cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combined Decompressive Hemicraniectomy and Port-Based Minimally Invasive Parafascicular Surgery for the Treatment of Subcortical Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Case Series, Technical Note, and Review of Literature.

Background Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a neurosurgical emergency. Combined decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) and minimally invasive parafascicular surgery (MIPS) may provide a practical method of managing subcortical ICH. Objective 1) To present a case series of combined DHC-MIPS for the treatment of subcortical-based ICH; 2) to describe technical nuances of DHC-MIPS; and 3) to provide a literature overview of MIPS for ICH. Methods The following inclusion criteria were used: 1) Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score 30 cm3; 6) subcortical location; and 7) midline shift (mm). Before DHC, sulcal cannulation used the following coordinates: intersection of tragus-frontal bone and midpoint of midpupillary line and midline; coronal suture: 3–4 cm posterior to this point). Results Three patients were selected: a 62-year old woman, a 45-year old woman, and a 36-year-old man. GCS and ICH scores on admission were 7 and 3, 3 and 4, and 3 and 4, respectively. ICH was located in left basal ganglia in patients 1 and 3 and right basal ganglia in patient 2, all with intraventricular extension. ICH volume was 81.7, 68.2, and 42.3 cm3, respectively. The postoperative GCS score was 11, 10, and 6, respectively. There were no intraoperative complications or mortalities. Evacuation was within 15 minutes in all patients. The modified Rankin Scale score was 3, 4, and 5, respectively, with semi-independence in case 1. Conclusions Combined DHC-MIPS, with the use of craniometric points, can provide a unique and simple surgical option for the management of subcortical ICH.
Bioblitz Assessment of Rocky Intertidal Biodiversity within the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

Bioblitzes are rapid assessments of local biodiversity that provide opportunities for science, outreach, and management. Here, we present results from a bioblitz motivated by the National Park Service All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory to catalog species diversity in the rocky intertidal zones of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Through a combination of structured, quantitative surveys and opportunistic sampling, public participants, experienced scientists, and naturalists worked together to identify more than 130 species in the rocky intertidal zones of 8 of the Boston Harbor Islands. Sampling by experts alone yielded greater diversity than sampling conducted in collaboration with public participants. However, quantitative, structured sampling by expert-only and collaborative expert–public teams both revealed the expected negative relationship between algal species richness and intertidal elevation, suggesting that, with structure, public bioblitzes can feasibly document ecological patterns. We discuss these results in the context of rocky intertidal ecology, island biogeography, and the role of technology in the growing popularity of bioblitzes as a tool for collaborative engagement of scientists and the public in the study and management of natural systems.
Non-volatile silicon photonic switches based on phase change materials

We report nonvolatile electrically reconfigurable photonic switches using PCM-clad waveguides and microrings actuated by in-situ silicon PIN heaters. High extinction ratio (~15 dB), near-zero extra loss, and high cyclability (> 3000) are demonstrated.
Chapter 33 Data and econometric tools for development analysis

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses data and econometric tools for development analysis. Data issues lead directly into the econometrics. The chapter discusses household survey data, survey design in developing countries, data collection, measurement issues, and experience of using such data in econometric analysis. It describes national income accounts, index number, and other problems that underlie international comparisons of income levels and growth rates. Tools for microeconomic analysis are discussed in the chapter, with emphasis on the use of survey data through a range of more or less familiar econometric topics, methods for strengthening the robustness of inference, and common pitfalls and difficulties. Time-series techniques and their uses in the analysis of development questions are discussed in the chapter. Nonparametric techniques for estimating density functions, regression functions, and the derivatives of regression functions are also discussed. Non-parametric analysis requires a great deal of data, there are a number of questions in the development economics susceptible to non-parametric treatment using survey data.
Characterization of enzymatic or abiotic immobilization of xenobiotics in soil

Publisher Summary Immobilization processes occurring in soil are of environmental importance because they may lead to a considerable reduction in the bioavailability of xenobiotics. The ability of enzymes to mediate the immobilization processes has been demonstrated in a variety of model studies, in which xenobiotic compounds were incubated with humic monomers or natural humic acids in the presence of various phenoloxidases. The pioneering research on xenobiotic immobilization is mostly based on the application of 14 C-labeled xenobiotics and radiocounting. Several recent studies have demonstrated that progress in the evaluation of binding can be achieved by applying 13 C- or 15 N-labeled xenobiotics combined with 13 C- and 15 N–nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The basis of the NMR approach was that any binding-related modification in the original arrangement of the labeled atoms automatically induces changes in the position of the corresponding signals in the NMR spectra. The delocalization of the signals indicated whether or not covalent binding had occurred and the type of covalent bond that had been formed.
Dynamics and distribution of cyanophages and their effect on marine Synechococcus spp

Cyanophages infecting marine Synechococcus cells were frequently very abundant and were found in every seawater sample along a transect in the western Gulf of Mexico and during a 28-month period in Aransas Pass, Tex. In Aransas Pass their abundance varied seasonally, with the lowest concentrations coincident with cooler water and lower salinity. Along the transect, viruses infecting Synechococcus strains DC2 and SYN48 ranged in concentration from a few hundred per milliliter at 97 m deep and 83 km offshore to ca. 4 × 105 ml-1 near the surface at stations within 18 km of the coast. The highest concentrations occurred at the surface, where salinity decreased from ca. 35.5 to 34 ppt and Synechococcus concentrations were greatest. Viruses infecting strains SNC1, SNC2, and 838BG were distributed in a similar manner but were much less abundant ( 5 × 103 ml-1). When Synechococcus concentrations exceeded ca. 103 ml-1, cyanophage concentrations increased markedly (ca. 102 to > 105 ml-1), suggesting that a minimum host density was required for efficient viral propagation. Data on the decay rate of viral infectivity d (per day), as a function of solar irradiance I (millimoles of quanta per square meter per second), were used to develop a relationship (d = 0.2610I - 0.00718; r2 = 0.69) for conservatively estimating the destruction of infectious viruses in the mixed layer of two offshore stations. Assuming that virus production balances losses and that the burst size is 250, ca. 5 to 7% of Synechococcus cells would be infected daily by viruses. Calculations based on contact rates between Synechococcus cells and infectious viruses produce similar results (5 to 14%). Moreover, balancing estimates of viral production with contact rates for the farthest offshore station required that most Synechococcus cells be susceptible to infection, that most contacts result in infection, and that the burst size be about 324 viruses per lytic event. In contrast, in nearshore waters, where ca. 80% of Synechococcus cells would be contacted daily by infectious cyanophages, only ca. 1% of the contacts would have to result in infection to balance the estimated virus removal rates. These results indicate that cyanophages are an abundant and dynamic component of marine planktonic communities and are probably responsible for lysing a small but significant portion of the Synechococcus population on a daily basis.
A Two-Dimensional View of Integrated Formal and Informal Specification Techniques

It is often felt that the use of formal specification techniques (FSTs) precludes the use of informal, structured specification techniques (ISTs). Research on integrated FSTs and ISTs (FISTs) has shown that this is not necessarily the case, and that the use of formal techniques can enhance the use of informal specification techniques and vice versa.
Biomimetic synthesis of calcite films by a polymer-induced liquid-precursor (PILP) process: 1. Influence and incorporation of magnesium

Abstract Magnesium-bearing calcium carbonate films have been synthesized via a polymer-induced liquid-precursor (PILP) mineralization process. A variety of morphological features of biominerals can be mimicked with this PILP process; therefore, our group has proposed that this crystallization system can be used as an effective in vitro model system for examining mechanistic issues related to biomineralization. Here, the effect of the Mg2+/Ca2+ ratio on the rate of transformation of the amorphous precursor films was investigated using polarized optical microscopy (POM), and the final crystalline structure and composition were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The entrapment of high levels of magnesium in the deposited precursor films had a pronounced inhibitory effect on the amorphous to crystalline transformation, and furthermore, influenced the polycrystalline nature of the film. The magnesium content incorporated within the calcite lattice (8–26%) resembles the range found in biologically formed high magnesium-bearing calcite, while much lower levels were formed via the conventional solution crystallization process. The formation of non-equilibrium morphologies and similar compositions of magnesium-bearing calcite via the PILP process further supports our hypothesis that the PILP process may play a fundamental role in the formation of calcitic biominerals in nature. In the realm of biomimetic engineering, the PILP process may also establish itself as a new method to produce thin ceramic films with variable compositions under ambient conditions.
Sucrase-isomaltase gene expression in Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma.

Abstract Background: Specialized Barrett's esophageal mucosa, characterized by incomplete intestinal metaplasia of the esophageal mucosa, is associated with the development of adenocarcinoma. Although the intestinal disaccharidase sucrase-isomaltase (SI) has been shown in incomplete intestinal metaplasia of the stomach, it is commonly believed that Barrett's mucosa does not express SI based on the lack of enzymatic activity. This study was undertaken to determine whether the SI gene is expressed in Barrett's epithelium and its associated adenocarcinoma at the level of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein. Methods: Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the presence of SI mRNA in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinomas. Cellular localization of SI protein was determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: SI mRNA was identified in 76% of Barrett's epithelium and 82% of esophageal adenocarcinomas. The transcriptional initiation site for SI in these tissues was identical to that of the small intestine. Immunohistochemical localization showed that SI was directed to the apical membrane in Barrett's epithelium in contrast to a more diffuse cytoplasmic pattern in esophageal adenocarcinomas. Conclusions: Columnar cells of specialized Barrett's epithelium express SI and are, therefore, phenotypically similar to those in incomplete intestinal metaplasia of the stomach with respect to intestinal gene expression.
Theory of H1-mediated control of higher orders of structure in chromatin.

It is known that the lysine-rich histone H1 induces both higher orders of folding in chromatin and donut shapes in DNA. However, these phenomena occur only on the high-salt side of a narrow transition range located at about 0.02M salt. Previous theoretical analyses of the ionic-strength dependencies of DNA persistence length and denaturation rate have provided the information that the basic rigid-rod unit in high-molecular-weight DNA is a segment 60 base pairs in length and that if the phosphate charge is neutralized, this segment will spontaneously adopt a bent conformation with radius of curvature 170 A. On the assumption that an H1 molecule does not completely neutralize the DNA charge in its vicinity, the theory has been extended here to determine the onset of spontaneous bending as a function of salt concentration and extent of phosphate neutralization. A salt transition of the kind observed has been found for the realistic value of 82% charge neutralization, with the actual value likely to be in the neighborhood of 90%, as suggested by the measurements of Wilson and Bloomfield.1 It is recalled that the spacer DNA length in chromatin is of about the same length as the DNA rigid-rod unit. If binding of H1 to the spacer induces, as predicted, a bent conformation of radius about 170 A, then the observed value of about 150 A for the outer radius of the solenoid presently thought to be the basic mode of folding for a nucleosome chain can be understood as a reflection of the inherent maximum curvature of DNA in aqueous salt solution.
Optimization of a Switching Node for Optical Multistage Interconnection Networks

In this letter, we demonstrate a 2 times 2 switching node optimized for optical multistage interconnection networks. The optical packet-switched node is improved by making use of comparators with dual-threshold action to regenerate the routing header signal. The switching node is shown to correctly route packets with the presence of glitches in the header information. We employ a hybrid integrated semiconductor optical amplifier in the switching node that reduces packet guard times enabling a 67% increase in the number of stages for large-scale multistage networks.
Low temperature stabilization of cubic (Li7−xAlx/3)La3Zr2O12: role of aluminum during formation

The lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide garnet, Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZ), has received significant attention in recent years due to its high room temperature lithium ion conductivity and its stability against lithium metal. Together these features make it a promising electrolyte candidate for a high energy all solid-state battery. Previous studies have shown that incorporation of aluminum cations during the synthesis stabilizes the higher conductivity cubic phase of LLZ; however the incorporation process and its effect on the phase transition are still unclear. In the present study, we have combined powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), 27Al and 7Li MAS NMR and high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) to determine the disposition of Al cations during the formation of low temperature cubic LLZ. At temperatures as low as 700 °C, the aluminum is incorporated into amorphous or nanocrystalline grain boundary phases. Above 700 °C, the Al cations are associated with a poorly crystalline anti-fluorite phase Li5AlO4, composed of molecular [AlO4]5− anions. This phase then reacts with tetragonal LLZ to form cubic LLZ over a 25 hour period at 850 °C. Although the reaction appears complete by powder X-ray diffraction, 27Al NMR spectra showed overlapping resonances suggesting multiple Al environments due to uneven substitution of the 24d Li(1) site. This was confirmed by high-resolution XRD and was consistent with a series of closely related cubic LLZ phases with slightly different Al concentrations, indicating the slower Al(III) diffusion within the lattice has not reached equilibrium in the time allotted. The disorder over the two crystallographic tetrahedral sites by lithium and aluminum cations at this temperature contributes to the observed lattice enlargement associated with the low temperature cubic phase.
Comment on "Application of Computational Aerodynamics to Airplane Design"

which agrees with our curve shown in Fig. 1 of Payne's Comment. Note that this value is not below 1, as expected by Payne based on his assumption that the curve for an isosceles triangle is similar to Taylor's curve for a rhomboid. Nevertheless, these two curves do agree at 6 = 0 deg when both bodies reduce to a flat plate. Although additional published results cannot be found by us to check the validity of our curve at other 6 values, we believe that the agreement at 0 = 30 deg with the formula in Ref. 2 is not a coincidence, and the analysis based on which our curve was plotted is not in error. Analyses reveal that the added mass of an isosceles triangle behaves differently from that of a rhomboid, which is in contradiction to intuition. Figure 3 in Payne's Comment shows the behavior of a cavitating flat plate and a penetrating wedge having one and two wetted surfaces, respectively. Flows around them are not similar in nature to those around a triangle or a rhomboid having wetted surfaces all around. The close agreement of the two curves shown in Payne's Fig. 3 does not necessarily mean that the two curves in his Fig. 1 should also be in close agreement. We would like to thank Payne for his interest in our paper and his thorough review of literature concerning added mass theory, which corrects and complements our sketchy historical description on the related literature in aerodynamics only.
Response-independent reinforcement in the crow: Failure to obtain autoshaping or positive automaintenance

Only 3 of 17 crows developed appreciable responding under autoshaping procedures similar to those which rehably engender responding in pigeons. This occurred despite variations in the following conditions: species of crow (fish or common), fixed vs. variable intertriai interval, duration of intertriai interval, type of reinforcer, level of test chamber illumination, and the presence or absence of a response-re inforcer dependency. Ten of the crows were subsequently exposed to shaping through the method of successive approximation, and all were conditioned to keypeck reliably within a relatively brief period. When three of these crows were again exposed to keylight-food pairings (automaintenance), their responding attenuated over time to near the zero level. An explanation of the behavioral differences between the crows studied here and pigeons studied under similar conditions is offered, based primarily upon differences in the feeding behavior of the two species in their natural environments.
A strategy for disease gene identification through nonsense-mediated mRNA decay inhibition

Premature termination codons (PTCs) have been shown to initiate degradation of mutant transcripts through the nonsense-mediated messenger RNA (mRNA) decay (NMD) pathway. We report a strategy, termed gene identification by NMD inhibition (GINI), to identify genes harboring nonsense codons that underlie human diseases. In this strategy, the NMD pathway is pharmacologically inhibited in cultured patient cells, resulting in stabilization of nonsense transcripts. To distinguish stabilized nonsense transcripts from background transcripts upregulated by drug treatment, drug-induced expression changes are measured in control and disease cell lines with complementary DNA (cDNA) microarrays. Transcripts are ranked by a nonsense enrichment index (NEI), which relates expression changes for a given transcript in NMD-inhibited control and patient cell lines. The most promising candidates can be selected using information such as map location or biological function; however, an important advantage of the GINI strategy is that a priori information is not essential for disease gene identification. GINI was tested on colon cancer and Sandhoff disease cell lines, which contained previously characterized nonsense mutations in the MutL homolog 1 (MLH1) and hexosaminidase B (HEXB) genes, respectively. A list of genes was produced in which the MLH1 and HEXB genes were among the top 1% of candidates, thus validating the strategy.
Analyzing data from open enrollment groups: Current considerations and future directions

Difficulties in modeling turnover in treatment-group membership have been cited as one of the major impediments to ecological validity of substance abuse and alcoholism treatment research. In this review, our primary foci are on (a) the discussion of approaches that draw on state-of-the-science analytic methods for modeling open-enrollment group data and (b) highlighting emerging issues that are critical to this relatively new area of methodological research (e.g., quantifying membership change, modeling "holiday" effects, and modeling membership change among group members and leaders). Continuing refinement of new modeling tools to address these analytic complexities may ultimately lead to the development of more federally funded open-enrollment trials. These developments may also facilitate the building of a "community-friendly" treatment research portfolio for funding agencies that support substance abuse and alcoholism treatment research.
Laboratory kinetics of C2H radical reactions with ethane, propane, and n-butane at T = 96–296 K: implications for Titan

Abstract The kinetics of the reactions of C2H radical with ethane (k1), propane (k2), and n-butane (k3) are studied over the temperature range of T = 96–296 K with a pulsed Laval nozzle apparatus that utilizes a pulsed laser photolysis–chemiluminescence technique. The C2H decay profiles in the presence of both the alkane reactant and O2 are monitored by the CH(A2Δ) chemiluminescence tracer method. The results, together with available literature data, yield the following Arrhenius expressions: k1(T) = (0.51 ± 0.06) × 10−10 exp[(−76 ± 30)K/T] cm3 molecule−1 s−1 (T = 96–800 K), k2(T) = (0.98 ± 0.32) × 10−10exp[(−71 ± 60)K/T] cm3 molecule−1 s−1 (T = 96–361 K), and k3(T) = (1.23 ± 0.26) × 10−10 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 (T = 96–297 K). At T = 296 K, k1 is measured as a function of total pressure and has little or no pressure dependence. The results from this work support a direct hydrogen abstraction mechanism for the title reactions. Implications to the atmospheric chemistry of Titan are discussed.
Correlations and wavelet based analysis of near-field and far-field pressure of a controlled high speed jet

Discussed within are the experimental results obtained via simultaneous near-field and far-field measurements of a controlled jet. A large database of both open-loop and closedloop control cases are carried out. The two most interesting investigations from the openloop (OL) and closed-loop (CL) studies are highlighted here and compared to the uncontrolled jet. For the open-loop forcing, the shear layer is seeded with an axisymmetric sinusoidal input with a frequency of 1700 Hz. For the closed-loop case, the shear layer is seeded with a sinusoidal forcing amplitude modulated with the mode-filtered near-field pressure sampled from the stream-wise location at x/D = 6. Data analysis looks at both averaged and instantaneous quantities. In an averaged sense the introduction of control significantly modifies the characteristics of the developing shear layer. Open-loop control is shown to modify the phase lag between both near-field stations with a penalty in an increase in the overall sound pressure level. The closed-loop control imparts more subtle changes to the flow field but yields a slight reduction in the acoustic pressure at the microphone closest to the jet axis. Wavelet based filtering exposes the evolution of the broadband intermittent events seen at both stations.
Long-Term Sequelae of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Twenty-five patients with definite or probable Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) who were hospitalized for > or = 2 weeks were identified from our database of 105 patients. Follow-up information was collected for 20 patients, per telephone and/or medical records. The remaining five patients were lost to follow-up or died. Nine patients had > or = 1 long-term sequelae (defined as complications related to an original acute infection with Rickettsia rickettsii that persisted for > or = 1 year following hospital discharge). The ages of patients with sequelae ranged from 2 to 74 years (mean and median, 38 years); duration of follow-up ranged from 1 to 18 years (mean, 11 years). The mean lengths of hospitalization for patients with and without long-term sequelae were 47 days and 20 days, respectively (P < .05). Long-term neurological sequelae included paraparesis; hearing loss; peripheral neuropathy; bladder and bowel incontinence; cerebellar, vestibular, and motor dysfunction; and language disorders. Nonneurological sequelae consisted of disability from limb amputation and scrotal pain following cutaneous necrosis. These data suggest that significant long-term morbidity is common in patients with severe illness due to RMSF.
Retrieval processes in alcoholic Korsakoff patients.

Abstract A recognition memory procedure was used to investigate the retrieval processes which Korsakoff and Alcoholic Control patients employ in locating a test item in a recently memorized short list of items. The reaction time data for both patient groups were consistent with a serial and exhaustive model of memory search. However, the Korsakoff patients' search rate differed from that of the Alcoholics, with the Korsakoff patients searching at a 40% slower rate than that of the Alcoholics. These results suggest that Korsakoff patients' short-term retrieval difficulties may stem from a decrease in search rate rather than an inefficient “strategy” of search.
An Algorithm for Handling Many Relational Calculus Queries Efficiently

This article classifies a group of complicated relational calculus queries whose search algorithms run in time O(I LogdI+U) and space O(I), where I and U are the sizes of the input and output, and d is a constant depending on the query (which is usually, but not always, equal to zero or one). Our algorithm will not entail any preprocessing of the data.
Eating disorders in adolescents.

A. Biopsychosocial illness 1. Medical, nutritional and social aspects 2. Requires multidisciplinary treatment team 3. Associated with significant morbidity and mortality 4. “A relentless pursuit of thinness” (Hilde Bruch, MD) B. Facts 1. Two million people suffer from an eating disorder 2. 90% are women, ages 12–25 years old 3. Increasing incidence in males over the past decade 4. Typical personality: bright, successful, high achievers a. A disorder of Western culture. All ethnicities are at risk b. Less than one third are overweight prior to the onset of the eating disorder (ED)
Viewpoints on Microscopic and Mesoscopic Transformation Processes in Martensite

The purpose of this presentation is to provide some perspective gained from recent studies in condensed matter physics on the microscopic processes by which martensitic transformations take place to supplement the highly developed crystallographic and thermodynamic descriptions. Atomic scale dynamics can be related to mesoscale pattern formation, in idealized systems, and the energies of twin boundaries and ferroelastic patterns can be computed from such data, at least in principle. An overview of the formalism used utilizing nonlinear and strain-gradient elasticity is given. Yet in reality probably all transformations of laboratory or manufactured materials are controlled by defects. An approach to the defect situation based on the framework developed for the idealized martensite is given. Finally a few remarks are made relating this general viewpoint to shape memory materials
Context-dependent memory for meaningful material: information for students

Context-dependency effects on memory for lists of unrelated words have been shown more often with recall than with recognition. Context dependency for meaningful text material was examined using two standard academic testing techniques: short answer (recall) and multiple choice (recognition). Forty participants read an article in either silent or noisy conditions; their reading comprehension was assessed with both types of test under silent or noisy conditions. Both tests showed context-dependency effects in which performance was better in the matching conditions (silent study/silent test and noisy study/noisy test) than in the mismatching conditions (silent study/noisy test and noisy study/silent test). Context cues appear to be important in the retrieval of newly learned meaningful information. An academic application is that students may perform better on exams by studying in silence. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrogen peroxide dependent cis-dihydroxylation of benzoate by fully oxidized benzoate 1,2-dioxygenase.

Rieske dioxygenases catalyze the reductive activation of O2 for the formation of cis-dihydrodiols from unactivated aromatic compounds. It is known that O2 is activated at a mononuclear non-heme iron site utilizing electrons supplied by a nearby Rieske iron sulfur cluster. However, it is controversial whether the reactive species is an Fe(III)-(hydro)peroxo or an Fe(II)-(hydro)peroxo (or electronically equivalent species formed by breaking the O-O bond). Here it is shown that benzoate 1,2 dioxygenase oxygenase component (BZDO) prepared in a form with the Rieske cluster oxidized and the mononuclear iron in the Fe(III) state can utilize H2O2 as a source of reduced oxygen to form the correct cis-dihydrodiol product from benzoate. The reaction approaches stoichiometric yield relative to the mononuclear Fe(III) concentration, being limited to a single turnover by inefficient product release from the Fe(III)-product complex. EPR and Mossbauer studies show that the iron remains ferric throughout this single turnover "peroxide shunt" reaction. These results strongly support Fe(III)-(hydro)peroxo (or Fe(V)-oxo-hydroxo) as the reactive species because there is no source of additional reducing equivalents to form the Fe(II)-(hydro)peroxo state. This conclusion could be further tested in the case of BZDO because the peroxide shunt occurs very slowly compared with normal turnover, allowing the reactive intermediate to be trapped for spectroscopic analysis. We attribute the slow reaction rate to a forced change in the normally strict order of the substrate binding and enzyme reduction steps that regulate the catalytic cycle. The reactive intermediate is a high-spin ferric species exhibiting an unusual negative zero field splitting and other EPR and Mossbauer spectroscopic properties reminiscent of previously characterized side-on-bound peroxide adducts of Fe(III) model complexes. If the species in BZDO is a similar adduct, its isomer shift is most consistent with an Fe(III)-hydroperoxo reactive state.
58. Effects of regular exercise and weight loss on inflammatory biomarkers in individuals with high blood pressure

Increased cardiorespiratory fitness and decreased weight are associated with a reduced inflammatory state. This study prospectively examined contributions of cardiopulmonary fitness, BMI, and BP on circulating IL-6 and TNF-αin 34 pre-hypertensive (BP > 120/80 140/90 < 179/109 mmHg) sedentary men and women (20–60 years; BMI 23.5–36 kg/m2). Participants were randomized to a 3-month: exercise intervention, exercise plus diet (DASH diet) intervention, or waitlist control. Cardiorespiratory fitness (mL/kg/min) increased (F = 8.37; p < 0.001), BP decreased (F = 3.56; p = 0.03), and BMI marginally decreased (F = 2.86; p = 0.064) in the exercise and exercise plus diet groups but not in the waitlist group. Linear regressions predicting post-intervention inflammatory markers included independent variables: the respective pre-intervention inflammatory marker; age & gender; pre- and post-intervention BMI; pre- and post-intervention cardiorespiratory fitness; pre- and post-intervention BP; total minutes spent on cardio and total minutes spent on weights. Post-intervention TNF-αwas predicted by pre-intervention TNF-α(beta = 0.621; p < 0.001) and total cardio exercise minutes (beta = −0.235; p = 0.018) (final model R = 0.667; F = 20.6; p < 0.001). Post-intervention IL-6 was predicted by pre-intervention IL-6 (beta = .344; p = 0.004), pre- (beta = 1.34; p = 0.004) and post- (beta = −1.08; p = 0.018) intervention BMI and total exercise (beta = .328; p = 0.006) (final model R = 0.662; F = 8.9; p < 0.001). Findings indicate that the anti-inflammatory benefit of regular exercise is derived from the time spent regularly exercising (independent of actual improved cardiorespiratory fitness) and/or the existing as well as change in body mass.
Visit Duration for Outpatient Physician Office Visits Among Patients With Cancer

Higher use of performance-based payment mechanisms and capitated arrangements are associated with a decrease in the amount of time physicians spend with patients with cancer.
Plasmodium berghei: quantitation of sporozoites injected by mosquitoes feeding on a rodent host.

Abstract Attempts were made to determine the numbers of viable Plasmodium berghei sporozoites injected by Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes feeding on rodent hosts. Assessment of the numbers injected was made by counting the numbers of exoerythrocytic forms produced by known numbers of infected mosquitoes. The results showed the numbers of viable sporozoites injected to be quite small, on the order of about 1% of the total number of sporozoites in the salivary glands. Mosquitoes with larger numbers of sporozoites in their salivary glands injected more sporozoites. Thus, heavily infected mosquitoes may be more effective vectors. The relative numbers of sporozoites injected by the mosquitoes varied with the host being fed upon. Because of this, it is speculated that host skin factors may be an important determinant of the number of infective sporozoites able to reach the blood after being deposited in the skin.
Aorta-to-circumflex artery saphenous vein bypass graft. Operative technique.

Abstract Atherosclerosis of the circumflex artery is less common than that of the right and anterior descending arteries. It is also more difficult to perform saphenous vein bypass grafting on the circumflex artery because of its location and exposure, especially a graft to the main circumflex artery in the atrioventricular groove. This report describes in detail the technique for performing grafting to the circumflex artery. It also illustrates variation of the circumflex artery on cineangiographic pictures.
Measure ofLegionella pneumophila activity in situ

Detection ofLegionella pneumophila by serogroup-specific fluorescent antibodies was combined with a tetrazolium dye (INT) to measure electron transport activity. The biological uptake and reduction of the INT dye was studied in pure cultures and in natural water samples with respect to temperature. Uptake was complete within 60 min. Controls inhibited with formaldehyde demonstrated little activity. Both the in vitro and in situ determinations suggested that the electron transport system ofLegionella was active over a temperature range of 25 to 60°C.
Combining Correlated Diagnostic Tests: Application to Neuropathologic Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

This article studies the problem of combining correlated diagnostic tests to maximize the discriminating power between the diseased population and the healthy population. The authors consider all possible linear combinations of multiple diagnostic tests and search for the one that achieves the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. They discuss the statistical estimation of the optimum linear combination test and the associated maximum area under the ROC curve. Their approach is based on the assumption of multivariate normal distribution of the multiple diagnostic tests. They also present the application of the proposed techniques to the neuropathologic diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease based on brain lesions from 5 different brain locations using a data set from the Washington University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.
Converging evidence for brain stem injury in autism

The hypothesis that brain stem injury plays a role in the autism spectrum disorders was suggested by evidence that exposure to thalidomide during the earliest stages of brain development increases the risk of autism spectrum disorders. The implications for the embryological origin of autism first led to studies of neuroanatomy in a human case and an animal model and then to examinations of minor craniofacial features in autism. But the general hypothesis had much broader implications. It has now generated studies of the behavioral and neurological symptoms of human patients, of human molecular genetics and population genetics, and of animal behavioral teratology and molecular pharmacology. The collection of this range of data was made possible by adding experts from many fields to the research team. They worked both independently and collaboratively to try to unravel the etiology of autism.
Mass spectra of n‐butylboronate ester derivatives of the major metabolite of prostaglandin F

The EI mass spectra of six n-butylboronate ester derivatives of the major metabolite of prostaglandins F 1α and F 2α (PGF-M) are presented and discussed. Proposed ion assignments and fragmentation pathways are based on substituent shifts, on data from a deuterium-labeled methoxime derivative and on the analysis of collision-induced dissociation spectra of selected ions. Fragment ions suitable for identification and quantification of PGF-M in a biological matrix and diagnostically valuable ions for structure recognition are proposed
First Report of Oleander Leaf Scorch Caused by Xylella fastidiosa in Florida.

During the spring of 1998, mature oleanders (Nerium oleander L.), pruned to form a 2-m-high hedge along an interstate highway in Orlando, FL, were observed declining and dying. Numerous plants along a 200-m section of highway were in various stages of decline. Symptoms began as chlorotic mottling along the edges of leaves and as the disease progressed, mottling became more severe and leaf margins became necrotic. Scorched leaves died, and symptoms spread throughout the plants, resulting in defoliation. New growth from the base of affected plants was stunted and severely mottled. Petioles and leaf midribs were taken from leaves with mottling symptoms and assayed for the presence of Xylella fastidiosa by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culturing on periwinkle wilt agar medium. For PCR assay, infected tissue from three plants was extracted by grinding in SCP buffer (1.0 g of trisodium citrate and 1.0 g of disodium succinate per liter, in 0.015 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.0) containing 0.02 M sodium ascorbate and 5% acid-washed polyvinylpyrrolidone. Amplification was performed with primers RST31 and RST33, as previously described, for specific detection of X. fastidiosa strains (1). A X. fastidiosa-specific amplification product was produced from all three extracts. For culturing, petioles and leaf midribs were cut into 0.5-cm sections, and sap was extracted from the tissue by squeezing with a forceps. Sap was blotted directly onto the medium and incubated at 28°C. Colonies typical of X. fastidiosa were observed after 10 to 14 days of incubation, and single colonies were transferred to fresh periwinkle wilt agar. The colonies were confirmed as X. fastidiosa by PCR assay. Two of the oleander strains were used to inoculate three red and three white 18-month-old oleanders by needle-puncture of the stem through a cloudy drop of bacterium in SCP buffer (108 CFU/ml). For controls, three red and three white oleanders were inoculated with SCP buffer alone. After 9 weeks in a screenhouse, marginal leaf mottling was observed in both the red and white oleanders inoculated with X. fastidiosa, and the bacterium was reisolated from leaves as described above, completing Koch's postulates. Control plants remained symptomless. Oleander leaf scorch caused by X. fastidiosa has been described previously in California and Texas (2). This is the first report of oleander leaf scorch in Florida and the eastern United States. References: (1) G. V. Minsavage et al. Phytopathology 84:456, 1994. (2) A. H. Purcell et al. Phytopathology 89:53, 1999.
Estimate of the Area Affected Ecologically by the Road System in the United States

In view of an extensive road system, abundant and rapidly growing vehicular traffic, and a scattered literature indicating that some ecological effects of roads extend outward for >100 m, it seems likely that the cumulative ecological effect of the road system in the United States is considerable. Two recent studies in The Netherlands and Massachusetts ( U.S.A.) evaluated several ecological effects of roads, including traffic noise effects, and provide quantitative evidence for a definable "road-effect zone." Based on the approximate width of this asymmetric convoluted zone, I estimate that about one-fifth of the U.S. land area is directly affected ecologically by the system of public roads. I identify a series of assumptions and variables suggesting that over time this preliminary estimate is more likely to rise than drop. Several transportation planning and policy recommendations, ranging from perforating the road barrier for wildlife crossings to closing certain roads, offer promise for reducing this enormous ecological effect.
A New Instrument Concept for Gamma Ray Astronomy

A new instrument concept that utilizes the principle of the Total Absorption Shower Cascade (TASC) detector is proposed for gamma ray astronomy in space. Using the TASC detector to measure the gamma ray energy and wire chamber arrays to measure the incident angle, an instrument package designed to measure gamma rays having energies greater than 100 MeV is being proposed for a large satellite such as NASA's proposed High Energy Astronomy Observatory. The proposed instrument has a minimal flux sensitivity of 2 × 10-10 photons/cm2 sr sec which will allow gamma rays with energies up to 104 GeV to be measured. An energy resolution (FWHM) for the TASC detector of ~l percent at 10 GeV has been measured and an angular resolution of ~1 degree appears to be obtainable for the wire chamber arrays.
Nonlipidized juvenile xanthogranuloma: A histologic and immunohistochemical study

Among all patients with a pathologic diagnosis of juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) seen at our institution from 1983 to 1994, we identified five patients with an unusual histologic pattern that differed from the classic juvenile xanthogranuloma (CJXG) with foamy cells and Touton giant cells. Four of these five cases, which we termed nonlipidized juvenile xanthogranuloma (NJXG), were seen in infants. The histologic features include a monomorphic infiltrate with absent or few foam cells and Touton giant cells. There is little inflammation, and mitotic figures are easily found. Four cases exhibit a diffuse sheetlike pattern while one is trabecular. Immunoperoxidase staining was done. All lesions are consistently positive for factor XIIIa as opposed to only focally positive or negative in CJXG and negative in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). The S-100 was negative. NJXG represents an atypical histologic variant of JXG, which may suggest a malignant or aggressive tumor. The follow-up, however, indicates that these lesions behave in a fashion similar to those of CJXG. The differential diagnosis should be made with LCH, intradermal nevus, and reticulohistiocytosis. The immunoperoxidase findings help to differentiate NJXG from these entities.
Prestress losses in pretensioned concrete beams cast with lightweight self-consolidating concrete

article i nfo The use of lightweight self-consolidating concrete (LW-SCC) for pretensioned concrete members offers advan- tages over the use of conventional, normal weight concrete. This study focused on investigating the prestress losses of 12 pretensioned concrete beams cast with LW-SCC or normal weight SCC (NW-SCC). Two LW-SCC mix- tures were developed along with one NW-SCC mixture. The LW-SCC mixtures contained expanded shale or ex- panded clay coarse aggregates. Prestress losses were measured using vibrating wire strain gauges. The beams were loaded approximately 150 days after casting and losses were measured for an additional 75 days after cast- ing.Inadditiontoprestresslosses,themodulusofelasticity(MOE)andshrinkageofthemixturesweremeasured. Experimental results indicated that the AASHTO-LRFD equation for MOE using a correction factor of 1.0 is appro- priate to predict the MOE of LW-SCC. Shrinkage of LW-SCC was less when compared to NW-SCC due to the effect of internal curing. CEB MC90 was the most appropriate model to predict concrete shrinkage. The AASHTO-LRFD methods over-estimated instantaneous and long-time prestress losses. The AASHTO approximate method was more suitable to estimate total prestress losses for the beams using LW-SCC than the AASHTO refined method.
Plasma amino acids during high-dose methotrexate-citrovorum "rescue".

Abstract Plasma amino acids were monitored over a 4-day period in a patient with osteogenic sarcoma just before and during infusion of a high dose of methotrexate and during subsequent rescue with citrovorum factor. The concentrations in the plasma of phenylalanine rose seven-fold to a maximum observed at 22 hr and of cysteine rose almost threefold in 98 hr. The phenylalanine concentration maintained a threefold elevation during the 24-hr period following completion of the citrovorum rescue. These data indicate the inhibition by high dose methotrexate of liver phenylalanine hydroxylase, an enzyme system which is apparently not rescued by citrovorum factor. Plasma levels of tyrosine throughout the study did not fall below the pretreatment value.
Hypoosmotic volume regulation in the sea anemone Metridium senile

Abstract 1. The anemone Metridium senile survives salinities from seawater (950 mOsm) to 55% SW (520 mOsm) for at least two weeks. Animals exposed to 40% SW (380 mOsm) die within three days. 2. The tissue amino acid content of M. senile acclimated to 950 mOsm, 807 mOsm, 665 mOsm and 520 mOsm for two weeks is respectively, 444, 382, 331 and 251 μmol/g dry wt. A decrease in the concentration of taurine accounts for nearly all of the decrease in the free amino acid pool. 3. Tissue hydration increases in M. senile acclimated to dilute seawater, but the increase was not proportional to the change in ambient salinity, indicating that the anemones partially regulate volume in dilute media. 4. Mathematical analyses of changes in tissue hydration as a function of ambient salinity in M. senile , Haliplanella lineata , and Diadumene leucolena suggest that the effectiveness of volume regulation increases in individuals of these species acclimated to progressively more dilute media. The volume regulatory capability of Bunodosoma cavernata does not change in dilute media.
Evaluation of Dubos' solid medium containing penicillin in the isolation of tubercle bacilli.

Summary and ConclusionsOf 300 clinical specimens, 134 were positive for tubercle bacilli on Dubos' solid oleic acid-albumin medium containing 100 units per cc of penicillin, and 120 were positive on a standard egg-potato medium. Without the presence of penicillin to restrain contaminants, only 91 cultures were positive on the Dubos medium. The Dubos medium was also considered superior because of the ease with which growth could be observed on the transparent agar, and because of the characteristic cord-like appearance of virulent tubercle bacilli, which apparently distinguishes them from avirulent forms, and from other organisms.