cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two phase choke flow in tubes with very large L/D

Currently, the shuttle engine turbopump is required to boost propellant pressures to 30 MPa with proposed second-generation engines requiring propellants to be delivered at pressures to 50 MPa. The problem of fluid leaking past the sealing surfaces in rotating machinery is compounded with cryogenics, high pressure, large temperature gradients, very high speeds of rotation, and static seal requirements. At lower pressure and rotation speeds, self-energizing pumping seals with very close clearances have been successfully employed in a variety of sealing applications [1]. These seals frequently have very large length-to-hydraulic diameter ratio (L/D) passages. At the proposed operating pressures, design innovations to minimize losses are required, but choked flow data and models to make such calculations are lacking. A similar problem occurs in very long cryogenic transmission lines.
Women at risk of HIV / STD: the importance of male partners as barriers to condom use.

Women's perceptions of power in their relationship with their main partner, control over condom use, concerns about potential partner retribution, condom requests, and condom use were assessed by interviewing a group of women attending two urban public clinics for sexually transmitted diseases in Alabama. Only 5% reported that they had no control over condom use by their partner. Fears of catastrophic partner reactions to condom use requests (sexual coercion, abuse, or abandonment) and experiences of partner objections were also uncommon. Women did not perceive themselves to be powerless. Inconsistent condom use was associated with wanting condom use but not asking and with perceived consequences of relationship loss, however, most power-related measures, including physical abuse, were not related to condom use in the 30 days prior to the interview.
Comments on Laraudogoitia's 'classical particle dynamics, indeterminism and a supertask'

We discuss two supertasks invented recently by Laraudogoitia [1996, 1997]. Both involve an infinite number of particle collisions within a finite amount of time and both compromise determinism. We point out that the sources of the indeterminism are rather different in the two cases—one involves unbounded particle velocities, the other involves particles with no lower bound to their sizes—and consequently that the implications for determinism are rather different—one form of indeterminism affects Newtonian but not relativistic physics, while the other form is insensitive to the classical vs relativistic distinction. We also note some interesting linkages among supertasks, indeterminism and foundations problems in the general theory of relativity.
Transtrochanteric anterior rotational osteotomy for avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Long-term results

We reviewed 18 hips in 17 patients at a mean of five years after performing Sugioka's transtrochanteric anterior rotational osteotomy for avascular necrosis. The results were satisfactory in only three hips (17%). Twelve hips had been revised by hip replacement, revision was pending in one and two others were unsatisfactory. Hip replacement was not compromised by the previous Sugioka osteotomy. Fifteen hips (83%) had shown further collapse of the femoral head, and we conclude from this and from isotope scans that the osteotomy may have impaired the residual blood supply of the femoral head. It seems that ethnic origin may be a factor in the outcome of this procedure; we have abandoned its use.
Patient characteristics associated with the level of patient-reported care coordination among male patients with colorectal cancer in the Veterans Affairs health care system.

Background We sought to determine if patient characteristics, including race/ethnicity, were associated with patient-reported care coordination for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients treated in the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system, with the goal of better understanding potential goals of quality improvement efforts aimed at improving coordination.
Early adolescent cocaine use as determined by hair analysis in a prenatal cocaine exposure cohort.

Abstract Background Preclinical and other research suggest that youth with prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) may be at high risk for cocaine use due to both altered brain development and exposure to unhealthy environments. Methods Participants are early adolescents who were prospectively enrolled in a longitudinal study of PCE prior to or at birth. Hair samples were collected from the youth at ages 10½ and 12½ (N = 263). Samples were analyzed for cocaine and its metabolites using ELISA screening with gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) confirmation of positive samples. Statistical analyses included comparisons between the hair-positive and hair-negative groups on risk and protective factors chosen a priori as well as hierarchical logistical regression analyses to predict membership in the hair-positive group. Results Hair samples were positive for cocaine use for 14% (n = 36) of the tested cohort. Exactly half of the hair-positive preteens had a history of PCE. Group comparisons revealed that hair-negative youth had significantly higher IQ scores at age 10½; the hair-positive youth had greater availability of cigarettes, alcohol, and other drugs in the home; caregivers with more alcohol problems and depressive symptoms; less nurturing home environments; and less positive attachment to their primary caregivers and peers. The caregivers of the hair-positive preteens reported that the youth displayed more externalizing and social problems, and the hair-positive youth endorsed more experimentation with cigarettes, alcohol, and/or other drugs. Mental health problems, peer drug use, exposure to violence, and neighborhood characteristics did not differ between the groups. Regression analyses showed that the availability of drugs in the home had the greatest predictive value for hair-positive group membership while higher IQ, more nurturing home environments, and positive attachment to caregivers or peers exerted some protective effect. Conclusion The results do not support a direct relationship between PCE and early adolescent experimentation with cocaine. Proximal risk and protective factors—those associated with the home environment and preteens' caregivers—were more closely related to early cocaine use than more distal factors such as neighborhood characteristics. Consistent with theories of adolescent problem behavior, the data demonstrate the complexity of predicting pre-adolescent drug use and identify a number of individual and contextual factors that could serve as important foci for intervention.
The isolation and characterization of specific 3-methylcholanthrene-binding proteins from rat liver cytosol

Abstract The major proteins to which 3-methylcholanthrene specifically binds have been purified over 480-fold with a 45% yield compared to a rat liver 100,000g supernate. The procedure involved a batch ion-exchange technique together with hydrophobic gel filtration and chromatofocusing chromatography. The multiple, specific 3-methylcholanthrene-binding proteins obtained from this protocol had apparent isoelectric points of pH 6.3, 6.0, 5.7, and 5.5 on elution from a chromatofocusing column. They all shared a common sedimentation coefficient as determined by sucrose gradient analysis of 4.4 S. Gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 gave a common Stokes radius of 27 A. An analysis of these chromatofocusing peaks by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed those which eluted at pH 6.3 and 6.0 to contain two major protein bands of Mr 32,000 and 34,000, together with several contaminating proteins. In contrast, the peaks from chromatofocusing which eluted at pH 5.7 and 5.5 contained three major proteins of Mr 40,000, 25,000, and 14,000. The specific binding capability of these chromatofocusing peaks was found to be unstable to temperatures of −30 °C and below. Competition studies showed that these proteins were not steroid receptors, and that only polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which could induce cytochrome P-450c were able to displace 3-methylcholanthrene from the binding site. A marked preference was noted for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with four to five benzene rings arranged in a nonlinear fashion, suggesting the stereochemical requirements of the protein binding site. The stability of the noncovalent interaction between the proteins and 3-methylcholanthrene was in the range of pH 7 to 9.
Genetic Testing: The Appropriate Means for a Desired Goal?

Scientists, the medical profession, philosophers, social scientists, policy makers, and the public at large have been quick to embrace the accomplishments of genetic science. The enthusiasm for the new biotechnologies is not unrelated to their worthy goal. The belief that the new genetic technologies will help to decrease human suffering by improving the public’s health has been a significant influence in the acceptance of technologies such as genetic testing and screening. But accepting this end should not blind us to the need for an evaluation of whether a particular means is adequate to achieve it. Lack of such evaluation notwithstanding, discussions of the ethical, legal, and social implications have tended to presuppose that the development and implementation of genetic testing will be an appropriate means to reduce human suffering in significant ways. I argue here that such an assumption is mistaken. In part this is the case because human biology is more complex than sometimes it is made to appear in these debates. But, the idea that human suffering resulting from disease can be reduced in significant ways with the use of genetic testing also ignores the social contexts in which these technologies are being developed and implemented.
Decidable sentences of Church-Rosser congruences☆

Abstract A decision procedure for a class of true sentences of congruences generated by finite monadic Church-Rosser systems is developed. Using this decision procedure it is shown that if M T is the monoid presented by such a system T, then (i) it is decidable given T whether M T is a group, (ii) it is decidable given T and a finite set A whether the submonoid generated by A is a group or a left (right, two-sided) ideal, and (iii) Green's relations for M T are decidable.
Damned if you do and damned if you don't: medical ethics and a second career.

November of 2004, Ernie Fletcher, MD, Governor of Kentucky, fulfilled the duties of his office by signing the execution order for a man duly convicted of capital murder. In so doing, Dr. Fletcher appears en passant to have violated American Medical Association ethical guidelines prohibiting any manner of physician participation in capital punishment. Nevertheless, Kentucky state law also requires that its physicians conform to all ethical standards of the AMA or face disciplinary action, including possible license revocation, by the state medical board. Dr. Fletcher may forfeit his license to practice medicine in Kentucky if it is determined that he has violated AMA ethics guidelines in fulfilling his responsibilities as governor and authorizing the convicted murderer's execution. At the time of this writing, execution of the condemned man has been stayed by the court and the signed warrant has expired. Should the stay be subsequently lifted and the governor asked to sign a new death warrant at a later date, what would be his best course of action to insure satisfaction of his responsibilities to both his professions, to insure compliance with all applicable laws, and to demonstrate the high sense of ethical development expected of physicians and elected officials?
Body temperature relationships in the lined snake, Tropidoclonion lineatum

Abstract 1. 1. Body temperatures of 69 adult lined snakes collected in the field were recorded along with associated air and substrate temperatures. 2. 2. There was no difference between the mean body temperature of males and females or between gravid and non-gravid individuals. 3. 3. Body temperatures differed significantly from either air or substrate temperatures. 4. 4. Lined snakes appear to maintain an activity temperature range by use of selected microhabitats.
Hypothermia and injury.

Purpose of review Recent studies demonstrating that mild therapeutic hypothermia can improve the outcome from several ischemic and traumatic insults have led to increased interest in the potential benefits of hypothermia after injury. Previous clinical studies, however, have suggested that hypothermia is detrimental to trauma patients. This most likely is a result of differences in the physiologic effects between uncontrolled exposure hypothermia and controlled therapeutic hypothermia. The laboratory and clinical data regarding traumatic hemorrhagic shock and hypothermia are presented, as well as a novel approach to the patient with exsanguinating trauma: suspended animation. Therapeutic hypothermia for traumatic brain injury is discussed. Recent findings Laboratory studies of hemorrhagic shock demonstrate improved survival with mild hypothermia. For the first time, this was shown in a study in a large animal outcome model of hemorrhagic shock with trauma and intensive care. Because clinical studies continue to suggest an association between the development of hypothermia and worse outcomes in trauma patients, clinicians are continuing efforts to prevent and treat hypothermia. For exsanguination cardiac arrest, laboratory studies have demonstrated the feasibility of inducing hypothermic preservation via a rapid aortic flush (suspended animation). For traumatic brain injury, the most recent clinical trial did not show an overall benefit, but it seems that patients who arrive mildly hypothermic have better outcomes if hypothermia is maintained. Summary The dichotomy between laboratory findings that show a benefit of hypothermia and clinical findings that suggest detrimental effects remains difficult to explain. For now, preventing hypothermia remains prudent. Suspended animation seems promising for patients with exsanguinating trauma. Clinical trials of mild hypothermia during hemorrhagic shock and suspended animation for exsanguination are indicated. Clinical trials of hypothermia for traumatic brain injury are in progress.
Apical end organ structure and histochemistry in plerocercoids of Proteocephalus ambloplitis

Abstract The end organ of Proteocephalus ambloplitis pleroceroids was studied by light microscopy and histochemistry. The end organ consists of a spherical sac filled with an amorphous, granular secretory product. The lining of the end organ is devoid of an epithelial cell layer. Protease was detected within the end organ by a gelatin-silver film technique. No aminopeptidase activity was detected. The end organ was PAS positive and diastase-fast. A positive test was obtained for neutral mucopolysaccharides and protein. The end organ is thought to assist migration of larvae through host tissue.
Crawfish frog behavioral differences in postburned and vegetated grasslands

Amphibians are threatened globally and, with the increased emphasis on using prescribed fire as an important tool to manage ecosystems, it is essential to understand how amphibians respond when exposed to habitats managed by fire. Most studies have focused on survivorship and population-level effects; how survivors react to postburn landscapes has received less attention. Crawfish frogs (Lithobates areolatus Baird and Girard) are an obligate crayfish burrow-dwelling North American grassland species in steep decline. Individuals spend their nonbreeding season associated with a single crayfish-built burrow, which protects them from dangers, including fire. We compared activity patterns and behaviors of crawfish frogs occupying vegetated and postburned prairie grassland habitats. In total, 24 581 images representing six weeks of observations on eight crawfish frogs (four each in vegetated and postburn habitats) were analyzed. While the number of individuals followed was small, our dataset demonstrated interesting differences in activity patterns and behaviors. In particular, while frogs occupying postburn and vegetated habitats exhibited similar nocturnal behaviors, diurnal behaviors were different. In daylight, crawfish frogs in vegetated habitats spent more time on their feeding platform away from their burrow entrance, while frogs in postburn areas spent most of their time at or in their burrow entrance. Further, frogs in postburn areas first emerged later in the day than frogs in vegetated areas. We conclude that while crawfish frog adults occupying a postburn landscape exhibit different behaviors compared to animals in vegetation, prescribed burns have little effect on adult crawfish frog survivorship and few indirect effects on fitness.
Zona incerta lesions: regulatory drinking deficits to intravenous NaCl, angiotensin, but not to salt in the food.

Abstract Rats with bilateral damage to the anterior zona incerta (ZI) showed small and delayed drinking responses after IP hypertonic NaCl injection, but they normally excreted most of the salt load within 6 hr. The impaired drinking responses were also evident after nonpainful intravenous (IV) NaCl infusions. After nephrectomy, rats with complete ZI lesions did not drink within 24 hr of the NaCl infusion. Rats with less complete lesions showed reduced and delayed drinking. In contrast to these profound osmoregulatory drinking impairments, all of the lesioned rats increased their water to food ratio when fed a 3% NaCl-supplemented diet. ZI lesioned rats did not drink in response to IV infusions of angiotensin II. The role of the ZI in drinking behavior is discussed in terms of the paradigm-dependent nature of these results, and parallels with other findings are considered.
Regulation of meiotic maturation in the mammalian oocyte: Inteplay between exogenous cues and the microtubule cytoskeleton

Mammalian oocytes exhibit a series of cell cycle transitions that coordinate the penultimate events of meiosis with the onset of embryogenesis at fertilization. The execution of these cell cycle transitions, at G2/M of meiosis-I and metaphase/anaphase of meiosis I and II, involve both biosynthetic and post-translational modifications that directly modulate centrosome and microtubule behavior. Specifically, somatic cells alter the signal transduction pathways in the oocyte and influence the expression of maturation promoting factor (MPF) and cytostatic factor (CSF) activity through a microtubule-dependent mechanism. The regulation of the oocytes' cell cycle machinery by hormone-mediated somatic cell signals, involving both positive and negative stimuli, ensures that meiotic cell cycle progression is synchronized with the earliest pivotal events of mammalian reproduction.
The Global Climate of December 1992–February 1993. Part II: Large-Scale Variability across the Tropical Western Pacific during TOGA COARE

Recently, scientists from more than a dozen countries carried out the field phase of a project called the Coupled-Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE), devoted to describing the ocean-atmosphere system of the western Pacific near-equatorial warm pool. The project was conceived, organized, and funded under the auspices of the International Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Program. Although COARE consisted of several field phases, including a year-long atmospheric enhanced monitoring period (1 July 1992 -- 30 June 1993), the heart of COARE was its four-month Intensive Observation Period (IOP) extending from 1 Nov. 1992 through 28 Feb. 1993. An overview of large-scale variability during COARE is presented. The weather and climate observed in the IOP is placed into context with regard to large-scale, low-frequency fluctuations of the ocean-atmosphere system. Aspects of tropical variability beginning in Aug. 1992 and extending through Mar. 1993, with some sounding data for Apr. 1993 are considered. Variability over the large-scale sounding array (LSA) and the intensive flux array (IFA) is emphasized.
The usefulness of echo-Doppler in pediatric cardiology.

. In the last three decades ultrasound investigation is used in cardiology. Especially in the last ten years it is not only possible to visualize cardiac anatomy and function by M-mode or 2-dimensional echocardiography but it is also possible to visualize the bloodflow velocity by continuous wave Doppler, single or multigate Doppler and 2-dimensional Doppler. Ibe combination of the different modalities of ultrasound investigation of the heart gives us so much insight in cardiac anatomy and function that cardiac pathophysiology can be better undep stood and so invasive diagnostic procedures can be avoided, especially in children with congenital heart malformations. It is clear that not only the patient will benefit from this possibility but also the economical sources. In a 15 years review of our institution, where in 1976 2-dimensional echocardiography and in 1979 Doppler echocardiography has been introduced, it can be seen that ultrasound technique replaces invasive heart catheterization.
Extended Metal Environments of Cytochrome c Oxidase Structures

The metals of the cytochrome c oxidase structures of the bovine heart mitochondrion (PDB code 1occ) and of the soil bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans (1arl) include a dicopper center (CuA), magnesium, two proximal hemes, a copper (CuB) atom, and a calcium. The mitochondrial structure also possesses a bound distant zinc ion. The extended environments of the metal sites are analyzed emphasizing residues of the second shell in terms of polarity, hydrophobicity, secondary structure, solvent accessibility, and H-bonding networks. A significant difference in the CuA metal environments concerns D-51 I in 1occ, absent from 1arl. The D-51 I appears to play an important role in the proton pumping pathway. Our analysis uncovers several statistically significant residue clusters, including a cysteine-histidine-tyrosine cluster overlapping the CuA-Mg complex; a histidine-acidic cluster enveloping the environment of Mg, the two hemes, and CuB; and on the protein surface a mixed charge cluster, which may help stabilize the quaternary structure and/or mediate docking to cytochrome c. These clusters may constitute possible pathways for electron transfer, for O2 diffusion, and for H2O movement. Many hydrogen bonding relations along the interface of subunits I and II demarcate this surface as a potential participant in proton pumping.
Financial liberalization and the selection of emigrants: a cross-national analysis

This paper explores the impact of financial liberalization on the migration of high skilled labor from 46 countries to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, taken at 5-year intervals over the period 1985–2000. Using an exploratory factor analysis, we are able to distinguish between two dimensions of financial liberalization, namely the robustness of the markets and their freedom from direct government control. We find that a standard deviation improvement in the robustness of the source country financial sector magnifies the extent of skilled emigration by a factor of about 3.9–5.1 % points on the average. However, a corresponding increase in the freedom of the source country financial sector from government control has a statistically insignificant impact. Further, the impact of improved financial sector robustness on selection is more pronounced for countries with a better quality of institutions in terms of the perceived credibility of the regime in terms of its ability to protect property rights.
Rearrangements of 2-Nitrobenzyl Compounds. 2. Substituent Effects on the Reactions of the Quinonoid Intermediates

Photoinduced tautomerization of 2-nitrobenzyl derivatives (1) gives rise to quinonoid intermediates (2), which may undergo further reactions competing with the retautomerization to 1. Rearrangements of 2 with different α substituents were studied with methods based on the density functional theory. The B3LYP functional with three different basis sets was used to optimize geometries of the minimum-energy and transition structures. The single-point energies were computed at these geometries by using the 6-311+G(2d,p) basis set in combination with four different hybrid functionals. Bulk solvent effects were estimated from the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p) free energies computed at the gas-phase geometries with the self-consistent reaction field polarized continuum model method. A common reaction pathway for the E isomers of substituted 2 was identified as the exothermic cyclization leading to 2,1-benzoxazoline derivatives (3). The cyclization was predicted to be highly stereoselective, two distinct modes of the reacti...
Sources of international business fluctuations: Country-specific shocks or worldwide shocks?

Abstract This paper identifies sources of business fluctuations in a two-country open economy model with the structural VAR method, focusing on the relative importance of worldwide shocks and country-specific shocks. Unlike previous studies which define country-specific shocks as labor supply shocks, this study explicitly identifies three kinds of permanent shocks: worldwide shocks, domestic country-specific shocks, and foreign country-specific shocks with identifying restrictions derived from a theoretical model. The main finding is that U.S. country-specific shocks are the most important in explaining U.S. and foreign output fluctuations except in the short-run.
Studies on methylmalonyl isomerase.

The partial purification (approx. 23-fold) and assay of the methylmalonyl isomerase system from bovine-liver mitochondria is described. The purified isomerase system catalyzes the isomerization of enzymically-synthesized [1-14C]- and [3-14C]methyl-malonyl-CoA to form [1-14C]- and [4-14C]succinyl-CoA, respectively. This is in agreement with the proposal of Eggereret al.1 that isomerization involves rearrangement of the thiolester group.
The pathobiology of myelin mutants reveal novel biological functions of the MBP and PLP genes

Substantial biological data indicate that the myelin basic protein (MBP) and myelin proteolipid protein (PLP/DM20) genes produce products with functions beyond that of serving as myelin structural proteins. Much of this evidence comes from studies on naturally-occurring and man-made mutations of these genes in mice and other species. This review focuses upon recent evidence showing the existence of other products of these genes that may account for some of these other functions, and recent studies providing evidence for alternative biological functions of PLP/DM20. The MBP and PLP/DM20 genes each encode the classic MBP and PLP isoforms, as well as a second family of proteins that are not involved in myelin structure. The biological roles of these other products of the genes are becoming clarified. The non-classic MBP gene products appear to be components of transcriptional complexes in the nucleus, and they also may be involved in signaling pathways in T-cells and in neural cells. The non-classic PLP/DM20 gene products appear to be components of intracellular transport vesicles in oligodendrocytes. There is evidence for other functions of the classic PLP/DM20 proteins, including a role in neural cell death mechanisms, autocrine and paracrine regulation of oligodendrocytes and neurons, intracellular transport and oligodendrocyte migration.
Direct Regulation of Microtubule Dynamics by KIF17 Motor and Tail Domains

Abstract KIF17 is a kinesin-2 family motor that interacts with EB1 at microtubule (MT) plus-ends and contributes to MT stabilization in epithelial cells. The mechanism by which KIF17 affects MTs and how its activity is regulated are not yet known. Here, we show that EB1 and the KIF17 autoinhibitory tail domain (KIF17-Tail) interacted competitively with the KIF17 catalytic motor domain (K370). Both EB1 and KIF17-Tail decreased the K0.5MT of K370, with opposing effects on MT-stimulated ATPase activity. Importantly, K370 had independent effects on MT dynamic instability, resulting in formation of long MTs without affecting polymerization rate or total polymer mass. K370 also inhibited MT depolymerization induced by dilution in vitro and by nocodazole in cells, suggesting that it acts by protecting MT plus-ends. Interestingly, KIF17-Tail bound MTs and tubulin dimers, delaying initial MT polymerization in vitro and MT regrowth in cells. However, neither EB1 nor KIF17-Tail affected K370-mediated MT polymerization or stabilization significantly in vitro, and EB1 was dispensable for MT stabilization by K370 in cells. Thus, although EB1 and KIF17-Tail may coordinate KIF17 catalytic activity, our data reveal a novel and direct role for KIF17 in regulating MT dynamics.
Performance modeling of multisensor networks

The following problem is studied: to describe the performance of a network of sensors in effecting a binary classification of perceived targets, perhaps comprising several distinct classes (multiple decoy types, for example), by independent observations. Sensor performance is modeled either by target response densities or by receiver operating characteristic curves. We show how a joint ROC curve can be constructed when either of these models is used and illustrate some of the ideas by examples. A key idea is a new sensor model, called herein "neoclassical", that yields a one dimensional equivalent sensor model for a multisensor network.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Nerve cell atrophy and loss in the inferior olivary complex of “Purkinje cell degeneration” mutant mice

The genetically determined loss of cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) in "Purkinje cell degeneration" (pcd) mutant mice deprives inferior olivary (IO) neurons of their major postsynaptic target. The degeneration of PCs starts on postnatal day (P) 17 and loss of these neurons is virtually complete by P45. We examined the inferior olivary complex (IOC) of normal and pcd mutant mice by quantitative light microscopy to determine whether the degeneration of PCs is associated with atrophy and loss of their presynaptic neurons in the IOC. The number of IO neurons in 17-day-old mutants did not differ significantly from controls (P greater than .1). IO neurons in 23-day-old mutants were 23% (95% confidence limits: 12-34%) fewer than in age-matched controls, and in 300-day-old mutants they were 48% (95% confidence limits: 37-58%) fewer than in their controls (P less than .001 in both cases). The decline of the number of IO neurons in pcd mice between days 17 and 300 was 49% (P less than .0001; 95% confidence limits: 38-57%). The medial accessory olive (MAO) appeared less affected than the principal (PO) and the dorsal accessory olive (DAO). The mean neuronal diameter in control mice was 11.6 micron at 23 days and 10.8 micron at 300 days of age. The respective values in pcd mutants were 11.5 micron and 8.7 micron. Diameters in old mutants were significantly smaller than those in both age-matched controls and young mutants (P less than .001). These findings suggest that in the mature olivocerebellar system the stability of IO neurons depends on the state of their postsynaptic PCs.
Regional distribution of organochlorine insecticide residues in human milk from Egypt

Abstract The organochlorine insecticide residues in 60 human milk samples from 20 Egyptian governorates were analyzed by gas chromatography/electron capture and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results showed that the main detected organochlorine insecticides were p,p'‐DDE and lindane. Other HCH isomers, p,p‘‐DDT and endosulfan I residues were detected in some samples, but aldrin and endrin were not detected in most of the samples. The mean values for p,p'‐ DDE, lindane, endosulfan I and p,p ‐DDT levels in the milk samples of the 20 governorates studied were 21.37 ppb, 8.42 ppb, 4.84 ppb and 2.93 ppb respectively, which are lower than the levels reported, a number of years ago, in most of the developed countries. Relatively higher levels of organochlorine insecticide residues were recorded in the samples from intensive agricultural activity regions.
The Energy Distribution of Photoelectrons from Sodium

The total energy distribution functions for photoelectrons emitted from evaporated sodium surfaces have been determined over a wide range of frequencies, by the use of the retarding potential method with concentric spherical electrodes. Theoretical energy distribution curves have been computed assuming an image field at the surface and following the general theory of Mitchell. It is shown that the theory does not fully account for the experimental results. The discrepancy can be accounted for by assuming a selectively transmitting surface field with a transmission maximum at 0.5 electron volts. The spectral distribution function for the image field has also been computed and compared with the experimental data. Again the agreement is not satisfactory and is only partly corrected by the use of the selective transmission barrier. It is concluded that the frequency dependence of the quantum absorption probability and the energy dependence of the barrier transmission probability differ from the image field predictions. This discrepancy is probably not caused by lack of refinements in the theory, but by the practical impossibility of producing an "ideal" surface of Na.
Behavior of complex knots in single DNA molecules

We used optical tweezers to tie individual DNA molecules in knots. Although these knots become highly localized under tension, they remain surprisingly mobile and undergo thermal diffusion with classical random walk statistics. The diffusion constants of knots with different complexities correlate with theoretical calculations of knot sizes. We show that this correlation can be explained by a simple hydrodynamical model of "self-reptation" of the knot along a polymer.
Testing for uniqueness of phase recovery in two dimensions

Abstract The uniqueness of phase retrieval for two dimensional sampled functions of finite extent is equivalent to the irreducibility of their z -transform. We put forward a method of characterizing the uniqueness (or non-uniqueness) in the absence of noise based on a theorem that gives a necessary and sufficient condition for irreducibility of univariate polynomials over finite fields.
The new removable denture patient: Treatment procedures

Abstract Dentists are beginning to see a new type of patient who requires removable prosthodontic rehabilitation. These patients are the result of both increases in longevity and dental treatment that has retained teeth, despite the onslaught of caries and periodontal disease. The current procedures for transitioning patients into removable prostheses can be modified for this new group of patients. This article presents a transition procedure for patients who are receiving removable prostheses, which dissociates the surgical phase of treatment from the prosthetic stage. The patient's existing teeth are incorporated into a removable prosthesis in a way that ensures the exact replication of the tooth position in the oral cavity. This method addresses many of the inadequacies of current procedures while at the same time requiring a minimum of chair time. Even with this procedure, this transition is still difficult for the patient. (J Prosthet Dent 1998;80:124-8.)
Glucose Metabolism and Energy Homeostasis in Mouse Hearts Overexpressing Dominant Negative α2 Subunit of AMP-activated Protein Kinase

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an energy-sensing enzyme that plays a pivotal role in regulating cellular metabolism for sustaining energy homeostasis under stress conditions. Activation of AMPK has been observed in the heart during acute and chronic stresses, but its functional role has not been completely understood because of the lack of effective activators and inhibitors of this kinase in the heart. We generated transgenic mice (TG) with cardiac-specific overexpression of a dominant negative mutant of the AMPK alpha2 catalytic subunit to clarify the functional role of this kinase in myocardial ischemia. In isolated perfused hearts subjected to a 10-min ischemia, AMPK alpha2 activity in wild type (WT) increased substantially (by 4.5-fold), whereas AMPK alpha2 activity in TG was similar to the level of WT at base line. Basal AMPK alpha1 activity was unchanged in TG and increased normally during ischemia. Ischemia stimulated a 2.5-fold increase in 2-deoxyglucose uptake over base line in WT, whereas the inactivation of AMPK alpha2 in TG significantly blunted this response. Using 31P NMR spectroscopy, we found that ATP depletion was accelerated in TG hearts during no-flow ischemia, and these hearts developed left ventricular dysfunction manifested by an early and more rapid increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. The exacerbated ATP depletion could not be attributed to impaired glycolytic ATP synthesis because TG hearts consumed slightly more glycogen during this period of no-flow ischemia. Thus, AMPK alpha2 is necessary for maintaining myocardial energy homeostasis during ischemia. It is likely that the functional role of AMPK in myocardial energy metabolism resides both in energy supply and utilization.
Configuration fluctuations and the dilute-magnetic-alloy problem

A new theoretical treatment of the Anderson model of transition-metal or rare-earth impurities in a simple metal is presented. This study treats the impurity Coulomb correlation exactly and the host impurity coupling to lowest order in the sense of a self-consistent degenerate perturbation theory. The central result of this work is that if an impurity interconfigurational excitation energy (ICEE) is close to the Fermi energy in the atomic limit, a temperature-dependent shift of the ICEE is found for the interacting system. This temperature-dependent shift is shown to give a good description of the experimental observations on dilute magnetic alloys.
Parton distributions in hadrons and the cross sections for lepton pair production

Abstract A number of constraints, several new, are exploited to obtain realistic quark parton distributions for baryons and mesons. These distributions are used to make detailed predictions for NN or π N → l + l − + anything, potentially providing a quantitative test of the quark parton model. Differential cross sections for a single lepton observed in the final state are also given.
Close-loop lesion formation control using multiple-focus dual mode ultrasound array

Bubble activity during the high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) application could create overexposed lesion in very short period of time due to the increase in acoustic absorption. This process, however, can be utilized to drastically reduce the lesion formation time if the bubble activities can be reliably monitored and controlled. Furthermore, a phased array system could be used to reduce the volume lesion formation time by simultaneously invoking bubble activity at multiple focus locations, and independently adjust the intensity at each location based on the monitoring feedback. We present the results from an ultrasound-guided focused ultrasound platform designed to perform real-time monitoring and control of lesion formation using multiple-focus patterns. A dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) is used for both lesion formation and bubble activity monitoring with single transmit focusing (STF) imaging. The beam sequencing is designed to maintain spatial and temporal synchronization between therapy and imaging pulse, this ensures optimum STF imaging performance during the respective therapy application for reliable bubble activity detection. The DMUA is driven by a custom designed 32-channel arbitrary waveform generator and linear power amplifier. Use of arbitrary waveform and linear output allows optimum synthesis of multiple-focus pattern with minimum pre-focal artifacts. The beamformed RF data has been shown to be very sensitive to cavitation activity in response to HIFU in a variety of modes (e.g. boiling cavitation), which is characterized by sudden increase in echogenicity that could occur within milliseconds of the HIFU application. The STF beamforming and the signal processing chain are implemented on a multi-GPU platform and frame rate in excess of 500 fps can be achieved. We present results from a series of experiments in bovine cardiac tissue demonstrating the robustness and increased speed of volumetric lesion formation. Results from our experiments demonstrate the feasibility of producing spatial and temporal modulations of multiple-focus DMUA patterns based on STF imaging feedback with millisecond resolution. This fine temporal and spatial control allows for achieving significant acceleration of volumetric coagulation rates within the target volume without overexposure to the tissue in the prefocal region.
Determination of local optical parameters of turbid media with optical fibers

A fiber based method has been developed to determine local optical parameters of μa, μs and g of turbid samples and human tissues by comparing the probed light signals to the Monte Carlo simulation results.
Mainstreet USA revisited

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the nature of market politics in a Latino/a community in Southern California, USA.Design/methodology/approach – Research methods combine orignial ethnographic and historical work with secondary sources on marketing and political activities in their relation to consumption.Findings – Findings highlight conflicts brought about by the burgeoning development of the consumer market for Mexican immigrants in the area, as proponents of conventional industrial and residential development projects clash with Latino/a consumers, Latino/a and Asian buisnessmen and women, and community activists.Research limitations/implications – A partial view of Latino community is provided that stems from the treatment of consumer culture as fragmented, contradictory, and increasingly mediated by marketing activity and social relations.Practical implications – Implications strive to re‐imagine Latino/a community and develop policy directives by considering the place of consumption, labor, and ...
Studies of the ligand binding reaction of adipocyte lipid binding protein using the fluorescent probe 1, 8-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate.

The fluorescent probe anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate binds to adipocyte lipid binding protein at a site that competes with normal physiological ligands, such as fatty acids. Binding to the protein is accompanied by a relatively large increase in fluorescent intensity. To correlate the major change in optical properties and to determine the mechanism of competitive inhibition with fatty acids, the crystal structure of the protein with the bound fluorophore has been determined. In addition, the thermodynamic contributions to the binding reaction have been studied by titration calorimetry. Because the binding site is in a relatively internal position, kinetic studies have also been carried out to determine kon. The results indicate that binding is not accompanied by any major conformational change. However, the negatively charged sulfonate moiety is not positioned the same as the carboxylate of fatty acid ligands as determined in previous studies. Nonetheless, the binding reaction is still driven by enthalpic effects. As judged by the crystallographic structure, a significant amount of the surface of the fluorophore is no longer exposed to water in the bound state.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: Two case studies:

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rapidly progressive, neurodegenerative disorder causing dramatic neuromuscular symptoms, profound dementia, and death. In this article, the epidemiology, etiology, modes of transmission, clinical manifestations, determination of possible/probable CJD diagnosis in life, and the postmortem neuropathology of definite CJD are discussed in depth. Case studies of two individuals, each affected by different subtypes of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), are presented, along with a discussion of the many challenging nursing and psychosocial issues surrounding the supportive care of these individuals and families in life and death.
Detection problem with post-change drift uncertainty

We consider the problem of detection of abrupt changes when there is uncertainty about the post-change distribution. In particular we examine this problem in the prototypical model of continuous time in which the drift of a Wiener process changes at an unknown time from zero to a random value. It is assumed that the change time is an unknown constant while the drift assumed after the change has a Bernoulli distribution with all values of the same sign independent of the process observed. We set up the problem as a stochastic optimization in which the objective is to minimize a measure of detection delay subject to a frequency of false alarm constraint. As a measure of detection delay we consider that of a worst detection delay weighed by the probabilities of the different possible drift values assumed after the change point to which we are able to compute a lower bound amongst the class of all stopping times. Our objective is to then construct low complexity, easy to implement decision rules, that achieve this lower bound exactly, while maintaining the same frequency of false alarms as the family of stopping times. In this effort, we consider a special class of decision rules that are delayed versions of CUSUM algorithm. In this enlarged collection, we are able to construct a family of computationally efficient decision rules that achieve the lower bound with equality, and then choose a best one whose performance is as close to the performance of a stopping time as possible.
Prophylactic effect of JTE-607 on LPS-induced acute lung injury in rats with CINC-1 inhibition

Objective and design: JTE-607, a multiple cytokine inhibitor, was evaluated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury in rats in vivo and in vitro.¶Materials and methods: LPS instillation into airways of rats was performed. JTE-607 at 3-30 mg/kg and dexamethasone at 3 mg/kg were administered intravenously at 10 min and 0 min for JTE-607, and 60 min for dexamethasone prior to the LPS instillation (n = 8). Cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC)-1 level and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in lung were measured at 4 h after LPS instillation, and at 24 h for lung wet weight measurement and histological study. LPS-induced CINC-1 production by rat alveolar macrophages were also measured in vitro.¶Results: JTE-607 and dexamethasone showed a significant reduction of increased CINC-1 level and MPO activity in lung after LPS treatment in vivo. Increased wet weight was also significantly inhibited. Histological studies revealed that JTE-607 and dexamethasone significantly inhibited LPS-induced accumulation of peribronchial neutrophils and eosinophils, and perivascular edema. JTE-607 and dexamethasone suppressed CINC-1 synthesis by rat alveolar macrophages in vitro with IC50 values of 12.4 μM and 2.3 nM, respectively.¶Conclusions: These results indicate that JTE-607 has an inhibitory effect on LPS-induced rat lung inflammation in parallel with CINC-1 reduction. The effect of JTE-607 was suggested to be through direct inhibition of CINC-1 production from rat alveolar macrophages. JTE-607 may thus be efficacious in cytokine-mediated lung inflammation such as acute respiratory distress syndrome.
The Pressure-Subtracting Hypsometer: A New Instrument for Measuring Atmospheric Pressure

Abstract A pressure-measuring device is described which combines the principles of a hypsometer and a mercury barometer. It provides the accuracy and stability of the latterthe sensitivity of an aneroid device, and the mechanical simplicity and ease of telemetry of a hypsometer. This instrument appears ideally suited for use in automatic weather stations or installations where remote readout is required.