cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distinct gap junction protein phenotypes in cardiac tissues with disparate conduction properties

Abstract Objectives . We sought to characterize the connexin phenotypes of selected regions of the canine heart with different conduction properties to determine whether variations in connexin expression might contribute to the differences in intercellular resistance and conduction velocity that occur in diferent cardiac tissues. Background . Gap junctions connect cardiac myocytes, allowing propagation of action potentials. Intercellular channels with different electrophysiologic properties are formed by different connexin proteins. Methods . To determine which connexins were likely to be expressed in the sinus node, atrioventricular (AV) node and atrial and ventricular myocardium, messenger ribonucleic acids (RNAs) from each of these sites were hybridized with probes for connexin26, connexin31, connexin32, connexin37, connexin40, connexin43, connexin45, connexin46 and connexin50. Immunostaining with monospecific antibodies to connexin40, conuexin43 and connexin45 was used to delineate the distribution of connexins in frozen sections of these different cardiac tissues. Results . Only messenger RNAs coding for connexin40, connexin43 and connexin45 were detected by Northern blot analysis. By immunohistochemical staining, junctions in the sinus and AV nodes and proximal His bundle were virtually devoid of connexin43 but contained both connexin40 and connexin45. Gap junctions in the distal His bundle and the proximal bundle branches stained intensely for connexin40 and connexin43 and to a lesser extent for connexin45. Atrial gap junctions showed abundant staining of connexin43, connexin40 and connexin45. Ventricular gap junctions were characterized by abundant staining of connexin43 and connexin45 and much less staining of connexin40. Conclusions . Although most cardiac gap junctions contain connexin40, connexin43 and connexin45, the relative amounts of each of these connexins vary considerably in cardiac tissues with different conduction properties.
Fetal Radiation Doses for Model C Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

Objective To assess fetal radiation doses in a pregnant patient undergoing gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GKRS) and to quantify the components of extracranial radiation doses by means of phantom measurements. Methods A patient in her 25th week of pregnancy received GKRS with the Model C gamma knife for a solitary metastatic melanoma of the brain. A single isocenter with the 14-mm collimator and trunnions was used to deliver 20 Gy to the lesion defined to the 80% isodose line. Fetal radiation doses were assessed with phantom measurements before GKRS and then measured during GKRS. In addition, doses to the lateral canthi, thyroid, sternum, and pelvis were monitored with thermoluminescent dosimeters in 20 consecutive patients during their GKRS. Phantom measurements were also performed to identify extracranial radiation doses to these structures. Results Fetal radiation doses were 0.31, 0.20, and 0.15 cGy to the top, middle, and bottom of the uterus, respectively. These approximately corresponded to 0.01% of the maximum tumor dose of 25 Gy. The mean extracranial doses in 20 patients were 36.9, 5.8, 3.3, and 0.6 cGy to the lateral canthi, thyroid, sternum, and pelvis, respectively. Phantom measurements supported the results obtained from the patient measurements and further refined estimates of doses to extracranial sites. These measurements were also compared with those of a previously reported study with the use of the Model U. Conclusion Measured radiation doses in a pregnant patient to extracranial sites, including those to the fetus, were very low. We think that GKRS is a safe treatment, particularly with the Model C, and could be recommended to carefully selected patients with brain metastases who are in the second and third trimester of pregnancy.
Molecular Technologies Open New Clinical Genetic Vistas

Two recent studies published in Science Translational Medicine (Lo et al., 2010; Bell et al., 2011) demonstrate the potential of applying the latest genome-sequencing technologies to preconception carrier testing and noninvasive prenatal genetic diagnosis. These studies shine new light on old ethical, legal, and social concerns associated with genetic technology and deserve careful discussion.
An investigation of the lunar ejecta theory of the cause of the Gegenschein

Abstract A theoretical investigation has been carried out into the lunar ejecta theory of the cause of the Gegenschein. This theory proposes that the Gegenschein, the enhancement in the brightness of the zodiacal light observed in the antisolar region, is caused by the ejection of dust panicles from the Moon by the impact of meteorites, the particles being pushed in the antisolar direction by solar radiation pressure to form a dust-tail seen visually as the Gegenschein. An IBM 360 computer has been used to calculate the trajectories of particles ejected from various positions on the Moon and for different positions of the Moon in its orbit, the particles being subject to the gravitational forces of the Earth, Sun and Moon, solar radiation pressure and the Coriolis force of the rotating heliocentric co-ordinate system. From an analysis of the final positions of the particles it is concluded that the lunar ejecta theory explains the principal observational features of the Gegenschein.
pH management in container media

Abstract Addition of lime to increase pH is generally required for soilless media based on acidic organic materials. Media pH may decrease over time as the result of addition of acidic fertilizers. The objectives of this research were to characterize reactions of conventional or finely ground limestone in soilless media and to compare resistance to acidification in soilless media amended with conventional or finely ground limestone. Various soilless media were amended with each type of lime at rates from 1 to 16 kg/m3 and incubated eight weeks at 20°C. Subsamples were removed and pH was measured in saturated slurries. About half as much finely ground limestone as conventional lime was required to adjust pH to 6.0 within one week after mixing and wetting. Neither initial nor final pH of unlimed peat‐rockwool mixes could be predicted from pH of components. In successive experiments with poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) and New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens xhybrida), three media were amended with each type...
Wet etching of sol-gel deposited lead lanthanum zirconate titanate for photonic crystal applications

Arrays of lead lanthanum zirconate titanate disks are fabricated on Pt electrodes by wet etching of thin films processed from sol-gel precursors, which may be applicable as defect cavities with electrically tunable resonance wavelength when embedded inside 2-D Si photonic crystals. Using e-beam lithography followed by sputtering and liftoff, Pt etch masks with diameters down to 1μm are deposited on pyrolyzed PLZT films. Wet etching using diluted hydrochloric acid generates discrete PLZT disks with integrated top and bottom Pt electrodes. The dimensions of the PLZT disks are determined by the diameter of the Pt etch mask, although undercutting becomes a significant issue as etch mask size decreased. The effects of varying PLZT pyrolysis temperature on the etching rate and film quality after sintering are examined. Dielectric testing of wet etched PLZT film after sintering showed that the devices have short circuited, suggesting that the deformation of the top Pt electrode over the undercut PLZT during sintering may significantly hinder the applicability of the current wet etching technique. Alternate methods for the patterning of PLZT for integration into photonic crystals are proposed.
Has Government Investment Crowded Out Private Investment in India

Pritha Mitra In India, the relationship between government investment and private investment is a controversial issue. Economic theory suggests that government investment, financed by borrowing, reduces the loanable funds available for private investment, driving up interest rates, and reducing the level of private investment. If, as Keynesians argue, the positive impact of increased government investment outweighs the negative impact of reduced private investment then economic growth will increase. In the case of India, government investment would add to the momentum of India’s growth.
Professional Societies and Industry Support: What Is the Quid Pro Quo?

Professional medical societies have become increasingly dependent on pharmaceutical, device, and biotechnology companies for ongoing support of their programs, but the internal influence of this financial largesse on medical societies' practices is well hidden. Many examples exist in which societies' educational products, including clinical practice guidelines and professional publications, have been tainted by involvement by industry-paid individuals. These examples show that professional judgments of organizations can be affected in ways that are not in the best interests of our patients. Society leaders should develop policies that leave critical decisions, especially those that affect patient care, in the hands of members without financial ties to industry. Society leaders should not accept funds designated for specific industry-recommended projects unless such programs are already part of their planned agenda. These leaders, who typically serve for only a year or two, should delve into arrangements that salaried society executives make with industry, and insure that no promises are made that compromise an organization's professional goals. Professional societies should also find ways of reducing the vast, embarrassing industry involvement at their national meetings, especially the vulgar circus-like displays and the drug company-sponsored symposia. We must reduce commercialism and restore professionalism to our medical meetings.
ConfChem Conference on Case-Based Studies in Chemical Education: The Use of Case Studies in an Introductory Biochemistry Course

Case study exercises in an introductory biochemistry course can be used to help students master the content of the course while at the same time help build critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Case studies can be used in a variety of forms: (i) as in-class group activities to either augment or replace content covered in lecture, (ii) as homework assignments, completed either individually or in groups, to assess mastery of content, and (iii) as exam questions to assess the students' ability to apply their biochemistry knowledge to a larger context and to discourage rote memorization. Scientific journals as well as articles in the popular press provide rich sources of case study material. A "directed" case study approach allows the instructor to focus student attention on the key content areas that the instructor wishes to cover, doing so in a manner that is interesting and engaging to the students.
Reconstructing Perishable Architecture: Prospects and Limitations of a Fort Ancient Example

Perishable architectural evidence recovered from prehistoric sites can be used to address significant archaeological questions regarding natural formation processes, occupation duration, and the physical appearance of houses. Specifically, postholes, wall daub, and mud dauber nests hold a variety of clues. Posthole frequency can be used to refine site chronology. Posthole size can be used to examine the structural capacities of house walls, and they often contain wood charcoal that can inform of the species type used for construction. Daub can help with the interpretation of wall thickness, construction materials, and building techniques. Mud dauber nests can provide key roof construction details such as rafter size and roofing material. Houses reconstructed based on archaeological evidence can in turn provide important experimental evidence useful for furthering our knowledge of natural formation processes.
Mandibular collateral circulation.

Abstract An attempt has been made to examine, in a quantitative manner, the respective roles of the contralateral external carotid artery and the ipsilateral internal carotid artery in providing collateral flow to the mandible. Occlusion of the ipsilateral external carotid artery resulted in a 29 per cent decrease in mental arterial pressure, and an additional decrease of approximately 25 per cent resulted when the contralateral external carotid artery was occluded. Clamping of the ipsilateral internal carotid produced a negligible change. It was possible to relate collateral blood flow in the mandible to observed changes in mental arterial pressure.
Relationship of advanced atherosclerotic lesions to fibrous plaques in 19 location-race groups

Abstract Aortas and coronary arteries from 23,000 autopsies of 19 location-race groups (L/R) were graded for % surface fatty streaks (FS), fibrous plaques (FP) and advanced lesions (AL = calcified, hemorrhagic, ulcerated, or thrombotic). Cases were classed by age (24–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, and 65–69), sex, L/R, broad cause of death category (C/D; athero = related to atherosclerosis; basal = all other), and % surface raised lesions (RL = FP + AL). AL was converted to “advanced among lesions” (AaR = AL ÷ RL) because AaR was found on the average within each subgroup of subjects to hold a nearly constant ratio to RL (i.e. AaR : RL = K, an empirical constant). This ratio was different for each age (older > younger), C/D (athero > basal), and sex (M > F) subgroup and for coronary vs. aorta, thus requiring 5 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 40 values of K to describe the pools of subjects. The values of K were essentially same for all 19 location-race groups. If it be assumed that advanced lesions arise only by evolution from fibrous plaques, then the speed of this evolution up to each specified age is measured by K, in the sense that at a particular age larger K implies faster evolution. On the average, the rate of evolution in this sense was found to be the same in all location-race groups. Within groups a large variability of K among individuals was found, and this variation remains unexplained. However, across location-race boundaries no such variability was found, and this implies that the magnitude of K is not under control of geographically variable factors.
A new method to estimate parameters of linear compartmental models using artificial neural networks

At present, the preferred tool for parameter estimation in compartmental analysis is an iterative procedure; weighted nonlinear regression. For a large number of applications, observed data can be fitted to sums of exponentials whose parameters are directly related to the rate constants/coefficients of the compartmental models. Since weighted nonlinear regression often has to be repeated for many different data sets, the process of fitting data from compartmental systems can be very time consuming. Furthermore the minimization routine often converges to a local (as opposed to global) minimum. In this paper, we examine the possibility of using artificial neural networks instead of weighted nonlinear regression in order to estimate model parameters. We train simple feed-forward neural networks to produce as outputs the parameter values of a given model when kinetic data are fed to the networks' input layer. The artificial neural networks produce unbiased estimates and are orders of magnitude faster than regression algorithms. At noise levels typical of many real applications, the neural networks are found to produce lower variance estimates than weighted nonlinear regression in the estimation of parameters from mono- and biexponential models. These results are primarily due to the inability of weighted nonlinear regression to converge. These results establish that artificial neural networks are powerful tools for estimating parameters for simple compartmental models.
Effects of Fluorescent Reporter Group Structure on the Dynamics Surrounding Cysteine-26 in Spinach Calmodulin: A Model Biorecognition Element:

Conformational changes associated with the Ca2+-dependent activation of spinach calmodulin (CaM) have been assessed in aqueous solution by using steady-state and frequency-domain fluorescence spectroscopy of acrylodan-, fluorescein-, and tetramethylrhodamine-labeled CaM. Spinach CaM was site-selectively labeled at cysteine-26 so we could study the dynamics at a well-defined location within the protein. By using multiple fluorophores attached to the same site, we determined the Ca2+-dependent changes in the CaM global rotational dynamics, and also determined how the local fluorophore dynamics were affected by the fluorophore polarity, size, and charge. Upon binding Ca2+ at pH 7.00, spinach CaM changes its conformation by exposing the acrylodan fluorescent reporter group to a more dipolar environment. There is also a concomitant increase in the fluorescein pKa when Ca2+ binds to CaM. The global motions of spinach CaM are described by rotational reorientation times of 8.4 and 10.5 ns for the apo- and Ca2+-saturated CaM at 23 C. In light of all the available data in the literature on CaM, these results are consistent with a small expansion of the CaM globular domains, a bending and/or rotation of the central peptide chain that connects the globular domains that host the four Ca2+ binding sites (two per domain) in such a way that residues 27 and 139 are brought closer to one another, and/or a difference in the degree of hydration between the apo- and Ca2+-saturated CaM.
Student Perceptions: Debunking Television's Portrayal of Interior Design

Lisa K. Waxman, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Interior Design at Florida State University. Her research interests include design for placemaking, technology in design, and popular culture and design. She is currently serving the Interior Design Educators Council as Secretary/Treasurer, and is also a member of IIDA and EDRA. Stephanie Clemons, Ph.D., is a Professor of Interior Design in the Department of Design and Merchandising at Colorado State University. She is a Past President and Fellow of the Interior Design Educators Council and currently serves as Chair on the Education Training Advisory Council for the American Society of Interior Designers.
Alterations in total serum proteins and protein fractions in Biomphalaria glabrata parasitized by Schistosoma mansoni.

Abstract Samples of serum from healthy Biomphalaria glabrata and from those infected with the larval stages of Schistosoma mansoni were subjected to quantitative electrophoretic analysis and total protein determinations. In the case of the infected snails, samples of serum were taken at 14 time intervals post-exposure to 5 miracidia ranging from 1 hr to 70 days. A total of 34 serum protein fractions have been identified in the hemolymph of uninfacted B. glabrata, although all these fractions usually do not occur in every snail. In infected snails, there is a gradual reduction in the staining intensity of the serum protein fractions until day 35 post-exposure to miracidia, and this is correlated with a reduction in the total serum protein concentration. By day 70 post-exposure to the parasite, the total protein concentration had declined to one-third of that in uninfected snails. Although the decrease in the amount of serum protein fractions as a result of parasitization by S. mansoni is generally nonselective; i.e., almost all the fractions are reduced, three fractions, 7, 9, and 10, do not appear to be reduced in quantity. These remain essentially unaltered in their intensity to staining for up to 70 days, the duration of this experiment. It is postulated that the reduction of serum protein is due to utilization by sporocysts of S. mansoni.
Density fluctuations and the specific heat near the critical point. II

Abstract A physically intuitive relation is developed between the correlation length for density fluctuations and the specific heat near the critical point of a liquid-vapor system. First, the average spatial extension of a fluctuation (the fluctuation volume) is inferred by considering at what point the volume, in which the fluctuation is supposed to occur, becomes so small that the standard formula relating the compressibility to the density fluctuation breaks down, and it is shown that the length of this extension obeys the same scaling law as the correlation length. The fluid is then divided into cells equal to the fluctuation volume, and the number of possible states of the system arising from the fluctuations in these cells is determined and assumed to be a factor in the partition function. The divergent part of the specific heat is then calculated as a function of temperature, and the result is compared with experimental data and shown to fit known scaling relations. The size of the fluctuation volume required to get the correct specific heat is reasonable. Application is also made to a two-dimensional Ising lattice. Finally, the relation between long-range and short-range fluctuation is considered.
Developing digital tissue phantoms for hyperspectral imaging of ischemic wounds

Hyperspectral imaging has the potential to achieve high spatial resolution and high functional sensitivity for non-invasive assessment of tissue oxygenation. However, clinical acceptance of hyperspectral imaging in ischemic wound assessment is hampered by its poor reproducibility, low accuracy, and misinterpreted biology. These limitations are partially caused by the lack of a traceable calibration standard. We proposed a digital tissue phantom (DTP) platform for quantitative calibration and performance evaluation of spectral wound imaging devices. The technical feasibility of such a DTP platform was demonstrated by both in vitro and in vivo experiments. The in vitro DTPs were developed based on a liquid blood phantom model. The in vivo DTPs were developed based on a porcine ischemic skin flap model. The DTPs were projected by a Hyperspectral Image Projector (HIP) with high fidelity. A wide-gap 2nd derivative oxygenation algorithm was developed to reconstruct tissue functional parameters from hyperspectral measurements. In this study, we have demonstrated not only the technical feasibility of using DTPs for quantitative calibration, evaluation, and optimization of spectral imaging devices but also its potential for ischemic wound assessment in clinical practice.
Transforming Healthcare: Challenges and Opportunities

Dr. Sainfort will present challenges and opportunities related to applying systems engineering and management sciences approaches to transforming health care delivery systems from a current ineffective, reactive, disease-focused system to a future cost-effective, proactive, health-and wellness-focused system. Dr. Sainfort will provide background on the healthcare industry, present possible solution approaches and describe challenges and opportunities.
Anaphylactic reactions toadrenocorticotropic hormone in children

Two cases are reported of anaphylactic reactions to ACTH. Both children had previous therapy with ACTH with no ill effects. Studies of skin sensitivity were performed with various extracts of beef, pork, whale, human, and synthetic ACTH. Studies were also performed with other extracts of the anterior and posterior pituitary. The children showed well-defined positive reactions to all of the extracts of ACTH, regardless of their animal sources, and also to some of the other types of pituitary extracts. It was concluded that extracts of ACTH are highly potent antigenic substances and that a patient allergic to one type of ACTH is likely to be allergic to ACTH derived from any other animal source.
A Rule-Based Model of Human Problem Solving Performance in Fault Diagnosis Tasks

Human problem-solving is considered with emphasis on situations involving human-machine interaction in detecting, diagnosing, and compensating for failures in engineering systems. An overall model is presented that considers the breadth and robustness of human problem solving behavior in dynamic environments typical of engineering systems. A realization of the general structure of this model within a particular rule-based computer program is discussed. In this program the human behavior in controlling a dynamic process is represented by a set of production rules. The selection of appropriate production rules for a given situation is performed by ordering the rules for specific tasks and by a control mechanism. The latter provides a means to access only a small part of the knowledge base at a time in order to derive decisions as opposed to searching the whole knowledge base. This program was applied to model human-problem solving in a process control task. Results from comparing model and subject behavior are presented and discussed.
A Remarkable q , t -Catalan Sequence and q -Lagrange Inversion

We introduce a rational function Cn(q, t) and conjecture that it always evaluates to a polynomial in q, t with non-negative integer coefficients summing to the familiar Catalan number {1 \over n+1} {2n \choose n}. We give supporting evidence by computing the specializations D_n(q) = C_n(q, 1/q)q^{n\choose 2} and Cn(q) e Cn(q, 1) e Cn(1,q). We show that, in fact, Dn(q) q -counts Dyck words by the major index and Cn(q) q -counts Dyck paths by area. We also show that Cn(q, t) is the coefficient of the elementary symmetric function en in a symmetric polynomial DHn(xs q, t) which is the conjectured Frobenius characteristic of the module of diagonal harmonic polynomials. On the validity of certain conjectures this yields that Cn(q, t) is the Hilbert series of the diagonal harmonic alternants. It develops that the specialization DHn(xs q, 1) yields a novel and combinatorial way of expressing the solution of the q-Lagrange inversion problem studied by Andrews l2r, Garsia l5r and Gessel l11r. Our proofs involve manipulations with the Macdonald basis {Pμ(xs q, t)}μ which are best dealt with in λ-ring notation. In particular we derive here the λ-ring version of several symmetric function identities.
Support for anterior temporal involvement in semantic error production in aphasia: New evidence from VLSM

Semantic errors in aphasia (e.g., naming a horse as "dog") frequently arise from faulty mapping of concepts onto lexical items. A recent study by our group used voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) methods with 64 patients with chronic aphasia to identify voxels that carry an association with semantic errors. The strongest associations were found in the left anterior temporal lobe (L-ATL), in the mid- to anterior MTG region. The absence of findings in Wernicke's area was surprising, as were indications that ATL voxels made an essential contribution to the post-semantic stage of lexical access. In this follow-up study, we sought to validate these results by re-defining semantic errors in a manner that was less theory dependent and more consistent with prior lesion studies. As this change also increased the robustness of the dependent variable, it made it possible to perform additional statistical analyses that further refined the interpretation. The results strengthen the evidence for a causal relationship between ATL damage and lexically-based semantic errors in naming and lend confidence to the conclusion that chronic lesions in Wernicke's area are not causally implicated in semantic error production.
Erratum to: Resveratrol and red wine, healthy heart and longevity

Resveratrol, a polyphenol phytoalexin, present in red wine and grapes possesses diverse biochemical and physiological properties, including estrogenic, antiplatelet, and anti-inflammatory properties as well as a wide range of health benefits ranging from chemoprevention to cardioprotection. Recently, several studies described resveratrol as an anti-aging compound. This review focuses on the anti-aging aspects of resveratrol, the possible mechanisms of action, and emerging controversy on its life-prolonging ability. It appears that resveratrol can induce the expression of several longevity genes including Sirt1, Sirt3, Sirt4, FoxO1, Foxo3a and PBEF and prevent aging-related decline in cardiovascular function including cholesterol level and inflammatory response, but it is unable to affect actual survival or life span of mice.
Laboratory studies of sticking coefficients and heterogeneous reactions important in the Antarctic stratosphere

Laboratory studies of sticking coefficients of H2O, HCl, Cl2, and HNO3 on ice and heterogeneous reactions of ClONO2 with ice or HCl/ice have been performed in a fast flow reactor. A quadrupole mass spectrometer with electron impact ionization was used as a detector. Measured sticking coefficients are: 0.3 (+0.7, -0.1) for H2O, 0.4 (+0.6, -0.2) for HCL, less than 0.0001 for Cl2, and 0.3 (+0.7, -0.1) for HNO3 at 200 K. The reaction probability of ClONO2 on ice was found to be 0.06 (+ or - 0.03) while HOCl was observed as a sole product in the gas phase. With HCl present in ice, the reaction probability of ClONO2 is greatly enhanced, approaching 0.27 (+0.73, -0.13) while molecular chlorine was found to be the major product in the gas phase. Another reaction product was nitric acid which remained in the solid phase. Since the polar stratospheric clouds contain ice particles or possibly HCl/ice particles on the surface, the present results should be a major factor in producing the observed springtime ozone depletion in the Antarctic stratosphere.
Phase transitions in combined rabbit muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum lipids by Raman spectroscopy.

Abstract Using Raman spectroscopy, we found that the sarcoplasmic reticulum lipids of combined muscles from rabbit leg undergo at least two reversible temperature phase changes, centered at about −15 and 13°C. Below the first transition, the lipid Raman CH st region is characteristic of the hexagonal lamellar gel phase. Above the second transition, the Raman CH stretch region is that of a “melted” lamellar phase, somewhat more rigid than a monophasic lipid system. The composition of the lipids was determined and the possibility of a relation between the major head group types and the phase transitions is discussed. Since SR Ca 2+ ATPase activiity is enhanced at about 14–19°C, the Raman studies suggest that ATPase activity is enhanced when the 13°C transition is complete.
A Conditional-Probability Approach to the Development of Spatial Pattern:

A stochastic model for the development of spatial patterns is introduced and used to investigate the process of housing deterioration in an American city. Space is treated as a sequence of discrete locations and a spatial-lag structure is incorporated in the model by defining multivalued random variables whose values indicate conditions at a central location and at a series of spatial lags. The possible combinations of these values define the states of a Markov process, and a description of this process can be obtained by estimating probabilities for the transitions from state to state. Qualitative inferences about the effects of a process on existing spatial patterns are obtained by comparing an initial distribution, for the multivalued random variables, with the limiting distribution implied by the process description. Application of the model involves selection of an appropriate random variable as well as estimation of a set of transition probabilities. Results for Indianapolis in 1977 indicate that th...
Hungry bone syndrome: Clinical and biochemical predictors of its occurrence after parathyroid surgery

The hospital course of 218 consecutive patients with primary hyperparathyroidism admitted over a three-year period for parathyroidectomy at the Massachusetts General Hospital was reviewed to determine the incidence and identify the risk factors for the development of the hungry bone syndrome. Twenty-five patients with the hungry bone syndrome were identified (12.6 percent). Compared to patients with uncomplicated metabolic responses to parathyroid surgery, these patients were older by a mean of 10 years; they had higher preoperative serum levels of calcium, alkaline phosphatase, N-terminal parathyroid hormone, and blood urea nitrogen; and their resected parathyroid adenomata were larger. The mean duration of hospitalization averaged three days longer in the group with hungry bone disease. Stepwise multivariate analysis of preoperative variables enabled the development of a discriminant function for prediction of postoperative hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia. Identified predictive variables were volume of resected parathyroid adenoma, blood urea nitrogen, alkaline phosphatase, and age. When validated on an independent patient population, these readily obtainable preoperative clinical and laboratory parameters will allow identification of a subgroup of patients who are at greater risk for the development of the hungry bone syndrome following parathyroid surgery.
Effect of conductivity on charge generation in hydrocarbon fuels flowing through fiber glass filters

Abstract The quantity of electrostatic charge generated when hydrocarbon fuels are passed over a phenol-formaldehyde resin-coated fiber glass filter is dependent upon the conductivity of the liquid and the flow velocity through the filter. As the conductivity of the liquid is increased, the charging tendency, as measured by the filter current, increases, passes through a maximum, and then decreases. At higher flow velocities, the position of the maximum in the filter current vs. conductivity curve was found to shift to a higher conductivity range. In most cases, the sign of the charge on the fuel was found to be dependent upon the nature of the surface of the filter material. Thus, when phenol-formaldehyde resin-coated fiber glass, nylon, dacron, and Kel-F filters were used, the sign of the streaming current was usually positive. When ordinary glass wool or fiber glass filters, from which the resin coating had been removed by baking, were used, the current was negative. By dividing the flow of fuel from a storage tank into two streams each containing different filter materials, one causing the fuel to acquire a positive charge and the other a negative charge, and by carefully controlling the flow through each filter, it was possible to deliver fuel to the receiving tank with virtually no net charge on it. The results suggest a possible method of reducing the charge level on fuel in a practical system by employing two types of filter elements in a filter separator unit, each producing charges of the opposite sign in the fuel. Another possibility would be to fabricate the filter element using alternate layers of filter materials which produce charges of opposite sign in the fuel. Although the latter method appears to be less effective, it may offer some advantages from a manufacturing standpoint.
Samuel Smith, M.D.: first American professor of psychiatry.

in 1847 Samuel M. Smith, M.D., was appointed professor of medical jurisprudence and insanity at the Willoughhy Medical College of Columbus, Ohio, making him the first person to chair a department of psychiatry at an American medical school. Using materials from newspaper reports, records of the medical school and state medical society, and other sources, the author presents a biographical sketch of this pioneer educator. Dr. Smith received his first practical experience in psychiatry as an assistant to William M. Awl, M.D., one of the 13 founders of the American Psychiatric Association. Over the course of his career, he held many prominent positions, including lecturer and dean at the medical school, president of the Ohio State Medical Society, and surgeon general of Obio during the Civil War.
A fully integrated hybrid silicon AWG based multiwavelength laser

For the first time, a fully integrated hybrid silicon AWG based multiwavelength laser on SOI is presented. Four-channel operation with 360 GHz spacing and 25–35 dB SMSR is shown.
Colorado River Floods, Droughts, and Shrimp Fishing in the Upper Gulf of California, Mexico

Accurate procedures that measure hydrologic variability would have great value for evaluating ecosystem impacts of upstream water use in the Colorado River Basin. Many local extractive income-based stakeholders rely directly or indirectly on ecosystem health and are adversely affected when the river does not flow. This study focuses on the impact of little or no Colorado River flow on the Mexican shrimp industry. Although there have been complaints that U.S. diversions of Colorado River flow have greatly impaired the shrimp fishery, this research demonstrates that freshwater rarely reaches the Gulf even during times of flooding, and that other factors such as overfishing may influence the instability of shrimp populations. Advanced very-high-resolution radiometer (AVHRR) satellite imagery was used to assess water volumes diverted away from the channel of the Colorado River and ultimately the Gulf of California during flooding periods. Analysis of data demonstrated that little freshwater actually reaches the Gulf even during floods because of its diversion into a large dry lake bed basin known as Laguna Salada. Fuller use of the Colorado River throughout its entire course to the sea is possible and could benefit a large cohort of users without catastrophic habitat destruction in delta ecosystems. Reconstruction of a natural earthen berm, as proposed by Ducks Unlimited, would maximize the use of floodwaters for ecosystem benefits. These findings have profound implications for local economic activities dependent on hydrologic resources in the Colorado River Delta and Upper Gulf.
Extending the efficient and responsive supply chains framework to the green context

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop research frameworks for two types of green supply chains based on Fisher's seminal work. In spite of Fisher's contribution to the literature, his study has rarely been extended into green supply chain contexts, except in a few conceptual arguments. The current study explores how Fisher's perspective of efficient versus responsive supply chains can be a stepping stone to the development of two green supply chains: eco‐efficient and eco‐responsive supply chains.Design/methodology/approach – Toward the above end, a case methodology is employed (Yin). Two Korean global companies, Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO) and Samsung Electronics (SEC), are selected to explore eco‐efficient and eco‐responsive supply chains. POSCO (steel products) is selected to enable the understanding of how efficient and eco‐efficient supply chains work. SEC (mobile phone products) is chosen to understand responsive and eco‐responsive supply chains.Findings – The findings suggest ...
Specific binding sites for prostaglandin D2 on human platelets.

Abstract 3 H-PGD 2 was biosynthesized from 3 H-arachidonate and used to study the binding of PGD 2 to intact human platelets. The binding of 3 H-PGD 2 to platelets was rapid, being essentially complete within two min. Bound 3 H-PGD 2 PGD 2 . Scatchard analysis of concentration-dependent binding indicated a single class of binding sites with a dissociation constant (K D ) of 4.12 × 10 −7 M and a capacity of 760 sites per platelet. The relative ability of PGD 2 , PGE 2 , PGE 1 and PGI 2 to displace 3 H-PGD 2 bound to these sites was 100:2:2 2 binding sites are specific for PGD 2 and independent of those previously demonstrated to recognize 3 H-PGI 2 and 3 H-PGE 1 .
A biological perspective on autonomous agent design

The inability of current ''classical'' AI systems to handle unconstrained interaction with the real world has recently lead to a search for new control architectures for autonomous agents. We argue that simpler natural animals already exhibit most of the properties required by an autonomous agent, and suggest that designers of autonomous agents should draw directly upon the neural basis of behavior in these animals. The relevant behavioral and neurobiological literature is briefly reviewed. An artificial nervous system for controlling the behavior of a simulated insect is then developed. The design of this artificial insect is based in part upon specific behaviors and neural circuits from several natural animals. The insect exhibits a number of characteristics which are remarkably reminiscent of natural animal behavior.
Applying the Environmental Propensity Framework: A Segmented Approach to Hybrid Electric Vehicle Marketing Strategies

The paper introduces the environmental propensity framework (EPF) and segments people who drive automobiles in the United States based on their environmental values and environmental self-efficacy. Specific information about consumers in each segment is reported, including opinion leadership, willingness to engage in complex thinking, skepticism toward new products and marketing communications, price sensitivity, and technological savviness. Based on the understanding gained of the segments within the segments defined by the EPF, the paper proposes appropriate policy and marketing techniques to motivate consumers within each of the five segments to consider hybrid cars.
Bax/bcl-2: cellular modulator of apoptosis in feline skin and basal cell tumours.

Bcl-2 and bax are two members of the BCL-2 gene family that play a prominent role in the regulation of apoptosis. Bax and bcl-2 expression were examined immunohistochemically in normal (healthy) feline skin and in 24 benign feline cutaneous basal cell tumours. The tumours were also examined for cellular proliferation by measurement of reactivity for the proliferation marker Ki-67, and for apoptosis by in-situ labelling for fragmented DNA. Bcl-2 was detected in normal basal epithelium and in 23 of 24 basal cell tumours. Bax was detected in both basal and suprabasal epithelium, but in only seven of 24 tumours. For tumours that expressed both bax and bcl-2, the bax:bcl-2 ratio was low. Neither bax nor bcl-2 expression was detected in 14 feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas. Basal cell tumours showed modest cellular proliferation (median, 17.5% Ki-67- reactive cells), but few (less than 1%) apoptotic cells. The slow, indolent growth of feline cutaneous basal cells in these benign skin tumours may be a response, at least in part, to opposing regulatory expressions of bcl-2 and bax.
Effects of Teacher Enthusiasm on Three- and Four-Year-Old Children's Acquisition of Four Concepts

Abstract This study tested the effects of three levels of teacher enthusiasm on 3- (n = 26) and 4- (n = 29) year-old children's acquisition of four concepts. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups (low, medium, high enthusiasm) by stratified randomization. The interactions of (a) age, (b)sex, and (c) age and sex with enthusiasm were examined, and informal observations concerning behavioral differences among treatment groups were made. Results of a 3 × 2 × 2 ANOVA indicated that there were no significant differences in achievement. Differences in behavior among the three treatment groups were reported by the teachers, with subjects taught at a high level of enthusiasm characterized as more attentive, interested, and responsive than subjects in the other two groups.
Identification and Mutagenesis of the Adeno-Associated Virus 5 Sialic Acid Binding Region

As a genus, the dependoviruses use a diverse group of cell surface carbohydrates for attachment and entry. Despite the fact that a majority of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) utilize sialic acid (SIA) for binding and transduction, this virus-carbohydrate interaction is poorly understood. Utilizing X-ray crystallography, two SIA binding regions were mapped for AAV5. The first site mapped to the depression in the center of the 3-fold axis of symmetry, while the second site was located under the βHI loop close to the 5-fold axis. Mutagenesis of amino acids 569 and 585 or 587 within the 3-fold depression resulted in elimination or alteration in SIA-dependent transduction, respectively. This change in SIA binding was confirmed using glycan microarrays. Mutagenesis of the second site identified a role in transduction that was SIA independent. Further studies of the mutants at the 3-fold site demonstrated a change in transduction activity and cell tropism in vivo as well as resistance to neutralization by a polyclonal antibody raised against the wild-type virus. IMPORTANCE Despite the fact that a majority of AAVs utilize sialic acid for binding and transduction, this virus-carbohydrate interaction is poorly understood. Utilizing X-ray crystallography, the sialic acid binding regions of AAV5 were identified and studied using a variety of approaches. Mutagenesis of this region resulted in elimination or alteration in sialic acid-dependent transduction in cell lines. This change in sialic acid glycan binding was confirmed using glycan arrays. Further study also demonstrated a change in transduction and activity and cell tropism in vivo as well as resistance to neutralization by antibodies raised against the wild-type virus.
Software for hybrid computers

Efficient use of a hybrid computer for the solution of a wide variety of problems requires that the computer hardware be complemented by a comprehensive software package. Such software ought to assist not only in the preparation of programs, but in their execution as well. For open-shop operation of a hybrid facility, it is important that a widely- understood high-level procedure-oriented language be made available to users. From a practical point of view, FORTRAN and its various derivatives are the only lan guages satisfying this requirement at the present time.Expansion of a purely digital programming language into a hybrid programming language may be accomplished either by rewriting the processor or by attaching a suitable subroutine library. The software system of the System Simulation Laboratory at the University of Southern Cali fornia furnishes a concrete example of the latter approach.
Pharmacology of G-1-64, a new nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent with rapid onset and short duration of action

Background: Chances are slim that a clinically useful ultra-short-acting neuromuscular blocking agent of rapid onset will emerge from the benzylisoquinolinium or the aminosteroid series to which all currently popular relaxants belong. G-1–64 is a promising prototype of a new series of bis-quaternary ammonium salt of bistropinyl diester derivatives we have synthesized and studied in the laboratory. Methods: Neuromuscular block (NMB) and autonomic and cardiovascular side effects were studied on appropriate preparations of anesthetized rats, rabbits, cats, ferrets, pigs and monkeys. Neuromuscular blocking characteristics, cumulativeness, and pharmacological reversibility were determined. Cardiac vagal block was evaluated by the inhibition of the bradycardic response to stimulation of the vagus in the cat, rat, ferret, and pig. Sympathetic ganglion block was evaluated on the cat's superior cervical ganglion/nictitating membrane preparation. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate were determined in all species. Results: G-1–64 produced nondepolarizing NMB with train-of-four (TOF) and tetanic fades, and reversible with anticholinesterases. Its ED50 ranged between 60 and 800 μg/kg in these species. It showed a significantly faster onset (0.9–2.1 min) and/or shorter duration of action (5–12 min) than either atracurium or mivacurium. It did not show cumulativeness on repeated doses or infusion. A varying degree of cardiac vagal block was present, dependent on the species at doses exceeding the ED80 for NMB. Cardiovascular changes, ganglion block or signs suggesting histamine release were absent. Conclusion: With favorable neuromuscular blocking characteristics and modest side effects, G-1–64 and similar derivatives may have clinical potential.