cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brachytherapy in cancer of the prostate: an historical perspective.

Carcinoma of the prostate in the United States has increased dramatically in the last few years due to improved detection methods including prostatic specific antigen testing and transrectal ultrasound. More than half of all prostate cancers are discovered while still localized. Radical prostatectomy and definitive radiation are reserved for patients in good health, who have localized disease. Brachytherapy, with its inherent ability to deliver a high dose to an organ-confined tumor, while minimally irradiating the surrounding tissues, has successfully competed with external beam for the treatment of early prostatic tumors. Their respective role is constantly under scrutiny and re-evaluation to improve the accuracy of delivery of radiation. The present review focuses on the role of brachytherapy for treatment of early cancer of the prostate over the span of this century and its future in the next millennium. Semin. Surg. Oncol. 13:399-405, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Longitudinal cost experience for gastric bypass patients

Abstract Background To assess the effect of gastric bypass surgery on the total cost of medical care for morbidly obese members compared with obese members and a general population. Methods We used an observational pre–post test design to analyze the administrative claim records of 224 gastric bypass patients during 3 periods (preoperative, surgical, and postoperative years) for a total of 7.5 years. The estimated future care costs for gastric bypass patients were determined from their preoperative cost trends, adjusting for the annualized actuarial trends. The general membership population actuarial trends and overweight/obese member medical expenditure data were used as comparison groups. Results The inflation adjusted mean per member per year total paid decreased by $1895 in the fifth year after surgery. The mean costs for gastric bypass patients were lower within the first year after surgery than their preoperative costs. At 3.5 years after surgery, the surgical costs had been recouped for patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery, and by year 2, they had incurred fewer costs than the obese health plan population. Conclusion Although gastric bypass is a costly surgical procedure, the longitudinal costs savings and overall health improvement for patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery are cost-effective within a closed, experienced network. Weight loss surgery decreased the annual costs per patient in the years after surgery. The costs were slightly elevated in the fifth year after surgery because of maternity cases and orthopedic surgeries.
Suprasellar pediatric craniopharyngioma resection via endonasal endoscopic approach.

Purpose Purely endoscopic endonasal approaches to surgical resection of pediatric suprasellar craniopharyngiomas are uncommonly performed. The aim of the study is to assess the feasibility and to describe the short-term outcomes of endonasal endoscopic approaches for the gross total resection of suprasellar craniopharyngiomas in the pediatric population.
The Effect of Cooling Rate During Rapid Solidification on the Structure and Texture of NiTi

A study has been conducted on the effects of increasing cooling rate during rapid solidification of NiTi upon the phases that are produced. The hammer and anvil rapid solidification technique and laser melting with a nanosecond excimer laser were used, which allow the cooling rate to be varied by three to four orders of magnitude. Although 1/3 (110) superlattice reflections are seen in the selected area diffraction (SAD) patterns of the splat quenched (SQ) specimens, x-ray diffraction analyses show the presence of only B2 phase and martensite. On the other hand, laser treatment (LT) of the specimens produces a layer that has a Ll/sub 0/ structure with a slight monoclinic distortion. This phase can be envisaged as a small distortion of a B2 unit cell with a volume per atom approx.3.3% lower than the equilibrium B2 phase. Also martensite is present in the layer. SQ alloys exhibited a marked (200) texture due to columnar growth opposite to the direction of heat extraction, while LT produces epitaxial regrowth of the melted layer. No substantial disordering is obtained in NiTi rapidly solidified alloys.
Specificity of medroxyprogesterone acetate binding in human endometrium: Interaction with testosterone and progesterone binding sites

Abstract Human endometrial cytosol contains high affinity, low capacity binder(s) for testosterone as well as for progesterone and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). The equilibrium constant of dissociation is the same for all three compounds. In a series of individual samples the concentration of binding sites for [ 3 H]-MPA did not exhibit the cyclic variations of the progesterone binder and was consistently more than 3× higher. The latter observation was confirmed when [ 3 H]-progesterone and [ 3 H]-MPA binding were directly compared using several different pools of endometrial cytosol. Competition studies employing cytosol pools demonstrated that, unlike [ 3 H]-progesterone, [ 3 H]-MPA is displaced from its binding sites by an excess of unlabeled testosterone. Furthermore, [ 3 H]-MPA and [ 3 H]-testosterone binding were demonstrable in a cytosol pool that contained no detectable binder for [ 3 H]-progesterone. It was concluded that while testosterone and progesterone each interact chiefly with their specific binders, MPA has broader specificity and interacts with binders for both of the other steroids. Unless this property of dual binding is recognized and measured, values for “progesterone-specific” binding sites determined using MPA as the test progestin will be greatly overestimated.
Lipoma of the heart

Abstract Diagnosis and successful surgical removal of an intracavitary right atrial lipoma is reported. The importance of angiocardiography in the diagnosis of such lesions and the necessity for extracorporeal circulation in the surgical removal have been demonstrated.
Generating operations of point algebras

Abstract In this paper we define a class C of groupoids on Sn(=S × S × … × S) for arbitrary sets S and integers n ⩾ 2. For n a prime we give necessary and sufficient conditions in order for the binary operation (·) of (Sn, ·) in C to generate each of the binary operations (∗) for all ( S n , ∗ ) in C.
Returning to Work Following Childbirth: The Relationship Between Intentions and Behavior

College women's intentions to return to work following childbirth were compared to behavior 10 years later. Using an Ajzen-Fishbein model, college intentions were significantly related to how soon a mother returned to work after the birth of her first child. The amount of variance explained was significant for intentions and behavior. College intentions were influenced by perceived consequences, approval of significant referents, and personal control. Return to work was predicted by intention to do so, even though the behavior occurred an average of seven years after the intention was declared. This behavior was more likely to occur among those who had a sense of personal control.
Infrared temperature studies of a simple polyurea

Infrared temperature studies of a polyurea formed from 2-methylpentane-1,5-diamine and 4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) are presented, together with those of two model diureas, 2-methylpentane-1,5-diphenylurea and ethylene diphenylurea. The main thrust of the work concerns the interpretation of the infrared changes that are observed in ordered and disordered hydrogen bonded ureas.
Observed Patterns of Illicit Opiate Overdose Deaths in Chicago, 1999-2003

This article explores trends and correlates of Chicago’s opiate-related overdose (OD) deaths. We manually examined data from every death certificate filed between 1999 and 2003 to identify all Chicago residents’ accidental deaths involving acute intoxication with illicit opiates, OD, or opiate poisoning. The analysis includes an examination of contextual characteristics in 77 Chicago neighborhoods. Negative binomial regression analysis permits the calculation of incidence rate ratios (IRR) associated with time trends. OD incidence peaked in 2000 and then declined markedly by 2003 [year 2000–2003 IRR = 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.54, 0.78)]. Over the 2000–2003 period, overall incidence of fatal OD declined by 34%. Over this period, the sharpest observed declines occurred among African-Americans [IRR = 0.64, 95% CI (0.51, 0.81)] and Hispanics/Latinos [IRR = 0.53, 95% CI (0.32, 0.88)]. The opiate-related fatality incidence also declined among non-Hispanic whites [IRR = 0.743, 95% CI (0.52, 1.06)]. Even at the end of the study period, illicit opiate-related OD accounted for 35% of all accidental deaths to Chicago adults aged 18–64, with 45% of OD deaths occurring among African-American men. In summary, illicit opiate OD in Chicago peaked in 2000 and markedly declined by 2003. Opiate OD continues to pose a major threat of mortality to Chicago adults.
Radiosonde errors and spurious surface-based ducts

Substantially more frequent occurrences of surface-based super-refractive and ducting layers have been noted in daytime than in night-time refractive climatological data derived from standard United States radiosondes. Evidence is presented which indicates that the diurnal bias in these data is largely fictitious. Although the problem is fundamentally a consequence of vulnerability of the carbon humidity sensor to temperature effects, several factors contribute to this bias. These factors are discussed, and steps suggested which could improve the quality of future measurements for refractive applications.
A novel, minimally invasive access technique versus standard 18-gauge needle set for femoral access.

To compare access site complications with the Micropuncture 21 gauge (G) needle set to the standard 18G needle in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using the femoral approach.
The rate of amino acid nitrogen and total nitrogen accumulation in the fetal lamb.

AbstractTotal body water and nitrogen concentrations were determined for whole body homogenates of 18 fetal lambs. Nitrogen concentration averaged 10.5 ± 0.1 mg nitrogen/100 mg dry tissue. Amino acid represented approximately 82% of the total nitrogen and 55% of the total carbon content of the fetus. The carbon/nitrogen ratio attributable to amino acids decreased from 3.42 at 66 days to 3.06 at term. Total amino acid concentrations in the whole body homogenates were also determined for 20 amino acids. Cystine and hydroxy-proline concentrations increased significantly (correl. coeff. = 0.78) and markedly with gestation. The branch chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine, along with phenylalanine, showed a significant decline in concentration (correl. coeff. ≧ −0.79). From these rates of amino acid and nitrogen accretion the adequacy of the exogenous supply of amino acids and nitrogen to the fetus via the umbilical uptake can be assessed. Calculations of the excess supply of amino acids to the fe...
Synthesizing and utilizing partial behavior models during requirements elicitation

1. RESEARCH PROBLEM During a software system’s requirements elicitation, the system stakeholders provide a number of informal statements about the desirable features of the system. The requirements analysts then map these statements into more formal yet straightforward and intuitive specifications, such as system use case scenarios and properties. Such specifications have proven useful for different developmental activities, including communicating intent among stakeholders, capturing different viewpoints on the system, and directly documenting the requirements. However, scenarios and properties provide only a partial description of the system-to-be. For example, a use-case scenario usually describes one desirable sequence of system events. Similarly, system properties express the high-level goals of the system and constraints on system operations. I posit that mapping partial specifications to more comprehensive models would be beneficial for gradual refinement of requirements, and exploration of the system solution space. State machine-based models of software behavior, such as UML statecharts and Labeled Transition Systems, are leveraged for different tasks during software development [7]. For example, these models facilitate various analyses (e.g., model checking), they form a basis for system simulation and code generation, and are often leveraged as a “blueprint” for the subsequent implementation. Consequently, researchers have proposed numerous techniques for synthesizing behavioral models from requirements (e.g., [2, 12]). Most of these techniques require scenarios as inputs and return final behavioral models, thus overlooking the inherent partiality of the input specifications [9]. Similarly, some recent approaches take properties as inputs and synthesize models which do not violate the properties [1, 3]. Although these property-based approaches build less restrictive models, they primarily assure the satisfaction of the properties without considering whether the specification should be further refined, and which behaviors should be implemented.
Port-site recurrence after laparoscopic surgery for endometrial carcinoma

Abstract Background: Women with endometrial carcinoma are being treated with laparoscopic surgery, but the risk of port-site recurrences remains undefined. Case: A 58-year-old woman underwent laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and laparoscopic lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer. Final surgical stage was IA, with grade 2 histology. Twenty-one months later, she developed a 5-cm recurrent tumor mass at a lateral laparoscopic port site. The mass was resected, and a restaging laparotomy performed, without evidence of other metastases. Radiation therapy was administered to the involved anterior abdominal wall. Two and one half years later, there is no evidence of recurrence. Conclusion: An isolated laparoscopic port-site recurrence might be attributable to the initial laparoscopic management of an otherwise good-prognosis endometrial carcinoma.
A Technique for Evaluation of Three-dimensional Behavior in Turbulent Boundary Layers Using Computer Augmented Hydrogen Bubble-wire Flow Visualization

A system is described which allows the recreation of the three-dimensional motion and deformation of a single hydrogen bubble time-line in time and space. By digitally interfacing dualview video sequences of a bubble time-line with a computer-aided display system, the Lagrangian motion of the bubble-line can be displayed in any viewing perspective desired. The u and v velocity history of the bubble-line can be rapidly established and displayed for any spanwise location on the recreated pattern. The application of the system to the study of turbulent boundary layer structure in the near-wall region is demonstrated.
Lack of increase in heterozygous α1-antitrypsin deficiency phenotypes among patients with hepatocellular and bile duct carcinoma

Homozygous α1-antitrypsin deficiency (PiZZ phenotype) is known to be associated with increased risk of cirrhosis and primary liver cancer. Although a relationship between heterozygous α1-antitrypsin deficiency and chronic liver disease was suggested recently, it is still a matter of controversy whether such patients are at increased risk of liver cancer. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of heterozygous α1-antitrypsin deficiency of different phenotypes among patients with primary hepatobiliary cancers. We studied 82 patients with primary hepatobiliary cancer; 59 had hepatocellular carcinoma and 23 had bile duct carcinoma. α1-Antitrypsin quantitation and phenotyping were performed in each patient using standard methods. The distribution of the various Pi phenotypes was compared with that found in a normal population and reported elsewhere. Odds-ratio and X2 tests were used to measure the relative risk and the significance of association, respectively, between primary hepatobiliary cancers and heterozygous α1-antitrypsin deficiency. Four patients in each of the cancer groups were heterozygous. Among the hepatocellular carcinoma patients, three had the PiMS phenotype and one had the PiMZ phenotype. Of these four heterozygous patients, only two had cirrhosis; one had cryptogenic cirrhosis and the other had hepatitis B virus–related cirrhosis. One noncirrhotic patient with a PiMZ phenotype had a fibrolamellar carcinoma. Of the four patients with bile duct carcinoma, three had the PiMS phenotype and one had the PiMZ phenotype. Of the four heterozygous patients, two had primary sclerosing cholangitis without associated inflammatory bowel disease and one patient had had previous biliary operations. Heterozygosity of α1-antitrypsin Pi types (non-PiMM) does not mark an increased estimated risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (odds ratio = 0.78; 95% confidence index = 0.28, 2.16; p = not significant), or bile duct carcinoma (odds ratio = 2.27; 95% confidence index = 0.77, 6.70; p = not significant). Based on these results, we conclude that heterozygous α1-antitrypsin deficiency is not associated with hepatocellular carcinoma or bile duct carcinoma. (Hepatology 1992;15:407–410).
Comparison of three different methods for measurement of cervical cord atrophy in multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Evidence is mounting that spinal cord atrophy significantly correlates with disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The purpose of this work was to validate 3 different measures for the measurement of cervical cord atrophy on high-resolution MR imaging in patients with MS and in normal control subjects (NCs). We also wanted to evaluate the relationship between cervical cord atrophy and clinical disability in the presence of other conventional and nonconventional brain MR imaging metrics by using a unique additive variance regression model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 66 MS patients (age, 41.2 ± 12.4 years; disease duration, 11.8 ± 10.7 years; Expanded Disability Status Scale, 3.1 ± 2.1) and 19 NCs (age, 30.4 ± 12.0 years). Disease course was relapsing-remitting (34), secondary-progressive (14), primary-progressive (7), and clinically isolated syndrome (11). The cervical cord absolute volume (CCAV) in cubic millimeters and 2 normalized cervical cord measures were calculated as follows: cervical cord fraction (CCF) = CCAV/thecal sac absolute volume, and cervical cord to intracranial volume (ICV) fraction (CCAV/ICV). Cervical and brain lesion volume measures, brain parenchyma fraction (BPF), and mean diffusivity were also calculated. RESULTS: CCAV ( P < .0001) and CCF ( P = .007) showed the largest differences between NCs and MS patients and between different disease subtypes. In regression analysis predicting disability, CCAV was retained first ( R 2 = 0.498; P < .0001) followed by BPF ( R 2 = 0.08; P = .08). Only 8% of the variance in disability was explained by brain MR imaging measures when coadjusted for the amount of cervical cord atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: 3D CCAV measurement showed the largest differences between NCs and MS patients and between different disease subtypes. Cervical cord atrophy measurement provides valuable additional information related to disability that is not obtainable from brain MR imaging metrics.
A unique fasciocutaneous flap for posterior urethral repair

The anatomic restrictions produced by male to female gender reassignment surgery necessitated a new surgical solution to treat a traumatic posterior urethral stricture. Aesthetic considerations were of paramount importance to the patient. A unique use of the pudendal thigh fasciocutaneous flap is presented which satisfied the reconstructive needs of well-vascularized tissue for reconstruction of the posterior urethral segment, and addressed the patient's aesthetic concerns. Correction of the posterior urethral stricture was successful, and the flap donor site inconspicuous. This procedure has not been described previously for urethral reconstruction and is an additional regional source of vascularized tissue for urethral repair.
Magnetic polarity stratigraphy in the uppermost Mississippian Mauch Chunk Formation, Pottsville, Pennsylvania

The authors took 105 oriented cores from 340 m of the upper Mauch Chunk Formation at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, for a magnetostratigraphic study. The samples were subjected to progressive thermal demagnetization from 600 to 700{degree}C and analyzed by using principal-component analysis. A high-temperature component was isolated with a mean direction of declination = 351.7{degree}, inclination = {minus}28.4{degree}, and {alpha}{sub 95} = 6.7{degree}, and a corresponding paleopole at long 113.5{degree}E, lat 33.7{degree}N. Three normal and three reversed polarity magnetozones were defined, and it was found that the magnetic field was {approximately}59% normal and 41% reversed in the upper Chesterian. Herein the authors attempt to correlate the section to a previous study in New Brunswick on the basis of the paleolatitude (pole position) and the reversal pattern, and the authors postulate a correlation of the bottom part of the Maringouin section with the top of the Mauch Chunk. Such a correlation would place the Mississippian/Pennsylvanian boundary within the Maringouin Formation. Earth's magnetic field was of normal polarity at the time of the Mississippian/Pennsylvanian boundary.
Reflectenna: a quasi passive on–off keyed microwave telemetry system for remote sensor applications

A method to transmit one-directional wireless data with low power consumption has been investigated. This system, called the ‘reflectenna’, works on the principle of transmitting information by modulating an incident continuous wave carrier signal prior to re-transmission and consists of two orthogonally linear polarised, micromachined microstrip patch antennas and a single-pole-single-throw switch that modulates the carrier signal. This quasi-passive method to transmit data has been tested with a transceiver system that transmits a 10 GHz carrier signal and demodulates the received signal reflected back from the reflectenna. The carrier signal was modulated with a 2 kHz square wave and a link with a range up to 25 m was achieved.
NICE: endpoint-based topology discovery

We present a novel method of layer 2 network topology discovery for Ethernet LANs through the coordinated operation of endpoints/hosts, part of a research project called NICE (Network Introspection by Collaborating Endpoints). Networks are constantly changing, including Ethernet LANs -- machines come and go, network hardware fails, switches are rewired, equipment is reconfigured. The layer 2 network represents a moving target, both for the attacker and the defender alike. It is necessary to understand the network, both before and during these changes. Existing network management approaches based on collecting and correlating SNMP data from managed layer 2 devices cannot see the complete picture of the network and cannot see all changes as they occur, in particular changes related to unmanaged devices. NICE is able discover more information about the topology, including unmanaged devices, without the assistance of traditional network management tools and protocols. NICE requires no administrative access to networking hardware, is multi-platform, and discovers both consumer and enterprise layer 2 devices. The novel contributions of this paper include a layer 2 mapping protocol that does not require SNMP access nor MAC address spoofing, and a working method to discover and locate non-NICE devices in the topology, improving upon existing research. We have performed extensive experimentation to validate our techniques and provide a comparison to existing research.
Induced-Charge Electrokinetic Phenomena: Theory and Microfluidic Applications

We give a general, physical description of "induced-charge electro-osmosis" (ICEO), the nonlinear electrokinetic slip at a polarizable surface, in the context of some new techniques for microfluidic pumping and mixing. ICEO generalizes "ac electro-osmosis" at microelectrode arrays to various di-electric and conducting structures in weak dc or ac electric fields. The basic effect produces microvortices to enhance mixing in microfluidic devices, while various broken symmetries--controlled potential, irregular shape, nonuniform surface properties, and field gradients--can be exploited to produce streaming flows. Although we emphasize the qualitative picture of ICEO, we also briefly describe the mathematical theory (for thin double layers and weak fields) and apply it to a metal cylinder with a dielectric coating in a suddenly applied dc field.
Pem:A Testosterone- and LH-Regulated Homeobox Gene Expressed in Mouse Sertoli Cells and Epididymis

Abstract Few transcription factors in somatic cells of the testis and epididymis that could potentially regulate androgen-dependent developmental events during male gametogenesis have been identified. In this study we examined the regulation and expression of an orphan homeobox gene,Pem,which encodes a homeodomain related to those in thePrd/Paxgene family. RNase protection,in situhybridization, and Northern blot analyses of wild-type and germ-cell-deficient mutant mice (Wv/Wv) localized Pem transcripts to Sertoli cells of the testis. During prepubertal testicular development,Pemexpression was dramatically induced on Day 9, approximately when germ cells are known to enter meiotic prophase. In adult mice,Pemtranscripts were preferentially expressed in stages VII–VIII seminiferous epithelium, the androgen-dependent stages during which germ cells undergo the first step of meiosis.Pemgene expression depended on androgens and gonadotrophins, as demonstrated by a lack of expression in hypophysectomized mice, gonadotrophin-deficient hypogonadal (hpg) mutant mice, and androgen receptor-deficient (tfm) mutant mice. Injection of either testosterone or luteinizing hormone (LH) into hypophysectomized andhpg/hpgmice restoredPemexpression in the testes to normal levels. ThePemgene was also shown to be specifically expressed in the proximal cauda and distal corpus regions of the epididymis, the regions where spermatozoa gain forward motility and fertilization competence.Pemexpression in the epididymis did not depend on spermatozoa in the lumen of the testis, as shown in quaking (qk/qk) mutant mice, however, unlike in the testes, epididymalPemexpression required germ-cell-induced factors. Our results show that discrete cell types in male reproductive tissues transcribe and independently regulate thePemhomeobox gene. To our knowledge no transcription factors have previously been shown to depend on testosterone or LH for expression in Sertoli cellsin vivo.Collectively, the data implicatePemas a candidate to regulate a subset of androgen-dependent genes in the male reproductive system.
A quantitative real-time RT-PCR assay to measure TGF-β mRNA and its correlation with hematologic, plasma chemistry and organo-somatic indices responses in triamcinolone-treated Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus

Abstract A quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was developed to measure transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in Atlantic menhaden ( Brevoortia tyrannus ), an estuarine-dependent species plagued by ulcerative skin lesions in the estuaries along the eastern United States. Atlantic menhaden were acclimated in a closed system for two weeks prior to initiation of the study. The synthetic glucocorticoid, triamcinolone acetonide (10 mg/kg body weight) was administered by intracoelomic injection and its effect on the splenic mononuclear cell TGF-β mRNA transcription, liver-somatic index, spleno-somatic index, hematology, and plasma chemistry were compared to untreated fish at 48 and 96 h post-treatment. Triamcinolone-treated Atlantic menhaden showed suppression of TGF-β mRNA production, neutrophilia, monocytosis, lymphopenia, and an increase in blood glucose concentrations. The health indices used in this study may help us interpret some of the changes observed during the development of ulcerative skin lesions in wild-caught menhaden.
Mechanism of Assembly of the Bis(Molybdopterin Guanine Dinucleotide)Molybdenum Cofactor in Rhodobacter sphaeroidesDimethyl Sulfoxide Reductase

A fully defined in vitro system has been developed for studying the mechanism of assembly of the bis(molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide)molybdenum cofactor inRhodobacter sphaeroides dimethyl sulfoxide reductase (DMSOR). R. sphaeroides DMSOR expressed in amobA - Escherichia coli strain lacks molybdopterin and molybdenum but contains a full complement of guanine in the form of GMP and GDP. Escherichia coli MobA, molybdopterin-Mo, GTP, and MgCl2 are required and sufficient for the in vitro activation of purified DMSOR expressed in the absence of MobA. High levels of MobA inhibit thein vitro activation. A chaperone is not required for thein vitro activation process. The reconstituted DMSOR can exhibit up to 73% of the activity observed in recombinant DMSOR purified from a wild-type strain. The use of radiolabeled GTP has demonstrated incorporation of the guanine moiety from the GTP into the activated DMSOR. No role was observed for E. coli MobB in the in vitro activation of apo-DMSOR. This work also represents the first time that the MobA-mediated conversion of molybdopterin to molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide has been demonstrated directly without using the activation of a molybdoenzyme as an indicator for cofactor formation.
Effects of therapist contact and a self-control manual on nailbiting reduction*

The study evaluated a self-help treatment manual for nailbiting consisting of behavioral self-control techniques. To determine the most economical amount of therapist contact, each of 70 adult subjects received a manual and was randomly assigned to one of three contact conditions: standard (weekly, individual meetings), minimal (weekly, brief phone calls), and no contact (self-directed). The 5-week bibliotherapy program was effective, regardless of contact condition, at posttest, and most improvements were maintained at the 3-month follow-up. All three conditions achieved significant increases over time in nail length, cosmetic appearance, and Rosenbaum Self-Control Schedule scores. Although continued contact with the therapist was not necessary for basic improvement, it did add some benefits. The standard group had the highest abstinence rate at posttest, and it continued to be the highest through follow-up, although no longer significantly different from the other groups' rates.
Quasiclassical Trajectory Study of CH3NO2 Decomposition via Roaming Mediated Isomerization Using a Global Potential Energy Surface

We report a global potential energy surface (PES) for CH3NO2 based on fitting roughly 114 000 density functional theory (UB3LYP/6-311+g(d,p)) electronic energies. The PES is a precise, permutationally invariant fit to these energies. Properties of the PES are described, as are some preliminary quasiclassical trajectory calculations. An isomerization-roaming pathway to the CH3ONO isomer and then to the CH3O + NO products is found. Although the pathway occurs at larger distances than a related loose saddle-point on the PES, the pathway supports the supposition of such a pathway based on locating a loose first-order saddle point and associated IRC, reported previously by Zhu and Lin [Zhu, R. S. and Lin, M. C. Chem. Phys. Lett. 2009, 478, 11].
Goal-directed diagnosis—a diagnostic reasoning framework for exploratory-corrective domains

Abstract In many diagnosis and repair domains, diagnostic reasoning cannot be abstracted from repair actions, nor from actions necessary to obtain information of diagnostic value. TraumAID 2.0, a consultation system for multiple trauma management, implements a reasoning architecture for exploratory-corrective domains which integrates diagnostic reasoning with planning and action. Taking the view that a diagnosis is only worthwhile to the extent that it can affect repair decisions, its goal-directed diagnosis (GDD) framework views the diagnosis object as secondary to the formation of appropriate goals for a complementary planner. We start this article with a specific case of multiple trauma injury. Demonstrating some of the key features of exploratory-corrective domains, we use this case to exemplify the suitability of our approach. Before focusing on the GDD reasoner itself, we overview TraumAID 2.0's exploratory-corrective management architecture in which it is embedded with a companion planner, and explain its iterative interaction with the physician. The paper's main body presents GDD's formalism, and knowledge representation scheme, and proposes a design methodology for GDD-based systems (the companion planner, and the implemented system are described elsewhere). Before concluding, we present a set of strategies characteristic of exploratory-corrective domains, and argue the suitability of our framework for their implementation.
Fractal diagrams for Hamiltonian stochasticity

Abstract A new diagrammatic representation is presented for Hamiltonian systems with three phase space dimensions. These fractal diagrams permit an easy way to find KAM boundaries and island in the Poincare mapping and lead thereby to a complete description of the geography of the mapping. In addition a qualitative insight is gained into the diffusion problem. The standard mapping is used for demonstration.
The compaction of DNA helices into either continuous supercoils or folded-fiber rods and toroids

Abstract We have investigated by electron microscopy the mechanism of DNA compaction and have found that the double helix has the intrinsic potential to direct its own packaging into two distinctly different and mutally exclusive modes. The mode of DNA packaging is determined by the electrostatic charge density and water activity of the immediate microenvironment of the helix. The two basic structures formed by both linear and covalently closed-circular DNA are: a left-handed supercoil characteristic of minimally charge-shielded DNA, and a smooth rod characteristic of fully charge-shielded DNA. We propose that in the supercoil, the double helix is overwound (increased turn-angle), while in the rod, the helix is folded back and forth on itself. Variations of these two basic structures are the beaded fiber of DNA obtained with partially charge-shielded DNA and the toroid formed by the bending of the DNA rod and fusion of its ends in the presence of certain cations. We compare the DNA packaging inside these in vitro generated structures to DNA packaging in chromatin and viral capsids, and conclude that the packaging of DNA brought about by the use of salts and alcohol closely mimics the packaging behavior of the DNA in vivo, where it is usually complexed with histones or polyamines.
Effects of temperature on the weathering of engineering thermoplastics

Abstract We have determined the activation energies ( E a ) of yellowing and gloss loss for a large number of engineering thermoplastics and blends under accelerated weathering conditions. The E a often depend on the property measured and exposure conditions, although they vary over a fairly small range. Under the CIRA/sodalime-filtered xenon arc conditions most likely to be representative of outdoor exposure, the E a for gloss loss was ≤5 kcal/mol for all samples tested. The E a for yellowing was also ≤5 kcal/mol except for SAN and ABS. Evidently the color bodies formed from photo-oxidation of SAN are more sensitive to temperature. A reaction with an E a of 5 kcal/mol will increase its rate by about 33% for each 10 °C increase in temperature near room temperature. Temperature is an important, but not overwhelming, variable in the weathering of most engineering thermoplastics.
Effects of Hydrogen Bonding on Vibrational Normal Modes of Pyrimidine

The effects of weak intermolecular interactions on 10 vibrational normal modes of pyrimidine are investigated by Raman spectroscopy and electronic structure computations. Hydrogen-bonded networks o...
Folie à deux: Psychosis by association or genetic determinism?

Abstract A concise overview of the folie a deux syndrome is presented. The argument is made that a genetic predisposition to psychosis as well as important environmental factors are both necessary for the occurrence of this rare psychiatric disorder. Certain diagnostic, conceptual, and treatment difficulties in this condition are discussed.
Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency Diagnosed in an Adolescent with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and Hemoglobin A1c Discordant with Blood Glucose Measurements

Disorders of hemolysis reduce the exposure time of hemoglobin to glucose, resulting in a falsely low hemoglobin A1c level. This case report describes the unexpected diagnosis of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency made during evaluation of discordant HbA1c and blood glucose measurements.
Electrostatically Driven Granular Media: Phase Transitions and Coarsening

We report the experimental and theoretical study of electrostatically driven granular material. We show that the charged granular medium undergoes a hysteretic phase transition from the immobile condensed state (granular solid) to a fluidized dilated state (granular gas) with a changing applied electric field. In addition we observe a spontaneous precipitation of dense clusters from the gas phase and subsequent coarsening---coagulation of these clusters. Molecular dynamics simulations show qualitative agreement with experimental results.
Evaluation of Hymenoptera-sting sensitivity with deliberate sting challenges: inadequacy of present diagnostic methods

Abstract We administered deliberate sting challenges to 21 patients, five of whom had histories of large local (LL) reactions and 16 of whom had previous systemic (SYS) reactions to stings. Eleven had been treated previously with whole-body extract, but none had received venom immunotherapy. Immediately before sting challenges with honeybees, wasps, yellow jackets, yellow hornets, and white-faced hornets, we performed skin tests and measured serum IgE antibody levels with venoms from these five insects. In addition, we measured IgG antibody levels to honeybee, yellow jacket, and white-faced hornet venoms. In the LL group, 1421 skin tests were negative, but in the SYS group 3034 skin tests were positive prior to the deliberate sting. IgE antibody levels (expressed as percent of binding compared with serum from a nonsensitive individual) ranged from 63% to 789% and 66% to 801% for the LL and SYS groups, respectively. IgG antibodies ranged from
Dopamine autoreceptor agonists attenuate spontaneous motor activity but not spontaneous fighting in individually-housed mice.

Abstract The present study was conducted to determine whether or not two behavioral characteristics of individually-housed mice, hyperactivity in a novel environment and intermale fighting, are attenuated by the dopamine (DA) agonists, apomorphine, (+)- and (−)-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-n-propylpiperidine (3-PPP). Autoreceptor-activating doses of these drugs which reduced spontaneous activity in a novel environment did not inhibit spontaneous fighting with conspecific olfactory bulbectomized males. Individually-housed mice were more active in a novel environment and showed a significant reduction of activity at lower doses of apomorphine, (+)- and (−)-3-PPP than group-housed mice. However, the ED50's for the inhibition of spontaneous activity in a novel environment in group- and individually-housed mice were similar: apomorphine, o.02 vs. 0.012 mg/kg, SC; (+)-3-PPP, 0.50 vs. 0.51 mg/kg, SC; and (−)-3-PPP, 1.0 vs. 0.56 mg/kg, SC, for group- and individually-housed mice respectively. A significant proportion of individually-housed mice, but not group-housed mice, displayed catalepsy in response to high doses of (−)-3-PPP. These data suggest that DA autoreceptor agonists can modulate the hyperactivity syndrome but not spontaneous fighting behavior in individually-housed mice.
Heroin modulates the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase

The use of heroin (diacetylmorphine) is associated with a high incidence of infectious disease, and the immunologic alterations responsible for heroin-induced changes in resistance to infection have not been well characterized. The present study tests the hypothesis that expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is modulated by the administration of heroin. The initial study using rats showed that heroin administration (0, 0.01, 0.1, or 1.0 mg/kg s.c.) results in a pronounced reduction in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of iNOS mRNA in spleen, lung, and liver tissue as measured by RT-PCR. Heroin also produced a reduction in the level of plasma nitrite/nitrate, the more stable end-product of nitric oxide degradation. In a subsequent study, administration of the opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone (0.1 mg/kg) prior to the injection of heroin (1.0 mg/kg) blocked the heroin-induced reduction of iNOS expression and plasma nitrite/nitrate levels indicating that the effect is mediated via the opioid-receptor. This study provides the first evidence that heroin induces an alteration of iNOS expression, and suggests that a reduction in nitric oxide production may be involved in the increased incidence of infectious diseases amongst heroin users.
Low-frequency voltage mode sensing of magnetoelectric sensor in package

An in-package voltage-sensing integrated magnetometer for low frequency neural recording at room temperature is presented. The detection system consists of a voltage mode CMOS amplifier with an active biasing circuit and a Metglas/Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based magnetoelectric (ME) unimorph sensor measuring 10 × 3 × 0.025 mm in volume, representing the smallest ME sensor volume reported to date. Over the frequency range of interest (0.5 Hz-1 kHz), both theories and experiments are in excellent agreement and the fabricated magnetometer exhibits a frequency independent signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the system level. The magnetometer achieves a SNR of 3000 and detects a minimum detectable field of 30 nano-Tesla waveform. This system in package provides a feasibility demonstration of integration of ME sensors directly with NMOS readout electronics aimed at tiny magnetic field detection for bio-imaging applications.
Copper Triflate as a Catalyst in Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Styrene and Methyl Acrylate

The use of copper triflate complexes as catalysts for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene and methyl acrylate (MA) is presented. The ability to start with Cu(OTf)2 catalyst precursors allows for a simple experimental setup without catalyst oxidation. Reduction with copper(0) powder occurs quickly in most cases to form the copper(I) catalysts. The traditional bipyridine-based ATRP ligands were less efficient for styrene polymerization, but for methyl acrylate polymerization resulted in faster polymerizations relative to the CuBr analogues. The methylated triamine ligand was used for the Cu(OTf)2/Cu0 system and also yielded good results for the polymerization of styrene (Mw/Mn = 1.10). This catalyst gave a rapid polymerization of MA with low polydispersities (Mw/Mn = 1.15) even at high conversions. The Cu(OTf) complexes are more active than their CuBr counterpart; however, this may be detrimental to having a controlled polymerization. In the case of styrene, it is possible that radical ge...
Strain‐induced crystallization I. Limiting extents of strain‐induced nuclei

This paper points out that interpretations from stress changes alone during oriented crystallization have led to widely different proposed chain conformations and consequently very different crystallization mechanisms for strain-induced crystallization (SIC). Many of the proposals, including the one by Keller and Machin which takes into account some electron microscopy and X-ray observations, show varying degrees of incompatibility with existing stress relaxation, kinetic or morphological data on SIC. Another problem lies in the difficulty with proper interpretation of observed morphology on samples which have been Subjected to additional thermally-induced crystallization (TIC) after SIC, especially, in the absence of prior characterization of SIC crystallites, the finding of a fibrillar-to-lamellar transformation in stretched polymers upon additional TIC (Part H) also indicates that the generally-observed oriented lamellar morphology has a much more subtle origin than-that depicted by most crystallization models. Part I discusses our previously published morphological data on the characteristics of SIC crystallites from the melt, which includes: (a) their melting point elevation, (Tm » T°m), (b) their nearly perfect crystalline orientation function (fc ∼ 1), (c) their fast rates of crystallization (t1/2 < 1 sec), and (d) their fibrillar morphology and limited dimensions along the fibrillar stretch axis (∼100A). Examples of morphology of SIC from the glass and from stirred solution are also included to show the overall similarity of fibrillar morphology brought about by stretching.
Local tissue oxygenation during constant red blood cell flux: a discrete source analysis of velocity and hematocrit changes.

Abstract Tissue oxygenation in the proximity of single capillaries was investigated mathematically, with the red blood cells (RBC) modeled as discrete oxygen sources separated by plasma gaps. The variables studied are the simultaneous change of capillary RBC flow velocity, and hematocrit (Hct), during constant flux (e.g., RBC velocity × Hct), with an oxygen tension-dependent tissue oxygen consumption rate. The model was used to analyze isovolemic hemodilution under the assumption that the decrease of capillary Hct is compensated by the increase of RBC velocity. The results show that during constant flux conditions, changes in the RBC velocity are directly related to the distance along the capillary to which oxygen is delivered and inversely related to the radial penetration of oxygen into the tissue. Therefore during isovolemic hemodilution, there is a redistribution of the volume of tissue oxygenated whereby a greater volume of tissue becomes oxygenated at an oxygen tension above the critical limit, but at a lower time averaged value. Hypothermia is simulated and its added effect on constant flux assessed. Tissue oxygenation at low capillary hematocrit was found to be highly sensitive to capillary spacing, suggesting that one of the mechanisms for the maintenance of tissue oxygenation during hemodilution is the recruitment of capillaries.
Echo imaging with beam-steered data

This paper presents a system model and inversion for the beam-steered data obtained via linearly varying the relative phase among the elements of an array, also known as phased array scan data. The system model and inversion incorporate the radiation pattern of the array's elements. The inversion method utilizes the time samples of the echoed signals for each scan angle instead of range focusing. It is shown that the temporal Fourier transform of the phased array scan data provides the distribution of the spatial Fourier transform of the reflectivity function for the medium to be imaged. It is shown that the imaging information obtained via the inversion of phased array scan data is equivalent to the image reconstructed from its synthesized array counterpart.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.