cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Juvenile hormone induced ovarian uptake of a female-specific blood protein in Oncopeltus fasciatus.

An adult female-specific blood protein was demonstrated in Oncopeltus by gel electrophoresis. This protein is the major band in soluble yolk fractions. It is also present at substantial concentrations in the haemolymph of starved and diapausing adult females. Thus, the failure of the ovaries to form yolk under these conditions is characterized by an inability to remove vitellogenin from the blood. Application of a juvenile hormone analog (JHA) restored protein yolk deposition in starved and diapausing adult females. Whereas other blood proteins decreased no more than two-fold upon JHA treatment, the vitellogenin concentration decreased 20-fold in starved females. The vitellogenin concentration in the blood of diapausing females was not significantly affected by JHA, apparently because synthesis kept pace with ovarian uptake in this case.
An empirical examination of a four-factor theory of leadership using smallest space analysis

Abstract The recent integrative four-factor theory of leadership proposed by Bowers and Seashore (1966) is studied with regard to the empirical clustering of variables typically used to measure the factors. Thirteen Supervisory Leadership questionnaire variables and eleven Work Group Leadership variables are examined for geometric proximity or clustering using Smallest Space Analysis. Data obtained from three different industrial organizations, a petroleum refinery, an insurance company, and a plastics producer are examined separately, with the refinery data reviewed in considerable detail. The results suggest that the four factors originally postulated exist as separately measurable entities with slight exceptions. Some modifications of the original factors seem necessary based on consistent differences across the three sites examined. Several differences among the three sites are also noted.
A novel congestion control strategy in ATM networks

Abstract In order to guarantee a committed Quality of Service (QoS) to the users of a Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (B-ISDN), preventive congestion control becomes critical, and is implemented through Call Acceptance Control (CAC), Usage Parameter Control (UPC), and Space Priority functions. Currently, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cells are equipped with a 1-bit Cell Loss Priority (CLP) field, which can be used for service-oriented and/or UPC marking . This creates a conflict, since these two marking approaches may have contradicting objectives, and are designed to operate independently. Moreover, by admitting excessive cells as marked traffic, this group is allowed to grow uncontrollably , thereby jeopardizing the QoS committed to other (low priority) marked cells. This paper presents a solution to these problems based on a new 4-class priority strategy that unifies the two marking approaches , by utilizing a 2-bit CLP field. This is implemented by expanding the CLP field with the adjacent 1-bit RES field in the ATM cell header. A new variant of the “marking Leaky Bucket” UPC mechanism, called the Forgiving Leaky Bucket (FLB) will then be positioned at the Network-Node-Interface (NNI) of interworking ATM-based Broadband ISDN subnetworks. The FLB additionally has the power of un-marking ( forgiving ) previously marked ATM cells, whenever the network conditions are appropriate. As a result, the end-to-end survival probability of a cell is improved significantly. Furthermore, “forgiving” corrects access-point bias , a phenomenon observed in interworked ATM subnetworks of different congestion conditions. Through simulations it is shown that this new priority strategy provides a significant improvement over the traditional marking Leaky Bucket UPC mechanism.
Regional variation in surgical assessment of lymph nodes for staging among women with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer.

Abstract Objective To investigate geographical and socioeconomic variations in performance of lymph node dissection for the evaluation of patients with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods A population-based, retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the National Cancer Institute's SEER Program for 15 geographic registries and county-level measures. Women with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer registered between 2000 and 2008 with known lymph node assessment status were studied. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the differences in the likelihood of lymph node assessment according to geographic SEER region. Results After adjusting for tumor characteristics, demographics, and area-based socioeconomic measures, a significant relationship between SEER region and lymph node dissection remained. Compared to the region with the highest proportion of lymph node dissection, there is a significantly lower probability of surgical assessment of lymph nodes in 8 of the remaining 14 geographical regions. Conclusions The variation in ovarian cancer surgical care by region reported in this study has implications for access and outcomes for patients with early-stage disease. Study findings merit further investigation and should be characterized to permit targeted interventions aimed at reducing the observed disparities.
Human papillomavirus distribution in vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia

This pilot study investigated the prevalence and distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) type in vulvar lesions in women with a history of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia. Fifty-two specimens were collected. Uncommon HPV subtypes were found among the specimens, which may have implications for HPV vaccination coverage.
Abstract 4492: BEZ235, a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, enhances the activity of the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib in acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC The PI3K/Akt/mTOR and RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathways are activated in 50 to 75% of primary AML cases, which have been associated with poor long-term outcome. The class I PI3K isoforms α, β, δ are expressed in nearly all primary childhood AML blast samples (Ross, Blood 2004), providing a potential target to circumvent aberrant signaling in this pathway. However, because of cross-talk and redundancy of signal transduction pathways, rational combinations of inhibitors may represent an advantageous treatment strategy for AML. We have previously shown that sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor in development for the treatment of AML, effectively inhibits phosho-ERK in AML cells, with limited inhibition of AKT signaling (Hu, Mol Cancer Ther, 2008). Here we evaluated the anti-leukemic activity of the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 as a single agent and in combination with sorafenib at in vivo relevant concentrations (≤ 1 µM BEZ235 and ≤ 10 µM sorafenib) in four AML cell lines (HL60, U937, THP-1, and OCI-AML3), and 9 primary childhood AML blast samples (7 with wild-type FLT3 and 2 with FLT3 internal tandem duplication mutations). We first evaluated the single-agent activity of BEZ235 in AML cells in suspension culture. After exposure to increasing concentrations of BEZ235 for 72h, IC50 values in a MTT assay ranged from 0.125 to 0.5 µM, but maximal growth inhibition did not exceed 40% of untreated controls. After exposure to BEZ235 1 µM for 72 h, an increase in apoptosis (Annexin V positive cells) to 30% was observed in U937 and OCI-AML3 cells, and inhibition of proliferation (EdU incorporation) was observed in U937 and THP-1 cells; no change in cell cycle distribution was observed. Phospho-Akt was inhibited by 50% to 80% of untreated controls in 3 cell lines (U937, THP-1, and HL-60) treated with BEZ235 1 µM for 1 h. We next examined the anti-leukemic activity of the combination of BEZ235 and sorafenib (simultaneous exposure for 72 h) in AML cell lines and primary blast samples that were co-cultured in direct contact with bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells. In AML cell lines, sorafenib 10 µM induced apoptosis in twice as many cells (39% to 54%) than BEZ235 1.0 µM (17% to 23%); however, the combination increased apoptosis to 50 to 68% in all cell lines. Enhanced apoptosis was also observed in all primary childhood AML blasts samples treated with the drug combination compared to single agent treatment. In conclusion, BEZ235 has limited single-agent activity but enhances the activity of sorafenib in vitro in AML cell lines and primary blast samples. Studies are ongoing to evaluate the drug combination in a xenograft model of AML. 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 4492.
Genetics and ethanol tolerance.

Abstract This paper reviews some of the research on genetic bases of individual differences in ethanol tolerance of mice conducted at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics and at its predecessor laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. Tolerance is, of course, a complex concept. Theoretical distinctions are made between tachyphylaxis and more slowly acquired tolerance and between dispositional and tissue tolerance. Pragmatically, a variety of measures (such as locomotor activity, sleep time, hypothermia) can be used to define these processes, and the different indices may yield quite different results even when they presumably indicate the same process. It is clear that an understanding of genetic influence in “ethanol tolerance” will require wide sampling of this complex domain. The work described here represents only a beginning, but it may illustrate the general approaches that are available for addressing the issue.
Negotiation: An emergent process of living systems

Negotiation is a process of communication between and among individuals, groups, organizations, communities, societiess, and supranational systems with the purpose of reaching agreement about certain joint or reciprocal acts. Existing models of the negotiation process, based on game theory, communication theory, economic theory, exchange theory, power theory, and political theory, tend to focus on individual decision-makers and their outcomes. This article presents a model of negotiation as an emergent process of living systems. From a living systems perspective, negotiation is a joint decision-making process that results in a new or modified template for an agreed system of interaction. Various kinds of agreed systems, both living and nonliving, are analyzed. Negotiation is shown to be part of the reproducer process whereby groups, organizations, communities, societies, and supranational systems are born.
Effects of supplemental GAKIC ingestion on resistance training performance in trained men.

Purpose: Glycine-arginine-alpha-ketoisocaproic acid (GAKIC) is a relatively new supplement that athletes and fitness enthusiasts ingest to enhance performance during anaerobic exercise. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the potential ergogenic effects of GAKIC ingestion during multiple bouts of resistance exercise. Method: Seven resistance-trained men participated in a randomized, counterbalanced, double-blind study. Participants were randomly assigned to placebo or GAKIC (10.2 g) and performed 5 sets of 75% of 1-repetition maximum leg press to failure. Total load volume was calculated by multiplying the 75% of 1-repetition maximum mass lifted by the sum of repetitions to failure. One week later, participants ingested the other supplement (placebo or GAKIC) and the same exercise protocol was performed (i.e., crossover). Blood lactate, glucose, and heart rate were determined preexercise and immediately postexercise. Results: GAKIC supplementation significantly increased leg-press tota...
Purification and characterization of recombinant human soluble guanylate cyclase produced from baculovirus-infected insect cells

Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) has been purified from 100 L cell culture infected by baculovirus using the newer and highly effective titerless infected-cells preservation and scale-up (TIPS) method. Successive passage of the enzyme through DEAE, Ni(2+)-NTA, and POROS Q columns obtained approximately 100mg of protein. The sGC obtained by this procedure was already about 90% pure and suitable for various studies which include high throughput screening (HTS) and hit follow-up. However, in order to obtain enzyme of greater homogeneity and purity for crystallographic and high precision spectroscopic and kinetic studies of sGC with select stimulators, the sGC solution after the POROS Q step was further purified by GTP-agarose affinity chromatography. This additional step led to the generation of 26 mg of enzyme that was about 99% pure. This highly pure and active enzyme exhibited a M(r)=144,933 by static light scattering supportive of a dimeric structure. It migrated as a two-band protein, each of equal intensity, on SDS-PAGE corresponding to the alpha (M(r) approximately 77,000) and beta (M(r) approximately 70,000) sGC subunits. It showed an A(430)/A(280)=1.01, indicating one heme per heterodimer, and a maximum of the Soret band at 430 nm indicative of a penta-coordinated ferrous heme with a histidine as the axial ligand. The Soret band shifted to 398 nm in the presence of an NO donor as expected for the formation of a penta-coordinated nitrosyl-heme complex. Non-stimulated sGC had k(cat)/K(m)=1.7 x 10(-3)s(-1)microM(-1) that increased to 5.8 x 10(-1)s(-1)microM(-1) upon stimulation with an NO donor which represents a 340-fold increase due to stimulation. The novel combination of using the TIPS method for co-expression of a heterodimeric heme-containing enzyme, along with the application of a reproducible ligand affinity purification method, has enabled us to obtain recombinant human sGC of both the quality and quantity needed to study structure-function relationships.
Emergency medicine magnifying loupes

A magnifying loupe system has been evaluated for use in emergency medicine. Physicians uniformly preferred a Keplerian lens system over that of the Galilean lens system. The advantages of the Keplerian lens were its increased field of view and its brighter and clearer peripheral image. The Keplerian loupes allowed the physician to visualize the exquisite details of wound configuration and to perform wound closure using microsurgical techniques.
Iteration of positive approximation operators

Abstract We present an analysis of the limit behavior of the k(n)-th iterates of positive linear approximation operators Ln, as n and k(n) tend to infinity. For various classes of operators the limit semigroup is explicitly identified. Two applications of the results are given: (a) identification of functions f satisfying Ln f ⩾ f for all n, for a variety of operators Ln; (b) identification of the operators commuting with operators of the Bernstein type.
Revision of the structure of podocarpaside E, from Actaea podocarpa

The title compound, (I), 3β,15α,25-trihydr­oxy-16,23-dioxo-6α,19α-epidi­oxy-9,10-seco-9,19-cyclo­lanost-5(10),9(11)-diene 3-O-α-l-arabinopyran­oside, crystallizes as the monohydrate, C35H52O11·H2O. It has an endo-epoxide rather than two OH groups on its seven-membered ring. The O—O distance is 1.473 (3) A, and the C—O—O—C torsion angle is −30.4 (3)°. O⋯O distances in hydrogen bonds are in the range 2.679 (3)–3.015 (3) A.
Study of the Error and Efficiency of Numerical Schemes for Computational Aeroacoustics

Two types of high-order numerical schemes suitable for computational aeroacoustics are examined. Truncation error, efficiency, and the consequence of disparate temporal and spatial accuracy are discussed. The Gottlieb-Turkel 2-4 predictor-corrector scheme and two Runge-Kutta schemes (4-4 and 4-6) are used to solve the one-dimensional inviscid convection of a Gaussian pulse. For schemes with lower-order time stepping, the truncation error caused by the time stepping dominates the solution for optimum time steps. Reducing the time step can effectively increase the order of accuracy to that of the spatial discretization. However, this increased accuracy is balanced by an increase in the computational cost. The uniformly fourth-order-accurate Runge-Kutta scheme proves to be superior to the second-order temporal and fourth-order spatial accurate Gottlieb-Turkel scheme in terms of truncation error and computational efficiency. Increasing the spatial accuracy of the Runge-Kutta scheme to sixth order does not improve the efficiency of the scheme. To illustrate the relevance to a representative multidimensional problem, the Gottlieb-Turkel 2-4 and Runge-Kutta 4-4 schemes are then used to solve the unsteady axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations for a supersonic jet. For this case the Runge-Kutta scheme provides better resolution of large-scale structures and requires less computational time.
Conception rates in repeat-breeders and dairy cattle with unobserved estrus after prostaglandin F2 alpha and gonadotropin-releasing hormone

Abstract In Experiment 1, cows with a history of at least two previous unsuccessful inseminations were allocated to four groups. At the repeated estrus (third or greater service), some of the cows were inseminated according to the a.m.-p.m. rule (Controls, n = 83), or received i.m. 100 μg gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH, n = 32) within 30 sec after insemination. Ovaries of the remaining cows to be treated were palpated during the anticipated ensuing luteal phase to determine the presence of a corpus luteum. Cows found to have luteal tissue received i.m. 25 mg prostaglandin F 2 -alpha (PGF 2 -alpha) and were inseminated after detected estrus or at 72 and 96 h after PGF 2 -alpha in the absence of estrus. Cows given PGF 2 -alpha either received no further treatment (PGF 2 -alpha, n = 40) or were given i.m. 100 μg GnRH (PGF 2 -alpha + GnRH, n = 29) after insemination or at 72 h after PGF 2 -alpha in the absence of estrus. Conception rate of control cows (39%) was similar to that of cows given PGF 2 -alpha (40%) or PGF 2 -alpha + GnRH (43%), but it tended to be lower (P = 0.13) than that of cows given only GnRH at insemination (54%). In Experiment 2, cows with unobserved estrus and diagnosed not pregnant (palpation) were palpated to detect a corpus luteum. Cows with luteal tissue received i.m. PGF 2 -alpha (n = 52) or PGF 2 -alpha + GnRH (n = 45) and were inseminated as described above. Conception rates were similar (39% vs 33%, respectively). In Experiment 3, cows in a large commercial dairy with (n = 93) or without (n = 420) previous reproductive problems were given i.m. 100 μg GnRH after insemination (n = 169) or were left untreated (n = 344) at repeat services (third and fourth services). Treatment with GnRH improved (P 2 -alpha alone or in conjunction with GnRH failed to further improve conception rates and only delayed intervals to rebreeding when administered during the luteal phase after the repeated estrus. The use of GnRH failed to reduce intervals from treatment to insemination or improve conception in cows with unobserved estrus compared to treatment with PGF 2 -alpha alone.
Apolipoprotein E binding to low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 inhibits cell migration via activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A.

Smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation contribute to neointimal hyperplasia and vascular stenosis after endothelial denudation. Previous studies revealed that apolipoprotein E (apoE) is an effective inhibitor of platelet-derived growth factor-directed smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation and that the anti-migratory function is mediated via apoE binding to low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1). This study was undertaken to identify the intracellular pathway by which apoE binding to LRP-1 results in inhibition of smooth muscle cell migration. The results showed that apoE increased intracellular cAMP levels 3-fold after 5 min, and the increase was sustained for more than 1 h. As a consequence, apoE also increased protein kinase A (PKA) activity in smooth muscle cells. Importantly, suppression of PKA activity with a cell-permeable peptide inhibitor of PKA abolished the inhibitory effect of apoE on smooth muscle cell migration. These results indicated that apoE inhibition of smooth muscle cell migration is mediated via the activation of cAMP-dependent PKA. Additional experiments revealed that apoE also inhibited fibroblasts migration toward platelet-derived growth factor by a similar mechanism of cAMP-dependent PKA activation. It is noteworthy that apoE failed to increase cAMP levels or inhibit migration of LRP-1-negative mouse embryonic fibroblasts and LRP-1-deficient smooth muscle cells. Taken together, these findings established the mechanism by which apoE inhibits cell migration, i.e. via cAMP-dependent protein kinase A activation as a consequence of its binding to LRP-1.
Physiology and pathophysiology with ascent to altitude

With increasing altitude, there is a fall in barometric pressure and a progressive fall in the partial pressure of oxygen. Acclimatization describes the physiologic changes that help maintain tissue oxygen delivery and human performance in the setting of hypobaric hypoxemia. These changes include a marked increase in alveolar ventilation, increased hemoglobin concentration and affinity, and increased tissue oxygen extraction. In some individuals, these physiologic changes may be inadequate, such that the sojourn to altitude and the attendant hypoxia are complicated by altitude-associated medical illness. The rate of ascent, the absolute change in altitude, and individual physiology are the primary determinants whether illness will develop or not. The most common clinical manifestations of altitude illness are acute mountain sickness, high altitude pulmonary edema, and high altitude cerebral edema.
A Comparative Assessment of Genetic Diversity among Differently-Aged Populations of Spartina alternif lora on Restored Versus Natural Wetlands

We collected naturally recolonizing Spartina alterniflora (smooth cord grass) from each of three restored sites and one undisturbed reference site in southwestern Louisiana to assess the impact of wetland restoration on genetic diversity. We used amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) to produce 94 polymorphic genetic markers, which were used to characterize genetic diversity as average heterozygosity and the proportion of polymorphic loci . Overall our findings indicate that restored populations of S. alterniflora maintain levels of genetic diversity comparable to natural populations, which should provide some measure of resistance against environmental disturbances. Diversity estimates were lowest for the natural reference site ( = 0.1059; = 0.2763), whereas estimates for the three restored sites ranged from = 0.1148 to 0.1256 and = 0.3114 to 0.3202. All sites maintained sufficiently high diversity levels to suggest significant rates of outcrossing. Overall, genetic differentiation among populations was small (Weir and Cockerham's Θ = 0.0645), with the values from each pairwise comparison among the populations increasing with the geographic distance between sites (range = 0.0490-0.1101). These values indicate an average migration rate of 3.6 migrants, either pollen or seeds, per generation.
Electronic quenching rates for NO(A 2Σ+) measured in a shock tube

Abstract We report rate coefficients for electronic quenching of NO(A 2Σ+) by NO(X 2Π), CO2, Ar and He measured at high temperature behind reproducible shock waves. NO and CO2 are efficient quenchers at temperatures between 300 and 2100 K while the rare gases quench much less efficiently. We develop a model to predict the temperature dependence of NO(A 2Σ+) quenching by collision partners that have a large electron affinity and thereby enable a charge-transfer complex (NO+X−) to mediate the transition between the A 2Σ+ ν′ =0 and X 2Π states of NO.
Assortative Pairing Based on Contact Call Similarity in Budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus

A trait typical of parrots, but rare in other groups of birds, is the acquisition of new learned calls (acquired by copying conspecifics) throughout an individual's lifetime. The significance of this distinctive psittacid trait is not understood. In budgerigars, females preferentially affiliate with unfamiliar males whose contact calls resemble their own during brief dyadic choice trials; also, in forced-pair situations, contact call similarity of members of pairs increases as a result of a male tendency to imitate his mate's call type. The functions of budgerigar call imitation and preference for pre-pairing similarity are currently unknown. Moreover, as budgerigar pair formation occurs over a span of days or weeks, it is important to determine whether birds in breeding colonies assort and proceed to breed on the basis of pre-pairing contact call similarity, and whether high levels of call similarity are maintained after pair formation is complete. To explore these questions, we recorded contact calls of male and female budgerigars before and after they were placed into an aviary equipped for breeding. As predicted, birds paired assortatively based on pre-pairing call similarity. Once birds had paired, their calls converged further in acoustic structure, as previous work had led us to expect. However, after eggs were laid and the males began to feed their mates, the calls of mated birds diverged, suggesting that there might be some cost to maintenance of shared calls. Male care-giving correlated with the degree to which his pre-pairing calls resembled those of his mate, but not with the similarity achieved through convergence. These results suggest that female budgerigars may use a male's pre-pairing call similarity as a predictor of paternal investment. The questions of why such similarity predicts male care-giving, and why calls converge following initial pairing activities, require further work.
RF Losses in Superconducting Lead Cavities

At the present time the only materials seriously considered for superconducting accelerators are lead and niobium. In the electron linacs under construction at Stanford and the University of Illinois cylindrical niobium cavities are being employed. The relatively uncomplicated geometry of such cavities permits the fabrication and annealing procedure to be approached in a straightforward (though expensive and time-consuming) manner and offers the optimum final energy gradient for these accelerators. However, the complicated geometrical structures (e.g., drift tubes or helically loaded wave guides) required for low phase velocity heavy-ion accelerators make the use of niobium less appealing. In contrast, lead may be easily plated on even very complicated structures with a minimum degree of difficulty and cost.
Do Industry-Level Analyses Improve Forecasts of Financial Performance?

Prior research documents mean reversion in firm profitability and growth under the implicit assumption that profitability and growth of all firms revert to a common benchmark at the same rate. However, a large body of academic research suggests that there are systematic interindustry differences (e.g., industry barriers to entry) that differentially affect firm performance based on industry membership. We evaluate the relative forecast accuracy of mean reverting models at the industry and economywide levels and find that industry-specific models are generally more accurate in predicting firm growth but not profitability.
AIDS dementia and HIV-1-induced neurotoxicity: Possible pathogenic associations and mechanisms

AIDS Dementia Complex (ADC) is a syndrome of cognitive, behavioral, and motor deficits resulting from HIV-1 infection within the brain. ADC is characterized by variable degrees of neuronal cell death and gliosis that likely result, at least, in part from release of metabolic products, cytokines, and viral proteins from infected macrophages, although a unifying explanation for the neurological dysfunction has yet to be established. Major unanswered questions include: (i) do neurologic symptoms result from neuronal cell death and/or dysfunction in surviving neurons?; (ii) are viral genomic sequences determinants of neurotoxicity?; (iii) is HIV infection of neurons and astrocytes relevant to pathogenesis?, and (iv) what circulating factors within the brain affect neuronal cell survival and function? This review addresses the association between HIV-1 replication within the brain, production of potential neurotoxins and possible mechanisms of induction of neurotoxicity and neuronal dysfunction contributing to the pathogenesis of ADC.
RELATION OF SERUM HEXOSAMINE TO VARIOUS BLOOD COMPONENTS.

SummarySerum hexosamine levels were determined in a number of normal individuals and also in several series of hospital patients. Serum, protein, sodium, potassium and chloride contents were determined on the same patients together with hematocrit, total and differential leucocyte counts. The only correlations observed included a concomitant increase in total leucocyte, and segmented neutrophils with hexosamines. The hexosamine content increased when there was a decrease in the small lymphocytes in blood.
Pulmonary function after thoracoscopic thymectomy versus median sternotomy for myasthenia gravis.

Abstract Background . Impaired pulmonary function due to myasthenia gravis (MG) is further compromised by thymectomy, which is necessary in most cases. Thoracoscopic thymectomy (tThx) can achieve the same resection and functional improvement of MG as median sternotomy (sThx). The possible advantage of tThx in maintaining better perioperative lung function was quantified. Methods . In a prospective trial, 20 patients with MG were randomly allocated to undergo tThx (n = 10) by three-trocar left-sided approach or sThx (n = 10) performed as an extended procedure. Complete pulmonary function was measured at 12-hour intervals, beginning 6 hours postoperatively. Effective postoperative pain control in both groups was achieved by patient-controlled analgesia with morphine sulfate assessed by a visual analogue scale. Statistical analysis for comparison of tThx and sThx was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results . Postoperative vital capacity, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume per second, and peak expiratory flow, measured as a percentage of the individual preoperative capacity, were significantly better with tThx compared with sThx. Immediate postoperative lung function was reduced to 35% and 65% after tThx and sThx, respectively. By the third postoperative day, recovery of pulmonary function was complete after tThx but only 55% after sThx. Conclusions . Less pronounced impairment and faster recovery of pulmonary function after tThx characterize this new approach for thymectomy as minimally invasive. These results could make tThx the preferred surgical treatment of MG, which was improved to the same extent as after sThx.
Temporal gating in highly scattering media by the degree of optical polarization

The temporal profiles of polarized laser pulses propagating through a scattering medium differ for scattered light parallel and perpendicular to the incident polarization. The degree of polarization is conserved over 100 ps after the arrival of the ballistic component. This observation can be used as a time gate for the early portion of the scattered light, reducing the diffusive component.
Tensor Product Structures, Entanglement, and Particle Scattering

Particle systems admit a variety of tensor product structures (TPSs) depending on the complete system of commuting observables chosen for the analysis. Different notions of entanglement are associated with these different TPSs. Global symmetry transformations and dynamical transformations factor into products of local unitary operators with respect to certain TPSs and not with respect to others. Symmetry-invariant and dynamical-invariant TPSs and corresponding measures of entanglement are defined for particle scattering systems.
Statistics of Greater Sea States

Accurate representations of seaway statistics are important for physical and computational predictions of ship motions. The spectra that are most typically used in these applications are the Pierson-Moskowitz or Bretschneider. While these spectra are useful for fully developed seas, the larger sea states (Sea State (SS) 7 and higher) are typically not fully developed. In these cases, other spectral models may be more appropriate. It is critical to ship motion prediction, for both physical and numerical models, to accurately capture the frequency range for the sea state of interest. Sea state statistics, including wave heights, periods, and spectral bandwidths from various buoys and a platform in the North Sea are collected and compared with statistics from lower sea states. The spectral data are then averaged to generate a typical spectrum under the measured conditions. These developed spectra are compared with the ideal spectra mentioned previously.
Colonization of Potato Plants after Aerial Infection by Colletotrichum coccodes, Causal Agent of Potato Black Dot

Colonization of potato plants by Colletotrichum coccodes after artificial inoculation of stems was modeled in relation to the severity of chlorosis and necrosis on foliage using logistic regression. C. coccodes internally colonized the stems up to 24 cm above the inoculation court (mean of 11.3 ± 7.7 cm and 14.1 ± 9.3 cm in 2003 and 2004, respectively), and completely colonized the stem below the inoculation court including the roots (mean of 13.2 ± 3.1 cm and 12 ± 2.3 cm in 2003 and 2004, respectively). C. coccodes grew significantly faster from the inoculation court toward the roots, stolons, and tubers than toward the plant apex. Internal stem colonization was restricted before senescence but rapidly increased as the plants started to senescence, suggesting that physiological events associated with plant senescence activated fungal growth and plant colonization. The results showed no relationship between C. coccodes growth and plant colonization and the development of chlorosis and necrosis severity of leaves. The severity of chlorosis and necrosis on foliage in this study was the outcome of natural plant senescence, and was not caused by the fungal colonization. Therefore, chlorosis and necrosis severity is an inaccurate tool to diagnose infection in potato by C. coccodes and does not indicate the presence or amount of C. coccodes in potato plants. Disease assessment for C. coccodes in potato plants should not rely on severity of chlorosis and necrosis. Black dot assessment should be carried out by isolation and quantification of the fungus from stem and root tissues or by polymerase chain reaction techniques before plant senescence.
Three-body photodissociation dynamics of collinear AB2 systems: cadmium dimethyl

Abstract Classical trajectory calculations are used to investigate product-state asymmetry in collinear three-body photodissociation of AB 2 systems. On an empirical excited-state surface for cadmium dimethyl asymmetry is found to increase with decreasing excitation energy. Excitation of the ground-state antisymmetric stretch is also found to increase the asymmetry.
Increased incidence of the Hfe mutation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and related cellular consequences

The etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is unknown. The presence of mutations in the superoxide dismutase gene (SOD1) has led to theories regarding a role for oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of this disease. A primary cause of oxidative stress is perturbations in cellular iron homeostasis. Cellular iron mismanagement and oxidative stress are associated with a number of neurodegenerative diseases. One mechanism by which cells fail to properly regulate their iron status is through a mutation in the Hfe gene. Mutations in the Hfe gene are associated with the iron overload disease, hemochromatosis. In the current study, 31% of patients with sporadic ALS carried a mutation in the Hfe gene, compared to only 14% of patients without identifiable neuromuscular disease, or with neuromuscular diseases other than ALS (p<0.005). To determine the cellular consequences of carrying an Hfe mutation, a human neuronal cell line was transfected with genes carrying the Hfe mutation. The presence of the Hfe mutation disrupted expression of tubulin and actin at the protein levels potentially consistent with the disruption of axonal transport seen in ALS and was also associated with a decrease in CuZnSOD1 expression. These data provide compelling evidence for a role for the Hfe mutation in etiopathogenesis of ALS and warrant further investigation.
Lungworms in donkeys: Evaluation of Anthelmintics Under Field Conditions

Summary In a herd of large donkeys, 30 (86%) were lungworm positive by the Baermann fecal technique. Eleven donkeys treated with fenbendazole (50 mg/kg) and 11 donkeys treated with thiabendazole were still lungworm positive 2-weeks posttreatment (PT). Subsequent treatment of 21 donkeys with ivermectin resulted in negative lungworm evaluations 2-weeks PT. At 20 weeks PT, all 8 donkeys evaluated were negative, while 7 of 12 donkeys evaluated were lungworm negative at 35-40 weeks PT. Five donkeys, given oral ivermectin paste at 6-8 month intervals after the 20-week evaluation were lungworm negative 4-5 years later.
Oxygen present during azeotropic drying drastically reduces the radiochemical yield of 2-FDG

The effect of varying reaction conditions on the yield of 2-FDG via the Julich synthesis (1) has been investigated. The yield is found to be relatively immune to changes in many reaction parameters. On the other hand, we have found that the type of sweep gas used to remove the vapor phase during the azeotropic drying step is critical. The incorporation of 18F into the 2-FDG triflate precursor is reduced fourfold when the sweep gas contains oxygen. However, using either of the inert gases nitrogen or helium as the sweep gas insures a consistent 65% 18F incorporation. This phenomena was investigated with proton and 19F NMR spectroscopy at the University of Wisconsin. Oxygen in the sweep gas does not alter the proton environment of the phase-transfer catalyst (Kryptofix K222) but it does change the environment of the 18F atom, that is loosely bound to the crown ether, inducing less favorable conditions for the SN2 reaction.
IBE-Lite: A Lightweight Identity-Based Cryptography for Body Sensor Networks

A body sensor network (BSN) is a network of sensors deployed on a person's body for health care monitoring. Since the sensors collect personal medical data, security and privacy are important components in a BSN. In this paper, we developed IBE-Lite, a lightweight identity-based encryption suitable for sensors in a BSN. We present protocols based on IBE-Lite that balance security and privacy with accessibility and perform evaluation using experiments conducted on commercially available sensors.
Some results in the theory of crosstalk-free transmultiplexers

The crosstalk-free transmultiplexer (CF-TMUX) focuses on crosstalk cancellation (CC) rather than on suppressing it. The authors present an analysis of the CF-TMUX based on the polyphase component matrices of the filter banks used in TDM to FDM and FDM to TDM conversions, respectively. Thus a necessary and sufficient condition for complete CC is obtained. It is shown that the filters for a CF-TMUX are the same as the filters for a 1-skewed alias free QMF bank. In addition, if the QMF bank satisfies the perfect reconstruction (PR) property, then the TMUX also satisfies PR. The relation between CF-TMUX filters and alias-free QMF banks is used to obtain a direct design procedure for CF-TMUX filters (both FIR and IIR). It is also shown that approximately crosstalk-free TMUX filters can be obtained from any approximately alias-free QMC bank. Design examples and comparison tables are included. >
Using Kidder's dilemma paradigm to resolve conflicts in library core values

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify core values commonly held by library and information professionals and discusses whether Rushworth Kidder's concept of dilemma paradigms may be used to analyze and resolve conflicts between the right to access to information and other core values. Kidder identifies two types of dilemmas: “right‐versus‐wrong” and “right‐versus‐right”. He defines “right‐versus‐right” dilemmas as those that “however complex and varied, typically reduce themselves to one or more of the following dilemma paradigms: Truth versus Loyalty, Self versus Community, Short Term versus Long Term and Justice versus Mercy.”Methodology/design/approach – The paper discusses Kidder's theory and applies it to several situations or scenarios reported by practicing librarians.Findings – The analysis of the scenarios highlights the complex nature of dilemmas faced by library and information professionals.Research limitations/implications – The scenarios are limited in number and drawn from only...
Reconnection voltage as a function of IMF clock angle

Magnetic reconnection between the IMF and the geomagnetic field is thought to play a major role in the transfer of solar wind momentum and energy to the magnetosphere. Both analytic modeling and analysis of geophysical data have shown that this coupling process should be a sensitive function of the clock angle of the IMF. Results are presented from a three-dimensional, MHD, global numerical simulation code for the reconnection voltage between the closed geomagnetic field and the IMF as a function of the IMF clock angle. These results are consistent with a sin(theta/2) functional behavior.
Analysis of the prognostic effectiveness of a multivisceral resection for locally advanced colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic effectiveness of multivisceral resections of organs involved by locally advanced colorectal cancer. METHODS A retrospective study was performed to analyze the data collected for 266 patients who underwent a curative resection for pT3-pT4 colorectal cancer without distant metastasis from January 2000 to December 2007. Of these 266 patients, 54 patients had macroscopically direct invasion of adjacent organs and underwent a multivisceral resection. We evaluated the short-term and the long-term outcomes of a multiviceral resection relative to that of standard surgery. RESULTS The most common location for the primary lesion was the rectum, followed by the right colon and the sigmoid colon. Among the combined resected organs, common organs were the small bowel, ovary, and bladder. In the multivisceral resection group, tumor infiltration was confirmed histologically in 44.4% of the cases while in the remaining patients, a peritumorous adhesion had mimicked tumor invasion. Postoperative complications occurred in 17.5% of the patients who underwent standard surgery vs. 35.2% of those who underwent a multivisceral resection (P < 0.0001). But the survival rate of patients after a multivisceral resection was similar to that of patients after standard surgery (5-year survival rates: 61% vs. 58%; P = 0.36). CONCLUSION For locally advanced colorectal cancer, multivisceral resection was associated with higher postoperative morbidity, but the long-term survival after a curative resection is similar to that after a standard resection. Thus, a multivisceral resection can be recommended for most patients of locally advanced colorectal cancer.
Aflatoxin B1 Uptake by Flavobacterium aurantiacum and Resulting Toxic Effects

Removal of aflatoxin B(1) from liquid cultures by resting and growing cells of Flavobacterium aurantiacum NRRL B-184 was studied. Spectrophotometic and thin-layer techniques served as aflatoxin assays. Cells grown in the presence of 5 ppm or higher levels of aflatoxin developed aberrant morphological forms. These toxin concentrations partially inhibited growth, and the nature of the inhibition suggested that aflatoxin interfered with cell wall synthesis. Incubation of 1.0 x 10(11) resting cells per milliliter with 7.0 mug/ml of aflatoxin B(1) during a 4-hr period facilitated complete toxin removal from a buffered aqueous medium. Autoclaved cells and cell wall preparations could remove a fraction of the aflatoxin of a test system. However, the toxin removed by autoclaved cells and cell walls could be extracted by washing with water but the aflatoxin B(1) removed by intact cells could not be extracted into the liquid phase. The uptake of aflatoxin B(1) by resting cells was sensitive to temperature and pH. Ruptured preparations of F. aurantiacum were not able to remove or modify the aflatoxin in an aqueous solution.
Thermal Conductivity of Nanofluids

Nanofluids (colloidal suspensions of solid nanoparticles) sparked excitement as well as controversy. In particular, a number of researches reported dramatic increases of thermal conductivity with small nanoparticle loading, while others showed moderate increases consistent with the effective medium theories on well-dispersed conductive spheres. Here we discuss potential mechanisms that were put forward in order to understand nanoflouid thermal conductivity and demonstrate that particle aggregation is currently the only physically reasonable mechanism that can explain the majority of the experimental data.
QRS interval in tricyclic antidepressant overdosage: inaccuracy as a toxicity indicator in emergency settings.

Emergency department treatment and disposition of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)-overdose patients remains a common and difficult problem. Various clinical findings have been proposed as toxicity indicators. To study the performance of QRS duration as a predictor of toxicity in our patient population, we retrospectively reviewed the cases of all patients presenting to our ED with TCA overdosage. The charts of 102 patients with quantitative or qualitative laboratory confirmation of TCA ingestion were reviewed for ED findings and hospital course with specific attention to the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) or seizures. The ED ECG revealed that 57 patients had a maximal 12-lead ECG QRS interval duration (QRS) of less than .10 seconds (Group 1). The remaining 45 patients had QRS greater than or equal to .10 seconds (Group 2). Three patients (5%) in Group 1 and three (6%) in Group 2 experienced VAs. Four patients (7%) in Group 1 and five (11%) in Group 2 experienced seizures. There was no significant difference in the rate of occurrence of VAs or seizures between the two groups. Of note was the fact that five of eight VAs and nine of 11 seizures occurred in the ED setting. We conclude that determination of QRS duration is not an accurate indicator of VA or seizure risk for all TCA-overdose populations. In particular, risk of toxic events during the emergency phase of TCA overdose does not appear to be indicated by evaluation of the QRS duration in the ED.
Plate Tectonics of Marginal Foreland Thrust-Fold Belts

Foreland thrust-fold belts are common on margins of the world9s mountain chains. They are generally thrust upon (verge), and are arcuate toward, an adjacent continental interior. Many have low-angle thrust faults and fold geometry disharmonic to an underlying basement, and are frequently termed “decollements.” The plate tectonics of the Neogene Zagros, Jura, New Guinea, sub-Andean, and Himalaya foreland belts are varied, ranging from collision to back-arc settings, but all were developed on leading edges of actively driving continental plates. They are thrust upon, and against the motion of, these plates. In contrast, Neogene back-arc spreading developed on margins of plates whose motion is parallel to, or away from, an adjacent arc-trench. Foreland thrust-fold belts are mainly due to underthrusting of continental lithosphere on leading edges of actively driving continental plates in either collision or back-arc settings. If the principle is applied to pre-Mesozoic mountain ranges, it may provide another parameter to determine pre-Mesozoic plate motions.