cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous Medial Collateral Ligament Release Improves Medial Compartment Access During Knee Arthroscopy.

Purpose To quantify intraoperative joint space widening afforded by the outside-in, percutaneous release of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and to evaluate its impact on medial compartment width and functional outcomes at 6-week follow-up for patients undergoing a partial medial meniscectomy without postoperative bracing. Methods Patients with posteromedial meniscus tears and no evidence of ipsilateral knee pathology, undergoing partial medial meniscectomy, were enrolled. Intraoperatively, medial compartment width was quantified with fluoroscopy before and after the percutaneous MCL release with an 18-gauge spinal needle proximal to the joint line. At 6-week follow-up, valgus stress radiographs re-evaluated medial compartment width. International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scores were completed preoperatively and at 6-week follow-up to evaluate functional outcomes. A paired sample t test performed at a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to compare these variables. Results Forty-two patients, mean (± standard deviation) age 55.3 ± 10.7 years, were available for analysis of intraoperative medial compartment widening. Medial compartment width increased from 5.95 ± 1.32 to 11.09 ± 1.74 mm intraoperatively after MCL release. At 6-week follow-up, radiographic assessment demonstrated a mean medial compartment width of 5.85 ± .99 mm, which represented an insignificant change compared with the preoperative value (CI –0.68 to .33, P = .474). PROMIS and IKDC scores significantly improved from baseline, with increases of 6.9 ± 12.4 (CI 2.0 to 11.8, P = .008) and 11.7 ± 17.8 (CI 4.7 to 18.8, P = .002), respectively. Conclusions Percutaneous MCL release during knee arthroscopy improves visualization and facilitates instrumentation by providing an almost 2× wider working space within the medial tibiofemoral joint. In this study, the performance of percutaneous MCL release did not result in any complications. Radiographic and clinical resolution of iatrogenic laxity was demonstrated by 6-weeks postoperatively, without the use of postoperative bracing. Level of Evidence IV, therapeutic case series.
Perfect Competition and Endogenous Comparative Advantage

This paper analyzes a dynamic, Ricardian model of international trade in which relative differences in technology are endogenously determined by investments in innovation by competitive firms. It considers the impact of these investments on trade patterns and the effect of trade patterns on rates of innovation and growth. The main result is that the dynamic effects of trade need not be positive when both countries specialize investments in the goods in which they have a comparative advantage. In addition, trade can lead to an inefficient pattern of specialization in innovation and have negative welfare effects.
Scanning Electrochemical and Photoelectrochemical Microscopy on Finder Grids: Toward Correlative Multitechnique Imaging of Surfaces

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is a powerful technique for mapping surface reactivity and investigating heterogeneous processes on the nanoscale. Despite significant advances in high-resolution SECM and photo-SECM imaging, they cannot provide atomic scale structural information about surfaces. By correlating the SECM images with atomic scale structural and bonding information obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques with one-to-one correspondence, one can elucidate the nature of the active sites and understand the origins of heterogeneous surface reactivity. To enable multitechnique imaging of the same nanoscale portion of the electrode surface, we develop a methodology for using a TEM finder grid as a conductive support in SECM and photo-SECM experiments. In this paper, we present the results of our first nanoscale SECM and photo-SECM experiments on carbon TEM grids, including imaging of semiconductor nanorods.
Thalamocortical axons regulate neurogenesis and laminar fates in early sensory cortex

Area-specific axonal projections from the mammalian thalamus shape unique cellular organization in target areas in the adult neocortex. How these axons control neurogenesis and early neuronal fate specification is poorly understood. By using mutant mice lacking the majority of thalamocortical axons, we show that these axons increase the number of layer 4 neurons in primary sensory areas by enhancing neurogenesis and shifting the fate of superficial layer neurons to that of layer 4 by the neonatal stage. Part of these area-specific roles are played by the thalamus-derived molecule, VGF. Our work reveals that extrinsic cues from sensory thalamic projections have an early role in the formation of cortical cytoarchitecture by enhancing the production and specification of layer 4 neurons.
Numerical study of hole formation in a thin flapping liquid sheet sheared by a fast gas stream

This study reports aerodynamics effects of a fully developed double-shear layer gas flow in the perforation and disintegration of a thin liquid sheet using three-dimensional numerical simulations. A double-shear layer gas flow, where a thin quiescent gas layer is sandwiched between the two fast moving gas layers, is first simulated up to a statistically steady state. The downstream dynamics of the gas shear layers shows vortex shedding and three-dimensional rib-like vortical structures, similar to the wake of a bluff body. This gas flow is then used as the initial condition for a liquid-gas simulation, where the liquid phase is sandwiched by the top and bottom fast gas streams. A thin liquid sheet with a thickness of 25 μm is considered using air/water conditions. The liquid sheet oscillates and small holes, preceded by craters surrounded by ripples, are formed. The thinning of the liquid sheet, spanwise corrugations, and vortex separations within the liquid-gas boundary layer are shown to govern the dynamics of the liquid sheet. A localized pressure jump is also observed inside the liquid sheet and precedes the rupture of the liquid sheet by pushing the liquid away in the span direction. The holes formed subsequently grow in size, collide and merge with each other, and break the liquid sheet into multiple droplets.
Examining natural resource management through a community development theoretical lens

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is a government agency that seeks to integrate conservation goals with farmers' economic goals throu...
A Meta-Analysis on the Effects of Synchronous Online Learning on Cognitive and Affective Educational Outcomes

Synchronous online learning (SOL) provides an opportunity for instructors to connect in real-time with their students though separated by geographical distance. This meta-analysis examines the overall effect of SOL on cognitive and affective educational outcomes, while using asynchronous online learning or face-to-face learning as control groups. The effects are also examined for several moderating methodological, pedagogical, and demographical factors. Following a systematic identification and screening procedure, we identified 19 publications with 27 independent effect sizes published between 2000 and 2019. Overall, there was a statistically significant small effect in favor of synchronous online learning versus asynchronous online learning for cognitive outcomes. However, the other models were not statistically significant in this meta-analysis. The effect size data were normally distributed and significantly moderated by course duration, instructional method, student equivalence, learner level, and discipline. Implications for educational practice and research are included.
Chloroquine increases osteoclast activity in vitro but does not improve the osteopetrotic bone phenotype of ADO2 mice

Abstract Autosomal Dominant Osteopetrosis type II (ADO2) is a bone disease of impaired osteoclastic bone resorption that usually results from heterozygous missense mutations in the chloride channel 7 (CLCN7) gene. We created mouse models of ADO2 by introducing a knock-in (p.G213R) mutation in the Clcn7 gene, which is analogous to one of the common mutations (G215R) found in humans. The mutation leads to severe osteopetrosis and lethality in homozygous mice but produces substantial phenotypic variability in heterozygous mice on different genetic backgrounds that phenocopy the human disease of ADO2. ADO2 is an osteoclast-intrinsic disease, and lysosomal enzymes and proteins are critical for osteoclast activity. Chloroquine (CQ) is known to affect lysosomal trafficking, intracellular signaling and the lysosomal and vesicular pH, suggesting it might improve ADO2 osteoclast function. We tested this hypothesis in cell culture studies using osteoclasts derived from wild-type (WT or ADO2+/+) and ADO2 heterozygous (ADO2+/−) mice and found that CQ and its metabolite desethylchloroquine (DCQ), significantly increased ADO2+/− osteoclasts bone resorption activity in vitro, whereas bone resorption of ADO2+/+ osteoclasts was increased only by DCQ. In addition, we exploited our unique animal model of ADO2 on 129 background to identify the effect of CQ for the treatment of ADO2. Female ADO2 mice at 8 weeks of age were treated with 5 doses of CQ (1, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 mg/kg BW/day) via drinking water for 6 months. Bone mineral density and bone micro-architecture were analyzed by longitudinal in vivo DXA and micro-CT at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Serum bone biomarkers (CTX, TRAP and P1NP) were also analyzed at these time points. CQ treatment at the doses tested failed to produce any significant changes of aBMD, BMC (whole body, femur and spine) and trabecular BV/TV (distal femur) in ADO2 mice compared to the control group (water only). Further, levels of bone biomarkers were not significantly changed due to CQ treatment in these mice. Our findings indicate that while CQ increased osteoclast activity in vitro, it did not improve the osteopetrotic bone phenotypes in ADO2 heterozygous mice.
Characterizing Amino Acid Substitution with Complete Linkage of Sites on a Lineage.

Amino acid substitution models are commonly used for phylogenetic inference, for ancestral sequence reconstruction, and for the inference of positive selection. All commonly used models explicitly assume that each site evolves independently, an assumption that is violated by both linkage and protein structural and functional constraints. We introduce two new models for amino acid substitution which incorporate linkage between sites, each based on the (population-genetic) Moran model. The first model is a generalised population process tracking arbitrarily many sites which undergo mutation, with individuals replaced according to their fitnesses. This model provides a reasonably complete framework for simulations, but is numerically and analytically intractable. We also introduce a second model which includes several simplifying assumptions, but for which some theoretical results can be derived. We analyse the simplified model to determine conditions where linkage is likely to have meaningful affects on sitewise substitution probabilities, as well as conditions under which the effects are likely to be negligible. These findings are an important step in the generation of tractable phylogenetic models that parameterize selective coefficients for amino acid substitution while accounting for linkage of sites leading to both hitchhiking and background selection.
Pictorial Pattern Recognition for Industrial Inspection

Three major approaches to pattern recognition, (1) template matching, (2) decision-theoretic approach, and (3) structural and syntactic approach, are briefly introduced. The application of these approaches to automatic visual inspection of manufactured products are then reviewed. A more general method for automatic visual inspection of IC chips is then proposed. Several practical examples are included for illustration.
12 – MULTIPLE COMPARISONS

This chapter focuses on the multiple comparisons of independent groups. Fisher's Least Significant Difference (LSD) method is one of the earliest strategies for comparing multiple groups that is the LSD method. In this method, ANOVA F-test is performed first and on obtaining a significant result, Student's T is applied to all pairs of means. The Tukey–Kramer method: Tukey was the first to propose a method that controls FWE. There is a proposition of a generalization that provides an approximate solution when the sample sizes are unequal. It was also shown that when there is homoscedasticity and sampling is from normal distributions, Kramer's method is conservative. A Step-Down method: all-pairs power refers to the probability of detecting all true differences among all pairwise differences among the means. Later, heteroscedastic methods for the means of independent groups are discussed. For multiple comparison procedures based on means practical problems are documented with methods that assume homoscedasticity and then compared several heteroscedastic methods, two of which stand out when sampling from normal distributions..
NUTRITION OF LEPTOSPIRA POMONA III. Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium Requirements

Johnson, R. C. (Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md.) and N. D. Gary. Nutrition of Leptospira pomona . III. Calcium, magnesium, and potassium requirements. J. Bacteriol. 85: 983–985. 1963.—The cation requirements for Leptospira pomona Wickard were investigated employing a basal medium prepared with 10% deionized rabbit serum and containing 10 −3 m NH 4 Cl, 5 μg/ml thiamine, and 0.01 m Na 2 HPO 4 buffer (pH 7.4). Rabbit serum was deionized by passage through a column of Amberlite IRC-50 resin. This basal medium did not support growth when either Ca ++ or Mg ++ was added to it. However, when both Ca ++ (3 × 10 −5 m) and Mg ++ (5 × 10 −6 m) were present, growth was obtained. Although an absolute requirement for K + could not be demonstrated, an increase in the amount of growth did occur if K + (5 × 10 −5 m) was incorporated in addition to Ca ++ and Mg ++ . When adequate concentrations of Ca ++ and K + were present with a limiting concentration of Mg ++ (less than 5 × 10 −7 m), filamentous cells were observed.
Desigualdad, instituciones y crecimiento económico en América Latina

Inequality, institutions and economic growth in Latin AmericaThis essay examines three recent historical approaches to the political economy of Latin America’s relative economic backwardness. All three locate the origins of contemporary underdevelopment in defective colonial institutions linked to inequality. The contrasting view offered here affirms the significance of institutional constraints, but argues that they did not arise from colonial inequalities, but from the adaptation of Iberian practices to the American colonies under conditions of imperial weakness. Colonial inequality varied across the Americas; while it was not correlated with colonial economic performance, it mattered because it determined the extent of elite resistance to institutional modernization after independence. The onset of economic growth in the mid to late nineteenth century brought economic elites to political power, but excluding majorities as inequality increased restrained the region’s twentieth-century growth rates and prevented convergence
Illness Behavior and Care Seeking

Illness behavior, the belief that one is threatened by illness and in need of protective action, is typically initiated by changes in somatic experience and physical function that are interpreted as symptoms of an underlying threat to health. This interpretation involves matching of symptoms to schemas of illness. Schemas are products of personal experience, observations of and communication with others, and media exposure. The conviction and emotional worry that one is sick and the overuse of medical care in the absence of objective signs of disease may be sustained by the interplay between somatic sensation and emotional activation. We propose that a common mechanism underlies illness behavior for acute and chronic conditions and for somatoform disorders, and that the biological processes underlying the condition and the social processes surrounding the patient differentiate the observed differences in illness behaviors.
The Optimal Online Algorithms for Minimizing Maximum Lateness

It is well known that the Earliest-Deadline-First (EDF) and the Least-Laxity-First (LLF) algorithms are optimal algorithms for the problem of preemptively scheduling jobs that arrive over time on a single machine to minimize maximum lateness. It was not previously known what other online algorithms are optimal for this problem. A complete characterization of all optimal online algorithms for this problem is given.
Color Perception, Psychology of

The psychology of color perception concerns color appearance and the visual processing of light spectral information. Researchers in this area seek to determine the relationships among visual stimuli, activity in the human nervous system and the conscious representation of color. Keywords: colour; vision; psychophysics; sensation; perception
Withdrawal bleeding and luteinizing hormone secretion following progesterone in women with amenorrhea

Abstract An acute rise in plasma luteinizing hormone on the second day following an intramuscular injection of progesterone in women with secondary amenorrhea is described and correlated with withdrawal bleeding following progesterone and changes in gonadotropin secretion and ovulation in response to clomiphene. We propose that the progesterone withdrawal test is, in fact, a test of the ability of the hypothalamic-pituitary unit to respond to changes in circulating steroid levels.
A matched set of cat vectors for rapid mutational analysis of eukaryotic promoters and enhancers.

Abstract The eukaryotic cat expression vectors, pBRAMScat1 and pBRAMScat2, were constructed to simplify the analysis of genomic fragments containing putative transcriptional regulatory elements. These vectors contain the f1 filamentous phage origin of replication for single-stranded DNA rescue, and permit site-directed mutagenesis, and dideoxy sequencing of nested deletion mutants using commercial T3, T7 and M13 universal forward/reverse primers. The above features eliminate the need to shuttle back and forth between a conventional cloning vector and the cat expression vector during the analysis of putative eukaryotic gene regulatory elements. Plasmid pBRAMScat1 contains the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferaseencoding gene (cat) and no eukaryotic promoter and was designed for the analysis of eukaryotic promoters. Plasmid pBRAMScat2 contains the cat gene under the control of the Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase promoter and was designed for the analysis of eukaryotic enhancers.
Müllerian agenesis: An update

Recently, many advances have been made in the study of sexual differentiation, including the discoveries of the gene for antimullerian hormone as well as the gene for its receptor. However, the etiology of the clinical syndrome of mullerian agenesis remains elusive. We hypothesize that activating mutations of either the antimullerian hormone gene or its receptor gene may cause mullerian duct regression in a genetic female during embryogenesis. This clinical commentary discusses the current management of the syndrome including the Abbe-McIndoe procedure, the most commonly used method of surgical correction, and the Frank vaginal dilation method, the most common nonsurgical method of correction.
The Cellular Actions of β-Adrenergic Receptor Agonists

General concepts regarding the role of the sympathetic nervous system in the pathogenesis of heart failure (and as a site for therapeutic intervention) have undergone a remarkable transition in the last few years. When β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) blockers were first introduced into clinical practice more than 30 years ago, they were viewed as contraindicated in heart failure. Conventional wisdom held that patients with impaired ventricular function rely on increased sympathetic drive as a mechanism to maintain mechanical performance and would clinically deteriorate if exposed to the negative inotropic actions of β-AR antagonists. However, clinical practice demonstrated that although positive inotropic agents and vasodilators (agents that directly or indirectly activate neurohormonal pathways) induce short-term hemodynamic improvement, this is offset by long-term adverse effects to accelerate the natural history of heart failure. In contrast, β-AR–blocking drugs prevent or reverse many of the structural and functional changes that develop during the progression of heart failure and prolong life in experimental animal models.1 The mechanisms whereby long-term β-AR activation leads to abnormalities in cardiomyocyte growth, energy use, calcium regulation, and a progressively dysfunctional and mechanically inefficient heart have become an important focus of recent research. The cellular actions of catecholamines generally are attributed to the predominant β1-AR subtype that couples to the stimulatory GTP regulatory protein (Gs), activation of adenylyl cyclase (AC), and accumulation of cAMP. Although cardiomyocytes also express pharmacologically distinct β2-ARs and these assume increasing importance in heart failure syndromes (where β1-ARs are downregulated), the traditional teaching holds that the Gs/cAMP pathway also is their primary mode of signaling (ie, β-AR subtypes are functionally redundant). However, recent studies in transgenic mice challenge this concept. Cardiac-specific overexpression of β2-ARs at relatively high levels leads to increased basal AC activity and elevated …
Inhibitory effects of zinc on magnesium balance and magnesium absorption in man.

Both zinc (Zn) and magnesium (Mg) are widely used as nutritional supplements and the possibility was considered that Zn may interfere with the absorption of Mg, similar to previously reported results [1,2] obtained with the same dose of supplemental Zn on the absorption of calcium (Ca).Mg absorption studies and metabolic balances of Mg and of Zn were carried out in three groups of adult males in a metabolic research unit during the intake of supplemental doses of 142 mg Zn as Zn sulfate (ZnSO4) during Ca intakes of 230, 500 and 800 mg/day.The Zn intake of 142 mg/day decreased the Mg balance and Mg absorption only during the 500 mg Ca intake compared to control values. However, the overall effect of the high Zn intake of the three groups combined, regardless of the Ca intake, was a highly significant decrease of Mg absorption and of the Mg balance.Zn supplements of 142 mg/day decreased Mg absorption and the Mg balance significantly during all Ca intakes for the three groups combined.
Carcinogen–base stacking and base–base stacking in dCpdG modified by (+) and (−) anti-BPDE

The low-energy conformations accessible to dCpdG modified at guanine N2 via trans epoxide opening by (+) and (−) 7β,8α-dihydroxy-9α,10α-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo(a)pyrene (anti-BPDE) have been delineated by minimized semiempirical potential-energy calculations with all torsion angles flexible. Nearly 4000 trials were made, representing a fairly thorough investigation of the conformation space of the adducts. Carcinogen–base stacked states and base–base stacked conformers were found in the low-energy regions of both enantiomers. Many ω′, ω, ψ domains accommodate the two types of conformations, with B-like backbones among the most preferred states in each case. The conformational differences between the two enantiomers on the dimer level reside in subtle distinctions in orientation of the carcinogen–base linkage.
The Presidency of John F. Kennedy

The presidency of John F. Kennedy continues to fascinate, even as it also continues to inspire heated debates between admirers and detractors of Camelot's fallen king. Now, readers can gain a new appreciation of JFK in this thoroughly revised and updated edition of James Giglio's bestselling study, widely acclaimed as the best and most balanced book on JFK's White House years. Giglio incorporates the voluminous archival materials made available in the last fifteen years, including the declassified documents on crucial foreign policy affairs and White House medical records that contradict the image of Kennedy's youth and vigor. He stresses the extent to which domestic and foreign policies were interconnected at a time when the Cold War dominated national life, and reveals his new appreciation for JFK's prudence in his handling of such enormous challenges as the Cuban missile crisis and the emerging war in Vietnam. Giglio shows Kennedy to be "the most medicated, one of the most courageous, and perhaps the most self-absorbed of our presidents." He reviews the physical ailments and heavy prescriptions that were kept out of the public eye and catalogs sexual indiscretions ranging from Marilyn Monroe and socialite Florence Pritchett to low-level White House employees and even virtual strangers. Surveying this field of conquest, Giglio suggests that JFK's sexual obsession could easily have affected his presidency even more during a second term. His work also amplifies coverage of key issues like civil rights, the Cuban missile crisis, and Vietnam and reevaluates many of the questions surrounding the assassination - maintaining that, even with the existence of a conspiracy still doubtful, the case is far from closed. Like the first edition, this new edition provides a sharp and thoughtful analysis of both domestic and foreign affairs and underscores that, despite his undeniably brief tenure in office, the state of the nation actually did improve on Kennedy's watch. Featuring an expanded bibliographical essay and twenty-two photos from the JFK library, "The Presidency of John F. Kennedy" remains the definitive appraisal of Camelot's kingdom.
Transport of axonal enzymes in surviving segments of frog sciatic nerve.

Redistribution of axonal enzymes as a function of time in vitro was studied in an unbranched segment of frog sciatic nerve. Cholinesterase activity moved peripherally at a rate of 99 mm/day and centrally at 19 mm/day. One-quarter of the total nerve content of the enzyme was estimated to be in motion, one-eighth in each direction. Mitochondrial enzymes (hexokinase and glutamic dehydrogenase) moved peripherally at 20–31 mm/day, centrally at 11–20 mm/day. Only 10% of the total content of these mitochondrial enzymes was in motion. No movement of choline acetylase or 6-phosphogluconic dehydrogenase activity was seen even after 4 days in vitro. However, in a 12 day in vivo experiment choline acetylase moved toward the periphery at a rate of 0.34 mm/day. After a day or so in vitro the distal accumulations of cholinesterase and glutamic dehydrogenase decreased, with a concomitant and quantitatively equivalent increase in enzyme activities at the proximal end of the nerve. It is postulated that during incubation a mechanism for reversing the direction of flow develops in the peripheral stump of the nerve. Vinblastine inhibited central and peripheral flow of both cholinesterase and glutamic dehydrogenase. Movement of cholinesterase was not affected by ouabain, thalidomide, or phenobarbital, nor by K+ excess (110 mM) or absence.
Technical factors involved in the measurement of circulating microRNA biomarkers for the detection of colorectal neoplasia.

Background Circulating miRNAs are emerging as promising blood-based biomarkers for colorectal and other human cancers; however, technical factors that confound the development of these assays remain poorly understood and present a clinical challenge. The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the effects of factors that may interfere with the accurate measurement of circulating miRNAs for clinical purposes. Methods Blood samples from 53 subjects, including routinely drawn serum samples, matched plasma from 30 subjects, and matched serum samples drawn before and after bowel preparation for colonoscopy from 29 subjects were collected. Additionally, 38 serum specimens stored in the clinical laboratory for seven days were used to test the stability of miRNAs. Hemolysis controls with serial dilutions of hemoglobin were prepared. RNA was extracted from serum, plasma or hemolyzed controls with spiked-in cel-miR-39, and levels of miR-21, miR-29a, miR-125b and miR-16 were examined by real-time RT-PCR. Hemolysis was measured by spectrophotometry. Results The expression levels of miR-16 and the degree of hemolysis were significantly higher in plasma than in serum (P<0.0001). Measured miR-21, miR-29a, miR-125b and miR-16 expression increased with hemoglobin levels in hemolyzed controls. The degree of hemolysis in serum samples correlated significantly with the levels of miR-21 (P<0.0001), miR-29a (P = 0.0002), miR-125b (P<0.0001) and miR-16 (P<0.0001). All four miRNAs showed significantly lower levels in sera that had been stored at 4°C for seven days (P<0.0001). Levels of miR-21 (P<0.0001), miR-29a (P<0.0001) and miR-16 (P = 0.0003), and the degree of hemolysis (P = 0.0002) were significantly higher in sera drawn after vs. before bowel preparation. Conclusions The measured levels of miRNAs in serum and plasma from same patients varied in the presence of hemolysis, and since hemolysis and other factors affected miRNA expression, it is important to consider these confounders while developing miRNA-based diagnostic assays.
Monocular blindness secondary to calcific embolization. An unusual presentation of rheumatic mitral valvular disease

This report of a patient with systemic calcific embolization resulting in monocular blindness represents an unusual presentation and complication of mitral valvular disease.
Technology Transfer to Industry of Biotechnology on Rhizopus sp Inoculum

The objective is to create new Rhizopus sp inoculum product in order to provide market need for Tempe industries. The benefit is to utilize the appropriate traditional biotechnology for the development of a high quality inoculum product. The methods used is research and development to create new products.
Properties of rabbit antiragweed and antihorseradish peroxidase homocytotropic antibodies

Abstract Homocytotropic antibodies (HCA) were produced by the rabbit after primary injection of the dialysis residue of an aqueous extract of dwarf ragweed pollen (DRg) or a purified dwarf ragweed pollen extract (Pool C) only when the antigen was adsorbed on Al(OH) 3 . The properties of rabbit ragweed-specific HCA were qualitatively similar to ragweed skin-sensitizing antibodies found in sera of ragweed-allergic human beings, namely: homocytotropic activity (72 hour homologous PC A reaction), heat lability at 56 °C., and inactivation by reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol followed by alkylation with iodoacetamide. The molecular weight of rabbit HCA was ~250,000 (Sephadex G-200), somewhat higher than human γE skin-sensitizing antibodies. Most rabbits immunized with ragweed antigen-Al(OH) 3 systems gave positive conjunctival and intradermal reactions. Intravenous challenge (8 mg. per kilogram) of these animals produced anaphylaxis. HCA were also elicited in response to the immunologic marker, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), when admixed with Al(OH) 3 . The properties of HRP-specific HCA (molecular weight ~250,000) were similar to rabbit ragweed-specific HCA. The results suggest that the rabbit can be used as a model to study the biosynthesis of antibodies that have some physicochemical and biologic characteristics in common with human antibodies involved in immediate hypersensitivity.
An adaptive Richardson iteration method for indefinite linear systems

An adaptive Richardson iteration method is presented for the solution of large linear systems of equations with a sparse, symmetric, nonsingular, indefinite matrix. The relaxation parameters for Richardson iteration are chosen to be reciprocal values of Leja points for a compact setK:=[a,b]∪[c,d], where [a,b] is an interval on the negative real axis and [c, d] is an interval on the positive real axis. Endpoints of these intervals are determined adaptively by computing certain modified moments during the iterations. Computed examples show that this adaptive Richardson method can be competitive with the SYMMLQ and the conjugate residual methods, which are based on the Lanczos process.
Fitting Nonlinear Ordinary Differential Equation Models with Random Effects and Unknown Initial Conditions Using the Stochastic Approximation Expectation–Maximization (SAEM) Algorithm

The past decade has evidenced the increased prevalence of irregularly spaced longitudinal data in social sciences. Clearly lacking, however, are modeling tools that allow researchers to fit dynamic models to irregularly spaced data, particularly data that show nonlinearity and heterogeneity in dynamical structures. We consider the issue of fitting multivariate nonlinear differential equation models with random effects and unknown initial conditions to irregularly spaced data. A stochastic approximation expectation-maximization algorithm is proposed and its performance is evaluated using a benchmark nonlinear dynamical systems model, namely, the Van der Pol oscillator equations. The empirical utility of the proposed technique is illustrated using a set of 24-h ambulatory cardiovascular data from 168 men and women. Pertinent methodological challenges and unresolved issues are discussed.
Improved fluorometric high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for (-)-carbovir in rat blood and urine

Carbovir is a carbocyclic guanosine analogue with potent in vitro activity against the human immunodeficiency virus. All of the activity resides in the (-)-enantiomer. An ion-paired liquid chromatographic assay for (-)-carbovir was developed on a Spherisorb C8 column with fluorescence detection (275 nm excitation, 345 nm emission). Guanosine nucleosides are fluorescent at a pH less than 2.5, and fluorescence detection resulted in a four-fold improvement in the limit of quantitation (0.039 microgram/ml) compared to the previously developed assay with ultraviolet detection. Standard curves were processed with an internal standard at (-)-carbovir concentrations of 0.039-40 micrograms/ml in whole rat blood with a solid-phase extraction technique. Total variability was less than 16% at all concentrations and less than 10% at concentrations greater than 0.3 microgram/ml. Within-day variability was less than 7.5% at concentrations greater than 0.3 microgram/ml. Urine was analyzed directly after dilution and an diethyl ether wash to remove impurities. The total coefficients of variation were less than 10% from 0.5-20 micrograms/ml in urine. The concentrations of (-)-carbovir in rat blood were detectable for as long as 8 h after intravenous and oral doses of 20 and 60 mg/kg, respectively.
La madre trabajadora: Una contradicción

Busca comprender las condiciones de las mujeres de los sectores de bajos ingresos y madres con hijos pequenos, ademas que forman grupos de participacion en el mercado de trabajo. La madre trabajadora que debe confrontar conjuntamente la responsabilidad en el contexto de la reproduccion social y en el proceso productivo, supeditando su participacion en este ultimo a su condicion de madre y ama de casa. Se analizan madres usuarias de las guarderias del ICBF, los datos analizados permiten concluir que los Centros de Atencion Integral al pre-escolar (CAIP), constituyen un factor importante en el mejoramiento de las condiciones de las familias que utilizan el servicio. Esto es evidente no solo en los aspectos economicos, de mejoramiento y condiciones de vida, nutricion y bienestar del nino.
A transmission and scanning electron microscopic study of the saccule in five species of catfishes

The sacculi of five species of catfishes were studied by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. In four species, the sagitta exhibited a multifluted anterior part and a tapered posterior part; in Corydoras aeneus, however, the fluted part was absent, and a vertical component extended dorsally to terminate near the opening of the transverse canal. In all species, the otoliths had a laminar structure. An otolithic membrane was present, and hair cell bundles projected into cavities on the macular surface of the membrane. Attachments of the otolithic membrane to the neuroepithelium included short extensions of the membrane to the tallest components of the hair cell bundles of the peripheral cells and more delicate connections to the kinocilium and taller stereocilia of central cells; in addition, attachments to the microvilli of supporting cells were present. In both hair cells and supporting cells single microtubules and bundles of microtubules were present; the bundles had an orderly arrangement and were associated with cytoplasmic densities surrounding the desmosomes. The hair cells were innervated by both afferent and efferent nerve endings. Studies of the polarization of the hair cells in all species (except C. aeneus) showed that there was a single longitudinal axis that divided dorsally polarized cells from those oriented ventrally. In Doras spinosissimus and Bunocephalus bicolor, an additional line of polarization was evident in a small area in the anterior part of the macula; therefore, in these forms there was a double bipolar orientation.
Lithium therapy and disorders of the parathyroid glands.

ABSTRACT Objective To review the effects of lithium (Li+) on the parathyroid glands. Methods We describe the incidence and clinical features of Li+-associated hyperparathyroidism and summarize the current state of knowledge of the in vitro and in vivo effects of Li+ on the parathyroid cell. Results Li+ treatment is known to increase the calcium set-point in the parathyroid glands for inhibition of parathyroid hormone secretion. Evidence suggests that this change in calcium set-point occurs as a result of Li+ interference with transmembrane signal transduction in the parathyroid cell. Li+ therapy may accentuate the set-point error in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and unmask preexisting hyperplastic or adenomatous changes in the parathyroid glands. Li+ may also cause de novo hypercalcemia and hyperparathyroidism that are usually mild, clinically insignificant, and reversible with discontinuation of Li+ therapy. In some patients receiving long-term Li+ therapy, however, persistent hyperparathyroidism develops despite discontinuation of Li+ therapy, and it may be symptomatic and associated with serious organ system sequelae. Li+-associated hypercalcemia can be a challenging clinical dilemma in patients with bipolar affective disorder because of the lack of effective therapeutic alternatives, as well as the potential for Li+-induced hypercalcemia to exacerbate psychopathologic symptoms. Conclusion Because severe hypercalcemia may occur as a result of toxic Li+ levels, Li+ and calcium levels should be monitored in patients on long-term Li+ therapy. (Endocr Pract. 1996; 2:103-109)
The ghost of essentialism and the trap of binarism: six theses on the Soviet empire

This article endeavors to open a new critical space for Soviet studies and for nationalities studies more generally. Through analyses of recent trends in Soviet studies, the article dismantles the frequently used opposition between subjective and objective approaches to Soviet empire and suggests instead that truths and categories, whether considered “subjective” or “objective,” are constructed discursively, through legitimizing certain interpretive models over the others. The article also argues against disciplinary avoidance of “what is” questions (e.g. “what is a nation?”) and claims that an excessive concern for (re)producing essentialism should not hinder scholarly inquiry. Several new lines of inquiry for the study of the Soviet empire are suggested and also applicable in nationalities studies more generally: research on the role of symbolic violence in manufacturing consent and research concerning the role of affect in producing linkages between the performative life of a singular human being and t...
Factors influencing the matriculation choices of high ability students

Abstract This paper analyzes the matriculation decisions of a sample of high ability students using a data base that includes information on the particular institutions in each individual's choice set, his or her rating of each of these her rating of each of thes institutions along a number of non-monetary dimensions, and information on the student's perceived net cost of attendance at each of the schools. The results suggest that attendance costs and non-monetary institutional characteristics are both significant determination of institutional choice. Among the non-monetary characteristics, those associatd with non-academic items like housing and and recreational options have about the same impact as academic concerns such as availability of majors or concentration on undergraduate education. Policies related to cost reduction or improving the facets of an institution that students value have reasonably comparable effects on yield, especially in a cost-effectiveness context. However, the results are clearly applicable only to a particular subset of the entire population of potential students.
A strategy for precision of genotyping of Epstein-Barr virus by polymerase chain reaction: application for studying Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Previous studies on the genotyping of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) have been based on the analysis of a single gene locus. The assignment of genotype of an isolate could easily be overlooked with this assay. Our strategy for precision of EBV genotyping has exploited the existence of two families of EBV strains (type A and B) that can be distinguished at three divergent gene loci (EBNA-2, EBNA-3C, and EBER). To precisely determine the genotype of EBV in Hodgkin's disease (HD), we designed primers and simultaneously analysed these three gene loci that distinguish type A and B viruses by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The primers designed to amplify these three gene loci encompass either type-specific deletion sequences (EBNA-2 and EBNA-3C) or type-specific point mutations (EBER) that identify the virus strain based on the sizes of PCR-amplified products or the mobility shifts in single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. The locations of point mutations were identified by direct se...
Infectious indications for tonsillectomy.

Tonsillectomy remains the most common major operation performed on children in the United States [1]. Tonsillectomy has the potential—when performed for the proper indications—to improve quality of life, and in certain patients, the surgery can be life saving. Recent studies looking at the infectious indications for tonsillectomy have better identified those patients who are most likely to benefit from surgery. Surgery, however, always is performed on an individual basis, and treating physicians need to consider many factors before recommending tonsillectomy. This article reviews the major infectious indications for tonsillectomy and presents recent data that helps to identify those patients who are most likely to benefit from surgery.
PATIENT ETHNICITY AND THE IDENTIFICATION AND ACTIVE MANAGEMENT OF DEPRESSION IN LATE LIFE

Background Black Americans are more likely to obtain mental health care from a primary care physician than from a mental health specialist. We investigated the association of ethnicity with the identification and active management of depression among older patients. Methods Cross-sectional survey of 355 older adults with and without significant depressive symptoms. At the index visit, the physician’s ratings of depression and reports of active management were obtained on 341 of the 355 patients who completed in-home interviews. Results Older black patients were less likely than older white patients to be identified as depressed (unadjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.25-0.63) and their depression was less likely to be actively managed in the 6 months before the interview (unadjusted OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.19-2.16). In multivariate models that controlled for potentially influential characteristics such as patient age, sex, marital status, level of education, functional status, physical health, severity of depressive symptoms, severity of anxiety symptoms, attitudes about depression, number of office visits in the last 6 months, and the physician’s rating of how well they knew the patient, the associations of identification (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.17-0.39) and management (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.19-1.77) with patient ethnicity remained substantially unchanged. Conclusion Our study calls attention to the role ethnicity may play in the identification and active management of depression among older primary care patients.
Radiofrequency catheter ablation: Indications and complications

Radiofrequency catheter ablation was first described in pediatric patients in the early 1990s. Since then, multiple advances in the technology and understanding of radiofrequency ablation have allowed this technique to blossom into one of the most powerful therapeutic tools available to the pediatric electrophysiologist. This treatment has, in the majority of cases, replaced arrhythmia surgery as the definitive cure for most arrhythmias. Ablation therapy is commonly implemented as an elective procedure to treat paroxysmal reentrant supraventricular tachycardia. There are several advantages to this therapy when used in the common indications: no exercise restrictions, no need for chronic drug therapy, and the avoidance of hospital visits for breakthrough episodes. This review will discuss the indications for radiofrequency ablation in the current era. In order to fully discuss this issue, this review will include the prior treatment of arrhythmias, current success rates, complications, and potential long-term issues.
Ovipositional preference of Siphoninus phillyreae and its fitness on seven host plant species

The relationship between ovipositional preference of Siphoninus phillyreae (Haliday) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) and host plant suitability on seven host plant species (Citrus sinensis (L.) cv. ‘Washington’ [navel orange], Fraxinus uhdei (Wenz.) [shamel ash], Heteromeles arbutifolia Roemer [toyon], Malus domestica Mill. cv. ‘Granny Smith’ [apple], Pistacia vera L. cv. ‘Kerman’ [pistachio], Prunus persica (L.) cv. ‘O'Henry’ [peach], and Pyrus communis L. cv. ‘Bartlett’ [pear]) was evaluated. Ovipositional preference of S. phillyreae was determined by measuring egg density after adult female whiteflies were given a simultaneous choice of all host plants for oviposition. Immature survival, developmental time, and adult size were examined to determine host plant suitability for S. phillyreae. All studies were performed under greenhouse conditions. S. phillyreae showed distinct ovipositional preference among host plant species. Host plant species had a significant effect on immature survival, but little or no effect on developmental time or forewing length. For four of the seven host plant species tested, there was an association between ovipositional preference and survival.