cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Current Concepts in Laboratory Testing to Guide Antimicrobial Therapy

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is indicated for pathogens contributing to an infectious process that warrants antimicrobial therapy if susceptibility to antimicrobials cannot be predicted reliably based on knowledge of their identity. Such tests are most frequently used when the etiologic agents are members of species capable of demonstrating resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics. Some organisms have predictable susceptibility to antimicrobial agents (ie, Streptococcus pyogenes to penicillin), and empirical therapy for these organisms is typically used. Therefore, AST for such pathogens is seldom required or performed. In addition, AST is valuable in evaluating the activity of new and experimental compounds and investigating the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistant pathogens. Several laboratory methods are available to characterize the in vitro susceptibility of bacteria to antimicrobial agents. When the nature of the infection is unclear and the culture yields mixed growth or usual microbiota (wherein the isolates usually bear little relationship to the actual infectious process), AST is usually unnecessary and results may, in fact, be dangerously misleading. Phenotypic methods for detection of specific antimicrobial resistance mechanisms are increasingly being used to complement AST (ie, inducible clindamycin resistance among several gram-positive bacteria) and to provide clinicians with preliminary direction for antibiotic selection pending results generated from standardized AST (ie, β-lactamase tests). In addition, molecular methods are being developed and incorporated by microbiology laboratories into resistance detection algorithms for rapid, sensitive assessment of carriage states of epidemiologically and clinically important pathogens, often directly from clinical specimens (ie, presence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in fecal specimens).
Effect of selected drugs and myocardial infarction on the disappearance of creatine kinase from the circulation in conscious dogs.

Estimates of infarct size based on serial plasma creatine kinase (CK) changes have been made utilising the disappearance rate of CK from blood (kd) as one parameter. This study was performed to evaluate the effects on CK disappearance of myocardial infarction per se and selected drugs often used in the management of patients with myocardial infarction. Fifty-six conscious dogs were studied. Canine myocardial CK was isolated and radioactively labelled. Experiments were performed with intravenous injections of unlabelled CK or with radioactively labelled material. After injection, plasma CK activity declined monoexponentially (r = −0.95, n = 30) exceeding the rate of CK disappearance in vitro in whole blood or plasma. Three successive daily determinations of kd differed by ≤10% in the same dog (n = 5). Removal of radioactively labelled protein from plasma paralleled disappearance of plasma CK enzyme activity for several hours after i.v. injection of 14C–CK (n = 5). Myocardial infarction after occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery altered kd by <10% (n = 5) estimated after i.v. injection of 14C–CK. Administration of large doses of Nembutal (30 mg·kg−1), morphine (2 mg·kg−1), or Valium (1 mg·kg−1) decreased kd markedly (n = 17), but low doses of morphine (0·2 mg·kg−1) or Valium (0·1 mg·kg−1) did not substantially diminish kd. Thus, enzymatic estimates of infarct size are not likely to be influenced by changes in kd occurring during myocardial infarction. However, modification of estimates may be required when pharmacological interventions are employed, capable of altering CK disappearance.
Method for measuring hormonal effects on conversion of adenosine triphosphate to adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate by isolated lipocytes.

Abstract A method is described for evaluating the influence of various factors upon the rate of c-AMP 1 formation by lipocytes. It consists principally of incubation of isolated cells with additions of 14 C-ATP 1 , ATP, Mg ++ , and ATP-regeneration system, and aminophylline, followed by measurement of isolated 14 C-c-AMP. The method provided a readily available homogenous cell preparation, apparently with adenyl cyclase-containing membrane uniformly exposed to substrates, hormones, and other compounds. The rate of production of 14 C-c-AMP was dependent upon the number of lipocytes, the concentrations of Mg ++ and ATP, and the molarity of the incubation medium. EDTA, as well as boiling or the addition of perchloric acid to the lipocytes before incubation, prevented 14 C-c-AMP production. The above-mentioned characteristics emphasize that formation of 14 C-c-AMP by the lipocytes was enzyme-directed. The reaction was stimulated by epinephrine, norepinephrine, isopropylnorepinephrine, adrenocorticotropin, and glucagon. Propranolol, a β-adrenergic inhibitor, abolished the effects of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and isopropylnorepinephrine, but did not affect the action of glucagon. Phentolamine, an α-adrenergic inhibitor, slightly inhibited the effects of epinephrine and norepinephrine. Nicotinic acid inhibited the reaction whether used alone or with epinephrine or isopropylnorepinephrine. Lysyl-8-vasopressin caused inhibition under certain conditions. Addition of insulin did not affect the levels of 14 C-c-AMP, but it slightly inhibited the increments produced by isopropylnorepinephrine. Insulin antibodies caused significant increments. Non-suppressible insulin-like acting material significantly decreased the concentration of 14 C-c-AMP.
A postsleep decline in auditory evoked potential amplitude reflects sleep homeostasis.

Objective It has been hypothesized that slow wave activity, a well established measure of sleep homeostasis that increases after waking and decreases after sleep, may reflect changes in cortical synaptic strength. If so, the amplitude of sensory evoked responses should also vary as a function of time awake and asleep in a way that reflects sleep homeostasis.
Cerebral endovascular neurosurgery.

Abstract Cerebral endovascular neurosurgery has evolved rapidly in the past decade through advances in tools and techniques and as a result of the thrust toward evidence-based medicine. More patients with diseases traditionally treated via microsurgical approaches can now be treated with techniques that focus on endoluminal reconstruction. With the introduction of intracranial clot retrievers and appropriately sized stents, stroke care is being slowly revolutionized for those patients with salvageable brain tissue at the time of admission to the hospital. In this article, the recent history, current state, and possible future of cerebral endovascular neurosurgery are reviewed for the following diseases: stroke, intracranial atherosclerotic disease, brachiocephalic occlusive disease, cerebral aneurysms, central nervous system vascular malformations, and brain tumors. New concepts and applications for endovascular treatment of epilepsy and multiple sclerosis are mentioned. The potential for nanotechnology in this field and the future endovascular suite are envisioned.
Thrombosis in cardiovascular medicine: a review of pathophysiology, mechanisms of drug action, and the "alphabet" of established and emerging therapies.

Thrombosis is a physiologic hemostatic response to vascular injury. Thrombus generation has evolved as a complex event involving multiphasic biologic inputs and regulation. Pathologic thrombosis in cardiovascular medicine afflicts millions of U.S. citizens per year, exacting a death total in the hundreds of thousands of people. These morbid events are particularly common in the settings of trauma, major surgery, and high-risk medical patients both inside and outside of the hospital. The frequency of all of these risks increases as our population grows and ages. The discussion that follows sketches the roots of our understanding of pathologic thrombosis through a clinical case example, a highlight of the historically key concepts involved, identification of the phasic inputs into thrombus formation and regulation, and a listing of the therapeutics and agents used in treating the thrombosis “epidemic.”
Ab initio molecular dynamics simulation of interstitial diffusion in Ni–Cr alloys and implications for radiation induced segregation

Abstract In this study, ab initio molecular dynamics, implemented via density functional theory, is used to simulate self-interstitial diffusion in pure Ni and in the Ni-18 at.% Cr model alloy. Interstitial tracer diffusivities are measured from simulation results for pure Ni and for both Ni and Cr in the Ni–18Cr alloy. An Arrhenius function fit to these tracer diffusivities is then used in a rate theory model for radiation induced segregation, along with the experimentally measured vacancy diffusivities. It is predicted that interstitial diffusion has a tendency to cause Cr enrichment near grain boundaries, partially counterbalancing the tendency for vacancy diffusion to cause Cr depletion. This results in more mild Cr depletion than would result if only the vacancy diffusion were accounted for, in better agreement with experiment. This physical description of RIS in Ni–Cr alloys, which invokes the effects of both vacancy and interstitial diffusion, is distinct from the conventional description which accounts only for the effect of vacancy diffusion.
Implementation of a noise reduction circuit for spaceflight IR spectrometers

The paper discusses the implementation and analysis of a correlated triple sampling circuit using analog subtractor/integrators. The software and test setup for noise measurements are also described. The correlation circuitry is part of the signal chain for a 256-element InSb line array used in the Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer. Using a focal-plane array (FPA) simulator, system noise measurements of 0.7 DN are obtained. A test setup for FPA/SPE (signal processing electronics) characterization along with noise measurements is demonstrated.
Zeno's A rrow, Divisible Infinitesimals, and Chrysippus

In a recent interesting discussion of Zeno's paradox of the arrow,l Jonathan Lear produces a reconstruction of the paradox which, he argues, the differential 'calculus is impotent to solve.'2 In opposition to the received wisdom (and a good deal of contemporary analysis), Lear maintains that Aristotle's response to the paradox is to the point. I find Lear's arguments for both theses compelling, given the assumptions he makes concerning what the 'modern concepts of the calculus' are. However, in the present paper I suggest that the 'conceptual equipment' supplied by a recent grounding of the differential and integral calculi in non-standard analysis is relevant to resolving the paradox as formulated by Lear. My second thesis is really more a 'tentative suggestion': perhaps some of the conceptual equipment of the nonstandard foundation of calculus, in particular, the concept of 'nontrivial divisible infinitesimals,' can be extracted from several difficult and much controverted passages pertaining to Chrysippean (or 'Stoic') doctrines of time, space, and motion.
Two classes of volcanic plumes on Io

Results of an analysis of the properties, source regions and deposits of volcanic plumes on Io are presented which suggest the presence of two plume types. Eruptions at the Aten Patera caldera in the south polar region and the Surt caldera in the far north, which were deduced to have taken place between the times of the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 encounters from evidence of surface changes, are similar to the Pele eruption. These Pele-type eruptions are characterized by durations of from a few days to a few weeks, dark-red annular deposits of about 1400 km in diameter, temperatures of about 650 K and locations restricted to areas with large, silicate landforms. Smaller, more numerous eruptions of the Prometheus type were observed on both encounters, being characterized by durations in excess of several years, bright ringed deposits about 250 km in diameter, restriction to an equatorial location high in SO2 and temperatures less than 400 K. In addition, an intermediate type of feature was noted at either end of the linear feature Loki. Two separate mechanisms, involving SO2 and sulfur as driving sources, are proposed to account for the Pele- and Prometheus-type eruptions, respectively, and the discrete temperatures of the plumes are suggested to reflect the temperatures at which sulfur is a low-viscosity fluid.
The adsorption of chlordane by wheat flour from chlordane-treated shelf paper☆

Abstract Packaged wheat flour stored in direct contact with chlordane-treated shelf paper adsorbed with time appreciable amounts of the pesticide from the paper. Direct contact of the package with the paper was more conducive to flour contamination than it was from exposure of the flour to the vaporized pesticide components from the paper. Sorption effects of the pesticide with flour varied with the mode of exposure and the type of bag used, i.e. when the bags were in direct contact with the shelf paper, the flour packaged in polyethylene bags contained the largest amount of chlordane residue (29 ppm), which decreased about 10 per cent when packaged in single-thickness kraft paper bags and about 35 per cent in double-thickness kraft paper bags. When the bags were separated from direct contact with the shelf paper by means of open glass containers, contamination of the flour was tangibly decreased, whereby the amounts of residue found in the kraft single- and double-thickness paper bags were 0·4 and 0·3 ppm, respectively, compared to only 0·06 ppm in the polyethylene bags.
The contact chemoreceptor organs of the mosquito and their function in feeding behaviour

Abstract Contact chemoreceptor organs were identified on the tarsi, labella, and ligula of the mosquito Culiseta inornata. These sensilla are all trichoid in structure. Evidence was found for taste receptors in the cibarium. The behavioural responses mediated by the different taste organs are described. Water and sugars applied to the chemoreceptor hairs on the labella and ligula evoked feeding responses, but blood was ineffective. Receptors within the cibarium are sensitive to water, sugars, and blood. Evidence is presented that taste organs on the proboscis play no part in sucking blood. It is believed that stimuli which attract mosquitoes to their hosts also elicit sucking during the act of probing. Blood drawn into the cibarium stimulates taste receptors to supply the sensory input for control of sucking.
Evaluation of ischemic stroke hybrid segmentation in a rat model of temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion using ground truth from histologic and MR data

A segmentation method that quantifies cerebral infarct using rat data with ischemic stroke is evaluated using ground truth from histologic and MR data. To demonstrate alternative approach to rapid quantification of cerebral infarct volumes using histologic stained slices that requires scarifying animal life, a study with MR acquire volumetric rat data is proposed where ground truth is obtained by manual delineations by experts and automated segmentation is assessed for accuracy. A framework for evaluation of segmentation is used that provides more detailed accuracy measurements than mere cerebral infarct volume. Our preliminary experiment shows that ground truth derived from MRI data is at least as good as the one obtained from the histologic slices for evaluating segmentation algorithms for accuracy. Therefore we can develop and evaluate automated segmentation methods for rapid quantification of stroke without the necessitating animal sacrifice.
Fracture processes in concrete and fiber reinforced cementitious composites

This paper discusses the fracture processes of concrete and fiber reinforced cementitious composites with special focus on the development of the fracture process zone with respect to the stress-separation constitutive relation of such materials. The suggestion is that the overall mechanical behavior of a concrete or FRC structure could be strongly influenced by the stress-separation constitutive relation, which in turn could be altered by engineering the microstructure of the material, especially in FRC. The process zone length is found not to be a material property, but depends on the geometry of the specimen and the loading configurations. All these results are shown explicitly by a simple numerical model of a center-cracked panel subject to remote edge loading or to wedge loading on the crack faces. These calculations also provide further understanding to the validity of certain failure criteria.
X-Ray magnetic circular dichroism at temperatures <1 K: demonstration with the blue copper site in plastocyanin

We have demonstrated the first XMCD to be taken at ultra-low temperatures (<1 K) using a 3He cryostat. By measuring the XMCD at a fixed temperature and varying fields, we have been able to plot a magnetization curve for the S = 12 Cu site in the protein plastocyanin. This magnetization curve allows us to definitively calculate the temperature at the surface of the sample and remove any ambiguity related to the system thermometry. These experiments at low temperature open the door to further study of more complicated systems by optimizing the observable XMCD effect and allowing us to reach a wide range of field and temperature combinations.
Creative Economies in Post-Industrial Cities: Manufacturing a (Different) Scene

Myrna Margulies Breitbart, ed. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2013. xvii and 326 pp., figures, index. $119.95 cloth (ISBN 978-1-4094-1084-3).I accepted the invitation to review Myrna Margulies Breitbart'...
Toxic effects of ethylene oxide residues on bovine embryos in vitro

The potential of ethylene oxide (EtO) residues in exposed plastic tissue culture dishes to adversely affect bovine oocyte maturation, fertilization and subsequent embryonic development was monitored. In experiment 1, the effects of aeration time and aeration combined with washing of EtO-gassed culture dishes on the extent of residual toxicity were investigated. There was no cleavage in any treatment in which oocytes were matured and fertilized in dishes exposed to EtO. EtO residues caused functional degeneration of oocytes even when culture dishes were aerated for more than 12 days post EtO-exposure and repeatedly washed. In experiment 2, the residual toxicity of EtO gas on in vitro maturation (IVM), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro culture (IVC) were evaluated. Cleavage rate significantly decreased and post-cleavage development was retarded in ova maintained in dishes treated with EtO either during IVM or IVF. EtO residues may be more detrimental to spermatozoa than to oocytes which may have been the primary cause of fertilization failure during IVF.
System design criteria for space television

A narrow band television system for relaying to earth images of the planets is described. The principal consideration is the necessity of communicating over extremely long ranges. Because of the resulting high noise environment, the channel bandwidth is severely restricted. Bandwidth compression is achieved by storing the video signal on magnetic tape or photographic film and transmitting at a reduced information rate.An f.m.-p.m. telemetry system is utilized. The doppler-shifted carrier is recovered from the noise by a very narrow tracking filter or phase-locked loop. The derived carrier is mixed with the incoming signal to yield the noisy video information. The discriminator is also a phase-locked loop with sufficient bandwidth to track the information signal. The recording operation is reversed at the receiver to present the video image at periodic intervals, or a facsimile technique may be employed. The main interest of the paper is directed toward the theory and design of the very narrow band telemetry system and the unconventional discriminator required for ultra-long-range television communication.
Abdominoscrotal hydrocele: a reliable surgical technique

Abdominoscrotal hydrocele (ASH) consists of two large sacs, both abdominal and scrotal, connecting with the inguinal channel. The diagnosis is made only by ultrasound scan. Surgical treatment is mandatory since no spontaneous resolution has been reported. A new surgical procedure used successfully to treat 11 patients with ASH is described.
Aggregated oviposition byChymomyza amoena (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Aggregated oviposition byChymomyza amoena in Virginia and Michigan has been shown to be due to egg clustering, females attracted to fruits on whichC. amoena females have already oviposited, and to variation in fruit attractiveness. Negative binomialk values support behavioral similarities among females of this rarely seen species in both states. Discovery ofC. amoena in Europe may indicate that this larval overwintering drosophilid has a Holarctic distribution.
Vehicle Suspension Design Based on a Six-Bar Linkage

A synthesis technique for designing novel vehicle suspension linkages based on the Watt I six-bar is presented. The goal is to maintain near vertical alignment of the wheels to the road during cornering. The complete suspension is analyzed as a symmetric planar 12-bar linkage with ground pivots located at the contact patches. The design procedure specifies the vehicle chassis orientation and the tire camber angles of the vehicle when cornering. As well, two task positions of the wheels with respect to the chassis are specified for suspension movement in straightaways. The result is 18 design equations with 18 unknowns that have a total degree of 2,097,152, though only 336 roots. An example design is presented.
The Epidemiology of Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus Infections in California from 1985 to 1995

Comprehensive hospital discharge data completed by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development was used to determine whether the proportion of infants </=6 weeks of age who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection changed between 1985 and 1995. During 1985, 1990, and 1995, respectively, 11.7, 11.3, and 11.4 infants per 100,000 live births had a diagnosis of HSV (P=.98). The proportion of infants 1-42 days of age who were discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of HSV infection did not change over this time period despite a decrease in deliveries by cesarean section and an increase in the proportion of women with a diagnosis of genital HSV infection who gave birth to infants by vaginal delivery. From 1985 to 1995 there was no decrease in the rate of secondary diagnosis of genital HSV in delivering women.
Physical and Sexual Covictimization From Dating Partners A Distinct Type of Intimate Abuse

Covictimized women experience both physical and sexual forms of abuse. The purpose of the present research was to compare covictimized women to those who experienced physical violence only or unwanted sexual activity only from dating partners. Data were collected from two samples of female undergraduates in heterosexual relationships. Covictimization was associated with less general satisfaction (Study 1) and sexual satisfaction (Study 2), more arguing (Study 1) and verbal conflict (Study 2), and more partner psychological aggression (Studies 1 and 2). Overall, findings suggest that dating partner covictimization may be a distinct type of interpersonal abuse that warrants further research.
Lexical semantics and irregular inflection

Whether a word has an irregular inflection does not depend on its sound alone: compare lie-lay (recline) and lie-lied (prevaricate). Theories of morphology, particularly connectionist and symbolic models, disagree on which nonphonological factors are responsible. We test four possibilities: (1) Lexical effects, in which two lemmas differ in whether they specify an irregular form; (2) Semantic effects, in which the semantic features of a word become associated with regular or irregular forms; (3) Morphological structure effects, in which a word with a headless structure (e.g., a verb derived from a noun) blocks access to a stored irregular form; (4) Compositionality effects, in which the stored combination of an irregular word's meaning (e.g., the verb's inherent aspect) with the meaning of the inflection (e.g., pastness) doesn't readily transfer to new senses with different combinations of such meanings. In four experiments, speakers were presented with existing and novel verbs and asked to rate their past-tense forms, semantic similarities, grammatical structure, and aspectual similarities. We found (1) an interaction between semantic and phonological similarity, coinciding with reported strategies of analogizing to known verbs and implicating lexical effects; (2) weak and inconsistent effects of semantic similarity; (3) robust effects of morphological structure, and (4) robust effects of aspectual compositionality. Results are consistent with theories of language that invoke lexical entries and morphological structure, and which differentiate the mode of storage of regular and irregular verbs. They also suggest how psycholinguistic processes have shaped vocabulary structure over history.
Applying ZEKE-spectroscopy to clusters

In this paper we describe the application of a special form of electron photodetachment spectroscopy, zero electron kinetic energy (ZEKE) spectroscopy, to the study of cold metal cluster anions. From this study we have obtained vibrational and thus structural information of several neutral and charged clusters, e.g. Au2−/0, Ag3−/0, Sn2−/0 and Al3−/0. In addition, in separate measurements of the relative photodetachment cross section of Au2−, we have discovered sharp resonances which are due to electronic autodetachment from a short lived excited state.
The “Old West” in the Middle East: U.S. Military Metaphors in Real and Imagined Indian Country

In this article, I examine the role of the "Indian Country" heritage metaphor in U.S. military activities in the Middle East from a critical anthropological perspective. Research has revealed the proliferation of such discourse among soldiers, military strategists, reporters, and World Wide Web users to refer to hostile, unsecured, and dangerous territory in Iraq and Afghanistan. The salience of this symbol in 21st-century U.S. armed conflicts attests to its staying power in national narratives of colonialism at home and abroad. Summoning the "Indian wars" of the 19th century in the U.S. West as malleable symbolic parallels to the current war in Iraq serves to offer combat lessons in guerilla warfare while reinscribing epic stories of U.S. military imperialism and renarrating uncritically the struggles and conflicts of Native Americans, past and present, through the lens of contemporary perspectives on terrorism. (Keywords: Indian Country, war, heritage, Iraq)
Rate Constants for the Gas Phase Reaction of Ozone with α-Pinene and Terpinolene

Abstract The rate constants for the gas phase reactions of ozone with the terpenes, α-pinene and terpinolene, in air have been determined with the use of the O3/NO chemiluminescent technique. The effect of molecular oxygen on the α-pinene-ozone system has also been investigated.
A Rationale for a Science Museum

There is an increasing need to develop public understanding of science and technology. The fruits of science and the products of technology continue to shape the nature of our society and to influence events which have a world-wide significance. Yet the gulf between the daily lives and experience of most people and the complexity of science and technology is widening. Remarkably few individuals are familiar with the details of the industrial processes involved in their food, their medicine, their entertainment or their clothing. The phenomena of basic science which have become the raw material of invention are not easily accessible by the direct and unaided observation of nature yet they are natural phenomena which have, for one segment of society, become as intriguing and as beautiful as a butterfly or a flower.
Model for Heteroepitaxy on Patterned Substrates

In this work, a new model based on energy balance for heteroepitaxial growth on a patterned substrate and an additional thin buffer layer on top of it has been developed. The structure used in our model is assumed to be GeSi/buffer-Si/patterned-Si and comparisons are made with simple crystalline GeSi/Si. However, the model described here is quite general and can be adopted for any other material systems. Using this model, coupled with experimentally known material constants, the critical layer thickness ( h c ) of a lattice mismatched heterolayer can be determined for a patterned substrate, having a characteristic “seed pads” size ( l ), and a buffer layer thickness ( h b ). The dislocation-free condition under this case is also established.
Rethinking Electronic Health Records to Better Achieve Quality and Safety Goals

Health care information technology changes the ecosystem of a practice. Human roles, process work flow, and technology infrastructure are tightly interrelated. Medical errors may increase if a change in one is not accommodated by a change in the others. Introduction of information technology should be approached as an iterative process of care improvement rather than as a one-time insertion of an information system into established practice. Information technology supports a family of technological approaches, each with distinct mechanisms of action, benefits, and side effects. By matching technological approach to task and staging introduction into practice, initial benefit can be obtained more quickly, at reduced cost, while managing risk of a misfit. A staged approach to turning direct access by patients to their health information into more effective care is presented as an example of this strategy.
Treatment strategies for diabetic patients suffering from erectile dysfunction: an update

Introduction: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most common complications of diabetes. The complex pathophysiology of this disease makes it difficult to create clinical treatments tailored specifically for diabetic patients.Areas covered: This article will provide an update of both medical and surgical treatment approaches for diabetic ED, as well as discuss established treatments that are the cornerstone of this field.Expert opinion: Currently, PDE type 5 inhibitors represent the first-line treatment for all patients with ED. In the interim since this article’s first publication several new PDE5 inhibitors have come to market. Several others that were previously on the market are now available for daily dosing. Analysis of both testosterone level and hemoglobin A1c is an essential part of treatment. Intracavernosal injections and vacuum constriction devices remain safe, and are highly effective treatment options. The implantable penile prosthesis remains a safe, and definitive treatment modality fo...
Binary Image Transforms: An old twist in Image Processing revisited

Image processing techniques (and papers describing them) have evolved rapidly in recent years. Lately, publications in image processing have underscored advances in compression, restoration, and enhancement of gray level and color coded image information using dedicated pipeline processing and systolic array architectures. These new algorithms and specialized hardware have been developed and applied to such real-time tasks as automated testors on manufacturing lines and robotic vehicle guidance systems. Often overlooked is the art of binary image processing. A review of binary processing techniques is valuable in understanding the the basic operating principles of high-speed optical inspection devices in particular and many pipeline array processing devices in general. The class of binary image transforms covered here was originally developed for topological operations on thresheld image data. These non-linear operations are based on boolean transformations of a pixel and its eight adjacent neighbors (in a discrete Cartesian plane) and are named morphological transforms by some authors. A straightforward way to visualize such transforms is outlined in the paper and will be demonstrated at the conference. The demonstration program package was written using the IBM Personal Computer BASIC language and was presented as an educational tool in a graduate level course in image processing. The skeletal program included in the text was enhanced to allow real-time demonstration of these transform techniques and encourages readers to experiment and develop their own lookup tables and image transforms. Understanding the function and generation of these lookup tables, which can provide any arbitrary boolean combination of the nine binary values available from a pixel and its eight Cartesian neighbors, is the key to grasping the image transforms illustrated here. Examples in the paper and presentation give the reader an idea of the power and flexibility these transforms provide in image processing and feature recognition tasks. An overview of some relevant image processing topics precedes the discussion of binary transforms and the transform simulator.
Vitamin D deficiency of unknown etiology

We report on a 68 year old Caucasian male who was referred to our Metabolic Clinic with a very low 25 hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) level of 4.0 ng/ml. History did not reveal any medications know to interfere with 25(OH)D metabolism or history of bone pains or weakness and clinical examination did not reveal myopathy. Relevant laboratory testing confirmed the low 25(OH)D with hypocalcinuria. All other laboratory tests were essentially normal. He was started on oral Vitamin D supplementation and had an excellent response with his most recent level at 35.1 ng/ml. Since we could not find an obvious cause for his Vitamin D deficiency we speculate that it is possibly due to his obesity and suggest that obese persons be screened for Vitamin D deficiency.
University Faculty Attitudes on Affirmative Action Principles Toward Faculty and Students

Despite its relatively short history, policies connected with Affirmative Action have endured a controversial social, political, and legal past. Higher education has witnessed much of this controversy firsthand. Because the venue of many Affirmative Action battles has been waged within educational settings, faculty in higher education are uniquely positioned because they are integrally involved in decisions regarding faculty hiring as well as student admissions, particularly at the graduate level. Therefore, this study examined the attitudes of faculty toward Affirmative Action principles and reverse discrimination as they might apply to students and faculty colleagues, with particular attention to which concepts were more supported. Results from 428 faculty indicated general support for diversity, although specific concerns were raised regarding reverse discrimination and the appropriateness of targeting persons of color or women. The most favorable attitudes supported students with demonstrated financia...
Elders know best - handling churn in less structured P2P systems

We address the problem of highly transient populations in unstructured and loosely-structured peer-to-peer systems. We propose a number of illustrative query-related strategies and organizational protocols that, by taking into consideration the expected session times of peers (their lifespans), yield systems with performance characteristics more resilient to the natural instability of their environments. We first demonstrate the benefits of lifespan-based organizational protocols in terms of end-application performance and in the context of dynamic and heterogeneous Internet environments. We do this using a number of currently adopted and proposed query-related strategies, including methods for query distribution, caching and replication. We then show, through trace-driven simulation and wide-area experimentation, the performance advantages of lifespan-based, query-related strategies when layered over currently employed and lifespan-based organizational protocols. While merely illustrative, the evaluated strategies and protocols clearly demonstrate the advantages of considering peers' session time in designing widely-deployed peer-to-peer systems.
A Volterra approach to dynamic modeling of the visual cortex

The visual cortex of a freshwater turtle, when stimulated by a pattern of light, produces waves of activity that have been both recorded experimentally and simulated using a model cortex. The observed wave can be encoded using principal component analysis with respect to a set of spatial and temporal basis functions. The encoding process generates a vector time series of coefficients (temporal strands) in a suitable lower dimensional beta-space. The goal of this paper is to reproduce the temporal strands as an output of a non-linear, time-invariant, input-output dynamical system. The main result of this paper is to show that Volterra series can be used effectively for this purpose. We show this by conducting two separate simulations. In the first simulation, we stimulate the cortex with a flash of light that is spatially uniform but temporally varies cosinusoidally. In the second simulation, we consider input stimulations that are spatially restricted from the left, right, and center of the visual field. The simulations have been conducted by considering a single flash or a pair of flashes simultaneously applied to any of the above three locations of the visual field. Temporally, the flashes continue to vary cosinusoidally within a range of frequencies or frequency pairs.
Mood congruent memory: The role of affective focus and gender

Abstract A considerable, but sometimes inconsistent, body of research exists indicating that affective state imposes a mood congruent bias upon memory. The present study sought to identify the conditions under which this bias is present. College students were classified as dysphoric vs. nondysphoric on the basis of their scores on the Beck Depression Inventory-Short Form (BDI-SF). Memories elicited were of recent autobiographical events, subsequently rated with respect to happiness/unhappiness. Two variables were considered: gender, and whether or not the subject had completed the BDI-SF just prior to generating memories. Among males who had not just taken the BDI-SF, mood congruence was absent. Both being female and completing the BDI-SF resulted in mood congruence, and these effects were additive. This indicates that mood congruence requires a modicum of awareness of one's own mood state—an awareness which is perhaps chronic among females and which becomes elevated in both genders simply by completing a...
Effects of inbreeding on male function and self-fertility in the partially self-incompatible herb Campanula rapunculoides (Campanulaceae).

We examined the effect of inbreeding on fitness (through both male and female functions) and changes in self-fertility in the partially self-incompatible species Campanula rapunculoides . Individuals in natural populations of C. rapunculoides varied extensively in their strength of self-incompatibility (SI). We crossed 11 individuals that differed in their strength of SI to generate families with four levels of inbreeding ( f 5 0.0, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75). Progeny were scored for three traits related to male fitness and for outcrossed and selfed seed production. Analyses of variance revealed significant inbreeding depression for the three male traits and seed set. Families with strong or weak SI differed in their response to inbreeding. Families with weak SI had lower levels of inbreeding depression for most traits than families with strong SI, but strong SI families had a greater increase in selfed seed set, but not self-fertility, with inbreeding. Finally, we found evidence of a significant linear response to inbreeding for all three male reproductive traits and outcrossed seed, indicating that inbreeding depression was primarily caused by partially or fully recessive deleterious alleles. Variation in genetic load was associated with variation in self-fertility, a finding that suggests an evolutionary role for partial self-fertility in natural populations of C. rapunculoides.
Modeling path diversity for multiple description video communication

The use of multiple description (MD) video coding and path diversity has been proposed to provide improved performance over lossy packet networks [1]. The goal of this work was to develop models to accurately and quickly predict and compare the distortion of MD video coding and path diversity against conventional single description (SD) video delivered over a single path. In the process, we developed (1) a model for the loss process of a two-path path diversity system, and (2) a distortion model that maps the loss model to MD distortion values. Given these models we present a number of comparisons between MD video coding and path diversity and conventional SD video over a single path. The proposed model for path diversity may also be useful in other applications not related to MD coding. Furthermore, other forms of MD coding may be analyzed using similar models for MD distortion.
Towards administration of a hybrid role hierarchy

Role-based access control (RBAC) models have emerged as a leading access control approach for today's information systems. Hybrid role hierarchies introduced in the generalized temporal RBAC model have shown to be very desirable for capturing fine-grained access control semantics. However, its administration can become significantly complex. Efficient techniques are needed to administer such hierarchies to support the development of high performance access control systems. In this paper, we present two approaches to implementing a hybrid role hierarchy in the context of the GTRBAC model and analyze and compare their complexities.
Asbestos burden and the pathology of lung cancer.

To determine whether we could distinguish asbestos-related lung cancers from unrelated ones, we typed and quantified by electron-optical methods the asbestos fibers in the lungs of 75 men with lung cancer. All but eight men had some history of asbestos exposure. On the basis of combined amosite and crocidolite (AC) concentrations, we divided the subjects into three groups (AC fibers per gram of dry lung): low ( 5 ); intermediate (10 5 to 10 6 ); and high (>10 6 ). Age, smoking history, latent period, and type and location of tumors were similar in all three groups. Of 62 evaluated subjects, zero of 14 in the low group, seven of 29 in the intermediate group, and five of 19 in the high group had asbestosis. Epidemiologic studies suggest that persons exposed to concentrations of asbestos that can cause asbestosis are at increased risk for lung cancer. Thus, the subjects in our intermediate and high concentration groups may have been at increased risk for cancer, even when they did not have asbestosis. Because large burdens of asbestos do not always cause pulmonary fibrosis, asbestosis may be a poor marker of fiber-related lung cancer.
Autocrine Role for the Endothelin-B Receptor in the Secretion of Adrenomedullin

Adrenomedullin, originally discovered in human pheochromocytoma, is a vasodilating and natriuretic peptide of vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cell origin. Although endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been implicated as a vasoconstricting and growth-promoting peptide of endothelial origin, it may more importantly function as an autocrine factor and release vasodilatory substances such as nitric oxide by mechanisms linked to the endothelin-B (ETB) receptor subtype. The present study was designed to establish that the ETB receptor stimulates the secretion of adrenomedullin from cultured canine aortic endothelial cells. We first sought to determine the presence and production of adrenomedullin in canine aortic endothelial cells using immunohistochemistry and Northern blot analysis, which revealed that adrenomedullin immunoreactivity and adrenomedullin mRNA were present in canine aortic endothelial cells. Second, adrenomedullin was time-dependently secreted from canine aortic endothelial cells, with a secretion rate of 15.7+/-1.5 pg/10(5) cells per 24 hours. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of the ETB receptor in canine aortic endothelial cells, and ETB receptor stimulation by sarafotoxin S6c increased adrenomedullin production and secretion from canine aortic endothelial cells. Such actions were blocked with the ETB receptor antagonist IRL-2500 but not with ETA receptor antagonist FR-139317. These studies are the first to report an additional autocrine role of the ETB receptor in the release of vasodilating and natriuretic peptide adrenomedullin, and they suggest another important vasoactive system regulated by the ET receptor subtype.
Mass balance and isotope effects during nitrogen transport through septic tank systems with packed-bed (sand) filters

Abstract Septic tank systems are an important source of NO 3 − to many aquifers, yet characterization of N mass balance and isotope systematics following septic tank effluent discharge into unsaturated sediments has received limited attention. In this study, samples of septic tank effluent before and after transport through single-pass packed-bed filters (sand filters) were evaluated to elucidate mass balance and isotope effects associated with septic tank effluent discharge to unsaturated sediments. Chemical and isotopic data from five newly installed pairs and ten established pairs of septic tanks and packed-bed filters serving single homes in Oregon indicate that aqueous solute concentrations are affected by variations in recharge (precipitation, evapotranspiration), NH 4 + sorption (primarily in immature systems), nitrification, and gaseous N loss via NH 3 volatilization and(or) N 2 or N 2 O release during nitrification/denitrification. Substantial NH 4 + sorption capacity was also observed in laboratory columns with synthetic effluent. Septic tank effluent δ 15 N–NH 4 + values were almost constant and averaged + 4.9‰ ± 0.4‰ (1 σ ). In contrast, δ 15 N values of NO 3 − leaving mature packed-bed filters were variable (+ 0.8 to + 14.4‰) and averaged + 7.2‰ ± 2.6‰. Net N loss in the two networks of packed-bed filters was indicated by average 10–30% decreases in Cl − -normalized N concentrations and 2–3‰ increases in δ 15 N, consistent with fractionation accompanying gaseous N losses and corroborating established links between septic tank effluent and NO 3 − in a local, shallow aquifer. Values of δ 18 O–NO 3 − leaving mature packed-bed filters ranged from − 10.2 to − 2.3‰ (mean − 6.4‰ ± 1.8‰), and were intermediate between a 2/3 H 2 O–O + 1/3 O 2 –O conceptualization and a 100% H 2 O–O conceptualization of δ 18 O–NO 3 − generation during nitrification.
Formamidine Pesticides-Actions in Insects and Acarines

The formamidines are a novel group of acaricide-insecticides, unique both in chemical structure and in their range of biological activities. No general agreement exists concerning their mechanisms of action. The biological and pharmacological activities of the formamidine pesticides have recently been reviewed (Hollingworth, 1976; Matsumura and Beeman, 1976). This report will attempt to reassess the problem of formamidine pesticidal mechanisms, and to define future research needs.