cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanical stimulation of mammary gland development in virgin and pregnant rats

Abstract The mammary glands of pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats prevented from self-licking by collars around the neck ( n = 9) were only about 50% as developed as those of pregnant rats without collars ( n = 9). However, when the ventral body surface of pregnant collared rats was stimulated mechanically ( n = 9), mammary glands increased in size, underwent lobuloalveolar growth, and secreted milk in a manner similar to normal pregnant rats. When virgin rats were stimulated mechanically for 22 days ( n = 9), their mammary glands had significantly greater secretory tissue and lobuloalveolar development than did the glands of nonstimulated virgin rats ( n = 9). Stimulated rats were tied to the stimulating device under ether anesthesia. Because ether and restraint have been shown under some conditions to be Stressors that increase development of the mammary glands, two additional pregnant collared control groups were added. One was restrained on the device without stimulation ( n = 9). The other was lightly anesthetized with ether ( n = 10). Mammary underdevelopment occurred in both groups. This suggested that stress of ether and restraint were unlikely causes of the mammary development in the stimulated group.
Gene evolution and functions of extracellular matrix proteins in teeth

The extracellular matrix (ECM) not only provides physical support for tissues, but it is also critical for tissue development, homeostasis and disease. Over 300 ECM molecules have been defined as comprising the "core matrisome" in mammals through the analysis of whole genome sequences. During tooth development, the structure and functions of the ECM dynamically change. In the early stages, basement membranes (BMs) separate two cell layers of the dental epithelium and the mesenchyme. Later in the differentiation stages, the BM layer is replaced with the enamel matrix and the dentin matrix, which are secreted by ameloblasts and odontoblasts, respectively. The enamel matrix genes and the dentin matrix genes are each clustered in two closed regions located on human chromosome 4 (mouse chromosome 5), except for the gene coded for amelogenin, the major enamel matrix protein, which is located on the sex chromosomes. These genes for enamel and dentin matrix proteins are derived from a common ancestral gene, but as a result of evolution, they diverged in terms of their specific functions. These matrix proteins play important roles in cell adhesion, polarity, and differentiation and mineralization of enamel and dentin matrices. Mutations of these genes cause diseases such as odontogenesis imperfect (OI) and amelogenesis imperfect (AI). In this review, we discuss the recently defined terms matrisome and matrixome for ECMs, as well as focus on genes and functions of enamel and dentin matrix proteins.
Performance: A Strategy for Professional Development in Early Childhood Teacher Preparation

The purpose of this article is to propose performance as a creative instructional strategy to convey complex competencies related to understanding and working effectively with families in early childhood education. Performance derives from performance ethnography, which is a qualitative research methodology. Its application to professional development enables students and in-service participants not only to hear the voices of families, but to experience them through performance. This article describes the advantages and disadvantages of performance as an approach to professional development and illustrates the development and application of an example performance. Authors discuss how faculty, researchers, and those responsible for professional development can use performance to bridge the gap between research and practice and to move early childhood educators towards greater family-centered competencies when serving diverse families and children.
Regional Inequality of Industrial Output in China, 1952 to 1990

This paper examines regional inequality of industrial output in China from 1952 to 1990. This study reveals that regional inequality was widespread when socialist China was established in 1949. It was reduced in the 1950s as a result of the efforts to develop the interior through the implementation of the First Five Year Plan (1953–57). After that, regional inequality persisted for one-and-a-half decades due mainly to the poor economic returns of the defence-oriented “Third Front” programme, decentralization, the reorientation of development policies, and the incidence of disruptive political events. Since the launch of economic reforms in 1978, interregional inequality among the eastern, central and western regions has gradually increased. However, interprovincial inequality decreased. The relative decline of the traditionally rich provinces (three municipalities and the northeastern industrial bases) has contributed to the decline of interprovincial inequality. Meanwhile, favourable state policy, local initiatives and foreign investment and trade have stimulated the growth of the coastal provinces of Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shandong, Zhejiang and Fujian, leading to more rapid coastal development and the increase of interregional inequality. The emerging new map of regional development is important to the understanding of regional inequality in post-Mao China.
Influence of silicon carbide particulates on tensile fracture behavior of an aluminum alloy

Abstract In this research paper the tensile properties and fracture characteristics of an Al–Cu–Mg alloy discontinuously reinforced with silicon carbide particulates (SiC p ) are presented and discussed. The increased strength of the Al–Cu–Mg/SiC p composite is attributed to the synergistic influences of residual stresses arising from intrinsic differences in response of the composite constituents, that is, metal matrix and ceramic-particle reinforcements, during cyclic deformation and strengthening from constrained plastic flow and triaxiality in the ductile aluminum alloy metal matrix due to the presence of ceramic particle reinforcements. Fracture on a microscopic scale comprised of cracking of both the individual silicon carbide particulates and even the clusters of silicon carbide particles present in the microstructure. Final fracture of the composite resulted from crack propagation through the matrix between the clusters of reinforcing SiC particles. The key mechanisms governing the tensile fracture process are discussed.
Evidence of probable scurvy in subadults from archeological sites in North America.

The authors surveyed subadult human skeletons from Native American archeological sites in the United States for evidence of skeletal lesions associated with scurvy. Geographic regions surveyed include the Midatlantic area, the Southeast (Florida), the Southwest, and the Plains. The prevalence of probable subadult scurvy ranged from zero in the Plains samples to 38% in a small sample from Florida. These data indicate the likelihood that scurvy was a significant childhood disease in many Native American groups. Reasons for variation in prevalence remain speculative but include regional and seasonal variation in food types and abundance, cultural patterns of storage and utilization, periodic food shortages, and the relative importance of corn in the diet. These factors are part of a nutritional complex that is related to disease prevalence which can be studied through evidence seen in archeological human remains.
Homogeneous groups with acutely psychotic schizophrenics

Clinicians and researchers may be chagrined by the absence of good comparative outcome data which could help us all make better informed decisions about assigning schizophrenic inpatients to the most appropriate therapy groups, particularly as regards heterogeneous vs. homogeneous diagnostic groupings. Nonetheless, the preponderance of theoretical, clinical, and pragmatic evidence, as well as the limited empirical data, support homogeneous group composition for acutely psychotic schizophrenic inpatients. The present assertions regarding the advantages of homogeneous therapy groupings of schizophrenics are based on direct clinical experience, observations, and data collection from a schizophrenic group Dr. Kanas and I began more than four years ago on the Psychiatric Inpatient Unit at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. The patients comprising this group have been primarily male, acutely psychotic patients carrying a DSM-III diagnosis of schizophrenia. They stayed an average of about five weeks on this unlocked unit and attended an average of nine group sessions. The groups were open and occurred three times weekly the first two years, increasing to four times weekly in the past two years. Despite the current lack of empirical comparative outcomes, it was empirically derived findings that stimulated the interest in and design of this homogeneous schizophrenic group at the outset. In a well-controlled outcome study of group therapy effectiveness on an acute psychiatric inpatient unit, Kanas et al. (1980) found that while inpatients generally benefited from group therapy on objective improvement measures, a significant proportion of schizophrenic patients deteriorated in functioning when compared to those schizophrenics assigned to a "no group" condition. Interpreting this to mean that heterogeneous, insight-oriented group therapy is ineffective or actually countertherapeutic for acutely psychotic schizophrenics, Dr. Kanas and I constructed a model of homogeneous schizophrenic group treatment designed specifically for the needs of the poorly functioning schizophrenic inpatient and attempted to examine its usefulness in a series of studies (Kanas & Barr, 1982, 1983, 1984, in press; Kanas et al., in press).
THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF STRUCTURAL AND STRATEGIC FAMILY THERAPIES: A DELPHI STUDY

The present study employed the Delphi procedure to examine the similarities and differences in the theory and practice of structural and strategic family therapy. A three-phase Delphi questionnaire was sent to a national panel of knowledgeable structural and strategic therapists, who were asked to identify and reach a consensus of opinion about items they thought important to a profile of either structural or strategic family therapy. In addition, questions were devised to examine the Mental Research Institute, MRI, Haley/Madanes, and Milan/Ackerman approaches to strategic family therapy. The final profiles are described and discussed.
An investigation into the electron-proton discrimination capabilities of ionization calorimeters

This paper seeks to provide an experimental indication of the rate at which protons mimic electrons in ionization calorimeters. A pseudo-theoretical electron cascade function was fitted to calorimeter events caused by 300 GeV accelerator protons in order to see what fraction of the protons looked like electrons. For calorimeters longer than one nuclear interaction length, the results were in good agreement with the theory which says that only one process should make a significant contribution to the mimicking of electrons by protons: the diffractive excitation of the incident proton, producing a π0 while the incident proton continues on undeflected without further interactions. For calorimeters shorter than one nuclear interaction length a much higher mimic rate was seen, which is to be expected since hadrons produced with a π0 can easily pass undetected through the calorimeter. These results can be used to estimate the contamination of the data of past experiments and as support for the predictions being used to design future experiments.
Mortality Reduction by Heart Rate Characteristic Monitoring in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates: A Randomized Trial

Objective To test the hypothesis that heart rate characteristics (HRC) monitoring improves neonatal outcomes. Study design We conducted a two-group, parallel, individually randomized controlled clinical trial of 3003 very low birth weight infants in 9 neonatal intensive care units. In one group, HRC monitoring was displayed; in the other, it was masked. The primary outcome was number of days alive and ventilator-free in the 120 days after randomization. Secondary outcomes were mortality, number of ventilator days, neonatal intensive care unit stay, and antibiotic use. Results The mortality rate was reduced in infants whose HRC monitoring was displayed, from 10.2% to 8.1% (hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.61-0.99; P = .04; number needed to monitor = 48), and there was a trend toward increased days alive and ventilator-free (95.9 of 120 days compared with 93.6 in control subjects, P = .08). The mortality benefit was concentrated in infants with a birth weight Conclusion HRC monitoring can reduce the mortality rate in very low birth weight infants.
Thermal unfolding in a GCN4-like leucine zipper: 13C alpha NMR chemical shifts and local unfolding curves.

13C alpha chemical shifts and site-specific unfolding curves are reported for 12 sites on a 33-residue, GCN4-like leucine zipper peptide (GCN4-lzK), ranging over most of the chain and sampling most heptad positions. Data were derived from NMR spectra of nine synthetic, isosequential peptides bearing 99% 13C alpha at sites selected to avoid spectral overlap in each peptide. At each site, separate resonances appear for unfolded and folded forms, and most sites show resonances for two folded forms near room temperature. The observed chemical shifts suggest that 1) urea-unfolded GCN4-lzK chains are randomly coiled; 2) thermally unfolded chains include significant transient structure, except at the ends; 3) the coiled-coli structure in the folded chains is atypical near the C-terminus; 4) only those interior sites surrounded by canonical interchain salt bridges fail to show two folded forms. Local unfolding curves, obtained from integrated resonance intensities, show that 1) sites differ in structure content and in melting temperature, so the equilibrium population must comprise more than two molecular conformations; 2) there is significant end-fraying, even at the lowest temperatures, but thermal unfolding is not a progressive unwinding from the ends; 3) residues 9–16 are in the lowest melting region; 4) heptad position does not dictate stability; 5) significant unfolding occurs below room temperature, so the shallow, linear decline in backbone CD seen there has conformational significance. It seems that only a relatively complex array of conformational states could underlie these findings.
Monotonicity Properties of Optimal Transportation and the FKG and Related Inequalities

Optimal transportation between densities f(X), g(Y) can be interpreted as a joint probability distribution with marginally f(X), and g(Y). We prove monotonicity and concavity properties of optimal transportation (Y(X)) under suitable assumptions on f and g. As an application we obtain the Fortuin, Kasteleyn, Ginibre correlation inequalities as well as some generalizations of the Brascamp–Lieb momentum inequalities.
Low‐frequency electromagnetic waves driven by gyrotropic gyrating ion beams

The origin of left- and right-hand-polarized low-frequency waves in space plasmas is analyzed. It has been shown that a gyrotropic gyrating ion beam, a ring in velocity space, can excite electromagnetic modes in the plasma near the beam gyrofrequency. It excites left-hand-polarized shear Alfven waves and their harmonics via the coupling of Alfven modes with the beam modes. It can also excite right-hand-polarized fast-mode magnetosonic waves and their harmonics as well. The excitation is possible for beam ions heavier than the plasma ions. The growth rate varies as one-third power of the beam density and decreases with the angle of wave propagation with respect to the ambient magnetic field. The nonlocality has a stabilizing effect on the instability. The predicted values of the wave frequencies compare reasonably well with those observed in satellite data.
IgE receptor-mediated alteration of membrane-cytoskeleton interactions revealed by mass spectrometric analysis of detergent-resistant membranes.

We use electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to quantify >100 phospholipid (PL) components in detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) domains that are related to ordered membrane compartments commonly known as lipid rafts. We previously compared PL compositions of DRMs with plasma membrane vesicles and whole cell lipid extracts from RBL mast cells, and we made the initial observation that antigen stimulation of IgE receptors (FceRI) causes a significant change in the PL composition of DRMs [Fridriksson, E. K., et al. (1999) Biochemistry 38, 8056−8063]. We now characterize the signaling requirements and time course for this change, which is manifested as an increase in the recovery of polyunsaturated PL in DRM, particularly in phosphatidylinositol species. We find that this change is largely independent of tyrosine phosphorylation, stimulated by engagement of FceRI, and can be activated by Ca2+ ionophore in a manner independent of antigen stimulation. Unexpectedly, we found that inhibitors of actin polymeri...
A new Editor-in-Chief for the Journal

The twenty-sixth volume of the Journal ushers in a change in leadership and welcomes a new Editor-in-Chief. Having served the Journal as Editor-in-Chief for 20 years, I am stepping into an emeritus position, although I hope to continue to serve as a reviewer when invited. The incoming Editor-in-Chief is Reza Shaker, M.D. Dr. Shaker is well known to many of the readership of Dysphagia. He is a Professor of Medicine, Radiology, and Otolaryngology, Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Director of the Digestive Disease Center and Senior Associate Dean and Director of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at the Medical College of Wisconsin—Milwaukee, WI. Dr. Shaker is an internationally recognized gastroenterologist and investigator in the field of dysphagia, gastroesophageal reflux disease and cerebral cortical control of gastrointestinal sensory motor function. His research has led to some of the seminal discoveries in the area of airway protection and has opened new avenues of investigation and treatments for patients with swallowing disorders. He was the first to describe that the deglutitive upper esophageal sphincter opening can be increased by strengthening exercises of the suprahyoid muscles. This led to development of rehabilitative exercises for upper esophageal sphincter dysphagia: the Shaker Exercise. His work has led to the description of the subliminal domain of gut sensory function, allowing investigation of brain-gut axis without the influence of cognitive processes in humans. He developed the field of functional interaction between the upper gut and aerodigestive tract that has resulted in discovery of several related reflexes. Dr. Shaker has developed the technique of transnasal unsedated upper GI endoscopy for concurrent evaluation of the aerodigestive and upper GI tracts. He is the founder of the Dysphagia Research Society and the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Dysphagia Institute. Although I am somewhat conflicted and saddened to be leaving this position, I am pleased that I will hand over the B. Jones (&) Department of Radiology, The John Hopkins Hospital, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA e-mail: bjones1@jhmi.edu
An examination of rip current fatalities in the United States

This study analyzes fatalities caused by rip currents in the conterminous United States for the period 1994–2007. Results include the frequency of fatalities from rip currents, their cause, and their unique spatial distributions. An analysis of historical hazard event data illustrate that, on average, 35 people reportedly die from rip currents each year in the United States. Also, similar to other hazard events where unique differences in gender vulnerability have been found, men are over six times more likely to fall victim to a deadly rip current than females. Rip current fatalities are most common in the southeastern United States, with a nonuniform spatial distribution along other Atlantic, Pacific, and Great Lakes coastlines. Physical vulnerabilities are suggested as the primary cause for the unique fatality distribution found. Temporally, summer season weekends are shown to have the more fatalities than any other time of the year. A classification scheme was developed to categorize synoptic-scale weather conditions present during deadly rip current events. More than 70% of all rip current fatalities are associated with onshore winds. Specifically, a rip current fatality is most likely when a surface high pressure system creates these onshore winds. The quality of the fatality reporting database available for researchers is also assessed.
Nephronophthisis With Massive Proteinuria

A 23-year-old male whose uncle died of nephronophthisis, and whose pathology is also discussed, presented with 5 g of protein in a 24-hour urine collection. Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus and salt wasting were present in addition to azotemia. Characterization of the proteinuria, including elevated alpha globulins by electrophoresis and markedly elevated urinary betamicroglobulins by radioimmunoassay (49.55 mg/L) indicated predominantly tubular proteinuria. A percutaneous renal biopsy showed normal glomeruli, interstitial inflammation and fibrosis, and tubular atrophy. Electron microscopy revealed notable alterations of the tubular basement membrane.
A brief history of disk drive control

The purpose of this article is to provide a history of control in disk drives for rigid magnetic disks (often called hard disks). It begins with a short general history of disk drives. It then considers the feedback loop and trace the evolution of the individual components. Finally, we will focus on the control system itself, viewed in the context of overall history and the component history.
The Second-Order Gravitational Redshift

The direct measurement of the nonlinear term of the gravitational field equations by using very stable clocks is discussed along with measuring the perhelion advance of a planet or satellite. These are considered measurements of the second-order gravitational red shift. The exact expression for the frequency shift of light in a gravitational field is derived. Other topics discussed include: The Doppler-cancelling technique; the second-order red shift in a spherically symmetric gravitational field; finite signal transit time; and the reality and interpretation of coordinates in the second-order red shift experiment.
In search of psychoanalytic technique: perspectives from on the couch and from behind the couch.

The author's experience as a patient in analysis with four different analysts is recounted. Similarities and differences in technique, especially with regard to overall analytic atmosphere, use of interpretation, reconstruction of childhood, dream interpretation, self-revelations of the analyst, and the way politics was discussed are compared. The author concludes that major differences in personality and temperament of the four analysts made a substantial difference in the experience of analysis. Finally, the author discusses whether such differences are indeed important, and in what sense we can speak of the place of analytic technique. Is it a body of leaching and practice that is aimed at minimizing the differences attributable to individual analysts' style and temperament, or is it a body of teaching and practice, still to be elaborated, that gives us a full and flexible account of how analysts actually function?
2034 Assessment of left ventricular myocardial T1 hyperintensity in patients with suspected cardiac amyloidosis using MRI

Introduction Cardiac amyloidosis is the most common cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy, involving extracellular tissue deposition of various serum proteins. Up to 50% involve AL amyloid, its most severe form, which causes drastic cardiac dysfunction with a 38% 1 year-survival rate. Diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis remains difficult outside endomyocardial biopsy. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance has been studied and used as a non-invasive method for diagnosis. The myocardium exhibits a diffuse late enhancement pattern as well as a shorter T1 after contrast administration (Circulation 111:168–193, 2005). We aim to describe a role for pre-contrast cardiac MRI in the evaluation of cardiac amyloidosis by evaluating its T1 signal using both quantitative and qualitative measures.
The optimal burn‐in testing of repairable equipment

The subject of this paper is the utilization of the “infant mortality” or decreasing failure rate effect to improve the reliability of repairable devices. Decreasing failure rate implies the possibility that devices which exhibit it can be improved by “burn-in testing” of each unit. Such a test serves to accumulate operating time while shielded from the full costs and consequences of failure. A general formulation of the burn-in test decision for repairable devices is presented and some special cases are solved. A class of models, indexed by the degree of partial replacement present in the repair process, is considered and numerical results for the optimal policy are given for several members of that class. A comparison of those results reveals the profitability of testing increases with the complexity of the repairable device.
Hemagglutinin activity in the hemolymph of Anticarsiagemmatalis larvae infected with the fungus Nomuraearileyi

Abstract Hemolymph samples from larvae of 3 lepidopteran species ( Anticarsia gemmatalis , Trichoplusia ni and Spodoptera frugiperda ) were tested for hemagglutination activity. Samples from A. gemmatalis larvae which had been injected 12–24 hrs previously with hyphal bodies of the entomopathogenic fungus Nomuraea rileyi showed agglutination activity against human 0, rabbit and sheep erythrocytes. Little or no activity was detected in samples from the other 2 larval species. Low titers (∼ 1:2) were observed when rabbit and sheep erythrocytes were tested with hemolymph from non-injected or water-injected A. gemmatalis control larvae. Higher titers (1:256-1:1024) were obtained when human erythrocytes were incubated with control hemolymph, but values were greater in the hyphal body-injected samples (1:2048-1:〉32,000). These results indicate a direct correlation between agglutinin production and the presence of fungal cells in the larval hemolymph. Injection with heat-killed or homogenated hyphal bodies did not cause increased activity. Decreases in titer values after these injections and for 1–12 hrs after injection with viable hyphal bodies suggest that the agglutinin(s) may function in immune surveillance. Agglutination of rabbit erythrocytes was inhibited by lactose, galactose and L-fucose. N-acetylneuraminic acid inhibited agglutination of human erythrocytes.
Precision Lower Stratospheric Temperature Monitoring with the MSU: Technique, Validation, and Results 1979–1991

Abstract Microwave Sounding Unit channel 4 data from the TIROS-N series of NOAA satellites are intercalibrated to provide a continuous global record of deep-layer averaged lower stratospheric temperatures during 1979–1991. A 13-year record of temperature anomalies is time averaged into pentads and months on a 2.5° grid. The monthly gridpoint anomalies are validated with ten years of radiosonde data during 1979–88. The calibration stability of each satellite's measurements is evaluated during satellite overlap periods, the longest of which reveal no measurable instrumental drift at the level of 0.01°C yr−1. Intercomparisons between NOAA-6 and NOAA-7 anomalies indicate monthly gridpoint precision of 0.05°C in the tropics to around 0.10°C in the extratropies, and signal-to-noise ratios generally over 500, while global monthly precision is 0.01° to 0.02°C. These precision and stability statistics are much better than have been previously reported by other investigators for MSU channel 4. Pentad precision is a...
Deterministic center of pressure patterns characterize postural instability in Parkinson’s disease

Static posturographic recordings were obtained from six Parkinson's patients and six age-matched, healthy control participants. The availability of vision and visuo-spatial cognitive load were manipulated. Postural sway patterns were analyzed using recurrence quantification analysis (RQA), which revealed differences in center of pressure (COP) dynamics between Parkinson's and control participants. AP COP trajectories for the Parkinson's group were not only significantly more variable than for the control group, but also exhibited distinct patterns of temporal dynamics. The visual manipulation did not differentially affect the two groups. No cognitive load effects were found. The results are generally consistent with the hypothesis that pathological physiological systems exhibit a tendency for less flexible, more deterministic dynamic patterns.
State space and frequency domain predictive controller design with application to power plant control

Because of the severe consequences of failure of the control systems for power plants, algorithms must pay particular attention to the preservation of stability under adverse conditions such as severe disturbances and plant variability. In this paper, three algorithms are described which take into account the unique requirements encountered in power plant control. >
Characterization and localization of the naturally occurring cross-links in vaccinia virus DNA

Abstract The vaccinia virus genome is a single, linear, duplex DNA molecule whose complementary strands are naturally cross-linked. The molecular weight has been determined by contour length measurements from electron micrographs to be 122 ± 2.2 × 106. Denaturation mapping techniques indicate that the nucleotide sequence arrangement of the DNA is unique. Two forms of cross-linked vaccinia DNA were observed in alkaline sucrose gradients. The relative S-values of the two cross-linked species were appropriate for a single-stranded circle and a linear single strand, each with a molecular weight twice that expected for an intact, linear, complementary strand of vaccinia DNA. The fraction of sheared vaccinia DNA able to “snap back” after denaturation suggested a minimum of two crosslinks per molecule. Full-length single-stranded circles were observed in the electron microscope after denaturation of vaccinia DNA. Partial denaturation produced single-stranded loops at the ends of all full-length molecules. Exposure of native vaccinia DNA to a single strand-specific endonuclease isolated from vaccinia virions caused disruption of the cross-links, as assayed by alkaline sedimentation, and produced free single-strand ends when partially denatured DNA was observed in the electron microscope. We conclude that vaccinia DNA contains two cross-links, one at or near (within 50 nucleotides) each end in a region of single-stranded DNA. Two models for the cross-links are presented.
The anaesthetic management of preterm infants undergoing ligation of patent ductus arteriosus

The authors reviewed the records of seventy preterm infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome and, in most cases, refractory congestive heart failure, who underwent ligation of patent ductus arteriosus. The peri-operative management of these patients is described. The anaesthetic technique consisted of nitrous oxide and oxygen supplemented with a relaxant. All patients were ventilated manually with a humidified Jackson Rees system. The operations were performed in the main operating suite. There were no deaths during operation. The infants were protected from significant temperature fluctuations by various methods which are described. The overall survival rate of all preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome. The management presented is considered acceptable to the infants, to the surgeons and to the anaesthetists.
Neuromuscular monitoring and postoperative residual curarisation: a meta-analysis

We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the effect of intraoperative monitoring of neuromuscular function on the incidence of postoperative residual curarisation (PORC). PORC has been considered present when a patient has a train-of-four (TOF) ratio of < 0.7 or < 0.9. We analysed data from 24 trials (3375 patients) that were published between 1979 and 2005. We excluded data on mivacurium from this meta-analysis because only three studies had examined the incidence of PORC associated with its use. Long- and intermediate-acting neuromuscular blocking drugs had been given to 662 and 2713 patients, respectively. Neuromuscular function was monitored in 823 patients (24.4%). A simple peripheral nerve stimulator was used in 543 patients, and an objective monitor was used in 280. The incidence of PORC was found to be significantly lower after the use of intermediate neuromuscular blocking drugs. We could not demonstrate that the use of an intraoperative neuromuscular function monitor decreased the incidence of PORC.
CCD Speckle Observations of Binary Stars from the Southern Hemisphere. IV. Measures during 2001

We present 549 observations of 181 primarily southern binary stars. Of these, 32 are high-quality nondetections, meaning that, if binary, the system had a separation below the diffraction limit at the time of the observation, and relative astrometry is presented for the remaining 517 observations. In addition, a magnitude difference measure is reported in 312 cases in which the observation was judged to be of sufficient quality to have little decorrelation of the speckle pattern of the secondary relative to the primary star. These data were obtained from speckle observations taken at the Lowell-Tololo 0.6 m telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory using a fast-readout CCD detector during 2001 November. Results from an astrometric measurement precision study indicate that the measures have typical uncertainties of 12.2 ± 1.4 mas in separation and 128 ± 021 in position angle with little systematic error. The magnitude differences presented show good agreement with values in the Hipparcos catalog where comparisons can be made. Their uncertainties are also characterized; they show a typical value of 0.18 mag per 2 minute observation. Four systems of particular interest are discussed.
Spontaneous mutation in the Cd79b gene leads to a block in B-lymphocyte development at the C′ (early pre-B) stage

We discovered B-lymphocyte-deficient mice within a group of B10.A-CD45.1 mice, and established that this deficiency was a recessively inherited trait. Gene mapping and sequence analysis showed a mutation in the third exon of the Cd79b gene (c.224G>A) that leads to the generation of a stop codon (W75X) in the mutant mouse. Fluorescent-activated cell sorting analysis of bone marrow cells showed that the mutant mice did not express the CD79B antigen. To establish where the block in development happens, we analyzed CD43(pos)B220(pos) B-lymphocyte precursors present in the mutant mice and found that the fraction C' (corresponding to early pre-B lymphocytes) was absent in the mutant mouse, whereas fractions B and C showed a relative accumulation. As expected, we found no IgG or IgA in mutant mice. These results suggest that this CD79b-mutant strain may be a useful tool for immunological research in human immunodeficiencies.
Active volcano monitoring using a space-based short-wave infrared imager

We examine the utility of optical hyperspectral data in the shortwave infrared bands for measuring the temperature field of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii. Hot objects have dramatically elevated SWIR radiance that measures one side of the Planck blackbody radiation function. Accounting for cool and hot contributions to the total radiance allows an inference of the temperature of the hot component. Maximum temperature for the hot component is determined to be in excess of 1200 K, although for most pixels, the hot temperature fell in the 1000–1100 K range. Thermally anomalous pixels cluster in a long-lived lava lake in the SE corner of Halema'uma'u crater. We calculate a total radiant flux of ∼100 MW for the lava lake. While thermally anomalous pixels cover a roughly circular area approximately 180 m in diameter, the main energy release is from an area ∼50 m in diameter.
Seizure Associated with Olanzapine

OBJECTIVE:To report a case of seizures in a patient who started receiving olanzapine, and to review seizure risk associated with antipsychotic use.CASE SUMMARY:A 31-year-old African-American woman with multiple psychiatric and medical disorders, including generalized seizure disorder, experienced seizure activity when switched from haloperidol to olanzapine. Olanzapine was discontinued, haloperidol was quickly titrated to the previous dose, and the patient was started on oral phenytoin with no further seizure activity noted. The patient remained seizure free and phenytoin was discontinued without complications.DISCUSSION:Determining causality in this case is complicated by the number of confounding factors that may have contributed to the occurrence of seizures in this patient. These factors include: (1) diagnosis of generalized seizure disorder, (2) diagnosis of organic mental disorder, (3) concurrent pharmacotherapy with medications implicated in lowering the seizure threshold, and (4) abrupt change in ...
Tetrahydroisoquinolines and the catecholamine-binding granules of the adrenal medulla

Abstract Isolated cow adrenal glands were perfused with 23 mM acetaldehyde in Tyrode physiological solution. The tetrahydroisoquinoline condensation products of acetaldehyde with the endogenous catecholamines were present in the catecholamine-binding granules of the adrenal medulla. The relative proportions of catecholamines and tetrahydroisoquinolines were similar in the whole gland and in the chromaffin granules.
Control of acetyl-CoA carboxylase by covalent modification

In this review, various experiments which establish the occurrence of covalent modification mechanisms, both in vivo and in vitro, in the control of acetyl-CoA carboxylase have been presented. It is interesting to note that phosphorylation of the carboxylase results in disaggregation of the active species. These studies indicate that aggregation and disaggregation of the enzyme are involved in the control of carboxylase activity. Our covalent modification mechanism and the allosteric control mechanism share a common ground in that both mechanisms affect the equilibrium between protomers and polymers of the enzyme. However, it is clear that the allosteric control mechanism cannot functon alone under normal physiological conditions. Covalent modification of the carboxylase is prerequiste for efficient functioning of the allosteric mechanism.
Rapid diagnosis of superficial fungal infections.

A 42-year-old woman presented with itching and a rash on the upper and lower back. She had been treated for eczema for 3 months with triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% cream without resolution of the rash. Physical examination revealed broad erythematous, scaling patches on the upper and lower back (figure I) and dry scaling on the feet in a “moccasin” distribution, with accentuation of scaling at the borders of the dorsum.Microscopic examination of specimens from the back and feet using a potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation revealed branching, septate hyphal elements diagnostic of dermatophyte fungi (figure 2). Griseofulvin ultra, microsize, 500 mg/day orally, was prescribed, and all signs and symptoms resolved in 1 month.
INFRARED STUDY OF REDUCED AND REDUCED-REOXIDIZED FERRUGINOUS SMECTITE

Oxidation-reduction processes within natural systems greatly influence the properties of sediments, soils and clays. The objective of this experimental study was to gather new evidence for the effects of changes in redox conditions (reduction and reoxidation) on structural properties of ferruginous smectite and to understand better the mechanisms involved. The <2 µm fraction of a ferruginous smectite (sample SWa-1), which contains 17.3 wt.% of total structural Fe, was studied by infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The pure Na-saturated clay was reduced by Na dithionite for 10 to 240 min to obtain various Fe(II):(total Fe) ratios ranging from 0 to 1.0. Selected reduced samples were then reoxidized completely by bubbling O2 gas through the suspensions for up to 12 h. Infrared spectra of the initially unaltered, reduced and reduced-reoxidized samples were collected. Reduction generated changes in the three studied spectral regions (O-H stretching, M-O-H deformation, and Si-O stretching), indicating that major modifications occurred within the clay crystal beyond merely a change in Fe oxidation state. partial dehydroxylation and redistribution of Fe, and perhaps Al, cations occurred upon reduction of SWa-1, changing the structural properties of its tetrahedral and octahedral sheets. Water molecules, probably generated by dehydroxylation within the octahedral sheet upon reduction, were tightly bound to the clay surface and were possibly trapped within the clay structure. Except for dehydroxylation and the Fe oxidation state, all these modifications were largely irreversible. The tightly bound water was not completely removed upon reoxidation and the cationic rearrangements generated during reduction were not reversed: either they were preserved as in the reduced state or cations were redistributed into a different configuration from the unreduced clay.
Speed of Processing in Normal Aging: Effects of Speech Rate, Linguistic Structure, and Processing Time

Young and elderly adults heard three types of speech materials varying in both length and degree of semantic and syntactic constraints. Time compression was used to vary speech rates systematically to test a speed of processing hypothesis as one explanation of performance deficits associated with normal aging. In addition to segment length effects, the elderly participants showed significantly steeper rates of performance decline with increasing speech rate, with slope constants dependent on the structural constraints of the speech materials. The results are discussed in terms of processing rate hypotheses and context utilization.
Interannual variability in acidic deposition on the Mt. Mitchell area forest

Recently the forest decline at high elevation mountains in the eastern U.S. has been suggested to be associated with the deposition of acidic substances on the forest canopy through dry, wet and cloud deposition pathways. To determine the relative importance of these deposition mechanisms, a field study was initiated in May 1986, at Mt. Mitchell, NC. Since Mt. Mitchell is frequently immersed in clouds (immersion time being in the range of 28–41%), our investigations were primarily focused on the collection of cloud water and the monitoring of meteorology and ambient air quality. The precipitation data and related chemistry were obtained from a nearby NADP (National Atmospheric Deposition Program) site (Clingman's Peak). To estimate the dry and cloud deposition, the deposition velocities for gases and the rates of cloud deposition for cloud droplets are calculated with the ATDD (Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) model and a cloud deposition model (CDM), respectively. The wet deposition is obtained from NADP annual reports. Computations show the deposition velocities for SO2, NO2 and O3 to be in the range of tenths of cm s−1. The mean rate of cloud deposition is about 0.13–0.21 mm h−1. The rainfall ranged from 40 to 60 cm during the growing seasons (from mid-May to the end of September) of 1986–1988. Using these deposition parameters and the 3 year database, the deposition fluxes of sulfur (S) compounds are found primarily contributed through cloud capture mechanism (60%) followed by incident precipitation (25%) and dry deposition (15%). As to the deposition fluxes of nitrogen (N) compounds, cloud, wet and dry deposition contributedf about 50%, 25% and 25%, respectively. A comparison of deposition estimates at Mt. Mitchell with those at other sites shows that the sulfate deposition at sites exceeding 1200 m MSL in elevation in Bavaria, F.R.G., and the eastern U.S. is a almost identical within error limits. Reasons for large uncertainties in deposition estimates are also discussed as the mechanisms for redistribution of the deposited material on the forest canopy.
Simulation of vacancies in a two-dimensional Ising antiferromagnet

We present simulations of one- and two-vacancy states in a two-dimensional square-lattice Ising antiferromagnet. We find that the energy of the single-vacancy ground state scales as J2/3, where J is the spin-spin coupling. The S- and P-wave states of two vacancies are bound, with binding energy scrE∝J2/3 and J, respectively, while the D-wave state is unbound.
CareDB: a context and preference-aware location-based database system

We demonstrate CareDB, a context and preference-aware database system. CareDB provides scalable personalized location-based services to users based on their preferences and current surrounding context. Unlike existing location-based database systems that answer queries based solely on proximity in distance, CareDB considers user preferences and various types of context in determining the answer to location-based queries. To this end, CareDB does not aim to define new location-based queries, instead, it aims to redefine the answer of existing location-based queries. To achieve its goals, CareDB has several distinguishing characteristics that revolve around a generic and extensible preference and context-aware query processing framework that addresses (a) scalable, efficient preference joins, (b) gracefully handling contextual attributes that are expensive to derive, and (c) support for uncertain attributes.
COULOMB INTERACTIONS AND LINEAR, NONLINEAR, AND TRIPLET ABSORPTION IN POLY(PARA-PHENYLENEVINYLENE)

Within a model Hamiltonian with variable on-site and long-range Coulomb interactions between the \ensuremath{\pi} electrons for poly(para-phenylenevinylene), we conduct a thorough search in the parameter space to determine the magnitudes of the effective Coulomb interaction parameters necessary to fit all four absorption bands that are seen in the experimental absorption spectra of this material. We find best agreement between the calculated and experimental absorption spectra with Coulomb interactions that are slightly smaller than the standard Pariser-Parr-Pople parameters. For these values of the Coulomb parameters, the primary photoexcitation in poly(para-phenylenevinylene) is to an exciton with binding energy close to 0.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 eV. This result, obtained from fitting the linear absorption, is in agreement with nonlinear absorption studies, viz. electroabsorption, two-photon absorption, and picosecond photoinduced absorption, within our model. We have also calculated the energies of the lowest triplet state, and the final state to which triplet absorption occurs. The excited triplet state is an exciton. We show that the latter result, taken together with the known experimental triplet absorption energy, indicates that estimates of 0.2 eV or less for the binding energy are incorrect. We briefly discuss the possibility that the binding energy has an intermediate magnitude.
Comparison of convergence rates of the conjugate gradient method applied to various integral equation formulations

A comparison is presented of the relative convergence properties of the conjugate gradient method using the three principal integral equations for conducting scatterers: the electric field integral equation (EFIE), the magnetic field integral equation (MFIE), and the combined field integral equation (CFIE). The authors restrict their study to scattering by two-dimensional (cylindrical) bodies (both TM and TE polarization). This enables an easy examination of the convergence behaviour of the conjugate gradient method (CGM) for bodies which are electrically large. >