cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selection and implementation of a distributed phased archive for a multivendor incremental approach to PACS

The selection criteria for the archive were based on the objectives of the Medical Information, Communication and Archive System (MICAS), a multi-vendor incremental approach to PACS. These objectives include interoperability between all components, seamless integration of the Radiology Information System (RIS) with MICAS and eventually other hospital databases, all components must demonstrate DICOM compliance prior to acceptance and automated workflow that can be programmed to meet changes in the healthcare environment. The long-term (10 years) multi-modality archive is being implemented in 3 or more phases with the first phase designed to provide a 12 to 18 month storage solution. This decision was made because the cost per GB of storage is rapidly decreasing and the speed at which data can be retrieved is increasing with time. The open-solution selected allows incorporation of leading edge, best of breed hardware and software and provides maximum flexibility of workflow both within and outside of radiology. The selected solution is media independent, supports multiple jukeboxes, provides expandable storage capacity and will provide redundancy and fault tolerance at minimal cost. Some of the required attributes of the archive include scalable archive strategy, virtual image database with global query and object-oriented database. The selection process took approximately 10 months with Cemax-Icon being the vendor selected. Prior to signing a purchase order, Cemax-lcon performed a site survey, agreed upon the acceptance test protocol and provided a written guarantee of connectivity between their archive and the imaging modalities and other MICAS components. The second phase of the archive is currently being planned and installation is scheduled for the second and third quarters of 1999. This phase will provide the capability of accommodating an increasing number of prior fetches and writes to tape without having to significantly increase the number and speed of expensive tape drives. This phase will include upgrading the archive manager (AM) software, adding a second AM and server plus a large capacity RAID without another jukebox in a second computer room to implement fault tolerance and redundancy. The phased approach of archive implementation provides obsolescence protection while minimizing costs by building the archive in phases rather than buying a 5 to 10 year solution at one time. Technology improves and costs decrease with time. The distributed approach of archive implementation provides increased rate of data transmission as well as redundancy and fault tolerance.
Biochemical characterization of human dynamin-like protein 1

Human dynamin-like protein 1 (DLP-1) is involved in the fission of mitochondrial outer membranes, a process that helps to maintain mitochondrial morphology and to reduce the accumulation of functional and structural defects in mitochondria. DLP-1 is a ~80 kDa membrane-interacting protein and contains a GTPase domain, a middle domain, a putative PH-like domain and a GTPase effector domain (GED). While the GED has been suggested to be important on protein oligomerization and GTPase activation, functional relationships between the other domains especially the roles of the middle domain in protein activity remains less clear. In this study, we have investigated the biochemical properties of recombinant DLP-1 wild-type and selected mutants, all expressed in Escherichia coli. The middle domain mutants G350D, R365S and ΔPH (lacking the putative PH-like domain) severely impair the GTPase activity, but have no obvious effects on protein tetramerization and liposome-binding properties, suggesting these mutants probably affect protein intra-molecular interactions. Our study also suggested that proper domain-domain interactions are important for DLP-1 GTPase activity.
Medicolegal concerns among neurotologists in ordering MRIs for idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss and asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss.

Objective:To determine if neurotologists order magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in cases of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (sudden deafness) and of asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss (ASNHL) for medicolegal reasons.Study Design:Survey of 480 American neurotologists.Main Outcome Meas
Molecular evidence for true isochromosome 21q.

In one family a duplicated 21q was shown to be a true isochromosome, which segregates from mosaic mother to non-mosaic child with full Down syndrome phenotype. Densitometric analysis of Southern blots, using probe pPW228C for the distal long arm of chromosome 21, indicated that the 21q duplication contains two copies of the allele detected by the probe. Maternal mosaic karyotype of 45,XX,-21/46,XX/46, XX,-21,+21i(21q) also suggested transverse mitotic centromere division as the origin of the 21q isochromosomes. Morphologic analysis of chromosome heteromorphisms strengthened this interpretation because the free 21 missing in the cell line with 45 chromosomes was also missing in cells with the isochromosome. In a second family the cytogenetic data also suggested transmission of an i(21q) from mosaic mother to nonmosaic Down syndrome child but molecular evidence did not prove identity of alleles in the duplicated chromosome 21.
Personnel interviewers' perceptions of the importance and adequacy of applicants' communication skills

Personnel interviewer perceptions of job applicants' oral and nonverbal communication skills and the effect they have on hiring decisions were investigated. A questionnaire sent to personnel interviewers at 500 businesses in a Midwestern city asked the extent to which: (a) oral communication skills significantly impact hiring decisions, (b) higher level positions require more communication skills, (c) job applicants currently display adequate communication skills, (d) increased communication skills are needed for jobs in the 1990s and 21st century. Although over 90% of the 253 respondents indicated that communication skills are essential for success, only 60% reported that applicants were prepared with effective communication skills in job interviews. Interviewers were also asked to identify the 5 most prevalent communication inadequacies; these included the oral skills of topic relevance, response organization, response clarity, grammar, and response feedback.
‘Teaching’ depth: Reflections on the challenges and rewards of integrating depth psychology into research methodology

AbstractThis article discusses how students enrolled in graduate level methodology courses can integrate key depth psychological values into the research process. As Coppin and Nelson (2005, p. 101) suggest, inquiry centered on the psyche asks researchers ‘to be fully involved with the opus on every level,’ both personal and archetypal, which ‘makes the work especially meaningful and especially arduous.’ This is equally true when teaching depth research and conducting depth research. To illustrate, we describe the personal challenges and rewards of being instructors and discuss three models, composite case examples, of integrating depth that have emerged in the classroom. In the first model, students begin by actively, rigorously separating their intellectual research pursuits from their depth experiences, either due to prior research education in non-depth oriented settings or due to a lack of understanding of how depth psychology applies to the research process. In the second model, the student chooses ...
Simplified function generators based on fuzzy-logic interpolation

Abstract We replace the classical procedure for recursive linear interpolation with a technique based on simple fuzzy-set logic. This approach makes it much easier to construct multi-input interpolation procedures. The resulting function generators produce the same output as the classical formulas with slightly fewer CPU cycles if we precompute and store some coefficients before the simulation. Lin and Zhang's algorithm [K.-C. Lin, B. Zhang, Simulation 68 (3) (1997) 157–163], which precomputes and stores more interpolation-polynomial parameters, is even faster but requires much more runtime storage in the case of large function tables.
A comparison of commonly used discontinuous and continuous buffer systems for electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate‐containing polyacrylamide gels

A comparison between commonly used multiphasic zone electrophoresis (MZE) and continuous zone electrophoresis (CZE) buffer systems for polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS-PAGE) was performed. Some proteins behave differently in one or more of the buffer systems, indicating that buffer choice for SDS-PAGE may be more important than previously recognized. Guidelines are suggested for choosing buffer systems for purposes other than molecular weight analysis.
Microsecond regime optical cross connect: 32 port to 32 port scalable device

Presented here is a 32 × 32 optical switch for telecommunications applications capable of reconfiguring at speeds of up to 12 microseconds. The free space switching mechanism in this interconnect is a digital micromirror device (DMD) consisting of a 2D array of 10.8μm mirrors optimized for implementation at 1.55μm. Hinged along one axis, each micromirror is capable of accessing one of two positions in binary fashion. In general reflection based applications this corresponds to the ability to manifest only two display states with each mirror, but by employing this binary state system to display a set of binary amplitude holograms, we are able to access hundreds of distinct locations in space. We previously demonstrated a 7 × 7 switch employing this technology, providing a proof of concept device validating our initial design principles but exhibiting high insertion and wavelength dependent losses. The current system employs 1920 × 1080 DMD, allowing us to increase the number of accessible ports to 32 × 32. Adjustments in imaging, coupling component design and wavelength control were also made in order to improve the overall loss of the switch. This optical switch performs in a bit-rate and protocol independent manner, enabling its use across various network fabrics and data rates. Additionally, by employing a diffractive switching mechanism, we are able to implement a variety of ancillary features such as dynamic beam pick-off for monitoring purposes, beam division for multicasting applications and in situ attenuation control.
Historians and the Working-class Woman in America

In the past two decades American social history has shifted its emphasis from institutions and personal leadership to the collective experience and structure of people's daily work and home life. This broader social approach has in turn reshaped the field of labor studies, stimulated the systematic investigation of the family, and drawn special attention to the variety of women's experience. A number of excellent studies on women workers, in and outside the home, have happily been anthologized by Milton Cantor and Bruce Laurie in Class, Sex and the Woman Worker, Mn a manner which suggests lines of synthesis for the previously more segmented approaches to labor, family, women, and related topics. It is useful to characterize the new scholarly directions which Cantor and Laurie seek to exemplify through this collection of essays. Until recently, American labor history had been studied mainly from the point of view of institutional economics, to the neglect of the social history of working people. The study of union organization and major events has been replaced in recent years by an interest in working-class culture, in workers' values and attitudes, as expressed in their rhetoric, symbols, rituals, and job actions. The new field of family history, originally preoccupied with determining the nature of household structures, has turned to an assessment of variations in family economy, the division of labor within the home, and the adaptability of family life to changing patterns of work and leisure under the impact of different stages of industrialization. In similar fashion, the study of women's work has shifted its focus from the oppression and subordination of women in industrial capitalist enterprises to the attitudes, expectations, and responses of women to their various kinds of work over time. Attention has also come to be concen
Government licensed public broadcast stations and the fairness doctrine: A continued mandate?

As a form of government speech, the programming of public stations licensed to government entities may be subject to formal fairness obligations, even if the fairness doctrine was abolished for private licensees.
Endocrine Mediators of Masculinization in Female Mammals

Most mammal species show traditional patterns of sexual dimorphism (e.g., greater male size and aggression), the proximal mechanism of which involves the male's greater pre- and postnatal exposure to circulating androgens. But in several species, females diverge from the traditional pattern, converging on the male form or even reversing sexual dimorphisms. Such “masculinized” females might show elongation of the clitoris, enhanced body size, and aggressively mediated social dominance over males, and they are interesting case studies for examining the role of androgens in females. This review addresses our understanding of the mediating mechanisms of morphological and behavioral development in both traditional and exceptional mammal species. Although certain lines of evidence implicate testosterone in female masculinization, the role for sex steroids in female development remains unclear. The results call for continued study of both hormonal and nonhormonal mechanisms of sexual differentiation, particularl...
Synthesis of high‐molecular‐weight rodlike polyamides and block copolymers

High-molecular-weight polyamides containing p-benzamide units can be obtained by polycondensation of monomers having preformed amide linkages in N-methylpyrrolidone with added CaCl2 and LiCl in the presence of pyridine and triphenylphosphite (the conditions used by Higashi et al.). For example, the polyterephthalamide of 4,4′-diaminobenzanilide having ηinh = 5.4 was obtained. Similarly, polycondensation of p-phenylenediamine with N,N′-bis(p-carboxyhenyl)terephalamide produced a polymer having ηinh = 5.15. These results constitute the first demonstration that the phosphorylation reaction can be used to prepare rodlike polymers containing p-benzamide units of molecular weights adequate for commercial-quality fibers. Polymerization of p-aminobenzoic acid using either Yamazaki or Higashi conditions does not lead to a polyamide having a high inherent viscosity. Block copolyamides having rigid and semiflexible blocks were prepared by using both Yamazaki and Higashi conditions. Block copolymers composed of p- and m-benzamide units, and having ηinh = 3.0–3.1, were synthesized by using a rigid prepolymer obtained by applying the Yamazaki reaction to a monomer containing a preformed amide linkage, 4-N-(4′-aminobenzamido)-benzoic acid. Use of monomers having preformed amide linkages with Higashi conditions afforded block copolymers having inherent viscosities of up to 4.75.
Solidarity, courage and heart: what teacher educators can learn from a new generation of teachers

What does it take to become effective teachers of students of culturally, ethnically, linguistically, and racially diverse backgrounds? Based on research with teachers over the past several years, this paper discusses what it means to teach students of diverse backgrounds with heart, courage and conviction, and the implications of their practice for professional development. A review of relevant literature finds that some of the widely acknowledged qualities of effective teachers include a solid general education background; a deep knowledge of subject matter; familiarity with numerous pedagogical approaches; strong communication skills; and effective organizational skills. Although these qualities are essential for good teaching, the purpose in this paper is to suggest that they are insufficient because they fail to take into account the sociopolitical context of education as well as the tremendous diversity of language, social class, ethnicity and race, among other differences, that are a fact of life i...
Time to Shift the Focus of the War: It Is Not All About the Enemy

Since the war on cancer was declared in 1971 by Richard Nixon, we have made significant strides in the treatment of cancer. As in traditional wars, our primary strategy has been to understand and control the behavior of the tumor—or the enemy—itself. We began by using simple histopathology as a means to distinguish one cancer type from another. In this way, we have distinguished tumors on the basis of differentiation, invasiveness, signet rings, large cells, small cells, clear cytoplasm, no cytoplasm, necrosis, mitosis, lymph nodes positive, and lymph nodes negative. Histopathology has proved extremely useful in determining prognosis, but rarely has it taught us anything about treatment choices. More recently, we have shifted our focus to the molecular analysis of tumors at both protein and genetic levels. The molecular profile of tumors has provided us with an improved prognostic ability, but more importantly, it has provided us with more refined, targeted therapies. As the best example, no physician would attempt to fight a battle against breast cancer without knowing the hormone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor2statusoftheenemy:thepatient’stumor.Asweuncovernew
Determination of the relative activities of antithyroid compounds in man using radioactive iodine.

HERETOFORE, in the study of compounds which inhibit the function of the thyroid gland, methods for the evaluation of potency have depended upon the goitrogenic action of the drugs in animals such as the immature rat (Astwood, Bissell, and Hughes, 1945) or chick (VanderLaan and Bissell, 1946). The primary action of such substances is to prevent the synthesis of thyroxin; under their influence the stored hormone continues to be secreted and consequently the iodine content of the thyroid gland decreases rapidly. The eventual lowering of the thyroid hormone level in the blood stimulates increased secretion of thyrotropin from the pituitary, which causes enlargement of the thyroid. Thus, the depletion of iodine from the thyroid and its increase in weight are indirect measures of inhibition of thyroxin synthesis, and hence of the antithyroid potency of the compound. The principal disadvantage of a method of assay employing animals is the uncertainty that the results obtained will be applicable to man.
Maternidad y paranoia en el estado autoritario: leyendo Eltit desde Schreber

Este ensayo explora el cuerpo materno en tanto simbolo que materializa las amenazas del autoritarismo. Dos textos disimiles, las memorias de Daniel Paul Schreber, que inspiraron algunos de los principales estudios sobre la paranoia, y la novela Los vigilantes de Diamela Eltit, construyen imagenes del cuerpo materno como respuestas paranoicas al advenimiento en un caso del fascismo y en el otro de un neoliberalismo que apenas enmascara el continuismo de un control dictatorial de los ciudadanos. La division del yo que para Julia Kristeva representa una parte fundamental de la experiencia materna se nos presenta en estos textos como el terreno apropiado para revelar y denunciar las perversiones de dos sociedades tentadas por el autoritarismo
How the Bacterial Pathogen Listeria monocytogenes Mediates the Switch from Environmental Dr. Jekyll to Pathogenic Mr. Hyde

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacterium with a Jekyll and Hyde personality (108): it is well adapted as a saprophyte for peaceful survival in soil and decaying vegetation (Dr. Jekyll) (36), but it has a second life as an intracellular bacterial pathogen capable of causing serious infection in humans and in many animal species (Mr. Hyde) (28, 96, 115). In its Mr. Hyde phase, the bacterium is a significant public health hazard, responsible for an estimated 28% of deaths attributable to known food-borne pathogens in the United States (75). How does L. monocytogenes manage the switch between mild-mannered environmental bacterium and potentially deadly human pathogen? The transformation appears to be mediated through complex regulatory pathways that modulate the expression of virulence factors in response to environmental cues. This review will summarize the current understanding of L. monocytogenes virulence gene regulation and will put forth a model that depicts how a humble soil-grown bacterium might transform into a deadly invader.
The posterior cingulate cortex as a plausible mechanistic target of meditation: findings from neuroimaging

There has been an increased interest in mindfulness and meditation training over the past decade. As evidenced by exponential growth in the number of publications since the beginning of the 21st century, progressively more is becoming known about both the clinical efficacy and underlying neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness training. This paper briefly highlights psychological models of stress that converge between ancient and modern day (e.g., operant conditioning); identifies key brain regions that, with these models, are biologically plausible targets for mindfulness (e.g., posterior cingulate cortex); and discusses recent and emerging findings from neuroimaging studies of meditation therein, including new advances using real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback in neurophenomenological studies.
Visibility in motion

We address the problem of determining and obtaining the visibility of a moving target from multiple angles using a mobile robot. The pursuer uses a modified form of pursuit curve in order to reach the aim point (or multiple aim points) which is at a pre-determined distance and angle from the target. Unlike existing works that track a target to localize it, or follow a target by keeping it in the current frame of view generally from behind the target, the focus of our work is on an efficient pursuit of the target such that a certain set of images of it from various orientations can be acquired. We present a method to approach a target in motion from various angles and an analysis of whether the task completion is possible in the cases of a target performing a random walk and an adversarial target.
The Role of the Resting Zone in Growth Plate Chondrogenesis

In mammals, growth of long bones occurs at the growth plate, a cartilage structure that contains three principal layers: the resting, proliferative, and hypertrophic zones. The function of the resting zone is not well understood. We removed the proliferative and hypertrophic zones from the rabbit distal ulnar growth plate in vivo, leaving only the resting zone. Within 1 wk, a complete proliferative and hypertrophic zone often regenerated. Next, we manipulated growth plates in vivo to place resting zone cartilage ectopically alongside the proliferative columns. Ectopic resting zone cartilage induced a 90-degree shift in the orientation of nearby proliferative zone chondrocytes and seemed to inhibit their hypertrophic differentiation. Our findings suggest that resting zone cartilage makes important contributions to endochondral bone formation at the growth plate: 1) it contains stem-like cells that give rise to clones of proliferative chondrocytes; 2) it produces a growth plate-orienting factor, a morphogen, that directs the alignment of the proliferative clones into columns parallel to the long axis of the bone; and 3) it may also produce a morphogen that inhibits terminal differentiation of nearby proliferative zone chondrocytes and thus may be partially responsible for the organization of the growth plate into distinct zones of proliferation and hypertrophy.
Mechanical performance of myocardium from hibernating and nonhibernating mammals

Abstract The mechanical performance of electrically driven right ventricular myocardium from guinea pig, rat, hamster, and ground squirrel was studied in vitro at temperatures from 1° to 36°C. Tissue from hibernating specimens (ground squirrels and hamsters) demonstrated significantly better performance (less diminution in isometric tension, and lower arrest temperatures) at low temperature than did myocardium from nonhibernating species (guinea pig and rat). However, myocardium from nonhibernating hamsters was demonstrably less tolerant of low temperatures than was tissue from hibernating specimens, which suggests that a significant adaptation had taken place in individuals entering hibernation. In contrast, no significant difference between hibernating and nonhibernating ground squirrel myocardium was demonstrated. The myocardial force-frequency relationship was found to be quite sensitive to temperature in guinea pigs and hamsters but relatively resistant in rats and ground squirrels.
Applying Educational Theory to Simulation-Based Training and Assessment in Surgery

Considerable progress has been made regarding the range of simulator technologies and simulation formats. Similarly, results from research in human learning and behavior have facilitated the development of best practices in simulation-based training (SBT) and surgical education. Today, SBT is a common curriculum component in surgical education that can significantly complement clinical learning, performance, and patient care experiences. Beginning with important considerations for selecting appropriate forms of simulation, several relevant educational theories of learning are described.
Specificity of Rumination in Anxiety and Depression: A Multimodal Meta‐Analysis

The present investigation employed a meta-analysis of 179 correlational studies and 37 clinical group comparison studies to examine the association between rumination and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Meta-analytic correlations revealed moderate associations between rumination and symptoms of anxiety and depression that were strongest for brooding and emotion-driven rumination. Symptoms of anxiety and depression also had significant independent effects on overall rumination and emotion-driven rumination. However, worry partially accounted for the associations of both depression and anxiety with rumination. Those with mood and anxiety disorders also reported more rumination than controls, an effect that was amplified by increased comorbidity. Those with mood disorders reported significantly more rumination than those with anxiety disorders. The implications of these findings for a transdiagnostic view of rumination are discussed.
Detection of the Gilsa Geomagnetic Polarity Event on the Island of Madeira

The paleomagnetism and potassium-argon ages of ten basaltic lavas from the island of Madeira have been investigated. Eight of the lavas are in a single sequence, which also contains three distinct sedimentary horizons up to 4 m thick. The section ranges in age from 0.74 ± 0.4 m.y. to 1.76 ± 0.07 m.y. Both the Jaramillo and Gilsa geomagnetic polarity events are represented. Of the two other lavas examined, a reversed polarity basalt with an age of 3.05 ± 0.15 m.y. records the Mammoth event, and a normal polarity basalt may represent the Jaramillo, or a previously suggested short event at t = 1.07 m.y. These data provide strong confirmation of the reality of the Gilsa event, and show that the lower boundary of the event can be no older than 1.83 m.y., could be younger than 1.69 m.y., but not younger than 1.61 m.y.
Pharmacology of Amikacin in Humans

Amikacin is a new aminoglycoside antibiotic which is active in vitro against most isolates of gram-negative bacilli. A dose of 300 mg/m(2) intramuscularly produced a highest mean serum concentration of 25.4 mug/ml with a mean serum concentration of 3.1 mug/ml at 8 h. The same dose intravenously produced a highest mean serum concentration of 52.4 mug/ml with a mean serum concentration of 2.1 mug/ml at 8 h. The mean urinary excretion during the first 6 h was 75 and 66%, respectively. When amikacin was administered at a dose of 150 mg/m(2) every 6 h, there was evidence of some drug accumulation. A loading dose of 150 mg/m(2) administered intravenously over 30 min followed by 200 mg/m(2) administered as a continuous infusion every 6 h maintained serum concentrations of 8 mug/ml. No major toxicity was observed with any of these drug regimens.
Chemistry of Pentafluorosulfanyl Compounds

Publisher Summary Fluorinated compounds containing five- and six-coordinate sulfur are of considerable interest. They include those with sulfur as the central atom surrounded by five or six ligands as well as many with six-coordinate sulfur as a functional group, such as pentafluorosulfanyl, SF5. Compounds in which this group is present are of special interest because they often possess the advantageous properties of the parent compound, SF6, among which are a high group electronegativity, large steric bulk, a nonfunctional hexacoordinate stereochemistry, and high thermal and hydrolytic stability. These properties are manifested in various potential applications such as their use as solvents for polymers, as perfluorinated blood substitutes, as surface active agents, as fumigants, and as thermally and chemically stable systems. This chapter discusses the synthesis and chemistry of the various classes of pentafluorosulfanyl compounds, many of which are the subject of much ongoing research.
Testing Twin Means and Estimating Genetic Variance. Basic Methodology for the Analysis of Quantitative Twin Data

Twin methodology for the analysis of continuously distributed traits is presented as a guideline for initial steps in the analysis of twin data. Tests for heterogeneity of twin means and variances are reviewed along with estimates of genetic variance. Analysis of twin data appears on the surface to be a rather simple task, but investigators may well be confused by the wealth of choices available for hypothesis testing. This paper is designed to help the less experienced investigator, with perhaps a modest amount of data, begin analysis with maximum attention to testing all testable assumptions of the twin model, and using recent examples of applications of the methods.
Evidence for the formation of multiple types of acetaldehyde-haemoglobin adducts.

Acetaldehyde readily reacted with red blood cells and isolated haemoglobin to form adducts. We examined acetaldehyde-haemoglobin reaction products, isolated from red blood cells incubated with acetaldehyde (AcH), for the presence of stable peptide-specific acetaldehyde adducts. Red blood cell incubations were with 20, 50, and 200 mM acetaldehyde for 3, 24 and 48 hr. Peptide-specific [14C]acetaldehyde modifications of Hb from each incubation were identified by tiyptic peptide mapping procedures. Nine peptides had modifications and six were found in incubations with 20 mM acetaldehyde. Two of the peptides were acetaldehyde modifications of the Hb α- and β-chain N-termini. Stability studies indicated that the remaining seven [14C]AcH-modified peptides did not result, as can occur under certain conditions, from the transfer of AcH on the N-termini of Hb to N-termini formed after trypsin digestion. An analysis of the relative amounts of [14C]AcH-peptide adducts indicated that at least two of the seven peptides had reactivities for AcH different than the N-termini of Hb; that is, at least two modified peptides differ from imidazolidine-type adducts formed on the N-termini. The presence of multiple modifications with different sensitivities for AcH adduct formation may be useful in developing markers of alcohol consumption.
A Nearly-Linear Time Algorithm for Approximately Solving Linear Systems in a Symmetric M-Matrix ?

We present an algorithm for solving a linear system in a symmetric M-matrix. In particular, for $n times n$ symmetric M-matrix $M$, we show how to find a diagonal matrix $D$ such that $DMD$ is diagonally-dominant. To compute $D$, the algorithm must solve $O{log n}$ linear systems in diagonally-dominant matrices. If we solve these diagonally-dominant systems approximately using the Spielman-Teng nearly-linear time solver, then we obtain an algorithm for approximately solving linear systems in symmetric M-matrices, for which the expected running time is also nearly-linear.
Alterations in Enterocyte Proliferation and Apoptosis Accompany TPN-Induced Mucosal Hypoplasia and IGF-I-Induced Hyperplasia in Rats

The mechanisms underlying nutrient regulation of intestinal cell turnover are poorly understood. The total parenteral nutrition (TPN) model allows examination of how eliminating the growth-promoting signals stimulated by luminal nutrients, without the confounding factor of malnutrition due to food deprivation, influences enterocyte renewal. Our objective was to determine the contribution of enterocyte proliferation and apoptosis to the mucosal hypoplasia induced by TPN and the mucosal hyperplasia induced by insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). We investigated the composition and structure of the jejunum and associated changes in enterocyte proliferation and apoptosis in growing rats maintained exclusively with TPN for 7 d and concurrent treatment with IGF-I or vehicle for 6 d. TPN-induced hypoplasia, specific to the small bowel mucosa, was associated with reduced enterocyte proliferation and increased apoptosis throughout the crypt and bottom half of the villus. In contrast, the hyperplastic effect of IGF-I reflected increased enterocyte proliferation and decreased apoptosis, particularly in the stem cell zone. In summary, the ability of IGF-I to prevent or reverse the decreased enterocyte proliferation and increased apoptosis accompanying TPN-induced mucosal hypoplasia substantiates the role of growth factors in tissue regeneration and emphasizes the importance of the growth-promoting signals stimulated by luminal nutrients in maintaining intestinal integrity.
Fruit and vegetable acceptance by students. Factors in acceptance and performance.

The trend in consumption of fruits and vegetables per capita is down. They are likely to be the foods least accepted by school children. This survey was designed to learn factors which influence acceptance or rejection and hence possible reasons for the decline in consumption.
A mechanism of sexual segregation by habitat in American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) wintering in south-central Florida

-I observed the establishment of 240 winter territories by American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) on a 293-km census route in south-central Florida during autumn 1985. Most females arrived before males. Analysis of banding records revealed that immatures of both sexes and adult females preceded adult males in autumn migration in eastern North America; thus, the sex ratio of early arrivals was skewed toward females. In south Florida territorial kestrels occupied habitats in decreasing order of foraging quality, as measured by percentage cover of suitable hunting substrate (grasses or weedy forbs <25 cm in height) and woody canopy cover (which was correlated negatively with suitable hunting substrate and obstructed the view of hunting kestrels). Early-arriving males also occupied habitats of superior foraging quality and were as successful as females in defending territories against same-sex and opposite-sex kestrels as high-quality habitats became limited. Results of experiments in which free-flying intruder kestrels were released onto defended territories suggested that males defended winter territories more tenaciously than did females. Because there was no evidence of male submissiveness on the wintering grounds, the female-dominance hypothesis is not a plausible explanation for sexual segregation by habitat in wintering kestrels. Each kestrel's arrival date was apparently the principal determinant of the foraging quality of habitats still available for occupancy; foraging quality was correlated negatively with arrival date for the adult males and for the females and immatures. A delayed molt in adult males, associated with differential sex roles on the breeding grounds, may delay the migratory departure, resulting in the late arrival on the wintering grounds. Received 20 March 1987, accepted 27
Children"™s Health and the Ethics of Welfare Cap Legislation: The Case of California"™s Maximum Family Grant

Among the laws that compose California"™s primary welfare program is a rule called the Maximum Family Grant (MFG). Enacted in the mid-1990"™s, this rule places a cap on the amount of cash aid citizens may receive upon the birth of a new child. Recently, members of the California State Assembly have considered repealing the law on the grounds that it is discriminatory. These claims have been met with criticism, doubt, and confusion. In this essay, I will argue that the Maximum Family Grant rule is indeed discriminatory. Like other welfare and family cap legislation, the MFG rule unjustly redistributes social burdens onto the shoulders of poor households and poor children in particular. Such redistribution has demonstrably negative implications for those children"™s health, nutrition, and access to medical care. These facts, I will argue, suffice to ground the claim that the MFG rule and welfare caps like it are instances of institutional discrimination. This essay brings a distinctively philosophical perspective to an ongoing political debate about welfare caps and, I hope, provides some clarity about what precisely is normatively objectionable about the MFG rule and other legislation like it.
Measurement and modeling of race and health in Brazil: continuing the discussion

Recent reviews have discussed the conceptualization of race in health studies in Brazil. This review further documents and discusses specific measurement and modeling issues with regard to race and how this can impact result interpretation. Three scientific databases were used to search the literature on race and three health outcomes. The search yielded 38 empirical studies on birth outcomes, self-rated health, and weight. Results suggest that, while there are racial patterns in the overall literature, conceptual and methodological challenges can be addressed to clarify the ways in which racial group membership is linked to health.
PARP Inhibitors in Breast Cancer: Latest Evidence

Breast cancer treatment continues to evolve as targeted therapeutic strategies are developed for the various molecular subtypes of breast cancer. The PARP inhibitors represent a novel targeted therapy for tumors with defective homologous recombination DNA repair. These agents may become standard new treatment options for patients harboring BRCA1/2 mutations and show promise in BRCA1/2 wild-type patients with triple-negative breast cancers, which are treated predominantly with traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy. This review will discuss the results of clinical trials of these agents in breast cancer as well as important ongoing and anticipated trials. Recent reports support the use of olaparib monotherapy in BRCA1/2-mutated metastatic cancer. Results of PARP inhibitor combinations with chemotherapy have been mixed. The addition of veliparib failed to improve pathological complete response rates in patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer treated with carboplatin (AUC6) and paclitaxel followed by doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide in a phase 3 trial. The PARP inhibitors talazoparib and olaparib are currently being tested in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings but impact on survival measures will likely take years prior to reporting in these early-stage breast cancer studies. While data from the first phase 3 trials of PARP inhibitors in breast cancers are encouraging in patients with germline deleterious BRCA1/2 mutations, continued work is needed to elucidate their utility beyond the BRCA1/2-mutated population as has been possible in ovarian cancer. Additionally, defining the ideal population and setting for combination treatment remains a challenge and has been limited by synergistic toxicities.
A reevaluation of annexin I expression in normal breast and breast carcinoma

3674 Purpose: Biological insights into the role that the annexin protein family plays in normal and aberrant cellular function may implicate this molecule as key mediator of cell growth and cell cycle modulation. Several reports have demonstrated that annexin I protein and gene expression levels change dramatically as cells undergo malignant transformation. However, the literature gives conflicting and contradictory reports on the annexin I expression pattern in breast tissue. Thus, we have reevaluated the expression profile of annexin I in normal and malignant breast tissue, using a variety of proteomic techniques, including protein array, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry to clarify the phenotypic changes associated with this important molecule. Experimental Procedures: We employed laser capture microdissection in order to select pure cell subpopulations of interest from 8μm heterogeneous frozen tissue sections of a human tissue set comprised of normal breast tissue, DCIS and breast cancer. On average, 10,000 cells were microdissected and lysed. For the reverse phase protein microarray the lysates were arrayed onto nitrocellulose-coated glass slides and blocked slides were stained with antibodies against annexin I. The stained slide was scanned and analyzed using Image Quant software. For western immunoblotting additional lysates were transferred via PAGE to a PVDF membrane and incubated with annexin I antibody. Tissue microarray staining and immunohistochemistry were used to verify the results and to localize the annexin I expression more specifically. Results: Proteomic analysis of human breast tissue indicates the loss of annexin I expression during tumorigenesis. Lysates of 16 normal breast tissue samples, 1 DCIS sample and 45 breast cancer samples (partly matched) were analyzed by reverse phase protein microarray, showing dramatically decreased annexin I levels in cancer compared to normal breast tissue. Western blotting of an additional 5 normal and 5 breast cancer lysates confirmed these findings. Immunohistochemical staining of both frozen breast sections and paraffin embedded tissue microarray supports the findings of a downregulation of annexin I during tumorigenesis: Frozen sections of normal breast show an intense staining in the myoepithelial layer of the ducts and slight staining in the epithelial layer. Sections of DCIS revealed a reduced annexin I staining intensity of the myoepithelium. In contrast cancer sections are devoid of annexin I expression. Conclusions: These data support, similar to that reported for prostate and esophageal carcimona, the downregulation of annexin I during progression of breast cancer. This finding may reveal an important early event during carcinogenesis, namely that the annexin I down-regulation in myoepithelium and in carcinoma cells may alter the local microenviroment driving carcinoma progression.
Probing Functional Diversity of Thermophilic Cyanobacteria in Microbial Mats

In recent years there has been growing appreciation of the unexpectedly large genetic diversity of microbes in the environment. This diversity has important implications for our understanding of photosynthesis in populations and in the environment. Conventional methodologies often cannot effectively capture this aspect. This chapter describes new approaches including comparative genomic and metagenomic approaches combined with a more detailed understanding of the metabolism and functionalities of cyanobacteria. This approach, which can be defined broadly as “functional ecogenomics” is partly motivated by the availability of high-throughput sequence data, which are steadily being acquired. The focus is on unicellular cyanobacteria in the hot spring microbial mats of Yellowstone National Park, which are primary producers in this prokaryotic community. We took a three-pronged approach, in which we (a) acquired complete genome sequences from two dominant Synechococcus sp. and carried out a comparative genomic analysis to understand the functional differences between these temperature adapted isolates; (b) produced a metagenome dataset that allows us to place genomic information in the context of the community within which these cyanobacteria grow and evolve; and (c) obtained pure isolates of some dominant organisms that allows us to manipulate them in a well-defined laboratory setting. In situ transcriptomics also allowed quantification of transcripts during the diel cycle. These diverse approaches and the ability to measure environmental parameters such as light and O2 levels allows us detailed insight into the microbial mat system. Such an approach could be used to study a wide array of photosynthetic microorganisms as populations and interacting communities. As sequencing capacity, single cell capture techniques, proteomics and imaging techniques become more widely accessible we expect to obtain ever more detailed information about natural communities.
Current Progress Towards Understanding Mechanisms of Myoblast Fusion in Mammals

Myoblast fusion is critical for the formation, growth and maintenance of skeletal muscle throughout life. Myoblasts must undergo a complex series of molecular and morphological changes prior to fusing with one another. A number of extracellular, cell surface and intracellular molecules have been discovered that act to finely coordinate the cellular and molecular events that are intimately associated with, and influence the ability of muscle cells to fuse. This review discusses the molecules that regulate myoblast elongation, migration, adhesion and cytoskeletal alterations. Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which myoblast fusion is regulated is both of general biologic interest and may also lead to new strategies for manipulating myoblasts in disease, repair and aging and enhancing muscle growth. In addition, promotion of cell fusion may aid in cell therapy approaches involving transplantation of muscle stem cells.
Strong thermal conductivity dependence on arsenic-vacancy complex formation in arsenic-doped silicon

High-concentration doping of silicon (Si)-based materials is an effective way to improve their thermoelectric efficiency via thermal conductivity (κ) reduction as well as thermopower and electrical conductivity enhancement. Beyond the solubility limit, a large portion of dopant atoms may undergo clustering mediated primarily by point defects, which may in turn significantly alter the physical properties of host materials. In this work, we investigate the effect of Arsenic-vacancy (AsV) complex formation on κ in heavily As-doped Si using molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation results clearly demonstrate that the presence of AsV complexes, particularly As4V which is the most stable one, may result in a substantially lower κ compared to the case where all As atoms remain substitutional and electrically active. Further analysis reveals that the central vacancy in As4V causes Si lattice softening and thus results in the reduction of phonon group velocity. Our findings highlight the significant effect of dopant clustering on κ and also provide some guidance on how to manipulate Si-based materials to improve their thermoelectric performance via doping combined with defect engineering.High-concentration doping of silicon (Si)-based materials is an effective way to improve their thermoelectric efficiency via thermal conductivity (κ) reduction as well as thermopower and electrical conductivity enhancement. Beyond the solubility limit, a large portion of dopant atoms may undergo clustering mediated primarily by point defects, which may in turn significantly alter the physical properties of host materials. In this work, we investigate the effect of Arsenic-vacancy (AsV) complex formation on κ in heavily As-doped Si using molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation results clearly demonstrate that the presence of AsV complexes, particularly As4V which is the most stable one, may result in a substantially lower κ compared to the case where all As atoms remain substitutional and electrically active. Further analysis reveals that the central vacancy in As4V causes Si lattice softening and thus results in the reduction of phonon group velocity. Our findings highlight the significant effect o...