cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Marijuana smoking, pulmonary function, and lung macrophage oxidant release

Pulmonary alveolar macrophages lavaged from tobacco smokers release increased levels of oxidants and have been implicated in the pathophysiology of emphysema. It is unknown whether lung macrophages recovered from marijuana smokers also liberate excessive levels of oxidants. To evaluate this possibility, pulmonary alveolar macrophages were obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from nonsmokers, smokers of marijuana only, smokers of tobacco only, and smokers of tobacco plus marijuana. Spontaneous and stimulated superoxide anion release was measured by the superoxide dismutase-inhibitable reduction of ferricytochrome c. These findings were correlated with recent lung function tests. Superoxide anion production by macrophages, studies of small airway integrity (closing volume, closing capacity, and the slope of Phase III of the single-breath nitrogen washout curve), and evaluation of alveolar gas exchange (diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide) were similar in both nonsmokers and marijuana smokers. However, tobacco smoking was associated with both significantly higher levels of superoxide anion release by pulmonary alveolar macrophages and significant abnormalities of small airway function and alveolar diffusing capacity. Based on the results of this study, pulmonary alveolar macrophages of marijuana-only smokers do not produce increased amounts of oxidants when compared to macrophages of non-smoking subjects. This observation may account for the absence of abnormalities in small airway function and alveolar diffusing capacity in marijuana-only smokers, in contrast to the presence of such findings in smokers of tobacco, regardless of marijuana use.
New Approach to Compare Glare and Light Characteristics of Conventional and Balloon Lighting Systems

With the increasing needs to adopt nighttime construction strategies in order to avoid disruption of traffic flow, state agencies are currently experimenting with a new class of light towers known ...
[17O]oxygen hyperfine structure for the hydroxyl and superoxide radical adducts of the spin traps DMPO, PBN and 4-POBN.

Summary [17O]oxygen hyperfine coupling constants are reported for the superoxide and hydroxyl radical adducts with the spin traps 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N -oxide, N - t -butyl- α -phenylnitrone and α -(4-pyridyl 1-oxide)- N - t -butylnitrone. These couplings provide spectroscopic evidence that the spin adducts have been correctly identified.
Enhancing patient safety and reducing medical error. The role of preventive medicine.

and through the society’s publications and website; (3) recognize patient safety in practice guidelines and in standards related to the introduction and diffusion of new technologies, therapies, and drugs; (4) work with the Center for Patient Safety to develop community-based, collaborative initiatives for error reporting and analysis and implementation of patient safety improvements; and (5) collaborate with other professional societies and disciplines in a national summit on the professional’s role in patient safety. Should professional societies devoted to preventive medicine—including the two associations that co-own this journal—accept the IOM’s challenge to add this subject to their agendas? We believe that there are compelling reasons why the field of preventive medicine should embrace this emerging discipline of patient safety as one of its major areas of focus.
New strangeness measurements from STAR

A review of the recent STAR strangeness measurements from √s NN = 200 GeV Au+Au and p+p collisions at RHIC is presented. We explore the systematics of the mean transverse momentum with particle mass and event multiplicity. Identified particle m T spectra from Au+Au and p+p collisions are compared. We conclude with some discussion of the canonical suppression picture and its implications for strangeness enhancement.
A General Method for the Anodic Formation of Crystalline Metal Oxide Nanotube Arrays without the Use of Thermal Annealing

Valve metal oxides are versatile in their range of applications, which include high-K dielectrics, gas sensing, biomedical implants, field emitters, and photovoltaic cells. It is now generally recognized that nanoscale control of metal oxide architectures permits significant enhancement of the properties utilized in the above applications. In particular, TiO2 nanotube arrays formed by anodization have demonstrated outstanding performance in gas sensing, photocatalytic, and photovoltaic applications. Review papers on the subject are available. To date, amorphous nanotube arrays have been synthesized by Ti anodization with an elevated-temperature heat treatment, with temperatures typically greater than 350 8C being required to induce crystallinity. With regard to photoelectrochemical water splitting using thick-film Ti foil samples, annealing at temperatures sufficient to induce crystallinity usually leads to the formation of a thick barrier layer, separating the nanotube-array film from the underlying metal substrate, where recombination losses can occur. This barrier layer acts to hinder electron transfer to themetal electrode (cathode) where water reduction takes place, in turn reducing the overall water-splitting efficiency. The need for high-temperature crystallization limits nanotube array use with temperaturesensitive materials, such as polymers, for applications such as photocatalytic membranes. Therefore, low-temperature synthetic routes, where a high-temperature annealing step for crystallization is not required, are needed to obtain the full
A self-stabilizing hybrid fault-tolerant synchronization protocol

This paper presents a strategy for solving the Byzantine general problem for self-stabilizing a fully connected network from an arbitrary state and in the presence of any number of faults with various severities including any number of arbitrary (Byzantine) faulty nodes. The strategy consists of two parts: first, converting Byzantine faults into symmetric faults, and second, using a proven symmetric-fault tolerant algorithm to solve the general case of the problem. A protocol (algorithm) is also present that tolerates symmetric faults, provided that there are more good nodes than faulty ones. The solution applies to realizable systems, while allowing for differences in the network elements, provided that the number of arbitrary faults is not more than a third of the network size. The only constraint on the behavior of a node is that the interactions with other nodes are restricted to defined links and interfaces. The solution does not rely on assumptions about the initial state of the system and no central clock nor centrally generated signal, pulse, or message is used. Nodes are anonymous, i.e., they do not have unique identities. A mechanical verification of a proposed protocol is also present. A bounded model of the protocol is verified using the Symbolic Model Verifier (SMV). The model checking effort is focused on verifying correctness of the bounded model of the protocol as well as confirming claims of determinism and linear convergence with respect to the self-stabilization period.
Caspase-9 is essential for herpes simplex virus type 2 induced apoptosis in T cells

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) induces apoptosis in T cells by a caspase-dependent mechanism. Apoptosis can occur via extrinsic (death receptor) and/or intrinsic (mitochondrial) pathways. Here, we show that the initiator caspase for the intrinsic pathway is activated in T cells following HSV-2 exposure. To determine the respective contributions of intrinsic and extrinsic pathways, we assessed apoptosis in Jurkat cells that are deficient in caspase 8 or Fas-associating protein with death domain (FADD) for the extrinsic pathway and in cells deficient in caspase 9 for the intrinsic pathway. Our results indicate HSV-2-induced apoptosis in T cells occurs via the intrinsic pathway.
A method to characterize burst fractures

The estimation of the pre operation and post operation canal geometry and interpedicular distance of burst fracture clinical cases has not been well documented. In this study a quantitative method was developed to estimate these parameters from clinical CT images in a SUN 2GX SPARCstation using the SUN VISION Software. In an initial cadaveric study the methods to estimate these parameters were set and it was found that the bone mineral density (BMD) correlated with the fracture load, degree of canal encroachment and changes in the interpedicular distance (IPD). For the nine burst fracture patients, the BMD correlated with the degree of canal encroachment but not IPD changes. After several months, the hardware was removed in three patients. The canal area increased and the IPD decreased in the affected vertebral body, showing significant recovery in each case.
A New Poultry Semen Extender 3. Effect of Storage Conditions on the Fertilizing Capacity of Chicken Semen Stored at 5°C.

Semen from adult Leghorns was subjected to one of five treatments during storage at 5 degrees C. for periods of up to 24 hr. The effects of dilution rate, storage temperature, presence of seminal plasma, presence of visible light and the semen to air ratio in the storage vessel were studied on the fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa after 0, 4 and 24 hr. of storage. The results indicated that the fertilizing capacity of chicken semen stored at 5 degrees C. was equal to that of the unstored controls when semen was diluted and exposed to a light intensity of 129 lux during the entire storage period. Viability of semen stored at 5 degrees C. for 24 hr. was unaffected by storage temperature (5 vs 15 degrees C.), the presence or absence of seminal plasma, or the semen to air ratio in the storage vessel.
Comparison of some methods for determination of sulfate in soils

Abstract Sulfate (SO4 2‐) is present in soils as salts of various metals, and the different metals associated with sulfate may influence adsorption of SO4 2‐by soils. The analytical method used for determination of SO4 2‐could be affected by the type of metal associated with the SO4 2‐. Four analytical methods based on different principles were evaluated for determination of SO4 2‐in different metal salts and in soil extracts obtained with three extractants {0.1M lithium chloride (LiCl), 0.15% calcium chloride (CaCl2), and 500 mg P/L as calcium phosphate [Ca(H2PO4)2]}. The analytical methods were: (i) a methylene blue (MB) colorimetric method after the reduction of SO4 2‐to hyrogen sulfide (H2S), (ii) an ion Chromatographie (IC) method, (iii) a turbidimetric (TD) method, and (iv) an indirect barium (Ba) atomic absorption spectrophotometric (SP) method. The recovery of SO4 2‐associated with various mono‐, di‐, and tri‐valent metals was quantitative by the MB method. But, trivalent metals, such as aluminum ...
Performance-Based Seismic Design of Steel MRFs with Elastomeric Dampers

This paper presents research on seismic design of steel special moment resisting frames (SMRFs) with supplemental elastomeric dampers. The SMRF properties and damper design criteria are varied to illustrate their effects on the supplemental damper design. The SMRFs are based on current seismic design practices, and the supplemental dampers are designed using a simplified design procedure (SDP). The SDP allows the structure with dampers to be designed for specified performance objectives, where the structure is intended to reach selected performance levels, defined in terms of story drift and member response, at specified seismic input levels. Nonlinear dynamic time history analyses show that SMRFs with dampers designed using the SDP achieve the specified seismic performance objectives, and that elastomeric dampers are more effective when used in a more flexible SMRF. The SDP permits various seismic performance objectives and corresponding design criteria to be specified. Criteria that allow some inelastic...
Advanced Analysis of Wearable Sensor Data to Adjust Medication Intake in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

The objective of this pilot work is to identify characteristics and measure severity of motor fluctuations in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) based on wearable sensor data. Improved methods of assessing longitudinal changes in PD would enable optimization of treatment and maximization of patient function. We hypothesize that motor fluctuations accompanying late-stage PD present with predictable features of accelerometer signals recorded during execution of standardized motor tasks. Six patients (age 46-75) with diagnosis of idiopathic PD and levodopa-related motor fluctuations were studied. Subjects performed motor tasks in a "practically-defined OFF" state, and then at 30 minute intervals after medication intake. At each interval, data from 8 uniaxial accelerometers on the upper and lower limbs were recorded continuously, and subjects were videotaped. Features representing motion characteristics such as intensity, rate, regularity, and coordination were derived from the sensor data, and clinical scores were assigned for each task by review of the videotapes. Cluster analysis was performed on feature sets that were expected to reflect severity of parkinsonian symptoms (e.g. bradykinesia) and motor complications (e.g. dyskinesias). Two-dimensional data projections revealed clusters corresponding to the degree of dyskinesia and bradykinesia indicated by clinical scores. These preliminary results support our hypothesis that wearable sensors are sensitive to changing patterns of movement throughout the medication intake cycle, and that automated recognition of motor states using these recordings is feasible
Critical periods in the development of men's and women's tastes in personal appearance

Evidence is presented for the existence of critical periods in the development of consumer tastes in personal appearance. Specifically, men appear to form lifelong preferences for the women's styles that were popular when these men were in their early 20s. By contrast, women's preferences generally and men's tastes for men's appearance styles appear to be formed during a broader and older range of years. These results support the role of both nostalgia and mere exposure in causing the critical-period phenomenon. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Transposon-induced homologous recombination at the maize P locus and in transgenic Arabidopsis

The maize P gene regulates the production of a red pigment in the pericarp, cob and other maize floral tissues. We reported previously that transposable element (Ac) insertions can induce homologous recombination between two 5.2 kb direct repeat sequences that flank the P gene coding region. Here we further study the effects of the Ac insertion site on the induction of recombination at the P locus. A collection of unique P gene alleles was used which carry Ac insertions at different sites in and near the P locus: outside of the direct repeats, within the direct repeat sequences, and between the direct repeats, in both orientations. Recombination frequency was estimated by the frequency of colorless sectors arising via homologous recombination at the P locus. The frequency of colorless sectors is significantly higher when the Ac insertion is between the direct repeats than when the Ac * Interdepartmental Genetics Program, Department of Zoology and Genetics, Iowa State University. ''Biotechnology and Genomic Center, Novartis Crop Protection, Inc. "^Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University.
Intraoperative Electrophysiological Studies to Predict the Efficacy of Neurolysis After Nerve Injury—Experiment in Rats

Compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) can be used to analyze injury and recovery of nerve. This standardized study evaluates the value of CMAP analysis in predicting the long-term efficacy of neurolysis. CMAP amplitude is also used to determine the optimal extent of neurolysis. The left peroneal nerves of 30 rats were crushed. CMAPs were recorded for both crushed (left) and control (right) nerves. Fifteen rats underwent neurolysis 3 months post crush injury; the remaining 15 were sham controls and did not undergo neurolysis. CMAP measurements were taken after: (1) release of the nerve from the fascia, (2) opening the epineurium, and (3) opening the perineurium. At 3 months post crush injury, opening the epineurium resulted in a statistically significant increase in CMAP. CMAP increase with perineurial neurolysis was greater than with fascial release of the nerve but was not statistically different from that of epineurial release. At 5 months post crush injury, recovery of crushed nerves that underwent neurolysis was 90% and significantly less at 70.5% in rats not treated with neurolysis, according to CMAP analysis. Two conclusions can be made from this study. First, intraoperative neurophysiologic studies can monitor the immediate results of neurolysis and predict long-term results in the injured nerve. Second, epineurotomy is important in neurolysis, improves the function of the nerve, less invasive, and a slightly more effective technique than perineurotomy.
The ultrafast nonlinear optical properties of induced transmission filters

We report on the nonlinear optical properties of induced transmission filters with 30× enhancement compared with a 30 nm Ag film and with a peak transmittance of 63% in the visible.
Treatment of varicose veins: modern concepts and methods.

. Varicose veins have been a somewhat neglected entity. Treatment usually consists of routine stripping of the main trunks and excision of all distal tributaries, resulting in many unsightly scars. Modern diagnostic methods trace the origin of the reflux causing the condition. If the saphenofemoral or saphenopopliteal junction is involved, limited surgery is done, followed by sclerotherapy of the varicose tributaries later. Many cases can be treated with sclerotherapy only. A description of the new concepts is given. A diagnostic classification is presented, together with the corresponding methods of treatment.
Women's views on breast cancer risk and screening mammography: a qualitative interview study.

Background. To promote informed decision making about mammography, clinicians are urged to present women with complete, relevant information about breast cancer and screening. Understanding women’s current beliefs may help guide such efforts by uncovering misunderstandings, conceptual gaps, and areas of concern. Objective. The authors sought to learn how women view breast cancer, their personal risk of breast cancer, and how screening mammography affects that risk. Methods. Forty-one open-ended semistructured telephone interviews with women selected from a national database by quota sampling to ensure a wide range in demographics of the participants. Results. Almost all respondents viewed breast cancer as a uniformly progressive disease that begins in a silent curable form (typically found by mammograms) and, unless treated early, invariably grows, spreads, and kills. Some women felt that any abnormality found must be treated, even if it was not malignant. None had heard of potentially nonprogressive canc...
Alternatives to albumin: starch replacement for plasma exchange

Today, albumin, or a combination of saline and albumin, is used and widely accepted as a replacement for routine plasma exchange. However, decreased availability (due to market recalls secondary to Creutzfeld-Jacob or bacterial contamination risk) rising costs, recognition of drug interactions with albumin (i.e., ACE inhibitors) and a fear of disease transmission have led several groups to reconsider the use of colloid starches as partial or full replacement for plasma during plasma exchange. There are two hydroxyethyl starches: hetastarch (Hespan and Pentaspan) currently licensed for human use in the United States. While both are approved for granulocyte collection only Hespan is approved as a plasma volume expander. Anecdotal experience and limited reports in the literature with the use of starches as a replacement for plasma exchange suggest that such starch products are a reasonable replacement for albumin as an initial wash-out fluid or in combination with either albumin or saline. Kinetic modeling of the wash-out of starch used as a replacement fluid demonstrate that relatively little residual starch remains compared to the total amount infused. Hydroxyethyl starches are biochemically similar to glycogen, which likely explains the lack of immunogenicity and lack of adverse reactions. Substantial cost savings are associated with the substitution of starch for albumin. It is concluded that HES is well-tolerated and cost-effective as full or partial volume replacement with plasma exchange. It is anticipated that the use of HES will emerge as a standard of care in apheresis.
Evaluation of synchronous versus live instructional delivery methods on student academic outcomes and perceptions at a multi-campus school

Abstract Objectives To compare student academic performance from live and synchronous case-based active learning sessions between a satellite and main campus. The secondary objective was to evaluate student perception of instructional delivery methods. Methods Students were taught infectious diseases through patient cases delivered either synchronously to both campuses or live at each campus. Student performance was assessed by examination grades. Student perception of content delivery methods was evaluated using a survey. Results Students performed better on examinations that pertained to content that were delivered live. The average examination grade for live and synchronous course material was 72.2% and 62.2%, respectively. In the main campus, 81.5% of students preferred live lectures. In the satellite campus, 66.7% of students preferred synchronous education. Overall, students agreed that synchronous cases helped them prepare for graded assessments. Conclusions Both campuses differed in their preference of instructional delivery methods. Though there was a higher examination score with the live cases, this could be due to the nature of the disease states tested and the small number of synchronously taught cases. Further evaluation of these delivery methods need to be done to confirm these results and to better utilize resources as multi-campus universities continue to grow.
Transient Receptor Potential Channels and Caveolin-1: Good Friends in Tight Spaces

Caveolae formation has raised the concept of energy efficiency to new heights. The ultimate purpose of caveolae formation is to colocalize signaling proteins with membrane microdomains in order to facilitate their interaction and improve signal transduction efficiency. Although we know that the main structural protein of caveolae is caveolin, how caveolin interacts with membrane proteins to facilitate their integration into lipid raft domains is unclear. A caveolin-scaffolding domain (CSD) on caveolin itself can associate with membrane proteins such as G proteins and endothelial nitric oxide synthase. In this issue, Kwiatek et al. (p. 1174) report that the TRPC1 channel protein contains a C-terminal CSD-consensus binding sequence that allows for its physical and functional interaction with caveolin-1 in the caveolae of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC). Competitive interaction with a CSD-conjugated peptide attenuates thrombin- and thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ influx via store-operated TRPC1 channels. Their data suggest that caveolin-1 can directly regulate TRPC1 function, extending its already ascribed role as a structural protein.
Refugees and the Spread of Conflict: Contrasting Cases in Central Africa:

Do refugee movements cause the spread of conflict from one country to another and if so, under what conditions? This artice explores these questions by examining the contrasting cases of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. The 1994 influx of Rwandan refugees into eastern Congo was a contributing factor in the outbreak of war there in 1996 and again in 1998. The 1994 refugee migration into western Tanzania, however, was relatively peaceful and did not generate further conflict. By exploring similarities and differences between the two cases, this artice develops several hypotheses about the conditions under which a massive refugee influx may result in the spread of conflict. In the end, the paper argues that refugees enter into an existing political context, creating new alignments and transforming old ones. In some cases, conflicts may result, each with its own dynamics, but in others they do not.
Herd and state means for somatic cell count from dairy herd improvement

To determine the impact of reducing the current legal limit of 750,000 cells/ml for somatic cell count (SCC) in US market milk, data were examined from 539,577 herd test days for Dairy Herd Improvement herds on test during 1996 and 1997. Somatic cell scores for individual cows were converted to SCC. The SCC for each cow was weighted by milk yield and used to compute herd mean on test day. The mean for each state was derived by weighting herd test-day SCC by herd test-day milk yield. State means were lowest in the West and highest in the Southeast. The percentage of herd test days with an SCC of >750,000 cells/ml ranged from 0 to 14% across states; the mean was 4%. Only 1% of the herd tests were >750,000 cells/ml on 2 consecutive test days. Mean SCC in the United States was 307,100 cells/ml for 1996 and 313,500 cells/ml for 1997. Mean SCC was lower during October through January (280,000 to 300,000 cells/ml) than during July and August (340,000 cells/ml). Herd size and SCC were negatively related; larger herds had lower SCC. Because records of some cows treated with antibiotics were included in the data, herd SCC means likely were higher than corresponding bulk tank SCC. Most herds had test-day SCC that were substantially below legal bulk tank limits and could have met lower limits (e.g., 500,000 cells/ml).
Model analysis of multi-finger MOSFET layout in ring oscillator design

Multi-finger transistor layout is widely used in CMOS circuit designs. Comparing with single-finger transistor layout, its main features include effectiveness in reducing circuit physical size and improving device matching. However in CMOS ring oscillator design, considerable performance discrepancies are found between multi-finger transistor layout and single finger transistor layout. Despite such fact, there exists no analysis method that can be used to illustrate oscillator performance differences resulted from these two layout manners. In this paper, an analytic model is developed to characterize multi-finger transistor and single-finger transistor oscillator designs. The specific focuses are on oscillator output frequency and phase noise specifications. For model validation, oscillator circuits are designed using IBM 0.13um CMOS technology and simulated with Cadence Spectre simulator.
Sharp upper bound on error probability of exact sparsity recovery

Imagine the vector y = Xβ + e where β ∈ ℝm has only k non zero entries and e ∈ Rn is a Gaussian noise. This can be viewed as a linear system with sparsity constraints corrupted with noise. We find a non-asymptotic upper bound on the error probability of exact recovery of the sparsity pattern given any generic measurement matrix X. By drawing X from a Gaussian ensemble, as an example, to ensure exact recovery, we obtain asymptotically sharp sufficient conditions on n which meet the necessary conditions introduced in (Wang et al., 2008).
A comparison of two approaches to build reliable distributed file servers

Several existing distributed file systems provide reliability by server replication. An alternative approach is to use dual-ported disks accessible to a server and a backup. The two approaches are compared by examining an example of each. Deceit is a replicated file server that emphasizes flexibility. HA-NFS is an example of the second approach that emphasizes efficiency and simplicity. The two file servers run on the same hardware and implement SUN's NFS protocol. The comparison shows that replicated servers are more flexible and tolerant of a wider variety of faults. On the other hand, the dual-ported disks approach is more efficient and simpler to implement. When tolerating single failure, dual-ported disks also give somewhat better availability. >
A Bit of Logic Goes a Long Way: A Reply to Sanderson

Sanderson’s comment (Social Forces 80:1) is marred by logical and factual errors. Most of them stem from its confusion of a polygynous marriage with a polygynous society, misinterpretation of basic principles of evolutionary biology and psychology, and errors in statistical argument.
Distribution fault location using short-circuit fault current profile approach

Impedance-based algorithms do not consider load current and non-uniform line impedance per unit, thus introducing errors in fault location estimates. To minimize these errors, this paper proposes a short-circuit fault current profile approach to complement impedance-based algorithms. In this approach, circuit model of the distribution feeder is used to place faults at every bus and the corresponding short-circuit fault current is plotted against reactance or distance to fault. When a fault occurs in the distribution feeder, fault current recorded by the relay is extrapolated on the current profile to get location estimates. Since the circuit model is directly used in building the current profile, this approach takes into account load and non-uniform line impedance. The approach is tested using modified IEEE 34 Node Test Feeder and validated against data provided by utilities. Location estimates are within 0.8 miles of the actual fault location when the circuit model closely represents the distribution feeder.
Trends in the Well-Being of the Aged and Their Prospects through 2030

The US population over 65 has seen significant and sustained improvement in its absolute and relative well-being over the past half century. This paper offers a survey of trends in old-age poverty, income, inequality, labor market activity, educational attainment, insurance coverage, and health status. It concludes with a brief discussion of whether the favorable trends of the past half century can continue in the next few decades. Even though the absolute and relative positions of the nation’s aged have steadily improved over time, much of the improvement is traceable to public programs like Social Security and Medicare. These programs face gloomy financial prospects. If future voters and lawmakers scale back benefits to keep payroll taxes close to their current level, the nation’s elderly will need to rely on private resources to pay for a bigger fraction of their retirement needs. The statistics on saving and wealth accumulation suggest that relatively few working-age Americans plan to accomplish this by increasing the share of their current incomes they devote to saving. The future economic well-being of the elderly may therefore depend on their willingness to work longer and delay the age at which they rely on public programs and private savings to pay for their consumption.
Current Concepts in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Schizophrenia in Later Life

Caring for patients with schizophrenia in later life is emerging as a major concern as well as a challenge for practicing psychiatrists. The clinical presentation and course of this disorder in older patients differ from that of younger patients with unresolved cognitive and social issues often being prominent. It is hard to establish a definite age of onset for schizophrenia in later life. However, based on research evidence, symptomatology, brain imaging studies, family history, and cognitive issues observed in older patients with schizophrenia, the International Late-Onset Schizophrenia Group proposed to retain the term schizophrenia for both early (before age 40) and late-onset, but further divided the late-onset schizophrenia into late-onset (onset after age 40) and very-late-onset (onset after age 60). The group also proposed that patients with onset of schizophrenia after age 60 should be called as very-late-onset-schizophrenia-like psychosis. This paper is an attempt to share current concepts relative to diagnosis and treatment options, based on bio-psycho-social model, for patients with schizophrenia in later life.
A Guide to Differential Scanning Calorimetry of Membrane and Soluble Proteins in Detergents

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) detects protein thermal unfolding by directly measuring the heat absorbed. Simple DSC experiments that require relatively small amounts of pure material can provide a wealth of information related to structure, especially with respect to domain architecture, without the need for a complete thermodynamic analysis. Thus, DSC is an ideal additional tool for membrane protein characterization and also offers several advantages over indirect thermal unfolding methods. Integral membrane proteins (IMPs) that comprise both large multitopic transmembrane domains (TMDs) and extramembranous domains (EMDs) are differentially affected by detergent interactions with both domains. In fact, in some cases, destabilization of the EMD by detergent may dominate overall IMP stability. This chapter will (1) provide a perspective on the advantages of DSC for membrane protein characterization and stability measurements, including numerous examples spanning decades of research; (2) introduce models for the interaction and destabilization of IMPs by detergents; (3) discuss two case studies from the authors' lab; and (4) offer practical advice for performing DSC in the presence of detergents.
Randomized Evaluation of Peer Support Arrangements to Support the Inclusion of High School Students With Severe Disabilities

Enhancing the social and learning experiences of students with severe disabilities in inclusive classrooms has been a long-standing focus of research, legislative, and advocacy efforts. The authors used a randomized controlled experimental design to examine the efficacy of peer support arrangements to improve academic and social outcomes for 51 students with severe disabilities in high school general education classrooms. Paraprofessionals or special educators recruited, trained, and supported 106 peers to provide individualized academic and social assistance to students with severe disabilities throughout one semester. Compared to students exclusively receiving adult-delivered support (n = 48), students participating in peer support arrangements experienced increased interactions with peers, increased academic engagement, more progress on individualized social goals, increased social participation, and a greater number of new friendships. Moreover, an appreciable proportion of relationships lasted one an...
STAR Online Framework: from Metadata Collection to Event Analysis and System Control

In preparation for the new era of RHIC running (RHIC-II upgrades and possibly, the eRHIC era), the STAR experiment is expanding its modular Message Interface and Reliable Architecture framework (MIRA). MIRA allowed STAR to integrate meta-data collection, monitoring, and online QA components in a very agile and efficient manner using a messaging infrastructure approach. In this paper, we briefly summarize our past achievements, provide an overview of the recent development activities focused on messaging patterns and describe our experience with the complex event processor (CEP) recently integrated into the MIRA framework. CEP was used in the recent RHIC Run 14, which provided practical use cases. Finally, we present our requirements and expectations for the planned expansion of our systems, which will allow our framework to acquire features typically associated with Detector Control Systems. Special attention is given to aspects related to latency, scalability and interoperability within heterogeneous set of services, various data and meta-data acquisition components coexisting in STAR online domain.
Diffusion-sensitive optical coherence tomography for real-time monitoring of mucus thinning treatments

Mucus hydration (wt%) has become an increasingly useful metric in real-time assessment of respiratory health in diseases like cystic fibrosis and COPD, with higher wt% indicative of diseased states. However, available in vivo rheological techniques are lacking. Gold nanorods (GNRs) are attractive biological probes whose diffusion through tissue is sensitive to the correlation length of comprising biopolymers. Through employment of dynamic light scattering theory on OCT signals from GNRs, we find that weakly-constrained GNR diffusion predictably decreases with increasing wt% (more disease-like) mucus. Previously, we determined this method is robust against mucus transport on human bronchial epithelial (hBE) air-liquid interface cultures (R2=0.976). Here we introduce diffusion-sensitive OCT (DS-OCT), where we collect M-mode image ensembles, from which we derive depth- and temporally-resolved GNR diffusion rates. DS-OCT allows for real-time monitoring of changing GNR diffusion as a result of topically applied mucus-thinning agents, enabling monitoring of the dynamics of mucus hydration never before seen. Cultured human airway epithelial cells (Calu-3) with a layer of endogenous mucus were doped with topically deposited GNRs (80×22nm), and subsequently treated with hypertonic saline (HS) or isotonic saline (IS). DS-OCT provided imaging of the mucus thinning response up to a depth of 600μm with 4.65μm resolution, over a total of 8 minutes in increments of ≥3 seconds. For both IS and HS conditions, DS-OCT captured changes in the pattern of mucus hydration over time. DS-OCT opens a new window into understanding mechanisms of mucus thinning during treatment, enabling real-time efficacy feedback needed to optimize and tailor treatments for individual patients.
Aerodynamic Modeling for Real-Time Flight Dynamics Simulation

A low-order prediction method for post-stall aerodynamics of multiple-wing aircraft configurations was developed at NC State during 2003-06. The method is suitable for implementation in vortex lattice formulations. For post-stall conditions, it relies on the modeling of the trailing-edge flow separation due to stall using an appropriate camber reduction, or a “decambering”, at the section’s trailing-edge. The method uses an iterative approach to determine this decambering at all sections of the configuration, while ensuring that the boundary conditions are also satisfied everywhere. Recent work has resulted in speed improvements in the method and the coupling of the aerodynamic prediction with equations of motions for flight dynamics, resulting in the ability to simulate the aircraft flight dynamics at nominal and post-stall flight conditions faster than real-time. Current efforts are focused on validation of the low-order method at post-stall conditions using computational fluid dynamics studies of airfoils, wing, and configurations. Traditionally, simulations of flight dynamics make use of either linearizations and the use of aerodynamic stability derivatives [1] or the use of look-up tables generated for a given aircraft. Developing aerodynamic models in this fashion is configuration specific, and very often the models are only valid for a limited range of operating conditions. This paper presents the current status of an on-going effort at NCSU on augmenting linear aerodynamic prediction methods for use in real-time simulation of post-stall flight dynamics of multiplewing aircraft configurations. The post-stall prediction method is based on a decambering approach [2], developed at NC State in 2006 and made significantly faster [3] in 2008 using lift-distribution superposition principles. Given the instantaneous aerodynamic inflow angles and the angular-velocity components, the post-stall method predicts the aerodynamic forces and moments on the aircraft without the use of any empiricism. Inputs to the aerodynamic prediction method include planform-geometry details and lift, drag, and moment curves for all the airfoil sections including post-stall information. This paper, and previous studies have demonstrated the use of decambering in faster than real-time flight simulation. One aspect of the low-order aerodynamics that has not been explored in previous work is validation. Validation, focusing on the stall and post-stall regimes, is introduced in this paper. Due to the lack of experimental and computational post-stall aerodynamic data in the literature, CFD studies tailored for validation have been initiated in the current work. The current effort uses the NASA TetrUSS CFD package for this purpose. This paper begins with background on the decambering concept, and how it is applied in three dimensional aerodynamics. The recent efforts attempting to validate and improve the method using computational tools are discussed. Finally, results from real-time simulation are presented as well as future work directions for this effort.
Separation of transition and heavy metals using stationary phase gradients and thin layer chromatography.

Abstract Stationary phase gradients for chelation thin layer chromatography (TLC) have been investigated as a tool to separate a mixture of metal ions. The gradient stationary phases were prepared using controlled rate infusion (CRI) from precursors containing mono-, bi-, and tri-dentate ligands, specifically 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] ethylenediamine, and N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] diethylenetriamine. The presence and the extent of gradient formation were confirmed using N1s X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XPS results showed that the degree of modification was dependent on the aminosilane precursor, its concentration, and the rate of infusion. The separation of four transition and heavy metals (Co2+, Pb2+, Cu2+, and Fe3+) on gradient and uniformly modified plates was compared using a mobile phase containing a stronger chelating agent, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The retention of the metal ions was manipulated by varying the surface concentration of the chelating ligands. The order of retention on unmodified plates and on plates modified with a monodentate ligand was Fe3+ > Cu2+ ∼ Pb2+ ∼ Co2+, while the order of retention on plates modified with bi- and tri-dentate ligands was Fe3+ > Cu2+ > Pb2+ ∼ Co2+. Fe3+ and Cu2+ were much more sensitive to the concentration of chelating ligand on the surface (displaying lower Rf values with increasing ligand concentration) than Pb2+ and Co2+. Complete separation was achieved using a high concentration of the tridentate ligand coupled with a longer time for modification, yielding a retention order of Fe3+ > Cu2+ > Co2+ > Pb2+.
Creating Nanostructures with Controllable Sidewall Profiles for Mechanical Sensor Applications

This paper presents a novel approach to create silicon nanostructures with controlled sidewall profiles. The nanostructures are fabricated by alternating the reactive ion etching process and the exposure process to the atmosphere with moisture. The air exposure is believed attributed to the sidewall passivation by facilitating the fast formation of a thin SiO2/SiOxFy layer. Using this approach, three types of representative nanostructures are demonstrated, namely: nanopillars with vertical sidewall, nanopillars with narrowed necks, and suspending nanocantilevers. Without requiring expensive facilities and extensive expertise, this work is expected to provide an alternative for developing nanostructures with a variety of geometric profiles for mechanical sensing applications.
Separation of wind-tunnel background noise and wind noise from automobile interior measurements

As the engine, tire, and other automobile noise sources are progressively being controlled, more effort is being placed in controlling the wind noise sources. In order to control these noise sources, wind tunnel testing of the vehicles is being performed with more emphasis on the interior acoustics. Unfortunately, most of the wind noise tests are being done in wind tunnels that were designed with little or no attention to their aeroacoustic aspects. Thus one of the new concerns is to determine how much of the measured interior noise is actually wind-tunnel background noise. This paper presents a method where the actual interior wind-tunnel background noise can be separated from the measured interior noise of the car, leaving just the interior wind noise.
Abstract 5514: Comorbidities are associated with breast cancer in African-American and Hispanic women

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Objectives and Background: The presence of comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension may influence health outcomes from breast cancer. Women from underserved populations, particularly African-American and Hispanic women suffer from a disproportionate burden of comorbidities which may contribute to the health disparities observed in these women. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the distribution and association of comorbidities, specifically diabetes and hypertension, in African-American and Hispanic women and breast cancer. Furthermore, the present study investigated the consequence of comorbidity on survival in underserved women with breast cancer. Methods: A cross-sectional cohort of 428 African-American and Hispanic women from Los Angeles was assessed to determine the association between comorbidity and breast cancer. Clinical data were obtained by medical record abstraction. The results were assessed using logistic regression with multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate disease-free survival. Results: Our study identified a high frequency of comorbidity, especially hypertension and hypertension with diabetes in African-American women (38% and 14%, respectively) and Hispanic women (12% and 9%, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between multiple comorbidity and breast cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3; P=0.032). Furthermore, multiple comorbidity was significantly associated with obesity, especially in breast cancer patients (P < 0.05). There was also a trend towards significance for the association between multiple comorbidity and decreased five-year disease-free survival. Notably, the presence of comorbidity significantly modulated five-year disease-free survival based on breast cancer tumor subtype (P < 0.05). Implications and Next Steps: In sum, our study highlights a cohort of women who may be at a high risk for health inequalities due to the presence of comorbidity and should be considered for intervention. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5514. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5514
Long-term results of coronary bypass surgery. Is the internal mammary artery graft superior?

PreviewWho is most likely to benefit from coronary artery bypass surgery? Which variables influence survival after the operation? What are the pros and cons of internal mammary artery (IMA) grafts? Dr Lytle reviews studies that clarify these topics and includes evidence that greater use of IMA grafts will increase long-term survival rates.