cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of Nerve and Muscle Biopsies in Pediatric Patients in the Era of Genetic Testing.

Abstract Background An operative biopsy is an important component in the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular disorders (NMDs). However, recent advances in molecular genetics suggest less invasive genetic testing should be the initial approach. The purpose of our study was to demonstrate the diagnostic value of muscle or nerve biopsy within the pediatric population at a pediatric academic center and offer recommendations for genetic testing in relation to biopsy to achieve the highest diagnostic yield. Methods Following institutional review board approval, we retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical record of 221 pediatric patients who underwent muscle and/or nerve biopsy for suspicion of NMD from January 2007 to March 2018. Demographics, family history, clinical presentations, genetic testing results, pathology results, anesthesia complications, clinical diagnoses, and clinic follow-up data were collected. Chi-square analysis was done for statistical significance. Results A total of 220 underwent muscle biopsy, and 15 underwent nerve biopsy. Not all patients received genetic testing. The average age at biopsy was 7.7 y. Biopsy revealed significant histologic abnormalities in 62.9% (139), directly leading to a specific clinical diagnosis in 33.9% (75). When genetic testing was done before biopsy, definite pathogenic variants were found in 7.6% (9). When genetic testing was done after biopsy, definite pathogenic variants were found in 45.0% (27). Genetic testing yield for pathogenic variants was higher when done after biopsy (P value Conclusions Muscle and nerve biopsies may provide significant diagnostic value. Biopsy helped to rule in or out NMD and guide genetic testing. Our data suggest NMD genetic testing yield was higher when done after biopsy.
Comparison of Quality of Pediatric Spirometry via Telemedicine and In-Person Modalities

Background: Quality spirometry testing depends upon maximal patient technique and can be particularly challenging for children. The telemedicine asthma clinic at Arkansas Children9s Hospital (ACH) offers pediatric spirometry with an experienced respiratory therapist (RT) operating from ACH (distant site) via telemedicine technology using a spoke and hub model (Berlinski et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2018;6(3):1042-1044). The RT at the distant site controls the spirometer at the originating site (where the patient and telepresenter are located) via a remote desktop connection and provides testing instructions in real time via two-way technology with the help of a telepresenter. We hypothesize that the quality of in-person spirometry and testing via telemedicine modalities will be similar. Methods: As part of our quality improvement process (not deemed human research by the IRB), we identified children who had completed spirometry via telemedicine for the first time and compared their technique to their previous spirometry done in-person. Demographic data were collected. Using a classification system developed by the ACH Pulmonary Lab (based on 2005 ATS/ERS statements), the RT assessed patient technique on all spirometry for acceptability and usability criteria according to one of these: 1) Full report (all values acceptable or usable), 2) FEV1 Only (usable peak flow and FEV1), and 3) Unusable (values do not meet criteria for interpretation). Proportions of tests in each category in both modalities were compared with Fisher exact test. A p value Results: Fifty-four children (mean/95%CI age in-person study and age difference between last in-person and first telemedicine tests were 11/10-12.1 and 0.5/0.4-0.6 years old respectively; 77% male, and 77% Caucasian) were included. Pairwise comparison showed a 3.7, 85.2, and 11.1% improvement, no change, or worsening of technique respectively between the in-person and telemedicine modalities. (See Table) Conclusions: The quality of pediatric spirometry obtained via telemedicine and in-person modalities is similar.
MR Protocol Optimization With Deep Learning: A Proof of Concept.

Abstract Purpose This study was performed to demonstrate that a properly trained convolutional neural net (CNN) can provide an acceptable surrogate for human readers when performing a protocol optimization study. Tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) were used as a proof of concept for this study. Methods Following institutional review board approval, a curated set of 2007 paired knee MR images was extracted from the author’s picture archival and communications system for 1523 normal knees and 484 knees with torn ACLs. A pair (1 fat-saturated (FS) and 1 non-fat-saturated (NFS)) of midline sagittal images was extracted from each knee. CNNs were trained for both the FS and NFS image sets and used to make predictions on a previously unseen test set of images. Results Receiver operating characteristic area under the curve for the NFS and FS CNNs were, respectively, 0.9983 and 0.9988. Specificity was identical (0.993) for both NFS and FS images. FS sensitivity (0.98) and NFS sensitivity (0.88) were statistically significantly different (P = 0.0253). Conclusions Both FS and NFS performed very well for the diagnosis of ACL tears, although FS sensitivity was superior to NFS sensitivity. The CNNs provided an acceptable surrogate for a human reader in this study. Pulse sequence optimization studies such as this can be opportunistically performed on image sets collected for many other machine learning purposes.
Large-Scale Information Extraction from Emails with Data Constraints

Email is the most frequently used web application for communication and collaboration due to its easy access, fast interactions, and convenient management. More than 60% of the email traffic constitutes business to consumer (B2C) emails (e.g., flight reservations, payment reminder, order confirmations, etc.). Most of these emails are generated by filling a template with user or transaction specific values from databases. In this paper we describe various algorithms related to extracting important information from these emails.
Preparation characterization and application of Chitosan nanoparticles as drug carrier

To improve the therapeutic efficacy of Mebeverine Hydrochloride (MB.HCl) medication, this study was worked on by reducing the drug dosages while maintaining the level of the drug inside the patients' body. The best treatment results are achieved by loading the drug through a medicated drug carrier that is Chitosan nanoparticle (CSNPs) and preparation was done by Ionic gelation method which including reaction between binding material Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) and Chitosan (CS) which was extracted from shrimp shells. The drug was loaded by Chitosan nanoparticles and the proof was done by using several techniques, namely FT-IR and X-ray diffraction spectrum, the size of particles was determined before and after loading using Particle size analyzer, also use the FE - SEM emission electron scanning microscope where the results showed the success of preparing a drug carrier and MB.HCl was loading on Chitosan nanoparticles.
It Is Hard to Read Minds without Words: Cues to Use to Achieve Empathic Accuracy.

When faced with the task of trying to “read” a stranger’s thoughts, what cues can perceivers use? We explore two predictors of empathic accuracy (the ability to accurately infer another person’s thoughts): use of stereotypes about the target’s group, and use of the target’s own words. A sample of 326 White American undergraduate students were asked to infer the dynamic thoughts of Middle Eastern male targets, using Ickes’ (Ickes et al. 1990) empathic accuracy paradigm. We predicted use of stereotypes would reduce empathic accuracy because the stereotypes would be negative and inaccurate. However, more stereotypical inferences about the target’s thoughts actually predicted greater empathic accuracy, a pattern in line with past work on the role of stereotypes in empathic accuracy (Lewis et al. 2012), perhaps because the stereotypes of Middle Easterners (collected from a sample of 60 participants drawn from the same population) were less negative than expected. In addition, perceivers who inferred that the targets were thinking thoughts that more closely matched what the target was saying out loud were more empathically accurate. Despite the fact that words can be used intentionally to obscure what a target is thinking, they appear to be a useful cue to empathic accuracy, even in tricky contexts that cross cultural lines.
A Parent-Implemented Shared Reading Intervention via Telepractice:

We describe a study of the internet-based Parent-Implemented Communication Strategies–Storybook (i-PiCSS), an intervention designed to train and coach parents to use evidenced-based naturalistic co...
Low-Temperature Fracture Properties of a USSR Aluminum-6% Magnesium Alloy

Aluminum alloy 5083-0 (Al-4.5Mg) is widely used in the United States as a construction material for liquefied natural gas (LNG) containers and other cryogenic applications. In the USSR, aluminum alloy AMg6-0 (Al-6Mg) has been developed for similar applications. As a part of the U.S.-USSR LNG materials exchange program, NBS was asked to evaluate the fracture properties of the AMg6 alloy supplied by the USSR and to compare the results with those obtained previously on the 5083-0 alloy. The results of fatigue crack growth and fracture toughness tests are summarized in this paper.
Strengthening youth participation in civic engagement: Applying the Convention on the Rights of the Child to social work practice

Abstract The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) provides a framework for strengthening youth participation in civic engagement, especially within the field of social work. Through a review of peer-reviewed social work literature over the last decade, this paper explores the central question: How does the CRC shape social work scholarship about youth participation in civic engagement? We find that the CRC is reflected in scholarship' outside of the U.S., while U.S. social work scholarship rarely draws on the CRC and concepts related to child rights. This results in qualitative differences between youth civic engagement scholarship in countries where the CRC has been ratified and scholarship in the U.S., with divergent research and practice models for working with youth. Non-U.S. social work literature offers framing, perspectives, and practice examples that can be of value for positioning youth civic engagement within U.S. social work practice. We discuss the implications of the CRC for youth participation in civic engagement in the U.S. and explore potential future directions for research and practice.
The Kv2.2 α Subunit Contributes to Delayed Rectifier K+ Currents in Myocytes From Rabbit Corpus Cavernosum

K(+) currents are known to regulate the excitability of corpus cavernosum myocytes and therefore to play a role in the control of penile erection and detumescence. We used electrophysiology and molecular cloning techniques to identify ion channel proteins that contribute to K(+) currents in rabbit cavernosal myocytes. Currents were recorded from freshly isolated myocytes using whole-cell patch clamp techniques. Cavernosal myocytes expressed a delayed rectifier voltage-gated K(+) current that appeared to contribute to the resting membrane potential. This voltage-gated K(+) (K(v)) current was inhibited by the nonselective compounds 4-aminopyridine (1-10 mM), (+)-fenfluramine (10 micro M-1 mM), and Grammostola spatulata venom (1:100) in a dose-dependent and reversible fashion. Hanatoxin-1 (1 micro M), a selective Kv2 channel inhibitor, partially inhibited the current, but alpha-dendrotoxin (200 nM), a Kv1 channel blocker, had no effect. The nucleotide sequence of K(+) channel subunits was determined by polymerase chain reaction-based cloning techniques using RNA derived from cavernosal muscle strips and single identified myocytes. Molecular cloning techniques identified the full-length sequence of the rabbit ortholog of the Kv2.2 alpha subunit. This sequence contains 911 amino acid residues and is 92% identical to the recently revised human Kv2.2 sequence. Identified cavernosal myocytes of the type used in physiological recordings expressed Kv2.2 messenger RNA. We conclude that Kv2.2 alpha subunits contribute to whole-cell currents in rabbit canvernosal myocytes. Further, K(v) currents play a role in regulating membrane potential and hence excitability in rabbit cavernosal myocytes.
The role of atmospheric forcing versus ocean advection during the extreme warming of the Northeast U.S. continental shelf in 2012

In the coastal ocean off the Northeast U.S., the sea surface temperature (SST) in the first half of 2012 was the highest on the record for the past roughly 150 years of recorded observations. The underlying dynamical processes responsible for this extreme event are examined using a numerical model, and the relative contributions of air-sea heat flux versus lateral ocean advective heat flux are quantified. The model accurately reproduces the observed vertical structure and the spatiotemporal characteristics of the thermohaline condition of the Gulf of Maine and the Middle Atlantic Bight waters during the anomalous warming period. Analysis of the model results show that the warming event was primarily driven by the anomalous air-sea heat flux, while the smaller contribution by the ocean advection worked against this flux by acting to cool the shelf. The anomalous air-sea heat flux exhibited a shelf-wide coherence, consistent with the shelf-wide warming pattern, while the ocean advective heat flux was dominated by localized, relatively smaller-scale processes. The anomalous cooling due to advection primarily resulted from the along-shelf heat flux divergence in the Gulf of Maine, while in the Middle Atlantic Bight the advective contribution from the along-shelf and cross-shelf heat flux divergences was comparable. The modeling results confirm the conclusion of the recent analysis of in situ data by Chen et al. (2014a) that the changes in the large-scale atmospheric circulation in the winter of 2011–2012 primarily caused the extreme warm anomaly in the spring of 2012. The effect of along-shelf or cross-shelf ocean advection on the warm anomalies from either the Scotian Shelf or adjacent continental slope was secondary.
Matrix‐Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry in Peptide and Protein Analysis

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDIMS), first introduced in 1988 by Hillenkamp and Karas, has become a widespread analytical tool for peptides, proteins and most other biomolecules. In MALDI (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization) analysis, the analyte is first co-crystallized with a large molar excess of a matrix compound, usually an ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing weak organic acid, after which laser radiation of this analyte–matrix mixture results in the vaporization of the matrix which carries the analyte with it. The matrix therefore plays a key role by strongly absorbing the laser light energy and causing, indirectly, the analyte to vaporize. The matrix also serves as a proton donor and receptor, acting to ionize the analyte in both positive and negative ionization modes, respectively. The efficient and directed energy transfer during a matrix-assisted laser-induced desorption event provides high ion yields of the intact analyte and allows for the measurement of compounds with high accuracy and subpicomole sensitivity. The ability to generate such accurate information can be extremely useful for protein identification and characterization. For example, a protein can often be unambiguously identified by the accurate mass analysis of its constituent peptides (produced by either chemical or enzymatic treatment of the sample). This article discusses basic MALDI concepts and instrumentation and focuses on applications in the field of peptides and proteins, specifically on the utility of MALDI in protein identification, protein structural studies, and as a clinical assay.
Introduction of Service Systems Implementation

Services systems can range from an individual to a firm to an entire nation. They can also be nested and composed of other service systems. They are configurations of people, information, technology and organizations to co-create value between a service customer and a provider (Maglio et al. 2006; Spohrer et al. 2007). While these configurations can take many, potentially infinite, forms, they can be optimized for the subject service to eliminate unnecessary costs in the forms of redundancies, over allocation, etc. So what is an ideal configuration that a provider and a customer might strive to achieve? As much as it would be nice to have a formula for such configurations, experiences that are result of engagement, are very different for each value co-creation configurations. The variances and dynamism of customer provider engagements result in potentially infinite types and numbers of configurations in today’s global economy.
Highly correlated single reference studies of the O3 potential surface. Dissociation and atomization energies

Abstract Highly correlated many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) and coupled-cluster (CC) calculations based on a single determinant reference function are applied to computation of the dissociation and atomization energies of ozone in its ground electronic state. While results obtained in SCF calculations are in error by > 100 kcal/mol for both quantities, many-body methods which include the effects of triply substituted determinants (MBPT (4) and CCSDT-1) yield values in relatively good agreement with experiment. The present results are found to be superior to those obtained in multireference configuration interaction studies (MRCI). Comparable accuracy is obtained with the empirically corrected G1 method and also in MRCI calculations, provided a correction is applied to account for the effects of unlinked clusters.
Muscarinic excitation of parvalbumin-positive interneurons contributes to the severity of pilocarpine-induced seizures

Summary Objective A common rodent model in epilepsy research employs the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) agonist pilocarpine, yet the mechanisms underlying the induction of pilocarpine-induced seizures (PISs) remain unclear. Global M1 mAChR (M1R) knockout mice are resistant to PISs, implying that M1R activation disrupts excitation/inhibition balance. Parvalbumin-positive (PV) inhibitory neurons express M1Rs, participate in cholinergically induced oscillations, and can enter a state of depolarization block (DB) during epileptiform activity. Here, we test the hypothesis that pilocarpine activation of M1Rs expressed on PV cells contributes to PISs. Methods CA1 PV cells in PV-CRE mice were visualized with a floxed YFP or hM3Dq-mCherry adeno-associated virus, or by crossing PV-CRE mice with the RosaYFP reporter line. To eliminate M1Rs from PV cells, we generated PV-M1knockout (KO) mice by crossing PV-CRE and floxed M1 mice. Action potential (AP) frequency was monitored during application of pilocarpine (200 μm). In behavioral experiments, locomotion and seizure symptoms were recorded in wild-type (WT) or PV-M1KO mice during PISs. Results Pilocarpine significantly increased AP frequency in CA1 PV cells into the gamma range. In the continued presence of pilocarpine, a subset (5/7) of PV cells progressed to DB, which was mimicked by hM3Dq activation of Gq-receptor signaling. Pilocarpine-induced depolarization, AP firing at gamma frequency, and progression to DB were prevented in CA1 PV cells of PV-M1KO mice. Finally, compared to WT mice, PV-M1KO mice were associated with reduced severity of PISs. Significance Pilocarpine can directly depolarize PV+ cells via M1R activation, but a subset of these cells progress to DB. Our electrophysiologic and behavioral results suggest that this mechanism is active during PISs, contributing to a collapse of PV-mediated γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic inhibition, dysregulation of excitation/inhibition balance, and increased susceptibility to PISs.
In vitro responses of equine digital vessels to dopamine and fenoldopam.

Summary The in vitro responses of isolated vascular preparations of digital arteries and veins obtained from healthy anaesthetised horses were determined for dopamine and fenoldopam. The digital vessels were harvested, cut into 4 mm vascular segments, suspended in tissue baths and attached to force-displacement transducers. Dose-response studies between 10−8 and 10−4M concentrations were performed for all drugs. The change in tension of each vascular ring was measured in grams of force. The reactivity between palmar and plantar digital vessels and baseline vascular responses were determined for dopamine. The vascular responses of dopamine were compared to in vitro data for other known vasoconstrictor agents. The mechanism of vasoconstriction induced by dopamine was further defined using prazosin, a specific competitive alpha-1 adrenoceptor antagonist. The vasodilating ability of fenoldopam, a dopamine-1 (DA-1) receptor agonist, was also determined using noradrenaline- preconstricted vascular segments from palmar digital vessels. The effective concentration to produce 50 per cent of the maximal response (EC50) and the maximal contraction in grams of force per milligram of the vascular ring (g/mg) were calculated. There were no differences in the reactivity between the palmar and plantar digital vessels. Dopamine produced intense constriction in arteries and veins but only at very high molar concentrations. Prazosin decreased significantly the sensitivity of the veins to dopamine (increased the mean EC50 values) but not the arteries. Prazosin had no effect on the maximal contractions of the vessels. Fenoldopam produced very little relaxation of either the arteries or veins. These results suggest that dopamine produces constriction in equine digital arteries and veins and that the constriction is only partially mediated by alpha-1 adrenoceptors. Also, fenoldopam produced minimal DA-1 receptor activation in these peripheral vessels.
Home care for chronic respiratory failure in children: 15 years experience.

Background: Advances in paediatric intensive care have reduced mortality but, unfortunately, one of the consequences is an increase in the number of patients with chronic diseases. It is generally agreed that home care of children requiring ventilatory support improves their outcomes and results in cost saving for the National Health Service. Methods: Since 1985, the Children's Hospital Bambino Gesu of Rome has developed a program of paediatric home care. The program is performed by a committed Home Health Care Team (HHCT) which selects the eligible patients for home care and trains the families to treat their child. During the period January 1985 to January 2001, 53 children with chronic respiratory failure were included in the home care program. Of these, seven patients were successively excluded and six died in our intensive care unit (ICU), while one still lives in our ICU since 1997. The results obtained in the remaining 46 children are reported. Results: The pathologies consisted of disorders of respiratory control related to brain damage (26%), upper airways obstructive disease (26%), spinal muscular atrophy (22%), myopathies and muscular dystrophies (6.5%), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (6.5%), tracheomalacia (6.5%), central hypoventilation syndrome (4.3%) and progressive congenital scoliosis (2.2%). Of these 46 patients, 34 children are mechanically ventilated and the median of their ICU stay was 109.5 days (range 54–214 days), while the remaining 12 children were breathing spontaneously and the median of their ICU stay was 90.5 days (range 61–134 days). We temporarily readmitted six patients to our ICU to perform scheduled otolaryngological surgery, eight patients for acute respiratory infections and two patients for deterioration of their neurological status due to high pressure hydrocephalus for placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt; these 16 patients were discharged back home again. Two other patients were readmitted for deterioration of their chronic disease and died in our ICU, while seven patients died at home. Conclusions: Thirty-seven children are still alive at home and four of them improved their respiratory condition so that it was possible to remove the tracheostomy tube. Our oldest patient has now achieved 15 years of mechanical ventilation at home.
Experimental determination of material stiffness constants for advanced composites using genetic algorithms

In this paper, efforts on the measurements of material properties of multi-layered fiber reinforced composites such as graphite epoxy employing an inverse method based on Genetic Algorithms (GAs) using oblique incidence ultrasonic velocity data will be discussed. Both, direct as well as inverse genetic methods were used in this effort. The phase velocity data as a function of the angle of incidence as well as the azimuthal angles for orthotropic uni-directional composite laminates were used as the input to the Genetic Algorithm. Optimal parameters were chosen from the sensitivity analysis using a direct approach. Then, inversion algorithms was introduced to compute the material properties from the ultrasonic phase velocity data. Sensitivity as well as accuracy of the techniques are also discussed for both noise- free and noisy simulated data sets.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A SIMPLE IODINE-NUMBER REFRACTOMETER FOR TESTING FLAXSEED AND SOYBEANS

A simple, relatively inexpensive refractometer has been developed for use in testing flaxseed and soybeans for oil iodine number. The refractometer reads directly in iodine-number units and the temperature correction thermometer is likewise calibrated to read directly in iodine-number units. With this refractometer and a simple, hand-operated laboratory hydraulic press, an operator with little technical training can test flaxseed or soybean samples for oil iodine numbers at the rate of about one test every five minutes. It is anticipated that this instrument will prove to be very useful in the routine testing of flaxseed, soybeans, and possibly certain other oil-bearing seeds.
Determination of Frequency for Remeasuring Ground and Vegetation Cover Factor Needed for Soil Erosion Modeling

Determining a remeasurement frequency of variables over time is required in monitoring environmental systems. This article demonstrates methods based on regression modeling and spatio-temporal variability to determine the time interval to remeasure the ground and vegetation cover factor on permanent plots for monitoring a soil erosion system. The spatio-temporal variability methods include use of historical data to predict semivariograms, modeling average temporal variability, and temporal interpolation by two-step kriging. The results show that for the cover factor, the relative errors of the prediction increase with an increased length of time interval between remeasurements when using the regression and semivariogram models. Given precision or accuracy requirements, appropriate time intervals can be determined. However, the remeasurement frequency also varies depending on the prediction interval time. As an alternative method, the range parameter of a semivariogram model can be used to quantify average temporal variability that approximates the maximum time interval between remeasurements. This method is simpler than regression and semivariogram modeling, but it requires a long-term dataset based on permanent plots. In addition, the temporal interpolation by two-step kriging is also used to determine the time interval. This method is applicable when remeasurements in time are not sufficient. If spatial and temporal remeasurements are sufficient, it can be expanded and applied to design spatial and temporal sampling simultaneously.
On testing hypotheses concerning standardized mortality ratios.

Abstract This paper describes tests of hypotheses concerning the equality of any k standardized mortality ratios (or, equivalently, of any k indirect adjusted rates) from p (≥ k ) populations. The distinction is made between the situation where the standard population is chosen independently of the p populations and one where the standard is formed by pooling all p populations. Different test procedures are required for these two situations. When the pooled standard is used, the appropriate test procedure is applicable only when k = p . Experimental evidence is given showing that when the pooled standard is used both test procedures lead to the same conclusion concerning the hypothesis for the case k = p . The recommendation is made, therefore, to use the “incorrect” test procedure when the standard is a pooled one even when k p .
Kin preference in marmosets and tamarins: Saguinus oedipus and Callithrix jacchus (callitrichidae, primates)

Field studies on callitrichid primates have suggested that some species may exhibit a communal breeding system in which two or more males mate with a single female and cooperatively participate in infant rearing. However, high levels of aggression have been observed between males under both laboratory and field conditions. In avian models for communal breeding, cooperating males are often closely related. In a laboratory test of a hypothesis of the amelioration of aggression based on kinship, four mated pairs of both Saguinus oedipus and Callithrix jacchus were introduced to both novel male conspecifics and to their own male siblings, from whom they had been separated for a minimum of 4 months. Significant differences (P less than .01) were seen in the responses of the two species to male conspecifics generally: S. oedipus males responded to intruders with overt aggression significantly more frequently than did marmosets while C. jacchus males more frequently scent-marked than did tamarins. Evidence of preference for kin males was seen in the significantly decreased frequencies of these behaviors in the presence of kin males over those observed in the presence of novel males. It is argued that, under field conditions, cooperation between male callitrichids may be facilitated by kinship. Further, twin births, short gestation lengths, and interbirth intervals seen in callitrichid primates all contribute to the number of socially familiar kin with which an individual animal might cooperate.
Selective-Inhibition of Steroid 5 α-Reductase Isozymes by Tea Epicatechin-3-Gallate and Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate

Abstract Inhibitors of 5 α-reductase may be effective in the treatment of 5 α-dihydrotestosterone-dependent abnormalities, such as benign prostate hyperplasia, prostate cancer and certain skin diseases. The green tea catechins, (−)epigallocatechin-3-gallate and (−)epicatechin-3-gallate, but not (−)epicatechin and (−)epigallocatechin, are potent inhibitors of type 1 but not type 2 5α-reductase. (−)Epigallocatechin-3-gallate also inhibits accessory sex gland growth in the rat. These results suggest that certain tea gallates can regulate androgen action in target organs.
J/ψ production by charm quark coalescence

The production of pairs in elementary hadron–hadron collisions is introduced in a simulation of relativistic heavy ion collisions. Coalescence of charmed quarks and antiquarks into various charmonium states is performed and the results are compared to PHENIX J/ψ Au+Au data. The χ and ψ' bound states must be included as well as the ground state J/ψ, given the appreciable feeding from the excited states down to the J/ψ via gamma decays. Charmonium coalescence is found to take place at relatively late times: generally after c()–medium interactions have ceased. Direct production of charmonia through hadron–hadron interactions, i.e. without explicit presence of charm quarks, occurring only at early times is suppressed by collisions with comoving particles and accounts for some ~5% of the total J/ψ production. Coalescence is especially sensitive to the level of open charm production, scaling naively as . The J/ψ transverse momentum distribution is dependent on the charm quark transverse momentum distribution and early charm quark–medium interaction, thus providing a glimpse of the initial collision history.
α-Ketoacid Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonding. Supramolecular Ribbons and Stacking in α-Pyrroleglyoxylic Acids

Rarely-seen carboxylic acid to ketone intermolecular hydrogen bonding is found in crystal structures of α-pyrroleglyoxylic acids. 3,4-Diethyl-1H-pyrrole-2-glyoxylic acid, prepared by saponfication of the reaction product between 3,4-diethylpyrrole and ethyl oxalyl chloride formed crystals that showed the uncommon carboxyl to ketone intermolecular hydrogen bonding, with the hydrogen-bonded α-pyrroleglyoxylic acids stacked neatly in layers. This α-ketoacid hydrogen-bonding pattern was repeated in (Z)-2,3,7,8-tetraethyl-10H-dipyrrin-1-one-9-glyoxylic acid, which also engaged in dipyrrinone-to-dipyrrinone intermolecular hydrogen bonding to form supramolecular ribbons in the crystal.
ACUTE COLITIS RELATED TO PENICILLIN AND PENICILLIN DERIVATIVES

5 cases of acute transient colitis associated with the ingestion of ampicillin, an ampicillin derivative, and penicillin are discussed. The clinical presentation, course, and radiographic and sigmoidoscopic findings are distinct from those in pseudomembranous colitis. The colonic changes may be related to an allergic reaction in the intestine which results primarily in transient ischaemia. The presenting symptom is blood diarrhoea, and barium enema is the most productive diagnostic examination.
Radioiodinated Beta-Methyl Phenyl Fatty Acids as Potential Tracers for Myocardial Imaging and Metabolism

Since fatty acids provide the majority of myocardial energy requirements under basal conditions, an alteration in the global or regional utilization of these substrates may be an early indicator of myocardial disease. To determine areas of potential clinical utility of fatty acid imaging, we synthesized a radioiodinated modified fatty acid 14-(p-iodophenyl) beta methyltetradecanoic acid IPBMTA, which cannot undergo beta-oxidation. Preliminary biodistribution and imaging studies were performed in animals and man. These studies suggest that radioiodinated beta-methyl phenyl fatty acids localized rapidly in the myocardium and had prolonged myocardial retention time. The long residence time permits the recording of high quality planar and SPECT images.
A contiguity-enhanced k-means clustering algorithm for unsupervised multispectral image segmentation

The recent and continuing construction of multi- and hyper-spectral imagers will provide detailed data cubes with information in both the spatial and spectral domain. This data shows great promise for remote sensing applications ranging from environmental and agricultural to national security interest. The reduction of this voluminous data to useful intermediate forms is necessary both for downlinking all those bits and for interpreting them. Smart on-board hardware is required, as well as sophisticated earth-bound processing. A segmented image is one kind of intermediate form which provides some measure of data compression. Traditional image segmentation algorithms treat pixels independently and cluster the pixels according only to their spectral information. This neglects the implicit spatial information that is available in the image. We will suggest a simple approach - a variant of the standard k-means algorithm - which uses both spatial and spectral properties of the image. The segmented image has the property that pixels which are spatially continuous are more likely to be in the same class than are random pairs of pixels. This property naturally comes at some cost in terms o of the compactness of the clusters in the spectral domain,but we have found that the spatial contiguity and spectral compactness properties are nearly 'orthogonal', which means that we can make considerable improvements in the one with minimal loss in the other.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Cognitive function in a middle aged cohort is related to higher quality dietary pattern 5 and 25 years earlier: The cardia study

Preserving cognitive function is an important public health issue. We investigated whether dietary pattern associates with cognitive function in middle-age. We studied 2435 participants in the community-based Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study of black and white men and women aged 18–30 in 1985–86 (year 0, Y0). We hypothesized that a higher A Priori Diet Quality Score, measured at Y0 and Y20, is associated with better cognitive function measured at Y25. The diet score incorporated 46 food groups (each in servings/day) as the sum of quintile ranks of food groups rated beneficial, 0 for food groups rated neutral, and reversed quintile ranks for food groups rated adverse; higher score indicated better diet quality. Y25 cognitive testing included verbal memory (Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT)), psychomotor speed (Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST)) and executive function (Stroop). Per 10-unit higher diet score at Y20, the RAVLT was 0.32 words recalled higher, the DSST was 1.76 digits higher, and the Stroop was 1.00 seconds+errors lower (better performance) after adjusting for race, sex, age, clinic, and energy intake. Further adjustment for physical activity, smoking, education, and body mass index attenuated the association slightly. Diet score at Y0 and increase in diet score over 20 years were also positively associated with each cognitive test. A higher quality dietary pattern was associated with better cognitive function 5 years and even 25 years later in apparently healthy middle-aged adults.
High dose rate brachytherapy in the treatment of cervical carcinoma.

Carcinoma of the cervix is not a common malignancy in women in the United States, accounting for 13,700 new cases (2% of all cancers in women) and 4,900 deaths each year. 15 Breast cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancers are more common in the United States. Of the gynecological malignancies, cervical cancer is less common than endometrial or ovarian cancer, with 36,100 new cases of endometrial carcinoma and 25,400 new cases of ovarian carcinoma per year. During the last 50 years in the United States, the use of screening programs based on the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear and pelvic examination has led to a steep decline in incidence and deaths from cervical cancer. 18 Worldwide, however, cervical cancer is second only to breast cancer as the most common malignancy both in incidence and in mortality. More than 471,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, predominantly among the economically disadvantaged in both developing and industrialized nations. 15 It is recognized that cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is a precursor to invasive squamous cell cancers and that adenocarcinoma in situ is a precursor to invasive endocervical adenocarcinomas.
Differential localization of cytoplasmic myosin ii isoforms a and b in avian interphase and dividing embryonic and immortalized cardiomyocytes and other cell types in vitro

Two principal isoforms of cytoplasmic myosin II, A and B (CMIIA and CMIIB), are present in different proportions in different tissues. Isoform-specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to avian CMIIA and CMIIB reveal the cellular distributions of these isoforms in interphase and dividing embryonic avian cardiac, intestinal epithelial, spleen, and dorsal root ganglia cells in primary cell culture. Embryonic cardiomyocytes react with antibodies to CMIIB but not to CMIIA, localize CMIIB in stress-fiber-like-structures during interphase, and markedly concentrate CMIIB in networks in the cleavage furrow during cytokinesis. In contrast, cardiac fibroblasts localize both CMIIA and CMIIB in stress fibers and networks during interphase, and demonstrate slight and independently regulated concentration of CMIIA and CMIIB in networks in their cleavage furrows. V-myc-immortalized cardiomyocytes, an established cell line, have regained the ability to express CMIIA, as well as CMIIB, and localize both CMIIA and CMIIB in stress fibers and networks in interphase cells and in cleavage furrows in dividing cells. Conversely, some intestinal epithelial, spleen, and dorsal root ganglia interphase cells express only CMIIA, organized primarily in networks. Of these, intestinal epithelial cells express both CMIIA and CMIIB when they divide, whereas some dividing cells from both spleen and dorsal root ganglia express only CMIIA and concentrate it in their cleavage furrows. These results suggest that within a given tissue, different cell types express different isoforms of CMII, and that cells expressing either CMIIA or CMIIB alone, or simultaneously, can form a cleavage furrow and divide.
How important is therapeutic drug monitoring in the prediction and avoidance of adverse reactions

TDM has greatly contributed to explaining and minimising the toxicity of agents such as theophylline, phenytoin, aminoglycosides and digoxin. The significant use of drugs with narrow therapeutic ranges will continue to require TDM resources to be available and convenient. Improved methods of characterising drug toxicities using pharmacokinetic parameters will extend the use of TDM to effectively optimise the dosage regimens of additional toxic therapies such as antineoplastics and certain investigational agents.
Transformation as Usual?: The meanings of a changing labour process for Indiana aluminium workers

■ The present era of 'flexible accumulation' and crisis is widely seen to have engendered distinctive changes in the labour process. The analysis pre sented here explores the ways in which these transformations are experienced and absorbed by hourly wage workers at an aluminium plant in the United States. Of particular interest are the distinct meanings the workers attach to different managerial innovations; thus, the reordering of shift arrangements provokes worker response (and union action) that is quite different from the reaction inspired by the introduction of cooperative worker-management teams at the plant. Using classical Marxian analytical categories, it may be said that the current regimen of workplace control involves some combination of absolute and relative surplus value strategies. By disaggregating this mix of strategies, these workers' narratives help cast some light on the currently raging debate about whether or not we are living in an age of globalization and epochal change.
The production of water-cluster positive ions in the quiet daytime D region

Abstract In the quiet daytime D region, the primary positive-ion species is thought to be NO + , produced by solar Lyman-alpha ionization of NO. Below the altitude of the mesopause, however, the dominant ambient species observed are water-cluster ions of the general type H + (H 2 O) n . No satisfactory reaction scheme for producing these cluster ions from NO + has yet been proposed. Following earlier suggestions, a model calculation has been carried out in which successive hydrations of NO + take place through clustering with N 2 and CO 2 , followed by “switching” reactions with H 2 O. The third hydrate of NO + is then converted into the water-cluster species H + (H 2 O) 3 , and the other water-cluster species are produced by successive clustering and thermal breakup reactions. Many of the reactions involved have not been measured in the laboratory, but reasonable estimates of their rates can be made on the basis of existing measurements of other species. Since both temperature and water-vapor content are of major importance in the model, calculations were carried out for two temperature profiles and two water-vapor profiles. It is shown that the results are in reasonably good agreement with observations as far as the water-cluster species are concerned. Under low-temperature conditions, the model predicts relatively large concentrations of various clusters of NO + , in agreement with some observations but in disagreement with others. The importance of sampling breakup of these weakly bound clusters, and their relevance to the free electron concentrations are discussed.
A COMPARISON OF MEASURED AND CALCULATED OUTPUT FOR HIGHLY BLOCKED PHOTON FIELDS

Abstract The present work measured the accuracy of VAX monitor unit calculations currently used for highly blocked photon fields at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The VAX program is an in-house computer program that calculates the setting for linear accelerator photons that is needed to deliver a prescribed dose to a muscle miniphantom located on the beam’s central axis at a prescribed depth beneath the surface in water. Monitor unit settings were computed for the Varian 2100 with multileaf collimation using 6 MV and 18 MV photons at a depth of 10 cm with different blocking ratios. Concentric and lateral blocking methods were used. Measurements were taken with an ion chamber and then compared with the VAX calculations with off-axis factors and peak scatter factors added in that are not available in the program. The results showed less than 2% difference for the concentric fields containing no more than 80% blocking and an equivalent square of at least 3.5 cm for 6 MV and 5 cm for 18 MV X-rays. For the lateral fields with the central axis blocked, less than 2% difference was found when blocking was 80% or less and the equivalent square was no less than 3.5 cm for 6 MV X-rays. For 18 MV X-rays, the maximum blocking and minimum equivalent square were 60% and 5 cm for 2% accuracy. This confirmed that the VAX system currently in use is accurate unless a very large amount of blocking is present or the central axis is blocked in very small fields. Previous research done at d max with similar blocking ratios produced similar results.
Cloud Feedbacks in the Climate System: A Critical Review

Abstract This paper offers a critical review of the topic of cloud–climate feedbacks and exposes some of the underlying reasons for the inherent lack of understanding of these feedbacks and why progress might be expected on this important climate problem in the coming decade. Although many processes and related parameters come under the influence of clouds, it is argued that atmospheric processes fundamentally govern the cloud feedbacks via the relationship between the atmospheric circulations, cloudiness, and the radiative and latent heating of the atmosphere. It is also shown how perturbations to the atmospheric radiation budget that are induced by cloud changes in response to climate forcing dictate the eventual response of the global-mean hydrological cycle of the climate model to climate forcing. This suggests that cloud feedbacks are likely to control the bulk precipitation efficiency and associated responses of the planet’s hydrological cycle to climate radiative forcings. The paper provides a brie...
The ethic of “responsible drinking”

Age‐specific prohibition of drinking has made possible the study of the conditions under which agents of control enforce an unpopular rule. This study examined enforcement of drinking rules at a large urban university. Research in three freshman residence halls over 3 academic years revealed a situational ethic of “responsible drinking.” Residential assistants (RAs) initially enforced the rule against drinking in the residence halls strictly. Then, in time, RAs devised three personal styles of enforcement of the ethic of responsible drinking. They were either “by‐the‐book,” “laid‐back,” or “in‐between.” RAs were less apt to report freshman residents who did not come to their attention, who drank quietly behind closed doors. Periodically, RAs patrolled all floors in the building. RAs were more apt to write up residents of floors other than their own for violation of the no‐drinking rule. Thus, “patterned evasion” outside residence halls recurred inside. The extent to which RAs evaded the norms of their pos...