFET-C filters/integrators, which compares favorable with results reported in the literatures for balanced topology techniques. >