cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of nutrition intervention on a reliable morbidity and mortality indicator: the hemodialysis-prognostic nutrition index.

Abstract Objective: To determine the prevalence of risk for hospitalization in hemodialysis (HD) patients and examine the impact of oral kilocalorie and protein supplementation in two Midwestern outpatient dialysis centers. Design/Setting: This was a prospective intervention study conducted at 2 outpatient dialysis centers in the Midwest. Patients: The inclusion criteria for patients were (1) more than 18 years of age, (2) receiving HD 3 times per week, and (3) a functioning gastrointestinal tract. Intervention: Patients who met study criteria and signed an informed consent form were screened using the hemodialysis prognostic nutrition index (HD-PNI) to determine risk for hospitalization. Patients determined to be at high risk (HD-PNI ≥0.8) were included in the treatment group, and patients at low risk did not receive the intervention. They followed their normal nutritional regimen. The intervention group received an oral supplement daily for 3 months. The team of the dietitian, patient, researcher, and physician determined the type of oral supplements based on patient needs and preferences. Main Outcome Measures: Before and after HD-PNI, 24-hour recall and subjective global assessments (SGA) were conducted to assess risk for hospitalization, dietary intake, and nutritional status, respectively. Results: A total of 117 patients were screened, with a total of 26 in the treatment group (high risk) and 91 in the low-risk group. Baseline SGA distribution was 23% for patients with low nutritional risk (group A), 64% for those with moderate nutritional risk (group B), and 13% for those with severe nutritional risk (group C). When the HD-PNI scores of the treatment group were analyzed using paired t -tests, significant differences were observed between pre- and post-HD-PNI mean scores, 1.92 ± 1.16 and 1.42 ± 1.59, ( P Conclusion: This study succeeded in showing that 22% of the hemodialysis patients in 2 Midwestern centers were at an increased risk for hospitalization. Furthermore, dietitian intervention with oral kilocalorie and protein supplements decreased the patients' hemodialysis prognostic nutrition index scores and thereby decreased the patients' risks for hospitalization.
Towards an ‘average’ version of the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture

Abstract Text The Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture states that the rank of the Mordell–Weil group of an elliptic curve E equals the order of vanishing at the central point of the associated L-function L ( s , E ) . Previous investigations have focused on bounding how far we must go above the central point to be assured of finding a zero, bounding the rank of a fixed curve or on bounding the average rank in a family. Mestre (1986) [Mes] showed the first zero occurs by O ( 1 / log log N E ) , where N E is the conductor of E, though we expect the correct scale to study the zeros near the central point is the significantly smaller 1 / log N E . We significantly improve on Mestre's result by averaging over a one-parameter family of elliptic curves E over Q ( T ) . We assume GRH, Tate's conjecture if E is not a rational surface, and either the ABC or the Square-Free Sieve Conjecture if the discriminant has an irreducible polynomial factor of degree at least 4. We find non-trivial upper and lower bounds for the average number of normalized zeros in intervals on the order of 1 / log N E (which is the expected scale). Our results may be interpreted as providing further evidence in support of the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture, as well as the Katz–Sarnak density conjecture from random matrix theory (as the number of zeros predicted by random matrix theory lies between our upper and lower bounds). These methods may be applied to additional families of L-functions. Video For a video summary of this paper, please click here or visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EVYPNi_LG0 .
Improved mood states with lamotrigine in patients with epilepsy

Abstract Lamotrigine (LTG) was added to other antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in a study of adjunctive therapy. In addition to seizure control and adverse effects, patients were evaluated for changes in mood states and quality of life. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) and 31-item Quality of Life in Epilepsy (QOLIE-31) instruments were administered at baseline (N = 196), after addition of LTG as adjunctive treatment (N = 155), and after withdrawal of other drugs to LTG monotherapy (N = 51). POMS scores correlated highly with the QOLIE-31 Emotional Well-Being subscale, a known measure of mood. All POMS subscales were significantly improved (all P
Metal point contacts and metal-oxide tunnel barriers fabricated with an AFM

Abstract We report the fabrication of atomic point contacts and lateral tunnel junctions by using anodic oxidation of thin metal films with an atomic force microscope.In situelectrical measurements were used as feedback to control the fabrication of metal nanowires that were subsequently anodized through their cross section to form point contacts and tunnel junctions. When the conductance of an Al device is reduced below ∼ 5×10−4S it starts to decrease in discrete steps of ∼ 2e2/h. In some devices we are able to stabilize the conductance at a value near 2e2/hwhich corresponds to a single, atomic-sized conducting channel. Similar experiments on Ti devices result in a continuous decrease of the conductance and the formation of stable tunnel junctions. This continuous behavior is a result of the large series resistance and the small oxide barrier height of the Ti/TiOxsystem.
Ideology, class and rationality: a critique of Cambridge International Examinations’ Thinking Skills curriculum

This article undertakes a critique of the aims and objectives of Thinking Skills, one of the most widely and internationally used curricula in the teaching of thinking, offered by the University of Cambridge International Examinations. By engaging in a critical discourse analysis of how political and class biases are (re-)produced in the forms of thinking that are valued in the classroom, issues of power and ideology latent in curricular discourses of rationality are foregrounded. Specifically, it will be demonstrated that the text engages in the ideological project of shaping our commonsense understandings of what thinking and rationality is and should be, not only in instrumental forms that both connect to neoliberal commitments and privilege a particular fraction of the middle class, but also in ways that evacuate substantive notions of morality, social justice, and the common good from individuals’ deliberations. The article concludes by pointing to alternative conceptualizations of thinking curricula.
Experimental simulation of the gaseous tokamak divertor

The first experimental simulation of the tokamak divertor using a gaseous collector is presented. Significant results are as follows: (i) neutral gas at a pressure of a few millitorr is sufficient to absorb the entire localized flux of plasma thermal energy and redistribute it over a wide area; (ii) elastic ion-neutral collisions constitute the main energy-absorbing process (at T/sub e/,i< or approx. =5 eV), and (iii) a large pressure difference between divertor and main plasma chamber is maintained by plasma pumping in the connecting channel.
In vivo31P nuclear magnetic resonance studies of arsenite induced changes in hepatic phosphate levels

Summary Hepatic phophate resonances were evaluated in vivo by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR) following a single intravenous dose of sodium arsenite (10 mg/kg). Acute in vivo administration of arsenite rapidly decreased intracellular pools of all ATP phosphate with concomitant increases in inorganic phosphate and phosphomonoesters. In the phosphodiester resonance region, glycerolphosphorylcholine was also increased. The data suggest that liver cannot compensate for the rapid loss of NAD-linked substrate oxidation via other metabolic pathways, such as glycolsis for the production of ATP, and also demonstrate that 31P-NMR spectroscopy can disclose time-dependent metabolic changes of the liver in vivo .
Working Conditions of Brazilian Immigrants in Massachusetts

Brazilian immigration to Massachusetts and other states in the US grew significantly in the last two decades. There is a lack of data about the working conditions and health and safety hazards faced by Brazilian immigrant workers. We surveyed over 500 workers in Eastern Massachusetts through a community-based participatory research project to explore occupational and immigration factors that may represent a risk to the health of Brazilian immigrant workers, who mostly work in the construction, housecleaning, and food services segments of the state labor force. Our pilot study suggests that Brazilian immigrant workers are exposed to chemical, ergonomic, physical, and psychosocial job hazards and have experienced a variety of health symptoms that may be associated with these work environment exposures. Since most Brazilian workers have not received proper training to recognize the hazards, there is an urgent need for the implementation of culturally adequate training programs and enforcement of safety and health regulations to prevent occupational injuries and fatalities.
ULTRAFILTRATION OF SOYBEAN WATER EXTRACTS: PROCESSING CHARACTERISTICS AND YIELDS

Water extracts of whole soybeans were obtained as described previously (JFS 43: 354) and processed in a hollow fiber ultrafiltration unit equipped with the XM-50 membrane. Protein and fat concentration increased linearly with volume concentration ratio (VCR) as expected for rejected components, although some losses were evident probably due to membrane adsorption. Amount of ash in retentate was reduced by 55%, indicating some binding with proteins. Protein coefficients of 0.9 or better could be easily obtained. Trypsin inhibitor activity of final product was reduced by 79%, mostly due to heat treatments during extraction. Final product assayed typically 60% protein, 34% fat, 2.8% ash (dry basis) and was very low in oligosaccharides and phytic acid.
Up-regulation of pro-nerve growth factor, neurotrophin receptor p75, and sortilin is associated with retrovirus-induced spongiform encephalomyelopathy.

Abstract The progressive spongiform encephalomyelopathy caused by ts1, a neuropathogenic temperature-sensitive mutant of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV-ts1), results in motor neuronal loss without direct neuronal infection. We have previously reported that ts1-mediated neuronal degeneration in mice has a multifactorial pathogenesis. Here, we report that in the ts1-infected central nervous system (CNS) activated neural cells showed intense immunoreactivity for pro-nerve growth factor (proNGF), neurotrophin receptor p75 (p75NTR), and sortilin in the areas showing spongiform changes. Since recent studies suggested that proNGF is more active than mature NGF in inducing neuronal death after binding to co-receptors p75NTR/sortilin, we hypothesized that overexpression of proNGF, sortilin and p75NTR play a role in ts1-induced neurodegeneration. We found that proNGF and p75NTR, but not sortilin, mRNA and protein were significantly elevated in ts1-infected brainstem compared to non-infected control tissue. There was extensive tyrosine phosphorylation of p75NTR, a marker for its activation, in ts1-infected brainstem with abundance in degenerating neurons. We explored whether the increase in the in vivo proNGF expression also occurs in cultured immortalized C1 astrocytes infected by ts1 virus. The proNGF level was significantly increased in infected C1 cells compared to control cells only after addition of fibroblast growth factor (FGF-1). We also showed increased expression of FGF-1 in the CNS of ts1-infected mice. Our findings suggest that the FGF-1 signaling pathway may be responsible for the overexpression of proNGF in neural cells during pathogenesis of ts1-induced neurodegeneration. This study provides new in vivo insights into the possible role of proNGF and its receptors in ts1-induced neurodegeneration.
Studies on aspergilli. XVII. Effect of nitrogen sources on growth and fruiting.

The effect of ammonium, nitrate, and organic nitrogen on growth and sporulation of 18 Aspergilli was examined in a chemically defined medium in surface culture under controlled conditions. All three forms of nitrogen were metabolized by all the Aspergilli tested. Ammonium nitrogen was not good both for growth and fruiting. This was due to the sharp fall in the pH level which resulted due to the rapid utilization of anions of the ammonium nitrogen than cations. The effect of adding succinic acid in the medium containing ammonium nitrogen has been discussed.
Interlaboratory comparison of 10Be concentrations in two ice cores from Central West Antarctica

To improve sample processing efficiency for cosmogenic radionuclide measurements in samples from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide core, two chemical lines, one at Purdue University and one at the University of California, Berkeley, are being used. Sections from two shallow ice cores from West Antarctica were processed at each lab, while all 10Be accelerator mass spectrometry measurements were performed at PRIME Lab, Purdue University. Duplicate samples gave 10Be results that are identical to within the AMS measurement uncertainties of 2–3%.
Nonlinear transmission and scattering of multiwalled carbon nanotubes suspended in an index-matched solid matrix and nonlinear optical dye solution

The nonlinear transmission of a combination of carbon nanotubes and nonlinear optical (NLO) dye is studied experimentally using nanosecond pulses. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT) are suspended in a solid matrix. The refractive index of the solid matrix is matched to a solvent/NLO dye solution. Evidence of both nonlinear scattering and nonlinear absorption is reported. Though there is evidence of increased scattering due to the CNT solid matrix, no enhancement in nonlinear response is observed.
The Influence of Access Related Factors on Adherence to Clinical Practice Guidelines for Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

Abstract Introduction Clinical guidelines for muscle invasive bladder cancer recommend radical cystectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection as the preferred treatment, although adherence to this guideline is variable. We tested whether access related characteristics are associated with guideline adherence for muscle invasive bladder cancer, and whether the association between access related characteristics and guideline adherence varies by geographic region. Methods We analyzed 27,585 patients diagnosed with stage cT2 or cT3/cN0/cM0 urothelial carcinoma between 1998 and 2010 from the National Cancer Database, and examined the relationship between access related variables and treatment with radical cystectomy/pelvic lymph node dissection vs nonradical cystectomy/pelvic lymph node dissection. Multivariate logistic regression models evaluated associations between access related factors and treatment with radical cystectomy/pelvic lymph node dissection at national and geographically stratified levels. Results A total of 6,386 (23.2%) patients underwent radical cystectomy/pelvic lymph node dissection for muscle invasive bladder cancer. Black patients were less likely to undergo radical cystectomy/pelvic lymph node dissection (OR 0.64) compared to white patients. Uninsured patients (OR 0.62) and those covered by Medicaid (OR 0.81) were less likely to undergo radical cystectomy/pelvic lymph node dissection compared to privately insured patients. Patients living more than 120 miles (OR 2.45) from the treatment hospital were more likely to undergo radical cystectomy/pelvic lymph node dissection than those living in the same zip code. Patients were more likely to undergo radical cystectomy/pelvic lymph node dissection if treated at an academic hospital (OR 2.32) compared to a community hospital, and if treated at a high volume center (OR 1.82) compared to a low volume center. Race, insurance status, income and hospital volume demonstrated significant between-region variation as predictors of treatment with radical cystectomy/pelvic lymph node dissection. Conclusions Access related factors are associated with disparities in guideline adherence for muscle invasive bladder cancer and the effect of these factors varies by geographic region.
Whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Egg Pedicel Insertion into Host Plant Stomata

The egg pedicel of the following whitefly species was inserted into host plant stomata during oviposition: Orchamoplatus mammaeferus (Quaintance and Baker), Aleurothrixus floccosus (Maskell), Singhius hibisci (Kotinsky), Aleurodicus dispersus (Russell), Crenidorsum sp., Dialeurodes citrifolii (Morgan), D. kirkaldyi (Kotinsky), Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Quaintance), Odontaleyrodes rhododendri (Takahashi), Paraleyrodes naranjae (Dozier), P. perseae (Quaintance), and Aleyrodes shizuokensis Kuwana. The egg pedicel of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) and Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) were inserted nonstomatally, directly into host plant tissues.
Treating incest-related PTSD and pathogenic schemas through imaginal exposure and rescripting

The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse indicates a need for the development of effective therapeutic interventions. This article presents one such treatment, Imagery Rescripting, that combines imaginal exposure with mastery imagery. Imagery Rescripting is based on an expanded information processing model that conceptualizes the recurring traumatic memories of the abuse survivor both within a PTSD framework and as part of the patient's core schemata. A rationale for the model is provided by a review of relevant information processing theories of PTSD and a discussion of the effects of sexual trauma upon schema formation. The treatment procedure is briefly described, results of a pilot study supporting the efficacy of Imagery Rescripting are cited, and its application is illustrated by means of a case study. It is proposed that Imagery Rescripting facilitates adaptive processing of childhood traumas by reducing intrusive PTSD symptoms and modifying abuse-related beliefs and schemas.
Idiopathic Restrictive Cardiomyopathy in Childhood: Diagnostic Features and Clinical Course

Objective To describe the clinical course and outcome of children with idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy (IRCM) and to present the Doppler echocardiographic features of this disease in childhood. Design We reviewed the Mayo Clinic patient database for the period from 1975 to 1993 to identify children who underwent assessment for IRCM. Material and Methods Clinical records and diagnostic studies, including two-dimensional (2-D), M-mode, and Doppler echocardiograms, were reviewed for each patient. Characteristics were analyzed statistically to determine potential predictors of outcome. Results Eight children (five girls and three boys) were diagnosed with IRCM between 1975 and 1993 at our institution. The median age at diagnosis was 11 years, and the median duration of follow-up was 11.5 years. Of the eight patients, five died (the median time from initial examination to death was 1 year). All five of these patients had clinical and radiographic evidence of pulmonary venous congestion. In all patients, 2-D and M-mode echocardiography revealed atrial enlargement without ventricular dilatation or hypertrophy. The four patients who underwent detailed diastolic Doppler assessment had findings consistent with restrictive filling and increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure: (1) short mitral deceleration time, (2) increased pulmonary vein atrial reversal velocity and duration, and (3) pulmonary vein atrial reversal duration greater than mitral Awave duration. Conclusion The prognosis for children with IRCM is poor. In this small group of patients, absence of pulmonary venous congestion most consistently predicted extended survival. A combined 2-D and Doppler echocardiographic examination provides a reliable noninvasive means of assessing the physiologic and morphologic features of IReM in children.
T47D breast cancer cell growth is inhibited by expression of VACM-1, a cul-5 gene.

Abstract Vasopressin-activated calcium-mobilizing (VACM-1), a cul-5 gene, is localized on chromosome 11q22-23 close to the gene for Ataxia Telangiectasia in a region associated with a loss of heterozygosity in breast cancer tumor samples. To examine the biological role of VACM-1, we studied the effect of VACM-1 expression on cellular growth and gene expression in T47D breast cancer cells. Immunocytochemistry studies demonstrated that VACM-1 was expressed in 0.6–6% of the T47D cells and localized to the nucleus of mitotic cells. Overexpressing VACM-1 significantly attenuated cellular proliferation and MAPK phosphorylation when compared to the control cells. In addition, VACM-1 decreased egr-1 and increased Fas-L mRNA levels. Further, egr-1 protein levels were significantly lower in the nuclear fraction from VACM-1 transfected cells when compared to controls. These data indicate that VACM-1 is involved in the regulation of cellular growth.
OBSERVATION OF OSCILLATORY MAGNETOSTRICTION IN BISMUTH AT 4.2 K

A longitudinal magnetostriction was observed in bismuth at 4.2 deg K up to 25 kgauss in a direction 58 deg from the trigonal axis and 34 deg from the bisectrix, and the previously predicted oscillatory effect was found. Features that correspond closely to the de Haas-van Alphen effect were observed. The largest strain observed was 1.2 x 10/sup -6/ and occurred at 25 kgauss. Nine full periods of the oscillation were identified, the smallest occurring at 1.4 kgauss with a strain amplitude of 1.5 x 10/sup -9/. The period was constant in reciprocal magnetic field with a value 7.3 x 10/sup -5/ gauss/sup -1/. (C.E.S.)
Differences in antibiotic prescribing patterns for children younger than five years in the three major outpatient settings

Abstract Objectives To perform a comprehensive analysis of the use of antibiotics in three major sites for outpatient care: private office-based clinics, emergency departments (ED), and hospital-based clinics. Study design Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) were used to determine visit rates and antibiotic prescribing patterns for the three major outpatient care settings from 1994 to 2000 for children Results Antibiotic prescription rates declined from 1400 to 1076 per 1000 children over the study years (P = .034). Significant declines in antibiotic prescriptions were noted in both the office-based setting and ED: 1114 to 832 (P = .053) in the office-based setting and 236 to 194 antibiotic prescriptions per 1000 children in the ED (P = .005). Sites of care differed markedly with white children receiving 82.5%, 14.3%, and 3.2% of antibiotics in the office-based settings, ED, and hospital-based clinics, respectively, compared with 60%, 31%, and 9% for black children (P Conclusions There has been a decline in antibiotic prescribing in children
Why study 1/f noise in Coulomb glasses

We briefly review 1/f noise in Coulomb glasses. We then argue that measurements of the second spectrum of the noise in Coulomb glasses could help to determine if electron fluctuations are correlated. (© 2003 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Illumination problem and absolutely focusing mirrors

We consider the illumination and the strong illumination properties for closed bounded regions of Euclidean spaces. These properties are intimately connected with a problem of chaoticity of the corresponding billiards. It is shown that there are only two mechanisms of chaoticity in billiard systems, which are called the mechanism of dispersing and the mechanism of defocusing. Our results show how the regions with different illumination properties should be designed. Especially each focusing mirror in the boundary of a region must be an absolutely focusing one. The notion of absolutely focusing mirrors is a new one in the geometric optic and it plays a key role for the illumination problem.
Sensible Writing Can Be Understood

Technical writing is a functional type of prose. A technical writer must outline and define the subject matter for his reader. In addition, he should be aware of the reader's intelligence, and he m...
The Effect of Visual Features on Jumping Spider Movements Across Gaps

Our objective was to determine whether an animal’s decisions to cross inhospitable open space are influenced by the visual characteristics of targets it can see across the space. We studied jumping spiders (Salticidae) in the genus Phidippus. We considered the effect of target size (short vs. tall) and distance (close vs. distant) in no-choice experiments. How often spiders approached close targets, regardless of target size, was not significantly different from how often they approached tall, distant targets, but they approached close targets of either size significantly more often than short, distant targets. When presented simultaneously with short, close and tall, distant targets the spiders’ choices did not differ significantly from random. We also tested for the effects of the contrast of targets with their background and found that the spiders crossed open space to reach green, but not white, targets, regardless of background. Finally, spiders were more likely to approach a green grass-like target rather than a target composed of geometric shapes. We conclude that target size, distance and appearance all influence the spiders’ willingness to cross open space.
The endoscopic appearance of pemphigoid esophagitis.

The endoscopic observation of pemphigoid esophagitis is a rare event but one which all gastroenterologists will be gratified to share in the following report.
Development of a table-top 10-TW laser

One of the most active and productive areas of lasertechnology has been in the development and use of shortpulses. The invention of the mode-locked dye laser inthe mid-1970's made possible the production of picosec-ond pulses.1 These were, by far, the shortest pulses ofelectromagnetic radiation ever produced in the labora-tory. These laser sources lead to new fields of chemistryand physics, and advanced the field of ultrafast electron-ics. The development of GaAs as a high-speed semicon-ductor, our understanding of quantum wells, and thecharacterization of ultrafast drcuits were aided by thedevelopment of the picosecond laser.2A few years later, picosecond dye amplifiers weredeveloped, which produced pulses exhibiting peakpower in excess of a gigawatt. These laser sourcesopened a new chapter in nonlinear optics and plasmaphysics. For the first time, it was possible to produce adense plasma in a time period too short for manyplasma instabilities to grow and too short for substantialhydrodynamic motion to occur.4 We can now study theevolution and heating of the plasma with an accuracyand control not previously attainable. Such studies arenow under way throughout the world at several labora-tories and have already resulted in an increased under-standing of some of the plasma processes that play arole in inertial confinement fusion, especially x-ray gen-eration and materials properties under conditions ofextreme density and temperature.5Until very recently, short-pulse laser technology waslimited to the production of gigawatt pulses. Terawattpower levels required high energy and relatively longpulses (>100 ps). Such lasers were confined to a fewnational facilities, like Nova, since they were large andcomplex systems costing tens of millions of dollars. In1988, this situation changed with the application of anew technology chirped-pulse amplification (0'A).6'7The refinement of this technology has made possiblethe development of tabletop, short-pulse, terawatt-classlasers. These new lasers permit us to study fundamen-tally new processes, as well as processes that could pre-viously only be investigated with large-scale systems.We have developed a neodymium-doped, phos-phate glass laser system capable of producing 8.8 J in800 femtoseconds (10.7 TW) with an elliptical, uniformbeam profile or 6.6 J in 800 fs (8.2 TW) with a circular,uniform beam profile. The pulses are only 240 imlong. The entire laser system fits on a 5- x 20-ft opticaltable. This report describes the technology of CPA, thedevelopment of our l0-TW tabletop laser, and initial
The Question of Natural Selection against Mutable-to-Terminator Codons

Codons that differ from a terminator triplet by only a single base are sometimes thought, because of their greater risk of undergoing a harmful mutation, to be kept at a reduced frequency by natural selection. The present study on human genes shows that these codons are infrequent, but their low frequency is not directly related to their risk of mutation to terminator. Rather, it is a consequence of their ending in A or G; comparable A-ending and G-ending codons that are not mutable to terminator are also infrequent. Natural selection does not appear to have depressed the frequency of mutable-to-terminator codons by directly eliminating some of them individually. It may have depressed their frequency indirectly by adjusting mutation rates in the population so that most of the purine-ending codons--and consequently most of the mutable-to-terminator ones as well--are infrequent.
Bias Properties of Extragalactic Distance Indicators. X. The Teerikorpi Cluster Population Incompleteness Bias for a Modified Lemaître-Robertson-Hubble-Humason Distance Method That Uses Luminosity Functions

The Teerikorpi cluster incompleteness bias for galaxy clusters is demonstrated using a simplified model of an artificial cluster. The distance indicator for this demonstration is the combination of the Hubble morphological type (T) and the van den Bergh luminosity class (L) introduced in Paper V. The model shows that the luminosity function must be sampled to ~3.5 mag fainter than the brightest cluster galaxy if a distance modulus that is accurate to ~0.1 mag is to be achieved using the T-L method. The bias properties of the artificial model are demonstrated using actual data from the complete catalogs of the Virgo and the Ursa Major Cluster galaxies. The derived bias-free distance moduli derived from the data are (m - M)0 = 31.95 ± 0.15 mag for the Virgo complex and (m - M)0 = 31.61 ± 0.13 for the Ursa Major Cluster. These are larger than the values of (m - M)0 = 30.80 mag for Virgo and 30.95 mag for Ursa Major derived by Pierce & Tully in 1988 from the Tully-Fisher method. The Virgo modulus here is also larger than the (m - M) = 30.81 mag adopted by the "Key Project" consortium in their work for the Hubble constant, but it is consistent with 31.7 derived earlier by many methods. This modulus, combined with other data, led to H0 = 58 ± 6 km s-1 Mpc-1 in earlier papers and derived most securely from the Cepheid calibration of the mean absolute magnitude of Type Ia supernovae (e.g., Saha et al.; Parodi et al.).
Two arguments against ethical egoism

The form of ethical egoism which I shall discuss is the view that the right thing for anyone to do, on any occasion, is whatever would best promote his own interests, no matter how other people's interests would be affected. Very few philosophers who write books or publish articles in journals believe in this doctrine, although many are at pains to refute it. There are at least three interconnected reasons for wanting to refute this view: first, it is a pernicious doctrine which goes against some of our most central moral beliefs. According to ethical egoism, each of us should take the att i tude that other people simply don ' t matter, except insofar as they are useful to us; and that is a wicked attitude. Second, even though few philosophers accept the doctrine, many people are tempted by it. Moreover and this is perhaps the most important reason, from a philosophical point of view the refutation is bound to shed some light on the rationale behind the alternative view that other people's interests should be respected for their own sakes. Some philosophers have argued that ethical egoism is unacceptable because it violates principles of logic which every rational person must accept) I am going to present two arguments against ethical egoism, but neither of them is of this type. I will not try to show that egoism is self-contradictory. Rather, I will argue that even if ethical egoism is a logically consistent doctrine, it is unacceptable on other
THEORY OF ELECTRONIC ANTI-FOULING TECHNOLOGY TO CONTROL PRECIPITATION FOULING IN HEAT EXCHANGERS

Abstract This paper provides a scientific explanation for the operating principle of the electronic anti-fouling (EAF) technology. The EAF technology produces an oscillating electric field via Faraday's law to provide necessary molecular agitation to dissolved mineral ions. Through improved collisions, they precipitate to insoluble mineral crystals, a process called “controlled precipitation.” Hence, the level of supersaturation of the hard water significantly decreases, and new scale deposits are prevented inside heat transfer equipment. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd
The active site of rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase. Evidence for a site common to the oxalacetate decarboxylase and pyruvate kinase reactions.

Abstract Rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase has been shown to catalyze the decarboxylation of oxalacetate (Creighton, D.J. and Rose, I.A. (1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 61). Noncovalent and covalent modifiers of the enzyme have been used to assess whether the decarboxylase and kinase reactions take place at a common site. Phospho enol-α- ketobutyrate , an analog of the substrate phospho enol- pyruvate , inhibits decarboxylase and kinase competitively and with nearly identical K i values (5.7 μM and 4.8 μM, respectively). Oxalate, an analog of enol - pyruvate , inhibits each competitively and with similar K i values (11 μM and 4.7 μM, respectively). Both activities are lost in parallel upon reaction with dithio-nitrobenzoate, which is active-site specific. These results indicate that the two activities share a common site on the enzyme. But, effects of the following modifiers suggest that different amino acid residues at that site participate in the two reactions: phenylalanine inhibition and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate activation are more effective with the decarboxylase; iodoacetamide preferentially inactivates decarboxylase while trinitrobenzenesulfonate preferentially inactivates kinase.
A retrospective analysis of 1570 appendiceal carcinoids

Objective Information about the management and outcome of appendiceal carcinoids is sparse, because few series comprise more than 100 cases. In this study we have analyzed the epidemiology of 1570 appendiceal carcinoids, to compare outcome with other gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors. Methods: We evaluated 1570 appendiceal carcinoids in a series of 8305 carcinoid tumors from the SEER, the End Results Group, and the Third National Cancer Survey programs of the National Cancer Institute over the time period 1950–1991. Results Appendiceal carcinoids comprised 18.9% of all carcinoid tumors and exhibited a marked female predominance (M/F ratio: 0.47). Age-adjusted incidence rates were 1.7-fold higher in women compared to men. Appendiceal carcinoids present earlier (average age: 42.2 yr) than other gastrointestinal carcinoids (62.9 yr) or noncarcinoid appendiceal tumors (61.9 yr). At the time of diagnosis 35.4% were nonlocalized. The overall 5-yr survival for localized lesions was 94%, for regional invasion 84.6%, and for distant metastases 33.7%. The 5-yr survival of appendiceal carcinoids (85.9%) was the highest among all types of carcinoid tumors. In 14.6% noncarcinoid tumors at other sites were also evident. Conclusion The high relative incidence of carcinoid tumors in the appendix is still poorly understood. The good overall 5-yr survival rates of appendiceal carcinoids as opposed to other carcinoids represents either a different biological behavior, earlier diagnosis, or expeditious management (appendectomy). However, the increased likelihood of coexisting neoplasms and the not uncommon presentation of metastatic disease should warrant careful evaluation and postoperative follow-up of such lesions.
PRACTICING POLICY, PURSUING CHANGE, AND PROMOTING SOCIAL JUSTICE: A POLICY INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH

Schools of social work are mandated to train students for policy practice. A new instructional approach is needed so that social workers skillfully engage in policy change to address the growing economic, social, and cultural problems that affect our clients. This article presents the Practicing Policy, Pursuing Change, and Promoting Social Justice (3P) approach, which brings social work students from multiple course sections together for unified policy advocacy on a target issue. The 8 stages of the 3P approach are presented, along with a case study. Suggestions for replication and implications for social work education are discussed.
Electrogyratory And Electrooptic Coupling In BSO And BGO

The photorefractive materials Bi12Si020(BSO) and its structural isomorph Bi12Ge020 (BGO) have been used as real time holographic materials in a variety of optical storage and information processing applications in the last decade [Ref 1]. Their overall response speed and comparitive ease of crystal growth - and hence availability in relatively large sizes - have frequently made BSO and BGO the materials of choice in these applications despite the supe-rior diffraction efficiencies available with the ferroelectric compounds barium titanate and strontium barium niobate (SBN) [Ref 2]. An understanding of the properties of holographic devices utilizing these materials requires an accurate description of both the holographic formation and read-out processes. The mechanics of the recording process in photorefractive materials, in which photogenerated charge carriers redistribute themselves to form a periodic electric field variation in the medium, have been studied extensively and a number of useful theoretical models now exist [Ref 3, 4]. The holographic read-out process though similarly complex, has been afforded somewhat less attention.© (1986) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Microwave response of a HEMT photoconductive detector

Interdigitated photoconductive detectors with 5-micron geometry have been fabricated on HEMT material and their optical response characteristics at 820 nm have been examined at dc and in the frequency range of 2-8 GHz. These have been compared with characteristics of similar 1-micron devices on MESFET material. The shapes of the frequency responses were found to differ, but the useful bandwidth of both types of devices was found to be similar.
Animal models for muscular dystrophy show different patterns of sarcolemmal disruption

Genetic defects in a number of components of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC) lead to distinct forms of muscular dystrophy. However, little is known about how alterations in the DGC are manifested in the pathophysiology present in dystrophic muscle tissue. One hypothesis is that the DGC protects the sarcolemma from contraction-induced damage. Using tracer molecules, we compared sarcolemmal integrity in animal models for muscular dystrophy and in muscular dystrophy patient samples. Evans blue, a low molecular weight diazo dye, does not cross into skeletal muscle fibers in normal mice. In contrast, mdx mice, a dystrophin-deficient animal model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, showed significant Evans blue accumulation in skeletal muscle fibers. We also studied Evans blue dispersion in transgenic mice bearing different dystrophin mutations, and we demonstrated that cytoskeletal and sarcolemmal attachment of dystrophin might be a necessary requirement to prevent serious fiber damage. The extent of dye incorporation in transgenic mice correlated with the phenotypic severity of similar dystrophin mutations in humans. We furthermore assessed Evans blue incorporation in skeletal muscle of the dystrophia muscularis (dy/dy) mouse and its milder allelic variant, the dy2J/dy2J mouse, animal models for congenital muscular dystrophy. Surprisingly, these mice, which have defects in the laminin alpha2-chain, an extracellular ligand of the DGC, showed little Evans blue accumulation in their skeletal muscles. Taken together, these results suggest that the pathogenic mechanisms in congenital muscular dystrophy are different from those in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, although the primary defects originate in two components associated with the same protein complex.
A Biologically Plausible System Approach for Noise Robust Vowel Recognition

Present day commercial automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems still pale in comparison to the human ability to recognize speech. For decades, people tried to mimic biology for machine recognition tasks and ASR is no exception. Widely used and accepted Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients, for example, try to develop better filter banks by looking at the distribution of the hair cells along the basilar membrane. However, all these approaches stem only from topological and anatomical considerations. This research proposes to take this biological inspiration one step further by imitating some of the dynamical computation of our auditory system via describing a biologically plausible algorithm that exclusively utilizes spikes in both the feature extraction and recognition stages. The prototype biological system is demonstrated on voiced phonemes and preliminary results show competitive recognition performance on a vowel dataset in the presence of noise.
Screening elderly populations for cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency using the urinary methylmalonic acid assay by gas chromatography mass spectrometry

Abstract purpose: This study assesses the value of the urinary methylmalonic acid (MMA) assay by gas chromatography mass spectrometry as a screening procedure for detection of cobalamin (Cbl) deficiency and estimates the prevalence of undetected Cbl deficiency in elderly populations. subjects and methods: A total of 809 elderly individuals over age 65 were screened using random spot urine specimens from 4 different sites: a health fair, retirement apartments, a hospital-based elderly assessment center, and a nursing home. Follow-up tests included serum total Cbl, serum MMA, and normalization of urinary and serum MMA levels with Cbl intramuscular (IM) therapy. results: The prevalence of elevated urinary MMA varied across population groups, from 3.0% in elderly visiting a health fair to 5.1% in elderly residing in retirement apartments. Follow-up on 35 of 36 subjects with elevated urinary MMA levels showed that 18 had low serum total Cbl (less than 180 pg/mL at Hospital 1 or less than 200 pg/mL at Hospital 2), 12 had lownormal Cbl (180 or 200 pg/mL to 350 pg/mL), and 5 had normal Cbl. Of the 12 subjects with low-normal Cbl on retesting, further assessment was performed in 7, and all 7 of these subjects had evidence of Cbl deficiency. Cbl IM therapy was initiated for 23 subjects; 16 were seen for follow-up and all had normal urinary MMA. conclusion: The relatively high prevalence of undetected Cbl deficiency identified in the seniors warrants additional studies of elderly populations. The sensitivity, convenience, and noninvasive nature of the urinary MMA assay by gas chromatography mass spectrometry make it a practical screening test.
Properties of diacylglycerol kinase in adult and fetal rat lung

Diacylglycerol kinase activity is found in both adult and fetal lung. Approximately 27 and 52% of the total activity is found in microsomes and cytosol, respectively. The activity is maximal at pH 7.4. The apparent K, for ATP is 0.11 mM and 0.21 mM for cytosol and microsomes, respectively. The apparent K, for dioleoylglycerol is 0.05 mM for cytosol and 0.14 mM for microsomes. Maximal activity in cytosol and microsomes is obtained with 2.0 mM deoxycholate. Other detergents cannot substitute for deoxycholate. Phosphatidylglycerol stimulates activity in the absence and in the presence of deoxycholate. Phosphatidylserine also stimulates activity, whereas phosphatidylethanolamine was inactive and phosphatidylcholine inhibited the reaction. Linoleic acid produced inhibition. The general properties of the enzyme were similar for fetal and adult lung. Diacylglycerol kinase from microsomes and cytosol fraction from both fetal and adult lung was most active with dioleoylglycerol and diacylglycerol from egg phosphatidylcholine. Significantly lower activity was obtained with dipalmitoylglycerol. Phosphatidylglycerol did not alter the relative substrate preferences. The activity in microsomes increased with development from 19 days gestation to a maximal activity at 21 days gestation. Maximal activity was about 2-fold higher than the adult. The activity dropped rapidly reaching adult values prior to birth (22 days gestation). The activity in cytosol fractions increased gradually from 19 days gestation, reaching adult values by 22 days gestation.
Self-defense training and women's fear of crime☆

Abstract This study investigated the relationship between self-defense training and women's fear of crime and feelings of physical competence. Forty-nine women enrolled in Positive Action self-defense courses in Hamilton, New Zealand, participated in the study, completing a pre- and post-test that measured fear of eight specific crimes and feelings of confidence regarding their ability to defend themselves successfully from individual and group attacks. The pre-test was also given to a control group consisting of women enrolled in physical fitness coarses at the YWCA. After participating in the training, students reported a significant reduction in fear of all eight crimes and a significant increase in their confidence in their ability to defend themselves. Comparisons between the pretraining scores of the test group and the control group revealed that the control group reported a significantly lower mean fear of rape and also felt more confident that they would be able to defend themselves from one unarmed attacker; however, after participating in the course, the test group reported a significant increase in confidence compared to the control group's initial confidence level, suggesting that even women with some degree of confidence in their physical competence might benefit from participation in the course.
Effect of thermal blooming on pulse propagation through vaporizing aerosols

The effect of thermal blooming in the air is formulated within the framework of the radiative transfer equation. This is accomplished on the basis of the ray optics approach and the notion of an effective time-dependent absorption coefficient that describes the changes in the phase of the electric field caused by thermal blooming. In this approach, the beam spreading effects are entirely due to scattering from the aerosol cloud; the effect of vaporization of aerosols leads to a nonlinear coupling of the aerosols to radiation. The general setup is used to model numerically the propagation of a high energy laser beam through a cloud of aerosols distributed in the atmosphere. The limitations of the approach are outlined.
THE ADRENAL CORTEX IN ITS RELATION TO VIRILISM

ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING PROBLEMS in medicine from the time of antiquity, and one which now approaches its final solution, has been that of the fat bearded woman. Her plight has been all the more distressing because it has struck at a most vulnerable spot, namely a woman’s vanity, and all too often has become a matter for jest despite the obvious seriousness of her condition. The first scientific contribution as to the underlying nature of the disease was furnished by Bulloch and Sequeira (1) in 1905 when they published a series of 11 cases of adrenal cortical lesions in females producing masculinization. In 1910 Apert (2) introduced the word hirsutism, and in 1912 Gallais coined the term adrenogenital syndrome which has persisted in general usage with minor variations. For the next two decades, no further significant discoveries in the subject were revealed until 1932 when Cushing (3) promulgated the concept that certain of these women with virilism and obesity presented as the responsible lesion an a...