cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A unique sarcopenic progression in the mouse rotator cuff.

BACKGROUND In response to chronic injury, the muscles of the rotator cuff (RC) experience a unique degeneration characterized by extensive fatty infiltration and loss of contractile function. Human studies suggest this degeneration is also a feature of RC sarcopenia and may precede RC injury. In this study, we investigated whether RC muscles exhibit a similar unique sarcopenia in the mouse. METHODS Male and female mice were subdivided into four age groups: 3, 9, 18, and 24 months. The supraspinatus (SS) and infraspinatus muscles of the RC and the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of the hindlimb were assessed. Muscle mass, contractile function, fibre cross-sectional areas and numbers, fatty infiltration, and fibrosis were assessed at each time point. Targeted transcriptional analyses were performed to assess the role of metabolic and inflammatory derangement in the pathology. RESULTS The 24-month-aged female mice exhibited decreased mass (25% lower than at 9 and 18 months, P < 0.01) in all muscles tested. However, only RC muscles also exhibited decreased contractile tension at this time point (20% lower than at 18 months, P < 0.005). Similarly, only female RC muscles exhibited increased fatty infiltration at 24 months (20% higher than 9 months, P < 0.05) and had elevated transcriptional markers of adipogenesis (2.4-fold higher Pparg and 3.8-fold higher Adipoq expression compared with 9 months, P < 0.001). Unbiased metabolic transcriptional profiling identified up-regulation of the antigen presentation (Z scores of 2.3 and 1.9 for SS and TA, respectively) and cytokine and chemokine signalling (Z scores of 3.1 and 2.4 for SS and TA, respectively) pathways in 24 month female muscle compared with 9. Further transcriptional analysis supported increased expression of pro-adipogenic inflammatory signals (6.3-fold increase in Il6 and 5.0-fold increase in Anxa2, P < 0.01) and increased presence of fibro-adipogenic progenitors (2.5-fold) in the 24-month-aged female RC compared with 9 months that together exacerbate fatty infiltration. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that female mice replicate the unique sarcopenic pathology in the ageing human RC. Furthermore, they suggest that the exacerbated fatty infiltration is due to an interaction between higher resident fibro-adipogenic progenitor numbers and an elevated systemic inflammation in aged female mice. We conclude that female mouse RC muscle is a novel system to study both human RC degeneration and the signals that regulate sarcopenic fatty infiltration in general, which is prevalent in humans but largely absent from the rodent hindlimb.
Survival of Salmonella spp. in low water activity chicken base paste and powder formulated at different salt levels

Dry flavor ingredients such as black pepper and hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) have been frequently recalled from the supply chain due to contamination with Salmonella. These spices are commonly used in preparation of savory meat flavor bases. This study evaluated the effect of various salt levels on the survival of Salmonella spp. in chicken bases formulated with pepper and HVP, in either paste or powder form. The salt content (% w/w), aw and pH for regular-salt, 45% reduced-salt and 90% reduced-salt paste formulations were 33.0, 0.686, 5.75; 18.2, 0.691, 5.85; and 3.5, 0.751, 5.96, respectively, and powder formulations were 34.0, 0.254, 6.15; 18.5, 0.290, 6.28; and 3.1, 0.301, 6.50, respectively. To mimic natural contamination, a dry sand inoculation technique was used to prepare the samples. A five serovar cocktail of Salmonella was used and the final inoculation level in the samples was 7.5 ± 0.2 log CFU/g. Inoculated paste samples were stored at 21 °C for up to 12 weeks, and up to 42 weeks for powder formulations. Salmonella counts did not increase in either treatment during storage. The effect of salt levels on Salmonella survival was insignificant. There was a 5.2 ± 0.4 log reduction in paste formulations by 3 week. However, low Salmonella counts (<1.0 log CFU/g) were detected in samples from 6 to 12 weeks. In powder formulations, minimal log reductions of 1.3 ± 0.1 were observed over 42 weeks. When preparing a food product that does not undergo a kill step, it is necessary to ensure the absence of Salmonella in the ingredients, as well as practicing strict adherence to good manufacturing practices including proper environmental monitoring and sanitation in food processing. Furthermore, adequate consumer cooking instructions are important to ensure proper Salmonella lethality during preparation of reconstituted dry products.
ON SUPERVISED METHODS FOR SEGMENTATION OF BLOOD VESSELS IN OCULAR FUNDUS IMAGES

Information about the retinal blood vessel network is important for diagnosis, treatment, screening, evaluation and the clinical study of many diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and arteriosclerosis. Automated segmentation and identification of retinal image structures had become one of the major research subjects in the fundus imaging and diagnostic ophthalmology. Automatic segmentation of blood vessels from retinal images is considered as first step in development of automated system for ophthalmic diagnosis. With the development of computational efficiency, the pattern classification and image processing techniques are increasingly used in all fields of medical sciences particularly in ophthalmology. In this paper, we have presented a review of supervised classification algorithms for retinal vessel segmentation available in the literature. We outline the principles upon which retinal vessel segmentation algorithms are based. We discuss current supervised classification techniques used to automatically detect the blood vessels.
Kinetics of Germination of Bacillus Spores

Vary, J. C. (University of Wisconsin, Madison), and H. O. Halvorson. Kinetics or germination of Bacillus spores. J. Bacteriol. 89: 1340–1347. 1965.—The kinetics of germination of Bacillus cereus strain T spores was accurately described by McCormick. To study the mechanism of germination, it is necessary to correlate the characteristic changes in a population of germinating spores with the behavior of the individual spores in the same population. Two microscopic events are apparent during germination: microlag, the time interval between the addition of l-alanine to heat-activated spores and the beginning of loss in refractility, and microgermination time, the time for the actual change in refractility to occur. The frequency distributions of both events are skewed, and appear to be independent. The effects of l-alanine concentration, heat activation, and temperature of germination on three parameters, microlag, microgermination, and per cent germination, were microscopically studied. The data are discussed in relation to the mechanism of germination, and a correlation between microlag and microgermination times with the constants of McCormick9s equation has been suggested. Images
Finite-Dimensional Dynamical Systems

We present the principal stability and boundedness results for continuous dynamical systems, discrete-time dynamical systems, and discontinuous dynamical systems involving monotonic and non-monotonic Lyapunov functions. We apply the results of Chapter 3 to arrive at these results. When considering various stability types, our focus is on invariant sets that are equilibria. Our results constitute sufficient conditions (the Principal Stability and Boundedness Results) and necessary conditions (Converse Theorems). We demonstrate the applicability of all results by means of numerous examples.
GAIT AND MUSCLE FUNCTION RECORDED BY THE ELECTROBASOGRAPH

1. The sequence and duration of contraction of the tibialis anterior, the peronei, the gastrocnemius and soleus (tendo achillis), the extensor digitorum communis, and tibialis posterior have been recorded during the act of walking. 2. All records have been timed accurately to within hundredths of a second. 3. With this precision, the records of muscle function have been simultaneously correlated with the sequence and duration of the weightbearing areas of the feet during the act of walking. 4. The record of "normal" gait presented herewith is based upon the results obtained from the making of more than 1,000 records of human locomotion by the electrobasographic method.
pH dependence, substrate specificity and inhibition of human kynurenine aminotransferase I

Human kynurenine aminotransferase I/glutamine transaminase K (hKAT-I) is an important multifunctional enzyme. This study systematically studies the substrates of hKAT-I and reassesses the effects of pH, Tris, amino acids and alpha-keto acids on the activity of the enzyme. The experiments were comprised of functional expression of the hKAT-I in an insect cell/baculovirus expression system, purification of its recombinant protein, and functional characterization of the purified enzyme. This study demonstrates that hKAT-I can catalyze kynurenine to kynurenic acid under physiological pH conditions, indicates indo-3-pyruvate and cysteine as efficient inhibitors for hKAT-I, and also provides biochemical information about the substrate specificity and cosubstrate inhibition of the enzyme. hKAT-I is inhibited by Tris under physiological pH conditions, which explains why it has been concluded that the enzyme could not efficiently catalyze kynurenine transamination. Our findings provide a biochemical basis towards understanding the overall physiological role of hKAT-I in vivo and insight into controlling the levels of endogenous kynurenic acid through modulation of the enzyme in the human brain.
Potentiality, Irreversibility, and Death

There has been growing concern about whether individuals who satisfy neurological criteria for death or who become non-heart-beating organ donors are really dead. This concern has focused on the issue of the potential for recovery that these individuals may still have and whether their conditions are irreversible. In this article I examine the concepts of potentiality and irreversibility that have been invoked in the discussions of the definition of death and non-heart-beating organ donation. I initially focus on the recent challenge by D. Alan Shewmon to accepting any neurological criterion of death. I argue that Shewmon relies on a problematic and unrealistic concept of potentiality, and that a better, more realistic concept of potentiality is consistent with accepting a neurological criterion for death. I then turn to an analysis of how the concept of irreversibility has been used in discussion of non-heart-beating organ donation. Similarly, I argue that some participants in this discussion have invoked a problematic and unrealistic concept of irreversibility. I then propose an alternative, more realistic account of irreversibility that explains how "irreversibility" should be understood in the definition and criteria of death.
Charge transfer of multiply charged ions at thermal energies

The charge transfer of ${\mathrm{N}}^{2+}$ and ${\mathrm{C}}^{3+}$ in collisions with atomic hydrogen at thermal energies is studied. Adiabatic molecular eigenfunctions, potential-energy surfaces, and nuclear coupling matrix elements are calculated, and a transformation is effected to a diabatic basis in terms of which the collision problems are solved. The emission characteristics of the spectrum resulting from charge transfer are presented.
Management and Production Potential of Value‐Added Soybean Cultivars in South Central USA

Growth of value-added commodities, especially high-protein and tofu soybean [Glycine max (L.) Men.], may offer a profitable option for growers faced with the decline in traditional crops in the south central region of the USA. There is limited information on the production potential and management options necessary for optimal production of value-added soybean crops In this region. The objectives of this study were (i) to determine the production potential of value-added soybean cultivars in the south central region, and (ii) to evaluate various management options for optimal production in this area. Three tofu-type and three high-protein soybean cultivars were compared with commodity-type (check) soybean cultivars under various N and plant density treatments over 4 location/years. Yield and yield component data were collected including seed protein and oil concentrations. Both high protein and tofu-type soybean cultivars had comparable yields and generally greater protein concentrations and larger seed size (tofu-type soybean) than an equivalent check cultivar. The exceptions were cultivars that had, on average, a greater than 10% higher protein concentration than the check cultivar. These higher protein cultivars generally yielded less than other value-added soybean cultivars or the standard check cultivar. The value-added soybean cultivars responded well to management practices currently being used to grow standard commodity cultivars. Neither change in plant population density nor late-season fertilizer applications was necessary to maintain total yield and yield components at a level equivalent to the check cultivar. There is good production potential of value-added soybean cultivars in the south central region, even when grown with current equipment and management practices utilized for commodity soybean crop production.
Protein prenylation: A new mode of host–pathogen interaction

Post translational modifications are required for proteins to be fully functional. The three step process, prenylation, leads to farnesylation or geranylgeranylation, which increase the hydrophobicity of the prenylated protein for efficient anchoring into plasma membranes and/or organellar membranes. Prenylated proteins function in a number of signaling and regulatory pathways that are responsible for basic cell operations. Well characterized prenylated proteins include Ras, Rac and Rho. Recently, pathogenic prokaryotic proteins, such as SifA and AnkB, have been shown to be prenylated by eukaryotic host cell machinery, but their functions remain elusive. The identification of other bacterial proteins undergoing this type of host-directed post-translational modification shows promise in elucidating host–pathogen interactions to develop new therapeutics. This review incorporates new advances in the study of protein prenylation into a broader aspect of biology with a focus on host–pathogen interaction.
Known components of the immunoglobulin A:T mutational machinery are intact in Burkitt lymphoma cell lines with G:C bias.

The basis for mutations at A:T base pairs in immunoglobulin hypermutation and defining how AID interacts with the DNA of the immunoglobulin locus are major aspects of the immunoglobulin mutator mechanism where questions remain unanswered. Here, we examined the pattern of mutations generated in mice deficient in various DNA repair proteins implicated in A:T mutation and found a previously unappreciated bias at G:C base pairs in spectra from mice simultaneously deficient in DNA mismatch repair and uracil DNA glycosylase. This suggests a strand-biased DNA transaction for AID delivery which is then masked by the mechanism that introduces A:T mutations. Additionally, we asked if any of the known components of the A:T mutation machinery underscore the basis for the paucity of A:T mutations in the Burkitt lymphoma cell lines, Ramos and BL2. Ramos and BL2 cells were proficient in MSH2/MSH6-mediated mismatch repair, and express high levels of wild-type, full-length DNA polymerase η. In addition, Ramos cells have high levels of uracil DNA glycosylase protein and are proficient in base excision repair. These results suggest that Burkitt lymphoma cell lines may be deficient in an unidentified factor that recruits the machinery necessary for A:T mutation or that AID-mediated cytosine deamination in these cells may be processed by conventional base excision repair truncating somatic hypermutation at the G:C phase. Either scenario suggests that cytosine deamination by AID is not enough to trigger A:T mutation, and that additional unidentified factors are required for full spectrum hypermutation in vivo.
Bill would bolster science at EPA

Since its establishment in 1970, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has primarily served as a regulatory agency with a significant science component. However, the agency's scientific practices and performance at times have been criticized by the U.S. General Accounting Office, the National Academies of Science (NAS), Congress, and EPA's own science advisory board, as well as in a number of lawsuits. New legislation introduced by Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.), chair of the House of Representatives' Science Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards, includes measures meant to improve the agency's science component. The legislation, H.R. 64, would require the president to appoint an EPA deputy administrator for science and technology This deputy administrator, who would rank higher than existing assistant administrators (AAs), would be responsible for the overall scientific and technical foundation of the agency's decisions, including ensuring that the agency's scientific endeavors use the best possible peer review and research planning practices.
Optimizing the removal of small fish passage barriers

Removing small artificial barriers that hinder upstream migrations of fish is a major problem in riparian habitat restoration. Because of budgetary limitations, it is necessary to prioritize barrier removal and repair decisions. These have usually been based on scoring and ranking procedures, which, although simple to use, can be very inefficient in terms of increasing the amount of accessible instream habitat. We develop a novel decision-making approach, based on integer programming techniques, which optimizes repair and removal decisions. Results show based on real datasets of barrier culverts located in Washington State that scoring and ranking is over 25% below the optimum on average and a full 100% below in the worst case, producing no net habitat gain whatsoever. This is compared to a dynamic programming method that was able to find optimal solutions in less than a second, even for problems with up to several hundred variables, and a heuristic method, which found solutions with less than a 1% average optimality gap in even less time.
Rossby Normal Modes in Basins with Barriers

Abstract The Rossby wave, linear, normal modes for a barotropic fluid in a basin on the β plane are calculated in the presence of a thin barrier, which nearly divides the basin in two. Narrow gaps allow one subbasin to communicate to the other. In the case of a meridional barrier it is shown that the modes split into two categories: either full-basin modes, which have strong expression in both subbasins, or subbasin modes, which are limited to one or the other of the subbasins. The full-basin modes have natural frequencies very close to the eigenfrequencies of the basin in the absence of a barrier, while the subbasin modes oscillate at the eigenfrequencies of the subbasins as if they were isolated. In the former case, the oscillation is accompanied by strong flow through the gaps in the barrier while, in the latter case, there is essentially no flow through the barrier. If the barrier is opened by adding additional gaps, some of the modes turn from subbasin modes to full-basin modes. If the barrier is zon...
TOXICITY OF SALINE UTERINE EXTRACTS FROM RABBITS DURING PREGNANCY, PSEUDOPREGNANCY AND AFTER CORPUS LUTEUM HORMONE ADMINISTRATION1

IN PREVIOUS COMMUNICATIONS (1, 2, 3) it was reported that saline extracts of rabbit I uteri from animals immediately post partum contain a histamine-like substance i L which is fatally toxic when injected intravenously into males or females of the same species. Similar extracts prepared from liver, muscle or uteri from nonpregnant animals and administered in the same way were not toxic. It was further reported (4) that saline uterine extracts from estrogen-treated nonpregnant rabbits also con-tain this factor. The present report concerns further investigations on the presence of this toxic substance in the uteri of rabbits during pregnancy, pseudopregnancy and after corpus luteum hormone administration. A total of 108 rabbits were used in this study; 48 young adult females providing uteri for extraction and 60 animals weighing between 2.5 and 4.0 kg., including both sexes, serving as test animals.
Biomechanical Comparison of Abdominal Wall Hernia Repair Materials

Complications following abdominal hernia repair include infection, mechanical failure, adhesion, and hernia recurrence [1,2]. Mesh materials require less revision surgery and reduce patient morbidity compared to when fascia is harvested [1,3]. Biologic meshes have lower infection rates and less adhesion than synthetic materials, but are more expensive [1]. In order to determine how these materials will function in vivo, it is important to simulate aspects of the actual conditions to which the material might be subjected after surgery. Previous studies have examined how different types of fascia, synthetic materials, and extracellular matrix materials responded to tests that mimic the in vivo state [3–6]. Suture retention testing has been used to compare the performance of human fascia versus possible substitutes [4]. Ball burst testing has been instrumental in understanding the biomechanical properties of different soft tissues and replacement materials by simulating biaxial forces associated with physiological loading conditions [5–7]. This objective of this was to determine which material might be most optimal for use in hernia repair. We hypothesize that biologic mesh materials will exhibit more optimal mechanical properties than synthetic materials when exposed to these test procedures.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Detail reproduction of soft tissue: A comparison of impression materials

The extent to which an impression material reproduces detail is influenced by factors such as viscosity, wettability, handling properties, and voids. This clinical study compared the ability of several impression materials to register soft tissue without creating voids and produce detailed gypsum casts. Thirty impressions of the hard palate of a single subject were made by use of a custom-cast metal framework serving as an impression tray. Six impression materials commonly used in clinical practice were tested. Die stone casts made from the impressions were evaluated and ranked by five judges. Polyether and hydrophilic addition silicone were judged best in terms of detail reproduction and zinc oxide-eugenol and polysulfide low-viscosity materials were judged worst in this regard. Impression voids were minimized with low-viscosity polysulfide and zinc oxide-eugenol when compared with addition silicones (low and medium viscosities).
Aneurysmal bone cyst of the maxilla: case report and review of the literature

Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a rare benign lesion of the head and neck. A case of an ABC in a 12-year-old female is presented, the twentieth reported such case in the maxilla. Literature review shows ABC are common in the long bones; only 2% are in the head and neck. Of the 77 lesions in the head and neck found in the literature, 31 (40%) are in the mandible, 20 (26%) are in the maxilla (including this case) and the remainder mainly in the skull. Current recommended treatment is curettage with enucleation first if technically possible.
The Chronology of Moll Flanders

Le schema temporel de la narration de Moll Flanders demontre la maitrise de D. Defoe malgre certains anachronismes et quelques difficultes chronologiques. Tableau chronologique allant de 1613 a 1863 avec la localisation dans le roman.
Cerebral convexity subarachnoid hemorrhage: various causes and role of diagnostic imaging

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have made it relatively easy to diagnose cortical convexity subarachnoid hemorrhages (cSAH); however, the evaluation of these hemorrhages should not be limited to size and location. It is imperative that possible underlying etiologies be identified so that clinicians may properly treat and prevent this potentially catastrophic event. The goal of this article is to review etiologies of cortical convexity subarachnoid hemorrhages, from common causes such as cerebral amyloid angiopathy to less common causes such as reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome and moyamoya. The specific imaging findings of each etiology that may be responsible for these hemorrhages are described in this article so that the radiologist may properly aid in the diagnosis of the underlying cause.
Incorporating Safety and Security Issues in Urban Transportation Planning

The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century specifically mentions safety and security as making up one of the seven factors to be considered as metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) develop their transportation plans and programs. In order to assess the current practice, visits were made to several MPOs and transit districts around the country to learn how safety and security were being addressed in both the long-range and short-range transportation planning processes. Although safety and security were reflected in planning policies and goals and short-range project selection and programming incorporated measures of safety and security, there were few instances in which long-range planning incorporated these issues. In many cases the lack of data and limited analysis tools resulted in a reliance on subjective assessments of safety and security issues. The findings from the case study-oriented project are documented.
Dopamine D2 Receptor Expression Is Altered by Changes in Cellular Iron Levels in PC12 Cells and Rat Brain Tissue

Iron deficiency anemia in early life alters the development and functioning of the dopamine neurotransmitter system, but data regarding the specific effects of brain iron loss on dopamine D(2) receptor regulation are lacking. Cell culture and animal models were employed in this study to determine whether D(2) receptor expression is altered when cellular iron levels are depleted. Endogenous D(2) receptor-expressing PC12 cells exposed to increasing concentrations of the iron chelator desferrioxamine (25-100 micromol/L) exhibited dose-dependent decreases in total D(2) receptor protein concentrations (20-65%), but there were minimal effects on D(2) receptor mRNA levels. When iron-deficient cells were repleted with ferric ammonium citrate for 24 h, D(2) receptor protein densities were similar to control. Dietary iron deficiency for 6 wk in weanling rats also reduced regional iron concentrations by nearly 50% in the ventral midbrain and caudate but did not affect D(2) receptor mRNA levels in the ventral midbrain. Iron deficiency significantly reduced membrane D(2) receptor protein levels by >70% in caudate, whereas cytosolic concentrations showed only 25% losses. D(2) receptor protein densities and regional iron concentrations were restored within 2 wk of dietary iron repletion. These results support the concept that D(2) receptor gene expression is not significantly changed by iron deficiency, whereas dopamine receptor trafficking is affected and is likely related to known dopamine system alterations in iron deficiency.
Carotid endarterectomy: A ten-year analysis of outcome and cost of treatment

Between 1978 and 1988, 215 patients with an average age of 67 years, underwent 246 carotid endarterectomies. Two hundred ten (85.4%) patients were symptomatic, and 36 (14.6%) were asymptomatic. Six patients (2.4%) had a postoperative stroke, and all had immediate reoperation. One of these patients died (30 day mortality rate, 0.4% for the series), and two (0.8%) recovered completely, whereas three (1.2%) had a mild permanent neurologic deficit. Two patients (0.8%) had nonfatal myocardial infarction. Mean follow-up of 42.2 months (range, 1 to 126 months) was achieved. At 5 and 8 years actuarial survival rates of 82% and 66% and stroke-free survival rates of 67% and 37% were observed. Actuarial stroke free rates of 90% at 5 and 8 years were noted. By introducing and observing guidelines that required preoperative study of most clearly defined classes of patients before admission for surgical treatment, the average length of stay for carotid endarterectomy was lowered from 9.5 days in the first 5 years of the study to 5.8 days in the second 5 years (p = 0.001). Average hospital charges, expressed in constant dollars, decreased from $3113 in the first 5 years to $2620 in the second 5 years (p = 0.02) despite an 88% inflationary increase in medical consumer price index. This experience shows that the length of hospitalization of patients with carotid endarterectomy can be reduced and the cost of admission lowered without untoward effect on perioperative morbidity and mortality rates.
Electric field induced magnetic switching at room temperature: Switching speed, device scaling and switching energy

The switching energy, speed and scaling behavior are calculated for a magneto-electric device incorporating the multiferroic material bismuth ferrite (BFO). For this purpose, a massively parallel phase field model is developed for simulation of the device. First, multidomain switching of thin film ferroelectric is shown to match with experimental measurements. We show that the switching energy in these devices can be an order of magnitude lower than other alternative approaches for magnetization reversal. We also show that the coercive voltage scales almost linearly in scaled BFO islands; however, the switching speed requires further study.
Restoration of thyroid function after total thyroidectomy and quantitative thyroid cell transplantation.

Quantitative thyroid cell transplantation was used to evaluate the reestablishment of thyroid function in surgically thyroidectomized rats. Donor thyroid glands were enzymatically dispersed, and the cells were quantified, serially diluted, and inoculated into the sc fat pads of syngeneic recipient rats 1 day after surgical thyroidectomy. Blood samples were obtained weekly, and serum T3, T4, and TSH levels were determined by RIA. Recipient rats displayed different patterns of restoration of thyroid function depending on 1) the number of thyroid cells inoculated and 2) their dietary iodine intake. We observed cell dose-dependent differences in both the rapidity and extent of thyroid function after cell transplantation. Recipients fed a normal diet and grafted with 6 x 104 or more cells reached near-normal levels of all three hormones. In recipients fed a low iodine diet, T4 and TSH levels remained at significantly hypothyroid levels for the duration of the 7-week study. At the highest cell dose examined (3 ...
Temporal statistics and coarse graining of dislocation ensembles

In the kinetic theory of dislocations, the evolution of the dislocation density is governed by a hierarchy of kinetic equations in which a number of source terms associated with cross-slip and short-range (junction and annihilation) reactions are included. In the present study, these sources are modeled by considering cross-slip and short-range reactions to be stochastic processes in time. The concepts of marked point process and time series are used to analyze the statistical properties of these processes in both time and frequency domains. The statistical data required to perform this analysis has been obtained for copper crystals using the method of dislocation dynamics simulation. The temporal correlations and correlation times of cross-slip and short-range reactions have been computed. It is found that the correlation time for cross-slip is the largest of all correlation times and, as such, it is considered here to be the coarse graining time-scale in continuum dislocation dynamics. Using this mesosc...
Thermophysics of metal alkanoates III. Heat capacities and thermodynamic properties of lithium and potassium propanoates

Abstract At 298.15 K, the values of C p, m R , S m o R , {H m o − H m o (0)} R , and {G m o − H m o (0)} RT ar 15.58, 17.13, 2588.6 K, and −8.445 for CH3CH2CO2Li(cr), and 17.30, 21.16, 3134.0 K, and −10.647 for CH3CH2CO2K(cr). The energetics and shape of the (crystal III-to-crystal II) transition at Ttrs = 255 K in the potassium compound are investigated. The lithium compound showed a (crystal II-to-crystal I) transition not far above 500 K, and fusion at 606.8 K. Relative trends in the Li, Na, and K salts are unexplained because of lack of structural information.
Critical pathway approach to diabetic pedal infections in a multidisciplinary setting.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate, utilizing clinical and financial outcomes, the critical pathway approach to diabetic foot infections in an inpatient setting. All patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of a diabetic foot infection over an 18-month period from 1995 through 1996 were included in this retrospective study. Comparison is made between the podiatry-established critical pathway and nonpathway patient groups. Then comparison is made between these groups and a similar patient group from 1993 to confirm the validity of the overall results. There was a significant decrease in hospital stay and charges for pathway patients in 1995 and 1996 as compared to nonpathway patients in 1993 as well as 1995 and 1996 (p
Differentiation of Self, Personal Adjustment, Problem Solving, and Ethnic Group Belonging Among Persons of Color

This study focused on examining the cross-cultural validity of Bowen family systems theory (M. Bowen, 1978), namely differentiation of self for individuals of color. Ethnic minority men and women completed measures of differentiation of self, ethnic group belonging, and 3 indices of personal adjustment. Initial support for the cross-cultural utility of Bowen family systems theory was observed. Higher levels of differentiation of self predicted better psychological adjustment, social problem-solving skills, and greater ethnic group belonging among persons of color. Limitations regarding the cross-cultural utility of differentiation of self, directions for further research, and implications for counseling are discussed.
Density of the tunneling states of amorphous materials

Abstract A density of tunneling states is derived. It has the energy dependence implied by low temperature specific heat measurements, but decreases exponentially for large energy splittings. The specific heat and the thermal conductivity of two materials, vitreous silica and amorphous arsenic, are discussed using the derived density of states. It is suggested that the pronounced peak in C T 3 and the plateau in the thermal conductivity may be accounted for by the tunneling model.
Clinical drug trials in Alzheimer disease: what are some of the issues?

Clinical drug trials in Alzheimer disease are underway in many locations throughout the world. That experience has uncovered a number of unique difficulties. In response, members of the Alzheimer's Association Medical and Scientific Advisory Board organized meetings with experts from the government, academia, private practice and the pharmaceutical industry. The issues are presented here along with some suggestions to facilitate planning and to avoid problems in future drug trials.
Properties of Groups for the Cage and Degree/Diameter Problems

A (k, g)-cage is a k-regular graph of girth g of minimum order. While many of the best known constructions of small k-regular graphs of girth g are known to be Cayley graphs, no general theory of the relation between the girth of a Cayley graph and the structure of the underlying group has been developed. We attempt to fill the gap by focusing on the girths of Caley graphs of nilpotent and solvable groups, and present a series of results supporting the intuitive idea that the closer a group is to being abelian, the less suitable it is for constructing Cayley graphs of large girths. Specifically, we establish the existence of upper bounds on the girths of Cayley graphs with respect to the nilpotency class and/or the length of the derived sequence of the underlying groups.
Temperature jumps in a transient radiative transfer problem

Abstract In an earlier paper, an analytic solution to a Marshak wave problem was presented, together with numerical results. The problem corresponds to radiation incident upon an initially cold halfspace of material. In the present paper, we present additional numerical results based upon this solution which should be useful in validating time-dependent radiative transfer codes. These results are also compared with two approximate radiative transfer descriptions often used in practice. The inadequacy of these approximations for early times is an indication of the importance of applying the proper temperature-jump boundary condition. Numerical results for the temperature jump indicate that it decreases monotonically as time increases.
Computers in imaging and health care: now and in the future.

Early picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) were characterized by the use of very expensive hardware devices, cumbersome display stations, duplication of database content, lack of interfaces to other clinical information systems, and immaturity in their understanding of the folder manager concepts and workflow reengineering. They were implemented historically at large academic medical centers by biomedical engineers and imaging informaticists. PACS were nonstandard, home-grown projects with mixed clinical acceptance. However, they clearly showed the great potential for PACS and filmless medical imaging. Filmless radiology is a reality today. The advent of efficient softcopy display of images provides a means for dealing with the ever-increasing number of studies and number of images per study. Computer power has increased, and archival storage cost has decreased to the extent that the economics of PACS is justifiable with respect to film. Network bandwidths have increased to allow large studies of many megabytes to arrive at display stations within seconds of examination completion. PACS vendors have recognized the need for efficient workflow and have built systems with intelligence in the mangement of patient data. Close integration with the hospital information system (HIS)-radiology information system (RIS) is critical for system functionality. Successful implementation of PACS requires integration or interoperation with hospital and radiology information systems. Besides the economic advantages, secure rapid access to all clinical information on patients, including imaging studies, anytime and anywhere, enhances the quality of patient care, although it is difficult to quantify. Medical image management systems are maturing, providing access outside of the radiology department to images and clinical information throughout the hospital or the enterprise via the Internet. Small and medium-sized community hospitals, private practices, and outpatient centers in rural areas will begin realizing the benefits of PACS already realized by the large tertiary care academic medical centers and research institutions. Hand-held devices and the Worldwide Web are going to change the way people communicate and do business. The impact on health care will be huge, including radiology. Computer-aided diagnosis, decision support tools, virtual imaging, and guidance systems will transform our practice as value-added applications utilizing the technologies pushed by PACS development efforts. Outcomes data and the electronic medical record (EMR) will drive our interactions with referring physicians and we expect the radiologist to become the informaticist, a new version of the medical management consultant.
Far-field Imaging of Optical Second-Harmonic Generation in Single GaN Nanowires

Means for assessing the nonlinear optical properties of nanoscale materials are of key importance for the advancement of active nanophotonics. By correlating second-harmonic generation (SHG) with electron backscattered diffraction from single GaN nanowires (NWs), we demonstrate that far-field microscopic imaging of SHG offers an approach for distinguishing crystallographic orientations of NWs lying on a substrate. The quasi-static approximation, which should prove useful in describing many nanophotonic behaviors, is shown to satisfactorily account for the SHG data.
Dual-loop intra-atrial re-entry tachycardia in a patient with ischaemic cardiomyopathy

A 65-year-old man with ischaemic cardiomyopathy (three prior coronary artery bypass surgery procedures), underwent catheter ablation for recurrent atrial flutter. Electrophysiological study initially revealed clockwise, tricuspid annulus/inferior vena cava isthmus dependent, atrial flutter. During radiofrequency energy ablation atrial flutter changed into a different atrial tachycardia without change in cycle length or interruption of the tachycardia. The new tachycardia was a right atrial free wall re-entry tachycardia. Thus the two atrial tachycardias formed a dual-loop ('figure-of-eight') re-entry circuit, possibly due to atrial scar tissue from multiple cardiac surgery procedures.
Relationships between psychological, physical, and behavioural health and work performance: A review and meta-analysis

The relationships between health and job performance problems have received increased attention in business and scientific communities. This paper attempts to synthesize theoretical and empirical work in this arena. First, the theoretical links between health and work performance are presented. This is followed by a meta-analysis of the relations between psychological, physical, and behavioural health variables and work performance criteria. Meta-analytic results from 111 independent samples obtained from a search of the literature indicate that psychological health, in the form of psychological well-being, depression, general anxiety, and life satisfaction, is a moderate-to-strong correlate of work performance. Associations between physical health, particularly somatic complaints and hypertension, and performance were weak-to-moderate. Regarding health behaviour, alcohol consumption, and smoking were weakly and sleep problems moderately associated with performance problems. Effect sizes sometimes differe...
Thermal and spectral study of some divalent metal chelate polymers of bromanilic acid

Abstract The thermal (TGA and DTA) and i.r. spectral properties of polymeric chelates of bromanilic acid with divalent copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and lead have been investigated. The properties are compared with those of 2,5-dihydroxy-p-benzoquinone and chloranilic acid chelates. Several attempts to prepare the beryllium chelate of bromanilic acid were unsuccessful.
Usefulness of the subaortic diameter for normalizing left ventricular and left atrial dimensions

Abstract Dimensions of the cardiac chambers and great arteries in the normal heart generally vary with cardiac size. To compare hearts of different sizes, it would be useful to normalize dimensions using a readily derived parameter that reflects normal or near normal heart size. Body surface area has been used but it is of limited value for this application. 1 This report examines the usefulness of the subaortic transverse diameter in the normalization of left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic and left atrial (LA) sizes.
Accumulation and release of petroleum-derived aromatic hydrocarbons by four species of marine animals

When exposed to oil-contaminated seawater, marine animals accumulate a wide variety of petroleum hydrocarbons in their tissues. Generally, the aromatic hydrocarbons are accumulated to a greater extent and are retained longer than the alkanes. In all species tested, accumulation of aromatic hydrocarbons appears to be dependent primarily on a partitioning of the hydrocarbons between the exposure water and the tissue lipids. Current evidence indicates that binding of hydrocarbons to tissue lipids is by hydrophobic interactions and not by covalent bonding. Bioaccumulation factors (tissue: water concentration ratio) increase in proportion to the increase in molecular weight of the aromatic hydrocarbons. When returned to oil-free seawater, marine animals rapidly release the accumulated hydrocarbons from their tissues. Release rates are species-dependent. Shrimp and fish, which can metabolize aromatic hydrocarbon, release them more rapidly than clams and oysters, which apparently lack the detoxifying enzymes. Release of hydrocarbons to background or undetectable levels requires from 2 to 60 days. The high molecular weight aromatic hydrocarbons are released more slowly than the low molecular weight hydrocarbons.
Ginseng does not enhance psychological well-being in healthy, young adults: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.

Abstract Objective Ginseng is a popular, commercially available dietary supplement that is purported to have a number of psychological benefits. The purpose of this study was to examine these claims, with specific reference to ginseng's effects on affect and mood. Design Prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Participants/setting Eighty-three adults (40 women, 43 men) participated in this study (mean age=25.7 year). Participants were recruited from within a university community and at area health clubs. Intervention Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: placebo (lactose), 200mg ginseng, or 400mg ginseng. The ginseng preparation used in this study consisted of the Panax ginseng C A Meyer concentrate G115 in capsular format. Each participant was given a 60-day allotment of their respective supplement along with written instructions about the proper intake and storage of the capsules during the 8-week study period. Main outcome measures Positive affect, negative affect, and total mood disturbance. Measures were obtained pre- and post-intervention. Statistical analyses performed Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance was used. Because there were three dependent variables, and in an effort to minimize the experimentwise-error rate, α was adjusted using the Bonferroni technique (ie, P P Results Ginseng supplementation had no effect on positive affect, negative affect, or total mood disturbance (all P >.016). Conclusion The present findings do not support claims that chronic ginseng supplementation—at either its clinically recommended level or at twice that level—enhances affect or mood in healthy young adults. J Am Diet Assoc. 2001;101:655-660 .
Feline polycystic kidney disease is linked to the PKD1 region

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a commonly inherited disorder (1/1000) in humans characterized by fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys. Defects in the PKD genes, PKD1 and PKD2, cause 85% and 15% of human ADPKD cases, respectively. Mutations in the PKHD1 gene cause autosomal recessive PKD (ARPKD). Mutations in several genes, including Nek8, cause PKD in mice. Although PKD affects 38% of Persian cats worldwide, making it the most prominent inherited feline disease, a causative gene has not been identified. Feline PKD is an autosomal dominant disease with clinical presentations similar to human ADPKD. Forty-three microsatellites were chosen from the feline genetic maps based on known homology with human chromosomal regions containing the PKD1, PKD2, PKHD1, and Nek8 genes. Linkage analysis using seven Persian cat pedigrees segregating for PKD has shown significant linkage and no recombinants (Z = 5.83, θ = 0) between the PKD disease phenotype and marker FCA476, which is within 10 cR of the feline PKD1 gene on Chromosome E3. This suggests that the PKD1 gene or another gene within this region may cause feline PKD. Further investigation into the cause of PKD will be valuable for feline health and provide insights into human ADPKD.