cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The invisible nail: a technique report of treatment of a pathological humerus fracture with a radiolucent intramedullary nail.

The goal in the treatment of pathological fractures of long bones is to gain functional stability of the limb, improve quality of life and relieve the pain of the broken bone. Metastatic bone disease presents a challenge for orthopaedic surgeons because of the potential for local tumour recurrence and the susceptibility for nonunion of fractures. The carbon-fibre nail possesses special qualities not present in traditionalmetal nails. The use of a radiolucent intramedullary nail has the potential to enhance clinical follow-up of bone healing postoperatively, and improve overall clinical outcomes. We present the technique of intramedullary nailing of a pathological humerus fracture with a radiolucent carbon-fibre nail.
Changes in Maternity Care and the Impact on Nurses and Nursing Practice

OBJECTIVE To determine changes maternity nurses have experienced and the impact these changes have had on nursing practice. DESIGN Descriptive survey using a randomized sample. PARTICIPANTS Four hundred fifty-one inpatient female maternity nurses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Changes in maternity care, impact of the changes on nursing practice, and personal and professional perceptions and activities before and after the changes. RESULTS Reported changes were use of technology, legal climate, shorter patient stay, cost containment, inclusion of family, cross training, consumer demand, and single-room maternity care. Inclusion of the family, technology, and single-room care were rated highly for worth and improvement in quality of care. Though described as challenging and rewarding, change was an energy drain. Change was often seen as a result of administrative mandate. CONCLUSIONS Perceptions of change vary, but no change is easy to implement. Opportunities for staff input, administrative support, and adequate time and staffing levels during change facilitate adjustment.
Improving Outcomes of Analgesic Treatment: Is Education Enough?

Frequent undertreatment of analgesic-responsive acute pain and chronic cancer pain persists, despite intensive efforts to provide clinicians with information about analgesics. A set of background factors must be addressed in interventions to improve pain treatment: Traditional patterns of clinician and patient interaction on the ward, quality assurance, and drug regulatory practices do not support prompt recognition and treatment of pain. Possible interventions to modify these patterns of daily practice include monitoring and displaying patient pain ratings routinely, making available educational tools to assist optimal drug ordering, encouraging patients to communicate about unrelieved pain, reviewing quality assurance of pain treatment regimens, increasing behavioral research into analgesic prescribing, and selectively modifying narcotics regulatory practices.
Residence time of non-methane hydrocarbons in the atmosphere

Abstract Little is known about the atmospheric distribution and residence time of hydrocarbons, although this is critical in evaluating their impact on the oceans. This paper reviews the sparse data on both global production and concentration of atmospheric hydrocarbons in marine and continental non-urban areas, and estimates the atmospheric residence time of these substances.
Prevention and control of influenza

I nfluenza-vires infections remain among the most frequent causes of medically attended respiratory disease, primarily beause these diverse, rapidly mutating (figure), and unpredictable viruses produce multiple illnesses throughout the lifetime of an individual. In 1971, Alexander Langmuir wrote, "Since 1957, influenza epidemics have continued to be a major, senous,~" and intractable health problem, as frustrating to an action and control orientated epidemiologist as poliomyelitis has been gratifying". This quotation is more poignant today, for we have made little progress in the prevention and control of influenza, despite significant progress in understanding the structure, replication, immunology, and epidemiology of influenza, and the availability of effective inactivated influenza vaccines and antiviral drags. Each of the three pandemics this century (1918, 1957, 1968) was associated with high rates of morbidity, social disruption, and high economic costs. The 1918 pandemic claimed more than 20 million victims worldwide in less than 1 year, more than deaths from war or famine in an equivalent period. Even though a partial genetic sequence has been rescued recently from preserved tissue, we still do not understand why the 1918 pandemic was associated with an unusually high case-fatality rate in young healthy adults. However, with the expected future publication of the entire gene sequence of the Spanish influenza virus of 1918, this deadly organism could be reconstructed with modem techniques of nucleic-acid synthesis and gene rescue. Furthermore, technical advances in molecular genetics now make it possible to engineer influenza viruses with made-to-order genomes, and may transform influenza viruses into a potential bioterrorism threat. Another natural pandemic of influenza is likely to strike, although we cannot predict when it will happen or how serious it will be. This concern is based on observations from past centuries, and on current knowledge about the avian and swine reservoirs for influenza viruses and the mechanisms for emergence of novel pandemic strains. This lesson has been driven home by recent human infections with avian influenza viruses in Hong Kong. Increases in global travel and world population during the past century will probably contribute to more rapid spread of pandemic influenza during the next millennium than in the past. Inactivated vaccines now available were first developed over 50 years ago, and are now generally recommended for people at increased risk of complications. The adamantanes (amantadine, rimantadine) have been approved for prevention and treatment of influenza A infections in some countries for decades, but have not had widespread use, primarily because of concerns about side-effects and Influenza A(H3N2) Haemagglutinin
Effects of caudate nuclei or frontal cortical ablations in kittens maze learning

Abstract Cats which had received bilateral lesions of the caudate nuclei and the frontal cortices during the first month of life were tested as juveniles on T-maze position habit and spatial reversal tasks. Intact and sham-operated littermates served as controls. All animals of all groups were capable of learning the spatial discrimination and to successfully reverse that habit. While maintaining many of the perseverative characteristics of adult-operated acaudates, the kitten-operated acaudates showed the fewest number of trials to acquire the position habit and to complete 30 reversals. There was a direct relationship between the size of the lesion and the number of perseverative errors made by the acaudate animals. The afrontal cats showed more reversal errors and were unmotivated and distractable. The data suggest for the tasks used here that although there may be similar qualitative deficits the overall effects on performance are not as great when the lesion is inflicted in the neonate compared to the adult. The data imply that many factors contribute to this recovery, e.g., early experience.
Mechanisms of vessel damage in photodynamic therapy (Invited Paper)

Vessel constriction and platelet aggregation are observed within the first minutes of light exposure to photosensitized tissues and lead to blood flow stasis, tissue hypoxia, and nutrient depravation. The mechanism for these vessel changes remains unknown, although the release of eicosanoids is implicated. We propose the following hypothesis: Photodynamic therapy results in specific perturbations of endothelial cells which results in a combination of membrane damage, mitochondrial damage, and rearrangement of cytoskeletal proteins. This results in cellular stress which leads to interruption of tight junctions along the endothelium and cell rounding. Cell rounding exposes the basement membrane proteins causing activation of platelets and leukocytes. Activated platelets and leukocytes release thromboxane and other eicosanoids. These eicosanoids induce vasoconstriction, platelet aggregation, increases in vessel permeability, and blood flow stasis.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Competitive and selective antagonism of P2Y1 receptors by N6-methyl 2'-deoxyadenosine 3',5'-bisphosphate

The antagonist activity of N6-methyl 2′-deoxyadenosine 3′,5′-bisphosphate (N6MABP) has been examined at the phospholipase C-coupled P2Y1 receptor of turkey erythrocyte membranes. N6MABP antagonized 2MeSATP-stimulated inositol phosphate hydrolysis with a potency approximately 20 fold greater than the previously studied parent molecule, adenosine 3′,5′-bisphosphate. The P2Y1 receptor antagonism observed with N6MABP was competitive as revealed by Schild analysis (pKB=6.99±0.13). Whereas N6MABP was an antagonist at the human P2Y1 receptor, no antagonist effect of N6MABP was observed at the human P2Y2, human P2Y4 or rat P2Y6 receptors.
Definitions and Developmental Processes in Research on Infant Morality

Key terms in research on moral development also exist in everyday language. Tafreshi and her colleagues (2014) propose that researchers should use terms in ways consistent with their usage by non-researchers. This commentary questions this claim, and argues for the importance of providing clear and explicit definitions of terms such as "morality" and "innate," of showing caution when attributing evaluations and judgments to infants, and of considering developmental processes preceding and succeeding the abilities demonstrated using looking-time and related measures. Progress is unlikely to result from conceptual analysis alone. However, conceptual clarity will make it easier to see what theories agree and disagree about as well as how opposing claims can be tested empirically.
Pulsed ion irradiated microstructures in molybdenum

Abstract Pulsed irradiation of molybdenum in the temperature range from 1025–1225 K primarily retarded void nucleation. The reduction in nucleation rate could be attributed to a throttling effect caused by annealing out of subcritical void embryos. The more rapid development of the dislocation microstructure during pulsing also contributed to a reduction in void nucleation rate. Once nucleation was complete, microstructural development was not affected by pulsed irradiation compared to steady irradiation. Little pulsing effect on total void swelling or swelling rate was observed. A proposed increase in swelling caused by disintegration of depleted zones during pulsed annealing periods was not observed.
The Tuned Pipeline - A Link between Small Accelerators and Nuclear Medical Needs

Short-lived radioactive gases are produced in thick high pressure gas targets for ultimate use as medical imaging agents. Small Teflon capillaries have been used to span the 500 m distance between a Van de Graaff accelerator and a nuclear medicine department. Theoretical calculations model the gas flow through these capillaries for the tuned condition of highest specific activity at 1 atmosphere output pressure. These results compare favorably with experimental data and provide the foundation for a pipeline to a new hospital facility 3000 m away.
Ectomycorrhizas and rhizosphere microorganisms of seedlings of Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco planted on a degraded site and inoculated with forest soils pretreated with selective biocides

summary Inoculation of planting holes with small amounts of soil from a mature forest or a plantation can improve formation of ectomycorrhizas on Pseudotsuga mensiesii (Mirb.) Franco seedlings in degraded eleareuts in southwestern Oregon. To determine the component (s) of transferred soil responsible for increased ectomycorrhiza formation, we treated soil from a clearcut, a mature forest, and a plantation with one of the following: fertilizer to test for the effect of nutrients, dimethoate and carbufuran to test for the effect on microarthropods or nematodes, fumagillin to test for the effect on protozoa, captan to test for the effect on fungi, penicillin and oxytetracycline to test for the effect on bacteria, pasteurization to test for the effect of active forms of organisms. Tyndallization to test for the effect of resting forms of organisms, or water as a control. We studied the effect of inoculation with soil subjected to these treatments on number and types of ectomycorrhizas, and length of active mycelium, and number of active bacteria in the rhizosphere. Inoculation with untreated forest or plantation soils increased the number of ectomyeorrhizas but did not change the mycorrhizal types present. Most agents had different effects in different soils, inoculation with pasteurized and Tvndallized clearcut and plantation soils increased the number of Rhizopagon- and Thelephora-type ectomyeorrhizas and decreased the number of active bacteria, as did untreated forest soil. We hypothesize that the role of the soil transfer is to provide a rhizosphere environment free from a deleterious organism present in the clearcut. In this environment, beneficial organisms present in the clearcut or brought in with the seedling from the nursery can proliferate.
Seed germination ecology of the annual grass Leptochloa panicea ssp. mucronata and a comparison with L. panicoides and L. fusca

Abstract Leptochloa panicea ssp. mucronata is an annual grass that grows in relatively dry habitats. Requirements for dormancy loss and germination were determined for seeds of this species and compared to those of two species from wet habitats. Seeds of L. panicea were dormant at maturity in autumn, but when exposed to actual or simulated autumn temperatures (e.g. 20/10, 15/6 °C), they entered conditional dormancy and thus germinated to high percentages in light at 35/20 °C. Seeds buried in non-flooded soil exposed to natural seasonal temperature changes in Kentucky (USA) were non-dormant by the following summer and germinated to 80–100 % in light at 25/15, 30/15 and 35/20 °C. Seeds buried in non-flooded soil exhibited an annual conditional dormancy/non-dormancy cycle, with seeds mostly germinating to 80–100 % in light at 30/15 and 35/20 °C throughout the year but to 80–100 % in light at 25/15 °C only in summer. Results for L. panicea were compared to published data for L. panicoides and L. fusca. Whereas seeds of L. panicea buried in flooded soil failed to come out of dormancy, those of L. panicoides, an annual of moist habitats such as mudflats, exhibited an annual conditional dormancy/non-dormancy cycle, and those of L. fusca, a semi-aquatic, required flooding for both dormancy loss and germination. Differences in dormancy breaking and germination responses of seeds of Leptochloa species may help to explain why this genus occupies a wide range of habitats with regard to soil moisture conditions.
Endothelial cell proliferation may be mediated via the production of endogenous lipoxygenase metabolites.

Summary Endogenous regulators of endothelial cell proliferation have not been clearly defined. We investigated whether the cyclooxygenase and/or lipoxygenase metabolites are involved in this process, and report that lipoxygenase products can modulate endothelial cell growth. Nordihydroguaiaretic acid - a lipoxygenase inhibitor, inhibited endothelial cell proliferation as well as DNA synthesis. 5,8,11,14-Eicosatetraynoic acid - an inhibitor of both lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase also inhibited endothelial cell DNA synthesis, while indomethacin - a selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor did not affect cell proliferation or DNA synthesis. While arachidonic acid stimulated DNA synthesis, this effect was completely abolished by nordihydroguaiaretic acid. These results demonstrate that products of the lipoxygenase pathway can affect endothelial cell proliferation.
X-RAY FLUORESCENCE DETERMINATION OF BARIUM AND STRONTIUM IN GEOLOGIC SAMPLES.

It is possible to accurately determine barium and strontium in a variety of geologic samples by the XRF method proposed herein after correcting for matrix effects. The first-order (I) titanium Kα1 line interferes spectrally with the barium first-order (I) Lα1 analytical line. Iron significantly absorbs the emitted strontium x-ray quanta. Both of these effects were investigated in detail and a method of correcting for them developed: Detection limit for both elements is about 10 ppm.
Hexamethyldisilazane as a Drying Agent for Pollen Scanning Electron Microscopy

Use of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) as a final dehydrating solution provides robust, undistorted secondary electron images of a variety of angiosperm and gymnosperm pollen grains, including those considered to be susceptible to collapse in the scanning electron microscope. Ease of handling, low cost, lack of specialized equipment, minimal expenditure of time, and high rate of success are factors that favor HMDS over other drying agents for preparing pollen grains for scanning' electron microscopy.
Clearing Conformational Disease

Research focused on defining the underlying characteristics of a disease can often lead to new treatment strategies. This is certainly the case for a rapidly expanding group of inherited diseases characterized by the toxic accumulation of a misfolded protein ( 1 ). Identifying, and then targeting, the cellular machinery responsible for orchestrating the degradation of these aberrant molecules, rather than correcting the mutations that cause them, represents a paradigm shift from the conventional wisdom associated with gene therapy. On page 229 of this issue, Hidvegi et al. ( 2 ) describe how a compound that stimulates autophagy—the process by which a cell destroys its own organelles through lysosomal compartments—can successfully eliminate the toxic effects of misfolded α1-antitrypsin protein in a preclinical mouse model of the associated liver disease ( 3 ).
Application of phasor measurements for dynamic security assessment using decision trees

This panel session paper outlines efforts to develop transient stability and voltage stability applications using phasor measurement units (PMUs). These efforts conducted in collaboration with three different utilities examine the use of decision trees (DTs) to identify critical attributes that need to be measured using PMUs to characterize important phenomena associated with system dynamic performance. A series of off-line analyses are conducted to appropriately train the decision trees and these decision trees are then updated in real time to account for changes in operating conditions and network topology. An important advantage of the DTs is that they provide a threshold for the limiting values of the selected critical attributes and also characterize a nomogram in terms of multiple critical attributes in the operating space. These applications are described for a range of stability phenomena.
Transposon mutagenesis as an approach to improved understanding of Borrelia pathogenesis and biology

Transposon insertion provides a method for near-random mutation of bacterial genomes, and has been utilized extensively for the study of bacterial pathogenesis and biology. This approach is particularly useful for organisms that are relatively refractory to genetic manipulation, including Lyme disease Borrelia. In this review, progress to date in the application of transposon mutagenesis to the study of Borrelia burgdorferi is reported. An effective Himar1-based transposon vector has been developed and used to acquire a sequence-defined library of nearly 4,500 mutants in the infectious, moderately transformable B. burgdorferi B31 derivative 5A18NP1. Analysis of these transposon mutants using signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) and Tn-seq approaches has begun to yield valuable information regarding the genes important in the pathogenesis and biology of this organism.
Clinical Relevance of Scaffolds for Cartilage Engineering

The repair of articular cartilage defects in patients' knees presents a particular challenge to the orthopedic surgeon because cartilage lacks the ability to repair or regenerate itself. Various cartilage repair techniques have not produced a superior or uniform outcome, which has led to a new generation of cartilage repair based on tissue-engineering strategies and the use of biological scaffolds. Clinical advances have been made regarding the regeneration of articular cartilage, and continue to be made toward the achievement of a suitable treatment method for resurfacing osteochondral defects, through cartilage tissue engineering and the use of pluripotent cells seeded on bio-scaffolds.
The evolving role of topiramate among other mood stabilizers in the management of bipolar disorder.

Objectives: Topiramate, a structurally novel anticonvulsant, is being evaluated for other neurological conditions such as migraine, neuropathic pain, and essential tremor, and also for psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder, bulimia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizoaffective disorder, in addition to obesity. This article will focus on the use of topiramate for bipolar disorder. Methods: The pharmacological profile of topiramate is compared to other established and putative mood stabilizers, and a rationale for its use in bipolar disorder is presented. Data from open clinical trials of topiramate for depression, mania, and rapid-cycling bipolar disorder are summarized. Preliminary data from one pilot dose-finding, double-blind, random-assignment, placebo-controlled, 3-week parallel group study of two doses of topiramate for acute bipolar I mania is reported. Safety data regarding topiramate was reviewed. Finally, the potential place of this agent in bipolar illness is considered. Results: The pharmacological advantages for topiramate are low protein binding, minimal hepatic metabolism and mainly unchanged renal excretion, a 24-h half-life, and minimal drug interactions. Open clinical studies suggest a 50–65% response for refractory bipolar mania, and a 40–56% response for refractory bipolar depression in mainly add-on treatment. Open clinical studies of topiramate for rapid-cycling subjects and those for comorbid bulimia, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress, migraine, and obesity report effectiveness. The primary efficacy endpoint data (change from baseline Y-MRS total scores) of the placebo-controlled, random assignment parallel group phase II dose-finding study were not statistically significant. However, once the antidepressant-associated manias (28 of the sample, of 97 subjects) were excluded from the controlled study, the post-hoc analyses indicated the higher dose (512 mg/day) topiramate treatment group showed a statistically significant reduction in endpoint Y-MRS change scores as compared to placebo (p<0.03). Adverse effects of topiramate in bipolar subjects include attention, concentration and memory problems, fatigue, sedation, transient paraesthesias, nausea, and anorexia. Some subjects experience word-finding difficulty. Weight loss may be seen in several topiramate-treated subjects with bipolar disorder. Conclusions: Topiramate appears to show promise as an addition to the agents available to treat bipolar disorder. More definitive controlled data on the efficacy of topiramate in the acute and continuation phases as well as for the prophylaxis either as monotherapy or as combination treatment of bipolar disorder are ongoing, and the results are awaited.
Stimulus Transitions in Extinguishing a Discrimination

Summary.-The number and order of stimulus transitions while extinguishing a discrimination were evaluated in order to determine what stimulus changes are essential to initiate differential responding. Following Light on vs Light off food-reinforced discrimination training in operant chambers. 40 rats were randomly assigned to five groups for extinction testing in the presence of S+ or S-. For three groups the first transition during extinction was from S+ to S- whereas for cwo groups the first transition was from S- to S+. There were basically no differences in responding to the external stimuli among the three S+ to S- groups; the two S- to Sf groups differed from the other three groups and from each other. It was concluded that an S+ to S- transition is essential in extinction for the appearance of differential responding. The role of numerous stimulus alternations vs no stimulus alternations on stimulus-generalization testing and on extinguishing a discrimination has been studied by a number of investigators. Hiss and Thomas (1963) who used the terms "comparison" (for numerous stimulus alternations) and "noncomparison" (for no stimulus alternations)' found that stimulus comparisons during testing were not essential for establishing a gradient and that stimulus comparisons did not alter the resulting gradient in any consistent way. It is important to note that Hiss and Thomas did not establish discriminative responding prior to generalization testing and hence the animals did not have explicit training in making comparisons. Therefore, when Donahoe, McCroskery, and Richardson ( 1970) preceded stimulus-generalization testing with discrimination training, marked differences were obtained between the comparison and noncomparison procedures. The multiple-stimulus, comparison procedure produced the typical post-discrimination gradient qhereas the single-stimulus, noncomparison procedure produced a shallow gradient with depressed responding around S+ and heightened responding around S-. Recently these findings have' been extended to extinguishing a discrimination by McCroskery, Olsen, and Wallace (1973) who found that: the double-stimulus, comparison prokedure pioduced differential responding whereas the single-stimulus, noncomparison procedure did not. They concluded that stimulus change per se might be more critical than the number of stimulus changes for producing differential performance in extinction given chat a prime fllnction of changing stimuli might be to cue differential responding. The present experiment was designed to examine in detail those
Sociobiology of Rape in Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos): Responses of the Mated Male

Male mallards respond to rapes of their mate by intervening aggressively against the rapist or rapists, by attempting to force a copulation with the rape victim, or both. Aggressive intervention is more likely against a solitary male than against a group, and forced copulations are more likely immediately after a rape and especially when the rape appears to have been successful. This behavior pattern reflects, strategies consistent with maximizing individual male fitness.
Malaria: How vector mosquitoes beat the heat

Intensive longitudinal sampling of malaria mosquitoes in the African semi-desert reveals that three morphologically indistinguishable species have distinctive strategies for surviving the dry season. See Letter p.387 Malaria-carrying mosquitoes disappear in the dry season but appear suddenly when the rains come to sub-Saharan Africa. Their behaviour during the dry half of the year has long been something of a mystery. Here, Tovi Lehmann and colleagues report five-year surveys of mosquito densities throughout that reveal seasonal patterns in the population dynamics of three main vector species, and use these to infer dry-season behaviour. In two species (Anopheles arabiensis and A. gambiae s.s.) the dynamics are consistent with long-distance migration, and in the third (Anopheles coluzzii) with dry-season adult dormancy or aestivation. These natural history discoveries offer fundamental opportunities to improve malaria control, which remains a major public health challenge.
Random perturbation of transfer capability and its effect on power system reliability evaluation

Abstract In this paper the mean first passage time of a dynamic system from its domain of attraction has been considered as a reliability index. The effect of environmental fluctuations and the operational characteristics of the transmission lines have been regarded as the input noise to the system with multistable states. Several design criteria have been examined in order to determine the effect of system configuration on power system reliability evaluation. The proposed technique does not set any restrictions on the system topology and can be implemented by system planners as an aid to identify the transmission system bottlenecks and compare different options in the planning of a large-scale power system.
Outcome of tension-free vaginal tape procedure when complicated by intraoperative cystotomy.

Objective The objective of this study was to determine risk factors for intra-operative cystotomy during TVT and whether this affects surgical outcome and morbidity. Study design Charts of 340 women who underwent TVT were reviewed. Those who had a cystotomy during the procedure (cases) were compared with those without (controls) for the variables: age, race, parity, body mass index (BMI), TVT with or without other procedures, previous pelvic surgery, blood loss, length of catheter drainage, UTI, and voiding dysfunction. The t-test and chi-squared test were used and differences resulting in P Results Cystotomy occurred in 49/340 TVT procedures (14.4%). Only those who had a history of abdominal hysterectomy and BMI greater than 26.5 were more likely to have a cystotomy ( P = .05 and P = .001, respectively). Cases were more likely to go home with catheter drainage ( P = .005). There was no increased risk of UTI or voiding dysfunction, nor was there a difference in surgical cure rate. Conclusion Cystotomy does not seem to negatively affect the outcome of the TVT procedure.
A novel IMPDH1 mutation (Arg231Pro) in a family with a severe form of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa

Abstract Purpose To define ophthalmic findings in a family with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa and a novel IMPDH1 gene mutation. Design Genetic and observational family study. Participants Sixteen affected members of a family with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Methods Ophthalmic examination, including best-corrected visual acuity (VA), slit-lamp biomicroscopy, direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy, Goldmann kinetic perimetry, and electroretinography were performed. Deoxyribonucleic acid single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis was done. Abnormal polymerase chain reaction products identified by SSCP analysis were sequenced bidirectionally. Results All affected patients had the onset of night blindness within the first decade of life. Ocular findings were characterized by diffuse retinal pigmentary degenerative changes, marked restriction of peripheral visual fields, severe loss of VA, nondetectable electroretinography amplitudes, and a high frequency of posterior subcapsular lens opacities. Affected members were observed to harbor a novel IMPDH1 gene mutation. Conclusion A novel IMPDH1 gene mutation (Arg231Pro) was associated with a severe form of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Families affected with a severe form of this genetic subtype should be investigated for a mutation in the IMPDH1 gene.
The Marginal Stability of Autonomous Differential Equations

Solutions in the vicinity of a steady state solution to a system of autonomous nonlinear differential equations are of interest to modelers. The usual method for determining marginal stability of the steady state is the Routh-Hurwitz criterion. The method offered here is less complicated and more efficient when the number of state variables exceeds three.
BIAS Corrected PSD Estimation with an Interference Canceling Array

Adaptive interference canceling beamformers are known to suffer from beampattern distortion, particularly when interferers approach the nominal mainlobe. In some applications such as radio astronomy, even small pattern variations can be problematic. We address the issue of computing power spectral density (PSD) estimates at the output of a beamforming array in the presence of strong moving interference. A bias corrected PSD estimation algorithm is introduced which uses subspace projection methods to cancel interference at the beamformer. A correction step eliminates both pattern-distortion-induced PSD bias and spatial response errors over the long-term PSD averaging window.
Relation between frequency and amplitude of visual alarm reactions in Pseudemys scripta.

Abstract The visual alarm reaction of P. scripta , which consists of head withdrawal elicited by a rapidly enlarging shadow, was measured with a photoelectric cell arranged so that head withdrawal brought about a proportional oscilloscope deflection. The amplitude of the visual alarm reaction differed for different speeds of shadow enlargement. Also the reaction could be thoroughly habituated.
Semiconductive properties of DNA-based materials

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based biopolymers posses unique electronic and self assembly properties that render them suitable organic semiconductors for organic field effect transistors. Doping DNA molecules with conductive guests has resulted in a significant decrease of the overall resistivity of the blend with effective free charge carrier mobilities comparable to other conductive polymers such as pentacene and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). In this paper we discuss doping DNA with single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and transistor behavior.
A definitional framework for the human/biometric sensor interaction model

Existing definitions for biometric testing and evaluation do not fully explain errors in a biometric system. This paper provides a definitional framework for the Human Biometric-Sensor Interaction (HBSI) model. This paper proposes six new definitions based around two classifications of presentations, erroneous and correct. The new terms are: defective interaction (DI), concealed interaction (CI), false interaction (FI), failure to detect (FTD), failure to extract (FTX), and successfully acquired samples (SAS). As with all definitions, the new terms require a modification to the general biometric model developed by Mansfield and Wayman [1].
The Effect of Bank Supervision on Loan Growth

This paper quantifies the short-term and long-term impact of bank supervision (measured using CAMEL composite and component ratings) on different categories of loan growth: (a) commercial and industrial loans, b) consumer loans, and (c) real estate loans. For each of these categories, we perform dynamic loan growth equations at the state level augmented by the inclusion of CAMEL ratings for all banks in the state, after controlling for banking and economic conditions. We perform these regressions for two distinct subperiods: (1) 1985 through 1993 (which covers the credit crunch period), and (2) 1994 through 2004 (which covers the sustained recovery period). For the first period, 1985 to 1993, we find that out of the three loan categories considered, business lending is the most sensitive to changes in CAMEL ratings (both the composite and the components), although the other loan categories also show some sensitivity. Overall, however, we find little evidence suggesting that the effects of changes in any of the components of CAMEL ratings differ systematically from the effects of changes in the composite CAMEL. For the second period, we find little evidence that changes in CAMEL ratings (the composite or its components) had any systematic effect on loan growth for any of the loan categories considered.
A method for non-invasive full-field imaging and quantification of chemical species.

We present a novel method for full-field scalar visualization and quantification of species concentration fields. We term this method species-altered fluorescence imaging (SAFI). The method employs electrically neutral fluorescent dyes whose quantum yields are selectively quenched or enhanced by species of interest. SAFI enables simultaneous imaging of material interfaces and provides non-invasive, scalar-field quantitation of two-dimensional species concentration fields. We describe criteria for choosing SAFI dyes and tabulate 35 promising SAFI dyes and their relevant properties. Next, we describe species concentration quantification with SAFI via Stern–Volmer quenching and discuss the sensitivity and resolution of our method. We demonstrate this method with two dyes, 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulfopropyl)quinolinium (SPQ) and 10-(3-sulfopropyl)acridinium betaine (SAB). We demonstrate our method in full-field visualization of several challenging electrokinetic flows: isotachophoresis (ITP) in both cationic and anionic modes, and in a convective electrokinetic instability (EKI) flow. Through these experiments we collectively quantify ion concentration shock velocities, simultaneously measure concentrations of five species, and quantify the development of an unsteady, chaotic, 2D flow.
Rapid direct fabrication of active electro-optic modulators in GaAs

We have developed several direct-write laser processing techniques to masklessly fabricate prototypes of waveguiding devices in GaAs/AlGaAs substrates. This flexible technology allows the rapid, successive fabrication and testing of devices such as modulators. Previously, we had reported use of this technology to fabricate low-loss single-mode passive waveguiding structures and devices. In this paper, we report the fabrication of active electro-optic modulators. These devices include an electro-optic polarization modulator, an integrated amplitude modulator consisting of a polarization modulator and an on-chip polarizer, and an integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometer. >
Digitally Assisted Feedforward Compensation of Cartesian-Feedback Power-Amplifier Systems

This brief describes digitally assisted feedforward compensation to extend the bandwidth and to enhance the in-band linearity of Cartesian-feedback (CFB) power-amplifier (PA) systems. The proposed technique combines the strength of the CFB, which is chiefly relaxed PA modeling requirements, with the increased speed of digital predistortion (DPD). CFB is used initially to train efficiently a lookup table for a predistorted feedforward path. Then, both the CFB and the predistorted feedforward path run simultaneously during transmission. Viewed as a bandwidth-enhancement technique for analog CFB, the feedforward-compensated system shows a linearization bandwidth improvement of almost six times over the unaided feedback system. Viewed as a means of improving the in-band linearity of CFB, the proposed system realizes up to 10 dB of reduction in distortion products over CFB or DPD alone and does so without compromising the stability of the feedback system.
QTL mapping with near-isogenic lines in maize

A set of 89 near-isogenic lines (NILs) of maize was created using marker-assisted selection. Nineteen genomic regions, identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism loci and chosen to represent portions of all ten maize chromosomes, were introgressed by backcrossing three generations from donor line Tx303 into the B73 genetic background. NILs were genotyped at an additional 128 simple sequence repeat loci to estimate the size of introgressions and the amount of background introgression. Tx303 introgressions ranged in size from 10 to 150 cM, with an average of 60 cM. Across all NILs, 89% of the Tx303 genome is represented in targeted and background introgressions. The average proportion of background introgression was 2.5% (range 0–15%), significantly lower than the expected value of 9.4% for third backcross generation lines developed without marker-assisted selection. The NILs were grown in replicated field evaluations in two years to map QTLs for flowering time traits. A parallel experiment of testcrosses of each NIL to the unrelated inbred, Mo17, was conducted in the same environments to map QTLs in NIL testcross hybrids. QTLs affecting days to anthesis, days to silking, and anthesis-silk interval were detected in both inbreds and hybrids in both environments. The testing environments differed dramatically for drought stress, and different sets of QTLs were detected across environments. Furthermore, QTLs detected in inbreds were typically different from QTLs detected in hybrids, demonstrating the genetic complexity of flowering time. NILs can serve as a valuable genetic mapping resource for maize breeders and geneticists.
A new technique for visualization of the human retinal vasculature.

• Adenosine diphosphatase, an endothelial cell ectoenzyme that hydrolyses adenosine 5′-diphosphate to adenosine monophosphate, has been used histochemically to study the human retinal vasculature in flat mounts or as flatembedded tissue that can be sectioned. In all retinas, reaction product was confined almost exclusively to the vasculature, with arteries having more reaction product than veins or capillaries. Adenosine diphosphatase activity was observed in endothelium, smooth-muscle cells, pericytes, and erythrocytes. In the more elaborate version of the technique, the adenosine diphosphatase—incubated retinas were flat embedded in glycol methacrylate. This allowed study of the retinal vasculature in dual perspective: en bloc with the use of dark-field microscopy and specific areas of interest histologically sectioned for further evaluation. The technique is simple and preserves angioarchitecture because the retinas are intact, and patency of the vasculature can be determined.
The Unique 16S rRNA Genes of Piezophiles Reflect both Phylogeny and Adaptation

In the ocean's most extreme depths, pressures of 70 to 110 megapascals prevent the growth of all but the most hyperpiezophilic (pressure-loving) organisms. The physiological adaptations required for growth under these conditions are considered to be substantial. Efforts to determine specific adaptations permitting growth at extreme pressures have thus far focused on relatively few γ-proteobacteria, in part due to the technical difficulties of obtaining piezophilic bacteria in pure culture. Here, we present the molecular phylogenies of several new piezophiles of widely differing geographic origins. Included are results from an analysis of the first deep-trench bacterial isolates recovered from the southern hemisphere (9.9-km depth) and of the first gram-positive piezophilic strains. These new data allowed both phylogenetic and structural 16S rRNA comparisons among deep-ocean trench piezophiles and closely related strains not adapted to high pressure. Our results suggest that (i) the Circumpolar Deep Water acts as repository for hyperpiezophiles and drives their dissemination to deep trenches in the Pacific Ocean and (ii) the occurrence of elongated helices in the 16S rRNA genes increases with the extent of adaptation to growth at elevated pressure. These helix changes are believed to improve ribosome function under deep-sea conditions.
A case study of an elevated stratopause generated in the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model

[1] The Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) is used to study the influence of gravity waves on the generation and evolution of an elevated stratopause following a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW). By comparing WACCM simulations of two Arctic winters, where one is dynamically undisturbed and one is disturbed, we find that intense planetary wave activity during a SSW drives the reversal of the zonal mean wind in the stratosphere. This alters the penetration of eastward propagating, non-orographic gravity waves into the mesosphere, which determine the extent of cooling in the lower mesosphere and upper stratosphere through the adiabatic effects of the gravity wave-driven residual circulation, and play a crucial role in the reformation of the elevated stratopause in the lower mesosphere. Eventually, the forcing due to gravity waves returns to normal wintertime values as the stratospheric zonal wind recovers, and is then associated with the warming and lowering of the elevated stratopause, by wave induced diabatic descent. We find that SSW followed by an elevated stratopause is a climatologically robust phenomenon in free running WACCM with characteristics closely resembling recently observed events in the Arctic.
Alcoholism and aging in the general hospital.

Alcoholism is one of the most under-recognized and poorly understood public health problems in elderly persons. Data comparing the frequency of alcohol dependence (DSM-III-R) found in a random sample of general hospital patients to actual discharge diagnoses of alcohol dependence suggest that alcoholism may be missed in as many as three of every four elderly patients admitted. Clinicians must face problems of recognition, diagnosis, neuropsychologic assessment, and treatment of elderly alcoholic patients.
RRT-connect: An efficient approach to single-query path planning

A simple and efficient randomized algorithm is presented for solving single-query path planning problems in high-dimensional configuration spaces. The method works by incrementally building two rapidly-exploring random trees (RRTs) rooted at the start and the goal configurations. The trees each explore space around them and also advance towards each other through, the use of a simple greedy heuristic. Although originally designed to plan motions for a human arm (modeled as a 7-DOF kinematic chain) for the automatic graphic animation of collision-free grasping and manipulation tasks, the algorithm has been successfully applied to a variety of path planning problems. Computed examples include generating collision-free motions for rigid objects in 2D and 3D, and collision-free manipulation motions for a 6-DOF PUMA arm in a 3D workspace. Some basic theoretical analysis is also presented.
Blood Volume, Hematocrit and Pressure Relationships in the Isolated Perfused Dog Brain

The intracranial blood volume and hematocrit of the isolated perfused dog brain preparation were determined with Cr51-labeIed erythrocytes. The intracranial blood volume was determined to be 8.6 ml/100 gm brain (SE±1.2 ml). Over the range of perfusing hematocrits studied, the relationship of perfusing hematocrit (HctPR) to intracranial hematocrit (HctIC) was found to be a linear function (HctIC = 5.44 + 0.702 HctPR). At a peripheral hematocrit of 20% the HctIC/HctPR ≈ 1.0, whereas at hematocrits of 50 to 55% this ratio dropped to 0.87. With increasing perfusing hematocrits the carotid artery pressure rose markedly and there was flattening of the EEG. Since the isolated dog brain is a closed system void of extracranial anastomoses, high viscosity blood cannot circumvent the cerebral circulation but must follow the high resistance networks of the deep cerebral vasculature until sludging of the erythrocytes becomes sufficient to cause anoxia and loss of autoregulation. In the intact erythrocythemic animal, h...
Point matching in a time sequence of stereo image pairs and its parallel implementation on a multiprocessor

An algorithm for finding point correspondences among stereo image pairs at two consecutive time instants (t/sub i-1/,t/sub i/) and its parallel implementation on an Intel ipsc/2 hypercube multiprocessor system are presented. There are 137 unambiguous matched-point pairs among the images used. This number of points may be not enough for generating the structure of the object in the images; however, for motion estimation using stereo imagery, only three pairs of points (for the ideal case) are required, which implies that the results are more than enough for the estimation of motion parameters. From the parallel implementation of the feature extraction and stereo match algorithms on a hypercube multiprocessor system, it is observed that if the computation is uniformly distributed across the image (feature extraction) then almost linear speed-ups can be obtained by partitioning the data equally among the processor of the hypercube. >
Structure of Flexible Filamentous Plant Viruses

Flexible filamentous viruses make up a large fraction of the known plant viruses, but in comparison with those of other viruses, very little is known about their structures. We have used fiber diffraction, cryo-electron microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy to determine the symmetry of a potyvirus, soybean mosaic virus; to confirm the symmetry of a potexvirus, potato virus X; and to determine the low-resolution structures of both viruses. We conclude that these viruses and, by implication, most or all flexible filamentous plant viruses share a common coat protein fold and helical symmetry, with slightly less than 9 subunits per helical turn.