cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Urinary Excretion Levels of Metal Ions in Patients Undergoing Total Hip Replacement with a Porous-Coated Prosthesis: Preliminary Results

Porous-coated prostheses implanted without bone cement are currently being evaluated for use in patients undergoing total joint replacement (TJR). One parameter under study is the potential release of metal ions from these prostheses. In order to determine if there is a systemic increase in cobalt, chromium, or nickel levels within the body subsequent to total joint replacement with a porous-coated prosthesis, 24-h urine specimens were collected from patients prior to and subsequent to TJR with a PCA total hip prosthesis. Metal ion analysis was achieved using flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy. Increases in urinary cobalt and nickel excretion were detected in several patients at six months and in most patients at one year after surgery. However, these differences were not statistically significant. No differences between the preoperative and postoperative time periods (one week, six months, and twelve months) were detected for urinary levels of chromium. Although the metal ion levels for all of the patients studied appear to be in the range handled by the body's systemic compensatory mechanisms, which adjust levels of trace elements, continued follow-up is needed to determine the patterns and the long-term significance of metal ion release.
Vaccination status of children in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program: are we doing enough to improve coverage?

Abstract Background: Vaccination-promoting strategies in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) have been shown to produce dramatic improvements in coverage and other health outcomes. Objectives: To determine national and state-specific population-based vaccine coverage rates among preschool children who participate in the WIC program, and to describe the strategies for promoting vaccination in WIC. Design/ Methods: Demographic data, WIC participation, and vaccination histories for children aged 24 to 35 months in 1999 were collected from parents through the National Immunization Survey. The healthcare providers for the children in the survey were contacted to verify and complete vaccination information. We defined children as up-to-date (UTD) if they had received four doses of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine (DPT), three doses of poliovirus vaccine, one dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR), and three doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (Hib) by 24 months. Description of state-level vaccination-promoting activities in WIC was collected through an annual survey completed by the state WIC and immunization program directors. Results: Complete data were collected on 15,766 children, of whom 7783 (49%) participated in WIC sometime in their lives. Nationally, children who had ever participated in WIC were less well-immunized at 24 months compared to children who had not: 72.9% UTD (95% CI, 71.3–74.5) versus 80.8% UTD (95% CI, 79.5–82.1), respectively. In 42 states, 24-month coverage among WIC participants was less than among non-WIC participants, including 13 states where the difference was ≥10%. Vaccination activities linked with WIC were reported from 76% of 8287 WIC sites nationwide. States conducting more-frequent interventions and reaching a higher proportion of WIC participants had 40% higher vaccination coverage levels for the WIC participants in that state (p Conclusions: Children served by WIC remain less well-immunized than the nation’s more-affluent children who do not participate in WIC. Thus, WIC remains a good place to target these children. This study provides evidence that fully implemented WIC linkage works to improve vaccination rates. Strategies that have been shown to improve the vaccination coverage levels of WIC participants should be expanded and adequately funded to protect these children.
Diverse Kir modulators act in close proximity to residues implicated in phosphoinositide binding

Inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels were the first shown to be directly activated by phosphoinositides in general and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP2) in particular. Atomic resolution structures have been determined for several mammalian and bacterial Kir channels. Basic residues, identified through mutagenesis studies to contribute to the sensitivity of the channel to PIP2, have been mapped onto the three dimensional channel structure and their localization has given rise to a plausible model that can explain channel activation by PIP2. Moreover, mapping onto the three-dimensional channel structure sites involved in the modulation of Kir channel activity by a diverse group of regulatory molecules, revealed a striking proximity to residues implicated in phosphoinositide binding. These observations support the hypothesis that the observed dependence of diverse modulators on channel–PIP2 interactions stems from their localization within distances that can affect PIP2-interacting residues.
ANTHROPOLOGICAL PRAXIS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The civic value of higher education is in question. Employers, legislators, parents, and students demand “relevant” and “useful” college degrees, especially from urban public universities. Industries seek informed and skilled graduates to strengthen our economy, solve problems, and build healthy and sustainable communities. Public universities, embedded in labor-market relations, increasingly seek funded partnerships with communities, organizations, and agencies that will lead to practical and (hopefully) favorable outcomes for each constituency. The engaged university may be a symptom of neoliberal policies, and the “audit cultures” that these foster; but it may also be a movement by college faculty, students, and administrators who, with social justice as the reference point of their work, engage in community-based research as critics of raw economic development, and as agents of responsible community development. Here I discuss my academic workload as anthropological praxis in the three areas of faculty performance evaluation: engaged research, instruction, and service. I demonstrate the ways through which applied anthropology helped me to promote “engagement” at Georgia State University as a core value, goal, and practice in my capacities as ethnographer, an educator, and a citizen. This model of engagement illustrates the potential for engaged fieldwork, the hallmark of applied anthropology, to strengthen our contributions to the publics that support us, and to institutions of higher education that may benefit from our theories, ethics, and methods for the advancement of social justice within, and outside, the walls of academia.
Multilayer data hiding for multimedia authentication

The problem of digital watermarking for media authentication has attracted a considerable amount of attention in the last several years. Most previous works have mainly concentrated on authenticating a single medium, such as visual, audio or text medium. We discuss the multimedia authentication problem. That is, we study the problem of efficient data hiding for media authentication when at least two forms of media are presented in a digital data stream. In particular, we address the problem of multimedia data hiding for authentication purposes. A multilayer data hiding structure is presented. In addition, its implementation for our active data hiding application is discussed in detail.
Increase of B-type natriuretic peptide from baseline increases the risk of death or retransplant in pediatric cardiac transplant patients, midterm results.

Background. Several studies have demonstrated the utility of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in the months following cardiac transplant. The purpose of this study was to analyze longitudinal BNP data in pediatric cardiac transplant patients and determine the efficacy of BNP in routine follow-up of transplant to help predict the adverse event of death or re-transplant. Methods. From October 2002 to July 2007, 53 pediatric cardiac transplant patients were treated in an unmatched case-control study. Along with routine studies, BNP values were obtained at regular intervals. Six patients were excluded due to recent transplant, and three patients were excluded due to poor compliance. A baseline BNP was established for each subject utilizing the mean of all BNP values during year 2 post-transplant, or the first year of measured BNP in those patients whose transplant preceded the study by more than 1 year (time from transplant to first BNP 7.0 ± 3.5 years). The median BNP of all data points since transplant was utilized as an additional surrogate baseline. Univariate logistic regression was used to evaluate BNP versus other covariates on cardiac death. Results. Forty-four patients provided 1254 BNP data points spanning 173 patient years. Nine (20.5%) had an adverse event. Patients who experienced an adverse event had a higher baseline BNP (mean 365 ± 290; median 375 ± 352)) when compared to patients without an event (mean 128 ± 78; median 121 ± 62; p = 0.04 and p = 0.06)). All subjects with adverse events had a BNP value ≥ 250 during the 90 days preceding the event compared to 32.4% of those who did not (odds ratio: 23.13, p < 0.01). A log fold increase in the BNP value compared to the baseline median BNP is a risk for cardiac death in the subsequent 90-day period (OR: 6.82, 95% confidence interval: 1.25–37.11, p = 0.03). Conclusion. Routine BNP monitoring in the post-cardiac transplant pediatric patient allows for the determination of a median BNP, which can be used as a baseline. A log fold increase from the median BNP, or a BNP value ≥ 250, increases the risk of death or re-transplant and suggests a 90-day period of heightened clinical surveillance, perhaps necessitating increased medication or re-listing for repeat transplant.
Modeling Climate Feedbacks to Electricity Demand: The Case of China

This paper is an empirical investigation of the effects of climate on the use of electricity by consumers and producers in urban and rural areas within China. It takes advantage of an unusual combination of temporal and regional data sets in order to estimate temperature, as well as price and income elasticities of electricity demand. The estimated positive temperature/electric power feedback implies a continually increasing use of energy to produce electric power which, in China, is primarily based on coal. In the absence of countervailing measures, this will contribute to increased emissions, increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, and increases in greenhouse warming.
Feeling labeled, judged, lectured, and rejected by family and friends over depression: Cautionary results for primary care clinicians from a multi-centered, qualitative study

Background Family and friends may help patients seek out and engage in depression care. However, patients’ social networks can also undermine depression treatment and recovery. In an effort to improve depression care in primary care settings, we sought to identify, categorize, and alert primary care clinicians to depression-related messages that patients hear from friends and family that patients perceive as unhelpful or detrimental.
Hydrologic Versus Biogeochemical Controls of Denitrification in Tidal Freshwater Wetlands

Tidal freshwater wetlands (TFW) alter nitrogen concentrations in river water, but the role of these processes on a river’s downstream nitrogen delivery is poorly understood. We examined spatial and temporal patterns in denitrification in TFW of four rivers in North Carolina, USA and evaluated the relative importance of denitrification rate and inundation on ecosystem-scale N2 efflux. An empirical model of TFW denitrification was developed to predict N2 efflux using a digital topographic model of the TFW, a time series of water level measurements, and a range of denitrification rates. Additionally, a magnitude-frequency analysis was performed to investigate the relative importance of storm events on decadal patterns in N2 efflux. Spatially, inundation patterns exerted more influence on N2 efflux than did the range of denitrification rate used. Temporal variability in N2 efflux was greatest in the lower half of the tidal rivers (near the saline estuary) where inundation dynamics exerted more influence on N2 efflux than denitrification rate. N2 efflux was highest in the upper half of the rivers following storm runoff, and under these conditions variation in denitrification rate had a larger effect on N2 efflux than variability in inundation. The frequency-magnitude analysis predicted that most N2 efflux occurred during low flow periods when tidal dynamics, not storm events, affected TFW inundation. Tidal hydrology and riparian topography are as important as denitrification rate in calculating nitrogen loss in TFW; we present a simple empirical model that links nitrogen transport in rivers with loss due to denitrification in TFW.
Conditional discrimination learning by pigeons: The role of training paradigms

Three groups of pigeons (n = 8) learned a successive discrimination, 538-nm S+ versus 576-nm S−, in one context, say, houselight and tone, and the reversal in another context, say, dark and noise. In Group 1, the single reversal paradigm was used; for Group 2, the problems alternated daily; and for Group 3, they alternated minute by minute. Wavelength generalization gradients obtained in both contexts revealed conditional control by context, which was weakest in Group 3.
New modalities of cancer treatment for NSCLC: focus on immunotherapy

Recent advances in the understanding of immunology and antitumor immune responses have led to the development of new immunotherapies, including vaccination approaches and monoclonal antibodies that inhibit immune checkpoint pathways. These strategies have shown activity in melanoma and are now being tested in lung cancer. The antibody drugs targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 and programmed cell death protein-1 immune checkpoint pathways work by restoring immune responses against cancer cells, and are associated with unconventional response patterns and immune-related adverse events as a result of their mechanism of action. As these new agents enter the clinic, nurses and other health care providers will require an understanding of the unique efficacy and safety profiles with immunotherapy to optimize potential patient benefits. This paper provides a review of the new immunotherapeutic agents in development for lung cancer, and strategies for managing patients on immunotherapy.
STUDIES ON SOLUTE TRANSLOCATION IN PLANTS. EXPERIMENTS INDICATING THAT TRANSLOCATION IS DEPENDENT ON THE ACTIVITY OF LIVING CELLS

The hypothesis that backward translocation of solutes, especially from the photosynthetic organs, takes place through the phloem tissues has been generally accepted since the time of Knight (i8oi), Hansteen (i86o), and several other early workers, although a number have recently questioned the validity of the hypothesis, especially Birch-Hirschfeld (I920), Dixon (I923), Kastens (1924), Mason and Lewin (1926), and others. It has also been recognized for a long time that these phloem tissues, particularly the sieve tubes, companion cells, and phloem parenchyma, which are supposed to take part in the translocation, are living tissues and have a very high colloid content especially as contrasted with the water-conducting parts, the vessels and tracheids of the xylem. De Vries as early as I885 pointed out that diffusion alone was certainly too slow to account for the amount of movement that must take place within conducting tissues. He suggested that rotation or other streaming movements of the protoplasm in the conducting tissues might account for the movement at a rate much faster than diffusion alone could allow. He actually observed such streaming in phloem tissues, as have a number of others both previous to and since the publication of his paper. In fact, I have found that streaming in companion cells and phloem parenchyma is very easily observed in a number of plants. I have not observed it in the sieve tubes, except in Elodea, and some have stated that it does not occur in such cells. Strasburger (i89i, p. 285, 290, 36i), for example, definitely states that circulation continues in the sieve-tube segment only as long as the nucleus is intact and the slime drop formation has not begun. In Zea Mays he found active circulation while the nucleus was present and the protoplasm formed a network in the sieve-tube segments. When the nucleus disappeared and the cytoplasm formed only a thin layer next to the wall no streaming was apparent. It seems highly probable, however, that failure to find streaming in mature sieve tubes has been due to the fact that, when mature, the pores are open between segments and the preparation of sections for observation under the microscope usually involves the opening of the sieve tube under observation at one or both ends. This injury probably causes a cessation of the streaming very much as cutting into the end of a long internodal
Altered cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity following subarachnoid hemorrhage in cats

✓ The authors tested the hypothesis that cerebral blood flow (CBF) reactivity to CO2 was blunted following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Subarachnoid hemorrhage was produced in five cats by performing four cisterna magna injections of blood in each (SAH Group). A second group of six cats was treated with an antifibrinolytic agent (AF) in addition to four cisterna magna blood injections (SAH + AF Group). Four cats received AF and four cisterna magna injections of saline (Control Group). The presence or absence of basilar artery vasospasm was determined by comparing baseline and follow-up selective angiograms. Cerebral blood flow reactivity was determined by randomly varying the concentration of inspired CO2 to alter PaCO2 from 20 to 75 mm Hg. Regional CBF was measured with radiolabeled microspheres. Basilar artery vasospasm was seen following subarachnoid injection of blood but not of saline. Normocapnic CBF was similar in all three groups in the brain stem (mean ± standard error of the mean: SAH Group 46...
Late‐stage calcites in the Permian Capitan Formation and its equivalents, Delaware Basin margin, west Texas and New Mexico: evidence for replacement of precursor evaporites

Comparison of Upper Guadalupian fore-reef, reef and back-reef strata from outcrops in the Guadalupe Mountains with equivalent subsurface cores from the northern and eastern margins of the Delaware Basin indicates that extensive evaporite diagenesis has occurred in both areas. In both surface and subsurface sections, the original sediments were extensively dolomitized and most primary and secondary porosity was filled with anhydrite. These evaporites were emplaced by reflux of evaporitic fluids from shelf settings through solution-enlarged fractures and karstic sink holes into the underlying strata. Outcrop areas today, however, contain no preserved evaporites in reef and fore-reef sections and only partial remnants of evaporites are retained in back-reef settings. In their place, these rocks contain minor silica, very large volumes of coarse sparry calcite and some secondary porosity. The replacement minerals locally form pseudomorphs of their evaporite precursors and, less commonly, contain solid anhydrite inclusions. Some silicification, dissolution of anhydrite and conversion of anhydrite to gypsum have occurred in these strata where they are still buried at depths in excess of 1 km; however, no calcite replacements were noted from any subsurface core samples. Subsurface alteration has also led to the widespread, late-stage development of large- and small-scale dissolution breccias. The restriction of calcite cements to very near-surface sections, petrographic evidence that the calcites post-date hydrocarbon emplacement, and the highly variable but generally ‘light’carbon and oxygen isotopic signatures of the spars all indicate that calcite precipitation is a very late diagenetic (telogenetic) phenomenon. Evaporite dissolution and calcitization reactions have only taken place where Permian strata were flushed with meteoric fluids as a consequence of Tertiary uplift, tilting and breaching of regional hydrological seals. A typical sequence of alteration involves initial corrosion of anhydrite, one or more stages of hydration/dehydration during conversion to gypsum, dissolution of gypsum and precipitation of sparry calcite. Such evaporite dissolution and replacement processes are probably continuing today in near-outcrop as well as deeper settings. This study emphasizes the potential importance of telogenetic processes in evaporite diagenesis and in the precipitation of carbonate cements. The extensive mineralogical and petrophysical transformations which these strata have undergone during their uplift indicates that considerable caution must be exercised in using surface exposures to interpret subsurface reservoir parameters in evaporitic carbonate rocks.
Memory for facts, source, and context: Can frontal lobe dysfunction explain age-related differences?

Age-related differences in memory for facts, source, and contextual details were examined in healthy young (18-35 years old) and old (65-80 years old) volunteers. In all tested memory functions, decline over time was greater in the elderly than in the young. A time-dependent increase in the prevalence of source amnesia errors was clearly associated with old age. Contrary to several recent reports, measures of frontal lobe functions did not predict source memory. Nevertheless, some of these putative frontal function measures were related to memory for contextual details. The number of perseverative responses on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test was inversely related to performance on both factual and contextual memory tests, but the association with contextual memory was stronger. Difficulties with response selection on a Stroop task predicted poor contextual memory in young but not in old adults.
Efficient algorithms for 3D scan-conversion of parametric curves, surfaces, and volumes

Three-dimensional (3D) scan-conversion algorithms, that scan-convert 3D parametric objects into their discrete voxelmap representation within a Cubic Frame Buffer (CFB), are presented. The parametric objects that are studied include Bezier form of cubic parametric curves, bicubic parametric surface patches, and tricubic parametric volumes. The converted objects in discrete 3D space maintain pre-defined application-dependent connectivity and fidelity requirements.The algorithms introduced here emply third-order forward difference techniques. Efficient versions of the algorithms based on first-order decision mechanisms, which employ only integer arithmetic, are also discussed. All algorithms are incremental and use only simple operations inside the inner algorithm loops. They perform scan-conversion with computational complexity which is linear in the number of voxels written to the CFB. All the algorithms have been implemented as part of the CUBE Architecture, which is a voxel-based system for 3D graphics.
How should residual symptoms be defined in depressed patients who have remitted

Symptomatic remission has been defined as a complete or near-complete absence of symptoms. Just as the distinction between remitters and nonremitters among treatment responders has clinical significance, the distinction between a complete and near-complete absence of symptoms itself might be important. Recent studies have reported a high frequency of residual symptoms in patients who are presumably in remission, and this raises questions about how residual symptoms are defined. In the present report from the Rhode Island Methods to Improve Diagnostic Assessment and Services project, we compared the prevalence of residual symptoms based on different cutoff scores on 2 self-report measures of depression and then determined the association between residual symptoms and indices of psychosocial morbidity. We administered the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression to 274 psychiatric outpatients diagnosed as having DSM-IV major depressive disorder who were in ongoing treatment. The patients completed the Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale (CUDOS) and Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) and measures of psychosocial functioning and quality of life. We examined the frequency of residual symptoms in the 142 patients scoring in the remission range on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. For both the CUDOS and QIDS, the threshold to define symptom presence strongly impacted on the prevalence of residual symptoms. The association between residual symptoms, psychosocial functioning, and quality of life varied according to the threshold used to define the symptoms. On the QIDS, a cutoff of 1 was a more valid indicator of the presence of residual symptoms than a cutoff of 2, whereas on the CUDOS, we recommend a cutoff of 2 be used to indicate the presence of residual symptoms. Examination of the frequency of specific symptoms suggests that the choice of scale might impact on which residual symptoms are considered the most frequent in treatment remitters.
High-quality evidence that spinal manipulative therapy for chronic low back pain has a small, short-term greater effect on pain and functional status compared with other interventions

Commentary on: SM Rubinstein, M van Middelkoop, WJ Assendelft, et al.. Spinal manipulative therapy for chronic low-back pain: an update of a Cochrane review.Spine2011;36:E825–46.
Satellite detection of a long curving cirrus plume

On August 23, 1978, a long cirrus plume, as detected by the GOES E satellite, made a sharp anticyclonic turn and traveled a total distance of 2800 km from the generating thunderstorm, as determined from satellite imagery. During a five-hour period the leading edge moved a distance of 550 km, giving a speed of 30 m/sec. This is in good agreement with the pertinent wind speeds at the presumed height of the cloud, which may indicate that cirrus evaporation may not have been too important. In a relatively dense portion of the cirrus the minimum equivalent blackbody temperature was 226 K.
Requirement of iron for platelet protein synthesis

Abstract 2,2′-bipyridine, a potent chelator of iron, reduced platelet protein synthesis by 80%. This could be prevented by addition of either transferrin at 5 μM or hemin at 0.3 to 0.8 mM. Transferrin alone activated protein synthesis by 48% in 18 out of 28 experiments, whereas iron salts had no effect. Hemin alone activated protein synthesis in all experiments by as high as 170%. The hemin effect was different from the transferrin effect in that hemin activation was associated with platelet lysis and decreased platelet protein recovery. Never-the-less the specific activity obtained with hemin incubations was 2.7 fold greater than the specific activity obtained from water incubations in which comparable lysis was obtained. It is concluded that iron is required for platelet protein synthesis.
The stainability of nerve fibers by protargol with various fixatives and staining technics.

The influence of the commonly used tissue fixing reagents, individually and in various combinations, on subsequent staining by protargol was studied. The reagents used were formalin, formamide, picric acid, acetic acid, paranitrophenol, pyridine and chloral hydrate. Parraffin sections from intestine and peripheral nerve of cat, dog, monkey and rat were stained with protargol after fixation in various experimental mixtures of the fixing reagents. Satisfactory nerve stains of intestine were not obtained with regularity after any one fixing and staining procedure. (Good fixation and staining appeared to be influenced by properties inherent in the tissue itself and showed marked variations from animal to animal even in the same species.)Stains of nerve fibers in peripheral nerve trunks were much more easily obtained than in the intestine where good stains were sporadic and unpredictable. The use of a mixture of 0.5% protargol and 0.1% fast green FCF, is proposed as a silver-dye staining medium.
859 SERUM 24,25 DIHYDROXY VITAMIN D CONCENTRATIONS IN LACTATING AND NON-LACTATING POST PARTUM WOMEN

In aminal systems prolactin (HPL) increases 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) and decreases 24,25 dihydroxy vitamin D (24,25(OH)2D) synthesis. 24,25(OH)2D is low during pregnancy with normal serum PTH. During pregnancy, serum HPL and other hormones are increased, but during lactation only HPL remains elevated. We studied lactating mothers and non-lactating controls for 24,25(OH)2D, 250HD, PTH, HPL, calcium and magnesium at 6 weeks post partum. In nursing mother 24,25(OH)2D was significantly lower than normal or post partum controls. During lactation only there was an inverse correlation between HPL and 24,25(OH)2D (R=-.51) and PTH and 24,25(OH)2D (R=-.47). During lactation there was no correlation between 24,25(OH)2D and 250HD (R=.18). Thus, changes in vitamin D metabolism probably mediated by HPL and PTH may enable the lactating woman to maintain normal serum calcium and magnesium while providing for milk production.
Imagery test suites and their implication on the testability of computer vision algorithms

A fundamental question in the ability to determine the effectiveness of any computer vision algorithm is the construction and application of proper test data suites. The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of the underlying requirements necessary in forming test suites, and the limitations that restricted sample sizes have on determining the testability of computer vision algorithms. With the relatively recent emergence of high performance computing, it is now highly desirable to perform statistically significant testing of algorithms using a test suite containing a full range of data, from simple binary images to textured images and multi-scale images. Additionally, a common database of test suites would enable direct comparisons of competing imagery exploitation algorithms. The initial step necessary in building a test suite is the selection of adequate measures necessary to estimate the subjective attributes of images, similar to the quantitative measures from speech quality. We will discuss image measures, their relation to the construction of test suites and the use of real sensor data or computer generated synthetic images. By using the latest technology in computer graphics, synthetically generated images varying in degrees of distortion both from sensors models and other noise source models can be formed if ground-truth information of the images is known. Our eventual goal is to intelligently construct statistically significant test suites which would allow for A/B comparisons between various computer vision algorithms.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Hermitian canonical form for complex matrices under consimilarity

Abstract We produce an explicit Hermitian canonical form for complex square matrices under consimilarity. We apply a simple algorithmic procedure to a concanonical form for complex matrices to construct a form that is not only canonical but also Hermitian. We also show that a similar algorithmic procedure can be used to produce an explicit real canonical form for complex matrices under consimilarity.
Release policies for assembly systems

We consider a production system consisting of several fabrication lines feeding an assembly machine. The machines in the fabrication lines and at assembly are assumed to have general processing time distributions. Releases to the system are governed by the kanban release mechanism. We first derive a heuristic for the throughput of this system by replacing the assembly system under kanban release by an equivalent system under CONWIP release and by making use of an approximation for the throughput of a CONWIP assembly system (Duenyas, 1992). Comparisons with simulation show that this heuristic is robust over a wide range of conditions. We also address the issue of which release mechanism is more effective in obtaining a desired throughput level with the minimum possible work-in-process inventory level in the system. We present both analytical and simulation results to demonstrate that the CONWIP release policy seems to be a more effective release policy for assembly systems.
Circular polymerase extension cloning for high-throughput cloning of complex and combinatorial DNA libraries

High-throughput genomics, proteomics and synthetic biology studies require ever more efficient and economical strategies to clone complex DNA libraries or variants of biological modules. In this paper, we provide a protocol for a sequence-independent approach for cloning complex individual or combinatorial DNA libraries, and routine or high-throughput cloning of single or multiple DNA fragments. The strategy, called circular polymerase extension cloning (CPEC), is based on polymerase overlap extension and is therefore free of restriction digestion, ligation or single-stranded homologous recombination. CPEC is highly efficient, accurate and user friendly. Once the inserts and the linear vector have been prepared, the CPEC reaction can be completed in 10 min to 3 h, depending on the complexity of the gene libraries.
Dielectric and pyroelectric properties of nylon 5,7 as a function of molecular orientation

Abstract Nylon 5,7 has been made in film form with two different molecular orientations. X-ray studies show that the H-bonds in rolled and annealed Nylon 5,7 are oriented approximately perpendicular to the film surface. Because of this, the film has a low dielectric response and reasonably high pyroelectric response. In gold nucleated, directionally crystallized Nylon 5,7 the H-bonds are oriented parallel to the film surface. Such films have a high dielectric response and low pyroelectric response. This can be understood in the light of the proposed model of H-bond twinning. The disappearance of the alpha relaxation in film A was ascribed to pinning of the amorphous phase since the oriented film was annealed under tension. High temperature dielectric loss of film A follows Jonscher's power law with n close to 1 showing that it is probably due to ionic conduction. Dielectric loss in film B gives an n value of 0.30 in the temperature range of 130–160°C, indicating that much of the loss is not due to ionic c...
Poincare surface of section and quantum scattering.

A very simple model for the quantum‐mechanical scattering of a particle is studied with a dual goal: The chaotic nature of the corresponding classical problem should be quite obvious, and the method of solution should use an approach that is closely related to the surface of section in classical mechanics. Moreover, the mathematical operations should be elementary so that the errors in a semiclassical approximation or in any computational work have a chance of being controllable. Finally, the mode of presentation is such as to be understandable for a newcomer to the field of chaos. The model is a variation of the Sinai billiard where the circular hard wall inside a box (parallelogram) is replaced by a trombone‐shaped surface for the particle to enter and exit the box. The rim (circular boundary between trombone and box) is the surface of section, with the total current at fixed energy in either direction providing the measure for the wave functions. The Poincare map then becomes the product of two unitary transformations, where the first is diagonal in angular momentum, while the second is diagonal in angle.
Two-stage technique for implantation of inflatable penile prosthesis in pelvic cancer surgery.

Abstract A two-stage technique for implantation of an inflatable penile prosthesis has been developed for patients undergoing radical pelvic cancer surgery. Over the past five years, this method has been utilized in 147 men undergoing radical cystectomies or prostatectomies. The technique involves implanting the reservoir and pump of the prosthesis at the time of the radical cancer operation when the lateral neurovascular bundles of erection are being sacrificed. The reservoir and pump are permanently connected, and the cylinder tubns from the pump are temporarily connected and placed in the subcutaneous tissue overlying the pubis. During a second procedure, usually six to twelve weeks later, the cylinders are implanted infrapubically and connected to the easily located pump tubing. The advantages are several. (1) The pump and reservoir are easily implanted during the pelvic surgery while importantly not adding significantly to the operative time or morbidity of the primary procedure. (2) The reservoir is easily positioned in the pelvis. (3) The scrotum with its contained pump already will be healed when the entire prosthesis is connected, bypassing the initial scrotal pain and edema. (4) Psychologically the patients feel relieved that their erectile dysfunction is being treated immediately. This two-stage technique appears to maximize the gain of early and easy implantation while minimizing the potential problems of concomitant surgery.
Review of recent advances in analytical techniques for the determination of neurotransmitters

Methods and advances for monitoring neurotransmitters in vivo or for tissue analysis of neurotransmitters over the last five years are reviewed. The review is organized primarily by neurotransmitter type. Transmitter and related compounds may be monitored by either in vivo sampling coupled to analytical methods or implanted sensors. Sampling is primarily performed using microdialysis, but low-flow push-pull perfusion may offer advantages of spatial resolution while minimizing the tissue disruption associated with higher flow rates. Analytical techniques coupled to these sampling methods include liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, enzyme assays, sensors, and mass spectrometry. Methods for the detection of amino acid, monoamine, neuropeptide, acetylcholine, nucleoside, and soluble gas neurotransmitters have been developed and improved upon. Advances in the speed and sensitivity of these methods have enabled improvements in temporal resolution and increased the number of compounds detectable. Similar advances have enabled improved detection at tissue samples, with a substantial emphasis on single cell and other small samples. Sensors provide excellent temporal and spatial resolution for in vivo monitoring. Advances in application to catecholamines, indoleamines, and amino acids have been prominent. Improvements in stability, sensitivity, and selectivity of the sensors have been of paramount interest.
The relationship between the time of fractionated and single doses of radiation and hyperthermia on the sensitization of an in vivo mouse tumor.

The present study was undertaken to explore the relationship of the time interval between application of heat and irradiation on enhanced tumor cell sensitivity. Using the Ridgway osteogenic sarcoma grown in AKD2F1/J mice, local tumor hyperthermia (42.5 +/- .5 degrees C for 15 minutes) was applied at various time intervals before or after single or fractionated doses of x irradiation. Enhancement of tumor cell sensitivity by combined treatment with radiation and heat, as measured by delay in tumor growth, cure rates, and mean survival times was inversely proportional to the time interval between application of both modalities. The interactions associated with this increased sensitivity appear to be transitory, diminishing with time between treatments. Possible mechanisms of action for thermal sensitization may involve the reduction of oxygen dependence as well as a reduced recovery capacity of tumor cells.
High-field NMR of adsorbed xenon polarized by laser pumping.

Optical pumping has been used to enhance the pulsed NMR signal of $^{129}\mathrm{Xe}$, allowing the detecting of low-pressure xenon gas and of xenon adsorbed on powdered solids. We observe an increase in sensitivity of more than 2 orders of magnitude over conventional NMR, the current limitation being the laser power. Adsorbed xenon is observed at 298 K on graphitized carbon (about 10 ${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$g and on powdered benzanthracene (\ensuremath{\sim}0.5 ${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$g) below 170 K. The increased sensitivity of this technique allows the study of a large class of amorphous materials with surface areas below 10 ${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$/g including semiconductors, polymers, metal oxides, and catalysts.
Restricted feeding schedules alter the circadian rhythms of serum insulin and gastric inhibitory polypeptide.

Abstract Insulin and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) have a circadian rhythm of secretion that is altered by various feeding schedules. We acclimated rats over 3 weeks to one of 6 different feeding schedules. They were then killed at intervals over one feeding cycle. Blood was collected, and their stomachs were weighed. Hormones in the serum were measured by radioimmunoassay. When highest and lowest measured concentrations were compared in ad libitum fed rats, insulin more than doubled (445 ± 50 to 993 ± 180 pg/ml) and GIP more than tripled (682 ± 108 to 1964 ± 145 pg/ml) during a 24-h period. With restricted schedules, concentrations correlated with the feeding schedule, not the light-dark cycle. Hormone levels rose higher during feeding and fell lower with fasting than in ad lib fed rats. For example, GIP in one study fluctuated from 468 ± 22 to 6433 ± 432 pg/ml. In another example, insulin ranged from 30 ± 5 to 2259 ± 406 pg/ml during a 24-h period. However, insulin did not always correlate well with stomach weight. Circadian rhythms occurred for insulin with all feeding schedules and for GIP with all schedules except fasted rats. This finding implies and endogenous insulin rhythm, whereas food intake controls GIP secretion. Thus, disruption of normal circadian cycles of feeding may yield misleading information about gut hormone secretion.
Nicotine differentially modulates antisaccade eye-gaze away from emotional stimuli in nonsmokers stratified by pre-task baseline performance

Studies indicate that nicotine enhances some aspects of attention and executive functioning and attenuates the attentional salience of emotionally negative distractors. The purpose of this study was to assess whether nicotine can enhance executive control over prepotent responses in emotional contexts in nonsmokers and whether such enhancement is greater in individuals with low baseline performance (BP). The antisaccade task (AST) measures the inhibition of the tendency to glance in the direction of the onset of a visual stimulus and thus is an index of control over prepotent responses. Ten male and 14 female nonsmokers wore nicotine and placebo patches on counterbalanced days that included emotional picture primes and targets. There were significant beneficial effects of nicotine on antisaccade reaction time (RT). These beneficial effects occurred in individuals with poor and average BP, but not in high baseline performers. In slow baseline RT individuals, nicotine reduced RTs associated with negative targets in the left visual field (VF) and reduced RTs associated with positive and neutral targets in the right VF. In contrast, in the average baseline group, nicotine reduced RTs for positive targets in both VFs and neutral targets in the left VF. The results suggest that nicotine may produce its effects by enhancing executive functions and that the differential effects as a function of VF, target emotion, and group may also reflect lateralized differences in the effects of nicotine on brain reactivity to emotional stimuli.
Metabolism of Reichstein's Substance E in Man

ABSTRACT The metabolism of Reichstein's Substance E-4-C14 (110,17,20β,21-tetrahydroxy- Δ4-pregnene-3-one) has been studied in a normal subject. It was found that 2 of the principal metabolic reactions, reduction of the Δ4-3-ketone and oxidation of the 11β- hydroxyl group, occurred with this hormone with a preformed glycerol side chain. No significant amounts of epimerization or oxidation of the 20β-hydroxyl group could be detected. The metabolic pattern observed after the administration of this compound was compared with that following hydrocortisone in the same subject. From these studies it was concluded that the reduction of the 20-keto group is not a major first step in the metabolism of hydrocortisone in normal man.
A comparison of the efficiency of water and ethanol at removing formaldehyde from immersion fixed muscle tissues.

Summary The efficiency of water, ethanol solutions, isopropanol and ethylene glycol for extracting formaldehyde from fixed muscle tissue were compared. Similar samples of formalin preserved muscle were immersed in the test extraction fluids. After various storage periods the fluids were analyzed for formaldehyde content by sodium sulfite wet chemistry titration. The resulting data were compared by analysis of variance. Ethanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol and water were found to be effective in extracting formaldehyde from formalin fixed tissue. The concentration of formaldehyde extraction by increasing concentrations of ethanol (20–40%) was linear. While 25 to 40% solutions of ethanol, 20% isopropanol and 25% ethylene glycol were significantly better at extracting formaldehyde, the actual percent formalin difference between water and the best extraction fluid (40% ethanol) was only 0.2% (2.43 versus 2.63%). This slight difference would hardly justify the added expense of using alcoholic or glycolic solutions solely for their extraction qualities. The problem of formaldehyde vapirs arising from embalmed tissue is associated with unbound and loosely bound formaldehyde. which can be removed by washing with various solutions. Precise methods for washing gross anatomical specimens are not discussed.
High efficiency data center power supply using wide band gap power devices

The energy efficiency of typical data centers is less than 50% because more than half of the power is consumed during power conversion, distribution, cooling, etc. In this paper, a combination of two approaches to improve power supply efficiency is implemented and experimentally verified. One approach uses a high voltage DC architecture, designed to reduce distribution loss and remove unnecessary power conversion stages. The other approach employs wide band gap (WBG) power devices, including silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) FETs and diodes, which helps to increase converter efficiency and power density. Scaled down prototypes of all power conversion stages in the data center power supply chain are designed, built, and tested. The advantages of utilizing WBG power devices are illustrated through simulations and then verified by experiment.
Efficacy of muscle flaps in the treatment of prosthetic vascular graft infections

Prosthetic vascular graft infection requires graft removal and often leads to limb loss. To determine whether vascularized muscle flaps could alter the course of graft infection, 18 mongrel dogs (18–29 kg) were randomized to one of three groups and underwent unilateral carotid artery bypass with 6-mm × 4-cm PTFE grafts. At implantation, the grafts were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus, 2 × 107 organisms/wound. On Day 3, dogs with patent grafts underwent wound debridement, irrigation, and closure, and the treatment to which they had been randomized was carried out. Group A (n = 4, controls) received only dicloxacillin, 500 mg po bid, beginning on Day 4. Group B (n = 5) underwent transfer of a vascularized sternocephalicus muscle flap around the infected graft, but received no antibiotics. Group C (n = 5) underwent muscle transfer as in Group B and were given dicloxacillin as in Group A. Dogs were followed until anastomotic disruption occurred or for 60 days. Quantitative bacterial cultures were taken from sternocephalicus muscle and wound fluid at the time of debridement and at sacrifice. All dogs that received antibiotics without flaps or flaps without antibiotics (Groups A and B) experienced anastomotic disruption. Dogs that received both antibiotics and flaps (Group C) had a significantly lower incidence of hemorrhage (20%, P < 0.05). At sacrifice, fewer bacterial colonies were cultured from muscle flaps of Group C as opposed to Group A dogs (0.05 ± 0.02 × 105 vs 0.79 ± 0.31 × 105, P < 0.05). Muscle flaps with antibiotic therapy may prove to be effective treatment for infected prosthetic vascular grafts.