cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid scan absorption spectroscopy using a waveform-driven electro-optic phase modulator in the 1.6–1.65 μm region

A method is reported for performing fast optical frequency scans over a bandwidth of 36.9 GHz and at a sweep rate of 40 kHz using a single second-order sideband from an electro-optic phase modulator driven by an arbitrary waveform generator. Single sideband selection is accomplished using the resonator modes of a Fabry–Perot filter cavity having a finesse of ≈44 and a free-spectral range of 300 MHz. The finesse is sufficiently high to give <2% total transmission of the laser frequency carrier and all other nonresonant sidebands while sufficiently low to ensure on-resonance switching times as short as 100 ns. A frequency offset component of a diode laser is used for active stabilization of the laser to the filter cavity at all times eliminating frequency drift of the filter cavity transmission comb used for single sideband selection and scanning. The method is demonstrated for the detection of CO2 near 1602 nm and for CH4 lines near 1643 nm. Detection of ambient level concentrations of each of these gases is demonstrated in a 25 μs scan over a path length of 50 m at a sensitivity of ≈3×10−9 cm−1 Hz−1/2. The corresponding measurement uncertainties (k=1 or 1σ) in a (2–3) ms time period and a 1 km path length are <±2 μmol/mol (ppm) for CO2 and <±5 nmol/mol (ppb) for CH4. The arbitrary waveform control of the pulse sequence, repetition rate, and duty cycle provides for optimization of the light source for a variety of application areas that include path integrated differential absorption and differential absorption light detection and ranging.
A global semi-Lagrangian spectral model of the shallow water equations with variable resolution

A new formulation of a semi-implicit, semi-Lagrangian spectral method is given together with a conformal mapping of the underlying Gaussian grid. The mapping based on the Schmidt transformation focuses grid resolution on a particular region. The advective form of the vorticity-divergence equations allows the conformal map to be incorporated in a semi-Lagrangian transport step while maintaining an efficient spectral transform algorithm. The shallow water equations on the sphere are solved to test the variable resolution spectral model. By focusing on a specified location, local details of the flow are more accurately resolved. Accuracy and stability of the method are compared with uniform spectral solutions.
The active site of Escherichia coli UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase. Chemical modification and site-directed mutagenesis.

Abstract UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) acyltransferase (LpxA) catalyzes the reversible transfer of anR-3-hydroxyacyl chain from R-3-hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein to the glucosamine 3-OH of UDP-GlcNAc in the first step of lipid A biosynthesis. Lipid A is required for the growth and virulence of most Gram-negative bacteria, making its biosynthetic enzymes intriguing targets for the development of new antibacterial agents. LpxA is a member of a large family of left-handed β-helical proteins, many of which are acyl- or acetyltransferases. We now demonstrate that histidine-, lysine-, and arginine-specific reagents effectively inhibit LpxA of Escherichia coli, whereas serine- and cysteine-specific reagents do not. Using this information in conjunction with multiple sequence alignments, we constructed site-directed alanine substitution mutations of conserved histidine, lysine, and arginine residues. Many of these mutant LpxA enzymes show severely decreased specific activities under standard assay conditions. The decrease in activity corresponds to decreasedk cat/K m ,UDP-GlcNAcvalues for all the mutants. With the exception of H125A, in which no activity is seen under any assay condition, the decrease ink cat/K m ,UDP-GlcNAcmainly reflects an increasedK m ,UDP-GlcNAc. His125 ofE. coli LpxA may therefore function as a catalytic residue, possibly as a general base. LpxA does not catalyze measurable UDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxymyristoyl)-GlcNAc hydrolysis or UDP-GlcNAc/UDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxymyristoyl)-GlcNAc exchange, arguing against a ping-pong mechanism with an acyl-enzyme intermediate.
The SCDOR Hack: Great Security Theater in Five Stages

The South Carolina governor's response to the SCDOR hack represents a textbook application of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's "five stages of grief" to cybersecurity.
The potential of cardiac stem cell therapy for heart failure

Cardiac failure is characterised by the loss of cardiomyocytes, and several strategies to replace the lost cell mass are being developed. Animal models have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of several cell types, and both autologous skeletal myoblasts and bone marrow progenitor cells have been tested in preliminary clinical trials. However functional improvements have been modest and the mechanism of benefit is unclear, although myocardial regeneration is not a significant factor. Alternative strategies using autologous resident cardiac progenitor cells or embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes could recreate de novo myocardium with higher efficiency, although various hurdles must be overcome before these strategies are translated to the clinic.
Anticipatory effects on anterior cruciate ligament loading during sidestep cutting

Abstract Background A key to understanding potential anterior cruciate ligament injury mechanisms is to determine joint loading characteristics associated with an injury-causing event. However, direct measurement of anterior cruciate ligament loading during athletic tasks is invasive. Thus, previous research has been unable to study the association between neuromuscular variables and anterior cruciate ligament loading. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of movement anticipation on anterior cruciate ligament loading using a musculoskeletal modeling approach. Methods Twenty healthy recreationally active females were recruited to perform anticipated and unanticipated sidestep cutting. Three-dimensional kinematics and kinetics of the right leg were calculated. Muscle, joint and anterior cruciate ligament forces were then estimated using a musculoskeletal model. Dependent t-tests were conducted to investigate differences between the two cutting conditions. Findings ACL loading significantly increased during unanticipated sidestep cutting (p Interpretation These results suggest that anterior cruciate ligament loading resulted from a multifaceted interaction of the sagittal plane shear forces (i.e., quadriceps, hamstrings, and tibiofemoral), as well as the frontal and transverse plane knee moments. Additionally, the results of this study confirm the hypothesis in the current literature that unanticipated movements such as sidestep cutting increase anterior cruciate ligament loading.
Comparative studies on urokinase and plasminogen activator from cultured pancreatic carcinoma

Abstract 1. 1. Plasminogen activator (PA) from a human pancreatic carcinoma cell line and human urinary urokinase (UK) have been purified to homogeneity. Amino acid analysis indicated they have a similar amino acid composition. 2. 2. Antibodies against both PA and UK were prepared in rabbits. Immunodiffusion experiments revealed that both enzymes were immunologically identical. 3. 3. Antibodies against PA and UK cross inhibited PAs from several other human cancer cell lines, but did not inhibit PA from cultured rat breast carcinoma R2426 cells.
Use of Music Activities in Speech-Language Therapy

Musical activities stress nonverbal forms of communication and often surpass physical, cultural, intellectual, and emotional limitations. Actively using music in learning experiences involves the w...
Landowner resistance to lease hunting: A sociocultural perspective

Abstract Lease hunting programs provide a strategy to address wildlife management on private land in a manner that provides economic compensation to landowners. This paper proposes a sociocultural framework for understanding low rates of participation in lease hunting programs by landowners. We suggest that the predominant emphasis on private property boundaries and the utilization of economic incentives inherent in lease hunting to promote wildlife management overlooks significant cultural and social dimensions of hunting and wildlife. Specifically, we examine lease hunting in relation to local land use, hunting as a sociocultural system, and the symbolic construction of the landscape.
The b-type cytochromes of beef heart mitochondria

Abstract Three b -type cytochromes have been recognized in beef heart mitochondria and ETPH. They fractionate into complexes II and III. Complex III contains roughly equimolar amounts of 2 b -type cytochromes and cytochrome c 1. The former are functionally and spectrally comparable to b T and b K. Cytochrome b K is reported to have an α peak at 558 nm at 77°; we find this peak to be at 559.5 nm. Cytochrome b 559.5 is reducible by substrates, but the substrate reduction of the b T-type cytochrome (α1 at 562.5 nm at 77°K) in complex III does not take place unless c 1 is in the oxidized state and the preparation has been treated with antimycin A. The third b -type cytochrome is found in complex II. At 77°K, the absorption spectrum of its reduced form shows 2 α peaks at 557 and 550 nm, a prominent β at 531 nm, a broad β at about 523 nm, and a Soret absorption at 422 nm.
Investigation of the (10B, 6Li∗ (3+, 2.18MeV)) reaction as a method for α-cluster transfer studies

Abstract The four-nucleon transfer reaction 12 C( 10 B, 6 Li ∗ (2.18 MeV)) 16 O has been studied at 68 MeV by coincidence measurement of the d + α breakup particles. The reaction is quite selective as is observed in other established α -transfer reactions.
Knowledge‐based/expert systems technology in life support systems

Knowledge‐based and expert systems are quickly becoming an important component of knowledge organizations, enterprise knowledge management, and core competences. They are being used in various applications ranging from usage in the US White House to chemical plants worldwide. Presents an overview of expert systems technology and then specifically addresses their use in a critical domain ‐ life support systems.
Mental Imagery and Parenthood Decision Making

Choosing whether or not to be a parent involves feelings of personal freedom and confusion. In this article the authors consider the difficulty of making parenthood decisions, suggest that counseling and therapy practitioners use mental imagery modalities to kelp clients make parenthood decisions, and offer specific scripts and techniques.
Exact finite-difference schemes for first order differential equations having three distinct fixed-points

We construct nonstandard finite-difference (NSFD) schemes that provide exact numerical methods for a first-order differential equation having three distinct fixed-points. An explicit, but also nonexact, NSFD scheme is also constructed. It has the feature of preserving the critical properties of the original differential equation such as the positivity of the solutions and the stability behavior of the three fixed-points.
Observations on the impact of a developing inlet in a bar built estuary

Abstract Field measurements of salinity and sea surface elevation are used to quantify the impacts of the developing inlet, Little Pikes Inlet, on tidal transmission and exchange in the bar built estuary, Moriches Bay. These measurements document a peak increase in tidal transmission of 30% for the post-breach condition. This increased tidal transmission led to a 1.4‰ increase in salinity in the region of the bay near the breach with no detectable change in the far section of the bay. It is shown that the tidal transmission of the developing inlet can be reasonably predicted by typical 1-D inlet hydraulic models with an appropriate selection of inlet characteristics. The mean tidal exchange of salt in the system is shown to behave as though frontal exchange at the plume boundary dominates and that the tidal exchange coefficient can be modeled to vary inversely with the square root of the flood tidal volume. Such a model is shown to improve significantly the predictions of the effects of changes in inlet properties.
Electrically active point defects in cadmium telluride

Hall coefficient and conductivity measurements were made on single crystals of CdTe at temperatures up to 950°C while controlling the partial pressure of either cadmium or tellurium. Measurements made with a cadmium reservoir showed the material to ben-type due to the presence of a doubly ionized native donor, in agreement with the results of Whelan and Shaw. The apparent enthalpy of formation of the donor and its concentration along the cadmium-rich solidus were obtained. Measurements made with a tellurium reservoir close to tellurium saturation are in disagreement with the usual model, which attributes formation ofp-type material under these conditions to the presence, of a native acceptor defect. The results are consistent with a hole concentration originating from an excess of acceptor impurities rather than from a native acceptor.
A highly curable lymphoma occurs preferentially in the proximal tibia of young patients.

The presentation of two 19-year-old male subjects with stage I non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the proximal tibia prompted an extensive review of institutional and national databases to assess whether there is any statistical evidence that these reflected a previously overlooked syndromic pattern of presentation. The institutional records of a single institution were reviewed for presentation of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the bone. The records of two additional institutions were reviewed for all reports of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the tibia. Analysis was performed on data from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) dichotomized to bone presentation in the lower extremity versus other bones. Institutional databases included 20 patients with tibial presentation of lymphoma with a median age of 22.5 years (versus 42 for all bone lymphomas; P 40. These data show a previously undescribed syndromic pattern of disease presentation: bone lymphoma in young patients is likely to present in the lower extremity—specifically the proximal tibia—has atypical sclerotic features on X-ray, is often bilateral, and has an excellent prognosis compared with bone lymphomas at other sites matched for stage and age.
Coding and documentation 101: current procedural terminology versus health care finance administration guidelines for office services

Documentation and coding principles are intimately linked and affect patient care, reimbursement, and compliance. An understanding of the principles is required for the successful practice of medicine today. All physicians should receive formal education and practical training in chart documentation and coding of medical services. As with other medical knowledge, this education must begin early in training and be continually updated. This article will discuss documentation and coding in the ambulatory setting using Health Care Finance Administration and Current Procedural Terminology guidelines.
Longitudinal follow-up of implantable cardioverter defibrillator leads.

Although implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) leads are prone to failure and Food and Drug Administration recall, comprehensive longitudinal studies investigating contemporary ICD lead survival rate in the United States are lacking. All patients receiving Medtronic, Boston Scientific, or St. Jude Medical transvenous ICD leads at the hospitals of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center from 2000 to 2012 were included. Leads were classified as (1) functional lead, patient deceased; (2) functional lead, replaced; (3) failed lead, replaced; or (4) functional lead, active. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed for all lead models separately and in aggregate. We followed 5,288 patients (1,020 Quattro, 623 Fidelis, 627 Riata, 828 Durata, and 2,190 Reliance) over 3.7 ± 3.3 years. Functional leads that were replaced included 30 Quattro (3%), 99 Fidelis (16%), 24 Riata (4%), 24 Durata (3%), and 62 Reliance (3%). Leads replaced because of failure included 11 Quattro (1%), 47 Fidelis (8%), 38 Riata (6%), 18 Durata (2%), and 26 Reliance (1%; p
Suppression of GABAA receptor responses by NMDA application in hippocampal neurones acutely isolated from the adult guinea‐pig.

1. In acutely isolated hippocampal cells, NMDA and glutamate application suppressed GABAA receptor-mediated responses. We studied the cellular events underlying the interaction between the two classes of receptors by using a whole-cell voltage-clamp approach. 2. Following an NMDA application, an outward current mediated by GABAA receptor activation (GABA response) was suppressed for up to 12 s. The suppression of the GABA response was reduced when Ca2+ in the extracellular solution was replaced by Ba2+ or when intracellular BAPTA (1,2-bis(O-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid) was increased from 1 to 10 mM. 3. Replacing ATP in the intracellular solution by adenosine-5'-O-3-thiotriphosphate reduced the suppressive effect of NMDA application on the GABA response. Okadaic acid, a phosphatase inhibitor, also prevented the NMDA-induced suppression of the GABA response. In addition, when the intracellular perfusing solution contained the calcineurin autoinhibitory fragment (50 microM), suppression of the GABA response by the NMDA current was also reduced. 4. Intracellular perfusion of an activated form of the Ca(2+)-dependent phosphatase, calcineurin, suppressed GABA responses. 5. The results show that NMDA responses elicited in hippocampal neurones transiently suppressed GABA responses. The data suggest that the functional linkage of the NMDA response with the GABA response was established via a Ca(2+)-dependent dephosphorylation process.
Ethical problems in rural healthcare: local symptoms, systemic disease.

Roughly two years ago, Nelson and colleagues (2006) asked whether a literature on rural health ethics existed, concluding at the time that ethics in the context of rural health were undertreated an...
Performance of the Fourier rebinning algorithm for PET with large acceptance angles

The recently proposed Fourier rebinning (FORE) technique of 3D PET reconstruction is investigated over a wide range of axial acceptance angles. In this study we evaluate the performance of the FORE technique using spatial resolution, contrast and noise figures of merit and compare reconstruction performance of the FORE (followed by multislice 2D reconstruction) to the 3D-RP technique for large-acceptance-angle data . Our results show that the FORE technique does not affect the transverse resolution. On the other hand the axial resolution using FORE deteriorates faster, compared with the 3D-RP, at large radii as the acceptance angle increases. Concerning the noise behaviour, we have found that filtering has better ability to suppress the noise in the FORE reconstruction, compared with the 3D-RP reconstruction, especially in the slices near the edge of the axial field of view. Overall, the combination of good performance and fast reconstruction time makes the FORE technique a practical choice for 3D PET applications.
Total Anomalous Pulmonary Return An Analysis of Thirty Cases

Thirty cases of total anomalous pulmonary return have been collected and analyzed. The pathways of drainage and their embryologic development are discussed. The cardiac catheterization, electrocardiographic and radiologic findings are also presented. These laboratory data accompanied by the clinical findings seem to identify a recognizable diagnostic picture for this malformation. Finally, our attempts at surgical correction of this defect are briefly enumerated.
The effect of sympathetic nerve stimulation on the aqueous humor dynamics of the cocaine pretreated rabbit

The effect of electrical stimulation of the cervical sympathetic nerve on the outflow facility of aqueous humor in normal and cocaine pretreated rabbits is reported. Outflow facility was determined using the pressure decay curve technique. A significant increase in outflow facility resulting from stimulation in the cocaine pretreated animals was observed; the increase could be prevented by an intravitreous injection of phentolamine. The results of this study provide further evidence for the presence of an alpha-adrenergic mechanism involved in the outflow of aqueous humor in the rabbit eye.
Regulating emotion and identity by narrating harm

This study examined how narration of harm experiences can regulate self and emotions in ways relevant to well-being. Participants (n = 88, 65% female) were asked to provide 6 narratives about instances when they were victims of harm and 6 narratives about instances when they were perpetrators of harm. Narratives were coded for extent of exploration, growth, damage conclusions and resolution. Participants drew damage conclusions more frequently in victim narratives and growth conclusions more frequently in perpetrator narratives. Both the type of experience (victim or perpetrator) and the way the experience was narrated (references to damage conclusions and resolution) predicted emotion and identity implications, which were, in turn, related to well-being. Implications for narrative approaches to self-regulation are discussed.
Head Pose Estimation by Instance Parameterization

Head pose estimation from images is a challenging task with extensive applications. It has been attracting research attentions over decades and numerous approaches have been proposed. Among them, manifold embedding based methods, which assume that the pose variations lie on a low-dimensional manifold embedded in the high-dimensional feature space, have achieved great success. However, previous manifold embedding based methods have two drawbacks: first, they lack the capability to simultaneously deal with multiple pose-unrelated factors in a uniform way, second, they suffer from limited representation ability for out-of-sample testing inputs. In this paper we propose a novel head pose estimation method to address these problems. By learning the mapping from a uniform geometry representation to individual instance manifolds, this approach allows us to parameterize various pose-unrelated factors under a uniform framework. Our approach is a generative model which guarantees the reasonable and effective representation of new testing input. Besides, by employing eigen instance bases instead of full instance bases arisen from the training data, we can effectively compact the size of the trained model and significantly simplify the computational complexity of the testing process. Experiments on public databases such as CMU-MultiPIE and BU-4DFE, and quantitative comparisons with other state-of-the-art methods show the effectiveness of our approach.
Solid modeling of space stations in a concurrent processing environment

This article presents solid modeling of space station structures in a multiprocessing environment such as the Cray YMP 8/864. A space station is modeled as a collection of space trusses. Elements of trusses are created concurrently using constructive solid geometry. Concurrent solid modeling of large structures can be integrated with parallel algorithms for optimization of such structures in order to fully automate their computer-aided design in a multiprocessing environment.
Verification of scaling laws for degrading PLA‐b‐PEG‐b‐PLA hydrogels

Seeral macroscopic properties of degrading poly lactic acid -b-poly ethylene glycol - () ( ) b-poly lactic acid PLA-b-PEG-b-PLA hydrogels were compared to one another as functions of degradation time. The specific hydrogel properties measured were the com- () ( ) pressie modulus K , theolumetric swelling ratio Q , and the normalized compres- ( 1r3 ) sie modulus K s KQ . Their comparisons were used to ealuate the applica- NORM bility of fundamental thermodynamic theories deeloped for nondegradable hydrogels on a degradable system. The equations predict scaling factors of y2, y5r3, and 6r5 for the dependence of K on Q, K on Q, and K on K , respectiely. These impor- NORM N ORM tant experimental data for a degrading hydrogel system initially show good agreement with the scaling predictions. Further examination, howeer, reeals the scaling factors to change oer the course of the degradation process. These changes are attributed, at least in part, to the changing chemical, mechanical, and ionic properties of the degrading copolymer networks.
Ethnic disparities in adherence to breast cancer survivorship surveillance care

BACKGROUND Adherence to guidelines for surveillance mammography and clinic visits is an important component of breast cancer survivorship care. Identifying ethnic disparities in adherence may lead to improved care delivery and outcomes. METHODS Records were evaluated for 4535 patients who were treated for stage I, II, or III breast cancer at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, cancer center between January 1997 and December 2006. Generalized estimating equations and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to evaluate ethnic differences in missed mammograms and clinic visits up to 4 years of follow-up and the impact of those differences on overall survival. RESULTS Nonadherence to guidelines for mammography (P = .0002) and clinic visits (P < .0001) increased over time. Hispanic and black patients were more likely to be nonadherent to guidelines for mammography (odds ratio [OR] = 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10-1.65; OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.11-1.66, respectively) and clinic visits (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.27-2.06; OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.13-1.86, respectively) than white patients. There was an interaction between Hispanic ethnicity and endocrine therapy on nonadherence to mammography guidelines (P = .001). Nonadherence to mammography and clinic visit guidelines was not associated with overall survival. CONCLUSIONS Withdrawal from breast cancer survivorship care increases over time, and black and Hispanic patients are more likely to be nonadherent. An understanding of the reasons for ethnic disparities in adherence to guidelines for mammography and clinic visits is needed to improve retention in survivorship care. Cancer 2014;120:894–900. © 2013 American Cancer Society.
Threads and input/output in the synthesis kernal

The Synthesis operating system kernel combines several techniques to provide high performance, including kernel code synthesis, fine-grain scheduling, and optimistic synchronization. Kernel code synthesis reduces the execution path for frequently used kernel calls. Optimistic synchronization increases concurrency within the kernel. Their combination results in significant performance improvement over traditional operating system implementations. Using hardware and software emulating a SUN 3/160 running SUNOS, Synthesis achieves several times to several dozen times speedup for UNIX kernel calls and context switch times of 21 microseconds or faster.
Two Nonredundant SecA Homologues Function in Mycobacteria

The proper extracytoplasmic localization of proteins is an important aspect of mycobacterial physiology and the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The protein export systems of mycobacteria have remained unexplored. The Sec-dependent protein export pathway has been well characterized in Escherichia coli and is responsible for transport across the cytoplasmic membrane of proteins containing signal sequences at their amino termini. SecA is a central component of this pathway, and it is highly conserved throughout bacteria. Here we report on an unusual property of mycobacterial protein export--the presence of two homologues of SecA (SecA1 and SecA2). Using an allelic-exchange strategy in Mycobacterium smegmatis, we demonstrate that secA1 is an essential gene. In contrast, secA2 can be deleted and is the first example of a nonessential secA homologue. The essential nature of secA1, which is consistent with the conserved Sec pathway, leads us to believe that secA1 represents the equivalent of E. coli secA. The results of a phenotypic analysis of a Delta secA2 mutant of M. smegmatis are presented here and also indicate a role for SecA2 in protein export. Based on our study, it appears that SecA2 can assist SecA1 in the export of some proteins via the Sec pathway. However, SecA2 is not the functional equivalent of SecA1. This finding, in combination with the fact that SecA2 is highly conserved throughout mycobacteria, suggests a second role for SecA2. The possibility exists that another role for SecA2 is to export a specific subset of proteins.
Early Responses to Neural Injury

Recovery from injury involves the rapid initiation of processes which limit damage, and then the alteration of synthesis and possibly mitosis to rebuild disrupted structure. The signals that activate and coordinate the process of repair are beginning to be appreciated. Greater understanding will allow us to manipulate conditions so as to limit damage and promote recovery in situations where regeneration often fails.
Coulomb friction in feedback control systems

The presence of coulomb friction in servomechanisms often results in undesirable effects, such as an operating dead-zone, low-frequency wander, and poor dynamic performance for low level signals. Methods of compensation for these adverse effects are discussed and a specific example is presented. Also, a general procedure, using frequency-response techniques, is outlined for the synthesis of compensation in systems affected by coulomb friction. The methods employed are based on the recognition that coulomb friction in a control device has a describing function which reduces gain and introduces phase lag. The describing function is determined by both the amplitude and the frequency of the input signal to the device.
Activities of daily living: where do they fit in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease?

SUMMARY Impairment in activities of daily living (ADL) accompanies cognitive and behavioral symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Conventionally, ADL impairment has been relegated to the stage of dementia, but instrumental ADL impairment has been shown to occur earlier at the stage of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). There are many subjective and performance-based instrumental ADL scales, some of which are useful in distinguishing between MCI and AD dementia, and even between MCI and clinically normal elderly individuals. These scales have been associated with amyloid and neurodegeneration biomarkers of AD. Clinically normal elderly individuals who have a positive AD biomarker are thought to be at the preclinical stage of AD. Scales of more complex ADL are needed to better capture individuals with preclinical AD before they start to progress to MCI.
FUNCTIONAL PEARLS: Probabilistic functional programming in Haskell

At the heart of functional programming rests the principle of referential transparency, which in particular means that a function f applied to a value x always yields one and the same value y=f(x). This principle seems to be violated when contemplating the use of functions to describe probabilistic events, such as rolling a die: It is not clear at all what exactly the outcome will be, and neither is it guaranteed that the same value will be produced repeatedly. However, these two seemingly incompatible notions can be reconciled if probabilistic values are encapsulated in a data type.
Lophotrochozoan phylogeny assessed with LSU and SSU data: evidence of lophophorate polyphyly.

Abstract Of the three major bilaterian clades, Lophotrochozoa has the greatest diversity and disparity of body forms and is the least understood in terms of phylogenetic history. Within this clade, small nuclear ribosomal subunit (SSU or 18S) studies have failed to provide resolution and other molecular markers have insufficient taxon sampling. To examine relationships within Lophotrochozoa, we collected and complied complete SSU data and nearly complete (>90%) large nuclear ribosomal subunit (LSU or 28S) data totaling approximately 5 kb per taxon, for 36 lophotrochozoans. Results of LSU and combined SSU + LSU likelihood analyses provide topologies more consistent with morphological data than analyses of SSU data alone. Namely, most phyla recognized on morphological grounds are recovered as monophyletic entities when the LSU data is considered (contra SSU data alone). These new data show with significant support that “Lophophorata” (traditionally recognized to include Brachiopoda, Phoronida, and Bryozoa) is not a monophyletic entity. Further, the data suggest that Platyzoa is real and may be derived within lophotrochozans rather than a basal or sister taxon. The recently discovered Cycliophora are allied to entoprocts, consistent with their initial placement based on morphology. Additional evidence for Syndermata (i.e., Rotifera + Acanthocephala) is also found. Although relationships among groups with trochophore-like larvae could not be resolved and nodal support values are generally low, the addition of LSU data is a considerable advance in our understanding of lophotrochozoan phylogeny from the molecular perspective.
Maple syrup urine disease: coenzyme function and prenatal monitoring.

Abstract A pregnancy at high risk for “cofactor resistant” Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) was monitored by quantitating valine, leucine, and isoleucine concentrations in maternal 24-hr urines, maternal plasma, and amniotic fluid. The fetal genotype was determined by assaying the conversion of radiolabeled branched-chain amino acids to 14 CO 2 by intact cultured amniotic fluid cells. Although branched-chain amino acid concentrations in maternal fluids were similar to control values, cells cultured from the high-risk pregnancy produced 14 CO 2 at one-half the rate of control cells. This finding suggested that the unborn 46 XY fetus was heterozygous for the MSUD gene. To test this hypothesis and to study normal and mutant branched-chain α-keto-acid dehydrogenase and co-factor interaction, a broken-cell system was developed that decarboxylated branched-chain α-keto-acids only when reconstituted with required cofactors. In control systems reduced coenzyme A (CoASH), β-nitotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), and magnesium chloride (Mg 2+ ) stimulated 14 CO 2 production from α-ketoisocaproic acid-I- 14 C (KIC), α-ketoisovaleric acid-I- 14 C (KIV), and L-α-keto-β-methylvaleric acid-I- 14 C (KMV) by five to fifteen times base line over a 2-hr time course. TPP and Mg 2+ alone failed to increase either KIC or KIV decarboxylase, but reconstituted 30% of KMV decarboxylase. This “TPP-reconstituted” KMV decarboxylase was also present in mutant cells homozygous for this MSUD gene. KIV decarboxylase activity was essentially absent in the homozygous-affected line and partially impaired in heterozygous lines. Cells from the newborn male off-spring had partial impairment of KIV and KMV decarboxylase. These studies indicated that the MSUD mutation in this family resulted in the production of a defective subunit of the branched-chain α-keto-acid dehydrogenase complex that was common to all three branched-chain α-keto-acids, that a “TPP-reconstituted” KMV decarboxylase was present and under separate genetic control, and that a heterozygote for this MSUD gene was predicted before birth.
Dealing with life changes: humour in painful self-disclosures by elderly Japanese women

This paper examines the ways in which older people depict verbally the life changes that accompany old age. It reports a study of Japanese elderly women’s casual conversations with their friends, during which they talked about their husbands’ deaths and illnesses. A frequently observed discourse practice among old people is ‘ painful self-disclosure ’ (PSD), in which unhappy personal information on one’s ill health, immobility or bereavement is revealed and speakers describe themselves using negative stereotypes of old age. During the observed conversations, however, the PSD accounts were frequently accompanied by humour and laughter. This paper examines the complex structure of the PSDs. To exemplify, a simple statement of death and illness given early in a conversation is later elaborated with descriptions of unremarkable domestic events, e.g. complaints about the husband’s behaviour. Through shifting the frame of the narrative to quotidian normality, the elderly speakers convert painful life events to everyday matters that they can laugh about. Furthermore, it was found that the humour is sustained through interactions during which the hearers often laughed with the speaker. The study suggests that the disclosure of age-related negative experiences is not necessarily uniformly gloomy, but rather is combined with expressions of personal and social identities and nuanced and modulated through a complex resolution of the speaker’s intentions and social expectations.
Enhancing dynamic range in differential log-domain filters based on the two-filters approach

The "two filter" method for designing differential log-domain filters does not allow true class AB operation of filters having complex poles. However, differential log-domain filter structures that pass DC offsets from the input current splitter to each internal state variable can operate linearly to fairly high output modulation indices. New low-V/sub DD/ translinear current-splitter circuits are presented, including a harmonic-mean splitter, which produces increased DC offsets compared to geometric-mean circuits. The increased offsets are shown to allow significant increases in the range of indiscrete signals in differential log-domain filters with appropriate structures.
Maryland's surgical workforce-2007: an in-depth analysis and implications for the future.

Background Critical decisions about the future supply of surgeons must be based on an accurate assessment of current surgical manpower. This study examined the demographics and clinical activities of seven surgical subspecialty groups on the frontlines of health care in Maryland. These data are compared with those customarily quoted in the literature, and the implications of these findings are discussed. Study Design Clinical activity of surgeons versus administrative, teaching, research, and other obligations was determined after interviews with medical directors in all of Maryland's 52 acute care hospitals. Additional information was obtained from residency program directors, chairmen, and others, if necessary. Data were stratified by specialty, location of practice, and age of surgeon. Results Data were analyzed for general, orthopaedic, ENT, vascular, and noncardiac thoracic surgeons, neurosurgeons, and urologists. Surgeons in rural western, eastern, and southern regions spent 86.3% of their time in care of patients compared with 70.3% for surgeons in urban, suburban, or teaching settings. Across the state, the number of surgeons providing care to patients per 100,000 residents was below reported requirements in general surgery, vascular, and noncardiac surgery. Overall, 40.3% of surgeons were 55 years or older in 2007. Conclusions Critical shortages of qualified surgeons currently exist in many regions of Maryland, especially in rural regions. Administrative, teaching, and research activities significantly reduce the amount of time surgeons are able to devote to patient care, particularly in academic and suburban settings. Fewer surgeons are available to care for patients in Maryland, and they are significantly older than assumed in manpower databases. Access to surgical care in Maryland will be jeopardized if these issues are not considered in future health care workforce discussions.
Reproductive tradeoffs of learning in a butterfly

The evolution of learning has long been hypothesized to be limited by fitness trade-offs such as delays in reproduction. We explored the relationship between host learning and reproduction in the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae. The cabbage white female is innately biased to search for common green hosts but can learn to search for rare red hosts. Host learning was shown previously to vary among full-sibling families and to incur costs in terms of host search efficiency and brain size. In the present study, we show that butterflies from full-sib families with relatively better learning performance on red hosts tend to emerge as adults with relatively fewer and less-developed eggs. We also used methoprene, a juvenile hormone mimic, to advance reproduction in female cabbage whites. We found that methoprene-treated butterflies improved host-finding ability less with experience, relative to controls, providing independent evidence of a link between learning and timing of reproduction. Finally, we show that the learning experience itself is associated with additional decreases in lifetime fecundity. These results support a range of theoretical and comparative studies highlighting the importance of fitness tradeoffs in the evolution of learning and cognition. Key words: juvenile hormone, learning, life history, Pieris rapae, ovary maturation, trade-off. [Behav Ecol]
Commentary---Do Bids Equal Values on eBay?

We argue that the Zeithammer and Adams paper [Zeithammer, R., C. Adams. 2010. The sealed-bid abstraction in online auctions. Marketing Sci.29(6) 964--987] successfully documents consistent patterns in eBay bidding data that cast doubt on the common assumption that bidders in such auctions follow a “bid = value” strategy. These anomalies lend support to the authors' alternative model in which some bidders bid reactively and consequently bid below their valuation most of the time. The consistency of the authors' findings as well as the ability of their alternative explanation to account for all of their test results lends great support to their thesis. However, we think that several of their empirical tests examine ancillary assumptions about bidder behavior and do not test the bid = value assumption directly. Furthermore, although their reduced-form model incorporating “reactive” bidders is a good first attempt at expanding the canonical framework, we worry that their counterfactual pricing analysis using the reactive model is suspect because the parameters they estimate are not structural. Overall, the Zeithammer and Adams paper is a carefully argued critique of empirical methods used to study online auctions and provides valuable ideas to improve on these methods.
Modified therapeutic community for homeless mentally ill chemical abusers: emerging subtypes.

This paper is one of a series reporting on a clinical field trial evaluating the efficacy of the modified therapeutic community (TC) approach for the treatment of homeless mentally ill chemical abusers (MICAs). The social and psychological characteristics of the treatment sample were described in an earlier paper; the purpose of the present report was to categorize subtypes of homeless MICA clients to predict with greater accuracy their treatability in modified TCs. An index that consistently correlated with treatment-relevant variables was identified for each of three dimensions; Homelessness (residential instability), Mental Illness (current severity), and Substance Abuse (current substance abuse/dependence diagnosis). These indices yielded distributions that captured the variability in the sample with respect to a number of variables, including drug use, criminality, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk (sexual behavior), psychological status, and motivation. Bivariate and multivariate analyses show...
Unfortunate encounters? Novel interactions of native Mecyclothorax, alien Trechus obtusus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), and Argentine ant (Linepithema humile, Hymenoptera: Formicidae) across a Hawaiian landscape

The Hawaiian Islands support a speciose radiation of native Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae). This lineage has undergone a classical island radiation resulting in extensive ecological specialization, flight-wing loss, and 100% single-island endemism. We report on the sympatric occurrence of several Mecyclothorax species endemic to Haleakala volcano, East Maui with the newly arrived, adventive Trechus obtusus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), a tramp species originally from Europe. Arrival of T. obtusus in afforested, non-native gymnosperm plantation forest near Polipoli, Maui was associated with subsequent decreased abundance of native Mecyclothorax beetles. Since discovery of T. obtusus on Haleakala, their populations have been transformed through subsequent increase in frequency of brachypterous individuals. Consequences of this transformation to flight-wing dimorphic populations may simultaneously include enhanced reproductive capacity of brachypterous individuals, increased local adaptation of populations, and enhanced metapopulational dynamics ultimately permitting range expansion and occupation far beyond anything observed for the monomorphically brachypterous native Mecyclothorax. Trechus obtusus and several Mecyclothorax species occur sympatrically with Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in subalpine shrublands on Haleakala. Recent sampling corroborates earlier findings that localized presence of Argentine ant is associated with significantly decreased abundance of native Mecyclothorax. Conversely, abundance of the continental T. obtusus is not significantly affected by ant presence.
Framework for Data Processing

Until now, this book formed a basis for an approach to building intercultural social simulation: it described the purposes of this book and what approaches exist. Different scenarios of social interaction social simulation were introduced. Data that can be used in intercultural experiments was discussed. However, something is still missing, namely a robust framework that relies on these findings and implements flexible prototypes of social systems. Such framework would, for example, compose social systems that realize required simulation behavior and tackle shortcomings of existing approaches. This chapter describes the framework for statistical processing and prototyping, SocioFramework. Moreover, it presents additional findings focusing on intercultural processing.
Hollow crystalline straws of diclofenac for high-dose and carrier-free dry powder inhaler formulations

Abstract Objective To crystallize diclofenac (DF) from diclofenac sodium (DFNa), to micronize DF and DFNa, and to evaluate in vitro aerodynamic performance of the jet-milled formulations Materials and methods From the acidic titration of aqueous DFNa, DF crystals were formed and were identified using thermal analysis, spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction. Following the micronization of the DF and DFNa powders, the recovered samples were imaged, and their particle size distributions were evaluated. Samples before and after jet millings were characterized, and in vitro aerodynamic performance testing was performed on the DF sample before jet milling and the DF and DFNa samples following jet milling. Results and discussion Hollow needles of DF were precipitated. With similar particle size distributions, the jet-milled DFNa sample from the collection bag, and the DF sample from the cyclone were used for further characterization. Despite different deposition patterns in the Next Generation Impactor, the DF hollow needles had a comparable respirable fraction percentage to the jet-milled DF and DFNa particles. However, the jet-milled DF formulation had the best in vitro aerodynamic performance. Conclusions Hollow, crystalline needles of DF were formed and possessed promising aerosol performance in comparison with the jet-milled powders.