cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Homeopathy and Naturopathy: Practice Characteristics and Pediatric Care

Objective To describe the practice characteristics and pediatric care of homeopathic practitioners (HPs) and naturopathic doctors (NDs). Design Cross-sectional, descriptive survey. Setting Homeopathic and naturopathic practices in Massachusetts. Participants Homeopathic practitioners (N = 42) and NDs (N = 23) identified from the yellow pages, regional and national society membership lists, schools, magazine advertisements, and by word-of-mouth. The response rate was 55% (23/42) for HPs and 65% (15/23) for NDs. Main Outcome Measures Demographics, practice characteristics, fee structure, and amount of pediatric care. Practitioners were asked for their approach to childhood immunizations and to treating a febrile neonate. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. Results Almost all respondents were white. Among the HPs, 13 (57%) were licensed medical doctors. Naturopathic doctors and HPs reported having an average of only 25 to 40 patient visits per week, but children and adolescents accounted for up to one third of these visits. Nearly all reported treating children, but fewer than half of the practitioners reported any formal pediatric training. Initial patient visits typically lasted more than 1 hour and cost $140 to $150. Follow-up visits were scheduled every 4 to 6 weeks and lasted more than 30 minutes on average. Insurance covered less than one third of the patient visits, and sliding scale payments were offered by less than half of the respondents. Most practitioners reported that they did not actively recommend immunizations and fewer than half of the nonphysician practitioners reported that they would refer a 2-week-old neonate with a fever to a medical doctor or emergency medical facility. Conclusions Many patients using homeopathy and naturopathy are children. Visits to these providers are frequent and fees are primarily paid out-of-pocket. Failure on the part of these providers to recommend immunizations or recognize potentially serious illnesses is cause for concern.
On matching the systems identification technique to the particular application

Several maximum likelihood and multiple regression parameter estimation programs are currently being used at the Langley Research Center of the NASA to analyze aircraft flight test data. Based on this wealth of experience, the pertinent features of these programs are investigated and some of the difficulties involved in their use are discussed. By comparing computational time, data requirements and accuracy needed, a strategy for determining which program can be used to the best advantage of the flight test engineer is discussed.
Statistical basis for rating speech privacy of closed rooms

Measured statistical distributions of speech and noise levels play a significant role in rating and predicting the speech privacy of closed rooms. The signal-to-noise index is the arithmetic average of the 1/3-octave band level differences of speech noise at the listening position, over the 16 bands from 160 to 5k Hz. The speech level at the listening position can be determined from the speech level inside the closed room and a measure of the sound insulation to the listening position. A diffuse-field average test noise field in the closed room and the corresponding received level at the listening position is measured using broadband noise, several loudspeaker, and microphone positions within the room, and microphones at receiving positions in the adjoining spaces, usually 0.25 m from the boundaries of the room. The use of distributions of speech and noise levels measured in meetings thereby allows interpretation of the sound insulation measurements in a statistical manner.
Methodology in Industrial Health Studies: The Cohort Approach, with Special Reference to an Asbestos Company

(1963). Methodology in Industrial Health Studies. Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal: Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 210-226.
Bacteriology of urinary tract infection and antibiotic susceptibility pattern among diabetic patients

Urinary tract infection is one of the most commonly occurring infections among the patients with diabetes mellitus. The present study was focused on the antibiotic susceptibility of the UTI pathogens isolated from the diabetic patients. A total 40 UTI organisms were isolated from 125 urine samples collected from the diabetic patients attending the Mayo Institute of Medical sciences, study period of six month from November, 2013 to may, 2014. The incidence of UTI was recorded to 32%. Escherichia coli (55%) was found to be the major cause of UTI. About 5 different types of organisms isolated from the UTI samples were randomly chosen to test against the UTI antibiotics of Hi-media. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern revealed that GNB was most effective to imipenem 95.33%, gentamicin and nitrofurantoin 80%. GPC were most effective to vancomycin 100% tetracycline 85% and linezolid 83.5%. These data may be used to determine trends in antimicrobial susceptibilities, to formulate local antibiotic policies and to assist clinicians in the choice of antibiotic therapy to prevent misuse, or overuse, of antibiotics.
Social Context of Computing

This chapter considers social issues in computing including the digital divide, workplace issues like employee monitoring, health risks due to computer use, and how these issues are changing with the changing computer technology. The chapter also covers a detailed discussion on a number of obstacles to overcoming the digital divide through digital inclusion within countries and globally. On workplace issues, the discussion focuses on the best practices to deal with the changing workplace issues resulting from the growing army of home-based workers and measuring employee productivity.
Mixing in Globally Chaotic Flows

The first half of this paper reviews mixing in chaotic flows. The sine-flow is employed as a two dimensional example to demonstrate techniques used for characterizing mixing behavior. Several manifestations of self-similarity are readily apparent. The results of tracer mixing simulations demonstrate a self-similar, iterative development of partially mixed structures in the flow. The spatial distribution of mixing intensities present in the flow is examined via computation of stretching. The probability density function (PDF) of the logarithm of stretching values reveals a Gaussian distribution over the central spectrum of stretching intensities for the globally chaotic case, but contains two peaks for a case with coexisting chaotic and regular regions: a broad Gaussian peak for higher stretching values, corresponding to the chaotic region, and a sharp peak of low stretching values corresponding to the regular regions. The self-similar stretching distributions can be collapsed to a single invariant distribution using an appropriate scaling based on the central limit theorem. The folding processes in the flow are examined through curvature calculations; PDFs for curvature collapse to time invariant self-similar distributions without the need for scaling. Direct computation of the striation thickness distribution (STD) provides the most fundamental (and computationally most expensive) measure of mixing; STDs develop a self-similar form that can be collapsed to an invariant distribution using a simple scaling. The second half of the paper focuses on a real, three-dimensional mixing system: the Kenics static mixer. Two alternate configurations of the Kenics mixer were analyzed: one in which elements have alternating right-handed and left-handed twist (R-L) and a second in which all elements have right-handed twist (R-R). Poincare sections as well as experiments indicate that the R-L configuration is globally chaotic, while the R-R configuration contains significant segregated, regular regions. Stretching histories of material elements in the two flows were computed, once again revealing self-similar distributions that can be collapsed to an invariant limit using a scaling based on the central limit theorem.
Natural and historical variability in fluvial processes, beaver activity, and climate in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Two centuries of human activities in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) have strongly influenced beaver activity on small streams, raising questions about the suitability of the historical (Euro-American) period for establishing stream reference conditions. We used beaver-pond deposits as proxy records of beaver occupation to compare historical beaver activity to that throughout the Holocene. Forty-nine carbon-14 (14C) ages on beaver-pond deposits from Grand Teton National Park indicate that beaver activity was episodic, where multi-century periods lacking dated beaver-pond deposits have similar timing to those previously documented in Yellowstone National Park. These gaps in the sequence of dated deposits coincide with episodes of severe, prolonged drought, e.g. within the Medieval Climatic Anomaly 1000–600 cal yr bp, when small streams likely became ephemeral. In contrast, many beaver-pond deposits date to 500–100 cal yr bp, corresponding to the colder, effectively wetter Little Ice Age. Abundant historical beaver activity in the early 1900s is coincident with a climate cooler and wetter than present and more abundant willow and aspen, but also regulation of beaver trapping and the removal of wolves (the beaver's main predator), all favorable for expanded beaver populations. Reduced beaver populations after the 1920s, particularly in the northern Yellowstone winter range, are in part a response to elk overbrowsing of willow and aspen that later stemmed from wolf extirpation. Beaver populations on small streams were also impacted by low streamflows during severe droughts in the 1930s and late 1980s to present. Thus, both abundant beaver in the 1920s and reduced beaver activity at present reflect the combined influence of management practices and climate, and underscore the limitations of the early historical period for defining reference conditions. The Holocene record of beaver activity prior to Euro-American activities provides a better indication of the natural range of variability in beaver-influenced small stream systems of the GYE. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Teachers’ acquisition of knowledge about English word structure

Previous research suggests that teachers’ knowledge about English word structure (e.g., the phonological structure of words and common orthographic patterns in English) may be limited, although this knowledge is important for effective teaching of word decoding. This study examined teacher education students’ knowledge about word structure, and improvements in their knowledge as a result of instruction, using three tasks: graphophonemic segmentation, classification of pseudowords by syllable type, and classification of real words as phonetically regular or irregular. Participants came from a special education certification program and included both preservice and inservice teachers. Results indicated that prior preparation to teach reading influenced participants’ initial performance on two of the three word-structure tasks (all but graphophonemic segmentation); however, prior experience in teaching reading did not influence word-structure knowledge. A subset of participants who received specific instruction about word structure improved their knowledge relative to a comparison group of teacher education students who did not receive word-structure instruction. Prior preparation did not influence participants’ responsiveness to instruction. Conclusions support the viewpoint that teacher education must include information about English word structure for educators who will teach reading and suggest that sufficiently intensive instruction may be important in developing word-structure knowledge.
Comparison of infrainguinal graft surveillance techniques

One hundred seventy-seven patients with infrainguinal bypass grafts were followed by use of standard graft surveillance techniques to learn more about the natural history of hemodynamic abnormalities in the patient with no symptoms. A decrease in the ankle/brachial pressure ratio of 10% or more was considered an abnormal evaluation. Results of the duplex scan were interpreted as abnormal when the peak systolic flow velocity was greater than 120 cm/sec or less than 40 cm/sec. There were 18 graft thromboses (10%) during the period of observation, and nine of these grafts were successfully revised or replaced. Recurrent symptoms prompted graft revision in 20 additional patients, and 18 of these reoperations were successful. Twenty-nine of the 38 reoperations occurred within the first 18 months of the study. The primary cumulative patency rate was 86% at 1 year and 66% at 5 years. The secondary cumulative patency rate was 91% at 1 year and 80% at 5 years. Sudden graft occlusion occurred in five patients after a normal ankle/brachial index. Most of 90 patients with abnormal ankle/brachial indexes reverted to normal at the next visit. Nineteen of the 26 that did not, had significant graft problems, but only eight patients had operable conditions, and five of the eight already had occluded grafts. No patient with a normal ankle/brachial index and duplex scan results had graft occlusion before their next surveillance visit. If the duplex scan outcome was abnormal but the ankle/branchial index normal the incidence of sudden graft occlusion was 4%. In contrast, if the duplex scan outcome was abnormal and the ankle/brachial index is reduced, then the risk of graft occlusion is 66%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
In situ raman spectroelectrochemistry of electron transfer between glassy carbon and a chemisorbed nitroazobenzene monolayer.

In situ Raman spectroscopy was used to monitor 4-nitroazobenzene (NAB) in an electrochemical cell, both as a free molecule and as a chemisorbed monolayer on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode surface. Reduction of free NAB exhibited two well-defined voltammetric couples in acetonitrile, and the accompanying spectral changes supported a mechanism involving two successive 1-e- transfers. Raman spectra of NAB chemisorbed to GC via diazonium ion reduction were obtained in acetonitrile with a high-sensitivity, line-focused CCD spectrometer. The chemisorbed NAB spectra were quite different from the free NAB spectra, and were sufficiently strong to monitor as a function of applied potential. In the potential range of +400 to −800 mV vs Ag/Ag+, the intensity of the Raman bands associated with the phenyl−NO2 moiety varied, implying an electronic interaction between the π system of the graphitic substrate and the chemisorbed NAB molecules. Negative of −800 mV, a 1-e- voltammetric reduction peak was observed, which was ...
STOCHASTIC COST‐VOLUME‐PROFIT ANALYSIS IN A COMPETITIVE OLIGOPOLY

Previous stochastic cost-volume-profit (CVP) models have assumed that the firm was operating under either perfect competition or monopolistic conditions. This paper presents a stochastic CVP model applicable to oligopolistic competition. Each firm is assumed to maximize a linear function of the expected value and the standard deviation of its random profits. The result is a game-theoretic model that is solved using the concept of a Nash equilibrium. The results of the model are used to examine a firm's competitive strength. The model can be easily modified to accommodate a measure of risk based on the capital asset pricing theory.
An Examination of Student Cheating in the Two-Year College

This study statistically analyzes the experiences of two-year college students with cheating, the predominant unethical student behavior in the college environment. Males in this survey are more li...
Direct Interaction between Amino- and Carboxyl-Terminal Domains of Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels

Abstract We have examined domain interactions in the rod cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channel using both physiological and biochemical interaction assays. We have found an interaction between two regions of the channel distant in primary structure, the amino-terminal region and the carboxyl-terminal region containing the cyclic nucleotide-binding (CNB) domain. The interaction in functional channels was detected by the formation of a disulfide bond between cysteine residues at position 35 in the amino-terminal region and 481 in the carboxyl-terminal region. The disulfide bond resulted in channel potentiation, which was due, in part, to an increase in availability of C481 to modification when the channels were open. This state dependence is likely to underlie previously reported potentiation of cyclic nucleotide-gated channels by sulfhydryl-reactive compounds. Polypeptides derived from the amino- terminal and carboxyl-terminal regions were shown to interact, even under conditions which precluded disulfide bond formation. These data argue for a previously unknown, direct interaction between disparate regions of channel sequence.
Global Quantitative Modeling of Chromatin Factor Interactions

Chromatin is the driver of gene regulation, yet understanding the molecular interactions underlying chromatin factor combinatorial patterns (or the “chromatin codes”) remains a fundamental challenge in chromatin biology. Here we developed a global modeling framework that leverages chromatin profiling data to produce a systems-level view of the macromolecular complex of chromatin. Our model ultilizes maximum entropy modeling with regularization-based structure learning to statistically dissect dependencies between chromatin factors and produce an accurate probability distribution of chromatin code. Our unsupervised quantitative model, trained on genome-wide chromatin profiles of 73 histone marks and chromatin proteins from modENCODE, enabled making various data-driven inferences about chromatin profiles and interactions. We provided a highly accurate predictor of chromatin factor pairwise interactions validated by known experimental evidence, and for the first time enabled higher-order interaction prediction. Our predictions can thus help guide future experimental studies. The model can also serve as an inference engine for predicting unknown chromatin profiles — we demonstrated that with this approach we can leverage data from well-characterized cell types to help understand less-studied cell type or conditions.
Cinnoline chemistry. XIV. 3-cyclohexylcinnolines†

The synthesis of 3-cyclohexyl-6,7-dimethoxy-1H-4-cinnolone (4), 4-chloro-3-cyclohexyl-6,7-dimethoxycinnoline (5) and 8-bromo-3-cyclohexyl-6,7-dimethoxy-1H-4-cinnolone (6) are reported.
Die im nahen Ultraviolett liegenden Banden des Siliciumchlorids

Aus Spektrogrammen hoher Dispersion, die von einer unkondensierten Entladung in Siliciumtetrachlorid aufgenommen wurden, wurden die im nahen Ultraviolett liegenden Banden des Siliciumchlorids aufs neue vermessen. Die die Wellenzahlen der Bandenkopfe darstellende Gleichung lautet: $$\begin{gathered} v = \left. \begin{gathered} 33 893,6 \hfill \\ 34 101,7 \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \right\} + [700,0 (\upsilon ' + \tfrac{1}{2}) - 1,30 (\upsilon ' + \tfrac{1}{2})^2 ] \hfill \\ - [533,2 (\upsilon '' + \tfrac{1}{2}) - 1,75 (\upsilon '' + \tfrac{1}{2})^2 ]. \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$
Benthic Bioaccumulation and Bioavailability of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers from Surficial Lake Ontario Sediments Near Rochester, New York, USA

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Lake Ontario watershed sediments were assessed for benthic bioavailability through the use of biota-sediment accumulation factors. Sediments from lake and Rochester Harbor (lower Genesee River) areas were investigated. Congeners 47, 66, 85, 99 and 100 were detected in tissues of the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus. Biota-sediment accumulation factors ranged from 3.95 (congener 154) to 19.5 (congener 28) and were higher at the Lake Ontario area. The lower biota-sediment accumulation factors for the Rochester Harbor sediment may result from a higher fraction of black carbon generally expected in highly urbanized rivers. Degree of bromination may reduce bioavailability.
Prevalence of Congenital Hydrocephalus in California, 1991-2000

In a population-based retrospective cohort of 5,353,022 California births from 1991 to 2000, 3,152 newborns were diagnosed with congenital hydrocephalus during the birth hospitalization. We compared demographic and clinical characteristics of infants with and without congenital hydrocephalus, and examined in-hospital fatality rates. The prevalence of congenital hydrocephalus was 5.9 per 10,000. During the study period, there was a decline in congenital hydrocephalus due to spina bifida (1.4 to 0.9 per 10,000), and an increase in congenital hydrocephalus due to obstructive hydrocephalus (0.5 to 1.0 per 10,000). Independent risk factors for congenital hydrocephalus were birth weight <1,500 g (odds ratio [OR] 51.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 47.7-55.8) and birth weight 1,500-2,000 g (OR 14.1, 95% CI 12.4-16) compared to birth weight greater than 2,000 g, low socioeconomic status (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.4-1.6), and male sex (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-1.3). Asians had a decreased risk for congenital hydrocephalus (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.6-0.8) when compared to whites. Thirteen percent of affected neonates died before hospital discharge.
Spectroscopic Analysis of the Trinuclear Cluster in the Fet3 Protein from Yeast, a Multinuclear Copper Oxidase†

The Fet3 protein (Fet3p) is a multinuclear copper oxidase essential for high-affinity iron uptake in yeast. Fet3p contains one type 1, one type 2, and a strongly antiferromagnetically coupled binuclear Cu(II)−Cu(II) type 3 copper. The type 2 and type 3 sites constitute a structurally distinct trinuclear cluster at which dioxygen is reduced to water. In Fet3p, as in ceruloplasmin, Fe(II) is oxidized to Fe(III) at the type 1 copper; this is the ferroxidase reaction that is fundamental to the physiologic function of these two enzymes. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we have generated type 1-depleted (T1D), type 2-depleted (T2D), and T1D/T2D mutants. None were active in the essential ferroxidase reaction catalyzed by Fet3p. However, the spectroscopic signatures of the remaining Cu(II) sites in any one of the three mutants were indistinguishable from those exhibited by the wild type. Although the native protein and the T1D mutant were isolated in the completely oxidized Cu(II) form, the T2D and T1D/T2D mutant...
Inhibition of cysteine proteases in acute and chronic spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious neurological disorder that debilitates mostly young people. Unfortunately, we still do not have suitable therapeutic agents for treatment of SCI and prevention of its devastating consequences. However, we have gained a good understanding of pathological mechanisms that cause neurodegeneration leading to paralysis or even death following SCI. Primary injury to the spinal cord initiates the secondary injury process that includes various deleterious factors for ultimate activation of different cysteine proteases for degradation of cellular key cytoskeleton and other crucial proteins for delayed death of neurons and glial cells at the site of SCI and its penumbra in different animal models. An important aspect of SCI is the increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration within a short time of primary injury. Various studies in different laboratories demonstrate that the most important cysteine protease for neurodegeneration in SCI is calpain, which absolutely requires intracellular free Ca2+ for its activation. Furthermore, other cysteine proteases, such as caspases and cathepsin B also make a contribution to neurodegeneration in SCI. Therefore, inhibition of cysteine proteases is an important goal in prevention of neurodegeneration in SCI. Studies showed that individual inhibitors of cysteine proteases provided significant neuroprotection in animal models of SCI. Recent studies suggest that physiological hormones, such as estrogen and melatonin, can be successfully used for prevention of neurodegeneration and preservation of motor function in acute SCI as well as in chronic SCI in rats.
Advanced exposure and focus control by proximity profile signature matching

As the advanced IC device process shrinks to below sub-micron dimensions (90 nm, 65 nm and beyond), the process window (Depth of Focus, DOF) decreases to as low as < 0.2 μm. The impact of defocus on final CD results cannot be ignored any more or be compensated by adjusting exposure energy without side effect because the optical behavior of focus is totally different from that of exposure energy. We have developed an advanced control system to detect and correct for variations in both focus and exposure energy. A library of focus exposure matrix (FEM) models is first set up with pattern profiles of different pitches. The inline photoresist profiles of features of various pitches are then fitted to the database in the FEM models. The exposure and focus with which those features have been processed can be estimated. This approach utilizes information of both resist profile and proximity through focus behaviors and therefore gives more accurate extrapolation of defocus than using profile or proximity alone. The approach can also be used to distinguish process drifts caused by exposure and focus from those caused by other process parameters such as PEB temperature, developing parameters and illumination.
Existence of optimal Lagrange multipliers for certain nonconvex allocation problems

The use of Lagrange multipliers for decentralization of large resource allocation problems is well known. However, these dual techniques may suffer from the drawback ofduality gaps, to guarantee the absence of which various functions are required to be convex. This limits greatly the applicability of the decentralized approach. We show that less restrictive conditions can be formulated for a certain class of allocation problems, which we call resource management problems, which typically occur in large operational systems. We present a theorem for the existence of optimal multipliers, while placing almost no restrictions on the forms of the resource usage functions or the domains of the decision variables. Efficient solution algorithms, with provable convergence properties, have been given in a companion paper. Our results justify the application of dual methods to this class ofreal-world problems.
Effective Computational Strategies for Determining Structures of Carcinogen-Damaged DNA

To determine three-dimensional conformations of DNA damaged by environmental chemical carcinogens, effective molecular mechanics search techniques have been developed to deal with the large system sizes and computational demands. First, extensive surveys of the potential energy surface are carried out by energy minimization. These search strategies rely on (1) using the reduced variable domain of torsion-angle (rather than Cartesian) space, (2) building larger units (about 12 base pairs) on the basis of structures of small modified subunits, and (3) employing penalty functions to search for selected hydrogen bonding patterns and to incorporate interproton distance bounds when available from experimental high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies. Second, molecular dynamics simulations with solvent can subsequently be employed to probe conformational features in the presence of polymerase enzyme responsible for DNA replication, using structures computed in the energy minimization searches as initial coordinates. A key structure?function relationship involving mirror-image molecules with very differing experimentally determined tumorigenic potencies has been deduced: the members of the pairs align oppositely when bound to DNA, making it likely that their treatment by replication and repair enzymes differ. This opposite orientation phenomenon, first predicted computationally (Singhet al., 1991), has been observed in experimental high-resolution NMR studies combined with our molecular mechanics computations in a number of different examples and has recently been confirmed experimentally in other laboratories as well (reviewed in Geacintovet al., 1997). Elucidation of this conformational feature has paved the way to uncovering the structural origin underlying very different biological outcomes stemming from chemically identical but mirror-image molecules.
Adjuvant chemotherapy with a nitrosourea-based protocol in advanced malignant melanoma

173 patients with regional lymphatic metastases (n = 139) or distant disease (n = 34) were prospectively randomised, following resection of all clinically detectable tumour, to observation (n = 88) or adjuvant chemotherapy (n = 85). The treatment group received 1, 3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) 80 mg/m2 intravenously (i.v.) every 4 weeks, and actinomycin-D 10 micrograms/kg, vincristine 1.0 mg/m2 i.v. every 2 weeks for 6 months. The disease-free survival curves between the two groups were significantly different (P = 0.03). The estimated 5-year disease-free survival rate for the observation group was 9% and for the treatment group 29%. However, the overall survival curves were not significantly different for the two groups. Nitrosoureas may have a weak effect as adjuvant treatment in malignant melanoma.
Antiferromagnetic S = 1 2 Heisenberg chain and the two-flavor massless Schwinger model

An antiferromagnetic $S=\frac{1}{2}$ Heisenberg chain is mapped to the two-flavor massless Schwinger model at $\ensuremath{\theta}=\ensuremath{\pi}.$ The electromagnetic coupling constant and velocity of light in the Schwinger model are determined in terms of the Heisenberg coupling and lattice spacing in the spin chain system.
Pharmacokinetics and biliary concentrations of fleroxacin in cholecystectomized patients

Patients with biliary tract infections received 800 mg of fleroxacin orally once daily on five consecutive days; cholecystectomy was on day 3. Starting on the day when dose 5 was administered, serial blood and T-drain bile samples were taken for 72 h and urine was collected for 96 h. The mean (+/- the standard deviation) peak concentration in plasma was 8.2 +/- 4.0 mg/liter at 8.3 h. The harmonic mean elimination half-life was 10.5 h, which is comparable to that reported for healthy volunteers. This increase resulted from reduced renal clearance (mean [+/- standard deviation], 38 +/- 22 ml/min), as the volume of distribution in the patients (1.4 +/- 0.7 liter/kg) did not differ from that reported for healthy subjects. Maximum concentrations in T-drain bile were high (median, 22.1 mg/liter) and exceeded those measured in plasma by a factor of 2 to 3; the individual ratios of the area under the curve for bile divided by that for plasma ranged from 1.3 to 9.9. As observed in healthy volunteers, the major pathway for elimination of fleroxacin was via the kidneys. The fraction of dose 5 eliminated in the 0- to 24-h urine was reduced, however, and the fraction of the dose in the urine as the N-demethyl and N-oxide metabolites was elevated. At the dose regimen used in this study, the MICs for most pathogens that cause biliary tract infections were surpassed in plasma and bile for more than 24 h.
Adaptive control for robotic rebar bending

: Computers are becoming essential tools for integrating design, planning, fabrication, and construction. Computer-controlled construction equipment is poised to receive information from data generated in the design phase. The robotic execution of construction operations, however, depends on complex models for autonomous and intelligent control. This paper introduces a strategy for the robotic bending of rebar and presents the results of experimental work with an actual testing facility. Mechanical properties and behavior of rebar are examined to develop rules for control. Focus is placed on exploring the dynamics between the bender and steel bars. The concepts of impedance, admittance, and compliance of both the machine and the environment will be discussed in the context of control strategy development.
Charged Photomesons from Carbon

Cross sections per Mev meson energy per equivalent quantum for the production of ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ mesons from carbon by 310-Mev bremsstrahlen have been measured in the angular range from 30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. Carbon data exist for those meson energies and angles which correspond to ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ production from free protons by $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays of 200, 235, and 265 Mev. A comparison is made to production from hydrogen by giving the efficiency $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$, defined as the ratio of production per proton in carbon to that in hydrogen. Various $\frac{{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}}{{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}}$ ratios are given for carbon.
Derivation of androgen-independent human LNCaP prostatic cancer cell sublines: Role of bone stromal cells

A model of human prostate cancer was established to study cellular interaction between prostate cancer and bone stroma in vivo. In this model, subcutaneous co-injection of 2 non-tumorigenic human cell lines-LNCaP, a prostate cancer cell line, and MS, a bone stromal cell line-into intact adult male mice resulted in formation of carcinomas that secreted prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a clinically useful human serum prostate cancer marker. In castrated hosts, upon cellular interaction with bone fibroblasts, we observed the progression of these tumors from an androgen-dependent (AD) to an androgen-independent state (AI). We derived 4 LNCaP cell sublines from the chimeric LNCaP/MS tumors: the M subline from intact hosts and the C4, C4-2 and C5 sublines from castrated hosts. The LNCaP sublines had chromosomal markers similar to those of the parental LNCaP cells and distinctly different from those of the MS bone stromal cell line. Although the parental and derived cell lines expressed similar steady-state levels of orni-thine decarboxylase transcript, the sublines expressed 5- to 10-fold higher basal steady-state levels of PSA transcript than did the parental LNCaP cell line. The LNCaP sublines formed 13- to 26-fold more soft-agar colonies than the parental LNCaP cell line. The sublines became tumorigenic, yielding an incidence of tumors in intact athymic mice of 7-75%. The LNCaP sublines C4 and C5 (but not the parental and M cell line) formed tumors in castrated hosts when co-injected with bone fibroblasts. A second-generation LNCaP subline, C4-2, was derived from a chimeric tumor induced by co-inoculating castrated mouse with C4 cells and MS cells. We found that C4-2 subline was tumorigenic when inoculated into castrated hosts in the absence of inductive fibroblasts. Moreover, C4-2 was the only subline capable of forming soft-agar colonies when cultured in serum-free medium. In comparison with the parental LNCaP cells, the C4-2 subline expressed lower steady-state levels of androgen receptor (AR) protein and mRNA transcript and lost its androgen responsiveness in vitro. Our results suggest that certain genetic traits of prostate cancer cells may be selected or altered through an “adaptive” mechanism that involves cellular interaction with the bone stromal cells. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Performance Evaluation of Hydroprocessing CatalystsA Review of Experimental Techniques

The selection of an appropriate reactor for hydroprocessing catalysis research primarily depends on the type of information to be generated, the reliability and reproducibility of the information required, and the cost involved to generate such information. In this article, the various reactors and approaches that have been used at different stages of hydroprocessing catalysis research and process development are reviewed. With the development of the dilution technique, substantial progress has taken place in reducing the size of reactor used for hydroprocessing process development studies. This has decreased the cost of catalyst evaluation as well as increased the operating safety. However, the selection of an appropriate size of diluent is very important. Studies comparing the differences in the behavior between up-flow and down-flow modes of operation of a fixed bed reactor are analyzed. An attempt has been made to provide guidelines for selecting the appropriate reactor and methodology to evaluate hyd...
Modified pudendal-thigh flap for correction of penoscrotal transposition

Abstract Objectives In patients with penoscrotal transposition, an occasional postoperative problem has been a deficiency of skin on the proximal penile shaft that results in penoscrotal fusion and tethering. Methods We describe a new operation using a modified neurovascular pudendal-thigh flap for correction of incomplete penoscrotal transposition. Results This procedure has been used in 6 children, and an excellent cosmetic and functional result has been achieved in each patient. Conclusions The flaps provide a reliable blood supply, maintain normal innervation and correct the problem of postoperative penoscrotal fusion and tethering. This technique preserves sufficient penile skin for a tension-free second-stage urethroplasty.
Appropriate waist circumference cut-offs to predict diabetes in the Korean population - the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study -.

Background: Waist circumference (WC) has been recommended as a screening test to identify individuals at high risk for diabetes. The aim of the present study was to identify the optimal WC cut-off to predict the development of diabetes in non-diabetic Korean subjects. Methods and Results: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study is a community-based prospective cohort study of 10,038 individuals over the age of 40, and biennial follow ups were conducted. In the present study 6,206 non-diabetic individuals (2,947 men and 3,259 women) participated. The incidence of diabetes was 22.1 cases/1,000 person-years for men and 17.0 cases/1,000 person-years for women. The incidence rate of diabetes was significantly increased as WC increased in both genders. The sensitivity, specificity, and the distance in the receiver operating characteristic curve indicated that the optimal WC cut-offs to predict diabetes were 85 cm for men and 80 cm for women. Conclusions: WC may serve as a simple, precise marker for individuals who are at risk of developing diabetes. The results suggest that a WC of 85 cm for men and 80 cm for women is an appropriate cut-off to predict diabetes in the Korean population. (Circ J 2010; 74: 1357 - 1363)
Collisional redistribution of light: Far-wing line shapes and polarizations for the Ba-(Ar,Xe) systems

We have measured the far-wing collisional redistribution line shape, the redistributed fluorescence polarization, and the collisional alignment decay rates for barium perturbed by argon and xenon. The experiment was performed with a heated gas cell (Tapprox.900 K) with perturber-gas densities in the 1--30-Torr range and laser light detuned +- 3--1000 cm/sup -1/ from the 5535-A Ba I 6/sup 1/S-6/sup 1/P resonance line. Metal-vapor densities were determined by a Rayleigh scattering technique, which is outlined in detail. By correlating structure in the line shape with that of the polarization, we are able to make definitive statements about the interatomic potentials. The Ba data show strong similarities with previous experimental results for similar two-electron atoms, namely Ca, Sr, and Hg, and so our conclusions are of relevance to these systems as well.
The emergence of molecular gynecology: homeobox and Wnt genes in the female reproductive tract.

Reproductive tissues respond to steroid hormones and thus are particularly vulnerable to the effects of exogenous steroid ‘mimic’ compounds (endocrine disrupters). One such endocrine disrupter, diethylstilbestrol (DES), is linked to gynecological cancers and changes in uterine structure that reduce or completely abrogate reproductive competence. Until recently, little was known about the identity of target genes and signaling pathways involved in pathologies linked to endocrine disrupters such as DES. We outline genetic, cellular and molecular roles for patterning genes, with emphasis on homeobox and Wnt genes. There is evidence that changes in the expression of Wnt and homeogenes underlie many of the defects induced by DES. Data obtained from murine systems will likely apply to a broad spectrum of gynecological pathologies involving abnormal cell behaviors ranging from fibroids to malignant tumors. Knowledge garnered from modern molecular genetics should lead to progress in the emerging field of molecular gynecology. BioEssays 22:902–910, 2000. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
SU‐GG‐T‐321: Effect of Uneven Surface of Incidence on Dose Distribution for Electron Beams during Radiotherapy

Purpose: To measure and quantify the effects of an uneven surface of incidence on depth dose parameters (Dmax, D90 and D50), as well as dose output, and its clinical implications during electron beamradiotherapy.Method and Materials: Five phantoms with uneven surfaces were fabricated out of thermoplastic material to shape the surface of water in a three‐dimensional motor driven water phantom. Beam scanning was performed with five energies (6, 9, 12, 16 and 20 MeV) along with two field sizes (10cm2 and 15cm2) for each uneven surface of incidence. Central axis depth doses and profiles were measured, as well as outputs at Dmax, for the case of an uneven surface of incidence vs. a flat surface of incidence. These values were then compared to computed values using a Philips ADAC TP system. Results: Depth dose parameters became shallower for an uneven surface of incidence by as much as 9mm. The effect of an uneven surface was small for low energy electron beams. For a concave surface of incidence, the TPS calculated depth doses were off by as much as 6mm as compared to measured values. The beam output (cGy/MU) at Dmax was altered by as much as 17% according to measured values. The outputs computed on ADAC Pinnacle were off by as much as 15% compared to measured values. Conclusion: Manual MU calculations assume flat surface of incidence which leads to significant differences between dose desired and dose delivered. Computerized planning also did not predict correct output values. It is critical to pay close attention to an uneven surface of incidence when performing planning and dosimetry of electron beamradiotherapy.
Parental Status of Women Injection Drug Users and Entry to Methadone Maintenance

This article examines patterns of methadone maintenance treatment entry among 9018 adult women injection drug users (IDUs), with special attention to parental-status differences. The data originate from a statewide drug-treatment database covering all women IDUs who entered drug treatment in the State of Massachusetts over a four-year period. Through the use of logistic regression analysis, the study found that among these women IDUs, those who resided with their children were significantly more likely to enter methadone maintenance than women who were mothers but did not reside with their children. Mothers residing with their children were 73% more likely to enter methadone maintenance than mothers who do not reside with their children. The authors discuss specific programmatic and policy implications including the need to determine whether methadone maintenance should be promoted as an alternative drug treatment option in order to preserve family unification or promote family reunification.
Mutation scanning of peach floral genes

Background Mutation scanning technology has been used to develop crop species with improved traits. Modifications that improve screening throughput and sensitivity would facilitate the targeted mutation breeding of crops. Technical innovations for high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis are enabling the clinic-based screening for human disease gene polymorphism. We examined the application of two HRM modifications, COLD-PCR and QMC-PCR, to the mutation scanning of genes in peach, Prunus persica. The targeted genes were the putative floral regulators PpAGAMOUS and PpTERMINAL FLOWER I.
Whole-virus Vaccine Development by Continuous Culture on a Complementing Host

We have evaluated an adaptive strategy for generating whole-virus vaccines using a bacteriophage model. Wildtype phage T7 was cultivated in a two-stage continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) utilizing a recombinant E. coli host that constitutively expressed T7 RNA polymerase, an essential enzyme of the early viral metabolism. Over the course of 180 generations a diversity of phage variants emerged, outgrew the wildtype, and were subsequently eclipsed by yet fitter variants, based on host-ranges, restriction patterns, and one-step growth responses of isolated clones. The fittest variant, which required complementation by the recombinant host in order to grow, deleted at least 12 percent of its genome and replicated twice as fast as the wildtype. Moreover, this variant was immunogenically indistinguishable from the wildtype, based on cross-reactivities of antisera raised against both. These results suggest the feasibility of the proposed strategy for the development of safe whole-virus vaccines.
Methylmercury Poisoning Induces Oxidative Stress in the Mouse Brain

C57BL/6J mice were intoxicated by injection of 2.5 mg/kg body wt of methylmercuric chloride (MMC) daily for 3, 7, and 14 days, and the relative concentrations of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide and the specific activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined in various cellular fractions of the brain. High brain levels of Hg were associated with significantly increased amounts of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide by Days 3, 7, and 14 and with markedly reduced SOD activity by Days 7 and 14. Such a rise in the levels of reactive oxygen species indicates the induction of oxidative stress within brain tissue. This suggests that suppression of antioxidant activity, including that of SOD and glutathione, together with disturbances in the mitochondrial electron transport chain, may contribute to the induction of oxidative stress in the mouse brain following MMC poisoning.
Food Use Inert Ingredient Proposed Data Set

A discussion of the proposed data for establishing a tolerance or exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for inert ingredients used in pesticide formulations.
Sorting motifs in receptor trafficking

Abstract A variety of receptors have been analyzed in sufficient detail to identify sorting motifs. Initial studies focused on the identification of sequences in the cytoplasmic tails of the LDL and transferrin receptors that mediated their internalization. These motifs have since been found in the cytoplasmic domains of a wide variety of receptors and provide for numerous sorting functions. This review will outline the early studies on LDL and transferrin receptors and will then focus on two classes of signaling receptors, receptor tyrosine kinases (EGF and the insulin receptors) and heterotrimeric G-protein coupled receptors (β2-adrenergic receptors). The identification of sorting motifs and proteins that bind these motifs will be discussed. Importantly, the studies identify a variety of potential targets for modulating the sorting and hence activity of these medically important receptors.