cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stalk function during sorogenesis by the ciliated protozoanSorogena stoianovitchae

The sorogenic cells of the haptorid ciliateSorogena stoianovitchaeBradbury andOlive secrete a hydrated, fibrillar matrix that becomes organized to form a stalk. This light and electron microscope study examines the role of the secreted stalk matrix in the development of the sorocarp. The stalk material is secreted as a compact clump or clumps of material that expands as it hydrates. The expanded stalk material is initially viscous, but soon, through dehydration or cross-linking, solidifies to form a sheath. The sheath is the outside layer of the stalk, provides structural support, and controls the expansion of the newly secreted stalk material. The sorogenic cells continue to secrete stalk material that expands once it is outside of the cell. The resulting expansion force is directed upward by the sheath, thereby moving the cells further above the surface. The continued dehydration of the sheath material provides an inwardly directed force that also contributes to the upward movement of the sorogen.
Nonverbal behaviors and social evaluation.

Male and female observers watched videotapes of short interactions between previously unacquainted dyads of one sex or the other and then rated one target. An evaluation measure derived from the ratings was positively correlated with a majority of the diverse nonverbal behaviors coded from the videotapes. The significant correlations were all positive and all but one involved social behaviors directed toward the other person. In a multiple regression analysis, nod rate, short vocal back-channel rate, smile time, filled pause rate, and gaze time were sufficient to predict evaluations by either sex. Although no overall effects were found for sex of target, weights for behaviors varied with sex of observer in the second root of a canonical correlation analysis. Consistent with the findings of others, the amount of nonverbal activity, especially socially oriented activity, is related to favorableness of observers' evaluative impressions. The contribution of some behaviors varies with the sex of the observer.
Redo Autograft Operations After the Ross Procedure

Background Autograft dilatation after the Ross procedure is the most common cause of late autograft failure. We looked at results after reoperation for autograft dysfunction using autograft sparing and composite root replacement techniques. Methods Data were abstracted from our prospectively collected Ross registry for 160 consecutive patients who underwent a Ross procedure by a single surgeon between 1994 and 2008. Follow-up records were obtained, and the last echocardiographic report after reoperation was analyzed. Results Autograft reoperation was necessary in 17 patients, at a median interval of 6.9 years after the original procedure. Indications for reoperation were insufficiency with autograft dilatation in 16 patients, and without dilatation in 1 patient. Surgical procedures used at reoperation included autograft reimplantation in 6 patients (35.3%), autograft remodeling procedure in 1 patient (5.9%), composite root replacement with mechanical valved conduit in 5 patients (29.4%), composite root replacement with biologic valved conduit in 3 patients (17.6%), and mechanical aortic valve replacement in 2 patients (11.8%). At a median follow-up of 5.0 years after reoperation, freedom from greater than 2+ aortic insufficiency was 100% (17 of 17 patients) in both reimplantation and replacement groups. There was 1 death after reoperation (at >14 years) related to complications from systemic lupus erythematosus. There have been no strokes after autograft reimplantation. Conclusions Autograft valve reimplantation and composite aortic root replacement are effective treatments for aortic root dilatation and aortic insufficiency after the Ross procedure. Echocardiographic follow-up demonstrates reasonable short-term function after autograft preservation procedures.
The optimal control structure: an approach to measuring control-law nonlinearity

This paper introduces the Optimal Control Structure as a design tool to examine the control-law nonlinearity of a given process design. Control-law nonlinearity is defined as the optimal degree of nonlinear compensation in the controller, a system property distinct from open-loop nonlinearity. It is determined by the nature of the open-loop process, the performance objective, and the region of operation. The Optimal Control Structure contains the structural dynamics of the optimal control law, and an assessment of the control-law nonlinearity can be found from any open-loop nonlinearity measure of this structure that takes into account a region of operation. This approach is applied to three SISO models, demonstrating how the control-law nonlinearity for a given plant can vary with the cost of control action and performance objective.
Change in Concerns of First-Time Mothers After One Week at Home

Thirty first-time mothers completed a checklist questionnaire ranking their concerns related to self infant, husband, family, and community on the third day postpartum and again, after one week at home with their infants. The results suggest a maternal focus on self and baby Recognition of maternal concern can be used by nurses to develop care law that reflect the patient's priorities. Recognition of a change in concern can also Be used to develop community programs and provide continuity of care.
Prognostic Factors in Breast Cancer

: The overwhelming interest in breast cancer among researchers, clinicians, diagnosticians, and the public has resulted in an extensive search for better understanding and better control of the disease. The use of traditional, as well as the newly recognized, prognostic factors in breast cancer is an attempt to identify high-risk breast lesions and administer a more aggressive therapeutic approach to minimize the possibility or progression of this disease. Herein the clinical significance of various prognostic factors are discussed and the need for a better standardized approach is emphasized.
Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling Using SPSS and AMOS. Niels J. Blunch. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2008, 270 pages, $39.95.

Niels Blunch uses an example-driven approach in this book intended as a nonmathematical first course in structural equation modeling (SEM) geared toward social and behavioral science students. In a...
Use of alternative medicine by patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Abstract Objective: Complementary and alternative medicine may influence cardiac surgical care by inducing coagulopathies and interacting with perioperative medications. We evaluated the significance of complementary and alternative medicine use in an acutely ill cardiac surgical population and assessed the willingness of patients to reveal these activities to their physicians and surgeons. Methods: A total of 376 consecutive patients undergoing preoperative or postoperative cardiothoracic surgical evaluations at an urban academic medical center were approached to complete a survey regarding use and attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine. All surveys were administered and collected between March and May 1998. Results: Completion rate was 70% (n = 263). Respondents were predominantly male (72%), white (76%), and well educated (59%). The overall rate of complementary and alternative medicine use was 75%, but excluding prayer and vitamins, which are often not considered complementary and alternative medicine therapies, the rate was 44%. There was no correlation between the use of complementary and alternative medicine and the parameters of gender, age, race, or education level. Only 17% responded that they had discussed complementary and alternative medicine with their physicians, and 48% responded that they did not want to discuss the topic at all. Conclusions: Complementary and alternative medicine is used as frequently in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, as in the general population. Physicians and surgeons should be aware that patients have no inherent predisposition toward or against using complementary and alternative medicine, but that they are unlikely to volunteer their experience with it. The unwillingness of patients to discuss complementary and alternative medicine with physicians has serious implications for their safety, especially in acute care situations. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;120:335-41)
On the mechanism of mushy layer formation during droplet-based processing

Droplet-based deposition was analyzed numerically by establishing a framework whereby the behavior of individual droplets was taken into consideration. The objective of this study was to establish the numerical formulation necessary to describe the thermal environment of a collection of individual droplets, and thereby enable the prediction of the conditions that lead to the formation of a mushy (solid/liquid) layer on the deposited material’s surface. The present results reveal that in the initial stage of deposition, the continuous mushy layer does not exist and the isolated mushy zones are confined to the scale of a single deformed droplet (a.k.a. splat). This is a consequence of the fast cooling, which leads to the complete solidification of individual droplets prior to arrival of the following ones. However, the temperature at the deposited material’s surface increases with its thickening because of an increase of internal conduction resistance, and it ultimately exceeds the solidus temperature at a certain distance above the substrate, thus resulting in the formation of the mushy layer. The factors that influence the formation of the mushy layer include deposition rate, liquid fraction, droplet size, and heat transfer coefficient at the deposited material and substrate interface. The temporal variation of interfacial heat transfer coefficient in the initial stage has a limited effect on the initially deposited material; however, it has no discernible influence on the cooling behavior of the deposited material once a critical thickness is attained.
Zonal polynomials and domino tableaux

Abstract Let H be a subgroup of a finite group G. Define the element Θ of the group algebra A (G) by Θ=Σ h∈H h |H| . This element is an idempotent which may be used to project from A (G) to the linear span of the left cosets of H in G. If (H, G) is a Gelfand pair then the decomposition of Θ into minimal idempotents yields a useful basis for the Hecke algebra H (H, G). When this decomposition is applied to the pair (Bn, S2n) the resulting minimal idempotents are intimately related to the zonal polynomials. In fact, the latter are the images of the minimal idempotents under an analogue of the Frobenius map. We show here that the Fourier transform of the minimal idempotents is supported by standard domino tableux. We also give a multiplication algorithm for the zonal polynomials and relate the expansion coefficients to the Littlewood-Richardson's coefficients.
Identification of sparse communication graphs in consensus networks

We consider the design of distributed controller architectures for undirected networks of single-integrators. In the presence of stochastic disturbances, we identify communication topologies that balance the variance amplification of the network with the number of communication links. This is achieved by solving a parameterized family of sparsity-promoting optimal control problems whose solution traces the optimal tradeoff curve that starts at the centralized controller and ends at the controller with sparse communication links. We show that the optimal control problem can be formulated as a semidefinite program whose global solution can be computed efficiently. An example is provided to illustrate the utility of the developed approach.
Thrombolytic therapy followed by early revascularization for acute myocardial infarction

During a 24-month period, 192 patients with acute myocardial infarction were treated with intracoronary or intravenous streptokinase (SK). In 147 patients (77%) an open infarct artery was demonstrated by coronary angiography; 117 of these 147 patients were judged to have viable myocardium supplied by a critically narrowed coronary artery and underwent revascularization 3 ± 2 days after SK therapy. In-hospital mortality was 6% (12 of 192). The mortality rate over the subsequent 20 ± 7 months of follow-up was lower for those in whom SK therapy was successful (1 of 137, 0.7%) than in those in whom it was not (6 of 43, 14%) (p < 0.001), and tended to be lower for those treated with intravenous (2 of 111, 2%) rather than intracoronary SK (5 of 69, 7%, p = 0.11). Reinfarction occurred in 3% of the 180 survivors of hospitalization, angina pectoris in 11 % and congestive heart failure in 7 %. Clinical outcome was similar for patients treated with intravenous and intracoronary SK and for patients treated in community hospitals and the referral center.
Functional assessment of GABA uptake or exchange by synaptosomal fractions

THE discovery of a transport system in nervous tissue for an amino acid with an apparent Km equal to or less than 10−5 M has been taken as support of a neurotransmitter function for this compound. “High affinity” systems of this sort have been described for γ-amino butyric acid (GABA)1, glutamate2, glycine3, aspartate4 and taurine5. Initially it was hoped that such transmitter transport systems could be used to map the utilisation of a given transmitter in defined anatomical regions. Unfortunately nonspecific elements, especially glial cells, also have the capacity to transport neurotransmitter candidates using “high affinity” systems6. Furthermore, Levi and Raiteri7, noting that “high affinity” transport was found where the internal concentration of the amino acid was high, suggested that isotopic measurements of inward transport were misleading and that exchange of labelled amino acid for unlabelled amino acid is likely to be the phenomena that has been measured8. This called into question the functional role of “high affinity” transport systems, and has resulted in considerable controversy9. In an effort to clarify the conditions of amino acid uptake, we have measured net GABA movement in nerve-terminal-enriched fractions10.
Novel aspects of graphite intercalation by fluorine and fluorides and new B/C, C/N and B/C/N materials based on the graphite network

Materials of composition BC3, C5N and BC2N have been prepared by reactions which are driven by favorable TΔS values associated with HC1 elimination. X-Ray and electron diffraction, electron microscopy, EELS and Auger spectroscopy all establish that these materials have their atoms in graphite-like networks. BC3 is a semi-metal, and BC2N is a small bandgap semiconductor. C5N is best formed at 680°C and is characterized by an interlayer spacing of 3.52 A. At higher reaction temperatures (CN)2 is lost and at 980°C the composition is ∼ C14N and the average interlayer spacing is 3.43 A. The C/N material becomes more graphite-like dimensionally and the electrical conductivity increases towards that of graphite as the nitrogen content falls. These observations suggest that the N atoms may not be in the same plane as the C atoms. Each of the B/C, C/N and B/C/N materials has a unique intercalation chemistry, which will be compared with that of graphite. The graphite network is also preserved in graphite fluorinated by F− carriers at ∼ 20°C. A remarkably inert material of composition C1.3F and its CXF relatives (in which the sp2 carbon of graphite is preserved) will be described. At composition C1.3F the interlayer spacing is 6.4 A but the graphite-like ao parameter (ao = 2.478 A) is only slightly larger than that in graphite itself, therefore most F atoms in C1.3F must have F atom neighbors at only 2.48 A.
Fluorometric Assay for Measurement of Viral Neuraminidase—Application to the Rapid Detection of Influenza Virus in Nasal Wash Specimens

A sensitive assay was developed for the measurement of neuraminidase with use of the 4-methylumbelliferkyl-alph-ketoside of N-acetyl-neuraminic acid as a fluorescent substrate. Neuraminidase activity was detected in preparation containing small quantities of cultivated influenza virus as well as in some nasal wash specimens from human volunteers experimentally infected with influenza A/Alaska/78 virus. Activity due to influenza viral neuraminidase could be distinguished from activity due to bacterial or mammalian (fibroblast) neuraminidase by means of enzyme inhibition with ethylenediaminetetraacetate, a chelating agent. The same substrate could be used in a solid-phase assay to determine the antigenic type of the influenza viral neuraminidase. The fluorescent neuraminidase assay takes 2-4 hr to perform and uses equipment available in many laboratories. Thus, it offers promise for the rapid detection of influenza viruses in cell cultures and clinical specimens.
Comparison of thiol redox state of mitochondria and homogenates of various tissues between two strains of mice with different longevities

The main purpose of this study was to determine if differences in life spans of two different strains of mice are associated with the thiol redox state of their tissues and mitochondria. A comparison, based on amounts of reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH, GSSG) and reactive protein thiols, was made between short-lived SAM (P8) mice and the longer-lived C57BL/6 mice at 13 months of age. The average life span of the latter mouse strain is approximately 48% longer than the former strain. Analyses of plasma, tissue homogenates and mitochondria of liver, kidney, heart, brain and skeletal muscle indicated that, in general, amounts of GSH and reactive protein sulfhydryls and GSH:GSSG ratios were lower and concentrations of GSSG were higher in the SAM than the C57BL/6 mice. Differences in the redox state between the two strains were more consistent and pronounced in skeletal muscle than in other tissues, and in mitochondria than in their respective tissue homogenates. Overall, the results support the view that the shorter-lived SAM mice exhibit a relatively higher level of oxidative stress than the longer-lived C57BL/6 mice, which is consistent with the predictions of the oxidative stress hypothesis of aging. Intra-species comparisons may be useful for the identification of biochemical characteristics associated with the variations in life spans.
High-pressure studies of second harmonic generation in organic materials

Abstract The effect of pressure to 90 kbar has been measured on the change of second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency with pressure for six organic materials as powders and as crystals. Increases of as much as 30 or more (4-aminobenzophenone) and decreases as large as a factor of 40 (urea) are observed. Evidence for both first-order and higher-order phase transitions is seen. For methylnitroaniline, the shift of the absorption maximum parallels the change of SHG. For N -isopropylcarbazole, the change in luminescence intensity reflects the same events as the SHG signal. For all materials except N -isopropylcarbazole, the effects are reversible.
Lateral Force Microscopy Study of the Frictional Behavior of Self-Assembled Monolayers of Octadecyltrichlorosilane on Silicon/Silicon Dioxide Immersed in n-Alcohols

Lateral force microscopy (LFM) was used to evaluate the frictional behavior of surfaces modified with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and immersed in n-alcohols (CH3(CH2)xOH where x = 0−8,11) as a function of applied normal load, sliding velocity, and solvent chain length. SAMs were formed from octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) on silicon/silicon dioxide substrates. The objective was to investigate how the solvent environment affected the frictional behavior of OTS and to characterize the effectiveness of OTS as a boundary lubricant in liquid environments for applications such as fluidic self-assembly and microelectromechanical devices. Three characteristic frictional regimes were observed at low, intermediate, and high loads. Maxima as a function of the sliding velocity appeared in the frictional forces for intermediate applied normal loads of ∼20−40 nN for x = 1−8. These maxima shifted to lower sliding velocities with increases in the applied normal load and with increases in the chain length of the solve...
Torque history of electrically stimulated human quadriceps: implications for stimulation therapy.

The time course of knee extension torque was measured in human quadriceps muscles during 30 min of transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). Ninety subjects were divided into six experimental groups (n = 15 per group), which received stimulation at one of the following frequency/duty cycle combinations: 10 Hz/50%, 30 Hz/50%, 50 Hz/50%, 10 Hz/70%, 30 Hz/70%, and 50 Hz/70%. Two-way analysis of variance revealed that the magnitude of the relative torque decrease (the percentage of decrease in torque relative to the initial value) was significantly different between frequencies (p 0.6). Increasing either frequency or duty cycle caused a greater decrease in torque. In spite of this result, there was no significant difference between groups in the total activity (torque-time integral) achieved during the 30 min treatment session. The magnitude of this activity corresponded to only about 7-14 maximum voluntary contractions. Finally, the average torque during the treatment session was significantly different among groups (p < 0.001), being greatest for the 50 Hz/50% group and least for the 10 Hz/70% group. Taken together, these data suggest that a smaller number of longer duration contractions produces the greatest muscle tension. They also suggest that the absolute torque levels achieved with NMES are relatively low compared with voluntary muscular activity.
Decision analysis for the evaluation of diagnostic tests, prediction models and molecular markers

The traditional statistical approach to the evaluation of diagnostic tests, prediction models, and molecular markers is to assess their accuracy, using metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, and the receiver-operating-characteristic curve. However, there is no obvious association between accuracy and clinical value: it is unclear, for example, just how accurate a test needs to be in order for it to be considered “accurate enough” to warrant its use in patient care. Decision analysis aims to assess the clinical value of a test by assigning weights to each possible consequence. These methods have been historically considered unattractive to the practicing biostatistician because additional data from the literature, or subjective assessments from individual patients or clinicians, are needed in order to assign weights appropriately. Decision analytic methods are available that can reduce these additional requirements. These methods can provide insight into the consequences of using a test, model, or marke...
Isoelectric focusing: pH gradients established with simple buffers and a cation-selective membrane.

Abstract A method for isoelectric focusing is presented in which pH gradients are established with simple buffer systems in a thin granulated gel bed. The gel bed is supported by a cation-selective membrane over a buffer-filled channel with a sloping bottom. The component of the electric field parallel to the gel and membrane surfaces that results from this arrangement may be considered fixed at each position in the gel bed but increases with the decreasing depth of the buffer filled channel below. This feature, together with the ion-selective properties of the supporting membrane, allows the electric field to maintain a shallow pH gradient by adjusting the composition of the buffer at each position in the gel bed. Ribonuclease, myoglobin, β-lactoglobulin, and ovalbumin, representing proteins with a wide distribution of isoelectric points, were focused in the buffers glycine, imidazole, Mes, and acetic acid, respectively. Focused protein fractions were rerun on conventional polyacrylamide-carrier ampholyte gels.
The Impact of Microbiology Instruction on Students’ Perceptions of Risks Related to Microbial Illness

This study examined students’ perceptions of the risks associated with microbial transmission before and after taking a microbiology class. Participants included undergraduate students (n = 132) enrolled in a microbiology course at two universities and one community college. Students completed a survey at the beginning and end of the course and a sub-sample of students also participated in pre- and post-course interviews. The survey results showed that there were changes in students’ knowledge of microbes and microbial transmission as well as changes in reported behaviors related to microbial transmission. The behavior changes primarily involved perceptions of microbial transmission via touch such as using a public telephone, touching a faucet in a public bathroom, handling money, borrowing soap from a friend while camping, working in the dirt without gloves, and taking out the trash. There were no differences in behaviors related to oral transmission (eating, drinking, and kissing) or for preventative be...
Envenomation by the Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus) in southern Arizona, U.S.A.

Fifteen cases of envenomation by the Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus) are reviewed. Systemic effects were observed in eight patients, consisting of early hypotension (3), decreased plasma fibrinogen (3) and platelets (2), elevated fibrinolytic split products (3) and eyelid ptosis (1). Local venom effects were most common and included swelling (15), ecchymosis (10), bleb formation (6) and necrosis (3). Effects upon neuromuscular transmission were neither common nor a clinical problem. Treatment consisted of i.v. crystalloid solution (15) and antivenin (12).
Preparing for College: Senior High School Education in China

Why is it so difficult for Chinese students to be promoted to senior high schools? How do senior high school students in China manage course requirements? What must students do to gain admission to college? The answers may be of interest to people in countries where free pre-collegiate education is provided to all students.
Plasma Testosterone Correlates with Morph Type across Breeding Substages in Male White‐Throated Sparrows

Abstract White‐throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) exhibit a genetic polymorphism that affects plumage and behavior in both sexes. White‐striped morphs are more territorially aggressive, whereas tan‐striped morphs provision nestlings at a higher rate. We investigated testosterone physiology in this species in an effort to understand hormonal mechanisms for the observed differences in aggression and parental care between the morphs. We found a small but significant difference in plasma testosterone between free‐living white‐striped and tan‐striped males over the course of the breeding season. This difference correlates with previously observed differences in aggressive behavior and suggests that testosterone may mediate these differences. Testosterone remained higher in white‐striped males relative to tan‐striped males when males were provisioning nestlings and fledglings. Thus, testosterone may also contribute to the relatively reduced levels of parental care exhibited by white‐striped males. In co...
Transient Quartz Crystal Microbalance Behaviors Compared

A new method for studying the properties of the loaded quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) called the dissipation technique is generating a great deal of interest. The QCM is excited near its resonant frequency and then short-circuited, the decay time of the current being a measure of the dissipation. The existing steady-state methods to model the QCM are not applicable. The inventors of the technology from the Chalmers Institute of Technology obtained useful transient solutions using a mechanical model. We show that transient solutions to the QCM problem can also be obtained using the electromechanical model, which had earlier been used for the steady-state studies. Using this model, it is possible to find two separate methods of solution, each of which can distinguish between shirt-circuit and open-circuit transient behaviors. We compare these solution with one another and also with the Chalmers results. We also show experimental data comparing the solutions for the case of water-glycerol mixtures of various concentration.
Tetracyclic phenothiazines. VI. Attempted pummerer cyclization of 10-(2-Keto-3-methylsulfinylpropyl)phenothiazine†

The title compound (3), a β-ketosulfoxide prepared by a Claisen-type condensation of ethyl 2-(10-phenothiazino)acetate (4) with dimsyl carbanion, was subjected to a variety of catalysts in attempts to achieve a Pummerer cyclization to 1,2-dihydro-3-methylthio-2-oxo-3H-pyrido[3,2,1-kl]phenothiazine (2). Although the Pummerer rearrangement product, 10-(2-oxo-3-hydroxy-3-methylthiopropyl)phenothiazine (5), could be obtained in excellent yield under mild conditions, neither it nor the β-ketosulfoxide could be successfully cyclized under any of the conditions attempted. Instead, phenothiazine, 2-hyroxy-3-(10-phenothiazinyl)-2-propen-1-al (7), 3-(10-phenothiazinyl)-1,1-di(methylthio)propan-2-one (8), 3-(10-phenothiazinyl)-1-methylthiopropan-2-one (9) and 10-phenothiazinylformamide (10) were variously obtained.
Properties of palmitoyl-CoA: Monopalmito yl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate palmitoyltransferase from rabbit mammary gland

1. 1. Palmitoy 1-CoA: monopalmitoyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate palmitoyltransferase (LPAT) in microsomes from lactating rabbit mammary tissue is apparently composed of two isoenzymic species, denoted α and β, respectively. 2. 2. The ga isoenzyme is operative with monomeric substrates and inhibited by micelles whereas the β isoenzyme is active with micellar substrates only. 3. 3. The existence of these isoenzymes was indicated by a biphasic dependence of initial velocity on acceptor and enzyme concentrations. 4. 4. When LPAT-α alone is present in the microsomes the behavior is typical of a monomer-specific enzyme. 5. 5. The two isoenzymes exhibited disparate thermal stabilities and differential sensitivities to Tween 80. 6. 6. Apparent Km values of 2.4μM, 200 μM, and Vmax values of 13.2 and 90nmoles lysophosphatidate acylated per mg protein per min were obtained for the monomer and micellar specific enzyme activities, respectively. 7. 7. Phosphatidic acid was the major product of the acyltransferase. 8. 8. The specific activity of palmitoyl-CoA thiolase in mammary microsomes was 1.6 nmoles per min per mg protein.
Taking care of the doctor-patient relationship: a review of Robert Burt's Taking Care of Strangers.

In Taking Care of Strangers,' Robert Burt proposes basing legal regulation of the doctor-patient relationship on a psychoanalysis of that relationship. Currently, the law gives the patient the final say in decisions about his medical care. But Burt argues that such a rule is unsound on a psychological level. According to Burt, the doctor-patient interaction will be destructive if either the doctor or the patient believes he is the ultimate decision maker. Burt feels that it is impossible to believe any single individual-even the patient himself-who says he is speaking on the patient's behalf. Thus, says Burt, the law should not give the decision-making power to any one person. Burt says:
The Value of the Frequency Spectrum Allocated to Specific Uses

Because spectrum is a non-priced resource in which ownership rights are not freely transferable, the Federal Communications Commission rarely considers the value or the opportunity cost of spectrum allocated to a particular use or class of users. In this paper some alternative methods used in the past to estimate the value of spectrum-are reviewed. The implications of those alternative estimation techniques are considered. Both the sale price of television stations and the profits eamed by television stations have been used as a measure of the economic rents earned when new entry into the market is prevented. If spectrum users were charged in a manner similar to renters of land, the intensity of spectrum use would change substantially. Attempts have also been made to compare the average productivity of spectrum among various classes of users and to compare the costs of moving whole classes of users from the spectrum to some other altemative. However, such comparisons are meaningful only if they are made on the basis of the marginal user of the spectrum, rather than the average user. Selling or leasing or renting spectrum to the highest bidder would lead to the most efficient use. However, even if the original rights were given away or rented for free, if the FCC allowed the intial owner or renter to resell or sublet his or her rights, the efficiency of spectrum use would be greatly increased.
A case of successful treatment of cutaneous Acanthamoeba infection in a lung transplant recipient.

: Acanthamoeba species are known to cause 2 well-described entities: (1) granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE), which usually affects immunocompromised hosts, and (2) keratitis, which typically follows trauma associated with contamination of water or contact lenses. Less common manifestations include pneumonitis and a subacute granulomatous dermatitis. We describe a case of granulomatous dermatitis secondary to Acanthamoeba infection in a lung transplant recipient and a successful outcome following treatment with lipid formulation of amphotericin B and voriconazole. We believe this is the second case report describing disseminated Acanthamoeba infection in a lung transplant recipient. We also describe successful outcome with a combination of lipid formulation of amphotericin B and voriconazole, drugs that have not been previously reported to treat Acanthamoeba.
Operational control of requirements of future ATC systems

Over the past several years a variety of highly automated operational control concepts have been suggested as possible solutions to the problem of safe and efficient management of high density air traffic and as a means for increasing airport capacity. The Autonetics Division of North American Rockwell has undertaken a study to evaluate the merits of these concepts and to establish the performance requirements for the subsystems involved in their mechanization.
XML and ePortfolios.

For students in many professional programs, their written work remains the chief means for them to convey their understanding and application of material presented in the classroom. Within their pa...
Comments on Motamedi G, Meador K. Epilepsy and cognition. Epilepsy & Behavior 2003;4:S25–S28.

This review paper by Motamedi and Meador consolidated nearly 20 years of prior research on cognition in epilepsy by: 1) highlighting the role of various disease attributes in the neuropsychological and behavioral functioning of patients with epilepsy and 2) discussing the potential impact of epilepsy treatments on cognitive and behavioral functioning and quality of life. Furthermore, the authors outlined important age-related factors and discussed potential approaches to treating cognitive dysfunction in patients with epilepsy. Finally, methodological pitfalls of existing research and the need to consider cognitive and behavioral risk factors when making treatment decisions were highlighted.
Glia Are Essential for Sensory Organ Function in C. elegans

Sensory organs are composed of neurons, which convert environmental stimuli to electrical signals, and glia-like cells, whose functions are not well understood. To decipher glial roles in sensory organs, we ablated the sheath glial cell of the major sensory organ of Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that glia-ablated animals exhibit profound sensory deficits and that glia provide activities that affect neuronal morphology, behavior generation, and neuronal uptake of lipophilic dyes. To understand the molecular bases of these activities, we identified 298 genes whose messenger RNAs are glia-enriched. One gene, fig-1, encodes a labile protein with conserved thrombospondin TSP1 domains. FIG-1 protein functions extracellularly, is essential for neuronal dye uptake, and also affects behavior. Our results suggest that glia are required for multiple aspects of sensory organ function.
Conformational dynamics of substrate in the active site of cytochrome P450 BM-3/NPG complex : Insights from NMR order parameters

Ligand NMR order parameters are calculated from replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations of the cytochrome P450 BM-3/NPG complex. These are found to be in agreement with experimental NMR order parameters at room temperature consistent with an equilibrium between unproductive and productive conformations of this complex, with the latter state being predominant at physiological temperatures. The calculations show that the low experimental order parameters at room temperature reflect angular motion of the productive state rather than transitions from one state to the other. The wider distribution of bond orientations and concomitant lower-order parameters of the terminal bond of the ligand corresponding to the productive state is consistent with the proposal for an entropic mechanism for the stabilization of the productive conformational state. This study further supports the recently proposed thermal activation mechanism for this enzymatic system.
Relaxation of compressed elastic islands on a viscous layer

A recent technique can fabricate SiGe thin film islands on a glass layer, which itself lies on a silicon wafer. The islands initially have an inplane compressive strain. Upon annealing, the glass flows, and the islands relax. The resulting strain-free islands are used as substrates to grow epitaxial optoelectronic devices. This paper models the annealing process. A small island relaxes by inplane expansion. The glass being viscous, the relaxation starts at the island edges, and propagates to the island center. A large island, however, wrinkles at the center before the inplane relaxation arrives. Further annealing gives rise to one of two outcomes. The wrinkles may disappear when the inplane relaxation arrives, leading to a flat, strain-free island. Alternatively, the wrinkles may cause significant tensile stress in the island, leading to fracture. We model the island by the von Karman plate theory, and the glass layer by the Reynolds lubrication theory. The solid and the fluid couple at the interface by the continuous traction and displacement. Numerical simulations evolve the inplane expansion and the wrinkles simultaneously. We determine the critical island size, below which inplane expansion prevails over wrinkling. This critical island size depends on several experimental variables, and is much larger than the Euler buckling wavelength.
MapReduce in the Clouds for Science

The utility computing model introduced by cloud computing combined with the rich set of cloud infrastructure services offers a very viable alternative to traditional servers and computing clusters. MapReduce distributed data processing architecture has become the weapon of choice for data-intensive analyses in the clouds and in commodity clusters due to its excellent fault tolerance features, scalability and the ease of use. Currently, there are several options for using MapReduce in cloud environments, such as using MapReduce as a service, setting up one’s own MapReduce cluster on cloud instances, or using specialized cloud MapReduce runtimes that take advantage of cloud infrastructure services. In this paper, we introduce Azure MapReduce, a novel MapReduce runtime built using the Microsoft Azure cloud infrastructure services. Azure MapReduce architecture successfully leverages the high latency, eventually consistent, yet highly scalable Azure infrastructure services to provide an efficient, on demand alternative to traditional MapReduce clusters. Further we evaluate the use and performance of MapReduce frameworks, including Azure MapReduce, in cloud environments for scientific applications using sequence assembly and sequence alignment as use cases.
NOAA ship Albatross IV: a fisheries research vessel with brains

The NOAA Ship Albatross IV is a research vessel used primarily by the US National Marine Fisheries Service to collect data in support of marine resource assessment programs. The Albatross IV was the first NOAA fisheries research vessel to be modernized under the Fleet Replacement and Modernization program. This paper discusses modernization of the ship's scientific data collection capabilities. New or modernized systems include an RD Instruments Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) with a removable hull-mounted transducer, infrastructure for a Simrad EK 500 Scientific Echo Sounder System, the Scientific Computer System (SCS) for data acquisition, a seawater sampling system, and winch instrumentation. Also included in this paper is a discussion of the design, construction and uses of a portable winch, A-frame and electronics van. The winch, A-frame and van supported an EK 500, SCS and an extensive suite of sensors during NOAA's first fisheries charter, and illustrates the ability to provide scientific instrumentation that can be easily moved to augment older NOAA ships or chartered research vessels. The first section of the paper provides an overview of NOAA's fleet operations organization. The remainder of the paper is dedicated to describing the data collection capabilities of NOAA's fisheries vessels in general and the Albatross IV in particular.
Relaxation Oscillators and Networks

The sections in this article are 1 Relaxation Oscillators 2 Networks of Relaxation Oscillators 3 Applications to Scene Analysis 4 Concluding Remarks 5 Acknowledgments
Switching function based modeling of flying capacitor DC-DC converters

This paper presents a new approach to the modeling and analysis of flying capacitor DC-DC converters using the switching function approach. This method helps to obtain the model dynamic equations which can be used in computer simulations to observe the response of the converter, voltages across the switching devices and the flying capacitors. The harmonic balance technique applied to the resulting model dynamic equations enables the determination of equations that predict the steady state variables and the peaks of the ripple quantities. The four-level DC-DC boost converter is analyzed to illustrate the utility of the proposed modeling approach which can be easily extended to other flying capacitor multilevel converter topologies.
Xenobiotic Transporters: Another Protective Mechanism for Chemicals

Xenobiotic transporters are responsible for the uptake of some chemicals into cells, and extremely important for the export of chemicals out of cells. A number of families of xenobiotic transporters have been cloned the last few years. Some microsomal enzyme inducers will enhance the plasma disappearance and biliary excretion of some xenobiotics that are not biotransformed in the intact animal, as well as in isolated hepatocytes. This is due to an up-regulation of xenobiotic transporters. As a result, some microsomal enzyme inducers will enhance the elimination and decrease the toxicity of some chemicals by enhanced transport.
Correlation of The Mechanical Properties of Silicon Oxynitride Films to Processing Parameters, Film Stoichiometry, and Hydride Bond Concentration

A selective range of hydrated silicon oxynitride thin films (SixOyNz:H) have been characterized in terms of their stress, hardness, and modulus in order to mechanically qualify them for use as an encapsulation layer for memory devices (e.g., Flash and EPROM memories). These films are analyzed by RBS and HFS for stoichiometry. The films exhibited stress values between 1.86 x 109 to -3.54 x 109 dyne/cm2 and showed a linear correlation with the hydride ratio (N-H/Si-H). An Ultra Micro-Indentation System (UMIS) measured hardness values between 10.5 GPa to 16.2 GPa while the elastic modulus varied between 119.1 to 141.2 GPa. The monatomic increase of modulus with hardness is attributed to increased amounts of nitrogen and nitrogen hydride bonding in the silicon oxynitride samples.
Electrical coupling synchronizes subthreshold activity in locus coeruleus neurons in vitro from neonatal rats

Locus coeruleus neurons in brain slices prepared from neonatal rats have rhythmic oscillations in membrane potential at frequencies ranging from 0.3 to 3 Hz. Recordings from pairs of neurons separated by 50–300 microns showed that this oscillatory activity was synchronized at ages less than 24 d. Slices cut from rats 24–27 d old showed rhythmic activity which was only partially synchronous between cell pairs, but full synchrony could be restored by superfusion with tetraethylammonium (2 mM) and/or barium (2 mM). No synchronous rhythmic activity was observed between neurons in slices from rats 40 d old, even in the presence of tetraethylammonium and barium. In those cells in which rhythmic potential oscillations were synchronous, action potentials occurring in one cell were not observed in the second cell. Electrotonic coupling was directly demonstrated between 41% of neurons (12 of 29 pairs) in slices from rats less than 10 d old but not in tissue from older rats (4 pairs). The input resistance of neurons from neonatal rats (less than 15 d old) was about half (81 M omega) that measured under identical conditions from neurons from adult rats (213 M omega). The electrotonic potential in cells from rats less than 15 d old was best fit by a double exponential, whereas that from adults was best fit by a single exponential. The results demonstrate that significant electrical coupling occurs among locus coeruleus neurons from neonatal rats; this appears to decline with age. The coupling serves as a low-pass filter and causes the synchronized occurrence of membrane potential oscillations. Such a rhythmic background activity within the entire nucleus may be important for the widespread trophic role of the noradrenergic neurons during development.
Secondary Prophylaxis for Rheumatic Fever: Simple Concepts, Difficult Delivery

Registers of those with rheumatic heart disease or a history of acute rheumatic fever (RF) are key to prevent RF recurrences and improve disease control. Randomized controlled trials show intramuscular long-acting benzathine penicillin G is more effective than oral penicillin to prevent recurrences. Although some guidelines recommend three-weekly benzathine penicillin, four weekly is effective if compliance rates are high. Four-weekly penicillin delivery is also preferable to three-weekly regimens for health resource and logistical reasons and for patient acceptability and compliance.
In-cache pre-processing and decode mechanisms for fine grain parallelism in SCISM

A study was initiated that investigated detractors to parallelism and implementation constraints associated with the critical paths in the design of fine grain parallel machines. The outcome of the research has been a new machine organization that facilitates and improves parallel instruction issue and possible increases in cycle time and by improving the instruction-level parallelism, using specialized hardware. The authors describe the attributes of the proposed machine organization related to the analysis of instruction sequences for the parallel issue and execution. They also describe the permanent preprocessing in the cache that allows for the determination of instructions for parallel execution prior to the instruction fetch and issues. >