cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Real-time production of unergative and unaccusative sentences in normal and agrammatic speakers: An eyetracking study

Background: Speakers with agrammatic aphasia have greater difficulty producing unaccusative (float) compared to unergative (bark) verbs (Kegl, 1995; Lee & Thompson, 2004; Thompson, 2003), putatively because the former involve movement of the theme to the subject position from the post-verbal position, and are therefore more complex than the latter (Burzio, 1986; Perlmutter, 1978). However, it is unclear if and how sentence production processes are affected by the linguistic distinction between these two types of verbs in normal and impaired speakers. Aims: This study examined real-time production of sentences with unergative (the black dog is barking) vs unaccusative (the black tube is floating) verbs in healthy young speakers and individuals with agrammatic aphasia, using eyetracking. Methods & Procedures: Participants' eye movements and speech were recorded while they produced a sentence using computer displayed written stimuli (e.g., black, dog, is barking). Outcomes & Results: Both groups of speakers ...
Research staff training in a multisite randomized clinical trial: Methods and recommendations from the Stimulant Reduction Intervention using Dosed Exercise (STRIDE) trial.

Background: Descriptions of and recommendations for meeting the challenges of training research staff for multisite studies are limited despite the recognized importance of training on trial outcomes. The STRIDE (Stimulant Reduction Intervention using Dosed Exercise) study is a multisite randomized clinical trial that was conducted at nine addiction treatment programs across the United States within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) and evaluated the addition of exercise to addiction treatment as usual (TAU), compared to health education added to TAU, for individuals with stimulant abuse or dependence. Research staff administered a variety of measures that required a range of interviewing, technical, and clinical skills. Purpose: In order to address the absence of information on how research staff are trained for multisite clinical studies, the current manuscript describes the conceptual process of training and certifying research assistants (RAs) for STRIDE. Methods: Trainin...
Some problems associated with interpretation of physiological and behavioral responses to stimulation of caudate and thalamic nuclei

Abstract Low frequency electrical stimulation of the caudate nucleus or ventral lateral or ventral anterior nucleus of the thalamus inhibits the performance of learned behavior. Concomitant with the behavioral inhibition and elicited by stimuli of the same intensity, is an electrophysiological response consisting of inhibition of unit activity and an associated slow wave which is followed by a spindle. Whether this response is a necessary or sufficient condition for behavioral inhibition has not been fully ascertained, although results of chemical stimulation indicate that behavioral inhibition need not necessarily be accompanied by unit inhibition and spindling. Novel afferent stimulation disinhibits the inhibitory effects of caudate or thalamic stimulation. Under certain conditions, detailed in the text, a disinhibitory stimulus can act as an inhibitor and an inhibitory stimulus can act as a disinhibitor.
Food and Beverage Advertising on U.S. Television: A Comparison of Child-Targeted Versus General Audience Commercials

Major advertisers and children's television networks have announced marketing policies designed to combat childhood obesity. A content analysis of food advertising was conducted on programming from broadcast and cable networks most likely to be viewed by children. Unlike previous content analyses, the results show that nutrition appeals are among the most frequently used. However, as in past research, unhealthy foods are most frequently advertised. Further, child-targeted commercials employ production techniques and persuasive appeals that children have found difficult to evaluate critically. The potential impacts of this advertising landscape are discussed on both the individual and social level.
Short-term changes in tidepools following two hurricanes

Three tidepools in the rocky intertidal zone of coastal Maine, USA, were examined before and after the passing of two hurricanes: Gloria, in 1985, and Bob, in 1991. Surface area was little changed in one pool, and reduced in a second pool that were formed from rock. Surface area increased significantly in a third pool that had a nonpermanent border. Sand deposition on the bottom of tidepools increased in three of the five pairs of observations, and sand was not present before or after storms in the other two instances. Algal cover was generally reduced, and beds of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) were significantly reduced or were extirpated. Fish numbers were generally lower after the storms, but numbers returned to pre-event levels in the following season. Physical and biological alterations to tidepools were often severe for the short term, but systems were resilient for the long term.
Posterior papillary muscle anchoring affects remote myofiber stress and pump function: finite element analysis.

Background The role of posterior papillary muscle anchoring (PPMA) in the management of chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation (CIMR) is controversial. We studied the effect of anchoring point direction and relocation displacement on left ventricular (LV) regional myofiber stress and pump function. Methods Previously described finite element models of sheep 16 weeks after posterolateral myocardial infarction (MI) were used. True-sized mitral annuloplasty (MA) ring insertion plus different PPM anchoring techniques were simulated. Anchoring points tested included both commissures and the central anterior mitral annulus; relocation displacement varied from 10% to 40% of baseline diastolic distance from the PPM to the anchor points on the annulus. For each reconstruction scenario, myofiber stress in the MI, border zone, and remote myocardium as well as pump function were calculated. Results PPMA caused reductions in myofiber stress at end-diastole and end-systole in all regions of the left ventricle that were proportional to the relocation displacement. Although stress reduction was greatest in the MI region, it also occurred in the remote region. The maximum 40% displacement caused a slight reduction in LV pump function. However, with the correction of regurgitation by MA plus PPMA, there was an overall increase in forward stroke volume. Finally, anchoring point direction had no effect on myofiber stress or pump function. Conclusions PPMA reduces remote myofiber stress, which is proportional to the absolute distance of relocation and independent of anchoring point. Aggressive use of PPMA techniques to reduce remote myofiber stress may accelerate reverse LV remodeling without impairing LV function.
Using Belbin's leadership role to improve team effectiveness: an empirical investigation

Abstract This paper presents a controlled experiment conducted with senior software engineering students that demonstrates the utility of forming teams based on R. Meredith Belbin's set of team roles. The overall research effort focuses on the general utility of Belbin's roles in improving the effectiveness of teams, which can be viewed in two ways: performance and team viability. Performance effectiveness, which is the focus of this paper, clearly addresses a team's productivity. To address this problem, the first phase of the total research project consists of a controlled experiment that demonstrates that teams containing leadership roles perform better than teams that do not have this role filled. In a laboratory setting, a number of teams were formed that contained a single leader; others were formed that had no leader or multiple leaders. The results of this experiment are positive; they demonstrate that indeed Belbin's roles provide useful information to form teams. The specific conclusion of this controlled experiment is that a single leader on a team improves a team's performance over teams having multiple leaders or no leader. In other words, as one would expect, the mean time-to-completion for the leaderless teams was significantly greater than the teams with leaders. This means that Belbin's roles can be utilized in formation of new teams as well as in evaluation of extant teams, making certain that a team has a single leader. Both of these aspects, formation and evaluation, are extremely useful to managers of software programmers.
Comparative analysis of Borrelia isolates from southeastern USA based on randomly amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprint and 16S ribosomal gene sequence analyses.

Fifty-three southern USA Borrelia isolates were characterized using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprinting analysis (RAPD). Twenty-nine types were recognized among 37 B. andersonii strains, seven types among eight B. bissettii strains, and seven types among seven B. burgdorferi sensu stricto strains. Strain TXW-1 formed a separate RAPD type. Nearly complete sequences of the rrs genes from 17 representative southern Borrelia were determined. The similarity values were found to be 96–100% within the B. burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex, 94–99% among the relapsing fever borreliae, and 93–99% between the two complexes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that all the Borrelia strains we analyzed could be divided into two parts: the B. burgdorferi s.l. complex and the relapsing fever borreliae complex. TXW-1 segregated with the North American relapsing fever borreliae and formed a separate subbranch.
Thermal buckling of laminated plates using a shear flexible finite element

Abstract The buckling behavior of laminated composite plates subjected to a uniform temperature field is studied. Transverse shear flexibility is accounted for in the analysis using the thermo-elastic version of the first-order shear deformation theory. The prebuckling behavior of the plate under a uniform temperature field is studied prior to predicting the initial thermal buckling load. Numerical results are presented for thermal buckling problems using a nine-noded isoparametric quadrilateral finite element. The influence of boundary conditions, ply orientation, and plate geometries on the critical buckling temperature is examined.
Mice exhibit enhanced macronutrient-specific conditioned place preference under hypocaloric conditions.

The conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm is a well-established method for studying reward and reinforcement mechanisms. However, most parametric CPP studies have concentrated on effects of drugs of abuse. With the growing concern for an obesity epidemic, it is important to consider the potential implications involving the role of reward and reinforcement associated with caloric intake. In these studies, we investigated the roles of macronutrients and metabolic status in the acquisition and expression of place preference. We used a two-chamber conditioning apparatus to pair food reward with a specific chamber with either white or black walls. First, C57BL/6 mice were conditioned under ad libitum or caloric restriction using either carbohydrate or high-fat diet (HFD) reinforcers of equal calorie content. We then assessed CPP under both caloric restriction and ad libitum feeding conditions. Results of these experiments suggest that caloric restriction enhanced the acquisition of CPP relative to ad libitum feeding, regardless of macronutrient used as a reinforcer. Additionally, expression of CPP for HFD but not carbohydrates was maintained following 24 h ad libitum access to chow.
Simulation of Aerosol Size Distribution Evolution in Systems with Simultaneous Nucleation, Condensation, and Coagulation

A sectional model is presented that will simulate formation, growth, and coagulation processes for an aerosol formed by gas-to-particle conversion. Test cases have simulated a system with a source of condensable vapor, showing a burst of nucleation that is quenched by condensation onto the freshly generated and rapidly growing fine aerosol. The influence of preexisting aerosol on the size distribution evolution and on the rate of nucleation and criteria for inhibition of nucleation by initial aerosol are presented.
Characterization of chain conformations in perfluorosulfonic acid membranes using electron energy loss spectroscopy

Chain conformations of the perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomers: Nafion™ and Aquivion® were investigated with electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) on a 200 kV transmission electron microscope (TEM) equipped with a monochromator. The results were compared with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to evaluate the effect of the pendant perfluoroether side chains of the ionomers on the structure of the PTFE backbone. Several unique spectroscopic features corresponding to conformational changes were identified in the low-loss region and the fine structures of the carbon K-edge. Results obtained from high-level density function theory (DFT) based electronic structure calculations confirmed the conformational dependence of the EEL spectra of the PFSA ionomers. Comparison with the spectra obtained from the experiments revealed the correlation between the specific side chain chemistry and backbone conformation. This spectroscopic information will allow us to further explore the morphological properties of these materials when combining with additional imaging techniques.
Inelastic processes in ion-molecule collisions: Ar + and He + on N 2 at low-keV energies

The ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ collision is studied at energies from 1.0 to 3.0 keV and in an angular range between 0 and 4.0 deg. The energy-loss spectra of the scattered ions demonstrate the presence of elastic scattering and inelastic processes arising from vibro-rotational excitation of the ground electronic state of ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$, electronic excitation of the target with concomitant vibro-rotational excitation, and target ionization. Studies of the angular dependence of these processes suggest that (a) the collisions involve the entire molecule and are thus not adequately described in terms of a binary collision model, (b) electronic and vibrational excitation occur via mechanisms which exhibit negligible coupling, and (c) electronic excitation of ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ is due predominantly to the $B^{3}\ensuremath{\Pi}_{g}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}X^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}_{g}^{+}$ transition as evidenced by observation of the onset of dissociation at larger scattering angles. The probability of charge exchange in ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{N}}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ collisions is also investigated and shows an angular behavior very similar to that found in ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$. Inelastic scattering results for ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ are reported.
CHANGES IN DISULFIDE BOND CONTENT OF PROTEINS IN A YEAST STRAIN LACKING MAJOR SOURCES OF NADPH

Abstract A yeast mutant lacking the two major cytosolic sources of NADPH, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Zwf1p) and NADP+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (Idp2p), has been demonstrated to lose viability when shifted to medium with acetate or oleate as the carbon source. This loss in viability was found to correlate with an accumulation of endogenous oxidative by-products of respiration and peroxisomal β-oxidation. To assess effects on cellular protein of endogenous versus exogenous oxidative stress, a proteomics approach was used to compare disulfide bond-containing proteins in the idp2Δzwf1Δ strain following shifts to acetate and oleate media with those in the parental strain following similar shifts to media containing hydrogen peroxide. Among prominent disulfide bond-containing proteins were several with known antioxidant functions. These and several other proteins were detected as multiple electrophoretic isoforms, with some isoforms containing disulfide bonds under all conditions and other isoforms exhibiting a redox-sensitive content of disulfide bonds, i.e., in the idp2Δzwf1Δ strain and in the hydrogen peroxide-challenged parental strain. The disulfide bond content of some isoforms of these proteins was also elevated in the parental strain grown on glucose, possibly suggesting a redirection of NADPH reducing equivalents to support rapid growth. Further examination of protein carbonylation in the idp2Δzwf1Δ strain shifted to oleate medium also led to identification of common and unique protein targets of endogenous oxidative stress.
The R8-photoreceptor equivalence group in Drosophila: Fate choice precedes regulated Delta transcription and is independent of Notch gene dose

It has been suggested that lateral specification of cell fate by Notch signaling depends on feedback on Notch (N) and Delta (Dl) transcription to establish reciprocal distributions of the receptor and its ligand at the protein level. In Drosophila neurogenesis the predicted reciprocal protein distributions have not been observed. Either this model of lateral specification or the description of N and/or Dl protein distributions must be incomplete. We have reexamined R8 photoreceptor specification in the developing eye to resolve this question for this example of lateral specification. N and Dl protein levels were assessed in the cell as a whole and at the cell surface, where these proteins were mostly found at the intercellular cell junctions. Protein levels did not correspond to Notch signaling in wild type. However, Dl transcription and protein levels did correlate with altered N signaling in mutant genotypes. Our findings suggest the difference relates to the speed of lateral specification in vivo. The time required for N signaling to inhibit ato expression was at most 90 min, but changes in the Dl protein distribution in mutant genotypes arose more slowly. N expression was little regulated by N signaling, but protein encoded by the Nts1 allele was temperature-sensitive for appearance at the cell surface. Some aspects of the pattern of Dl protein appeared to be due to endocytosis. We conclude that feedback of N signaling on Dl transcription does occur but is too slow to account for the pattern of R8 specification. Studies of ommatidia mosaic for a Notch duplication, or for the Nts1 allele at semi-restrictive temperatures, found that cells beginning with less N activity were not necessarily predisposed to be selected for R8 differentiation. Our data argue that other signals may be responsible for the pattern of R8 cell fate allocation by N. Potential relevance to other neurogenic regions is discussed.
Functional reconstitution of bacterial Tat translocation in vitro

The Tat (twin-arginine translocation) pathway is a Sec-independent mechanism for translocating folded preproteins across or into the inner membrane of Escherichia coli. To study Tat translocation, we sought an in vitro translocation assay using purified inner membrane vesicles and in vitro synthesized substrate protein. While membrane vesicles derived from wild-type cells translocate the Sec-dependent substrate proOmpA, translocation of a Tat-dependent substrate, SufI, was not detected. We established that in vivo overexpression of SufI can saturate the Tat translocase, and that simultaneous overexpression of TatA, B and C relieves this SufI saturation. Using membrane vesicles derived from cells overexpressing TatABC, in vitro translocation of SufI was detected. Like translocation in vivo, translocation of SufI in vitro requires TatABC, an intact membrane potential and the twin-arginine targeting motif within the signal peptide of SufI. In contrast to Sec translocase, we find that Tat translocase does not require ATP. The development of an in vitro translocation assay is a prerequisite for further biochemical investigations of the mechanism of translocation, substrate recognition and translocase structure.
High Amplitude Acoustic Transmission Through Duct Terminations: Theory

Abstract Recent experimental measurements have demonstrated that net acoustic energy dissipation can occur when sound waves interact with free shear layers, which are produced either by boundary layer separation in mean fluid flow at sharp edges, or by separation of the boundary layer in the acoustic flow at an edge in the absence of mean flow. This paper presents theoretical results which are offered in an attempt to explain these observations quantitatively. Comparison is made between the predicted and measured net energy loss which occurs upon transmission of high amplitude impulsive acoustic waves through various duct terminations, and also between calculated and measured reflection coefficients in the duct. The agreement is generally at least qualitatively good, and would appear to justify the physical assumptions on which the theoretical arguments are based.
Osteomalacia and altered magnesium metabolism in the X-linked hypophosphatemic mouse

A new genetic mutant in mice,Hyp, has been proposed as a model for the human disease X-linked hypophosphatemia (the most common form of vitamin D-resistant rickets). The gene is X-linked, dominant, and produces reduced renal tubular reabsorption of phosphate, hypophosphatemia, and dwarfism. Our goal was to evaluate the skeletal changes histologically and to measure chemically the prominant blood and bone minerals to judge the suitability of this mutant as a model for the human disease. Thirteen-week-old hemizygousHyp male mice were compared with their normal littermate controls. TheHyp mice were hypocalcemic, hypophosphatemic, hypermagnesemic, and had elevated plasma alkaline phosphatase. The femur ash weighed less than half the normal ash weight but had a normal Ca:P ratio. The ash composition was high in %Na and K but low in %Mg. The mandibular incisor ash was also low in %Mg. Histologically the femur showed wide osteoid borders and wide epiphyseal plate. Microradiography revealed reduced bone density and enlarged osteocyte lacunae. Skeletal muscle samples, although smaller in theHyp mice, showed no striking alternations in inorganic or total phosphate content, dry weight (as % wet weight), or extracellular fluid space. TheHyp gene in mice seems to produce a condition similar to that of X-linked hypophosphatemia in humans.
Winds from accretion disks - Ultraviolet line formation in cataclysmic variables

Winds from accretion disks in cataclysmic variable stars are ubiquitous. Observations by IUE reveal P Cygni-shaped profiles of high-ionization lines which are attributed to these winds. We have studied the formation of UV emission lines in cataclysmic variables by constructing kinematical models of biconical rotating outflows from disks around white dwarfs. The photoionization in the wind is calculated taking into account the radiation fields of the disk, the boundary layer, and the white dwarf. The 3D radiative transfer is solved in the Sobolev approximation. Effects on the line shapes of varying basic physical parameters of the wind are shown explicitly. We identify and map the resonant scattering regions in the wind which have strongly biconical character regardless of the assumed velocity and radiation fields. Rotation at the base of the wind introduces a radial shear which decreases the line optical depth and reduces the line core intensity. We find that it is possible to reproduce the observed P Cygni line shapes and make some predictions to be verified in high-resolution observations.
Genetic variation in human telomerase is associated with telomere length in Ashkenazi centenarians

Telomere length in humans is emerging as a biomarker of aging because its shortening is associated with aging-related diseases and early mortality. However, genetic mechanisms responsible for these associations are not known. Here, in a cohort of Ashkenazi Jewish centenarians, their offspring, and offspring-matched controls, we studied the inheritance and maintenance of telomere length and variations in two major genes associated with telomerase enzyme activity, hTERT and hTERC. We demonstrated that centenarians and their offspring maintain longer telomeres compared with controls with advancing age and that longer telomeres are associated with protection from age-related diseases, better cognitive function, and lipid profiles of healthy aging. Sequence analysis of hTERT and hTERC showed overrepresentation of synonymous and intronic mutations among centenarians relative to controls. Moreover, we identified a common hTERT haplotype that is associated with both exceptional longevity and longer telomere length. Thus, variations in human telomerase gene that are associated with better maintenance of telomere length may confer healthy aging and exceptional longevity in humans.
The Relationship Between Extent of Educative Behavior By Adults and Their Attitudes Toward Continuing Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship be tween the extent of educative behavior by adults and their attitudes toward continuing education. Ninety-eight randomly selected em ployees of the Florida Power Corporation responded to the Leisure Activity Survey which measured educative behavior and to a form of the semantic differential which was designed to measure atti tudes toward continuing education. A positive correlation was found between the level of education of the participants and the extent of their educative behavior at the .05 level of signifiance. No significant relationship was found between attitudes toward continuing education and extent of educative behavior.
Fusion between heavy ions at sub-barrier energies

The S factors for the capture process of the systems /sup 16/O+/sup 16/O, /sup 16/O+/sup 14/N, /sup 16/O+/sup 12/C, /sup 14/N+/sup 14/N, /sup 14/N+/sup 12/C, /sup 11/B+/sup 12/C, and /sup 10/B+/sup 12/C are calculated at sub-Coulomb barrier energies in a model using an inverted parabola which joins smoothly onto the Coulomb potential between two heavy ions. The model does not have any discontinuous potential surface and has proper asymptotic forms for the wave functions and has been successful in understanding fusion cross sections at higher energies. The calculated energy dependence of the S factor follows in general the experimental trend and in many instances, the observed magnitudes can be reproduced remarkably well.
The decreased responsiveness of lumbar muscle spindles to a prior history of spinal muscle lengthening is graded with the magnitude of change in vertebral position.

Abstract In the lumbar spine, muscle spindle responsiveness is affected by the duration and direction of a lumbar vertebra’s positional history. The purpose of the present study was to determine the relationship between changes in the magnitude of a lumbar vertebra’s positional history and the responsiveness of lumbar muscle spindles to a subsequent vertebral position and subsequent vertebral movement. Neural activity from multifidus and longissimus muscle spindle afferents in deeply anesthetized cats was recorded while creating positional histories of the L6 vertebra. History was induced using a displacement-controlled feedback motor. It held the L6 vertebra for 4 s at an intermediate position (hold-intermediate at 0 mm) and at seven positions from 0.07 to 1.55 mm more ventralward and dorsalward which lengthened (hold-long) and shortened (hold-short) the lumbar muscles. Following the conditioning hold positions, L6 was returned to the intermediate position. Muscle spindle discharge at this position and during a lengthening movement was compared between hold-intermediate and hold-short conditionings and between hold-intermediate and hold-short conditionings. We found that regardless of conditioning magnitude, the seven shortening magnitudes similarly increased muscle spindle responsiveness to both vertebral position and movement. In contrast, the seven lengthening magnitudes produced a graded decrease in responsiveness to both position and movement. The decrease to position became maximal following conditioning magnitudes of ∼0.75 mm. The decrease to movement did not reach a maximum even with conditioning magnitudes of ∼1.55 mm. The data suggest that the fidelity of proprioceptive information from muscle spindles in the low back is influenced by small changes in the previous length history of lumbar muscles.
Post-radiation fractures in the setting of lower extremity soft-tissue sarcoma treatment

Adjunctive radiotherapy for soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) treatment has been associated with post-radiation fractures. The hypotheses of this study were that (1) the incidence in this patient population is greater than the 7 % reported in the literature, (2) brachytherapy (BT) increases the risk of fracture, and (3) prophylactic stabilization has not prevented fracture. The study population consisted of 103 patients with lower limb sarcoma who received radiation therapy between 1998 and 2009. The patient population was evaluated retrospectively for demographics, treatment, and post-radiation fracture outcome. Overall, 11 of 103 patients (10.7 %) incurred 16 pathological fractures in the radiated field at a mean 31 months (range 7–113 months) after surgical resection. Fracture incidence was significantly higher in females and in those who had periosteal stripping or bone removal (p = 0.05), but it did not show significant correlation with stage, grade, location of tumor, chemotherapy, or radiation dosage. There was a trend towards increased fracture incidence for those who received RT and stripping versus stripping alone (p = 0.08). Seven of 40 patients (17.5 %) who received combined external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and BT or BT alone treatment developed fractures, whereas only four of 63 patients (6.3 %) who received EBRT alone developed fractures, approaching statistical significance. Fractures were treated with ORIF (50 %), observation (31.25 %), resection and reconstruction (12.5 %), or resection alone (6.25 %). Fracture healing rate was 53.9 %. Two of six patients who underwent prophylactic stabilization subsequently fractured and accounted for five of the 16 total fractures (31.3 %). Post-radiation fracture risk may be underestimated in the current literature, and this study identifies combined EBRT and BT as a potential risk factor for post-radiation fractures. Further, this study suggests caution in making the jump to prophylactic stabilization of these fractures, particularly in the tibia.
Plasma verapamil levels and exercise performance

Our study in 10 patients with stable, exercise-related angina under a double-blind, placebo-controlled protocol correlated plasma verapamil levels after single oral doses of 120 and 240 mg and exercise performance. Plasma verapamil levels peaked at 2 hr in seven patients and 4 hr in three patients and declined thereafter, with a mean plasma t1/2 of 3.22 and 4.54 hr after the 120- and 240-mg dose. Despite the relatively short t1/2s, total exercise duration and time to onset of angina and S-T segment depression were longer than placebo values for 4 hr after the 120-mg dose and for 8 hr after the 240-mg dose. Percentage increase in treadmill time and log of plasma verapamil levels correlated. All patients with plasma levels above 100 ng/ml had at least a 50% increase in exercise duration. Thus measurement of plasma verapamil levels are useful in patients who fail to respond to a dose of verapamil. If the level is below 100 ng/ml, increasing the dose of verapamil may improve response.
Effective Continuous-Time Formulation for Short-Term Scheduling. 1. Multipurpose Batch Processes

During the last decade, the problem of production scheduling has been realized to be one of the most important problems in industrial plant operations especially when multipurpose/multiproduct batch processes are involved. This paper presents a novel mathematical formulation for the short-term scheduling of batch plants. The proposed formulation is based on a continuous time representation and results in a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) problem. The novel elements of the proposed formulation are (i) the decoupling of the task events from the unit events, (ii) the time sequencing constraints, and (iii) its linearity. In contrast to the previously presented continuous-time scheduling formulations, the proposed approach leads to smaller and simpler mathematical models which exhibit fewer binary and continuous variables, have smaller integrality gaps, require fewer constraints, need fewer linear programming relaxations, and can be solved in significantly less CPU time. Several examples are presented ...
Selection of paraquat-resistant variants of tobacco from cell cultures.

Paraquat-resistant cell lines and plants were isolated from cell cultures ofNicotiana tabacum var. Wisconsin 38. The resistant phenotype was successfully obtained from both callus and plated suspension cultures; however, recovery of phenotypically stable, resistant cell lines was higher among those derived from suspension cultures. The use of X-rays increased the recovery of paraquat-resistant cell lines. Stepwise selection procedures did not increase recovery of the resistant phenotype. Only 15 of 43 plants regenerated from paraquat-resistant cell lines retained the resistant phenotype; however, calli derived from leaves of both resistant and nonresistant plants exhibited either partial or complete resistance.
Repairing a double-strand chromosome break by homologous recombination: revisiting Robin Holliday's model

Since the pioneering model for homologous recombination proposed by Robin Holliday in 1964, there has been great progress in understanding how recombination occurs at a molecular level. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, one can follow recombination by physically monitoring DNA after the synchronous induction of a double-strand break (DSB) in both wild-type and mutant cells. A particularly well-studied system has been the switching of yeast mating-type (MAT) genes, where a DSB can be induced synchronously by expression of the site-specific HO endonuclease. Similar studies can be performed in meiotic cells, where DSBs are created by the Spo11 nuclease. There appear to be at least two competing mechanisms of homologous recombination: a synthesis-dependent strand annealing pathway leading to noncrossovers and a two-end strand invasion mechanism leading to formation and resolution of Holliday junctions (HJs), leading to crossovers. The establishment of a modified replication fork during DSB repair links gene conversion to another important repair process, break-induced replication. Despite recent revelations, almost 40 years after Holliday's model was published, the essential ideas he proposed of strand invasion and heteroduplex DNA formation, the formation and resolution of HJs, and mismatch repair, remain the basis of our thinking.
Fluorometric Determination of Chlorzoxazone via Chemical Derivatization

Abstract Parameters for the fluorometric determination of chlorzoxazone based on chemical derivatization with various fluorogenic reagents is presented. Among the reagents utilized were dansyl chloride, fluorescamine, 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde and salicylaldehyde. The reagents were reacted with either intact chlorzoxazone or with the o-aminophenol and semicarbazide derivatives formed by reaction of the drug with aqueous base and hydrazine hydrate, respectively. The fluorophor formed by basic hydrolysis of chlorzoxazone followed by reaction with fluorescarnine was the most sensitive procedure investigated. Fluorescence was linear over the range 0.27–3.4 μg/ml. Application of the procedure to the analysis of chlorzoxazone in a dosage form and in spiked human plasma and urine samples gave accuracy in the range 1–4%.
Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation as a Care Option in Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia

The optimal management of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) is in evolution, especially since the introduction of novel agents for its sister disease, multiple myeloma. Literature on the utility of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in WM, albeit mostly retrospective, supports its efficacy for symptomatic disease in eligible patients. Here, we present the experience of managing WM at our single institution. We report that ASCT improved OS/EFS in both treatment-naive and previously treated WM patients. Elevated LDH emerged as a poor prognostic factor in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Based on these data and other series of autologous SCT experience, it may be feasible to employ this strategy upfront in transplant eligible WM patients when they require a therapeutic intervention for symptomatic disease.
A finite element analysis of the singular stress fields in anisotropic materials loaded in antiplane shear

A finite element formulation is developed to determine the order and angular variation of singular stress states at material and geometric discontinuities in anisotropic materials subject to antiplane shear loading. The displacement field of the sectorial element is quadratic in the angular co-ordinate direction and asymptotic in the radial direction measured from the singular point. The formulation of Yamada and Okumura14 for in-plane problems is adapted for this purpose. The simplicity and accuracy of the formulation are demonstrated by comparison to several analytical antiplane shear solutions for both isotropic and anisotropic multi-material wedges and junctions with and without disbonds. The nature and speed of convergence of the eigensolution suggests that the solution presented here could be used in developing enriched elements for accurate and computationally efficient evaluation of stress intensity factors in problems having complex global geometries.
Bayesian sample size determination under hypothesis tests

We develop a Bayesian approach for calculating sample sizes for clinical trials under the framework of hypothesis tests. We extend the work of Weiss (The Statistician 1997; 46: 185-191) to include composite distributions for the treatment effect and the variance of the data within the null and alternative hypotheses. We select sample sizes using the Bayes factor and the averaged type I error and type II error defined by Weiss (The Statistician 1997; 46: 185-191). Our approach allows the uncertainty inherent in eliciting prior information for both the treatment effect and the variance and permits informative prior information for unknown quantities through the hypothesis specification. We illustrate our method through a real data example from a clinical trial for treatment of multiple sclerosis and from the cerclage trial for preterm birth prevention in high-risk women.
Resonance, distributions and semilinear elliptic partial differential equations

Soit Ω un domaine borne de R N et Lu=∑ | α | β |≤m (−1) | β | Dβ(aαβ(x)Dαu) un operateur differentiel agissant sur des fonctions a valeurs reelles u(x) definies dans Ω satisfaisant les conditions suivantes: 1) L est uniformement elliptique; 2) les coefficients aαβ sont des fonctions a valeurs reelles dans L ∞ (Ω) et les coefficients d'ordre eleve aαβ, |α|=|β|=m ne sont des fonctions uniformement continues dans Ω; L est symetrique. On obtient un resultat de resonance aux valeurs propres d'ordre eleve
Alcoholxylene versus dioxane in the shrinkage of tissue.

A direct measure of tissue volume changes using fluid displacement was employed to compare the effects of the ethyl alcohol-xylene with the dioxane method of tissue processing. Pieces of mouse kidney, spleen, testis and liver were compared after fixation in 10% neutral formalin and during clearing, dehydration and paraffin infiltration. It was found that 24 hr after fixation there was a 25% increase in volume. There was a progressive shrinkage during dehydration and clearing with dioxane to the volume of the tissue before fixation and a subsequent shrinkage of about 20% during paraffin infiltration. With the ethyl alcoholxylene method, tissue volumes returned to initial levels during alcohol dehydration, and progressively shrank with xylene treatment and paraffin infiltration. The final degree of shrinkage was about the same with both methods. This was confirmed from microscopic analysis of tissue components. It is concluded that one cannot use gross tissue shrinkage as the only criterion for selecting on...
Physical activity and the risk of preterm labor: an epidemiological review and synthesis of recent literature.

Considerable recent research effort of physical activity and pregnancy has included evaluation of preterm labor, preterm delivery, and gestational age at delivery. This review specifically evaluates recent studies that included such assessments of gestational parameters. Methodological difficulties (eg, small sample size, selective clinical populations) have prevented clear generalizable findings regarding the impact of physical activity on preterm labor and delivery. The outcomes evaluated are oftentimes not similar from study to study and, with the associated differences in research design, prevent valid meta-analyses of this topic. Because there is some evidence that gestation and birthweight may decrease among physically active women, larger-scale, randomized clinical trials designed specifically to evaluate whether this association is simply a minor change in gestation and birthweight, or if this difference is manifested clinically in higher rates of preterm labor and delivery and low birthweight, are warranted. Without larger, population-based randomized studies, clinicians will remain unclear about the potential risks and/or benefits related to gestational duration of maternal exercise in their populations.
Immune response deficiency of BSVS mice. II. Generalized deficiency to thymus‐dependent antigens

BSVS mice gave abnormally low IgG responses to 5 thymus-dependent antigens as well as a weak delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to sheep red blood cells. In contrast to IgG, the IgM antibody responses of these mice were normal to three T-independent antigens as well as to all five T-dependent antigens. The low immune responsiveness of BSVS mice was also reflected in the low levels of IgG(2)a, IgG(2)b and IgG(3) in their normal serum. The low T-dependent immune responses may result from BSVS mice having been selectively bred for susceptibility to infection with St. Louis encephalitis virus and Salmonella. C57BL/6J mice, which are also highly susceptible to Salmonella, gave low immune responses similar to, but genetically distinct from, those of BSVS mice. The levels of Ig-positive and theta-positive cells were normal in BSVS and C57BL/6J mice.
The value of seasonal precipitation forecasts in a haying/pasturing problem in Western Oregon

The economic value of current and hypothetically improved seasonal precipitation forecasts is estimated for a regionally important haying/pasturing problem in western Oregon by modeling and analyzing the problem in a decision-analytic framework. Although current forecasts are found to be of relatively little value in this decision-making problem, moderate increases in the quality of the forecasts would lead to substantial increases in their value. The quality/value relationship is sensitive to changes in various economic parameters, including the decision maker's attitude toward risk. 12 references, 4 figures, 5 tables.
Effects of pH, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and salts on gelation of sickle cell deoxyhemoglobin.

Abstract Gelation of fully deoxygenated sickle cell hemoglobin was assayed by (1) determination of the temperature at which viscosity increased sharply and (2) a high-speed sedimentation equilibrium method in which three zones are seen. These are a pre-gelation zone, a narrow transition zone exhibiting aggregation, followed by a phase change and a zone of gelation. Only the first zone is seen with deoxyhemoglobin A and CO hemoglobins A and S up to about 0·35 g protein/ml. Minimal gelling temperatures by the viscosity method and, by ultracentrifugation, minimal gelling concentrations determined at the onset of aggregation and at the phase change showed: (a) lowering the pH toward 6·7 favors gelation; (b) deoxyhemoglobin S gels more readily in 6 m m -2,3-diphosphoglycerate than in its total absence; (c) 1 m -NaCl and l m -KCl inhibit gelation. The known favoring of gelation by warming is confirmed by the equilibrium method and is about 2% change in minimal gelling concentration per degree. The effects of pH and high ionic strengths are consistent with contributions of specific polar interactions to gel structure. The effect of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate probably depends on known structural changes which this cofactor induces rather than on alteration of the allosteric quaternary structure equilibrium.
Controlled environments as an adjunct to field research on lentils (Lens culinaris). III. Photoperiodic lighting and consequences for flowering.

Six genotypes of lentil ( Lens culinaris ) were grown in pots in a glasshouse under natural photo-periods of 10–12 h, extended to an inductive photoperiod of 16 h by supplementary illumination from incandescent lamps. The illuminance of the supplementary light was varied by placing replicate pots at different distances from the lamps; it decreased geometrically with distance (i.e. down an illuminance gradient) from about 2000 lux directly beneath the lamps to about 40 lux at a distance of 6 m from them. All genotypes came into flower progressively later as illuminance decreased; those selected in northern temperate regions were especially sensitive, taking about twice as long to flower at an illuminance of 40 compared with 2000 lux. We suggest, however, that these quantitative responses do not reflect differences in sensitivity to illuminance per se , but are the consequences of genotypic differences in sensitivity to photoperiod. The implications of these data are discussed in terms of adaptation to the aerial environment and strategies for screening germplasm and plant breeding in lentils and other grain legumes.
Muscle contraction under capillaries in hamster muscle induces arteriolar dilatation via KATP channels and nitric oxide

We tested the hypothesis that adenosine and nitric oxide can be sensed by capillaries and are implicated in the remote arteriolar dilatation initiated by muscle contraction. We also explored a role for KATP channel activity in this response. Small bundles of muscle fibres underlying a group of capillaries in cremaster muscles of anaesthetized hamsters were electrically stimulated to contract for 2 min at each of 2, 4 and 8 Hz. Diameter changes were measured in the inflow arteriole to the group of capillaries after muscle contraction in the presence or absence of 10−6m xanthine amine congener (XAC) to block A1 and A2 adenosine receptors, 10−4 or 10−3mNω-nitro-l-arginine (LNNA) to block nitric oxide production, or 10−5m glibenclamide to block KATP channel activity. Dilatations were unchanged with XAC (3.0 ± 0.5, 3.9 ± 0.7 and 6.1 ± 1.0 μm), but were significantly reduced with LNNA (to 1.8 ± 0.6, 3.5 ± 0.7 and 4.9 ± 0.7 μm) or glibenclamide (to 0.4 ± 0.3, 0.8 ± 0.7 and 1.9 ± 0.6 μm). Neither KATP channel activity nor nitric oxide was required for transmission or manifestation of the dilator response. Thus, muscle contraction can be sensed by capillaries and the signalling mechanism for the ensuing remote dilatation depends on KATP channel activity and on NO, but not adenosine. Local application of 10−4m adenosine, 10−4m sodium nitroprusside or 10−5m pinacidil directly to capillaries initiated remote arteriolar dilatations. Thus, capillaries can respond directly to known mediators of metabolic vasodilatation, but these signalling pathways are not invariably implicated in the response to muscle contraction.