cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Presenting as Upper Gastrointestinal Bleed in an Adult Patient.

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is a multi-system autoimmune disease that is relatively common in pediatric patients. HSP usually manifests as palpable purpura, arthralgia, abdominal pain, and acute kidney injury. Here, we present a case of an adult male with hematemesis as the initial presenting symptom of HSP. A previously healthy, 18-year-old Caucasian male presented with a one-day history of hematemesis associated with abdominal pain and non-bloody diarrhea. He also reported bilateral knee and ankle arthralgias with a painless skin rash on both lower extremities. Physical exam was positive for palpable, purpuric, non-blanchable skin rash involving bilateral lower extremities. Notable labs on admission included a white cell count of 10.8 x 109/L and C-reactive protein of 4.8 mg/L. Upper endoscopy showed non-bleeding erosive gastropathy and duodenal erosions. Skin biopsy of the left leg showed immunoglobulin A (IgA) deposition within the walls of the superficial dermal vessels. The patient was started on intravenous methylprednisolone 500 mg daily followed by a steroid taper. Due to incomplete clinical response to steroids, mycophenolate mofetil 1000 mg twice daily was added and maintained for three months. His symptoms improved significantly, and he no longer complained of abdominal pain or diarrhea. Gastrointestinal manifestations are common in HSP patients. However, the diagnosis will be challenging when these symptoms precede other classical manifestations of HSP. History and physical exam are key components in accurately diagnosing HSP; nevertheless, skin biopsy remains the gold standard to confirm the diagnosis.
Long term results of surgical treatment of anal fistula in a case series of 483 patients

Abstract Background Anal fistula is a common condition with a wide variety of clinical presentations, which make evaluation and treatment challenging and patient outcomes uncertain. This study describes lessons learned in the surgical treatment of 483 patients over a 20-period that led to a logical, pragmatic, effective approach to treating this condition. Materials and methods This is a retrospective, observational study of consecutive patients managed by a single surgeon at a tertiary medical center from 1996 through 2018. Age and gender, comorbidities, location of internal and external openings, sphincter length, initial and subsequent surgical treatments, number of operations performed, and final outcomes were recorded. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease and obstetrical injury were analyzed separately. Results Data for analysis were available on 483 patients; 44 had inflammatory bowel disease; 22 had prior obstetrical injury. Among the 419 patients with neither IBD nor birth injury, men predominated (66% vs 34%); 80% had prior abscesses. A variety of surgical procedures were done, tailored to the specific characteristics of the patient. Digital measurement of sphincter length was the most important element of pre-operative evaluation to determine whether a simple fistulotomy, a sphincter saving procedure, or a series of staged procedures was needed. 97% of patients with non-complex fistulas healed after relatively simple procedures. The 18% with complex fistulas and those with recurrent fistulas needed up to 4 operations before healing was achieved. Fistulas healed in about half the patients with IBD and in 80% or women with prior obstetrical injury. Conclusion Measurement of sphincter length along with careful evaluation of anatomy and etiology enable a tailored, successful approach to treatment of anal fistula. Surgeons should be familiar with a variety of surgical approaches so that treatment can be designed based on the specific anatomic and physiologic characteristics of individual patients.
Negative modulation of nitric oxide synthase by nitric oxide and nitroso compounds.

Publisher Summary Nitric oxide (NO) inhibits nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and nNOS and eNOS are more sensitive than iNOS to the inhibitory action of NO. Not only exogenously added NO but also enzymatically generated NO inhibits the activity of nNOS and eNOS. The original observation that proved NO inhibits NOS activity has been made using unpurified preparations of nNOS obtained from rat cerebellum. Enzymatically generated NO also inhibits nNOS activity. For this purpose, NO was tested for its inhibitory effect on unpurified membrane-bound preparations of eNOS derived from cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells. Both constitutive isoforms of NOS appeared to be equally sensitive to the inhibitory actions of added NO. Subsequent experiments using unpurified cytosolic iNOS derived from cytokine-activated rat alveolar macrophages revealed that although iNOS is inhibited by NO, relatively higher concentrations of NO are required to inhibit iNOS than either nNOS or eNOS. This chapter includes the experimental results pertaining to these observations. The mechanism by which NO inhibits NOS appears to involve the heme iron prosthetic group of NOS. Moreover, the oxidation state of the heme iron is critical in determining the magnitude of inhibition of NOS by NO. Conditions that favor the higher oxidation state of Fe III markedly increase the inhibitory action of NO, whereas conditions that favor the lower oxidation state of Fe II markedly decrease the inhibitory action of NO. One of the cofactor roles of tetrahydrobiopterin may be to reduce the negative-feedback effect of NO on NOS by favoring the formation of the ferrous heme state in NOS.
Role of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds on Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment

The widespread use of biocides worldwide over the last 80 years has led to their extensive presence in the environment. The limited scientific evidence available indicates that bacterial resistance to biocides may contribute to the development and dissemination of antibiotic resistance, which is a serious concern relative to the worldwide anti-infective therapy for humans and animals. Thus, a better understanding of the role biocides play in antibiotic resistance is necessary in order to protect both human and animal health. Two recent scientific reports summarize the relationship between biocides and emerging antibiotic resistance, as well as the mechanisms and conditions leading to the development of cross resistance between biocides and antibiotics (SCENIHR, 2009, 2010). Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are biocides that have recently come under scrutiny for their role in antibiotic resistance. QACs are cationic bioactive agents that have been extensively used in domestic, agricultural, industrial, and clinical applications since the late 1930s, at about the time antimicrobials, namely, the sulfamides were introduced. QACs are lytic biocides capable of killing over 99% of microorganisms at typical application concentrations. In contrast to other biocides, QACs are not chemically transformed after application; thus, when released into the environment they retain their biocidal properties. QACs are now ubiquitous and have been detected in environmental media such as wastewater, surface water, aquatic sediments, and soil at concentrations below inhibitory levels. Many studies have shown that exposure to QACs at subinhibitory concentrations leads to the
The best approximation to C/sup 2/ functions and its error bounds using Gaussian hidden units

It is proved that any C/sup 2/ function of m real variables with support in the unit hypercube can be approximated by a Gaussian radial basis network. This network uses a single layer of N Gaussian radial basis functions. The centers of the Gaussian functions are uniformly distributed on the unit hypercube. From the viewpoint of the best approximation theory, an upper bound of this approximation O(/spl sigma//sup 2/ + N/sup -2/) is obtained, where /spl sigma/ is the deviation Gaussians. The authors' results provide an explicit expression of the relationship between the number of hidden nodes and the approximation error. >
( R )-Citramalate Synthase in Methanogenic Archaea

The Methanococcus jannaschii gene MJ1392 was cloned, and its protein product was hyperexpressed in Escherichia coli. The resulting protein was purified and shown to catalyze the condensation of pyruvate and acetyl coenzyme A, with the formation of (R)-citramalate. Thus, this gene (cimA) encodes an (R)-citramalate synthase (CimA). This is the first identification of this enzyme, which is likely involved in the biosynthesis of isoleucine.
Infinite order V-statistics

Abstract Infinite order V-statistics (IOVSs), an extension of V-statistics, are studied. Their L1 consistency and asymptotic normality are proved. A class of resampled V-statistics, a good proxy of the corresponding IOVSs when orders of kernels are large, is introduced to alleviate computational difficulties. Asymptotic properties of resampled V-statistics are also proved. Applicability of IOVSs are demonstrated by two examples.
A nuclear mutation conferring thiostrepton resistance in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii affects a chloroplast ribosomal protein related to Escherichia coli ribosomal protein L11

We have isolated a nuclear mutant (tsp-1) of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii which is resistant to thiostrepton, an antibiotic that blocks bacterial protein synthesis. The tsp-1 mutant grows slowly in the presence or absence of thiostrepton, and its chloroplast ribosomes, although resistant to the drug, are less active than chloroplast ribosomes from the wild type. Chloroplast ribosomal protein L-23 was not detected on stained gels or immunoblots of total large subunit proteins from tsp-1 probed with antibody to the wild-type L-23 protein from C. reinhardtii. Immunoprecipitation of proteins from pulse-labeled cells showed that tsp-1 synthesizes small amounts of L-23 and that the mutant protein is stable during a 90 min chase. Therefore the tsp-1 phenotype is best explained by assuming that the mutant protein synthesized is unable to assemble into the large subunit of the chloroplast ribosome and hence is degraded over time. L-23 antibodies cross-react with Escherichia coli r-protein L11, which is known to be a component of the GTPase center of the 50S ribosomal subunit. Thiostrepton-resistant mutants of Bacillus megaterium and B. subtilis lack L11, show reduced ribosome activity, and have slow growth rates. Similarities between the thiostreptonresistant mutants of bacteria and C. reinhardtii and the immunological relatedness of Chlamydomonas L-23 to E. coli L11 suggest that L-23 is functionally homologous to the bacterial r-protein L11.
Finite element fracture mechanics analysis of creep rupture of fuel element cladding

Abstract A finite element fracture mechanics technique is applied for simulating the elevated temperature creep rupture behavior of initially defected austenitic stainless steel fuel element cladding. The basic analytical approach consists of determining total instantaneous strain energy release rates G T , and the corresponding values of the stress intensity factor K T from sequential linear elastic finite element solutions and relating these to either an effective creep fracture toughness parameter G ec (or K ec ) or to creep crack growth rates d a d t , obtained from test results. An initial application of this approach has been made to simulate the creep rupture behavior of initially defected type 316 austenitic stainless steel fuel element cladding in the 20% cold worked condition, tested at 650°C. This application has provided a relationship in the simple familiar form: σ = {K ec ( a h , t r , q)} {π 1 2 a 1 2 F( a h )} , where σ is the nominal loop stress, a is the initial depth of a longitudinal crack, h is the cladding thickness, t r is the time to rupture, and q is a structure sensitive parameter which accounts for the influence of the environment. F( a h ) is a function, obtained from finite element solutions, which accounts for the geometric differences between the present structure and the classical Griffith plate. The function K ec ( a h , t r , q ) is obtained from creep rupture tests of cladding with varying initial flaw depths and times to rupture under corrosive as well as inert environments. Performing time-dependent analyses, a preliminary relationship is obtained between the instantaneous values G T and K T , and crack growth rates under corrosive and non-corrosive environments. The analytical predictions of critical combinations of cladding flaw configurations, stresses, times to rupture and crack growth rates are in good agreement with the limited test data available for comparison. Current applications are aimed at the long-term cyclic creep fracture behavior of fast reactor fuel elements, using a nonlinear finite element code. In addition, multiple intergranular fracture configurations are being investigated.
Impact of climate change on mid-twenty-first century growing seasons in Africa

Changes in growing seasons for 2041–2060 across Africa are projected using a regional climate model at 90-km resolution, and confidence in the predictions is evaluated. The response is highly regional over West Africa, with decreases in growing season days up to 20% in the western Guinean coast and some regions to the east experiencing 5–10% increases. A longer growing season up to 30% in the central and eastern Sahel is predicted, with shorter seasons in parts of the western Sahel. In East Africa, the short rains (boreal fall) growing season is extended as the Indian Ocean warms, but anomalous mid-tropospheric moisture divergence and a northward shift of Sahel rainfall severely curtails the long rains (boreal spring) season. Enhanced rainfall in January and February increases the growing season in the Congo basin by 5–15% in association with enhanced southwesterly moisture transport from the tropical Atlantic. In Angola and the southern Congo basin, 40–80% reductions in austral spring growing season days are associated with reduced precipitation and increased evapotranspiration. Large simulated reductions in growing season over southeastern Africa are judged to be inaccurate because they occur due to a reduction in rainfall in winter which is over-produced in the model. Only small decreases in the actual growing season are simulated when evapotranspiration increases in the warmer climate. The continent-wide changes in growing season are primarily the result of increased evapotranspiration over the warmed land, changes in the intensity and seasonal cycle of the thermal low, and warming of the Indian Ocean.
Cognitively impaired stroke patients do benefit from admission to an acute rehabilitation unit.

Abstract Rabadi MH, Rabadi FM, Edelstein L, Peterson M. Cognitively impaired stroke patients do benefit from admission to an acute rehabilitation unit. Objective To determine whether cognitively impaired stroke patients benefit (defined as having an improved level of functional independence and capable of being discharged home) from admission to an acute rehabilitation unit. Design Retrospective analysis of data from a historical cohort of patients with acute stroke within the last 4 weeks or less. Setting Acute stroke rehabilitation unit. Participants The study sample was divided into 4 distinct groups based on admission Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores: cognitively intact (MMSE score range, ≥25 points), mild cognitive impairment (MMSE score range, 21–24), moderate cognitive impairment (MMSE score range, 10–20), and severe cognitive impairment (MMSE score range, ≤9 points). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Primary outcome measures were: change in total FIM instrument score, cognitive FIM subscore, length of stay (LOS), FIM efficiency, and discharge disposition (home vs not-to-home). Results Based on the MMSE cut scores, there were 233 cognitively intact patients and 435 cognitively impaired (mild, n=139; moderate, n=165; severe, n=131) patients. The cognitively intact and the 3 cognitively impaired groups were similar in age, sex, and ethnicity. The data show that the 3 cognitively impaired groups of patients had delayed onset to acute rehabilitation admission and greater stroke severity and disability. The change in FIM total score and FIM efficiency was similar between the cognitively intact and the 3 cognitively impaired groups ( P =.058). There were, however, statistically significant changes in the FIM cognitive subscore favoring the cognitively impaired groups ( P P P Conclusions Our results suggest that despite severe neurologic impairment(s) and disability, cognitively impaired stroke patients make significant functional gains while undergoing rehabilitation and many can be discharged home. Based on these results, stroke patients with cognitive impairments benefit from rehabilitation and should be given the same access to acute rehabilitation services as stroke patients who are cognitively intact.
Parallel Estimation and Control Architectures for Deep-Space Formation Flying Spacecraft

Precision formation flying in deep space can be used to implement optical instruments capable of imaging planets in other solar systems. The distance of the formation from Earth necessitates a significant level of autonomy. Each spacecraft must base its actions on its estimates of the relative position and velocity of the other spacecraft. To achieve the required precision coordination and control, the flow of information between spacecraft must be carefully designed and novel techniques developed for the design of optimal on-board estimators. The use of standard Kalman filter-based designs can lead to unanticipated dynamics which we refer to as disagreement dynamics in the estimators' errors. We show how communication amongst the spacecraft can be designed in order to control all of the dynamics within the formation. We present several results relating the topology of the communication network to the resulting closed-loop control dynamics of the formation.
The determination of picomole amounts of acetylcholine in mammalian brain.

— In any assay for the determination of acetylcholine based on the conversion of choline to a product, the immediate problem is the removal of endogenous choline. Other published enzymatic assays have taken advantage of electrophoresis to accomplish this goal. In the assay to be described, this is accomplished by the enzymatic phosphorylation of endogenous choline by choline kinase. Once this reaction is complete, endogenous acetylcholine is simultaneously hydrolysed and then phosphorylated with [32P]ATP. The labelled product [32P]phosphorylcholine is separated from the labelled substrate by precipitation of the ATP and further separation is accomplished on microcolumns of ion exchange resin. Using this methodology, picomole amounts of acetylcholine, derived from tissue, can be measured.
Reply to Chappell et al.

To The Editor: We appreciate the efforts of Chappell and colleagues1 to replicate our SERPINE2 findings. We identified SERPINE2 as a candidate gene for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD [MIM 606963]) on the basis of our gene-expression results (in both murine and human lung) and our genetic association analysis results in two study populations. Chappell et al. found no evidence for association of five SERPINE2 SNPs with COPD in their case-control study. As in many complex-disease genetic association studies in general, and in previous COPD genetic association studies in particular,2 the results are inconsistent.
Molecular-dynamics simulation of structures and dynamics of n-butane adlayers on Pt(111)

Abstract We have used molecular-dynamics simulations to study the structure and mobility of n -butane adlayers on Pt(111). Simulations were performed with a united-atom model of n -butane for adlayer coverages ranging from the submonolayer to the multilayer regime. At submonolayer coverages, n -butane molecules adsorb with their molecular plane parallel to the surface. Upon increasing coverage close to a monolayer, some of the molecules form a tilted structure with their long axes oriented away from the surface. The in-plane ordering of the molecules has been studied. At coverages near monolayer saturation, the molecules exhibit temperature-dependent ordering similar to that observed in experimental low-energy electron diffraction studies. At moderate submonolayer coverages, the diffusion activation energy is coverage-independent and the diffusion coefficients can be accurately described using a site-blocking model. The site blocking model is not accurate at low coverages where correlated flights become important, and at coverages close to a monolayer. In the multilayer regime, molecules in the top layer are an order of magnitude more mobile than those in the layer adjacent to the surface. Finally, we discuss the vibrational characteristics of the adsorbed butane molecules by analyzing their velocity autocorrelation functions.
On the density of states for the periodic Schrödinger operator

An asymptotic formula for the density of states of the polyharmonic periodic operator (−δ) l +V inR n ,n≥2,l>1/2 is obtained. Special consideration is given to the case of the Schrodinger equationn=3,l=1,V being a periodic potential, where the second term of the asymptotic is found.
A force-activated kinase in a catch smooth muscle

Permeabilized anterior byssus retractor muscles (ABRM) from Mytilus edulis were used as a simple system to test whether there is a stretch dependent activation of a kinase as has been postulated for titin and the mini-titin twitchin. The ABRM is a smooth muscle that shows catch, a condition of high force maintenance and resistance to stretch following stimulation when the intracellular Ca++ concentration has diminished to sub-maximum levels. In the catch state twitchin is unphosphorylated, and the muscle maintains force without myosin crossbridge cycling through what is likely a twitchin mediated tether between thick and thin filaments. In catch, a small change in length results in a large change in force. The phosphorylation state of an added peptide, a good substrate for molluscan twitchin kinase, with the sequence KKRAARATSNVFA was used as a measure of kinase activation. We find that there is about a two-fold increase in phosphorylation of the added peptide with a 10% stretch of the ABRM in catch. The increased phosphorylation is due to activation of a kinase rather than to an inhibition of a phosphatase. The extent of phosphorylation of the peptide is decreased when twitchin is phosphorylated and catch force is not present. However, there is also a large increase in peptide phosphorylation when the muscle is activated in pCa 5, and the catch state does not exist. The force-sensitive kinase activity is decreased by ML-9 and ML-7 which are inhibitors of twitchin kinase, but not by the Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632. There is no detectable phosphorylation of myosin light chains, but the phosphorylation of twitchin increases by a small, but significant extent with stretch. It is possible that twitchin senses force output resulting in a force-sensitive twitchin kinase activity that results in autophosphorylation of twitchin on site(s) other than those responsible for relaxation of catch.
Microstructure of Au/Nb multilayers

Abstract Au/Nb multilayers are prepared using magnetron sputter deposition. The close-packed orientation of the thin films is revealed using X-ray diffraction. Although in bulk form Au(111) and Nb(110) have a near zero lattice misfit, the average lattice spacing of the multilayer is found to vary as a function of the repeat period in the direction of the composition modulation. Similar lattice dietortions of the multilayer structure are known for f.c.c./f.c.c. metallic superlattices, such as Au/Ni. Lattice imaging of the Au/Nb multilayers, in cross-section, provides a direct means to complete an initial characterization of the atomic rearrangements in the modulation direction.
Ventricular rate control during atrial fibrillation and AV node modifications: past, present, and future.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia. Currently there are two broad strategic treatment options for AF: rhythm control and rate control. For rhythm control, the treatment is directed toward restoring and maintaining the sinus rhythm. For rate control, the intention is to slow ventricular rate while allowing AF to continue. In both cases anticoagulation therapy is recommended. The results of currently available clinical trials demonstrated clearly that rate control is not inferior to rhythm control. Thus, rate control is an acceptable primary therapy for many AF patients. The rate control can be achieved essentially by depressing or modifying the filtering properties of the atrioventricular (AV) node. This can be attained by medications that depress the impulse transmission within the AV node, by anatomic modification of the AV communications, as well as by autonomic manipulations that produce AV node negative dromotropic effect. We are reviewing current clinical and newer experimental modalities aimed at enhancing the lifesaving function of this remarkable nodal structure. (PACE 2004; 27:382–393)
Effect of thickness on silicon solar cell efficiency

Semiconductor material cost is one of the factors which determines the performance-cost ratio and economical feasibility of silicon solar cells for terrestrial power generation. Decreasing the cell thickness would lower the silicon material cost. The energy conversion efficiency of a back-surface field solar cell will have a peak as the silicon film thickness is reduced due to two opposing factors: 1) the open-circuit voltage increases and 2) the short-circuit current decreases with decreasing cell thickness. A computer-aided-design study on the dependence of this efficiency peak on the concentrations of the recombination and dopant impurities is presented in this paper. The illuminated current-voltage characteristics of over 100 cell designs were obtained using the transmission line circuit model to numerically solve the Shockley equations. Using an AM1 efficiency of 17 percent as a target value, which is the highest encapsulated silicon cell efficiency used in the Block IV modules of the Low-Cost Solar Array Project, it is shown that the efficiency versus thickness dependence has a broad maximum which varies less than 1 percent over more than a three-to-one range of cell thickness from 30 to 100 µm. Optical reflecting back surface will give only a slight improvement of AM1 efficiency, about 0.7 percent, in this thickness range. The sensitive dependence of efficiency on patchiness across the back-surface field low-high junction in thin cells is noted.
[Cobalt(II)L-glutamate(H2O)·H2O]∞: a new 3D chiral metal–organic interlocking network with channels

A monometallic assembly of composition [Cobalt(II)L-glutamate(H2O)·H2O]∞ (I) has been prepared and structurally and magnetically characterized. Assembly I crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P212121 with a = 7.149(9), b = 10.468(3), c = 11.295(5) A, V = 845.3 A3 and Z = 4. The crystal structure analysis reveals a three-dimensional network with channels parallel to the a-axis. The observed structure suggests that highly isolated Co(II) cations are present in the solid state structure – a fact verified by the temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility (298–5 K) which is that of a classical, isolated paramagnet with μ(eff) ranging from 4.1 to 5.2 BM.
QUANTITATIVE TC‐99m‐MDP JOINT SCINTIGRAPHY IN A LENTIVIRUS‐INDUCED ARTHRITIS OF GOATS

Caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE) is a lentivirus-induced disease of goats used as a model for the study of lentiviral infections. Tc-99m-MDP scintigraphy was investigated as a method to quantitate the severity of joint inflammation in CAE virus-induced arthritis in six goats (12 carpi). Carpal/metacarpal Tc-99m-MDP uptake ratio was compared to a clinical indicator of joint inflammation and histopathologic grading. Quantitative joint scintigraphy provided a better correlation (r = 0.75, p 0.10). Quantitative Tc-99m-MDP joint scintigraphy should be used when non-invasive quantitation of joint inflammation is needed for pathogenetic studies of CAE.
SU‐FF‐T‐545: Feasibility Study for Treatment of Intracranial Multi‐Focal Stereotactic Radiosurgery with Multiple Intensity Modulated Arc Technique

Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of using an intensity modulated arc technique for multi‐focal intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery with a single isocenter setup to significantly decrease the treatment time. Methods: A Novalis Tx linear accelerator system with a high‐definition multi‐leaf collimator (HDMLC) was used for treatment. Multiple rotationally modulated beams with HDMLC (RapidArc, Varian Medical Systems) were used for treatment planning. Cone‐beam CT(CBCT)images were used for precise localization during treatment delivery. Patients with 2 to 5 lesions that were previously treated with conventional SRS plans using dynamic conformal arc and conformal beams were retrospectively planned with RapidArc™. Single‐arc RapidArc™, 5‐arc RapidArc™ and conventional SRS plans were compared for target coverage, conformality, dose distribution, and total monitor units. Results: Target coverage for single‐arc RapidArc™, 5‐arc RapidArc™ and conventional SRS plans are similar. The conformality and dose distributions of 5‐arc RapidArc™ plans are equivalent to or better than conventional SRS plans. However, the conformality and dose distributions of single‐arc RapidArc™ plans are slightly poorer than conventional SRS plans, though still reasonable. Overall treatment times with the single‐ and 5‐arc RapidArc™ plans were estimated to be 25% and 30%, respectively, of those of conventional SRS with 5‐isocenters. Conclusion: It is feasible to use intensity modulated arc for stereotactic radiosurgery of multiple intracranial lesions with a single setup. The treatment time can be significantly reduced with this approach.
Innovation: Thomas Edison and his electric lighting system: The inventor's notebooks reveal that he was actually a skilled practitioner of systems engineering, not the tinkerer of legend

Over the past century no one has better exemplified the image of the heroic inventor than Thomas Alva Edison. What was popularly understood as his ?cut and try? approach to invention gave rise to the most prolific inventive career in American history, earned for him the title ?the Wizard of Menlo Park? and a place in American folklore. Such imagery, however, is the unfortunate result of much misinformation and conjecture; it has only served to obscure our understanding of a pivotal figure in the history of American technology.
Determination of titratable ash-acidity (ash-TA).

SummaryTitratable ash-acidity (ash-TA) is an acid-base parameter which is defined in terms of mineral composition and may be evaluated as the sum of values for Cl, S and P minus the sum of values for Na, K, Ca and Mg. A relatively simple and essentially direct titrimetric procedure for determining ash-TA in urine, feces and foods is shown to yield values which agree satisfactorily with those calculated from the mineral composition of these materials.
Ethanol for cardiac ischemia: the role of protein kinase c

The physiological effects of ethanol are dependent upon the amount and duration of consumption. Chronic excessive consumption can lead to diseases such as liver cirrhosis, and cardiac arrhythmias, while chronic moderate consumption can have therapeutic effects on the cardiovascular system. Recently, it has also been observed that acute administration of ethanol to animals prior to an ischemic event provides significant protection to the heart. This review focuses on the different modalities of chronic vs. acute ethanol consumption and discusses recent evidence for a protective effect of acute ethanol exposure and the possible use of ethanol as a therapeutic agent.
Potential benefits of green tea polyphenol EGCG in the prevention and treatment of vascular inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints in which systemic overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) may accelerate cardiovascular (CV) complications. Synovial inflammation in RA spreads systemically and transforms silently into chronic inflammation manifested by increased cytokine release and abnormally high levels of acute reactive proteins (ARPs) such as C-reactive protein (CRP), suggesting inflammation as a connecting link between RA and CV dysfunction. While the treatment to improve CV function in RA patients is being validated, it is timely to propose and test two-pronged therapies that ameliorate arthritis concomitant to improving CV functions. In this review, we summarized the pre-clinical and clinical studies validating the cardiovascular and anti-rheumatic activities of epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG), a potent anti-inflammatory molecule found in green tea. The review also draws many parallels that have emerged between the paradigm of cytokine-driven inflammation in the pathogenesis of RA and its CV complications. Finally, based on extensive clinical evidence of the ‘synovial inflammation–systemic inflammation’ link and the benefits of EGCG in regulating these two pathologies via common driving factors, authors put forward an argument that EGCG may be tested for its potential CV benefit along with anti-rheumatic activity in animal models of human RA.
Loss of heterozygosity in usual and special variant carcinomas of the endometrium

Abstract Endometrial carcinoma is the most common invasive malignancy of the female genital tract, and it exists as two different clinicopathologic forms: an estrogen-dependent, “usual” type and an estrogen-independent “special variant” type. Despite the frequency of endometrial cancer, little is known about the molecular genetic events that contribute to its pathogenesis. The accumulation of genetic alterations identified through the study of loss of heterozygosity (LOH), gene mutation, and gene activation in tumor DNA has been associated with the establishment and progression of a variety of human malignancies. A relatively low incidence of LOH has been reported in usual type endometrial cancers; however, special variant tumors have rarely been included in the reported studies. To understand the molecular events that contribute to both forms of endometrial cancer, 31 tumors have been surveyed for events of LOH on all chromosomes. The study groups included 18 tumors of the usual type and 13 special variant tumors. Polymorphic loci were studied by Southern blot analysis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of microsatellite loci. Normal tissue in each case served as a control. Both frequency and patterns of LOH differed greatly between the two tumor types. Although LOH was frequently detected in the special variant tumors, it was rare in the usual type tumors. LOH was detected in only 8 of the 18 usual tumors, with chromosomes 17, 13, and 2 being the most frequently affected (22%, 20%, and 19%, respectively). In contrast, LOH was detected in all cases of special variant tumors, with chromosomes 17p, 14, and 12 showing the highest LOH (83%, 77%, and 40%, respectively). Two cases of microsatellite instability (MI) were detected among the usual type tumors. These findings suggest that the clinicopathologic phenotypes observed in these tumor types are likely caused by different tumorigenic pathways that reflect alterations of different cancer-controlling genes.
Comments on "Fitting autoregressive models to EEG time series: An empirical comparison of estimates of the order"

The purpose of this correspondence is to make some observations that may place the results reported in [1] in a different perspective.
Can Strategy Instruction Improve Listening Comprehension

ABSTRACT This paper is a report of a classroom-based, longitudinal study of the effect of learner strategy instruction on listening comprehension. The subjects were students enrolled in a required third-year Russian language course at a university. The listening materials consisted of video segments from simulated authentic materials developed for learners of Russian, segments from Russian television, and movies. The hypothesis that systematic instruction in the use of strategies will result in the improvement of listening comprehension was confirmed.
A single-step stent delivery, deployment, and expansion system

Placement of intracoronary stents now comprises a significant number of the percutaneous coronary revascularization procedures being performed in high-volume interventional laboratories in the United States. Stents have become popular because of the reliable acute results, and decreased restenosis. The most common stent currently in use in the United States is the Palmaz-Schatz balloon-expandable stent (PS stent). This stent delivery system (SDS) usually requires predilatation with a balloon and another dilatation, after stent deployment, with a high-pressure balloon in order to adequately expand the stent. We report on a new hybrid stent-delivery system using the PS stent, the sheath from the SDS, and an NC Bandit balloon. This new hybrid system is safe and significantly decreases the procedure time, fluoroscopy time, and need for additional stents due to angiographic dissection resulting from inexact postioning of the high-pressure balloon within the initially deployed stent, and/or due to inadequate placement of the first stent. This may be an ideal delivery system for single stent deployment using currently approved FDA equipment. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Diagn. 40:308–310, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Self-organization and the persistence of noise in financial markets

Abstract A dynamic model of financial markets with learning is demonstrated to produce a self-organized system that displays critical behavior. The price contains private information that traders learn to extract and employ to forecast future value. Since the price reflects the beliefs of the traders, the learning process is self-referencing. As the market learns to correctly extract information from the price, the market deemphasizes private information. Despite the convergence of the model towards the parameters producing efficiency, pricing deviations remain constant due to the increased sensitivity of the price to small errors in information extraction produced by the model's own convergence.
Prevention and Treatment of Biopsy-Related Complications

Transrectal biopsy of the prostate is necessary in the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PC). Though generally considered safe, patients encounter minor complications such as bleeding and urinary symptoms, and uncommonly, serious infections that may require antibiotic therapy, visits to the emergency room (ER) or hospital admission, causing morbidity and rarely even mortality. It is concerning that infections are on the rise due to resistant bacteria. Urologists will have to be aware of bacterial susceptibility studies to reduce such complications. This review focuses on prostate biopsy and its complications, and measures to reduce these complications in our practice.
SU-FF-T-169: Search for IMRT Inverse Plans with Piece-Wise Constant Fluence Maps Using Compressed Sensing Techniques

Purpose: An intensity modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) field is composed of a series of segmented beams. It is practically important to reduce the number of segments while maintaining the conformality of the final dose distribution. In this paper we quantify the complexity of an IMRT fluence map by introducing the concept of sparsity of fluence maps and formulate the inverse planning problem into a framework of compressing sensing. Method and Materials: In this approach, the treatment planning is modeled as a multi‐objective optimization problem, with one objective on the dose performance and the other on the sparsity of the resultant fluence maps. A Pareto frontier is calculated, and the achieved dose distributions associated with the Pareto efficient points are evaluated using clinical acceptance criteria. The clinically acceptable dose distribution with the smallest number of segments is chosen as the final solution.Results: The method is demonstrated in the application of fixed‐gantry IMRT on a prostate patient. The result shows that the total number of segments is greatly reduced while a satisfactory dose distribution is still achieved. Conclusion: A compressed sensing based inverse planning technique is proposed for IMRT planning. The main features of the approach include (1) the inclusion of a sparsity objective; and (2) the use of a convex optimization algorithm. Without compromising the dose performance, IMRTsolutions with piece‐wise constant fluence maps can be easily obtained using the proposed approach. The reduction of the number of segments in IMRT delivery reduces the total treatment time and therefore increases the dose delivery accuracy and the clinical throughput. With the focus on the sparsity of the optimal solution, the proposed method is distinct from the existing beamlet or segment‐based optimization algorithms.
Biological pacemaker created by gene transfer

The pacemaker cells of the heart initiate the heartbeat, sustain the circulation, and dictate the rate and rhythm of cardiac contraction. Circulatory collapse ensues when these specialized cells are damaged by disease, a situation that currently necessitates the implantation of an electronic pacemaker. Here we report the use of viral gene transfer to convert quiescent heart-muscle cells into pacemaker cells, and the successful generation of spontaneous, rhythmic electrical activity in the ventricle in vivo. Our results indicate that genetically engineered pacemakers could be developed as a possible alternative to implantable electronic devices.
Social workers' postgraduate use of the ifd interpersonal communication model

Interpersonal communication assessment models have become very popular as a means of quickly establishing rapport in many settings across the United States. Despite their popularity and possible utility, there has been minimal research into the impact of these models, especially over time and in educational settings (more than 6 months after the training is over). In the master's of social work (MSW) program at Brigham Young University (BYU), the interpersonal family dynamics (IFD) model is used as a tool to better understand human behavior and strengthen relationships in the social work practice environment. This training is provided to first-year students in the foundation human behavior in the social environment course and to field supervisors in their field training conferences. BYU's MSW program graduates were surveyed to find out their perceptions of the utility of IFD. With a relatively high level of accuracy, the graduates reported IFD was a useful approach to better understanding human behavior i...
Glutamate antagonists applied to midbody spinal cord segments reduce the excitability of the fictive rostral scratch reflex in the turtle

Abstract Glutamate antagonists applied to the cutaneous-processing region of the rostral scratch circuit in turtles reduced the excitability of the rostral scratch reflex. Segments D3–D6 (D3 = 3rd postcervical) of the midbody spinal cord receive cutaneous afferents from the rostral scratch receptive field and perform the initial integration of this cutaneous sensory input. These cutaneous-processing segments are located anterior to the rostral scratch motor pattern generator that resides mainly in segments D7–D10 located in and near the hindlimb enlargement. We prepared 1 or 2 of the midbody segments for bath application of glutamate antagonists in preparations with a complete transection of the spinal cord anterior to segment D3. Each preparation was immobilized by neuromuscular blockade and fictive scratch motor output was recorded from hindlimb muscle nerves. Application of the NMDA (N-methyl- d -aspartate) antagonist APV ( d -2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid, 50 μM) to a midbody segment significantly reduced the motor burst frequency of rostral scratch responses evoked by 3-Hz electrical stimulation of a site in that segment's dermatome. These data suggest that NMDA receptors contribute to cutaneous processing in the rostral scratch circuit. Application of APV to a midbody segment also reduced the magnitude of temporal summation in the scratch circuit in response to electrical stimuli delivered to the shell at 4- to 5-s intervals. Temporal summation was monitored at the level of hindlimb motor output as well as at the level of unit activity from ‘long-afterdischarge’ neurons in the midbody segments. Our observations are consistent with the hypothesis that NMDA receptors contribute to the prolonged activation of ‘long-afterdischarge’ neurons and the multisecond storage of excitation in the scratch reflex pathway.
Relativistic model of interacting nucleons and mesons

We construct a relativistic model of interacting nucleons and mesons. The character of the model is phenomenological in that we make extensive use of the relativistic quasipotentials obtained in the study of the one-boson-exchange model of nuclear forces. We show that in the static limit for the meson field we can derive a relativistic version of the Bethe-Brueckner theory of nuclear matter. (The corrections due to the nonstatic aspects of the field are expected to be small.) The method may be extended to provide a basis for a relativistic Brueckner-Hartree-Fock theory of finite nuclei.
Regression Analysis of Seasonal Data

Abstract When economists apply regression to monthly or quarterly data to estimate structural parameters, they generally either (a) use seasonally adjusted data or (b) use unadjusted data and allow for seasonal shifts in the intercept term. Starting from a more general model than either of these procedures, this paper spells out their implicit assumptions and derives expressions for the specification bias arising from incorrect assumptions. The expected values of the estimates in (a) and (b) are weighted averages of the coefficients in the more general model. The weights are regression coefficients. If parameters do not vary seasonally, procedure (b) yields unbiased estimates. Expected values of estimates from procedure (a) are random variables. If we apply covariance analysis to test for seasonal variation in coefficients, seasonally unadjusted data will yield unbiased estimates; seasonally adjusted data will not. Empirical results obtained from seasonally adjusted data differ substantially from those ob...
Effects of hypoxia on macrobenthos of the inner shelf off Cameron, Louisiana

Abstract The effects of hypoxic bottom water, an annual event, were documented on the inner shelf off Cameron, Louisiana during the summer of 1981. Populations of most species of macrobenthos were dramatically reduced. In an area of fine sediment that was numerically dominated by polychaetous annelids, the most severely affected populations were those of tube-dwelling and surface-feeding species. Burrowing species were less influenced by the hypoxia.
Aerospace: Microwave sensing from orbit: Enhanced devices penetrate cloud cover to provide data for weather prediction and terrain analysis

Discusses the advantages of microwave sensors as a sensitive and reliable tool for monitoring the Earth from satellites. Applications include: weather forecasting; terrestrial material bulk properties measurement; geological surveys; ice location; oil spill detection; upper atmosphere studies; military weapon all weather guidance.