cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Top-Down Control of MEG Alpha-Band Activity in Children Performing Categorical N-Back Task.

Top-down cognitive control has been associated in adults with the prefrontal-parietal network. In children the brain mechanisms of top-down control have rarely been studied. We examined developmental differences in top-down cognitive control by monitoring event-related desynchronization (ERD) and event-related synchronization (ERS) of alpha-band oscillatory activity (8-13 Hz) during anticipation, target detection and post-response stages of a visual working memory task. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to record brain oscillatory activity from healthy 10-year-old children and young adults performing the Categorical N-Back Task (CNBT). Neuropsychological measures assessing frontal lobe networks were also acquired. Whereas adults showed a modulation of the ERD at the anticipatory stages of CNBT and ERS at the post-response stage, children displayed only some anticipatory modulation of ERD but no ERS at the post-response stage, with alpha-band remaining at a desynchronized state. Since neuropsychological and prior neuroimaging findings indicate that the prefrontal-parietal networks are not fully developed in 10-year olds, and since the children performed as well as the adults on CNBT and yet displayed different patterns of ERD/ERS, we suggest that children may be using different top-down cognitive strategies and, hence, different, developmentally apt neuronal networks.
Optimization of Diffractive Elements for Fabricating 3-D Photonic Crystals with Interference Lithography

The formation of intensity patterns in three dimensions is considered as a method for fabricating photonic structures. Suitable optimization algorithms are discussed for designing diffractive elements to generate the required diffraction patterns.
Antiviral activity of serum from the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

Serum from wild alligators was collected and tested for antibiotic activity against three enveloped viruses using cell-based assays. Alligator serum demonstrated antiviral activities against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1; IC50=0.9%), West Nile virus (WNV; IC50=4.3%), and Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1; IC50=3.4%). The inhibitory concentration (IC50) is defined as the concentration of serum that inhibits 50% of viral activity. The antiviral effects of the alligator serum were difficult to evaluate at high concentrations due to the inherent toxicity to the mammalian cells used to assay viral activities. The TC50 (serum concentration that reduces cell viability to 50%) values for the serum in the HIV-1, WNV, and HSV-1 assays were 32.8, 36.3 and 39.1%, respectively. Heat-treated serum (56 degrees C, 30 min) displayed IC50 values of >50, 9.8 and 14.9% for HIV-1, WNV and HSV-1 viruses, respectively. In addition, the TC50 values using heat-treated serum were substantially elevated for all three assays, relative to untreated serum (47.3 to >50%). Alligator serum complement activity has been shown to be heat labile under these conditions. HIV-1 antiviral action was heat-sensitive, and thus possibly due to the action of serum complement, while the anti-WNV and anti-HSV-1 activities were not heat labile and thus probably not complement mediated.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF TWO PROBLEMATIC FRESHWATER MUSSEL GENERA (UNIO AND GONIDEA) AND A RE-EVALUATION OF THE CLASSIFICATION OF NEARCTIC UNIONIDAE (BIVALVIA: PALAEOHETERODONTA: UNIONOIDA)

The freshwater mussel genera Unio (Palearctic) and Gonidea (Pacific Nearctic drainages) have been difficult to place in the classification of the Unionidae. This has been principally due to (1) a lack of appreciation for derived vs. ancestral characters and (2) a decoupling of taxonomy from evolutionary theory. To test cladistically the positions of Unio and Gonidea relative to the well-studied Nearctic genera of the Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico drainages, partial nuclear large-ribosomal subunit (28S rDNA) sequences were obtained from representative freshwater mussel lineages, including three genera from Southeast Asia. The phylogenetic reconstruction differs from the traditional placement of Unio among the Ambleminae; instead, Unio falls sister to anodontine mussels. Gonidea is sister to the remaining Nearctic Ambleminae, and these are distinct from the Asian amblemine' genera. Based on these results, the classification of the New World Unionidae is updated [i.e., Unioninae (= Unionini + Anodontini) + Ambleminae], and synapomorphies of the family are discussed.
Colloid-Imprinted Carbons as Templates for the Nanocasting Synthesis of Mesoporous ZSM-5 Zeolite

Colloid-imprinted carbons (CIC) with average pore sizes of 12, 22, 45, and 85 nm have been used as templates for the nanocasting of ZSM-5 zeolite with spherical domain sizes comparable to the pore sizes of the CIC template. The size and shape fidelity of the CIC-nanocasted zeolite allows one to control both the external surface area (16−127 m2/g) and the interparticle mesopore volume (0.05−1.19 cm3/g) through a rational choice of the template pore size. This flexibility in tailoring the particle textural properties makes it possible to optimize the catalytic properties of the zeolite for the conversion of molecules that are too large to penetrate the framework micropores and constrained to reacting only at active sites on the external particle surfaces. Conversely, for small molecule conversions within the framework micropores, the nanocasting method allows uniform tailoring of the diffusion path length to optimize reactivity or selectivity.
Quantitative thermal gradient imaging of biological surfaces

Heat production in biological systems is an obligate consequence of the chemical thermodynamics of the living state. Various cellular and systemic mechanisms exist of the dissipation (or conservation) of this net heat production in a basically aqueous environment to various exchange surfaces. Besides fundamental conduction, and radiation, convective modes of heat transfer are particularly significant, the latter often establishing steady-state thermal gradients particularly at normal or experimental exchange surfaces. Considering the relatively high specific heat of water and the low level of heat generation, the magnitude of such gradients are small and this require methods with sensitivity < 0.1 degree(s)C, with reasonable time response, and ones adaptable to quantitative spatial mapping. To that end, we have developed a calibration procedure and protocols employing a variety of thermotropic liquid crystal (TLC) formats which can quantitatively map both cellular and tissue surface gradients in a reproducible manner. TLC's used in a quantitative mode have the extreme temperature resolution required for basic biological studies, as well as application where altered cellular metabolism and/or vascular flow patterns are manifested as thermal changes in the spatial thermogram. This paper provides preliminary data on the application of the above protocols for the assessment of the dynamic changes in the thermal gradient pattern on the left-ventricular surface of supported, experimental heart preparations. Accordingly, after initial capture of the calibrated TLC images onto videotape using a multichannel plate intensifier (together with A/D conversion of physiological signals), single frame digitization allows for exact quantitative correlations of changes in the thermogram with hemodynamic parameters throughout the cardiac cycles with a time resolution of approximately equals 33 msec. The type of information obtained has potential value in clinical cardiac diagnosis (ie. coronary artery disease, by-pass assessment, etc.) and other biological applications where altered flow and/or heat production leads to changing surface gradients (ie thrombosis, embolism, tumor cell heat production, etc.) which can now be accurately and quantitatively mapped by the use of TLC's.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Synthesis of an elastic mechanism

Abstract An interactive synthesis procedure has been developed for preliminary design of an elastic, planar, four bar linkage for motion generation with four prescribed positions. The previously developed modified form of the dyad synthesis approach has been used as the basis of this procedure. Flexibility in the selection of ground points has been provided by generating ground point curves analogous to the rigid case. It has been numerically ensured that the linkages obtained are free from branch, order and range problems.
The use of cortisone-treated mice in the screening of soil for pathogenic fungi

Fifty-seven samples of desert soils were screened for pathogenic fungi by injection into cortisone-treated and non-treated mice. Four samples yielded pathogenic fungi in the cortisone-treated mice only.Nocardia asteroides was isolated from the cortisone-treated mice and from the controls. All of the cortisone-treated and the control mice injected with soil from the root zone of a dead century plant became critically ill very shortly after injection and cultures from all of the animals showed a variety of fungi. Seven species were isolated from the cortisone-treated animals and 5 species from the controls.
Investigating autocatalytic gene expression systems through mechanistic modeling.

A structured model of gene expression, which incorporates the stochastic behavior of cellular processes, was developed to examine the "all-or-none" phenomenon observed in autocatalytic systems (e.g. the lac operon). Autocatalytic expression systems typically have the genes encoding the inducer transport proteins controlled by internal inducer levels, so that transport of the inducer increases production of the transport protein. The model was able to predict the unique behaviors of autocatalytic expression systems that have been experimentally observed and provided valuable insight into the role of population heterogeneity in these systems. The simulations substantiate the importance of stochastic processes on induction of gene expression in autocatalytic systems. The simulation results show that the all-or-none phenomenon is governed largely by random cellular events, and that population-averaged variations in gene expression are due to changes in the frequency of full gene induction in individual cells rather than to uniform variations in gene expression across the entire population. In addition, the model shows how concentrations of inducer too low to induce expression in uninduced cells can maintain induction in pre-induced cultures. A comparison of induction behaviors from an autocatalytic system and a system having constitutive synthesis of the transport protein showed that transport protein levels must be decoupled from inducer control to achieve homogeneous expression of a gene of interest in all cells of a culture.
Variations in Behavioral Response Threshold Within the REM Period of Human Sleep

Behavioral response threshold measures were compared between REM tonic, REM phasic, as well as NREM-2 sleep. Eighteen young college males were each instructed to respond with one or two microswitch presses upon detection of either of two tones triggered during two non-consecutive nights of sleep in the laboratory. Repeated measures comparisons (ANOVA) of average response threshold values, as determined via a method of limits procedure, showed REM tonic values to be significantly lower than both REM phasic and NREM-2 values while the latter two did not differ significantly from each other. The average of REM period threshold values was significantly lower than NREM-2 values, solely by virtue of the tonic component of the REM period. These differences within the REM period may account in part for greater variance in REM-period behavioral thresholds within and between similar studies. This consideration deserves attention in any attempt to compare the REM period as a whole to NREM-2 stage measures of responsiveness.
Gold nanorods tailored as tracers for sentinel lymph node biopsy imaged by photothermal optical coherence tomography

Gold nanorods (GNRs) have been demonstrated as a scattering imaging agent or therapeutic agent. Because of their narrow window, biocompatibility, and uniform small size for blood circulation, GNRs are well suited to serve as imaging contrast agents. Especially, strong phothothermal (PT) effect is attractive for diagnostic (e.g. sentinel lymph node biopsy) or therapeutic (e.g. PT therapy) purposes. In this paper, we demonstrate GNRs as multipurpose agents with PT-optical coherence tomography (OCT) for imaging sentinel lymph node. The results show that GNRs are promising for imaging contrast enhancement for visualizing the detailed functions of SLN.
Age-associated impairment of Akt phosphorylation in primary rat hepatocytes is remediated by alpha-lipoic acid through PI3 kinase, PTEN, and PP2A

Akt is a highly regulated serine/threonine kinase involved in stress response and cell survival. Stress response pathways must cope with increasing chronic stress susceptibility with age. We found an age-related lesion in Akt activity via loss of phosphorylation on Ser473. In hepatocytes from old rats, basal phospho-Ser473 Akt is 30% lower when compared to young, but basal phospho-Thr308 Akt is unchanged. (R)-α-lipoic acid (LA), a dithiol compound with antioxidant properties, is effective against age-related increases in oxidative stress and has been used to improve glucose utilization through insulin receptor (IR) pathway-mediated Akt phosphorylation. Treatment with physiologically relevant doses of LA (50 μM) provided a 30% increase in phospho-Ser473. Furthermore, two phosphatases that antagonize Akt, PTEN and PP2A, were both partially inhibited by LA. Thus, LA may be a nutritive agent that can remediate loss of function in the Akt pathway and aid in the survival of liver cells.
Experimental studies of amplification using evaporation and adsorption of helium

Abstract The design of a phonon amplifier based on the evaporation of helium atoms from a superfluid film and their adsorption onto a bare solid surface is discussed. Experimental results indicate that substantial improvement in efficiency is required to be able to construct such an amplifier. A possible modification to achieve this improvement is considered.
Convective-radiative heat transfer from a horizontal finned tube with sidewall or sidewall/floor interactions

Abstract Experiments were performed to determine how the heat transfer from a horizontal finned tube responds to the presence of a sidewall or of a sidewall/floor system. The clearances between the fin tips and the sidewall and between the fin tips and the floor were varied parametrically and, for each configuration, heat transfer results were obtained over a 25-fold range of the tube-to-ambient temperature difference. Measurements were also made for the finned tube situated in free space (i.e. far from any walls), and these results displayed highly enhanced heat transfer (by a factor of 4–8 times) compared to a corresponding unfinned tube. The presence of a sidewall had only a moderate effect on the finned-tube heat transfer, whereas the sidewall/floor system caused greater changes. The extreme reduction in heat transfer due to the latter was about 40%, but reductions in the 10–20% range are more realistic for practical operating conditions. In percentage terms, the presence of the wall(s) had less effect at large temperature differences than at small temperature differences. Measured temperatures at the fin tips, on the sidewall, and on the floor are also presented.
Response patterns of cells in the feline caudal nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis after noxious trigeminal and spinal stimulation.

Abstract Nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis has been shown, using both behavioral and physiological techniques, to be involved in the processing of nociceptive information in spinal systems. This investigation was designed to characterize the response patterns of nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis neurons to both spinal (superficial radial and sciatic nerve) and trigeminal (tooth pulp) noxious stimuli. One hundred and sixty-two neurons were studied using a poststimulus-time histogram analysis. Neurons in nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis were classified in four categories based on their responses to noxious stimuli: (i) 51% of the neurons responded to noxious stimuli delivered to all stimulus sites noted above with a short-latency, short-duration excitatory period, followed by a long-duration period of suppressed activity relative to control levels (“E-S cells”); (ii) 25% of the neurons studied responded to all noxious stimuli tested only with an excitatory response (“E cells”); (iii) 6% of the neurons responded to all noxious stimuli only with a period of suppressed activity (“S cells”) (some S cells had a period of increased activity after the period of suppression); (iv) 18% of the neurons had mixed responses, with the response depending on the site of stimulation (“M cells”). Except for M cells, each cell tended to respond with a characteristic response pattern, regardless of the site of stimulation.
3.1.1 A Look at the U.S. Energy System –A Strategic Impact Model (2050 SIM)

The United States (U.S.) energy infrastructure is among the most reliable, accessible, and economical in the world. On the other hand, it is also excessively reliant on foreign energy sources, experiences high volatility in energy prices, does not always practice good stewardship of finite indigenous energy resources, and emits significant quantities of greenhouse gases. The U.S. Department of Energy is conducting research and development on advanced nuclear reactor concepts and technologies, including High Temperature Gas Reactor (HTGR) technologies, directed at helping the United States meet its current and future energy challenges. This paper discusses the systematic approach used to develop the 2050 Strategic Impact Model (2050 SIM), which allows the user to analyze and depict the benefits of various energy sources in meeting the energy demand. It also provides an overall systems understanding of the tradeoffs between building and using HTGRs versus other existing technologies for providing energy (heat and electricity) to various energy-use sectors in the United States. This paper also provides the assumptions used in the model, the rational for the methodology, and the references for the source documentation and source data used in developing 2050 SIM.
EDITORIAL: THE PROBLEMATIC LOWER POLE STONE

The appropriate treatment of lower pole calculi is controversial. Although shock wave lithotripsy is a first choice for most renal calculi, the high rate of residual fragments in the lower pole after lithotripsy for renal calculi, especially those residing in the lower pole, has been the cause for concern. It has been shown that these fragments can grow and may be the source of future symptomatic episodes. The first line of therapy for stones in the lower pole is the subject of 3 articles in this issue of The Journal. Each approaches a different aspect of the problem. Pace et al (page 2065) study the management of fragments in the lower pole remaining after shock wave lithotripsy. In a preliminary study these authors had shown that mechanical percussion over the involved kidney along with inversion was helpful for removing fragments from the lower pole.1 In the present prospective single blind randomized controlled trial Pace et al approached the problem in another group of patients, specifically those with fragments remaining 3 months after shock wave lithotripsy. These patients are much less likely to pass fragments spontaneously after shock wave lithotripsy than those studied earlier. Mechanical percussion, inversion to a 60 degree head down position and diuresis with furosemide weekly for 3 weeks cleared lower pole stones more effectively than those treated with standard observation. In the treatment group 40% of patients became stone-free compared to only 3% of the observation group. Additionally, there was a decrease in total stone area in the treated group. These differences were highly significant according to a rigorous statistical protocol. In addition to following the patients with a plain film of the kidneys, ureters and bladder the authors confirmed the stone-free status with renal tomogram or noncontrast spiral computerized tomography. These studies have been shown previously to be far superior to the routine abdominal radiogram for detecting small residual fragments. Thus, the authors were as certain as possible that their patients were actually stone-free. Albala et al (page 2072) compared shock wave lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrostolithotomy for lower pole calculi in a prospective randomized series. This study too is well designed with stratification of calculi by size in a well-defined group of patients with solitary lower pole stones. The results demonstrate the marked superiority of percutaneous nephrostolithotomy (95%) over shock wave lithotripsy (37%) in rendering the patient stone-free. This difference was most significant in stones 2 cm. or greater. The anatomical configuration and drainage from the lower pole have been considered a factor in the clearance of fragments. Both of these studies address this question. In the series of Albala et al the lower pole infundibular angle, length and width did not affect stone clearance, while Pace et al found that a wider lower infundibular width was more likely to allow fragments to pass. Several other recently reported series have had varying results.
Mobile technology for health care in rural China

Abstract With the proliferation of mobile technologies in China, the Chinese mobile medical applications market is growing rapidly. This may be particularly useful for Chinese rural populations who have limited access to quality medical care where mobile technologies can reach across geographic and socioeconomic boundaries and potentially increase access to care and improve health outcomes.
An exactly solvable N-particle system in supersymmetric quantum mechanics

A supersymmetric generalization of a known solvable quantum mechanical model of N particles interacting with combined harmonic and repulsive forces is given. The new model has both supersymmetry-conserving and supersymmetry-breaking phases, and the exact energy spectrum and degeneracies are found in both phases. The operator algebra of the model contains the superalgebra OSp(2‖2). The limit N → ∞ is studied, and a relation withe the theory of random matrices is discussed.
Group-theoretical methods for obtaining distortions in crystals: Applications to vibrational modes and phase transitions.

We describe group-theoretical methods for projecting out global distortions in a crystal from distortions that are localized at a single site. We present a simple method for determining which sets of distortions are independent. We discuss and resolve the difficulties that arise when considering physically irreducible representations, which are reducible on the complex numbers. We illustrate these methods with examples. Applications of these methods to crystal vibrations and phase transitions are presented and illustrated with the ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$ structure.
Liposome Bupivacaine for Postoperative Analgesia: One Formulation Approved for Clinical Use Within the United States

Postoperative analgesia is often provided using a local anesthetic administered directly to the surgical site, as a peripheral nerve block, or within the epidural space. Unfortunately, local anesthetics have a limited duration of action, and even with the addition of adjuvants, typically do not provide more than 24 h of analgesia. One formulation of liposome bupivacaine recently gained approval for clinical use within the United States. With a duration of action substantially longer than previously available local anesthetics, it has the potential not only to extend the duration of analgesia provided by single-injection administration, but also to replace continuous perineural local anesthetic infusion. Although promising, confirmatory data are currently scarce demonstrating superiority to non-liposomal long-acting local anesthetics. Liposome bupivacaine’s appropriate usefulness is therefore dependent upon the results of future research.
Regression analysis of multilevel data with measurement error

Multilevel data structures, such as data with individuals within groups, groups within areas, etc., arise in a variety of contexts. Regression models for such data allow for variation of the within-group regression coefficients. Since some of the explanatory variables may be observed subject to measurement error, it is desirable to define models that combine within-group correlation and measurement error. We discuss a general model formulation and a scoring algorithm for maximum likelihood estimation.
Changing Stalking Patterns and Prosecutorial Decisions: Bridging the Present to the Future

This article reviews sixty cases from prosecutor's files in two New Jersey counties. These cases are used to examine and help better define the phenomena of stalking. Selected sample case examples are presented and described in regard to the typology of stalking behavior originally proposed by Dziegielewski and Roberts (1995). Based on these cases, application, modification and refinement of the typology criteria are suggested. The critical need for crisis intervention protocols and specialized anti-stalking units and training are emphasized. It is hoped that this information will help the criminal justice and forensic professional to better understand, assess the dangerousness of, and intervene rapidly and effectively in the phenomena of stalking, and to provide technology to protect victims.
Prospects for electrically pumped organic lasers

We examine the effects of nonradiative losses on lasing in crystalline and amorphous organic thin films. In crystalline films, the dominant loss mechanism is singlet-singlet annihilation, and this must be avoided if lasing is to be achieved at practical current densities. The electrically pumped crystalline-tetracene laser structure of Sch\"on et al. [Science 289, 599 (2000)] is studied in detail. Optical and electrical confinement in the bulk structure appears unable to explain the spectral narrowing reported; consequently, we consider electron-hole plasmas, self-focusing at interfaces, and crystal defects as possible sources of the reported phenomena. In amorphous films, lasers are likely to have to operate at current densities $Jl1000\mathrm{A}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ due to a combination of nonradiative losses. The performance of potential lasing materials is quantified by the external quantum efficiency-current--density product, ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{\mathrm{EXT}}J.$ Electrically pumped lasers require ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{\mathrm{EXT}}J\ensuremath{\sim}5\mathrm{A}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2};$ the best amorphous devices currently posses ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{\mathrm{EXT}}J\ensuremath{\sim}0.3\mathrm{A}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}.$ However, we demonstrate that electrically pumped lasing in amorphous materials should be possible using indirect pumping techniques.
Myo/Nog cells in normal, wounded and tumor-bearing skin

Murine and human skin were examined for the presence of Myo/Nog cells that were originally discovered in the chick embryo by their expression of MyoD mRNA, noggin and the G8 antigen. Myo/Nog cells are the primary source of noggin in telogen hair follicles. They are scarce within the interfollicular dermis and absent in the epidermis. Within 24 h following epidermal abrasion, Myo/Nog cells increase in number in the follicles and appear in the wound. Myo/Nog cells are also recruited to the stroma of tumors formed from v-Ras-transformed keratinocytes (Ker/Ras). Human squamous cell carcinomas and malignant melanomas contain significantly more Myo/Nog cells than basal cell carcinomas. Myo/Nog cells are distinct from macrophages, granulocytes and cells expressing alpha smooth muscle actin in the tumor stroma. Myo/Nog cells may be modulators of skin homoeostasis and wound healing, and potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets in skin cancer.
Family environments of children with school behavior problems.

Sunmy.-The Family Environment Scale was administered to 46 mothers whose children exhibited behavior problems at school and who had been referred for psychoeducational evaluation. When scores were compared with the norms for both nondistressed and distressed families, significant differences were noted on nine and five of the 10 subscales. Such findings suggest that this sample exhibits family environments that are more structured than those of the normative group and not as disturbed as those of the distressed group. Minimal subscale differences were found among three different recommended educational placements. Means and standard deviations for the three groups and the entire sample are provided. One of the central tenets of contemporary family systems is that individual psychological problems are associated with family dysfunction. In particular, the family systems view has been used to explain how children's emotional and behavioral problems develop and ace maintained ( 1, 6). Relating childhood psychopathology to family discord has a stronger dinical-theoretical foundation than an empirical one. One difficulty in relating children's problems to their families is that among children, psychological difficulties are often initially detected at school rather than at home (8). At the same time, there is evidence that children's behavior in school is strongly related to familial factors (2). Family background variables such as parental rejection (4), marital conflict, and poor family problem-solving (3) as well as maternal psychopathology (5) have been associated with behavior problems at school. A second issue has been the absence of an efficient, practical, and psychometrically-sound method to assess family climate. With publication of the Moos Family Environment Scale, a brief, reliable, and valid measure of family climate became available. Research suggests that the instrument is sensitive to the presence or absence of family dysfunction (7). The purpose of the present srudy was two-fold, to compare subscale scores of a group of children referred for behavior problems at school with the data for normal and distressed families (7) and to determine whether there were differences in family climate for children who, as a result of interdisciplinary evaluation, were recommended for one of three following placements: (a) a special classroom for behaviorally disordered children, (b) continued in their current academic placement with the addition of ancillary parent and/or child counseling, (c) a special educational program for cognitive-developmental
Gynecomastia as the initial manifestation of hyperthyroidism.

ABSTRACT Objective To present two new cases of gynecomastia as the initial manifestation of hyperthyroidism. Methods We describe detailed case reports of two men with breast enlargement who were found to have hyperthyroidism, and we review the related literature. Results Two men sought medical assistance because of unilateral tender gynecomastia. In one of these patients, thyroid, gonadal, and prostate examinations showed normal findings at the time of initial assessment, and symptoms of hyperthyroidism developed later. In our other patient with gynecomastia, other symptoms of hyperthyroidism—for example, nervousness, irritability, palpitations, and fatigue—had been present for a prolonged period but had been considered “normal” by the patient. In both patients, the hyperthyroidism was treated with radioiodine. Breast pain disappeared in both patients, and breast enlargement disappeared in one patient and was decreased in the other patient after euthyroidism was achieved. Review of the literature disclosed only two similar cases. Conclusion Because of the rarity of gynecomastia as the initial symptom of hyperthyroidism, we believe that thyroid function tests are not indicated in the workup of patients whose major complaint is gynecomastia. (Endocr Pract. 1997; 3:80-81)
Meta-analysis of genetic association studies and adjustment for multiple testing of correlated SNPs and traits.

Meta-analysis has become a key component of well-designed genetic association studies due to the boost in statistical power achieved by combining results across multiple samples of individuals and the need to validate observed associations in independent studies. Meta-analyses of genetic association studies based on multiple SNPs and traits are subject to the same multiple testing issues as single-sample studies, but it is often difficult to adjust accurately for the multiple tests. Procedures such as Bonferroni may control the type-I error rate but will generally provide an overly harsh correction if SNPs or traits are correlated. Depending on study design, availability of individual-level data, and computational requirements, permutation testing may not be feasible in a meta-analysis framework. In this article, we present methods for adjusting for multiple correlated tests under several study designs commonly employed in meta-analyses of genetic association tests. Our methods are applicable to both prospective meta-analyses in which several samples of individuals are analyzed with the intent to combine results, and retrospective meta-analyses, in which results from published studies are combined, including situations in which (1) individual-level data are unavailable, and (2) different sets of SNPs are genotyped in different studies due to random missingness or two-stage design. We show through simulation that our methods accurately control the rate of type I error and achieve improved power over multiple testing adjustments that do not account for correlation between SNPs or traits. Genet. Epidemiol. 34:739–746, 2010. r 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Comments on Mohr and Henderson's path consistency algorithm

Abstract Mohr and Henderson have presented new algorithms for arc and path consistency in [1]. Though the underlying ideas of their algorithms are correct, the path consistency algorithm PC-3 is in error. In this paper we point out the errors in this algorithm and give a correct one. The time complexity and space complexity of the revised algorithm are also analyzed.
Activity-dependent liberation of synaptic neuropeptide vesicles

Despite the importance of neuropeptide release, which is evoked by long bouts of action potential activity and which regulates behavior, peptidergic vesicle movement has not been examined in living nerve terminals. Previous in vitro studies have found that secretory vesicle motion at many sites of release is constitutive: Ca2+ does not affect the movement of small synaptic vesicles in nerve terminals or the movement of large dense core vesicles in growth cones and endocrine cells. However, in vivo imaging of a neuropeptide, atrial natriuretic factor, tagged with green fluorescent protein in larval Drosophila melanogaster neuromuscular junctions shows that peptidergic vesicle behavior in nerve terminals is sensitive to activity-induced Ca2+ influx. Specifically, peptidergic vesicles are immobile in resting synaptic boutons but become mobile after seconds of stimulation. Vesicle movement is undirected, occurs without the use of axonal transport motors or F-actin, and aids in the depletion of undocked neuropeptide vesicles. Peptidergic vesicle mobilization and post-tetanic potentiation of neuropeptide release are sustained for minutes.
Drug use and unprotected anal intercourse among gay men.

Conducted a longitudinal study of 604 New York City gay men to examine the link between unprotected insertive and receptive anal intercourse and drug use with sex. Data spanning four 12-month periods from 1980 to 1987 indicated that the link between drug use and high-risk sex diminished as the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic progressed. Strong and significant cross-sectional associations (average r = .30, p less than .0001) were found between drug use with sex and both types of anal intercourse in the year prior to the onset of AIDS. By 1987 the magnitude of these associations was markedly reduced (average r = .09, p less than .05). Longitudinal results indicate that, although cessation of drug use with sex is associated with subsequent lower rates of unprotected anal intercourse, initiation of drug use with sex is not associated with subsequent increases in this sexual activity. These findings support both causal and noncausal interpretations of the link between substance use and high-risk sex among gay men.
Facilitating the development of representations in hypertext with IDE

Hypertext systems are used for a variety of representational tasks, many that involve fairly formalized structures. Because hypertext systems are generally intended for developing informal (unstructured data) and semi-formal (semantic networks) structures, developing more formal structures can be difficult. Regular patterns in structures must often be recreated from primitive elements (individual nodes and links) resulting in a high overhead cost. In this paper we describe the Instructional Design Environment, or IDE, a hypertext system application that facilitates the rapid and accurate creation of regular network patterns in hypertext. IDE focuses on the task of instructional design, but its facilities are general and useful to many representation tasks. IDE features structure accelerators that provide simple menu interfaces to (1) define network structures out of patterns of typed node and link connections, (2) create new node types that contain structured content, and (3) tailor the interface for creating cards, links and structures to focus attention during different stages of the representation task. These mechanisms allow the user to tailor the hypertext environment to better meet his or her representational needs. We also report on the field use of IDE by instructional designers.
Responses to animate and inanimate faces by infants of depressed mothers

Forty infants (mean age 5 months) of depressed mothers and non‐depressed mothers were seated in an infant seat and were exposed to four different degrees of animation, including a still‐face Raggedy Ann doll (about two‐feet tall suspended in front of the infant), the same doll in an animated state talking and head‐nodding, an imitative mother and a spontaneously interacting mother (the more animate mother condition). The infants spent more time looking at the doll, but they smiled and laughed more at the mother. The infants of depressed versus non‐depressed mothers showed less laughing and more fussing when their mothers were spontaneously interacting, but showed more laughing and less fussing during the mother imitation condition. Paradoxically, the infants of non‐depressed mothers were negatively affected by the imitation condition, showing less smiling and laughing and more fussing than they had during the spontaneous interactions.
Perspective: Beyond Storytelling in Medicine: An Encounter-Based Curriculum

Heralding the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth, Randolph Nesse affirms, in the December 2008 issue of The Lancet, his vision that the basic science curricula of medical school include evolutionary biology. Nesse suggests that evolutionary biology would unite the basic science principles of the preclinical years and serve as an explanatory tool in the doctor-patient encounter.This article visits this same question, but from a different vantage. Here, the author argues that the primacy of the basic sciences in medical education sanctions medical practice based on reasoning from scientific principles. Such an approach is outdated and dangerous in the era of top-down, evidence-based medicine (EBM). The author offers a new approach to the preclinical years: encounter-based medical education, which elevates the doctor-patient encounter as the prime subject of study in medical education. The author describes the historical roots of the shift to EBM and highlights the inadequacy of problem-based learning to resolve its challenges. The article details the advantages of an encounter-based approach to medical education.
Perceived aggression and predicted counteraggression as a function of sex of dyad participants: When males and females exchange verbal blows

Perceived aggression and predicted counteraggression were examined, using a written description of a hypothetical, dyadic verbal interaction. These hypothetical interactions were presented to subjects on a 2 (sex of aggressor)×2 (sex of aggression recipient) factorial design such that each subject read a description of one of four possible combinations of sexes in the dyadic interaction. Female aggressors were not perceived as more aggressive than male aggressors. There was no difference in perceived aggressiveness between a male insulting another male and a male insulting a female. However, a female who insulted another female was perceived as more aggressive than a female who insulted a male. Subjects predicted that a female would elicit less counteraggression than a male, but only when she was interacting with a male. These results were interpreted in terms of sex-related norms mediating the perception and expression of verbal aggression.
The type inference and coercion facilities in the scratchpad II interpreter

The Scratchpad II system is an abstract datatype programming language, a compiler for the language, a library of packages of polymorphic functions and parametrized abstract datatypes, and an interpreter that provides sophisticated type inference and coercion facilities. Although originally designed for the implementation of symbolic mathematical algorithms, Scratchpad II is a general purpose programming language. This paper discusses aspects of the implementation of the interpreter and how it attempts to provide a user friendly and relatively weakly typed front end for the strongly typed programming language.
Passivity-based control of nonlinear flexible multibody systems

In this paper, global asymptotic stability of a class of nonlinear multibody flexible space structures under certain dissipative compensation is established. Furthermore, for an important subclass of such systems, the stability is shown to be robust to certain types of actuator and sensor nonlinearities. The results are applicable to robust stabilization of a wide class of systems, including flexible space structures and manipulators with articulated flexible appendages. The stability proofs use the Lyapunov approach and exploit the inherent passivity of such systems. >
Role of taurine in regulation of intracellular calcium level and neuroprotective function in cultured neurons.

Glutamate-induced excitotoxicity has been implicated as an important mechanism underlying a variety of brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases. Previously we have shown that taurine has protective effects against glutamate-induced neuronal injury in cultured neurons. Here we propose that the primary underlying mechanism of the neuroprotective function of taurine is due to its action in preventing or reducing glutamate-induced elevation of intracellular free calcium, [Ca(2+)](i). This hypothesis is supported by the following findings. First, taurine transport inhibitors, e.g., guanidinoethyl sulfonate and beta-alanine, have no effect on taurine's neuroprotective function, suggesting that taurine protects against glutamate-induced neuronal damage through its action on the extracellular membranes. Second, glutamate-induced elevation of [Ca(2+)](i) is reduced to the basal level upon addition of taurine. Third, pretreatment of cultured neurons with taurine prevents or greatly suppresses the elevation of [Ca(2+)](i) induced by glutamate. Furthermore, taurine was found to inhibit the influx but not the efflux of (45)Ca(2+) in cultured neurons. Taurine has little effect on the binding of [(3)H]glutamate to the agonist binding site and of [(3)H]MDL 105,519 to the glycine binding site of the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptors, suggesting that taurine inhibits (45)Ca(2+) influx through other mechanisms, including its inhibitory effect on the reverse mode of the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchangers (Wu et al. [2000] In: Taurine 4: taurine and excitable tissues. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. p 35-44) rather than serving as an antagonist to the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptors.
Safety and effectiveness of compassionate use of LARIAT® device for epicardial ligation of anatomically complex left atrial appendages

Percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) ligation using an epicardial suture system (LARIAT®, SentreHEART, Palo Alto, CA) has been used in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and contraindication to oral anticoagulation. However, complex LAA anatomy may preclude its use. We report the safety and effectiveness of compassionate use of first-generation LARIAT® device for epicardial ligation of large, complex left atrial appendages. Between January 2010 and March 2013, 93 patients with AF, high CHADS2 score, and contraindication(s) for oral anticoagulation therapy were evaluated for LAA ligation. Complex anatomy detected by 3D cardiac computed tomography CT angiography led to preclusion of 25 patients (27%). Of these, nine patients who opted for epicardial LAA ligation on compassionate grounds were studied. Mean age was 68.1 ± 8.2 years, four females, all with large LAA width (>40 mm, 45–58 mm) and additional anatomic complexities such as bilobed (two), long C-shaped-like (two), goose neck-like (one), multilobed cauliflower-like (two), cactus-like (one), and chicken wing-like (one) LAA. LAA ligation with LARIAT® was successfully performed with surgical standby in all patients. Seven patients (78%) were safely treated percutaneously and only two patients required minimally invasive thoracotomy (one due to inability to release the epicardial snare from long C-shaped LAA and other due to preexisting adhesions precluding pericardial entry). There were no major complications. Repeat trans-esophageal echocardiography at 3 months showed no remnant flow and none had stroke off Coumadin at 19.3 ± 8.2 months of follow-up. Despite a high preclusion rate, percutaneous LAA ligation may be safely and effectively performed on compassionate grounds using the first-generation LARIAT® device with surgical standby in patients with large and complex LAA.
The potential for dynamic assessment systems using on-line computer technology

The potentials of on-line assessment will not be realized by using instruments originally designed for paper-and pencil administration. On-line technology is a fundamentally different medium. Some possible strategies for designing a dynamic assessment system specifically for on line use arc presented.
Report of a breakthrough in preventive dental care for a National Football League team

A preventive dental care program for the Baltimore Colts includes a thorough dental examination and the use of a protective mouthguard. A dental program that has been initiated by the Baltimore Colts includes a thorough clinical dental examination and the mandatory use of a protective mouthguard. The examination and the preparations for the protective mouthguard are conducted before the opening of training camp.
Watershed protection for a world city: the case of New York

Abstract New York City's water supply system provides 5 billion liters/day to 9 million people from unfiltered surface sources. Since the early 1990s, the city has avoided federal requirements to filter its drinking water for public health purposes. Filtration avoidance stems from an unprecedented experiment in watershed management that has significant effects on land use in rural source regions. This article examines the historic transformation of the institutional apparatus of New York's water supply system and the land-use implications of its watershed protection program. Emphasis is placed on the multiple stakeholders who negotiate disparate interests concerning water supply, economic development, and environmental stewardship.