cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development assistance for health to the occupied Palestinian territory from 1990 to 2008: a database analysis

Background Since the Oslo Accords in 1993, there has been a gradual increase, becoming steep from 2005, in development assistance to the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). In this study, I aimed to provide a systematic assessment of the scale, focus, and trends in regional and global development assistance for health (DAH) to the oPt from 1990 to 2008. Methods Using the DAH country and regional recipient database of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Seattle, WA, USA, published reports, and the database for creditor reporting system of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, a database was created for the DAH to the oPt and other Arab countries. All disbursements are reported in 2008 US$. Findings DAH to the oPt increased from $74 000 in 1990 to $62 million in 2008. The total DAH to the oPt during these years was $524 million, representing 5·3% of the total development assistance to the oPt. The DAH per person to the oPt is the highest in the Arab countries, with a mean $7·94 per year since 1990, and peaking at $16·35 in 2004 (appendix). In the oPt, 92·5% of the total DAH to the oPt from 1990 to 2008 was not earmarked for specific diseases. The USA is the largest donor of DAH to the oPt, contributing 36·9% of $524 million total DAH from 1990 to 2008. The geographic distribution of aid within the oPt is not yet known, though preliminary evidence suggests a higher flow of aid per person to the West Bank than to the Gaza Strip. These amounts do not include the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East's health spending in the oPt because yearly health spending within the oPt is not reported, though is roughly estimated to be $9·5 per person since 2002 on the basis of previous reports (appendix). The amounts reported here do not include general budget support to the Palestinian Authority of about $400 million from 2001 to 2005, rising rapidly to $1·6 billion by 2008. The Palestinian Authority claims to spend 10% of the budget support on health ($38 per person in 2008), but because these amounts could not be verified they have not been included in this analysis. Interpretation Although the oPt has received more DAH per person since 1990 than has any of the Arab countries, we do not know the effect of DAH on health outcomes in the oPt. Total official development assistance per person and DAH per person have continued to increase, led by contributions from the USA. The reporting of contributions of DAH to the oPt by Muslim and Arab countries through formal international channels have been neither meaningful nor consistent. Measurement of the effect and distribution of DAH to the oPt could be improved through better adherence to global guidelines for monitoring and accountability of aid, including the Paris Declaration. Funding Freeman Spogli Institute's Global Underdevelopment Action Fund (Stanford University).
Symmetry-related polarization effects in angle-resolved synchrotron photoemission from W(001) and W(001) + H

We report results of synchrotron photoemission experiments from W(001) and W(001) plus a saturated layer of hydrogen. For s polarization, photoemission features are observed whose amplitude depends strongly on the direction of the vector potential A with respect to symmetry elements (mirror planes) of the substrate crystral. The observations are explained in terms of selection rules governing transitions between states of specific parity with respect to reflection in the mirror plane. The observations are consistent with the known parities of the tungsten bands and are used to infer parities for the hydrogen-induced states. The observed parities for the hydrogen states place constraints on possible chemisorption models, and support an existing model which specifies two hydrogen atoms per unit mesh in an antisymmetric combination of 1s orbitals.
Children and their child care caregivers: profiles of relationships

One thousand three hundred and seventy-nine (682 girls) caregiver-child relationships were used to derive attachment behavior profiles. All of the children were enrolled in child care (72% in child care centers). Profile analysis was completed using five subscales of Attachment Q-Set items. Three profiles were replicated on randomly drawn subsamples, on center based and in-home based subsamples and on separate subsamples of toddler and preschool children. These profiles were labeled: difficult, avoiding and secure. Children in the secure profile had higher security scores than children in the difficult or avoiding profiles. Children in the avoiding profile appeared the most heterogeneous in attachment security. Children in the avoiding profile with high as opposed to low security scores were older and more likely to use the caregiver as a secure base, seek her for comfort and engage in positive negotiations. Observations conducted on the children with their caregivers provided external validity for the profiles. Children in the secure profile had the most adult involvement.
The harmonic mean as the basis of a realistic two-sex marriage model.

The “two-sex problem” is one of attempting to preserve the essential character of male and female rates of marriage (or birth), since the expression of those rates is influenced both by the age-sex composition of the population and the underlying age-sex schedule of preferences. The present paper focuses on marriage and advances a theoretically based, realistic, and conceptually simple solution. In the continuous case, where exact male and female ages are used, equation (11) provides a mathematical relationship which equates the sum of the male and female marriage propensities of the observed population with that of the model. When discrete age intervals are used, the two-sex consistency condition is given by equation (14) which equates observed and model population rates calculated using the harmonic means of the number of persons in the relevant male and female age groups. The harmonic mean consistency condition is shown to be fully sensitive to the competitive nature of the “marriage market.” When compared with alternative approaches to the two-sex problem in the context of data for Sweden, 1961–64, the simple harmonic mean method yields results fairly similar to those of the other methods. None of the two-sex methods do particularly well at predicting the actual distribution of marriages, however. The likely reason is that the underlying marriage preferences changed, a circumstance which emphasizes the importance of carefully conceptualizing how observed behavior can be decomposed into the effects produced by age-sex composition and those produced by the underlying preferences.
Influence of a prior distribution on traffic intensity estimation with covariates

In this paper, several methods are suggested to estimate the expected traffic intensity (ρ) in M/M/1 queues with covariates. A Monte-Carlo simulation is used to generate M/M/1 queues where the arrival (service) rates are governed by both their covariate effects and the random error which follows a lognormal distribution. An ad hoc estimator derived for traffic intensity based on a lognormal prior. Its performance is compared to those of the following procedures, when the true prior is a lognormal distributionempirical Bayes estimator obtained based on a gamma prior distribution , model based regression estimator and data based raw estimator . Results of a simulation study indicate that the performance of is reasonable; the overall performance of is not significantly different from that of and can replace both and , when the variability of the arrival (service) rate due to random error is relatively small.
Solitary fibrous tumor arising from Cranial Nerve VI in the prepontine cistern: case report and review of a tumor subpopulation mimicking schwannoma.

OBJECTIVE: The authors present a report of a solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) arising from the intradural component of the Vlth cranial nerve as it travels through the prepontine cistern. Solitary fibrous tumors of the central nervous system are extremely rare entities that clinically masquerade as dural-based lesions such as meningiomas or hemangiopericytomas. Because of their infrequency and clinical similarity to other central nervous system (CNS) lesions, diagnosis is largely dependent on pathological features. In this study, the authors define a subpopulation of SFTs that seem to arise directly from nerve, rather than meninges, and clinically mimic the appearance of a schwannoma. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: The patient was a 29-year-old woman with a several-month history of progressive right arm and leg numbness and mild hemiparesis, with the development of diplopia 2 weeks before admission. Outside imaging revealed a 3.9-cm mass in the prepontine cistern with extension into Meckel's cave and cavernous sinus, resulting in significant brainstem compression. INTERVENTION: The patient underwent preoperative angiography with embolization of feeding vessels off of the left meningohypophyseal trunk. The patient was then taken to the operating room by a combined neurosurgical and ear, nose, and throat team, where the patient underwent a retrolabyrinthine/ subtemporal craniotomy for tumor resection. During resection of the prepontine component, the tumor was identified as originating from the left Cranial Nerve VI as it traversed through the prepontine cistern. Resection of the tumor component involving the cavernous sinus and Meckel's cave was deferred for follow-up treatment with intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Pathological examination revealed tissue consistent with the diagnosis of SFT. CONCLUSION: Solitary fibrous tumors involving the CNS are rare entities that are almost always diagnosed after tissue is obtained because of their clinical and radiographic similarity to meningiomas. This patient had an SFT masquerading as a Vlth cranial nerve schwannoma. Although the natural history of SFTs in the CNS is not completely understood, correct diagnosis is important, given the rate of recurrence found in the more common pleural-based SFT and examples of CNS SFTs with malignant features.
Preoperative anemia impacts early postoperative recovery following autologous breast reconstruction.

Summary Introduction Preoperative anemia impacts a significant portion of breast reconstruction patients, though this does not appear to affect surgical outcomes. The impact of anemia on postoperative physical and mental health, however, is unknown. This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the role of preoperative anemia in recovery after autologous reconstruction. Methods From 2005 to 2010, we prospectively assessed autologous breast reconstruction patients with satisfaction surveys, strength and functional tests, and the short form 36 (SF36). Data was collected preoperatively and at early ( 365d) follow-up. We stratified patients by presence or lack of preoperative anemia (hemoglobin Results Of 399 patients undergoing reconstruction, 179 enrolled in the study. Anemic patients ( n = 31, 17%) had higher rates of preoperative chemotherapy ( p = 0.02) and lower rates of radiation ( p = 0.001). Preoperatively, anemic patients reported worse physical ( p p = 0.003) and overall health ( p = 0.0003). These scores worsened postoperatively for anemic and nonanemic patients, though anemic patients had lower average scores in all SF36 categories. This was significant only for early follow-up physical health ( p = 0.02). Change in SF36 scores and objective physical exam assessments did not differ between the two cohorts. Conclusions Though preoperative anemia may not impact surgical outcomes, it adversely impacts the recovery of breast reconstruction patients. Subjective physical health differences were significant in early follow-up, though this did not translate to differences in mental health or satisfaction. We advocate for preoperative optimization of hemoglobin to enhance the early recovery potential of breast reconstruction patients.
Assay of mixtures of phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride and caffeine in appetite suppressant formulations by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract A simple assay method for the quality control of appetite suppressant products containing phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride and caffeine has been developed. A methanolic extract of the product was evaporated to dryness and the residue was treated with aqueous solutions of sodium metaperiodate and disodium phosphate. Following addition of methyl p-hydroxybenzoate as internal standard and subsequent filtration, an aliquot of the filtrate was subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography on a 10-μm Partisil ODS-2 column with acetonitrile-water (30:70) as mobile phase. The drug: internal standard peak height ratio at 254 nm was linear over the ranges 0.3–2.0 μg of phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride and 1.1–16.0 μg of caffeine injected. All peaks were well-resolved. The heights equivalent to a theoretical plate (± S.D.) for phenylpropanolamine (as benzaldehyde) and caffeine were (n  10) 0.42 ± 0.08 and 1.31 ± 0.23 mm, respectively. Overall per cent recoveries (± S.D.) from simulated formulations (n  6) were 100.7 ± 1.6% phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride and 99.1 ± 1.4% caffeine. The method was applied to marketed products and is also applicable for single dose analysis.
“Ozymandias,” or De Casibus Lord Byron: Literary Celebrity on the Rocks

Though rarely discussed in such terms, “Ozymandias” represents a monumental moment in the so‐called Shelley‐Byron “debate” or “conversation.” Noting the failure of source studies to account convincingly for the origins of the facial features of Ozymandias, this paper argues that the pharaoh’s “frown, / And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command” are suspiciously Byronic, evoking the physiognomy of the Byronic hero and of Byron himself as portrayed in the widely circulated portrait of 1814–15 by George Henry Harlow. In other words, this paper argues that Ozymandias is a portrait – or rather a word‐bust – of that early‐nineteenth‐century literary colossus known as “Byron.” By depicting that colossus decapitated and in ruins, Shelley, who felt dwarfed by the genius and celebrity of Byron, prophesies the day when the sun would finally set on the literary empire of the poet whom he despaired of rivaling. Long a routine stop on the grand tour of British Romantic literature, “Ozymandias” now asks to be revisite...
Calculation of the M 23 magneto-optical absorption spectrum of ferromagnetic nickel

The ${M}_{23}$ magneto-optical absorption spectrum of ferromagnetic nickel is calculated using an approach similar to the component state-density method that has been successfully used in obtaining valence-band emission and absorption x-ray spectra of metals. The ${M}_{23}$ magneto-optical effects result predominantly from spin-orbit splitting of the $3p$ core state in conjunction with the final $d$-state spin polarization. The calculated spectrum exhibits features that are directly related to electronic structure parameters including the $3p$ core spin-orbit splitting, and the unfilled $d$-band spin polarization. Temperature variations in the magneto-optical structure can be used to determine separately the exchange-splitting variation and spin-wave excitation contributions to the decrease in the magnetization. Experimental verification of these predictions should provide insight into the applicability of the Stoner model to ferromagnetic nickel and may be helpful in resolving some of the apparently conflicting results of other experimental probes of the spin polarization near the Fermi level in nickel.
Conformational differences between Azotobacter vinelandii nitrogenase MoFe proteins as studied by small-angle X-ray scattering.

The nitrogenase MoFe protein is a heterotetramer containing two unique high-nuclearity metalloclusters, FeMoco and the P-cluster. FeMoco is assembled outside the MoFe protein, whereas the P-cluster...
Clinical features and outcomes in patients with Ewing sarcoma and regional lymph node involvement.

Background A minority of patients with Ewing sarcoma present with regional lymph node involvement. We investigated if patient characteristics and outcomes differ between patients with Ewing sarcoma with and without regional node involvement. Procedure Patients <40 years of age with Ewing sarcoma or peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) reported to the SEER database from 1973 to 2008 were evaluated based on the presence (n = 91) or absence (n = 1,361) of regional node involvement. Patient characteristics were analyzed using Fisher exact tests. Overall survival was estimated by Kaplan–Meier methods and evaluated using log-rank tests and Cox models. Results Patients with regional node involvement were more likely to have extraskeletal primary tumors (65.9% vs. 31.2%; P < 0.001) and axial tumors (71.1% vs. 59.6%; P = 0.03) compared to patients without regional node involvement. The incidence of regional node involvement was 12.4% for patients with extraskeletal primary tumors compared to 3.2% for patients with skeletal tumors. Five-year overall survival from diagnosis was inferior for patients with regional node involvement compared to those without regional node involvement (45.9% vs. 60.3%; P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, regional node involvement was predictive of inferior overall survival independent of age, metastatic status, tumor site, and soft tissue origin (hazard ratio 1.59; 95% CI 1.16–2.19). Conclusions Patients with extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma should undergo evaluation for regional node involvement. If validated, our findings indicate that regional node involvement may be an independent adverse prognostic factor in Ewing sarcoma, and potentially useful in risk-stratifying patients with otherwise localized disease. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012;59:617–620. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Flexural strength and fracture toughness of sea ice

Abstract A series of mid-winter experiments were carried out on the ice in the rubble field around Tarsiut Island in the Beaufort Sea. The tests included grain structure determinations, salinity and density of the ice, small beam flexural strength and fracture toughness. Typical values for flexural strength and fracture toughness were 0.6–1.0 MPa and 100–140 kPa m 1 2 respectively. Both properties were dependent on brine volume and depth in the ice sheet. In comparing these results with identical tests on finegrained freshwater ice it was found that for comparable loading conditions, the strength of the sea ice was significantly lower than the strength of the freshwater ice, whereas the fracture toughness of the sea ice was higher than the fracture toughness of the freshwater ice.
Nutritional effects on the development and atrophy of the thymus.

Summary1. In otherwise adequate diets complete or partial deficiency of riboflavin, pantothenic acid, thiamin or pyridoxin depresses the thymus weight of female albino rats below that of normally grown controls of corresponding body weight. 2. With complete deficiency of any one of the four factors mentioned, there is mild to marked atrophy of the thymus which may however be referable to losses in body weight. 3. On a diet partially deficient in thiamin which produces small but continuous body weight increases, thymus growth may be arrested for the four weeks duration of the experiment while under similar conditions partial pyridoxin deficiency produces marked atrophy.The observations all refer to an age range before “age involution” sets changes would be classed under the term “accidental involution”. They occurred in rats each of which received 10 mg of choline hydrochloride per day.
D-β-Hydroxybutyrate Reaction Kinetics Studied in Nanoliter Volumes Using a Capillary Polarimeter

A laser-based capillary polarimetric detector (CPD) has been configured to allow for the analysis of optically active molecules at physiological temperatures and within a 40 nL sample volume. In the CPD, interference fringes contained within a 360° fan of scattered light result from the interaction between a polarized laser beam and a 240 μm i.d. capillary tube. Here it is shown that these fringes change in a reproducible manner with solute optical activity, facilitating a 3σ detection limit of 1.7 X 10-3 M D-β-hydroxybutyrate corresponding to 68 X 10-12 mole (7 X 10-9 gram) of solute. Further, with the use of this improved and novel polarimeter, the noninvasive study of enzyme reaction kinetics for D-β-hydroxybutyrate (50 mg/dL) and hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (100 μL of 50 units/L) has been evaluated for the first time in the absence of NAD. The rate constant for this reaction was found to follow first-order kinetics and determined to be 2.2 X 10-2 s-1. The prospect of directly studying the influence of enzyme cofactors on reaction kinetics is at hand, and the observations presented suggest that the application of monitoring insulin therapy for patients experiencing ketoacidosis is a tractable problem for the CPD.
The Boston residential NO2 characterization study—II. Survey methodology and population concentration estimates

Abstract A recently completed year-long study of NO2 and air exchange rates in over 500 homes in the Boston Metropolitan area provides data to quantify the component of total NO2 exposures attributable to indoor sources, especially to gas-fired appliances. The approach of this work was to provide field data for validation or refinement of exposure models developed in previous, related work. For an indoor characterization field study, sample sizes of 450 gas- and 150 electric-range-equipped housing units were selected based on: (1) modeled estimation of precision and stability of parameter estimates using various sample sizes; (2) calculations including anticipated attrition from one monitoring period to the next. The sample was selected using standard area probability sampling to allow extrapolations of survey sample results to the larger population. The survey design included stratification by range fuel and area clustering for sampling and logistical efficiency. This paper presents the sampling results and field work progress through the year, with a discussion of response rates typical for exposure monitoring investigations. Monitoring results provide NO2 concentration data to evaluate the overall success of the survey implementation. A series of analyses isolate and quantify the standard errors of distribution estimates. Using sample data weighted for stratification, population exposure distribution parameter estimates are presented. Overall, analyses indicate that key model assumptions are valid. The relatively low standard errors of exposure parameters indicate that the design used in the study was relatively efficient. This illustrates the utility of standard survey research methodology in exposure assessment problems.
Survival, Birth Characteristics, and Cause-Specific Mortality of White-Tailed Deer Neonates

Abstract Understanding survival of and factors that may predispose newborn deer (Odocoileus spp.) to mortality contribute to improved understanding of population dynamics. We captured free-ranging white-tailed deer neonates (n = 66) of radiocollared females that survived severe (Winter Severity Index [WSI] = 153) and mild (WSI = 45) winters 2000–2001 and 2001–2002. Mean dates of birth (26 May ± 1.7 [SE] days and 26 May ± 1.3 days) and estimated birth-masses of 2.8 ± 0.1 kg and 3.0 ± 0.1 kg were similar between springs 2001 (n = 31) and 2002 (n = 35), respectively. Neonate survival was similar between years; pooled mortality rates of neonates were 0.14, 0.11, and 0.20 at 0–1 weeks, 2–4 weeks, and 5–12 weeks of age, respectively, and overall survival rate for neonates to 12 weeks of age was 0.47. Predation accounted for 86% of mortality; the remaining 14% of deaths were attributed to unknown causes. Black bears (Ursus americanus) were responsible for 57% and 38% of predation of neonates in springs 2001 and ...
Effects of fibroblasts and endothelial cells on inactivation of target proteases by protease nexin‐1, heparin cofactor II, and C1‐inhibitor

Previous studies have shown that glycosaminoglycans in the extracellular matrix accelerate the inactivation of target proteases by certain protease inhibitors. It has been suggested that the ability of the matrix of certain cells to accelerate some inhibitors but not others might reflect the site of action of the inhibitors. Previous studies showed that fibroblasts accelerate the inactivation of thrombin by protease nexin-1, an inhibitor that appears to function at the surface of cells in extravascular tissues. The present experiments showed that endothelial cells also accelerate this reaction. The accelerative activity was accounted for by the extracellular matrix and was mostly due to heparan sulfate. Fibroblasts but not endothelial cells accelerated the inactivation of thrombin by heparin cofactor II, an abundant inhibitor in plasma. This is consistent with previous suggestions that heparin cofactor II inactivates thrombin when plasma is exposed to fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells. Neither fibroblasts nor endothelial cells accelerated the inactivation of C1s by plasma C1-inhibitor.
Evidence for translational regulation of specific enzyme synthesis by N6, O2′-dibutyryl cyclic AMP in hepatoma cell cultures

Abstract N 6 ,O 2′ -dibutyryl cyclic 3′:5′ AMP (dibutyryl cAMP) produces a rapid increase in the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) in Reuber H35 hepatoma cell cultures. This effect is shown to result from a stimulation of enzyme synthesis. Low concentrations of actinomycin D completely block the response of PEPCK to dexamethasone but not that at early intervals after addition of dibutyryl cAMP. These results suggest that dibutyryl cAMP affects a post-transcriptional step in PEPCK synthesis. Superinduction of tyrosine transaminase after addition of high concentrations of actinomycin D is observed with both dexamethasone and dibutyryl cAMP; PEPCK does not exhibit this phenomenon with either inducer.
Control of-treadmill exercise of rats with hypothalamic stimulation

Running and resting behavior of rats was measured during treadmill exercise under conditions involving (1) rear-shock avoidance, (2) continuous electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus, or (3) no rear-shock and no hypothalamic stimulation. Hypothalamic stimulation was superior for eliciting consistent running with a minimum of resting. A second experiment demonstrated that decreases in hypothalamically elicited treadmill running resulting from prolonged exercise could be counteracted by increasing the intensity of the hypothalamic stimulus. A third experiment suggested that very little training was needed to induce a high and consistent level of running performance using hypothalamic stimulation.
Cell-Type Specific Posttranslational Processing of Peptides by Different Pituitary Cell Lines*

In order to compare prohormone processing in two distinct pituitary cell types, somatomammotrope cells (GH3) and corticotrope cells (AtT-20) were stably transfected with vectors encoding preproneuropeptide Y (preproNPY) containing four different pairs of basic amino acids at the single endoproteolytic cleavage site: wildtype or KR (lysine-arginine), RR, RK, and KK. The GH-NPY cell lines cleaved proNPY to a similar extent, regardless of the sequence of the basic amino acids at the cleavage site (KR = RR = RK = KK). AtT-20-NPY cells are known to exhibit a strong hierarchy of cleavage site preference when processing wildtype and mutated proNPY forms (KR = RR greater than RK much greater than KK). All four types of GH-NPY and AtT-NPY cells faithfully produced NPY (1-36) NH2 from proNPY (1-69), regardless of the amino acid sequence at the cleavage site. All four types of GH-NPY cells produced some of the expected proNPY-COOH-terminal peptide with Ser40 at its NH2-terminal [proNPY (40-69)]. GH3 cells expressing the RR, RK, and KK forms of proNPY yielded in addition some proNPY-COOH-terminal peptide retaining the amino terminals Lys39 or Arg39 residue. In contrast, AtT-NPY-RK cells produced only the Lys39 form of proNPY-COOH-terminal peptide while the other three AtT-NPY lines (KR, RR, and KK) produced only the Ser40 form of proNPY-COOH-terminal peptide. The residence time of proNPY and NPY in GH3 cells was dramatically increased by treatment with insulin, estradiol, and epidermal growth factor, in concert with the expected increase in PRL synthesis and decrease in GH synthesis; increased residence time in the cells did not result in an increase in the extent of cleavage of proNPY to NPY. AtT-20 cells did not respond to the somatomammotrope-specific set of hormones. Thus, there are several important differences in the posttranslational processing and storage of peptide hormones in corticotropes and somatomammotropes.
Structural Determinants of Human FANCF Protein That Function in the Assembly of a DNA Damage Signaling Complex

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare autosomal recessive and X-linked chromosomal instability disorder. At least eight FA proteins (FANCA, B, C, E, F, G, L, and M) form a nuclear core complex required for monoubiquitination of a downstream protein, FANCD2. The human FANCF protein reportedly functions as a molecular adaptor within the FA nuclear complex, bridging between the subcomplexes A:G and C:E. Our x-ray crystallographic studies of the C-terminal domain of FANCF reveal a helical repeat structure similar to the Cand1 regulator of the Cul1-Rbx1-Skp1-FboxSkp2 ubiquitin ligase complex. Two C-terminal loops of FANCF are essential for monoubiquitination of FANCD2 and normal cellular resistance to the DNA cross-linking agent mitomycin C. FANCF mutants bearing amino acid substitutions in this C-terminal surface fail to interact with other components of the FA complex, indicating that this surface is critical for the proper assembly of the FA core complex.
Usability feedback of patients and therapists on a conceptual mobile service robot for inpatient and home-based stroke rehabilitation

In skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes the number of therapists and nurses is insufficient for the number of residents, affecting the quality of rehabilitation and daily care. This study explores the development of an affordable mobile service robot for therapeutic activities in a health center environment where the number of clinicians is insufficient for clinical demand. Using demonstrations and surveys we solicit users' (clinician and patient) responses to a prototype telepresence robot combined with a NAO humanoid robot trunk to facilitate remote communication between the patient and clinician and to complete supervisory exercising coaching. This paper presents the concept prototype and preliminary survey results of users' reactions in order to demonstrate its potential activities in their healthcare center.
Self-force of a static electric charge near a Schwarzschild star

When a charge is held static near a constant density spherical star, it experiences a self-force ${F}_{\mathrm{self}}$, which is significantly different from the force ${F}_{\mathrm{self}}^{\mathrm{BH}}$ it would experience when placed near a black hole of the same mass. In this paper, an expression for the self-force (as measured by a locally inertial observer) is given for an insulating Schwarzschild star, and the result is explicitly computed for the extreme density case, which has a singularity at its center. The force is found to be repulsive. A similar calculation of the self-force is also performed for a conducting star. This calculation is valid for any static, spherically conducting star, since the result is independent of the interior metric. When the charge is placed very close to the conducting star, the force is found to be attractive but when the charge is placed beyond a certain distance (2.95 M for a conducting star of radius 2.25 M), the force is found to be repulsive. When the charge is placed very far from the star (be it conducting or insulating), the charge experiences the same repulsive force it would experience when placed in the space-time of a black hole with the same mass as the star.
RECONSTITUTION OF TOBACCO MOSAIC VIRUS. IV. INHIBITION BY ENZYMES AND OTHER PROTEINS, AND USE OF POLYNUCLEOTIDES.

Abstract The reconstitution of tobacco mosaic virus from its two components was reinvestigated. Yields of nucleoprotein particles of the order of 50% were usually obtained in 0.1 M pyrophosphate (pH 7.25) in 6 hours at 30°. Other buffers could be used, with the exception of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane. Little or no reconstitution occurred at 0.01 or lower molarities of buffer; in the cold the reaction proceeded extremely slowly. The presence of tobacco leaf juice greatly interfered with reconstitution, an effect that could in part be prevented by the presence of bentonite. The same was the case if traces of pancreatic ribonuclease were present in the reconstitution mixture. Other proteins added at much higher concentration also produced lower virus yields. Most of that RNA which did not enter into sedimentable particles in the course of the reaction was unable to do so when treated with fresh protein, apparently because it had been degraded. No stable sedimentable particles were formed upon substitution of TMV RNA by RNA from wheat germ or ascites cells, or by poly-C, poly-U, poly-G, or poly-X. In contrast, poly-A combined with a 15-fold amount of TMV protein to give stable sedimentable rods. Best yields of sedimentable particles, involving about 80% of the poly-A, were obtained under typical reconstitution conditions, but at pH 6.6. Poly-I reacted similarly. Of a variety of copolymers tested only those very rich in A were able to form particles, the yield and stability of which was affected by both their content in A and the nature of the second component.
Alfuzosin Stone Expulsion Therapy for Distal Ureteral Calculi: A Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Study

Purpose: We evaluated the efficacy of alfuzosin as medical expulsive therapy for distal ureteral stone passage.Materials and Methods: A total of 76 patients with a distal ureteral calculus provided consent for the study. Patients were randomized between placebo and study medication, and investigators and patients were blinded to the randomization scheme. Followup was done on a weekly basis and continued until the patient was rendered stone-free. The patient blood pressure, discomfort level, stone position on imaging, number of remaining pills and any adverse events were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed with the Student t test with p <0.05 considered significant.Results: The overall spontaneous stone passage rate was 75%, including 77.1% for placebo and 73.5% for alfuzosin (p = 0.83). Mean ± SD time needed to pass the stone was 8.54 ± 6.99 days for placebo vs 5.19 ± 4.82 days for alfuzosin. (p = 0.003). There was no difference in the size or volume of stones that passed spontaneously between th...
High order methods for elliptic partial differential equations with singularities

This paper reports on an experimental study of the effectiveness of high order numerical methods applied to linear elliptic partial differential equations whose solutions have singularities or similar difficulties (e.g. boundary layers, sharp peaks). Three specific hypotheses are established with high levels of statistical confidence to support the general conclusion: there is a strong correlation between the order of a method and its efficiency. Higher order is better.
Traitement des dissections spontanées: symptomatiques isolées des artères digestives l'intervention en urgence est-elle nécessaire ?

Les dissections spontanees des arteres digestives sans dissection aortique associee sont rares, bien que davantage de cas aient ete rapportes recemment en raison des progres des techniques de diagnostic. Les facteurs de risque, les causes et l'histoire naturelle des dissections spontanees isolees des arteres digestives ne sont pas clairs. Le traitement par chirurgie conventionnelle, stenting endovasculaire ou traitement anti-coagulant a ete propose. Il n'y a cependant pas de consensus concernant la meilleure prise en charge. Nous presentons trois cas de dissections spontanees et isolees d'arteres digestives. La dissection interessait l'artere mesenterique superieure dans un cas et le tronc coeliaque dans deux cas. Chacun des trois malades se presentait avec une douleur abdominale aigue mais sans signe d'irritation peritoneale. Les malades ont ete traites de facon non chirurgicale par des anticoagulants ou des anti-agregants plaquettaires. Aucune intervention chirurgicale ou endovasculaire n'a ete realisee. Les etudes d'imagerie au cours du suivi ont montre une amelioration de la dissection chez deux malades et aucune modification chez un malade. Tous les malades etaient asymptomatiques apres un suivi moyen de 17 mois. Le traitement non chirurgical avec surveillance attentive est une strategie acceptable dans le traitement des dissections spontanees isolees des arteres digestives. L'intervention d'urgence n'est pas necessaire chez les malades symptomatiques sans signe d'ischemie aigue intestinale ou d'hemorragie.
Breast cancer treatment-related lymphedema self-care: Education, practices, symptoms, and quality of life

The primary purpose of this study was to cross-sectionally examine breast cancer treatment-related lymphedema self-care education, self-care practices, and perceived self-care barriers, burdens, and benefits. We also explored the associations among self-care education, practices, symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer survivors with known lymphedema. A cross-sectional design was used to obtain data about lymphedema self-care education, self-care practices, perceived self-care barriers, burdens, and benefits, symptoms, and QOL. Frequency distributions and Spearman rank-order correlations were used to analyze quantitative data. Thematic qualitative analysis of perceived barriers, benefits, and burdens of self-care was also undertaken. Surveys were completed and returned by 51 of 58 eligible individuals. Of the 51 responding, 48 had received some self-care education, but three did not think it was adequate. Wearing a compression garment was the most frequently cited self-care activity, and 18 of the 51 required help with self-care. Thirty-three percent, 17/51, spent 15 minutes or less per day on self-care. Multiple barriers to self-care were identified. Those with more symptoms spent more time on self-care activities and had a poorer QOL. Opportunities exist to improve lymphedema self-care education. Breast cancer survivors with lymphedema experience symptoms beyond that of simple swelling of the affected limb. Self-care is burdensome. Barriers to providing lymphedema self-care exist and may vary across patients. A multidisciplinary approach to lymphedema management, including self-care education and monitoring, is likely needed to improve QOL in this population.
Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma: report of a case with review of literature and treatment outcome

Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma is a highly malignant, polymorphous neoplasm that combines features of carcinosarcoma and teratoma. We describe the clinicopathologic features and management of a well-documented example of this unique entity that involved a 41-year-old Hispanic man. The patient presented with a history of multiple episodes of epistaxis, nasal obstruction and frontal headaches. Computerized tomography scans and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large mass filling the left nasal cavity and extending to the cribriform plate with involvement of the ethmoid sinuses, lamina papyracea, and orbit. The patient underwent a complex procedure for a T3N0 tumor. Histologic examination revealed a heterogeneous admixture of epithelial, mesenchymal, and neuroepithelial elements. The mesenchymal components consist of fibrous stroma and myxomatous areas, labeled with calponin and smooth muscle actin. The epithelial components vary from clear cells, nonkeratinizing epithelium to glandular pattern, and keratin containing cysts. Immature neuroepithelium and olfactory neuroblastomalike tissue are highlighted with neuroendocrine markers. Postoperatively, the patient had a rapid local recurrence of the tumor and underwent reexcision, and was treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Twelve months after his primary resection, computerized tomography scans revealed an intrathoracic tumor with dominant mass in the left hilum and metastases to the mediastinum, left pleural space, and both lungs. The histologic nature of his chest mass remains undetermined. Among 54 cases of reported sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma, 67% of patients with initial single surgical resection and 80% of patients primarily treated with radiotherapy had recurrence, or metastatsis, or unresponsiveness to treatment. The high rate of local recurrence and metastasis is indicative of its highly aggressive biologic behavior. Almost half of the patients died of tumor within 3 years of diagnosis, despite aggressive therapy. Seventy percent of the patients who survived more than 1 year had the initial therapeutic regiments of combined surgery and adjuvant therapies, suggesting that aggressive therapeutic approaches may improve the treatment outcome.
Target-directed navigation using wireless sensor networks and implicit surface interpolation

This paper extends the novel research for event localization and target-directed navigation using a deployed wireless sensor network (WSN) [4]. The goal is to have an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) navigate to a target-location by: (i) producing an artificial magnitude distribution within the WSN-covered region, and (ii) having the AMR use the pseudo-gradient from the interpolated distribution in its neighborhood, as it moves towards the target location. Implicit surfaces are used to interpolate the artificial distribution. This scheme only uses the topology of the WSN and received signal strength (RSS) to estimate an efficient navigation path for the AMR. Here, the AMR does not require global coordinates for the region, as it relies on local, neighborhood information alone to navigate. The performance of the scheme is analyzed with hardware experiments and in simulation, using a variety of node-densities and with increasing levels of noise to ensure robustness.
Work in progress — Integration of the scientific workflow paradigm into high performance computing and large scale data management curricula

With the onset of the digital age, more scientists are using computer simulations to discover and validate new theories. The experiments and tasks have given rise to the use of scientific workflow management systems. However, researchers often develop workflows from scratch, and there is no easy way to integrate various workflow systems and specifications. As a solution, we are developing an innovative approach that addresses scientific workflow management systems in a bottom-up manner: firstly from the operating systems and file systems side where the scientific workflow management systems must reside and interact, and finally to the functionality that the scientific workflow management systems must provide and the World Wide Web on which the scientific workflow management systems must operate. In the systems level, we extend and modify the operating system and file system through optimization techniques. In the applications-level, we examine the need to organize raw data and corresponding metadata alongside the interference of these data with existing computing resources.
Influence of variable viscosity of mineral oil on laminar heat transfer in a 2:1 rectangular duct

Abstract An experimental study of laminar flow heat transfer in a 2:1 rectangular duct to mineral oil is carried out. The Hl thermal boundary condition corresponding to axially constant heat flux and peripherally constant temperature is adopted for three different heating configurations : (1) top wall heated, other walls adiabatic ; (2) bottom wall heated, other walls adiabatic ; (3) top and bottom walls heated, side walls adiabatic. Corresponding experiments are carried out using water as the test fluid. The experimental results for water show that when the upper wall is heated the influence of buoyancy force is minimal. However, in the case of oil the temperature-sensitive viscosity results in enhanced heat transfer as compared to water due to the distortion of the oil velocity profile. When the lower wall is heated, the influence of both buoyancy force and the stress differences of the mineral oil caused by the variable viscosity results in a substantial increase in the heat transfer as compared to the values found for water. When both top and bottom walls are heated, the local heat transfer enhancement for the mineral oil is smaller as compared with that when each wall is heated alone since the velocity profile and the stress distribution associated with the variable viscosity are more symmetric. Thus the secondary flows are limited to those associated with natural convection and the oil results are in good agreement with the values found in water.
Delayed or precocious hyperphagia after symmetrical or asymmetrical hypothalamic knife cuts in male and female weanling rats

Abstract Hypothalamic knife cuts were made in weanling rats. Following bilateral parasagittal knife cuts in either sex there was an initial 1– weeks of marginally excessive weight gain followed by 1–2 weeks of no gain or even weight loss followed finally by a sustained excessive weight gain. Following asymmetrical knife cuts (unilateral parasagittal cut + contralateral coronal cut) in either sex the obesity was also delayed. With these asymmetrical cuts, however, there was no initial excessive gain and subsequent loss. With both types of knife cuts the onset of the delayed excessive weight gain did not coincide with puberty. For a few rats with either type of cut there was no delay at all, the knife cut weanlings gaining excessively and continuously beginning from the day of surgery.
Sesquiterpene lactones of Ambrosia chamissonis

A study of a large number of populations of Ambrosia chamissonis ranging from Southern California to British Columbia, has disclosed chemical differences within the species. Six germacranolides, in addition to chamissonin, have been found in the various populations.
Management of persistent symptoms in patients with asthma.

The main goals of asthma therapy are to control symptoms, prevent acute attacks, and maintain lung function as close to normal as possible. Customizing the regimen to relieve the patient's symptoms and control airway inflammation is important. If asthma is not well controlled, an initial inhaled corticosteroid boost will treat the underlying heightened airway inflammation, and the addition of a long-acting β 2 -adrenergic agonist or leukotriene receptor antagonist will rapidly control symptoms. Most patients do not require prolonged treatment with expensive combination or additive agents. Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction is a common source of symptoms. Treatments for scheduled and unscheduled exercises differ. Inhaled corticosteroids prevent frequent and severe asthma exacerbations. When patients have persistent symptoms despite a pharmacological regimen, environmental factors and nonpharmacological interventions must be considered before medication is increased. When an inhaled corticosteroid is being considered, issues of compliance, drug delivery device, and proper inhaler techniques are as important as issues of potency, clinical efficacy, and adverse effects. The new hydrofluoroalkane preparations offer more lung deposition and may be important in treating inflammation of the small airways in patients with asthma.