cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rotational atherectomy for treatment of occluded prosthetic grafts.

Abstract Potentially, percutaneous rotational atherectomy (RA) can be used to open occluded prosthetic arterial bypass grafts with less morbidity than surgical catheter thrombectomy. However, RA could damage prosthetic grafts or produce significant distal emboli. To investigate this, acutely thrombosed and chronically occluded prosthetic grafts, harvested from dogs, were placed in an ex vivo perfusion system and recanalization was attempted using the TRAC-Wright rotational atherectomy system. Urokinase (UK) was delivered through the RA catheter in one-half of the procedures. Graft surface thrombogenicity and graft mechanical integrity after successful recanalization were determined and debris released during recanalization was collected. Results were compared to those from grafts opened by catheter thrombectomy. One hundred percent (22/22) of acute prosthetic graft occlusions and 39% (16/41) of chronic prosthetic graft occlusions were opened using RA, similar to results achieved using catheter thrombectomy. In addition, surface thrombogenicity after recanalization of acute graft occlusion with RA was lower than that after catheter thrombectomy ( P
Some sequels to the Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health: thirty years later.

Most people knowledgeable about the Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health that came out in 1964, probably think of it as having established the causal connection between tobacco and lung cancer (1). It did that, and 30 years later we see the movement against tobacco use escalating and the lung cancer epidemic beginning to decline. Cigarette consumption in the United States doubled during the 1920s and again in the 1930s. After World War II the rate of increase slowed, but consumption continued upward until the 1960s. From the mid-1960s on, however, the trend has clearly turned downward (Figure 1) (2). As a Californian, of course, I must note that our state’s tobacco control program initiated in 1989 has apparently doubled the rate of decline and brought California’s smoking prevalence well below that of the nation as a whole (Figure 2) (3). That acceleration of the descending slope may presage the effects of more aggressive action against tobacco elsewhere in the country. As anticipated, the drop in cigarette consumption has slowed the lung cancer epidemic (4). Even though the latter still causes one out of 14 deaths in the United States, there are grounds for optimism in the long term. The rate of increase in lung cancer mortality, about 50% in the 195Os, declined subsequently and leveled off during the 1980s. It appears that the epidemic is turning downward in the 1990s (4, 5). Among segments of the population African American men have suffered most severely, but recent signs are better for them, too, including more rapid decline in smoking among young black males than among white (4). Women’s smoking has mimicked that of men in the United States, with the trend of increasing use occurring 30 to 40 years later, from the 1950s on. Correspondingly, the lung cancer epidemic among women has yet to slow down, although, as in the case of men, the rate of increase is slowing. These data reflect a tremendous achievement, especially considering the opposing social and biological forces (the
Transdermal delivery of diclofenac using water-in-oil microemulsion: formulation and mechanistic approach of drug skin permeation

AbstractThe objective of the present investigation was to enhance skin permeation of diclofenac using water-in-oil microemulsion and to elucidate its skin permeation mechanism. The w/o microemulsion formulations were selected based on constructed pseudoternary phase diagrams depending on water solubilization capacity and thermodynamic stability. These formulations were also subjected to physical characterization based on droplet size, viscosity, pH and conductivity. Permeation of diclofenac across rat skin using side-by-side permeation cells from selected w/o microemulsion formulations were evaluated and compared with control formulations. The selected w/o microemulsion formulations were thermodynamically stable, and incorporation of diclofenac sodium into microemulsion did not affect the phase behavior of system. All microemulsion formulations had very low viscosity (11–17 cps) and droplet size range of 30–160 nm. Microemulsion formulations exhibited statistically significant increase in diclofenac perme...
Intermediates Involved in the Two Electron Reduction of NO to N2O by a Functional Synthetic Model of Heme Containing Bacterial NO Reductase

Reaction of a functional biferrous heme/nonheme model complex at low temperature leads to the formation of a distal nonheme nitrosyl followed by a trans heme nonheme bis-nitrosyl intermediate. The EPR and Raman data on this intermediate indicate that the two nitrosyl centers are close. This complex gives off N2O and provides support for the trans mechanism proposed for NOR enzymes.
Utilization of Information Technology to Enhance an Asphalt Pavement Condition Evaluation Program

Accurate and consistent pavement condition evaluations are essential for developing reliable pavement maintenance management systems. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has developed a Pavement Condition Evaluation System (PACES) to meet this need. PACES has been used to evaluate the pavement conditions on the entire highway system in Georgia annually since 1986, and the results have been used for developing the maintenance plans. As a pan of the development of the Transportation Information System and the implementation of the Information Technology (IT) initiatives currently undertaken by the GDOT, a computerized pavement condition evaluation system (COPACES) was developed in 1998, which incorporated all the features of PACES. Through the utilization of IT, the management of the state's highway pavement maintenance program has been greatly enhanced by incorporating many additional features into COPACES. COPACES was successfully implemented in early 1999 for evaluating the pavement condition...
Relationship between private schooling and achievement: Results from rural and urban India

Abstract This paper contributes to the important but small body of research on the role of private schools in Indian education. It uses a household dataset from India with a rich set of household covariates and student performance data on reading, writing, and mathematics. For both rural and urban India the results from regression analyses indicate that private school students perform better on tests controlling for covariates. In both contexts, however, the private school benefit becomes largely, statistically, insignificant after conducting multivariate analysis on data balanced using the propensity score matching technique. The paper also makes an initial attempt to identify ‘low-fee’ private schools; within the regression framework it finds that children in such schools may perform no better than their public school counterparts. The data and methods used in this paper are not without limitations; however these analyses call into question the claim that private school effect may be unequivocally positive and highlights the potential heterogeneity in private school performance in the Indian context.
Interaction of cesium adatoms with free-standing graphene and graphene-veiled SiO2 surfaces

The interaction of Cs adatoms with mono- or bi-layered graphene (MLG and BLG), either free-standing or on a SiO2 substrate, was investigated using density functional theory. The most stable adsorption sites for Cs are found to be hollow sites on both graphene sheets and graphene-veiled SiO2(0001). Larger dipole moments are created when a MLG-veiled SiO2(0001) substrate is used for adsorption of Cs atoms compared to the adsorption on free-standing MLG, due to charge transfer occurring between the MLG and the SiO2 substrate. For the adsorption of Cs on BLG-veiled SiO2(0001) substrate, these differences are smoothed out and the binding energies corresponding to different sites are nearly degenerate; smaller dipole moments created by the Cs adatoms on BLG compared to MLG are also predicted.
Elastic and mechanical properties of intrinsic and doped PbSe and PbTe studied by first-principles

Abstract Lead chalcogenides, most notably lead selenide (PbSe) and lead telluride (PbTe), have become an active area of research due to their thermoelectric (TE) properties. The high figure of merit of these materials has brought much attention to them, due to their ability to convert waste heat into electricity. Recent efforts, such as applying pressure or doping, have shown an increase in TE efficiency. Variation in application and synthesis conditions gives rise to a need for analysis of mechanical properties of these materials. In addition to the rocksalt (NaCl) structure at ambient conditions, lead chalcogenides have an orthorhombic (Pnma) intermediate pressure phase and a higher pressure CsCl phase. By using first-principles calculations, performed within density functional theory, we study the structural, elastic and mechanical properties of PbTe and PbSe in their three phases. For each phase, elastic constants, bulk modulus, shear modulus, and Young's modulus are calculated, and the NaCl phase is studied with typical dopants, both n-type (Bi and I) and p-type (Na, In, and Tl). Pugh's ratio is employed to give insight on the brittleness of the materials and phase studied. The results presented here will be useful to guide future experiments toward the search for structurally stable TE materials.
Aerodynamic and structural studies of joined-wing aircraft

A method for rapidly evaluating the structural and aerodynamic characteristics of joined-wing aircraft was developed and used to study the fundamental advantages attributed to this concept. The technique involves a rapid turnaround aerodynamic analysis method for computing minimum trimmed drag combined with a simple structural optimization. A variety of joined-wing designs are compared on the basis of trimmed drag, structural weight, and, finally, trimmed drag with fixed structural weight. The range of joined-wing design parameters resulting in best cruise performance is identified. Structural weight savings and net drag reductions are predicted for certain joined-wing configurations compared with conventional cantilever-wing configurations.
Egg Morphology and Phylogeny in Pteronarcyidae (Plecoptera)

Egg descriptions and scanning electron microscope photomicrographs are provided for the 10 nearctic pteronarcyid species, and the data are used to test current ideas of the phylogeny of the family. The data suggest Pteronarcys sensu Zwick (1973) is polyphyletic and a revised classification is proposed in which Allonarcys is placed in synonymy with Pteronarcys.
THz Transparent Metamaterials for Enhanced Spectroscopic and Imaging Measurements

We present a frequency-selective surfaces (FSS) transparent window exhibiting low losses for broadband spectroscopic and imaging measurements in terahertz (THz) frequencies. The intent is to replace existing samples holders (e.g., Z-cut crystal quartz) with transparent metamaterial windows and increase measurement sensitivity. To enable multiband and broadband responses, two designs of single-layer FSS with superstrate are demonstrated: circular slot and double square loop, and thus suppress losses in a given range of THz band.
Doppler abnormalities in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies with discordant growth

We studied whether abnormal umbilical artery (UA) Doppler flow velocity waveforms occur with higher frequency in monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin gestations with discordant fetal growth and whether this impacted neonatal outcome. We performed a retrospective study of MCDA twin pairs. We collected data from an electronic medical record. We classified pregnancies as discordant if there was at least 20% birth weight discordance. Abnormal UA Doppler velocity waveforms included absent or reversed end diastolic flow. We analyzed the data with chi square, Student’s t-test and analysis of variance as appropriate. Seventy-three twin pairs met criteria for inclusion, including 16 with discordant growth. The discordant group was significantly more affected with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) (P=0.02). The smaller fetuses in discordant pairs were more likely to display abnormal UA Doppler flow velocity waveforms (P<0.01). These neonates also had lower Apgar scores (P=0.03) and were more likely to require care in a neonatal intensive care unit. Our findings persisted after excluding pregnancies with TTTS. In MCDA twin gestations complicated by discordant growth, there is an increased frequency of abnormal UA Doppler flow velocity waveforms in small fetuses, and these neonates face clinical challenges after birth.
Electron Cyclotron Radiation Measurements to Determine Relative Electron Temperatures in A Low-Density Magnetic-Mirror Plasma System

Measurements of the electron cyclotron radiation emitted from the plasma of the Alice system were made using a synchronous detection microwave radiometer in the range of 10.2 - 11.6 GHz. Both sidebands were used to samle radiation from two nested closed shells within the plasma. For a tenuous plasma this radiation is proportional to the product of the electron density and the electron temperature. Since measurements of the plasma density were available from other detectors, relative values of the electron temperature were obtained using the measured radiation intensity.
Implant time and process efficiency for CT-guided high-dose-rate brachytherapy for cervical cancer.

Abstract Purpose This investigation details the time and teamwork required for CT-guided tandem and ring high-dose-rate brachytherapy. Methods and Materials From 2010 to 2012, 217 consecutive implantations were identified on 52 patients. We gathered key workflow times: preoperative, applicator insertion, CT image, treatment planning, treatment, patient recovery, and total time in clinic. Linear fixed-effects models were used, and key workflow times were the outcome variables and factors including age, body mass index, stage, outside referral, number of implant per patient, number of implants per day, and year of implantation were examined as fixed effects. Results Of the 52 patients, 62% of the patients were Federation Internationale de Gynecologie et d'Obstetrique Stage 2B, 88% were treated with concurrent chemotherapy, and 23% were treated at an outside facility and referred for the procedure. The mean times (minutes) for each step were as follows: preoperative evaluation, 93; insertion, 23; imaging, 45; treatment planning, 137; treatment, removal, and recovery, 115; total clinic time, 401. For the insertion time, the greater implant number per patient was significantly associated with a decreased total insertion time, with and without adjusting for other covariates, p = 0.002 and p = 0.0005, respectively. Treatment planning time was expedited with increasing number of implant per patient and comparing treatment times in 2012 with those in 2010, p = 0.01 and p Conclusions Gynecologic brachytherapy requires a skillfully coordinated and efficient team approach. Identifying critical components and the time required for each step in the process is needed to improve the safety and efficiency of brachytherapy. Continuous efforts should be made to enhance the optimal treatment delivery in high-dose-rate gynecologic brachytherapy.
Fighting Tax Evasion in Latin America: the contrasting strategies of Chile and Argentina

Abstract In the 1990s both Chile and Argentina embarked on efforts to tackle tax evasion. The strategies they pursued differed substantively: Argentina followed a coercive approach that created an elite audit team endowed with special legal powers, while Chile undertook a less spectacular service-oriented approach that improved the fiscal pact between state and society and enacted tax administration reform. Chile succeeded in permanently lowering tax evasion levels, while Argentina's success was short-lived and evasion levels soon returned to previous heights. Besides important differences in the institutional strength of these countries, the contrasting outcomes can be attributed in no small measure to the different strategies adopted. Their experience can provide some useful lessons in the elusive battle against tax evasion in Latin America.
A linear interval to voltage device for oscilloscope display

A linear interval to voltage device is described for oscilloscope displays. A schematic diagram is included.
Transmission electron microscopy study of PtSi/Si (p-type) composites grown on Si(111) substrates

Abstract A transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study was made of PtSi/Si (p-type) composite films grown on Si(111) substrates. The films, 3-μm thick, were prepared by sputtering from a Pt–Si target consisting of 81 at.% Si and 19 at.% Pt. They were subsequently annealed in argon at 575°C for 7.5 h. TEM indicated a dense aggregation of PtSi particles 50 nm and smaller in size, concentrated in a surface region about 500 nm thick. Resistivity measurements on this segregated layer showed that it was p-type with a resistivity of 3×10−3 Ω cm. Below this the structure is constant right down to the Si(111) substrate and consists of PtSi particles 10 nm in size clustered around the Si matrix. The Si is partly crystalline (10 nm particles) and partly amorphous. The resistivity of this layer is on the order of 100 Ω cm. These results are attributed to the movement of the PtSi particles in the bulk composite film toward the surface where they exist in a lower energy configuration. A microprobe analysis of these films showed 78 at.% Si and 22 at.% Pt.
Characterization of cytosolic forms of CTP: choline-phosphate cytidylyltransferase in lung, isolated alveolar type II cells, A549 cell and Hep G2 cells

The subcellular forms of cytidylyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.15) in rat lung, rat liver, Hep G2 cells, A549 cells and alveolar Type II cells from adult rats were separated by glycerol density centrifugation. Cytosol prepared from lung, Hep G2 cells, A549 cells and alveolar Type II cells contained two forms of the enzyme. These species were identical to the L-Form and H-Form isolated previously from lung cytosol by gel filtration. Liver cytosol contained only the L-Form. Rapid treatment of Hep G2 cells with digitonin released all of the cytoplasmic cytidylyltransferase activity. The released activity was present in both H-Form and L-Form. The molecular weight of L-Form was determined from sedimentation coefficients and Stokes radius values to be 97,690 +/- 10,175. Thus, the L-Form appears to be a dimer of the Mr 45,000 catalytic subunit. The f/f degrees value of 1.5 indicated that the protein molecule has an axial ratio of 10, assuming a prolate ellipsoid shape. The estimated molecular weight of the H-Form was 284,000 +/- 25,000. The H-Form was dissociated into L-Form by incubation of cytosol at 37 degrees C. Triton X-100 (0.1%) and chlorpromazine (1.0 mM) also dissociated the H-Form into L-Form. Western blot analysis indicated that both forms contained the catalytic subunit. An increase in Mr 45,000 subunit coincided with the increase in cytidylyltransferase activity in L-Form, which resulted from the dissociated of H-Form. The L-Form was dependent on phospholipid for activity. The H-Form was active without lipid. Phosphatidylinositol was present in the H-Form isolated from Hep G2 cells. The phosphatidylinositol dispersed when the H-Form was dissociated into L-Form. Phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylglycerol cause L-Form to aggregate into a form similar to H-Form. Phosphatidylcholine/oleic acid (1:1 molar ratio) and oleic acid also aggregated the L-Form. Phosphatidylcholine did not produce aggregation. We conclude that the H-Form is the active form of cytidylyltransferase in cytoplasm. The H-Form appears to be a lipoprotein consisting of an apoprotein (L-Form dimer of the Mr 45,000 subunit) complexed with lipids. A change in the relative distribution of H-Form and L-Form in cytosol would alter the cellular activity and thus may be important in the regulation of phosphatidylcholine synthesis.
Dissolution behavior of silver in ammoniacal solutions using bromine, iodine and hydrogen-peroxide as oxidants

Abstract The dissolution behavior of silver in ammoniacal solutions in the presence of bromine, iodine and hydrogen peroxide as oxidants has been studied. The effect of concentrations of ammonia and oxidants, and pH of the solution on the rate of dissolution of silver powder was investigated. Silver dissolution was greatly affected by the ammonia concentration as well as concentrations of oxidants. The higher the concentration of oxidants, the greater the silver dissolution. However, high concentrations of halogen based oxidants resulted in precipitation of silver unless sufficient ammonia was also present. It was also noted that the silver dissolution is a strong function of pH of the solution. The optimum values of pH were found to be in the range 9–10. This behavior was explained in terms of the thermodynamic stability data of silver (I) complexes with halogen-based oxidants as a function of pH.
Activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors inhibits cell cycle progression of small cell lung carcinoma.

Abstract We previously reported that activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) of M3 subtype causes hydrolysis of phosphoinositides and inhibits voltage-gated Ca2+ channel activity in small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cells. We now report that mAChR activation causes exponentially growing SCLC cells to arrest in S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle, concomitant with a decrease in DNA synthesis. Cell cycle progression and DNA synthesis resume when mAChR are down-regulated. In serum-starved SCLC cells, mAChR activation inhibits DNA synthesis induced by serum, bombesin, insulin, or insulin-like growth factor-I. The finding that DNA synthesis is inhibited even when mAChR are activated after exposure of cells to growth factors indicates that decreased signal transduction by growth factor receptors is not the mechanism of mAChR-mediated growth inhibition. Our data suggest that mAChR activation disrupts a common event that is induced by different growth factors and is fundamental for cell cycle progression.
Characteristics of InGaN designed for photovoltaic applications

This work addresses the required properties and device structures for an InGaN solar cell. Homojunction InGaN solar cells with a bandgap greater than 2.0 eV are specifically targeted due to material limitations. These devices are attractive because over half the available power in the solar spectrum is above 2.0 eV. Using high growth rates, InGaN films with indium compositions ranging from 1 to 32% have been grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy with negligible phase separation according to X-ray diffraction analysis, and better than 190 arc-sec ω-2θ FWHM for ∼0.6 μm thick In0.32Ga0.68N film. Using measured transmission data, the adsorption coefficient of InGaN at 2.4 eV was calculated as α ≅ 2×105 cm–1 near the band edge. This results in the optimal solar cell thickness of less than a micron and may lead to high open circuit voltage while reducing the constraints on limited minority carrier lifetimes. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Analysis of the carbon dioxide laser plume for simian immunodeficiency virus.

To determine the viability of the immunodeficiency virus in the laser plume after carbon dioxide (CO2) laser irradiation, multiple samples of culture medium containing concentrated simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVmac at 1000 TCID50 cultured from HUT 78 cells) were irradiated with a continuous-wave CO2 laser at variable irradiances (from 400 W/cm2 for 5 seconds to 1600 W/cm2 for 300 seconds). The resultant plume was collected and cultured for the presence of SIV. A positive control consisted of handling an infected specimen identically to the test specimens, with the exception of CO2 laser irradiation. All test cultures remained negative over an 8 week incubation period, while the control was positive for viable SIV within 7 days. These results suggest that SIV is not viable in the laser plume after CO2 laser irradiation. Further investigation is necessary before extrapolating these results to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Pseudorandom Number Assignment in Statistically Designed Simulation and Distribution Sampling Experiments

Abstract This research investigates various strategies for assigning pseudorandom numbers to experimental points in statistically designed simulation and distribution sampling experiments. Strategies studied include the widely advocated practices of (i) employing a common set of pseudorandom numbers for all experimental points, and (ii) assigning a unique set of pseudorandom numbers to each experimental point. An alternative, based upon blocking concepts in designed experiments, is devised and shown to improve upon existing recommendations for a wide class of problems. A small simulation, a pilot study of a hospital resource allocation problem, illustrates the new strategy.
A Look at the Bureaucratic Nature of the Office of the Solicitor General

The Office of the Solicitor General is internally structured as a bureaucracy, and it also functions as part of the greater bureaucracy of the Department of Justice. Members of the Office of the Solicitor General have one of three designations: solicitor general, deputy solicitor general, or assistant to the solicitor general. The individuals who hold these titles are subject to varying political and bureaucratic pressures. Taking into account this internal variation to the Office of the Solicitor General, I find that different variables predict success for each type of attorney. By examining the marginal effects of each of the variables depending on the type of attorney, I paint a clearer picture of the bureaucratic determinants of success for the attorneys before the Supreme Court.
NONNULL DISTRIBUTION OF LIKELIHOOD RATIO CRITERION FOR TESTING MULTISAMPLE SPHERICITY IN THE COMPLEX CASE

Summary In this paper, nonnull moments of the likelihood ratio statistic for testing multisample sphericity in the complex case have been derived in series involving zonal polynomials. The nonnull asymptotic distribution of the statistic is also derived for certain alternatives.
Investigating Genetic Relationships within Gryllotalpidae: A Molecular Hypothesis

We present a first preliminary molecular analysis of relationships among a sample of living members of the Gryllotalpidae, based on partial nucleotide sequence data of the 16S mitochondrial gene. Our analysis defines five groups that diverged from each other approximately 196 to 284 Mya in the Mesozoic era. This study supports the monophyly of the genus Scapteriscus and its placement in the subfamily Scapteriscinae, as well as the inclusion of the genus Triamescaptor in the subfamily Gryllotalpinae. The monophyly of the large genus Gryllotalpa is not supported, suggesting a revision of the genus is needed.
Product safety and product performance research at the National Bureau of Standards

In 1974, the National Bureau of Standards established a Center for Consumer Product Technology to conduct product safety and product performance research. The Center's Human Factors Section operates a laboratory which is used for consumer product studies. While much of the Laboratory's equipment and instrumentation is fairly typical of other human factors laboratories, its configuration and application at NBS is unique. A study of cooking ranges is presented to illustrate how the facility is being used. Language: en
A Split Hopkinson Bar Technique to Evaluate the Performance of Accelerometers

We developed a split Hopkinson bar technique to evaluate the performance of accelerometers that measure large amplitude pulses. A nondispersive stress pulse propagates in an aluminum bar and interacts with a tungsten or steel disk at the end of the bar. We measure stress at the aluminum bar-disk interface with a quartz gage and measure acceleration at the free end of the disk with an accelerometer. The rise time of the incident stress pulse in the aluminum bar is long enough and the disk length is short enough that the response of the disk can be approximated closely as rigid-body motion; an experimentally verified analytical model supports this assumption. Since the cross-sectional area and mass of the disk are known, we calculate acceleration of the rigid disk from the stress measurement and Newton's Second Law. Comparisons of accelerations calculated from the quartz gage data and measured acceleration data show excellent agreement for acceleration pulses with the peak amplitudes between 20,000 and 120,000 G (1 G = 9.81m/s 2 ), rise times as short as 20 μs, and pulse durations between 40 and 70 μs.
Microsatellite instability in human colonic cancer is not a useful clinical indicator of familial colorectal cancer

Abstract Background & Aims: Microsatellite instability is a property of most tumors occurring in the context of hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer. Instability also occurs in 10%–15% of apparently sporadic colorectal cancers, and it has been hypothesized that this instability may indicate a genetic predisposition to colonic cancer. This study evaluated whether there is a clinically useful association between colon cancer instability and a family history of cancer. Methods: Colon cancer cases (n = 188) from a population-based study were evaluated for microsatellite instability with 10 polymerase chain reaction primer sets. Instability results were compared with family history and other clinical and biological characteristics. Results: Microsatellite instability was found in 16.5% of tumors. It was predominantly a feature of right-sided tumors ( P = 0.003) and was associated with the youngest and oldest ages at diagnosis ( P = 0.01). Instability was not associated with family history of cancer, sex of the individual, or the glutathione- S -transferase mu 1 null genotype. Conclusions: Although some very small, and as yet undefined, proportion of colon cancer may be caused by inherited mutations leading to microsatellite instability, tumoral instability by itself is not a marker for familiality and should not be considered as evidence for an inherited syndrome.
Coherent vector meson photoproduction from deuterium at intermediate energies

We analyze the cross section for vector meson photoproduction off a deuteron for the intermediate range of photon energies starting at a few giga-electron-volts above the threshold and higher. We reproduce the steps in the derivation of the conventional nonrelativistic Glauber expression based on an effective diagrammatic method while making corrections for Fermi motion and intermediate-energy kinematic effects. We show that, for intermediate-energy vector meson production, the usual Glauber factorization breaks down, and we derive corrections to the usual Glauber method to linear order in longitudinal nucleon momentum. The purpose of our analysis is to establish methods for probing interesting physics in the production mechanism for \ensuremath{\phi} mesons and heavier vector mesons. We demonstrate how neglecting the breakdown of Glauber factorization can lead to errors in measurements of basic cross sections extracted from nuclear data.
Identification of peptide ligand-binding domains within the human motilin receptor using photoaffinity labeling.

Abstract The cDNA encoding the human motilin receptor was recently cloned and found to represent a G protein-coupled receptor that is structurally related to the growth hormone secretagogue receptors. Together, these represent a new Class I receptor family. Our aim in the present work is to gain insight into the molecular basis of binding of motilin to its receptor using photoaffinity labeling. To achieve this, we developed a Chinese hamster ovary cell line that overexpressed functional motilin receptor (CHO-MtlR; 175,000 sites per cell, with K i = 2.3 ± 0.4 nmmotilin and EC50 = 0.3 ± 0.1 nm motilin) and a radioiodinatable peptide analogue of human motilin that incorporated a photolabilep-benzoyl-l-phenylalanine (Bpa) residue into its pharmacophoric domain. This probe, [Bpa1,Ile13]motilin, was a full agonist at the motilin receptor that increased intracellular calcium in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 = 1.5 ± 0.4 nm). This photolabile ligand bound specifically and with high affinity to the motilin receptor (K i = 12.4 ± 1.0 nm), and covalently labeled that molecule within its M r = 45,000 deglycosylated core. Cyanogen bromide cleavage demonstrated its covalent attachment to fragments of the receptor having apparent M r = 6,000 and M r = 31,000. These were demonstrated to represent fragments that included both the first and the large second extracellular loop domains, with the latter representing a unique structural feature of this receptor. The spatial approximation of the pharmacophoric domain of motilin with these receptor domains support their functional importance as well.
The role of dronedarone in the treatment of atrial fibrillation/flutter in the aftermath of PALLAS.

Dronedarone is an amiodarone analog that differs structurally from amiodarone in that the iodine moiety was removed and a methane-sulfonyl group was added. These modifications reduce thyroid and other end-organ adverse effects and makes dronedarone less lipophilic, with a shorter half-life. Dronedarone has been shown to prevent atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFl) recurrences in several multi-center trials. In addition to its rhythm control properties, dronedarone has rate control properties. In patients with decompensated heart failure, dronedarone treatment increased mortality and cardiovascular hospitalizations. When dronedarone was used in elderly high risk AF/AFl patients, excluding those with advanced heart failure, cardiovascular hospitalizations were significantly reduced. The results of the PALLAS trial suggest that dronedarone should not be used in the long-term treatment of patients with permanent AF. Post-marketing data have demonstrated rare hepatic toxicity to be associated with dronedarone use. Updated practice and regulatory guidelines have positioned dronedarone as a front-line antiarrhythmic in many patients with AF/Fl. However, the drug should not be used in patients with advanced heart failure and in patients who develop permanent AF.
Structural changes of arabinoxylans in refrigerated dough

Wheat flour mainly consists of the starchy endosperm of the kernel, and contains starch, proteins, lipids and non-starch polysaccharides. Arabinoxylans (AXs) are the main non-starch polysaccharides found in wheat flour. Studies showed that degradation of AXs in refrigerated dough has negative effect on quality. The objectives of this research were to structurally characterize the AXs from refrigerated dough samples and determine any correlations between the AX structural changes and variation in dough quality. We observed that the molecular weight of the AXs was changing during the extended storage, and we detected variation in arabinose to xylose ratio for water extractable and unextractable AXs. The ratio of unsubstituted xylose in water extractable AXs increased during storage. These results showed that changes in AX chemistry is correlated to the refrigerated dough quality.
Disease-related Distress in Parents of Children with Cancer at Various Stages After the Time of Diagnosis

This study evaluates and describes disease-related distress in parents, with particular focus on the association between the time elapsed since the child's cancer diagnosis and a number of indicators of distress. In a cross-sectional design, 264 mothers and fathers of children with various malignancies completed a multidimensional questionnaire focusing on 11 illness-specific and general indicators of distress. Parents were assessed from 4 weeks to 14 years after the child's diagnosis, and age of children at onset of illness ranged from newly born to 21 years (mean approximately 6 years). The levels of distress related to loss of control, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and psychological and physical distress were lower among parents for whom a longer period of time had elapsed from the time of diagnosis. However, the time elapsed could not explain all of the variation in these stress reactions, or any of the variation in uncertainty, disease-related fear and loneliness. The child's age at diagnosis and treatment situation at assessment were surpassed by time elapsed since diagnosis as predictors of variance in parental distress. The pattern observed indicates the presence of disease-related distress even years after the completion of medical treatment. The findings point to the need for research to identify parents at particular risk of suffering long-term harmful consequences from the prolonged stress of parenting a child with cancer. The necessity of longitudinal studies to evaluate the proportion of acute stress in relation to chronic or cumulative parental stress is emphasized.
Unlike Human Hypertension, Blood Pressure in a Hereditary Hypertensive Rat Strain Shows No Linkage to the Angiotensinogen Locus

Recently, evidence has been presented for genetic linkage between the angiotensinogen gene and primary hypertension in humans. In the present study we examined whether a similar linkage between blood pressure and the angiotensinogen gene locus can be demonstrated in a widely used animal model of primary hypertension, the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat (Heidelberg colony, SHRSPHD). In 115 F2 hybrids bred from SHRSPHD and a normotensive reference strain, the Wistar-KyotoHD (WKYHD) rat, systolic and diastolic blood pressures and heart rate were determined by indwelling arterial catheters in the presence and absence of dietary sodium loading. In addition, left and right ventricular heart weight was measured. Using a newly developed polymorphic marker assay for the angiotensinogen gene based on polymerase chain reaction amplification of an exon 2 fragment and subsequent restriction endonuclease digestion, we performed a cosegregation study in this cohort. No evidence for cosegregation between the angiotensinogen gene locus and blood pressure or any other phenotypic parameter assessed was found. Although the SHRSP serves as a valuable model of hypertension, our data emphasize that disease-relevant genetic loci in humans and rats cannot be assumed to coincide.
Rapid appearance and local toxicity of amyloid-beta plaques in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

The senile plaques in brains of Alzheimer's disease sufferers are thought to develop gradually over years. The involvement of plaques in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease is a hotly debated issue. New work, using mutiphoton microscopy to follow plaque formation in vivo in a mouse model of the disease, supports the view that amyloid plaques appear before local neurotoxicity is visible. Surprisingly, senile plaques form rapidly, within 24 hours: within a day or two microglial cells accumulate and neuritic abnormalities start to appear. Based on these observations, it's possible to speculate that the slow degeneration in Alzheimer's disease is marked by sudden changes in cortical structure, and that altering the kinetics of this process might change the rate of disease progression. Senile plaques are thought to accumulate over the course of decades in brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. In vivo mutiphoton microscopy is used to follow the birth of such plaques in live Alzheimer's disease model mice. It is found that plaques form extraordinarily quickly, over 24 hours. Within 1–2 days, the microglia move in and noticeable neuritic changes ensue. These data argue that neuritic dysfunction follows, rather than precedes, amyloid deposition. Senile plaques accumulate over the course of decades in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. A fundamental tenet of the amyloid hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease is that the deposition of amyloid-β precedes and induces the neuronal abnormalities that underlie dementia1. This idea has been challenged, however, by the suggestion that alterations in axonal trafficking and morphological abnormalities precede and lead to senile plaques2. The role of microglia in accelerating or retarding these processes has been uncertain. To investigate the temporal relation between plaque formation and the changes in local neuritic architecture, we used longitudinal in vivo multiphoton microscopy to sequentially image young APPswe/PS1d9xYFP (B6C3-YFP) transgenic mice3. Here we show that plaques form extraordinarily quickly, over 24 h. Within 1–2 days of a new plaque’s appearance, microglia are activated and recruited to the site. Progressive neuritic changes ensue, leading to increasingly dysmorphic neurites over the next days to weeks. These data establish plaques as a critical mediator of neuritic pathology.
Modelling Plastic Response of Solids

The elementary principles of modelling plastic response of crystalline solids, based on mechanistic details, are presented. A short discussion on the details of the kinematics of strain production and the possible attendant lattice rotations in crystal plasticity is followed by a discussion of the modelling of separate mechanisms governing deformation resistance in pure crystalline substances. A short presentation is also given of a continuum treatment of the plastic resistance of microcomposites with a quasi-random dispersal of separate phases.
Valuing childhood vaccines.

Administration of vaccines to children in the United States has led to profound reductions in the morbidity and mortality of previously common illnesses. Childhood vaccines are some of the most cost-effective tools available to physicians and the public health community. Ensuring high rates of vaccination is integral to sustaining the success of childhood immunization initiatives. However, two challenges threaten to undermine childhood immunization programs: widespread supply shortages and rising purchase prices. Our ability to understand and address these problems will affect the future success of childhood immunization programs.
Adaptive set-membership identification in O(m) time for linear-in-parameters models

Some fundamental contributions to the theory and applicability of optimal bounding ellipsoid (OBE) algorithms for signal processing are described. All reported OBE algorithms are placed in a general framework that demonstrates the relationship between the set-membership principles and least square error identification. Within this framework, flexible measures for adding explicit adaptation capability are formulated and demonstrated through simulation. Computational complexity analysis of OBE algorithms reveals that they are of O(m/sup 2/) complexity per data sample with m the number of parameters identified. Two very different approaches are described for rendering a specific OBE algorithm, the set-membership weighted recursive least squares algorithm, of O(m) complexity. The first approach involves an algorithmic solution in which a suboptimal test for innovation is employed. The performance is demonstrated through simulation. The second method is an architectural approach in which complexity is reduced through parallel competition. >
Education and Training of Transportation Engineers and Planners Vis-à-Vis Public Involvement

Public involvement in transportation investment decision making is central to accomplishing the vision of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. FHWA and FTA are striving to promote this objective in the face of several problems, some of which stem from the biased education and training of engineers and planners. The predominant emphasis of the majority of planners has been and continues to be on technical issues to the exclusion of communicative action and emancipatory interest, resulting in planners not being able to cope with the demands of participatory democracy. The basic concepts of communicative action that need to be incorporated in the education and training of engineers and planners to equip them to deal effectively with citizen participation are introduced. It is recommended that in the changed context in which transportation engineers and planners will have to operate, it is essential that they gain competency beyond just technical areas and be competent to cope with th...
Incidence, retrieval methods, and outcomes of stent loss during percutaneous coronary intervention: A large single-center experience

Our goal was to examine the incidence and consequences of stent loss during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the retrieval techniques used. We retrospectively reviewed 11,773 consecutive PCI cases involving stents performed at our institution between January 1994 and March 2004 to identify cases of stent loss. Stent loss occurred in 38 of 11,773 PCI procedures involving stents (0.32%; 95% CI = 0.23–0.44%). Mean age of the patients was 67 ± 11 years and 82% were men. Stent loss occurred more frequently in lesions with calcification and/or significant proximal angulation. In three patients, the stent was crushed and covered with another stent without attempting retrieval. Stent retrieval was attempted in 35 of 38 cases and was successful in 30 (86%). The following retrieval methods were used (more than one method was used in some cases): advancing a balloon through the stent, inflating the balloon, and withdrawing the stent (45%); twirling two wires around the stent (5%); loop snare (26%); biliary forceps (12%); Cook retained fragment retriever (10%); and basket retrieval device (2%). Patients in whom stent loss occurred had a higher incidence of bleeding requiring transfusion (24% vs. 7%; P < 0.001) and more often required emergency coronary artery bypass surgery (5% vs. 0.4%; P < 0.001). No patients in whom the stent was crushed or deployed in the coronary artery had any major cardiac complication. Stent loss during PCI occurs infrequently. Lost stents can be successfully retrieved in the majority of cases using a variety of retrieval techniques, yet stent loss is associated with an increased risk of complications. Stent deployment or crushing may be a good alternative to retrieval. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
House Sparrows Associated with Reduced Cliff Swallow Nesting Success

Abstract We quantified the impact of nesting and roosting House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) on nesting success of Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) in colonies in western Arkansas in 2007 and 2008. Two sections of a large swallow colony under a bridge with House Sparrows were compared in 2007 to two sections with little House Sparrow usage. Nesting success of Cliff Swallows (percent of nests yielding at least 1 chick) was 61% in sections with low House Sparrow activity, significantly higher than the 30% in sections with high House Sparrow activity. House Sparrows defended a broad zone surrounding their nests from Cliff Swallow nesting attempts. We compared the proportion of nests used, clutch sizes, and brood sizes of Cliff Swallows in two colonies in 2008, one with and one without House Sparrow activity. In the colony without House Sparrow activity, 48% of old and new nests were used by swallows versus only 8% in the colony with House Sparrows. Swallow clutch sizes were similar in the two coloni...