cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting Activation Enthalpies of Cytochrome-P450-Mediated Hydrogen Abstractions. 2. Comparison of Semiempirical PM3, SAM1, and AM1 with a Density Functional Theory Method

Predicting the biotransformation of xenobiotics is important in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in toxicology. Here, we extend and evaluate the rapid methodology of Korzekwa, Jones, and Gillette (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1990, 112, 7042-7046 ) to estimate the activation enthalpy (DeltaH) of hydrogen-abstraction by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, using the p-nitrosophenoxy radical (PNPO) as a simple surrogate for the CYP active oxygen species. The DeltaH is estimated with a linear regression model using the reaction enthalpy and ionization energy (of the substrate radical) as predictor variables, calculated by semiempirical (SE) methods. While Korzekwa et al. used the SE method AM1, we applied PM3 and SAM1 and compared the results of the three methods. For 24 substrates, the AM1-, PM3-, and SAM1-derived regression models showed R(2) values of 0.89, 0.90, and 0.93, respectively, for the correlation between calculated and predicted DeltaH. Furthermore, we compared the DeltaH() calculated semiempirically using PNPO radical with density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP activation energies calculated by Olsen et al. (J. Med. Chem. 2006, 49, 6489-6499 ) using a more realistic iron-oxo-porphine model, and the results revealed limitations of the PNPO radical model. Thus, predictive models developed using SE predictors provide rapid and generally internally consistent results, but they should be interpreted and used cautiously.
Aging, Chromatin, and Food Restriction--Connecting the Dots

Model organisms such as yeast have proved exceptionally valuable for revealing new information about the molecular pathways involved in the aging of cells. In her Perspective, [Campisi][1] comments on new work showing that caloric restriction increases longevity in yeast by activating the SIR2 gene, which alters the compactness of chromatin and thus regulates gene expression ([ Lin et al .][2]). [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/289/5487/2062 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/289/5487/2126
Effect of Weight Loss on Short-Term Outcomes and Costs of Care After Head and Neck Cancer Surgery

Objectives:Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) frequently present with weight loss secondary to dysphagia and malnutrition. We sought to determine the relationship between weight loss and in-hospital mortality, complications, length of hospitalization, and costs in HNC surgery.Methods:We analyzed discharge data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 93,663 patients who underwent an ablative procedure for malignant oral cavity, laryngeal, hypopharyngeal, or oropharyngeal neoplasms between 2003 and 2008.Results:Weight loss was significantly associated with dysphagia (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 3.0; p < 0.001), alcohol abuse (RRR = 2.0; p < 0.001), advanced comorbidity (RRR = 1.8; p < 0.001), Medicaid payor status (RRR = 1.6; p = 0.002), urgent or emergent admission (RRR = 1.7; p = 0.015), and major surgical procedures (RRR = 2.3; p < 0.001). Patients with weight loss had increased risks of acute cardiac events, pneumonia, renal failure, sepsis, pulmonary failure (RRR = 2.6; p < 0.001), and postopera...
Multiple Comparisons Using Rank Sums

This paper considers the use of rank sums from a combined ranking of k independent samples in order to decide which populations differ. Such a procedure is suggested as a convenient alternative to making separate rankings for each pair of samples, and the two methods are compared. Asymptotic use of the normal tables is given and the treatment of ties is discussed. A numerical example is given.
Prostate cancer: How can we improve the health of men who receive ADT?

Clinical research in recent years has produced a deepening appreciation of the metabolic consequences of androgen deprivation therapy. On the basis of this knowledge, proactive management of risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular events is appropriate in men who receive this treatment for prostate cancer.
Equivalent Circuits for the Hunting of Electrical Machinery

A general method is given to establish equivalent circuits for the determination of the hunting characteristics? such as damping and synchronizing torques?of standard types of electrical machines. The method is illustrated by setting up steady-state and hunting equivalent circuits for the salient-pole synchronous machine having amortisseur windings and for the doubly fed single-phase Selsyn with unbalanced windings, special cases of which are the capacitor motor and doubly fed polyphase motor. A companion paper, ``The Doubly Fed Machine,'' contains a detailed study of the characteristics of one of the equivalent circuits as measured on the a-c network analyzer.
Development of an iPhone application for sideline concussion testing

Professional athletes are taking concussion very seriously, and missed play due to concussion is no longer stigmatized. One fortuitous consequence is increased awareness of the detrimental effects of concussion among student athletes. Whereas professional athletes have access to formal in-competition evaluation and out-of-competition monitoring programs, the majority of student athletes, especially at the middle school and high school levels, do not. The authors therefore set out to create an easy-to-use iPhone application for sideline concussion testing and serial monitoring of these at-risk athletes.
Evidence-based practices with ethnic minorities: strange bedfellows no more.

Multiculturalism and evidence-based practice (EBP) in psychotherapy hailed from disparate sources and rarely interacted. These strange bedfellows have become fast friends in recent years as they recognize their crucial interdependence: multiculturalism without strong research risks becoming an empty political value and EBP without cultural sensitivity risks irrelevancy. In this article, the authors reviewed various incarnations and recent manifestations of their overdue intersection, including several conferences, federal initiatives, and organizational accomplishments. They introduced the subsequent 6 articles in this special issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session, which described and illustrated cultural-sensitive evidence-based practices. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol: In Session 66:1–9, 2010.
Utility of Six-Minute Walk Distance in Predicting Outcomes after Lung Transplant: A Nationwide Survival Analysis

Purpose Currently the Lung Allocation Score (LAS) dichotomizes 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) at 150 ft. We hypothesized that increasing 6MWD considered as a continuous variable would be associated with improved survival after lung transplant. Methods and Materials Adult, first time, lung-only transplantations per the United Network for Organ Sharing database from 04/2005-12/2011 were analyzed. Generalized linear models were used to determine the association between preoperative 6MWD and post-transplant survival after adjusting for potential confounders. Results 9,013 patients were included for analysis. The median 6MWD was 810 feet (25th-75th percentiles=520-1100 feet). Increasing 6MWD quartile was associated with significantly improved survival. [figure 1] As a continuous variable, increasing 6MWD was associated with significantly lower mortality at 90-days [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) per 500 feet 0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83-0.98, p=0.02], 1-year (AOR 0.89, CI 0.83-0.95, p Conclusions 6MWD as a continuous variable is significantly associated with post-transplant survival. Strategies to improve patient functional status preoperatively, including aggressive rehabilitation efforts, could therefore impact post-transplant survival. Future iterations of the LAS should consider the full range of 6MWD values in order to provide maximum prognostic information regarding post-transplant survival.
Inter‐Firm Linkages and Profitability in the Automobile Industry: The Implications for Supply Chain Management

SUMMARY The current studies on supply chain management are limited in their analysis of the linkages between firms in related industries. This study estimates the degree of linkages between automotive parts suppliers and automobile manufacturers. Significant linkages are demonstrated by the high correlation coefficients of the P/E ratio of auto parts suppliers and auto manufacturers and by the results of regression analysis. Demand uncertainty in the automobile manufacturing industry, resulting from business cycles and unexpected labor disputes, is one of the major risks facing auto parts suppliers. Risk assessment, utilizing information on linkages, is important for demand management and developing profit-maximizing strategies.
Organic reactions at high pressure. Michael addition of activated acyclic donors with β,⨿-disubstituted enone acceptors.

Abstract High pressure, 15 kbar (1.5 GPa), Michael additions of doubly activated acyclic donors to sterically hindered enone acceptors with 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-ene in acetonitrile affords Michael adducts in 42–82% yield.
Phase I studies of treatment of malignant gliomas and neoplastic meningitis with131I-radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies anti-tenascin 81C6 and anti-chondroitin proteoglycan sulfate Me1-14 F (ab′)2-a preliminary report

The advent of monoclonal antibody (MAb) technology has made Ehrlich's postulate of the ‘magic bullet’ an attainable goal. Although specific localization of polyvalent antibodies to human gliomas was demonstrated in the 1960s, the lack of specific, high affinity antibody populations and of defined target antigens of sufficient density precluded therapeutic applications. Not until the identification of operationally specific tumor-associated antigens (present in tumor tissue but not normal central nervous system tissue); production of homogeneous, high affinity MAbs to such antigens; and the use of compartmental administration (intrathecal or intracystic), has the promise of passive immunotherapy of primary and metastatic central nervous system neoplasms been recognized. We report here preliminary data from Phase I studies of the compartmental administration of the anti-tenascin MAb 81C6 and F(ab2)2 fragments of MAb Mel-14, which recognizes the proteoglycan chondroitin sulfate-associated protein of gliomas and melanomas, to patients with primary central nervous system tumors or tumors metastatic to the central nervous system. Phase I dose escalation studies of intracystically administered131I-labeled anti-tenascin MAb 81C6 to either spontaneous cysts of recurrent gliomas or surgically created cystic resection cavities have resulted in striking responses. Of five patients with recurrent cystic gliomas treated, four had partial responses, clinically or radiographically. Similarly, in patients with surgically created resection cavities, a partial response at the treatment site and extended stable disease status has been obtained following intracystic administration of131I-labeled 81C6. No evidence of hematologie or neurologic toxicity has been observed in either patient population, with the exception of transient exacerbation of a pre-existing seizure disorder in a single patient. Dosimetry calculations indicated high intracystic retention for four to six weeks with little or no systemic dissemination; estimated total doses intracystically ranged from 12,700–70,290 rad.
Standardization of acid hydrolysis procedure for urinary 3-methylhistidine determination by high-performance liquid chromatography

The N-acetylated form of N-methylhistidine (3-methylhistidine, 3-meH), a non-invasive marker of proteolysis, accounts for 80-90% of total 3-meH excretion (acetylated+non-acetylated 3-meH) in the rat. To determine total 3-meH excretion, samples require acid hydrolysis prior to determination by high-performance liquid chromatography. This study evaluated the stability of 3-meH at various times and temperatures of hydrolysis and determined the optimal conditions for hydrolysis of samples. Increasing temperature (120 degrees C) results in significant degradation of 3-meH with no appreciable change in concentration being noted at 80 degrees C. Hydrolysis at 100 degrees C for 1.5 to 4 h or 80 degrees C for 8 to 12 h is recommended for determining total 3-meH concentrations in rat urine.
Spy fiction and terrorism

(1990). Spy fiction and terrorism. Intelligence and National Security: Vol. 5, Spy Fiction, Spy Films and Real Intelligence, pp. 185-203.
“What about the Gray Area?”: College Women's Reflections on the Sex Talk and Abstinence:

This study explores the dominant message of abstinence young women received during the parental sex talk. The data emerged from a larger study investigating the sexual norms of college women associated with female social organizations (sororities and cooperative housing). Guided by script theory and postmodern feminism, data collection used a mixed-method qualitative design resulting in three focus groups and 23 in-depth interviews. Miller and Crabtree's (1999) template and immersion/crystallization (I/C) styles were used for analysis. Results reflect participants' understandings of the meaning of abstinence and the ways these understandings are integrated into their interpersonal sexual scripts through decisions about drawing the line around noncoital sexual activity. Based on the findings, implications for clinicians, parents, educators, and policymakers are discussed.
An unusual charging event on ISEE 1

Electrostatic cleanliness requirements on ISEE 1 were expected to prevent negative charging in sunlight. This has largely been true, but on three occasions, ISEE 1 has been observed to charge to significant negative potentials in sunlight. Data from the two electric field experiments and from the plasma composition experiment on ISEE 1 show that the spacecraft charged to close to -70 V in sunlight at about 0700 UT on March 17, 1978. Data from the electron spectrometer experiment show that there was a potential barrier of some -10 to -20 V about the spacecraft during this event. The potential barrier was effective in turning back emitted photoelectrons to the spacecraft. Potential barriers can be formed by differential charging on the spacecraft or by the presence of excess space charge in the plasma. The shape of the barrier suggests that it is due to the former, even though electrostatic cleanliness specifications imposed on ISEE were intended to eliminate differential charging. Modeling of this event showed that the barrier could not be produced by the presence of space charge but that it was most likely produced by differential charging of the solar arrays.
Snap-buckling of nonlinearly-elastic finite element bars

Abstract In this study, the material nonlinearities are added to the classical elastica problem of large deflections of buckled bars. This class of problems is treated by the finite-element matrix displacement method. The formulations developed are appropriate for a midpoint-tangent incremental procedure and coordinate transformation. The material nonlinearity is incorporated in the stiffness matrix explicitly for any nonlinearly-elastic material if its stress-strain or moment-curvature relation is known. An example of the postbuckling of a nonlinearly-elastic cantilever bar is illustrated with results in agreement with an alternative numerical solution obtained by Oden and Childs [1]. The example is further illustrated with the inclusion of various initial deflections to the bar.
Consumer Prices, the Consumer Price Index, and the Cost of Living

After presenting major findings and recommendations, the CPI Commission reiterates the estimate of a 1.1 percentage point per annum upward bias. It rejects the contention that the BLS already makes substantial corrections for quality change; that quality improvements and new products accrue only to the rich; and that procedures to make more extensive quality adjustments, valuations of new products, and adjustments for commodity and outlet substitution are impractical. The bias in the CPI can be sharply reduced, as the authors detail in this paper. Coauthors are Ellen R. Dulberger, Robert J. Gordon, Zvi Griliches, and Dale W. Jorgenson.
Sculpting the blank slate: how fibrin's support of vascularization can inspire biomaterial design.

Abstract Fibrin is the primary extracellular constituent of blood clots, and plays an important role as a provisional matrix during wound healing and tissue remodeling. Fibrin-based biomaterials have proven their utility as hemostatic therapies, scaffolds for tissue engineering, vehicles for controlled release, and platforms for culturing and studying cells in three dimensions. Nevertheless, fibrin presents a complex milieu of signals to embedded cells, many of which are not well understood. Synthetic extracellular matrices (ECMs) provide a blank slate that can ostensibly be populated with specific bioactive cues, including growth factors, growth factor binding motifs, adhesive peptides and peptide crosslinks susceptible to proteases, thereby enabling a degree of customization for specific applications. However, the continued evolution and improvement of synthetic ECMs requires parallel efforts to deconstruct native ECMs and decipher the cues they provide to constituent cells. The objective of this review is to reintroduce fibrin, a protein with a well-characterized structure and biochemistry, and its ability to support angiogenesis specifically. Although fibrin’s structure–function relationships have been studied for decades, opportunities to engineer new and improved synthetic hydrogels can be realized by further exploiting fibrin’s inspiring design.
Dynamic radiography—a technique employing scattered radiation to monitor surface motion

The essential concepts of dynamic radiography are discussed and the apparatus and methods used to monitor surface motion are described. Initial experiments with a model simulating the heart-lung interface are presented to demonstrate the manner in which the physical properties of a dynamic system may be interrogated. A cardiac study with anaesthetised dogs is also presented to demonstrate the applicability of the technique to a biological system. Methods of data accumulation and analysis are described which will be used in further studies of cardiac function and condition.
The Why and How of Species

The biological species concept deals both with the meaning of the sexual species as a harmonious gene pool and with its protection against deleterious outbreeding (effected by isolating mechanisms). According to the Darwin-Muller-Mayr theory isolating mechanisms are acquired by incipient species during alloparty. Isolating mechanisms are not the result of ad hoc selection, but of a change of function of properties acquired during the preceding isolation of the incipient species. The role of behavioral properties (“recognition”) among the isolating mechanisms has long been recognized and described by naturalists but was rejected as basis of a species definition for a number of valid reasons.
Dust production and deposition in Asia and the north Pacific Ocean over the past 12 Myr

The silicate fractions of recent pelagic sediments in the central north Pacific Ocean are dominated by eolian dust derived from central Asia. An 11 Myr sedimentary record at ODP Sites 885/886 at 44.7°N, 168.3°W allows the evaluation of how such dust and its sources have changed in response to late Cenozoic climate and tectonics. The extracted eolian fraction contains variable amounts (>70%) of clay minerals with subordinate quartz and plagioclase. Uniform Nd isotopic compositions (ϵNd=−8.6 to −10.5) and Sm/Nd ratios (0.170–0.192) for most of the 11 Myr record demonstrate a well-mixed provenance in the basins north of the Tibetan Plateau and the Gobi Desert that was a source of dust long before the oldest preserved Asian loess formed. ϵNd values of up to −6.5 for samples <2.9 Ma indicate ≤35 wt% admixture of a young, Kamchatka-like volcanic arc component. The coherence of Pb and Nd in the erosional cycle allows us to constrain the Pb isotopic composition of Asian loess devoid of anthropogenic contamination to 206Pb/204Pb=18.97±0.06, 207Pb/204Pb=15.67±0.02, 208Pb/204Pb=39.19±0.11. 87Sr/86Sr (0.711–0.721) and Rb/Sr ratios (0.39–1.1) vary with dust mineralogy and provide an age indication of ∼250 Ma. 40Ar/39Ar ages of six dust samples are uniform around 200 Ma and match the K–Ar ages of modern dust deposited on Hawaii. These data reflect the weighted age average of illite formation. Changes from illite≥smectite with significant kaolinite to illite- and chlorite-rich, kaolinite-free assemblages since the late Pliocene document changes in the intensity of chemical weathering in the source region. Such weathering evidently did not disturb the K–Ar systematics, and only induced scatter in the Rb–Sr data. We propose that when smectite forms at the expense of illite, K and Ar are quantitatively lost from what becomes smectite, but are quantitatively retained in adjacent illite layers. 40Ar/39Ar age data, therefore, are insensitive to smectite formation during chemical weathering but date the diagenetic growth of illite, the major K-bearing phase in the dust. Over the past 12 Myr, the dust flux to the north Pacific increased by more than an order of magnitude, documenting a substantial drying of central Asia. This climatic change, however, did not alter the ultimate source of the dust, and neoformational products of chemical weathering always remained subordinate to assemblages reworked by mechanical erosion in dust deposited in eastern Asia and the Pacific Ocean.
Laboratory assessment of oxygenation in methemoglobinemia

Background: This case conference reviews laboratory methods for assessing oxygenation status: arterial blood gases, pulse oximetry, and CO-oximetry. Caveats of these measurements are discussed in the context of two methemoglobinemia cases. Cases: Case 1 is a woman who presented with increased shortness of breath, productive cough, chest pain, nausea, fever, and cyanosis. CO-oximetry indicated a carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) fraction of 24.9%. She was unresponsive to O2 therapy, and no source of carbon monoxide could be noted. Case 2 is a man who presented with syncope, chest tightness, and signs of cyanosis. His arterial blood was dark brown, and CO-oximetry showed a methemoglobin (MetHb) fraction of 23%. Issues: Oxygen saturation (So2) can be measured by three approaches that are often used interchangeably, although the measured systems are quite different. Pulse oximetry is a noninvasive, spectrophotometric method to determine arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2). CO-oximetry is a more complex and reliable method that measures the concentration of hemoglobin derivatives in the blood from which various quantities such as hemoglobin derivative fractions, total hemoglobin, and saturation are calculated. Blood gas instruments calculate the estimated O2 saturation from empirical equations using pH and Po 2 values. In most patients, the results from these methods will be virtually identical, but in cases of increased dyshemoglobin fractions, including methemoglobinemia, it is crucial that the distinctions and limitations of these methods be understood. Conclusions: So2 calculated from pH and Po 2 should be interpreted with caution as the algorithms used assume normal O2 affinity, normal 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentrations, and no dyshemoglobins or hemoglobinopathies. CO-oximeter reports should include the dyshemoglobin fractions in addition to the oxyhemoglobin fraction. In cases of increased MetHb fraction, pulse oximeter values trend toward 85%, underestimating the actual oxygen saturation. Hemoglobin M variants may yield normal MetHb and increased COHb or sulfhemoglobin fractions measured by CO-oximetry.
Childhood asthma clusters and response to therapy in clinical trials.

Background Childhood asthma clusters, or subclasses, have been developed by computational methods without evaluation of clinical utility. Objective To replicate and determine whether childhood asthma clusters previously identified computationally in the Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP) are associated with treatment responses in Childhood Asthma Research and Education (CARE) Network clinical trials. Methods A cluster assignment model was determined by using SARP participant data. A total of 611 participants 6 to 18 years old from 3 CARE trials were assigned to SARP pediatric clusters. Primary and secondary outcomes were analyzed by cluster in each trial. Results CARE participants were assigned to SARP clusters with high accuracy. Baseline characteristics were similar between SARP and CARE children of the same cluster. Treatment response in CARE trials was generally similar across clusters. However, with the caveat of a smaller sample size, children in the early-onset/severe-lung function cluster had best response with fluticasone/salmeterol (64% vs 23% 2.5× fluticasone and 13% fluticasone/montelukast in the Best ADd-on Therapy Giving Effective Responses trial; P = .011) and children in the early-onset/comorbidity cluster had the least clinical efficacy to treatments (eg, −0.076% change in FEV 1 in the Characterizing Response to Leukotriene Receptor Antagonist and Inhaled Corticosteroid trial). Conclusions In this study, we replicated SARP pediatric asthma clusters by using a separate, large clinical trials network. Early-onset/severe-lung function and early-onset/comorbidity clusters were associated with differential and limited response to therapy, respectively. Further prospective study of therapeutic response by cluster could provide new insights into childhood asthma treatment.
Status and issues of HPF compilers

High Performance Fortran (HPF) is an emerging, de facto standard language for machine-independent, data-parallel programs that run on various parallel machines. The ease with which parallel programs can be created by means of simple data placement annotations to Fortran 90 programs is particularly attractive to end-users. The success of the HPF approach, however, depends on the innovation in compiler technology. In order to achieve a reasonable speedup on the target parallel machine, the HPF compiler must be able to parallelize loops, optimize communications, localize arrays, and generate efficient, scalable single-program multiple-data (SPMD) code. We have implemented HPF on the basis of the IBM XL Fortran 90 compiler. This task will present an overview of our compilation strategy and preliminary results obtained on an IBM Scalable POWERparallel System.
Interior blowup in a convection-diffusion equation

This paper addresses the qualitative behavior of a nonlinear convection-diffusion equation on a smooth bounded domain in Rn, in which the strength of the convection grows superlinearly as the density increases. While the initial-boundary value problem is guaranteed to have a local-in-time solution for smooth initial data, it is possible for this solution to be extinguished in finite time. We demonstrate that the way this may occur is through finite-time "blow up," i.e., the unboundedness of the solution in arbitrarily small neighborhoods of one or more points in the closure of the spatial domain. In special circumstances, such as the presence of radial symmetry, the set of blowup points can be identified; these points may be either on the boundary or on the interior of the domain. Furthermore, criteria can be established that guarantee that blowup occurs. In this paper, such criteria are presented, involving the dimension of the space, the growth rate of the nonlinearity, the strength of the imposed conve...
Gravitational radiation-reaction effects in a star-planet system

We consider a star-planet system in which the planet's circular orbit shows a "precession of the nodes" caused by a mass quadrupole moment in the star. We calculate the radiation-reaction effects of the gravitational waves emitted by the system. Besides the well-known gradual fall of the planet towards the star, we find a change in the angle between the equatorial plane of the star and the orbital plane of the planet. For oblate stars the angle decreases to zero; for prolate stars it tends toward π2.
A method using 3-O-methyl-D-glucose and phloretin for the determination of intracellular water space of cells in monolayer culture.

Abstract A technique is described by which the intracellular water space can be determined in cells which are attached to a culture dish. A major advantage of this procedure is that the cells maintain their normal morphology. This technique takes advantage of the transport of the nonmetabolizable hexose, 3- O -methyl- d -glucose, to an intracellular concentration equal to the extracellular concentration, and the inhibition of 3- O -methyl- d -glucose efflux by phloretin. It requires only a determination of the nanomoles of hexose taken up at equilibrium plus a protein or cell number determination.
CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GRIEF, PATHOLOGICAL GRIEF, AND DEPRESSION

Differentiating between grief, pathological grief, and depression is important for health professional because significant differences exist in the treatment of these conditions. This paper describes clinically observable differences between these diagnoses and suggests intervention and counselling strategies appropriate to each. In many instances grief can best be facilitated by a nonjudgmental, warm, and open companion of health professional who does not intrude unnecessarily into the bereaved's need for solitude but who can monitor physical health. Depression and pathological grief, on the other hand, frequently require the skilled intervention of a mental health professional.
Accurate Splicing of HDAC6 Pre-mRNA Requires SON

Pre-mRNA splicing requires proper splice site selection mediated by many factors including snRNPs and serine-arginine rich (SR) splicing factors. Our lab previously reported that the SR-like protein SON maintains organization of pre-mRNA splicing factors in nuclear speckles as well as splicing of many human transcripts including mRNAs coding for the chromatin-modifying enzymes HDAC6, ADA and SETD8. However, the mechanism by which SON maintains accurate splicing is unknown. To build tools for understanding SON-dependent pre-mRNA splicing, we constructed a minigene reporter plasmid driving expression of the genomic sequence spanning exons 26 through 29 of HDAC6. Following SON depletion, we observed altered splicing of HDAC6 reporter transcripts that showed exclusion of exons 27 and 28, reflecting the splicing patterns of endogenous HDAC6 mRNA. Importantly, loss of HDAC6 biological function was also observed, as indicated by truncated HDAC6 protein and corresponding absence of aggresome assembly activities of HDAC6 binding-of-ubiquitin zinc finger (BUZ) domain. We therefore propose that SON-mediated splicing regulation of HDAC6 is essential for supporting protein degradation pathways that prevent human disease.
Liver transplantation in a randomized controlled trial of emergency treatment of acutely bleeding esophageal varices in cirrhosis.

Background Bleeding esophageal varices (BEV) in cirrhosis has been considered an indication for liver transplantation (LT). This issue was examined in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of unselected, consecutive patients with advanced cirrhosis and BEV that compared endoscopic sclerotherapy (EST; n = 106) to emergency direct portacaval shunt (EPCS; n = 105). Methods Diagnostic work-up and treatment were initiated within 8 hours. Patients were evaluated for LT on admission and repeatedly thereafter; 96% underwent over 10 years of regular follow-up. The analysis was supplemented by 1300 unrandomized cirrhotic patients who previously underwent portacaval shunt (PCS) with 100% follow-up. Results In the RCT long-term bleeding control was 100% following EPCS, only 20% following EST. Also, 3-, 5-, 10-, and 15-year survival rates were 75%, 73%, 46%, and 46%, respectively, following EPCS compared with 44%, 21%, 9%, and 9% following EST, respectively (P < .001). Only 13 RCT patients (6%) were ultimately referred for LT mainly because of progressive liver failure; only 7 (3%) were approved for LT and only 4 (2%) underwent LT. The 1- and 5-year LT survival rates were 0.68% and 0, respectively, compared with 81% and 73%, respectively, after EPCS. In the 1300 unrandomized PCS patients, 50 (3.8%) were referred and 19 (1.5%) underwent LT. The 5-year survival rate was 53% compared with 72% for all 1300 patients. Conclusions If bleeding is permanently controlled, as occurred invariably following EPCS, cirrhotic patients with BEV seldom require LT. PCS is effective first-line and long-term treatment. Should LT be required in patients with PCS, although technically more demanding, numerous studies have shown that PCS does not increase mortality or complications. EST is not effective emergency or long-term therapy.
Synthesis and Characterization of Cross‐Linked Poly(p‐phenylene ethynylene)s

Conjugated poly(p-phenylene ethynylene) networks with interesting optoelectronic properties were synthesized by the palladium-catalyzed polycondensation of 2,5-diiodo-4-[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]methoxybenzene, and 1,4-diethynyl-2,5-bis-(octyloxy)benzene, with 1,2,4-tribromobenzene as cross-linker. The cross-linker concentration was varied and materials with different cross-link densities were prepared. The materials were processed into films by simultaneous polymerization and shaping. An alternative approach is to synthesize these cross-linked polymers in the form of spherical particles, which can be processed from dispersions.
An Observational Tool to Assess Work Organizational Factors

In a large 5-year prospective study of work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSDs), conducted by the SHARP Program in Washington State, an observational tool was used to assess the organization of work in twelve worksites in the health care and manufacturing industries. The tool, a two-page checklist, assessed the physical, social and temporal aspects of the work, and the global and task level job content. A comparison between industry sectors found variability. Significant associations between industry sector and both structural restraints of the task activities (p<0.0001) and pacing determinant (p<0.0001) were found. Several work organizational factors were negatively correlated including labor skill level and pacing determinant (-0.51, p<0.0001). Other work organization factors were positively correlated such as social content and pacing determinant (0.62, p<0.0001). These data will be used to investigate the relationships between physical, psychosocial, work organizational and indi...
Cognitive processes in anesthesiology decision making

The quality and safety of health care are under increasing scrutiny. Recent studies suggest that medical errors, practice variability, and guideline noncompliance are common, and that cognitive error contributes significantly to delayed or incorrect diagnoses. These observations have increased interest in understanding decision-making psychology.Many nonrational (i.e., not purely based in statistics) cognitive factors influence medical decisions and may lead to error. The most well-studied include heuristics, preferences for certainty, overconfidence, affective (emotional) influences, memory distortions, bias, and social forces such as fairness or blame.Although the extent to which such cognitive processes play a role in anesthesia practice is unknown, anesthesia care frequently requires rapid, complex decisions that are most susceptible to decision errors. This review will examine current theories of human decision behavior, identify effects of nonrational cognitive processes on decision making, describe characteristic anesthesia decisions in this context, and suggest strategies to improve decision making.
A high-fat diet or galanin in the PVN decreases phosphorylation of CREB in the nucleus accumbens

A high-fat diet (HFD) can increase hypothalamic galanin (GAL). GAL has recently been shown to inhibit opiate reward, which in turn, decreases cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). We hypothesized that injection of GAL into the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), or consumption of a HFD, would be associated with a decrease in NAc CREB. In Exp. 1, GAL in the PVN of naive rats decreased phosphorylated-CREB (pCREB) which is the activated form of CREB, in the NAc compared to saline-injected controls. In Exp. 2, rats fed ad libitum HFD for 4 weeks had reduced NAc pCREB levels compared to rats with sporadic tastes of the HFD. Body weight, serum triglyceride and leptin levels were also raised in the chronic HFD-fed rats. These data suggest that PVN GAL or chronic intake of a HFD can decrease NAc pCREB. The implications of these findings may help to explain the lack of opiate-like withdrawal that has been reported in response to overeating a HFD, thereby providing a potential mechanism underlying behavioral differences seen with addiction-like overconsumption of different types of palatable foods.
Sea surface temperture measurements with the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and aerosol

Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) measurements of the sea surface temperature at 2616cm-1 show an unexpected cold bias compared to the NCEP Global Real Time SST. This cold bias, which is distributed in large scale patterns which are stable on the time scale of several months, has a satellite zenith angle (sza) dependent and a sza independent component. The sza independent component is strongly temperature dependent, and is most likely related to a larger than expected gradient between the bulk and the skin temperature, possibly due to not understood regional or seasonal weather patterns. The sza dependent component of about 0.4K is most likely due to some form of aerosol which is not included in the radiative transfer. AIRS was launched 4 May 2002 on the EOS Aqua into polar orbit.
Photovoltaic hybrid power harvesting system for emergency applications

A photovoltaic (PV) based hybrid power harvesting system is proposed for emergency applications. It can compensate for the sudden loss of grid power and is suitable for developing countries and rural areas with unreliable power systems. The PV energy harvesting module uses a reconfigurable PV harvester which combines an isolated SEPIC DC-DC converter with Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) to reduce complexity and increase efficiency. Source-selection control has been implemented to decide which source, PV or ac grid, to use for delivering power under different operating conditions. A synchronous-rectified flyback converter with non-complimentary active clamping and peak current mode control is applied to verify the feasibility of the PV hybrid power harvesting system. The simulation results with a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) load have shown that the PV hybrid power harvesting system can be an optional solution to rural lighting problems.
Effect of Tribal Language Use on Colorectal Cancer Screening Among American Indians

American Indians have one of the lowest colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates for any racial/ethnic group in the U.S., yet reasons for their low screening participation are poorly understood. We examine whether tribal language use is associated with knowledge and use of CRC screening in a community-based sample of American Indians. Using logistic regression to estimate the association between tribal language use and CRC test knowledge and receipt we found participants speaking primarily English were no more aware of CRC screening tests than those speaking primarily a tribal language (OR = 1.16 [0.29, 4.63]). Participants who spoke only a tribal language at home (OR = 1.09 [0.30, 4.00]) and those who spoke both a tribal language and English (OR = 1.74 [0.62, 4.88]) also showed comparable odds of receipt of CRC screening. Study findings failed to support the concept that use of a tribal language is a barrier to CRC screening among American Indians.
Policy Monitor—The Evolution of Solid and Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States

AbstractThis article reviews the evolution and interaction of legislation, regulation, and practical experience concerning solid and hazardous waste management and site cleanup in the United States...
Impairment of central and peripheral myelin in mitochondrial diseases

Clinical or sub-clinical impairment of central and peripheral myelin is often part of the overlapping multisystem disorders associated with a variety of mitochondrial (mt)DNA abnormalities. Suboptimal energy metabolism of the oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells carrying mitochondrial defects may cause insufficient production of myelin. Further, edema, vascular and toxic factors may directly damage myelin. The recognition that certain mtDNA point mutations are associated with inflammatory demyelination of the central nervous system suggests that additional mechanisms besides degeneration need to be considered in the development of some forms of myelin damage.
Statehouse Versus Greenhouse: Have State-Level Climate Action Planners and Policy Entrepreneurs Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

Problem: In the absence of U.S. federal action to address the problem of climate change, a diverse array of nonfederal policy entrepreneurs and climate action planners has produced an impressive body of plans and policies to fight climate change at the regional, state, and local levels. Their actions are highly laudable, but have they actually reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? Purpose: This article evaluates the work of a group of innovative state-level policy entre-preneurs whose actions were chronicled by Barry Rabe, and a set of 29 state climate action plans systematically analyzed by Stephen Wheeler. It compares states with and without climate policy entrepreneurs and states with and without climate action plans, asks if either plans or entrepreneurs have been successful in reducing CO2 emissions, and identifies the elements within plans that are associated with the greatest reductions. Methods: The analysis uses multiple regression models to explain changes in per capita CO2 emissions attributa...
The Study of French Political Socialization: Toward the Revocation of Paradox

“Whereas in post-war Britain youth has often channelled its energies into violent self-expression, destructive or creative, in France the dominant impression left by all the varying tendencies is of a kind of docile listiessness.” A competent British commentator on French politics and society had the misfortune of appearing in print with this assertion about French youth in June of 1968—that is, at precisely the time when many members of France's younger generation were participating in that violent form of self-expression that has come to be called “the Events.”
Micro-mechanical forces as a potent stimulator of wound healing

Abstract Introduction: In vitro studies have shown that cells divide and proliferate in response mechanical stimuli. Using this knowledge, we hypothesized that Micro-mechanical Forces (MMFs), both cyclical and static, are capable of enhancing wound healing through stimulation of both angiogenesis and cellular proliferation. Methods: The ears of Wistar Rats (n=15) were stretched using elastic connectors to apply 55g of continuous tension for 4 days. Cyclical tension was applied for 2 hours with 1 hour rest intervals. Vessel size and morphology were monitored using intravital microscopy. After stimulation, ears were harvested for histology and VEGF immunohistochemistry. Vascular morphology and intravascular volume were determined using Mercox Corrosion Casting and Evan's Blue dye extraction, respectively. Results: Both cyclical and static tension produced significant increases in vessel size. Rat ears subjected to static tension underwent a 110% increase in mean vessel diameters over their tension-free counterparts (p Conclusions: MMFs are capable of inducing significant vascular changes when applied cyclically or statically, with cyclical tension being more potent. Tension ears exhibited greater diameters, VEGF expression, and vascular perfusion. While the mechanisms have yet to be elucidated, these results suggest the crucial role of MMFs in regulating cellular growth and differentiation, as well as their potential as a novel approach for enhancing wound healing.
Emergency Psychiatry Experience, Resident Burnout, and Future Plans to Treat Publicly Funded Patients.

Objective:This study examined psychiatry resident burnout in emergency departments and its association with residents’ posttraining plans to care for Medicaid patients and others publicly insured.Methods:Between November and December 2013, psychiatry residents in North Carolina were recruited for a cross-sectional, Internet-based survey concerning emergency department experiences, attitudes about their roles, feelings of burnout, and posttraining intentions to treat Medicaid patients. The completion rate was 51% (N=91).Results:In bivariate analyses (N=82 with an emergency psychiatry rotation), burnout was positively associated with frequent exhaustion (p<.001) and perceived suboptimal supervision by the attending physician (p<.01). Compared with other residents, residents planning to accept Medicaid after training had significantly lower burnout scores (p<.05). Experiencing assault in the emergency department indicated decreased likelihood of treating publicly insured patients after training (Medicaid, od...
A competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay for frog calcitonin.

Abstract A heterologous enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) for frog (Rana pipiens) calcitonin has been developed with a sensitivity of 17 pg. In this competitive immunoassay, synthetic salmon calcitonin is used to coat polystyrene microtiter plates. Antibody to salmon calcitonin was produced in rabbits and was diluted 1:10,000 to 1:40,000 depending upon the amount of solid-phase antigen used to sensitize the plates. Increasing amounts of soluble calcitonin added results in a decrease in the optical density of the subsequent color reaction product. The reaction is linear over the log range of 12.5 to 400 pg/well and diluted frog plasma samples are parallel to the standard assay curve. Intraassay coefficient of variation was 10% and interassay coefficient of variation was 15%. Normal values of frog plasma calcitonin ranged from 4.1 to 27.4 ng/ml reflecting seasonal variations in circulating calcitonin in this amphibian.
A Screen against Leishmania Intracellular Amastigotes: Comparison to a Promastigote Screen and Identification of a Host Cell-Specific Hit

The ability to screen compounds in a high-throughput manner is essential in the process of small molecule drug discovery. Critical to the success of screening strategies is the proper design of the assay, often implying a compromise between ease/speed and a biologically relevant setting. Leishmaniasis is a major neglected disease with limited therapeutic options. In order to streamline efforts for the design of productive drug screens against Leishmania, we compared the efficiency of two screening methods, one targeting the free living and easily cultured promastigote (insect–infective) stage, the other targeting the clinically relevant but more difficult to culture intra-macrophage amastigote (mammal-infective) stage. Screening of a 909-member library of bioactive compounds against Leishmania donovani revealed 59 hits in the promastigote primary screen and 27 in the intracellular amastigote screen, with 26 hits shared by both screens. This suggested that screening against the promastigote stage, although more suitable for automation, fails to identify all active compounds and leads to numerous false positive hits. Of particular interest was the identification of one compound specific to the infective amastigote stage of the parasite. This compound affects intracellular but not axenic parasites, suggesting a host cell-dependent mechanism of action, opening new avenues for anti-leishmanial chemotherapy.