cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Technique for the Use of the “Mini-Press” in Micro Infrared Spectroscopy

The Wilks Mini-Press has been used extensively in our laboratory for detecting microgram quantities of various pharmaceutical drug products. Their instruction sheet1 states: “grind approximately 0.5 to 1.0 mg solid sample.” However, by using the method described below we have been able to obtain spectra showing strong absorption bands of various pharmaceutical drugs with as little as 20 μg of material (see Fig. 1).
Ca-dependency Of Cardiac SR Ca Release Reveals No Sign Of Ca-dependent Inactivation And Points To Luminal Ca As A Principal Regulator Of Release

Calcium-induced calcium release (CICR) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) through ryanodine receptors (RyRs) mediates periodic beating of cardiac myocytes and can occur spontaneously contributing to arrhythmia. Following Ca release, SR Ca signaling becomes refractory due to a transitory functional inactivation of the RyR channels. Although the precise causes continue to be debated, cytosolic Ca-dependent inactivation and luminal Ca-dependent deactivation are viewed as the most likely mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon. In order to examine the role of these mechanisms in controlling CICR, we investigated SR Ca release in a wide range of cytosolic Ca concentrations ([Ca]c; 1-100uM) in permeabilized canine ventricular myocytes by monitoring Ca concentration inside the SR ([Ca]SR) using the low affinity Ca indicator Fluo5N. Elevating Ca from 100nM to 1-50uM caused spontaneous oscillations of [Ca]SR manifested as periodic depletions followed by periods of reloading synchronized across the cell. While the duration of depletion intervals increased, the periods when the SR was reloaded shortened resulting in an overall increase in the frequency of [Ca]SR oscillations with increasing [Ca]c. At [Ca]c>50uM, [Ca]SR oscillations disappeared and the SR stayed continuously empty. Preloading the SR with low-affinity Ca chelators decreased the frequency of [Ca]SR oscillations in a concentration-dependent manner. Our results suggest that under conditions of continuous activation by cytosolic Ca, RyRs can periodically cycle between open and deactivated states due to effects of luminal Ca. Deactivation appears to involve desensitization to cytosolic Ca because it is overcome at high [Ca]c, which renders the channels continuously open. Inactivation by cytosolic Ca plays no detectable role in controlling SR Ca release.
Reconfiguring Dis/ability: Multiple and Narrative Constructions of Self

Postmodern claims of multiple, narrative, and constructed identities contribute greater complexity to the social perceptions of persons with dis/abilities in part because they challenge the concept of a unitary self, which when applied to disabled people is not only inadequate and inaccurate but also dangerous. Theories of multiple identities, disrupted self-narratives, and dominant discourses about dis/ability are placed in dialogue with first-hand accounts of persons living with dis/abilities—and living fully. To be inclusive of people with dis/abilities, communities of faith are tasked with challenging the concept of a “normative” (unitary acceptable) body and constructing a revised narrative of the connection between divine activity and dis/ability.
Effect of Glucagon on the Level of Adenosine 3',5'-Monophosphate in Rat Liver and Adipose Tissue: Dependence on the Route of Administration

Studies were conducted on the effect of intraperitoneal (ip) and subcutaneous (sc) injections of glucagon on the levels of cyclic AMP (c-AMP) in the liver and epididymal fat pads of the rat. We observed differences dependent not only on the route of administration of the glucagon but also on the nutritional and hormonal status of the animal. In animals which had been fasted for 18 hr prior to the injection of glucagon, sc injections gave a greater, more prolonged, and less variable elevation of hepatic c-AMP levels than did the ip injections. If animals were fasted overnight, fed for 3 hr and then fasted 3 hr before the injection of glucagon, the ip and sc injection gave equivalent elevations of hepatic c-AMP levels at 10 min. However, the sc injections maintained the elevated levels for the 30 min period studied, whereas the c-AMP in animals receiving ip injections declined rapidly after the peak at 10 min. In contrast to the 2 situations above, the elevation of hepatic c-AMP in adrenalectomized animals ...
Treatment of older patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: key questions and current answers

Despite the advanced age at onset, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) shortens the life expectancy of the majority of newly diagnosed patients. The management of elderly patients with CLL is more complex than that of younger patients due to the greater frequency of comorbidities and functional impairment as well as reduced organ function. Many of the recent advances in the care of CLL patients (prognostication, more intense combination therapy regimens) are of unclear relevance for elderly patients. This review addresses 5 key questions in the management of elderly patients with CLL: (1) why is classifying the "fitness" of CLL patients necessary; (2) what criteria should be used to classify patient fitness; (3) when should elderly patients be treated; (4) how should therapy be selected for elderly patients; and (5) which therapy is best (for this patient)?
Disciplinary variation in preparation for the academic dean role

This empirical study examined a sample of 210 academic deans in research and doctoral institutions in the United States to investigate the relationship between academic discipline and the preparation of deans for their leadership role. Respondents reported relying on experience in past administrative posts and past relationships with faculty leaders as the most highly valued approaches to learning what the deans’ job entails. Findings suggest that how deans understand their role is very much related to the unique experiences they have accumulated as a faculty member. Despite the low reliance overall on trial‐and‐error as a learning approach, deans in pure fields reported relying more on trial‐and‐error than deans from applied fields. This finding suggests that academic discipline cannot be discounted in considering the preparation of faculty for leadership roles.
Use of short-rotation coppice willow crops by birds and small mammals in central New York

Abstract As the use of short-rotation coppice willow crops increases, this vegetation type will comprise a greater extent of the landscape, yet its attendant effects on biodiversity remain poorly understood. In this study we characterized the avian and small mammal communities of willow crops that were established for phytoremediation and biomass production in industrial settling basins and compared these communities to those of surrounding areas of naturally-established perennial herbaceous-woody vegetation. Overall, we observed 33 bird species and five small mammal species in five focal sites (i.e., areas consisting of willow crops and adjacent vegetation) and 20 bird species and four small mammal species in two reference sites (i.e., areas of the settling basins without willow crops). For birds and small mammals, focal sites supported slightly greater average species richness and average abundances of all species combined than reference sites. Within focal sites, willow crops supported fewer species and similar combined abundances compared to adjacent areas. Importantly, community and individual species responses varied with the duration of time since coppicing. More small mammal species and individuals used willow crops in the year following coppicing because of their herbaceous undergrowth, while more birds tended to use older willow crops. Collectively, these results indicate that willow crops located within areas of perennial herbaceous-woody vegetation provide some benefits to bird and small mammal populations and that promoting a herbaceous layer in willow crops and maintaining multiple age classes of willows in the landscape simultaneously are likely to enhance the value of willow crops for biodiversity.
Inversion of multiple thermal indicators: quantitative methods of determining paleoheat flux and geological parameters. I: Theoretical development for paleoheat flux

The quantitative inversion of present-day downhole thermal indicator information enables (a) assessment of the effective paleoheat flux recorded by thermal indicators, and (b) determination of geological parameters related to the dynamical burial history of sedimentary strata. The logic of the general inversion scheme underlying seven thermal indicators, viz. vitrinite reflectance, sterane, and/or hopane isomers, sterane aromatization, optical rotation,39Ar/40Ar, pollen translucency, and fission scar tracks in apatite is presented, and their capability for resolving paleoheat flux is noted. In a second paper, determination of chemical and physical parameters, as well as several other quantities of geological interest (such as the sizes and erosion times of multiple unconformities, stratigraphic ages, paleo-overpressure, igneous intrusion timing, overthrust timing and frictional heat generation, fault and slump timing, thermal effects due to radioactive layer emplacement, and salt emplacement and dissolution timing) are discussed. Such events impact on both burial and thermal histories of sedimentary layers.
Acute kidney injury: Severity of illness scoring systems in acute kidney injury.

General severity of illness scores lack high predictive accuracy for mortality in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Using the Veterans Affairs/National Institutes of Health Acute Renal Failure Trial Network database, Demirjian et al. identified 21 independent predictors of mortality and developed an accurate scoring system for outcomes in patients with AKI requiring renal replacement therapy.
The endocannabinoid system and cardiometabolic risk: Effects of CB1 receptor blockade on lipid metabolism

Abstract Cardiometabolic risk factors affect more than 47 million adults in the United States today. Although certain risk factors (e.g., obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia) contribute independently to the global risk, dyslipidemia is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Successful treatment requires a well-coordinated multifaceted approach, with commitment to a long-term program for disease management. Although initial attempts should focus on dietary changes and increased physical activity, most patients also need effective, safe, and well-monitored pharmacotherapy. Experimental studies have shown that overactivation of the endocannabinoid system—a physiologic signaling system involved in regulating energy intake, fatty acid synthesis and storage, and glucose and lipid metabolism—is associated with obesity, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. In clinical trials, selective blockade of CB 1 receptors has resulted in substantial weight loss and significant improvement in lipid profiles. The effects of rimonabant, the first selective CB 1 receptor blocker, were evaluated in 6600 obese or overweight adults who participated in one of 4 multicenter, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials for at least 1 year. Significant improvement in lipid profiles (specifically HDL and triglyceride levels and ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol) was seen in the 2503 patients taking rimonabant 20 mg/day, independent of its substantial effects on weight loss. No significant changes in LDL or total cholesterol were observed. Results of clinical trials with rimonabant are promising. Additional long-term controlled studies with appropriate follow-up are warranted to confirm the clinical potential of this drug, particularly its effects on dyslipidemia and other cardiovascular endpoints.
Model-Independent Beam Dynamics Analysis

Using a singular value decomposition of a beam line matrix, composed of many beam position measurements for a large number of pulses, together with the measurement of pulse-by-pulse beam properties or machine attributes, the contributions of each variable to the beam centroid motion can be identified with a greatly improved resolution. The eigenvalues above the noise floor determine the number of significant physical variables. This method is applicable to storage rings, linear accelerators, and any system involving a number of sources and a larger number of sensors with unknown correlations. Applications are presented from the Stanford Linear Collider. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Narrow Listening: an alternative way to develop and enhance listening comprehension in students of French as a foreign language

Abstract Evidence shows that aural comprehensible input plays a critical role in the early stages of language acquisition. While uncontrolled casual conversations may be too difficult for beginning and intermediate foreign language students to comprehend, Narrow Listening, the repeated listening of several brief tape-recorded interviews of proficient speakers discussing a topic both familiar and interesting to the acquirers, offers them a valuable and rewarding alternative. In the present study, a survey of beginning and intermediate college French as a foreign language students' reactions to Narrow Listening and their assessment of its impact on their language development was conducted. Results indicate that students found Narrow Listening to be interesting, very helpful in improving listening comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary, and in increasing their confidence with French.
“If You Tickle Us….”: How Corporations Can Be Moral Agents Without Being Persons

There are two very important debates currently underway in both the philosophical literature and public discourse: the first is about whether corporations are moral agents, and thus have moral obligations; the second is about whether corporations are persons, and thus entitled to a very specific suite of rights and protections. These conversations have occasionally been conflated by critics of corporate moral agency
The Conversion of D-Xylose to Xylitol and D-Xylonic Acid by a Bovine Lens Preparation

Abstract Incubation of D-xylose with an aqueous solution of bovine lens protein (100 mg/mL) at 37 °C and pH 7.0 gives both a reduced product (xylitol) and an oxidation product (D-xylonic acid), which were both unequivocally identified by GLC (TMS ether derivative) and by GLC/MS. Studies of the reaction at a variety of conditions suggest that both the reduction and oxidation reactions are protein (possibly enzyme) catalyzed and appear to be unique to lens protein (albumin and ovalbumin do not catalyze the reaction).
Chemical state mapping on material surfaces with the X1A second-generation scanning photoemission microscope (X1A SPEM-II)

The second generation scanning photoelectron microscope at beamline X1A of the National Synchrotron Light Source (X1A SPEM-II) is designed for spatially resolved elemental and chemical analysis by x ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) on material surfaces. This microscope can focus photon energies between 300 to 800 eV with submicron spatial resolution. Multiple photoelectron images can be acquired simultaneously with the use of a hemispherical sector analyzer (HSA) with multi-channel detection (MCD), which enables a technique called 'parallel imaging for chemical state mapping' (PICSM). The PICSM technique was demonstrated using a Si/SiO2 pattern.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Structure and evolution of the lunar Procellarum region as revealed by GRAIL gravity data

The Procellarum region is a broad area on the nearside of the Moon that is characterized by low elevations, thin crust, and high surface concentrations of the heat-producing elements uranium, thorium, and potassium. The Procellarum region has been interpreted as an ancient impact basin approximately 3200 km in diameter, though supporting evidence at the surface would have been largely obscured as a result of the great antiquity and poor preservation of any diagnostic features. Here we use data from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to examine the subsurface structure of Procellarum. The Bouguer gravity anomalies and gravity gradients reveal a pattern of narrow linear anomalies that border the Procellarum region and are interpreted to be the frozen remnants of lava-filled rifts and the underlying feeder dikes that served as the magma plumbing system for much of the nearside mare volcanism. The discontinuous surface structures that were earlier interpreted as remnants of an impact basin rim are shown in GRAIL data to be a part of this continuous set of quasi-rectangular border structures with angular intersections, contrary to the expected circular or elliptical shape of an impact basin. The spatial pattern of magmatic-tectonic structures bounding Procellarum is consistent with their formation in response to thermal stresses produced by the differential cooling of the province relative to its surroundings, coupled with magmatic activity driven by the elevated heat flux in the region.
Enteric bacteriology, absorption, morphology and emptying after ileal pouch–anal anastomosis

The aim was to determine whether changes in enteric bacteriology, absorption, morphology, and emptying occur after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis, and to relate any changes to the clinical result. Twenty patients were studied 26 +/- 2 months (mean +/- s.e.m.) after operation. Eight patients had a good result, six a poor result, and six a history of recurrent pouch ileitis. Anaerobic and aerobic overgrowth occurred in the jejunum of patients with a poor result, but not in those with a good result or with pouch ileitis. In contrast, ileal pouch bacterial overgrowth occurred in all patients regardless of the clinical result. Patients with jejunal overgrowth had increased 24 h stool volume and stool nitrogen, but other patients did not. The larger the stool volume, the greater the anaerobic overgrowth. Pouch biopsies showed chronic inflammation in all patients, while 45 per cent had colonic metaplasia. Neither the inflammation nor the metaplasia correlated with the clinical result, nor did the clinical result correlate with the efficiency of pouch emptying. In conclusion, jejunal bacterial overgrowth after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis was associated with an increased stool output, azotorrhoea, and a poor clinical result. A distinguishing bacterial, absorptive, morphological, or emptying abnormality was not found in patients with a history of recurrent pouch ileitis.
The Ethical Program and the Chinese of Indonesia

In their declining decades colonialists all but universally produced a series of attitudes and a set of administrative schemes which would have been incomprehensible to earlier, more robust imperial rulers. These views and actions, apparently typical of moribund colonialism, are generally labeled humanitarian. A multiplicity of interpretations can be offered to explain the phenomena to be observed in virtually all colonies in the final and rather confusing years before national freedom is won. In British, French, Dutch, Japanese, American, and even Belgian areas a measure of humanitarian concern was injected into the thinking of colonial administrators. Clearly the pattern was not the same every where. Local circumstances in the colonies and pressures from the metropolitan governments gave rise to almost limitless variety in the application of the new imperialist ethic, yet humanitarianism became at least the slogan of colonial regimes from Taiwan to the Congo. Indeed expressions of good will and high purpose often mixed with and dis guised imperialism's death rattle.
University Of Texas 7.6 Meter Telescope Project

For over two years the McDonald Observatory of The University of Texas at Austin has been actively designing a very large optical telescope. The design is largely constrained by the two requirements of completion by the late 1980's and cost within the realm of private philanthropy. Within these constraints, we have concluded that the largest possible telescope is one which incorporates the following properties: (1) a monolithic primary mirror of diameter near 7.6 meters, (2) an ultra-thin, meniscus, fused silica primary of thickness 10-15 centimeters or a "hondycomb" borosilicate primary of near classical thickness, (3) a fast (f/2) Ritchey-Chretien primary relayed to two f/13.5 Ilasmyth foci, (4) an alt-azimuth mount, (5) an MMT-style building instead of a classical dome, and (6) a sepa-rate building to house the aluminizing chamber.
Observation of aqueous Cm(III)/Eu(III) and UO22+ nanoparticulates at concentrations approaching solubility limit by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy

Abstract Eu(III), Cm(III) and the uranyl ion display intense fluorescence spectra in the visible range and the spectroscopic characteristics are dependent on the composition and structure of the individual metal complexes. In this work, we demonstrate the application of laser-induced time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in identification of nanoparticles of (i) Eu(III) and Cm(III) in basic solutions (pH > 10) in the presence of organic chelates including EDTA, HEDTA, NTA and oxalate and (ii) sodium uranyl phosphate after equilibration with synthetic sodium uranyl phosphate suspensions. Fluorescence spectral and SEM results indicate that Eu(III) and Cm(III) can exist as colloidal nanoparticles in filtered 0.1 M NaOH solutions. Such nanoparticles, which display largely red-shifted fluorescence spectra as compared with the aqueous complexes and unusually short fluorescence lifetimes, contribute to the measured concentrations of Eu(III)/Cm(III) in the aqueous solutions. Similarly, uranyl spectroscopic signatures indicate that the determination of the solubility of uranium phosphate minerals is prone to the presence of uranyl phosphate nanoparticles. Due to the presence of such nanoparticles, the common solubility measurements may only indicate an upper limit of the “true” solubility.
Optimization of a Mathematical Model of Cerebral Autoregulation Using Patient Data

Abstract This study presents an analysis of a cerebral autoregulation (CA) model developed by Ursino and Lodi Ursino and Lodi (1997). We have used this model to analyze non-invasive measurements of cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) and arterial blood pressure obtained during postural change from sitting to standing for a healthy young subject. This paper includes a sensitivity analysis, ranking model parameters from the most to the least sensitive, and an analysis (using a methodology called subset selection) that allows identification of correlations among model parameters. Finally, we estimated patient specific parameters using the Levenberg-Marquardt optimization method minimizing the least square errors between computed and measured values of CBFV.
Analytical applications of the reaction of thorium with benzenephosphonic acid

Abstract Benzenephosphonic acid quantitatively precipitates thorium as Th(C6H5PO3)2·3H2O at pH values as low as 0.5. The compound may be dried at 140° to 180° C and weighed, as a gravimetric means of determining thorium. On ignition, Th (C2H5PO3)2 3 H2O undergoes decomposition at 240° to 300° C to form Th(C6H5PO3)2·2H2O, at 450° to 650° C to form Th(HPO4)2·2H2O and finally at 800° to 1000° C to form Th(HPO4)2. The latter compound is stable to 1200° C. Potentiometrically (pK1' = 0.91, pK2' = 6.41) and spectrophotometrically (pK1' = 0.96, pK2' = 6.51) determined pK' values are reported. Absorption spectra of C6H5PO3H2, C6H5PO3H- and C6H5PO3-2 are reported. The solubility of Th (C6H5PO3)2·3H2O was studied as a function of pH and the average value of the solubility product (Ksp = 4s3) was found to be 3.24·10-31.
Moduli space of torsional manifolds

Abstract We characterize the geometric moduli of non-Kahler manifolds with torsion. Heterotic supersymmetric flux compactifications require that the six-dimensional internal manifold be balanced, the gauge bundle be Hermitian Yang–Mills, and also the anomaly cancellation be satisfied. We perform the linearized variation of these constraints to derive the defining equations for the local moduli. We explicitly determine the metric deformations of the smooth flux solution corresponding to a torus bundle over K3.
On a nonlinear theory of thin rods

Abstract In this paper, a nonlinear theory for a straight rod is presented from the general theory of the three-dimensional deformable-body in the Cartesian coordinate frame. A set of nonlinear strains is presented, and the stretch on central curve exactly satisfies the deformation geometrical relations. The relations between the Euler angles and deformation are given from the curvatures and torsion curvatures of the central curves, which can easily explain the existing theories of rods and beams. Full nonlinear equations of motion for a nonlinear rod are developed via the vector form. Such a treatise is different from the traditional treatises of nonlinear rods, based on the Cosserat’s theory (e.g., Cosserat and Cosserat [1] in 1896) or the Kirchhoff assumptions (e.g., Kirchhoff [18] in 1859; Love [3] in 1944). This paper extends the ideas of Galerkin [4] in 1915. The nonlinear theory of thin rods can reduce to the existing theories for thin rods and beams, such ideas presented in this paper can be applied for development of the nonlinear theory for plates and shells as well.
Continuous abrasive method for mechanically fractionating flaxseed

Both the flaxseed hull, which is rich in the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), and the embryo, which is rich in oil with high α-linolenic acid content, are of interest for functional food use. A mechanical process for preparing hull-and embryo-rich fractions was developed and characterized. The process consisted of three pearlers, a sifter that yielded fines, and a gravity table that yielded final hull and embryo fractions. The SDG contents of fractions correlated inversely with oil content, showing that oil content indicated purity of both embryo and hull fractions and that the fines were essentially hull particles. Process performance depended on seed variety, moisture content, and feed rate; the best yields were 285 g hull +fines/kg for low-moisture Omega flaxseed, and 470 g embryo/kg seed for low-moisture Neche. Corresponding oil contents of those fractions were 28.8 and 47.4%, respectively. This process appears to be commercially feasible, provided it can be scaled up. A single stage was used to identify features that should be incorporated into a scaled-up unit, for example a 7-mesh screen in the pearler chamber rather than 6- or 8-mesh, and use of an overhead feed inlet to the chamber to direct seed into the disk-plate gap.
Abstract 1287: Profile-related evidence to determine individualized cancer therapy (PREDICT): Preliminary results of the Personalized Phase I Clinical Trials program at MD Anderson Cancer Center

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Introduction: To assess the outcomes of molecularly targeted therapy, we analyzed the results of mutational analyses in patients seen in our Phase I clinic and assessed patient survival by the number of mutations in patients treated with and without matched targeted therapy. Methods: Mutational analysis was mostly performed in the CLIA-certified pathology laboratory. DNA was extracted from microdissected paraffin-embedded tumor samples. The following genes were analyzed: PIK3CA (exon 9: codons 532-554; exon 20: codons 1011-1062); BRAF (exon 15: codons 595 to 600); KRAS and NRAS (codons 12, 13, 61); EGFR (exons 18 to 21, kinase domain); KIT (exons 9, 11, 13, 17); and RET (exon 10: codons 609, 611, 618, 620; exon 11: codon 634; exon 16: codon 918). The loss of the tumor suppressor nuclear protein (PTEN) was determined by immunohistochemistry. The allocation of patients to clinical trials varied according to protocol availability; eligibility; patient's prior response to therapy, toxicity and preference; and physician's choice. Patients whose tumor had a mutation were preferably treated with a matched targeted agent. Survival was compared between patients treated with and without matched targeted therapy. Results. Of 849 patients who had tissue available, 354 (41.7%) had ≥ 1 mutation (1, n=313; 2, n=38; 3, n=3) ([Table 1][1]). The median survival of patients with 0 vs. 1 vs. 2-3 mutations was 9.4 vs. 11.7 vs. 7.3 months, respectively (p =0.02; [Table 2][1]). In 278 evaluable patients with 1 mutation, the 2-yr survival rates were 42% and 17% (p = 0.02) for patients treated with and without matched targeted therapy. Conclusion: In patients with 1 mutation, treatment with matched targeted therapy was associated with superior survival compared to treatment without matching. Patients with 1 mutation had longer survival than those with no or >1 mutation, perhaps because most of them were treated with a matched targeted therapy. ![Figure][2] Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1287. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1287 [1]: #F1 [2]: pending:yes
Phase-noise-canceled differential-phase-shift-keying PNC-DPSK modulation for coherent optical communication systems

A major problem encountered in using AlGaAs lasers for optical heterodyne phase-shift-keying communication is that of broad linewidth caused by phase noise in the laser. Typical linewidth/bit rate ratio requirements are ≤0.1 % for PSK and ≤0.3% for DPSK. When these are met, the performance degradation due to the linewidth of the source becomes negligible. For AlGaAs lasers with 10-20-MHz linewidths this means a transmission rate in excess of several gigahertz, which exceeds the needs of many applications and which is difficult to achieve. For more common data rates (50-500 MHz) the linewidth becomes a serious problem.
Health-related information gathering practices in breast and colorectal specialty clinics: the end of the electronic divide?

Abstract Background Health-related information can help patients understand their disease process and make informed decisions. We hypothesize that with the increased availability of Web-based resources, sociodemographic factors no longer impact Internet use among patients. Methods Study-specific surveys were administered to a convenience cohort of patients seen in the breast and colorectal specialty clinics at a single academic institution between August 2008 and February 2009. Results One hundred ninety-four surveys were returned (response rate 80%). Median age was 53 years (range 19–88) with 131 (75%) females. Twenty-six percent of patients were college graduates and 59% reported an annual income greater than $50,000. There was no association between Internet use and age, gender, income, or educational level. Conclusion Web-based information is being increasingly used by patients irrespective of their demographic characteristics. These resources can therefore be used to educate patients about their disease, treatment options, and health maintenance.
A general formalism for the analysis of NMR relaxation measurements on systems with multiple degrees of freedom

Abstract A heretofore neglected application of Markov theory to define a general formalism for the analysis of NMR relaxation data on systems with multiple internal motions is proposed. It is noted that the theory predicts a modified lorentzian line shape for systems not at equilibrium.
Characteristics of effective Village Treatment Assistants: the Kongwa Trachoma Project

PURPOSE. Mass treatment of entire communities with tetracycline eye ointment is one method for treatment of hyperendemic trachoma. Village Treatment Assistants (VTAs) are often recruited to implement mass treatment in their neighborhoods. We determined characteristics of these volunteers that were associated with effective treatment outcomes. METHODS. Three villages received mass treatment with tetracycline ointment daily for four weeks as part of a clinical trial. Community members selected VTAs to administer the ointment. Trachoma status was assessed by grading photographs of the tarsal conjunctiva in a sample of children randomly selected from households in each village. Change in trachoma status was determined from baseline to one month post treatment. VTA performance outcome was "good" if there was improvement in the majority of the children treated by the VTA, "poor" if the majority worsened, and "neutral" if there was neither improvement nor worsening on average. Trained interviewers administered a...
Differential modification of morphine and methadone dependence by interferon alpha

Subcutaneous implantation of a pellet of methadone was presented as a novel method for the establishment of physical dependence upon this agent and it was compared to (1) the state of physical dependence induced by multiple injections of methadone, administered over several days, and (2) the dependence established by injections of morphine and the implantation of a morphine pellet. Comparable signs of drug dependence were observed in rats treated with both morphine and methadone following the administration of the opiate antagonist naloxone. The administration of interferon-alpha significantly attenuated the severity of the withdrawal syndrome in dependent rats after chronic exposure to morphine and to a lesser extent after morphine and methadone in combination. In contrast, alpha interferon did not affect 6 of the 7 abstinence signs in animals dependent upon methadone alone. The observations suggest that the states of physical dependence upon morphine and methadone may be separate phenomena that involve different physiological mechanisms. Thus, interferon may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of subjects dependent upon morphine but not in those dependent on methadone.
Biogeochemical distribution of rare earths and other trace elements in plants and soils

The rare-earth concentrations in vegetables (corn, potatoes, peas and butternut squash) have been found to be extremely low: 10−8 g/g-10−10g/g. The chondritic normalized vegetable REE patterns are fractionated, including a negative Eu anomaly, and behave as a smooth function of the REE ionic radii. These patterns may be governed by the geochemistry of accessory minerals in the host soils. The depletion factors for various elements by vegetables relative to bulk soils are ∼10−4 for REE, Hf, Ta, Th and U; ∼ 10−3 for Al, As, Ba, Cr, Fe, Mn, Sc, Se and Sr; ∼ 10−2 for Co, Cs, Na, Ni and Sb; ∼ 10−1 for Rb; and ∼ 1 for K, Zn and Br.
Trends in skiing injuries Analysis of a 6-year study (1972 to 1978)

The trends in skiing injuries showed a decrease during a study conducted over six seasons, 1972 to 1978, at a Vermont ski resort. Over 11,000 interviews were conducted and nearly 1,000 control skiers were evaluated. The injuries totaled 1,711 in 407,600 skier days. Upper body injuries (pelvis, trunk, neck, head, and upper extremities) totaled 713 (42%) and lower extremity injuries totaled 998 (58%). Eighty percent of the lower extremity injuries were classified as (potentially) equipment related. The overall injury rate decreased 41% (upper body, 25%; lower extremity equipment-related (LEER), 43%; and lower extremity nonequipment-related rate was down 71%). Knee sprains did not decline as rapidly as the tibial fractures and ankle sprains. An increase in the relative frequency of properly functioning equipment is primarily responsible for the decline in LEER injuries. Although the relative frequency of properly adjusted bindings is increasing, more than one-half of the equipment in use is still set higher than recommended. Cooperation between all individuals responsible for equipment design, manufacture, installation, and use must continue, if further improvements in alpine skiing safety are to be realized.
Comparison of human cytomegalovirus growth in MRC-5 human fibroblasts, brain, and choroid plexus cells in vitro

Cell cultures derived from human brain, choroid plexus, and human lung fibroblasts (MRC-5) were infected with the Towne strain of human cytomegalovirus (CMV). The cytopathic effect, beginning 24-48 hours after infection, was characterized by foci of enlarged rounded cells that spread slowly and eventually coalesced to destroy the entire monolayer within one week. Cowdry type A inclusion bodies and herpes virus nucleocapsids were seen in infected cells. CMV-specific antigen was demonstrated by immunofluorescence in fibroblasts and astrocytic cells of brain cultures and in cells of choroid plexus cultures as well as in MRC-5 fibroblasts. Despite these morphologic and immunochemical similarities the growth of CMV differed in cells of brain and choroid plexus origin as compared with MRC-5 cells. In brain and choroid plexus cell cultures most of the virus remained cell-associated throughout the observation period of one week, whereas in MRC-5 cells the CMV was found in both cell-associated and cell-free fractions of harvested material.
Social Class and the Quality of Work Life in Public and Private Organizations

The conventional wisdom of organizational theory regards public and private bureaucracies as analytically equivalent “complex organizations.” This article challenges the conventional wisdom. Our research compares public and private sector workers' perceptions of the character and quality of their work life. Public and private sector workers perceive and evaluate their jobs in substantially different ways. Blue collar workers in the public sector are a much more satisfied lot than are private sector blue collar workers. Conversely, white collar government employees are less positive about the social relations and intrinsic aspects of their work than are private white collar workers. Differences such as these suggest that private sector models and assumptions are inappropriate guides for understanding worker satisfaction, alienation, and productivity in public organizations.
TINGITOIDEA AFFECTING COTTON

In May, 1933, my attention was drawn to a peculiar leaf injury to young cotton plants at Presidio, Texas. The leaves showed a striking reddish brown spotting from the upper side that at first glance resembled red-spider injury. The damaged plants were quite localized in one section of a large cotton field. Examinaion revealed the presence of large numbers of lace bugs present on the lower surface of the leaves. This species was identified as Gargaphia iridescens Champion by H. G Barber of the U. S. National Museum. Gibson, 1919, records the food plants as Ambrosia, Solanum, Malva , and sand nettle. According to records in the U. S. National Museum, this species has been collected by McMillan at Brownsville, Texas, on Solanum , string beans, and Ambrosia ; on egg plant at Olmito, Texas, by McMillan; on Croton texanus at Tucson, Arizona, by W. D. Pierce.
Gains in awareness, ownership and use of insecticide-treated nets in Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia

In April 2000, the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) "Abuja Summit" set a target of having at least 60% of pregnant women and children under five use insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). Thereafter, programmes were implemented to create demand, reduce taxes and tariffs, spur the commercial market, and reach vulnerable populations with subsidized ITNs. Using national ITN monitoring data from the USAID-sponsored AED/NetMark project, this article examines the extent to which these activities were successful in increasing awareness, ownership, and use of nets and ITNs. A series of surveys with standardized sampling and measurement methods was used to compare four countries at two points in time. Surveys were conducted in 2000 and again in 2004 (Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia) or 2006 (Uganda). They contained questions permitting classification of each net as untreated, ever-treated or currently-treated (an ITN). Household members as well as nets owned were enumerated so that households, household members, and nets could be used as units of analysis. Several measures of net/ITN ownership, plus RBM ITN use indicators, were calculated. The results show the impact of ITN activities before the launch of massive free net distribution programmes. In 2000, treated nets were just being introduced to the public, but four to six years later the awareness of ITNs was nearly universal in all countries but Nigeria, where awareness increased from 7% to 60%. By any measure, there were large increases in ownership of nets, especially treated nets, in all countries. All countries but Nigeria made commensurate gains in the proportion of under-fives sleeping under a net/ITN, and in all countries the proportion of pregnant women sleeping under a net/ITN increased greatly. A mix of demand creation, a strengthened commercial sector, reduced taxes and tariffs, and programmes making ITNs available at reduced prices resulted in impressive gains in awareness, ownership, and use of nets and ITNs in Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, and Uganda between 2000 and 2004–2006. None of the countries reached the ambitious Abuja targets for ITN use, but they made substantial progress towards them.
Choking vs. Clutch Performance: A Study of Sport Performance Under Pressure

Choking research in sport has suggested that an athlete's tendency to choke, versus give a better than usual (i.e., “clutch”) performance depends on his or her personality, as well as on situational influences, such as a reliance on explicit (versus implicit) knowledge when pressured. The current study integrated these hypotheses and tested a structural equation model (SEM) to predict sport performance under pressure. Two hundred and one participants attempted two sets of 15 basketball free throws, and were videotaped during their second set of shots as a manipulation of pressure. Results of the model suggest that “reinvesting” attention in the task leads to greater anxiety (cognitive and somatic), which then predicts a higher level of self-focus; self-focus, then, did not lead to improved performance under pressure, whereas feelings of self-reported “perceived control” did help performance. Implications for measurement of these constructs, and their relationships with performance, are discussed.
Training in ethical judgment with a modified Potter Box

After a brief review of the ethical judgment research, the Potter Box, a four-step ethical judgment tool used primarily in media ethics, is introduced. The paper proposes that the Potter Box's usefulness for evaluating ethical dilemmas could be improved by re-sequencing the steps, by incorporating philosophical intuitionism as a mechanism for structuring its inherent pluralism and by adding a post-decision, pre-action reflective step. The resulting modified Potter Box has five steps – analyze the situation, identify stakeholders, specify duties, weigh obligations and check for universalizability – and should provide a useful structure for analyzing difficult ethical dilemmas and for creating transparency in the judgment process that accommodates improved discussion.
Genome-wide principles of gene regulation by the vitamin D receptor and its activating ligand

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) mediates virtually all of the known biological actions of the hormonal ligand 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3). These actions are directed toward the nucleus, where the VDR binds to the regulatory regions of target genes and modulates their transcriptional output. Recent technological advances have enabled the study of transcription factor binding on a genome-wide scale in cells and tissues that are major targets of vitamin D action. In this review, the results of several of these studies are discussed wherein overarching principles of gene regulation by the vitamin D hormone are beginning to emerge. In addition, several specific genes that are regulated by 1,25(OH)2D3 and which provide new insight into the increasingly complex mechanism whereby the receptor functions to modulate gene expression are considered. These studies suggest that while many of the principles that are now accepted regarding the regulation of gene expression by hormones and other regulatory factors are well grounded, others require extensive modification.
The Historical Certainty of the Interpretively Uncertain: Non-Referentiality and Georgian Modernity

Throughout the last century, Georgian artists and intellectuals have appropriated the form of archaic, primitive, and otherwise referentially ambiguous words as material sound or shape, and/or as signifiers of a new symbolic order. Intellectual searches for meaning in the semantically ambiguous have emerged concomitantly with narratives of cultural loss, and found their largest audiences at moments of radical social, political, and economic transformation. This article posits language of this sort as a lens for inquiry into unintelligibility as a salient aesthetic and political trope in the turmoil and ideological anomie of Georgian modernity. It explores variable and shifting tropes of interpretive ambiguity as produced and performed by artists, intellectuals, poets, and politicians, and as articulating points of intersection between frequently nostalgic, exclusivist forms of nationalism and avant-garde, future-oriented, cosmopolitan expressive aesthetics. [Republic of Georgia, ambiguity, modernism, linguistic nationalism, music]
Alkylation DNA damage in combination with PARP inhibition results in formation of S-phase-dependent double-strand breaks

The combination of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and alkylating agents is currently being investigated in cancer therapy clinical trials. However, the DNA lesions producing the synergistic cell killing effect in tumors are not fully understood. Treatment of human and mouse fibroblasts with the monofunctional DNA methylating agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) in the presence of a PARP inhibitor has been shown to trigger a cell cycle checkpoint response. Among other changes, this DNA damage response to combination treatment includes activation of ATM/Chk2 and phosphorylation of histone H2A.X. These changes are consistent with DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation during the response, but the measurement of DSBs has not been addressed. Such DSB evaluation is important in understanding this DNA damage response because events other than DSB formation are known to lead to ATM/Chk2 activation and H2A.X phosphorylation. Here, we examined the structural integrity of genomic DNA after the combined treatment of cells with MMS and a PARP inhibitor, i.e., exposure to a sub-lethal dose of MMS in the presence of the PARP inhibitor 4-amino-1,8-napthalimide (4-AN). We used pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for measurement of DSBs in both human and mouse embryonic fibroblasts, and flow cytometry to follow the phosphorylated form of H2A.X (gamma-H2A.X). The results indicate that DSBs are formed with the combination treatment, but not following treatment with either agent alone. Our data also show that formation of gamma-H2A.X correlates with PARP-1-expressing cells in S-phase of the cell cycle. The observations support the model that persistence of PARP-1 at base excision repair intermediates, as cells move into S-phase, leads to DSBs and the attendant checkpoint responses.
Parallei graph algorithms that are efficient on average

The following three problems concerning random graphs can be solved in (logn)O(1)expected time using linearly many processors: (1) finding the lexicographically first maximal independent set, (2) coloring the vertices using a number of colors that is almost surely within twice the chromatic number, and (3) finding a Hamiltonian circuit.