cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical decision making for older adults: an international perspective comparing the United States and India

There has been a significant decline in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality amidst pervasive advances in care, including percutaneous revascularization, mechanical circulatory support, and transcatheter valvular therapies. While advancing therapies may add significant longevity, they also bring about new end-of-life decision-making challenges for patients and their families who also must weigh the advantages of reduced mortality to the possibility of longer lives consisting of high morbidity, frailty, pain, and poor quality of living. Advance care entails options of withholding or withdrawing therapies, and has become a familiar part of cardiovascular care for older patients in Western countries. However, as advanced cardiovascular practices extend to developing countries, the interrelated concept of advance care is rarely straight forward as it is affected by local cultural traditions and mores, and can lead to very different inferences and use. This paper discusses the concepts of advance care planning, surrogate decision-making, orders for resuscitation and futility in patients with cardiac disease with comparisons of West to East, focusing particularly on the United States versus India.
Clinical Characteristics of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis and Management of Duodenal Adenomas

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) undergoing surgical treatment over a 10-year period and specifically to evaluate the incidence and clinical outcome of patients treated for duodenal adenomas. Patients with FAP who underwent surgical treatment for colonic polyposis at the University of Louisville from January 1992 to July 2002 were investigated. Surgical treatment included colectomy and ileal J-pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) or completion proctectomy with or without IPAA in those who had previously undergone subtotal colectomy elsewhere. All patients underwent screening gastroduodenoscopy at 3-year intervals beginning at the time of diagnosis or referral. Postoperative morbidity, mortality, and functional outcome were evaluated, as well as the occurrence of extracolonic manifestations and results of treatment for duodenal adenomas when required. Fifty-four patients were included in the study (mean age 28 +/- 2 years). Twenty-seven of them (50%) underwent colectomy and IPAA as the initial operation. Twenty-seven patients had previously undergone subtotal colectomy. Eight of these 27 patients had cancer in the rectum, of which three were T4 and one was T2N1 cancer. Twenty-two patients underwent a completion proctectomy and three required abdominoperineal resection. Twenty of the 54 patients developed duodenal adenomas. The mean age of diagnosis of duodenal disease was not significantly different from that of patients who were still free of duodenal polyps (40 +/- 11 vs. 34 +/- 12 years). Seven of these 20 patients underwent local excision of duodenal polyps (either endocopically or transduodenally); four of these patients developed recurrent disease. Six patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for duodenal adenomas with severe dyplasia. These patients experienced an increased number of bowel movements, from five per day (range 4 to 8) to 10 per day (range 6 to 15). One patient required pouch excision and end ileostomy to control diarrhea. Our data demonstrate the following: (1) patients with FAP who have undergone prior subtotal colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis have a high risk of developing advanced cancer in the rectal stump; (2) duodenal adenomas are common in patients with FAP and may occur at an early age; (3) screening duodenoscopy should be initiated at the time of diagnosis of FAP; (4) local excision of duodenal adenomas is associated with a high risk of local recurrence; and (5) even though pancreaticoduodenectomy is the treatment of choice for advanced duodenal adenomas, this procedure may adversely affect pouch function in some patients.
Influenza vaccine: outmaneuvering antigenic shift and drift

The winter of 2003–2004 will be remembered as a year in which stories about influenza dominated the news and patients young and old clamored for influenza vaccination. This intense interest is the result of the confluence of multiple circumstances. The onset of the annual influenza epidemic came earlier than expected and was accompanied by reports of severe disease in previously healthy children, associated with the isolation of antigenically variant influenzaviruses represented by the prototypic strain A/Fujian/411/2002 (H3N2). There was concern that the available influenza vaccine would not be optimally effective against this strain of virus, but at the same time, . . .
Flexible optimal channel routing for critical nets

Abstract A theoretical basis is presented from which two main results follow, a tight lower bound for the total wiring length of a multi terminal net channel routing, and a set of rules that determine how much routings can be obtained. Algorithmic implementations of the rules have computational complexity O(n). The theory also shows that a net can have multiple minimum wiring length routings, and how all of them can be found. An obvious application of the theory is in the critical net channel routing, where main objectives are minimizations of the wiring length and the number of vias. Those objectives are usually met by prerouting the critical nets before other signal nets, which then find the critical net wiring as an obstacle in the channel. The multiplicity of optimal critical net routings translates into the flexibility of obstacles. Partitioning of a multi terminal net into the flexible and rigid subnets provides a kind of computer vision for the obstacle flexibility.
Impact of a pediatric clinic-based multidisciplinary asthma education and management program.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine if a multidisciplinary asthma education and management program within a general pediatric clinic impacts clinical outcomes of children with asthma. METHODS An asthma education and management clinic was started by a general pediatrician, a pharmacist, and a nurse. At a patient’s initial clinic visit, data were collected summarizing hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and number of systemic corticosteroid courses for the previous year. The same data were collected at each subsequent visit. A retrospective review of this data was performed for patients who enrolled in the clinic between February 1999 and 2002 to compare outcomes between the year before enrollment in the clinic and the following year. Patients were included if they received follow-up for at least one year. RESULTS Fifty-seven patients with a mean age of 8.5 years qualified for data analysis. Forty-eight percent of the study population was classified as having moderate persistent asthma, and 11% of patients were severe persistent. Compared to the year prior to clinic enrollment, the number of hospitalizations per patient decreased by 82% (P < .001). Emergency department visits decreased by 81% (P < .001). The number of systemic corticosteroid courses decreased by 72% (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Patient enrollment in a general pediatric clinic-based multidisciplinary asthma education and management program decreases hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and systemic corticosteroid exposure.
Oxygen isotope variations in granulite-grade iron formations: constraints on oxygen diffusion and retrograde isotopic exchange

The oxygen isotope ratios of various minerals were measured in a granulite-grade iron formation in the Wind River Range, Wyoming. Estimates of temperature and pressure for the terrane using well calibrated geothermometers and geobarometers are 730±50° C and 5.5±0.5 kbar. The mineral constraints on fluid compositions in the iron formation during retrogression require either very CO2-rich fluids or no fluid at all. In the iron formation, isotopic temperature estimates from quartz-magnetite fractionations are controlled by the proximity to the enclosing granitic gneiss, and range from 500° C (Δqz − mt=10.0‰) within 2–3 meters of the orthogneiss contact to 600° C (Δqz − mt=8.0‰) farther from the contact. Temperature estimates from other isotopic thermometers are in good agreement with those derived from the quartz-magnetite fractionations.
Corticotropin-releasing hormone augments natural killer cell activity through a naloxone-sensitive pathway

Abstract Overnight treatment of murine leukocytes with corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine vasopressin enhances natural killer cell activity. Moreover, the opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone, as well as the delta-class opioid receptor antagonist, naltrindole, can block this effect. The responsivity of murine leukocytes to CRH is both dose- and time-dependent. The effector cells are both MAC-1 and Thy-1.2 antigen-positive. Whereas β-endorphin is also shown to enhance natural killer cell activity in a naloxone-reversible manner, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) has a negligible effect. Macrophage depletion prior to incubation with CRH blocks the CRH-induced natural killer cell augmentation. These results suggest hypothalamic-releasing hormones such as CRH may have a biologically relevant role in the modulation of immune cells either directly or indirectly through the induction of neuropeptide hormones known to have immunomodulatory capabilities.
Interleukin 1 and 2 production in homosexual men: A controlled trial of therafectin (SM-1213), a possible immunomodulator

Patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are susceptible to a variety of opportunistic pathogens which require intact cellular immunity for control and eradication. We evaluated interleukin 1 and 2 production in 12 homosexual men without AIDS but with evidence of altered cell-mediated immunity and serologic evidence of infection with human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type III (HTLV-III), the etiologic agent of AIDS and found production of both factors diminished compared to heterosexual controls. Therafectin (SM-1213) is a new agent which selectively activates macrophages and stimulated interleukin 1 production in vitro. Therafectin was administered to these same 12 patients in a double-blind, placebo controlled trial. We failed to find any significant changes in their immunologic status including interleukin 1 or 2 production.
Applying Merger Guidelines market definition to (de)regulatory policy: Pros and cons

Since initially presented in the 1982 Department of Justice Horizontal Merger Guidelines, market definition has been adopted nearly worldwide as a framework to see if a merger would substantially lessen competition. This framework is useful for addressing the similarly counterfactual question of whether forbearance from regulation would lead to an increase in prices. In this context, however, the usefulness of a merger-based market definition is limited. Because the alternative to forbearance is regulation, and since some regulated rates may be below competitive levels, finding that deregulation would lead to market power as defined for mergers need not justify continued regulation. Forbearance in telecommunications highlights market definition questions regarding gross vs. marginal substitutes, dynamic efficiencies, and service bundling. It also reveals ambiguities in the meaning of ''geographic market.'' Market definition also has limited applicability if regulation exists not to prevent high prices but the abuse of dominance through predatory pricing.
Positive and negative ion chemistry of sulfuryl halides

Abstract Ion cyclotron resonance techniques are employed in the investigation of positive and negative ion formation and ion-molecule reactions in sulfuryl halides SO 2 XY (X, Y = Cl, F). Positive ion reactivity is discussed in terms of the relative Cl and F bond strengths in these species and possible structures of ionic intermediates and products. Electron attachment processes generate halide ion donors such as F 2 − , Cl 2 − , SO 2 F − and SO 2 Cl − from sulfuryl halides. Negative ion reactivity is dominated by halide transfer reactions. Halide transfer reactions in mixtures with HCN and HCl are examined in an attempt to quantify D (SO 2 F − ) and D (SO 2 Cl − ).
Monte Carlo study of the transient expansion of photogenerated plasmas in bulk semiconductors: Nonequilibrium phonon effects.

We examine the transient expansion of the photogenerated electron-hole plasma in semiconductors with the ensemble Monte Carlo technique. A high photoexcitation energy is used to study the nonequilibrium optical-phonon effects, with both their temporal and spatial dependences being included for the first time. Specific numerical calculations within the picosecond regime are given for InP. Our results demonstrate that the nonequilibrium phonons significantly enhance the expansion of the plasma during the first few picoseconds, and change the spatial-carrier-distribution profiles.
Dynamics of lysozyme and its hydration water under an electric field

The effects of a static electric field on the dynamics of lysozyme and its hydration water are investigated by means of incoherent quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS). Measurements were performed on lysozyme samples, hydrated respectively with heavy water (D 2O) to capture the protein dynamics and with light water (H 2O), to probe the dynamics of the hydration shell, in the temperature range from 210 < T < 260 K. The hydration fraction in both cases was about ∼ 0.38 gram of water per gram of dry protein. The field strengths investigated were respectively 0 kV/mm and 2 kV/mm ( ∼2 × 10 6 V/m) for the protein hydrated with D 2O and 0 kV and 1 kV/mm for the H 2O-hydrated counterpart. While the overall internal protons dynamics of the protein appears to be unaffected by the application of an electric field up to 2 kV/mm, likely due to the stronger intra-molecular interactions, there is also no appreciable quantitative enhancement of the diffusive dynamics of the hydration water, as would be anticipated based on our recent observations in water confined in silica pores under field values of 2.5 kV/mm. This may be due to the difference in surface interactions between water and the two adsorption hosts (silica and protein), or to the existence of a critical threshold field value E c∼2–3 kV/mm for increased molecular diffusion, for which electrical breakdown is a limitation for our sample.
Zero sound in dipolar Fermi gases

We study the propagation of sound in a homogeneous dipolar gas at zero temperature, which is known as zero sound. We find that undamped zero sound propagation is possible only in a range of solid angles around the direction of polarization of the dipoles. Above a critical dipole moment, we find an unstable mode, by which the gas collapses locally perpendicular to the dipoles' direction.
Phase Separation Scenario for Manganese Oxides and Related Materials

Recent computational studies of models for manganese oxides have revealed a rich phase diagram, which was not anticipated in early calculations in this context performed in the 1950s and 1960s. In particular, the transition between the antiferromagnetic insulator state of the hole-undoped limit and the ferromagnetic metal at finite hole density was found to occur through a mixed-phase process. When extended Coulomb interactions are included, a microscopically charged inhomogeneous state should be stabilized. These phase separation tendencies, also present at low electronic densities, influence the properties of the ferromagnetic region by increasing charge fluctuations. Experimental data reviewed here by applying several techniques for manganites and other materials are consistent with this scenario. Similarities with results previously discussed in the context of cuprates are clear from this analysis, although the phase segregation tendencies in manganites appear stronger.
Greedy sums of distinct squares

When a positive integer is expressed as a sum of squares, with each successive summand as large as possible, the summands decrease rapidly in size until the very end, where one may find two 4's, or several 1's. We find that the set of integers for which the summands are distinct does not have a natural density but that the counting function oscillates in a predictable way.
A HREELS study of C1–C5 straight chain alcohols on clean and pre-oxidized Ag(110) surfaces

High-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy has been used to obtain vibrational spectra of the species produced by adsorption of the straight chain alcohols methanol through pentanol on clean and oxidized Ag(110) surfaces. As expected on the basis of previous work the alcohols are all found to adsorb reversibly on the clean Ag(110) surface and to form alkoxides on the pre-oxidized surface. In the case of methanol the formation of the alkoxide results in reorientation of the adsorbate such that the C-O bond axis tilts away from the surface resulting in a large increase in energy loss to excitation of the νCO mode. For the longer chain alcohols formation of the alkoxide has a much less marked effect on the νCO intensity. We have quantified this by determining ICO × nCHICH for spectra of both the alcohols and the alkoxides to show that while the formation of meth methanol results in alignment of the CO bond away from the surface this does not occur during formation of alkoxides from the longer chain alcohols. As in the case of the alcohols, the alkoxides appear to be oriented with their alkyl chains parallel to the surface.
Development of the dorsal cochlear nucleus of the cat: An electron microscopic study

This developmental study of the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) was based upon electron microscopic and Golgi preparations from many postnatal kittens (newborn-4 months) and adult cats. Seven developmental stages were defined according to time of first alterations in size of layers, size, shape and packing of fusiform neurons; cytology of cytoplasmic organelles; cytology of fusiform cell layer (FCL) neuropil; and time when each of eight types of synaptic endings (defined in adults) appeared. During stage 1 (newborn-2.5 days), fusiform and small cells were tightly packed. Fusiform cells, covered with multiform projections, were filled with large Golgi complexes and Nissl bodies. Free ribosomes were packed within invaginations of the nuclear envelope. The FCL expanded during stage 2 (3–6 days), both by growth of fusiform cells and by elaboration of FCL neuropil. Type 1 and type 5 endings appeared. During stage 3 (7–14 days), adult synaptic types 2, 2a, 3 and 4, plus a newly defined type 3a ending were found. Somatic projections decreased in number and length. This decrease continued into stage 4 (15–25 days), when synaptic type 1a appeared. Fusiform cells were separated by further growth of FCL neuropil during stage 5 (26–44 days). Adult synaptic type 5a was first noted during stage 6 (45–95 days), when glomeruli and synaptic nests were also identified. In the final stage 7 (120 days and older), glomeruli and nests matured, while maximally sized fusiform cells had smooth somatic membranes and nuclear envelopes. All adult synaptic types were mature after 120 postnatal days. This long interval for staged DCN development facilitates correlated developmental, electrophysiological studies. The latter might clarify functions of known inputs to DCN by matching maturation times of those inputs with appearance of specific physiological properties.
Modeling atmospheric chemistry and transport with dynamic adaptive resolution

We discuss an adaptive resolution system for modeling regional air pollution based on the chemical transport model STEM. The grid adaptivity is implemented using the generic adaptive mesh refinement tool Paramesh, which enables the grid management operations while harnessing the power of parallel computers. The computational algorithm is based on a decomposition of the domain, with the solution in different subdomains being computed with different spatial resolutions. Various refinement criteria that adaptively control the fine grid placement are analyzed to maximize the solution accuracy while maintaining an acceptable computational cost. Numerical experiments in a large-scale parallel setting (~0.5 billion variables) confirm that adaptive resolution, based on a well-chosen refinement criterion, leads to the decrease in spatial error with an acceptable increase in computational time. Fully dynamic grid adaptivity for air quality models is relatively new. We extend previous work on chemical and transport modeling by using dynamically adaptive grid resolution. Advantages and shortcomings of the present approach are also discussed.
Role for Phospholipid Interactions in the Trafficking Defect of ΔF508-CFTR†

Cystic fibrosis commonly occurs as a consequence of the ΔF508 mutation in the first nucleotide binding fold domain (NBF-1) of CFTR. The mutation causes retention of the mutant CFTR molecule in the endoplasmic reticulum, and this aberrant trafficking event is believed to be due to defective interactions between the mutant NBF-1 domain and other cellular factors in the endoplasmic reticulum. Since the NBF-1 domain has been shown to interact with membranes, we wanted to investigate whether NBF-1 and CFTR interactions with specific phospholipid chaperones might play a role in trafficking. We have found that the recombinant wild-type NBF-1 interacts selectively with phosphatidylserine (PS) rather than phosphatidylcholine (PC). By contrast, NBF-1 carrying the ΔF508 mutation loses the ability to discriminate between these two phospholipids. In cells expressing ΔF508-CFTR, replacement of PC by noncharged analogues results in an absolute increase in CFTR expression. In addition, we detected progressive expression ...
Lifetime evolution in resonance-assisted desorption of adsorbed molecules

Abstract We have explored how the correlation between the decay rate of a molecular negative ion and its inter-nuclear coordinates influences the desorption yield produced by electron attachment to a shape resonance of an adsorbed diatomic molecule. An analytic model of resonance-assisted desorption is modified to treat the dynamical evolution of the decay rate. Using this model we demonstrate that the equilibrium lifetime, which is commonly measured in short-time dynamical measurements such as high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy or inverse photoemission spectroscopy, overestimates the decay rate of those negative ions which live sufficiently long to induce desorption.
Stimulation of Glucose Oxidation in Rat Submandibular Gland Cells in Vitro by Analogues of Cyclic AMP

Secretion from salivary glands, following autonomic stimulation, is energy-dependent. Rat submandibular gland cells, when treated in vitro with both alpha- and beta-adrenergic agonists, showed increased glucose oxidation. The effects of alpha-adrenergic agents on glucose metabolism can be mimicked by non-receptor mobilization of Ca2+. Analogues of cyclic AMP were capable of elevating glucose metabolism to nearly the same extent as beta-adrenergic agonists.
3D warping and registration from lung images

Computerized volumetric warping and registration of 3D lung images can provide objective, accurate, and reproducible measures to the understanding of human lung structure and function. It is also invaluable to the assessment of the presence of diseases and their response to therapy. However, due to the complexity of breathing motion, little work has been carried out in this research area. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme to implement volumetric lung warping and registration from 3D CT images obtained at different stages of breathing. Bronchial points of airway trees and vessels are selected as feature points since they can be easily tracked over consecutive frames. The warping of these feature points into the entire volume is obtained based on a model of continuum mechanics and is implemented in an iteration fashion governed by such model. The model consists of three constraints: an incompressibility constraint, a divergence-free constraint and a motion-discontinuity- preserving smoothness constraint. An objective function is defined as a weighted sum of the three constraint terms and the desired displacement field of the whole volume between different stage of breathing is obtained by minimizing this objective function. The 3D warping is therefore represented by the dense displacement field obtained from the iteration. Preliminary results are visualized by overlaying the displacement field with the original images. Effectiveness of the algorithm is also evaluated by comparing the volume difference between the real and warped volumes. We believe the proposed approach will open up several areas of research in lung image analysis that can make use of the results from warping lung volumes.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Increase transmission system utilization in systems with variable generation through risk based assessment

The continuously increasing penetration levels of variable generation in power system poses difficulty for operators to predict network operating conditions. As the uncertainty in these conditions increases, so does the need to consider larger security margins when reliability transfer limits are defined. Total Transfer Capability (TTC) defines to which extent the existing transmission assets can be utilized in a reliable manner. Thus, using highly conservative margin leads to an inefficient use of the transmission network. Therefore it is very important for operators to have an adequate methodology and tool to calculate system operating limits that allow higher utilization of the transmission network while maintain the required reliability level. The purpose of the work presented in this paper is two-fold. Firstly, to examine current industry practices to evaluate TTC under variable generation such as wind; and secondly to outline a methodology to calculate TTC in power system with a large penetration of variable generation. Preliminary results with the proposed methodology are presented through a case study conducted on the IEEE two-area Reliability Test System (RTS).
Kalman Filter Tracking of Limb Scan Signal using a Bank of Correlators

A combined phase-locked loop/delay-locked loop (PLL/DLL) algorithm is developed for tracking Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) carrier phase and code phase using the output from a large number of correlators. This approach has advantages for limb-scanning applications, in which useful meteorological information, available only at the initial rising time of a GPS satellite, is desired. The technique uses a bank of correlators to span wide ranges of uncertainty in code phase and carrier Doppler shift, thereby avoiding the need for a separate acquisition and the associated loss of an initial span of data. A fusion of optimal estimation methods processes the output from these correlators. A batch optimization of a signal model's fit at a point in time to many accumulations from the correlator bank provides a Kalman filter with "measurements" of the most likely signal parameters. The Kalman filter utilizes a signal dynamics model to provide estimates that drive the PLL and DLL. The effectiveness of this algorithm is demonstrated by using a truth-model simulation of a limb scan.
In-plane free vibration of circular annular disks

Abstract This paper presents a generalized formulation for the in-plane modal characteristics of circular annular disks under combinations of all possible classical boundary conditions. The in-plane free vibration of an elastic and isotropic disk is studied on the basis of the two-dimensional linear plane stress theory of elasticity. The boundary characteristic orthogonal polynomials are employed in the Rayleigh–Ritz method to obtain the natural frequencies and associated mode shapes. Two approaches have been used to represent a clamped boundary condition. The first approach assumes a polynomial expression that satisfies the clamped conditions, while the second approach uses a disk with free boundary supported on artificial springs with stiffness tending to infinity. The natural frequencies are tabulated and compared with data available in the literature. Mode shapes are presented to illustrate the free vibration behavior of the disk.
Monosynaptic terminals on ventral horn cells of the rat.

Monosynaptic terminals measure approximately 2 × 4μ, have dense post-synaptic thickenings and subsynaptic granules, and are located on the proximal ends of primary dendrites. Following dorsal root section, alpha-glycogen particles accumulate in these synapses.
Radiation dose in cardiac imaging: how should it affect clinical decisions?

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to discuss whether and how the risks of exposure to ionizing radiation should affect clinical decision making in patients with known or suspected cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSION. Although the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and frequency of diagnostic testing has risen dramatically, cardiovascular mortality has declined. Earlier and more accurate detection of cardiovascular disease may play an important role. Concerns regarding excessive radiation exposure from cardiovascular imaging have been raised. Efforts to reduce exposure have included selection of appropriate patients for cardiovascular testing, technologic advances, educational resources, and a directed patient-centered approach to testing.
A note on sparse oracles for NP

Abstract We prove that if S is a sparse oracle for NP, then S is a sparse oracle for the polynomialtime hierarchy. Consequently, if NP has either a sparse or co-sparse ⩽TP-complete set, then the polynomial-time hierarchy collapses to Δ2P.. S. Mahaney (Proceedings, 21st IEEE Symposium, Foundations of Computer Science, 1980) had previously shown that if NP has a sparse ⩽TP-complete set, then the polynomial-time hierarchy collapses to Δ2P. Our single construction yields Mahaney's result for sparse ⩽TP-complete sets for NP and also the corresponding result for co-sparse ⩽TP-complete sets for NP. Both results strengthen the earlier work of Karp, Lipton, and Sipser, Proceedings, Twelfth ACM Symposium Theory of Computing, 1980, who proved that if NP has a sparse ⩽TP-complete set, then the polynomial-time hierarchy collapses to Σ2P ∩ Π2P .
Effect of particle-hole asymmetry on the Mott-Hubbard metal-insulator transition

The Mott-Hubbard metal-insulator transition is one of the most important problems in correlated-electron systems. In the past decade, much progress has been made in examining a particle-hole symmetric form of the transition in the Hubbard model with dynamical mean field theory, where it was found that the electronic self-energy develops a pole at the transition. We examine the particle-hole asymmetric metal-insulator transition in the Falicov-Kimball model and find that a number of features change when the noninteracting density of states has a finite bandwidth.
Degree sequences and majorization

A classical result concerning majorization is: given two nonnegative integer sequences a and b such that a majorizes b, a rearrangement of b can be obtained from a by a sequence of unit transformations. A recent result says that a degree sequence is a threshold sequence (degree sequence of a threshold graph) if and only if it is not strictly majorized by any degree sequence. Motivated by this, we define the majorization gap of a degree sequence to be the minimum number of successive reverse unit transformations required to transform it into a threshold sequence. We derive a formula for the majorization gap by establishing a lower bound for it and exhibiting reverse unit transformations achieving the bound. We also discuss the relationship between the majorization gap and the threshold gap (introduced elsewhere), and show that they are equal. The degree sequences having the maximum majorization gap for a fixed number of edges or vertices are characterized.
Multidimensional system enabling deglycosylation of proteins using a capillary reactor with peptide-N-glycosidase F immobilized on a porous polymer monolith and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of glycans.

Abstract A reactor with immobilized peptide-N-glycosidase F on a monolithic polymer support in a capillary has been developed that allows fast and efficient release of N-linked glycans from immunoglobulin G molecules. Two different monolithic scaffolds based on poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) and poly(butyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) were prepared. A multistep photografting process was used to reduce non-specific adsorption of proteins and to obtain support containing reactive azlactone functionalities enabling the preparation of highly active immobilized peptide-N-glycosidase F. Performance of these reactors was determined through glycan release from several glycoproteins including ribonuclease B, chicken albumin, and human immunoglobulin G and their detection by matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The optimized reactor was integrated into a multidimensional system comprising on-line glycan release and their separation via hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography followed by electrospray ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection. Using the optimized monolithic reactor with immobilized peptide-N-glycosidase F, human immunoglobulin G was deglycosylated at room temperature in 5.5 min to an extent similar to that achieved with soluble enzyme after 24 h at 37 °C.
The mildly retarded as casualties of the educational system

Abstract Some children in public schools merit special education placement and subsequent status as mentally retarded primarily because of faults inherent in the organizational and instructional system in the regular grades and not necessarily because of any inherent limitations in themselves. Among the reasons why such children become casualties of the educational system are ignorance of motivational and situational aspects of mental retardation, lack of systematic early identification, misapplication of social reinforcement techniques, lack of administrative support, and the organizational structure of special education itself. These aspects are discussed and possible remedies are proposed.
Hospital and emergency department utilization associated with treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a managed-care Medicare population.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a highly prevalent condition with high morbidity and mortality among older and disabled adults. Few studies have examined the comparative effectivene...
Ligand-induced interconversions of maize homoserine dehydrogenase among different states.

Abstract The threonine-sensitive homoserine dehydrogenase has been isolated and extensively purified from shoots of Zea mays L. var. earliking. This enzyme is shown to be hysteretic under certain conditions. Progress curves of the NAD-dependent reaction catalyzed by the maize enzyme can be characterized by distinct lags prior to achievement of steady state velocities, reflecting transitions from less active species to a more active steady state form of the enzyme. Incubation of the enzyme for 1 min at 25 °C prior to initiation of the reaction profoundly influences the properties of the less active enzyme and the nature of the subsequent slow transitions during assay. When the feedback modifier, l -threonine, or KCl is included in the preincubation mixture, the transitions involve biomolecular association reactions. In the absence of either ligand, or in the presence of an appropriate mixture of both, a unimolecular transition occurs during assay. Three unique preincubation states of the enzyme have been identified on the basis of their response to substrates and effectors; whereas, the kinetic and regulatory properties of the steady state form of the enzyme are independent of preincubation conditions. Steady state can thus be achieved by three different transitions. Each transition is retarded by threonine and favored by substrates and potassium, although the effects of these compounds differ quantitatively. Under the conditions tested, monovalent cations have no effect on the steady state velocity of the enzyme. A model describing the relationships among the four unique states of the enzyme which is consistent with the present results and supported by previous observations is proposed.
TRANSFORMATIONS OF THĂNG LONG: SPACE AND TIME, POWER AND BELIEF

2010 saw the millennial celebration of Thang Long/Ha Nội as capital of an independent Vietnam, and archaeology has tended to confirm this strong sense of continuity. Yet study of written texts shows us how political power, administrative style, and religious belief have shaped the city and how a cyclical pattern in this history has appeared twice and may be in its third time. In this pattern, each cycle saw the city begin as the provincial capital of an external power before becoming capital of an independent Vietnamese state. Then a local base draws power to itself and displaces Thang Long, eventually dismantling it, before a new external power enters and begins the cycle anew. In this way the Tang and Ming dynasties of China and the French made the site their local administrative center. Lý Cong Uẩn, Le Lợi, and Hồ Chi Minh in succession drove them out and established Thang Long/Ha Nội as their capital, bringing Buddhism, Confucianism, and Socialism to it. But first the Trần and Hồ, then the Mạc, Trịnh, and Nguyen, shared power with, and eventually displaced, the Royal City. Will it happen again?
On the Use of A Vehicle Routing Algorithm for the Parallel Processor Problem with Sequence Dependent Changeover Costs

Abstract We consider the problem of sequencing a set of changeover dependent jobs in a parallel processor shop subject to a workload restriction where the objective is to achieve minimum total changeover cost. A heuristic algorithm, developed previously to treat the vehicle delivery model, is used on the problem. Suitable computational experience with the algorithm is provided the results of which would support its application to problems of realistic size.
SUBCELLULAR MORPHOMETRIC AND BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSES OF DEVELOPING RAT HEPATOCYTES

Livers of rats between the 16th gestational and 100th postnatal day of age were subjected to quantitative biochemical and electron microscope, morphometric analyses. The amount of total mitochondrial protein per gram of liver remained at 34% of the adult level throughout the last 4 days of gestation but this was the period of rapid rise in the levels of cytochrome c oxidase, aspartate aminotransferase, and glutamate dehydrogenase in mitochondria; the nuclear fraction also acquired some glutamate dehydrogenase but lost most of it during postnatal development. During early postnatal life the amount of mitochondrial protein rose in parallel with the levels of cytochrome c oxidase and glutamate dehydrogenase but the upsurges of glutaminase and, later, of ornithine aminotransferase were accompanied by relatively little change in total mitochondrial protein. The surface area of rough endoplasmic reticulum per unit volume of hepatocyte cytoplasm (SvRER) did not change significantly throughout the period of development studied. From the 16th day of gestation to term the surface area of smooth ER (SvSER), the volume occupied by mitochondria (VvMT) and their number (NvMT) remained at 30, 66, and 45% of their adult values, respectively. VvMT and NvMT attained their maximal levels by the 2nd postnatal day and SvSER between days 2 and 12. Mitochondria of adult liver are thus smaller and contain more protein per unit volume than do those of fetal liver. After the 12th postnatal day, hepatocytes treble their size; they acquire more cytoplasm with additional enzymes but without further change in organelle concentration. The data reveal several distinct phases in the differentiation of hepatocytes. Each phase can be characterized by the extent to which the quantity and composition of various subcellular compartments evolve.
Incorporation of the sodium channel of lobster nerve into artificial liposomes

Abstract Na+ channels from lobster nerve membranes stored frozen in sucrose were incorporated into artificial liposomes. Crude soybean phospholipids or mixtures of purified phospholipids were suitable for reconstitution provided the latter included phosphatidylserine or another acidic phospholipid. The 22Na flux into the reconstituted vesicles was increased (2 to 3-fold) by veratridine (0.25 – 1 mM) or grayanotoxin I (50 –150 μM) and the increment was abolished by 10 nM tetrodotoxin (Ki = 2 nM). The reconstituted vesicles were inactivated after incubation for 15 min at 40° and exposure to 20 μM dicyclohexylcardobiimide inhibited by 80% the response to the drugs.
Parametrical Study of Hydrodynamic Seal Using a 2D Design Code and Comparing With a 3D CFD Model

Hydrodynamic non-contacting face seals, characterized with small leakage and long life, have been used in almost every sector of industrial pump applications. However, its application to aerospace has been proven challenging mainly owing to the high-speed, large size and vastly varied operating conditions in an engine environment. Design optimization is critical for a successful application in aero-engine. Seals designed with optimized hydrodynamic grooves based on a 2D code have been qualified for production. For certain seal applications, the optimized hydrodynamic grooves can be very different from what is usually used in aerospace applications. In order to verify such extreme design and confirm the optimization procedure, a three-dimensional CFD model was developed. The influences of hydrodynamic features were studied with the 3D CFD model and compared with the solution of the two-dimensional design code. The 3D computation generally supports the 2D result, and the seal design was further validated through rig tests.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Consuming and grouping: recource-mediated animal aggregation

We demonstrate that a simplistic foraging rule for a consumer in a spatially explicit resource environment leads to consumer grouping. Although consumer groups sweeping through the renewing resource environment represents the model’s dynamical attractor, for short time scales (represented by a constant total consumer population) three different distributions emerge. At low consumer density, population distributions are variable and spatially fixed, but not grouped. Moving groups erupt at intermediate consumer densities. At high consumer density, there is no spatial variability in the resource and consumer densities. Similar results have been observed in a variety of empirical systems. The results suggest interesting insights will arise by examining social interactions within a resource-consumer modeling framework.
The effects of vitamin B-6 deficiency and hepatectomy on the synthesis of oxalate from glycolate in the rat

Abstract The interrelationship between vitamin B-6 deficiency, liver and extrahepatic tissues with respect to oxalate biosynthesis from [ 14 C 1 ]glycolate in the rat has been investigated. Separate groups of vitamin B-6 deficient and control rats were subjected to total hepatectomy and the metabolism of injected [ 14 C 1 ]glycolate was followed by measuring the respired 14 CO 2 and analyzing the urine and blood for radioactive metabolites. Vitamin B-6 deficient and control rats were subjected to sham hepatectomies and used as controls. Vitamin B-6 deficient rats showed elevated urinary oxalate compared to controls. Hepatectomy reduced [ 14 C]oxalate excretion ad eliminated the B-6 effect. Respiratory 14 CO 2 was significantly lowered in hepatectomized rats and vitamin B-6 deficiency enhanced the reduction. A difference in oxalate metabolism between normal and vitamin B-6 deficient rat kidneys and possibly other tissues is indicated. The results suggest that the influence of vitamin B-6 on oxalate metabolism is mediated mainly through the liver and supports earlier observations that liver, which contains two oxalate synthesizing enzymes, glycotic acid oxidase and glycotic acid dehydrogenase, is a primary site for the synthesis of oxalate from glycolate.
Baculoviruses as expression vectors

Abstract Recent advances in baculovirus expression vector technology include improvements to methods for the selection of recombinant viruses and further developments in virion display vectors. It is now also possible to modify the host cell glycosylation pathway to alter the structure of glycans added to the recombinant polypeptide. Baculovirus vectors are continue to be modified to facilitate gene expression in mammalian cells.
Visualization of Mismatch Repair in Bacterial Cells

We determined the localizations of mismatch repair proteins in living Bacillus subtilis cells. MutS-GFP colocalized with the chromosome in all cells and formed foci in a subset of cells. MutL-GFP formed foci in a subset of cells, and its localization was MutS dependent. The introduction of mismatches by growth in 2-aminopurine caused a replication-dependent increase in the number of cells with MutS and MutL foci. Approximately half of the MutS foci colocalized with DNA polymerase foci. We conclude that MutS is associated with the entire chromosome, poised to detect mismatches. After detection, it appears that mismatch repair foci assemble at mismatches as they emerge from the DNA polymerase and are then carried away from the replisome by continuing replication.
I.U. Accelerator Control System Digital Multiplexer

A digital distribution system has been constructed at the Indiana University cyclotron facility to link the control computer, an XDS Sigma 2, with the three stages of the accelerator and the control console. This system consists of a network of modular digital multiplexers attached to a common bidirectional data bus. When fully expanded, the system can transmit or receive 16-bit data words to or from 1024 different devices. In addition, a device may generate a computer interrupt by raising 1 of 256 available status bits. The multiplex system was implemented with XDS T series modules and thus is compatible with any DTL or TTL logic.
Recognizing Chromosomes in Trouble: Association of the Spindle Checkpoint Protein Bub3p with Altered Kinetochores and a Unique Defective Centromere

Spindle checkpoint proteins monitor the interaction of the spindle apparatus with the kinetochores, halting anaphase even if the microtubule attachment of only a single chromosome is altered. In this study, we show that Bub3p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, an evolutionarily conserved spindle checkpoint protein, exhibits distinct interactions with an altered or defective kinetochore(s). We show for the first time that green fluorescent protein-tagged S. cerevisiae Bub3p (Bub3-GFP) exhibits not only a diffuse nuclear localization pattern but also forms distinct nuclear foci in unperturbed growing and G2/M-arrested cells. As Bub3-GFP foci overlap only a subset of kinetochores, we tested a model in which alterations or defects in kinetochore or spindle integrity lead to the distinct enrichment of Bub3p at these structures. In support of our model, kinetochore-associated Bub3-GFP is enriched upon activation of the spindle checkpoint due to nocodazole-induced spindle disassembly, overexpression of the checkpoint kinase Mps1p, or the presence of a defective centromere (CEN). Most importantly, using a novel approach with the chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) technique and genetically engineered defective CEN [CF/CEN6(Δ31)], we determined that Bub3-GFP can associate with a single defective kinetochore. Our studies represent the first comprehensive molecular analysis of spindle checkpoint protein function in the context of a wild-type or defective kinetochore(s) by use of live-cell imaging and the ChIP technique in S. cerevisiae.