cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Catalysis of hydrolysis and aminolysis of benzylpenicillin mediated by a ternary complex with zinc ion and Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane

Abstract It was discovered that the combination of zinc ion and Tris in the pH range 7.5–10 is a very effective true catalyst for hydrolysis and aminolysis (by Tris) of benzylpenicillin. Both Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions were nonreactive in this system. The rate of loss of penicillin from solution was found to be a linear function of zinc ion at concentrations up to 10−5 M, while the dependence upon Tris concentration is maximal at about 0.02–0.03 M at each pH studied. At high penicillin concentrations saturation kinetics was observed. Product assays showed the major product to be a penicilloic acid at low Tris concentrations and N(penicilloyl)-Tris at high Tris concentrations. A mechanism is proposed which suggests that the reaction is mediated by a ternary complex in which the metal ion acts to bring the reactants (penicillin and Tris) into close proximity and to lower the pKa of a Tris hydroxyl, creating a strong nucleophile. This mechanism also explains the results of the product assays and the lack of reactivity of the other metal ions tested. This reaction may be related to the mechanism for a known zinc-dependent β-lactamase.
Reevaluation of health risk benchmark for sustainable water practice through risk analysis of rooftop-harvested rainwater.

Abstract Health risk concerns associated with household use of rooftop-harvested rainwater (HRW) constitute one of the main impediments to exploit the benefits of rainwater harvesting in the United States. However, the benchmark based on the U.S. EPA acceptable annual infection risk level of ≤1 case per 10,000 persons per year (≤10 −4 pppy) developed to aid drinking water regulations may be unnecessarily stringent for sustainable water practice. In this study, we challenge the current risk benchmark by quantifying the potential microbial risk associated with consumption of HRW-irrigated home produce and comparing it against the current risk benchmark. Microbial pathogen data for HRW and exposure rates reported in literature are applied to assess the potential microbial risk posed to household consumers of their homegrown produce. A Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) model based on worst-case scenario (e.g. overhead irrigation, no pathogen inactivation) is applied to three crops that are most popular among home gardeners (lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes) and commonly consumed raw. The infection risks of household consumers attributed to consumption of these home produce vary with the type of produce. The lettuce presents the highest risk, which is followed by tomato and cucumber, respectively. Results show that the 95th percentile values of infection risk per intake event of home produce are one to three orders of magnitude (10 −7 to 10 −5 ) lower than U.S. EPA risk benchmark (≤10 −4 pppy). However, annual infection risks under the same scenario (multiple intake events in a year) are very likely to exceed the risk benchmark by one order of magnitude in some cases. Estimated 95th percentile values of the annual risk are in the 10 −4 to 10 −3 pppy range, which are still lower than the 10 −3 to 10 −1 pppy risk range of reclaimed water irrigated produce estimated in comparable studies. We further discuss the desirability of HRW for irrigating home produce based on the relative risk of HRW to reclaimed wastewater for irrigation of food crops. The appropriateness of the ≤10 −4 pppy risk benchmark for assessing safety level of HRW-irrigated fresh produce is questioned by considering the assumptions made for the QMRA model. Consequently, the need of an updated approach to assess appropriateness of sustainable water practice for making guidelines and policies is proposed.
Purification and properties of glycogen phosphorylase from Escherichia coli.

Abstract Glycogen phosphorylase and maltodextrin phosphorylase were purified 1100-fold and 200-fold respectively from cell-free extracts of Escherichia coli, K-12. The optimum pH of the glycogen phosphorylase is 6.7–6.9 and the equilibrium favors glycogen synthesis from glucose-1-phosphate. The spectrum of the enzyme suggests that it contains pyridoxal phosphate. Heavy metals and pCMB are inhibitory. The Km values for glucose-1-phosphate and glycogen are 10−3 m and 0.67% w v , respectively in the absence of AMP and 2.9 × 10−3 m and 0.46% w v , respectively in the presence of 5 × 10−3 m AMP. AMP increased the Vmax of the reaction slightly when glycogen was not saturating. Glucose (Ki = 2.5 × 10−>m), ADPG (Ki = 0.7 × 10−>m), TDPG (Ki = 10−m), and UDPG (Ki = 2 × 10−m) were competitive inhibitors with respect to glucose-1-phosphate. Glucose-1-phosphate (at > 2 × 10− m ) was also inhibitory.
Decomposition of fluorinated diethers on the clean iron surface

Abstract Polymeric perfluoroalkylethers are being considered for use as lubricants in high temperature applications, but have been observed to catalytically decompose in the presence of metals. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) were used to explore the decomposition of three model fluorinated ethers on clean iron surfaces. Low temperature adsorption of the model fluorinated ethers was molecular. Defluorination of the three model compounds was observed at remarkably low temperatures, 155 K and below, with formation of iron fluoride. Preferential C-F bond scission occurred at methoxy, CF3O, of perfluoro-1-methoxy-2-ethoxy ethane and perfluoro-1-methoxy-2-ethoxy propane and at CF 3 CF 2 O of perfluo-o-1,3-diethoxy propane. The reactivity of the iron toward perfluoroalkylether decomposition when compared to other metals is due to the strength of the iron fluoride bond and the strong electron donating ability of the metallic iron.
CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER MEAT SKIN AS AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT COOKING METHODS

Broiler parts were treated and cooked in the following ways: (1) noncooked raw parts; (2) boiled in water for 20 min; (3) baked at 218°C for 1 hr with and without batter and breading; and (4) deep fat fried at 182°C for 7 min with and without batter and breading. Weight per unit area, moisture, and fat contents of the breast and the thigh skin were determined. It was found that the thigh skin weighed less (g/in2) but contained more fat than the breast skin regardless of the cooking method. Weight, moisture and fat contents of skin were greatly affected by the cooking methods. Skin samples were taken from the same breast location and fixed in glutaraldehyde dOsO4. Specimens were then dehydrated, critical-point dried, coated with gold and observed using a scanning electron microscope. Water boiled skin had a relatively smooth surface; fried skin had numerous crater-like structures, while baked skin had few crater-like structures.
Designing herbicide formulation characteristics to maximize efficacy and minimize rice injury in paddy environments

Mathematical descriptors, coupled with experimental observations, are used to quantify differential uptake of an experimental herbicide in Japonica and Indica rice (Oryza sativa, non-target) and barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli, target). Partitioning, degradation, plant uptake and metabolism are described using mass-balance conservation equations in the form of kinetic approximations. Estimated environmental concentrations, governed by the pesticide formulation, are described using superimposed analytical solutions for the one-dimensional diffusion equation in spherical coordinates and by a finite difference representation of the two-dimensional diffusion equation in Cartesian coordinates. Formulation attributes from granules include active ingredient release rates, particle sizes, pesticide loading, and granule spacing. The diffusion model for pesticide transport is coupled with the compartment model to follow the fate and transport of a pesticide from its initial application location to various environmental matrices of interest. Formulation effects, partitioning and degradation in the various environmental matrices, differential plant uptake and metabolism, and dose-response information for plants are accounted for. This novel model provides a mechanism for selecting formulation delivery systems that optimize specific attributes (such as weed control or the therapeutic index) for risk-assessment procedures. In this report we describe how this methodology was used to explore the factors affecting herbicide efficacy and to define an optimal release rate for a granule formulation.
A congestion measure for call admission and traffic engineering for multi-layer multi-rate traffic

We consider traffic control for services with constant bit rate (CBR) or multi-layer Poisson statistics. Through the use of the Chernoff bound for the probability of traffic overflow, a congestion measure s* can be conveniently used for traffic control methodologies such as call admission and traffic engineering. We investigate extensively the mathematical properties of this congestion measure, and provide intuitive economical interpretations for the purpose of traffic integration. Applied to dynamic non-hierarchical routing (DNHR), we show why the marginal bandwidth cost is a good criterion for choosing least cost paths.
Solubilization rates of oils in surfactant solutions and their relationship to mass transport in emulsions

Information on solubilization rates of oils in aqueous micellar solutions is reviewed. For ionic surfactants electrostatic repulsion prevents close approach of micelles to the oil-water interface, so that solubilization results from oil molecules dissolving individually in the solution and being taken up by micelles during and/or after transport across a diffusion boundary layer to the bulk solution. Experiments with SDS solutions and single oil drops having low (but not negligible) solubility indicate that mass transfer is often not rate-controlling. Instead phenomena near the oil-water interface including, but not limited to, the rates of micellar uptake of oil from the aqueous solution seem to control the solubilization rate. In contrast, Ostwald ripening experiments involving multiple oil drops in SDS solutions are often interpreted in terms of molecular dissolution and diffusion alone since ripening rates are typically only slightly different from those observed in the absence of surfactant micelles, where this mechanism is considered to hold. For many nonionic surfactant systems and oils of low or negligible solubility the principal mechanism of solubilization is incorporation of surfactant at the oil-water interface from micelles, which coalesce or "adsorb" at the interface or else dissociate nearby, permitting individual surfactant molecules to be adsorbed. Subsequently the excess surfactant is emitted as oil-containing micelles. Most experiments have indicated that this process, which appears in the analyses as an interfacial resistance, is rate controlling. New results are presented here supporting this model and showing that resistance to mass transfer is often quite low because natural convection can arise near an oil drop owing to the density change produced by solubilized oil in micelles near the drop surface. Provided that polydispersity of drop sizes is properly accounted for, experiments on solubilization and compositional ripening in emulsions stabilized with nonionic surfactants can be interpreted using the interfacial resistance model with values of resistance obtained from single-drop experiments. However, it is unclear whether mass transfer, interfacial resistance or perhaps some combined mechanism controls the rate of Ostwald ripening. One uncertainty limiting predictions of the interfacial resistance model is the lack of information on the oil-to-surfactant ratio in micelles when the concentration of individually dissolved oil molecules slightly exceeds the equilibrium value for a plane oil-water interface, the situation during Ostwald ripening.
EliMet: Security metric elicitation in power grid critical infrastructures by observing system administrators' responsive behavior

To protect complex power-grid control networks, efficient security assessment techniques are required. However, efficiently making sure that calculated security measures match the expert knowledge is a challenging endeavor. In this paper, we present EliMet, a framework that combines information from different sources and estimates the extent to which a control network meets its security objective. Initially, during an offline phase, a state-based model of the network is generated, and security-level of each state is measured using a generic and easy-to-compute metric. EliMet then passively observes system operators' online reactive behavior against security incidents, and accordingly refines the calculated security measure values. Finally, to make the values comply with the expert knowledge, EliMet actively queries operators regarding those states for which sufficient information was not gained during the passive observation. Our experimental results show that EliMet can optimally make use of prior knowledge as well as automated inference techniques to minimize human involvement and efficiently deduce the expert knowledge regarding individual states of that particular system.
High-speed CMOS laser drivers

The design of a 1.2 Gbit/sec CMOS laser driver with a novel temperature controlled feedback loop is presented. It was designed to be used for digital fiber applications, e.g. fiber-to-the-curb telecommunications or for datacom. The laser-driver operates at a maximum speed of 1.2 Gbit/sec between the temperature ranges of -40 C to 85 C using low-cost CMOS technology. Simulation results at these speeds, and experimental results at a lower speed of 200Mbit/sec, are presented.
Simulation study on trajectory of dielectrophoretic force controlled nanowires

Nanoscale manipulation is of tremendous importance in the application of nanowire-based devices like chemical and biological sensors, light-emitting diodes, and field effect transistors. In order to fabricate nanodevices with high throughput, nanowires need to be manipulated towards pre-defined electrodes with high efficiency. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) provides a noninvasive, nondestructive method to effectively align nanowires. In this paper, the trajectory of single nanowire manipulated by DEP force in liquid is analyzed and simulated. Because the electrode gap is usually shorter than the nanowire, the electric field generated by the electrode pair is highly nonuniform along the nanowire. Using an approach similar to finite element, the DEP force applied to the nanowire as well as the torque induced by DEP can be precisely calculated by dividing the nanowire into small segments. By assuming the electric field is uniform along each segment, the total force and torque on the nanowire induced by DEP can be obtained. By considering the drag force from the surrounding liquid, the overall force on the nanowire is calculated, thus the trajectory of nanowire manipulated by DEP force is obtained. The simulation results show that the DEP force is able to attract the nanowire to electrodes and to force it bridge the gap between electrodes.
Role of Surface Reorganization on Preferential Adsorption of Macromolecular Ensembles at the Solid/Fluid Interface

The adsorption of micelles made from precisely synthesized branched block copolymers is investigated and analyzed using a model framework that incorporates the effects of mass transport and dynamic relaxation/reorganization events occurring at the solid/fluid interface. Both processes are required to represent adequately the adsorption profile over the entire progression to pseudoequilibrium. Insight into the relative importance of the two processes, the terminus of the diffusion-dominated regime, and differences between diffusion in free solution and in confinement is also provided. The results demonstrate commonality between adsorption of micelle-forming surfactant-like copolymers and biomimetic vesicles formed by small-molecule surfactants, both of which are systems dominated by rearrangements on the surface.
Fusion of uniluminal vascular spheroids: a model for assembly of blood vessels

We evaluated the self-assembly properties of uniluminal vascular spheroids having outer layers of vascular smooth muscle cells and a contiguous inner layer of endothelial cells lining a central lumen. We showed that while pairs of uniluminal vascular spheroids suspended in culture medium fused to form a larger diameter spheroidal structure, spheroids in collagen hydrogels formed elongated structures. These findings highlight the potential use of uniluminal vascular spheroids as modules to engineer blood vessels. We also demonstrate that uniluminal vascular spheroid fusion conforms to models describing the coalescence of liquid drops. Furthermore, the fusion of uniluminal vascular spheroids in vitro closely resembled the in vivo process by which the descending aorta forms from the fusion of the paired dorsal aortae during embryonic development. Together, the findings indicate that tissue liquidity underlies uniluminal vascular spheroid fusion and that in vivo anastomosis of blood vessels may involve a similar mechanism.
Low-Latency Factorization Architecture for Algebraic Soft-Decision Decoding of Reed–Solomon Codes

Bivariate polynomial factorization is an important stage of algebraic soft-decision decoding of Reed-Solomon (RS) codes and contributes to a significant portion of the overall decoding latency. With the exhaustive search-based root computation method, factorization latency is dominated by the root computation step, especially for RS codes defined over very large finite fields. The root-order prediction method proposed by Zhang and Parhi only improves average latency, but does not have any effect on the worst-case latency of the factorization procedure. Thus, neither approach is well-suited for delay-sensitive applications. In this paper, a novel architecture based on direct root computation is proposed to greatly reduce the factorization latency. Direct root computation is feasible because in most practical applications of algebraic soft-decision decoding of RS codes, enough decoding gain can be achieved with a relatively low interpolation cost, which results in a bivariate polynomial with low Y-degree. Compared with existing works, not only does the new architecture have a significantly smaller worst-case decoding latency, but it is also more area efficient since the corresponding hardware for routing polynomial coefficients is eliminated.
Using Mobile Tools for Advocacy

Libraries' focus on mobile devices as information portals (e.g., text reference and mobile Web sites) and productivity tools (e.g., calendars and documents) has caused them to overlook a more subtle opportunity. Smartphones and tablets are ideal for advocacy and organizational storytelling, which are increasingly important functions of libraries. This article discusses advocacy and four main categories of applications (more commonly known as apps) to support it: apps for photos and videos, personal databases, concept maps, and business intelligence. The objective of this article is to inspire others to experiment with these tools and apply them to their advocacy efforts.
Letter by Bernstein et al Regarding Article, “Reversal of Rivaroxaban and Dabigatran by Prothrombin Complex Concentrate: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study in Healthy Subjects

To the Editor: We read with interest the report by Eerenberg et al1 showing failure to reverse the anticoagulant effect of dabigatran with a nonactivated prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC). We remind readers that not all preparations of PCC are equivalent. In particular, an activated PCC contains higher amounts of activated clotting factors and may be more potent (and more thrombogenic) than nonactivated …
Effects of insulin-like growth factors I and II on growth and differentiation of transplanted rat embryos and fetal tissues.

The objective of our study was to obtain comparative information on the roles of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) I and II in the growth and differentiation of rat embryos and fetuses in an in vivo experimental system. Ten-day-old rat embryos or 16-day-old fetal rat paws were transplanted under the capsule of both kidneys of syngeneic hosts, where they grew rapidly, and tissue differentiation occurred in an essentially normal manner. Infusion of a rabbit antiserum to human (h) IGF-I for 6 days into the renal artery of one kidney caused only a slight inhibition (∼20%) of growth of transplanted embryos on that kidney. However, 9 days of treatment with the antiserum caused highly significant growth retardation of transplanted embryos by 40-45%. Exposure of fetal paws to the same antiserum for 9 days inhibited their growth by 27%. Infusion of synthetic hIGF-II or partially purified rat IGF-II [(MSA)multiplication-stimulating activity], for 6 days stimulated the growth of embryo transplants directly, and MSA...
Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Predict Intention to Use Condoms Among Male and Female Injecting Drug Users

The utility of the theory of planned behavior for predicting condom use intentions was demonstrated in a study of 405 male and 315 US intravenous drug users. According to this theory behavior is a direct function of intentions in turn a function of attitudes toward the behavior and perceptions of relevant social norms. The variables in the model explained 36-48% of condom use intention; social norm was the only variable of no salience to any of the analyses. Attitude toward condom use was strongly associated with condom use intentions regardless of gender or type of partner. In addition intention to use condoms with ones main partner was positively and significantly correlated for men with partner norm and for women with partner norm and perceived behavioral control. Intention to use condoms with a casual partner was significantly associated for men and women with attitude and perceived behavioral control but not social or partner norms. Women were significantly more likely than men to perceive themselves as at risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus from a non-principal partner. The beliefs that using condoms is a responsible thing to do and can reduce worrying were significantly associated with attitudes toward condom use with both principal and non-principal partners among men but only for principal partners among women. For women condom use was most likely in the context of a relatively stable relationship characterized by some intimacy. The lack of impact of social norms on condom use intentions is assumed to reflect the alienation from the social mainstream of intravenous drug abusers. Given the importance of the attitudinal variable however interventions that focus on creating more positive views toward condom use among drug users seem indicated.
Illumination characterization of glass and metal secondary concentrator elements in a photovoltaic solar concentration system

Using illumination modeling, we provide a comparison of glass Total Internal Reflection Concentrators (TIRC) and metal Hollow Reflective Concentrators (HRC) used as secondary concentrator elements in a dish-based highconcentration photovoltaic (CPV) system. Comparisons of optical efficiency, flux uniformity, off-axis acceptance angle, and cost are vital to choosing an ideal secondary concentrator element for a CPV system employing multi-junction (MJ) cells. In many CPV systems, a free-form optic or sharp-cornered rectangular TIRC composed of glass is used to increase the geometrical flux concentration at the surface of the MJ cell, and may also serve as homogenizers to mix the light to increase flux uniformity. We have demonstrated in on-sun testing that an electroformed metal HRC can be used in place of a glass TIRC of the same geometry, eliminating the need for polymeric bonding to the MJ cell surface, and providing a side-contact surface pathway for active cooling. Although geometrically equivalent, we show that glass TIRC’s achieve superior off-axis performance (higher etendue from surface refraction) and are generally acknowledged to have less degradation than optics with over-coated silver, yet metal HRC’s employing over-coated silver are superior in spectral absorption characteristics under high solar flux (no losses from glass absorption or Fresnel surface reflections) and don't require accurate glass pressing into many shapes. To better understand the trade-offs between optical efficiency, off-axis performance, mechanical tolerances, cost and reliability, metal (HRC) and glass (TIRC) tapered funnels are analyzed at the surface of equal irradiance in a Kohler-Illumination concentrator system, and a trade study is presented.
What is the best approach for treating urinary incontinence in Parkinson’s disease?

As Parkinson’s disease (PD) progresses, nonmotor symptoms, such as urinary incontinence, have more effect on quality of life than motor symptoms. Current treatment guidelines are based primarily on expert opinion because randomized controlled trial evidence is lacking. Although antimuscarinic drugs are often used in clinical practice, there is concern about the potential for increasing the anticholinergic burden of antiparkinsonian therapy and thus increasing the autonomic and cognitive burdens of PD. Because PD is a disease of aging, considering urinary incontinence in PD as a geriatric syndrome provides a framework for developing a treatment strategy. This article recommends multicomponent therapy and outlines an algorithm for applying lifestyle, behavioral and drug therapy, as well as surgical approaches, including transurethral resection of the prostate. Because PD patients have multiple comorbidities influencing the development of urinary incontinence, multicomponent therapy provides an alternative f...
A novel approach to minimize line-current harmonics in interfacing renewable energy sources with 3-phase utility systems

An approach to interfacing renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic, wind-electric, and small hydroplants with three-phase utility systems is presented. By modulating the DC-link currents and then reinjecting the modulating currents on the AC side, distortion in the line currents can be reduced to be within the allowable limits. Other advantages include the capability to provide electrical isolation by means of high-frequency transformers and the potential for an overall low cost. With the presently available semiconductor switches such as insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and gate turn-off thyristors (GTOs), this approach can be used in a very wide range of voltage and power ratings in interfacing nearly all power electronics equipment to three-phase utility systems. >
Coronary physiology revisited : practical insights from the cardiac catheterization laboratory.

Various coronary physiological measurements can be made in the cardiac catheterization laboratory using sensor-tipped guidewires; they include the measurement of poststenotic absolute coronary flow reserve, the relative coronary flow reserve, and the pressure-derived fractional flow reserve of the myocardium. Ambiguity regarding abnormal microcirculation has been reduced or eliminated with measurements of relative coronary flow reserve and fractional flow reserve. The role of microvascular flow impairment can be separately determined with coronary flow velocity reserve measurements. In addition to lesion assessment before and after intervention, emerging applications of coronary physiology include the determination of physiological responses to new pharmacological agents, such as glycoprotein IIb/IIIa blockers, in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Measurements of coronary physiology in the catheterization laboratory provide objective data that complement angiography for clinical decision-making.
Development of a Model Practice for Pediatric Residents Economic and Administrative Considerations

A model pediatric residents' group practice which functions independently of the hospital administration and, to a large extent, of the university administration was developed for the specific purpose of training pediatric residents. During the second year of operation (1981), the residents' group practice met 91 per cent of all expenses, including faculty and resident salaries. The residents' group practice shares many characteristics of a private practice (e.g., continuity of physician-patient relationship, appointment keeping, efficient patient flow, and physician par ticipation in practice management). Through their involvement in the management of the practice, residents learn about socioeconomic aspects of pediatric practice and learn how to provide af fordable primary care of high quality. Suggestions for developing similar models elsewhere are described.
Structure-based combinatorial protein engineering (SCOPE)

Presented here is the development a semi-rational protein engineering approach that uses information from protein structure coupled with established DNA manipulation techniques to design and create multiple crossover libraries from non-homologous genes. The utility of structure-based combinatorial protein engineering (SCOPE) was demonstrated by its application to two distantly related members of the X-family of DNA polymerases: rat DNA polymerase beta (Pol beta) and African swine fever virus DNA polymerase X (Pol X). These proteins share similar folds but have low sequence identity, and differ greatly in both size and activity. "Equivalent" subdomain elements of structure were designed on the basis of the tertiary structure of Pol beta and the corresponding regions of Pol X were inferred from homology modeling and sequence alignment analysis. Libraries of chimeric genes with up to five crossovers were synthesized in a series of PCR reactions by employing hybrid oligonucleotides that code for variable connections between structural elements. Genetic complementation in Escherichia coli enabled identification of several novel DNA polymerases with enhanced phenotypes. Both the composition of structural elements and the manner in which they were linked were shown to be essential for this property, indicating the importance of these aspects of design.
Fine Structure of the Mastigont System in Tritrichomonas muris (Grassi)

SYNOPSIS. Tritrichomonas muris shares many fine-structural details with the previously described members of the family Trichomonadidae, and especially with the organisms belonging to the subfamily Tritrichomonadinae. Among the features which T. muris has in common with all Trichomonadidae and in all probability with other Trichomonadida are the arrangement and structure of: the kinetosomes; many rootlet filaments, including the sigmoid filaments of kinetosome #2; the parabasal apparatus; and the pelta-axostyle complex. The structures which T. muris-type flagellates share with other Tritrichomonadinae, and especially with Tritrichomonas augusta-type species (including T. foetus), but not with Trichomonadinae that have been studied to date, are: the Type A costa; a comb-like structure, which appears to have replaced the costal base of Trichomonadinae and of Hypotrichomonas; the suprakinetosomal body, rudimentary in T. muris; and the infrakinetosomal body. The undulating membrane, like that of T. augusta-type organisms, consists of a proximal and a distal part. The proximal part, which contains the proximal marginal lamella, is less developed in T. muris than in T. augusta-type flagellates, being represented by a relatively low ridge for the entire length of the organism. The distal part of the membrane in T. muris, on the other hand, is more highly developed; it is a heavy cord, with a distal marginal lamella which consists of a large triangular organelle having a highly ordered structure and 2 less well defined cords distal to this organelle. The tubules of the recurrent flagellum occupy the area distal to the cords. The sigmoid filaments of kinetosome #2, unlike those of other Trichomonadidae examined to date, extend posteriorly to the peltar-axostylar junction; they seem to terminate within the cytoplasm near, but not connected to the axostyle. In addition to the Type A costa, there is a small rootlet filament, which appears to be homologous to the rudimentary costa noted in Hypotrichomonas. Some of the paraxostylar and paracostal granules consist of an outer, relatively dense layer and an inner “core” of moderate density; between the 2 there is a lucent ring. The discussion deals in some detail with the possible nature of the paraxostylar and paracostal granules in trichomonads. The taxonomic status of Tritrichomonas cricetus (Wantland) [Tritrichomonas criceti (Wantland) emend. Levine] and Trichomonas criceti Ray & Sen Gupta is discussed in an appendix; it is concluded that both of these names are synonyms of T. muris (Grassi).
DMRT1 Owner's Manual: Synchronized Installation Required to Operate

The study by Agbor et al. in this issue of Biology of Reproduction provides a novel approach to determine the functions of Sertoli cell and germ cell-expressed Dmrt1.
The Impact of Memory on Expenditures Recall in Tourism Conversion Studies

One critical element in conversion studies involves visitor spending that is used in combination with the conversion rate to assess the economic impact of marketing efforts. This article compares expenditure data collected from sample respondents who visited Frankenmuth, Michigan, during two different periods of time: 1992-93 and 1993-94. The purpose of the article is to assess the impact of the length of lapsed time between the visits and when respondents were asked to recall trip expenditures on the accuracy and direction of the reported data. The finding suggests that, contrary to past findings in the literature, the longer the lapsed time between the visit and the recall of trip spending, the more likely the respondents will overestimate trip expenditures. This finding suggests that the most common criticisms regarding the underreporting of expenditures by respondents due to lapsed time are not necessarily true and should be examined on a case-by-case basis.
Neoadjuvant Therapy Before Radical Prostatectomy For Clinical T3/T4 Carcinoma of the Prostate: 5-Year Followup, Phase II Southwest Oncology Group Study 9109

ABSTRACTPurpose: Several investigators have examined the role of hormonal therapy before definitive local therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer to improve outcome. We evaluated the resectability rate and clinical response rate to 16 weeks of total androgen blockage therapy for clinically locally prostate cancer before radical prostatectomy, and progression-free survival in this multi-institutional study.Materials and Methods: Southwest Oncology Group 9109 was a phase II feasibility study designed to treat patients with clinical stage C prostate cancer (T3, T4, N0 and M0). Cases were classified by stage T3 versus T4 and bulky (greater than 4 cm.) versus nonbulky (or less 4 cm.) disease. The neoadjuvant agents used were goserelin and flutamide before radical prostatectomy.Results: A total of 62 patients were accrued to the study and 1 patient was ineligible. There were 2 protocol deviations and these patients refused to undergo prostatectomy after hormonal therapy. Four patients went off protocol tre...
The Low Temperature Formation of Synthetic Bone

Hard human tissues, teeth, and bone are composite materials. These composites are primarily composed of impure, calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite and collagen. The formula for stoichiometric hydroxyapatite is: Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2. However, this compound exists over a range of compositions that may be characterized in terms of a Ca/P ratio. The Ca/P ratio of stoichiometric material is 1.67. Stable compositions may have Ca/P ratios extending to 1.5:Ca9(PO4)6HOH. Structurally, hydroxyapatite contains two types of calcium sites. Four of the calcium sites per unit cell are each coordinated with 8 oxygens. Six of the calcium sites per unit cell are 7-coordinated. Six of these seven bonds are with oxygens, while the 7th is with a hydroxyl ion. Calcium deficiency results in the formation of up to one vacancy per unit cell on one of these seven coordinated calcium sites. Charge balance is maintained by the removal of one of the hydroxyl oxygens. The remaining proton becomes bound to an oxygen that is also coordinated with a phosphate. As a result, it is common to express the formula of calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite having a Ca/P ratio of 1.5 as Ca9(PO4)5(HPO4)OH.
Wideband integrated varactor-tunable active notch antennas and power combiners

A Gunn device in a varactor-tuned slotline coplanar waveguide (CPW) resonator has been integrated with a planar, endfire notch antenna. The varactor provides more than 14% tuning bandwidth centered at 9.6 GHz, with a power output of 14.5+or--0.8 dBm. Wideband tunable quasi-optical power combiners have also been developed using the active elements. The signal spectrum remains clean and very stable with nearly constant power output throughput the electronic tuning range. These results offer a simple, lightweight, low-cost, reproducible, and truly planar active wideband tunable source for many microwave applications. >
Lipids, blood pressure and early cardiovascular disease, need for revisit

Aim of study was to evaluate the awareness of hypertensive patients on the presence of target organ damage. Data were collected in 1.320 hypertensive subjects (mean age 61 24 years, 611 female) consecutively referred to our Hypertension Center between November 2012 and January 2014. In this analysis we considered: creatinine serum concentration, microalbuminuria, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), carotid intima-media thickening (IMT) or plaques. Self-explaining questionnaires were administered to all patients in order to investigate whether they were aware of having any alterations in such variables. The questionnaire, which included quantitative and qualitative variables, was guided by a nurse or a physician. Patients were asked: Whether they knew the value of creatinine and microalbuminuria and if these were normal or pathological. If they made an EKG or echocardiography and these revealed LVH. Whether they underwent a carotid Doppler ultrasound and if it showed any alterations due to hypertension. Data obtained through the questionnaires were compared with the measurement of the same variables, obtained from the hospital data base or patients’ record-files. Results: Renal Function: increase in serum creatinine concentration (>1.2 mg/dL) was detected in the 27% of patients but 14% of them were aware of having impaired renal function. Microlabuminuria (>30 mg/g of creatinine) was found in 13% of the hypertensive patients considered, but only 4% of them knew this alteration. Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LHV) was defined as LV mass index > 95 g/m for women and >115 g/ m for men. LVH was found in 39% of the hypertensive individuals but only 14% were aware. Carotid vascular hypertrophy and atherosclerosis was defined as IMT > 0.9mm and/or the presence of plaques. These alterations were found in 45% of the patients but only a minority of them (14%) was aware. In conclusion, our survey indicates that, in a selected population of 1320 mild-to-severe hypertensive patients referred to a specialized hypertension clinic, the awareness of asymptomatic organ damage is still low. Many patients, despite the thorough instrumental investigations performed in a specialized setting, seems not sufficiently informed on the normalcy threshold and/or tend to underestimate pathological findings.
Ablation of the Epicardial Substrate in Ventricular Tachycardia Associated With Structural Heart Disease: Outside In or Inside Out?∗

Percutaneous epicardial access, introduced by Sosa et al. [(1)][1] in the mid-1990s, provided an important diagnostic and therapeutic approach to the recognition and management of scar-related epicardial ventricular tachycardia (VT). Since that time, the need for epicardial ablation has been
Generation and characterization of few-cycle mid-infrared pulses from 2800 to 4600 nm

Sub-five-cycle pulses in the spectral region from 2800 to 4600 nm are generated using a potassium niobate optical parametric amplifier employing a germanium pulse compression scheme. The sub-65-fs mid-infrared pulses are fully characterized by XFROG.
Program Planning for Records in Minnesota

the next few years, most public archival and records management agencies can expect to look at their activities in terms of program planning and program budgeting. The recent experience of Minnesota's State agency in participating in an executive branch program inventory may be of some interest, particularly to other relatively small organizations. The initial results of the program inventory are contained in the State Program and Operations Manual (ist ed., Jan. 1969), prepared jointly by the Minnesota State Planning Agency and the Minnesota Department of Administration under a Federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Develop-
Evaluating Study Withdrawal Among Biologics and Immunomodulators in Treating Ulcerative Colitis: A Meta-analysis of Controlled Clinical Trials.

Background We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and adverse event (AE)-associated tolerability of treatment with immunomodulators and biologics in ulcerative colitis clinical trials. Methods We performed a literature search of PubMed and the Cochrane databases to identify randomized placebo-controlled trials of immunomodulators and biologics. Tolerability was defined through study withdrawal due to AEs and efficacy through clinical response in induction trials and clinical remission in maintenance trials. We performed meta-analyses using a random-effects model to determine relative risks (RRs) of efficacy and study withdrawal. Number needed to treat (NNT) and number needed to stop (NNS) were determined. The ratio of NNS/NNT was calculated, with a higher ratio indicating a greater number of patients in remission for every AE study discontinuation. Results We examined 13 single-agent trials representing biologics (infliximab, adalimumab, golimumab, and vedolizumab) and immunomodulators (tacrolimus and azathioprine). Induction therapy did not result in excess study withdrawal with immunomodulators (RR = 0.9, 95% CI 0.1-12.0) or biologics (RR = 0.7, 95% CI 0.3-1.8), therefore the NNS/NNT ratio could not be assessed because of high tolerability. Maintenance immunomodulator therapy resulted in a NNS of 14 (RR = 2.8, 95% CI 0.7-10.5) and NNS/NNT ratio of 2.4 in 2 trials. Biologics did not result in excess study withdrawal in maintenance (RR = 0.7, 95% CI 0.3-1.7) or combined induction-and-maintenance (RR = 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-1.0) trials. Conclusions Biologics were not associated with a higher RR of study withdrawal due to AE than placebo. There were insufficient data to compare these results with immunomodulators.
Density Functional Theory of Interplane Cohesion in Graphite and Graphite Intercalation Compounds

We employ density functional theory to study structural energies in pure graphite, Li-graphite, and K-graphite. Qualitative agreement with experiment is obtained for the carbon plane binding energy, lattice constants, compressibilities, and in-plane alkali-alkali potentials.
Long-Term Outcome in Guillain-Barre Syndrome

The long-term sequelae and early predictors of sequelae were determined in a chart review of 47 children with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) of whom 30 had been treated with intravenous gammaglobulin (IVIG) at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
Synthesis of Tailored Eggshell Cobalt Catalysts for Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis Using Wet Chemistry Techniques

Eggshell cobalt catalysts are used in CO hydrogenation reactions due to their ability to maximize the use of precious cobalt metal. The thickness of the shell can be utilized to control the product yield and distribution. In this article, we describe how the metal support interaction can be exploited to control the thickness and, hence, the product distribution. The catalysts are prepared using precipitation of cobalt nitrate solution (dissolved in ethanol) on silica. The metal deposition rate and location are controlled through optimized nonpolar solvent imbibing, followed by water addition to a Co(NO3)2-ethanol solution and hydrolysis by urea. The eggshell coating thickness (in the absence of restricting solvent) onto silica gel substrate has been determined via theoretical equations and experimentally verified during catalyst preparation through microscopic analysis of catalyst samples. Bulk precursor solution properties such as viscosity and surface tension along with substrate properties such as tort...
The Return of Coronary Vasomotion After Bioresorbable Scaffold Implantation.

The coronary artery endothelial lining maintains vascular tone and regulates blood flow. Mechanical forces such as increased shear stress trigger activation of endothelial cells, prompting generation of nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin, which promote vasodilation and increased flow. NO causes
Periurethral and Puboprostatic Sling Repair for Incontinence in Patients with Myelodysplasia

AbstractThe surgical management of sphincteric incompetence in patients with myelodysplasia is a formidable problem. In 10 female patients and 4 male patients with myelodysplasia a free graft of rectus fascia was used to suspend the urethra, termed the periurethral and puboprostatic sling procedures, respectively. All but 1 patient also underwent augmentation cystoplasty, usually with sigmoid colon. Patient age ranged from 7 to 25 years (mean 12.6 years) and followup ranged from 2 to 27 months (mean 12 months). Of the patients 12 are completely dry on clean intermittent catheterization, 1 has undergone 2 subsequent urethral suspension procedures but remains incontinent and 1 experiences nocturnal enuresis but is dry during the day. The periurethral sling appears to be as effective as the artificial urinary sphincter, the Young-Dees-Leadbetter bladder neck reconstruction and the Kropp procedure in the management of sphincteric incompetence in female patients. In male patients experience with the puboprosta...
Neo-Adjuvant chemotherapy in the management of appendicular soft tissue sarcomas

Appendicular soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are relatively rare tumors for which standard surgical and radiotherapeutic techniques have provided high levels of local control. Despite such success, distant disease occurs for approximately half of those patients with intermediate or high grade lesions [1]. Strategies utilizing adjuvant chemotherapy to reduce the incidence of post-operative metastatic disease have yielded varying results [2, 3]. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) has become a standard principle of treatment for primary bone tumors, with response to pre-operative therapy predictive of overall outcome [4, 5]. Based on these principles, we designed a program to treat STS patients at high risk for occult metastatic disease.