cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alternative method for repair of the difficult infant hernia.

Abstract Background: Inguinal hernia repair in the small infant is often technically difficult. An alternative operative approach has been developed that can simplify troublesome repairs, while decreasing the potential risks of damage to cord structures and of recurrence. Methods: Thirteen small infants (weight 1400-3000 grams) underwent inguinal hernia repair using a technique of direct closure of the internal inguinal ring via a trans-hernial sac approach. Dissection of cord structures from the sac was avoided. Results: All hernia repairs remained intact on follow-up of 4-28 months. One patient early in the series developed a noncommunicating hydrocele, prompting the addition of sac eversion to the original technique. Conclusions: An alternative method for simplified repair of difficult infant hernias has been used with success. While it does not supplant traditional repair technique for most patients, it should be considered for use in selected situations. J Pediatr Surg 35:331-333. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Molecular genetics of the parasitic protozoan Leishmania.

Leishmania is a member of the family Trypanosomatidae, which causes debilitating diseases in humans. Over the past several years, researchers have applied molecular genetic techniques to study extensively the biology of this parasitic protozoan. Many aspects of Leishmania biology are found to be unique when compared with the higher eukaryotes. This minireview highlights some recent developments in the molecular genetic analysis of this fascinating organism.Key words: Leishmania, protozoan, molecular genetics, disease.
The new US Dietary Reference Intakes for vitamins C and E.

(2001). The new US Dietary Reference Intakes for vitamins C and E. Redox Report: Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 5-9.
On solving the continuous data editing problem

Abstract The data editing problem is concerned with identifying the most likely source of errors in computerized data bases. Given a record that is known to fail one or more ological consistency edits, the objective is to determine the minimum (possibly weighted) number of fields that could be changed in order to correct the record. While this problem can easily be formulated as a pure fixed-charge problem, it can be extremely difficult to solve under certain data conditions. In this paper we show how a number of structural characteristics in this problem can be exploited to dramatically reduce the computational time required to solve particularly difficult data edition problems.
Thermomechanical properties of plasma-sprayed oxides in the MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 system

Abstract Cordierite (2MgO-2Al2O3-5SiO2), spinel (MgO-Al2O3) and forsterite (2MgO-SiO2) were plasma sprayed onto steel substrates. The deposits were removed and their thermomechanical properties examined. The excellent thermal shock resistance of cordierite deposits is a consequence of its low thermal expansivity. The experimental critical temperature differences of cordierite, spinel and forsterite deposits are significantly greater than theoretical predictions, which is attributed to the existence of porosity introduced by plasma spraying in atmosphere. Thermal fatigue testing of the oxide coatings-on-bond coat/substrate indicates thermal cycling lifetime of the forsterite top coat is longer than that of spinel or cordierite. This is attributed to the lower thermal expansion mismatch between the forsterite top coat and the alloy bond coat/steel substrate, leading to a decreased level of thermal stress during thermal cycling. Failure mechanisms of the spinel and cordierite coatings are analyzed.
Barriers to accessing HIV-prevention in clinic settings: Higher alcohol use and more sex partners predict decreased exposure to HIV-prevention counseling.

Understanding barriers to accepting HIV-prevention counseling among vulnerable populations is of critical importance, as prevention efforts can only have a public health impact if high-risk populations are willing to enroll. A correlational field study was conducted in a health care setting with a high-risk community sample (N = 350) to determine if number of sex partners and alcohol consumption predict acceptance of an invitation to take part in HIV-prevention counseling. Findings indicated that participants engaging in the least risky behavior (i.e. individuals reporting no alcohol consumption and few sex partners) were more likely to accept an offer to receive HIV-prevention counseling. Moreover, heavy drinking was associated with decreased exposure to HIV-prevention counseling, regardless of the number of sex partners reported (b = .12, p > .05). Given associations between heavy drinking and sexual risk taking, finding ways to increase exposure to HIV-prevention counseling programs among heavy drinkers could serve a vital public health function.
Further Considerations of visual cognitive neuroscience in aided AAC: The potential role of motion perception systems in maximizing design display

Current augmentative and alternative communication technologies allow animation within visual symbol displays. Clinicians therefore have the option of incorporating motion-based effects into AAC displays. Yet there is no research in the field of AAC to guide this clinical decision-making, in terms of the number or types of animated symbols that would best suit specific communication needs. A great deal is known within the discipline of cognitive neuroscience about how humans perceive motion, however. In this paper we propose that the field of AAC might exploit these known principles of motion perception, and we identify some potential uses of different types of motion. The discussion is presented within the context of neuro-cognitive theory concerning the neurological bases for motion perception.
Potentiometric biosensor based on immobilized enzyme membrane and fluoride detection

Abstract This paper describes two new potentiometric biosensors that combine the selectivity of an immobilized enzyme membrane and the sensitivity of fluoride ion detection. The principle of these biosensors is based on the reaction of 4-fluorophenol with hydrogen peroxide, catalyzed by immobilized peroxidase, to produce fluoride ion, which is measured potentiometrically by a fluoride electrode. By coupling this reaction with other oxidases that produce hydrogen peroxide, sensitive sensors for substrates of these oxidases can be obtained. Potentiometric biosensors for hydrogen peroxide and glucose using immobilized peroxidase and immobilized peroxidase/glucose oxidase membranes, respectively, were developed. The preparation of immobilized enzyme membranes, optimal conditions of operation, and performance of these biosensors are described.
Convection in laminar three-dimensional separated flow

Abstract Distributions of the wall temperature, the Nusselt number, and the friction coefficient on all of the bounding walls of laminar three-dimensional forced convection flow adjacent to backward-facing step in a rectangular duct are reported. A uniform heat flux is imposed on the bounding walls (stepped wall, sidewalls, and flat wall) downstream from the step, while the walls of the duct upstream from the step and the step are treated as adiabatic surfaces. The flow upstream of the step is treated as hydrodynamically fully developed and isothermal, and the outlet flow downstream from the step is treated as being hydrodynamically and thermally fully developed. Local and average results are presented for a Reynolds numbers range of 150–450, and some results are compared with their equivalent from the two-dimensional case.
Specifications of a continual reassessment method design for phase I trials of combined drugs.

In studies of combinations of agents in phase I oncology trials, the dose–toxicity relationship may not be monotone for all combinations, in which case the toxicity probabilities follow a partial order. The continual reassessment method for partial orders (PO-CRM) is a design for phase I trials of combinations that leans upon identifying possible complete orders associated with the partial order. This article addresses some practical design considerations not previously undertaken when describing the PO-CRM. We describe an approach in choosing a proper subset of possible orderings, formulated according to the known toxicity relationships within a matrix of combination therapies. Other design issues, such as working model selection and stopping rules, are also discussed. We demonstrate the practical ability of PO-CRM as a phase I design for combinations through its use in a recent trial designed at the University of Virginia Cancer Center. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The perceived attractiveness of preterm infants

It has been argued that human infants (with their relatively large foreheads and eyes) evoke nurturant behaviors from adults. This study empirically tests whether or not conceptional age affects these facial features and adult perceptions of the infants. Pictures (full frontal views of the face) were taken of 29 newborns: 10 born at term, 10 born 1 month early, and 9 born 2 months before term. All facial features were measured proportionally, and three composite drawings (one for each gestational age) were made. Using a 7-point Likert-style scale, college-aged subjects rated the composite drawings on the basis of overall impressions, perceived functional evaluations, and judged behavioral inclinations. Results indicated that full-term infants possessed proportionally wider eyes and rounder heads than did preterm infants. Composite drawings depicting the fullterm characteristics evoked much more favorable responses for all items than did the two composite drawings depicting preterm infants' characteristics. Moreover, the composite drawing depicting an infant born 1 month early elicited more favorable responses than did the composite drawing depicting an infant born 2 months prematurely.
Quantification of hemodynamic changes induced by virtual placement of multiple stents across a wide-necked basilar trunk aneurysm.

Microsurgical and endovascular techniques for cerebral aneurysm treatment have improved over the last few decades. However, very wide-necked and fusiform aneurysms provide considerable difficulties to neurosurgeons because they are not amenable to conventional coil embolization or surgical approaches (30). Presently, porous stents are used commonly in the management of these difficult cerebral aneurysms to provide a scaffold across the aneurysm neck, which is followed by packing of the aneurysm sac with detachable coils delivered through the stent struts (3, 22). Investigators (14, 16) have reported that stent-alone treatment can alter aneurysm hemodynamics and create favorable flow conditions by inducing thrombosis, which excludes the aneurysm from the cerebral circulation. However, the results of stenting without additional coil embolization to induce immediate or permanent aneurysmal occlusion have been inconsistent (15, 16, 29). Recent reports have shown that the placement of multiple stents across the aneurysm neck improves the efficiency of stenting by reducing the permeability of aneurysmal inflow overall. Doerfler et al. (7) used a double-stent method to treat small, wide-necked aneurysms of the vertebral artery in two patients. In each patient, marked reduction of aneurysm flow was observed by angiography, and complete occlusion was obtained after 7 days. On the basis of this anecdotal clinical report, Canton et al. (3) performed a study to quantify the hemodynamic changes induced by sequential placement of stents. These investigators measured the two-dimensional pulsatile velocity field within a flexible silicone sidewall aneurysm model using digital particle image velocimetry. The reduction of maximum averaged velocity, vorticity, and shear stress induced by placing the first stent was remarkable. Reductions in these quantities were less pronounced after a second or third stent was placed. In this study, our objectives were to quantify and characterize the variations of hemodynamic parameters thought to be important in aneurysm pathogenesis and thrombosis through sequential virtual placement of stents across the aneurysm neck. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and angiographic image analysis, we compared the effects of three porous, commercial stent designs on aneurysm hemodynamics.
Effects of collisions on linear and non-linear spectroscopic line shapes

Abstract A fundamental physical problem is the determination of atom-atom, atom-molecule and molecule-molecule differential and total scattering cross sections. In this work, a technique for studying atomic and molecular collisions using spectroscopic line shape analysis is discussed. Collisions occuring within an atomic or molecular sample influence the sample's absorptive or emissive properties. Consequently the line shapes associated with the linear or non-linear absorption of external fields by an atomic system reflect the collisional processes occuring in the gas. Explicit line shape expressions are derived characterizing linear or saturated absorption by two- or three-level “active” atoms which are undergoing collisions with perturber atoms. The line shapes may be broadened, shifted, narrowed, or distorted as a result of collisions which may be “phase-interrupting” or “velocity-changing” in nature. Systematic line shape studies can be used to obtain information on both the differential and total active atom-perturber scattering cross sections.
Get With The Guidelines Program Participation, Process of Care, and Outcome for Medicare Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure

Background—Hospitals enrolled in the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines Program for heart failure (GWTG-HF) have improved their process of care. However, it is unclear if process of care and outcomes are better in the GWTG-HF hospitals compared with hospitals not enrolled. Methods and Results—We compared hospitals enrolled in GWTG-HF from 2006 to 2007 with other hospitals using data on 4 process of heart failure care measures, 5 noncardiac process measures, risk-adjusted 30-day mortality, and 30-day all-cause readmission after a heart failure hospitalization, as reported by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Among the 4460 hospitals reporting data to CMS, 215 (5%) were enrolled in GWTG-HF. Of the 4 CMS heart failure performance measures, GWTG-HF hospitals had significantly higher documentation of the left ventricular ejection fraction (93.4% versus 88.8%), use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor antagonist (88.3% versus 86.6%), and dischar...
Impact of developmental stage at cryopreservation and transfer on clinical outcome of frozen embryo cycles

Although several early IVF successes were achieved after transferring fully formed blastocysts, the majority of embryos replaced worldwide over the past 30 years have been at the cleavage stage. The programme at this study centre has previously found that delaying an embryo transfer to day 5 can reduce the chance for a high-order multiple gestation without compromising the pregnancy rate because fewer embryos can be replaced. To evaluate the impact of transfer day and embryonic stage at cryopreservation on cycle outcome, 6069 fresh and 706 frozen transfers from 2000-2006 performed at this study centre were retrospectively analysed. Approximately half of the fresh transfers were performed on day 3, with a shift to day-5 transfer over the study period with no change in cryopreservation incidence. Implantation, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates were significantly higher following day-5 transfer. When frozen-thawed embryos (2-cell to day-6 blastocysts) were transferred, acceptable pregnancy and live birth rates were achieved at all stages but thawed embryos transferred as day-5 blastocysts generated consistently higher clinical pregnancy and live birth rates. Transfer of embryos frozen on day 6 had the highest miscarriage and lowest live birth rates. Barring government regulation, an IVF programme's day for cryopreservation generally depends on its management of and success with fresh embryo transfer.
Thermal Analysis of a Solar Hot Water System and a Stock Tank

During the cold winter months in the Midwestern States, a common problem that many livestock farmers face is to prevent the cattle drinking water, in a stock tank, from freezing. There are commercial water heating systems that consist of drinking fountains, submersible, or floating heaters. However, these units have typically high initial and operating costs. In this paper, we present the analysis and design of a low cost solar system that are made with tractor inner tubes and other readily available materials. Car and tractor inner tubes make good solar collectors because of their mechanical strength and thermophysical properties. The low cost solution reported here could also be used to address warm water supply and or space heating needs in developing countries. In this paper, the transient thermal response of wooden stock tanks with Fourier numbers around 0.01 is considered. Exact analytical solutions in the form of infinite series are used. The product solution of a cylinder and a plane wall is used to model the stock tank. Moreover, given the small Fourier number, a series of numerical experiments were performed to determine the number of terms that must be retained from the infinite series solutions to obtain accurate results. A theoretical model for the solar collector was also developed, and a series of physical experiments were performed to verify the theoretical models of the stock tank and the collector. The experimental results show that theoretical models, developed in this paper, predict the thermal behaviors of the collector and the stock tank well.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Effects of isospin mixing in the A = 32 quintet

For the $A=32$, $T=2$ quintet we provide a unified theoretical description for three related aspects of isospin mixing: the necessity of more than three terms in the isobaric mass multiplet equation, isospin-forbidden proton decay in ${}^{32}$Cl, and a correction to the allowed Fermi ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{+}$ decay of ${}^{32}$Ar. We demonstrate that all three effects observed in experiment can be traced to a common origin related to isospin mixing of the $T=2$ states with $T=1$ states.
BILIRUBIN DISPLACEMENT BY SULFISOXAZOLE: ENTRY OF UNBOUND BILIRUBIN INTO THE BRAIN

This study was designed to assess the mechanism of bilirubin entry into the brain in rats when subjected to bilirubin displacement by sulfisoxazole. Hyperbilirubinemia (approximately 170μM/l or 10 mg/dl)) was established by infusion of unconjugated bilirubin at a rate of 30 mg/kg/hr for three hours. After 2 hours of bilirubin infusion, displacement of bilirubin was produced by a bolus infusion of sulfisoxazole at a dose of 50 mg/kg, resulting in a significant but transient increase in the serum concentrations of unbound bilirubin from 1.84±0.29 μg/dl at 120 mins to 3.10±0.38 μg/dl at 130 mins. (Mean ±S.E.M., p<0.001, paired t-test). After 3 hours of bilirubin infusion the rats were sacrificed and the brains perfused in situ with cold saline. Brain bilirubin was determined by chloroform extraction. The integrity of the blood-brain barrier was assessed by measurement of brain albumin as 125I albumin content. The results indicate that unbound bilirubin displaced by sulfisoxazole can pass through an intact blood brain barrier.
Magnetic transitions and spin-glass reentrance in two-dimensional [MnII(TCNE)(NCMe)2]X (X?=?PF6,AsF6,SbF6) molecular magnets

The structural, spectroscopic and magnetic properties of the two-dimensional (2D) molecule-based magnets of [Mn(II)(TCNE)(NCMe)2]X (X = PF6, AsF6, SbF6; TCNE = tetracyanoethylene, NCMe = acetonitrile) composition are reported. It is shown that the alteration of the interlayer distance by increasing the anion size has little effect on the critical magnetic ordering temperature, Tc, suggesting that it depends predominantly on the intra-plane magnetic exchange. The observed field-induced irreversibility in static magnetization, a slow decay of isothermal remanence below Tc, and the dynamic susceptibility data are in accord with a re-entrant spin-glass nature of the ground state of all materials. In contrast to the isostructural Fe-based magnets, in which strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy facilitates the finite temperature magnetic ordering with the magnetization easy axis perpendicular to the μ4-TCNE(•-) plane, in the studied Mn-based magnets the easy axis is canted away from the normal direction, due to a small magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The two magnetic transitions observed on cooling are assigned to the ferrimagnetic long-range ordering of the normal magnetization component followed by the re-entrant spin-glass type transition resulting from a random freezing of the in-plane magnetization component.
Confronting AIDS-related loss and grief: an exploratory study of professional caregivers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

As a result of the high mortality rate associated with AIDS, professional caregivers witness ongoing loss among clients. Besides finding ways to assist the dying and the bereaved, caregivers must cope with their own feelings surrounding loss. The purpose of this descriptive exploratory study is to examine caregivers' perceptions of the impact of AIDS-related deaths on clients, caregivers' experiences helping bereaved clients, caregivers' own feelings about dealing with AIDS-related loss, and other aspects of their job. In-depth interviews were conducted separately with eight caregivers employed in programmes with various organisations serving people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Caregivers expressed difficulty in assisting clients with their grief due to several factors, including more-pressing client needs (such as economic survival), clients' reticence to talk about their grief, inadequate preparation for dealing with death and bereavement as professionals, and scarce organisational resources. Exposure to ongoing loss was very difficult for caregivers, and, despite the rewards associated with HIV/AIDS work, several that I interviewed could not foresee working in this field much longer. Keywords: bereavement, burnout, death, palliative care, people living with HIV or AIDS, support African Journal of AIDS Research 2006, 5(2): 97–107
Rapid and sensitive determination of sphingosine bases and sphingolipids with fluorescamine.

Abstract A rapid and sensitive method is described for determining sphingosine and sphingolipids in the 1–100 nanomole range. Sphingosine is released from the sphingolipids by hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid in aqueous methanol, and then reacted with fluorescamine at pH 8.0. The same fluorescence intensities were obtained with equimolar concentrations of sphingosine, psychosine, cerebroside, and sphingomyelin. A hexosamine-containing sphingolipid, ganglioside, gave about twice the expected fluorescence. This result is explained by the fact that hexosamines and other primary amines react with fluorescamine. However, the method was easily modified to determine sphingosine in gangliosides by extracting the hydrophobic base from the hydrolysis mixture with ether. The procedure should have broad application in the field of sphingolipid chemistry and biochemistry.
Seasonal abundance and spatial patterns of the predator Lyctocoris campestris in stored corn

A two-year sampling study (1992-93) in a flat storage of shelled corn showed that the larger pirate bug, Lyctocoris campestris (F.) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae), can be detected by relative sampling techniques as early as the second week of May. The perceived seasonal pattern of L. campestris varied with trapping method. Of the three relative sampling methods used, probe traps consistently captured more bugs of both sexes than cardboard traps in the grain and sticky flight traps. Probe traps showed a third degree polynomial trend through the season. On the other hand, flight traps were effective for monitoring L. campestris population during early and mid-summer when temperatures were high, but the effectiveness declined during late summer and early fall. Cardboard traps showed the opposite trend to those of flight traps, with increasing L. campestris abundance during the fall when bugs sought refuge as temperature decreased. Sampling date and environmental factors, including grain moisture content, air and grain temperatures were correlated with trap capture. Earlier work reported that L. campestris showed a highly female biased sex ratio in the field as opposed to a 1:1 sex ratio in laboratory colonies. The present study found that the estimate of sex ratios in the field can differ with trapping methods. Of the three relative sampling methods used, flight and cardboard traps, in most cases, showed no deviation from a 1:1 sex ratio. Probe traps, however, indicated a highly female biased sex ratio in field populations. Absolute sampling using a 1140 ml cup sampler also showed no deviation from a 1:1 sex ratio in the field population. The data suggested that relative sampling methods may be inappropriate for sex ratio estimation in the field. Thus, an absolute sampling method is required for determination of the true field sex ratio of L. campestris. Analyses of dispersion patterns showed that both males and females of L. campestris exhibit an aggregated spatial distribution in the grain.
The strands of DNA from lambda and related bacteriophages: Isolation and characterization☆

Each of the intact complementary strands of DNA from bacteriophage /\ has been isolated by virtue of the different buoyant densities they exhibit in alkaline C&l. Preparations of a given strand are free ( < 1%) of the other strand and do not contain detectable amounts of fragments. Individual &ran& exhibit no significant activity for the genes of X in the helper-phagge assay of Kaiser BE Hogness (1960), but renaturation of equimolar mixtures of the two isolated strands yields duplex molecules active for genes which span the /\ genome. The difference in density observed in alkaline C&l (Ap,& is not seen in neutral C&l and is presumed due to a difference between stranda in the sum of the frequencies of the titratable bases, G and T (AGT). This AGT has been estimated to involve about 1500 out of 50,000 base pairs in hDNA, and essentially all of these have been located in its left half. Comparison of these results with the binding of poly rG to the strands in whole and half molecules of h DNA indicate that in a given segment of this DNA the strand with the lesser GT content binds the greater amount of poly rG. The DNA’s from a hdg variant and from the X-related phage, 424, exhibit values of Apalk suf%lcient for the isolation of their strands. Four different types of 424 phage particles were observed on the basis of their buoyant densities in neutral CsCl. The most and least dense of these contain DNA that is 97 and 83% the size of X DNA, respectively, and the estimated number of base pairs responsible for the ACT in each is about 1900. Heteroduplex molecules can be formed between strands of DNA from X and the most dense 424 particle, providing the strand of highest CT content from one phage is combined with that of lowest GT content from the other. Such heteroduplexes exhibit densities in neutral CsCl midway between the densities of native and denatured DNA, indicating an extent of homology of about 60% between the two phages.
Interaction of Cls̄ and C4. A binding phenomenon

Addition of enzymatically active 125I-labeled Cls (the esterase which is part of the activated complex protein of serum designated as the first component of complement or Cl) to purified C4 (the naturally occurring fourth component of human serum complement) results in binding of a portion of the Cls to C4 as indicated by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. Demonstration of binding requires hemolytically active C4, but not enzymatically active Cls. The latter was demonstrated by using DFP inactivated Cls as well as fragments of Cls produced by prior protease treatment of the Cls. While treatment of Cls with proteases (human leukocyte lysosomal enzymes, trypsin or plasmin) resulted in progressive inactivation of the enzymatic activity, the decline in esteratic activity occurred at a much slower rate than the decline in functional activity (inactivation of C4 in free solution). The data lead to the probable conclusion that Cls contains an enzymatic (or esteratic) site in addition to a binding site. The latter might be important for positioning a large molecule, such as C4, in order to effect proteolytic cleavage at the proper bond and hence prepare C4 to participate in the complement sequence.
Standardized test meals in assessment of eating behavior in bulimia nervosa: Consumption of feared foods when vomiting is prevented

This study contrasted the amount of food eaten in the absence of vomiting by normal-weight bulimia nervosa patients and matched normal controls. Subjects were instructed to eat as much food as they comfortably could without vomiting afterwards in three standardized test meals: a complete dinner eaten in a laboratory situation, and spaghetti and candy eaten at home. Bulimia nervosa subjects ate a very small amount of food in each test meal when compared with control subjects. Bulimia nervosa subjects also reported greater anxiety and urge to vomit after eating. A content analysis of tape-recorded thoughts showed that bulimia nervosa subjects were more preoccupied with eating and expressed more negative food-related thoughts. The results support the hypothesis that women with bulimia nervosa are unable to eat normal amounts of “frightening” foods when they do not plan to vomit. This behavioral test of eating behavior appears to be useful for the assessment of bulimia nervosa.
COINCIDENCE OF NOCTURNAL GROWTH HORMONE AND ZINC SECRETION PROFILES IN SHORT CHILDREN

A subgroup of short children grow in response to Zinc(Zn) which is an important cofactor in many enzymes essential to basic metabolism. Zn binds to a number of serum proteins; Zn is reported to bind to Growth Hormone(GH) and thereby exponentially assist GH binding to a receptor protein. We here report our test of the hypothesis that GH secretion is closely associated with Zn secretion in short children who do not have classic GH or Zn deficiency.
Catabolite inactivation of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase in Kluyveromyces fragilis

Catabolite inactivation of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase inKluyveromyces fragilis was found to occur as a one-step process with a half-life of approximately 90 min in contrast to the two-step process previously reported forSaccharomyces cerevisiae. No rapid initial 50% loss of activity immediately after a glucose-induced catabolite inactivation was found; nevertheless, fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase was rapidly phosphorylated within 5 min of glucose addition. This result supports the hypothesis that protein phosphorylation serves as a signal for the specific degradation of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase during catabolite inactivation.
Sexual dimorphism in Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) and other tephritid fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae): Possible roles of developmental rate, fecundity, and dispersal

Larger male Caribbean fruit flies are more likely to be chosen as mates and defeat rivals in territorial contests. Yet males are smaller than females. Adaptive explanations for relatively small male size include (1) acceleration of male development to maximize female encounter rates, (2) selection for greater female size to increase fecundity, and (3) selection for body sizes most suitable for sexually dimorphic degrees of mobility, speed, and distance flight. None of these unambiguously accounts for the degree of sexual dimorphism. Male development is not accelerated relative to that of females. On average, males remain inside fruit longer than females and those males with extended development periods are smaller than more rapidly developing individuals. There is no evidence that female enlargement alone, presumably for greater fecundity, has generated the degree of dimorphism in the Caribbean fruit fly or other fruit flies. The relationship between dimorphism and mean female body size in 27 species of Tephritidae is the opposite of what would be predicted if differences in dimorphism were due to differences in unilateral female enlargement. Larger size in a species or in one sex of a species may be an adaptation for extensive flight. In general, among 32 species of fruit flies, as body size increases, wing shape becomes progressively more suited for distance flight. However, there are important exceptions to this correlation. Both sexual selection and nonadaptive allometries may contribute to the range of dimorphisms within the family.
Peripheral prostaglandin metabolite levels in women undergoing therapeutic abortions in the first trimester with and without treatment with prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor.

Abstract The levels of 11-deoxy-13,14-dihydro-15-keto-11β,16ζ-cyclo prostaglandin E2 (bicyclo PGEM), 13,14-dihydro-15 keto-prostaglandin F2α (PGFM) and prolactin were measured in four serial plasma samples collected from thirty women undergoing therapeutic abortions in the first trimester by a suction curettage procedure. Eleven of these women received a preoperative loading dose of sodium meclofenamate, a PG synthetase inhibitor, before the abortion procedure was started and the rest received this medication after the last blood samples were drawn. Prolactin levels increased significantly during the procedure. Sodium meclofenamate treatment had no effect on this increase. Bicyclo PGFM levels did not increase during the procedure in untreated or treated women, whereas PGFM levels increased but only in untreated women. The lack of increase in treated women apparently was not a treatment effect because PGFM levels in corresponding samples of untreated and treated women were similar. Treatment significantly reduced the bicyclo PGEM levels immediately after completion of the procedure as compared to untreated women. This differential PG response to treatment is unprecedented and may be due to sodium meclofenamate inhibition of PGE2 and not PGF2α synthesis. Nevertheless, these data demonstrate that sodium meclofenamate treatment of patients undergoing first trimester therapeutic abortion to relieve pain involves selective suppression of PGE2 synthesis.
Student Evaluation of Peer‐Group Microteaching as Preparation for Student Teaching

dard part of many teacher preparation programs in all curriculum areas today, including foreign languages (DeLorenzo, 1975; DeLorenzo, 1973; Wolfe, 1971). Descriptions of some microteaching programs mention the possibility of using peers as pupils in the classes (DeLorenzo, 1975, p. 241; Weiss, 1972, p. 37), although Allen and Cooper (1972, p. 1) specifically "do not consider this to be microteaching," and prefer to give the name "microteaching" only to work with "real" pupils, as does Brown (1975, p. 132). Most of the literature in the field, beginning with the original Stanford University studies (Allen and Ryan, 1969; Politzer, n.d.; Bartley and Politzer, n.d.), has dealt with teaching real pupils, and the value of such experiences has been established in several empirical studies (Dugas, 1968; Kallenbach and Gall, 1969; Fortune, Cooper, and Allen, 1967). The value of peer-group microteaching as preparation for student teaching, however, has been consistently minimized, possibly because research studies have tended to regard peer-group microteaching as a replacement for teaching real students rather than as a preparation for such experiences (Altman and Ramirez, 1971; Kallenbach, 1967). Davis and Smoot (1969), however, found definite value in peer-group microteaching in modifying verbal teaching behaviors. In our opinion, microteaching of any kind cannot replace work in a school, such as in student teaching or in an internship. Yet as a pre-student-teaching experience, peergroup microteaching may have value that has not been recognized. Advantages of peer-group microteaching in second la guages include the following:
The effect of dietary protein-calorie restriction on the renal elimination of cimetidine.

The renal elimination of the weak-base cimetidine was studied in five healthy male subjects during normal and restricted (low-protein, low-calorie) diets in a randomized crossover fashion. An intravenous dose of cimetidine, 7 mg/kg, was administered on day 7 of the normal (100 gm/70 kg protein/day) and the restricted (19 gm/70 kg protein/day) diets. The renal clearance of Cimetidine was unchanged by the dietary restriction; however, the fractional excretion of cimetidine increased from 3.06 to 3.94 (P < 0.05), indicating an apparent increase in net tubular secretion of cimetidine during the restricted diet. We conclude that cimetidine dosage adjustments are apparently not necessary for patients with acutely restricted nutrient intake, although other weakly acidic and basic drugs may require dosage changes. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1987) 42, 471–475; doi:10.1038/clpt.1987.180
Simulation of Secondary and Separated Flow in Diffusing S Ducts

The focus of this paper is on the numerical simulation of compressible flow in diffusing S-ducts; this flow is characterized by secondary flow as well as regions of boundary-layer separation. The S-duct geometry produces streamline curvature and an adverse pressure gradient resulting in these flow characteristics. Two S-duct geometries are employed in this investigation: one was used in an experimental study conducted at NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in the early 1990s, and the other is a benchmark configuration proposed by AIAA Propulsion Aerodynamics Workshop to assess the accuracy and best practices of computational fluid dynamics solvers. The computational fluid dynamics flow solver ANSYS-FLUENT is employed in the investigation of compressible turbulent flow through the S duct. A second-order accurate, steady, density-based solver is employed in a finite-volume framework. The three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations are solved on a structured mesh with a number o...
Polar Optical Phonon Instability and Intervalley Transfer in Gallium Nitride

We develop a simple, one-dimensional, analytical model, which describes electron transport in gallium nitride. We focus on the polar optical phonon scattering mechanism, as this is the dominant energy loss mechanism at room temperature. Equating the power gained from the field with that lost through scattering, we demonstrate that beyond a critical electric field, 114 kV/cm at T = 300 K, the power gained from the field exceeds that lost due to polar optical phonon scattering. This polar optical phonon instability leads to a dramatic increase in the electron energy, this being responsible for the onset of intervalley transitions. The predictions of our analytical model are compared with those of Monte Carlo simulations, and are found to be in satisfactory agreement.
Profiling the selectivity of DNA ligases in an array format with mass spectrometry

This article describes a method for the global profiling of the substrate specificities of DNA ligases and illustrates examples using the Taq and T4 DNA ligases. The method combines oligonucleotide arrays, which offer the benefits of high throughput and multiplexed assays, with mass spectrometry to permit label-free assays of ligase activity. Arrays were prepared by immobilizing ternary biotin-tagged DNA substrates to a self-assembled monolayer presenting a layer of streptavidin protein. The array represented complexes having all possible matched and mismatched base pairs at the 3' side of the nick site and also included a number of deletions and insertions at this site. The arrays were treated with ligases and adenosine triphosphate or analogs of the nucleotide triphosphate and then analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry to determine the yields for both adenylation of the 5'-probe strand and joining of the two probe strands. The resulting activity profiles reveal the basis for specificity of the ligases and also point to strategies that use ATP analogs to improve specificity. This work introduces a method that can be applied to profile a broad range of enzymes that operate on nucleic acid substrates.
Linear and Angular Kinematics

Kinematics is the accurate description of motion and is essential to understanding the biomechanics of human motion. Kinematics can range from anatomical descriptions of joint rotations to precise mathematical measurements of musculoskeletal motions. Recall from chapter 2 that kinematics is subdivided according to the kinds of measurements used, either linear or angular. Whatever the form of measurement, biomechanical studies of the kinematics of skilled performers provide valuable information on desirable movement technique. Biomechanics has a long history of kinematic measurements of human motion (Cappozzo, Marchetti, & Tosi, 1990). Accurate kinematic measurements are sometimes used for the calculation of more complex, kinetic variables. This chapter will introduce key kinematic variables in documenting both linear and angular human motions. The principles of biomechanics that apply kinematics to improving human movement are Optimal Projection and the Coordination Continuum.
Bumpless Switching in Hybrid Systems

This paper describes a way of designing a piecewise-linear system with discretely adjustable parameters (a hybrid linear system) in which we can switch the transfer matrix of the system without causing a discontinuity (a bump) in the system output. This is similar to the result that we could achieve by doing a bumpless transfer between multiple linear systems, but the order of a hybrid linear system will typically be much less than the combined order of the multiple systems that realize the same set of transfer matrices.
Defeating Normal Thermoregulatory Defenses Induction of Therapeutic Hypothermia

Therapeutic hypothermia may be useful in various circumstances including stroke. However, core body temperature is normally tightly regulated. Even mild hypothermia in conscious subjects thus provokes vigorous thermoregulatory defenses which are potentially harmful in fragile patients. Furthermore, thermoregulatory responses are effective, which reduces the rate at which hypothermia can be induced. Drugs are thus often given to blunt normal thermoregulatory defenses. General anesthetics profoundly impair thermoregulatory control, but prolonged general anesthesia is rarely practical or appropriate. A variety of other drugs have therefore been evaluated. Most opioids only slightly impair thermoregulatory defenses, but meperidine is considerably more effective than equipotent doses of other opioids. The central α-2 agonists clonidine and dexmedetomidine are also useful. However, the best overall approach to inducing thermal tolerance appears to be a combination of buspirone and meperidine, which reduces the ...
Hand tracking with Flocks of Features

Tracking hands in live video is a challenging task: the hand appearance can change too rapidly for appearance-based trackers to work, and color-based trackers (that do not rely on geometry) have to make limiting assumptions about the background color. This article shows the results of hand tracking with "Flocks of Features", a tracking method that combines motion cues and a learned foreground color distribution to achieve fast and robust 2D tracking of highly articulated objects. Many independent image artifacts are tracked from one frame to the next, adhering only to local constraints. This concept is borrowed from nature since these tracks mimic the flight of flocking birds - exhibiting local individualism and variability while maintaining a clustered entirety. Hand tracking has important applications for interaction with wearable computers, for intuitive manipulation of virtual objects, for detection of activity signatures, and much more. Tracking with Flocks of Features is not limited to hands - any articulated or appearance-changing object can benefit from this multi-cue tracking method.
Saliency-guided 3D head pose estimation on 3D expression models

Head pose is an important indicator of a person's attention, gestures, and communicative behavior with applications in human-computer interaction, multimedia, and vision systems. Robust head pose estimation is a prerequisite for spontaneous facial biometrics-related applications. However, most previous head pose estimation methods do not consider the facial expression and hence are more likely to be influenced by the facial expression. In this paper, we develop a saliency-guided 3D head pose estimation on 3D expression models. We address the problem of head pose estimation based on a generic model and saliency guided segmentation on a Laplacian fairing model. We propose to perform mesh Laplacian fairing to remove noise and outliers on the 3D facial model. The salient regions are detected and segmented from the model. The salient region Iterative Closest Point (ICP) then register the test face model with the generic head model. The algorithms for pose estimation are evaluated through both static and dynamic 3D facial databases. Overall, the extensive results demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of our approach.
FT‐IR SPECTRA OF THE SCHIFF BASES and PROTONATED SCHIFF BASES OF 1‐cis‐ and 7,9‐DIcis‐RETINAL

Abstract— We have prepared and recorded the FT-IR spectra of the Schiffand protonated SchifT bases of 1-cis- and 7,9-dicw-retinal. Analyses of the spectra were aided by corresponding spectra of three deuterated analogs and the retinal isomers. The vibrational assignments of the latter have now been supported by results from normal mode calculations.
Pseudogenization of the tooth gene enamelysin (MMP20) in the common ancestor of extant baleen whales

Whales in the suborder Mysticeti are filter feeders that use baleen to sift zooplankton and small fish from ocean waters. Adult mysticetes lack teeth, although tooth buds are present in foetal stages. Cladistic analyses suggest that functional teeth were lost in the common ancestor of crown-group Mysticeti. DNA sequences for the tooth-specific genes, ameloblastin (AMBN), enamelin (ENAM) and amelogenin (AMEL), have frameshift mutations and/or stop codons in this taxon, but none of these molecular cavities are shared by all extant mysticetes. Here, we provide the first evidence for pseudogenization of a tooth gene, enamelysin (MMP20), in the common ancestor of living baleen whales. Specifically, pseudogenization resulted from the insertion of a CHR-2 SINE retroposon in exon 2 of MMP20. Genomic and palaeontological data now provide congruent support for the loss of enamel-capped teeth on the common ancestral branch of crown-group mysticetes. The new data for MMP20 also document a polymorphic stop codon in exon 2 of the pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps), which has enamel-less teeth. These results, in conjunction with the evidence for pseudogenization of MMP20 in Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni), another enamel-less species, support the hypothesis that the only unique, non-overlapping function of the MMP20 gene is in enamel formation.