cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An iterative solution to the finite-time linear quadratic optimal feedback control problem

Saridis's successive approximation theory is applied to the finite-time linear quadratic optimal control problem. The result is an iterative scheme which successively improves any initial control law ultimately converging to the optimal state feedback control. The novelty of the approach is that the solution of a nonlinear Riccati equation is replaced by the successive solution to a linear Lyapunov equation. Numerical examples illustrate the approach.
Genome mining for methanobactins

Methanobactins (Mbns) are a family of copper-binding natural products involved in copper uptake by methanotrophic bacteria. The few Mbns that have been structurally characterized feature copper coordination by two nitrogen-containing heterocycles next to thioamide groups embedded in a peptidic backbone of varying composition. Mbns are proposed to derive from post-translational modification of ribosomally synthesized peptides, but only a few genes encoding potential precursor peptides have been identified. Moreover, the relevance of neighboring genes in these genomes has been unclear. The potential for Mbn production in a wider range of bacterial species was assessed by mining microbial genomes. Operons encoding Mbn-like precursor peptides, MbnAs, were identified in 16 new species, including both methanotrophs and, surprisingly, non-methanotrophs. Along with MbnA, the core of the operon is formed by two putative biosynthetic genes denoted MbnB and MbnC. The species can be divided into five groups on the basis of their MbnA and MbnB sequences and their operon compositions. Additional biosynthetic proteins, including aminotransferases, sulfotransferases and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent oxidoreductases were also identified in some families. Beyond biosynthetic machinery, a conserved set of transporters was identified, including MATE multidrug exporters and TonB-dependent transporters. Additional proteins of interest include a di-heme cytochrome c peroxidase and a partner protein, the roles of which remain a mystery. This study indicates that Mbn-like compounds may be more widespread than previously thought, but are not present in all methanotrophs. This distribution of species suggests a broader role in metal homeostasis. These data provide a link between precursor peptide sequence and Mbn structure, facilitating predictions of new Mbn structures and supporting a post-translational modification biosynthetic pathway. In addition, testable models for Mbn transport and for methanotrophic copper regulation have emerged. Given the unusual modifications observed in Mbns characterized thus far, understanding the roles of the putative biosynthetic proteins is likely to reveal novel pathways and chemistry.
Environmental Stresses and Skeletal Deformities in Fish from the Willamette River, Oregon

The Willamette River, one of 14 American Heritage Rivers, flows through the most densely populated and agriculturally productive region of Oregon. Previous biological monitoring of the Willamette River detected elevated frequencies of skeletal deformities in fish from certain areas of the lower (Newberg pool [NP], rivermile [RM] 26−55) and middle (Wheatland Ferry [WF], RM 72−74) river, relative to those in the upper river (Corvallis [CV], RM 125−138). The objective of this study was to determine the likely cause of these skeletal deformities. In 2002 and 2003, deformity loads in Willamette River fishes were 2−3 times greater at the NP and WF locations than at the CV location. There were some differences in water quality parameters between the NP and CV sites, but they did not readily explain the difference in deformity loads. Concentrations of bioavailable metals were below detection limits (0.6−1 μg/L). Concentrations of bioavailable polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorinated pesticides were genera...
Combined Mode Heat Transfer Analysis Utilizing Radiation Scaling

La loi d'echelle du rayonnement est appliquee a l'equation d'energie qui est resolue par une methode de differences finies
Structural analogs of 5'-methylthioadenosine as substrates and inhibitors of 5'-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase and as inhibitors of human lymphocyte transformation.

Abstract 5'-Deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA) phosphorylase was purified 13.4-fold from human peripheral lymphocytes. The enzyme demonstrated normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics with K m values of 26 μM and 7.5 mM for the two substrates. MTA and phosphate, respectively. The rate of MTA degradation was temperature dependent, 47° being the optimum temperature. Five structural analogs served as alternative substrates with K m values ranging from 31 to 53 μM while two compounds, 5'-deoxy-5'methylthiotubercidin (MTT) ( K i = 31 μ M) and adenine ( K i = 172 μ M), were inhibitory. These same analogs were examined as inhibitors of mitogen-induced human lymphocyte blastogenesis. MTT was found to be the most effective inhibitor of lymphocyte transformation with an I 50 of 80 μM.
The Use of Exposure-Based Treatment Among Individuals With PTSD and Co-occurring Substance Use Disorders: Clinical Considerations.

Integrative treatments for co-occurring posttraumatic stress (PTSD) and substance use disorders have been shown to be safe and effective. Improvement in PTSD symptoms can positively impact substance use outcomes. Interventions that include exposure-based techniques, which are considered the treatment of choice for PTSD, have not been well studied in substance-abusing populations. Concurrent treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders with Prolonged Exposure (COPE) is a manualized psychotherapy that combines both imaginal and in vivo exposure techniques for PTSD with cognitive behavioral techniques for substance use disorders. Preliminary studies using COPE demonstrate promise and feasibility. In this article the authors explore the clinical considerations when implementing exposure-based therapy for PTSD in substance-abusing individuals.
Intraventricular muscle band mimicking asymmetric ventricular septal hypertrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Asymmetric thickening of the anterior ventricular septum is the most characteristic morphologic feature of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC).1–3 The diagnosis of HC is frequently made clinically by the echocardiographic identification of this feature.1 However, a number of pitfalls have been recognized as interfering in the precise quantification of septal thickness by echocardiography. 4,5 The present report illustrates one such example of unusual left ventricular anatomy creating the mistaken impression that HC may have been present in a patient with bacterial endocarditis.
Dose‐Escalation Study of ICA‐17043 in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Study Objective. To determine the dose tolerance, safety, and pharmacokinetics of a single oral dose of ICA-17043 in patients with sickle cell disease. Design. Phase I, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose, dose-escalation study. Setting. Four university medical centers. Patients. Twenty-eight patients with sickle cell disease, aged 18–60 years, who were otherwise healthy and in a noncrisis state. Intervention. Patients in three separate dose cohorts—50 mg, 100 mg, and 150 mg—received single doses of ICA-17043 or placebo. Measurements and Main Results. The mean area under the concentration-time curve from time zero extrapolated to infinity (AUC0–∞) for ICA-17043 increased in a dose-related manner (11,827, 19,697, and 30,676 ng•hr/ml for 50, 100, and 150 mg, respectively). Overall mean half-life was 12.8 days. Mean peak plasma concentrations rose between the 50- and 100-mg dose levels but plateaued at 150 mg (59.1, 108.7, and 109.1 ng/ml, respectively). Weekly pharmacokinetic and safety assessments were conducted in each patient during the follow-up phase for 56 days. No dose-limiting adverse events were noted in any of the patients. Conclusion. Total systemic exposure of ICA-17043 after a single oral dose, as measured by AUC0–∞, increased nearly proportionally with the dose. The rate of absorption, however, appeared to be delayed at doses greater than 100 mg. With the long half-life of ICA-17043 demonstrated in this study, once-daily dosing is probably adequate to maintain steady-state plasma concentrations. In addition, single doses of ICA-17043 were well tolerated.
Mutagenicity at the Hprt locus in T cells of female mice following inhalation exposures to low levels of 1,3-butadiene

Abstract A study was conducted to test the hypothesis that repeated low level exposures to 1,3-butadiene (BD), approaching the OSHA occupational threshold for this chemical, produce a significant mutagenic response in mice. Female B6C3F1 mice (4–5 weeks of age) were exposed by inhalation for 2 weeks (6 h/day, 5 days/week) to 0 or 3 ppm BD, and then necropsied at 4 weeks after the cessation of exposures to measure the frequency of mutations (MF) at the Hprt locus using the T-lymphocyte clonal assay. At necropsy, T cells were isolated from spleen and cultured in the presence of mitogen, growth factors, and a selection agent. Cells were scored for growth on days 8–9 after plating to determine cloning efficiencies (CEs) and Hprt MFs. There was a marginal but significant reduction in the growth of splenic T cells from mice exposed to 3 ppm ( n =27) compared with control mice ( n =24) ( P =0.004), suggesting the occurrence of BD-induced cytotoxicity at this low exposure concentration. In addition, the average Hprt MF in mice exposed to 3 ppm BD [1.54±0.82 (S.D.)×10 −6 ] was significantly increased by 1.6-fold over the average control value of 0.96±0.51 (S.D.)×10 −6 ( P =0.004). Comparisons of these data to earlier Hprt mutagenicity studies of mice exposed to high concentrations of BD (where significant mutagenic but not cytotoxic effects were observed) indicate that the ability to detect the cytotoxic and mutagenic responses of T cells to low levels of BD was enhanced by using a much larger sample size than usual for both the control and treatment groups. Additional analyses of the quantitative relationships between CE and MF demonstrated that CE had no significant effect upon MF values in sham-exposed control mice or mice exposed to low-level BD. Furthermore, the approaches for assessing the impact of CE and clonality on Hprt MFs in these control and BD-exposed mice were applied with the same rigor as in in vivo Hprt mutagenicity studies in human children. The overall study results support the conclusion that short-term low-level BD exposure is mutagenic in the mouse.
Validation of Self-Reported Health Literacy Questions Among Diverse English and Spanish-Speaking Populations

Background Limited health literacy (HL) contributes to poor health outcomes and disparities, and direct measurement is often time-intensive. Self-reported HL questions have not been validated among Spanish-speaking and diverse English-speaking populations.
Relative Efficacy of Clindamycin, Erythromycin, and Penicillin in Treatment of Treponema pallidum in Skin Syphilomas of Rabbits

The currently recommended antibiotic for treatment of fetal syphilis in pregnant women who are allergic to penicillin is erythromycin. However, clindamycin crosses the placenta more effectively than erythromycin. Therefore, an in vivo rabbit model of intradermal syphilomas was used to determine the effect of clindamycin compared with the effects of erythromycin and penicillin on the growth of virulent Treponema pallidum. The average number of motile treponemes in two, paired, mature lesions was determined before and after therapy in groups of four rabbits per dosage. Single intramuscular doses of clindamycin (15 and 40 mg/kg) and erythromycin (12 and 40 mg/kg) did not decrease treponeme counts significantly. Single injections of penicillin (10,000 units/kg) reduced treponemal counts by more than 250-fold. Multiple intramuscular injections of clindamycin reduced counts by five- to sevenfold, whereas multiple doses of erythromycin and penicillin decreased treponeme counts by greater than 300-fold. These studies indicate that clindamycin is far less active than erythromycin or penicillin in treatment of established syphilitic lesions in rabbits.
Assessing response to treatment and recognizing residual depressive symptoms.

Abstract Effective assessment of antidepressant response is necessary in order to detect and resolve residual symptoms. Most patients will experience residual symptoms, but no single rating scale or assessment method is able to effectively detect all of the symptoms that patients may experience. Residual symptoms comprise symptoms as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as well as non-DSM symptoms. Therefore, clinicians need to use a variety of assessment methods and consider several factors that may be contributing to residual symptoms. When residual symptoms are detected, clinicians must decide on the next-step treatment strategy, which can include continuing the current treatment, switching to within-class agents, switching to agents with a different mechanism of action, or augmenting medications.
Part‐time faculty and professional development: Notes from the field

As community colleges become dependent on a contingent workforce, the recruitment, retention, and motivation of quality part-time faculty become an institutional priority. This chapter presents an overview of the practices of three exemplary colleges in providing innovative professional development for part-time faculty.
Characteristics of hybrids of ovine LH and human glycoprotein hormone subunits in rat and chicken in vitro test systems.

Hybrids of ovine luteinizing hormone (oLH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) subunits were prepared and characterized. Human luteinizing hormone (hLH), hCG, oLH, and the hybrid gonadotropins hCGo:oLHj3 and oLHa:hCGLI were tested for biological potency using three assays: 1) rat testis radioreceptor assay, 2) rat Leydig cell steroidogenesis assay, and 3) rooster testis steroidogenesis assay. In each assay the hybrid gonadotropins behaved characteristically as the parent gonadotropins from which the beta subunits were obtained. In the rat testis radioreceptor assay, hCG and oLHa:hCGI3 were about 3 times as potent as 0LH and hCGa:0LHII. When assayed using the rat Leydig cell steroidogenesis assay, hCG and oLH :hCGj3 were about 1.25 times as potent as 0LH and hCGo:oLHj3. In the rooster testis steroidogenesis assay, 0LH and hCGo: oLHfl were about 300 times more potent than hCG or oLHa:hCG$3. The hLH behaved similarly but not identical to hCG in each assay system. This study shows that the structure(s) responsible for differences in potency between human and ovine LH resides in the beta subunit. The relatively similar behavior of hLH and hCG in these assays as contrasted to 0LH indicates that the structure responsible for differing LH potencies is not in the carboxyl terminal 26 amino acids which are unique to chorionic gonadotropins. The high sialic acid content of hCG also appears unrelated since 80% desialated hCG was slightly less potent than hCG in the chicken test system. The conclusion is that one or more point mutations have occurred in the evolution of the LH beta subunit which render human glycoprotein hormones with luteinizing hormone activity almost inactive in the chicken, or more specifically, the chicken receptor system. The glycoprotein hormone alpha subunits from the sheep and human species appear functionally identical.
"Human Debris": Border Politics, Body Parts, and the Reclamation of the Americas in Leslie Marmon Silko's Almanac of the Dead

Ann Folwell Stanford shows how Leslie Marmon Silko uses bodies and body parts as symbols of an unruly society in Almanac of the Dead: A Novel. Drawing on Mayan beliefs and prophecies as well as on contemporary social realities, Silko probes medicine's entanglements in the profit motive that make it simultaneously vulnerable and culpable. A characteristic Euro-American force inextricably linked to the oppression and domination of the have-nots, medicine becomes a governing image and one of the ideological engines behind this work.
New applications of resonance neutron radiography

Abstract The determination of the location and amount of an isotope in a complex matrix of materials, termed Resonance Neutron Radiography, has been applied to a varietyf of non-destructive assay tasks in the fields of nuclear power, ordinance, industry, and agriculture.
Distinguishing ischemic cardiomyopathy from nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy with coronary echocardiography

Transthoracic echocardiographic examination of the proximal left coronary system was performed in 59 patients who had dilated cardiomyopathy to determine if this technique could distinguish between ischemic and nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. With use of annular array transducers (3.5 or 5 MHz) and digital image processing, echocardiographic visualization of the coronary arteries was successful in 55 (93%) of 59 patients. As assessed by coronary angiography, 32 subjects had ischemic cardiomyopathy and 27 had nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Twenty-seven (84%) of the 32 patients who had coronary artery disease and 24 (89%) of the 27 patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy were correctly identified. The accuracy of coronary echocardiography was 86% in the entire study group and 93% when patients with inadequate studies were excluded. All subjects who had ischemic cardiomyopathy had evidence of disease by coronary echocardiography or segmental wall motion abnormalities. Multivariate analysis permitted correct classification of 93% of all subjects based on the results of the coronary echocardiogram, evaluation of segmental wall motion and a history of prior myocardial infarction. The correct diagnosis was made in 86% when the results of coronary echocardiography were excluded from analysis using all other echocardiographic and clinical variables. Transthoracic coronary echocardiography can be performed with a high degree of success in patients with dilated ventricles and the technique can reliably distinguish between ischemic and nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.
Organization of axonal projections from the anterolateral area of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis

The anterolateral group of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BSTalg) contains four distinct cell groups embedded within an undifferentiated anterolateral area (BSTal) that architectonically resembles a subjacent subcommissural zone (BSTsc). The overall distributions of axonal projections from various regions of the BSTal and from the BSTsc were determined with the Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHAL) anterograde tracer method and found to be identical. The BSTal and BSTsc share dense bidirectional connections, and also project heavily within the BST to the rhomboid and fusiform nuclei and the anteroventral and anterodorsal areas. They project less densely to the juxtacapsular, oval, magnocellular, ventral, and interfascicular BST nuclei. Outside the BST, brain areas receiving strong to moderate inputs from the BSTal and BSTsc fall into several functional groups: somatomotor system (nucleus accumbens, substantia innominata, ventral tegmental area, and retrorubral area and adjacent midbrain reticular nucleus), central autonomic control system (central amygdalar nucleus, dorsal lateral hypothalamic area, ventrolateral periaqueductal gray, parabrachial nucleus, and nucleus of the solitary tract), neuroendocrine system (paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, hypothalamic visceromotor pattern generator network), and thalamocortical feedback loops (midline, medial, and intralaminar nuclei). The results indicate that the BSTal and BSTsc are parts of the same cell group (dorsal and ventral to the anterior commissure), which plays a role in coordinating visceral and somatic motor responses (during ingestive behaviors, for example), especially in response to noxious stimuli (learned anorexia associated with noxious stimuli). BSTal projections are distinct from those of the adjacent juxtacapsular, oval, fusiform, and rhomboid nuclei.
Identification of electronic journals in the online catalog

Abstract Form subdivision may be defined as the extension of a subject heading based on the form or arrangement of the subject matter in the book. In other words, it repre sents what the book is, rather than what it is about, the subject matter being expressed by the main heading. 1
Feeding Niches of the Big-Eyed Bugs Geocoris bullatus, G. punctipes , and G. uliginosus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae: Geocorinae)

Under natural conditions, Geocoris bullatus (Say), G. punctipes (Say), and G. uliginosus (Say) fed on 67 species of small (0.25—8.7 mm long) prey from 3 classes of arthropods (Insecta, Arachnida, and Diplopoda). Sessile, ambulatory, saltatory, and winged forms (many representing pest species) were successfully attacked. Most prey were not physically capable of injuring the attacker, and in many cases prey capture was effected without triggering the prey's defensive behaviors. Vegetative structures and occasionally seeds of herbaceous angiosperms (monocots and dicots) of several families constituted a small part of their diet, as did dead insects. As opportunistic polyphagous predators, Geocoris spp. are probably of great importance in the prevention of pest outbreaks in many agricultural, turfgrass, and natural habitats.
Rotation of the Italian Peninsula

Palaeomagnetic measurements of Upper Cretaceous–Palaeogene limestones from the northern Apennines indicate that the entire crust of the Italian Peninsula has rotated anticlockwise through 43°. This is the first direct evidence from Italy of rotation, which is of a comparable magnitude to rotations observed elsewhere in western Europe.
A new determination of the permutation identities which ensure that a semigroup variety is finitely based

Abstract It is shown that every semigroup variety admitting the permutation identity x 1 x 2 … x n = x 1 π x 2 π … x nπ is finitely based if and only if 1π ≠ 1 or nπ ≠ n .
Fiber Optic Cure Sensor for Thermoset Composites

We present recent experimental verification of a new in-situ fiber optic sensor [1] for detecting the curing of thermoset composites. This device is sensitive to the difference between the refractive index of the curing polymer matrix within the composite and that of a fully-cured reference fiber made of the same thermoset material. The method is indifferent to temperature variations imposed during the cure process.
Wasting Time? The Impact of Ideology and Size on Delay in Coalition Formation

Coalition theory has a distinguished tradition in comparative politics. Beginning with William Riker's The Theory of Political Coalitions,William H. Riker, The Theory of Political Coalitions (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1962). comparativists have made considerable theoretical and empirical progress in understanding the complexities of coalition politics, most significantly with respect to government formation and termination.
Subcooled Pool Boiling Studies on Nano-Textured Surfaces

Heat transfer in subcooled pool boiling on nano-textured surfaces is reported in this study. Silicon wafers coated with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) forests 9 microns (Type-A), and 25 microns (Type-B) in height and 8–15 nm in diameter with a randomized pitch of 16–30 nm, form the test surfaces. The test fluid is a fluoroinert (PF-5060, Manufacturer: 3M Co.) with a boiling point of 56°C. The test rig is of the constant heat flux type. Heat transfer enhancement of approximately 1.3 to 32% is observed in the nucleate boiling regime for Type-A at subcooling levels of 20°C. Type-B CNT shows an enhancement of about 13–30% in the nucleate boiling regime for 20°C subcooling. Digital images acquired during the tests show increased nucleation occurring on surfaces coated with MWCNT. Potential factors that could explain the observed heat transfer enhancement are: the enhanced surface area (nano-fin effect), disruption of the “microlayer” region in nucleate boiling, an increase in the size of cold-spots and the high thermal conductivity of MWCNT.
Laparoscopic gastrostomy and jejunostomy are safe and effective for obtaining enterai access

Background Laparoscopic gastrostomy (lap gtube) and Jejunostomy (lap j-tube) are relatively new procedures that do not require laparotomy. Our aim was to determine the role of laparoscopic feeding tube placement for enterai access and the safety of these techniques. Methods We reviewed our experience with attempted laparoscopic placement of 93 enterai tubes in 81 patients over a 3-year period. Patients received either a lap g-tube (n = 64), lap j-tube (n =− 5), or both lap g/j-tube (n = 12). When enterai access was needed for nutritional support, the choice of lap g-tube or lap j-tube was based on risk of gastroesophageal reflux. Results The most common underlying conditions requiring tube placement were head and neck cancer (49%), neurologic disorders (19%), and trauma (11%). Mean operative times (minutes) were as follows (mean ± SD): lap g-tube (39 ± 7), lap j-tube (63 ± 10), and lap g/j-tube (85 ±13). Lap g-tube placement was successful in 73 (96%) of 76 patients and lap j-tube in all 17 patients. The major complication rate for all tubes was 8% (7 of 93) and included gastrointestinal bleeding, wound infection, and failed placement. Five patients died in the 30-day period following surgery, but none of the deaths was procedure related. Conclusions Laparoscopic tube placement should be considered for patients in whom endoscopy is not feasible or undesirable or who are undergoing other operative procedures. Lap gtube and lap j-tube are safe procedures that avoid the potential risk of a laparotomy, and they can be done with a high success rate. This is a valuable approach for patients with head and neck cancer or neurologic disorders and for trauma patients with multiple disease processes.
The Anthropology of Landscape: Perspectives on Place and Space

The Anthropology of Landscape: Perspecives on piace and Space. Eric Hirch and Michael O'Hanlon, eds. Oxford: Clarendon Press 1995 xii + 268 pp. figures, maps, refernces index.
Electronic Structures of Polyatomic Molecules and Valence. II. Quantum Theory of the Double Bond

The electronic structure of C${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ in its probable normal and first excited states is described in terms of molecular orbitals. The formation of ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$ from two (excited) C${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ radicals is discussed, and it is shown, with the help of the Slater-Pauling overlapping criterion, to be theoretically obvious, in agreement with experiment, that for the normal state of ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$ the energy is surely considerably lower if the two C${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ are arranged symmetrically in one plane than if their planes make an angle of 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} (Figs. 1, 2). Similar statements apply to the derivatives of ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$. The C=N and N=N double bonds can be treated similarly. The C=C and O=O double bonds are compared. The (B${\mathrm{H}}_{3}$) = (B${\mathrm{H}}_{3}$) bond in ${\mathrm{B}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{6}$ probably resembles the O=O more than the C=C bond. For certain predicted excited states of ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$ and its derivatives, which are probably the upper states of ultraviolet absorption bands of these compounds, it is shown that the energy should be higher for the plane form than for the perp. form (one CR'R" plane rotated through 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}). Hence the plane form should tend to go over spontaneously by rotation into the perp. form (90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}) and on to the other plane form (180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}) after absorption of suitable ultraviolet light. In this way the observed transformations of cis into trans isomers or vice versa by ultraviolet light may be explained.
Structural Basis of Geriatric Voiding Dysfunction. VII. Prospective Ultrastructural/Urodynamic Evaluation of Its Natural Evolution

AbstractPurpose: In cross-sectional studies ultrastructure of geriatric detrusors consistently correlates with their urodynamic behavior. This study was conducted to determine whether the ultrastructural observations were stable with time, changed in concert with urodynamic change and predicted or preceded such change.Materials and Methods: Twenty-three elderly subjects underwent clinical and urodynamic evaluation plus endoscopic detrusor biopsy with ultrastructural study. The subjects were grouped according to urodynamic status. All were followed for up to 67 months and the same studies were repeated once in 19 (mean followup 27 months) and twice in 4 (mean followup 42 months) subjects. Biopsies (50) were classified according to their distinctive ultrastructural patterns without knowledge of clinical and urodynamic information. After all cases were studied, ultrastructural and urodynamic observations were correlated.Results: Ultrastructural and urodynamic diagnoses matched in all 23 cases at baseline. Af...
248 BLOOD SUBSTRATE LEVELS IN OVO: RELATIONSHIP TO FETAL SIZE

The availability of major nutrients and oxygen in fetal blood was compared to the size achieved by the chicken fetus. 28 White Leghorn eggs, 44–67g, were incubated at 37°c. At 18 days, blood was drawn from an umbilical (chorioallantoic) vein and analyzed for whole blood glucose, amino acids(as α amino N), O2 sat. and Hgb and plasma total protein and cholesterol. After sacrifice, the fetus and organs were weighed. Chemistry results are given as the meant SEM (range), and no. of fetuses studied. Values were: glucose, 121.6±4.3(57.9–157.5)mg/dl, n=24; amino N, 11.1±0.8 (3.8–18.8)mg/dl, n=23; total protein, 1.2+0.1 (0.6–1.5)g/dl, n=ll; cholesterol, 459±51 (295–710) mg/dl, n=10;O2 sat., 59.2±3.1 (14.5–77.8)%, n=21; and Hgb, 8.2±0.4 (5.6–14.2) gm/dl, n=21. Fetal weight averaged 13.9±0.6g (range 8.0 to 20.3). When substrate concentrations and size were compared,significant correlations were found between the calculated O2 content and fetal weight(r=0.463, n=21, p<0.05) and between Hgb and weight (r=0.564, n=21, p<0.01). However, the most significant correlation was between amino N and fetal weight(r=0.686, n=23, p<0.001). Amino N levels also correlated inversely with fetal brain/liver ratios (r=-0.473, n=22, p<0.05) and brain/body ratios (r=-0.473, n=22, p<0.05) Both ratios were higher in smaller fetuses. No relationships were found between fetal size and levels of glucose, protein or cholesterol. This study indicates that amino acid availability and maintenance of oxygen delivery are major determinants of growth in the fetal chicken. Studies in the chicken may provide insight into mammalian fetal development, since decreased amino N concentrations, reduced oxygen levels and high brain/liver and brain/body ratios are also found in the growth retarded, fetal mammal.
Observational Evidence of Winter Spice Injection

Abstract Temperature and salinity (T–S) profiles from the global array of Argo floats support the existence of spice-formation regions in the subtropics of each ocean basin where large, destabilizing vertical salinity gradients coincide with weak stratification in winter. In these characteristic regions, convective boundary layer mixing generates a strongly density-compensated (SDC) layer at the base of the well-mixed layer. The degree of density compensation of the T–S gradients of an upper-ocean water column is quantified using a bulk vertical Turner angle (Tub) between the surface and upper pycnocline. The winter generation of the SDC layer in spice-formation zones is clearly seen in Argo data as a large-amplitude seasonal cycle of Tub in regions of the subtropical oceans characterized by high mean Tub. In formation regions, Argo floats provide ample evidence of large, abrupt spice injection (T–S increase on subducted isopycnals due to vertical mixing) associated with the winter increase in Tub. A simp...
Response of whisker-reinforced ceramic matrix composites to dynamic compressive loading

Abstract The compressive strength of SiC whisker-reinforced hot-pressed silicon nitride was characterized over a wide range of strain rate. It was found that the strength of the matrix alone is extremely sensitive to strain rate under impact loading, and that this sensitivity is retained in the reinforced condition, irrespective of whisker orientation. Superimposed on this effect is a peculiar decrease in strength for slightly lower strain rates; it is suggested that the origin of this decrease lies in grain boundary residual tensile stresses.
Indentity of a peritoneal fluid immunoglobulin light chain and the amyloid fibril i primary amyloidosis

A monoclonal immunoglobulin has been isolated from the peritoneal fluid of a patient with primary amyloidosis. The immunoglobulin was reduced and alkylated and the light and heavy chains were compared to the major protein constituent of that patient's hepatic amyloid fibrils. N-terminal amino acid sequences of the light chain and amyloid fibril were identical when carried to 20 residues and were typical of a kappa I light chain. Molecular weight studies suggested that the fibril protein was composed of an intact light chain with a molecular weight of 23,000. The hypothesis that amyloid fibril protein in primary amyloid is derived from circulating monoclonal immunoglobulin is discussed.
Adenosine-insensitive right ventricular tachycardia: Novel variant of idiopathic outflow tract tachycardia

Background A hallmark of idiopathic right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) tachycardia is its sensitivity to adenosine (ADO), which is consistent with a triggered mechanism. We have identified a novel group of patients with ADO-insensitive, non-reentrant RVOT tachycardia. Objective This study aimed to identify the clinical and electrophysiologic characteristics of ADO-insensitive RVOT tachycardia. Methods The response of ventricular tachycardia (VT) to ADO was evaluated in 46 consecutive patients with inducible sustained idiopathic RVOT tachycardia. The clinical and electrophysiologic characteristics of patients with ADO-insensitive RVOT tachycardia were compared with patients with ADO-sensitive VT and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) VT. Results Sustained RVOT tachycardia terminated with ADO in 41 patients (89%), while 5 patients (11%) had ADO-insensitive VT. The electrophysiology study findings of patients with ADO-sensitive and ADO-insensitive RVOT tachycardia were similar. Compared with a group of 10 patients with ARVC, patients with ADO-insensitive RVOT tachycardia had no ARVC-associated electrocardiographic or right ventricular morphologic findings, as well as fewer inducible VT morphologies. Analysis of myocardial biopsies at VT origin sites from 3 of 5 patients with ADO-insensitive RVOT tachycardia demonstrated somatic mutations in the A 1 ADO receptor (R296C) in 1 patient and in the inhibitory G protein (F200L) in another patient, as described previously. These mutations were not identified at remote myocardial sites. Over a median follow-up period of 4.8 years, no patients insensitive to ADO developed an ARVC phenotype. Conclusion Although most forms of idiopathic RVOT tachycardia are characterized by ADO sensitivity, we described a variant of ADO-insensitive VT that, in some cases, can be linked to somatic myocardial mutations involving the A 1 ADO receptor–associated cyclic adenosine monophosphate–mediated pathway.
Appearance and phenotype of murine follicular dendritic cells expressing VCAM-1

The architecture of lymphoid follicles is determined by a series of interactions between lymphoid and follicular stromal cells. A cardinal population in the non-lymphoid compartment is the follicular dendritic cell (FDC), whose communication with resting and activated B cells involves various adhesive interactions. The FDC phenotype variably includes the display of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1). In this report we investigated the appearance and follicular tissue distribution of VCAM-1 in murine peripheral lymphoid tissues, and compared VCAM-1 with other FDC markers using immunohistochemistry. Correlating the appearance of VCAM-1 with other murine FDC-associated markers (CR1.2 [complement receptor 1.2 or CD35/21] and FDC-M1) revealed that the display of VCAM-1 is restricted to a subset of CR1.2-positive FDCs. We found that the expression of VCAM-1 antigen in the spleen or peripheral lymph nodes on FDCs requires antigenic stimulus, and that it coincides with germinal center formation. The VCAM-1 expression is associated with the appearance of mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule (MAdCAM-1), with some slight differences in occurrence. The appearance of VCAM-1 and MAdCAM-1 antigens on FDCs may serve as indicators of FDC activation.
The treatment of direct labor in cost/managerial texts

Abstract Cost/managerial textbook authors have typically defined and treated direct labor production costs as a pure variable cost that is proportionally related to the level of output. One implication of such treatment is that management will hire and fire workers as output levels vary. Historically, management did frequently adjust labor to reflect seasonal variations in sales and short-term changes in demand levels. This attitude was incorporated into the at-will employment rule. In the last few decades, the at-will employment rule has been successfully challenged in court. Other factors, such as the need for a highly trained work force and employment contract guarantees, have changed the nature of direct labor to that of a mixed or, in some cases, a fixed cost. In addition, at some highly automated plants, direct labor cost may be a small enough proportion of manufacturing cost to combine with overhead as a conversion cost. Accounting educators need to consider the effect this change may have on various managerial practices and methods. These include operational budgeting and cost-volume-profit analysis.
An ion trap photonic interface for efficient remote entanglement

Efficient entanglement of remote quantum memories is a key resource for distributed quantum information processing. We present a surface ion trap designed for efficient coupling of a single ion to the mode of a cavity.
A Mycoplasma hyorhinis protein with sequence similarities to nucleotide-binding enzymes.

Abstract We have determined the nucleotide (nt) and deduced amino acid (aa) sequences of a unique 1115-kDa. Mycoplasma hyorhinis protein (P 115) with an N-terminal region containing a highly conserved consensus sequence characteristic of nt-binding domains of several ATPase and GTPase enzymes. However, PI 15 lacked additional conserved features characteristic of some classes of nt-binding proteins. Based on the hydropathy profile of the deduced aa sequence, the absence of a leader peptide, its exclusive partitioning into the hydrophilic phase during Triton X-114 phase fractionation of M. hyorhinis , and immunofluorescence analysis indicating no surface-exposed domains, it was concluded that P 115 is a cytoplasmic protein lacking intrinsic membrane interaction. M. hyorhinis P 115 appears to be a species-specific protein, since it was not detected in any other mycoplasmal or bacterial species examined with specific antibody or genomic probes. Since genetic systems for direct mutational analysis are currently unavailable in this organism, sequence analysis provides critical information in establishing the possible function of this protein. Moreover, the nt sequence encoding PI 15 reported here supports a previously proposed model, based on synthesis of P115-related proteins in Escherichia coli , suggesting that multiple polypeptide products can be generated from mycoplasma genes by promiscuous translation initiation in this heterologous expression system.
Structural studies on H-2Db and H-2Kd molecules indicate that murine major histocompatibility b and d haplotype alloantigens share structural features.

Abstract Structural properties of the H-2D b and H-2K d murine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens were examined by radiochemical methods. Radiolabelled preparations of the H-2D b and H-2K d antigens were obtained by indirect immune precipitation of NP-40 lysates of the lymphoid tumor cell lines EL-4 (H-2 b ) and C14 (H-2 d ), respectively. After preparation of the 37,000 molecular weight papain fragment the antigens were cleaved with CNBr. The H-2K d antigen yielded four major CNBr fragments whereas the H-2D b molecule provided six. These CNBr fragments were subjected to partial NH 2 -terminal amino acid sequence analysis and aligned by homology to the H-2K b glycoprotein. Comparison of the structural properties of the H-2K d and H-2D b molecules with previously published data on the other known major transplantation antigens of the b and d haplotypes (H-2K b , H-2D d and H-2L d ) reveal a marked structural similarity. First, the data show that certain methionine residues have been highly conserved and that cleavage by CNBr at these positions provides an initial strategy for the study of these molecules. Secondly, disulfide-linked peptides obtained after CNBr cleavage could be aligned and the data suggest the presence of disulfide bridges in homologous positions. Third, after CNBr cleavage both the H-2K d and H-2D b molecules yielded two glycopeptides which were homologous to glycopeptides from the H-2K b molecule. Fourth, overall homology for a limited number of comparable positions is about 81% between the H-2K b and H-2K d gene products and 88% between the H-2K b and H-2D b gene products.
From collective learning to Silicon Valley replication: The limits to synergistic entrepreneurship in Sophia Antipolis

Abstract Taking Silicon Valley as a “Weberian ideal type” of high-tech development, one can derive 10 key characteristics which together can be used to measure to what extent other regions of the world have been able to duplicate this “hot spot” of economic transformation. Comparisons of such synergistic entrepreneurship are illustrated by the case of Sophia Antipolis in France, characterized by initial large company involvement, a utopian environmental design by Pierre Laffitte and the process of high-tech innovation among small and medium-sized companies, particularly in the telecommunication sector.
Examining online teaching, cognitive, and social presence for adult students

Drawing on the Community of Inquiry model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000), this mixed-method case study examined the nature and interactions of teaching, cognitive, and social presence created by online instructors and adult students in diverse course contexts. The study results indicated online instructional design and teaching elements that are crucial prerequisites for a successful online higher educational experience for adult students. The study also informed e-learning designers on the relations between online teaching, cognitive, and social presence.
Commentary on Varieties of Dialectic Change Processes

Although there are many varieties of dialectics, they all have a common starting point: a contradiction. This commentary augments Nielsen's categorization by pointing out similarities among Socrates, Hegel, Marx, Argyris, and Schon, and Churchman's conceptions of dialectic as they evolve from this common source. In this context, Hegel's theory is robust. Some minor exceptions to Nielsen's argument are also presented.
Pure leiomyoma of prostate

This is a case of pure leiomyoma of the prostate replacing the entire prostatic tissue. On microscopic study no prostatic glandular elements were identified. The literature is also reviewed.
Effects of Antihypertensive Medications on Quality of Life in Elderly Hypertensive Women

The impact of antihypertensive medications on the quality of life of elderly hypertensive women has rarely been systematically evaluated in large clinical trials using drugs from the new generations of pharmaceutic preparations. We carried out a multicenter, randomized double-blind clinical trial with 309 hypertensive women aged 60 to 80 years to assess effects of atenolol, enalapril, and isradipine on measures of quality of life over a 22-week period. The patients had mild to moderate hypertension. Hydrochlorothiazide was added to treatment if monotherapy was inadequate in lowering blood pressure. At the conclusion of the trial the three drug groups did not differ in degree of reduction of diastolic blood pressure or in supplementation with hydrochlorothiazide. Over the 22-week trial, linear trend analysis showed no differences between the treatment groups in change from baseline on quality of life measures of well-being, physical status, emotional status, cognitive functioning, and social role participation. Regarding each of 33 physical side effects over the 22 weeks, we found no general difference between atenolol, enalapril, and isradipine groups on measures of change in distress over symptoms except for enalapril patients who worsened in distress over cough (P = .001) and atenolol patients who worsened in distress over dry mouth (P = .014). Centering on three medications that are relatively new additions to the armamentarium for blood pressure control, the findings underline the increasing opportunities for the physician to select drugs that can control blood pressure while maintaining the quality of life of elderly hypertensive women.
Expected performance of second trimester maternal serum testing followed by a 'genetic sonogram' in screening of fetal Down syndrome.

Objective To assess the efficacy of screening for fetal Down syndrome through the sequential provision of second trimester maternal serum tests and fetal ultrasound (the ‘genetic sonogram’). Methods Monte Carlo modeling was used to generate typical results for second trimester serum screening. Serum test likelihood ratios were then multiplied by likelihood ratios associated with the provision of a genetic sonogram. The impact of adding the genetic sonogram on the detection rate (DR) and false-positive rate (FPR) were assessed for typical protocols that are currently in use. The effect of expanding the number of women who receive the genetic sonogram, variation in the marker frequencies in the genetic sonogram, and a multivariate Gaussian model that incorporated both serum and ultrasound measurements as continuous variables were also considered. Results When the genetic sonogram is offered only to those women who are screen-positive by serum testing, there can be a substantial reduction in the number of women with an indication for amniocentesis but also some loss in detection. The extent of these changes will partially depend on the serum tests and cutoff used. Providing the genetic sonogram to more women can reduce loss in detection without resulting in high amniocentesis rates. As a sequential screening tool, the genetic sonogram can be improved by incorporating markers that have a high frequency in affected pregnancies and by using ultrasound measurements as continuous variables. Conclusion It should be possible to provide highly effective multistep screening protocols that maximize the benefits of both maternal serum and ultrasound while minimizing the amount of testing offered. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mapping Nanoscale Absorption of Femtosecond Laser Pulses Using Plasma Explosion Imaging

We make direct observations of localized light absorption in a single nanostructure irradiated by a strong femtosecond laser field, by developing and applying a technique that we refer to as plasma explosion imaging. By imaging the photoion momentum distribution resulting from plasma formation in a laser-irradiated nanostructure, we map the spatial location of the highly localized plasma and thereby image the nanoscale light absorption. Our method probes individual, isolated nanoparticles in vacuum, which allows us to observe how small variations in the composition, shape, and orientation of the nanostructures lead to vastly different light absorption. Here, we study four different nanoparticle samples with overall dimensions of ∼100 nm and find that each sample exhibits distinct light absorption mechanisms despite their similar size. Specifically, we observe subwavelength focusing in single NaCl crystals, symmetric absorption in TiO2 aggregates, surface enhancement in dielectric particles containing a si...