cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reduced lipid content as the basis for defective amino acid accumulation capacity in pantothenate- and biotin-deficient Lactobacillus plantarum

Abstract Pantothenic acid and biotin deficiencies markedly reduce the total amount of amino acid that can be taken up and retained intracellularly by Lactobacillus plantarum . The total lipid constituents of these deficient cells also are markedly reduced. Incubation of deficient cells with acetate and the respective vitamin promotes an increase in lipid content at the same time that the accumulation capacity is permanently restored to normal levels. A provisional increase in accumulation capacity stimulated osmotically by a high extracellular concentration of sucrose is not accompanied by lipid synthesis. These vitamin deficiency-associated transport defects appear to result from membrane lipid changes which render this structure incapable of retaining normal-sized pools.
Making the transition from casework to group work

This article examines the meaningful difference in mind-set that distinguishes group work from casework. It illustrates the importance of the worker making a cognitive shift from social work with i...
A CMOS closed-loop miniaturized wireless power transfer system for brain implant applications

Near-field inductively coupled wireless power transfer (WPT) system has been extensively utilized for brain implant applications. Still, the efficient and reliable delivery of power is challenging as the received power varies due to different variabilities between the transmitter (TX) and the receiver (RX) coils. A closed-loop adaptive control system utilizing load shift keying, designed in the 0.5 µm standard CMOS process for providing the required power to the implant load compensating for these discrepancies is proposed in this paper. Both the proposed TX and the RX coils are fabricated using FR4 substrate having the dimensions of 10 × 10 mm and 5 × 5 mm, respectively. By changing the supply voltage of the power amplifier, this adaptive closed-loop system regulates the transmitted power to deliver 5.83 mW of power to the load, which is the approximate mid-point of the threshold window. The system achieves power transfer efficiencies of 9% and 8% at 8 mm distance through the air and the tissue media, respectively. Preliminary results show that the miniaturized WPT module with the feedback-loop achieves 8% and 3% of efficiency improvement for 8 mm distance between the TX and the RX coils, compared to the open-loop counterparts.
Identifying and selecting effective graphic health warnings to prevent perceptual wearout on tobacco packaging and in advertising

Graphic visual health warnings (GHWs) on cigarette packaging are used in more than 120 countries globally. Because there are concerns about the effectiveness of using the same visual warnings over many years due to wearout, a primary issue is how to identify the most effective visual stimuli. Adolescent smokers and nonsmokers provided more than 2000 ratings of different visual warnings. Cluster analysis and follow‐up analyses are used to identify a high‐performing visual stimuli group from the larger group of GHWs. Subsequent analyses also show that compared to other pictorial stimuli, the high‐performing group is perceived as effective in preventing adolescent smoking initiation and adolescent smokers' motivation to quit. These findings addressing the selection and evaluation of high‐performing visual warnings have implications for global health and public policy communities through identification of pictorial warnings that can be most effective in impacting smoking‐related outcomes for adolescents.
Vaginitis and Vulvar Conditions

Women with vaginitis often present to primary care settings. The most common types of vaginitis are bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis. Less commonly, vaginitis results from a noninfectious etiology. In addition to vaginitis, a woman presenting with vaginal discharge may have physiologic discharge, cervicitis, or pelvic inflammatory disease; it is critical to exclude an upper genital tract infection in women presenting with vaginal discharge. Clinical assessment includes a combination of history, exam, assessment of vaginal pH, the whiff test, microscopy, and/or point-of-care testing for the three common infectious causes. Yeast vaginitis and bacterial vaginosis often recur, necessitating review of contributing factors and consideration of long-term management. Although vulvar symptoms more commonly result from discharge originating from the vagina or cervix, primary vulvar processes also occur and can present with pruritus, burning pain, dyspareunia, dysuria, or rarely with bleeding or a palpable mass. Primary vulvar conditions include contact and allergic dermatitis, chronic vulvar dermatoses, vulvar malignancies, and vulvodynia.
Bochdalek Hernia in an Adult Causing Intraoperative Complication.

Bochdalek hernias are rarely diagnosed in adults and account for 0.17-6% of all diaphragmatic hernias. It is a congenital diaphragmatic hernia caused by a defect in the posterior attachment of the diaphragm due to a failure of the pleuroperitoneal membrane closure in utero. This may rarely cause chest pain, respiratory symptoms, or gastrointestinal symptoms. In this study, we present a case of a laparoscopic paraesophageal repair via Nissen fundoplication. The incidental finding and subsequent repair of a Bochdalek hernia during this case may have resulted in complications of the surgery including pneumothorax due to the defect in the pleuroperitoneal membrane.
Adrenocortical Carcinoma Discovered with Point-of-care Ultrasound.

Case presentation A 34-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with bilateral lower extremity edema and shortness of breath. She had been seen by her primary care provider. Lab work and a follow-up with endocrinology had been unrevealing. Using point-of-care ultrasound we identified a cystic mass in the right upper quadrant prompting further imaging. Discussion Abdominal and pelvic computed tomography confirmed a mass in the right posterior liver, which was later identified as an adrenocortical carcinoma. Ultrasound is an important diagnostic tool in the setting of lower extremity edema and can be used to assess for heart failure, liver failure, obstructive nephropathy, venous thrombosis, and soft tissue infection. In this case, ultrasound helped expedite the diagnosis and treatment of a rare malignancy.
“If we don't push homeless people out, we will end up being pushed out by them”: The Criminalization of Homelessness as State Strategy in Hungary

In recent years, the intensity of the criminalization of homelessness in Hungary gave rise to a veritable tug-of-war between the ruling party and grassroots activists. In fact, today it is the only country in the world where the possibility of penalizing homelessness is encoded in the constitution itself. In this paper, I first provide an overview of the rise of homelessness since the late 1980s. Then, I go on to examine changing public and political attitudes towards homelessness in post-socialist Hungary and place the growing trend towards penalization in the larger context of an emerging criminal paradigm. After examining the recent authoritarian turn, I argue that the radical intensification of criminalization is a strategy not only to secure political dominance, but also to obscure the failure of the state to address the social, political and economic contradictions that became salient at the time of the regime change.
Domain Decomposition in Optimal Control of Eliptic Systems on 2-d Networks

A method of decomposing the optimality system arising in optimal boundary control of elliptic systems of partial differential equations on 2-d networks into subproblems on individual elements of the network is presented.
A multiagents approach for the Job Shop Scheduling problem with earliness and tardiness

The problem addressed in this paper is the Job Shop Scheduling problem when the objective is to minimize the total earliness and tardiness from a common due date for a set of jobs. This objective became very significant after the introduction of the Just-in-time manufacturing approach. A multiagents approach is used to solve this difficult problem. The paper presents preliminary work on modeling the problem using agents theory.
Tradeoffs and limits in computational imaging

For centuries, cameras were designed to closely mimic the human visual system. With the rapid increase in computer processing power over the last few decades, researchers in the vision, graphics and optics community have begun to focus their attention on new types of imaging systems that utilize computations as an integral part of the imaging process. Computational cameras optically encode information that is later decoded using signal processing. In this thesis, I show three new computational imaging designs that provide new functionality over conventional cameras. Each design has been rigorously analyzed, built and tested for performance. Each system has demonstrated an increase in functionality over tradition camera designs. The first two computational imaging systems, Diffusion Coding and Spectral Focal Sweep, provide a means to computationally extend the depth of field of an imaging system without sacrificing optical efficiency. These techniques can be used to preserve image detail when photographing scenes that span very large depth ranges. The final example, Gigapixel Computational Imaging, uses a computational approach to overcome limitations in spatial resolution that are caused by geometric aberrations in conventional cameras. While computational techniques can be used to increase optical efficiency, this comes at a cost. The cost incurred is noise amplification caused by the decoding process. Thus, to measure the real utility of a computational approach, we must weigh the benefit of increased optical efficiency against the cost of amplified noise. A complete treatment must take into account an accurate noise model. In some cases, the benefit may not outweigh the cost, and thus a computational approach has no value. This thesis concludes with a discussion on these scenarios.
SIMD-emulations of hypercubes and related networks

This paper addresses a problem in emulation theory. The author shows how processor-array networks with simple topologies can efficiently emulate the computations of complex topologies. This is possible by trading off parallelism for time. Such emulations are advantageous since processor-array networks of simple topologies are cost-effective to build on a large-scale. The challenge is to perform these emulations optimally, without the loss of too much parallelism. The author presents emulations of generic computations programmed in a SIMD fashion which are all optimal (up to constant factors). Specifically, they present emulations of the order-n cube-connected-cycles network and the order-n shuffle-exchange network by an n-node ring-connected processor array. They also present an emulation of an order-n hypercube network by an n/log n-node linear processor array. >
Removing the ambiguity of data processing methods: Optimizing the location of peak boundaries for accurate moment calculations

The calculation of the first few moments of elution peaks is necessary to determine: the amount of component in the sample (peak area or zeroth moment), the retention factor (first moment), and the column efficiency (second moment). It is a time consuming and tedious task for the analyst to perform these calculations, thus data analysis is generally completed by data stations associated to modern chromatographs. However, data acquisition software is a black box which provides no information to chromatographers on how their data are treated. These results are too important to be accepted on blind faith. The location of the peak integration boundaries is most important. In this manuscript, we explore the relationships between the size of the integration area, the relative position of the peak maximum within this area, and the accuracy of the calculated moments. We found that relationships between these parameters do exist and that computers can be programmed with relatively simple routines to automatize the extraction of key peak parameters and to select acceptable integration boundaries. It was also found that the most accurate results are obtained when the S/N exceeds 200.
Expression of the acetylcholine receptor delta-subunit gene in differentiating chick muscle cells is activated by an element that contains two 16 bp copies of a segment of the alpha-subunit enhancer.

Abstract The acetylcholine receptor is a multimeric membrane protein whose expression is activated during muscle differentiation and upon denervation of adult muscle. To gain insight into the coordinate expression of receptor subunits during myogenesis we have analyzed the chick muscle receptor delta-subunit gene upstream region. The delta-subunit gene lacks canonical promoter elements (CCAAT and TATA boxes). Nuclease protection and primer extension analysis revealed that transcription starts at six major and several minor sites between -110 and -30 upstream of the translational initiation site; two sites, at positions -77 and -66, give rise to approximately 50% of all transcripts. Using nested deletions of the proximal 960 bp of the 5' flanking region of this gene we have identified a 62 bp sequence (-207 to -146) that activates transcription in a position independent manner. This enhancer-like element is activated during myotube formation; it contains two distinct functional moieties, each resembling the same 16 bp portion of the stage and tissue specific alpha-subunit gene enhancer which we have characterized previously [Wang et al. (1988) Neuron, 1, 527-534]. This common element, which also comprises several previously proposed skeletal muscle specific motifs [Buskin, J. N. and Hauschka, S. D. (1989) Mol. Cell Biol., 9, 2627-2640; Mar, J. H. and Ordahl, C. P. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 85, 6404-6408], may account for the coordinate expression of the two subunits. The cell specificity of the delta-subunit gene 5' flanking region is partly due to the enhancer, partly to an inhibitory element upstream of -207.
Airborne Trace Metal Contamination of Wetland Sediments at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

For more than 100 yr, the wetland sediments at theIndiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IDNL) and adjacentIndiana Dunes State Park have received atmosphericinput of trace metals from industrial sources locatedupwind and to the west. This study documents the tracemetal pollution of these sediments, both areally andwith depth, and identifies trends in metaldistribution and mobility. Twenty-five wetlandsediment cores were taken across IDNL, at varyingdistances from the principal industrial sources, andfrom environments with different disturbance histories(and thus different hydroperiods). Strong-acidextractable concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb,Se, and Zn were determined at intervals for each ofthe cores. Total metal extractions and a 210Pbchronology also was determined for one of the cores.Metal concentrations in near-surface sediments arecomparable to those found in other soils and sedimentsin the region, and show surficial enrichment overbackground levels; including Zn concentrations as highas 1700 ppm, Pb as high as 280 ppm, and Mn as high as2700 ppm. Surficial sediment concentrations of Pb,Zn, Cr, and Cu are elevated at sites in closeproximity to anthropogenic sources, while the othermetals do not exhibit a trend in concentration withdistance from sources. Lead, Cr, and Cu appear to berelatively immobile after deposition, while Cd, Ni,and Se appear to have some mobility. The durationand/or frequency of flooding appear to be important indetermining the mobility of Zn and Mn. The findingsof this research provide important insight into theeffects of cumulated human impacts on wetland systems, and can serve as an aid in the planning of wetland restoration projects, several of which are currently underway at IDNL.
uvrC Gene Function in Excision Repair in Toluene-Treated Escherichia coli

We have examined the role of the uvrC gene in UV excision repair by studying incision, excision, repair synthesis, and DNA strand reformation in Escherichia coli mutants made permeable to nucleoside triphosphates by toluene treatment. After irradiation, incisions occur normally in uvrC cells in the presence of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a ligase-blocking agent, but cannot be detected otherwise. We conclude that repair incisions are followed by a ligation event in uvrC mutants, masking incision. However, a uvrC polA12 mutant accumulates incisions only slightly less efficiently than a polA12 strain without NMN. Excision of pyrimidine dimers is defective in uvrC mutants (polA(+) or polA12) irrespective of the presence or absence of NMN. DNA polymerase I-dependent, NMN-stimulated repair synthesis, which is demonstrable in wild-type cells, is absent in uvrC polA(+) cells, but the uvrC polA12 mutant exhibits a UV-specific, ATP-dependent repair synthesis like parental polA12 strains. A DNA polymerase I-mediated reformation of high-molecular-weight DNA takes place efficiently in uvrC polA(+) mutants after incision accumulation, and the uvrC polA12 mutant shows more reformation than the polA12 strain after incision. These results indicate that normal incision occurs in uvrC mutants, but there appears to be a defect in the excision of pyrimidine dimers, allowing resealing via ligation at the site of the incision. The lack of NMN-stimulated repair synthesis in uvrC polA(+) cells indicates that incision is not the only requirement for repair synthesis.
Induction of SOCS-3 is insufficient to confer IRS-1 protein degradation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 is a key protein in insulin signaling. Several studies have shown that the expression of IRS-1 can be modulated by protein degradation via the proteasome and the degradation of IRS-1 can be related to insulin-resistant states. The degradation of IRS-1 has been shown to be induced by SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 via the ubiquitin pathway. The goal of our study was to determine if the induction of SOCS-3 correlated with increased IRS-1 degradation in cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Interestingly, our studies have shown that there is little correlation between the induction in SOCS-3 expression and the degradation of IRS-1 in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our results clearly demonstrate that treatment with leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) or cardiotrophin (CT)-1 strongly induces the expression of SOCS-3 in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes, but does not affect the degradation of IRS-1. On the contrary, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and insulin, which very weakly induce SOCS-3 expression, have profound effects on IRS-1 degradation. In summary, our results indicate that the expression of SOCS-3 does not correlate with the degradation of IRS-1 proteins in fat cells.
Tonofilament protein, a keratin from rat epidermis

Abstract Tonofilament protein from newborn rat epidermis was found to be antigenically related to mouse keratins. Tonofilament protein, like keratins, could be extracted with 8 M urea in Tris buffer. The yield was enhanced by the presence of dithiothreitol. A higher molecular weight (64,000 dalton) protein antigenically cross-reacting with tonofilament protein but with a slightly different amino acid composition was also extracted.
Procedural Ethos: Confirming the Persuasive in Serious Games

How is it that serious games are actually persuasive? Ian Bogost's work on serious or persuasive games provides essential philosophical foundations for the genre though, as the article demonstrates, sufficient detail of argument is lacking. Bogost uses the model of classical rhetoric to demonstrate that games can make arguments through "procedural rhetoric," which he exemplifies with games like Molleindustria's McDonald's Videogame, a title that can best be identified as parody. However, such games, while attempting to make persuasive arguments, lack classical requisites for persuasion, leaving room for further critical inquiry and development of understanding of how serious games work. To be considered persuasive, serious games should additionally demonstrate the components of ethos, which include: phronesis practical knowledge, factual basis, arete integrity, virtue, and eunoia goodwill, concern for the hearer. It is insufficient for serious games to have procedural rhetoric without taking account of procedural ethos. Analyses of the McDonald's game and the ReDistricting Game are conducted for an initial verification of this proposal. This description of how serious games can be persuasive can provide additional conceptual tools to game developers, instructional designers, and educational scholars attempting to leverage serious games for intentional, productive, and predictable learning.
Unraveling ultra-intense laser-matter interactions through full-scale simulations

Computer simulation is now firmly established as a third discipline of science on equal footing with experiment and theory. It has evolved from a method for validating complicated theory to a tool for making great scientific discoveries. One area of science in which computer simulation has made a significant impact is ultra-intense short-pulse laser-matter interactions.
Deep drawing of round cups from tailor-welded blanks

Recent developments in the welding technology and the considerations regarding material cost, dimensional accuracy and weight, force automakers and appliance manufacturers to use tailor-welded blanks in their stamping operations. The welding of blanks with different thicknesses, materials and/or surface conditions introduces many challenging formability problems for process development and tool design. In cooperation with industrial partners, projects are being conducted at the ERC for Net Shape Manufacturing to study the formability of tailor-welded blanks and develop guidelines for tool design. This paper gives a summary of the preliminary work done on the deep drawing of round cups from tailor-welded blanks.
The Immune Response to Human Metapneumovirus Is Associated with Aberrant Immunity and Impaired Virus Clearance in BALB/c Mice

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV), recently identified in isolates from children hospitalized with acute respiratory tract illness, is associated with clinical diagnosis of pneumonia, asthma exacerbation, and acute bronchiolitis in young children. HMPV has been shown to cocirculate with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and mediate clinical disease features similarly to RSV. Little is known regarding the pathophysiology or immune response associated with HMPV infection; thus, animal models are needed to better understand the mechanisms of immunity and disease pathogenesis associated with infection. In this study, we examine features of the innate and adaptive immune response to HMPV infection in a BALB/c mouse model. Primary HMPV infection elicits weak innate and aberrant adaptive immune responses characterized by induction of a Th2-type cytokine response at later stages of infection that coincides with increased interleukin-10 expression and persistent virus replication in the lung. Examination of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte and antibody response to HMPV infection revealed a delayed response, but passive transfer of HMPV-specific antibodies provided considerable protection. These features are consistent with virus persistence and indicate that the immune response to HMPV is unique compared to the immune response to RSV.
Word Learning, Intentions, and Discourse

I am very grateful to Aaron Cicourel, Penelope Brown, Max Louwerse, and Mat thew Ventrura for their constructive comments. Aaron Cicourel provides a helpful summary of my book and his commentary offers a good place to enter the discus sion for readers who have not yet read How Children Learn the Meanings of Words. Brown and Louwerse and Ventura raise some critical questions with regard to the text to which I will speak in turn.
Channel routing for integrated optics

Increasing scope and applications of integrated optics necessitates the development of automated techniques for physical design of optical systems. This paper presents an automated, planar channel routing technique for integrated optical waveguides. Integrated optics is a planar technology and lacks the inherent signal restoration capabilities of static-CMOS. Therefore, signal loss minimization - as a function of waveguide crossings and bends-is the primary objective of this technique. This is in contrast to track and wire-length minimization of traditional VLSI routing. Our optical channel router guarantees minimal waveguide crossings by drawing upon sorting-based techniques for waveguide routing. To further improve our solutions in terms of signal loss, we extend the router to reduce the number of bends produced during routing. Finally, we implement the optical channel routing technique and describe the experimental results, comparing the costs of routing solutions with respect to waveguide crossings, bends, and channel height.
Multiple Tidal Disruptions as an Indicator of Binary Supermassive Black Hole Systems

We find that the majority of systems hosting multiple tidal disruptions (TDs) are likely to contain hard binary supermassive black hole (SMBH) systems, and also show that the rates of these repeated events are high enough to be detected by the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) over its lifetime. Therefore, these multiple TD events provide a novel method for identifying SMBH binary systems with parsec to subparsec separations. The rates of TDs are investigated using simulations of non-interacting stars initially orbiting a primary SMBH and the potential of the model stellar cusp. The stars are then evolved forward in time and perturbed by a secondary SMBH inspiraling from the edge of the cusp to its stalling radius. We find with conservative magnitude estimates that the next-generation transient survey LSST should detect multiple TDs in approximately three galaxies over five years of observation, though less conservative estimates could increase this rate by an order of magnitude.
Dipole-Dipole Interactions in Alkali Halides Doped with Hydroxyl.

In an extension of earlier measurements on KCl, the ac dielectric constants $\ensuremath{\epsilon}={\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{-}i{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}$ of NaCl and of KBr have been measured over the temperature range 0.03-200 K. Discrete features appear in both ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}$. In KCl and NaCl these features are related to a two-step, thermally activated reorientation of O${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ pairs.
Surface Residue Island Nucleation in Anhydrous HF/Alcohol Vapor Processing of Si Surfaces

Anhydrous HF/methanol vapor-phase chemistries were employed to etch SiO 2 /Si surfaces at low pressure (5-50 Torr) and ambient temperature. The oxides on Si were formed from the following: (1) RCA chemical cleaning and (ii) UV-ozone treatment. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and lateral force microscopy (LFM) were used to analyze the HF vapor-cleaned Si surfaces. AFM/LFM displayed residue islands distributed randomly upon the Si surface as a result of vapor-phase cleaning. As a result of etching RCA chemical oxides, the average lateral dimension of the residue islands is 40 nm and the average height of the islands is 6 nm. As a result of etching UV-ozone oxides, the average lateral dimension of the residue islands is 30 nm, and the average height of the islands is 3.5 nm. A decrease in residue island density is observed after the removal of a UV-ozone oxide compared to RCA chemical oxide removal. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy was used to characterize chemical impurities (O, C, F, and N) in the SiO 2 films and and the Si surface after HF vapor-phase cleaning. The constituents of the residue islands have been attributed to nitrogen impurities and silicon atoms imbedded in the passivating oxides. Results indicate that condensation of methanol vapor onto the bare Si surface, after oxide removal, is necessary for residue island formation. We suggest a model in which residue island nucleation occurs from nonvolatile N-Si complexes that form hydrogen bonds with methanol molecules and diffuse into the adsorbed alcohol layer. The molecular impurities then interact and form residue islands.
Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) Observations of Hurricane Hugo (1989)

Abstract Data from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) on board a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) spacecraft have been used to study the precipitation patterns associated with Hurricane Hugo (1989). Results indicate the intensification of Hugo was associated with increases in SSM/I-derived total latent heat release and increases in heavier rainfall rates near the storm center. This study also shows that SSM/I rainfall rates prior to the landfall of Hugo at Charleston, South Carolina, compared favorably with raingage observations. Additionally, data from the 85-GHz channel was used to monitor the extent of convection near the storm's center. As Hugo intensified, the areal coverage of deep convection increased. Furthermore, the 85-GHz brightness-temperature imagery was useful in determining the location of Hugo's low-level center. These results indicate the potential of using SSM/I data in the analysis and prediction of tropical cyclones in an operational environment.
Physical, subjective, and social availability: their relationship to alcohol consumption in rural and urban areas

The alcohol availability literature indicates that under some conditions, physical availability is positively associated with per capita alcohol consumption. Smart (1980) suggested that at the individual level, subjective and social aspects of availability may mediate and outweigh the influence of physical availability. The study described here examined the simultaneous effects of physical, subjective, and social availability on alcohol consumption. Standardized telephone interviews were conducted with 781 adult drinkers. As hypothesized, physical availability was not a significant multivariate predictor of alcohol consumption for residents of high, medium, and low alcohol outlet density counties in Michigan (USA). Subjective and social availability indicators were significant predictors of alcohol consumption. Similar patterns of results were found in multiple regression analyses for blacks and whites and women and men, although blacks and women consumed less alcohol than did whites and men. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
Implementing a medication reconciliation process in a community hospital.

In an effort to decrease the risk of harm from medical interventions, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement promoted six critical interventions in its 100,000 Lives campaign, one of which required hospitals to implement a procedure to reconcile all patient medications. [1][1] In 2005, the Joint
Abstract 68: Nampt regulates fatty acid synthesis, ER homeostasis, and survival in prostate cancer

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is crucial for the survival of living organisms. This coenzyme functions in both redox metabolism and as a substrate for several proteins, notably Sirtuin deacetylases and poly-(ADP ribose) polymerases, which control stress response and apoptosis in cancer. The rate limiting step of NAD biosynthesis is catalyzed by Nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (Nampt). Recent evidence suggests Nampt may play a role in cancer by regulating survival. The Nampt inhibitor FK866 is in phase II clinical trials against a variety of solid malignancies, however no studies have focused on the role of NAD in prostate cancer (PCa). Because tumor cells have a high requirement for NAD and PCa has increased fatty acid synthesis, we hypothesized that Nampt is important for PCa cell survival and metabolism. Our studies demonstrate that Nampt activity is required for the survival of prostate tumor cells (PC-3, LNCaP, and DU145), but not normal prostate epithelial cells, as determined by treatment with FK866. Exogenous NAD rescued cell death, indicating FK866 is a specific inhibitor of Nampt. To test whether PCa cells can rely on de novo NAD synthesis, we treated cell lines with FK866 and added back nicotinic acid, the substrate for the de novo pathway. Only DU145 cell survival was rescued by nicotinic acid demonstrating that NAD biosynthesis pathways are heterogeneous in PCa. Furthermore, expression of Nicotinic acid phosphoribosyl transferase (Naprt1), the rate-limiting step of the de novo pathway, correlated with the rescue by nicotinic acid in DU145 cells. Additionally, Nampt inhibition activated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and autophagy in a pro-survival manner in all cell lines. Interestingly, FK866 also dramatically reduced fatty acid synthesis in PC-3 and DU145 cells, independent of fatty acid synthase levels. However, LNCaP cells showed no decrease in 14C-acetate incorporation. Robust phosphorylation of ACC occured in DU145 and PC-3 cells upon treatment with FK866, and this effect was rescued by adding back NAD. This correlated with reduced ATP levels and activation (phosphorylation) of AMPK at T172. LNCaP cells had a less dramatic depletion of ATP and no changes in AMPK or ACC phosphorylation, indicating a potential mechanism of fatty acid synthesis shutdown. However, lipid synthesis (as measured by incorporation of 14C-choline) was reduced in all 3 cell lines, albeit to a lesser extent in LNCaP cells. Overall, these findings demonstrate a novel role for Nampt in PCa, and highlight the contribution of NAD to ER homeostasis, fatty acid synthesis, and survival. Targeting NAD biosynthesis could be a novel approach to disrupting PCa cell survival and lipid synthesis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 68.
The presence and location ofErwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora (Jones) Bergey et al. in the gut of adultDrosophila melanogaster (Meigen)

The potato blackleg bacteriumErwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora (Jones) Bergey et al. was found in feces and regurgitated material obtained from surface sterilized adult fruit flies,Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen), that had fed for five hours on nutrient agar cultures of the bacterium. The highest levels of bacteria were obtained from fecal material and it is likely that this is the source of most of the inoculum carried by these vectors. The bacteria were found to be present in the foregut, midgut, and hindgut ofD. melanogaster. The largest number of bacteria were in the foregut with the population level decreasing as distance down the digestive tract increased. It is probable that the association between the vector and the bacterium is accidental. The probability that the insect aids survival of the bacterium by protecting it from adverse environmental conditions is suggested.
Robust Time-Delay Control

A method is presented to minimize residual vibration of structures or lightly damped servomechanisms. The method, referred to as the proportional plus multiple delay control, involves the use of multiple time delays in conjunction with a proportional part to cancel the dynamics of the system in a robust fashion. An interesting characteristic of the controller involves addition of a basic single time-delay control unit in cascade to the existing controller, for every additional requirement of robustness
Kidney transplantation: structural and functional evaluation using MR Nephro-Urography.

End-stage-renal disease (ESRD) is a major health issue in the United States, and the Medicare costs of ESRD totaled nearly $21 billion in 2005. Renal transplantation has emerged as the treatment of choice in this patient population, providing improved quality of life and lower healthcare costs compared with other treatment options. Imaging evaluation of a graft kidney plays a critical role in the postoperative care of the renal transplant patient. In the past, diagnostic evaluation of the transplant kidney has depended upon a combination of ultrasonography, computed tomography, MRI, and biopsy, used in conjunction with the patient's clinical presentation. However, new and developing advances in MR technology has lead to the development of MR Nephro-Urography (MRNU), which provides both anatomic and functional evaluation of the kidney in a single examination. It is expected that the increasing use of MRNU will have a significant impact on the management of renal transplant patients. This review describes MRNU methodology, examines known posttransplant complications, and highlights the utility of MRNU as a comprehensive imaging examination to diagnose both surgical and medical complications of the transplant kidney. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008;28:805–822. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Intervention Mapping as a Guide for the Development of a Diabetes Peer Support Intervention in Rural Alabama

Introduction Peer support is a promising strategy for the reduction of diabetes-related health disparities; however, few studies describe the development of such strategies in enough detail to allow for replication. The objective of this article is to describe the development of a 1-year peer support intervention to improve diabetes self-management among African American adults with diabetes in Alabama's Black Belt. Methods We used principles of intervention mapping, including literature review, interviews with key informants, and a discussion group with community health workers, to guide intervention development. Qualitative data were combined with behavioral constructs and principles of diabetes self-management to create a peer support intervention to be delivered by trained peer advisors. Feedback from a 1-month pilot was used to modify the training and intervention. Results The resulting intervention includes a 2-day training for peer advisors, who were each paired with 3 to 6 clients. A one-on-one in-person needs assessment begins an intensive intervention phase conducted via telephone for 8 to 12 weeks, followed by a maintenance phase of at least once monthly contacts for the remainder of the intervention period. A peer support network and process measures collected monthly throughout the study supplement formal data collection points at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Discussion Intervention mapping provided a useful framework for the development of culturally relevant diabetes peer support intervention for African Americans living in Alabama's Black Belt. The process described could be implemented by others in public health to develop or adapt programs suitable for their particular community or context.
Fuel switching: evidence from eight developing countries

Modern cooking fuels can provide significant health, productivity, and environmental benefits. Yet spontaneous fuel switching does not occur to the extent often hoped. This paper discusses the determinants of household fuel use and fuel switching, using comparable household survey data from Brazil, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Nepal, Nicaragua, South Africa, and Vietnam. An interesting finding to emerge is a strong link between electrification and uptake of modern cooking fuels.
Robotic partial nephrectomy outcomes at a single institution and experience with R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score.

Partial nephrectomy is the current gold-standard treatment of small renal masses. The articulated instruments of the surgical robot have made the laparoscopic approach more feasible. We present our experience with 50 robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RALPN) surgeries and attempt to validate a recently reported nephrometry score. From July 2008 to July 2010, 50 (53 planned) elective RALPNs were performed utilizing the da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). All patients had an enhancing renal mass on CT scan pre-operatively. Clinicopathologic, surgical, and renal functional (Cockcroft–Gault formula) outcomes were recorded prospectively and analyzed. Mean tumor size, length of surgery (LS), warm ischemia time (WIT), and nephrometry scores were 3.6 cm (1–8), 303 min (133–610), 29.1 min (11–42), and 6.8 (4–11) respectively. Renal cell carcinoma was found in 39 (78%) patients. When evaluating the nephrometry score, comparison of low, medium, and high complexity tumors for length of surgery, WIT, and estimated blood loss (EBL) showed no difference (p > 0.05). Nearness to the collecting system (N score 1 vs. N score 3) showed increased EBL (195 ml vs. 510 mL, p = 0.005), and location relative to polar lines (L score 1 and L score 2) increased mean LS (265 vs. 359 min, p = 0.02). RALPN is safe and effective. Nephrometry scores are a method of standardizing tumor complexity and can be utilized in comparing tumor cohorts but may not be predictive of intra-operative outcomes.
A distributed manipulation concept using selective braking

This paper introduces a new distributed manipulation concept whereby objects operating under the action of a uniform force field are positioned perpendicular to the force field and oriented by selectively applying braking forces at various locations on the object. We assume that the braking locations do not slip, which gives the object dynamics the familiar form of the pendulum equation, but with the pendulum hinge location changing as a function of time. Such a system may find applications in parts handling or in the control of robots descending on inclines. This paper discusses the dynamics of such a robotic system and the sequential control of lateral object position and orientation. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the developed control laws.
Response to Letter by De Rango et al

Response: I agree with De Rango et al that the verdict is “still pending” as to whether carotid artery stenting (CAS) is equivalent or even better than carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in low surgical risk patients or better than medical therapy in high surgical risk patients. The key point is that CAS is not proven effective yet for either patient population. In no way was CAS judged inferior. It is simply unproven. We differ on the …
Calcium ion: An odorant for natural water discriminations and the migratory behavior of sockeye salmon

1. Physiological and behavioral experiments demonstrate an acute sensitivity of the olfactory system of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) to calcium ions. 2. Gross-potential (olfactory EEG) responses were reliably elicited by calcium at 5 × 10−6 M (a concentration well below the range found in natural fresh waters) and most animals responded differentially to calcium concentrations throughout the natural water range. 3. Mitral cell and granule layer cells of the olfactory bulbs responded to concentrations as low as 1 × 10−6 M CaCl2. Responses in each case were ion-specific. 4. In addition, behavioral experiments demonstrated that unconditioned sockeye fry would discriminate between 2 natural waters that differed only in calcium concentration (Table 1). 5. It is proposed that salmon recognize individual natural waters on the basis of the characteristic combination of odorants present and that calcium is one of these important odorant components. 6. The fact that large synchronous wave EEG responses induced by natural waters following distilled water are largely attributable to the calcium ions present (Fig. 7) may be important for the interpretation of earlier EEG studies of salmon homing.
Adaptive gain scheduling for rotationally oscillating drill, with low-resolution feedback

A challenging control strategy is studied on a novel cellular microinjection technology called the rotationally oscillating drill (Ros-Drill). Ros-Drill is developed primarily for intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). It is an inexpensive device, which creates high-frequency rotational oscillations at the tip of an injection pipette tracking a harmonic motion profile. These rotational oscillations enable the pipette to drill into cell membranes with minimum biological damage. Such a motion control procedure presents no particular difficulty when it uses high-resolution motion sensors. However, coarse spatial resolution in these sensors is enforced due to various limitations (especially from the pricing aspects). They severely constrain the performance and trajectory tracking capabilities are adversely affected. In this paper, we present a new adaptive control scheme to overcome these hurdles. The control is implemented using a commonly available and very economical microcontroller and extremely low-resolution position measurements. First, a continuous control system is used for the core proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller logic. Then, an adaptive, robust and optimal updates over this core logic are developed. We demonstrate via simulations and experiments that the tracking of the harmonic rotational motion is achieved with desirable fidelity.
Cultural validity of the Almost Perfect Scale--Revised for African American college students.

This study investigated the cross-cultural construct validity of perfectionism using the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R; R. B. Slaney, M. Mobley, J. Trippi, J. S. Ashby, & D. G. Johnson, 1996) with 251 African American college students. A LISREL confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) offered support for the 3 subscales of the APS-R: High Standards, Order, and Discrepancy. Multigroup CFA results for a sample of 314 White college students supported factorial equivalence across the 2 cultural groups. Correlations between the subscales of the APS-R and measures of self-esteem, self-reported grade point average (GPA), satisfaction with GPA, trait anxiety, and depression were consistent with the results of previous research. A cluster analysis was performed on the APS-R; the cluster results were similar to those found in previous studies. Finally, the limitations of the present study and the implications for future research with African Americans are discussed.
Free-operant choice behavior: A molecular analysis.

Pigeons' pecks to two concurrent initial-link stimuli occasionally produced one of two mutually exclusive terminal links. Further responding to the terminal-link stimulus produced food under fixed-interval or fixed-ratio schedules. In such concurrent chained schedules, investigators rarely use a changeover delay to control superstitious switching, although it is customary to use a changeover delay in simple concurrent schedules in which choice responses produce food directly. When terminal-link fixed-interval schedules were equal or similar in duration and no changeover delay was employed, conditional probabilities of choice for a schedule were found to be lower if the last choice was for that schedule than if the last choice was for the other schedule (“switching dependency”). Imposition of a changeover delay with equal or unequal terminal links produced the opposite pattern: conditional probabilities of choice for a schedule were higher if the last choice was for that schedule than if the last choice was for the other schedule. Turning off all chamber lights during the changeover delay interval attenuated these “repetition dependencies.” The results indicate that excessive switching can complicate the interpretation of data from concurrent chains much as from simple concurrent schedules, and that using blackouts to control switching may be preferable to using a changeover delay.