cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A review of Staphylococcus aureus exit-site and tunnel infections in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Staphylococcu S aureus peritoneal exit-site and tunnel infections are a source of considerable morbidity for peritoneal dialysis patients. These infections are difficult to resolve, can lead to peritonitis, and often require removal of the peritoneal catheter. Staphylococcal nasal carriage is the major risk factor for S aureus exit-site infections and peritonitis episodes. In the future, the identification of patients who are S aureus nasal carriers and then treatment of the carriage state with rifampin may prove to be a means of decreasing infection rates. The best treatment for S aureus exit-site and tunnel infections has not been established. Treatment regimens in general use include oral antibiotics or intraperitoneal vancomycin. The optimal length of therapy is also unclear. Since the development of the disconnect peritoneal dialysis system, S aureus , rather than the Staphylococcus epidermidis, is the leading cause of peritonitis. To further decrease peritonitis rates, attention must now be directed at catheterrelated peritonitis episodes, with S aureus the most common cause of such episodes. Controlled, prospective studies designed to investigate methods of preventing and treating S aureus exit-site infections in peritoneal dialysis patients are needed.
Genomic structure, evolutionary conservation and aniridia mutations in the human PAX6 gene.

Aniridia is a semidominant disorder in which development of the iris, lens, cornea and retina is disturbed. The mouse mutation Small eye (Sey), which has been proposed as a model for aniridia, results from defects in Pax–6, a gene containing paired–box and homeobox motifs that is specifically expressed in the developing eye and brain. To test the role of PAX6 in aniridia, we isolated human cDNA clones and determined the intron–exon structure of this gene. PAX6 spans 22 kilobases and is divided into 14 exons. Analysis of DNA from 10 unrelated aniridia patients revealed intragenic mutations in three familial and one sporadic case. These findings indicate that the human aniridia and murine Small eye phenotypes arise from homologous defects in PAX6.
Simulating corn yields over 16 years on three soils under inorganic fertilizer and hog manure fertility regimes

Abstract Corn yields (Zea mays L.) on control treatments with inorganic fertilizer and on copper‐enriched hog manure treatments with annual rates up to 168 mt/ha from a 16‐year study were modelled with the Erosion Productivity Impact Calculator (EPIC) simulation model. The field research study was conducted on three diverse soils, a Guemsey silt loam, a Bertie fine sandy loam, and a Starr‐Dyke clay loam. Results indicated that EPIC simulated the manure and fertilizer treatments equally well. EPIC produced simulated yield means that were not different from measured yield means for all treatments (p ≤ 0.05). Goodness of fit tests indicate that simulated yields did not differ from measured yields for all simulation models except the Bertie manure treatment (p ≤ 0.05). For control and manure treatments, simulated yields explained 78% and 89% of variation in measured yields for the Guernsey soil, 55% and 42% for the Bertie soil, and 76% and 70% for the Starr‐Dyke soil, respectively. Overall, these are reasonab...
The role of Erwinia carotovora in the epidemiology of potato blackleg. II. The effect of soil temperature on disease severity.

Relative disease severity (seedpiece decay or post emergence blackleg) incited byErwinia carotovora var.carotovora (Ecc) andErwinia carotovora var.atroseptica (Eca) was studied in the field and the greenhouse. When inoculated tubers were planted in cool soils in the field or greenhouse (7.0–18.5°C average minimum and 16–26°C average maximum temperature during the first 30 days after planting)Eca caused significantly more disease thanEcc. Under these experimental conditionsEcc did not cause significantly more disease than that found in non-inoculated controls. When soil temperatures were high at planting time (21.4–24.0°C average minimum and 29.6–35.0°C average maximum temperature for the first 30 days after planting), inoculation withEcc resulted in severe disease whileEca produced no more infection than that found in uninoculated controls. At intermediate soil temperatures both were infective. Seedpiece decay by both organisms was correlated with soil temperatures during the first 30 days after planting. As the soil temperature increased, inoculation withEcc resulted in more disease than inoculation withEca. At lower soil temperatures the opposite result was obtained. Field and greenhouse studies showed that bothEca andEcc were able to cause typical post emergence blackleg infection, the former at low soil temperature and the latter at high temperature conditions. The data suggest that bothEcc andEca are components of the potato blackleg and soft rot disease complex. Environmental conditions, especially soil temperature, determine which organism is causative under a particular set of conditions.
Crown construction for partial dentures

Dentists frequently are confronted with the task of constructing a crown to fit a clasp and rest of an existing removable partial denture. The use of self-curing acrylic resins in developing the pattern will simplify the fabrication and will give a finished casting with greater accuracy. The instances in which such construc­ tion is necessary can be grouped into two broad categories: (1) when there remains a large amount of surface contour, even though it may be greatly undermined, and (2) when much of the surface is missing. The procedure will vary for each situation. TECHNIC USED W H E N M UCH
Line doubling in the 272-day long-period variable V Cancri

Resultats de spectres optiques a haute dispersion de V Cnc et comparaison avec d'autres variables a longue periode, de periodes et amplitudes lumineuses diverses
High-pressure fiber optic acoustic sensor

This paper describes a diaphragm-based external Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) fiber acoustic sensor with pressure-isolation structure. The structure minimizes the crosstalk generated by environmental pressure while enables considerable amount of acoustic signal power being delivered to the sensor, which allows the sensor to work in high-pressure environment. The detailed analysis on sensor design, pressure isolation and sensor fabrication as well as sensor performance are presented.
Pyrogenic Reactions Associated With the Reuse of Disposable Hollow-Fiber Hemodialyzers

We investigated 18 pyrogenic reactions (PRs) that occurred between July 1 and 13, 1987, in 16 patients receiving long-term hemodialysis at one dialysis center in Illinois. We defined a case of PR as the onset of chills or fever (oral temperature, greater than or equal to 37.8 degrees C) in a patient who was afebrile and had no signs or symptoms of infection before a dialysis treatment. Pyrogenic reactions to dialysis sessions during the epidemic period (July 1 through 14) were associated with the use of a reused dialyzer (risk ratio, 6.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.8 to 45). The water used to rinse the dialyzers after use and to dilute the germicide for disinfecting the dialyzers contained high concentrations of endotoxins (greater than 6 ng/mL) and bacteria (greater than 10(4) colony forming units/mL). After reuse of dialyzers was discontinued at the center, the PR rate fell to pre-epidemic levels. We concluded that PRs were associated with reuse of dialyzers, probably contaminated with endotoxins. Active surveillance for PRs among patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis should be routine at all dialysis centers; an increase in PRs should prompt timely review of water treatment and dialyzer reprocessing systems.
Increased number and function of FoxP3 regulatory T cells during experimental arthritis

Objective CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells are critical regulators of autoimmunity. Yet the number of Treg cells is paradoxically increased in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and Treg cells show variable activity in human studies. The objective of this study was to characterize the expansion and function of Treg cells during the initiation and progression of experimental arthritis. Methods To unequivocally identify Treg cells, we crossed FoxP3gfp mice with K/BxN mice to generate arthritic mice in which Treg cells express green fluorescence protein. We examined the expansion and function of Treg cells and effector T (Teff) cells during different stages of arthritis, using flow cytometry and cell proliferation analyses. Results In K/BxN mice, thymic selection of KRN T cells resulted in an enrichment of forkhead box P3 (FoxP3)–positive Treg cells. Treg cell numbers increased during arthritis, with significant increases in spleens and draining lymph nodes, indicating selective tropism to sites of disease. In contrast to the in vitro unresponsiveness of Treg cells when cultured alone, substantial proportions of Treg cells proliferated in both nonarthritic and arthritic mice. However, they also underwent greater apoptosis, thereby maintaining equilibrium with Teff cells. Similarly, enhanced Treg cell–suppressive activity during arthritis was offset by greater resistance by their Teff cell counterparts and antigen-presenting cells. Conclusion In this well-established model of RA, the interplay of Teff cells and Treg cells in K/BxN mice recapitulated many features of the human disease. We demonstrated an ordered expansion of Treg cells during arthritis and dynamic changes in Treg cell and Teff cell functions. By elucidating factors that govern Treg cell and Teff cell development in K/BxNgfp mice, we will gain insight into the pathophysiology of and develop novel therapeutics for human RA.
Gastrointestinal absorption of cadmium in mice during gestation and lactation: II. Continuous exposure studies

Abstract The effect on cadmium retention of continuous exposure to drinking water containing low levels of cadmium during pregnancy and lactation was studied in mice. Female mice were provided drinking water ad libitum containing 109CdCl2 (0.03 μCi 109Cd/ml, 0.11 ppb total cadmium) throughout either gestation, lactation, or a combined period of pregnancy and lactation. Nonpregnant control mice were exposed to the same cadmium solution for similar time periods. Dams in all three experimental groups retained two to three times more cadmium (expressed as percentage of ingested dose) than did nonpregnant controls. The 109Cd contents of liver, kidney, mammary tissue, and duodenum increased strikingly in all three groups. Increases in kidney and mammary tissue were particularly apparent during lactation, with increases of fivefold for kidney and at least ninefold for mammary tissue, compared to levels in nonpregnant controls. Increases in 109Cd retention by the duodenum were fivefold during gestation and three- to fourfold during lactation. The kidneys of dams exposed during lactation retained 53% of the whole body 109Cd, while kidneys of nonpregnant controls retained only 27%. Results indicate that pregnant and lactating mice absorb and subsequently retain substantially more cadmium from their diets than do nonpregnant mice.
Suppression of the Daily Rhythm in Tyrosine Transaminase Activity by Acute Elevation of Norepinephrine

THE enzyme tyrosine transaminase has a 24 h rhythm of activity in the rat liver which varies over a four-fold range each day1. This periodicity persists in the absence of pituitary or adrenal glands2–4, indicating that the driving oscillation of the rhythm does not reside in the pituitary-adrenal axis. Recent work in this laboratory5 has shown that depletion of tissue norepinephrine is associated with a three-fold increase in hepatic tyrosine transaminase activity in the fasted, adrenalectomized rat. This rise in enzyme activity was abolished by repletion of norepinephrine. These findings suggest that the neurohumour norepinephrine is involved in the generation of the daily rhythm in the activity of this enzyme. The results presented here show that a rise in tissue norepinephrine, either by inhibition of degradation or by increase in synthesis, is associated with a suppression of the diurnal rhythm of the rat hepatic enzyme.
Valve Stroking to Control Water Hammer Transients Using Dynamic Programming

Utilisation de la programmation dynamique pour trouver une loi de fermeture d'une vanne reduisant les transitoires de coup de belier
FVIP systems and multiple recurrence

An IP system is a functionn taking finite subsets ofN to a commutative, additive group Ω satisfyingn(α∪β)=n(α)+n(β) whenever α∩β=o. In an extension of their Szemeredi theorem for finitely many commuting measure preserving transformations, Furstenberg and Katznelson showed that ifS i ,1≤i≤k, are IP systems into a commutative (possibly infinitely generated) group Ω of measure preserving transformations of a probability space (X, B, μ, andA∈B with μ(A)>0, then for some o≠α one has μ(⋂ =1 S i({α})A>0). We extend this to so-called FVIP systems, which are polynomial analogs of IP systems, thereby generalizing as well joint work by the author and V. Bergelson concerning special FVIP systems of the formS(α)=T(p(n(α))), wherep:Z t →Z d is a polynomial vanishing at zero,T is a measure preservingZ d action andn is an IP system intoZ t . The primary novelty here is potential infinite generation of the underlying group action, however there are new applications inZ d as well, for example multiple recurrence along a wide class ofgeneralized polynomials (very roughly, functions built out of regular polynomials by iterated use of the greatest integer function).
The effect of increased weight on peak pressures: implications for obesity and diabetic foot pathology.

The purpose of this study was to determine if increased weight contributes to increased mean peak plantar foot pressures when foot function, deformity, and structure are controlled. Ten male and nine female volunteers without sensory neuropathy or other systemic disease were evaluated in the study. Using a repeated measures design, peak plantar foot pressures were compared using the Novel Pedar in-shoe pressure measurement system under three conditions. Baseline measurements were made while volunteers wore the standard test footwear, a thin-soled rubber oxford sneaker. The second and third test conditions involved pressure measurements with an additional 9.1 kg (20 lb) and 18.2 kg (401b), respectively, of weight evenly distributed in pockets on the front and back of a workout vest. There was a significant increase in mean peak plantar foot pressures under the metatarsal heads, heel, and midfoot for each incremental increase of weight (baseline vs. 9.1 kg, p
Real-time calibrated microwave plasma mulitmetals emissions monitor

Real-time calibrated atomic emission spectroscopy in stack exhaust using a continuously sustained microwave plasma is under development for trace metals monitoring. The plasma, in a shorted waveguide attached to the stack by a short sample line, is powered at 1.5 kW, 2.45 GHz. An undiluted stack slipstream is isokinetically directed into the plasma at a nominal flow of 14 liters per minute. A pneumatic nebulizer attached to the sample line can momentarily, on command, inject a known concentration of metals solution providing a real-time calibration. Recent testing has been performed on the exhaust stack of an incinerator at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Risk Management Laboratory in Research Triangle Park. Three hazardous metals were monitored, lead, chromium, and beryllium. These measurements were referenced to EPA Method-29. A total of twenty spiked stack exhaust tests were carried out. Ten one-hour tests at high concentration (40 - 60 (mu) g/actual m3) and ten one and half-hour tests at low concentration (10 - 15 (mu) g/actual m3). The microwave plasma monitor achieved measurement accuracies of approximately 20% for lead and beryllium and 40% for chromium with a threshold detection capability of less than 3 (mu) g/actual m3 for a time response of approximately 1-minute. Laboratory work is continuing to add mercury, arsenic, and cadmium to the monitored metals.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The fine-structural distribution of G-protein receptor kinase 3, beta-arrestin-2, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and phosphodiesterase PDE1C2, and a Cl(-)-cotransporter in rodent olfactory epithelia.

The sequentially activated molecules of olfactory signal-onset are mostly concentrated in the long, thin distal parts of olfactory epithelial receptor cell cilia. Is this also true for molecules of olfactory signal-termination and -regulation? G-protein receptor kinase 3 (GRK3) supposedly aids in signal desensitization at the level of odor receptors, whereas β-arrestin-2, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and phosphodiesterase (PDE) PDE1C2 are thought to do so at the level of the adenylyl cyclase, ACIII. The Na+, K+-2Cl−-cotransporter NKCC1 regulates Cl−-channel activity. In an attempt to localize the subcellular sites olfactory signal-termination and -regulation we used four antibodies to GRK3, two to β-arrestin-2, five to CaMKII (one to both the α and β form, and two each specific to CaMKII α and β), two to PDE1C2, and three to Cl−-cotransporters. Only antibodies to Cl−-cotransporters labeled cytoplasmic compartments of, especially, supporting cells but also those of receptor cells. For all other antibodies, immunoreactivity was mostly restricted to the olfactory epithelial luminal border, confirming light microscopic studies that had shown that antibodies to GRK3, β- arrestin-2, CaMKII, and PDE1C2 labeled this region. Labeling did indeed include receptor cell cilia but occurred in microvilli of neighboring supporting cells as well. Apical parts of microvillous cells that are distinct from supporting cells, and also of ciliated respiratory cells, immunoreacted slightly with most antibodies. When peptides were available, antibody preabsorption with an excess of peptide reduced labeling intensities. Though some of the antibodies did label apices and microvilli of vomeronasal (VNO) supporting cells, none immunoreacted with VNO sensory structures.
Tandem magnetic refrigerator for 1.8 K

Abstract A tandem magnetic refrigerator has been developed for continuous operation between 4.2 and 1.8 K. This paper presents the design, computer simulation and construction of the prototype machine. The regenerative concept is employed in the magnetic refrigerator to obtain a cascaded magnetic Carnot cycle effect along the temperature axis from the cold end to the warm end. Entropy pumping action from the cold heat reservoir to the warm heat reservoir occurs in the active magnetic regenerator. The inherent sources of irreversibility in regenerative magnetic refrigerators, i.e. heat capacity imbalance between magnetic refrigerant and heat transport medium, helium entrainment and dead volume effect, have been minimized by design optimization of the system components. The magnetic system of the tandem refrigerator has two virtually identical units, each consisting of a gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG; Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 ) magnetic core, a superconducting magnet, a warm end heat exchanger and a cold end heat exchanger. These components are united by a cryogenic displacer which shuttles the heat transport medium, subatmospheric 3 He gas, between the two units. The prototype of the designed magnetic refrigerator has operated continuously, producing a net refrigeration rate of 12 mW per magnetic core at 1.8 K.
Allogeneic parenchymal and hematopoietic tissues differ in their ability to induce deletion of donor-reactive T cells.

The establishment of immune tolerance to self antigen expressed exclusively in the periphery is a crucial yet incompletely understood feature of the immune system. A dominant concept of peripheral tolerance has been that exposure of T cells to signal one, the TCR–MHC interaction, in the absence of signal two, or costimulation, is a major mechanism of peripheral tolerance. This model suggests that any cell type that expresses MHC-peptide complexes, be they of self or foreign origin, should have the capacity to tolerize antigen-specific T cells when critical costimulatory interactions are interrupted. However, a spectrum of responses, from permanent engraftment to rapid rejection, has been observed in various transplantation models utilizing costimulatory blockade. Therefore we undertook a series experiments to directly assess the tolerogenic potential of donor hematopoietic and parenchymal cells. We find that allogeneic tissues differ profoundly in their ability to promote peripheral tolerance concurrent with combined blockade of B7-CD28 and CD40-CD40L pathways. Non-vascularized and vascularized parenchymal grafts as well as donor-specific transfusions promote varying degrees of donor-specific hyporesponsiveness, but fail to induce donor-reactive T-cell deletion; whereas establishment of stable hematopoietic chimerism promotes specific tolerance mediated by deletion of donor-reactive cells in the periphery.
Romani Routes. Cultural Politics and Balkan Music in Diaspora

Over the past few years, Romani culture has loomed large in the popular press, from Madonna touring with the Kolpakov Trio to the explosion of Gypsy punk fusion band Gogol Bordello. But coverage ra...
The construction of translation planes from projective spaces

Abstract Can every (nonDesarguesian) projective plane be imbedded (in some natural, geometric fashion) in a (Desarguesian) projective space? The question is new but important, for, if the answer is yes, two entirely separate fields of research can be united. This paper provides a conceptually simple geometric construction which yields an affirmative answer for a broad class of planes. A plane π is given by the construction precisely when π is a translation plane with a coordinatizing right Veblen-Wedderburn system which is finite-dimensional over its left-operator skew-field. The condition is satisfied by all known translation planes, including all finite translation planes.
Critical systems thinking: A challenge or dilemma in its practice?

Emerging descriptions of critical systems thinking (CST) have yet to provide much information on how consultants with such a philosophy should act as potential organizational change agents in actually gaining opportunities to introduce CST applications. Issues of professional activism and advocacy need to be explored in the recommended actions taken by such change agents to challenge the dominant ideology and aspects of a coercive political climate that exists in many organizations. Theory development and the creative potential of CST may be enhanced by its advocates studying related critical theory development in other management and social science subfields.
Templated Synthesis and Chemical Behavior of Nickel Nanoparticles within High Aspect Ratio Silica Capsules

One-dimensional transition metal nanostructures are of interest in many magnetic and catalytic applications. Using a combination of wet chemical synthesis, optical (infrared), and structural characterization methods (powder X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy), we have investigated four paths to access 1D nickel nanostructures: (1) direct chemical reduction of a self-assembled nickel–hydrazine coordination complex, (2) thermal decomposition of the silica encapsulated nickel–hydrazine complex, (3) treatment of the silica encapsulated nickel–hydrazine complex with sodium borohydride followed by thermal annealing, and (4) electroless nickel plating using silica encapsulated nickel seed particles. We find that only route 1, which does not require a silica template, results in the formation of nickel nanorods, albeit some particle aggregation is observed. Routes 2 and 3 result in the formation of isotropic nickel structures under a reducing atmosphere. Route 4 results in heterogene...
Characteristics of 1 to 8 wavelength uniform helical antennas

The measured voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), gain, pattern, and axial ratio characteristics of a uniformly wound helical antenna are presented. Experimental parametric studies were made of 1) fixed length helices with variable diameter and pitch angle (8.6 to 10 turns), and 2) variable length helices with constant diameter and pitch angle (5 to 35 turns). Parametric curves are presented to show the gain and half-power beamwidth (HPBW) of a constant pitch helix as a function of axial length L/\lambda and circumference C/\lambda . Empirical expressions are derived for the antenna peak gain and bandwidth as a function of the helix parameters. In addition, the antenna gain-beamwidth products are examined.
Convex ENO High Order Multi-dimensional Schemes without Field by Field Decomposition or Staggered Grids

Second order accurate (first order at extrema) cell averaged based approximations extending the Lax?Friedrichs central scheme, using component-wise rather than field-by-field limiting, have been found to give surprisingly good results for a wide class of problems involving shocks (see H. Nessyahu and E. Tadmor,J. Comput. Phys.87, 408, 1990). The advantages of component-wise limiting compared to its counterpart, field-by-field limiting, are apparent: (1) No complete set of eigenvectors is needed and hence weakly hyperbolic systems can be solved. (2) Component-wise limiting is faster than field-by-field limiting. (3) The programming is much simpler, especially for complicated coupled systems of many equations. However, these methods are based on cell-averages in a staggered grid and are thus a bit complicated to extend to multiple dimensions. Moreover the staggering causes slight difficulties at the boundaries. In this work we modify and extend this component-wise central differencing based procedure in two directions: (1) Point values, rather than cell averages are used, thus removing the need for staggered grids, and also making the extension to multi-dimensions quite simple. We use TVD Runge?Kutta time discretizations to update the solution. (2) A new type of decision process, which follows the general ENO philosophy is introduced and used. This procedure enables us to extend our method to a third order component-wise central ENO scheme, which apparently works well and is quite simple to implement in multi-dimensions. Additionally, our numerical viscosity is governed by the local magnitude of the maximum eigenvalue of the Jacobian, thus reducing the smearing in the numerical results. We found a speed up of a factor of 2 in each space dimension, on a SGIO2workstation, over methods based on field-by-field decomposition limiting. The new decision process leads to new, “convex” ENO schemes which, we believe, are of interest in a more general setting. Our numerical results show the value of these new methods.
The utilization of cold, nutrient-rich deep ocean water for energy and mariculture

Abstract In tropical and subtropical areas of the oceans, the warm surface waters constitute the world's largest storage of solar energy. The underlying cold deep water, less than 1,000 m below the ocean's surface, constitutes a cold sink, making it possible to generate mechanical energy by inserting a suitable heat engine between the warm and cold waters. The energy required for pumping the deep water to the surface is typically 6.5% of the total energy produced by the plant. The nitrate, phosphate and other nutrients dissolved in the deep sea water constitute the raw materials for plant growth when brought into the light at the surface. Extrapolation of results from small-scale experiments conducted at the St. Croix (U.S. Virgin Islands) “Artificial Upwelling” station, indicate that this system could produce 20 times more algal protein per hectare than alfalfa, the highest protein-producer per hectare in landbased agriculture. The algal protein can be converted into clam protein with better than 30% efficiency. It is recommended that a commercial feasibility test of a combined sea-thermal power plant and mariculture operation, utilizing deep-sea water and sunshine as major raw materials, be undertaken.
Interfacial structure in reacting poly(methyl methacrylate)/polycarbonate polymer blends

The small angle neutron scattering (SANS) technique has been used to study the interfacial structure development in poly(methyl methacrylate)/polycarbonate (PMMA/PC) blends through transesterification. We found : 1) Development of interfacial structure through transesterification at the phase separated domain interfaces are observed at T ≤ 200° C. At T ≥ 215° C, because of a higher transesterification rate, the melting of domains is observed together with very weak scattering by interfacial structure. 2) Interfacial thickness t i increases with time and reaches a plateau value of t i at 32.5 ± 2.4 A and 29.6 ± 3.7 A for 180° C and 200° C, respectively. 3) The intensity profiles at 190° C and long times show the formation of spherical domains similar to those reported by Rabeony et aL (1). These may be caused by the crosslinking effect of the transesterification reaction between PMMA and PC.
Signaling from across the Way: Transactivation of VEGF Receptors by HSPGs

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) influence the signaling of many growth factors, and recent work shows that they can promote VEGF signaling in trans from the surface of an adjacent cell. This mode of signaling also alters the activation state and internalization of VEGF receptors.
Modeling of Sound Transmission from Ear Canal to Cochlea

A 3-D finite element (FE) model of the human ear consisting of the external ear canal, middle ear, and cochlea is reported in this paper. The acoustic-structure-fluid coupled FE analysis was conducted on the model which included the air in the ear canal and middle ear cavity, the fluid in the cochlea, and the middle ear and cochlea structures (i.e., bones and soft tissues). The middle ear transfer function such as the movements of tympanic membrane, stapes footplate, and round window, the sound pressure gain across the middle ear, and the cochlear input impedance in response to sound stimulus applied in the ear canal were derived and compared with the published experimental measurements in human temporal bones. The frequency sensitivity of the basilar membrane motion and intracochlear pressure induced by sound pressure in the ear canal was predicted along the length of the basilar membrane from the basal turn to the apex. The satisfactory agreements between the model and experimental data in the literature indicate that the middle ear function was well simulated by the model and the simplified cochlea was able to correlate sound stimulus in the ear canal with vibration of the basilar membrane and pressure variation of the cochlear fluid. This study is the first step toward the development of a comprehensive FE model of the entire human ear for acoustic-mechanical analysis.
Extent of disease at presentation and outcome for adrenocortical carcinoma: have we made progress?

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), a rare and aggressive malignancy, accounts for up to14% of adrenal incidentalomas. The only chance of cure for ACC is diagnosis at an early stage; therefore, a main indication for adrenalectomy in patients with adrenal incidentaloma has been the potential risk of ACC. Recent studies suggest that this has led to earlier stage of ACC at diagnosis, more curative operations, and better survival. We analyzed data on ACC from The National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Four equal time quartiles (1973–1979, 1980–1986, 1987–1993, and 1994–2000) were compared for changes in demographics, pathology, treatment, and cause-specific mortality. The average age was 51.2 years (range: 1–97), and 45.9% of patients were men. The average tumor size was 12 cm (range: 2–36 cm), and only 4.2% were ≤ 6 cm. Most (88%) patients had surgical resection of their tumor, and external beam radiotherapy was used in only 12% of patients. Between the time quartiles compared (as well as annually), there was no significant difference at presentation in age at diagnosis, sex, race/ethnicity, tumor size, tumor grade, the frequency of distant metastasis, and overall TNM stage. Low tumor grade, lower stage of ACC, later time quartile, and surgical resection were associated with a lower cause-specific mortality by univariate analysis (P ≤ 0.002) and by multivariate analysis (P ≤ 0.031). Although adrenal incidentalomas have become a common indication for adrenalectomy, this has not resulted in patients with ACC being diagnosed earlier or treated at a lower stage of disease at the national level. The most important predictors of survival in these patients are tumor grade, tumor stage, and surgical resection.
Explaining the Decline of Macro‐corporatist Political Bargaining Structures in Advanced Capitalist Societies

A growing consensus among many observers of Western European politics has developed in recent years that, in certain countries, national level, consensus-based political bargaining arrangements involving representatives of organized capital, trade unions, and the state are giving way to more sectorally-based, conflictual forms of relations. These developments suggest an overall decline in the efficacy of national-level corporatist institutional structures in the liberal democracies of Western Europe. This article contends that neither of the two general theoretical approaches to the study of corporatism - the liberal model of the “neocorporatist state” (which fails to acknowledge the potential for serious system-threatening instability within corporatism) nor the Marxist model of corporatist “political structures” (which incorrectly predicts labor-generated corporatist instability due to inevitable rank-and-file discontent with the policy outputs of corporatist forms) - can account for this current wave of macro-corporatist instability and decline. In response to this theoretical impasse, this article develops a capitalist-centered explanation for the declining significance of corporatist forms. Business interests, it is maintained, may no longer be viewing corporatist arrangements as beneficial due to certain domestic structural economic changes and to transformations in the global capitalist system.
Modeling and experiment design for determining electric field in pulsed-nanosecond discharges

Summary form only given. The use of pulsed-nanosecond discharges at near atmospheric pressures is of interest for a number of reasons. The use of arc ignition in combustion engines has persisted since their invention, but this type of discharge offers potential for improving combustion characteristics. Additionally, such plasmas could provide a means for the conversion of methane into higher, more attractive, hydrocarbons. Here, the model of Adamovich et al. is modified to match the discharge conditions of the nanosecond-discharge facility in Vacuum Facility 69 at NASA Glenn Research Center. The model produces time and space dependent values for the electric field, electron density, and sheath boundary. Predictions of energy absorption and coupling efficiency also result from this analysis. An experiment utilizing coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering spectroscopy is proposed for determining the electric field. The experiment is based on previous research conducted by Evsin et al. Success of the experiment would provide critical validation of analytic and numerical models for pulsed-nanosecond discharges. Such measurements are necessary precursors to further research into pulsed, nonthermal plasmas which have applications in supersonic and hypersonic transport.
Diabetic retinopathy in African Americans with type 1 diabetes: The New Jersey 725: II. Risk factors.

Objective To determine whether diabetic retinopathy in African Americans with type 1 diabetes is associated with the following 6 putative risk factors: duration of diabetes, glycemic control, systemic hypertension, renal disease, socioeconomic status, and male sex. Methods Patients in The New Jersey 725 study underwent detailed ocular evaluation, a structured clinical interview, blood pressure measurements, and assays of blood and urine samples. Results Glycemic control was poor; 89.8% of the patients had glycosylated hemoglobin values of more than 0.08. Renal disease and systemic hypertension were present in 49.8% and 34.3% of patients, respectively. Frequency and severity of retinopathy were significantly associated with longer duration of diabetes ( P Conclusions Risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in African Americans with type 1 diabetes include presence of renal disease, poor glycemic control, high systolic blood pressure, and long duration of diabetes.
Evaluation of thermomechanical damage in silicon carbide/titanium composites

Composite specimens of Ti-15V-3Al-3Cr-3Sn matrix reinforced with continuous SCS-6 silicon carbide fibers were tested under a variety of thermal and mechanical loadings. A combined experimental/finite element approach was used to estimate the effective in situ modulus of the matrix material and to evaluate changes in modulus due to the applied loads. Several fiber orientations were tested. The results indicate that the effect of thermal loads on composite stiffness varies with fiber orientation. Applications of this method to test specimens damaged by uniaxial tension, thermal cycling, and isothermal fatigue loadings are used to illustrate that, by monitoring overall structural behavior, changes in stiffness caused by thermomechanjcal loading can be detected. HE mechanical behavior of composite materials depends on the properties of the fiber and matrix constituents. Because of inhomogeneiti es due to the addition of the fibers and due to thermal loadings that occur during the fabrication process, the in situ matrix properties of the SiC/Ti-15-3 com- posite can vary significantly from those of the monolithic ma- trix.1 Matrix stiffness properties, as well as the integrity of the fiber/matrix bond, will also change as the composite material deforms under applied mechanical and thermal loads. In this paper an indirect measurement of the effective in situ matrix modulus is obtained using the results of experimental tests together with finite element analysis of the composite test specimens. The term "effective matrix modulus" is used to account for changes in the measured stiffness of the compos- ite. These changes could be due to a variety of damage modes. In this article, however, all damage will be incorporated into and accounted for by changes in the matrix modulus. The resonant frequencies of the individual specimens are measured by vibration testing. Based on the measured frequencies, the effective modulus of the test specimens is determined by finite element analysis. This indirect measurement technique is ap- plied to each individual test specimen in its original, as-fabri- cated condition, as well as after a heat treatment, and thermal or mechanical lo^ds are applied. The results therefore show how the effective matrix modulus changes with the different applied loads.
Evidence-based treatment of psychiatric patient

There is controversy concerning the proper treatment of psychiatric patients in the emergency department. Emergency physicians commonly use physical or chemical restraints or both in the course of treating psychiatric patients. This review applies the rigors of an evidence-based evaluation of the literature concerning the choices of treatment for these patients.
Carrier-phase time transfer

We have conducted several time-transfer experiments using the phase of the GPS carrier rather than the code, as is done in current GPS-based time-transfer systems. Atomic clocks were connected to geodetic GPS receivers; we then used the GPS carrier-phase observations to estimate relative clock behavior at 6-minute intervals. GPS carrier-phase time transfer is more than an order of magnitude more precise than GPS common view time transfer and agrees, within the experimental uncertainty, with two-way satellite time-transfer measurements for a 2400 km baseline. GPS carrier-phase time transfer has a stability of 100 ps, which translates into a frequency uncertainty of about two parts in 10/sup -15/ for an average time of 1 day.
GFAP-expressing cells in the postnatal subventricular zone display a unique glial phenotype intermediate between radial glia and astrocytes

Neural stem cells in the adult subventricular zone (SVZ) derive from radial glia and express the astroglial marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Thus, they have been termed astrocytes. However, it remains unknown whether these GFAP-expressing cells express the functional features common to astrocytes. Using immunostaining and patch clamp recordings in acute slices from transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by the promoter of human GFAP, we show that GFAP-expressing cells in the postnatal SVZ display typical glial properties shared by astrocytes and prenatal radial glia such as lack of action potentials, hyperpolarized resting potentials, gap junction coupling, connexin 43 expression, hemichannels, a passive current profile, and functional glutamate transporters. GFAP-expressing cells express both GLAST and GLT-1 glutamate transporters but lack AMPA-type glutamate receptors as reported for dye-coupled astrocytes. However, they lack 100 microM Ba2+-sensitive inwardly rectifying K+ (K(IR)) currents expressed by astrocytes, but display delayed rectifying K+ currents and 1 mM Ba2+-sensitive K+ currents. These currents contribute to K+ transport at rest and maintain hyperpolarized resting potentials. GFAP-expressing cells stained positive for both K(IR)2.1 and K(IR)4.1 channels, two major K(IR) channels in astrocytes. Ependymal cells, which also derive from radial glia and express GFAP, display typical glial properties and K(IR) currents consistent with their postmitotic nature. Our results suggest that GFAP-expressing cells in concert with ependymal cells can perform typical astrocytic functions such as K+ and glutamate buffering in the postnatal SVZ but display a unique set of functional characteristics intermediate between astrocytes and radial glia.
Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Congenital Heart Disease: A Practical Review for the Pediatric Cardiologist

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a complex condition with a broad range of etiologies that result in a common outcome--elevated pulmonary arterial pressure. For the pediatric cardiologist, this entity provides a manifest demonstration of the interrelationship of cardiac and pulmonary physiology. A thoughtful approach must be applied to each patient with PH in order to achieve a thorough understanding of the nature of disease and to proceed with individualized therapy in an appropriate and timely manner. This article aims to provide a clinically relevant, practical review of current literature related to PH in patients with congenital heart disease, including the causes, diagnostic considerations, and an overview of management.
DSP-Based Real-Time Implementation of a Hybrid $H \infty$ Adaptive Fuzzy Tracking Controller for Servo-Motor Drives

An embedded hybrid Hinfin adaptive fuzzy control structure is implemented for trajectory tracking control of a brushless servo drive system. The control structure employs a fuzzy logic controller incorporating an Hinfin tracking controller via an acceleration feedback signal. The fuzzy logic controller is equipped with an adaptive-law-based Lyapunov synthesis approach to compensate for system uncertainty and random changes in the external load acting on the drive system. The proposed control structure is experimentally verified on a state-of-the-art dSPACE DS1104 digital signal processor (DSP)-based data acquisition and control system in a laboratory 1-hp brushless drive system. The controllers are first designed in Simulink. Then, the Real-Time Workshop is used to automatically generate optimized C code for real-time applications. Afterward, the interface between MATLAB/Simulink and the dSPACE DS 1104 allows the control algorithm to run on the hardware processor of the DSP. The result is a powerful testbed for the rapid design and implementation of the hybrid tracking controllers for a wide variety of operating conditions. Experimental results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed controller. Considerable improvement in the performance generated by the hybrid controller is compared with the traditional Hinfin controller
Magneto-optics and amorphous metals: an optical storage revolution

Abstract In the last five years excitement has been developing about the realization of a magneto-optic storage technology, based on amorphous rare-earth transition metal alloys. The goal of this paper is to identify important physics' and materials' issues that arise out of the storage, erasure and readout processes. Particular attention is paid to the origin of the magneto-optic properties in highly disordered metal alloys.
Commentary: Kubler-Ross 5 stages in the recognition of poor surgical resident performance.

THE AUTHORS are addressing a formidable problem that challenges every residency program director and all residency faculty nationally. The authors derive from an institution that has devoted formidable expertise to issues in surgical resident education and deserves recognition as a very real leader in this area. The authors appropriately note that resident performance ‘‘problems’’ (much like any other disease) obligate precise diagnosis and only then can ‘‘targeted remediation prove likely of success.’’ Again, however, if the initial diagnosis is imprecise or the remediation is inappropriate, the programmed therapy is likely to fail. Discriminating these 2 alternatives may prove difficult. The purpose of the current study was to identify residents with significant ‘‘recurring academic, clinical and/or professional behavior’’ problems and to describe and classify their nature. Thus, the focus of the current study was diagnostic and not therapeutic. ‘‘Raters’’ performed retrospective analyses of general surgical categorical residents in the single Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine surgical program. Because the raters reviewed the records of general surgical categorical residents over a 30-year period, it is likely that the authors did not personally ‘‘know’’ most of the residents who were evaluated. My bias is that the ‘‘raters’’ at SIU are more sophisticated and more focused on resident education than most
Phase II study of gefitinib, fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin therapy in previously treated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Purpose To investigate the gefitinib, fluorouracil (FU), leucovorin, and oxaliplatin regimen (IFOX) in previously treated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Patients and Methods Eligible patients had stage IV colorectal adenocarcinoma and had demonstrated progression or intolerance to a prior chemotherapy regimen not including oxaliplatin. Each cycle consisted of 14 days. Cycle 1 consisted of oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) during 2 hours on day 1, hours 0 to 2; leucovorin 200 mg/m2 IV on days 1 and 2, hours 0 to 2; FU 400 mg/m2 IV push on days 1 and 2; and FU 600 mg/m2 IV on days 1 and 2, hours 2 to 24 (FOLFOX-4). All subsequent cycles consisted of FOLFOX-4 with gefitinib at 500 mg/d administered orally throughout the 14-day cycle. Results Twenty-seven patients were enrolled onto the study. The median number of prior chemotherapy regimens was two, and 74% of all patients received prior irinotecan. Nine of the 27 patients (33%) and six of the 20 patients (30%) who had prior FU and irinote...