cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Absorption of human growth hormone injected subcutaneously and intramuscularly in growth deficient dwarfs

Hunan growth hormone (HGH) is commonly administrated by i.m. injections. The high purity of the present HGH preparations makes s.c. administration an attractive alternative enabling self-administration. In this study time courses of plasma HGH after s.c and i.m.injections of highly purified HGH (NanormonR) are described and compared to the diurnal plasma HGH profile in eight normal children (11-14 years). Seven patients suffering from idiopathic HGH-deficient dwarfism (age 10-19 years) received i.m. and s.c. injection of HGH in the morning (4IU/m2) in random order with an interval of one week. I.m. injections lead to a peak HGH concentration at 2 hours (mean 204,range 135-475 ng/ml) with a return to baseline 8-10 hours after injection. Correspondingly HGH concentration peaked at 4 hrs (mean 38, range 15-68 ng/ml)after s.c. injection and returned to baseline about 18 hours after injection. In a subsequent study on similar patients (n=7,age 10-19 years) HGH (2IU/m2) was injected s.c. in the evening.HGH concentration peaked at 5 hours (mean 17,range 7-28 ng/ml) and returned to baseline 14 hours after injection.The results indicate that absorption from an i.m. depot is far too short to give a physiological diurnal profile of HGH in plasma - even by daily administration. However, daily s.c. injection will, if given in the evening, imitate normal nocturnal HGH profile.
Decomposition of the single machine total tardiness problem

The paper deals with the single machine total tardiness problem. It develops a new decomposition rule and presents a special and very fast branch and bound algorithm based on pure decomposition. This algorithm is tested on 2400 problems whose sizes vary from 100 to 150 jobs.
Acculturation, nutrition, and health disparities in Latinos

BACKGROUND: Latinos have become the largest minority group in the United States and will represent 25% of the US population by 2050. Latinos experience a disproportionate burden of poverty and poor health outcomes. OBJECTIVES: We critically examined the evidence for a link between acculturation and health disparities in Latinos with a focus on type 2 diabetes (T2D) and nutrition-related risk factors and illustrated how acculturation principles can help design a culturally appropriate T2D self-management intervention in Latinos. DESIGN: Evidence presented in this article was drawn from 1) systematic reviews identified through PubMed searches, 2) backward searches that were based on articles cited, 3) experts in the field, and 4) the author's personal files. RESULTS: The preponderance of the evidence supported an association of acculturation with poor dietary quality and obesity. These associations appeared to be modified by several socioeconomic and demographic factors and were not always linear. The association between acculturation and T2D is unclear. CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal studies and more sophisticated analytic approaches are needed to better understand if and how acculturation affects health-disparity outcomes in Latinos. Tailoring interventions to the acculturation level of individuals is likely to help reduce health disparities in Latinos.
Ionospheric Motions at Low Solar Incidence

In a previous publication1, I discussed the behaviour of topside ionospheric densities and scale heights during the sunrise period for the time period May 21 to July 4, 1963. The raw data included more than 1,000 ionograms taken during forty orbits of Alouette I for different solar-zenith-angle ranges between χ=121° and χ=85°. With the assumption that the ionosphere is in a state of diffusive equilibrium, the scale heights were interpreted in terms of combined electron and ion temperature distributions and relative ion concentrations. Here I explore the possibility that the ionosphere is not in a state of diffusive equilibrium, that is, the existence of non-zero ambipolar flux density caused by increases in particle temperature due to increased solar illumination. The scale height distribution obtained previously shows variations with latitude and with solar zenith angles at an altitude of 450 km; these are now interpreted in terms of mean ambipolar flux densities.
Absence of changes in fiber type with aging in avian muscles.

The anterior latissimus dorsi of the pigeon, a slow tonic muscle, and biventer cervicis, a mixed muscle, of two age groups (1–2 years old versus 6–8 years old) were compared with respect to percentages of fiber types and activities of adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH), as estimated histochemically, to determine whether these became altered with old age. These parameters did not change between the young and old birds for either type of muscle.
Agalsidase alfa: enzyme therapy for Anderson-Fabry disease

Agalsidase alfa is a recombinant formulation of human α-galactosidase A for use in the treatment of Anderson–Fabry disease, an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder. Its mechanism of action is the intracellular hydrolysis of an incompletely metabolized macromolecule; a glycosphingolipid which progressively accumulates in the human α-galactosidase A-deficient tissues of untreated Anderson–Fabry disease patients. Its efficacy is primarily dependent on targeted delivery of sufficient enzyme to diverse cellular sites of pathology; through a routing pathway that is contingent on the requisite pattern of glycosylation and sialylation of the carbohydrate residues of the primary protein sequence. In clinical trials, supplementary studies and practice, the regular intravenous infusion of agalsidase alfa has been shown to modify the natural history of Anderson–Fabry disease; which in the untreated patient is characterized by acroparesthesias and gastrointestinal problems with onset in childhood and among affected adu...
THE BROWN PARMELIA TYPE SPECIMENS OF A. N. OXNER

The morphology and chemistry of the type specimens for the four species of brown Parmelia described by A. N. Oxner have been studied. The correct name for the widely distributed Northern Hemisphere taxon, now generally known as Melanelia substygia (Rasanen) Essl. {Parmelia substygia Rasanen), is now M. tominii (Oxner) Essl. Parmelia borisorum Oxner and Parmelia altaica Oxner are also syno- nyms of M. tominii. Parmelia teretiuscula Oxner is a synonym of Melanelia stygia (L.) Essl.
Exercise efficiency of low power output cycling

Exercise efficiency at low power outputs, energetically comparable to daily living activities, can be influenced by homeostatic perturbations (e.g., weight gain/loss). However, an appropriate efficiency calculation for low power outputs used in these studies has not been determined. Fifteen active subjects (seven females, eight males) performed 14, 5-min cycling trials: two types of seated rest (cranks vertical and horizontal), passive (motor-driven) cycling, no-chain cycling, no-load cycling, cycling at low (10, 20, 30, 40 W), and moderate (50, 60, 80, 100, 120 W) power outputs. Mean delta efficiency was 57% for low power outputs compared to 41.3% for moderate power outputs. Means for gross (3.6%) and net (5.7%) efficiencies were low at the lowest power output. At low power outputs, delta and work efficiency values exceeded theoretical values. In conclusion, at low power outputs, none of the common exercise efficiency calculations gave values comparable to theoretical muscle efficiency. However, gross efficiency and the slope and intercept of the metabolic power vs mechanical power output regression provide insights that are still valuable when studying homeostatic perturbations.
The emerging role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for rectal cancer

Locally advanced rectal cancer remains a substantial public health problem. Historically, the disease has been plagued by high rates of both distant and local recurrences. The standardization of pre-operative chemoradiation and transmesorectal excision (TME) have greatly lowered the rates of local recurrence. Efforts to improve treatment through use of more effective radiosensitizing therapies have proven unsuccessful in rectal cancer. Presently, due to improved local therapies, distal recurrences represent the dominant problem in this disease. Adjuvant chemotherapy is currently of established benefit in colorectal cancer. As such, adjuvant chemotherapy, consisting of fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin, represent the standard of care for many patients. However, after pre-operative chemoradiotherapy and rectal surgery, the administration of highly effective chemotherapy regimens has proven difficult. For this reason, novel neoadjuvant approaches represent appealing avenues for investigation. Strategies of neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone, neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation and neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by chemotherapy are under investigation. Initial encouraging results have been noted, though definitive phase III data is lacking.
Severe blood loss anemia in a Jehovah's Witness treated with adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy

We describe the case of a 39-year-old African-American woman who developed sudden onset, near-term placental abruption with severe blood loss anemia whose religious beliefs precluded her from receiving any blood products. The patient had lost most of her blood volume, with a reported hemoglobin level of 1.9 g/dL, developed multisystem failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulation with bilateral deep venous thrombosis. Adjunctive hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) therapy was considered, and the patient was referred for treatment. The patient required ventilatory support as well as vasopressors and hemodialysis. HBO therapy occured in a monoplace chamber setting at 2.0 atmospheres absolute for 90 minutes per treatment up to twice daily depending on patients clinical status. The patient underwent a total of 30 HBO treatments and had sustained improvement in all hemodynamic parameters, red blood cell volume, renal and respiratory function. She was discharged to a rehabilitation facility on hospital day 29 and then to home, soon thereafter. The patient had no evidence of sustained physical or cognitive impairment at time of discharge, and there were no reported complications associated with HBO therapy. Adjunctive HBO therapy should be considered in the management of patients with exceptional severe blood loss anemia who refuse the use of blood products.
An experimental study of an iterative simulation-optimization algorithm for production planning

It is well known from queueing and simulation models that cycle times in capacitated production systems increase nonlinearly with resource utilization, which poses considerable difficulty for the conventional linear programming (LP) models used for this purpose. Hung and Leachman (1996) propose a highly intuitive iterative approach where a detailed simulation model of the production facility is used to estimate flow time parameters used in an LP model We examine the convergence of this method under different experimental conditions, and conclude that it is hard to determine precisely when the method converges.
Selection of gas sensing materials using the Hard Soft Acid Base theory; application to Surface Acoustic Wave CO 2 detection

The Hard Soft Acid Base (HSAB) theory is introduced as a new tool to select or design sensitive materials for carbon dioxide detection with SAW-BAW (Surface Acoustic Waves - Bulk Acoustic Waves) devices. According to HSAB, CO 2 is hard acid, thus small organic or inorganic molecules, or polymers which can act as hard bases could be suitable candidates as sensing layers for carbon dioxide detection. As a consequence of this theory, we propose the following polymers as potential candidates for CO 2 sensing: simple polyallylamine, N-substituted polyallylamine, polydiallylamine and polyvinylamine, and mixtures of these polymers. The SAW device coated with one of the selected polymers, polyallyamine, shows good sensitivity for CO 2 concentration (in the range 500–5000 ppm), long term stability and repeatability.
Steady-state simulation analysis using ASAP3

We discuss ASAP3, a refinement of the batch means algorithms ASAP and ASAP2. ASAP3 is a sequential procedure designed to produce a confidence-interval estimator for the expected response of a steady-state simulation that satisfies user-specified precision and coverage-probability requirements. ASAP3 operates as follows: the batch size is increased until the batch means pass the Shapiro-Wilk test for multivariate normality; and then ASAP3 fits a first-order autoregressive (AR(1)) time series model to the batch means. If necessary, the batch size is further increased until the autoregressive parameter in the AR(1) model does not significantly exceed 0.8. Next ASAP3 computes the terms of an inverse Cornish-Fisher expansion for the classical batch means t-ratio based on the AR(1) parameter estimates; and finally ASAP3 delivers a correlation-adjusted confidence interval based on this expansion. ASAP3 compared favorably with other batch means procedures (namely, ABATCH, ASAP, ASAP2, and LBATCH) in an extensive experimental performance evaluation.
The Maize Low-Phytic Acid Mutant lpa2 Is Caused by Mutation in an Inositol Phosphate Kinase Gene

Reduced phytic acid content in seeds is a desired goal for genetic improvement in several crops. Low-phytic acid mutants have been used in genetic breeding, but it is not known what genes are responsible for the low-phytic acid phenotype. Using a reverse genetics approach, we found that the maize ( Zea mays ) low-phytic acid lpa2 mutant is caused by mutation in an inositol phosphate kinase gene. The maize inositol phosphate kinase (ZmIpk) gene was identified through sequence comparison with human and Arabidopsis Ins(1,3,4)P 3 5/6-kinase genes. The purified recombinant ZmIpk protein has kinase activity on several inositol polyphosphates, including Ins(1,3,4)P 3 , Ins(3,5,6)P 3 , Ins(3,4,5,6)P 4 , and Ins(1,2,5,6)P 4 . The ZmIpk mRNA is expressed in the embryo, the organ where phytic acid accumulates in maize seeds. The ZmIpk Mutator insertion mutants were identified from a Mutator F 2 family. In the ZmIpk Mu insertion mutants, seed phytic acid content is reduced approximately 30%, and inorganic phosphate is increased about 3-fold. The mutants also accumulate myo -inositol and inositol phosphates as in the lpa2 mutant. Allelic tests showed that the ZmIpk Mu insertion mutants are allelic to the lpa2 . Southern-blot analysis, cloning, and sequencing of the ZmIpk gene from lpa2 revealed that the lpa2-1 allele is caused by the genomic sequence rearrangement in the ZmIpk locus and the lpa2-2 allele has a nucleotide mutation that generated a stop codon in the N-terminal region of the ZmIpk open reading frame. These results provide evidence that ZmIpk is one of the kinases responsible for phytic acid biosynthesis in developing maize seeds.
Coplanar and coaxial orientations of RNA bases and helices.

Electrostatic interactions, base-pairing, and especially base-stacking dominate RNA three-dimensional structures. In an A-form RNA helix, base-stacking results in nearly perfect parallel orientations of all bases in the helix. Interestingly, when an RNA structure containing multiple helices is visualized at the atomic level, it is often possible to find an orientation such that only the edges of most bases are visible. This suggests that a general aspect of higher level RNA structure is a coplanar arrangement of base-normal vectors. We have analyzed all solved RNA crystal structures to determine the degree to which RNA base-normal vectors are globally coplanar. Using a statistical test based on the Watson–Girdle distribution, we determined that 330 out of 331 known RNA structures show statistically significant (p < 0.05; false discovery rate [FDR] = 0.05) coplanar normal vector orientations. Not surprisingly, 94% of the helices in RNA show bipolar arrangements of their base-normal vectors (p < 0.05). This allows us to compute a mean axis for each helix and compare their orientations within an RNA structure. This analysis revealed that 62% (208/331) of the RNA structures exhibit statistically significant coaxial packing of helices (p < 0.05, FDR = 0.08). Further analysis reveals that the bases in hairpin loops and junctions are also generally planar. This work demonstrates coplanar base orientation and coaxial helix packing as an emergent behavior of RNA structure and may be useful as a structural modeling constraint.
Interaction Processes in Group Work

0 Recent psycholinguistic research has stressed the benefits learners can draw from conversing with one another in the language classroom (Long 1983, Porter 1983, Varonis and Gass 1983, Doughty and Pica 1984, Long and Porter 1985). However, the social reality of the classroom can make pair and small-group work difficult; the potential benefits of such activities are often mitigated by the perceptions, experiences,and expectations of the participants. Learners in peer conversations may feel at the mercy of other, more proficient participants. Less skillful learners may feel unable to control and manage the topic of the conversation; however, they may perceive their major source of trouble to be a linguistic deficiency and may not be aware of their problems with the interactive structure of the discourse (Kramsch 1981). In ESL classes, cultural differences in discourse management can lead to tensions and misunderstandings that reinforce cultural stereotypes and impede communication (Tannen 1979, Gumperz 1982). Finally, learners' expectations of their roles and tasks in classrooms can also counteract the potential benefits of group work. From a social-theoretical viewpoint, language learning in peer groups can be considered as the construction of a social reality in which discourse roles and tasks are not fixed in advance, but have to be determined by the participants. For example, group work requires students to fulfill group-task functions and group-maintenance functions that are traditionally the responsibility of the teacher in frontally taught classes (Schein 1969). If many of the difficulties encountered by learners are interactional in nature, explicit attention to interaction processes should be the first step in learning to construct discourse. The pilot study described in this report was conducted to test the feasibility of metacommunicative learning in the classroom, using an empirical, interpretive approach (Bales 1950, Soeffner 1979). Three issues were addressed: 1) the extent to which learners are capable of evaluating their own and others' patterns of participation in group interaction, 2) their ability to discuss these in the target language, and 3) the possible benefits of metacommunicative evaluations.
Not in Our Right Minds: The Implications of Reason and Passion in the Law

In this study, an examination of the legal treatment of “crimes of passion” points to important gendered aspects of the construction of both reason and passion in the law. In crimes of passion, criminal responsibility is mitigated because the perpetrator was in the grip of a strong emotion – in other words, not in his or her right mind. The legal concept of passion is, therefore, society's formal recognition of the limits of reason as a basis for social behavior.Feminist scholarship has long argued that reason in law is not neutral but reflects dominant social interests. Less attention has been given to passion as reason's recognized opposite. It might be expected that the law's partial toleration of passion would privilege different interests. But this is not the case; in effect, although passion is reason's opposite, its construction in law reflects the same dominant values. Recent efforts to eradicate gender disparities in criminal law have led to some reconsideration of the construction of reason and the recognition of passion in some systems.
Broadband signal reconstruction of gapped data using the Kim extrapolation technique

Measurements of signals recorded via digital recording equipment often contain blocks of missing data due to equipment errors, the nature of the process under observation, or physical limitations of the experiment or hardware. Therefore, it is of great interest to reconstruct these signals in terms of their time or frequency domain characteristics, or in this case their power spectra. Of particular interest here are those signals for which a parametric model is appropriate for describing their spectral content, notably auto regressive. The "Kim method" is an efficient algorithm for reconstruction of segmented autoregressive signals using an extrapolative method based on estimates of the autoregressive model parameters of the existing data. It has proven effectiveness for segmented autoregressive narrow-band data with pronounced peaks. This paper examines the effectiveness of the method on those signals that have less pronounced spectral peaks and are more broadband in nature. The performance of the estimator is quantified for these signals and compared to the performance attained with the narrow band signals.
Missed Opportunities: Fewer Service Referrals After Positive Alcohol Misuse Screens in VA Primary Care

Objective:The primary purpose of this study was to compare referral to additional clinical services after primary care clinicians screened for and found a positive screen for alcohol misuse, depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods:Results from the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Patient Health Questionnaire 2, and Primary Care PTSD screens performed over two years at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center and affiliated VA community sites were analyzed by mixed-effects logistic regression. A total of 9,052 veterans with positive screens were eligible for additional clinical services. Results:Odds of referral to additional clinical services for positive depression or PTSD screens were significantly higher than for positive screens for alcohol misuse (odds ratio=10.60 and 19.49, respectively). Conclusion:Primary care-based screening for alcohol misuse is managed differently than for depression or PTSD. (Psychiatric Services 62:310–312, 2011)
A Global Analysis of Sverdrup Balance Using Absolute Geostrophic Velocities from Argo

Using observations from the Argo array of profiling floats, the large-scale circulation of the upper 2000 decibars (db) of the global ocean is computed for the period from December 2004 to November 2010. The geostrophic velocity relative to a reference level of 900db is estimated from temperature and salinity profiles, and the absolute geostrophic velocity at the reference level is estimated from the trajectory data provided by the floats. Combining the two gives the absolute geostrophic velocity on 29 pressure surfaces spanning the upper 2000db of the global ocean. These velocities, together with satellite observations of wind stress, are thenusedtoevaluateSverdrupbalance,thesimplecanonicaltheoryrelatingmeridionalgeostrophictransport to wind forcing. Observed transports agree well with predictions based on the wind field over large areas, primarily in the tropics and subtropics. Elsewhere, especially at higher latitudes and in boundary regions, Sverdrup balance does not accurately describe meridional geostrophic transports, possibly due to the increased importance of the barotropic flow, nonlinear dynamics, and topographic influence. Thus, while it provides an effective framework for understanding the zero-order wind-driven circulation in much of the global ocean, Sverdrup balance should not be regarded as axiomatic.
Crack initiation and growth in WLCSP solder joints

Solder fatigue crack initiation and growth was studied in WLCSP assemblies. Samples were surface mounted to test boards, then extracted at regular intervals of thermal cycling. Crack lengths in the corner solder joints were measured using dye-and-pry technique. Four temperature cycle conditions and six solder ball alloys were evaluated. For all alloys and conditions, the cracks initiated near the component pad interface and propagated down into the solder bulk somewhat. Sn0.7Cu had some propensity toward cracks that propagated at approximately 45 degrees from the pad. 63Sn37Pb and Sn0.7Cu had much higher crack growth rates on the outboard side of the joints compared to the inboard side. SAC405, SAC305, SAC125Ni, and Sn3.5Ag had more similar growth rates on outboard and inboard sides of the joints. These differences are believed to be due to the temperature dependence of the creep deformation and damage accumulation in each alloy. 63Sn37Pb, SAC125Ni, and Sn0.7Cu showed a greater number of cycles to crack initiation compared to the other alloys. This trend is likely due to a lower creep resistance, which resulted in reduced tensile stresses at the edge of the solder joints. Sn0.7Cu and SAC405 had the lowest crack growth rates under most of the temperature cycle conditions. The estimated cycles to failure based on the present crack initiation and growth data was compared to previous data from like assemblies that were electrically monitored. It was found that the average crack growth data from individual joints over-estimates the mean fatigue life of components. However, the average + 3 a crack growth data provides a good estimate of first failure fatigue life from components. Statistical arguments are proposed to explain these results.
Malignant transformation of Madelung's disease in a patient with a coincidental diagnosis of breast cancer: a case report.

Abstract Madelung’s disease or multiple symmetric lipomatosis (MSL) is a rare disorder of unknown etiology which typically presents symmetrically subcutaneous accumulation of non-encapsulated adipose tissue which slowly grows around the neck, upper part of the arms, pelvis, back and thigh. This disease is also frequently associated with hepatopathy, glucose intolerance, hyperuricemia, and malignant tumors of the upper airways. Nevertheless, only one description of malignant transformation of Madelung’s disease has been presented in literature. Here, we report a case of liposarcomatous transformation of Madelung’s disease in a 59-year-old Italian woman with a coincidental diagnosis of breast cancer.
Heterozygote advantage in the American chestnut, Castanea dentata (Fagaceae)

The American chestnut (Castanea dentata; Fagaceae) was a dominant canopy tree in the Appalachian Mountains of North America. Since the introduction of the chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica; Valsaceae) in America, the American chestnut has been reduced to a predominantly clonal, understory species. Our objective was to determine whether the ecological changes and absence of new recruits have influenced the population genetics of American chestnut. Leaf samples were collected from four populations in southwestern Virginia. Electrophoretic data from five polymorphic loci were used to determine the genetic diversity and population structure of the populations and subpopulations. Growth data and infection status were recorded for one of the populations to determine their relationship with heterozygosity. F statistics revealed a significant amount of differentiation among subpopulations and an excess of heterozygotes within subpopulations. Heterozygous individuals also had higher rates of vegetative growth. The superior performance and excess of heterozygotes suggests that selection favors heterozygous individuals. The prolonged absence of sexual reproduction in C. dentata has allowed subtle fitness differences to accumulate to the extent that they have had significant effects on the genetics of chestnut populations.
Calcium-Calmodulin and Regulation of Brush Border Myosin-I MgATPase and Mechanochemistry

We examined the Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of brush border (BB) myosin-I by probing the possible roles of the calmodulin (CM) light chains. BB myosin-I MgATPase activity, sensitivity to chymotryptic digestion, and mechanochemical properties were assessed using 1-10 microM Ca2+ and in the presence of exogenously added CM since it has been proposed that this myosin is regulated by calcium-induced CM dissociation from the 119-kD heavy chain. Each of these BB myosin-I properties were dramatically altered by the same threshold of 2-3 microM Ca2+. Enzymatically active NH2-terminal proteolytic fragments of BB myosin-I which lack the CM binding domains (the 78-kD peptide) differ from CM-containing peptides in that the former is completely insensitive to Ca2+. Furthermore, the 78-kD peptide exhibits high levels of MgATPase activity which are comparable to that observed for BB myosin-I in the presence of Ca2+. This suggests that Ca2+ regulates BB myosin-I MgATPase by binding directly to the CM light chains, and that CM acts to repress endogenous MgATPase activity. Ca(2+)-induced CM dissociation from BB myosin-I can be prevented by the addition of exogenous CM. Under these conditions Ca2+ causes a reversible slowing of motility. In contrast, in the absence of exogenous CM, motility is stopped by Ca2+. We demonstrate this reversible slowing is not due to the presence of inactive BB myosin-I molecules exerting a "braking" effect on motile filaments. However, we did observe Ca(2+)-independent slowing of motility by acidic phospholipids, suggesting that factors other than Ca2+ and CM content can affect the mechanochemical properties of BB myosin-I.
Catecholamine facilitated reentrant ventricular tachycardia: uncoupling of adenosine's antiadrenergic effects.

Catecholamine Facilitated Reentry. Introduction: Adenosine has no direct electrophysiologic function in ventricular tissue, but in the presence of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), stimulation exerts a potent antiadrenergic effect. This effect has been exploited in the recognition and treatment of ventricular tachycardia (VT) due to cAMP-mediated triggered activity and automaticity, which are respectively terminated and suppressed by adenosine. However, the effects of adenosine on catecholamine-facilitated reentrant VT are unknown. A pivotal issue is whether termination of VT with adenosine is mechanism specific, or whether it represents a nonspecific antiadrenergic effect. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to define the effects of adenosine in a well-characterized group of patients with catecholamine-facilitated reentrant VT. Methods and Results: Fourteen patients with catecholamine-facilitated reentry were studied. In the 12 patients with structural heart disease (including two with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia), adenosine (260 to 550 μ/kg) failed to slow or terminate VT. Two patients without structural heart disease had intrafascicular tachycardia confined to the left posterior fascicle, a calcium-dependent, verapamil-sensitive arrhythmia. In the absence of isoproterenol, verapamil terminated VT but adenosine did not. However, when isoproterenol was subsequently required for facilitation of tachycardia, adenosine terminated VT in both patients. Conclusion: Adenosine has no antiadrenergic (antiarrhythmic) effect in patients with catecholamine- facilitated VT due to structural heart disease. Patients with verapamil-sensitive, left posterior intrafascicular reentry have an unusual dual response to adenosine. In the unstimulated state, adenosine has no effect on basal inward calcium current and, therefore, no effect on VT. However, when induction of VT requires amplification of the inward calcium current through stimulation of cAMP, adenosine sensitivity of VT becomes manifest. These results indicate that with few exceptions, termination of VT with adenosine is strongly suggestive of a cAMP-mediated triggered mechanism rather than reentry.
A Linear Programming Analysis of Paper Recycling

A simple linear model is constructed for production, use and recycling of various paper and related products. This model is used to estimate the maximum feasible recycling rate given the current state of pulp and paper technology. Parametric linear programming is used to investigate the effect of the efficiency of collecting, sorting and transporting waste paper on the fraction recycled.
Broken symmetry and spacetime

The phenomenon of broken spacetime symmetry in the quantum theory of infinite systems seems to point toward an unorthodox ontology. The standard conception of the physical meaning of these symmetries, as changes in coordinates, conflicts with the apparent physical inequivalence of symmetry-related states. I argue that this apparent conflict is an artifact of a subtle error in the extant account of physical equivalence due to Halvorson and Clifton.
Platelet adhesion to heparin-bonded and heparin-free surfaces.

Polyether polyurethanes containing positive charges in the backbone or in the side chains were synthesized from commercially available diisocyanates. These cationic polyurethanes were reacted with sodium heparin to yield polyurethane heparin complexes (heparin content: 16%) soluble in specific organic solvent systems. The homogeneous solutions were used to produce thromboresistant coatings on commercial tubing.In order to evaluate the thromboresistance of the coated and uncoated surfaces, tubing sections were inserted into a beagle chronic A-V shunt and the rate of platelet deposition was determined by the electron scanning microscope technique.A plot of the number of platelets as a function of time on heparinized tubing shows that the buildup rate is just in the first 30 min, reaching a saturation limit of about 6 × 105 platelets/cm2 at about 60 min. On commercial polyurethane the rate of platelet deposition is considerably faster.Platelets adhering to a silicone surface seem to exhibit initially a diffe...
Some Effects of Temperature on the Transmission of Cabbage Mosaic Virus by Myzus persicae

Apterae of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), transmitted a strain of the cabbage mosaic virus from and to yellow mustard, Brassica campestris L., at all temperatures tested from 40°F to 90°F. The time taken by the aphids to begin probing decreased with increasing temperature, reaching a minimum in the 70°-90°F range. The duration of the naturally terminated probes tended to minimize at 70°F and above, and the frequency of probes lasting for more than a minute increased as the temperature varied on either side of 70 °F. Virus acquisition was most efficient in the temperature range of 60°-80° F, with efficiency falling with temperatures outside of this interval. The efficiency of inoculation increased with increasing temperature over the entire range tested (40°-90°F). The percentage of infection was not reduced when test plants, immediately after inoculation at room temperature, were held for 24 hr at 41°, 50°, 68°, and 86°F. or for 4 days at 68° and 86°F, but the incubation period of the disease was altered. Serial transmission trials were made at 50° 60°, and 70°F. In these, the aphids probed fewer plants before making a “feeding” penetration at 50° than at 60° or 70°F. “Feeding” penetrations had a higher probability of resulting in infection than did brief probes (≤60 sec), and they eliminated the inoculative potential. The rate at which inoculativity declined during fasting periods was greater at 30°C than at 10° or 20° C, and it followed first order kinetics only if measured at times longer than 15 min after acquisition.
Cross-Cultural Patterns of Children’s Phenomenology About Stressors and Supports

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the cross-site patterns of stressors and supports reported by children and adolescents participating in the Promoting Psychological Well-Being Globally (PPWBG) project. Drawing on focus group transcripts from participating sites, data were analyzed for types of stressors and supports across site (13 sites from 12 countries, described in Chap. 2) and grade level (primary, middle, and secondary). Inductive theme analysis yielded patterns of convergence (high, moderate, low, minimal, or site specific) for a set of five stressors and three support categories. Stressor categories included those related to interpersonal interactions or relationships, self, physical context, sociocultural systems, and supernatural or coincidental occurrences. Support categories included those related to relationships, self, and activities. The majority of stressors and supports across sites and grade levels were those related to relationships, confirming the importance of interpersonal relationships to children’s and adolescents’ perceptions of well-being. Although some site-specific (cultural) differences were detected, findings suggested that differences in stressful and supportive experiences of children and adolescents were better explained by developmental levels than by cultural variations. Overall, this research represents one of the first efforts to capture children’s phenomenology about their stressors and supports and identify patterns of similarities and differences in their perspectives based on culture-specific site and developmental level.
Lymphoblasts with both T and B markers in childhood leukemia and lymphoma.

A modification of the double rosette method of Mendes et al. was used to examine lymphoblasts from 22 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 1 child with lymphoblastic lymphoma. This method was used since it directly and simultaneously detected T, B, and null lymphocytes as well as monocytes. In addition it detected the D lymphocyte which has both T- and B- cell surface markers. Based on surface characteristics, lymphoblasts from the patients studied could be divided into three groups: (1) null cells with no detectable markers; (2) cells with T-cell markers; or (3) D or double cells with both the T-cell receptor for sheep erythrocytes and the B-cell receptor for activated complement. No lymphoblasts were found which had easily detectable surface immunoglobulins or complement receptors alone. Eighteen patients had null-cell lymphoblasts; four patients, including the child with lymphoma, had two lymphoblast populations, T and D cells. No circulating D lymphoblasts were detected when these patients went into remission. This simple, reproducible method utilizes easily prepared, stable reagents for surface-marker detection and has the advantage of detecting directly another lymphoid subpopulation, the D cell.
Polymyxins Facilitate Entry into Mammalian Cells.

Polymyxin B is an antibiotic used against multi-resistant Gram negative infections, despite observed nephrotoxicity. Here we report the synthesis of functionalized derivatives of polymyxin B and its per-guanidinylated derivative in order to further explore the structural requirements necessary to facilitate uptake of the antibiotic into mammalian cells. We also investigate the possibility of using these novel scaffolds as molecular transporters. At nanomolar concentrations, both are capable of delivering large cargo (>300 kDa) into living cells. Their uptake depends exclusively on cell surface heparan sulfate. Mechanistic studies indicate these novel transporters are internalized through caveolae-mediated pathways and confocal microscopy show colocalization with lysosomes. The polymyxin-based transporters demonstrate cytosolic delivery through the delivery of a ribosome-inactivating protein. Furthermore, the natural polymyxin scaffold can be incorporated into liposomes and enhance their intracellular uptake. In addition to demonstrating the ability of the polymyxin scaffold to facilitate internalization into mammalian cells, these observations suggest the potential use of polymyxin and guanidinopolymyxin for intracellular delivery.
Influence of crop production practices on Pasteuria penetrans and suppression of Meloidogyne incognita

Abstract Pasteuria penetrans is a parasite of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). Infected nematodes are not killed by the bacterium, but instead of producing eggs, females produce millions of infectious endospores. In addition to sterilizing females, P. penetrans can reduce nematode infection of roots when spore densities in soil are high because juveniles become so heavily encumbered, movement is restricted. A 4-year field study was conducted to determine 1) if fumigation with 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D, 28 L/ha) would have a negative effect on P. penetrans and general suppression of nematodes, 2) if the occasional use of 1,3-D would be as detrimental to P. penetrans as a yearly application, 3) if tillage influenced the abundance of P. penetrans spores, and 4) if the P. penetrans at the field site was contributing to suppression of M. incognita. Fumigation with 1,3-D reduced the abundance of P. penetrans spores in the soil compared to the no-fumigation control and there was no difference between a yearly application of the fumigant and occasional applications. Tillage (conventional and strip) did not affect spore abundance. The reduction of P. penetrans spores by fumigation was small compared to the year-to-year fluctuations in spore densities. Spores per assay nematode varied from 6.3 in 2012 to 0.8 in 2014. In 2012, P. penetrans appeared to suppress populations of M. incognita to very low levels (⩽10% of the root system with galls). The extreme changes in spore densities over the course of this study were likely due to a combination of factors including the density-dependent dynamics between the nematode and bacterium, the self-limiting effect of the bacterium at high spore densities, and leaching of spores out of the root zone during rain and irrigation events. Within each fumigation treatment, there was an inverse relationship (P ⩽ 0.003, r = −0.40 to −0.58) between spore abundance and root galling indicating that the bioassay to estimate spore numbers in the spring was a good predictor of the level of nematode suppression.
High flex cycle testing of CVD monolayer WS2 TFTs on thin flexible polyimide

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides are potential candidates for high-performance flexible electronics. In this paper, we report thin film transistors (TFTs) fabricated on ~5 μm thick solution-cast polyimide substrates using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) synthesized single layer WS2 as the active layer. The linear region field effect mobility ranges from 2 to 10 cm2 V−1 s−1, with current on–off ratio exceeding 106. By using a thin polyimide substrate, the bending induced tensile stress on our TFTs is relatively small when compared to devices fabricated on thicker flexible substrates. Static bending and up to 50 000 bending/flattening cycles were employed to investigate the reliability of these TFTs for potential flexible electronic applications. Our results demonstrate that CVD grown WS2 TFTs fabricated on thin polyimide have good performance stability for up to 2 mm radius bending and 50 000 bending cycles. It is therefore clear that thin polymeric substrates provide a simple approach for reliable, scalable, and high-performance 2D-TMD-based flexible electronics.
Palpebral fissure length measurement: accuracy of the FAS facial photographic analysis software and inaccuracy of the ruler.

Background Accurate fetal alcohol spectrum disorder diagnoses require accurate facial measurement . The Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Facial Photographic Analysis Software was developed to overcome measurement error known to occur with ruler measurement of the PFL . Rec ent publications have queried the Software’s accuracy. Objectives 1) D emonstrate the Software’s ability to accurately measure a PFL from a 2 -dimensional digital facial photograph. 2) D emonstrate the frequency and magnitude of error when the PFL is measured directly by clinician s using a ruler . Methods Obj ective 1: PFLs of mannequins were measured using the Software and a sliding digital caliper , with the lat ter serving as the gold -standard accurate measure. Mannequins allowed the caliper prongs to be placed directly on the landmarks that define the PFL . Objective 2: PFLs of 1,027 patients evaluated at the University of Washington FAS Diagnostic & Prevention Network were measured with the Software and directly by one or two clinicians using a ruler. Results Ob jective 1: The Software derived PFLs that were identical to or within 0.2 mm of the caliper measures . Objective 2: There was tremendous inter -rater variability in PFLs measured by clinicians using a hand held ruler. Seventy -seven percent of patients had their PFLs measured incorrectly (greater than 1 mm error) by at least one of the two clinicians using a ruler. Conclusion The FAS Facial Photographic Analysis Software measures the PFL with the same accuracy as a sliding digital caliper , as it was programmed to do. Direct m easurement of the PFL with a ruler is very prone to error.
Practical applications of therapy with a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist

Patients such as ML represent a common challenge in the primary care management of patients with T2DM. After some response to initial therapy with lifestyle management and metformin, the A1C goal of <7.0% after 2 to 3 months was not achieved, necessitating the initiation of combination therapy. The 4 groups of medications recommended by the ADA/EASD panel as the preferred therapies are basal insulin, the sulfonylureas, the TZD pioglitazone, and GLP-1 receptor agonists. In addition to considering efficacy, safety, cost, and other medication-related factors, the treatment plan must take into account the patient's individual needs, concerns, and capabilities. These additional considerations help to foster increased patient self-management and greater treatment adherence. To achieve these objectives, comprehensive patient education is essential. The unique mechanism of action of the GLP-1 receptor agonist class of medications makes these agents a desirable choice as add-on therapy to metformin.
New insights into gully formation on Mars: Constraints from composition as seen by MRO/CRISM

Over 100 martian gully sites were analyzed using orbital data collected by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). Most gullies are spectrally indistinct from their surroundings, due to mantling by dust. Where spectral information on gully sediments was obtained, a variety of mineralogies were identified. Their relationship to the source rock suggests that gully-forming processes transported underlying material downslope. There is no evidence for specific compositions being more likely to be associated with gullies, or with the formation of hydrated minerals in situ as a result of recent liquid water activity. Seasonal CO2 and H2O frosts were observed in gullies at mid- to high latitudes, consistent with seasonal frost-driven processes playing important roles in the evolution of gullies. Our results do not clearly indicate a role for long-lived liquid water in gully formation and evolution.
Upper-Airway Resistance Syndrome: A Short History

Upper-airway resistance syndrome is a pathological entity associated with nasal flow limitation and electroencephalography (EEG) changes during sleep leading to cognitive impairment complaints, poor sleep, and decreased quality of life. Associated with autonomic nervous system changes, the syndrome does not lead to oxygen saturation drops as arousal responses and continuous sleep disturbance allow maintenance of near-appropriate tidal volume.
Implications of the Growing Hispanic Market upon Marketing Planning in the 1980s

This paper finds important demographic differences between Hispanics and other Americans. Although Hispanics depict strong cultural values, these values appear to be similar to those of other Americans. The marketing implications of these findings are explored.
Harnessing Parallelism in Multicore Systems to Expedite and Improve Function Approximation

Approximating functions in applications that can tolerate some inaccuracy in their results can deliver substantial performance gains. This paper makes a case for harnessing available parallelism in multicore systems to improve performance as well as the quality of function approximation. To that end, we discuss a number of tasks that the function approximation schemes can offload to available parallel cores. We also discuss how leveraging parallelism can help provide guarantees about results and dynamically improve approximations. Finally, we present experimental results of a function approximation scheme.