cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abductor hallucis for monitoring lower-limb recovery after spinal cord injury in man.

Study design: Electromyogram (EMG) study on patients with acute spinal cord injury (SCI). Objectives: We hypothesized that subjects with mild to moderate acute SCI would have a higher probability of recovering function in intrinsic muscles of the foot compared to more proximal lower-limb muscles, based on the relative density of corticospinal tract innervation to these different motoneuron pools. Setting: Miami and Syracuse, USA. Methods: We conducted repeated measures of EMG during voluntary contractions from lower-limb muscles in subjects with acute traumatic SCI. For this study, analysis was restricted to those subjects who had either no recruitment (ie ‘motor-complete’) or limited recruitment (ie ‘motor-incomplete’) in any lower-limb muscle of either leg during the initial evaluation, and all of whom had converted to a motor-incomplete status in one or both legs at the time of final evaluation. Recruitment of the abductor hallucis (AbH) muscle during contraction attempts was judged as being either ‘present’ or ‘absent’, based upon the presence or absence of EMG-based volitional motor unit recruitment. Results: A total of 70 subjects were included in this study. Of these, 58 had motor-incomplete injury at or rostral to the T10 vertebral level, and another 12 had injury caudal to T10. In the former group, the AbH muscle showed a recovery probability that was considerably higher than that of other lower-limb muscles. Quite the opposite pattern was seen in persons with injury caudal to T10. In these subjects, recruitment was more common in proximal muscles of the thigh (psoas and quadriceps), and least common in the AbH muscle. Discussion: For persons with SCI at or rostral to the T10 vertebral level, the AbH muscle proved to be an earlier and more sensitive indicator of lower-limb contraction recovery following acute SCI compared to other lower-limb muscles. Including this intrinsic muscle of the foot as part of a neurologic assessment of muscle function after SCI should increase the test's sensitivity to preserved (or restored) supraspinal motor influence over lower-limb motoneuron pools, and is recommended.
RADIATION THERAPY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BIOPSY PROVED LOCAL RECURRENCE AFTER RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY

AbstractPurpose: We determine which clinical characteristics correlate with a successful outcome following external beam radiation for the management of biopsy proved, locally recurrent prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: The clinical records of 34 patients who were treated at our institution with external beam radiation for biopsy proved local disease recurrence after radical prostatectomy were reviewed. Mean followup was 77.9 months after radical prostatectomy and 38.3 months after radiotherapy. Preoperative, postoperative and pathological characteristics were examined for the ability to predict failure following radiotherapy.Results: Of the 34 patients 9 (26%) exhibited persistently low and stable serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) (less than 0.5 ng./ml.), while 7 (21%) had an undetectable serum PSA (less than 0.1 ng./ml.) during followup. These 16 patients were considered to be successfully treated by radiation and in the remaining 18 (53%) radiation was considered to...
Sociology as an Epistemology of Contradiction

Human social life is messy, and as a result the practice of sociology is filled with tension, contradiction, conflict, and ambiguity. As a discipline, sociology has generated excellent theories and...
Color vision in a chromatic Ganzfeld with introduction of inhomogeneity.

The term Ganzfeld was introduced by Meczger (1930) to denote a perfectly homogeneous visual field, a phenomenon seldom occurring in everyday experience but one that may be created artificially for the purpose of investigation. The perceptual properties of the Gdnzfeld have been carefully examined and a review of this literature was presented by Avant (1965). An original concern of these investigations was to examine certain predictions made by the Gestalt psychologists. For example, both Metzger (1930) and Kacz (1735) were primarily interested in determining the spatial dimensions of "primitive vision." Based on the introspective reports of their subjects, they concluded that in the presence of completely homogeneous visual stimulation space is experienced in three dimensrons, a finding confirmed in more recent investigations (e.g., Cohen, 1957). Another prediction is thac the Gnnzfeld will not sustain the perception of color. According to Koffka (1935), color vision requires both figure (or "microsttucture") and ground, with the latter appearing neutral. A Ganzfeld may be considered a ground without a figure and, therefore, its hue should quickly come to appear neutral. A more recent explanation (e.g., Cornsweet, 1970) proposes thac the absence of brightness contours allows inhibitory processes in the color receptors to operate without restraint, resulting in the disappearance of hue. The first experiment to provide unequivocal evidence of color adaptation in a chromatic Ganzfeld was by Hochberg, Triebel, and Seaman (1951). In their experiment halved table tennis balls were attached to Ss' eyes and flooded externally with red or green light. In this situation the initial experience of a highly saturated color was soon replaced by one of decreasing satiuation and finally ended, for most Ss, in the perception of black or dark gray. This type of chromatic adaptation has also been reported by Cohen ( 1956, 1957, 1758), ten Doesschate ( 1961), Weintraub ( 1964), and Sippola and Devezin ( 1969).
Combination erlotinib-cisplatin and Atg3-mediated autophagy in erlotinib resistant lung cancer.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as erlotinib are commonly used as a therapeutic agent against cancer due to its relatively low side-effect profile and, at times, greater efficacy. However, erlotinib resistance (ER) in non-small cell lung cancer is being recognized as a major problem. Therefore, understanding the mechanism behind ER and developing effective regimens are needed. Autophagy’s role in cancer has been controversial and remains unclear. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of low dose erlotinib-cisplatin combination in erlotinib resistant lung adenocarcinoma (ERPC9) cells and the role of autophagy in ER. ERPC9 cells were established from erlotinib sensitive PC9 cells. Appropriate treatments were done over two days and cell survival was quantified with Alamar Blue assay. LC3II and regulatory proteins of autophagy were measured by western blot. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was utilized to inhibit translation of the protein of interest. In ERPC9 cells, combination treatment induced synergistic cell death and a significant decrease in autophagy. At baseline, ERPC9 cells had a significantly higher LC3II and lower p-mTOR levels compared to PC9 cells. The addition of rapamycin increased resistance and 3-methyladenine sensitized ERPC9 cells, indicating autophagy may be acting as a protective mechanism. Further examination revealed that ERPC9 cells harbored high baseline Atg3 levels. The high basal Atg3 was targeted and significantly lowered with combination treatment. siRNA transfection of Atg3 resulted in the reversal of ER; 42.0% more cells died in erlotinib-alone treatment with transfection compared to non-transfected ERPC9 cells. We reveal a novel role for Atg3 in the promotion of ER as the inhibition of Atg3 translation was able to result in the re-sensitization of ERPC9 cells to erlotinib-alone treatment. Also, we demonstrate that combination erlotinib-cisplatin is an effective treatment against erlotinib resistant cancer by targeting (down-regulating) Atg3 mediated autophagy and induction of apoptotic cell death.
Rotational analysis of the (3,3) and (4,4) bands of the system of N2+ in the near-infrared using velocity modulation spectroscopy

Abstract The (3,3) and (4,4) bands of the A 2 Π u ←X 2 Σ g + system of N 2 + has been studied using the velocity modulation technique in the near-infrared region. The rotational structure has been analyzed by the method of combination differences in conjuction with the standard Hamiltonian. Molecular parameters and rotational temperatures are reported.
OBSERVATION OF THERMALLY RECYCLEABLE ZERO-RESISTANCE STATES IN YBaCuO ABOVE DRY ICE TEMPERATURES

Thermally recycleable zero-resistance states with transition temperatures above 200 K are observed in mixed-phase YBaCuO materials that are treated by a low-temperature (< 150°C) oxygenation process and enclosed in an oxygen atmosphere during electrical and magnetic measurements. The zero-resistance state is verified through multiple lead and contact arrangements as well as by measurements of the current-voltage characteristics for several paths with the highest transition temperature (zero resistance) for any sample being 265 K and with a zero-voltage current exceeding 4.3 mA at 240 K. Although a full Meissner effect is not obtained, diamagnetic-like deviations and hysteretic behavior are observed to occur at the same temperatures as the resistive transitions. This indicates that the zero resistance, if related to superconductivity, is due to filamentary superconducting paths or materials of lower dimensionality.
Dirac cosmology and the onset of galactic nucleosynthesis

Abstract Recently Browne and Berman determined the onset of nucleosynthesis of heavy elements in the galaxy to be about 18 billion years ago based on the weak decay of rhenium 187 to osmium 187. This age is appreciably larger than the 13 billion years determined from the uranium decay chains [2]. It is also larger than 16 billion year age of the Universe determined from the standard model by the latest values of the Hubble constant and decceleration parameter. This letter points out that this discrepancy is predicted by Dirac's cosmology and derives from a time- varying weak coupling constant.
Low-temperature absorption contour of the ν3 band of SF6

Abstract A band contour analysis is carried out for the ν 3 absorption in SF 6 . Values of ΔB = − (1.0 − 1.5) × 10 −4 cm −1 , ζ 3 = 0.701, and ν 0 = 948.2cm −1 are found. Tentative assignments are given for the SF 6 rotational states which are pumped by the P (14) through P (22) lines of the CO 2 laser.
Coal maceral separation using column flotation

Abstract Recent studies have found that coal macerals have properties which may allow their use as high-valued products. A conceptual approach for the production of individual maceral concentrates utilizing column flotation is presented in this publication. Before maceral separation,the coal was ground to the particle size corresponding to near complete liberation of the macerals, which was approximately 4 gmm for an Illinois No. 6 seam coal. The production of maceral concentrates using flotation was based on the differences in the flotation rates among the various macerals, which was manipulated by adjustment of the medium pH. An increase in pH from 8 to 11 resulted in an order of magnitude reduction in the flotation rate of the vptinite maceral group while the corresponding reduction for the inertinite group was about 50% . On the other hand, the kinetic rate for the vitrinite group remained unchanged. By using pH control and column flotation, the inertinite content was increased from 7.5 % to 50% . Although the upgrading of the other two maceral groups was not as significant, it was evident that the success of the maceral enrichment for a given coal is dependent on the maceral liberation characteristics and the magnitude of the flotation kinetic rate differences among the macerals.
Numerical Investigation of a Novel Method to Vitrify Biological Tissues Using Pulsed Lasers and Cryogenic Temperatures

The ability to eliminate freezing damage using “vitrification” (or the formation of glass) has long been an area of intense interest in cryobiology. Typically vitrification is achieved when biological systems are cooled at rates ranging from ∼8,000 °C/min to ∼10,000 °C/min [1–5]. Using traditional cooling methods (immersion in liquid nitrogen), such high cooling rates are currently not achievable, in large tissue sections (∼cm’s). In the present study we investigate a novel method to achieve high cooling rates in large tissue sections by pulsed laser heating in conjunction with cryogenic temperatures, i.e. high cooling rates are achieved by the localized difference in temperature between the laser heated tissue (∼1000’s of °C) and the surrounding liquid nitrogen (∼−160 °C). Additionally, the use of pulsed lasers allows localized heating of the tissue coupled with small time scales of energy deposition (0.1 to 1 pico seconds) such that the heating/thermal damage in tissues is minimized. To amplify this idea further, we developed a numerical model to predict the temperature transients in tissues exposed to laser heating and cryogenic temperatures. Analysis of our numerical simulations suggest that a perturbation of ∼3500 °C in a 5mm thick tissue leads to cooling rates in excess of ∼8000 °C/min throughout the tissue slice. These results indicate the possibility of vitrifying large tissue sections of cryobiological relevance using a combination of laser heating and liquid nitrogen cooling.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Developing research report writing skills using corpora

Abstract This exploratory study investigates the use of corpora to develop the research report writing skills of college-level students enrolled in a professional forestry program. Specifically, the study identifies the contribution of a concordance program in highlighting the characteristics of effective writing in the field of forestry by focusing on a set of selected linguistic features: (a) linking adverbials, (b) reporting verbs, (c) verb tenses (past and present), and (d) passive sentence structures. These features were selected for the study based on a comparison of a corpus of published forestry articles vis-a-vis a corpus of students’ research reports. Initial analysis showed interesting differences in the distributions of these linguistic features between professional and student texts. Two groups of forestry students (N = 28, with 14 students per group) were randomly assigned, one receiving six hours of instruction over a two-week period using corpus tools and materials, while the other group was given traditional research report writing instruction. The reports written by the students in the two groups before and after the treatment were compared with the distributional data from the corpus of published articles (i.e., professional corpus). Overall, results show that corpus instruction contributed positively to the patterning of the frequencies and distributional data of linking adverbials, reporting verbs, and verb tenses in the students’ research reports relative to the professional corpus.
Immunophysical Exploration of C3d–CR2(CCP1-2) Interaction Using Molecular Dynamics and Electrostatics

The formation of the complex between the d-fragment of the complement component C3 (C3d) and the modular complement receptor-2 (CR2) is important for cross-linking foreign antigens with surface-bound antibodies and C3d on the surface of B cells. The first two modules of CR2, complement control protein modules (CCPs), participate in non-bonded interactions with C3d. We have used computational methods to analyze the dynamic and electrostatic properties of the C3d-CR2(CCP1-2) complex. The interaction between C3d and CR2 is known to depend on pH and ionic strength. Also, the intermodular mobility of the CR2 modules has been questioned before. We performed a 10 ns molecular dynamics simulation to generate a relaxed structure from crystal packing effects for the C3d-CR2(CCP1-2) complex and to study the energetics of the C3d-CR2(CCP1-2) association. The MD simulation suggests a tendency for intermodular twisting in CR2(CCP1-2). We propose a two-step model for recognition and binding of C3d with CR2(CCP1-2), driven by long and short/medium-range electrostatic interactions. We have calculated the matrix of specific short/medium-range pairwise electrostatic free energies of interaction involved in binding and in intermodular communications. Electrostatic interactions may mediate allosteric effects important for C3d-CR2(CCP1-2) association. We present calculations for the pH and ionic strength-dependence of C3d-CR2(CCP1-2) ionization free energies, which are in overall agreement with experimental binding data. We show how comparison of the calculated and experimental data allows for the decomposition of the contributions of electrostatic from other effects in association. We critically compare predicted stabilities for several mutants of the C3d-CR2(CCP1-2) complex with the available experimental data for binding ability. Finally, we propose that CR2(CCP1-2) is capable of assuming a large array of intermodular topologies, ranging from closed V-shaped to open linear states, with similar recognition properties for C3d, but we cannot exclude an additional contact site with C3d.
Validation of an FFQ to assess short-term antioxidant intake against 30 d food records and plasma biomarkers

Objective To validate a brief FFQ developed for capturing short-term antioxidant intake in a sample of US college students. Design A seventy-four-item antioxidant FFQ was developed based on major antioxidant sources in the American diet. The FFQ was validated against 30 d food records (FR) and plasma antioxidant concentrations. The reliability of the FFQ was evaluated by two FFQ administered at a 1-month interval. Settings University of Connecticut, CT, USA. Subjects Sixty healthy college students. Results Estimates of dietary antioxidants from the FFQ were moderately to highly correlated with those estimated from the 30 d FR (r = 0·29–0·80; P < 0·05) except for γ-tocopherol and β-cryptoxanthin. Total antioxidant capacity from diet only or from diet and supplements estimated by the 30 d FR and FFQ were highly correlated (r = 0·67 and 0·71, respectively; P < 0·0001). The FFQ categorized 91 % of participants into the same or adjacent tertiles of antioxidant intake as the 30 d FR. Most dietary carotenoids estimated from the FFQ were correlated with plasma levels (P < 0·05). Correlation coefficients for test–retest reliability ranged from 0·39 to 0·86. More than 94 % of the participants were classified in the same or adjacent tertiles between the two administrations of the FFQ. Conclusions The brief FFQ demonstrated reasonable validity for capturing a comprehensive antioxidant intake profile. This FFQ is applicable in epidemiological or clinical studies to capture short-term antioxidant intake or to simply document the variations of antioxidant intake in intervention trials. Cross-validation studies are warranted in other target populations.
Evolution of surface structure during carbon doping in the metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxial growth of GaAs

Abstract A comprehensive study of carbon doping in GaAs in metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE) process, combining growth, electrical and morphological studies, is presented. The impact of carbon incorporation on the development of surface morphology has been systematically investigated. Heavily carbon-doped (∼ 10 20 cm −3 ) layers with different thickness were grown to study the evolution of the surface morphology. Carbon was incorporated into GaAs using two different carbon-doping sources, trimethylarsenic (TMAs) and CCl 4 , to create different surface chemical environments during the growth. TMAs-doped GaAs films show step pinning, defects, and island growth, while CCl 4 -doped GaAs surfaces typically have a terrace structure. The micrographic images were quantiatively analyzed through the determination of the height-height and height-difference correlation functions which yields both the short- and long-range surface structures. The change of the correlation length, as well as direct evidence from surface images, images, indicates a change of growth mode during the growth of TMAs-doped GaAs film on singular substrates. A description of the chemical influences during carbon doping on the growth front evolution is presented. The surface-adsorbed methyl groups and not the carbon impurity itself at the growth front determine the change of the growth mode.
Oxovanadium(IV) complexes of the dithiocarbamate ligands derived from indole, indoline, carbazole and pyrrole

Abstract The preparation of four oxovanadium(IV) dithiocarbamate complexes [VOL 2 : L = dithiocarbamate ligands derived from pyrrole, indole, indoline, or carbazole] is described. IR, optical and electron spin resonance spectral features of each complex are presented. The optical spectral features when coupled with the spin Hamiltonian parameters in a simple molecular orbital calculation indicate that the electron distribution between the V and S atoms is similar within this series and comparable to other dithiocarbamates with respect to the inplane σ- and π-bonding orbitals. In the out-of-plane π-orbitals, a slightly more covalent orbital is suggested for the title compounds. A rationalization of these data as well as a comparison to other metal dithiocarbamate complexes is presented.
Statins induce hyperglycaemia of uncertain importance

Commentary on: Ridker PM, Pradhan A, MacFadyen JG, et al. Cardiovascular benefits and diabetes risks of statin therapy in primary prevention: an analysis from the JUPITER trial. Lancet 2012; 380:565–71.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Statins effectively reduce cardiovascular risk. Although generally safe, their use has been associated with muscle discomfort, myopathy, neuropathy and, rarely, rhadbomyolysis. Since February 2012, statin labels carry a new warning: their use is associated with elevated blood glucose levels. Whereas the mechanism remains unknown, several meta-analyses have substantiated the relationship between statin use and elevation of blood glucose levels. As glucose levels rise, some (those close to the threshold at the outset) will cross the arbitrary threshold for the diagnosis of diabetes. Meta-analyses … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DLancet%26rft.stitle%253DLancet%26rft.aulast%253DRidker%26rft.auinit1%253DP.%2BM.%26rft.volume%253D380%26rft.issue%253D9841%26rft.spage%253D565%26rft.epage%253D571%26rft.atitle%253DCardiovascular%2Bbenefits%2Band%2Bdiabetes%2Brisks%2Bof%2Bstatin%2Btherapy%2Bin%2Bprimary%2Bprevention%253A%2Ban%2Banalysis%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2BJUPITER%2Btrial.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252FS0140-6736%252812%252961190-8%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F22883507%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61190-8&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=22883507&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F18%2F4%2F157.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000307511400029&link_type=ISI
Oxidative stability of natural and randomized high-palmitic-and high-stearic-acid oils from genetically modified soybean varieties

The oxidative stability of soybean oil triacylglycerols (TAG) obtained from genetically modified soybeans was determined before and after chemical randomization. Soybean oil oxidative studies were carried out under static oxygen headspace at 60°C in the dark and oxidative deterioration was monitored by peroxide value, monometric and oligomeric oxidation products, and volatile compounds. Randomization of the soybean oil TAG improved the oxidative stability compared to the natural soybean oil TAG. Oxidative stability was improved by three factors. Factor one was the genetic modification of the fatty acid composition in which polyunsaturated acids (such as linolenic and linoleic acids) were decreased and in which monounsaturated fatty acids (such as oleic) and saturated acids (palmitic and stearic) were increased. Factor two was the TAG compositional modification with a decrease in linolenic and linoleic-containing TAG and an increase in TAG with stearic and palmitic acids in combination with oleic acid. Factor three was the TAG structure modification accomplished by an increase in saturated fatty acids and a decrease in linoleic and linolenic acids at the glycerol moiety carbon 2.
Learning to Teach: developing expertise or rite of passage?

(1991). Learning to Teach: developing expertise or rite of passage? Journal of Education for Teaching: Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 73-79.
Increased production of IFN-γ and cysteinyl leukotrienes in virus-induced wheezing

Abstract Background: An imbalance of production of T-helper lymphocyte cytokines, favoring overproduction of IL-4, is believed to be important in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. However, less is known about the cytokine response in virus-induced wheezing, which is a major cause of morbidity in asthma. Objective: We undertook this study to determine the magnitude of IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10, and leukotriene (LT) responses in infants and children with virus-induced wheezing. Methods: We measured the concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10, and cysteinyl LTs in respiratory secretions of 82 infants and young children during acute episodes of virus-induced wheezing. Control subjects were 47 infants and children with uncomplicated upper respiratory infections and 18 normal healthy infants. Results: Ratios of IFN-γ to IL-4 were higher (due to increased quantities of IFN-γ) in subjects with wheezing than in those with upper respiratory infection alone ( P = .003). Quantities of LTs were also increased in wheezing subjects in comparison with those with upper respiratory infections ( P = .009). There was a significant correlation between measured concentrations of IFN-γ and LTs (correlation coefficient=.451, P = .007). Quantities of IL-4 were slightly suppressed in the wheezing groups. Conclusions: An imbalance favoring overproduction of IFN-γ appears to be associated temporarily with virus-induced wheezing. A possible mechanism is the enhanced release of LTs from eosinophils or mast cells after sensitization by IFN-γ. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:630-6.)
The structure of ionized 1,5 hexadiene in the gas phase

The structure of ionized 1,5-hexadiene, prepared by charge transfer between 1,5-hexadiene and CS 2 +. , is examined using energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation (CID). By comparing the product distributions and product appearance curves with those of authentic low-energy C6H 10 +. ions, it is determined that 1,5-hexadiene cation spontaneously rearranges to cyclohexene cation in the gas-phase. The proposed mechanism for formation of cyclohexene cation in the gas phase is analogous to that determined for this process under matrix isolation conditions, where it proceeds via a Cope rearrangement to the cyclohexane-1,4-diyl cation, followed by isomerization to cyclohexene cation. It is shown that electron ionization (EI) of 1,5-hexadiene gives a different molecular ion than is obtained upon chemical ionization (CI). The energy-resolved CID mass spectrum for the EI product is consistent with what would be obtained for a mixture of low energy ion isomers.
Surrogate testing of linear feedback processes with non-Gaussian innovations

Abstract Surrogate testing is used widely to determine the nature of the process generating the given empirical sample. In the present study, the usefulness of phase-randomized surrogates, amplitude adjusted Fourier transform and iterated amplitude adjusted Fourier transform surrogates on statistical inference of linearly correlated noise with non-Gaussian innovations and their static, invertible nonlinear transforms from their empirical samples are discussed. Existing surrogate testing procedures, which retain the auto-correlation function in the surrogates, may not be appropriate in the presence of non-Gaussian innovations.
Energy levels of human body segments during level walking.

Human locomotion analysis, measuring metabolic expenditure and mechanical energy levels of principal body segments during walking
Temperature programmed aqueous liquefaction extended to supercritical conditions

Abstract Temperature programming of liquefaction reactors is further refined for increasing coal liquefaction yields by matching radical production rates with the slurring medium's ability to donate hydrogen atoms. E.s.r., DTA and TGA data are utilized in the design of two different 60 min temperature programming profiles. For Indian Head lignite, using an aqueous/H 2 S slurry medium, the improvement in yield essentially followed the order: isothermal
Androgen metabolism in rat testicular tissue.

Concentration of 3H-testosterone (T), 3H-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 3H-androstanediols were measured in blood and testicular tissue at various timed intervals in. 43-day-old rats injected with 100 μ-Ci sc of 3H-T. Concentrations of 3H-T were always higher in blood than testis and concentrations of 3H-DHT and 3H-androstanediols were always higher in testis than blood. Significant amounts of 3H-DHT and 3H-T remained in, the testis at the end of 6 hr. In experiments in vitro, metabolism of 3H-T, 3H-DHT or 3H-androstanediol by teased testicular tissue was examined in immature or mature rats under varying cofactor conditions. Tissue from immature rats showed significantly greater (p < 0.05) ability to form 5α-reduced metabolites of 3H-T than did mature testis, while little difference was seen between metabolites of 3H-DHT or 3H-androstanediol in these groups. An intercon-version of several 3H-5α-reduced compounds was noted in the tissues from immature and mature animals. Addition of NADPH increased the quan...
The interaction of growth rates and diffusion coefficients in a three-dimensional mathematical model of gliomas

This paper is a natural three-dimensional extension of a simple two-dimensional mathematical model of glioma growth and diffusion. The model was originally constructed to simulate a case of recurrent anaplastic astrocytoma treated with chemotherapy, and then modified to allow estimation of the effects of the extent of surgical resection and of variations in growth and diffusion to cover the whole range of glioma behavior. Growth is considered to be constant and exponential (analogous to continuously compounding interest) and is expressed as a decimal fraction per day; the diffusion coefficient is expressed as cm2 per day. Model predictions suggest that diffusion, practically ignored until the present, is a more important component of glioma growth than the growth rate. Even with very early diagnosis, only those tumors with a low diffusion coefficient and a rapid growth rate benefit from a wide resection. Surgical resections generally fail, just as dropping fire-fighters into the burned out center of a forest fire fails, the action being on the periphery as the tumor cells or fires spread out from the center.
Stability on the imaginary axis andA-stability of linear multistep methods

In order to solve initial value problems of systems of first order differential equations where the Jacobian of the right hand side has purely imaginary eigenvalues, one requests that the method be stable along the imaginary axis. It is then shown that such methods have to beA-stable and hence their error order is at most 2 and the trapezoidal rule has the smallest error constant. This result is then related to a similar result by Dahlquist on second order differential equations.
Syphilis and HIV: a dangerous duo

HIV and syphilis affect similar patient groups and coinfection is common. All patients presenting with syphilis should be offered HIV testing and vice versa. Syphilis can enhance the transmission of HIV. Detection and treatment of syphilis can probably help to reduce HIV transmission. Syphilis may present with atypical features in the HIV-positive patient, for example, there is a higher rate of asymptomatic primary syphilis, and proportionately more HIV-positive patients present with secondary disease. Secondary infection may be more aggressive and there is an increased rate of early neurologic and ophthalmic involvement. Diagnosis is generally made with serology, but the clinician should be aware of the potential for false-negative serology in both primary and, less commonly, in secondary syphilis. All HIV-positive patients should be treated with a penicillin-based regimen, and alternative therapies should be used with caution. All HIV-positive patients should be considered for the evaluation of neurosyphilis. Relapse is a real concern and careful follow up is required. This review will explore the differences in clinical manifestations in HIV-coinfected individuals, and will discuss data to warrant different management in HIV-coinfected individuals.
n-Alkane evidence for the onset of wetter conditions in the Sierra Nevada, California (USA) at the mid-late Holocene transition, ~ 3.0 ka

n-Alkane biomarker distributions in sediments from Swamp Lake (SL), in the central Sierra Nevada of California (USA), provide evidence for an increase in mean lake level ~ 3000 yr ago, in conjunction with widespread climatic change inferred from marine and continental records in the eastern North Pacific region. Length distributions of n-alkane chains in modern plants growing at SL were determined and compared to sedimentary distributions in a core spanning the last 13 ka. As a group, submerged and floating aquatic plants contained high proportions of short chain lengths ( nC27 were dominant. Changes in the sedimentary n-alkane distribution over time were driven by variable inputs from plant sources in response to changing lake level, sedimentation and plant community composition. A shift toward shorter chain lengths (nC21, nC23) occurred between 3.1 and 2.9 ka and is best explained by an increase in the abundance of aquatic plants and the availability of shallow-water habitat in response to rising lake level. The late Holocene expansion of SL following a dry mid-Holocene is consistent with previous evidence for increased effective moisture and the onset of wetter conditions in the Sierra Nevada between 4.0 and 3.0 ka.
Manufacturing strategy, competitive strategy and firm performance: An empirical study in a developing economy environment

This paper examines the relationship between manufacturing strategy and competitive strategy and their influence on firm performance. We test how competitive strategy influences manufacturing strategy and also examine the impact that manufacturing strategy and competitive strategy have on firm performance among Ghanaian manufacturing firms. We found significant and positive relationships between competitive strategy and the manufacturing strategies of cost, delivery, flexibility, and quality. The findings also indicate that quality is the only manufacturing strategy component that influences performance. Our results further show that although competitive strategy does not directly affect firm performance, it does so indirectly through quality. Thus, whether a firm chooses to pursue a cost leadership or a differentiation strategy an emphasis on quality provides the most benefits with regard to firm performance. An emphasis on quality appears to provide a means by which companies can mitigate the effects of increased competition resulting from the economic reforms within the Ghanaian manufacturing environment.
Targeted Histone Peptides: Insights into the Spatial Regulation of the Methyltransferase PRC2 by using a Surrogate of Heterotypic Chromatin

Eukaryotic genomes are dynamically regulated through a host of epigenetic stimuli. The substrate for these epigenetic transactions, chromatin, is a polymer of nucleosome building blocks. In native chromatin, each nucleosome can differ from its neighbors as a result of covalent modifications to both the DNA and the histone packaging proteins. The heterotypic nature of chromatin presents a formidable obstacle to biochemical studies seeking to understand the role of context on epigenetic regulation. A chemical approach to the production of heterotypic chromatin that can be used in such studies is introduced. This method involves the attachment of a user-defined modified histone peptide to a designated nucleosome within the polymer by using a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) targeting compound. This strategy was applied to dissect the effect of chromatin context on the activity of the histone methyltransferase PRC2. The results show that PRC2 can be stimulated to produce histone H3 methylation from a defined nucleation site.
Neither Interleukin-6 nor Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Is Required for Clearance of Chlamydia trachomatis from the Murine Genital Tract Epithelium

Female mice bearing targeted mutations in the interleukin-6 or inducible nitric oxide synthase locus mounted effective immune responses following vaginal infection with Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydial clearance rates, local Th1 cytokine production, and host antibody responses were similar to those of immunocompetent control mice. Therefore, neither gene product appears to be critical for the resolution of chlamydial infections of the urogenital epithelium.
Clinical Preventive Medicine in Primary Care: Background and Practice: 1. Rationale and Current Preventive Practices

Impressive evidence supports the value of clinical preventive medicine, defined as the maintenance and promotion of health and the reduction of risk factors that result in injury and disease. Primary prevention activities deter the occurrence of a disease or adverse event, eg, smoking cessation. Secondary prevention (screening) is early detection of a disease or condition in an asymptomatic stage so treatment delays or blocks occurrence of symptoms, eg, mammographic detection of breast cancer. Tertiary prevention attempts to not allow adverse consequences of existing clinical disease, eg, cardiac rehabilitation to prevent the recurrence of a myocardial infarction. Preventive services have decreased morbidity and mortality from both acute and chronic conditions. However, these services are underutilized for numerous reasons. Barriers to their use include physician, patient, and health system factors. The traditional disease/treatment model should be modified to incorporate more preventive services. The subsequent 2 parts of this review will discuss suggestions for integrating primary preventive services and screening into primary care practice.
Classroom model, model classroom: computer-supported methodology for investigating collaborative-learning pedagogy

We have been exploring the potential of agent-based modeling methodology for socialscience research and, specifically, for illuminating theoretical complementarities of cognitive and socio-constructivist conceptualizations of learning (e.g., Abrahamson & Wilensky, 2005a). The current study advances our research by applying our methodology to pedagogy research: we investigate individual and social factors underlying outcomes of implementing collaborative-inquiry classroom practice. Using bifocal modeling (Blikstein & Wilensky, 2006a), we juxtapose agent-based simulations of collaborative problem solving with real-classroom data of students' collaboration in a demographically diverse middle-school mathematics classroom (Abrahamson & Wilensky, 2005b). We validate the computer model by comparing outcomes from running the simulation with outcomes of the real intervention. Findings are that collaboration pedagogy emphasizing group performance may forsake individual learning, because stable division-of-labor patterns emerge due to utilitarian preference of short-term production over long-term learning (Axelrod, 1997). The study may inform professional development and pedagogical policy (see interactive applet: http://ccl.northwestern.edu/research/conferences/CSCL2007/CSCL2007.html).
Surface matching using consistent pants decomposition

Surface matching is fundamental to shape computing and various downstream applications. This paper develops a powerful pants decomposition framework for computing maps between surfaces with arbitrary topologies. We first conduct pants decomposition on both surfaces to segment them into consistent sets of pants patches (here a pants patch is intuitively defined as a genus-zero surface with three boundaries). Then we compose global mapping between two surfaces by harmonic maps of corresponding patches. This framework has several key advantages over other state-of-the-art techniques. First, the surface decomposition is automatic and general. It can automatically construct mappings for surfaces with same but complicated topology, and the result is guaranteed to be one-to-one continuous. Second, the mapping framework is very flexible and powerful. Not only topology and geometry, but also the semantics can be easily integrated into this framework with a little user involvement. Specifically, it provides an easy and intuitive human-computer interaction mechanism so that mapping between surfaces with different topologies, or with additional point/curve constraints, can be properly obtained within our framework. Compared with previous user-guided, piecewise surface mapping techniques, our new method is more intuitive, less labor-intensive, and requires no user's expertise in computing complicated surface map between arbitrary shapes. We conduct various experiments to demonstrate its modeling potential and effectiveness.
Selectivity principles in anion separation by crystallization of hydrogen-bonding capsules.

The fundamental factors controlling anion selectivity in the crystallization of hydrogen-bonding capsules [Mg(H2O)6][X ⊂ L2] (X = SO42−, 1a; SeO42−, 1b; SO32−, 1c; CO32−, 1d; L = tris[2-(3-pyridylurea)ethyl]-amine) from water have been investigated by solution and solid-state thermodynamic measurements, anion competition experiments, and X-ray structural analysis. The crystal structures of 1a−d are isomorphous, thereby simplifying the interpretation of the observed selectivities based on differences in anion coordination geometries. The solubilities of 1a−d in water follow the order: 1a < 1b < 1c < 1d, which is consistent with the selectivity for the tetrahedral sulfate and selenate anions observed in competitive crystallization experiments. Crystallization of the capsules is highly exothermic, with the most favorable ΔHcryst° of −99.1 and −108.5 kJ/mol corresponding to SO42− and SeO42−, respectively, in agreement with the X-ray structural data showing shape complementarity between these tetrahedral anion...
LTCS: The Lower Thermosphere Coupling Study of the CEDAR and WITS Programs, an attempt to better understand the “Ignorosphere”

The atmospheric region extending from the temperature minimum at the tropopause, at about 18 km, to the mesopause (and sometimes higher, depending on context and author) is commonly referred to as the middle atmosphere. It is inaccessible to the large majority of meteorological rockets and satellites. Interactions there are complex and hard to model realistically. The region is so difficult to study that it has affectionately and sometimes despairingly become known as the “ignorosphere.” The mesopause is the temperature minimum occurring in Earth's atmosphere near 90 km and represents the boundary between the mesosphere and thermosphere. The mesosphere lies at 50–90 km altitude and has a negative temperature gradient; the thermosphere lies above 90 km and has a positive temperature gradient (see Figure 1). The thermal and dynamical structure of the region around the mesopause, extending for present purposes from about 80 km to 150 km, is characterized by a diversity of physical processes that dynamically and energetically couple the middle and upper atmosphere.
Selection and Dietary Quality of Beef Cattle Grazing Smooth Bromegrass, Switchgrass, and Big Bluestem1

Abstract The ability of grazing animals to enhance quality of diet by selection is important in production. The study determined the effects of selection on dietary quality of cattle grazing monocultures of smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss; SB), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.; SG), and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman; BB) as influenced by plant maturity. Three ruminally-fistulated steers (295 kg) strip-grazed SB, SG, and BB at vegetative, elongation, early reproductive, and a regrowth stage of development. Selection was maximized by providing cattle access to 40 kg of DM/d per head. Clipped samples were compared with dietary samples accumulated during 45 min grazing following total rumen evacuation. Dietary CP was enhanced 3 to 4% for SG and BB, and 8% for SB (P
Health metrics and evaluation: strengthening the science

With the growing importance of health in the global agenda comes the responsibility to develop a scientific foundation of metrics and evaluation. The scope of this emerging field can be viewed in terms of key topics, including health outcomes, other social outcomes related to health systems, health services, resource inputs, evaluations of programmes and systems, and analyses to support policy choice. It can also be defined in terms of key activities that are needed to strengthen the scientific basis of the field: development of new methods, instruments, software, and hardware; setting global norms and standards for data collection; increasing the availability of high-quality primary data; systematic analysis and synthesis of existing datasets; strengthening national capacity to obtain, analyse, and use data; and reporting and disseminating results. We explore in depth topics with major scientific challenges and institutional and cultural barriers that are slowing the development of the field. Cutting across the various topical areas and disciplinary approaches to these problems are some common scientific issues, including limited comparability of measurement, uncorrected known biases in data, no standard approach to missing data, unrealistic uncertainty estimates, and the use of disease models that have not been properly validated. Only through concerted action will it be possible to assure the production, reproduction, and use of knowledge that is crucial to the advancement of global health.
Parental Money Help to Children and Stepchildren

Divorce and remarriage have reshaped the American family giving rise to questions about the place of stepchildren in remarried families. In this article, we examine money transfers from a couple to each of their children. We introduce characteristics of the family and estimate the role of shared family membership affecting all children in the family as well as the difference that stepchild status and other individual characteristics make in transfer flows. Data are from the Health and Retirement Study. There are two central results in the analysis. Overall, provision of financial help from parents to children is a family phenomenon. Although help to a particular child is episodic, differences between families in provision of help were much greater than the differences in helping one child versus another within families. Second, stepchild status does differentiate one child from another within a family. Stepchildren are disadvantaged, particularly stepchildren of the wife.
A principle of independence for binary tree searching

When searching unsuccessfully for a fixed element in a random binary search tree, the number of comparisons made whose result is "less" is independent from the number of comparisons whose result is "greater". This principle can be used to compute the mean and variance of the total number of comparisons involved in both a successful and an unsuccessful search.