cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Termination of ventricular tachycardia: Role of tachycardia cycle length☆

Abstract The mode of termination of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and its relation to tachycardia cycle length was evaluated in 139 patients. Tachycardia was terminated by programmed stimulation in 110 patients (79%) and cardioversion was required in 29 patients (21% ). Single, double, and triple ventricular extrastimuli terminated the tachycardia in 23 of 85 (27%), 39 of 62 (63%), and 7 of 16 patients (44%), respectively. In all patients requiring 1 extrastimulus, in 35 patients (90%) requiring 2 extrastimuli, and in 6 patients (86%) requiring 3 extrastimuli, the tachycardia cycle length exceeded 300 ms. Rapid ventricular pacing terminated tachycardia in 41 of 54 patients (76%). In 21 (51%) of these patients the tachycardia cycle length exceeded 300 ms. However, rapid ventricular pacing caused acceleration of the arrhythmia in 19 patients (35%). The ability of procainamide to modify the termination of VT was studied in 23 patients. In 7 of these patients (30%) procainamide increased the tachycardia cycle length by 49 ± 42 ms (p
Determination of the coverage of ethylene and ethylidyne on Pt(111) using elastic recoil detection analysis

Abstract Very high energy ions incident upon a sample with adsorbed light adatoms will cause some of the adsorbates to recoil off the surface with substantial amounts of energy. The number of recoil particles is a direct measure of the adatom concentration. Using this technique (elastic recoil detection analysis or ERDA), we have determined the concentration of adsorbed ethylene (C2H4) and ethylidyne (C2H3) on Pt(111). We find, both for adsorption below and at room temperature, that the coverage is approximately one half of a monolayer, in agreement with earlier work using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We propose that the adsorbed ethylidyne molecules form a honeycomb lattice.
Monadic state: axiomatization and type safety

Type safety of imperative programs is an area fraught with difficulty and requiring great care. The SML solution to the problem, originally involving imperative type variables, has been recently simplified to the syntactic-value restriction. In Haskell, the problem is addressed in a rather different way using explicit monadic state. We present an operational semantics for state in Haskell and the first full proof of type safety. We demonstrate that the semantic notion of value provided by the explicit monadic types is able to avoid any problems with generalization.
Rhythm ‘n’ rhymes: Character and theme images from children's literature in contemporary recordings, 1950–1985

(1989). Rhythm ‘n’ rhymes: Character and theme images from children's literature in contemporary recordings, 1950–1985. Popular Music and Society: Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 53-71.
G.R.I.T.S. The southern subculture of violence and homicide offenses by girls raised in the south

The southern subculture of violence is a theoretical perspective that has been examined by numerous scholars in an attempt to explain the high rates of violence in the Southern United States. Research over the past several decades has converged on a few explanations for this violence, including a culture of honor, a frontier mentality, and a presence of evangelical Protestantism. The primary focus of this research has been on either male offending or race disaggregated offending. The influence of the southern subculture of violence on female offending has only recently come to the forefront and has concentrated on relatively recent time periods (1990s to present). The present study examines the effect of southern culture on female-perpetrated homicides in the 1970s, a time when female offending was on the rise. Utilizing a southern subculture of violence index, our county-level negative binomial regression analysis finds that in counties with more Southern-born residents and a higher presence of evangelical Protestantism, female homicide offending is higher. Implications of these results and avenues for future research are discussed.
‘You Can't Steal Credit’: the Economic Motif in Paterson

In a strong attack on the second, third and fourth books of William Carlos Williams's Paterson , Randall Jarrell expressed chagrin that Book II introduces the themes of credit and usury, ‘those enemies of man, God, and contemporary long poems’. It is true that the economic theories worked into parts of Williams's major work often sound very much like Ezra Pound at his most dispensable. As Vivienne Koch put it: ‘One serious weakness in Book IV, got like a contagion from Pound's Cantos , is the introduction of an explicit pseudo-scientific diagnosis of our present economic ills, relying on the Poundian demonstration of Usura and the Poundian salvation of Social Credit.’ The least impressive passages in Paterson are those (particularly the final six pages of IV. ii) in which the excited promulgation of money theories comes perilously close to being mere harangue. Jarrell was mistaken, however, in going on to assert that the economic anecdotes and political remarks are where they are only ‘because Dr Williams chose—happened to choose—for them to be there’. Williams's ideas on money and credit, as digressive and presumptuous as they often seem to be, are actually tied in with the other major themes in the poem. Furthermore, they represent the culmination of a long and passionate protest against a system that sanctions private use of public money.
Themis imposes new law and order on positive selection.

The molecular mechanism by which thymocytes are positively selected remains incompletely understood. Three studies add a new piece to the positive selection puzzle.
A genetic dichotomy model for the inheritance of Alzheimer’s disease and common age-related disorders

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), already one of the most serious health problems in the U.S., will carry an ever burgeoning impact as the proportion of elderly continues to increase. Clinically, AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by global cognitive decline. Neuropathologically, the brains of AD patients contain abundant amounts of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and β-amyloid in the form of senile plaques (SP) and blood vessel deposits. While the etiological events that lead to AD have not been clearly resolved, genetic factors clearly play a major role; there is an emerging consensus that AD is a complex and genetically heterogeneous disorder that is best explained by an age-dependent dichotomous model. On one hand, early-onset (<60) AD is caused by defects in any of three different genes: presenilin 1 (PSEN1) on chromosome 14 (1), presenilin 2 (PSEN2) on chromosome 1 (2), and the amyloid β protein precursor (APP) on chromosome 21 (3). On the other hand, late-onset AD is associated with genetic polymorphisms that appear to operate as risk factors and/or genetic modifiers.
THE FINE STRUCTURE OF THE URINARY BLADDER OF THE TOAD, BUFO MARINUS

The urinary bladder of the toad (Bufo marinus) was studied with both the light and the electron microscope. The bladder wall consists of epithelium, submucosa, and serosa. In the epithelium, four different cell types were recognized on the basis of their fine structure and staining properties with several different dyes. These four were designated as granular cells, mitochondria-rich cells, mucous cells, and basal cells. In addition, migratory cells of a different type were found in the basal region of the epithelium. The luminal surface of the epithelial cells presents irregular microvilli and is coated by PAS-positive material which has been further investigated by histochemical procedures and radioautography. Included is a description of the fine structural details of cell membranes, cell junctions, and intracellular components. The submucosa consists of a delicate stroma of fibroblasts and collagen fibers and also contains blood and lymph vessels, unmyelinated nerves, migratory cells, and smooth muscle cells. The serosa consists of a single layer of serosal (mesothelial) cells which form an uninterrupted covering of the viscus. Possible pathways of sodium and water transport across the bladder wall are discussed.
Serpent in Eden: H. L. Mencken and the South

The appearance in 1920 of H. L. Mencken's scathing essay about the intellectual and cultural impoverishment of the South, "The Sahara of the Bozart," set off a firestorm of reaction in the region that continued unabated for much of the next decade. In Serpent in Eden, Mencken scholar Fred Hobson examines Mencken's love-hate relationship with the South. He explores not only Mencken's savage criticism of the region but also his efforts to encourage southern writers and the bold "little magazines," such as the Reviewer and the Double Dealer, that started up in the South during the 1920s.Originally published in 1974.A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.
A Method to Demonstrate the Importance of Homework

Many educators utilize homework as an important component of the learning process. The problem is that often times their students may not recognize the importance as well. To rectify this problem, a number of strategies were tested while instructing undergraduate engineering technology students. These experiments met with limited success including outright failure. Recently, a method that appears to clearly demonstrate the importance of homework to students was used. This paper outlines this method and provides case study data supporting the assertion that the method can be effective.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
The effect of host pregnancy on the reproductive capability of the tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans, in captivity.

Abstract The reproductive capability as measured over a period of approximately 60 days was not significantly different in two groups of laboratory-hatched and -reared, fertilized female Glossina morsitans : one group being fed exclusively on a pregnant female guinea pig and the other on a male guinea pig. However, the male guinea pig-fed flies produced significantly larger pupae than the pregnant female-fed flies. The blood of the male guinea pig contained 16·0 per cent of haemoglobin, while that of the pregnant female contained 14·5 per cent. The rate of excretion of blood meals was the same in both groups of flies, and it is estimated that the difference in protein content of the blood from the male and pregnant female guinea pigs was sufficient to account for the difference in pupal weights recorded. An estimate of the amount of protein available to the fertilized female fly for the development of its larva has been made; the calculations are based upon the difference in mean meal size between fertilized and unfertilized female flies maintained under identical conditions. The values obtained accord well with estimations made of the total protein content of newly deposited pupae, and it is concluded that approximately 30 per cent of the ingested blood is directed towards the development of the larva in utero . The relative significance of hormones and protein content of the blood of natural hosts is discussed in terms of the seasonal fluctuation in size of tsetse flies in the field and in terms of the laboratory maintenance of Glossina morsitans .
A stagnation flow analysis of the heat transfer and fluid flow phenomena in laser drilling

This paper presents a quasi-steady stagnation flow analysis for the material removal processes in high-intensity laser materials processing, such as laser drilling. The governing stagnation flow equations for the heat transfer and fluid flow phenomena are derived for the region near the centerline of the laser beam. The analysis accounts for conduction in the solid, conduction, and convection in the melt layer, and the latent heats of melting and vaporization. The stagnation flow governing equations and boundary conditions are appropriately normalized and solved, and the important combinations of material properties and independent laser parameters are identified. This semiquantitative analysis yields quasi-steady estimates for the penetration velocity, the thickness of the melt layer, the velocity and temperature profiles in the melt layer, and the fraction of melt that is vaporized for varying absorbed laser power and beam radius. Inviscid results from the stagnation flow analysis are shown for five different materials: aluminum, copper, low carbon steel, stainless steel, and titanium. Relatively good agreement exists between the results from the analysis and experimental data from the literature.
Three-bond 31P31P coupling and 31P chemical shift effects in dimers of phospholium salts and phosphole oxides

The chemically nonequivalent 31P nuclei of the Diels-Alder dimers of phospholium ions and phosphole oxides are coupled through three bonds by as much as 35–45 Hz. The chemical shift for a phosphorus atom in the 2-phospholene moiety falls in the expected range; the shift for the constricted atom bridging the 6-membered ring is far downfield, making Δδ as much as 43.5 ppm for one phospholium ion dimer.
Measurement of striatal H2O2 by microdialysis following global forebrain ischemia and reperfusion in the rat: correlation with the cytotoxic potential of H2O2 in vitro.

Abstract Toxic reactive oxygen species have been implicated as important mediators of tissue injury after reperfusion of ischemic organs. When rats are subject to 30 min global forebrain ischemia, 24 h following this insult, there is substantial loss of medium-sized neurones as revealed by histological sectioning of the striatal region of the forebrain. The goal of this study was to utilize microdialysis to directly measure one of the more stable intermediates of reduced molecular oxygen. H 2 O 2 in the rat striatum following 4-vessel occlusion and reperfusion, and to correlate these levels with H 2 O 2 toxicity to neurones grown in culture. A significant rise in striatal H 2 O 2 levels was observed for about 1 h during reperfusion, amounting to an increase of approximately 100 μM at the peak. In control experiments where the dialysis probe was embedded in cortical regions surrounding the striatum (where there is no neuronal loss due to the ischemic episode), there was no measurable increase in tissue H 2 O 2 levels. H 2 O 2 has been previously shown to be neurotoxic to PC12 cells as well as rat primary hippocampal neurones at comparable concentrations striatal neurones experience during reperfusion. We demonstrate that H 2 O 2 is also neurotoxic to the human cortical neuronal cell line, HCN-1A. These experiments establish an important link between oxidant generation and neuronal loss in this tissue following global forebrain ischemia.
Improved Flaw Detection and Characterization with Difference Thermography

Flaw detection and characterization with thermographic techniques in graphite polymer composites is often limited by localized variations in the thermographic response. Variations in properties such as acceptable porosity, variations in fiber volume content and surface polymer thickness result in variations in the thermal response that in general cause significant variations in the initial thermal response. These variations result in a noise floor that increases the difficulty of detecting and characterizing deeper flaws. The paper investigates comparing thermographic responses taken before and after a change in state in a composite to improve the detection of subsurface flaws. A method is presented for registration of the responses before finding the difference. A significant improvement in the detectability is achieved by comparing the differences in response. Examples of changes in state due to application of a load and impact are presented.
Craniofacial Surgery and Adverse Outcomes: An Inquiry Into Medical Negligence.

Objective:This study aimed to evaluate factors contributing to medical negligence relevant to craniofacial surgery.Methods:Retrospective analysis of verdict and settlement reports on the Westlaw le...
Filter cake removal efficiency: comparison of modeling results with experiment

A fine-scale, quasi-static model has been used to study the cleaning of ceramic filters by a constant stress applied perpendicular to the layer of filter cake. The model includes randomly chosen bonding forces of adhesion between the substrate and imaginary `gridblocks’ within the layer, as well as cooperative forces of cohesion between adjacent `gridblocks'. For small cohesive forces, the amount of cleaning varies continuously with the applied stress, σ. From negligible cleaning at a minimum threshold value of the stress, the fraction of the layer removed, fm(σ), increases to encompass the total layer, as the applied stress increases. This layer-removal function (cleaning efficiency) sharpens as the cooperative forces are increased, i.e. the slope of the cleaning efficiency, Δfm/Δσ, increases, so that the extent of cleaning is more and more sensitive to changes in the applied stress. The fits to our results for the mid-point stress, σ1/2, of the cleaning efficiency, fm(σ), and to the slope of the cleaning efficiency, χ=Δfm/Δσ, are used to collapse the modeling data to a single curve. We use these same parameters, σ1/2 and χ, to characterize existing experimental data for the cleaning efficiency (layer removal function) as a function of constant removal stress. These same parameters allow us to (i) collapse the experimental data onto the aforementioned `single’ curve from the modeling and to (ii) estimate values of average adhesive and cohesive strengths for the experimental systems.
Diagrammatic analysis of the Anderson lattice ground state

Abstract The diagrammatic analysis used in our variational theory of valence fluctuations is presented. The only approximation is to ignore restrictions on the summations over lattice site indices. The results are shown to have the simple physical interpretation described previously. We also note that there is no “Nozieres problem” in this theory.
Automated DNA diagnostics using an ELISA-based oligonucleotide ligation assay

DNA diagnostics, the detection of specific DNA sequences, will play an increasingly important role in medicine as the molecular basis of human disease is defined. Here, we demonstrate an automated, nonisotopic strategy for DNA diagnostics using amplification of target DNA segments by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the discrimination of allelic sequence variants by a colorimetric oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA). We have applied the automated PCR/OLA procedure to diagnosis of common genetic diseases, such as sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis (delta F508 mutation), and to genetic linkage mapping of gene segments in the human T-cell receptor beta-chain locus. The automated PCR/OLA strategy provides a rapid system for diagnosis of genetic, malignant, and infectious diseases as well as a powerful approach to genetic linkage mapping of chromosomes and forensic DNA typing.
Ocean ambient sound: Comparing the 1960s with the 1990s for a receiver off the California coast

Ocean ambient sound data from 1994 to 2001 have been collected using a receiver on the continental slope off Point Sur, California. A temporary, nearby receiving array was used for calibration purposes. The resulting data set is compared with long-term averages of earlier measurements made with the identical receiver over the period from 1963 to 1965. This comparison shows that the 1994 to 2001 levels exceed the 1963 to 1965 levels by about 10 dB between 20 and 80 Hz and between 200 and 300 Hz, and about 3 dB at 100 Hz. Increases in (distant) shipping sound levels may account for this.
Countering the effects of destructive criticism: The relative efficacy of four interventions.

Examined the effectiveness of four interventions in countering the negative impact of destructive criticism. Results agreed closely with those of the laboratory investigation: an apology and attributional information were rated as most effective by both groups. Both managers and employees viewed destructive criticism as a moderately important cause of conflict in their organizations. However, managers rated the negative impact of cristicism on motivation and working relationships as less severe than did employees
Trends in EU Health Care Systems

Mayo Clinic Proceedings receives an average of 50 books each month complimentary from various publishers. Selected books are chosen for review, as space permits. All other books received will be listed on the Mayo Clinic Proceedings Web site (www.mayoclinicproceedings.com). Expanded versions of these reviews and a list of books received can be found at www.mayoclinicproceedings.com. Click on Current Issue in the grey bar and scroll down the Table of
The 1998 NASPE prospective catheter ablation registry.

The results of the NASPE Prospective Voluntary Registry are reported. A total of 3,357 patients were entered. For those undergoing atrioventricular (AV) junctional ablation (646 patients), the success rate was 97.4% and significant complications occurred in 5 patients. A total of 1,197 patients underwent AV nodal modification for AV nodal reentrant tachycardia, which was successful in 96.1% and the only significant complication was development of AV block (1%). Accessory pathway ablation was performed in 654 patients and was successful in 94%. Major complications included cardiac tamponade (7 patients), acute myocardial infarction (1 patient), femoral artery pseudoaneurysm (1 patient), AV block (1 patient), pneumothorax (1 patient), and pericarditis (2 patients). A total of 447 patients underwent atrial flutter ablation and acute success was achieved in 86% of patients. Significant complications included inadvertent AV block (3 patients), significant tricuspid regurgitation (1 patient), cardiac tamponade (1 patient), and pneumothorax (1 patient). Atrial tachycardia was attempted for 216 patients and the success rate was higher for those with right atrial (80%) or left atrial (72%) compared to those with septal foci (52%). A total of 201 patients underwent ablation for ventricular tachycardia. The success rate was higher for those with idiopathic ventricular tachycardia compared to those with ventricular tachycardia due to ischemic heart disease or cardiomyopathy. While the number of AV junction ablation were higher for those > 60 years of age, there was no significant difference in the success rate or incidence of complication comparing patients > or = 60 to those 100 ablation/year) with lower volume centers or between teaching and non-teaching hospitals.
Contact stress analysis for an elastic cylinder indenting a slab in the presence of friction

Abstract In an earlier paper the authors discussed numerical methods of contact stress analysis for rigid indenters pressed against rough elastic slabs. In this sequel, they include the deformation of the cylindrical indenter using numerical methods of analysis similar to those adopted in the previous article. Examples which demonstrate the effects of indenter deformation and adhesion in the contact area are presented.
Genomic structure and genitourinary expression of mouse cytosolic prostaglandin E2 synthase gene

Abstract Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) plays an important role in genitourinary function. Multiple enzymes are involved in its biosynthesis. Here we report the genomic structure and tissue-selective expression of cytosolic PGE2 synthase (cPGES) in genitourinary tissues. Full-length mouse cPGES cDNA was cloned by reverse transcript-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and 5′- and 3′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Analysis of a cPGES cDNA with partially sequenced cPGES genomic clones and bioinformatic databases demonstrates that the murine cPGES gene spans ∼22 kb and consists of eight exons. The cPGES gene promoter is GC-rich and contains many SP1 sites but lacks an obvious TATA box motif. RNase protection assay revealed constitutive expression of cPGES was greatest in the testis with lower levels in the ovary, kidney, bladder and uterus. In situ hybridization studies demonstrated that cPGES mRNA was most highly expressed in the epithelial cells of seminiferous tubules in the testis. In the female reproductive tissues, cPGES was mainly localized in ovarian primary and secondary follicles and oviductal epithelial cells with less expression in uterine endometrium. In the kidney cPGES expression was diffusely expressed. In urinary bladder, cPGES expression was restricted to the transitional epithelial cells. This expression pattern is consistent with an important role for cPGES-mediated PGE2 in urogenital tissue function.
Teaching and learning in World Wide Web-connected classrooms

Summary Use of the Web as an instructional tool is growing rapidly as the nation's classrooms increasingly come online with high capacity bandwidth. To optimize the use of the Web as an instructional tool, the traditional roles of students and teachers must shift to that of an “engaged model” of teaching and learning. This article presents strategies for effectively teaching and learning on the Web and introduces SUR-WEB as an Internet-based multimedia resource for engaged learning.
Comments on the high-Q2 HERA anomaly☆

Abstract Taking the reported high- Q 2 anomaly at HERA as a signal of new physics, we show that several independent considerations point towards s-channel leptoquark production as the most attractive interpretation. We argue that even this option is highly constrained by flavor-changing processes: the couplings must be accurately diagonal in the quark and lepton mass eigenstate basis and should preserve individual quark and lepton family numbers. We propose a dynamical mechanism that might produce this pattern; it has distinctive experimental consequences.
Hashimoto thyroiditis: clinical and diagnostic criteria.

Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT), now considered the most common autoimmune disease, was described over a century ago as a pronounced lymphoid goiter affecting predominantly women. In addition to this classic form, several other clinico-pathologic entities are now included under the term HT: fibrous variant, IgG4-related variant, juvenile form, Hashitoxicosis, and painless thyroiditis (sporadic or post-partum). All forms are characterized pathologically by the infiltration of hematopoietic mononuclear cells, mainly lymphocytes, in the interstitium among the thyroid follicles, although specific features can be recognized in each variant. Thyroid cells undergo atrophy or transform into a bolder type of follicular cell rich in mitochondria called Hurthle cell. Most HT forms ultimately evolve into hypothyroidism, although at presentation patients can be euthyroid or even hyperthyroid. The diagnosis of HT relies on the demonstration of circulating antibodies to thyroid antigens (mainly thyroperoxidase and thyroglobulin) and reduced echogenicity on thyroid sonogram in a patient with proper clinical features. The treatment remains symptomatic and based on the administration of synthetic thyroid hormones to correct the hypothyroidism as needed. Surgery is performed when the goiter is large enough to cause significant compression of the surrounding cervical structures, or when some areas of the thyroid gland mimic the features of a nodule whose cytology cannot be ascertained as benign. HT remains a complex and ever expanding disease of unknown pathogenesis that awaits prevention or novel forms of treatment.
Consumer-provider communication research with special populations

Abstract As the US population becomes increasingly diverse, understanding consumer–provider communication among special populations becomes of paramount importance. Cultural competence is a key element in improving communication between non-minority providers and minority patients. This includes overcoming sociocultural and linguistic barriers that hinder access to care and diminish quality consumer–provider communication. Of special concern is the lack of cancer prevention communication between providers and their special population patients. More research is needed to understand cancer communication needs and barriers among special populations, and to direct effective interventions to improve consumer–provider communication for special populations. To this end, interactive training to improve communication skills among oncologists and medical students, increasing the availability of trained medical translators, increasing the number of health professionals from special populations, and increasing the number of special population participants in communication research are recommended. Furthermore, research should focus on identifying and overcoming cultural factors that negatively impact consumer–provider interactions.
Numerical simulation of non-linear heat conduction subjected to a laser source: the effects of variable thermal properties

Abstract This paper presents a numerical study of the temperature distribution in a body subjected to a spatially exponential decaying laser source. The governing heat conduction equation, the boundary conditions and the initial condition are presented in a dimensionless form as a function of a group of dimensionless parameters, namely, χ, τ, Bi, w, c1, c2 and c3. Three different sets of thermal boundary conditions imposed at the “far” boundary, including convection, insulated and constant surface temperature conditions are investigated in the present study. The governing equation is discretized using a control volume approach, with a variable grid to increase the resolution of the domain near the boundary where the laser heat source is applied. The effects of the different parameters and the temperature dependent thermal properties are studied in detail. The calculated results are compared with previous analytical studies for constant thermal properties obtained for both semi-infinite and finite domains. Finally, the present numerical solutions are compared to existing experimental data.
Anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty as potential risk factors for cyberchondria.

Abstract Background Online medical information seeking has become an increasingly common behavior. Despite the benefits of easily accessible medical information on the Internet, researchers have identified a vicious cycle of increased physical health concerns and online medical information seeking known as “cyberchondria”. Despite proposed theoretical models of cyberchondria, there is a dearth of research investigating risk factors for the development of cyberchondria. Two potential risk factors are anxiety sensitivity (AS) and intolerance of uncertainty (IU). Methods The current study investigated the relationships among AS, IU, and cyberchondria in a large community sample. Participants (N=526) completed self-report questionnaires via online crowdsourcing. Results Structural equation models utilizing latent variables revealed a significant unique positive relationship between AS, as well as the IU Inhibitory lower-order factor, and cyberchondria, controlling for the effects of health anxiety. Additionally, results revealed a significant unique relationship between the IU Inhibitory factor and mistrust of medical professionals, a proposed cyberchondria-relevant construct. Limitations The cross-sectional data in the current study do not offer a true test of AS and IU as risk factors. However, establishing these unique relationships is an important step forward in the literature. Conclusions The results of the current study suggest the potential importance of both AS and IU in the development of cyberchondria. Future research is needed to establish the temporal precedence of elevated AS and/or IU to determine if they are true risk factors or simply correlates of cyberchondria.
Dopaminergic-like cells from epigenetically reprogrammed mesenchymal stem cells.

A number of recent studies have examined the ability of stem cells derived from different sources to differentiate into dopamine-producing cells and ameliorate behavioural deficits in Parkinsonian models. Recently, using the approach of cell reprogramming by small cell-permeable biological active compounds that involved in the regulation of chromatin structure and function, and interfere with specific cell signalling pathways that promote neural differentiation we have been able to generate neural-like cells from human bone marrow (BM)-derived MSCs (hMSCs). Neurally induced hMSCs (NI-hMSCs) exhibited several neural properties and exerted beneficial therapeutic effect on tissue preservation and locomotor recovery in spinal cord injured rats. In this study, we aimed to determine whether hMSCs neuralized by this approach can generate dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Immunocytochemisty studies showed that approximately 50–60% of NI-hMSCs expressed early and late dopaminergic marker such as Nurr-1 and TH that was confirmed by Western blot. ELISA studies showed that NI-hMSCs also secreted neurotrophins and dopamine. Hypoxia preconditioning prior to neural induction increased hMSCs proliferation, viability, expression TH and the secretion level of dopamine induced by ATP. Taken together, these studies demonstrated that hMSCs neurally modified by this original approach can be differentiated towards DA-like neurons.
Latency of the pupil light reflex: sample rate, stimulus intensity, and variation in normal subjects.

PURPOSE To investigate the clinical usefulness of the latency of the pupil light reflex by optimizing its measurement, characterizing its variability, and determining the sensitivity of pupil latency as a function of stimulus input in normal subjects. METHODS Computerized binocular infrared pupillography was performed in 14 eyes of seven healthy subjects. Pupils were recorded simultaneously at 60 and 1000 Hz. Each eye was alternatively stimulated eight times for 50 ms every 2.5 seconds, increasing by 0.5 log units over a 2.0-log-unit range. To determine intersubject and intereye variability, 98 eyes of 49 healthy subjects were recorded at 60 Hz over a 3.0-log-unit range (15 degrees radius stimulation, four repetitions at each intensity). RESULTS Accuracy and resolution of latency were limited by the number of light reflexes used to estimate the average latency and were significantly affected by sampling rate when the number of reflexes recorded was fewer than four. Binocular recording and interpolation of the 60-Hz recording to 300 Hz added resolution to the latency. Biological variability contributed more to interindividual variability than did measurement variability. The range of intereye afferent asymmetry of latency in normal subjects was only between 8.3 and 35 ms-less with brighter stimulus intensity. CONCLUSIONS An optimal method for determination of the onset of the pupil light reflex was devised that consisted of filtering, interpolation of pupil recordings, and analysis of the first and second derivative of the pupil movement. Most of the variability in latency as a function of intensity in normal subjects was due to interindividual variation and latency was well matched between the two eyes of the subjects.
RHODOPSIN: ITS MOLECULAR SUBSTRUCTURE AND PHOSPHOLIPID INTERACTIONS

—Rhodopsin in retinal rod outer segment disc membranes, was proteolyzed by treatment with papain. This treatment left three fragments of apparent mol wt of 26,000, 19,000 and 10,000 in the membrane. The circular dichroism (CD) of solubilized, proteolyzed rhodopsin, in both the UV and visible spectral regions, was essentially identical to that of native rhodopsin. This indicates that the retinal binding site configuration is essentially unchanged by proteolysis and that the proteolyzed form of rhodopsin retained the helical content of native rhodopsin. Far UV CD measurements on the fragments indicate that the secondary structural features of the proteolyzed complex were largely maintained when the complex was dissociated. This finding suggests that the proteolytic fragments represent independently stabilized domains within rhodopsin. Measurements of the dependence of the activation free energy of the unfolding of opsin (as determined by the rate of loss of regenerability of opsin) and the meta I to meta II transition on the level of phospholipid associated with opsin and rhodopsin. respectively, have allowed for a determination of the mode of stabilization of these proteins by phospholipid. This dependence has been shown to have a linear form for opsin and rhodopsin. Hence, it appears that the stabilization of the tertiary structure of both solubilized opsin and rhodopsin is attributable to the sum of their interactions with individual phospholipid molecules, interacting with the protein in a non-cooperative manner.
Introduction to statistical methods to analyze large data sets: principal components analysis.

This Teaching Resource provides lecture notes, slides, and a problem set for a series of lectures from a course entitled “Systems Biology: Biomedical Modeling.” The materials are a lecture introducing the mathematical concepts behind principal components analysis (PCA). The lecture describes how to handle large data sets with correlation methods and unsupervised clustering with this popular method of analysis, PCA.
On the pursuit-evasion problem with multiple constraints on the controllers

A pursuit-evasion problem with limits on the velocity as well as on the magnitude of the controllers is studied.
Examining Discrepancies Among Sexual Orientation Components in a Representative Sample of Men at Risk for HIV/AIDS

The study compares the effects associated with sexual orientation components (sexual identity, sexual attraction, and sexual behavior in the past three months) on rates of reported mental illness and risky sexual behavior in a representative sample of men at high risk for HIV/AIDS. Important differences between populations of individuals who responded consistently and inconsistently across sexual orientation components were observed, and effects in each of these populations were different that those in the combined sample. These findings suggest that the effects of one sexual orientation component may depend on associations among components, and thus researchers should be cautious when examining single components in isolation.
Nonsingular Terminal Sliding Mode Control of Robot Manipulators Using Fuzzy Wavelet Networks

This paper presents an adaptive nonsingular terminal sliding mode (NTSM) tracking control design for robotic systems using fuzzy wavelet networks. Compared with linear hyperplane-based sliding control, terminal sliding mode controller can provide faster convergence and higher precision control. Therefore, a terminal sliding controller combined with the fuzzy wavelet network, which can accurately approximate unknown dynamics of robotic systems by using an adaptive learning algorithm, is an attractive control approach for robots. In addition, the proposed learning algorithm can on-line tune parameters of dilation and translation of fuzzy wavelet basis functions and hidden-to-output weights. Therefore, a robust control law is used to eliminate uncertainties including the inevitable approximation errors resulted from the finite number of fuzzy wavelet basis functions. The proposed controller requires no prior knowledge about the dynamics of the robot and no off-line learning phase. Moreover, both tracking performance and stability of the closed-loop robotic system can be guaranteed by Lyapunov theory. Finally, the effectiveness of the fuzzy wavelet network-based control approach is illustrated through comparative simulations on a six-link robot manipulator
Space-based laser altimetry for topographic tie-point production

Summary form only given. The related techniques of laser altimetry and surface lidar are now being demonstrated from spacecraft experiments in low Earth orbit. There have been two flights of the shuttle laser altimeter (SLA), one on STS-72 in January 1996 and the second on STS-85 in August 1997. The SLA measured laser range to the surface and the digitized waveform of the laser-pulse echo from the surface along the nadir track of the space shuttle.
A Cohort Analysis of U.S. Stomach Cancer Mortality 1950–1977

Models of human carcinogenesis, such as the multi-stage model of Armitage and Doll, are designed to explain the age increase in the incidence of cancers in individuals. As a consequence, analyses of population level age-specific death rates via such models are appropriately applied to cohort data where such data are available. In this study a multi-stage model is applied to cohort data for stomach cancer death rates in the U.S. population for nine distinct cohorts observed over a recent 28-year period (1950-1977). The multi-stage model parameters obtained from the analysis of the cohort data show significant differences from the parameters obtained from analyses of cross-sectional mortality data under the assumption of no cohort differences in age-specific stomach cancer death rates.
LIVESTOCK ACTIVITY AND CHIHUAHUAN DESERT ANNUAL-PLANT COMMUNITIES: BOUNDARY ANALYSIS OF DISTURBANCE GRADIENTS

The impact of domestic livestock on soil properties and perennial vegetation is greatest close to water points and generally decreases exponentially with distance from water. We hypothesized that the impact of livestock on annual-plant communities would be similar to that on perennial vegetation. We used multivariate analysis and semivariograms to locate boundaries and to determine the number and width of different annual-plant zones (referred as biotic zones) on long-term livestock disturbance gradients in the northern Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico. We estimated abundance of annuals in 0.5-m2 quadrats placed at 30-m intervals on 10 livestock disturbance gradients originating at water points. Tansy mustard, Descurainia pinnata, was abundant in severely disturbed areas and also in areas that are known to have high soil nitrogen content. Amaranthus palmeri was abundant in half of the transects in the zones nearest the water points. The relationships of annual-plant abundance and species richness with distan...
Anomalous isotope effect and Van Hove singularity in superconducting Cu oxides

High-${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ Cu oxides such as ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ and the Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O systems are characterized by a near-zero oxygen-isotope effect. Recent results by Crawford et al. show, however, that the isotope effect in the ${\mathrm{La}}_{2\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4}$ system depends strongly on the doping level (x) and can significantly exceed the BCS limit. Within the framework of the BCS phonon-mediated pairing, a logarithmic (2D) Van Hove singularity in the density of states can provide a basis for understanding these anomalous isotope effects and possibly the origin of high-temperature superconductivity.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Deficiency Restricts Proliferation of Oligodendrocyte Progenitors Following Cuprizone-Induced Demyelination:

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophin family of growth factors that through its neurotrophic tyrosine kinase, receptor, type 2 (TrkB) receptor, increases 5-bromo-...
Full-Fat Rice Bran and Oat Bran Similarly Reduce Hypercholesterolemia in Humans

Scientific studies support recommendations to increase dietary soluble fiber as part of hyperlipidemia treatment. Rice bran contains minimal soluble fiber, but rice bran oil has a hypolipidemic effect. Full-fat rice bran was compared with oat bran and a rice starch placebo in hyperlipidemic humans to see if it might have a role in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. Moderately hypercholesterolemic (5.95-8.02 mmol/L), nonsmoking, nonobese adults were studied in a 6-wk, randomized, double-blind, noncross-over trial. Three groups added 84 g/d of a heat-stabilized, full-fat, medium-grain rice bran product (n = 14), oat bran product (n = 13) or rice starch placebo (n = 17) to their usual low-fat diet. Serum cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), apoA1 and apoB were measured before and at the end of the supplementation period. Serum cholesterol decreased significantly (P </= 0.05) by 8.3 +/- 2.4% and 13.0 +/- 1.8% in the rice bran and oat bran groups, respectively, but there was no change in the rice starch group. This change was attributable to LDL-C, which decreased by 13.7 +/- 2.8% in the rice bran group and 17.1 +/- 2.4% in the oat bran group (P </= 0.05). Serum apoB decreased proportionately. There was no consistent effect on triglycerides within each group and HDL-C and apoA concentrations did not change. The LDL-C:HDL-C ratio decreased significantly in the rice bran and oat bran groups. Stabilized, full-fat rice bran or oat bran, added to the prudent diet of hyperlipidemic adults, similarly reduced cholesterol and LDL-C and improved lipid ratios in 78% of these individuals. Rice bran, as well as oat bran, should be included in the prudent diet of individuals with hyperlipidemia.
Schwarzschild black holes as unipolar inductors: expected electromagnetic power of a merger

The motion of a Schwarzschild black hole with velocity ${v}_{0}={\ensuremath{\beta}}_{0}c$ through a constant magnetic field ${B}_{0}$ in vacuum induces a component of the electric field along the magnetic field, generating a nonzero second Poincar\'e electromagnetic invariant $^{*}F\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}F\ensuremath{\ne}0$. This will produce (e.g., via radiative effects and vacuum breakdown) an electric charge density of the order of ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathrm{ind}}={B}_{0}{\ensuremath{\beta}}_{0}/(2\ensuremath{\pi}e{R}_{G})$, where ${R}_{G}=2GM/{c}^{2}$ is the Schwarzschild radius and $M$ is the mass of the black hole; the charge density ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathrm{ind}}$ is similar to the Goldreich-Julian density. The magnetospheres of moving black holes resemble in many respects the magnetospheres of rotationally-powered pulsars, with pair formation fronts and outer gaps, where the sign of the induced charge changes. As a result, the black hole will generate bipolar electromagnetic jets each consisting of two counter-aligned current flows (four current flows total), each carrying an electric current of the order $I\ensuremath{\approx}e{B}_{0}{R}_{G}{\ensuremath{\beta}}_{0}$. The electromagnetic power of the jets is $L\ensuremath{\approx}(GM{)}^{2}{B}_{0}^{2}{\ensuremath{\beta}}_{0}^{2}/{c}^{3}$; for a particular case of merging black holes the resulting Poynting power is $L\ensuremath{\approx}(GM{)}^{3}{B}_{0}^{2}/({c}^{5}R)$, where $R$ is the radius of the orbit. In addition, in limited regions near the horizon the first electromagnetic invariant changes sign, so that the induced electric field becomes larger than the magnetic field, $EgB$. As a result, there will be local dissipation of the magnetic field close to the horizon, within a region with the radial extent $\ensuremath{\Delta}R\ensuremath{\approx}{R}_{G}{\ensuremath{\beta}}_{0}$. The total energy loss from a system of merging black holes is a sum of two components with similar powers, one due to the rotation of space-time within the orbit, driven by the nonzero angular momentum in the system, and the other due to the linear motion of the black holes through the magnetic field. Since the resulting electrodynamics is in many respects similar to pulsars, merging black holes may generate coherent radio and high energy emission beamed approximately along the orbital normal. In addition, merging black holes may produce observable wind-driven cavities.