cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The molecular machinery of autophagy: unanswered questions

Autophagy is a process in which cytosol and organelles are sequestered within double-membrane vesicles that deliver the contents to the lysosome/vacuole for degradation and recycling of the resulting macromolecules. It plays an important role in the cellular response to stress, is involved in various developmental pathways and functions in tumor suppression, resistance to pathogens and extension of lifespan. Conversely, autophagy may be associated with certain myopathies and neurodegenerative conditions. Substantial progress has been made in identifying the proteins required for autophagy and in understanding its molecular basis; however, many questions remain. For example, Tor is one of the key regulatory proteins at the induction step that controls the function of a complex including Atg1 kinase, but the target of Atg1 is not known. Although autophagy is generally considered to be nonspecific, there are specific types of autophagy that utilize receptor and adaptor proteins such as Atg11; however, the means by which Atg11 connects the cargo with the sequestering vesicle, the autophagosome, is not understood. Formation of the autophagosome is a complex process and neither the mechanism of vesicle formation nor the donor membrane origin is known. The final breakdown of the sequestered cargo relies on well-characterized lysosomal/vacuolar proteases; the roles of lipases, by contrast, have not been elucidated, and we do not know how the integrity of the lysosome/vacuole membrane is maintained during degradation.
Quantitative analysis of the behavior of Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae: stringency of pteridine reception

A convenient, sensitive, quantitative assay for the measurement of chemotaxis of populations of D. discoideum vegetative amoebae is presented. A strategy for determining the boundary of the bulk of a population of migrating amoebae was devised and is described. This assay employs a dynamic gradient and is independent of deaminase activity. Measurements of chemoattractant capabilities of various pteridines, folates, and mixtures of folate fragments are reported. 2-Amino 4-quinazolinone, a pterin analog without the pyrazine ring nitrogens, is chemotactic. Lumazine, deaminated pterin, inhibits chemotaxis towards pterin but not towards folic acid. Deaminofolic acid is a chemoattractant as are mixtures of lumazine plus aminobenzoylglutamic acid or deaminopteroic acid plus various amino acids. Separately, the components of these mixtures exhibit no ability to stimulate chemotaxis. These mixtures are of fragments that together comprise most of the folate structure. Our results are in accord with separate receptors for pterin vs. folic acid and with a high stringency for pterin reception but a relative tolerance for folate reception. The possibility of using such mixtures to investigate the requirements of various parts of the folate structure for competent signalling is discussed.
Growth behavior of Bacillus thuringiensis and production of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) on different organic substrates

Bacillus thuringiensis is known as a bacterial species capable of the production of short side chain poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). In the present work it was shown that the organism is also capable of producing longer side chain PHAs under appropriate conditions. The microorganism was grown separately on glucose, nonanoic acid, and a mixture of glucose, peptone and casein in attempts to obtain poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates with varying lengths of the pendent alkyl group in the β-position of the polymer repeat unit. The growth on glucose resulted in the formation of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, (PHB), which is a very common bacterial storage polymer, while the utilization of nonanoic acid resulted in the formation of a copolymer consisting of 3-hydroxynonanoate and 3-hydroxyheptanoate units (PHN/PHH), which is the usual product of the microbial utilization of this particular carbon source by Pseudomonas oleovorans.
Rapid Transport within Cerebral Perivascular Spaces Underlies Widespread Tracer Distribution in the Brain after Intranasal Administration

The intranasal administration route is increasingly being used as a noninvasive method to bypass the blood–brain barrier because evidence suggests small fractions of nasally applied macromolecules may reach the brain directly via olfactory and trigeminal nerve components present in the nasal mucosa. Upon reaching the olfactory bulb (olfactory pathway) or brainstem (trigeminal pathway), intranasally delivered macromolecules appear to rapidly distribute within the brains of rodents and primates. The mechanisms responsible for this distribution have yet to be fully characterized. Here, we have used ex vivo fluorescence imaging to show that bulk flow within the perivascular space (PVS) of cerebral blood vessels contributes to the rapid central distribution of fluorescently labeled 3 and 10 kDa dextran tracers after intranasal administration in anesthetized adult rats. Comparison of tracer plasma levels and fluorescent signal distribution associated with the PVS of surface arteries and internal cerebral vessels showed that the intranasal route results in unique central access to the PVS not observed after matched intravascular dosing in separate animals. Intranasal targeting to the PVS was tracer size dependent and could be regulated by modifying nasal epithelial permeability. These results suggest cerebral perivascular convection likely has a key role in intranasal drug delivery to the brain.
THE ROMANCE AND ENGINEERING OF FOOD PRESERVATION.

The engineering profession of the world can be expected to give more attention to the animal-plant food cycles in the years ahead and to determine new methods of preserving for complete utilization the critical and exhaustible supplies of plant foods for the generations yet to live. Coincidentally with this obligation which the engineer must assume, there is the romantic but very real task ahead of applying the same intensive interest in the ultimate preservation of foods as the agriculturists have displayed in producing them. The food preservation arts and sciences have now progressed forward far enough that the engineering profession can well assure the world that diets can henceforth be determined on the basis of what is good for man. With the coordination of our implements of electrical power, internal-combustion engine, propelled transportation, excellent network of road. ways and mechanical inventions, and with the competent support of the food technologists, the bacteriologists and the chemists, the engineering profession should be able to assure the multitudes that the world9s ability to preserve is now prepared to equal the world9s capacity to produce food. When complete coordination is effected, and production, preservation and distribution become daily realities, then the profession will have reached new heights in engineering, achievement, statesmanship and service.
A distinction between continuous-time and discrete-time models of uncertain lifetime

Abstract This paper shows that continuous-time models and discrete-time models of uncertain lifetime do not generate the same predictions on the consumption and savings trajectories. A fundamental feature of uncertain lifetime is lost when time is formulated as a discrete variable.
Hepatic MRI for fat quantitation: its relationship to fat morphology, diagnosis, and ultrasound.

Purpose:The value of MRI and ultrasound in quantifying hepatic steatosis is assessed and the results compared with those obtained by liver biopsies.Methods:A total of 38 patients undergoing hepatic biopsy for a variety of liver diseases were recruited for this study. Hepatic fat morphology and sever
Comparison of the electrophoretic karyotypes and chromosomal location of ten genes in the two varieties of Cryptococcus neoformans.

We compared multiple isolates of the two varieties of Cryptococcus neoformans, as well as previously characterized representative isolates, for their electrophoretic karyotypes using pulsed-field electrophoresis. The two varieties could be clearly distinguished based upon the size of the smallest chromosome. The smallest chromosome for isolates of the gattii variety (serotypes B and C) was found to be 400–700 kb in size. The smallest chromosome for isolates of the neoformans variety was consistently found to be larger, approximately 770 kb in size. Isolates of the gattii variety averaged 13 chromosomes while the neformans variety averaged 12. The size of the Cryptococcus genome was found to be approximately 23 megabases. Isolates of C. neoformans var. neoformans tended to be more conserved than those of var. gattii with regard to gene position.
Advances in drug delivery for articular cartilage

The complex structure of articular cartilage, the connective tissue lining diarthrodial joints, enables this tissue to dissipate compressive loads but also appears to hinder its repair ability. At best, both natural and surgical repair attempts replace the highly ordered extracellular matrix of native articular cartilage with fibrous repair tissue of inferior mechanical properties. Numerous bioactive molecules closely regulate the cellular processes in healthy and degenerative articular cartilage. Accordingly, this review outlines the roles of important signaling molecules in cartilage tissue. In addition, drug delivery strategies, aimed at utilizing these bioactive agents to prevent inflammation, to regulate extracellular matrix metabolism, and to control cellular activities, are discussed. As scientists gain further insight into the complex signaling cascades of articular cartilage, continued refinement of drug delivery systems is necessary to develop effective clinical therapies for articular cartilage repair.
Beneficial effects of social attachment to overcome daily stress

Accumulation of daily life stress (chronic stress) often causes functional gastrointestinal diseases. Central oxytocin plays an important role in attenuating stress responses and regulating positive social interactions. Adult male rats were either paired or singly housed 1 week prior to the stress loading. Solid gastric emptying was measured after 7 consecutive days of chronic heterotypic stress. To study whether endogenous oxytocin is involved in restoring the delayed gastric emptying after paired housing, an oxytocin antagonist was injected intracerebroventricularly (icv) before the gastric emptying study. CRF and oxytocin mRNA expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) was evaluated by real time RT-PCR. In singly housed rats, chronic heterotypic stress significantly delayed gastric emptying (35.1+/-2.8%, n=6, P<or=0.01), compared to that of non-stressed rats (53.2+/-1.3%, n=6). Delayed gastric emptying observed in singly housed rats induced by chronic heterotypic stress was significantly improved by paired housing (54.8+/-3.5%, n=8, P<0.05). Central-administration of oxytocin antagonist attenuated the restored gastric emptying in paired housed rats (33.2+/-4.1%, n=6) following chronic heterotypic stress. Increased CRF mRNA expression at the PVN and SON observed in singly housed rats was significantly reduced in paired housed rats following chronic heterotypic stress. In contrast, oxytocin mRNA expression at the PVN and SON was significantly increased in paired housed rats. Social attachment restores delayed gastric emptying following chronic heterotypic stress, via down-regulating CRF expression and up-regulating oxytocin mRNA expression. Our study may provide the scientific benefit of social attachment in our daily life.
A likelihood ratio test of a homoscedastic normal mixture against a heteroscedastic normal mixture

It is generally assumed that the likelihood ratio statistic for testing the null hypothesis that data arise from a homoscedastic normal mixture distribution versus the alternative hypothesis that data arise from a heteroscedastic normal mixture distribution has an asymptotic ? 2 reference distribution with degrees of freedom equal to the difference in the number of parameters being estimated under the alternative and null models under some regularity conditions. Simulations show that the ? 2 reference distribution will give a reasonable approximation for the likelihood ratio test only when the sample size is 2000 or more and the mixture components are well separated when the restrictions suggested by Hathaway (Ann. Stat. 13:795---800, 1985) are imposed on the component variances to ensure that the likelihood is bounded under the alternative distribution. For small and medium sample sizes, parametric bootstrap tests appear to work well for determining whether data arise from a normal mixture with equal variances or a normal mixture with unequal variances.
Abstract 3259: HIV protease inhibitors induce apoptotic and non-apoptotic cell death in ovarian cancer cellsin vitroandin vivo

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Introduction: HIV patients taking antiretroviral protease inhibitors have a lower incidence of HIV associated malignancies, leading to the hypothesis that these drugs have antineoplastic activity. Given the need for novel treatment approaches in ovarian cancer, we investigated the antineoplastic effects of the HIV protease inhibitors saquinavir and nelfinavir in vitro and in vivo. Methods: A panel of ovarian cancer cell lines was treated with saquinavir and nelfinavir. The effect of protease inhibitors on cell growth, viability, apoptotic and non-apoptotic cell death was determined. Stimulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) response was assessed by immunoblotting for ERS regulators GRP78 and ATF6. Induction of autophagy was assessed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and confocal microscopy was performed to demonstrate changes in green fluorescent protein-labeled LC3 expression patterns. A xenograph model of ovarian cancer was used to assess the antineoplastic effect of nelfinavir in vivo. Results: HIV protease inhibitors induced cell death in chemosensitive and chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Treatment with protease inhibitors resulted in caspase-dependent apoptosis and caspase-independent cell death characterized by induction of ERS and autophagy. Cellular morphology assessed by TEM revealed apoptotic, autophagic, and necrotic cell death. Preliminary results indicate that nelfinavir administer intraperitoneally inhibits tumor growth in vivo without inducing weight loss. In contrast, the dose of intraperitoneal cisplatin required to attain a similar antineoplastic effect resulted in significant weight loss and morbidity. Conclusions: Because protease inhibitors can induce both apoptotic and non-apoptotic cell death, these drugs may circumvent chemoresistance due to alterations in apoptotic response. Saquinavir and Nelfinavir are FDA-approved agents for the treatment of HIV, and our data suggest that these drugs may also have clinical application in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3259.
The rate controlling mechanism in superplasticity

Abstract The microstructural and mechanical characteristics in superplasticity are briefly reviewed. A model for superplastic deformation is proposed that is based on grain boundary sliding and is controlled by the rate of deformation of the grain interior. A comparison is made of the proposed model and the various creep mechanisms in order to reveal the ranges of conditions over which each mechanism predominates and how the various mechanisms are related one to another. The available experimental data on two superplastic alloys are reviewed in the light of such comparison and it is shown that the trends of such correlation are acceptable.
THE ORGANIZATION OF ORGANIZATIONS

Just what is the core concept of organizations? The question is posed as “what is the organization of organizations?” The answer is interdependence. Beginning with the concept of a process and its framework, the notion of an entity is extended to Processual Agents. A Processual Agent is anything that can effect a process. The discussion turns to potential, defined, and manageable interdependencies with examples of each. Many traditional management methods are viewed in terms of their effects in reducing potential interdependence in order to cut it down to manageable proportions. The discussion of Processual Agents is extended to organizations. This leads to a proposed structure for levels of interdependence and a summarizing principle called the cascade principle. Next the discussion turns to a new analysis of organizational change which examines the concepts of an organizational space and the summarizing conclusion called the cushioning principle. It is argued that the cascade and cushioning principles provide processes for maintaining and stabilizing organizations in the face of change. Examples are provided for the major concepts. The text is formalized in the form of ten axioms, twenty‐two propositions, and two summarizing principles.
Basis Mismatch in a Compressively Sampled Photonic Link

To accurately reproduce an incoming signal, compressive sampling requires that the signal have a sparse representation from within a finite basis or dictionary of vectors. If the incoming signal cannot be sparsely represented by vectors within the given basis or dictionary-a situation sometimes termed basis mismatch-then reconstruction error or failure is likely. In this letter, we present both simulated and experimental results showing the influence of basis mismatch on the ability of a photonic compressive sampling system to accurately reconstruct harmonic signals. Our reconstruction algorithm utilizes gradient projection for sparse reconstruction coupled with a discrete Fourier basis.
High-performance liquid chromatographic method with electrochemical detection for the analysis of O6-methylguanine.

An improved system consisting of a combination of high-performance liquid chromatographic methods with electrochemical detection for the separation and analysis of the DNA adduct O6-methylguanine (O6MG) has been developed. This adduct is produced by the interaction of methylating agents with DNA and induces mispairing in the DNA of the target cells. A good separation of modified from unmodified bases is first achieved with an HPLC system using a Partisil 10 SCX column and a salt gradient. A second HPLC step with electrochemical detection and a C18 column is used for farther separation and quantitation of O6-methylguanine. This method shows a linear response up to 15 pg of O6MG tested. The lowest amount detected was 0.5 pg of O6MG and is highly reproducible. This method is useful to study DNA damage as a product of cellular metabolism and its effects on the process of carcinogenesis.
Family Structure, Gender, and the Work–Family Interface: Work-to-Family Conflict Among Single and Partnered Parents

This study examined whether single parents experience greater reductions in work-to-family conflict from using resources than partnered parents do. The question of whether single mothers, single fathers, partnered mothers, or partnered fathers experienced differing levels of work-to-family conflict was also addressed. Data were from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce, and only those respondents with at least one child under the age of 18 living in the household were included in the analysis (N = 1325). Findings indicated that single-parent status was not directly related to work-to-family conflict. Rather single-parent status interacted with other variables, including gender, control over work hours, and the number of other adults in the home, in predicting work-to-family conflict.
Hybrid straintronics and spintronics: An ultra energy-efficient paradigm for logic and memory

Excessive energy dissipation during switching of logic and memory bits is the primary impediment to continued downscaling of electronic devices predicted by Moore's law. Nanomagnetic logic and memory switches are innately more energy-efficient than electronic switches because of correlated switching of spins that does not happen when charges are “switched” by moving them into and out of a transistor's channel. Furthermore, magnets do not “leak” unlike transistors. This results in much lower energy dissipation in a nanomagnetic switch compared to an electronic switch. However, this advantage is usually squandered in nanomagnetic logic (NML) paradigms because of very inefficient magnet switching schemes that result in mammoth dissipation in the switching circuit.
Validation of a Simplified Anorexia Questionnaire

Abstract Context Anorexia is a common symptom in cancer and is usually assessed by multiple questions and multidimensional questionnaires. A simplified questionnaire would be less burdensome to patients and abbreviate the process. Objectives We compared the reliability at one point in time, sensitivity to change over time, and prognostic accuracy of a two-item questionnaire with the Functional Assessment of Anorexia and Cachexia Therapy shortened 12-question version (A/CS-12). Methods Individuals with cancer, who were cognitively intact and verbally agreed to participate, completed a two-item questionnaire and A/CS-12 in random order and again seven days later. We compared the direction of response to the summated two-item questionnaire to the validated A/CS-12 score at a single point in time, then intra-patient changes over a seven-day period of time. Scores of both questionnaires were divided into poor, moderate and good appetite and compared to survival using Kaplan-Meyer curves. Bootstrapping was used to construct confidence intervals for estimated probability agreement. Survival analysis also used hazard ratios from a Cox Proportional Hazards model. Results One hundred seventeen individuals from a single institution participated, who were either admitted to an inpatient palliative unit or seen in an outpatient/palliative medicine unit. Median age was 58.8 (range 10.7–87.1 years). Agreement at one point in time was 0.64 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63 – 0.66). Agreement over time was 0.53 (CI 0.41 – 0.64). The A/CS-12 predicted survival based on scores on Days 1 and 7 (P Conclusions A simplified questionnaire has moderate correlation with the A/CS-12 at one point in time but loses sensitivity over time, and lacks the ability to predict survival. A change in the questionnaire may improve reliability. Changing question 2 of the simplified questionnaire to a neutral form (better, same or worse appetite) may improve sensitivity and prognostic capability.
History in Three Keys: The Boxers as Event, Experience, and Myth

List of IllustrationsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsPart I. The Boxers as EventPrologue: The Historically Reconstructed Past1. The Boxer Uprising: A Narrative HistoryPart 2: The Boxers as ExperiencePrologue: The Experience Past2. Drought and the Foreign Presence3. Mass Spirit Possession 4. Magic and Female Pollution 5. Rumor and Rumor Panic6. DeathPart 3: The Boxers as MythPrologue: The Mythologized Past7. The New Culture Movement and the Boxers8. Anti-Imperialism and the Recasting of the Boxer Myth9. The Cultural Revolution and the BoxersConclusionAbbreciationsNotesGlossaryBibliographyIndex
HIV-1 Rev Regulation Involves Recognition of Non-Watson-Crick Base Pairs in Viral RNA

We have used an iterative in vitro genetic selection to identify the important structural features of the viral RNA element bound by the Rev protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Functional Rev-binding RNAs were selected from a pool of 10(13) variants of the wild-type Rev-binding domain. Bases conserved among the binding species define a 20 nucleotide core binding element. Covariation of some of these conserved bases indicates that the Rev-binding element is a stem-bulge-stem with a G:G base pair in the bulge. Mutational studies show that this non-Watson-Crick base pair is required for Rev binding in vitro and Rev responsiveness in vivo. We propose that the G:G base pair distorts the sugar-phosphate backbone of viral RNA and that this distortion is a critical determinant of recognition by Rev.
Demonstration of active suppressor cells in spleens of young NZB mice.

Abstract NZB mice, a strain prone to the development of autoimmune disease, have during the first 2 weeks of life suppressor cells in their spleens which can in coculture with adult spleen cells suppress the antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) generated in culture by the adult cells. The suppressive activity of spleen cells from NZB mice in the first week after birth is similar to that of spleen cells from 4-day-old C57BL/6 mice, a strain which does not spontaneously develop autoimmune disease. As in “normal” strains of mice, suppressor cell activity in NZB mice is diminished at 2 weeks and undetectable at 3 weeks of age. The data indicate that there is no defect inherent in the suppressor cells detected in the spleens of newborn and young NZB mice and suggest that the development of autoimmune responses does not result from a lack of suppressor cells in the young animals.
Eight Days a Week: The Art of Reference Desk Scheduling

Summary Good Reference desk scheduling is a challenging responsibility which requires the scheduler to possess competent interpersonal communication skills, a strong sense of impartiality in the decision-making process, the ability to manage conflict, and a high level of dedication. Even though desk scheduling is an indispensable element in the smooth functioning of most Reference operations, there is little to be found in library literature which addresses this topic, and even less about the human elements present in desk scheduling. This paper will focus on the philosophical issues and human elements involved in Reference desk scheduling. It will include insight in the institutionalization of scheduling policy and procedures, the relationship between the scheduler and the schedulee, and the management of conflicts which will inevitably occur.
Scaling of 3D interconnect technology incorporating metal-metal bonds to pitches of 10 microns and below for infrared focal plane array applications

We will review the status of the implementation of high density area array 3D integration technology relying on low temperature metal-metal bonds in functional infrared imaging systems, and will discuss scaling of the technology for compatibility with readout integrated circuits for focal plane arrays with 10 micron and smaller pixels. Future research needs in this rapidly growing application area will be identified.
Not Every Food Refuser Is a Hunger Striker

Hunger striking is a form of protest against the custodial authority where the hunger striker is attempting to draw attention to his/her grievances to bring about change in his situation. Hunger st...
Recent advancements in the electromechanical (E/M) impedance method for structural health monitoring and NDE

The emerging electro-mechanical impedance technology has high potential for in-situ health monitoring and NDE of structural systems and complex machinery. At first, the fundamental principles of the electro-mechanical impedance method are briefly reviewed and ways for practical implementation are highlighted. The equations of piezo- electric material response are given, and the coupled electro-mechanical impedance of a piezo-electric wafer transducer as affixed to the monitored structure is discussed. Due to the high frequency operation of this NDE method, wave propagation phenomena are identified as the primary coupling method between the structural substrate and the piezo-electric wafer transducer. Attention is then focused on several recent advancements that have extended the electro-mechanical impedance method into new areas of applications and/or have developed its underlying principles. US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory used the electro-mechanical impedance method to monitor damage development in composite overlaid civil infrastructure specimens under full-scale static testing. A simplified E/M impedance measuring technique was employed at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain, to detect damage in GFRP composite specimens. The development of miniaturized `bare-bones' impedance analyzer equipment that could be easily packaged into transponder-size dimensions is being studied at the University of South Carolina. US Army Research Laboratory developed novel piezo-composite film transducers for embedment into composite structures. Disbond gauges for monitoring the structural joints of adhesively bonded rotor blades have been studies in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of South Carolina. These recent developments accentuate the importance and benefits of using the electro-mechanical impedance method for on-line health monitoring and damage detection in a variety of applications. Further investigation of the electro-mechanical impedance method is warranted. A further examination of the complex interaction between wave propagation, drive-point impedance, structural damage and electro-mechanical impedance of the piezo-electric wafer transducer is needed. Once these aspects are better understood, the E/M impedance method has the potential to become a widely used NDE technique with large applicability in diverse engineering fields (aerospace, automotive, infrastructure and biomedical implants).
Frequency and temperature dependence of the dynamic mechanical properties of poly‐4‐methylpentene‐1

The dynamic mechanical properties of poly-4-methylpentene-1 have been measured in torsion in the temperature range from 25 to 160°C. at frequencies from 10−3 to 10 cps. Two transitions are found. The first, with a peak at 40°C. at 1 cps, appears as a normal glass transition. A broad high temperature peak appears at 130°C. The dynamic compliance-frequency data can be superposed by the conventional method of reduced variables for temperatures up to 100°C. The temperature dependence of the shift factors follows the WLF equation. Above this temperature, superposition can be achieved by applying horizontal and vertical shifts to both components of the dynamic compliance. When the vertical shift is permitted, the range of applicability of the WLF equation is extended to 160°C.
Predictors of subsequent surgery for uterine leiomyomata after abdominal myomectomy.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To study factors associated with an increased risk of subsequent surgery in a cohort of women undergoing abdominal myomectomy. METHODS: We followed 65 women undergoing abdominal myomectomy performed by the same experienced surgeon for a mean of 83.6 ± 35.0 months to assess the occurrence of both laparotomies and minimally invasive surgeries for uterine leiomyomas. Surgical and pathologic variables from the initial myomectomy as well as information on sociodemographic and anthropometric variables collected during a subsequent survey were correlated with the need for further surgery. RESULTS: Women with uterine size greater than 12 menstrual weeks had a substantially reduced risk of undergoing a second surgery (multivariate hazard ratio 0.1, 95% confidence interval 0.01, 0.4) compared with women having smaller uteri. Weight gain in excess of 30 pounds since age 18, relative to weight gain of 10 or fewer pounds is also associated with an increased risk of recurrent surgery (multivariate hazard ratio 4.8, 95% confidence interval 1.2, 18.5). CONCLUSION: Women with uterine size less than 12 menstrual weeks at the time of abdominal myomectomy may be at increased risk of second surgery. Weight gain after age 18 may also modify the risk of recurrent surgery. These changes may be related to the pathogenic mechanisms underlying myoma formation and growth.
Mössbauer-spectroscopy study of amorphous Fe-Ge alloys.

A M\"ossbauer-spectroscopy study of amorphous ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$, with 0.11x0.72, was performed to measure the hyperfine-field parameters at 22 and 295 K. The distributions of quadrupole splitting suggest that for x0.2, the structure of the alloys is homogeneous and Fe atoms probably occupy the interstices of the Ge tetrahedral structure. For concentrations of xg0.4, however, hyperfine-field parameters seem to indicate that the alloys contain a mixture of short-range-order phases, with the average hyperfine magnetic field rising sharply with concentration. The resulting analysis of isomer shift, in terms of the model of Miedema and Van der Woude [Physica B 100, 145 (1980)], shows the Fe magnetic moment to be strongly influenced by hybridization and intra-atomic charge redistribution.
Effectiveness of interventions designed to modify the activity demands of the occupations of self-care and leisure for people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

A systematic review of evidence for the effectiveness of modification of activity demands in the care of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) was conducted as part of the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Literature Review Project. The review included 10 articles addressing occupations of self-care and leisure. No reports related to work and social participation were located. Results suggest that evidence for this intervention's effectiveness is strong. Four practice principles were derived from this appraisal: (1) Occupational therapy programs should be individualized to elicit the person's highest level of retained skill and interest, (2) cues used while assisting people with AD to complete tasks should be short and provide clear direction, (3) compensatory strategies in the form of environmental modifications and simple adaptive equipment should be specifically implemented on the basis of the unique needs of the person, and (4) caregiver training and involvement are essential in implementing individualized programs.
Reorganizing web sites based on user access patterns

In this paper, an approach for reorganizing Web sites based on user access patterns is proposed. The approach consists of three steps: preprocessing, page classification, and site reorganization. In preprocessing, pages on a Web site are processed to create an internal representation of the site, and page access information of its users is extracted from its server log. In page classification, the Web pages on the site are classified into two categories, index pages and content pages, based on the page access information. After the pages are classified, in site reorganization, the Web site is examined to find better ways to organize and arrange the pages on the site. Our experiments on a large real data set show that the approach is efficient and practical for adaptive Web sites.
Geobiology and paleobiogeography: tracking the coevolution of the Earth and its biota

Abstract Paleobiogeographic research is an important area of geobiology that involves the study of the coevolution of the Earth and its biota by considering how tectonic and climatic changes have affected the evolution and distribution of organisms. The intellectual heritage of the discipline stretches back well before Darwin. Phylogenetic approaches to paleobiogeography have played an important part in the expansion of the field, and recent analyses have incorporated Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Each of these approaches, by enhancing the precision of paleobiogeography, helps make the discipline more relevant to geobiology. The interaction occurring between the geological and biological sciences in paleobiogeography is apparent in several areas. First, there is the emergence of new techniques such as the ability to analyze ancient DNA sequences. Also, paleobiogeographers and biogeographers have realized that geo-dispersal, a biogeographic process first identified through studies of the fossil record, can powerfully influence the evolution and distribution of biotas. Finally, biogeographers have recognized that paleontological incompleteness and extinction constrain our ability to reconstruct biogeographic patterns in the fossil record and the extant biota, respectively. Each of these developments suggests that further growth in paleobiogeography will involve important interactions between studies involving the fossil record and the extant biota, and this, along with the discipline's commitment to studying how tectonic and climatic changes have influenced evolution, reaffirms the validity of the synthetic field that is geobiology.
Financial accounting choice and earnings management

Abstract This paper presents a case that exposes students in graduate accounting or MBA financial accounting classes to the concepts of accounting choice and earnings management. In the case, students role-play as a manager who, facing conflicting incentives, must make and defend three expense estimates for a hypothetical company. Students also read selected business press articles that introduce earnings management and that highlight the importance of the issue to the business community. The articles give students some background from which to approach the choices they will make with respect to the financial statements.
Discussion of analysts’ treatment of non-recurring items in street earnings and loss function assumptions in rational expectations tests on financial analysts’ earnings forecasts

Abstract This article discusses papers by Gu and Chen, “Analysts’ Treatment of Non-recurring Items In Street Earnings” and by Basu and Markov, “Loss Function Assumptions in Rational Expectations Tests on Financial Analysts’ Earnings Forecasts.” These two papers address issues associated with the rationality or expertise of analysts, and both papers interpret their evidence as supporting the hypothesis that analysts do a good job of processing information and forecasting earnings, results that contrast with a growing literature that is critical of the incentives and abilities of analysts. My article critiques their methods and conclusions, and suggests areas for future research.
Urethral isolation of the genital mycoplasmas and Chlamydia trachomatis in women with chronic urologic complaints

Eighty-six abacteriuric women with chronic urologic complaints were studied to determine the relationship of Chlamydia trachomatis , Mycoplasma hominis , and Ureaplasma urealyticum to their symptoms or diagnoses. All patients had urethral scrape specimens for isolation of the three organisms as well as a detailed urologic history and urodynamic evaluation. Thirty-three of 86 patients (38%) had positive urethral ureaplasma cultures; seven had concurrent M. hominis isolation. No patient had M. hominis as the only urethral isolate and none had a positive C. trachomatis culture. There were no significant differences in urologic symptoms or in urodynamic diagnoses between Ureaplasma culture-positive and culture-negative subjects. It was also found that colonization of the urethra with Ureaplasma decreased with increasing age and with hypoestrogenism.
Biomechanics of thoracic discectomy.

The thoracic spine is a structurally unique region that renders it uniquely suceptible to thoracic disc herniation. Surgical management strategies are complicated, in part, by the regional anatomical and biomechanical nuances. Surgical approaches include posterior, posterolateral, and anterior routes. Each isassociated with specific indications and contraindications. The biomechanical principles and safe anatomical trajectories must be considered in the surgical decision-making process. These issues are discussed in the pages that follow.
A Comparison of Signal-to-Noise Ratios for Near-Infrared Detectors

Five detectors sensitive in the near-infrared, including two photomultiplier tubes, a silicon photodiode, a silicon photodiode array, and a lead-sulfide photoconductor, are evaluated in terms of signal-to-noise ratios. Theoretical noise and signal calculations are compared to measured noise values and relative responses. The spectral response of the detectors between 700 and 1200 nm is also reported. The relative merits of a particular detector are a function of wavelength, photon flux, and other criteria.
Renewable energy policy goals, programs, and technologies

There is little agreement on what policies are most effective in promoting renewable energy (RE) technologies or even in what it means for a policy to be ‘effective.’ As a result, RE policy-setting can decay into a chaotic process of seeking only to satisfy stakeholders, while losing sight of the larger goals that motivated the original interest in renewables. This paper provides an explicit framework that clarifies the relationship between goals, programs, and technologies. Specifically, this paper argues that there is an explicit and simple linear relationship between these three concepts, and shows how a specific policy goal is best accomplished by distinct programs and technologies. This framework can assist decision-makers by clarifying that, if they choose a specific goal, then there are a specific set of corresponding programs and technologies that will best meet that goal. This framework is applied to Ireland, which is currently considering policy change to encourage greater implementation of renewables.
δ-Aminolevulinate dehydratase, a zinc dependent enzyme

Abstract Erythrocyte and liver tissue δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase activity was determined in rats fed a semipurified diet under controlled nutritional intake of zinc and copper. A significant decrease in enzymatic activity was observed in animals fed low zinc diet, while dietary copper had no effect. In vitro addition of zinc to the erythrocyte preparations obtained from rats on low zinc diet produced a slight increase in enzymatic activity. It appears that, even though zinc may be the metal ion activator of δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase, the requirement of this metal is at the site of synthesis of this enzyme.
Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH): A useful tool for psychoneuroendocrine investigation

Abstract (1) The hypothalamic tripeptide TRH was injected in normal controls and in schizophrenic, alcoholic and depressed patients. Behavioral and endocrine data were assessed and relationships between the two evaluated. (2) After TRH there was a brief and partial salutary behavioral change in all groups studied, suggesting that the behavioral effects of TRH are not disease specific. (3) A blunted TSH response after TRH was seen in some depressed and some alcoholic patients but not in schizophrenics, indicating that this fault is not simply a nonspecific attribute of mental illness. (4) In depression, but not in alcoholism, the blunting was accounted for by increased levels of serum cortisol. (5) In alcoholic patients, the TSH blunting was related to a favorable behavioral response to TRH. (6) While the relationship between ambient levels of serum cortisol and the TSH response was negative in normal subjects and depressed patients, it was positive in schizophrenic patients. The relative frequency of this finding in the various subtypes of schizophrenia is unknown. (7) The above data, taken together, suggest that both the behavioral and the endocrine effects of TRH render the tripeptide useful for psychoneuroendocrine investigation.
Crystal structure and magnetic susceptibility of copper (II) chloride tetramethylsulfoxide [Cu Cl 2 (TMSO)] and copper (II) chloride monodimethylsulfoxide [Cu Cl 2 (DMSO)]: Ferromagnetic spin-½ Heisenberg linear chains

The crystal structures of the title compounds [${\mathrm{C}}_{4}$${\mathrm{H}}_{8}$SO (TMSO), ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{6}$SO (DMSO)] have been determined. The TMSO salt is orthorhombic [space group $\mathrm{Pbca}$, $a=13.844(10)$, $b=6.418(12)$, and $c=17.480(16)$ \AA{}] while the DMSO salt is monoclinic [space group $\frac{P{2}_{1}}{c}$, $a=7.774(1)$, $b=13.557(3)$, $c=6.475(1)$ \AA{}, and $\ensuremath{\beta}=103.83(1)\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$]. Each contain linear chains of Cu ions with three bridging ligands (2 C1, 1 O) between each pair of Cu ions. The bridging Cu-$L$-Cu angles are \ensuremath{\sim} 87\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} for the symmetrical bridges and \ensuremath{\sim} 80\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} for the asymmetrical bridges. In each salt, the copper coordination geometry is severely distorted from octahedral with four short Cu-ligand bonds (three chlorine and one oxygen) and two long Cu-ligand bonds (one chlorine and one oxygen). Adjacent chains are well isolated from each other by the sulfoxide groups in one direction, but short sulfur-sulfur contacts occur between adjacent chains in the other direction. The susceptibility of the salts has been measured between 2.0 and 300 K on a PAR vibrating-sample magnetometer and on a Faraday balance. The high-temperature data show positive deviation from Curie behavior, indicative of ferromagnetic coupling. However, considerable magnetic interactions between chains exist and the $\ensuremath{\chi}T$ vs $T$ plots show maxima at low temperature. The data have been analyzed with several one-dimensional models. The best fit is obtained with an Heisenberg linear chain with ferromagnetic interaction ($\frac{J}{k}=39\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K, TMSO; $\frac{J}{k}=45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K, DMSO) with a mean-field correction for the antiferromagnetic interchain interactions ($\frac{Z{J}^{\ensuremath{'}}}{k}=\ensuremath{-}1.6\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K, TMSO; $\frac{Z{J}^{\ensuremath{'}}}{k}=\ensuremath{-}4.0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K, DMSO). Thus, the relevant ratio defining the ideality of the system, $\frac{J}{{J}^{\ensuremath{'}}}$, is \ensuremath{\sim} 50 for the TMSO salt and \ensuremath{\sim} 25 for the DMSO salt.
Multiple courses of betamethasone to enhance fetal lung maturation do not suppress neonatal adrenal response

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate the neonatal adrenal gland by provocative testing in neonates of mothers who had received multiple courses of betamethasone to enhance fetal lung maturity. Study Design: Infants of mothers who had received ≥3 courses of betamethasone for fetal lung maturation were enrolled in the study. Twenty-four hours after delivery a baseline serum cortisol concentration was obtained. A synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone (Cortrosyn) was administered (0.25 mg/1.73 m 2 ). Two hours later a second serum cortisol concentration was obtained. An increase in serum cortisol in response to Cortrosyn was considered a positive test result. Nominal data were compared by means of the Student t test. Results: There were 9 infants enrolled in the study. The mean number of betamethasone treatment cycles was 4.8 ± 1.09. The mean baseline cortisol level was 2.23 ± 0.52 μg/dL, and the mean post–adrenocorticotropic hormone cortisol level was 9.86 ± 1.70 μg/dL. All neonates had a positive adrenocorticotropic hormone test result. Stepwise linear regression showed no association between the number of courses of betamethasone treatment cycles and the post–adrenocorticotropic hormone cortisol concentration. Conclusion: Multiple weekly treatment cycles of betamethasone for fetal lung maturity administered between 24 and 34 weeks' gestation do not appear to cause adrenal suppression. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:1349-53.)