cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How often does oral treatment of toenail onychomycosis produce a disease-free nail? An analysis of published data.

Objective To analyze studies on oral treatment of toenail onychomycosis so as to aid clinicians and patients in making informed decisions. Data Sources Studies dealing with treatment of toenail onychomycosis were identified by means of 2 MEDLINE search strategies. One was a title search using the word "toenail"; the other search used the combined Medical Subject Headings "onychomycosis" and "therapy." Study Selection Articles were read to ascertain that they (1) described results in toenails, (2) used both culture and microscopy, and (3) included a clinical evaluation. Not included were case reports, series of fewer than 15 subjects, reports that combined fingernail onychomycosis and toenail onychomycosis in their statistics, and articles reporting only the total number of toenails cured without providing data as to how many subjects were cured. Data Extraction This elimination process left 26 articles, which were then analyzed by means of a checklist that included a morphologically normal nail, mycological findings, and methodological items including recurrence rate, intent-to-treat analysis, placebo group, and whether terms were defined. Data Synthesis When there was sufficient data, the frequency with which the treatment achieved normal mycological results, a clinically normal nail, and a disease-free nail (normal-appearing nail plus normal mycological results) was calculated. Confidence intervals were calculated for disease-free nail results. Conclusions Standard courses of terbinafine achieved a disease-free nail in approximately 35% to 50% of patients. For itraconazole, the relevant disease-free nail rate was about 25% to 40%. Disease reappearance is an important issue; unfortunately data are lacking as to its frequency.
Adaptations in medial prefrontal cortex function associated with amphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization

Neuroadaptations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are hypothesized to play an important role in the behavioral changes associated with repeated psychostimulant exposure, but there are few published studies that measure neuronal activity during the development and expression of sensitization. To address this, we recorded single neuron activity in the medial PFC (mPFC) of male rats that were exposed for 5 days to saline or amphetamine (AMPH; 1.0 mg/kg i.p.) and then given saline or AMPH challenges following a three-day withdrawal. We found that rats exposed to AMPH developed locomotor sensitization to the drug that emerged on the fifth treatment session and became statistically significant at AMPH challenge. This was associated with no change in baseline (i.e., pre-injection) activity of mPFC neurons across the treatment or challenge sessions. Following the first AMPH injection, mPFC neurons responded primarily with reductions in firing, with the overall pattern and magnitude of responses remaining largely similar following repeated treatment. The exception was in the minority of cells that respond to AMPH with increases in firing rate. In this population, the magnitude of excitations peaked during the fifth AMPH exposure and was still relatively elevated at the AMPH challenge. Furthermore, these units increased firing during a saline challenge that was given to assess associative conditioning. These results suggest that AMPH-induced adaptations in mPFC function are not as apparent as AMPH-induced adaptations in behavior. When mPFC adaptations do occur, they appear limited to the population of neurons that increase their firing in response to AMPH.
Predicting branchial and cutaneous uptake of 2,2′,5,5′-tetrachlorobiphenyl in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes): Rate limiting factors

A physiologically based model was used to predict the bioconcentration of a waterborne, neutral, nonmetabolized xenobiotic compound in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). This study included a quantitative assessment of the primary mechanistic variables regulating uptake across branchial and cutaneous surfaces in these small fish. Model simulations suggest that branchial and cutaneous surfaces have approx. equal capacity to support exchange of 2,2′,5,5′-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB). A large cutaneous surface-area-to-volume ratio and a relatively small diffusion distance across the skin in these fish both contribute to the relatively greater contribution of cutaneous absorption as compared to larger fish. The accuracy of model simulations was evaluated by comparison of predicted and observed bioconcentration of TCB in fathead minnows and Japanese medaka. The complete model, incorporating simultaneous branchial and cutaneous flux, predicts absorption of TCB that is in basic agreement with bioconcentration observed in this study. This suggests that the absorption of neutral waterborne xenobiotics by small fish (< 4 g) can be accurately described in terms of a few fundamental physiological, morphological and physico-chemical parameters and that a physiologically based modeling approach can be used effectively to predict the bioconcentration of xenobiotics in small fish.
Denial or decay? The effects of an oral health educational program on caregivers of preschool children

Background: Dental caries (tooth decay or cavities) are perhaps the most prevalent infectious disease impacting our nation’s children. Dental caries in children are five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. More than 40% of children have tooth decay by the time they reach kindergarten. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of an oral health educational program on knowledge and behavior-specific cognitions and affect in caregivers of children ages two to five. Hypotheses: The five hypotheses determined if there was a positive relationship between: (1) prior related behaviors and behavior-specific cognitions and affect, (2) personal factors and behavior-specific cognitions and affect, (3) pre- knowledge and prior related behaviors, (4) post-knowledge and intent to provide oral health care, and (5) the difference between caregivers’ pre-intervention and post-intervention scores on knowledge. Methods: Descriptive quasi-experimental study utilizing a pre-test post-test model, with a convenience sample of 400 caregivers recruited from seven Head Start program sites in South Florida, who attended one of 18 oral health educational programs. Research questions addressed the relationship between the oral health educational program and the dependent variables prior related behavior, personal factors, behavior-specific cognitions and affect, knowledge, and intent. Care- givers completed a demographic survey and an oral health behavior questionnaire, a knowledge pre-test, then viewed a 16-minute video designed by Colgate, and completed another knowledge post-test. Results: The educational program had an overall significant effect on caregivers’ prior related behaviors, r = .43, p (two-tailed) < .01; behavior-specific cognitions and affect, r = .43, p (two-tailed) < .01; intention to provide oral health care for their children, r = .27, p (two-tailed) < .01; and post-test for knowledge of oral health care ( M = 60.57, SE = .30) compared to pre-test for knowledge ( M = 59.03, SE = .26), t (399) = -6.35, p < .01, r = .30). However, only 0.4% ( R 2 = .004, Adj R 2 = .00) of the variance in the outcome variable was accounted for by the predictor variables; the model was not significant, F (2, 397) = .80, p = .49 in comparing personal factors and behavior-specific cognitions and affect. Conclusions: Poor oral health can compromise a child’s overall health and impact their growth and development. Therefore, effective educational programs should be initiated early on to combat widespread oral disease. Effective educational interventions will contribute to positive behavior change and increased knowledge in caregivers. Through health/public policy change, future research will promote preventive oral health care and decrease oral disease .
Sunspot activity and cosmic ray modulation at 1 a.u. for 1900–2013

Abstract The descent of sunspot cycle 23 to an unprecedented minimum of long duration in 2006–2009 led to a prolonged galactic cosmic ray (GCR) recovery to the highest level observed in the instrumental era for a variety of energetic charged particle species on Earth, over a wide range of rigidities. The remarkable GCR increase measured by several ground-based, balloon-borne, and detectors on a satellite is described and discussed. It is accompanied by a decrease in solar wind velocity and interplanetary magnetic field at 1 a.u., reaching the lowest values since measurements of the solar wind began in October 1963; the solar polar field strength (μT) measured at the Wilcox Solar Observatory (WSO) is also significantly reduced compared to prior cycles since the start of the program in 1976, the polar field in the northern hemisphere reversed in June 2012 and again in February 2014, that in the southern hemisphere reversed in July 2013. If updates of WSO data confirm the second reversal in northern solar hemisphere, it would pose a serious challenge to the Dynamo Theory. The long-term change in solar behavior may have begun in 1992, perhaps earlier. The physical underpinnings of these solar changes need to be understood and their effect on GCR modulation processes clarified. The study discusses the recent phenomena in the context of GCR modulation since 1900. These happenings affected our empirical predictions for the key parameters for the next two sunspot cycles (they may be progressively less active than sunspot cycle 24) but it enhanced support for our prediction that solar activity is descending into a Dalton-like grand minimum in the middle of the twentyfirst century, reducing the frequency of the coronal mass ejections; they determine the space weather affecting the quality of life on Earth, radiation dose for hardware and human activities in space as well as the frequency of large Forbush decreases at 1 a.u.
Annual number of lung cancer deaths potentially avertable by screening in the United States

BACKGROUND: The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), which was conducted between 2002 and 2009, demonstrated that screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) reduced lung cancer mortality by 20% among screening-eligible populations compared with chest x-ray. In this article, the authors provide an estimate of the annual number of lung cancer deaths that can be averted by screening, assuming the screening regimens adopted in the NLST are fully implemented in the United States. METHODS: The annual number of lung cancer deaths that can be averted by screening was estimated as a product of the screening effect, the US population size (obtained from the 2010 US Census data), the prevalence of screening eligibility (estimated using the 2010 National Health Interview Survey [NHIS] data), and the lung cancer mortality rates among screening-eligible populations (estimated using the NHIS data from 2000-2004 and the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey linked mortality files). Analyses were performed separately by sex, age, and smoking status, with Poisson regression analysis used for mortality rate estimation. Uncertainty of the estimates of the number of avertable lung cancer deaths was quantified by simulation. RESULTS: Approximately 8.6 million Americans (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 8.0 million-9.2 million), including 5.2 million men (95% CI, 4.8 million-5.7 million) and 3.4 million women (95% CI, 3.0 million -3.8 million), were eligible for lung cancer screening in 2010. If the screening regimen adopted in the NLST was fully implemented among these screening-eligible US populations, a total of 12,250 (95% CI, 10,170-15,671) lung cancer deaths (8990 deaths in men and 3260 deaths in women) would be averted each year. CONCLUSIONS: The data from the current study indicate that LDCT screening could potentially avert approximately 12,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States. Further studies are needed to estimate the number of avertable lung cancer deaths and the cost-effectiveness of LDCT screening under different scenarios of risk, various screening frequencies, and various screening uptake rates. (See editorial on pages 000–000, this issue.) Cancer 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Metadata for geo-spatial data sharing: A comparative analysis

Digital spatial data is an attempt to model and describe the real world for use in computer analysis and graphic display of information. To insure that data is not misused; the assumptions and limitations affecting the collection of the data must be fully documented. As geo-spatial data producers and users handle more and more data, proper documentation will provide them with a keener knowledge of their holdings and allow them to better manage data production, storage, updating and reuse.
The long and winding road of the clinical development of Nelarabine.

In this issue of the Journal, Myron Czuczman [1] and colleagues report the results of a phase II trial of nelarabine (compound 506U78) in adult patients with cutaneous T-cell and peripheral T-cell ...
Prediction of Verbal Memory Loss in Individuals After Anterior Temporal Lobectomy

Summary: Purpose: Decreased memory function represents the area of greatest neuropsychological morbidity after anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL), particularly for left ATL candidates. We wished to identify easily derived demographic and neuropsychological predictors of risk of pre-to postoperative memory decline using only information available preoperatively. Methods: We assessed decline in memory as measured by the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) by deriving multiple regression equations using the following measures as independent variables: age at onset, chronological age at time of surgery, sex, Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), level of education, and preoperative memory scores. In all, 203 patients (93 males, 110 females), undergoing ATL (107 left, 96 right) with preoperative and 6-month postoperative testing, were examined. Results: The combination of age, FSIQ, sex, side of surgery and preoperative score was highly predictive (p-values <0.0001) of postoperative memory scores. Higher postoperative scores were associated with higher preoperative score, younger chronological age, higher FSIQ, female sex, and right side of resection. Reliable change index (RCI) values were used to estimate meaningful decline on the total score across five trials. Logistic regression analysis showed preoperative score and age to be predictors of RCI decline for left-sided resections. Sensitivity of decline (≥90th centile RCI) prediction was 56%, and specificity was 95%. Validation in 30 patients from a separate population of patients undergoing left ATL produced similar figures. Conclusions: The derived regression equations can accurately predict verbal memory decline on a list-learning task in-50% of individual patients undergoing ATL, and false-positive prediction errors are very rare.
READERS’ FORUM AUTOMOBILE REPLACEMENT CASE STUDIES FOR ENGINEERING ECONOMY CLASSES

ABSTRACT Case studies have long been used to supplement material in engineering economy courses. To develop these studies is difficult in that the amount of information provided to the student may either trivialize the project or complicate it beyond reason. However, with the wealth of information on the Worldwide Web, this task has become easier. A case study involving the replacement of automobiles is presented and classroom experiences are shared.
The efficacy of cough plates in the identification of bacterial pathogens in children with cystic fibrosis

Background Identification of bacterial pathogens is paramount for prompt and effective treatment of respiratory exacerbations in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). This can be a challenge in non-expectorating patients as reliability of cough swabs (CS) is poor. More recently, cough plates (CP) have been reported to give high yields in some series. The aim of the study was to ascertain their effectiveness compared to CS and to assess the impact of cough strength on efficacy of CP. Method Non-expectorating children with CF aged 3–16 years were recruited. Baseline data was recorded and peak cough flow measured. Specimens were obtained with CP and a cough swab in a randomised order and repeated at up to four clinic visits to obtain multiple measurements. Subjects completed a short questionnaire. Results Number of subjects was 95, mean age 8.8±4.1 years, 45 males. Mean baseline % predicted FEV 1 was 90.8±18. In total, 324 sets of specimens were collected. Pathogens were isolated in 18.2% of CS and 8% of CP. Agreement between the two specimens occurred in only 5.5% of cases. CP isolated pathogens on six occasions when the CS was negative while 40 CS were positive with a corresponding negative CP. Cough strength increased with age, and there was a trend towards older children isolating more pathogens on CP. However, this was not statistically significant. The majority of subjects preferred the CP. Conclusions CP are less effective than CS in identifying respiratory pathogens in children with CF.
A New Approach to Predicting Fatigue Crack Propagation

A new approach was developed for the prediction of fatigue crack growth. Based upon the elastic-plastic stress analysis of a crack component and the application of a general multiaxial fatigue criterion, fatigue crack propagation was modeled by using the cyclic plasticity material properties and fatigue constants obtained for crack initiation. The cyclic elastic-plastic stress-strain field near the crack tip was analyzed using the finite element method with the implementation of a robust cyclic plasticity theory. A multiaxial fatigue criterion was employed to determine the fatigue damage. With an incremental form, the multiaxial fatigue criterion can be directly used for assessing fatigue damage near the crack tip. A straightforward method was developed to determine the fatigue crack growth rate. Crack propagation behavior of a material was obtained without any additional assumptions or fitting. Benchmark Mode I fatigue crack growth experiments were conducted using 1070 steel at room temperature. The approach was able to quantitatively capture all the important fatigue crack propagation behaviors including the overload and the R-ratio effects on crack propagation and threshold. The models provide a new perspective for the R-ratio effects. The success of the approach confirms that the fatigue crack initiation and propagation behaviors are governed by the same fatigue damage mechanisms. Crack growth can be treated as a process of continuous crack nucleation. In addition, the sensitivity of the predicted fatigue growth rate to the element size in the finite element model was discussed.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Momentum of Light in a Dielectric Medium

We review different expressions that have been proposed for the stress tensor and for the linear momentum of light in dielectric media, focusing on the Abraham and Minkowski forms. Analyses of simple models and consideration of available experimental results support the interpretation of the Abraham momentum as the kinetic momentum of the field, while the Minkowski momentum is the recoil momentum of absorbing or emitting guest atoms in a host dielectric. Momentum conservation requires consideration not only of the momentum of the field and of recoiling guest atoms, but also of the momentum the field imparts to the medium. Different model assumptions with respect to electrostriction and the dipole force lead to different expressions for this momentum. We summarize recent work on the definition of the canonical momentum for the field in a dielectric medium.
Ethical Challenges of Global Media

Ward, S. J. A. (2013). Global media ethics: Problems and perspectives. Chichester, England: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 326 pp., $44.95 (Pbk), $29.99 (e-book). Globalization continues to functi...
Can Fisheries Agencies Learn from Experience

Abstract The essential steps in learning from experience are documentation of decisions, evaluation of results, and organizational response to the evaluation. Learning is slow in fisheries management because of the difficulty of replication and control and, to a lesser extent, the variability of natural systems. Thus, it may take a long time to determine which kinds of management actions are best, and we stand a significant chance of making false conclusions about the efficacy of specific actions. Even when decisions are documented and evaluated, fisheries agencies have few mechanisms of institutional memory to retain the lessons learned. Agencies need to develop a systematic plan for learning, including listing of identified uncertainties, methods for resolving the uncertainty, how to evaluate existing actions, and mechanisms for retaining the lessons learned in the institutional memory.
The IMPROVE-1 Storm of 1 2 February 2001. Part I: Development of a Forward-Tilted Cold Front and a Warm Occlusion

Abstract Analysis of observations and the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU–NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5) are used to study the development of a forward-tilted cold front off the coast of Washington State. The vertical velocity associated with the cold front produced a wide cold-frontal rainband. In the early stage of development the midtropospheric baroclinic zone (or upper cold front) moved forward with time over the warm sector to produce a structure similar to a split front. The movement of the upper cold front was due to horizontal transport and frontogenetical propagation. The frontogenetical propagation was produced by a combination of tilting and diabatic frontogenesis, which resulted in a negative/positive couplet of frontogenesis straddling the baroclinic zone. The lower-tropospheric cold front eventually caught up with the warm front to form a classical warm occlusion. In the initial occluding process the converging frontal zones tilted i...
Managing Malicious Insider Risk through BANDIT

The transition from system-to information-based security has continued steadily over the last 30 years. Correspondingly, it is increasingly not the computer that is at risk, but the information in it. The human operator is ultimately the cornerstone of information security, an integral part of the information infrastructure. We are therefore forced to use techniques and methods that help us understand the role of human actors in the information infrastructure, so that we may make meaningful progress in mitigating insider threat. Malicious versus benign human behavior cannot easily be categorized based on a signature such as conventional virus and intrusion detection approaches. Because the cost of a false positive is high, we must be careful in our classification and subsequent actions. This article outlines our BANDIT (Behavioral Anomaly Detection for Insider Threat) system, using the traditional notion of Motive, Means, and Opportunity, combined with comprehensive behavioral analysis techniques to place each individual on a sliding scale of 'insider risk'. Finally, an insider threat detection cost-benefit analysis, based on classical risk assessment techniques, is presented to quantify how effective the technology has to be for beneficial deployment in a given enterprise.
Triazole-based inhibitors of geranylgeranyltransferase II

A small set of triazole bisphosphonates has been prepared and tested for the ability to inhibit geranylgeranyltransferase II (GGTase II). The compounds were prepared through use of click chemistry to assemble a central triazole that links a polar head group to a hydrophobic tail. The resulting compounds were tested for their ability to inhibit GGTase II in an in vitro enzyme assay and also were tested for cytotoxic activity in an MTT assay with the human myeloma RPMI-8226 cell line. The most potent enzyme inhibitor was the triazole with a geranylgeranyl tail, which suggests that inhibitors that can access the enzyme region that holds the isoprenoid tail will display greater activity.
Defining Bilingualism: Factors Contributing to Variability in Language and Literacy Development of Spanish-English Bilingual Children

Abstract Given the increasing number of children from homes in which a language other than English is the primary language, it is important for speech-language pathologists to understand how bilingualism is defined and the implications of different defining factors for language development and later literacy outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors contributing to the differences observed across bilingual language and literacy development. Previous research suggests there are differences in the language and literacy development of bilingual children due to differing ages of exposure to each language and the context in which each language is then used. Implications for assessment and interventions are discussed.
Mathematically Significant: A Review of Awards in Mathematics with Emphasis on the Fields Medal

There are several major international awards in the field of mathematics. Arguably the most prestigious of these is the Fields Medal, which has been awarded to fifty-one mathematicians since 1936. This article will examine aspects of the Fields Medal winners such as age, nationality, affiliated institution upon award, area of work, and the impact of their publications in the mathematics literature. MathSciNet author profiles were examined to collect both publication and citation data for this study. Several other awards in mathematics, including the Wolf Prize, Abel Prize, and Kyoto Prize, are also discussed.
DNA Bending Is a Determinant of Calicheamicin Target Recognition

Calicheamicin is a hydrophobic enediyne antibiotic that binds noncovalently to DNA and causes sequence-selective oxidation of deoxyribose. While the drug makes several base contacts along the minor groove, the diversity of binding-site sequences and the effects of DNA conformation on calicheamicin-induced DNA cleavage suggest that sequence recognition per se is not the primary determinant of target selection. We now present evidence that calicheamicin bends its DNA targets. Using a gel mobility assay, we observed that polymers of oligonucleotide constructs containing AGGA and ACAA binding sites for calicheamicin did not possess intrinsic curvature. Binding of calicheamicin e, the aromatized form of the parent calicheamicin γ1I, to oligonucleotide constructs containing binding sites in phase with the helical repeat caused a shift to smaller circle sizes in T4 ligase-mediated circle formation assays, with a much smaller shift observed with constructs containing out-of-phase binding sites. It was also observ...
THE STRUCTURE OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC ANTIGENS.

Presented at the Joint Discussion on the Structure of Natural and Synthetic Antigens at the Second International Congress for Microbiology in London on July 27, 1936. In the article, Heidelberger summarized recent findings concerning the chemical nature of both natural and synthetic antigens as well as their correlating (homologous) antibodies.
Inactivation of heterotrophic bacterial populations in finished drinking water by chlorine and chloramines

Abstract The die-off of heterotrophic bacteria from a finished drinking water reservoir, located in southern California, was evaluated using chloramines and free chlorine. Understanding the inactivation of hetertrophic populations is valuable because it reflects the response to disinfection of naturally occurring organisms in their native state and environments. Disinfection studies with the heterotrophic bacterial group were performed during summer and winter months using different chloramine application techniques at pH 6 and 8. In addition, bacteria surviving exposure to chloramines and free chlorine was influenced predominantly by the presence of highly chlorine tolerant, red-pigmented bacteria, identified as Flavobacterium spp. Inactivation by chloramines, though, was chiefly dependent upon the method of application and pH. Viable bacteria recovered from the indigenous population after 60 min of exposure to chloramines (1.0 mg l −1 , pH 8) included members of Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Flavobacterium . In general, with contact times of 1 h or more, free chlorine and chloramine solutions (1.0–1.6 mg l −1 , pH 8) reduced total count levels below 50 colony forming units ml −1 .
Bulk modulus of osmium, 4–300 K

Abstract We determined osmium’s 0–300 K monocrystal and polycrystal bulk modulus using two ultrasonic methods: resonant ultrasound spectroscopy and a novel pulse-echo method. All other recent bulk modulus measurements on osmium have used high-pressure X-ray diffraction, a method with known lower accuracy than ultrasonic methods. Our study was motivated by current theoretical and measurement disputes over osmium’s bulk modulus and whether it exceeds that of diamond. At all temperatures, we found osmium’s bulk modulus to be much lower (by 7–8%) than diamond’s. The room-temperature bulk modulus for osmium is 405 GPa; extrapolation to 0 K gives 410 GPa. Osmium’s 0–300 K bulk modulus change is unusually small: about 1%. Temperature behavior is smooth, fitting closely to an Einstein-oscillator model.
Far-infrared spectroscopic observation of two-magnon excitation in the singlet ground state one-dimensional ferromagnet RbFeCl3

Abstract A far-infrared spectroscopic study of RbFeCl3 has been carried out over the frequency region of 5 to 130 cm-1 and in applied fields up to 100 kOe. In addition to locating the lowest-lying crystal field levels of Fe2+, magnetic side-bands were observed on normally infrared-active phonons.
Treatment of smoking cessation in smokers with past alcohol/drug problems

A review of existing scientific studies suggests (1) smoking is very common among alcoholics, (2) many recovering alcoholics die from smoking-related diseases, (3) recovering alcoholics are interested in smoking cessation, (4) recovering alcoholics can stop smoking, (5) smoking cessation does not appear to increase relapse to alcohol, and (6) possible treatments for smoking cessation among alcoholics have not been empirically tested. In a prior study of ours on nicotine gum, the 38 subjects (12% of the sample) who self-reported a past but not present history of alcohol/drug problems appeared more dependent on nicotine, were less likely to stop smoking (1 year quit rates = 7 vs. 19%) but appeared to benefit more from nicotine replacement therapy (+10 vs. +1% increase in 1 year quit rates with nicotine vs. placebo gum) than subjects without this history. Although these results are preliminary, they suggest recovering alcoholics might benefit from nicotine replacement therapy.
Spot Friction Weld Strength Improvement Through In-Process Metal Matrix Formation

The effects of metal matrix composite (MMC) on the joint strength of Spot Friction Welded (SFW) specimens made of Al 1100 and Al 6111 alloys are studied. The MMC-SFW joints were created by sandwiching metal reinforcing powder (<75μm mesh) between the upper (1.3mm thick) and lower (1.5mm thick) Al coupons, at the center of the SFW joint. To maximize the heat input into the specimen, a Zirconium (ZrO2 ) ceramic anvil was used. Depth of penetration of the tool played an important role in determining the distribution of the reinforcing material within the MMC during plastic mixing in the SFW joint, and hence its influence on the joint strength. At a lower depth of penetration, 2.1 mm, the results showed that the MMC-SFW reinforced with Ancorsteel 1000, copper or Al12Si powders did not increase the joint strength since they did not spread uniformly in the stir zone. However, at a higher depth of penetration, 2.5 mm, the MMC-SFW joint reinforced with Ancorsteel 1000, copper, or Al12Si did increase the joint strength compared to that of the base SFW specimens. Using steel powder as the reinforcement material, the MMC showed the maximum increase in the lap shear joint strength. For example, at 2.5 mm depth of penetration, the SFW joint strength increased by 19% and 24% compared to that of the base SFW specimen made of Al 1100 and Al 6111 alloys respectively.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
International dollar liquidity and the Eurodollar market

Transactions of Eurodollar banks affect international dollar liquidity (and the US payments balance) exactly as would identical transactions of US banks. Eurodollar banks are, however, usually more likely to grant credits to foreigners than US banks, and thus to raise foreign gross (thought not net) dollar liquidity. In times of international dollar glut, an expansion of the Eurodollar market (e.g., through shifts of deposits from US to Eurodollar banks or through US banks repaying Eurodollar borrowings) thus tends to aggravate unwanted dollar flows to foreign central banks and the US ‘reserve transactions’ (though not the ‘net liquidity’) payments deficit.
Collective surface diffusion measurements

Abstract The analysis of surface diffusion is more complicated in systems at finite coverage because different atomistic processes, depending on the local environment of an atom should be taken into account. The analysis is simplified under strongly non-equilibrium conditions if one of the processes becomes the dominant one. Different experiments will be reviewed which measure different atomistic processes depending on how far the system is from equilibrium.
Motor Areas of the Medial Wall: A Review of Their Location and Functional Activation

Our goal in this review is to provide an anatomical framework for the analysis of the motor functions of the medial wall of the hemisphere in humans and laboratory primates. Converging evidence indicates that this region of the frontal lobe contains multiple areas involved in motor control. In the monkey, the medial wall contains four premotor areas that project directly to both the primary motor cortex and the spinal cord. These are the supplementary motor area (SMA) on the superior frontal gyrus and three motor areas buried within the cingulate sulcus. In addition, there is evidence that a fifth motor field, the pre-SMA, lies rostral to the SMA proper. Recent physiological observations provide evidence for functional differences among these motor fields. In the human, no consensus exists on the number of distinct motor fields on the medial wall. In this review, we summarize the results of positron emission tomography (PET) studies that examined functional activation on the medial wall of humans. Our analysis suggests that it is possible to identify at least four separate cortical areas on the medial wall. Each area appears to be relatively more involved in some aspects of motor behavior than others. These cortical areas in the human appear to be analogous to the pre-SMA, the SMA proper, and two of the cingulate motor areas of the monkey. We believe that these correspondences and the anatomical framework we describe will be important for unraveling the motor functions of the medial wall of the hemisphere.
The role of uncoupling protein 3 in human physiology

Obesity is simply understood as an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure in favor of weight accretion. However, the human biological interface between food consumption and energy dissipation results in broad individual differences in eating behavior, physical activity, and efficiency of fuel storage and metabolism. In particular, the basal metabolic rate, which accounts for the greatest portion of overall energy expenditure, can vary almost twofold among individuals. Classically, three major biochemical systems are believed to contribute to basal thermogenesis: futile cycles, Na+/K+ATPase activity, and mitochondrial proton leak. The latter is the most important quantitative contributor and can explain up to 50% of the basal metabolic rate (1). The molecular basis of mitochondrial proton leak is unclear, despite its importance in the understanding of energy balance and its potential as a therapeutic target for obesity treatment. The article by Hesselink and colleagues in this issue of the JCI (2) addresses whether uncoupling protein 3 contributes to mitochondrial proton leak in human skeletal muscle.
Internal globus pallidus discharge is nearly suppressed during levodopa‐induced dyskinesias

The functional status of the globus pallidus internal segment (GPi) plays a key role in mediating the effects of antiparkinsonian drugs. During long-term levodopa therapy, patients develop abnormal movements, dyskinesias, the pathophysiological basis of which is poorly understood. We recorded single cells in the GPi of parkinsonian monkeys continuously through the "off" and "on" states, and 10 to 15 minutes later during "on with or without dyskinesias," depending on two doses of levodopa. The transition from the "off" to the "on" state was characterized by a decrease (most cells), no change, or an increase in firing rate of individual cells. During dyskinesias, firing rates declined profoundly in almost all cells, with decrements as low as 97% in individual cells. These changes occurred only when dyskinesias were present. The difference in GPi activity between "on" and "on with dyskinesias" suggests that normal motor function in Parkinson's disease critically depends on fine tuning of the basal ganglia output. Dyskinesias result from an imbalanced low GPi discharge, a circumstance that may be susceptible to development of new therapeutic approaches.
Serrated Neoplasia of the Colon: What Do We Really Know?

Colonoscopy offers incomplete protection from colorectal cancer, particularly in the right colon. Part of this inadequacy may be related to serrated neoplasia. Serrated polyps of the colorectum are now understood to be a heterogeneous group of polyps, some of which are cancer precursors, such as the sessile serrated adenoma (SSA) and the traditional serrated adenoma (TSA). In contrast to conventional adenomas, there is limited published literature on the epidemiology and natural history of these lesions. Furthermore, existing guidelines regarding screening and surveillance practices for these polyps are based largely on expert opinion without firm evidence. In this review, we describe the current understanding of the molecular biology, histopathology, and endoscopic features of serrated neoplasia of the colorectum, with an emphasis on aspects relevant to the practicing gastroenterologist.
A methodology for validation of microprocessors using equivalence checking

As embedded systems continue to face increasingly higher performance requirements, deeply pipelined processor architectures are being employed to meet desired system performance. Validation of such processor architectures is one of the most complex and expensive tasks in the current systems-on-chip design process. A significant bottleneck in the validation of such systems is the lack of a golden reference model. We present an architecture description language (ADL) driven methodology for generating golden reference model. We use EXPRESSION ADL to capture the structure and behavior of the processor. The synthesizable register transfer language (RTL) description of the architecture is generated from the ADL specification. The generated RTL description is used as a golden reference model for verifying the correctness of the implementation using equivalence checking. We applied our methodology on a RISC DLX architecture to demonstrate the usefulness of our approach.
Determinants of valve gating in collecting lymphatic vessels from rat mesentery

Secondary lymphatic valves are essential for minimizing backflow of lymph and are presumed to gate passively according to the instantaneous trans-valve pressure gradient. We hypothesized that valve gating is also modulated by vessel distention, which could alter leaflet stiffness and coaptation. To test this hypothesis, we devised protocols to measure the small pressure gradients required to open or close lymphatic valves and determine if the gradients varied as a function of vessel diameter. Lymphatic vessels were isolated from rat mesentery, cannulated, and pressurized using a servo-control system. Detection of valve leaflet position simultaneously with diameter and intraluminal pressure changes in two-valve segments revealed the detailed temporal relationships between these parameters during the lymphatic contraction cycle. The timing of valve movements was similar to that of cardiac valves, but only when lymphatic vessel afterload was elevated. The pressure gradients required to open or close a valve were determined in one-valve segments during slow, ramp-wise pressure elevation, either from the input or output side of the valve. Tests were conducted over a wide range of baseline pressures (and thus diameters) in passive vessels as well as in vessels with two levels of imposed tone. Surprisingly, the pressure gradient required for valve closure varied >20-fold (0.1-2.2 cmH(2)O) as a passive vessel progressively distended. Similarly, the pressure gradient required for valve opening varied sixfold with vessel distention. Finally, our functional evidence supports the concept that lymphatic muscle tone exerts an indirect effect on valve gating.
Structural limitations for optimizing garnet-type solid electrolytes: a perspective

Lithium ion batteries exhibit the highest energy densities of all battery types and are therefore an important technology for energy storage in every day life. Today's commercially available batteries employ organic polymer lithium conducting electrolytes, leading to multiple challenges and safety issues such as poor chemical stability, leakage and flammability. The next generation lithium ion batteries, namely all solid-state batteries, can overcome these limitations through employing a ceramic Li+ conducting electrolyte. In the past decade, there has been a major focus on the structural and ionic transport properties of lithium-conducting garnets, and the extensive research efforts have led to a thorough understanding of the structure–property relationships in this class of materials. However, further improvement seems difficult due to structural limitations. The purpose of this Perspective article is to provide a brief structural overview of Li conducting garnets and the structural influence on the optimization of Li-ionic conductivities.
Document clustering with universum

Document clustering is a popular research topic, which aims to partition documents into groups of similar objects (i.e., clusters), and has been widely used in many applications such as automatic topic extraction, document organization and filtering. As a recently proposed concept, Universum is a collection of "non-examples" that do not belong to any concept/cluster of interest. This paper proposes a novel document clustering technique -- Document Clustering with Universum, which utilizes the Universum examples to improve the clustering performance. The intuition is that the Universum examples can serve as supervised information and help improve the performance of clustering, since they are known not belonging to any meaningful concepts/clusters in the target domain. In particular, a maximum margin clustering method is proposed to model both target examples and Universum examples for clustering. An extensive set of experiments is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
Met Proto-Oncogene and Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 Overexpression Correlates with Metastatic Ability in Well-Differentiated Pancreatic Endocrine Neoplasms

Pancreatic endocrine neoplasms are neoplastic proliferations of islet cells or islet cell precursors and are capable of secreting a variety of synthetic products, including insulin, glucagon, gastrin, and vasoactive intestinal peptide. The biological behavior of pancreatic endocrine neoplasms is often unpredictable, and there are few reliable histopathologic criteria reliably correlating with metastatic ability. We have used the Affymetrix U133 GeneChip set (HG_U133 A and B; Affymetrix; Santa Clara, CA) representing ∼33,000 characterized transcripts to examine global gene expression profiles from well-differentiated nonmetastatic ( n = 5) and metastatic ( n = 7) pancreatic endocrine neoplasms to determine molecular markers that predict disease progression. Microarray hybridization data were normalized using the GeneLogic GeneExpress Software System to identify differentially up- and down-regulated genes in metastatic versus nonmetastatic pancreatic endocrine neoplasms. Using a 3-fold change in gene expression as a threshold, we have identified 65 overexpressed and 57 underexpressed genes in metastatic pancreatic endocrine neoplasms as compared with nonmetastatic pancreatic endocrine neoplasms. Several classes of genes, including growth factors and growth factor-related molecules ( IGFBP1 , IGFBP3 , and MET ), developmental factors ( TBX3 and MEIS2 ), cytoskeletal factors (β 1 tubulin and ACTN2 ), cholesterol homeostasis mediators ( LRP5 , SLC27A2 , and RXRG ), intracellular signaling pathway mediators ( DYRK1A , PKIB , and AK2 ), methyltransferases ( MGMT and GAMT ), and DNA repair and regulatory molecules ( CHEK1 and ZNF198 ), were identified as differentially over- or underexpressed via this method. Immunohistochemical validation of microarray data were performed for two overexpressed genes, namely, the met proto-oncogene ( MET ) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 ( IGFBP3 ) with tissue microarrays of nonmetastatic ( n = 24) and metastatic ( n = 15) pancreatic endocrine neoplasms. Increased expression of IGFBP3 was confirmed in metastatic versus nonmetastatic pancreatic endocrine neoplasms (12 of 15, 80% versus 10 of 24, 42%), as well as in lymph node (6 of 7, 86%) and liver (9 of 9, 100%) metastases. Similarly, overexpression of MET was confirmed in metastatic versus nonmetastatic pancreatic endocrine neoplasms (5 of 15, 33% versus 4 of 24, 17%), as well as in lymph node metastases (4 of 7, 57%) and liver metastases (5 of 9, 56%). The majority of genes that demonstrated altered expression has not been previously identified as differentially expressed in metastatic pancreatic endocrine neoplasm lesions and may therefore represent newly identified molecules in the progression of these lesions.
Distinguishing the Race-Specific Effects of Income Inequality and Mortality in U.S. Metropolitan Areas

In the United States, the association between income inequality and mortality has been fairly consistent. However, few studies have explicitly examined the impact of race. Studies that have either stratified outcomes by race or conducted analyses within race-specific groups suggest that the income inequality/mortality relation may differ for blacks and whites. The factors explaining the association may also differ for the two groups. Multivariate ordinary least squares regression analysis was used to examine associations between study variables. We used three measures of income inequality to examine the association between income inequality and age-adjusted all-cause mortality among blacks and whites separately. We also examined the role of racial residential segregation and concentrated poverty in explaining associations among groups. Metropolitan areas were included if they had a population of at least 100,000 and were at least 10 percent black. There was a positive income inequality/mortality association among blacks and an inverse association among whites. Racial residential segregation completely attenuated the income inequality/mortality relationship for blacks, but was not significant among whites. Concentrated poverty was a significant predictor of mortality rates in both groups but did not confound associations. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.