cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A retrospective single-center review of primary sclerosing cholangitis in children.

Background & Aims Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease characterized by inflammation and progressive bile duct fibrosis. There are limited data on pediatric PSC. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of 47 pediatric patients with PSC. Results The mean age at diagnosis was 11 ± 4.9 years. Symptoms occurred before presentation in 81% of patients; inflammatory bowel disease was found in 59% and autoimmune hepatitis (overlap syndrome) in 25% of patients. Magnetic resonance cholangiography revealed both extrahepatic and intrahepatic, isolated intrahepatic, isolated extrahepatic, and no biliary involvement (small-duct PSC) in 40%, 14%, 10%, and 36%, respectively. Advanced fibrosis (stage >II) was present in 65%. Colonoscopy revealed pancolitis, rectal sparing, and normal findings in 24%, 24%, and 18%, respectively. All patients were treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA); 9 with overlap syndrome also received immunosuppressants. Fifteen patients without overlap syndrome had positive autoimmune markers and responded to UDCA monotherapy. Liver transplantation was performed in 9 patients (3 with overlap syndrome and 2 with small-duct PSC) at a median time of 7 years after diagnosis. The 10-year posttransplant survival rate was 89%. Conclusions In one of the largest single-center studies of children with PSC, we found that most children with PSC had inflammatory bowel disease or autoimmune overlap and advanced fibrosis at diagnosis. Levels of alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transferase were highest in patients with overlap syndrome and lowest in those with small-duct PSC. Levels of serum liver enzymes normalized after therapy with UDCA, including patients with positive autoimmune markers without histologic features of autoimmune hepatitis.
Spectrally arbitrary zero–nonzero patterns of order 4

In this article the authors characterize all the 4×4 zero–nonzero patterns that are spectrally arbitrary. Several observations and conjectures are presented for the n × n case.
Broaching the Subjects of Race, Ethnicity, and Culture During the Counseling Process

The authors define broaching as the counselor's ability to consider how sociopolitical factors such as race influence the client's counseling concerns. The counselor must learn to recognize the cultural meaning clients attach to phenomena and to subsequently translate that cultural knowledge into meaningful practice that facilitates client empowerment, strengthens the therapeutic alliance, and enhances counseling outcomes. A continuum of broaching behavior is described, and parallels are drawn between the progression of broaching behavior and the counselor's level of racial identity functioning.
530: Next generation sequencing identifies the IL-12 receptor beta gene as a potential mediator in the response to 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate for the prevention of recurrent prematurity

receptor beta gene as a potential mediator in the response to 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate for the prevention of recurrent prematurity Tracy Manuck, Scott Watkins, Sean Esplin, Marc Jackson, Lynn Jorde, Michael Varner University of Utah, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Salt Lake City, UT, University of Utah, Human Genetics, Salt Lake City, UT, Intermountain Healthcare, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT OBJECTIVE: 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P) reduces recurrent preterm birth (PTB) in some, but not all, women. We hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms affect variable response to 17P. STUDY DESIGN: Women with a history of 1 spontaneous singleton PTB 34 wks who received weekly 17P were recruited prospectively from a prematurity prevention clinic from 2008-2010. Women were classified as a 17P responder or non-responder based on the difference in delivery gestational age (GA) between their 17P treated and untreated pregnancy/pregnancies. Whole exome sequencing was performed using Illumina® HiSeq2000 next generation technology. Each individual was sequenced for 180,000 protein-coding exons. Genomes were compared between responders and non-responders using the Variant Annotation, Analysis & Search Tool (VAAST), a probabilistic search tool for identifying disease causing variants in personal genome sequences. Genome-wide significance was set at p 2.4x10. RESULTS: 24 women (19 responders, 5 non-responders), all Caucasian, were included. Responder and non-responder groups did not differ with regards to median number of pregnancies (3 vs. 4, p 0.67), history of cervical insufficiency (26% vs. 20%, p 0.77), or history of PPROM (32% vs. 40%, p 0.72). The GA of each woman’s earliest PTB also did not differ (27.9 vs. 29.7 wks, p 0.35), but responders achieved 9.1 wks longer with 17P, vs. 1.5 wks for nonresponders (p 0.001). All samples met genotype quality filters. The average genome-wide coverage depth was 47.3 (range 20.1-64.6). We assumed recessive inheritance and locus heterogeneity. VAAST identified IL12RB1 (Interleukin-12 receptor beta) as associated with nonresponse to 17P (p 3.03 10 ). CONCLUSION: Response to 17P for the prevention of recurrent PTB may be genetically mediated. These results should be confirmed in a larger cohort and may lead to the development of a ‘17P response panel.’
Cosmological implications of dynamical supersymmetry breaking.

We provide a taxonomy of dynamical supersymmetry-breaking theories, and discuss the cosmological implications of the various types of models. Models in which supersymmetry breaking is produced by chiral superfields which only have interactions of gravitational strength (e.g., string theory moduli) are inconsistent with standard big bang nucleosynthesis unless the gravitino mass is greater than \AA{}3 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{4}$ GeV. This problem cannot be solved by inflation. Models in which supersymmetry is dynamically broken by renormalizable interactions in flat space have no such cosmological problems. Supersymmetry can be broken either in a hidden or the visible sector. However, hidden sector models suffer from several naturalness problems and have difficulties in producing an acceptably large gluino mass.
Adsorption of Gas Mixtures: Effect of Energetic Heterogeneity

On aborde le probleme theoriquement en utilisant la methode de la solution adsorbee ideale heterogene qui agit idealement sur un site particulier, mais l'heterogeneite energetique provoque une segregation dans la composition de la phase adsorbee. Les resultats theoriques sont compares aux resultats experimentaux anterieurs, on observe une legere discordance
Prospective evaluation of costs of disposable accessories in diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP.

Procedural (room fee) reimbursement from insurance payers is usually fixed lor individual endoscopic procedures and may not include the costs of disposable equipment. This study estimated costs of disposable items used in ERCP procedures and calculated the percentage of total reimbursement spent on such equipment. A total of 248 ERCPs were performed in a 5-month study period, 192 (77%) of which were therapeutic. Total reimbursement was estimated to be $112,262 ($452 per procedure) and total disposable equipment costs were $47,195 ($190 per procedure), or 42% of total reimbursement. Disposable instrument costs in diagnostic ERCP approximated 13% of those associated with therapeutic ERCP, and the latter costs in turn utilized more than 60% of Medicare/Medicaid room fee reimbursement. This reimbursement may be inadequate to cover both disposable instrument costs and other procedural expenses, such as admit-recovery costs, nursing assistance, expenses related to endoscope purchase and capitalization, and equipment cleaning or sterilization. Our data suggest the need for either re-usable endoscopic accessories or adequate compensation to cover disposable instrument costs.
Coupled Neutron Transport and Thermal Fluids Calculations for the VHTR

A new multiphysics method is presented for coupled neutronics and thermal fluids calculations in the VHTR. This new method combines the capabilities of two existing solvers: the COMET neutronics solver, and a thermal fluids module designed specifically for the gas-cooled reactor lattice design featured in this next-generation reactor. This paper provides the necessary background on the neutronics and thermal fluids aspects of the new solution strategy and explains the mode of coupling. A test problem is presented in order to prove the efficacy of the new coupled method.Results are given for a whole-core VHTR, including detailed temperature information at the fuel pin level, explicit power calculations of individual pins, and a thermal map of the bulk graphite and coolant temperatures throughout the core. Solutions are determined quickly when compared to other methods which offer the same level of detail and accuracy, and thus justify further research and development of this method in the near future.
The Effect of Standards Use on Academic Advisor Job Satisfaction

The effect of national or local standards and guidelines on job satisfaction among professional and faculty academic advisors was studied using an on-line survey, focus group, and individual interviews. Findings support the proposition that the more connected advisors are to standards of practice, the greater their job satisfaction. Findings also indicate that student centeredness and availability of advising-related information resources were antecedents of job satisfaction among academic advisors.
The Role of Export Cropping in Less Developed Countries: Discussion

The paper by Hillman is a quite well-balanced representation of the issues with respect to the role of agricultural exports in development. It is a concise restatement of existing problems containing little policy advice for the future. It may be a useful survey piece to the nonspecialist, but there is little new for development or trade economists. In this respect the title is misleading. I kept waiting for the paper to focus on export cropping. Of course, it really does not. A more appropriate title would be "Export Orientation versus Selfsufficiency in the Agriculture of Developing Countries: A Survey of Issues." The paper is more notable for what it does not say than for what it says. Accordingly, most of my comments will focus on these aspects. The main criticism of the paper is that it is a survey of what has happened and of past issues. It is long on diagnosis and short on prescription. Critical issues in agricultural development and questions that confront economists are: what is the correct valuation of agricultural output, and what advice can we provide developing countries? These are difficult questions to answer. Hillman seems to favor agricultural export-led policies. But the preconditions for this to be effective, as he states, are that growth in industrialized countries must continue at a rapid pace through the 1980s and that market access must be increased. Neither of these preconditions are projected to obtain in the 1980s. Economic growth in industrialized countries throughout the 1980s is projected to fall below the sluggish levels of the 1970s (see World Bank), and many observers in their most optimistic moments see at best a constant level of protection for agriculture during the 1980s. Thus, the question arises as to how agricultural exportoriented policies possibly could help developing countries. One possible alternative for developing countries is to look toward increased inter-de-
Surgical treatment of recurrent pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland.

• Recurrent pleomorphic adenomas of the parotid gland warrant consideration because of the potential for facial nerve injury occurring with surgical treatment and the risk of malignant conversion. Forty-eight cases of recurrent pleomorphic adenoma treated at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, between 1935 and 1975 were retrospectively analyzed. The results of surgical procedures for recurrence were determined with respect to tumor control and resultant facial nerve function. Malignant conversion developed in three (6%) of 48 cases. The results of this study underscore the importance of adequate surgical excision of initial recurrences as well as primary tumors to prevent tumor recidivism. Tumor control rates and facial nerve preservation are enhanced with formal parotidectomy for recurrent tumor when feasible. In cases in which facial nerve identification and dissection is not possible, en bloc total parotidectomy offers effective, though not absolute, control of extensive recurrence. ( Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1986;112:1180-1184)
Ingestion of a denture cleanser: did it cause gastric perforation?

Introduction Human ingestion of denture cleansers leading to gastric perforation has not previously been described.
Reliability of axially loaded columns

Abstract The reliability of current and proposed design formulae for axially loaded columns is determined by the first-order second-moment probabilistic method. Computed reliability indices are compared to target values, and the consequences of changing the resistance factor are examined. The basic behavioural model includes the effects of residual stress, initial crookedness and small end-restraint.
Increased Exercise Capability after Repair of a Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula

A seven-year-old boy with a direct communication between the right pulmonary artery and the left atrium is reported. We document dramatic increases, to normal values, in exercise capability and cardiorespiratory adaptations to exercise after repair of the lesion.
Detecting cracks in teeth using ultrasonic excitation and infrared imaging

We describe a new technique, Thermosonics, that can be used to detect cracks in teeth. This technique was initially invented and developed for finding cracks in industrial and aerospace applications. The thermosonics technique employs a single short pulse (typically tens of milliseconds) of ultrasound excitation combined with infrared imaging. Ultrasonic waves vibrate the target material. This vibration causes rubbing and clapping between faying surfaces of any cracks which are present, resulting in a temperature rise around the cracks. An infrared camera is used to image the temperature distribution during and after the ultrasound excitation. Thus, cracks in teeth can be detected. Although this technique is still under development, it shows promise for clinical use by dentists.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Changes in quaternary structure in the signaling mechanisms of PAS domains

FixL from Bradyrhizobium japonicum is a PAS sensor protein in which two PAS domains covalently linked to a histidine kinase domain are responsible for regulating nitrogen fixation in an oxygen-dependent manner. The more C-terminal PAS domain, denoted bjFixLH, contains a heme cofactor that binds diatomic molecules such as carbon monoxide and oxygen and regulates the activity of the FixL histidine kinase as part of a two-component signaling system. We present the structures of ferric, deoxy, and carbon monoxide-bound bjFixLH in a new space group (P1) and at resolutions (1.5−1.8 A) higher than the resolutions of those previously obtained. Interestingly, bjFixLH can form two different dimers (in P1 and R32 crystal forms) in the same crystallization solution, where the monomers in one dimer are rotated ∼175° relative to the second. This suggests that PAS monomers are plastic and that two quite distinct quaternary structures are closely similar in free energy. We use screw rotation analysis to carry out a quant...
Polymer Nanocomposites with Designed Interfaces

This paper shows preliminary results for polymer nanocomposites consisting of “hairy” silica particles with grafted polystyrene in polystyrene matrices of controlled molecular weight and polydispersity. The goal of the work is to tailor the degree of wetting / interaction between the particles and polymer by controlling the graft density and molecular weight of the grafted polymer. This is providing an opportunity to study the properties of the interface region and to control the bulk composite properties. We have found that the predictions for flat brushes are qualitatively, but not quantitatively, applicable and that the highly curved surfaces of nanoparticles present several challenges for the design of nanoparticle interfaces. The talk will present more complete results in this system and provide an overview of other work in our group using tailored interfaces to control nanocomposite properties.
The spinning dancer illusion and spontaneous brain fluctuations: An fMRI study

The brain activation associated with the Spinning Dancer Illusion, a cognitive visual illusion, is not entirely known. Inferences from other study modalities point to the involvement of the dorso-parieto-occipital areas in the spontaneous switchings of perception in other bistable non-kinetic illusions. fMRI is a mature technique used to investigate the brain responses associated with mental changes. Resting-state fMRI is a novel technique that may help ascertain the effects of spontaneous brain changes in the top-down regulation of visual perception. The purpose of this report is to describe the brain activation associated with the subjective illusory changes of perception of a kinetic bistable stimulus. We hypothesize that there is a relationship between the perception phases with the very slow cortical spontaneous fluctuations, recently described. A single normal subject who was trained to produce voluntarily perception phase switches underwent a series of fMRI studies whose blocks were either defined post-hoc or accordingly with a predefined timeline to assess spontaneous and voluntarily evoked visual perception switches, respectively. Correlation of findings with resting-state fMRI and independent component analysis of the task series was sought. Phases of the rotation direction were found associated with right parietal activity. Independent component analysis of the task series and their comparison with basal resting-state components suggest that this activity is related to one of the very slow spontaneous brain fluctuations. The spontaneous fluctuations of the cortical activity may explain the subjective changes in perception of direction of the Spinning Dancer Illusion. This observation is a proof-of-principle, suggesting that the spontaneous brain oscillations may influence top-down sensory regulation.
Microvascular anastomoses. An evaluation of laser-assisted technique.

• The carbon dioxide milliwatt laser was used to perform microvascular anastomoses in 23 rat femoral arteries and 21 femoral veins. This technique was compared with conventionally sutured controls and then evaluated histologically at intervals of three to four days and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively. Patency rates in both methods, for arteries and veins, were comparable, confirming the feasibility of laser-assisted microvascular anastomoses. Moreover, the major benefit of the laser procedure was to allow for fewer sutures, thereby diminishing a foreign body reaction. ( Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1987;113:968-973)
QoS-driven channel selection for heterogeneous cognitive radio networks

Cognitive radio (CR) technology allows secondary users (SUs) to exploit the wireless resources not utilized by licensed primary users (PUs). SU channel selection for finding transmission opportunities incurs non-negligible costs and is a key challenge in successful operation of Cognitive Radio Networks (CRNs). In this paper we present current research studies on algorithms for finding the optimal channels supporting SU Quality of Service (QoS) requirements.
Ectopic and reentrant activation patterns in the posterior left atrium during stretch-related atrial fibrillation

Abstract Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in humans and is predicted to dramatically increase its prevalence in the future. There is experimental evidence that increasing stretch increases the dominance of the pulmonary veins (PVs) during AF in isolated hearts and ectopic activity in the isolated PVs, but the ionic mechanisms underlying such effects are not clear and the ability of the PVs to favorably host functional reentry during stretch cannot be excluded. We used a combination of endocardial–epicardial optical mapping with phase and spectral analysis to study stretch-related AF (SRAF) in normal isolated sheep hearts. We have found rapid AF sources in the posterior left atrium (PLA) and PV region and their activation frequency and level of organization correlated with intra-atrial pressure. Analysis of the surfaces' optical mapping data in the phase domain reveals that activation of the PLA consisted of alternating patterns of breakthroughs, reentries and relatively simple waves swiping across the mapped field. The patterns on the endocardial and epicardial PLA surface at any given moment of time of the SRAF could be either identical or not identical, and the activity in the thickness of the PLA wall is hypothesized to conform to either ectopic discharge or scroll waves, but a definite evidence for the presence of such mechanisms is currently lacking. Thus the understanding of the manner by which the mechano-electric feedback effects in the PLA, including the PVs, become important in the initiation and maintenance of AF requires further detailed investigation.
EOF-Based Linear Prediction Algorithm: Examples

Abstract Considered here are examples of statistical prediction based on the algorithm developed by Kim and North. The predictor is constructed in terms of space–time EOFs of data and prediction domains. These EOFs are essentially a different representation of the covariance matrix, which is derived from past observational data. The two sets of EOFs contain information on how to extend the data domain into prediction domain (i.e., statistical prediction) with minimum error variance. The performance of the predictor is similar to that of an optimal autoregressive model since both methods are based on the minimization of prediction error variance. Four different prediction techniques—canonical correlation analysis (CCA), maximum covariance analysis (MCA), principal component regression (PCR), and principal oscillation pattern (POP)—have been compared with the present method. A comparison shows that oscillation patterns in a dataset can faithfully be extended in terms of temporal EOFs, resulting in a slightl...
Complexes of butadienyllithium oligomers with tetramethylethylenediamine and polymer microstructure in diamine modified butadiene polymerization

Abstract The effect of tetramethylethylenediamine on 2 one-unit butadiene anionic polymerization models has been studied in cyclopentane. Both were found to have a mixture of cis and trans allylic structures over a wide range of amine to lithium ratios. Polybutadiene microstructures were also determined. Highly 1,2-polybutadienes are formed at amine to lithium ratios considerably below unity. The results are compared with those obtained by use of 1,2-dipiperidinoethane which induces a higher fraction of trans active centres and even higher 1,2 contents in polybutadiene.
Springback in Simple Axisymmetric Stampings

A series of experiments was conducted to measure springback (calculated from dome height measurements) in a simple, stretched sheet metal part formed using a 50.8-mm-radius hemispherical punch. Parts were formed from three materials [5182-0 aluminum, 2036-T4 aluminum, and aluminum-killed (AK) steel] using three different binder geometries (lockbead, stinger, flat), and punch penetration was varied between 1.27 and 21.6 mm, limited by failure of the aluminum sheet. The steel and 5182-0 aluminum were chosen to possess similar gage and tensile properties to highlight the effect of elastic modulus, while the 5182-0 and 2036-T4 aluminum were chosen to possess similar gage and modulus but different tensile behavior to highlight the effect of strength differences. Springback increased with increasing strength and decreasing modulus. A major finding was that, for a specific material, a primary factor influencing spring-back was the binder geometry, with the lockbead showing the least springback and least variation with punch penetration: by contrast, the stinger and flat binders exhibited much greater springback, and the magnitude of the springback was strongly influenced by the extent of punch penetration. In the worst case, the springback was more than 30 pct of punch penetration. The effect of binder region restraint on springback was evaluated by comparing the part geometry both before and after strain-free removal of the binder region by electrodischarge machining. The magnitude and sign of the binder region restraint depended on binder geometry and punch penetration but was always less than the springback observed in removing the part from the die initially.
Formation of a "child" universe in an inflationary cosmological model.

The evolution of a flat, spherically symmetric cosmological model, containing radiation and an inhomogeneous scalar field, is simulated numerically to determine whether the inhomogeneity could cause a ''child'' universe, connected by a wormhole to the external universe, to form. The gravitational and field quantities were computed self-consistently by means of the techniques of numerical relativity. Although we were unable to follow the process to its completion, preliminary indications are that the ''budding'' phenomenon could occur under very general initial conditions, as long as the scalar field is sufficiently inhomogeneous that the wormhole forms before the inflation is damped by the expansion of the background spacetime.
Hierarchical method for elliptic problems using wavelet

In this paper we explore the hierarchical structures of wavelets, and use them for solving the linear systems which arise in the discretization of the wavelet–Galerkin method for elliptic problems. It is proved that the condition number of the stiffness matrix with respect to the wavelet bases grows like O(log2H/h) in two dimensions, and the condition number of the wavelet preconditioning system is bounded by O(log2H/h) in d dimensions, instead of O(h−2) if the scaling function bases are used.
Science Citation Index's Coverage of the Preclinical Science Literature

A study of journal article coverage of the preclinical sciences by Science Citation Index (SCI) was done. Journal article references from 70 dissertations written in anatomy, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, and physiology were checked against the author section of the Source Index to deter. mine coverage. Of the 5795 references cited from 1964 to 1977, SCI indexed 5495 of them (94.8%). Of the 300 references not indexed, 282 were to journal titles not indexed by SCI at the time they were published. There were only 18 references which were missed although the journal titles were covered. Science Citation Index should be considered a prime source of journal references when searching the preclinical science literature.
The Hermit-crab (E. bernhardus) and the Anemone (C. (Sagartia) parasitica)

IN NATURE of December 2, p. 735, I described observations and experiments on the common hermitcrab (E. bernhardus) with its messmates, the anemone (C. (Sagartia) parasitica) and the polychaete worm Nereis fucata. By the kindness of Mr. Hugh Main, it has been pointed out that the observations mentioned above with regard to the natural position of the anemone confirm those of J. Sinel (p. 39, “An Outline of the Natural History of our Shores,” 1906). Sinel states that the woodcuts that appear in many text-books—even our high-class ones—which represent this anemone and its congener, are in one respect incorrect. The anemone is always represented as upright—palm—tree like-on the top of its equipage, as if its chief object were display—or a ride.—I have invariably found the anemone affixed to the rear of the shell and in such a position that when the hermit is at a meal or even moving about, the margin of the tentacles just touch the ground, like some patent sweeping-machine. It, no doubt, finds this position a paving one.
A mixed-integer programming approach to the parallel replacement problem under technological change

The parallel replacement problem under economies of scale (PRES) determines minimum cost replacement policies for each asset in a group of assets that operate in parallel and are subject to fixed and variable purchase costs. We study the mixed-integer programming formulation of PRES under technological change by incorporating capacity gains into the model such that newer, technologically advanced assets have higher capacity than assets purchased earlier. We provide optimal solution characteristics and insights about the economics of the problem and derive associated cutting planes for optimising the problem. Computational experiments illustrate that the inequalities are quite effective in solving PRES under technological change instances.
Models for coupled diffusive/strain controlled growth of creep cavities

The importance of intergranular creep cavitation to high-temperature failure processes in metals and ceramics has been well-recognized for some time now. In general, creep cavity growth at elevated temperature is thought to occur by one of two processes. The first of these is diffusive growth, whereby matter is transported from the cavity surface and is deposited on the grain boundary. The second is strain-controlled growth, in which the cavity grows entirely as a consequence of creep deformation of the surrounding material under the action of an applied stress. Several models of cavity growth have been proposed in which these processes are coupled to each other and occur simultaneously. These models have attained some currency and have been used in several studies involving the growth of creep cavitation. The purpose of the present note is to investigate in some detail one particular class of these models.
Prior experience with a pain stimulus as a predictor of placebo analgesia.

Placebo effects are important in pain reduction, but the effects are inconsistent. Prior experience with a pain stimulus may moderate placebo analgesia. The current study tests the effect of prior experience with a pain stimulus on placebo analgesia during a laboratory pain task. Healthy normotensive undergraduates (66 women, 68 men) who either did or did not report prior experience with pain from submerging a limb in cold water were enrolled. In the laboratory, an experimenter applied an inert, medicinal-smelling cream to participants’ non-dominant hand. Participants randomized to the no-expectation group were told that the cream was a hand cleanser. Participants randomized to the placebo expectation group were told that the cream would reduce the pain associated with the cold pressor task. Participants then completed the cold pressor task and reported their pain on the short form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Analysis of variance revealed a main effect of expectation (p < .05), such that participants in the placebo expectation group reported less pain. An interaction was also found between expectation and prior experience (p < .05), such that participants with prior experience with pain from cold water immersion showed no difference in pain reports between expectation groups. In a pain context, prior experience with the pain stimulus may prevent a placebo expectation from reducing the experience of pain.
Medical and Substance Use Comorbidity in Bipolar Disorder

Abstract Objective: National Comorbidity Survey data indicate that bipolar disorder is characterized by high lifetime rates of co-occurring anxiety and substance use disorders (SUDs). Although compelling evidence suggests SUD comorbidity predicts non-response to treatment, the relationship between medical comorbidity and treatment response has not been studied adequately. In an attempt to understand the impact of medical comorbidity on treatment outcome, an analysis was conducted to inform the relationship between co-occurring medical illness, the phenomenology of bipolar disorder, and response to treatment with mood stabilizers. Method: A total of 98 adult outpatients with rapid-cycling bipolar I or II disorder and co-occurring SUDs were prospectively treated with the combination of lithium and valproate for up to 24 weeks. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between phenomenology, response to mood stabilizers, and medical comorbidity as assessed by the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS). High and low medical comorbidity burden were defined as a CIRS total score ≥ 4 and ≤ 3, respectively. Results: Every patient enrolled into this study had at least 1 medical illness (most commonly respiratory, 72%) and on average had 4.9 different medical conditions. Over half of patients (52%) exhibited illnesses across four or more different organ systems, 24% had uncontrollable medical illnesses, and the mean overall total CIRS score was 5.56. The average body mass index (BMI) was 28.1 with 38% being overweight and 29% being obese. High medical burden was observed in 64% and was most strongly predicted by a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder (OR = 34.9, p = 0.002, 95%CI = 3.9–316.1). A history of attempted suicide (OR = 10.3, p = 0.01, 95%CI = 1.7–62.0), a history of physical abuse (OR = 7.6, p = 0.03, 95%CI = 1.3–45.7) and advancing age (OR = 1.2, p N = 21) of subjects enrolled into this study showed a bimodal response to treatment with lithium plus valproate, and neither BMI nor any summary CIRS measure predicted response. Conclusion: Rapid cycling with co-occurring substance use is not only associated with poor response to mood stabilizers, but is also a harbinger of serious medical problems. A high burden of medical comorbidity was associated with the bipolar I subtype, a history of attempted suicide, a history of physical abuse, and advancing age.
Atypical Transitional Epithelial Cells in a Pulmonary Embolus

The finding of atypical transitional epithelium in a pulmonary embolus was traced at autopsy to epithelium desquamated in a severe urethritis and apparently entrapped in open periurethral blood vessels. This case is presented as an unusual example of the embolization of benign epithelium to the pulmonary vasculature.
College Students' Attitudes toward Anticipated Sport Participation

This study examined the recall of sport participation of 100 college students from childhood through adulthood with emphasis on postcollege participation. Response to a questionnaire showed 79% of students planned to continue sport involvement after college. There was a significant shift in participation during the college and postcollege years from a competitive to a recreational sport involvement. During the postcollege years, the difference between team and individual sport participation was nonsignificant. The most frequent reason for postcollege sport involvement was for enjoyment which supports literature on motivation toward sport participation throughout the life cycle. Consequently, sport organizations should develop a fun-based recreational orientation to promote greater involvement.
Prevention of Duodenal Ulcer Formation in the Rat by Dietary Vitamin A Supplementation

We have shown previously that supplemental vitamin A (Vit. A) increases the early inflammatory response to wounding and enhances the collagen content of the intestine of normal and injured rats. We now report the effect of dietary supplementation with Vit. A on the prevention of duodenal ulcer (DU) in rats caused by intragastric administration of cysteamine-HCl. A major way cysteamine-HCl induces DU formation is by enhancing gastric acid secretion. Adult male rats were divided into two groups: (1) rats fed a standard rat Chow (Purina) (15 IU Vit. A/g diet) containing two to three times the National Research Council recommended daily allowance for Vit. A for normal rats; (2) rats fed the same supplemented with 150 IU of Vit. A palmitate per/g Chow. One week later, all rats were given 1 ml of cysteamine-HCl (135 mg) intragastrically. The rats were maintained on their respective diets. Two days later, all rats were killed with ether, the stomach and duodenum excised, and examined for the presence of ulcers. No gastric ulcers were found in either group. There was a statistically significant decrease in the incidence of DUs in the Vit. A-supplemented group when compared to the control group (p less than 0.01) 48 hr following cysteamine-HCl administration; 32% of the Vit. A-supplemented rats developed a DU whereas 74% of rats fed standard Chow had DUs. Most rats had a single DU in the first part of the duodenum, occasionally a second ulcer was noted in the same area. Dietary supplementation with Vit. A had no effect on gastric acid production. In conclusion, our data show that Vit. A dietary supplementation is effective in preventing formation of DUs caused by cysteamine-HCl administration to rats. This effect does not appear to be due to reduction of gastric acid output.
Plant genotypic diversity and environmental stress interact to negatively affect arthropod community diversity

Many studies have found positive relationships between plant diversity and arthropod communities, but the interactive effects of plant genetic diversity and environmental stress on arthropods are not well documented. In this study, we investigated the consequences of plant genotypic diversity, watering treatment, and its interaction for the ground-dwelling arthropod community in an experimental common garden of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.). We found that varying plant genotypic diversity and watering treatment altered multivariate arthropod community composition and structure. Arthropod biodiversity and richness showed a distinct response to the plant diversity × watering treatment interaction, declining sharply in water-limited genotypic mixtures. Abundance of arthropod functional groups did not show any response to diversity or the plant diversity × watering treatment interaction, but varied in their response to watering treatment, with predator and detritivore abundance increasing and parasitoid abundance decreasing in well-watered blocks. Our results conflict with most previous studies, and suggest that environmental stress can substantially change the nature of the plant-arthropod diversity relationship. Additionally, we suggest that the plant-arthropod diversity relationship is dependent on the type of plant and arthropod species sampled, and that the association between tree diversity and ground-dwelling arthropods may be much different than more commonly studied grassland species and herbivorous arthropods.
THE VOLUNTARY SIMPLICITY CONSUMER: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Voluntary simplicity consumers are those exhibiting a lifestyle of low consumption, ecological responsibility, and self-sufficiency. In this study such consumers in three US cities were compared on...
The social epidemiology of international drug trafficking: comparison of source of supply and distribution networks.

A variety of strategies have been implemented in an attempt to limit or prevent drug trafficking. Efforts have focused on reducing the supply of drugs, but they have not been very effective. There has been a shift recently to demand-reduction activities, but it is uncertain whether this approach will prove to be valuable. Most of the strategies that are employed are based upon the law enforcement approach. Alternative perspectives, based on principles of epidemiology and social network analysis, are presented and discussed in the context of studying drug trafficking on a global scale. More research and better sources of data and information are needed to delineate the relationship between availability and use, so that we might more effectively focus prevention activities
On the application of asymptotic analysis to the dynamical theory of the pole tide

Summary. This article examines the effects of boundaries on the pole tide in an ocean of constant depth. The cyclically continuous global ocean solutions to Laplace's tidal equations with the pole tide forcing are used as the particular solutions to the problem. The approach here is to find approxi- mate asymptotic solutions to the homogeneous tidal equations which can be added to the global particular solutions so that the normal component of velocity will vanish at the boundary. At the very long period of the pole tide, the unforced motions are assumed to be non-divergent, and so only the homogeneous vorticity equation must be solved. The first case considered is a zonal ocean bounded by parallels of latitude equidistant from the equator. Asymptotic solutions are found in order to satisfy the zonal boundary condition, and this gives rise to a narrow zonal boundary current. The contribution of these solutions is exponentially small compared to the forced global pole tide except in the immediate vicinity of the northern and southern boundaries. Next, the effect of meridional boundaries is considered. When a linear form of bottom friction is assumed, two approximate homogeneous solutions are found to construct a general solution that satisfies the meridional boundary conditions. One solution decays exponentially in longitude and gives rise to a western boundary current, while the other solution is indepen- dent of longitude. The meridional boundary conditions are used to match the homogeneous and particular solutions, and so the solution for the interior of the ocean satisfies the eastern boundary condition. The resulting solution for the pole tide has a western boundary current term, while over the majority of the ocean domain the solution has a term varying with the wavelength of the forcing (the global solution) and a zonal motion term used to satisfy the eastern boundary condition. Comparisons are made with the wind-driven ocean circulation problem.
Spectroscopic characterization of metal binding by Klebsiella aerogenes UreE urease accessory protein

The urease accessory protein encoded by ureE from Klebsiella aerogenes is proposed to function in Ni(II) delivery to the urease apoprotein. Wild-type UreE contains a histidine-rich region at its carboxyl terminus and binds 5–6 Ni per dimer, whereas the functionally active but truncated H144*UreE lacks the histidine-rich motif and binds only two Ni per dimer [Brayman TG, Hausinger RP (1996) J Bacteriol 178 : 5410-5416]. For both proteins, Cu(II), Co(II), and Zn(II) ions compete for the Ni-binding sites. In order to characterize the coordination environments of bound metals, especially features that are unique to Ni, the Ni-, Cu-, and Co-bound forms of H144*UreE were studied by a combination of EPR, ESEEM, hyperfine-shifted 1H-NMR, XAS, and RR spectroscopic methods. For each metal ion, the two binding sites per homodimer were spectroscopically distinguishable. For example, the two Ni-binding sites each have pseudo-octahedral geometry in an N/O coordination environment, but differ in their number of histidine donors. The two Cu-binding sites have tetragonal geometry with two histidine donors each; however, the second Cu ion is bound by at least one cysteine donor in addition to the N/O-type donors found for the first Cu ion. Two Co ions are bound to H144*UreE in pseudo-octahedral geometry with N/O coordination, but the sites differ in the number of histidine donors that can be observed by NMR. The differences in coordination for each type of metal ion are relevant to the proposed function of UreE to selectively facilitate Ni insertion into urease in vivo.
Photoluminescence from RF sputtered SiCBN thin films

Silicon carbon boron nitride (SiCBN) thin films were synthesized by reactive co-sputtering of silicon carbide (SiC) and boron nitride (BN) targets. As-deposited samples show distinct photoluminescence (PL) peaks at 465, 483 and 497 nm. The films were annealed in dry oxygen ambient at different temperatures to investigate the effect of annealing on film properties. Subsequent measurements on the annealed samples show diminished PL peak intensities. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the as-deposited films are amorphous in nature and there is no change in the microstructure even after high temperature annealing. Surface characterization of the films by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals change in chemical composition at different annealing temperatures. Carbon concentrations in the films are sensitive to annealing temperatures and could cause the change in photoluminescence properties.
Medicare Home Health Payment Reform

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Review of High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) Flight Deck Design and Integration Issues

This paper describes the objectives, issues, and approach of the design and integration (D&I) element of the NASA High Speed Research (HSR) flight deck program. D&I is using a requirements-driven approach to address HSCT-specific and generic flight deck design issues. First, requirements, issues, and human-centered design principles were identified. Then separate research efforts developed and evaluated guidelines and concepts that addressed the relevant requirements and issues. The products are the guidelines, concepts, and data and rationale supporting them. D&I is also responsible for developing, documenting, and maintaining an overall baseline HSR flight deck configuration.
Link between infection and atherosclerosis: who are the culprits: viruses, bacteria, both, or neither?

On the basis of an examination of 400 000 sections from 40 autopsy cases in 1935, Leary1 used the term “abscess” to describe atheromatous plaques, because leukocyte infiltration suggested an inflammatory process. A substantial body of evidence has since implicated inflammation and immune activation in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, thrombosis, and neointimal thickening after arterial injury.2 3 A number of potential triggers capable of inducing proinflammatory cellular responses have been identified; these include modified lipoproteins, cytokines, chemokines, angiotensin II, hypertension, hyperglycemia, smoking, oxidative stress, and others.2 3 However, one of the most interesting developments in recent years has been the hypothesis that one or more infectious agents may play a role in atherothrombosis, either through a direct proinflammatory effect on the vessel wall or through a less specific, long-distance proinflammatory effect.2 3 4 5 6 The possibility of infections contributing to atherosclerosis was suggested in the late 1800s and early 1900s by several authors7 8 and, in fact, in 1911, Frothingham suggested that “The sclerosis of old age may simply be a summation of lesions arising from infectious or metabolic toxins.”9 Specific organisms that have been implicated include viruses such as herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), cytomegalovirus (CMV), hepatitis virus, and bacteria such as Chlamydia pneumoniae , Helicobacter pylori , and porphromonus gingivalis.2 3 4 5 6 The evidence implicating infection in atherothrombosis includes the following: (1) seroepidemiological data, (2) the identification of viruses and bacteria in atherosclerotic plaques, (3) a strong association between specific infections such as CMV with transplant atherosclerosis, (4) experimental models showing an induction or acceleration of atherosclerosis by viruses or bacteria, (5) the ability of infectious organisms or their structural components to induce proatherogenic …