cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Topical cyclosporine A 0.5% as a possible new treatment for superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis.

Abstract Purpose To report the early success of the use of topical cyclosporine A 0.5% drops to treat Theodore's superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis (SLK). Design A retrospective noncomparative case series. Participants Five patients diagnosed with SLK. Intervention All five patients were treated with topical cyclosporine A 0.5% drops as primary or adjunctive therapy after treatment failure in some of prednisolone acetate 1% drops and topical silver nitrate 0.5% application. Topical cyclosporine A 0.5% drops were used four times a day in both eyes. Main outcome measures Resolution of symptoms (foreign body sensation and irritation) and signs (rose bengal staining, tarsal papillary reaction, and injection). Results All five patients had long-term (6 months to 3 years) improvement of irritation and foreign body sensation, as well as improvement of injection and filamentary keratitis. Aside from burning on instillation, there were no complications related to this therapy. Conclusions Topical cyclosporine A 0.5% is helpful as primary or adjunctive therapy for SLK. It may also be used as a maintenance drug to prevent recurrence. Further study may delineate the specific role and treatment parameters for the use of topical cyclosporine A 0.5% in the treatment of SLK.
The industrial life cycle of wind energy electrical power generation

This innovation assessment addresses the factors that have influenced the exceptionally lengthy industrial technology life cycle of wind electrical power generation since its inception in the late 19th Century. It then applies the recently developed Accelerated Radical Innovation (ARI) Model to understand the dynamics of this innovation compared to those of other major 18th–20th Century innovations. Despite market pull in the late 19th Century to link small DC electrical generators with hundreds of thousands of existing wind mills used for mechanical water pumping, several factors prevented this from happening. These include the intermittent nature of wind electrical generation requiring low cost battery storage and DC–AC conversion, and the shift in the 1890s from DC to superior AC electrical generation making possible economies of scale for delivering AC electricity long distances over the grid from large hydroelectric and coal fired plants. As a consequence, wind generated electricity remained primarily a technological development until the first energy crisis in the 1970s. Development of an extensive science and technology base for wind turbine dynamics, and deployment since 2000 of commercial scale wind turbines (> 1MW) have elevated wind electrical power generation to commercial practicality, as described in two earlier papers by the authors applying technical cost modeling and experience curve projections of cost of energy (COE) to explore the economic viability of large scale wind electricity generation.. Strongly promoted by wind energy communities of practice in Europe, North America and Asia, normative COE projections suggest that by 2020 wind electrical power will be cost competitive, without tax incentives, with electricity from conventional fossil and nuclear fuel sources. Overcoming technological, business, market, societal, networking and political hurdles to date has required 120years of development to establish wind electricity generation as a breakthrough innovation with the capability to capture 20% of the world electricity market by the mid-to-late 21st Century. Further growth and maturation is expected to continue to 2100, corresponding to a projected ≅ 210year overall industry life cycle at market saturation. This finding has profound implications for innovation theory and practice, since the length of this life cycle exceeds by a factor of ≅ 4 the average life cycle diagnosed for five industrial revolutions and four key 20th Century innovations. The new ARI model provides a holistic approach to understanding the dynamics of the industrial technology life cycle for a wide variety of radical innovations as well as wind electrical power.
Seasonal Variation in Microbial Communities and Organic Malodor Indicator Compound Concentrations in Various Types of Swine Manure Storage Systems

Anaerobic manure storage systems are one of the major contributors to the odor and environmental pollution associated with swine (Sus scrofa) production systems. The microbial ecology of manure storage systems and the relationships between microbial communities and odor production are largely unknown. In this study, we used community fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis to generate lipid profiles to assess seasonal differences among microbial communities inhabiting various types of outdoor swine manure storage systems. Concurrently, we measured manure concentrations of several malodor indicator compounds as well as pH, temperature, and solids content. Principal components analysis (PCA) showed that there are differences in FAME profiles among the swine manure storage systems examined and most of the variation was in the relative abundance of 18:0, 18:1omega7t, 18:1omega7c/omega9t/omega12t, and 16:1omega7t/i15:0 2OH FAMEs. The PCA of the FAME profiles revealed that the phototrophic systems were more similar to each other and that the nonphototrophic systems were more similar to each other than they were to phototrophic lagoons. There were seasonal changes in the FAME profiles in the phototrophic systems and the concrete nonphototrophic basin (CNPB), and in one phototrophic system, the FAME profiles more closely resembled a CNPB FAME profile during the winter than the other phototrophic lagoons. In the phototrophic lagoon systems, there was a direct correlation between the abundance of the FAMEs identified in the PCA and manure concentrations of phenol, p-cresol, and 4-ethyl phenol. In the CNPB, there was a negative correlation between the total phenolics concentration and the 18:1omega7t FAME. Our results indicate that community FAME profiles could be used as a diagnostic tool for obtaining preliminary evidence that management practices are altering the system's microbial community to one that favors less air pollution potential.
Game-Theoretical Semantics: Insights and Prospects

The paradigm problem for game-theoretical semantics (GTS) is the treatment of quantifiers, primarily logicians’ existential and universal quantifiers. As far as the uses of quantifiers in logic and mathematics are concerned, the basic ideas codified in GTS have long been an integral part of logicians’ and mathematicians’ folklore. Everybody who has taken a serious course in calculus remembers the definition of what it means for a function y = f(x) to be continuous at x0. It means that, given a number w, however small, we can find ɛ such that |f(x) - F(x0) | < δ given any x such that | x – x0| < ɛ.1 The most natural way of making this jargon explicit is to envision each choice of the value of an existentially bound variable to be my own move in a game, and each choice of the value of a universally bound variable a move in the same game by an imaginary opponent. The former is what is covered by such locutions as “we can find”, whereas the latter is what is intended by references to what is “given” to us. This is indeed what is involved in the continuity example.
The economic impact of cowpea research in West and Central Africa: A regional impact assessment of improved cowpea storage technologies

Researchers from the Bean/Cowpea Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP), a program supported by the USAID, developed several non-chemical cowpea grain storage technologies in the 1980s. These included hermetic storage in airtight containers, improved ash storage, and the solar heater. Impact studies conducted at the country level showed that the research program was economically a good investment. As the CRSP new storage technologies spread throughout West and Central Africa, a regional assessment including spillover effects became necessary to fully comprehend the impact and guide future research investments. Therefore, this study sought to measure the economic impact of the new CRSP cowpea storage technologies at a regional level. Surveys in seven countries were used to estimate storage technology adoption. Economic surplus was used to estimate annual benefits and internal rate of return (IRR), and net present value (NPV) were calculated to summarize the net benefits. From the perspective of recipients' countries the project was a good investment. The IRR, is found to be much greater than the cost of capital. The regional IRR was found to be about 29%, much higher than the real interest rate on government bonds in West Africa at the time. For example the real interest rate on bonds issued by the government of Ghana in 2004 and 2005 was 8.9% and 5.4% respectively. The IRR is also higher than the private bank real lending rates in West Africa. From the perspective of the principal donor, the US government, the project was a good investment given that the average real interest rate on US government’s bonds was 4.8% during the period. The net present value of the investment amounts to more than 295 million US dollars which yields an annualized value of about 17 million.
War prosperity and hunger: The New York food riots of 1917

(1984). War prosperity and hunger: The New York food riots of 1917. Labor History: Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 217-239.
The influence of comorbid risk factors on the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral treatment of depression

Response levels of 92 depressed subjects to a standardized small-group CBT intervention were examined. Data on differing comorbid factors and clinical variables were assessed for differential treatment effects. Findings are based on combined groups wherein adults participated in 12, 2-hour skill-building sessions. Participants were assessed for levels of depression, hopelessness, anxiety, and social adjustment at pre- and posttest and 5 follow-up intervals. The intervention was effective in the treatment of unipolar depression for all groups and comorbid and clinical variables were found to have various significant functional relationships with treatment outcome.
Structural basis of the metal specificity for nickel regulatory protein NikR.

In the presence of excess nickel, Escherichia coli NikR regulates cellular nickel uptake by suppressing the transcription of the nik operon, which encodes the nickel uptake transporter, NikABCDE. Previously published in vitro studies have shown that NikR is capable of binding a range of divalent transition metal ions in addition to Ni2+, including Co2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+. To understand how the high-affinity nickel binding site of NikR is able to accommodate these other metal ions, and to improve our understanding of NikR's mechanism of binding to DNA, we have determined structures of the metal-binding domain (MBD) of NikR in the apo form and in complex with Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions and compared them with the previously published structures with Ni2+. We observe that Cu2+ ions bind in a manner very similar to that of Ni2+, with a square planar geometry but with longer bond lengths. Crystals grown in the presence of Zn2+ reveal a protein structure similar to that of apo MBD with a disordered α3 helix, but with...
Delay of avocado (Persea americana) fruit ripening by 1-methylcyclopropene and wax treatments

Abstract 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an inhibitor of ethylene action, has been shown to extend the postharvest storage period of avocado fruit. Waxing is also known to extend the storage life of avocado by reducing water loss and modifying the fruit internal atmosphere. In this study, 1-MCP and waxing were used to investigate their combined effects on ripening characteristics of avocado fruit. Preclimacteric avocado ( Persea americana Mill. cv. ‘Tower II’) fruit were treated with 1-MCP (0.9 μl l −1 ) for 12 h at 20 °C. Half of the fruit were waxed (Sta-Fresh 819F ® , FMC FoodTech) after 1-MCP treatment and subsequently stored at 20 °C in ethylene-free air at 85% relative humidity. In a separate experiment, ‘Booth 7’ avocados were treated as above and stored at 13 °C. As evaluated by fruit firmness, ethylene evolution, and respiration rate, 1-MCP and wax significantly delayed the ripening of ‘Tower II’ avocado stored at 20 °C. Fruit treated with both 1-MCP and wax had better retention of green peel color and fruit firmness, and delayed climacteric ethylene evolution and respiration rates compared with other treatments. Waxing alone reduced weight loss and delayed softening, but did not delay climacteric ethylene evolution and respiration rates. Whereas firmness of control fruit decreased from >100 to 20 N over a 7-d period at 20 °C, fruit treated with both 1-MCP and wax required more than 11 d at 20 °C to soften to 20 N. The firmness of waxed ‘Booth 7’ avocados declined from >170 to 15 N during 19 d storage at 13 °C whereas fruit treated with both 1-MCP and wax required nearly 5 weeks to reach firmness values of 25 N. 1-MCP treatment, which completely suppressed polygalacturonase activity in ‘Tower II’ and ‘Booth 7’ fruit through 9 d at 20 °C and 36 d at 13 °C, respectively, significantly affected the rate but had little influence on the extent of fruit softening.
Automated integration of external databases: a knowledge-based approach to enhancing rule-based expert systems

Expert system applications in the biomedical domain have long been hampered by the difficulty inherent in maintaining and extending large knowledge bases. We have developed a knowledge-based method for automatically augmenting such knowledge bases. The method consists of automatically integrating data contained in commercially available, external, online databases with data contained in an expert system's knowledge base. We have built a prototype system, named DBX, using this technique to augment an expert system's knowledge base as a decision support aid and as a bibliographic retrieval tool. In this paper, we describe this prototype system in detail, illustrate its use, and discuss the lessons we have learned in its implementation.
A pilot study of reduced toxicity conditioning with BU, fludarabine and alemtuzumab before the allogeneic hematopoietic SCT in children and adolescents.

We report the results of a pilot study of a BU–fludarabine–alemtuzumab (BFA)-reduced toxicity conditioning (RTC) followed by allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (AlloHSCT) in 12 children and adolescents (<21 years) with malignant and non-malignant diseases. Stem cell sources were: two unrelated cord blood, one unrelated BM, two related and seven unrelated PBSC. Positive CD34 selection was performed in five unrelated PBSC grafts. RCT was carried out with BFA, and GVHD prophylaxis was FK506 and mycophenolate mofetil. The median time for neutrophil and platelet engraftment was 16 and 31 days, respectively. The P of developing ⩾grade II, ⩾grade III aGVHD and cGVHD was 41.6, 25 and 9%, respectively. Only 1 out of 12 developed ⩾grade III toxicity. There was one primary and no secondary graft failure. Mixed donor chimerism on day 100 and 1 year was median 99 and 96%, respectively; ⩾90% of recipients achieved ⩾80% donor chimerism. The 3-year overall survival (OS) in all patients was 91.7±8% (100% for malignant vs 80% for non-malignant diseases, ns). In all, 11 (91%) patients remain alive at median 2.8 (0.3–6.8) years. RTC followed by AlloHSCT, based on BFA conditioning, is feasible and tolerable in children and adolescents, and results in prompt achievement of durable mixed donor chimerism and excellent OS.
The physical parameters of cough: the larynx in a normal single cough.

Simultaneous recordings of flow rate, air volume, subglottic pressure and acoustic signal were performed on single normal coughs of healthy subjects. Sequential changes in resistance at the level of the larynx and in power at the subglottic level were traced by reference to these measured parameters. Successive phases were classified according to specific dynamic actions. Mean and standard deviations of critical measurements and their correlation matrix were obtained with electric computors.The resulting information indicates that the traditional description of inspiration, compression and expiration represents only a superficial image of an extremely complicated transient phenomenon. Detailed observations of the physical parameters reveal important physiologic patterns. Laryngeal control of the power and resistance appears of paramount importance for the production of an effective cough. The secondary augmentation of resistance discourages re-entry of the expelled substance.The results of this investigat...
Transthyretin amyloidosis associated with a novel variant (Trp41Leu) presenting with vitreous opacities

We report a 45-year-old woman with a new transthyretin (TTR) variant, substitution of leucine for tryptophan at residue 41, who has showed vitreous opacities without any other visceral organ involvement since age of 42. Congo red staining of vitrectomy specimens revealed that the vitreous fluid contained amyloid fibrils, which were strongly positive for immunohistochemical staining using anti-human TTR antiserum. DNA analysis of the TTR gene showed a G to T transversion at the second nucleotide of codon 41, indicating a replacement of tryptophan (TGG) by leucine (TTG). These results indicate that the patient's vitreous amyloid is associated with this novel TTR mutation.
Buckling behavior of long symmetrically laminated plates subjected to compression, shear, and inplane bending loads

A parametric study of the buckling behavior of infinitely long symmetrically laminated anisotropic plates subjected to combined loadings are presented. The loading conditions considered are pure inplane bending, transverse tension and compression, and shear. Results obtained using a special purpose analysis are presented for clamped and simply supported plates. An important finding of the study is that the effects of anisotropy are much more pronounced in shear-loaded plates than in axial compression-loaded plates and plates loaded by pure inplane bending.
Effects of hardness on the solid particle erosion mechanisms in AISI 1060 steel

Abstract The mechanisms of mass loss were studied using impacts of single particles (WC spheres 3 16 in in diameter) for a 0.6% C steel (AISI 1060 steel) heat treated to give hardnesses of 12, 45 or 60 HRC. Both oblique and near-normal angles of impact were used. A new foil laminate was developed to measure rebound velocity and angle. Velocities of 100–200 m s−1 were studied. A measurable mass loss was found only at 200 m s−1. At a hardness of 12 HRC the mode of metal loss involved the loss of shear lips. At 60 HRC the dominant loss mode involves the intersection of adiabatic shear bands (ASBs) and shows a maximum mass loss at near-normal impact. The material with a hardness of 45 HRC shows both modes of mass loss and a maximum mass loss rate at oblique (30°) impact. ASBs on the surface and welding of target material to the impacting ball indicate a high temperature at the surface. However, the material welded to the particle is not a significant fraction of the material lost.
Gastric myoelectrical activity and gastric emptying in patients with functional dyspepsia

Abstract OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to investigate gastric myoelectrical activity and gastric emptying (GE) and their relationship in patients with functional dyspepsia. METHODS: The study was conducted in 15 healthy volunteers (six women, nine men, mean age: 42 yr) and 15 patients (13 women, two men, mean age: 43 yr) with functional dyspepsia. Gastric myoelectrical activity was recorded using cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG) for 30 min in the fasting state and for 120 min simultaneously with GE monitoring after an isotope-labeled solid meal. The anterior/posterior images of the stomach were taken using a technetium scanner immediately after eating, and then at 1, 2, and 4 h to determine the percentage of gastric retention. The dominant frequency of the EGG, the change of the postprandial EGG peak power (δP), and the percentage of normal 2–4 cycles/min (cpm) slow waves during each recording session were calculated and compared between the patients and healthy subjects. RESULTS: The patients had a significantly lower mean percentage of 2–4 cpm slow waves, both in the fed state and in the fasting state, than did healthy subjects. Compared to the EGG in the fasting state, a significant increase of the EGG dominant frequency in the fed state was observed in healthy subjects but not in the patients. The mean postprandial EGG power increase in the patients was substantially less than in the healthy subjects during the first postprandial hour but similar during the second postprandial hour. The mean percentage of gastric retention in patients is substantially higher than in the healthy subjects, both at 2 h after eating and at 4 h after eating. Of 15 patients, nine (60%) had delayed GE (gastric retention at 2 h >50%) and 10 (66%) had abnormal EGGs (percentage of 2–4 cpm CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion of adult patients (60%) with functional dyspepsia have abnormally slow GE and abnormalities in gastric myoelectrical activity.
Coregistered intraoperative ultrasonography in resection of malignant glioma.

Object. The authors present their experience with coregistration of preoperative imaging data to intraoperative ultrasonography in the resection of high-grade gliomas, focusing on methodology and clinical observation. Methods. Images were obtained preoperatively and coregistered to intraoperative hand-held ultrasound images by merging the respective imaging coordinate systems. After patient registration and imaging calibration, the authors computed the location on the magnetic resonance (MR) space of each pixel on an ultrasound image acquired in the operating room. The data were retrospectively reviewed in 11 patients with high-grade gliomas who underwent ultrasonography-assisted resection at our institution between June 2000 and December 2002. Satisfactory coregistration of intraoperative ultrasound and preoperative MR images was accomplished in all cases. Ultrasound and MR image data were closely congruent. Preoperative setup and intraoperative use of the system were unencumbering. Conclusions. Based on these preliminary results, intraoperative ultrasonography is an attractive neuronavigational alternative, by which a less expensive and constraining imaging technique is used to acquire updated information. Optimal intraoperative guidance can be provided by the integration of this with other imaging studies.
Characterization of ligand binding to the cannabinoid receptor of rat brain membranes using a novel method: application to anandamide.

Ligand binding to the cannabinoid receptor of brain membranes has been characterized using [ 3 H] CP 55,940 and the Multiscreen Filtration System. Binding of [ 3 H]CP 55,940 is saturable and reaches equilibrium by 45 min at room temperature. At a concentration of 10 pg of membrane protein/well, the K D for [ 3 H]CP 55,940 is 461 pM and the B max is 860 mfmol/mg of protein. The apparent K D of [ 3 H]CP 55,940 is dependent upon tissue protein concentration, increasing to 2,450 pM at 100 μg of membrane protein. Binding of [ 3 H]CP 55,940 is dependent upon the concentration of bovine serum albumin in the buffer; the highest ratio of specific to nonspecific binding occurs between 0.5 and 1.0 mg/ml. The K i of anandamide, a putative endogenous ligand of the cannabinoid receptor, is 1.3 pM in buffer alone and 143 nM in the presence of 0.15 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. When [ 14 C] anandamide is incubated with rat forebrain membranes at room temperature, it is degraded to arachidonic acid; the hydrolysis is inhibited by 0.15 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. These results support the hypothesis that anandamide is a high-affinity ligand of the cannabinoid receptor and that it is rapidly degraded by membrane fractions
Baryon asymmetry in SU(3)3 × Z3 trinification model

Abstract It is shown that in the minimal version of the trinification SU(3)3 ×Z3, baryon asymmetry can be generated at one-loop level and n B n γ can be in the range 10−9–10−13, to be compared to the observed values 10−9±1.6. Furthermore, the asymmetry is directly related to CP violation in the K 0 − K 0 system.
The psychometric properties of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale

Abstract This study examined the psychometric properties of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation (BFNE) Scale in a nonclinical, nonstudent sample. Participants were administered the BFNE Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the UCLA Loneliness Scale. No differences were found across age, but women scored significantly higher on the BFNE Scale than men. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor solution corresponding to positive and reverse scored items. Internal consistency was excellent for the positive scored factor (α = .94), acceptable for the reverse scored factor (α = .73), and good for the full BFNE Scale (α = .80). BFNE scores were significantly correlated in the expected directions with the BDI and the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Implications of these findings for clinical practice and future research are discussed.
Abstract 2938: A novel OX40 agonist licenses systemic anti-tumor immunity to overcome local immune suppression induced by well-established tumors

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Immune modulating reagents that trigger the T cell costimulatory molecules GITR and OX40 are being evaluated as anti-cancer agents in early-stage clinical trials. However, little pre-clinical information is available regarding the efficacy and mechanism(s) of action for these agents in the setting of advanced, well-established disease. To further characterize the molecular, cellular, and treatment-associated consequences of GITR and OX40 engagement, novel agonistic reagents directed against murine GITR and OX40 (ligand-Fc fusion proteins) were recently constructed and characterized in vitro. We now show that the growth of well-established, day 17 sarcomas is significantly inhibited or ablated by a short course of either treatment, with OX40L-Fc demonstrating superior anti-tumor efficacy over GITRL-Fc at comparable doses. Despite diminished frequencies of CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) 3 days post-treatment, the presence of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and inhibitory cytokines such as IL-10 and TGFβ appears unaltered and effector T cell production of the Type-1 cytokine IFNγ remains low. Treatment with either GITR or OX40 agonists, however, induces a coordinate increase in CCR7+ dendritic cells in the tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLN), followed approximately 7 days after treatment by profound expansion of effector T cells expressing the Type-1 chemokine receptor CXCR3. By day 10 post-treatment, particularly with the OX40 agonist, T cells displaying a recently-activated effector phenotype accumulate in the tumor microenvironment and secrete high levels of IFNγ. Collectively, these data suggests a model in which the first level effect of costimulatory treatment is to direct CCR7+ dendritic cells from the TME to the draining lymph nodes. A secondary, systemic response reflects the expansion of highly-reactive CXCR3+ Type-1 T cells in the TDLN and their subsequent trafficking into the TME. The therapeutic efficacy demonstrated in this model by OX40L-Fc, and to a lesser extent GITRL-Fc, strongly supports the translation of such modalities into human clinical trials, while the mechanistic insight gained from these studies suggests that successful immunotherapies will license both local, and perhaps more importantly, systemic Type-1 T cell immunity. 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 2938.
Influence of phosphorus and formononetin on isozyme expression in the Zea mays-Glomus intraradices symbiosis

Maize (Zea mays L. cv. Great Lakes 586) plants were either inoculated with the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus intraradices Schenck and Smith, or grown in the presence of the isoflavone formononetin or were provided with both G. intraradices and formononetin. All plants were grown in soil containing one of five levels of inorganic P (between 8 and 110 μg g -1 soil). By 3 weeks there were significant differences in a number of enzyme activities and in the pattern of isoenzymes in roots colonized by the VAM fungus or treated with formononetin. One NAD-malate dehydrogenase (MDH) isozyme was expressed only in mycorrhizal roots, whether treated or not with formononetin. Despite differences in the soil P level, the expression of this isozyme was not observed in non-mycorrhizal roots, indicating specific expression in the mycorrhizae. We suggest that MDH isozyme could serve as a specific, early indicator of the Zea-Glomus symbiosis. Differences in the esterase (EST) isozyme pattern were not detectable between VAM and non-VAM roots, suggesting that this enzyme system is not a good parameter for the evaluation of mycorrhizal colonization. As available P in the soil increased, total EST activity appeared to increase as well. Interestingly, total peroxidase (POX) activity increased along with P suggesting that as plant P nutrition improved, both cell wall ramification and the quantity of defense peroxidases increased as well. Total POX activity from mycorrhizal roots was inversely correlated with root colonization, indicating that there was suppression of POX activity by the host under low soil P. Most interestingly, formononetin further decreased POX activity regardless of the level of P or mycorrhizal status. This may suggest one mechanism by which formononetin enhances root VAM colonization. The presence of this isoflavone suppressed POX activity in mycorrhizal roots allowing a rapid penetration and spread of the fungus in the root cortex. The interplay between host root, soil P levels, secondary metabolites and endogenous host enzyme activities and a particular VAM fungus has a profound effect on the efficiency, duration and functioning of an endomycorrhizal symbiosis.
Evidence for mild thyroidal impairment in women undergoing endurance training

The effects of endurance training on body composition and the pituitary-thyroid axis were studied in 29 healthy, young (mean age, 28.7 yr), regularly menstruating women. Women who were initially jogging a mean of 13.5 miles/week were selected for this study to minimize dropouts. Body composition, measured by hydrostatic weighing, and nonfasting plasma concentrations of T4, T3, rT3, TSH, and TRH-stimulated TSH, measured by RIA, were examined initially and after each subject's weekly mileage had increased to 30 miles ( delta 30) for at least 2 consecutive weeks. Two subjects were found to have compensated primary hypothyroidism and were not included in the subsequent data analysis. At delta 30, mean body weight did not change, mean fat weight decreased (- 1.02 kg; P less than 0.005), and mean lean weight increased (+0.75 kg; P less than 0.05). T4 and unstimulated TSH did not change. However, mean (+/-SE) T3 decreased from 107.2 +/- 4.4 to 97.9 +/- 3.4 ng/dl (P less than 0.025), and mean rT3 decreased from 170.9 +/- 13.9 to 154.6 +/- 13.2 pg/ml (P less than 0.025). The decreases in T3 and rT3 were accompanied by significantly greater TSH responses to TRH stimulation [mean (+/-SE) area under TSH curve, 1381.4 +/- 123 vs. 1712.8 +/- 202 micron IU/ml.min; P less than 0.01]. These results indicate that physically active women who undergo additional endurance training 1) become more lean without a change in total weight, and 2) have changes in T3, rT3, and TRH-stimulated TSH indicative of mild thyroidal impairment.
An acardiac human fetus.

A case of an acardiac human fetus is reported. The unique feature found in this specimen was the remarkably advanced development of the fetus as a whole, but especially of its head and brain.
Patterns of sleep in postcardiotomy patients.

Four psotcardiotomy patients ranging in age from 46 to 64 years, who did not demonstrate a previous history of mental illness or brain damage, and whose surgery had necessitated use of the cardiopulmonary bypass, were studied to ascertain if sleep deprivation does occur in selected postoperative cardiotomy patients, the amount of uninterrupted rest apparently available to the patients, if behavioral manifestations of sleep deprivation occur, and the nature of nursing activities which may interfere with the patients' sleep during the hours of 11 p.m. to 7a.m. Descriptive data were obtained by means of nonparticipant observation with subject awareness. Presence of sleep as well as potential interruptions of sleep were recorded at ten-minute intervals. None of the subjects obtained more than four potential sleep cycles per night, the mean being less than one per night. The frequency of periods of uninterrupted rest of 60 or more minutes varied from zero to seven, the mean being three and three-tenths. Two of four subjects demonstrated paranoid behavior. The mean number of potential interruptions of sleep varied from 56 on the first postoperative night to five and one-half on the eighth postoperative night. The most frequent sources of potential interruptions were direct and indirect monitoring and measures to promote respiration.
Medical Eponym Angst

AbstractAn eponym is a person, real or fictitious, after whom something has been named. Eponyms have been an integral part of medical nomenclature and history for centuries, but their continued use, including their spelling, is contentious. This article reviews the history of the term, disagreements concerning its lexical legitimacy, and arguments pro and con about their place in modern medical nomenclature. Despite all the legitimate reasons for dropping them, eponyms are so deeply rooted in medicine that they are here to stay for the foreseeable future.
Digital tuning of high-order high-Q continuous-time filters

A digital tuning scheme for automatic tuning of high-order high-Q continuous-time filters is proposed. The scheme uses phase information for both centre frequency and Q tuning, and does not rely on the relation between the passband gain and Q factor. Digital control of frequency and Q tuning loops improves the stability by enabling only one loop at a given tuning cycle. High-order filter tuning is performed without separating individual sections, eliminating switches and their parasitics.
Measuring minimal proficiency in spoken English

The results of two studies examining spoken English proficiency and performance in the basic course are reported. The goal of these investigations was to determine whether the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) could target speakers needing additional competencies in spoken English before enrolling in the basic oral communication course. The results did not indicate that the SPEAK test is appropriate for this purpose. The results and implications for future research are discussed.
Evidence that cleavage of the thyrotropin receptor involves a "molecular ruler" mechanism: deletion of amino acid residues 305-320 causes a spatial shift in cleavage site 1 independent of amino acid motif.

Some TSH receptors (TSHR) on the cell surface cleave into A and B subunits. Cleavage at upstream Site 1 is followed by the proteolytic excision of an intervening C peptide region terminating at a downstream Site 2. Although present evidence suggests that Site 1 lies between amino acid residues 303 and 317, the mechanism and exact amino acid(s) involved in cleavage are unknown. Previous amino acid substitutions at Site 1 failed to abrogate cleavage. We, therefore, performed deletion mutations within this region. Cleavage of cell surface TSHR, detected by 125 I-TSH cross-linking to intact cells, was not prevented by deletion of four individual segments within the Site 1 cleavage region (D305‐308, D309 ‐312, D313‐316, D317‐320). However, deletion of the entire region (D305‐320) reduced the extent of cleavage and shifted the cleavage site upstream of the glycan at amino acid residue N302. Elimination of this glycan (N302Q substitution) reversed the effect of deleting amino acid residues 305‐320 on TSHR cleavage, suggesting that reduced cleavage at the new, upstream cleavage site was caused by steric hindrance by the glycan at N302. In summary, deletion, as opposed to mutagenesis, of the TSHR cleavage Site 1 region produces a spatial shift in TSHR cleavage Site 1 from downstream to upstream of the glycan at N302. These observations provide strong evidence that TSHR cleavage at this site does not occur at a particular amino acid motif and suggests that cleavage involves a “molecular ruler” mechanism involving cleavage at a fixed distance from a protease attachment site. (Endocrinology 141: 3573‐3577, 2000)
Distributions of postpartum amenorrhea: some new evidence.

Breastfeeding and the amenorrhea related to it are important determinants of fertility levels. Breastfeeding practices vary widely across and within countries, and there is evidence of change in the extent of breastfeeding in several areas. It is therefore important in demographic research on fertility to measure precisely the length of amenorrhea. Because of the large costs involved in data collection, most data on amenorrhea have been obtained from retrospective studies. In such studies when women have been asked when they resumed menstruation after the birth of their last child, the resulting data have usually been of poor quality, commonly with gross heaping on multiples of six months. Models of amenorrhea have been developed to adjust available data and for use in fertility research. Thus far there have been three major efforts to describe lengths of amenorrhea: (1) Barrett's (1969) modified Pascal distribution, (2) Lesthaeghe and Page's (1980) logit model, and (3) Potter and Kobrin's (1981) mixed geometric negative binomial model. Realistic models are needed to adjust the distorted data prevalent in most studies. A major problem, however, in the evaluation of the available models has been the lack of data with which to study them. Data from large prospective studies of breastfeeding women are needed both to examine the true distribution of amenorrhea and to evaluate the ability of models to produce realistic distributions. The aim of this paper is to examine distributions of the length of postpartum amenorrhea in large prospective studies of breastfeeding women for these two purposes.
Intergranular brittleness in iron

Abstract It is shown that the mode of fracture and the ductility of iron containing small amounts of carbon and oxygen, when tested in tension at −196°C can be controlled by prior heat treatment. When grain boundary regions are deficient in carbon, i.e. in specimens quenched from high temperatures, fracture occurs intergranularly and is exceedingly brittle; when carbon is allowed to segregate by lowering the temperature before quenching, fracture is transgranular, and ductility can be quite large. This behavior is attributed to either interaction between carbon and residual grain boundary oxygen or to a bonding effect due to the carbon itself, and possibly to both.
Long-term heterosynaptic inhibition in Aplysia.

Synaptic transmission between mechanosensory and motor neurons of the gill withdrawal reflex in Aplysia can undergo both short-term1,2 and long-term3,4 modulation. One form of short-term synaptic depression lasting minutes can be evoked by the peptide Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-amide (FMRFamide)5–8, and is mediated by the lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid7. We report here using cell culture9, that the same monosynaptic sensory-to-motor component of the gill withdrawal reflex can also undergo long-term synaptic depression lasting 24 h after five applications of FMRFamide over a 2-h period. The long-term depression evoked by FMRFamide is transmitter-specific. Dopamine or low-frequency stimulation of sensory neurons, which also produce short-lasting synaptic depression in vivo1,5, failed to evoke a long-term change. As is the case for long-term presynaptic facilitation of this connection with serotonin10, the long-term depression, but not the short-term, can be blocked when applications of FMRFamide are given in the presence of anisomycin, a reversible inhibitor of protein synthesis. Thus, heterosynaptic depression parallels heterosynaptic facilitation in having a long-term as well as a short-term form, and in both cases the long-term modulation requires the synthesis of gene products not essential for the short-term changes.
MS2Assign, automated assignment and nomenclature of tandem mass spectra of chemically crosslinked peptides

In a previous report (Young et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2000, 97, 5802–5806), we provided a proof-of-principle for fold recognition of proteins using a homobifunctional amine-specific chemical crosslinking reagent in combination with mass spectrometry analysis and homology modeling. In this current work, we propose a systematic nomenclature to describe the types of peptides that are generated after proteolysis of crosslinked proteins, their fragmentation by tandem mass spectrometry, and an automated algorithm for MS/MS spectral assignment called “MS2Assign.” Several examples are provided from crosslinked peptides and proteins including HIV-integrase, cytochrome c, ribonuclease A, myoglobin, cytidine 5-monophosphate N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase, and the peptide thymopentin. Tandem mass spectra were obtained from various crosslinked peptides using post source decay MALDI-TOF and collision induced dissociation on a quadrupole-TOF instrument, along with their automated interpretation using MS2Assign. A variety of possible outcomes are described and categorized according to the number of modified lysines and/or peptide chains involved, as well as the presence of singly modified (dead-end) lysine residues. In addition, the proteolysis and chromatographic conditions necessary for optimized crosslinked peptide recovery are presented.
Management of hyperlipidemia in patients on peritoneal dialysis: Current approaches

Cardiovascular disease remains the most common cause of death in chronic kidney disease, including peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, and has an incidence that is many times that of the general population.1 In an effort to understand why cardiovascular disease is so common in this population, risk factors known to be associated with atherosclerosis in the general population have also been studied in chronic kidney disease. Dyslipidemia is one such risk factor. This paper reviews the possible etiology of dyslipidemia in PD, its clinical relevance, and current treatment recommendations.
Resolving and Managing conflicts in Academic Communities: The Emerging Role of the “Pracademic”

The academic world is where a new kind of dispute resolution specialist—the “pracademic”—is working. Solidly based in academe by virtue of his or her scholarly credentials and career, this person has also developed expertise in alternative (or appropriate) dispute resolution. The pracademic is frequently called upon to help resolve particular disputes and can help identify sources of problems among the many layers of organization found in an academic setting. The authors discuss the role, responsibilities, and challenges of pracademics and speculate on future directions for this emergent practice.
Complementing Economic Advances in India: A New Approach to Financing Infrastructure Projects

A lack of infrastructure development is seen as one of the leading obstacles for India in realizing its economic growth potential. Private capital will be needed to finance the significant program of infrastructure development for India to grow domestically and position itself globally. Infrastructure spending in India is particularly politicized and could gain efficiencies through a new approach utilizing global capital markets. Newly developed financial innovations can be used to enable infrastructure financing in a way that reduces agency costs, information gaps, and improper incentives. The invisible hand of global capital markets may prove more capable in setting infrastructure project agendas of the future that span varied administrations and political agendas.
A microcomputer-based system for multi-channel neurophysiological recording

A set of software utility programs is described which, in association with a microcomputer and a commercially available analog-to-digital converter may be used to acquire, store, manipulate and display large amounts of behavioral and/or physiological data in digitized form.
Effect of core body temperature, time of day, and climate conditions on behavioral patterns of lactating dairy cows experiencing mild to moderate heat stress

Cattle show several responses to heat load, including spending more time standing. Little is known about what benefit this may provide for the animals. Data from 3 separate cooling management trials were analyzed to investigate the relationship between behavioral patterns in lactating dairy cows experiencing mild to moderate heat stress and their body temperature. Cows (n=157) were each fitted with a leg data logger that measured position and an intravaginal data logger that measures core body temperature (CBT). Ambient conditions were also collected. All data were standardized to 5-min intervals, and information was divided into several categories: when standing and lying bouts were initiated and the continuance of each bout (7,963 lying and 6,276 standing bouts). In one location, cows were continuously subjected to heat-stress levels according to temperature-humidity index (THI) range (THI≥72). The THI range for the other 2 locations was below and above a heat-stress threshold of 72 THI. Overall and regardless of period of day, cows stood up at greater CBT compared with continuing to stand or switching to a lying position. In contrast, cows lay down at lower CBT compared with continuing to lie or switching to a standing position, and lying bouts lasted longer when cows had lower CBT. Standing bouts also lasted longer when cattle had greater CBT, and they were less likely to lie down (less than 50% of lying bouts initiated) when their body temperature was over 38.8°C. Also, cow standing behavior was affected once THI reached 68. Increasing CBT decreased lying duration and increased standing duration. A CBT of 38.93°C marked a 50% likelihood a cow would be standing. This is the first physiological evidence that standing may help cool cows and provides insight into a communally observed behavioral response to heat.
Sharp Interface Algorithm for Large Density Ratio Incompressible Multiphase Magnetohydrodynamic Flows

Abstract A numerical algorithm and the corresponding paralleled implementation for the study of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) of large density ratio, three-dimensional multiphase flows at low magnetic Reynolds numbers have been developed. The algorithm employs the method of front tracking for the propagation of material interfaces and the embedded interface method for solving elliptic-parabolic problems associated with approximations of incompressible fluids and low magnetic Reynolds numbers. The use of embedded interface method supports arbitrary discontinuities of density and other physics properties across interfaces and significantly improves methods that smear interface discontinuities across several grid cells. The numerical algorithm has been implemented as an MHD extension of FronTier, a parallel front tracking hydrodynamic code, verified using asymptotic solutions and validated through the comparison with experiments on liquid metal jets. The FronTier-MHD code has been used for simulations of liquid mercury targets for the proposed muon collider / neutrino factory, ablation of pellets in tokamaks, and processes in hybrid magnetoinertial fusion.