cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cloning and characterization of Gallus and Xenopus ferrochelatases: presence of the [2Fe-2S] cluster in nonmammalian ferrochelatase.

Abstract Ferrochelatase (EC 4.99.1.1) catalyzes the insertion of ferrous iron into protoporphyrin IX to form protoheme IX. This membrane-bound enzyme has been cloned from a variety of bacteria, plants, mammals, and yeast. Interestingly, only in mammals has the enzyme been found to contain a [2Fe-2S] cluster. Since the presence of this feature only in mammals would have significant evolutionary implications and because there have been no nonmammalian animal ferrochelatases cloned, expressed, and characterized, we report here the cloning and characterization of ferrochelatase from chicken (Gallus gallus) and an amphibian (Xenopus laevis). The cDNAs for both of these ferrochelatases were cloned by complementation of anEscherichia coliΔhemH strain. The expressed and purified enzymes were characterized biochemically and both were found to contain [2Fe-2S] clusters. These clusters have spectral characteristics essentially identical to those of human ferrochelatase, although their EPR spectra are recognizably distinct from the human one. The [2Fe-2S] clusters of both chicken and amphibian ferrochelatases are readily destroyed by NO. Sequence analysis of the 3′ UTR of both chicken and amphibian cDNAs show that while both have poly(A) tails neither have a consensus polyadenylation signal. The 5′ UTR ofXenopusas isolated contained 135 bp and possesses no identifiable stem–loop structure.
Administrative Discretion and Urban and Regional Planners’ Values

This article explores the possibilities for using administrative discretion to do planning that reflects urban and regional planners’ own deeply held values. The article first charts the broad char...
Recursive prediction of traffic volume for control

The prediction of traffic volumes is an important element of current computerized street traffic control systems. The present paper discusses a class of real time recursive algorithms to predict traffic volumes. A comparison of these algorithms with those of UTCS-2 and UTCS-3 is presented.
Some observations on the nature of the audiometric 4000 hz notch: data from 3430 veterans.

Background: Pure-tone, air-conduction audiograms notched at 4000 Hz have long been considered the signature configuration for noise-induced hearing loss even though there is an extensive literature that does not mesh with this simple explanation. There are many reports of notched audiograms from individuals with no history of noise exposure and, conversely, reports of audiograms with no notches from individuals with a history of noise exposure. Recent reports increasingly suggest that unilateral 4000 Hz notches are common. The prevalence of notched audiograms at 4000 Hz is dependent on the definition of the notch and the population under study. Purpose: To examine the prevalence and characteristics of audiograms that are notched at 4000 Hz. Research Design: Retrospective, descriptive. Study Sample: The participants were 3430 veterans evaluated in the Audiology Clinic at the VA Medical Center, Mountain Home, Tennessee. The mean age was 62.3 yr. Data Collection and Analyses: The data were collected in the course of a 60 min, routine audiological evaluation. In addition to pure-tone audiometry, a history, otoscopy, speech audiometry in quiet and in noise, and aural-acoustic immittance measures were included in the clinic protocol but were not evaluated in this report. A notch was defined when the 4000 Hz threshold minus the 2000 Hz threshold and the 4000 Hz threshold minus the 8000 Hz threshold both were ≥10 dB. Results: Overall the mean LE (left ear) thresholds at 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz were at hearing levels 2–3 dB higher than the hearing levels for the corresponding mean RE (right ear) thresholds; the differences were significant. A notched audiogram was observed in 40.6% of the participants in at least one ear with 15.4% having bilateral notches, 28.8% LE notches, and 27.1% RE notches. Unilateral 4000 Hz notches were almost twice as prevalent as bilateral 4000 Hz notches. Viewed as a function of age, notched audiograms were most common (˜35% of the participants) in the 40 and 50 yr groups with a diminishing prevalence in the 60–80 yr groups. The mean notch depth at 4000 Hz was consistently 20–26 dB across the seven age groups. In comparison to the thresholds of the audiograms that were not notched, the thresholds of the audiograms with 4000 Hz notches (1) at 250–2000 Hz were at hearing levels 2–3 dB lower, (2) at 3000 and 4000 Hz were at hearing levels 8–17 dB higher, and (3) at 8000 Hz were at hearing levels 3–4 dB lower; the threshold differences were significant at all frequencies for both ears. Conclusions: The data suggest that unilateral, 4000 Hz notched audiograms are as common or more common than bilateral notched audiograms and that unilateral notched audiograms are equally common for the LE and RE. The prevalence and characteristics of 4000 Hz notched audiograms in this veteran sample are similar to those observed in the population as a whole.
Ability to Delay Gratification at Age 4 Years and Risk of Overweight at Age 11 Years

Objectives:Todetermineiflimitedabilitytodelaygratification (ATDG) at age 4 years is independently associated with an increased risk of being overweight at age 11yearsandtoassessconfoundingormoderationbychild body mass index z score at 4 years, self-reported maternal expectation of child ATDG for food, and maternal weight status. Design: Longitudinal prospective study. Setting: Ten US sites.
Phase Behavior and Microstructure of Polymerizable Microemulsions

The phase behavior of polymerizable alkyl methacrylates (C k MA, k = 1, 4, and 6) in aqueous solutions containing mixtures of the cationic surfactants dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) is systematically studied. The added degree of freedom afforded by mixing the surfactants allows location of a region in the water-rich corner of the phase diagram where a homogeneous microemulsion phase forms for three alkyl methacrylates of differing hydrophobicity. Microstructural studies using small angle neutron scattering (SANS) demonstrate that oil-in-water microemulsions form and show that the shape of the aggregates depends on the DTAB :DDAB ratio and the oil content.
Algorithms for Divisible Load Scheduling of Data-intensive Applications

In this paper we introduce the Divisible Load Scheduling (DLS) family of algorithms for data-intensive applications. The polynomial time algorithms partition the input data and generate optimal mappings to collection of autonomous and heterogeneous computational systems. We prove the optimality of the solution and report a simulation study of the algorithms.
A fractal analysis of pathogen detection by biosensors

A fractal analysis is presented for the detection of pathogens such as Franscisela tularensis , and Yersinia pestis (the bacterium that causes plague) using a CANARY (cellular analysis and notification of antigens risks and yields) biosensor (Rider et al., 2003). In general, the binding and dissociation rate coefficients may be adequately described by either a single- or a dual-fractal analysis. An attempt is made to relate the binding rate coefficient to the degree of heterogeneity (fractal dimension value) present on the biosensor surface. Binding and dissociation rate coefficient values obtained are presented. The kinetics aspects along with the affinity values presented are of interest, and should along with the rate coefficients presented for the binding and the dissociation phase be of significant interest in help designing better biosensors for an application area that is bound to gain increasing importance in the future.
Hot pressing of germanium monochromator crystals

The method and parameters for vacuum hot pressing of single-crystal germanium, suitable for a large-area double-focusing neutron monochromator, are presented. The square virgin crystals have a mosaic that is less than 0.01° and isotropic. After appropriate pressing at high temperature (1073 K at a pressure of 10.7 MPa) the mosaic becomes anisotropic, about 0.5° in one direction and 0.2° in the other. The distribution of the mosaic widths of the crystals in the two directions are given, together with their composite values.
Riboflavin Requirement of Turkey Poults Fed a Corn-Soybean Meal Diet from 1 to 21 Days of Age

Abstract Two battery experiments involving a total of 816 Nicholas Large White turkey poults were conducted to determine the riboflavin requirement from 1 to 21 days of age. In Experiment 1,480 poults were assigned to six dietary treatments: 0, .6, 1.1, 1.7, 3.1, and 4.4 mg supplemental riboflavin/kg basal diet. The corn-soybean meal basal diet was formulated to contain 28.5% crude protein. The vitamin premix was formulated to be devoid of riboflavin. The analyzed riboflavin content of the basal diet was 2.7 mg/kg feed. Ten replicates of eight birds per pen (four female and four male poults) were used per diet. In Experiment 2, 336 poults were assigned the same dietary treatments but with only seven replications. Using the broken line technique, it was determined that .79 ± .03 mg supplemental riboflavin/kg diet or 3.5 mg riboflavin/kg diet was needed to maximize growth. However, in order to prevent leg paralysis, slightly more riboflavin appeared to be needed.
Regulation of the content and phosphorylation of RII by adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate, follicle-stimulating hormone, and estradiol in cultured granulosa cells.

The mechanisms by which FSH and cAMP induce receptors for LH (RLH) and increase progesterone (P) production in estradiol (E)-primed ovarian granulosa cells remain unclear, but may involve increases in the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase II (RII) and the phosphorylation of specific cellular proteins. To examine the relationship of these events, primary cultures of granulosa cells (106 cells/ml) from E-treated (1.5 mg/day for 3 days) immature female rats were incubated with 10 nm E with or without FSH (25 ng/ml) for 0–120 h. The cytosolic content of RII was analyzed by four techniques: 1) immunoblotting using an antibody to bovine heart Rn; 2) photoaffinity labeling with [32P]8-azido-cAMP; 3) phosphorylation with [γ-32P]ATP with or without 2 nm cAMP or with the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase; and 4) phosphorylation of intact cells with [32P] orthophosphate. All approaches revealed a time-dependent 5- to 6-fold increase in RII content in granulosa cells cultured for 48...
Are preterm black infants larger than preterm white infants, or are they more misclassified?

In birth certificate data for Massachusetts resident births from 1978 to 1982, 12-27% of births purportedly under 31 weeks of gestation were probably misclassified, i.e. had birthweight greater than or equal to 2500 g. Correcting for maldistribution of births removed 34% and 23%, respectively, of black and white births with reported gestational ages less than 36 weeks but with implausible weights. Percentages of unknown and incomplete reports of last menstrual period were also significantly higher for blacks. After adjustment, preterm black infants weighed less than whites at each gestational age. The proportion of infants less than 2500 g born at term (greater than or equal to 37 weeks gestation) was higher (although not significantly) among blacks. These findings are consistent with hypotheses that low socioeconomic status negatively affects the rate of intrauterine growth.
Binary Regulation of Hippo Pathway by Merlin/NF2, Kibra, Lgl, and Melted Specifies and Maintains Postmitotic Neuronal Fate

Summary Patterning the Drosophila retina for color vision relies on postmitotic specification of photoreceptor subtypes. R8 photoreceptors express one of two light-sensing Rhodopsins, Rh5 or Rh6. This fate decision involves a bistable feedback loop between Melted, a PH-domain protein, and Warts, a kinase in the Hippo growth pathway. Here, we show that a subset of the Hippo pathway—Merlin, Kibra, and Lethal(2)giant larvae (Lgl), but not Expanded or Fat—is required for Warts expression and activity in R8 to specify Rh6 fate. Melted represses warts transcription to disrupt Hippo pathway activity and specify Rh5 fate. Therefore, R8 Hippo signaling exhibits ON-or-OFF regulation, promoting mutually exclusive fates. Furthermore, Merlin and Lgl are continuously required to maintain R8 neuronal subtypes. These results reveal roles for Merlin, Kibra, and Lgl in neuronal specification and maintenance and show that the Hippo pathway is reimplemented for sensory neuron fate by combining canonical and noncanonical regulatory steps.
Urban Perennials: How Diversification has Created a Sustainable Community Garden Movement in The United States

Our research seeks to understand how the contemporary community garden movement in the United States differs from its predecessors and whether its new foundation increases the political and financial sustainability of today's gardens. To this end, this article reviews historical and contemporary literature, and surveys participants in three distinctive community gardens, to answer several related research questions. First, what is the current state of the US community garden movement, and how have its historical roots shaped its response to current policy concerns? Second, which populations comprise today's community gardeners, and what motivates them to participate? After considering the findings from our three study gardens, and from a review of secondary and “gray” literature, we conclude by positing that a greater diversity of gardeners and gardening motivations, accompanied by changing leading views on urban land uses, will lead to such urban gardens remaining a more lasting feature of city neighborh...
Rotational analysis of 3200-Å absorption bands of pyrazine-15N vapor

Pyrazine-15N ground-state inertial constants are obtained by analysis of the rotational fine structure of the 0-0, 501, and 6a01 bands of the A 1B3u− X1Ag electronic transition. Comparison of the constants with those found earlier for the ordinary pyrazine molecule shows that in the vapor the nitrogen atom is at least 0.05further from the center of mass of the molecule than in the solid.
Phase I/II Trial of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound for the Treatment of Previously Untreated Localized Prostate Cancer

Purpose: We examined the safety and potential efficacy of transrectally delivered high intensity focused ultrasound for the full gland ablation of previously untreated localized prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: A total of 20 patients with localized prostate cancer underwent 1 to 3 high intensity focused ultrasound treatments of the prostate. The primary outcome was safety and the secondary outcomes were prostate specific antigen, prostate biopsy and quality of life measures.Results: A total of 19 patients had complete followup. Serious adverse events related to treatment were limited with the most common adverse event being transient urinary retention more than 30 days in duration in only 10% of patients. Rectal injury occurred in 1 patient. With 1 to 3 treatments 42% of the patients achieved prostate specific antigen less than 0.5 ng/ml and a negative prostate biopsy.Conclusions: High intensity focused ultrasound in patients with previously untreated prostate cancer is generally well tolerated and ...
Electron Microscopy of Clay Surfaces

Improvements in replica techniques have made possible the high magnification study of textural characteristics and surface features of clay aggregrates found either in nature or in the laboratory. The most successful method of sample preparation involves pre-shadowing the specimen with platinum and backing this with a layer of carbon prior to removal of the clay with a suitable solvent.
Modulation of Membrane Fluidity in the Primate (Macaca mulatto) Corpus Luteum: Correlation with Changes in Gonadotropin Binding*

Addition of alcohols to particulate or cellular preparations of the monkey corpus luteum unmasks gonadotropin-binding sites via a temperature-sensitive process. Since alcohols and temperature are known modulators of membrane fluidity, we measured the fluidity of luteal membranes and determined whether the effects of ethanol and temperature on gonadotropin binding correlated with changes in the fluid state of the membrane. The fluidity of membranes from the macaque and rat corpus luteum was estimated from the fluorescence polarization of the lipophilic membrane probe 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH). The absorption and emission spectra of DPH incorporated into luteal membranes were typical of those in other systems. Fluorescence intensity increased rapidly during the first 60 min of incubation and reached steady state conditions within 3 h. In contrast, polarization was constant within minutes and was insensitive to pH, ionic strength, tissue concentration, or DPH levels over the ranges tested. Fluoresc...
Optoelectronics: coupling lasers using photonic crystals.

Large arrays of vertical laser sources need to emit a coherent output of light. This can be achieved through photonic crystals that mediate the interaction between the lasers in the array.
HOMOGENIZATION, SYMMETRY, AND PERIODIZATION IN DIFFUSIVE RANDOM MEDIA

Abstract We present a systematic study of homogenization of diffusion in random media with emphasis on tile-based random microstructures. We give detailed examples of several such media starting from their physical descriptions, then construct the associated probability spaces and verify their ergodicity. After a discussion of material symmetries of random media, we derive criteria for the isotropy of the homogenized limits in tile-based structures. Furthermore, we study the periodization algorithm for the numerical approximation of the homogenized diffusion tensor and study the algorithm's rate of convergence. For one dimensional tile-based media, we prove a central limit result, giving a concrete rate of convergence for periodization. We also provide numerical evidence for a similar central limit behavior in the case of two dimensional tile-based structures.
NMR-detected nuclear resonance of transient radicals: CIDEP and CIDNP contributions

Abstract NMR intensities of reaction products are affected by rf corresponding to nuclear resonances of the radical intermediates. Information from this NMR detection of nuclear resonance about relative populations of the transient radical magnetic energy levels is explained using the radical pair theory of chemically induced magnetic polarization, both electron (CIDEP) and nuclear (CIDNP).
Mean-field study of the nuclear partition function: application to level density and compound nucleus fission

Functional integral formulation of the mean-field approximation for many-body systems is used to study the nuclear partition function. Both static and dynamic mean-field solutions with statistical occupations of the single particle wave functions are discussed. These correspond to different physical processes in the nuclear system. In the static case the effect of mean-field fluctuations on the nuclear level density is exhibited. This effect enters consistently along with the usual effects of temperature and chemical potential fluctuations. Together they account for generalized random phase approximation correlations and produce bosonlike terms in the nuclear entropy. Because of the self-consistency of the approach, no overcounting of the collective and single-particle degrees of freedom occurs. The effects of the single particle continuum are included in the discussion. In the low temperature limit a simple correction to the level density parameter is evaluated, which leads to an increase of its magnitude. Consequences of a possible multiplicity of static mean-field configurations are briefly discussed. Dynamical mean-field solutions are considered in relation to compound nucleus fission. They provide the extension of the mean-field description of spontaneous fission given recently. A microscopic expression for the energy dependence of the average fission width is presented. It combines both themore » dynamical and statistical features of the tunneling mean-field solution in the subbarrier region.« less
Benefit of intravenous antispasmodic (hyoscyamine sulfate) as premedication for colonoscopy

Abstract Background: We sought to determine whether premedication for colonoscopy with intravenous hyoscyamine sulfate (Levsin) was helpful from the standpoint of the colonoscopist and the patient. Methods: One hundred sixteen adult patients were randomized to receive either 0.5 mg hyoscyamine sulfate intravenous (n = 57) or placebo (n = 59). After administration of study drug, patients were given meperidine and midazolam. Parameters measured included the time required to reach the cecum, total procedure time, and the endoscopist's perception of the adequacy of sedation, difficulty of insertion, and amount of colonic spasm on insertion and withdrawal. Patients were given a postprocedure questionnaire assessing their experience. Results: In patients receiving hyoscyamine, there was a shorter cecal intubation time (median 9.2 vs. 12.9 minutes; p = 0.01), shorter total colonoscopy time (median 20.5 vs. 25.0 minutes; p = 0.01), better patient sedation ( p = 0.02), easier colonic insertion ( p = 0.001), and less spasm on insertion ( p = 0.01). No difference was found in the amount of spasm during withdrawal or the total dosages of meperidine or midazolam used. Patients receiving hyoscyamine sulfate reported being more comfortable during their procedures ( p p = 0.0001). The only adverse effect seen during the study was a 27% incidence of sinus tachycardia that occurred in patients receiving hyoscyamine. Conclusions: Premedication with intravenous hyoscyamine sulfate was beneficial in terms of the time required for cecal intubation, total procedure time, adequacy of sedation, and scales of patient comfort. However, the high frequency of sinus tachycardia seen with the dose used in our study, which was extremely rapid in two patients, indicates the need for further study before the drug can be recommended as a routine premedication for colonoscopy. (Gastrointest Endosc 1999;49:720-6.)
The proper object of nursing science.

We have inherited a notion of nursing science from the 19th century when authentic science came to be identified with the strict objectivity of classical physics. A clear cut distinction between the subject and the object is a prime condition for research, and all genuinely scientific knowledge must be verified by experimentation. It was during this period in the history of science that medicine developed into a science. The proper object of medical science is homo natura, man conceived of as one link in the chain of material beings subject to and determined by the laws of physical causality. When man is conceived thus, it is necessary to seek his determining causes, and experimentation is precisely the rigorous discovery of causal relationships. Nursing has appropriated the model of homo natura from medical science, about which we are asking our research questions and for whom we are conducting our practice. Paradoxically, the devotion of nursing research to the identification of a body-of-knowledge that is uniquely nursing is precisely leading us away from that knowledge. Nursing has borrowed the methods of the natural sciences which are only appropriate for the investigation of natural entities, and has imposed these methods upon a radically different content, namely man as human. The present criterion for research questions in nursing is whether or not the scientific method can be faithfully applied to the content to be investigated. But there is an apparent conflict between the dictates of science and the subject matter of nursing, what we have achieved thus far is a psychophysical parallelism which has
Continuous low-dose infusion of insulin in the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis in children

Twelve diabetic children—eight in ketoacidosis, three with insulin refractory hyperglycemia, and one postoperative patient—were treated with continuous, low-dose, intravenous infusion of insulin. The eight ketoacidotic children with a mean serum glucose concentration on admission of 631 mg/dl and bicarbonate value of 6.8 mM/l were given regular insulin, 0.1 U/kg, slowly by bolus injection followed by a sustaining infusion of 0.1 U/kg/hour. Plasma glucose concentration fell at a mean rate of 82 mg/dl/hour. Euglycemia with concomitant improvement in the metabolic disorder was achieved with a mean dose of insulin, 0.68 U/kg, given over four to 10 hours. Mean plasma insulin in those children who had not previously received insulin was 55 μU/ml, well within the normal physiologic range. Growth hormone and serum triglyceride levels, low initially, rose with insulin therapy before returning to control values. Continuous low-dose insulin infusion is simple, safe, and effective, avoids confusion and empiricism, and appears to be the method of choice for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis or insulin resistance.
Fabrication and characterization of APT specimens from high dose heavy ion irradiated materials

The next generations of advanced energy systems will require materials that can withstand high doses of irradiation at elevated temperatures. Therefore, a methodology has been developed for the fabrication of high-dose ion-irradiated atom probe tomography specimens at a specific dose with the use of a focused ion beam milling system. The method also enables the precise ion dose of the atom probe tomography specimen to be estimated from the local concentration of the implanted ions. The method has been successfully applied to the characterization of the distribution of nanoclusters in a radiation-tolerant 14YWT nanostructured ferritic steel under ion irradiation to doses up to 400 displacements per atom.
Econometric Measurement of the Duration of Advertising Effect on Sales

A survey of the econometric literature is undertaken to determine the duration of cumulative advertising effect on sales. The surveyed studies yield conflicting estimates of the duration interval. ...
A Double Crystal Multilayer X-Ray Monochromator

A tunable double crystal x-ray monochromator using matched pairs of multilayer-coated mirrors has been designed and constructed at the CfA. Each set of mirrors is usable over a factor of three range of wavelengths and by changing the mirrors the mechanism can be used at wavelengths of ~10 to >300 A (40ev to 1.2kev). The mechanism maintains a fixed entrance and exit beam and is controlled by a single stepping motor; a simple mechanical linkage provides the additional motions which arc necessary to move the mirrors to the required positions. The novel features of this design are the simplicity of the mechanism and the use of narrow-band multilayer mirrors in place of crystal elements. Details of the design are presented as well as results of preliminary throughput and resolution tests using a pair of multilayer mirrors made to be particularly narrow band in order to be used in this type of instrument.
Sensor - Integrated Polymer Actuators for Closed-loop Drug Delivery System

This work presents manufacturing and testing of a closed-loop drug delivery system where drug release is achieved by an electrochemical actuation of an array of polymeric valves on a set of drug reservoirs. The valves are based on bi-layer structures made of polypyrrole/gold in the shape of a flap that is hinged on one side of a valve seat. Drugs stored in the underlying chambers are released by bending the bi-layer flaps back with a small applied bias. These polymeric valves simultaneously function as both drug release components and biological/chemical sensors responding to a specific biological or environmental stimulus. The sensors may send signals to the control module to realize closed-loop control of the drug release. In this study a glucose sensor has been integrated with the polymeric actuators through immobilization of glucose oxidase(GOx) within polypyrrole(PPy) valves. Sensitivities per unit area of the integrated glucose sensor have been measured and compared before and after the actuation of the sensor/actuator PPy/DBS/GOx film. Other sensing parameters such as linear range and response time were discussed as well. Using an array of these sensor/actuator cells, the amount of released drug, e.g. insulin, can be precisely controlled according to the surrounding glucose concentration detected by the glucose sensor. Activation of these reservoirs can be triggered either by the signal from the sensor, or by the signal from the operator. This approach also serves as the initial step to use the proposed system as an implantable drug delivery platform in the future.
The Ribosomal Database Project (RDP)

The Ribosomal Database Project (RDP) is a curated database that offers ribosome-related data, analysis services and associated computer programs. The offerings include phylogenetically ordered alignments of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences, derived phylogenetic trees, rRNA secondary structure diagrams and various software for handling, analyzing and displaying alignments and trees. The data are available via anonymous ftp (rdp.life.uiuc.edu), electronic mail (server@rdp.life.uiuc.edu), gopher (rdpgopher.life.uiuc.edu) and World Wide Web (WWW)(http://rdpwww.life.uiuc.edu/). The electronic mail and WWW servers provide ribosomal probe checking, screening for possible chimeric rRNA sequences, automated alignment and approximate phylogenetic placement of user-submitted sequences on an existing phylogenetic tree.
Spongy heart: left ventricular non-compaction.

A hypertensive 55-year-old gentleman was referred for lightheadedness, diaphoresis, dyspnoea, palpitations and chest pain. He was admitted in the past for symptomatic ventricular tachycardia and recurrent syncope, and was started on flecainide. He had no family history of arrhythmias or sudden cardiac death. Echocardiography revealed generalised left ventricular systolic dysfunction, without wall motion abnormalities and ejection fraction of 40%. Cardiac catherisation showed no coronary artery disease. Cardiac MRI revealed an …
Effects of feeding benzoate on enzymatic benzoylation of ornithine.

Abstract It has long been known that chickens fed benzoic acid will conjugate it to ornithine and excrete the dibenzoyl derivative ornithuric acid. McGilvey and Cohen (1) and Schachter, Manis and Taggert (2) reported evidence of an enzyme system from chicken kidney which would catalyze this reaction. Recently Marshall and Koeppe (3) reported the preparation and partial characterization of an enzyme system from chicken kidney which catalyzes the synthesis of mono- and dibenzoylornithines. This report will present results which suggest that feeding benzoate to chickens may alter the level of enzymes found in the kidney which catalyze the benzoylation of ornithine.
Links between binary classification and the assignment problem in ordered hypothesis machines

Ordered Hypothesis Machines (OHM) are large margin classifiers that belong to the class of Generalized Stack Filters which were originally developed for non-linear signal processing. In previous work we showed how OHM classifiers are equivalent to a variation of Nearest Neighbor classifiers, with the advantage that training involves minimizing a loss function which includes a regularization parameter that controls class complexity. In this paper we report a new connection between OHM training and the Linear Assignment problem, a combinatorial optimization problem that can be solved efficiently with (amongst others) the Hungarian algorithm. Specifically, for balanced classes, and particular choices of parameters, OHM training is the dual of the Assignment problem. The duality sheds new light on the OHM training problem, opens the door to new training methods and suggests several new directions for research.
Library resources for studying accounting history: A research note

The University of Mississippi offers many resources for studying the history of the accounting profession around the world. The accountancy library holdings are the largest of any library in the world, including virtually everything published in English during the past century, and many earlier items. In addition to tens of thousands of books and over 1,000 accounting and finance journal titles, there are tens of thousands of pamphlets, speeches, committee reports, photos, and courtroom documents that exist at no other library in the world. There are also hundreds of archival collections of old business records that serve as primary resources for all kinds of accounting research. The J.D. Williams Library at the University of Mississippi is truly the international center of accounting research, and many of its resources are available on the Internet to anyone within reach of a computer. The purpose of the article is to describe the various accounting library collections with particular emphasis on the res...
Histology and Trabecular Architecture of the Brain for Modeling of Subarachnoid Space

Subarachnoid space (SAS) plays an important role in transferring and or damping the impact load or angular acceleration to the brain (Zoghi Sadegh 2009). Previous investigations have over simplified the complex architecture of the trabeculae of SAS and employed soft solid materials. The goal of this study is to investigate the histology, architecture and mechanotransduction of subarachnoid space and in particular the trabeculae. The results of this study facilitate future modeling of the brain and thereby better understanding of the TBI.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
THE CARBONYL INSERTION REACTION OF SULFUR-DONOR LIGAND ORTHO-METALATED IRON CARBONYL COMPLEXES

Amines, phosphines, alcohols, and thiocyanate ion are useful reagents for effecting carbonyl insertion of sulfur-donor ligand ortho-metalated iron carbonyl complexes. The apparent intermediate in these reactions has been isolated.
Immunohistochemical localization of substance P and enkephalin in the nucleus tractus solitarii of the rhesus monkey, Macaca mulatta

The nucleus tractus solitarii in the monkey Macaca mulatta was found to have several subdivisions based upon cytoarchitectonics and immunohistochemistry. Subdivisions that could be identified included commissural, medial, parvicellular, dorsolateral, ventrolateral, intermediate, and interstitial. Substance P and enkephalin immunoreactivity was localized within discrete regions of the nucleus tractus solitarii, by means of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. Substance P immunoreactivity occurred most frequently in the interstitial subdivision of the nucleus tractus solitarii. Moderate accumulations of substance P immunoreactivity were present in the commissural, medial, parvicellular, dorsolateral, and intermediate subdivisions, but very little was present in the ventrolateral subdivision. Enkephalin immunoreactivity followed the staining patterns of substance P; however, the amounts of enkephalin immunoreactivity were less than amounts for substance P. Following colchicine treatment, large numbers of enkephalin-immunoreactive neurons were distributed throughout all subdivisions, many being located in the parvicellular and medial subdivisions. The few substance P-immunoreactive neurons found were restricted to the parvicellular subdivision. The distribution of substance P and enkephalin immunoreactivity in M. mulatta is very similar to that described in the cat and rat. In addition, the extensive overlap of the distribution of these two putative neurotransmitters provides morphological evidence for their possible participation in the autonomic regulation within the nucleus tractus solitarii.
Endovascular recanalization of the subacute to chronically occluded basilar artery: initial experience and technical considerations.

Introduction Occlusion of the basilar artery (BA) has a poor prognosis. We evaluated technical considerations and complications associated with reopening subacute to chronically occluded BAs. Methods Duration of BA occlusion before revascularization, symptoms and medical management before treatment, and postprocedural antiplatelet regimen and anticoagulation protocols of 9 patients were analyzed. All patients underwent endovascular low-volume balloon angioplasty followed by Wingspan stenting. Results The median time between onset of symptoms and treatment was 5 days (range, 2 days to 3.5 years). The median time between documentation of BA occlusion by cerebral angiography or computed tomography angiography and treatment was 3 days (range, 1 day to 8 months). Recanalization was successful in 8 of the 9 patients. Immediately after the procedure, 4 patients were stable, 3 patients improved, and 2 patients were worse. Four patients had periprocedural complications. Four of the 9 patients died, 2 from periprocedural complications. The mean clinical duration of follow-up was 11 months. At latest follow-up, the modified Rankin Scale scores for the 5 surviving patients were 0, 0, 2, 2, and 3, respectively. During the follow-up period, 4 patients improved, 1 patient remained stable, and 1 patient died. The mean angiographic follow-up was 8.6 months. Two patients developed significant in-stent stenosis during this period. Conclusion With current endovascular techniques, recanalization of chronically occluded BAs is feasible. The procedure carries substantial risks and should be reserved for patients with medically refractory symptoms. Careful postprocedural medical management and radiographic follow-up are warranted to prevent in-stent restenosis.
A Forensic Psychology Exercise: Role Playing and the Insanity Defense.

In this article, I present a forensic psychology role playing exercise that may be used in several psychology courses. I developed this exercise to enhance student interest and stimulate classroom discussion on the issue of the insanity defense and related psychological topics. Evaluation data indicate that students enjoyed this exercise and believed it improved their understanding of the insanity defense and related issues.
Bluetooth scatternets: criteria, models and classification

Bluetooth ad hoc networks are constrained by a master/slave configuration, in which one device is the master and controls the communication with the slave devices. The master and up to seven active slave devices can form a small Bluetooth network called a piconet. In order to build larger network topologies, called scatternets, the piconets must be interconnected. Scatternets are formed by allowing certain piconet members to participate in several piconets by periodically switching between them. Due to the fact that there is no scatternet formation procedure in the Bluetooth specification, numerous different approaches have been proposed. We discuss criteria for different types of scatternets and establish general models of scatternet topologies. Then we review the state-of-the-art approaches with respect to Bluetooth scatternet formation and compare and contrast them.
Age-Related Changes in Wound Healing

Evidence for age-related effects on wound healing have been derived for the most part from empirical observations without adjustment for confounders other than age. Age-related changes in the structure and function of the skin do occur. Some of these changes result from chronic solar radiation exposure rather than chronological age per se. The tensile strength of wounds, accumulation of wound healing factors and rate of wound closure have all been examined in relation to chronological aging. However, the clinical impact of these changes in acute wound healing appears to be small. Poor healing in chronic wounds is more often related to comorbid conditions rather than age alone. Since the majority of these chronic wounds occur in elderly populations, this has contributed to the conclusion that aging itself may influence healing. Progress in understanding the role that growth factors play in wound healing and the ability to synthesise adequate quantities of these factors for clinical use has led to clinical trials evaluating their use in wound healing. The results of these studies, with the possible exception of those in diabetic wounds, have been disappointing. Insight into the wound healing process indicates that growth factors interact during wound healing in a sequential and orderly process. Improved wound healing may require different clinical designs or the use of these factors in a precisely timed sequential administration.
The Relation between Stock Market Movements and NYSE Seat Prices

Exchange seat prices are widely reported and followed as measures of market sentiment. This paper analyzes the information content of NYSE seat prices using: (1) annual seat prices from 1869 to 1998, and (2) the complete record of trades, bids and offers for the seat market from 1973 to 1994. Seat market volumes have predictive power regarding future stock market returns, consistent with a model where seat market activity is a proxy for unobserved factors affecting expected returns. We find abnormally large price movements in seats prior to October 1987, consistent with the hypothesis that seat prices capture market sentiment. As CAPITAL ASSETS WHOSE PRICES REF LECT the expectations of the market participants with the most intimate contact with the trading process, exchange seats are of considerable interest to financial economists and practitioners. Seat prices are widely reported and followed as measures of market sentiment and health. Press accounts place special emphasis on unusually high or low transaction prices, often implying that seat price changes anticipate overall market movements.1 Academic research, however, has failed to find such a relation. Schwert (1977a), in a seminal study, analyzes monthly seat returns in the period from 1926 to 1972 and shows that seats have the characteristics of capital assets, but finds no evidence that seat returns pre
Complications of vascular access devices for hemodialysis.

Hemodialysis is essential in the management of end stage renal disease pa tients. Forty-eight contrast examinations of hemodialysis vascular access de vices were reviewed. Venous fistulography is the method of choice for the evaluation of these devices. Only 12 patients in this series required arteriogra phy and 6 of them had a lower extremity access device. The most common complications included venous stenoses, venous or graft aneurysms, pseu doaneurysms and venous or graft thrombosis. Pseudointimal proliferation re sulting in graft stenosis was also observed.
Expanding roles for β-arrestins as scaffolds and adapters in GPCR signaling and trafficking

beta-arrestins play previously unsuspected and important roles as adapters and scaffolds that localize signaling proteins to ligand-activated G-protein-coupled receptors. As with the paradigmatic role of the beta-arrestins in uncoupling receptors from G proteins (desensitization), these novel functions involve the interaction of beta-arrestin with phosphorylated heptahelical receptors. beta-arrestins interact with at least two main classes of signaling proteins. First, interaction with molecules such as clathrin, AP-2 and NSF directs the clathrin-mediated internalization of G-protein-coupled receptors. Second, interaction with molecules such as Src, Raf, Erk, ASK1 and JNK3 appears to regulate several pathways that result in the activation of MAP kinases. These recent discoveries indicate that the beta-arrestins play widespread roles as scaffolds and/or adapter molecules that organize a variety of complex signaling pathways emanating from heptahelical receptors. It is likely that additional roles for the beta-arrestins remain to be discovered.
Prognostic importance of isolated T-wave abnormalities

Computerized electrocardiograms recorded on 46,950 male veterans were analyzed to demonstrate the prognostic value of T-wave amplitude in a general medical population. There were 3,926 cardiovascular deaths over 6 years. Multivariate survival analysis allowed the development of a T-wave amplitude graphic that provides clinicians with a simple method of estimating the relative risk for cardiovascular mortality from T-wave amplitude in limb lead I.
"How pleasant to watch Nothing": Narrativity and Desire in V.

Pynchon's seriously playful manipulation of narrative makes the reading of his first novel V. an exploration of V. not only as literary experience but also as psychoanalytic quest into the self of the reader. Like the detective genre that he parodies, V. is a novel that invites the reader to follow along in the process of investigating V. and in so doing of asking the question of what is V., but more importantly of what is my V.? The course of the present investigation will be one of going beyond the multiplicity of possible V.s in order to determine the essence of V, insofar as this may be a vehicle for analyzing the manner in which Pynchon utilizes narrative in order to formally exemplify the content of his novel. What will then be important to look at is not the particular manner(s) in which V. appears in the novel and to try and prioritize one over the others or rule some out; what must be determined in order to comprehend the essence of V. is that which supplies the relation between all the various manifestations of V. in the novel. This process entails an articulation of the relation in question in the sense of an examination of both the links and those things which are linked in such an articulation so that the totality may be glimpsed and thus the essence of V. understood. What this points toward is the necessity of an emphasis of focus upon the formal dimension of the text and concomitantly the formal nature of V. In order to facilitate this inquiry, special attention is given to the third chapter, “In which Stencil, a quick change artist, does eight impersonations.” By analyzing the narrative stylistics utilized by Pynchon in this section, the formal exemplification of the novel’s content may be revealed in its multi-dimensional structure, thus opening up the subtle ways in which Pynchon uses narrative form to invoke his subject matter and accentuate it. Because of Stencil’s role in the novel as a major narrative figure and chief pursuer of V., he is the perfect entry point into an analysis of the form-content relationship of V. The essence of V. may be discovered ultimately through Stencil’s narrativity rather than his narrative, from the way he tells his stories and recreates events rather than from the stories and events themselves.
Radiation Oncology and the MGH 1896–1945

Radiology literally erupted onto the medical and scientific community following publication of the paper by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen on December 28, 1895, describing the discovery of new rays. The immediacy of the impact on the world was strikingly evident by the speed with which physics laboratories, hospitals, and clinics began assembling equipment. Within a year there was a substantial and positive experience using radiographs for diagnosis and a beginning of testing of their very low kVp beams as treatment for superficial lesions. Reflecting the literally fantastic excitement in medicine and physics generated by Roentgen’s paper were the >1000 scientific papers and ~50 books during 1896 on the new rays [6].