cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Significance of Subepidermal Immune Deposits in Uninvolved Skin of Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study

The detection by direct immunofluorescence of subepidermal immune deposits in clinically normal skin of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus has become known as a positive lupus band test (LBT). To gain a better understanding of the relation between the LBT and prognosis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) a prospective longitudinal study has been carried out in 51 SLE patients covering a 10-year period. A total of 223 LBTs were obtained from clinically normal skin of the medial volar forearm on these 51 patients (average, 4.4 per patient) and the results correlated with clinicopathologic features of the disease and outcome. Findings from the initial LBT (obtained while on no systemic therapy) were used to divide patients into LBT-positive and LBT-negative groups. With the exception of patients subsequently treated with daily doses of prednisone greater than 40 mg or cytotoxic agents, the patients in the LBT-positive group usually remained LBT-positive. The LBT-negative patients usually remained LBT-negative on repeated testing. A comparison of clinical features in the two groups revealed a 55% prevalence of lupus nephropathy in the LBT-positive group as opposed to 23% in the LBT-negative group ( p = 0.025). Although the two groups had similar serum creatinine levels at the time of the initial LUT, the maximum serum creatinine (mean, 3.0 mg/dl) in the LBT-positive group was significantly higher than the maximum (mean, 1.2 mg/dl) in the LBT-negative group ( p = 0.04). Furthermore, only 9% of renal biopsies in the LBT-negative group showed diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis in contrast to 65% of biopsies in the LBT-positive group ( p = 0.007). Lastly, the two groups were compared with regard to outcome; 10-year survival from the time of diagnosis was 95% in the LBT-negative group as opposed to only 54% in the LBT-positive group ( p = 0.007). These findings indicate that a positive LBT has predictive value in that it identifies a subset of SLE patients with more aggressive renal disease and significantly decreased long-term survival.
Effect of two pre‐treatments on phenolic acid yield in three forage species

A direct comparison of two pre-treatments was undertaken to test their effect on the recovery of phenolic acids (PA) from three forage species. Samples of lucerne (Medicago sativa L), reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L) were refluxed with 95% ethanol (EtOH) or neutral detergent solution (NDS). Subsequently, the resulting ethanol insoluble residue (EIR) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) were treated with 1 M NaOH, and the extract was assayed for concentrations of p-coumaric acid (PCA) and ferulic acid (FA). In lucerne, the concentration of PCA was 9 times greater in the EIR than in the NDF (0·90 vs 0·11 mg g−1 dry matter, DM), and the FA concentration was 27 times greater in forage treated with EtOH than with NDS (1·89 vs 0·07 mg g−1 DM). In reed canarygrass (RCG), the concentrations of PCA and FA were slightly though significantly higher when the forage was pre-treated with EtOH. No significant differences in PA yield were detected between pre-treatments in switchgrass (SG). Extraction of EIR with hot EDTA (0·025 M, pH = 6·8) removed 80 to 90% of the total PA in EIR in lucerne but less than 5% of the PCA and FA in the grasses. These results indicate that almost all the PA in lucerne, in direct contrast to the grasses, are present in a fraction of the plant that is soluble in NDS. The relatively high PA concentration in the NDS soluble fraction suggests that the structure and composition of the fraction to which PA is esterified influence the degree to which PA affects digestibility.
Injury-stimulated Hedgehog signaling promotes regenerative proliferation of Drosophila intestinal stem cells

Many adult tissues are maintained by resident stem cells that elevate their proliferation in response to injury. The regulatory mechanisms underlying regenerative proliferation are still poorly understood. Here we show that injury induces Hedgehog (Hh) signaling in enteroblasts (EBs) to promote intestinal stem cell (ISC) proliferation in Drosophila melanogaster adult midgut. Elevated Hh signaling by patched (ptc) mutations drove ISC proliferation noncell autonomously. Inhibition of Hh signaling in the ISC lineage compromised injury-induced ISC proliferation but had little if any effect on homeostatic proliferation. Hh signaling acted in EBs to regulate the production of Upd2, which activated the JAK–STAT pathway to promote ISC proliferation. Furthermore, we show that Hh signaling is stimulated by DSS through the JNK pathway and that inhibition of Hh signaling in EBs prevented DSS-stimulated ISC proliferation. Hence, our study uncovers a JNK–Hh–JAK–STAT signaling axis in the regulation of regenerative stem cell proliferation.
Characterization of coxsackie B virus RNA in myocardium from patients with dilated cardiomyopathy by nucleotide sequencing of reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction products*

This study was performed to detect and characterize the enterovirus present in myocardium of some patients with heart muscle disease by nucleotide sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products after amplification with enterovirus group-specific primers. Enterovirus sequences have been detected previously in myocardium of patients with myocarditis or dilated cardiomyopathy and seem causal, although the particular virus serotypes involved have not been identified. In a prospective study of endomyocardial biopsy specimens from 35 consecutive patients with suspected heart muscle disease, enterovirus sequences from the 5' nontranslated region were amplified by reverse transcription-nested PCR using group-specific primers. This region contains both conserved and variable sequence motifs, characteristic of particular enterovirus serotypes. The nucleotide sequences of individual PCR products were determined by cycle sequencing and compared with all known sequences (GenBank/EMBOL), using the GCG software package. Endomyocardial biopsy specimens from 9 of 21 (42.9%) patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy were positive for enterovirus by PCR, compared with only 1 of 14 (7.1%) patients with other myocardial pathological conditions (Fisher's exact probability=0.0275: odds ratio=9.75; 95% confidence interval=1.31−70.78). The nucleotide sequence of the PCR products differed, indicating no cross-contamination. However, computerized comparison showed that each had greatest homology with the 5' nontranslated region of Coxsackie B virus but contained up to 11% sequence variations compared with the prototype Coxsackie B3 strain Nancy. Parallel investigation of tissue from our mouse model of Coxsackievirus B3-induced myocarditis showed that nucleotide sequence changes are not introduced by reverse transcription or PCR. These data support the link between enteroviral infection and dilated heart muscle disease and suggest that Coxsackie B serotypes are the enteroviruses most frequently involved.
Silicon pixel capacitance

Abstract Capacitance measurements have been made on silicon pixel sensors of types n+-on-n, p+-on-n, and n+-on-p. The arrays test a variety of implant and gap widths, and the n+-on-n devices test several p-stop designs. The measurements examine inter-pixel and backplane contributions and include studies of temperature dependence. Measurements were made before and after irradiation with fluences relevant to LHC experiments and Fermilab Tevatron Run 2.
A comparison of several models of carbon turnover in the ocean with respect to their distributions of transit time and age, and responses to atmospheric CO 2 and 14 C

Five models of carbon depth distribution in the world ocean are compared with respect to carbon transit-time distribution, age distribution, and integrated responses to histories of fossil CO2 and weapons 14 C. Two models represent the ocean as two well-mixed layers and differ only in the relative sizes of these compartments. The remaining three models consider 19 well-mixed layers and differ in the patterns of carbon transfer among the layers. All five models are required to be compatible with a preindustrial depth profile of natural 14 C, which is used to fix the values of transfer coefficients. Within this constraint the five models exhibit significantly different responses to fossil CO2 and weapons 14 C regimes. Of the estimated 134 × 10 15 g of fossil carbon produced in the period 1860–1975, the models estimate a net uptake range of 24 × 10 15 to 66 × 10 15 gC by the ocean. For weapons 14 C the range is 6.0 × 10 2 to 1.0 × 10 3 kg 14 C. Each of these models shows shifts in the implied role of the terrestrial biota between net carbon source and sink, with the latter role dominating in the last years of the simulated period. The largest estimate of source strength for the five models was 0.74 × 10 15 gC yr -1 , in contrast to the fossil CO2 production rate of ˜5 × 10 15 gC yr -1 in 1975. The five models were also used to predict atmospheric CO2 levels during the period 1975–2300 for a logistic source that would ultimately release 5000 × 10 15 gC. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1981.tb01751.x
Temperature dependence of the rate of positron trapping by vacancies in gold

Positron lifetimes were measured in high-purity gold in order to study the temperature dependence of the monovacancy-positron specific trapping rate, defined as the positron trapping rate per unit monovacancy concentration. In all cases a positive temperature dependence was found. Equilibrium experiments alone yielded a temperature dependence of ${T}^{0.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2}$ over the temperature range 673-1033 K. Experiments which combined quenching and equilibrium measurements indicated a temperature dependence of ${T}^{0.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1}$ between 243 and 1033 K. Additional measurements at lower temperatures indicated that a positive temperature dependence continues down to 115 K.
The synthesis of μ-(η5-η5-4,5-dihydro-as-indecenyl)bis(η5-cyclopentadienyliron)

Abstract μ-(η5,η5-4,5-Dihydro-as-indecenyl)bis(η5-cyclopentadienyliron) (I) was synthesized from 2-[(dimethylamino)methyl]biferrocene via 2-[(dimethylamino)methyl]biferrocene methiodide. The latter was converted to 2-(cyanomethyl)biferrocene, which was subjected to base hydrolysis to give (2-biferrocenyl)acetic acid. The acid was cyclized with trifluoroacetic anhydride to [4-μ-(η5,η5-as-indecenyl)bis(η5-cyclopentadienyliron)]trifluoroacetate ester. Hydrolysis of the latter followed by reduction gave compound I.
Factors affecting the sensitivity of e‐beam resists

In order to determine the effects of chemical structure on electron beam resist sensitivities, a series of polymers with different reactive components and additives has been investigated. The results, based on a larger number of exposures varying over five orders of magnitude, point out several interesting facts. The data indicate that the sensitivity of negative resists is not a linear function of molecular weight as previously supposed. Also, the negative electron resists tend to be more sensitive and cover a broader range of sensitivities than positive resists. The results further show that olefin and epoxy groups greatly enhance the crosslinking rate of these exposed polymers. However, additives, which are good energy transferring type sensitizers, have little effect on resist sensitivity. This last result is not surprising considering the nonselectivity of the exciting electrons.
The 21-Gene Recurrence Score Predicts Local Recurrence in Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Mastectomy Alone but not in Patients Treated With Radiation

breast cancer and has been correlated with locoregional recurrence (LRR) in retrospective studies. Clinicians currently use clinicopathologic features to assess risk of LRR, and these features have been used to generate a nomogram, IBTR!. This study aims to examine the correlation between RS and IBTR! and to identify clinical scenarios where RS, if validated, may complement clinicopathologic information when making locoregional therapy decisions. Materials/Methods: We examined clinicopathologic characteristics in 308 consecutive early-stage patients who underwent RS testing at this institution and calculated their estimated risk of 10-year IBTR! with and without radiation therapy (RT) with the IBTR! nomogram. This tool utilizes age, tumor size, tumor grade, margin status, lymphovascular invasion, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy use to estimate risk of IBTR!. We implemented two-tailed t-test and linear regression models for statistical analyses, with a p 30) in 51% (n Z 160), 40% (123) and 8% (25), respectively. When the TAILORx risk groups were used, 69% (212) were stratified into the intermediate (RS 11-25) group. Overall, IBTR! did not correlate with RS (p Z 0.63). As expected, age and tumor grade did correlate with IBTR! (p 5% risk of IBTR! after RT (n Z 49), 12% had high RS while 47% had low RS. Conclusions: The 21-gene RS assay provides complementary information to the clinicopathologic features typically used in predicting rates of IBTR! and can potentially impact treatment decisions in clinically ambiguous situations. Our study shows that a large degree of heterogeneity of RS exists in low, intermediate, and high risk groups who are at either low or high risk of IBTR!. Prospective validation and integration of RS with clinicopathologic features may help individualize adjuvant radiation therapy decisions in these clinically challenging scenarios. Author Disclosure: N. Thaker: None. K.E. Hoffman: None. L. Pusztai: None. T.A. Buchholz: None. W.A. Woodward: None.
Técnicas para la preparación de ojos de cadáver utilizadas para practicar cirugía intraocular del segmento anterior

espanolDescribimos las tecnicas para preparar ojos humanos o animales obtenidos postmortem empleados en el Centro de Investigaciones en Terapeutica Ocular y Bio-implantes, Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, EE.UU. Estas tecnicas han sido utilizadas para practicar diferentes procedimientos quirurgicos (facoemulsificacion, extraccion extracapsular de cristalino, etc.), y para el entrenamiento de cirujanos en transicion. La practica de estas tecnicas en el laboratorio ha contribuido a mejorar la habilidad quirurgica para realizar los pasos criticos de la cirugia de facoemulsificacion. La evaluacion patologica de los globos humanos pseudofaquicos obtenidos postmortem mediante la tecnica posterior de Miyake-Apple, y el analisis histologico han sido fundamentales en el estudio de complicaciones postoperatorias de cirugia de catarata (opacidad de capsula anterior, opacidad de capsula posterior) secundarias a proliferacion postoperatoria de celulas epiteliales del cristalino dentro del saco capsular. Las modificaciones en las tecnicas quirurgicas y en el diseno de las lentes intraoculares han ayudado a disminuir estas complicaciones postoperatorias. El implante de diferentes tipos de lentes afaquicos y faquicos en ojos humanos y animales obtenidos postmortem ha permitido un mejor analisis del tamano y la posicion de nuevos disenos de lentes dentro del ojo. EnglishWe describe different methods to prepare postmortem human or animal eyes used at the Center for Research in Ocular Therapeutics and Biodevices at the Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. These techniques have been utilized for performing different surgical procedures (phacoemulsification, extracapsular cataract extraction, etc.), and for training of surgeons in-transition. Performing these techniques in the wet-laboratory contributed to improve surgical skills to perform the critical steps of the phacoemulsification surgery. Pathological evaluation of pseudophakic postmortem human eyes using the Miyake-Apple posterior view and histology was helpful to analyze postoperative complications of cataract surgery (anterior capsule opacification and posterior capsule opacification) secondary to postoperative proliferation of lens epithelial cells into the capsular bag. Modifications in the surgical techniques and/or lens design may be helpful to reduce these postoperative complications. Implantation of various aphakic and phakic intraocular lenses in postmortem human eyes as well as animal eyes was helpful to analyze the sizing and fitting of new lens designs within the eye.
Calibration of Landsat thermal data and application to water resource studies

The newest in the Landsat series of satellites was launched April 15, 1999. The imagery collected by Landsat is used for a myriad of applications, from coral reef studies to land management. In order to take advantage of Landsat 7 data, the Enhanced Thematic Mapper+ (ETM+) instrument must be calibrated. This study focuses on the immediate postlaunch calibration verification of the Landsat 7 thermal band (Band 6), specifically so that it can be useful in water resource studies. Two year's worth of thermal calibration results using a combination of underfiight data and ground truth show the ETM+ to be extremely stable, though the prelaunch calibration produces an offset of 0.261 W/m2 sr I¼m. This paper focuses on the details of the calibration process, including problems faced with ground truth instrumentation. While the technical emphasis in this paper is the calibration of Landsat thermal data, it is presented in the context of the water resource studies for which calibrated thermal data are required. At certain times in the year, water quality in large lakes, particularly the spatial structure of water quality, is driven by temperature of lake waters. During the spring warming, a phenomena called the thermal bar drives the current and sedimentation of large water bodies. A long-term goal of this study is to use thermally driven hydrodynamic models of lake processes to better understand and monitor water quality in large lakes. This paper presents the hydrodynamic model and the relationship between temperature and water quality in the Great Lakes as one example of why high-resolution, well-calibrated data are critical to earth observing. Â© 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
Improvements in hover display dynamics for a combat helicopter

This paper describes a piloted simulation conducted on the NASA Ames Vertical Motion Simulator. The objective of the experiment was to investigate the handling qualities benefits attainable using new display law design methods for hover displays. The new display laws provide improved methods to specify the behavior of the display symbol that predicts the vehicle's ground velocity in the horizontal plane; it is the primary symbol that the pilot uses to control aircraft horizontal position. The display law design was applied to the Apache helmet-mounted display format, using the Apache vehicle dynamics to tailor the dynamics of the velocity predictor symbol. The representations of the Apache vehicle used in the display design process and in the simulation were derived from flight data. During the simulation, the new symbol dynamics were seen to improve the pilots' ability to maneuver about hover in poor visual cuing environments. The improvements were manifested in pilot handling qualities ratings and in measured task performance. The paper details the display design techniques, the experiment design and conduct, and the results.
The application of a 2-D convective cloud model to waste heat release from proposed nuclear energy centers

Abstract A two-dimensional time-dependent convective cloud model is applied to the problem of atmospheric effects from latent and sensible heat releases by nuclear energy centers. In the model applications the horizontal extent and strength of the source (perturbation) is consistent with those proposed for such centers. One case considers the effect of excess water vapor from such centers upon an existing squall line convective element which passes over the center. Other cases consider the initiation of convection by both latent and sensible heat consistent with that released by evaporative cooling towers in such a center. In the case of enhancement of existing convection the increases in maximum vertical wind speed and maximum rainwater mixing ratio within the storm are computed to be less than 10%. In the cloud initiation cases, sub-cloud layer stability variations in a Nashville, Tennessee sounding were considered with no variation in the environmental motion field. No deep convection occurred in a case where thermal stability was present between 0.4 and 1.6 km. In a case where the atmosphere was dry adiabatic in this layer, deep convection did occur. In another case where the same sounding included a nocturnal inversion, deep convection occurred but was delayed by 3–4 h. In a case utilizing a sounding characteristic of very hot conditions in the interior Pacific Northwest, no condensed cloud was produced. A brief discussion is presented concerning some of the serious problems involved in applying one-, two-and three-dimensional convective cloud models to the waste heat problem. Also, certain additional experiments are suggested for both the enhancement and the initiation cases.
Status and Self-Presentational Pricing: How Status Affects Tuition of U.S. Colleges and Universities

This paper uses U.S. News & World Report annual rankings of nationally focused colleges and universities to examine the within-school effect of status on annual tuition changes from 2006 through 20...
CVBEM error reduction using the approximate boundary method

Abstract The complex variable boundary element method or CVBEM has been shown to be an effective computational tool for approximately two-dimensional problems involving the Laplace or Poisson equations. In this paper, the approximate boundary method (ABM) for error reduction in the CVBEM boundary condition approximation is further examined. A norm for evaluating accuracy and approximation improvement is used to assess the utility of the ABM.
SINGLE OR GROUP HOUSING ALTERED HORMONAL PHYSIOLOGY AND AFFECTED PITUITARY AND INTERSTITIAL CELL KINETICS

A significant negative correlation between testicular interstitial cell tumors and pituitary tumors in control male F344 rats has been reported associated with the number of animals per cage. Change in numbers of animals per cage may cause stress and increased serum corticosteroids that can impair testosterone synthesis by interstitial cells. Eventual atrophy of interstitial cells may result in pituitary hyperfunction and tumor development. For relevant risk assessments, understanding the effect husbandry has on cellular processes is necessary. Twenty-four 6-week-old male F344 rats were housed individually, as pairs, or as trios for 13 weeks. Measured parameters included feed consumption, body and organ weights, hemograms, hormonal levels, histopathology, and cellular kinetics in the pituitary and testicle. Several caging-related differences occurred, that, although not statistically different, could be biologically significant; these included increased serum levels of estradiol, progesterone, and corticosterone; increased spermatogonial proliferation; decreased apoptosis within seminiferous tubules; and increased BrdU immunoreactivity of the interstitial cells. The statistically significant decrease in lymphocyte numbers correlated with the associated increase in corticosterone levels. This study indicates that the number of animals in a cage is associated with hormonal and cellular kinetic changes in the pituitary and testes, which could influence the incidence of tumors in these organs.
Intermediate Coupling in Odd-Odd Nuclei

An intermediate-coupling model is applied to the structure of lithium-6 and nitrogen-14. A ground-state wave function is selected which reproduces the observed ground-state moment data. A two-body potential, with spin-orbit and tensor forces included, is sought which will have the proper wave function as its lowest state and which will reproduce the observed level splitting of the lower excited states of the nucleus. The usual variational method is used, the potential is assumed to have a Yukawa radial dependence, and the wave functions are assumed to have an harmonic oscillator radial dependence. Only the $p$-shell nucleons are included. This procedure leads to a consistent, but not unique, result for lithium requiring a strong tensor force for satisfactory solutions. When the additional requirement of the near vanishing of the carbon-14-nitrogen-14 beta-decay element is imposed, and the procedure repeated for the nitrogen nucleus, the results are much less satisfactory. Very large and physically unmeaningful values of the potential parameters appear to be needed to obtain agreement with experimental data.
Two-level control of a real-time data acquisition and control system for studying the electrical activity of the heart

A high speed data acquisition system for experiments investigating the electrical activity of the heart is discussed with emphasis on the method of specifying and controllinq the experiment in progress. Provision is made for control by the investigator during the experiment of such things as sampling rate, initiation and duration of sampling, control of temperature of tissue preparations, pacing rates of various stimuli, etc. For many experiments direct investigator control works well, but where sequences of control are complicated, or where changes in control must occur in real time (e.g. sampling duration changes within a single heart beat), or where sequences of pacing outputs must vary depending upon values of immediately preceding data, direct investigator control is not feasible. Our approach to this problem is to use a Master Program - a small separate module tailored to each particular experiment which can monitor the progress of the experiment and make control choices automatically - in effect, an automated operator, Master Programs are subroutines prepared independently from the data acquisition program and allow the investigator to continue to exert whatever control he desires while the Master Program is running. A Master Program and an associated set of system parameters are stored together in a "workspace" on auxiliary storage with other workspaces. Any workspace can be loaded, if required, during execution of the data acquisition program, quickly changing the experiment's environment. Master Programs operate as coroutines with the existing modules of the data acquisition program. A general description of the data acquisition system is given along with an example of a specific Master Program. The implementation method is briefly discussed.
Real estate values, school quality, and the pattern of urban development in Charlotte, North Carolina

Abstract This study presents estimates of a model that includes the racial composition and academic quality of public schools among the determinants of housing prices. Results suggest that academic quality is a more important factor in the determination of housing values than the racial ratio of pupils in area schools. Drawing on estimates of the model, a school preference index (SPI) is developed. The SPI is found to be positively correlated to the level of the academic achievement and negatively related to the level of nonwhite school enrollment. The SPI also is shown to be positively correlated to the level of new residential construction.
A radiochromic folm dosimeter for gamma radiation in the absorbed-dose range 0.1–10 kGy

Abstract A commercially available leuco-dye film (FWT-63-02), having a thickness of 0.55 mm, has been investigated spectrophotometrically for its characteristics as a radiochromic dosimeter and for its potential use in food-irradiation applications. The γ-ray irradiation of the nearly colorless, transparent film induces blue color with an absorption maximum at 600 nm. The increase in absorbance at 600 nm per unit thickness of film (ΔA mm-1) is linear with dose in the dose range up to 8 kGy, with a slope of 0.91 mm-1·kGy-1. After a modest additional increase during the first day following irradiation, the radiation-induced color is stable when stored at room temperature at least for 5 weeks. The response slope is 16% higher when stored at 60°C, however, after the initial 1-day increase it is stable for several weeks when stored at that temperature. The response of the dosimeter is independent of dose rate in the range 0.5–170 Gy min-1.
Effects of Hormone Therapy on Regional Surface Strain as a Function of Applied Strain in the Macaque Inferior Glenohumeral Ligament

Hormones such as estrogen are known to have an effect on the biomechanical properties of certain ligaments such as the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee; however, relatively little is known about its effect on the ligaments of the shoulder. The inferior glenohumeral ligament (IGHL) is a static stabilizer of the shoulder that prevents anterior translation of the humeral head. Alterations to the properties of this ligament can result in capsular stretching, increased laxity, and ultimately instability. The cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) shares many hormonal similarities with humans including a 28-day menstrual cycle and is a commonly used model for hormone replacement therapy studies. This study uses the female cynomolgus monkey as a model of the human shoulder to determine if estrogen has an effect on the regional surface strain behavior of the inferior glenohumeral ligament.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Subjective Magnitude Functions for Vibrotaction

An investigation of the subjective magnitude of vibrotaction was undertaken in order to 1) determine the growth of sensation as a function of intensity at a number of different frequencies; 2) establish contours of equal subjective intensity for vibrotaction; and 3) compare the psychophysical methods of direct scaling and intensity matching for a wide range of intensity and frequency. The results show that the growth of sensation is a power function having a slope of about 0.89 for frequencies up to 350 Hz. Near the threshold of detectability the subjective magnitude is proportional to the physical intensity. Contours of equal subjective magnitude were established at eleven levels of intensity and across ten frequencies. It is clearly shown that data obtained by direct scaling and by interfrequency-intensity matching are comparable.
Effect of Hard Red Spring Wheat Bran on the Bioavailability of Lipid-Soluble Vitamins and Growth of Rats Fed for 56 Days

Semipurified diets containing either 0, 5 or 20% wheat bran were fed ad libitum to male Sprague-Dawley rats. Significant increases in weights (P < 0.05) were found for the stomach, 32.6 ± 8.7%, and for the large intestine, 14.5 ± 4.8%, in rats fed 20% wheat bran compared to the control rats fed 0% wheat bran. Wheat bran consumption had no effect on plasma vitamin E or plasma vitamin A levels after 56 days of feeding; however, plasma vitamin A and vitamin E levels were shown to decline after 6 weeks and 5 weeks respectively, on the wheat bran diets. These studies suggest that some metabolic modifications induced by dietary wheat bran undergo reversible adaptations that are time dependent.
Interdose Elevation in Plasma Cortisol During Chronic Treatment with Alprazolam but not Lorazepam in the Elderly

Benzodiazepines (BZPs) have been shown to reduce hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity acutely in normal humans. In contrast, the effects of chronic BZP treatment on the HPA axis have not been well studied, especially in the geriatric population. This study examined the acute and chronic effects (3 weeks) of alprazolam and lorazepam on plasma cortisol in 68 subjects (60-83 years) who received 0.25 or 0.50 mg b.i.d. alprazolam, or 0.50 or 1.0 mg b.i.d. lorazepam, or placebo orally according to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel design. Memory assessment and blood samples for plasma cortisol were obtained prior to the morning dose on days 0, 7, 14, and 21, and at 1, 2.5, and 5 h postdrug on days 0 and 21. Assessments of anxiety and depression were carried out at days 0, 7, 14, and 21 before drug administration. Plasma cortisol was affected compared to placebo only by the 0.5 mg alprazolam dose. During the first and the last day of treatment, there was a significant drop in cortisol at 2.5 h after alprazolam compared to placebo. The predose cortisol levels increased significantly during chronic alprazolam treatment, and correlations were found between these cortisol changes and changes in depression, anxiety, and memory scores. These findings suggest that even a short period of chronic treatment with alprazolam, but not lorazepam, may result in interdose HPA axis activation in the elderly, consistent with drug withdrawal. If confirmed, this effect may contribute to an increased risk for drug escalation and dependence during chronic alprazolam treatment.
Simulation Workshop in Pan-America: Lessons Learned

Abstract Simulation in nursing has gained international prominence. While Europe and Asia have made significant advances in simulation in nursing, the Pan-American countries have struggled with limited financial resources and geographic barriers, to name a few issues. This article details one faculty member's experiences hosting the first preconference simulation workshop at La Asociacion Latino Americano de Educacion en Enfermeria in the city of Panama. The University of South Florida cosponsored a nursing workshop in the fall of 2009. Participants included 31 nurses. Our Pan-American colleagues embrace simulation technology and are eager for ongoing workshops. Discussion is needed to identify ways to help our nursing colleagues in Latin America seek funding sources and potential collaborators to further develop their simulation initiatives in nursing education.
New method for calculating electronic properties of superlattices using complex band structures

The electronic structure of semiconductor superlattices is analyzed in terms of complex bulk band structures. The details of the complex bands and the matching conditions at the interfaces are found to be crucial in energy ranges of experimental interest. The limits of applicability of the Kronig-Penney and two-band models are shown.
On the Origin of Leu-Enkephalin and Met-Enkephalin in the Rat Neurohypophysis

The posterior lobe of the pituitary contains large amounts of Leu-and Met-enkephalin (LE and ME, respectively). A marked depletion of ME (81.9%) and LE (94.5%) in the posterior pituitary occurred after transection of the pituitary stalk. This indicates that most, if not all, of the enkephalins are in processes of central neurons. In the present study, I attempted to determine the source(s) of the LE-and ME-containing fibers in the posterior pituitary by examining the effects of hypothalamic lesions or fiber transections on the LE and ME levels. Lesions of the hypothalamic paraventricular nuclei caused ME and LE levels in the posterior pituitary to decrease significantly (55.6% and 27.6%, respectively). Deafferentation of the medial basal hypothalamus (creating islands of tissue containing the ventromedial and arcuate nuclei) resulted in a marked reduction in LE (94.1%) and ME (54.7%). Treating neonatal rats with monosodium glutamate resulted in a selective destruction of arcuate nucleus neurons, but did n...
Profile of physicians in the nursing home: time perception and barriers to optimal medical practice.

Objectives To describe physician medical practice in nursing homes, including actual time spent for routine encounters with nursing home residents and demographic characteristics of the physicians who serve as medical directors; to determine the congruence between actual time spent for routine encounters with nursing home residents and the physician's view of the optimal time; and to identify barriers to providing optimal visits. Design A mail survey of a national random sample of 200 medical directors of all Medicare-certified nursing facilities using the Dillman Total Design mail survey methodology. Participants 100 medical directors (50% response rate). Measurements The survey consisted of open- and closed-ended items on the following: the demographic characteristics of the medical director; demographic characteristics of the nursing home; the extent of the medical director's nursing home practice, including the ideal and actual time spent in nursing home visits for 4 common types of visits; and perception of barriers to providing optimum visits in the nursing home. Results Medical directors were most likely to be primary care physicians, the majority of whom were male; had practiced in long-term care for more than 18 years; were medical directors in 2 facilities; provided, on average, primary care in 4 facilities; spent 31 hours per month in the nursing home with nursing staff; and devoted 44% of their practice to nursing homes. Most, (74%) were members of the American Medical Directors Association (AMDA), 41% were certified medical directors (CMD), 42% had a certificate of added qualification (CAQ) in geriatrics, and only 15% had fellowship training. Reports of actual time spent on 4 common types of nursing home visits were significantly less than optimal visit times, but fellowship-trained physicians reported significantly greater discrepancies between the optimal and actual time spent for the 30- to 60-day reviews and readmissions compared with physicians who were not. A parallel pattern was seen comparing physicians with and without CAQs. Nursing support and accurate/accessible information were recorded as most problematic and reimbursement the least problematic barrier to providing optimal nursing home visits. Conclusion The present study provides a snapshot of current physician practice in US nursing homes. Such information is needed as the debate over the physician's role in the nursing home continues and new policy is framed that will ultimately define the future of medical practice in the nursing home. That 74% of the national survey respondents were members of AMDA suggests that the AMDA membership is representative of the national medical director population.
Abelson Leukemia Virus Induces Lymphoid and Erythroid Colonies in Infected Fetal Cell Cultures

Abstract An examination of Abelson murine leukemia virus (A-MuLV)-hematopoietic cell interaction in cultures of fetal tissues reveals that A-MuLV can stimulate the formation of two different types of colonies. One type of colony is white and composed of A-MuLV-transformed lymphoid cells that can develop into established cell lines. These cells are indistinguishable in morphology from typical adult-derived lymphoid transformants. The second type of colony is pink or red and composed of erythroid cells in various stages of differentiation. Although A-MuLV is required to induce the erythroid colonies, and at least some cells in all of these colonies are infected with the virus, no permanently growing cell lines have been established from the cells in these colonies. The frequency of the two types of colonies varies depending upon the tissue and the gestational age of the embryo. Erythroid colonies are found following infection of early and mid gestation tissues while lymphoid colonies are found following infection of mid and late gestation tissues. Mixing experiments indicate that the two types of colonies arise from distinct target cells. Because A-MuLV mutants that are defective for lymphoid cell transformation are also defective for erythroid colony induction, expression of a functional Abelson protein is probably required for colony induction. Thus A-MuLV is capable of stimulating the cells of two distinct hematopoietic lineages. In one case, infection leads to transformation, while in the second, it leads to growth and differentiation. Both types of interaction are mediated, at least in part, by the same A-MuLV gene product, a molecule previously considered to induce transformation in all stably infected cells.
Sexual identity and sexual orientation in children with traumatized or ambiguous genitalia

It has long been proposed that the development of sexual orientation and sexual identity is due to an interaction of both constitutional and social forces (Diamond, 1965). A great deal of evidence has been accruing that nature sets a predisposition for these sexual developments and within such limits the environment works. Cases are presented in which individuals, because of trauma to their genitals or because their genitals are ambiguous, have been assigned to agender they later come to reject. These cases provide evidence that one's sexual identity is not fixed by the gender of rearing. Further, they provide insight into a process that atypical as well as typical persons undergo in psychosexual development. Everyone undergoes self‐analysis during which he or she evaluates being “same” or “different” from peers and other males or females and comes to terms with his or her sexual identity by such comparisons. These cases further illustrate that sexual orientation also develops independent of rearing. Sign...
Mixing ability analysis of wheat cultivar mixtures under diseased and nondiseased conditions.

Mixing ability analyses, adapted from combining ability analyses used in plant breeding, were performed on yield and stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis) severity data for two-way mixtures among either four or five club wheat (Triticum aesitivum) cultivars grown in five environments. Initially, two statistics were calculated for each trait: general mixing ability (GMA), the average performance of a cultivar over all of the mixtures, and specific mixing ability (SMA), the deviation of a mixture from the estimated performance of the pair based on its average performance in mixtures. General mixing ability was further divided into two components: genotype performing ability (GPA), the innate ability of a cultivar to yield and resist disease in pure stand, and true general mixing ability (TGMA), the average ability of a cultivar to influence yield and disease when mixed with other cultivars. Significant mean squares for genotypes, GMA, SMA, and TGMA were found for all of the traits in most environments. Examination of TGMA and SMA revealed cultivars and cultivar combinations that were statistically better “mixers” than the others. Some of the significant effects were probably due to the use of cultivars that differed in height and stripe rust resistance, but for other combinations there was no apparent explanation for enhanced mixing ability.
Real-Time Interpolation Of Images Obtained By Image Detector Arrays

REAL-TIME INTERPOLATION OF IMAGES OBTAINED BY IMAGE DETECTOR ARRAYSO. K. ERSOY, Purdue University, School of Electrical Engineering, W. Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USAABSTRACTA real-time method of multidimensional interpolation based on the generalized real discrete Fourier transform (GRDFT) is presented. By factorizing the ID transform matrix into the preprocessing and postprocessing matrices, and approximating the postprocessing stage such that any degree of desired accuracy is obtained, increased speed of computation and feasibility of electro-optical or VLSI implementation at reduced cost are achieved.1. 2D INTERPOLATION WITH GRDFTIn many imaging applications, it is necessary to interpolate the images in a reliable way in real time for a variety of reasons such as the number of available detector elements arranged in an array being limited. This can be achieved using 2D generalized real discrete Fourier transform (GRDFT) [1]. There are actually 4 classes of GRDFT. We will use the first one, denoted by Rj. Its ID matrix will also be denoted by Rj. 2D Rl with NTxNT points (NT assumed to be a power of 2 may be chosen differently in the two directions) can be written as4 NT-I Nr-i 2701^1 27rn2k2y(nlfn2) = -^ £ £ xfk^k,) cos( *-*- + ^(nj) cos( f± + 02(n2)) (1) NT kx =0 k2=0 iNT ^Twhere #;( ), i being 1 or 2, is given by0i(n) = ^j(n) for 0 < n < NT/2 , and <^(n) + 7T/2 for NT/2 < n < NT (2) ^j(') being an arbitrary angle. The inverse transform is given byNT-I Nr-i 27rn1k1 27rn2k2x(ni,n2) = S E yfk^MkjMk,) cos( -^ + ^(k^cosl ^ + 02(k2)) (3) k1=o k2=o INT NTwherev(k) = 1 for k * 0,NT/2, and 1/2 for k = 0,NT/2 . (4)Assume that there are actually NxN data points available in a regular grid where N = NT/M, M being a power of 2 (M may also be chosen differently in the two directions). Then y(nj,n2) can be approximated by y (nl7n2) as follows:y (nlfn2) = 0 for N/2 < n^ < NT - N/2 , y (n^N/2) = y(nlfN/2)cosir/M (5)y (N/2,n2) = y(N/2,n2)cos^/M, y (N/2,N/2) = y(N/2,N/2)cos27r/M, y (ni,n2) = y(ni,n2) otherwiseThe image data can be considered to be x(Mn},Mn2), approximately given by (3) with NT replaced by N in (2) and (3) and 0j(n) set to 0. Then y; (nj,n2) is given by (1).The interpolation involves computing x(Mnj + 0 1?Mn2 + f 2) where 0 < t \ < M, i being 1 or 2. This is achieved by using (3) with Nj replaced by N, and 0j(«) given by
A convenient preparation of 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-d-glucose, some of its alkyl glycosides, and allyl 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-α-d-galactopyranoside

Abstract Glycosides of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- d -glucopyranose were treated with triphenylphosphine and N -bromosuccinimide to form the 6-bromo-6-deoxy derivatives. These, on hydrogenolysis in the presence of a palladium catalyst, yielded glycosides of 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy- d -glucopyranose ( N -acetyl- d -quinovosamine). When the benzyl β- d -glycoside was the starting material, the product was free N -acetyl- d -quinovosamine. The allyl 6-bromo-6-deoxy-α- and -β-glycosides, after partial benzoylation, were reduced by tributyltin hydride to allyl 2-acetamido-3- O -benzoyl-2,6-dideoxy-α- and -β- d -glucopyranoside. The α anomer was converted into allyl 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-α- d -galactopyranoside (α glycoside of N -acetyl- d -fucosamine) by successive trifluoromethylsulfonylation, displacement with cesium benzoate, and O -debenzoylation.
Is Quadriceps Muscle Weakness a Risk Factor for Incident or Progressive Knee Osteoarthritis

The role of the quadriceps muscle in mediating risk for knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common subject of investigation. The quadriceps muscle is a principal contributor to knee joint stability and provides shock absorption for the knee during ambulation. Clinically, weakness of the quadriceps muscle is consistently found in patients with knee OA. Research has shown that higher quadriceps muscle strength is associated with a reduced risk for incident symptomatic knee OA. However, there is limited evidence to suggest that quadriceps muscle plays a significant role in the incidence of radiographic knee OA. In addition, greater quadriceps muscle strength is associated with a lower risk for progression of tibiofemoral joint space narrowing and cartilage loss in women. This article summarizes knowledge of the relationship between quadriceps muscle strength and risk for knee OA.
Targeting the Intestinal Microbiota in the Pediatric Population A Clinical Perspective

The intestinal microbiota is a functional organ with a variety of important metabolic, trophic, immunologic, and digestive activities. Current data suggest that alterations in the intestinal microbiota may be related to disease conditions. Manipulation of the intestinal microbiota such as with probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics may be beneficial in preventing and treating certain disease conditions. This article provides an overview of the evidence gathered through randomized clinical trials, reviews, and meta-analyses on probiotics and prebiotics in commonly studied conditions in the pediatric population. It concludes with current recommendations for their use, noting safety and gaps in clinical evidence.