cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardioregulatory nerves in the spider Eurypelma marxi Simon.

The objective of this study was to locate nerves arising from the CNS that have a cardioregulatory function in the tarantula, Eurypelma marxi Simon. Ramifications of the paired abdominal nerve VIIIb merge with the cardiac ganglion within the first heart segment. Electrical stimulation of the branches of nerve VIIIb that connect with the cardiac ganglion produce changes in heartbeat rate and amplitude. Nerve cutting experiments indicate that no other cardioregulatory nerves are present. Both increases and decreases in heart activity can be produced upon electrical stimulation of nerve VIIIb on each side of the heart. Only one action potential associated with the response of each type could be recorded in each member of the nerve pair. Therefore, we conclude that there are two inhibitory and two acceleratory neurons that arise in the central nervous system to modulate heartbeat activity. The inhibitory effect becomes maximal at a stimulation frequency of 20–30 Hz and the accelerator effect at 30–40 Hz. The aftereffect of acceleratory nerve activity exceeds that of inhibitory nerve activity. When the inhibitor and accelerator are activated simultaneously, the inhibitor dominates. The regulatory nerves interact with neurons in the cardiac ganglion. During inhibition, the number of externally recorded spikes in each ganglionic burst is decreased. The rate and magnitude of the heartbeat are decreased concomitantly. Stimulation of the accelerator enhances electrical activity in the cardiac ganglion at the same time that the heartbeat rate and amplitude are increased.
Europa--The ocean moon: Search for an alien biosphere, by Richard Greenberg

Book Review: Europa—The Ocean Moon: Search for an Alien Biosphere, Richard Greenberg. Springer (2005).
Comment on Wahl et al.: A global representation of vitamin D status in healthy populations.

Dear Editor, With great interest, I read the paper by Wahl et al. [1]. I was surprised, however, that the color code in the map on vitamin D status in adults is yellow (25OHD 50–74 nmol/L) for Saudi Arabia. We [2] and others [3, 4] have shown that moderately severe vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in many countries of the Arabian Peninsula, including Saudi Arabia. It is important to highlight that the reference quoted for Saudi Arabia [5] refers to a study on reference intervals of biochemical bone turnover markers. In that study, the authors excluded women whose serum 25OHD levels were <50 nmol/L. Please refer to page 805 of that publication, where under study design the authors wrote “Women who are... vitamin D-deficient with serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels being <50 nmol/L were also excluded.” In fact, in another publication by the same group [6], mean (SD) 25OHD level in 1,172 Saudi Arabian women (age 50.9± 12.6 years; range 20–79 years) was 35.8±26.9 nmol/L. In the 501 premenopausal women (age 39.7±7.8 years), 25OHD was 43.0±30.5 nmol/L, and in the 671 postmenopausal women (age 58.7±7.5 years), 25OHDwas 33.3±24.9 nmol/L. The same group has also published their data on Saudi Arabian men [7], where 25OHD level in 834 men (age 42.1±13.9 years; range 20–74 years) was 29.0±16.1 nmol/L. I propose that the levels published in the latter two papers be used for Saudi Arabia in the revised version of the map, thus changing the color code from yellow to orange (25OHD 25–49 nmol/L)!
Potassium bis-(1,1,1,5,5,5-hexa-fluoro-pentane-2,4-dionato)bis-(4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenyl-butane-1,3-dionato)europate(III).

In the crystal structure of the title complex, K[Eu(C5HF6O2)2(C10H6F3O2)2], the EuIII ion is in a slightly distorted square-anti­prismatic coordination geometry which is defined by eight O atoms of the anionic β-diketone ligands. The two K+ ions lie on crystallographic inversion centers. The Eu—O bond distances are in the range 2.294 (5)–2.413 (5) A. The crystal used was a non-merohedral twin, the ratio of the twin domains being 0.5236 (5):0.4764 (5).
The short stem: promises and pitfalls

Conventional uncemented femoral implants provide dependable long-term fixation in patients with a wide range of functional requirements. Yet challenges associated with proximal-distal femoral dimensional mismatch, preservation of bone stock, and minimally invasive approaches have led to exploration into alternative implant designs. Short stem designs focusing on a stable metaphyseal fit have emerged to address these issues in total hip replacement (THR). Uncemented metaphyseal-engaging short stem implants are stable and are associated with proximal bone remodeling closer to the metaphysis when compared with conventional stems and they also have comparable clinical performances. Short stem metaphyseal-engaging implants can meet the goals of a successful THR, including tolerating a high level of patient function, as well as durable fixation.
Bundle separation, obstructions to perfect imaging, and other qualitative aspects of simultaneous multiple surface design

We investigate the qualitative aspects of the simultaneous multiple surface (SMS) design method. The SMS method is a powerful and complex tool, whose abilities and limitations we feel are not yet fully understood. Here, we view the SMS method as an iterative dynamical system, consider the physical boundaries on which the method applies and show that in some cases, attractors occur on the boundaries of these regions. One consequence of our viewpoint is numerical evidence of the impossibility of perfectly imaging three points to three points using only two reflectors. Another consequence is that SMS may be viewed as a means for designing a primary component that essentially separates the bundles in such a way that a continuous secondary component exists that images the two separate bundles appropriately. In other words, a clever choice of the primary component decouples the problem.
THE IMPACT OF MSW EDUCATION ON SOCIAL WORKER EMPOWERMENT AND COMMITMENT TO CLIENT EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY

This study examined changes among graduate students (N=52) in perception of social worker empowerment and commitment to client empowerment through social justice advocacy. Pre-post data showed that most entering MSW students possessed important beliefs about empowerment for themselves as social workers and for members of oppressed population groups. During their graduate education, significant positive change occurred in both aspects of empowerment, and social worker empowerment and commitment to client empowerment were positively associated. Belief in a just world has a significant, positive effect on worker empowerment, and an internal locus of control is associated with social worker empowerment and commitment to client empowerment.
Film - The Versatile X-Ray Detector

Young men of 1915 replaced old-fashioned film with "modern" ionization chambers. But unenlightened analysts soon retrogressed to film so young men of the 1940's again demon-strated the superiority of electronic detectors. By the 1960's a whole generation had grown up with electronics and should have forgotten film, but surreptitiously it crept back into use for quantitative diagnostics of important pulsed x-ray sources. Even today there are those who claim the right to use it because of its greater range of acceptable photon energy and intensity and the simplicity of using it.
Connecting Theory to Social Technology Platforms A Framework for Measuring Influence in Context

In this article, the authors synthesize 3 years of social technologies research, including studies of Facebook, Twitter, and GitHub, to present a theory driven framework to guide future social scie...
Low temperature induction of invertase activity in grapefruit flavedo tissue

Abstract Invertase activity increased in the flavedo tissue of ‘Marsh’ grapefruit ( Citrus paradisi Macf.) when trees were exposed to cold hardening temperatures and decreased at dehardening temperatures. Invertase activity also increased in the flavedo of detached fruit stored at 5δ. Reducing sugar levels paralleled invertase activity while sucrose levels were inversely related to invertase levels. The mechanism by which low temperatures induce invertase activity in grapefruit flavedo tissue was not determined. However, results indicated that a proteinaceous inhibitor, similar to the one found in potato tubers, is not involved in the regulation of invertase activity in flavedo tissue of grapefruit.
Thresholds in Chemical Carcinogenesis

This review deals with the controversial subject of thresholds in chemical carcinogenesis. It is essential to consider this subject in relation to a number of other matters which have a direct bearing on it. These include the use of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in animal bioassays. These are at times excessive and not consistent with the definition of the MTD. Many bioassays are carried out at only one or two doses so that reliable dose-response curves and hence a threshold cannot be established. In addition, laboratory animal bioassays even at the lowest doses used are frequently above those encountered in the environment by several orders of magnitude. The various biochemical and biologic events which a xenobiotic is subjected to in vivo are described in more detail in relation to threshold. Also, dose-dependent alterations in metabolic pathways are reviewed for vinyl chloride and 1, 4-dioxane. The value of examining the muta-genidty and cardnogenidty of activated carcinogenic intermediates is exami...
Dynamic construction and processing of inter- organisational business processes

For business organisations to survive and compete successfully in the growing global economy, they must collaborate with one another and share not only the data, but also human and organisational knowledge captured in business rules, business processes and manual and automated operations. These organisational resources must be used to dynamically construct and process inter-organisational business processes to accommodate changes in different business environments. This paper presents an integrated business rule and process specification and a user interface tool for the specification of organisational resources. It also presents an event-triggered knowledge network system, which automatically translates different types of business rules and business processes into code and wraps the code as web services for uniform processing in a web service infrastructure. The system provides an event-triggered processing mechanism, which enables the integration and interoperation of business data, rules, processes and operations and the dynamic construction and processing of inter-organisational business processes.
Laboratory studies of alkali metal filter deposition, ultraviolet transmission, and visible blocking.

Far-ultraviolet alkali metal or Wood’s filters have been produced and tested supporting the production of a flight filter for the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on the Hubble Space Telescope. Sodium layers 0.5–1-µm thick transmit up to 40% in the ultraviolet while efficiently blocking visible wavelengths. The prevention of visible pinholes is assisted by a clean, sleek-free surface and a cooled substrate during deposition. The coatings are stabilized efficiently by a bismuth overcoating whose transmission spectrum is presented. We also report for the first time, to our knowledge, the first demonstrated long-wavelength cutoff from a lithium filter, with a shorter cutoff wavelength than sodium and potentially higher stability for astronomical imaging.
The transcriptional repressor NKAP is required for the development of iNKT cells

Invariant natural killer T cells have a distinct developmental pathway from conventional αβ T cells. Here we demonstrate that the transcriptional repressor NKAP is required for invariant natural killer T cell but not conventional T cell development. In CD4-cre NKAP conditional knockout mice, invariant natural killer T cell development is blocked at the double-positive stage. This cell-intrinsic block is not due to decreased survival or failure to rearrange the invariant Vα14-Jα18 T cell receptor-α chain, but is rescued by overexpression of a rec-Vα14-Jα18 transgene at the double-positive stage, thus defining a role for NKAP in selection into the invariant natural killer T cell lineage. Importantly, deletion of the NKAP-associated protein histone deacetylase 3 causes a similar block in the invariant natural killer T cell development, indicating that NKAP and histone deacetylase 3 functionally interact to control invariant natural killer T cell development.
Time-integration and iterative techniques for semiconductor diffusion modeling

We investigate numerical integration, preconditioning, iterative solution and multigrid strategies for a class of reaction-diffusion systems used for modeling nonequilibrium phosphorus diffusion in silicon. These problems typically yield stiff systems of equations, and their efficient numerical simulation requires the use of stable integration strategies along with fast, robust algebraic system solvers. We compare the numerical performance of semi-implicit Runge-Kutta methods in conjunction with several standard nonsymmetric iterative solvers and multigrid methods. Our results demonstrate that block-diagonal preconditioning with node-based assembly of the discrete system dramatically improves the performance of iterative solvers. Numerical studies also reveal some interesting new aspects regarding the choice of integration schemes when using iterative methods to solve the linear systems. Unlike the case of direct solvers, where higher-order integration methods typically yield higher computational efficiency, the use of iterative solvers can significantly change or even reverse this trend.
Diabetes and coronary heart disease risk in Mexican Americans.

Abstract Mexican Americans have a high prevalence of diabetes relative to non-Hispanic whites, but paradoxically experience a lower prevalence of myocardial infarction and lower cardiovascular mortality (at least in men). To determine whether Mexican Americans might be more resistant to the atherogenic effects of diabetes than non-Hispanic whites, we examined the associations between diabetes and myocardial infarction and selected coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors in these two ethnic groups. The study population consisted of 5149 Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites who were 25 to 64 years old and recruited from the San Antonio Heart Study, a population based study of cardiovascular risk factors and diabetes conducted between 1979 and 1988. Diabetic men were more than twice as likely to have an electrocardiography (ECG) -documented myocardial infarction than were nondiabetic men, while diabetic women were more than three times as likely to have a myocardial infarction than were nondiabetic women. In both sexes the association between myocardial infarction and diabetes was nearly identical between the two ethnic groups. In both ethnic groups diabetes was also more strongly associated with conventional CHD risk factors (e.g., triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol) in women than in men. Furthermore, these associations were at least as strong, if not stronger, in Mexican Americans as in non-Hispanic whites. Thus, these data provide no evidence to suggest that Mexican Americans are resistant to the lipid-altering effects of diabetes. We conclude that the protective effect against CHD conferred by Mexican American ethnicity may be obscured in part by the high prevalence of diabetes in this ethnic group.
The Influence of Coastal Shape on Winter Mesoscale Air-Sea Interaction

Abstract In the case of cold air outbreaks, the combination of the coastal shape and the sea surface temperature (SST) pattern is shown to have a profound effect in establishing a low level mesoscale atmospheric circulation as a result of differential heating due to both variations in overwater path length and the SST. A convergence (or divergence) line then forms along a line exactly downwind of the major bend in the coastline. This is consistent with the structure of the cloud patterns seen in a high resolution Landsat picture of the cloud streets. The major features are also simulated well with a boundary layer model. The dominant convergence line is marked by notably larger clouds. To its cast the convective roll clouds grow downstream in accord with the deepening of the boundary layer. To its west (i.e., coastal side) near the convergence line where the induced pressure field forces a strong westerly component in the boundary layer, the wind shear across the inversion gives rise to Kelvin-Helmholtz w...
Transcriptional inhibition by Stat5. Differential activities at growth-related versus differentiation-specific promoters.

Abstract Prolactin (PRL) induces transcriptional activation of not only growth-related genes such as interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) but also differentiation-specific genes such as β-casein through a signaling cascade consisting of Janus kinases and Stat (signal transducer and activator of transcription) factors. To understand better the role of Stats in PRL signaling, we cloned rat Stat5b from a PRL-responsive T cell line Nb2. A Stat5b-specific peptide antibody was generated. In PRL receptor reconstituted COS cells cotransfected with Stat5b or Stat5a, both Stat5 proteins become tyrosine phosphorylated and bind to the IRF-1 GAS (interferon-γ activation sequence) element in a PRL-inducible manner. Unexpectedly, both Stat5b and Stat5a inhibit PRL induction of the IRF-1 promoter, but they mediate PRL stimulation of the β-casein promoter. Stat5-mediated inhibition was observed only at the native IRF-1 promoter and not at the isolated IRF-1 GAS element linked to a heterologous thymidine kinase promoter. Mutational analyses showed that the DNA binding activity of Stat5b is not required, but the carboxyl-terminal transactivation domain is essential for Stat5b to inhibit PRL induction of the IRF-1 promoter. These results suggest that Stat5b mediates inhibition via protein-protein interactions. In contrast, both DNA binding and transactivation domains of Stat5b are required to mediate PRL induction of the β-casein promoter. Furthermore, a carboxyl-terminal truncated dominant negative Stat5b can reverse Stat5b inhibition at the IRF-1 promoter. These studies suggest that Stat proteins can act as not only positive but also negative regulators of gene transcription. Further, Stat5 can modulate gene expression without binding to DNA but via protein-protein interactions.
Cities of power and protest: spatial legibility and the colonial state in early twentieth-century India

It is a commonplace in Indian history that the decision to move the colonial capital from Calcutta to New Delhi was spurred by the political landscape of Calcutta: anticolonial nationalism had made Calcutta ungovernable. What is rarely asked is exactly what aspect of the urban attributes and political landscape of the city prompted this reaction? What made it difficult or impossible to carve out a twentieth-century imperial diagram in Calcutta? Based on readings of the nationalist and terrorist movements launched in Calcutta (and Bengal) during the first two decades of the twentieth century, I argue that what was at stake was the spatial legibility of the state. If New Delhi produced a clear description of the imperial state, making it visually explicit, Calcutta defied this legibility of the state. Anticolonial nationalism fundamentally altered the political geography of Calcutta as the capital city of empire: the colonial archives tell a story of a spatially beleaguered state. The story describes the pr...
Satellite derived estimates of the normal and tangential components of near-surface flow

The determination of both the normal and tangential components of the total velocity is important in the study of cross- and along-isopycnal transport processes in the ocean. A pattern-matching met...
A method for glycoconjugate synthesis

7-Formylheptyl glycosides of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranose andO-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-O-α-l-rhamnopyranose were synthesized and were coupled by reductive amination to bovine serum albumin and aminopropyl glass, respectively.
Evidence of a current and lasting national anesthesia personnel shortfall: scope and implications.

Objectives To prove the existence of a current anesthesiologist shortage and to project the balance of labor supply and demand in the future. Methods To quantify the current supply we used published health personnel data from federal agencies and the American Medical Association, as well as membership data from the American Society of Anesthesiologists. We estimated anesthesiologist supply in 2001 based on the number of graduating residents and fellows, taking into account the loss of a portion of graduating residents due to temporary visa status. We assumed that neither a shortage nor an oversupply existed in 1994 and that demand for anesthesiologists was approximated by the number of surgical procedures reported by federal agencies. In modeling future supply and demand for anesthesiologists, we assumed that the current health care policy and economic climates will continue. We extrapolated demand using 1.5% to 3% yearly growth rates based on a synthesis of recent and projected procedure growth rates, procedure rates for the elderly, and population aging trends. We estimated the supply for 2001 through 2003 based on the current resident cohort modified by their projected graduation rate. Accounting for attrition during residency and the effect of fellowship training, we assumed that after 2003 the number of American medical graduates will initially increase by 15% annually and that the number of international medical graduates will decrease to a stable level of 500 trained each year. We assumed an average retirement age of 65 years. Results Our model suggests that there is currently a 3.6% to 10.9% shortage of anesthesiologists nationwide, depending on the assumption of a 2% or 3% increase in annual demand since 1994 and a constant pattern of work distribution by anesthesia providers. This amounts to approximately 1200 to 3800 anesthesiologists. If projected demand continues to increase at the rate of 1.5% to 2% annually, the shortfall will amount to 2.6% to 12.0% of the labor supply by 2005, representing a deficit of 1000 to 4500 anesthesiologists. By 2010, this shortfall is projected to disappear or continue to amount to about 11% of the anesthesiologist supply, depending on the assumptions about the rate of demand for anesthesiologists. Compared with the expected graduating class of 1100 anesthesiology residents in 2001, our model calls for nearly 1600 graduates by 2005 and 2000 by 2010. Conclusion A substantive shortfall of anesthesia personnel exists in 2001 and will continue for years to come, fueled by changing population demographics, population health trends, and accelerating advancements in surgical technology, as well as growth in ambulatory and office-based surgery, pain medicine, and intensive care. In addition to focusing on financing, national health policy needs to address the adequacy of health care personnel resources for an aging population, in particular when they require surgery, are afflicted by painful conditions, or become critically ill.
Anti-Sm autoantibodies of systemic lupus erythematosus cross react with dietary plant proteins.

Cross reactivity of patient lupus autoantibodies to the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles of many different types of animals is well documented. The aim of our research was to determine if any level of cross reactivity existed between proteins of common dietary plants and anti-Sm autoantibodies of lupus patient's sera, as has been found for scleroderma patient sera (Agris et al., Exptl. Cell Res. 189, 276–279, 1990). Protein extracts from soy bean, corn, spinach, and carrot were analyzed. At least one protein (molecular weight approximately 28,000 daltons) common to all the above protein extracts was recognized by most of the anti-Sm sera tested. Affinity purified antibody eluted from the 28 kilodalton plant protein specifically recognized the Sm proteins of a HeLa cell protein extract. Recognition of the 28 kilodalton dietary plant protein was found to be unique to anti-Sm lupus sera.
Transcatheter Vessel Occlusion: Selection of Methods and Materials

Transcatheter vessel occlusion (TCVO) is increasingly used for control of hemorrhage, palliative and preoperative tumor embolization, organ function ablation, and obliteration of arteriovenous fistulae and malformations. Methods for TCVO include transcather electrocoagulation, “staining” with contrast, the use of balloon-tipped catheters, and embolization. The choice of method and material depends on whether proximal occlusion of feeding vessels or arteriocapillary occlusion is desired, the vascular anatomy of the lesion, the safety with which the lesion can be embolized, and the type of lesion being treated.
Superior colliculus neurons provide the saccadic motor error signal

Studies of the intermediate layers of the superior colliculus have suggested that it provides a desired change in eye position signal (ΔE) for the generation of saccadic eye movements. Recent evidence, however, has shown that some neurons in these layers may be related to the velocity of saccades. We present single cell recordings from the intermediate layers of monkey superior colliculus that are consistent with the hypothesis that many superior colliculus neurons provide instead a motor error signal, em. Our hypothesis about the function of these cells places them inside the local feedback loop controlling the waveform of the saccade.
The effect of chronic steroid therapy on glucose tolerance in pregnancy.

We analyzed the records of 26 pregnant patients receiving chronic steroids to assess the combined effect of pregnancy and glucocor icoid administration on glucose tolerance. Five patients (19.2%) developed diabetes mellitus, four of whom required insulin. In a pregnant control group of 1325 patients, 53 patients (4.0%) developed diabetes mellitus, five of whom required insulin. Glucose intolerance was significantly higher in the steroid-treated group (p = 0.003). Comparison with a nonpregnant steroid-treated control group (47 patients, 15% of whom developed diabetes mellitus) showed no significant different (p = 0.23) between the two. All pregnant steroid-treated patients developing diabetes mellitus began steroid therapy after conception, whereas none of the patients receiving steroid therapy before conception developed glucose intolerance (p = 0.012). There does not appear to be an additive effect of steroid treatment and pregnancy on glucose intolerance; however, all patients receiving steroids should undergo periodic glucose screening.
Acoustic emission for process control and monitoring of surface integrity during grinding

Summary This study suggests that acoustic emission sensing may be a useful tool for controlling the grinding process, and the following observations can be made: fluid coupling to the grinding zone is easy to implement and is effective; AE is superior to force for detecting wheel/work contact at start of cycle; using RMS signal processing may result in the loss of important surface cracking and contact data; most AE sensors distort the signal from the process but deconvolution can restore the signal; normal force/AE ratio shows a good correlation with cross-lay surface roughness.
Size-dependent predation on post-settlement winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus by sand shrimp Crangon septemspinosa

Juvenile flatfish that are large-at-age are assumed to have a survival advantage because of a reduction in predator-induced mortality (bigger-is-better hypothesis), but this general- ization is largely unsubstantiated in fisheries research. This study examined size-dependent preda- tion on post-settlement winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus by the sand shrimp Crangon septemspinosa, and the interactive effects of flounder density and water temperature on the preda- tor-prey interaction. Shrimp were visually observed foraging on flounder, and the major elements of the 'predation sequence' were quantified, from which the susceptibility and gross vulnerability of flounder were estimated. Flounder susceptibility generally decreased with increasing fish size until a complete refuge from shrimp predation was attained at sizes > 25 mm total length (TL). The gross vulnerability of flounder to shrimp predation was dome-shaped when analyzed graphically with respect to prey size. At the extremes of the vulnerability response curve, small flounder (8 to 12 mm TL) benefited from a decreased rate of encounters with shrimp predators, whereas large flounder (18 to 22 mm TL) profited from superior escape abilities and prolonged predator handling time once attacked and captured. Conversely, intermediate-sized flounder (13 to 17 mm TL) suffered the highest rates of mortality, and this was accentuated with increasing temperature and decreasing flounder density. Intermediate-sized flounder (17 mm TL) were the most energetically profitable for shrimp. Below this size, net energy intake of shrimp decreased because of the lower caloric content of smaller flounder. Above this size, the increased metabolic demands associated with foraging on large flounder resulted in a decrease in shrimp net-energy gain. Moreover, shrimp feeding on low densities of flounder suffered a net loss in energy intake, thus possibly explaining the observed density-dependent predation of crangonid species feeding on flatfish. Results from this study chal- lenge the applicability of the bigger-is-better hypothesis to this specific predator-prey interaction.
THE ROLE OF SPATIAL ANALYTICITY IN THE LOCAL ALIGNMENT OF VORTICITY DIRECTIONS IN 3D VISCOUS FLUIDS

We study local spatial dynamics of the vorticity directions in the 3D Navier-Stokes model. More precisely, utilizing the spatial analyticity of solutions, we obtain estimates of the 2D Hausdorff measure of the level sets arising in the local alignment.
Crystal, magnetic, and electronic structures, and properties of new BaMnPnF (Pn = As, Sb, Bi)

Crystal, magnetic, and electronic structures, and properties of new BaMn Pn F ( Pn = As, Sb, Bi)
Clinical and electromyographic studies of postpoliomyelitis muscular atrophy

Eleven patients with progressive weakness following polio (postpoliomyelitis muscular atrophy syndrome) were compared electromyographically with nine patients who had stable strength following polio. Abnormalities included (1) abnormal motor unit characteristics in many muscles indicating widespread loss of motor neurons and reinnervation in muscles, including many not clinically affected by the polio; (2) prevalent spontaneous denervation potentials; and (3) abnormal single-fiber electromyographic jitter. These electromyographic abnormalities were similar in progressive and stable postpoliomyelitis patients even when muscles were separated by strength, stability, age and duration of the postpoliomyelitis state. Postpoliomyelitis muscular atrophy appears to be the clinically apparent end of the spectrum of abnormalities existing in all postpoliomyelitis patients.
Cochlear anatomy using micro computed tomography (μCT) imaging

A novel micro computed tomography (μCT) image processing method was implemented to measure anatomical features of the gerbil and chinchilla cochleas, taking into account the bent modailosis axis. Measurements were made of the scala vestibule (SV) area, the scala tympani (SV) area, and the basilar membrane (BM) width using prepared cadaveric temporal bones. 3-D cochlear structures were obtained from the scanned images using a process described in this study. It was necessary to consider the sharp curvature of mododailosis axis near the basal region. The SV and ST areas were calculated from the μCT reconstructions and compared with existing data obtained by Magnetic Resonance Microscopy (MRM), showing both qualitative and quantitative agreement. In addition to this, the width of the BM, which is the distance between the primary and secondary osseous spiral laminae, is calculated for the two animals and compared with previous data from the MRM method. For the gerbil cochlea, which does not have much cartilage in the osseous spiral lamina, the μCT-based BM width measurements show good agreement with previous data. The chinchilla BM, which contains more cartilage in the osseous spiral lamina than the gerbil, shows a large difference in the BM widths between the μCT and MRM methods. The SV area, ST area, and BM width measurements from this study can be used in building an anatomically based mathematical cochlear model.
Revision surgery in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans of the trunk and extremities

Aims:Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a rare condition which is frequently misdiagnosed at presentation, resulting in a high incidence of local recurrence due to inadequate resection. The archives of the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Florida were analysed to investigate the natural history and results of treatment for this tumour.Methods:Between 1975 and 1996, 35 cases of DFSP were treated at the University of Florida. Of these, one was treated primarily, five were treated for local recurrence, 17 had tumour bed excisions following inadequate primary excisions elsewhere and 12 had tumour bed excisions following inadequate resection of local recurrences elsewhere. The data were analysed to assess the impact of age, gender, duration of symptoms, tumour site and size, surgical margin, number of operations and adjuvant treatments on survival and local recurrence outcomes.Results:Complete follow-up was available for 34 patients. Mean follow-up was 58 months (range 12–144 months). Thirty-three patients remain alive and disease-free. One patient died of unrelated causes. The margins obtained were wide in 28 patients, marginal in six and intralesional in one. Of the seven patients with inadequate surgical margins, four received adjuvant radiation therapy and remain disease-free. No patient with an adequate margin developed a local recurrence, but there were three local recurrences in the patients with an inadequate margin who did not receive adjuvant radiation therapy (local recurrence rate: 8%). No patient developed lymphatic or distant metastasis. Local recurrences were more likely to be classified Stage IB (17/17) than primary tumours (1/18) (P<0.001). Local recurrence was more likely where the surgical margin was less than 2.5 cm from the lesion.Conclusions:Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a low-grade tumour that has a high potential for local recurrence unless it can be completely excised. The overall rate of local recurrence in referred patients in this series was 20/35 cases (57%). All occurred after inadequate margins at previous surgery in other institutions. Revision surgery in these patients showed a local recurrence rate of 8%. To avoid extensive surgery for recurrences, initial treatment should be by wide excision incorporating the underlying deep fascia and a cuff of 2.5–3 cm of normal skin tissue. Radiation therapy provides a useful adjunct where adequate margins cannot be obtained.
Long-term intrathecal baclofen therapy for severe spasticity of cerebral origin

Object. The goal of this study was to ascertain the long-term effectiveness and safety of intrathecal baclofen (ITB) in the treatment of spasticity of cerebral origin in children and young adults. Methods. A prospective, multicenter study was conducted in 68 patients who had been enrolled in the initial evaluation of ITB therapy and were willing to participate in long-term surveillance. Seventy-three percent of the patients were younger than 16 years of age at the time of study entry. The patients were examined at least every 3 months and were observed for an average of 70 months. At each follow-up visit, spasticity in the upper and lower extremities was evaluated by applying Ashworth scores. All adverse events and complications were recorded on standardized data forms. Spasticity in both upper and lower extremities decreased significantly (p < 0.005) and remained decreased up to 10 years. The dosage of ITB increased from a mean of 157 (µg/day 3 months after pump insertion to 300 (µg/day at 2 years postim...
Electrophysiologic effects of disopyramide phosphate on reentrant ventricular arrhythmia in conscious dogs after myocardial infarction

Abstract The electrophysiologic actions of disopyramide phosphate on reentrant ventricular tachycardia induced by premature ventricular stimuli were evaluated in conscious dogs 2 to 4 days after myocardial infarction. Disopyramide was administered as a series of intravenous infusions to obtain successive steady state plasma disopyramide concentrations of 1.02 ± 0.02, 2.05 ± 0.08, 3.94 ± 0.09 and 7.69 ± 0.18 μg/ml (mean values ± standard error of the mean). Disopyramide plasma concentrations of 1.02 ± 0.02 μg/ml produced an increase in the rate and duration of ventricular tachycardia as well as in the interval during which premature ventricular stimuli produced ventricular tachycardia. The effective refractory period of normal myocardium was decreased and conduction (activation time) was improved in ischemic myocardium. Increasing steady state plasma disopyramide concentrations slowed the rate of ventricular tachycardia without decreasing its duration. Slowing of the rate of tachycardia occurred simultaneously with a depression of conduction in normal and ischemic myocardium and an increase in ventricular refractoriness. Induction of ventricular tachycardia was prevented only at steady state plasma disopyramide concentrations of 7.69 ± 0.18 μg/ml. The results of this study suggest that subtherapeutic plasma concentrations of disopyramide may facilitate the development of reentrant ventricular arrhythmia in the electrically unstable heart. Ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, or both, may be prevented only by plasma disopyramide concentrations that are in excess of the normal therapeutic range of 2 to 4 μg/ml.
A 3D reconstruction algorithm based on 3D deformable atlas

Reconstructing 3D models from 2D images is an important problem in visualization, particularly in medical and biological visualization. We present a new algorithm for 3D model reconstruction from 2D-images. In our approach, a 3D atlas is deformed to fit the feature data set in the target images. Compared with existing 3D reconstruction techniques, our approach is more efficient and easier to control. The resultant model has good inherent connectivity and smoothness. The resolution of the final model is determined by the resolution of reference model rather than the dataset. The model generates highly detailed view with a limited number of images. This algorithm has been successfully applied to medical simulation.
Fine-tuning innate and adaptive immune responses: another KLFhanger. Focus on “Krüppel-like factor KLF10 regulates transforming growth factor receptor II expression and TGF-β signaling in CD8+ T lymphocytes”

dysregulation of the immune system may contribute to a range of conditions such as autoimmunity, chronic inflammatory disease, transplant rejection, or cancer. In response to foreign pathogens, metazoans have evolved to bear two layered lines of defense—the innate and adaptive immune system. The
Correlation of carotenoid production, decreased membrane fluidity, and resistance to oleic acid killing in Staphylococcus aureus 18Z.

Staphylococcus aureus is susceptible to killing by host-derived fatty acids. Studies were performed to test for a correlation between carotenoid production by S. aureus and protection against oleic acid. Oleic acid killing of cells grown in carotenoid expression medium was determined as the dosage of oleic acid in 2 M NaCl-2 mM EDTA that would kill 20% of the cells in 60 min at 37 degrees C (i.e., the 20% lethal dose). Compared with the wild-type strain (18Z), a carotenoid-deficient mutant strain (18Z-76) and strain 18Z grown in a medium that suppressed carotenoid production both showed increased sensitivity to oleic acid. Spontaneous revertants of strain 18Z-76 that regained the ability to produce carotenoids were as resistant to oleic acid as the wild-type strain. Oleic acid was shown by fluorescence polarization to decrease polarization values. Lower polarization values indicate a more-fluid membrane. To determine whether protection against oleic acid killing might depend on carotenoid stabilization of membranes, fluorescence polarization values were determined for strains showing different levels of carotenoid production. An indirect correlation was found between membrane fluidity and carotenoid production. We were able to conclude that there is a direct correlation between carotenoid production (i.e., cell pigmentation), cell membrane stability, and resistance to oleic acid-induced cell killing.
Assessing the cultural competency of practicing community pharmacists: A pilot study

Abstract Background Improving the cultural competence of health care providers has been identified as an important strategy to address health care disparities in the United States. Although academic pharmacy has begun to incorporate cultural competence–related education in pharmacy school curricula, practicing pharmacists' cultural competence and their needs for improving cultural proficiency have not yet been assessed. Objectives The main aim of this study was to determine the extent to which pharmacists engage in culturally competent behaviors while providing care. Design A cross-sectional design was used for the study. Ninety-eight New York City community pharmacists attending a continuing education program were asked to complete and return a survey questionnaire containing the Cultural Competence Assessment Scale, which measured pharmacists' cultural diversity experience, attitude toward cultural awareness and sensitivity, and cultural competent behaviors. Results Sixty-four pharmacists completed and returned the survey. The mean total for the attitude toward cultural awareness and sensitivity subscale (out of 77) was 58.17 (± 7.40). The mean total for the cultural competent behaviors subscale (out of 102) was 60.11 (± 21.32). Items pertaining to the use and availability of resources to learn about clients and families (mean = 2.42) and documenting cultural assessment of clients (mean = 2.25), and adaptations they made with clients (2.44) had the lowest means. Conclusions Pharmacists had moderately positive attitudes toward cultural awareness and sensitivity. The participants responded fairly often to clients in a culturally competent manner. It is recommended that pharmacist training should focus on using resources and documenting assessment of cultures infrequently encountered while practicing culturally competent behaviors.
The influence of the olfactory placode on the development of the telencephalon inXenopus laevis

Abstract Removal of the sensory plate in Xenopus laevis embryos was performed to study the influence of the olfactory anlage on the development of the forebrain. Embryos, which at stage 22–23 underwent removal of the olfactory anlagen, were killed from stage 47 to 60. In 79% of the animals, two olfactory organs reformed and gave origin to two olfactory nerves which contacted the forebrain. In this instance, the telencephalic hemispheres developed normally. In 14% of the animals, one olfactory organ reformed which contacted the brain by means of one olfactory nerve. This resulted in the development of a unique, reduced in size, cone-shaped telencephalic lobe. In the remaining animals, only a rudiment of the olfactory organ, unconnected with the brain, was present; in these cases, the telencephalon did not develop. Similar results were observed in embryos where olfactory anlagen removal was coupled with damage to, or partial removal of, the prosencephalic vesicle. In animals where lesion of the forebrain was performed without placodal removal, normal development of the forebrain was observed. The developmental relationship observed between the olfactory organ and the forebrain suggests an active role of the nose on the development of the brain.
Pharmacokinetics, Lymph Node Uptake, and Mechanistic PK Model of Near-Infrared Dye-Labeled Bevacizumab After IV and SC Administration in Mice

Our objective was to determine the pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and lymph node uptake of the monoclonal antibody bevacizumab, labeled with the near-infrared (IR) dye 800CW, after intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) administration in mice. Fluorescence imaging and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assays were developed and validated to measure the concentration of bevacizumab in plasma. The bevacizumab–IRDye conjugate remained predominantly intact in plasma and in lymph node homogenate samples over a 24-h period, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and size exclusion chromatography. The plasma concentration vs. time plots obtained by fluorescence and ELISA measurements were similar; however, unlike ELISA, fluorescent imaging was only able to quantitate concentrations for 24 h after administration. At a low dose of 0.45 mg/kg, the plasma clearance of bevacizumab was 6.96 mL/h/kg after IV administration; this clearance is higher than that reported after higher doses. Half-lives of bevacizumab after SC and IV administration were 4.6 and 3.9 days, respectively. After SC administration, bevacizumab–IRDye800CW was present in the axillary lymph nodes that drain the SC site; lymph node uptake of bevacizumab–IRDye 800CW was negligible after IV administration. Bevacizumab exhibited complete bioavailability after SC administration. Using a compartmental pharmacokinetic model, the fraction absorbed through the lymphatics after SC administration was estimated to be about 1%. This is the first report evaluating the use of fluorescent imaging to determine the pharmacokinetics, lymphatic uptake, and bioavailability of a near-infrared dye-labeled antibody conjugate.
Research on Dynamic Characteristics of Serial-parallel Combination Joint with Flexible-Cable

In order to design the humanoid dual-arms high voltage transmission line inspection robot, the robot model is given and the working mechanism of the robot crossing obstacles is introduced, and the motion trajectory of the robot when it is moving is analyzed. The dynamic equations of the serial driven and the serial-parallel driven robotic arm are presented based on Lagrange equation and the dynamic characteristics of the wrist and elbow joint are simulated. The numerical simulation result of the serial driven robotic arm shows that the elbow joint has great torque when the robot moves horizontally and vertically. However, the numerical simulation result of the serial-parallel driven robotic arm shows that the elbow joint torque reduces greatly comparing with the serial driven arm. By analyzing the results of the simulation experiment, it can be seen that this serial-parallel combination driven joint with flexible-cable can reduce the elbow torque greatly and improve the load capacity of robotic arm comparing with the serial driven joint, which can solve the problem that the torque of serial driven joint in dual-arms inspection robot is too high.
Improving Low Power Processor Efficiency with Static Pipelining

A new generation of mobile applications requires reduced energy consumption without sacrificing execution performance. In this paper, we propose to respond to these con?icting demands with an innovative statically pipelined processor supported by an optimizing compiler. The central idea of the approach is that the control during each cycle for each portion of the processor is explicitly represented in each instruction. Thus the pipelining is in effect statically determined by the compiler. The benefits of this approach include simpler hardware and that it allows the compiler to perform optimizations that are not possible on traditional architectures. The initial results indicate that static pipelining can significantly reduce power consumption without adversely affecting performance.