cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of monoclonal antibodies against the glaucoma-associated protein myocilin

Although the glaucoma-associated protein myocilin has been the focus of intensive research, its biological function is still unknown. One of the limiting factors has been the lack of well characterized antibodies, particularly monoclonal antibodies. We describe the development of six monoclonal antibodies specific to myocilin and characterize their suitability in Western blot and immunohistochemical applications. Three of the six monoclonal antibodies recognize the N-terminus of myocilin (amino acids 33–214), two antibodies recognize the middle third of the protein (amino acids 215–368), and one antibody recognizes the C-terminus (amino acids 369–504). Isotyping revealed all antibodies are of the IgG1κ class except one, which is IgG2bκ. Purified myocilin monoclonal antibodies were able to recognize myocilin in human aqueous humor separated on denatured/reduced and native gels, and human trabecular meshwork lysate by Western blot. Myocilin was also detected by immunohistochemistry in trabecular meshwork, ciliary body, iris, cornea, sclera, choroid, and retinal pigment epithelial cells.
A 2 Meson as an O(4) Family

In this paper we examine the possibility that the ${A}_{2}$ meson represents an $O(4) n=2$, $M=0$ family with the spin content ${2}^{+\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}+}$, ${1}^{\ensuremath{-}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}+}$, ${0}^{+\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}+}$ (${J}^{\mathrm{PC}}$). The spin-parity of the lower $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\rho}$ peak has not been firmly established, although current evidence favors a ${2}^{+}$ assignment. We are sufficiently motivated, however, by the linearity of trajectories and by the dual-resonance model to entertain the possibility of a ${1}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ assignment and to study its consequences. A new element in the phenomenology of the $O(4)$ resonance system is the importance of the production mechanism, since not all members of the family will be produced equally in all reactions. By using the Blankenbecler-Sugar form of Regge exchange together with an "$O(4)$" field introduced in the preceding paper, we propose a simple understanding of the production mechanisms. We are thus able to make predictions for the apparent widths and spin-parity content of resonances produced in various channels. One interesting feature of our model is that the ${K}^{**}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}K\ensuremath{\pi}$ width as seen in a ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p$ experiment should be narrower than the ${K}^{**}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}K\ensuremath{\pi}$ width as seen in a ${K}^{+}p$ experiment. ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}^{H}=23$ and ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}^{L}=20$ are predicted for the ${A}^{H}({2}^{+})$ and ${A}^{L}({1}^{\ensuremath{-}})$ in the $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\rho}$ system by a finite-energy sum rule corresponding to isospin 1 and double helicity flip in the $t$ channel. Also, the $\mathrm{SU}(3)$ predictions for the true decay widths of each member of the $O(4)$ family are given. Because the dual-resonance model would also predict the production of excited states belonging to $O(4)$, we make some mock calculations in the model for comparison with the usual Regge phenomenology that we have used.
Cradle-to-Gate Life Cycle Analysis Comparison of Stamped Aluminum and Injection Molded Polypropylene Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Blades

Wind turbines have seen increasing use over the past decades as an alternative mode of energy production. One specific use of vertical axis wind turbines is for the powering of rural telecommunication towers. In this research a cradle-to-gate life cycle analysis is used to compare three different designs for a stackable, capped, Savonius-style vertical axis wind turbine blade capable of producing from one to three kilowatts. The analysis compares the energy consumed and carbon dioxide emissions from material production and manufacturing of two different aluminum blade designs and a polypropylene design each having the same energy generation capacity. Primary and secondary aluminum materials were included in the analysis. Life cycle inventories from two software programs were used and compared with values gleaned from published literature. The results of the analysis revealed that the least energy and carbon dioxide impact came from using a recycled aluminum design while the most was from manufacturing using primary aluminum.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Computational paradigm for nanoelectronics: self-assembled quantum dot cellular neural networks

Recent work on a unique locally interconnected neuromorphic architecture that can be implemented with chemically self-assembled arrays of nanowires acting as circuit nodes is reviewed. The nanowires have non-monotonic and nonlinear current/voltage characteristics (e.g. a negative differential resistance) that provide the functionality needed for complex circuit functions. This self-assembled network, which in its most rudimentary form can be ‘grown’ in a beaker using traditional electrochemistry, is theoretically capable of performing Boolean logic operations, complex image processing tasks, and associative memory functions. Relevant features of the network are described, and some recent results are presented, in particular, experimental results showing that the transport nonlinearities of the nanowires can be modulated with infrared radiation. This makes it naturally amenable to optical inputs which eliminates the need for electrical input connections and contacts, thereby allowing extremely high device density. It also makes it eminently suitable for image processing tasks. Furthermore, critical features of the system are synergistic with biologically inspired networks. The relevant circuit parameters have been experimentally extracted using a prototype self-assembled structure, and they have been used in simulations to demonstrate functionality of the network for several applications.
Meta-analysis of endovascular vs open repair for traumatic descending thoracic aortic rupture

Objectives Traumatic thoracic aortic injuries are associated with high mortality and morbidity. These patients often have multiple injuries, and delayed aortic repair is frequently used. Endoluminal grafts offer an alternative to open surgical repair. We performed a meta-analysis of comparative studies evaluating endovascular vs open repair of these injuries. Methods A systematic search of studies reporting treatment of traumatic aortic injury was performed using the following databases: Medline/PubMed, CINAHL, Proquest, Up to Date, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), ClinicalTrials.gov, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Search terms were thoracic aortic trauma, traumatic thoracic aortic injury, traumatic aortic rupture, stent graft repair, and endovascular repair. Outcomes analyzed were procedure-related mortality, overall 30-day mortality, and paraplegia/paraparesis rate using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Publication bias was investigated using funnel plots. Assessment of homogeneity was performed using the Q test; statistical heterogeneity was considered present at P Results Seventeen retrospective cohort studies from 2003 to 2007 were included. All were nonrandomized; no prospective randomized trials were found. These studies reported on 589 patients; 369 were treated with open repair, and 220 underwent thoracic stent graft placement. There was no significant difference in age (mean 38.8 years for both) or interval to repair (mean 1.5 days for endoluminal repair; 1 day for open repair). Injury severity score was higher for patients undergoing endoluminal repair (mean, 42.4 vs 37.4 for open repair, P Conclusions Meta-analysis of retrospective cohort studies indicates that endovascular treatment of descending thoracic aortic trauma is an alternative to open repair and is associated with lower postoperative mortality and ischemic spinal cord complication rates.
Anisotropic tensile behavior of Ti-6Al-4V components fabricated with directed energy deposition additive manufacturing

Abstract The present work investigates the anisotropic mechanical properties of a Ti–6Al–4V three-dimensional cruciform component fabricated using a directed energy deposition additive manufacturing (AM) process. The mechanical properties of the component in longitudinal and transverse orientations with respect to the build layers were measured under uniaxial tension. While the average ultimate tensile strength of ∼1060 MPa in both directions agrees well with prior studies on AM Ti–6Al–4V, the achieved elongations of 11% and 14% along the longitudinal and transverse directions, respectively, are higher. The enhanced ductility is partially attributed to the lack of pores present in these components. The anisotropy in ductility is attributed to the columnar prior-β grain morphology and the presence of grain boundary α, which serves as a path along which damage can preferentially accumulate, leading to fracture. In addition, the effect of oxygen on the strength and ductility of the component was studied. The findings indicate that a combined effect of an increase of 0.0124 wt.% oxygen and a decrease in α-lath width due to differential cooling at different heights within the component resulted in an increase of ultimate and yield strengths without a significant loss of ductility. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that quasi-static uniaxial tensile mechanical properties similar to those of wrought Ti–6Al–4V can be produced in an AM component without the need for post-processing heat treatments.
Image Quality In Catuterized Axial Tomography

Basic quality characteristics of computerized axial tomography images are defined and discussed with respect to the present state of the art systems. Characteristics described include accuracy, precision, noise level, contrast, and artifacts.© (1976) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Treatment of insulin resistance with peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ agonists

Insulin resistance is a characteristic feature of most patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and is almost a universal finding in type 2 diabetic patients who are overweight (1–3). The presence of insulin resistance leads to increased β-cell insulin secretion with compensatory hyperinsulinemia (1–3). As long as the hyperinsulinemia is adequate to overcome the insulin resistance, glucose tolerance remains normal. In patients destined to develop type 2 diabetes, the β-cell compensatory response declines, and relative, or absolute, insulin insufficiency develops. At this point, insulin secretion cannot keep pace with the underlying insulin resistance, and glucose intolerance and eventually frank type 2 diabetes occur. Based on these observations it is evident that, except for very unusual patients, type 2 diabetes only develops in the context of insulin resistance plus β cell dysfunction. Although there is still some debate as to whether the insulin resistance or the β-cell defect comes first, most epidemiologic studies have indicated that in the early, prediabetic state, insulin resistance is the antecedent abnormality (4, 5).
Rectangular jets in a crossflow

Rectangular jets injected from a flat plate into a crossflow at large angles have been studied. Results were obtained as surface pressure distributions, mean velocity vector plots, turbulence intensities, and Reynolds stresses in the jet plume. The length-to-width ratio of the jets was 4, and the jets were aligned streamwise as single and side-by-side dual jets. The jet injection angles were 90 and 60 deg. Surface pressure distribution results were obtained for jet-to-freestream velocity ratios of 2.2, 4, and 8. Mean flow and turbulence flowfield data were obtained for the side-by-side dual jets, mainly for the jet-to-freestream velocity ratio of 4. The jets featured strong negative pressure peaks near the front nozzle corners. The 60-deg jets produced lower magnitude negative pressures, which are distributed over a lesser area when compared to the 90-deg jets.
Consistency in nondeterministic storage

Abstract A generalization of nondeterminism, called consistent nondeterminism, is investigated. It is shown that consistent storage is exponentially more powerful than ordinary storage. Simultaneous classes obtained by bounding both amount of storage and amount of consistent nondeterminism are characterized in terms of time bounded nondeterministic complexity classes. Relationships between consistent storage complexity classes and certain oracle complexity classes are investigated.
Characteristics of neutron multilayer devices from ray-tracing calculations

Characteristics of a neutron focusing device based on five thin-film multilayers that are (1) oriented at slightly different angles with respect to the mean ray to converge the neutron beam reflected by each individual section, (2) have slightly different d-spacings such that the neutron beam reflected by each section has the same mean wavelength, were evaluated using a Monte Carlo program for a number of geometries. The influence of changing the distance between the focusing device and the detector was studied,and the effect of small deviations from the desired values was also explored.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Teaching ethics: when respect for autonomy and cultural sensitivity collide

Respect for autonomy is a key ethical principle. However, in some cultures other moral domains such as community (emphasizing the importance of family roles) and sanctity (emphasizing the sacred and the spiritual side of human nature) hold equal value. Thus, an American physician may sometimes perceive a conflict between the desire to practice ethically and the wish to be sensitive to the mores of other cultures. For example, a woman may appear to be making what the physician thinks is a bad clinical choice because her spouse is speaking on her behalf. That physician may find it difficult to reconcile the sense that the patient had not exercised freely her autonomy with the desire to be culturally sensitive. In this article, the means by which a physician can reconcile respect for other cultures with respect for autonomy is explored. The question of whether physicians must always defer to patients' requests solely because they are couched in the language of cultural sensitivity is also addressed.
Classical dynamics: The study of vibrational and rotational excitation in Li+, H2

A classical study of translational, rotational, and vibrational energy exchange in the systen Li+, H2 is presented. The potential surface used was the ab initio Lester surface appropriate for rotational and vibrational energy transfer studies. The effect of initial energy configuration and orientation variables on the energy transfer processes was studied. A central force calculation of the deflection function was made for comparison with that obtained from an anisotropic potential. The primary mode of energy transfer to the internal degrees of freedom is from translational energy.
Factors influencing clinical decisions to initiate thyroxine therapy for patients with mildly increased serum thyrotropin (5.1-10.0 mIU/L).

Objective To determine factors that influence clinicians' decisions to treat subclinical hypothyroidism. Patients and Methods We studied patients living within 120 miles of our institution in Rochester, Minn, whose serum thyrotropin value was between 5.1 and 10.0 mIU/L from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 1996. Exclusion criteria were history of thyroid disease or prior abnormal thyrotropin level and fewer than 5 follow-up visits or fewer than 2 follow-up thyrotropin measurements. Of the 2655 patients in this cohort, only 55% (1466) had measurement of thyroid microsomal antibodies (TMAb). From this group, records of 539 patients were selected randomly according to antibody status (238 with positive, 199 with negative, and 102 with no TMAb measurement). After exclusion of patients receiving thyroxine replacement and other medications affecting thyroid function, patients with postpartum thyroiditis, and patients in the intensive care unit, data from 450 patients were analyzed. Results Thyroxine therapy was prescribed for 39% of the patients with thyrotropin levels between 5.1 and 10.0 mIU/L. In multivariate analysis, TMAb status (P P 4 ) (P=.03) were the strongest predictors for the decision to treat. Fifty-nine percent of the patients with positive TMAb were treated compared with 24% of those with negative TMAb and 30% of those who did not have a TMAb test. The mean thyrotropin level in the treated group was 7.1 mIU/L compared with 6.3 mIU/L in the untreated group. The mean FT 4 level was 1.08 ng/dL in the treated group who had this measured compared with 1.16 ng/dL in the untreated group. Treated patients were younger than untreated patients (56.5 years vs 60.6 years), and the proportion of female patients was higher in the treated group compared with the untreated group (75.8% vs 65.2%); however, neither of these differences was significant after correction for the multiple comparisons. In multivariate analysis neither age nor sex was a significant predictor of treatment, but in the subgroup comparison, patients aged 31 to 50 years were twice as likely to be treated compared with those aged 61 to 80 years. Conclusion Among patients with serum thyrotropin levels of 5.1 to 10.0 mIU/L, those with positive TMAb values, those with higher thyrotropin values, and those with lower FT 4 values were more likely to receive thyroxine therapy. Younger patients were more likely to be treated than older patients.
Belief updating in a fuzzy expert system

We argue that with the addition of a rule-ranking procedure, our fuzzy expert system FLOPS can correct previous conclusions given new, possibly conflicting, information.
Chelation Properties of Silica-Bound 1,10-Phenanthroline

Abstract Synthesis of 4-formyl-1,10-phenanthroIine and its immobilization on silica via hydrazone formation with hydrazinophenylsilyl groups on Chromosorb is described. Chelation and chromatographic properties are reported for various transition metal ions.
Large, But Adaptable? A Successful Population Policy and Its Long Term Effects

A restrictive population policy led to almost doubling the number of newborns from one year to another in Romania in the 1960s. Twenty years later, this large generation (of women) enters a marriage market with few eligible older mates, in a society where marriage is a must. In this article, I analyze this social experiment within the broader frame of the marriage squeeze/two sex models. Using various data from censuses and surveys, I argue that the marriage market is flexible even when is confronted with disproportionately large cohorts. If the social pressure toward marriage is strong, the marriage rates do not necessarily fall, but the mating age patterns change.
Language network dysfunction as a predictor of outcome in youth at clinical high-risk for psychosis

Abstract Objectives Language processing abnormalities are a hallmark feature of schizophrenia. Yet, no study to date has investigated underlying neural networks associated with discourse processing in adolescents at clinical high risk (CHR) for developing psychosis 1 . Methods Forty CHR youth and 24 demographically comparable healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a naturalistic discourse processing paradigm. We assessed differences in blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) activity between task conditions (Topic Maintenance vs. Reasoning) and between groups. Furthermore, we examined the association of regional brain activity with symptom severity and social outcome at follow-up, 6 to 24 months after the scan. Results Relative to controls, CHR participants showed increased neural activity in a network of language-associated brain regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex bilaterally, left inferior frontal (LIFG; BA44/45, 47) and middle temporal gyri, and the anterior cingulate (BA24 and 32). Further, increased activity in the superior temporal gyrus (STG), caudate, and LIFG distinguished those who subsequently developed psychosis. Within the CHR sample, severity of positive formal thought disorder at follow-up was positively correlated with signal change in the LIFG, superior frontal gyrus, and inferior/middle temporal gyri, whereas social outcome was inversely correlated with signal change in the LIFG and anterior cingulate. Conclusions These findings are consistent with a neural inefficiency hypothesis in those at greatest risk for psychosis, and additionally suggest that baseline activation differences may predict symptomatic and functional outcome. These results highlight the need to further investigate the neural systems involved in conversion to psychosis, and how language disruption changes over time in at-risk adolescents.
Heterologous tissue culture expression signature predicts human breast cancer prognosis.

Background Cancer patients have highly variable clinical outcomes owing to many factors, among which are genes that determine the likelihood of invasion and metastasis. This predisposition can be reflected in the gene expression pattern of the primary tumor, which may predict outcomes and guide the choice of treatment better than other clinical predictors. Methodology/Principal Findings We developed an mRNA expression-based model that can predict prognosis/outcomes of human breast cancer patients regardless of microarray platform and patient group. Our model was developed using genes differentially expressed in mouse plasma cell tumors growing in vivo versus those growing in vitro. The prediction system was validated using published data from three cohorts of patients for whom microarray and clinical data had been compiled. The model stratified patients into four independent survival groups (BEST, GOOD, BAD, and WORST: log-rank test p = 1.7×10−8). Conclusions Our model significantly improved the survival prediction over other expression-based models and permitted recognition of patients with different prognoses within the estrogen receptor-positive group and within a single pathological tumor class. Basing our predictor on a dataset that originated in a different species and a different cell type may have rendered it less sensitive to proliferation differences and endowed it with wide applicability. Significance Prognosis prediction for patients with breast cancer is currently based on histopathological typing and estrogen receptor positivity. Yet both assays define groups that are heterogeneous in survival. Gene expression profiling allows subdivision of these groups and recognition of patients whose tumors are very unlikely to be lethal and those with much grimmer outlooks, which can augment the predictive power of conventional tumor analysis and aid the clinician in choosing relaxed vs. aggressive therapy.
Density Patterns of Piper Ant-Plants and Associated Arthropods: Top-Predator Trophic Cascades in a Terrestrial System?1

Top-predator (fourth-trophic-level) controlled trophic cascades are thought to be uncommon in terrestrial systems, but actual quantitative tests and comparisons of bottom-up and top-down forces in systems with more than three linear trophic levels are rare. Here, we describe the density patterns of the arthropod community associated with Piper ant-plants in Costa Rican wet forests. Consumers in this community comprise a complex, interacting web of herbivores, predaceous ants, and predators of ants. Although the hollow stems and petioles of the Piper plants provide some protection to resident ants from predation, specialized Dipoena spiders and Phyllobaenus beetles exploit Pheidole ants inhabiting Piper plants. We report abundance patterns of plants, ants and predators in four forests. These patterns of abundance are consistent with predictions of top-down cascades across four trophic levels when the top predators are effective (beetles). We discuss how top-down and bottom-up forces may interact in systems with less effective top predators (spiders).
Δ3,5,7,Δ2,4,6-Trienoyl-CoA Isomerase, a Novel Enzyme That Functions in the β-Oxidation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids with Conjugated Double Bonds

Abstract The mitochondrial metabolism of unsaturated fatty acids with conjugated double bonds at odd-numbered positions,e.g. 9-cis,11-trans-octadecadienoic acid, was investigated. These fatty acids are substrates of β-oxidation in isolated rat liver mitochondria and hence are expected to yield 5,7-dienoyl-CoA intermediates. 5,7-Decadienoyl-CoA was used to study the degradation of these intermediates. After introduction of a 2-trans-double bond by acyl-CoA dehydrogenase or acyl-CoA oxidase, the resultant 2,5,7-decatrienoyl-CoA can either continue its pass through the β-oxidation cycle or be converted by Δ3,Δ2-enoyl-CoA isomerase to 3,5,7-decatrienoyl-CoA. The latter compound was isomerized by a novel enzyme, named Δ3,5,7,Δ2,4,6-trienoyl-CoA isomerase, to 2,4,6-decatrienoyl-CoA, which is a substrate of 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase (Wang, H.-Y. and Schulz, H. (1989)Biochem. J. 264, 47–52) and hence can be completely degraded via β-oxidation. Δ3,5,7,Δ2,4,6-Trienoyl-CoA isomerase was purified from pig heart to apparent homogeneity and found to be a component enzyme of Δ3,5,Δ2,4-dienoyl-CoA isomerase. Although the direct β-oxidation of 2,5,7-decatrienoyl-CoA seems to be the major pathway, the degradation via 2,4,6-trienoyl-CoA makes a significant contribution to the total β-oxidation of this intermediate.
Electrical activity of human limbic system during sleep

Abstract Visual analysis of 12 all-night depth recordings from two schizophrenic and six epileptic patients was compared to a previous study of chimpanzee sleep. Findings present in both human disease conditions and in normal chimpanzee include amygdaloid independence from cortical sleep staging, presence of a characteristic nonREM hippocampal waveform, and hippocampal preceding cortical flattening during arousal from stage 4 sleep. Some limbic sites in the human patients showed slow activity during REM and low voltage fast activity during stage 4. This last observation supports a sleep model which suggests that the differences in mental activity and in brain electrical activity during different sleep stages represent environmental surveillance by one portion of the brain during REM periods and by another during nonREM periods.
Quasiequilibrium approximation of fast reaction kinetics in stochastic biochemical systems.

We address the problem of eliminating fast reaction kinetics in stochastic biochemical systems by employing a quasiequilibrium approximation. We build on two previous methodologies developed by [Haseltine and Rawlings, J. Chem. Phys. 117, 6959 (2002)] and by [Rao and Arkin, J. Chem. Phys. 118, 4999 (2003)]. By following Haseltine and Rawlings, we use the numbers of occurrences of the underlying reactions to characterize the state of a biochemical system. We consider systems that can be effectively partitioned into two distinct subsystems, one that comprises “slow” reactions and one that comprises “fast” reactions. We show that when the probabilities of occurrence of the slow reactions depend at most linearly on the states of the fast reactions, we can effectively eliminate the fast reactions by modifying the probabilities of occurrence of the slow reactions. This modification requires computation of the mean states of the fast reactions, conditioned on the states of the slow reactions. By assuming that wi...
I meditate on Descartes

This essay uses ficto-criticism to narrate how breast cancer initiates an investigation into Cartesian and feminist theories of mind and body. The essay traces how assumptions about embodiment and mutuality of mind/body connections get rethought as the process of surgery, treatment and healing unfolds.
A simple vector modification to facilitate oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis.

Abstract We describe a simple modification of commonly used single-stranded cloning vectors that permits the efficient recovery of mutant DNA molecules in oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis experiments, even when the absolute efficiency of mutagenesis is very low. The modification consists of the insertion of a short synthetic DNA fragment into the vector's polylinker and permits the identification of mutant clones based on a standard chromogenic plate assay for bacterial colonies or phage plaques producing functional beta-galactosidase. Other useful properties of the original vector are retained in the modified version. In vitro mutagenesis reactions are carried out with two oligonucleotides, one to introduce the mutation of interest, and the second to correct a frameshift mutation introduced into the beta-galactosidase gene of the modified vector. We have found that these two sequence changes are closely linked following transformation of an appropriate E. coli strain with the products of the in vitro mutagenesis reaction, and have thereby recovered desired mutations at a frequency of about 50% even when the overall mutagenesis efficiency is less than 1%. By alternately correcting and re-introducing the beta-galactosidase frameshift mutation, we have shown that multiple rounds of mutagenesis can be carried out on the same template with a high efficiency of mutant recovery in each step. Modifications similar or identical to those we describe here should be feasible for most commonly used single-stranded cloning vectors and should increase the usefulness of these vectors by providing an additional option for oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis to be used in conjunction with or in lieu of other commonly used approaches.
Characteristics of indium tin oxide films deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering

Abstract Highly conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) films were deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering using ITO targets. The composition of the ITO targets was 90% indium oxide and 10% tin oxide. ITO films were deposited on 1 mm thick soda lime glass. Films deposited at substrate temperature of 300 °C, exhibited resistivities as low as 1.3 × 10−4ohm cm−1. Annealing of the ITO films in air for 2 h was necessary for achieving low resistivities. X-ray diffraction and transmissivity tests were carried out to study the effects of annealing. Lowest resistivity and highest transmission were found to occur at an annealing temperature of 350 °C. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that the as deposited film had a strongly (222) oriented cubic structure. Annealing relieved the as deposited tensile strain and increased crystal perfection.
State variations in Medicare expenditures.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined variations in Medicare expenditures across states. METHODS: 1992 data on average Medicare expenditures per enrollee, users of services per 1000 enrollees, service use per user, and payment per unit of service were compared across states for various services. Weighted least squares regression analysis was employed to examine total Medicare expenditures per enrollee by state. RESULTS: Variation in Medicare expenditures across states is driven more by average number of service users per 1000 enrollees and average service units per user than by average payment per service unit. Medicare expenditures per enrollee by state are primarily a function of Medicare HMO penetration rate (P = .000), urban area (P = .001), hospital bed supply (P = .005), elderly mortality rate (P = .012), Medicare physician assignment rate (P = .026), percentage of primary care practitioners (P = .042), and interactions between urban elderly and percentage of primary care physicians (P = .005) and Black e...
Residents' corner: multiple pyogenic granuloma-like lesions following hair transplantation

. Multiple pyogenic granuloma-like lesions occurring at punch graft sites are an unusual complication of hair transplantation heretofore unreported. While the etiology and pathogenesis of such lesions remain elusive, physicians performing hair transplantations should be aware of this potential sequela.
PIV and PLIF Measurements of Model Urban Flows in a Water Channel

Systematic and hierarchical water channel experiments were conducted with the goal of obtaining better understanding of complex urban flows. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) together with Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) were used for comprehensive flow and concentration measurements within a modeled urban setup. Mock urban settings were reproduced using acrylic blocs whose refraction index is the same as the refraction index of salty water. Such setup allowed for undisturbed laser sheet illumination through the obstacles enabling detailed measurements between the obstacles (mock buildings). Building array size, measurement plane and flow conditions were systematically varied. Challenges and benefits of using transparent materials with the laser based flow measurements will be outlined. Novel flow features observed and quantitatively measured within the complex mock urban settings will be presented and discussed. It was found that lateral array size has significant influence on initial dispersion within the array. Smaller array size lead to sideways flow channeling causing significant plume spread. This sideways channeling becomes less pronounced as array size increases.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Long term voltage stability thevenin index using voltage locus method

Monitoring long term voltage stability of the power grid is necessary to ensure the secure operation of the system. In this paper, the voltage locus of the load phasor as a function of the load increase is studied is studied from a geometric perspective. This locus is used to propose a Voltage Stability Index based on the magnitude of the measured voltage and calculated thevenin equivalent angles. A novel method to calculate only the necessary thevenin parameters is presented. The proposed Voltage Stability Index and the efficient thevenin calculation method are tested on the IEEE-30 Bus system with lagging, unity and leading power factors.
Involvement of Aureobasidium pullulans and Rhodotorula glutinis in Russet of d'Anjou Pear Fruit

d'Anjou pear, the main cultivar grown in the Mid-Columbia Region of Oregon, is subject to russeting of the fruit surface, resulting in reduced quality and value. The role of Aureobasidium pullulans and Rhodotorula glutinis in russet of pear fruit was studied. Inoculations were done at full bloom in 1998 and 1999 and petal fall in 1999 with a log range of concentrations up to 108CFU/ml. Populations of A. pullulans on floral and fruit tissue were monitored during spring 1999 and 2000 in six orchards with a history of russet. Russet of fruit in both studies was evaluated at harvest. In 1998 neither fungus increased russet. In 1999, inoculation with two strains of each fungus at 108 CFU/ml increased russet. Inoculation with 104 or 106 CFU/ml did not increase russet in either year. In commercial orchards, there was no correlation between fruit russet and the populations of A. pullulans on floral and fruit tissue. Populations were less than 103 CFU/g of tissue. We conclude that A. pullulans and R. glutinis are not major contributors to russet of d'Anjou pear fruit in the Mid-Columbia Region.
Si-N bond hydrolysis furnishes a planar 4-coordinate 14-electron Ru(II) complex with a triplet ground state.

Reaction of stoichiometric (2:1) water with [(tBu2PCH2SiMe2)2N]Ru(OSO2CF3) produces planar, 14-valence-electron spin triplet trans-Ru(tBu2PCH2SiMe2O)2. A possible mechanism for this hydrolysis is discussed. This molecule reacts rapidly with CO to give a monocarbonyl, then a cis-dicarbonyl. Reaction with HCCR (R = H or Ph) yields the vinylidene (tBu2PCH2SiMe2O)2RuCCHR.
Experiments in Teaching: Re-Imagining the Spiral Curriculum

Abstract This article documents a collaborative artistic reconstruction of Jerome Bruner's “spiral curriculum” which took place in an introductory graduate course in the foundations of curriculum. In this project, students and their instructor together explored the spiral curriculum as a site for an arts-based examination of knowledge, identity, and textual analysis. Participants created visual representations of the spiral curriculum that functioned alternately as an artwork and also as ground for the construction of a diverse set of complex and often contradictory curricular meanings. In producing this textual/artistic re-imagination, participants discussed and analyzed the educational, aesthetic, and ideological factors which shape their thinking about curriculum.
Increased Dihydrofolate Reductase Activity as a Possible Basis of Drug Resistance in Leukæmia

Increased Dihydrofolate Reductase Activity as a Possible Basis of Drug Resistance in Leukaemia
Lack of oxytocin effect on sperm output in oligospermic males.

Abstract Oxytocin when administered intravenously had no detectable effect on sperm count, seminal volume, or total ejaculated sperm number in oligospermic males.
Fatal Cardiac Dysrhythmia Following a Bupropion Overdose in an Adolescent

Bupropion is an antidepressant that is currently used in the treatment of depression, attention deficit-hyperactive disorder, and bipolar diseases; as well as an aid in smoking cessation. Although its neurotoxicity and propensity to cause seizures are well described in the literature, bupropion has been suggested to be a more desirable antidepressant when compared to the tricyclic antidepressants due to its lack of cardiotoxicity. To date, there are limited reports with regard to cardiac toxicity. The authors present a 15-year-old boy who developed torsades de pointes and cardiac arrest as a result of a bupropion overdose. Other reports of potential cardiac toxicity related to bupropion are reviewed.
Path to the Interpeduncular Fossa: Anatomical Comparison of Endoscopic-Assisted versus Standard Subtemporal Approach.

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the assumed advantage of endoscopic assistance to the standard subtemporal approach. The idea was to measure qualitatively and quantitatively visibility versus operability. Design We performed eight subtemporal dissections on four cadaver heads. Our dissections integrated an operating microscope, endoscope, and neuronavigation. Comparison was made between visibility and operability afforded by the microscope alone or by the microscope–endoscope combination. Visibility was recorded as complete or incomplete and was quantified for key structures using linear measurements taken by the navigation system. Operability was determined by whichever maneuvers could be safely and comfortably accomplished in the space afforded. Results From our survey, the structures whose visibility most benefitted from the addition of the endoscope include: contralateral third nerve, posterior perforated substance, mammillary bodies, and contralateral superior cerebellar artery. With regard to quantitative evaluation, we found increased visibility of both basilar artery and posterior cerebral artery. With regard to the operability, no objective advantage was afforded by the addition of the endoscope. Subjectively, the maneuvers were easier to perform while using the endoscope. Conclusion Using the endoscope as an assistance tool during conducting classical subtemporal approach can help in overcome a lot of the classical subtemporal approach limitations.
Lingering construct of lactic acidosis

### Lingering construct of lactic acidosis We would like to thank Dr. Kemp ([6][1]) and Boning et al. ([4][2]) for their letters to the editor and Dr. Lindinger et al. ([8][3]) for their editorial contributions to the topic of the biochemistry of metabolic acidosis in contracting skeletal muscle.
Why is 5-fluorouracil a mutagen?

Abstract Although 5-flourouracil causes mutations in vivo , consistent with its enol tautomer mispairing with a guanine, in vitro studies have failed to illustrate such mispairing. This paper studies the properties of the isolated 1-methyl derivatives of uracil (mU), 5-fluorouracil (mflU), thymine and 5-chlorouracil, and the binding energies of the first two of these, in both tautomeric forms, with 9-methyl adenine and 9-methyl guanine using the CNDO/2 method. The slight tendency to be in the enol form is found to be greater for mflU that mU. The base pairing energies favour a greater mispairing for mU than mflU. The balance of these two effects yields a mispairing probability of ∼ 10 −8 for mU with mflU greater by a factor of 1.3, in reasonable agreement with experimental findings. This low probability makes it hard to observe such mispairing. In the predominant keto forms, mflU binds stronger to 9-methyl adenine than mU, explaining polyfluorouridylic acid's less ambiguous coding for phenylalanine. The order of increasing enol formation for the above isolated pyrimidines agrees with that of decreasing electron population on only N 3 in the keto form, but not with that of increasing electronegativity of the 5-position substituents. The Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding scheme is found more stable than the Watson-Crick one for an isolated base pair.
Phenomenon of nitrate tolerance

The phenomenon of nitrate tolerance has now been appreciated for almost a century, and our understanding of this process has greatly improved during the past 20 years. Therapeutic nitrates are now recognized as exogenous sources of nitric oxide (or nitrosothiols), which appears to be a primary mediator of natural vasodilatation. Nitrates have been clearly shown to have vasodilatory and antiplatelet effects, both of which diminish during continuous exposure. Nitrate tolerance has been documented with most nitrate preparations when the patient is given continuous nitrate therapy. Tolerance to nitrates may occur in any patient, regardless of underlying illness, medication dose, or serum concentration of NTG. The cause of this phenomenon is multifactorial; there appear to be both cellular and systemic processes involved. To date, no adjuvant pharmacologic intervention has conclusively demonstrated benefit in preventing, abating, or reversing nitrate tolerance. Interruption of nitrate exposure for as little as 8 to 12 hours does appear to be the best means of preventing or reversing tolerance. Nevertheless, some patients with objective tolerance continue to experience relief of symptoms. In addition, despite laboratory-documented cross-tolerance, patients receiving continuous nitrate therapy at usual clinical doses may continue to benefit from the hemodynamic and antianginal effects of SL NTG. Hence, nitrate tolerance is a real entity, but the clinical importance of this phenomenon remains controversial. Finally, further investigation will need to address quality-of-life issues and perhaps assess relief of ischemia by other means.
Contiguous deletion and duplication mutations resulting in type 1 hereditary angioneurotic edema

Mutations that cause low antigenic and functional levels of C1 inhibitor protein result in type 1 hereditary angioneurotic edema. This disease is characterized by episodic edema leading to considerable morbidity and sometimes death. We present here two novel mutations in the reactive center coding region. One mutation is a deletion of an imperfect palindrome encompassing nucleotides 1395–1428 and the other is a direct duplication of nucleotides 1414–1433. These mutations do not depend on improper pairing of direct repeats, but may form as a consequence of a peculiar consensus sequence or an alternative secondary structure.
Wrist posture affects hand and forearm muscle stress during tapping

Non-neutral wrist posture is a risk factor of the musculoskeletal disorders among computer users. This study aimed to assess internal loads on hand and forearm musculature while tapping in different wrist postures. Ten healthy subjects tapped on a key switch using their index finger in four wrist postures: straight, ulnar deviated, flexed and extended. Torque at the finger and wrist joints were calculated from measured joint postures and fingertip force. Muscle stresses of the six finger muscles and four wrist muscles that balanced the calculated joint torques were estimated using a musculoskeletal model and optimization algorithm minimizing the squared sum of muscle stress. Non-neutral wrist postures resulted in greater muscle stresses than the neutral (straight) wrist posture, and the stress in the extensor muscles were greater than the flexors in all conditions. Wrist extensors stress remained higher than 4.5 N/cm² and wrist flexor stress remained below 0.5 N/cm² during tapping. The sustained high motor unit recruitment of extensors suggests a greater risk than other muscles especially in flexed wrist posture. This study demonstrated from the perspective of internal tissue loading the importance of maintaining neutral wrist posture during keying activities.
Motivating Students by Building Self-Efficacy

This is a continuing series of quarterly articles on lessons learned and best practices in civil engineering education. The intent of the series is to reinforce good practices, describe new or developing practices, and provide a forum for what works well and what does not. It is hoped that this series will be an important quarterly read for all civil engineering educators and all those interested in what’s going on in civil engineering education today. Authors and topics will vary from issue to issue. Contact the associate editor, Mark Evans, at mark.evans@usma.edu if you wish to contribute to an upcoming issue.
Ethnic differences in knowledge and attitudes about BRCA1 testing in women at increased risk

Informed consent for BRCA1 mutation testing will require adequate knowledge of patterns of inheritance of cancer and the benefits, limitations, and risks of DNA testing. This study examined knowledge about the inheritance of breast cancer and attitudes about genetic testing for breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility in women at increased risk. Knowledge and attitudes were measured in 407 African American and Caucasian women aged 18-75 who had at least one first-degree relative (FDR) with breast and/or ovarian cancer. The average knowledge score was 6.0 out of a total of 11 (S.D. = 2.15). Compared to Caucasian women, African American women had lower levels of knowledge and had more positive attitudes about the benefits of genetic testing. There were no significant ethnic differences in attitudes about the limitations and risks of testing, however, income was negatively associated with this outcome. Ethnic differences in knowledge and attitudes about genetic testing for breast-ovarian cancer risk may be attributable to differences in exposure to genetic information and referral by health care providers.