A circuit approach to field computation

Many design objectives can be expressed more directly in terms of circuit parameters, such as capacitance and inductance, than in terms of the field vectors E and B. A simple, although radical, change is suggested to provide a closer link between the field and circuit views. The electric potential φ and magnetic vector A are defined, in energy terms, as the primary field quantities, and they are visualized as measures of the capacitance and inductance, respectively. E and B become auxiliary symbols denoting derivatives, so that the customary roles of the potentials and field vectors are reversed. Some of the practical advantages of the change are examined and are illustrated by example     

Effects of aging and schedules of knowledge of results on motor learning

Little research has been conducted on aging and the learning of motor skills. In this study, we examined the effects of different schedules of knowledge of results (KR) on the acquisition and retention of a movement timing task by young adults (20-23 years) and older adults (60-82 years). The results indicated that there were differences between young and older adults in the accuracy and consistency of motor performance when KR was provided. Accuracy effects persisted during a retention interval when KR was no longer provided, although there were no differences in variability. There were no interactions of age with any of the KR-related variables. These findings suggest that the ability to process KR, and the effects of KR on motor learning, are similar in young and older adults. These findings are discussed in terms of age-related issues in movement control and learning processes.     

ART-EMAP: A neural network architecture for object recognition byevidence accumulation

A new neural network architecture is introduced for the recognition of pattern classes after supervised and unsupervised learning. Applications include spatio-temporal image understanding and prediction and 3D object recognition from a series of ambiguous 2D views. The architecture, called ART-EMAP, achieves a synthesis of adaptive resonance theory (ART) and spatial and temporal evidence integration for dynamic predictive mapping (EMAP). ART-EMAP extends the capabilities of fuzzy ARTMAP in four incremental stages. Stage 1 introduces distributed pattern representation at a view category field. Stage 2 adds a decision criterion to the mapping between view and object categories, delaying identification of ambiguous objects when faced with a low confidence prediction. Stage 3 augments the system with a field where evidence accumulates in medium-term memory. Stage 4 adds an unsupervised learning process to fine-tune performance after the limited initial period of supervised network training. Each ART-EMAP stage is illustrated with a benchmark simulation example, using both noisy and noise-free data.     

Resistance to vasopressin action on the kidney in patients with Cushing's disease

OBJECTIVE: To assess the plasma levels and action of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in patients with Cushing's disease. There are many reports that patients with Addison's disease have increased AVP levels associated with hyponatraemia and hypoosmolality, but none on the dynamics of secretion of this neurohormone during osmolality-based stimulation in patients with chronic hypercortisolism. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: The plasma AVP concentration and the urinary and plasma osmolality after a 7.5-h water deprivation test (WDT) were evaluated in 13 patients with Cushing's disease and 15 normal (control) individuals. In patients with Cushing's disease we also assessed the urinary osmolality in response to 10 micrograms i.v. desmopressin (DDAVP) administered at the end of the WDT. RESULTS: At the end of the WDT, urinary osmolality was significantly lower in patients with Cushing's disease (511.5 +/- 148.5 mOsm/l) than in the normal subjects (981.1 +/- 107.1 mOsm/l, P < 0.001), whereas plasma osmolality did not differ between the two groups. Consequently, the urine/plasma osmolality ratio (Uosm/Posm) was lower in patients with Cushing's disease than in normal individuals (1.8 +/- 0.5 compared with 3.4 +/- 0.4, P < 0.001). The AVP concentration also was greater (7.3 +/- 3.1 pmol/l) in those with Cushing's disease than in the controls (3.9 +/- 2.3 pmol/l, P < 0.005). After administration of DDAVP to the hypercortisolaemic patients, the urinary osmolality attained (718.0 +/- 200.0 mOsm/l) was still lower than that in the normal group at the end of WDT (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Cushing's disease presented higher AVP levels and smaller Uosm/Posm ratios than normal subjects. After DDAVP, the patients with Cushing's disease were unable to concentrate the urine adequately. These data suggest that the kidney shows resistance to the action of both endogenous and exogenous AVP in patients with Cushing's disease.     

T cell response to two immunodominant proteolipid protein (PLP) peptides in multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls

Despite the fact that the neuroleptic drugs have been widely used for more than 40 years, one of their most common side-effects, akathisia, has been relatively neglected. There are still no universally agreed diagnostic criteria for akathisia, particularly chronic akathisia, and in this review article, we discuss the controversies surrounding the voluntary nature of its motor features and the importance of the dysphoric component. We also review the published epidemiological studies to show the great variation in frequency of occurrence. Finally, we discuss the possible neurotransmitters involved in the pathophysiology and treatment of this condition.     

Breast cancer screening of the medically underserved: results and implications

Socioeconomic status is the most significant factor influencing the decreased survival associated with breast cancer in minority groups in the United States. Barriers to the use of early detection programs by low-income women often result in the detection of breast cancer at stages too advanced to assure optimum outcomes. In an effort to increase accessibility of breast cancer screening among such individuals, the Early Detection Program (EDP) was initiated in 1987. The program provided breast cancer screening to women 40 years of age and older who attended eight primary healthcare centers located in low-income neighborhoods throughout Dade County, Florida. From its inception in October 1987 through December 1993, 23,866 medically underserved women had mammography examinations, with more than 17,000 of these women undergoing baseline mammograms. Since the program's inception, 126 cancers were diagnosed in 123 women. A dramatic shift from later to earlier stage breast cancers was observed. These results warrant a greater inclusion of medically underserved and lower socioeconomic status women in screening programs for the early detection of breast cancer.     

The human SHIP gene is differentially expressed in cell lineages of the bone marrow and blood

The macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor and several other hematopoietic growth factor receptors induce the tyrosine phosphorylation of a 145- to 150-kD protein in murine cells. We have previously cloned a cDNA for the murine 150-kD protein, SHIP, and found that it encodes a unique signaling intermediate that binds the SHC PTB domain through at least one tyrosine phosphorylated (NPXY) site in the carboxyl-terminal region. SHIP also contains several potential SH3 domain-binding sites, an SH2 domain for binding other tyrosine phosphorylated proteins, and an enzymatic activity that removes the phosphate from the 5 position of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-phosphate or from inositol 1,3,4,5-phosphate. SHIP has a negative effect on cell growth and therefore loss or modification may have profound effects on hematopoietic cell development. In this study, we have cloned a cDNA for human SHIP and examined mRNA and protein expression of SHIP and related species in bone marrow and blood cells. Flow cytometry indicates that at least 74% of immature CD34+ cells express SHIP cross-reacting protein species, whereas within the more mature population of CD33+ cells, only 10% of cells have similar expression. The majority of T cells react positively with the anti-SHIP antibodies, but significantly fewer B cells are positive. Immunoblotting detects up to seven different cross-reacting SHIP species, with peripheral blood mononuclear cells exhibiting primarily a 100-kD protein and a CD34+ acute myeloblastic leukemia expressing mainly 130-kD and 145-kD forms of SHIP. Overall, these results indicate that there is an enormous diversity in the size of SHIP or SHIP-related mRNA and protein species. Furthermore, the expression of these protein species changes according to both the developmental stage and differentiated lineage of the mature blood cell.     

Transient conduction in a slab with chemical reaction

The heat-balance integral technique is used to analyse a one-dimensional transient conduction process. Heat is transferred by convection to the surface of a slab and when the surface temperature reaches a certain value, an endothermic reaction is triggered which propagates as an isothermal front in the same direction as the conduction front. Two possible routes to the fully developed heat transfer condition are treated in a way which allows the approximate temperature distribution in the slab to be predicted as a function of the main process variables.