cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment moderators and predictors of outcome in the Treatment of Early Age Mania (TEAM) study

Objective Both the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder in youth remain the subject of debate. In the Treatment of Early Age Mania (TEAM) study, risperidone was more effective than lithium or divalproex in children diagnosed with bipolar mania and highly comorbid with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We searched for treatment moderators and predictors of outcome. Method TEAM was a multi-site, 8-week, randomized clinical trial of risperidone, lithium, or divalproex in 279 medication-naive patients, aged 6 through 15 years, with a DSM-IV diagnosis of bipolar disorder currently in manic or mixed phase. Outcome measures included binary end-of-treatment responder status and change in the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS) Mania Rating Scale (KMRS). Baseline demographics and clinical characteristics were tested as modifiers of treatment effect and as overall predictors of outcome. Results Moderator effects were detected for site, ADHD, and obesity. Across sites, the response ratio (RR) for risperidone versus lithium ranged from 1.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.8-1.7) to 8.3 (95% CI=1.1-60.8), and for risperidone versus divalproex from 1.3 (95% CI=0.8-2.2) to 10.5 (95% CI=1.4-77.7). The RR for risperidone versus lithium was 2.1 for patients with ADHD, but 1.0 for those without ADHD, and 2.3 (95% CI=1.6-3.3) for nonobese patients, but 1.1 (95% CI=0.6-2.0) for obese ones. Older age and less severe ADHD symptoms were associated with greater improvement on the KMRS. Conclusions Risperidone was more effective than lithium or divalproex across the demographics and clinical characteristics of the sample, but the magnitude of its effect was influenced by site-related characteristics and presence of ADHD. Clinical trial registration information—Treatment of Early Age Mania; http://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT00057681.
Blockade of amphetamine but not opiate-induced locomotion following antagonism of dopamine function in the rat

The effects of pharmacological blockade of dopamine (DA) receptors or 6-OHDA lesions of mesolimbic DA fibers on the locomotor-activating properties of systemic amphetamine (0.35 mg/kg) and heroin (0.5 mg/kg) were examined. Pharmacological blockade of DA receptors or lesions of mesolimbic DA neurons blocked amphetamine but not heroin-induced locomotion. These results show that the opiate receptors essential for opiate-induced locomotor activation are not located on mesolimbic DA neurons. It appears that DA plays a primary role in stimulant-induced locomotion, but may have only a secondary role in opiate locomotion.
Abrasive wear properties of Cr–Cr3Si composites

Abstract A series of composites based on the Cr–Cr 3 Si system, and containing between 50 and 100%Cr 3 Si, were fabricated by hot pressing. These composites have high stiffness, good thermal conductivity, excellent chemical resistance, and high temperature creep and oxidation resistance, making them potential candidates for hard-facing applications and cutting tools in harsh environments. In this study, the Cr–Cr 3 Si composites were abrasion tested at ambient temperatures in order to evaluate their wear properties. Single scratch tests were performed to give insight into material removal mechanisms. Although like most metal silicides, these materials behave in a brittle manner, the results of this study indicate that the addition of a ductile second phase (Cr) can enhance both their fracture toughness and abrasive wear resistance. The addition of 10% of the rare earth oxide Er 2 O 3 improves the density of the composite, but has no apparent influence on the wear resistance.
Bases Defining an Ammonium and Magnesium Ion-Dependent Tertiary Structure Within the Large Subunit Ribosomal RNA

A 58 nucleotide RNA derived from a highly conserved domain of the large subunit ribosomal RNA (Escherichia coli 1051 to 1108) has a set of tertiary interactions that is stabilized by NH4+ and Mg2+ in preference to other ions. We have mapped the nucleotides contributing to this structure by examining the thermal denaturation of 25 sequence variants. Where necessary compensatory mutations were made to preserve the phylogenetically conserved secondary structure. Substitutions of bases or base-pairs at eight positions specifically eliminate the ion-dependent tertiary structure without affecting the secondary structure stability; most of these positions are conserved among all large subunit RNA sequences. At two positions, substitutions of bases found in other organisms stabilize the E. coli tertiary structure by substantial amounts (delta G 37 degrees becomes more favorable by -1.8 to -4.5 kcal/mol). One of these variants disrupts a potential A.U base-pair within a helix, suggesting that the tertiary structure competes with alternative structures. The results show that this rRNA domain contains an extensive, highly conserved, and very stable set of tertiary interactions. The sequence in E. coli, and probably most other organisms, has not evolved to maximum stability. It is possible that natural selection has "tuned" the tertiary structure to an optimum stability, perhaps because the structure must open and close during the ribosome cycle.
Polymer pendant crown thioethers: synthesis, characterization and Hg2+ extraction studies of polymer-supported thiacrowns ([14]aneS4 and [17]aneS5)

Abstract We are interested in designing polymer-bound extractants for Hg 2+ remediation in mixed-waste streams. Towards this goal, we have synthesized novel polymer extractants where 2-aminomethylthiacrowns are immobilized on a polystyrene–divinylbenzene matrix through the pendant arm of the crowns. Reaction of 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol with either 4,7-dithiadecane-1,10-di- p -toluenesulfonate or 4,7,10-trithiatridecane-1,13-di- p -toluenesulfonate generated the 2-hydroxymethylthiacrowns, 3 ([14]aneS 4 -OH) and 4 ([17]aneS 5 -OH). Treatment of the 2-hydroxymethylthiacrowns with thionyl chloride, followed by monomethylamine, produced the N-(methyl)-2-aminomethylthiacrowns, 5 ([14]aneS 4 -NR 1 R 2 ) and 6 ([17]aneS 5 -N R 1 R 2 ) (R 1 =Me, R 2 =H). The thiacrown polymers were prepared through the copolymerization of a 4-vinylbenzyl-substituted aminomethylthiacrown, 7 ([14]aneS 4 -N R 1 R 2 ) or 8 ([17]aneS 5 -N R 1 R 2 ) (R 1 =Me, R 2 =4-vinylbenzyl), with divinylbenzene. Extraction of Hg 2+ from aqueous media using the [17]aneS 5 thiacrown polymer 10 with under a variety of conditions ([Hg 2+ ] 4–200 ppm, pH 1.5–6.2) shows that the resin effectively and selectively removes Hg 2+ ions from acidic aqueous solutions with extraction efficiency ∼95%. Mercury recovery and polymer regeneration was also demonstrated using chloroform solutions of diphenylthiocarbazone to strip the bound Hg 2+ from the resin.
Synthesis and structural characterization of adaptable shape-persistent building blocks

The rigid syn- and anti-atropisomers of diacids 1 and 2 were synthesized and assigned by symmetry-based methods and X-ray crystallography.
Adsorption and uptake of nickel in Methanothrix concilii

During growth of the aceticlastic methanogen Methanothrix concilii, 63Ni was incorporated primarily into two soluble proteins, methylcoenzyme M reductase and carbon monoxide dehydrogenase. During short-term studies, an uptake system for nickel was present which saturated, with kinetic constants of apparent K m=91 μM and V max=23 nmol/min·mg-1 dry wt. Nickel specificity was demonstrated in competition studies, in which magnesium, calcium, or manganese had little influence on 63Ni uptake; cobalt, however, did compete. Although the uptake of nickel was blocked by extreme temperatures (6°C or 100°C) and by air, the complete abolition of methanogenesis by various ionophores, N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, bromoethanesulfonate, or pre-treatment of the cells at 80°C, had little effect on uptake. The kinetic characteristics of short-term nickel uptake in cells could be reproduced in purified sheath preparations, indicating that the predominant mechanism for nickel uptake in short-term studies was an energy-independent, semi-specific cell-surface absorption.
Solution Infrared Spectroscopic Studies on Equilibrium Reactions of CO with the Decamethylmetallocenes Cp*2MII, Where MII = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sm, Eu, Yb

The reaction of CO with the alkaline-earth decamethylmetallocenes Cp*2MII, where MII is Mg, Ca, Sr, or Ba, and the bivalent lanthanide decamethylmetallocenes, where MII is Sm, Eu, or Yb, have been studied in toluene or methylcyclohexane solution in a high-pressure infrared cell. In all cases, except for Mg and Ba, the monocarbonyl complex Cp*2MCO is observed to form under CO pressure. The CO stretching frequencies for Cp*2CaCO (2158 cm-1), Cp*2SrCO (2159 cm-1), Cp*2SmCO (2153 cm-1), and Cp*2EuCO (2150 cm-1) are greater than that of free CO (2134 cm-1 in toluene or methylcyclohexane). In contrast, Cp*2YbCO has νCO 2114 cm-1, below that of free CO. This 1:1 complex is formed at low CO pressure (<2 bar); at higher CO pressures the 1:2 adduct Cp*2Yb(CO)2 with an even lower νCO value of 2072 cm-1 predominates. Equilibrium constants were determined as a function of pressure and temperature for the equilibria Cp*2MII(solv) + nCO(gas or solv) ⇌ Cp*2MII(CO)n(solv), with MII = Ca, Eu, Yb. The thermodynamic constant...
Effects of a calcium-channel antagonist on large and small coronary arteries in conscious dogs.

The effects of i.v. nifedipine, 20 micrograms/kg, on left ventricular (LV) pressure, dP/dt, aortic pressure, heart rate, LV diameters, cardiac output, coronary blood flow and left circumflex coronary arterial diameter, and calculations of late diastolic coronary and total peripheral resistances and left circumflex coronary cross-sectional area were examined in 11 conscious dogs. In dogs with spontaneous rhythm, nifedipine induced an early, transient response characterized by hypotension and peak increases in coronary blood flow and decreases in total peripheral and late diastolic coronary vascular resistances. The peak effects on large coronary arteries were observed 2--5 minutes later, when mean arterial pressure was only 8.2 +/- 1.6 mm Hg below control and LV end-diastolic pressure and diameter were not significantly different from control. LV dP/dt was elevated by 7.1 +/- 1.1%, heart rate was elevated by 25 +/- 3.3 beats/min, and cardiac output remained elevated by 54 +/- 7.4%. At this time, coronary cross-sectional area was elevated by 26 +/- 3.0%, late diastolic coronary vascular resistance was reduced by 50 +/- 2.7%, and total peripheral resistance was 40 +/- 3.8% below control. The coronary sinus oxygen content was elevated by 3.4 +/- 0.8 vol% and the arteriovenous oxygen difference fell by 3.5 +/- 0.8 vol%. After beta-adrenergic blockade with propranolol and with heart rate constant or varying, the increases in coronary cross-sectional area and decreases in late diastolic coronary vascular resistance induced by nifedipine were still observed, but were significantly smaller (p less than 0.01). Thus, nifedipine dilates both large coronary arteries and coronary resistance vessels, effects that could be attributed in part to beta-adrenergic mechanisms. Nifedipine also exerts potent effects on coronary and peripheral arterial vessels, but has little effect on preload.
Coliphages as indicators of enteric viruses in activated sludge

Abstract The use of indigenous coliphage as indicators of enteric viruses during activated sludge treatment of domestic wastewater was examined. Enteric viruses, coliphage attacking three strains of Escherichia coli and a number of wastewater parameters were monitored in the primary effluent, secondary effluent and secondary sludge of a wastewater treatment plant. Removal of viruses during secondary treatment appeared to be the result of rapid adsorption of influent virions to mixed liquor suspended solids. Adsorption was followed by inactivation of the viruses during aeration of the mixed liquor. A larger proportion of influent enteric viruses than coliphage was recovered from the secondary sludge. This suggests that activated sludge treatment was less antagonistic towards enteric viruses than towards the coliphage. Coliphage plaques of less than or equal to 1 mm in diameter were composed of large viruses (approx. 100 nm in diameter). Plaques greater than 3 mm in diameter appeared to be the result of host infection by a much smaller virus (approx. 45 nm in diameter). Plaques between 1 and 3 mm in diameter were composed of both small and large coliphages. Coliphage concentrations could not be correlated with enteric virus concentrations in either primary or secondary effluent. However, it was found that coliphage giving rise to plaques greater than 3 mm in diameter were positively related with enteric viruses in the secondary effluent. This result suggests that this group of coliphage may serve as an indicator of the efficacy of activated sludge treatment of enteric viruses.
Time-domain skin-effect model for transient analysis of lossy transmission lines

A skin-effect equivalent circuit consisting of resistors and inductors is derived from the skin-effect differential equations for simulating the loss of a transmission line. A numerical method is used to analyze the transmission-line differential equations and the skin-effect equivalent circuit, yielding a model which relates the new values of node voltages and line currents to their values at the previous time step. Based on this model, a very simple program was written on a desk-top computer for the transient analysis of lossy trammission lines. Two examples are presented. The first example is an analysis of the step and pulse responses of a 600-m RG-8/U coaxial cable. The computed results show excellent agreement with measured data. The second example studies the current at the end of a 12-in 7-Ω strip line under different loading conditions. Very good agreement has been obtained between the calculated steady-state solution and that obtained by the frequency-domain method.
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis assessment in healthy term neonatal foals utilizing a paired low dose/high dose ACTH stimulation test.

Background: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function is dynamic in the neonatal foal. The paired low dose/high dose cosyntropin (ACTH) stimulation test allows comprehensive HPA axis assessment, but has not been evaluated in neonatal foals. Hypothesis: Foal age will significantly affect cortisol responses to a paired 10 and 100 μg dose cosyntropin stimulation test in healthy neonatal foals. Animals: Twenty healthy neonatal foals. Methods: HPA axis function was assessed in 12 foals at birth and at 12–24, 36–48 hours, and 5–7 days of age. At each age, basal cortisol and ACTH concentrations were measured and cortisol responses to 10 and 100 μg cosyntropin were assessed with a paired ACTH stimulation test protocol. Eight additional 36–48-hour-old foals received saline instead of 10 μg cosyntropin in the same-paired ACTH stimulation test design. Results: At birth, foals had significantly higher basal cortisol and ACTH concentrations and higher basal ACTH : cortisol ratios compared with foals in all other age groups. A significant cortisol response to both the 10 and 100 μg doses of cosyntropin was observed in all foals. The magnitude of the cortisol response to both doses of cosyntropin was significantly different across age groups, with the most marked responses in younger foals. There was no effect of the paired ACTH stimulation test design itself on cortisol responses. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: A paired 10 and 100 μg cosyntropin stimulation test can be used to evaluate HPA axis function in neonatal foals. Consideration of foal age is important in interpretation of HPA axis assessment.
Insulin resistance and atherosclerosis. Common roots for two common diseases

Growing up in postwar Germany as I did taught me something that is hard to forget. When people had relatively little to eat, diseases such as NIDDM and atherosclerosis were almost unheard of. Today, these diseases occur in epidemic proportions. Furthermore, atherosclerosis is now the most common and deleterious complication of NIDDM. This issue of Circulation contains the first, long-awaited results of the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study, which examines the association between insulin sensitivity and IMT of the carotid artery as an index of atherosclerosis. The study is based on observations in three distinctly different ethnic groups of approximately equal size in four communities of the United States.1 The results show an inverse relation between insulin sensitivity and atherosclerosis in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white Americans but not among black Americans. When the investigators adjusted their results for the traditional risk factors of coronary artery disease, glucose tolerance, measures of adiposity, and fasting insulin levels, this inverse relation was reduced but not eliminated. The powerful analysis suggests therefore that insulin resistance per se is an independent cause of atherosclerosis in non-Hispanic and Hispanic whites. It also suggests that the inverse relation between insulin sensitivity and atherosclerosis is stronger than the relation between insulin and atherosclerosis. The ethnic differences are not so readily explained, although it is of interest that non-Hispanic and Hispanic whites share the same characteristics. The findings of the present study1 provide support for the clinical observation that diabetes and macrovascular disease not only coexist but may spring from common roots. On the one hand, the results suggest that it is possible to identify patients early who are at risk for the development of atherosclerotic vascular disease. On the other hand, they provide a challenge for the practicing physician to diagnose and treat subclinical forms of glucose …
Characteristics of the Mg2+-ATPase Activity Associated with the Membrane-Bound Maize Coupling Factor

The membrane-bound coupling factor of maize mesophyll thylakoids is a latent ATPase. Mg2+-ATPase activity can be induced in the light with either dithiothreitol or low concentrations of trypsin. Maize thylakoids that are activated with light plus trypsin exhibit considerably higher levels of activity in Na2SO3-dependent Mg2+-ATPase assays compared to thylakoids that are light and dithiothreitol activated (1400 micromoles per milligram of chlorophyll per hour versus 200 micromoles per milligram of chlorophyll per hour). Treatment with light and dithiothreitol or light plus trypsin were also required to demonstrate high levels of octyl glucoside-dependent Mg2+-ATPase activity in maize mesophyll thylakoids. Only small differences in octyl glucoside-dependent Mg2+-ATPase activity were observed in preparations that were activated in the light with either trypsin or dithiothreitol. Mg2+-ATPase activity can also be induced in maize mesophyll chloroplasts by illuminating intact preparations under appropriate conditions. Little or no ATPase activity was observed in the absence of illumination or in the presence of light plus methyl viologen. The active state decayed in the dark with a t½ of 6 to 7 minutes at room temperature. Based on the effect of the thiol oxidant, o-iodosobenzoate, and the uncoupler, nigericin, on the kinetics of deactivation of ATPase activity in intact maize chloroplasts, it appears that the activation process requires a transmembrane proton gradient and reduction of a key disulfide bridge in the gamma of chloroplast coupling factor one.
Reduction of Phytophthora Blight of Madagascar Periwinkle in Florida by Soil Solarization in Autumn.

McGovern, R. J., McSorley, R., and Urs, R. R. 2000. Reduction of Phytophthora blight of Madagascar periwinkle in Florida by soil solarization in autumn. Plant Dis. 84:185-191. Three field experiments were conducted in southwest and west-central Florida in 1993 through 1995 to evaluate the effectiveness of soil solarization during autumn in reducing Phytophthora blight of Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) caused by Phytophthora nicotianae. Plots (3.6 by 3.6 m) were infested by incorporating winter wheat seed containing P. nicotianae in the upper 15 cm of soil. Solarization was then c onducted for 21 to 41 days, primarily during October, using clear, 25- or 50-µm low-density polyethylene mulch. The progress of Phytophthora blight, monitored for 31 to 42 days following planting, was significantly reduced by solarization in all experiments, and final blight incidence was reduced in two of three experiments. Solarization also reduced population dens ities of P. nicotianae.
Interrelationships between temperament characteristics and first-grade teacher-student interactions

The relationships between temperament characteristics and first-grade teacherstudent interaction were investigated. It was hypothesized that the temperament characteristics of Adaptability and Approach/Withdrawal would be potent predictors of teacher-student interactions since they had been found previously to be strong predictors of children's emotional and behavioral adjustment to school. The teachers of 105 first-grade children completed temperament questionnaires during the early part of the academic year, and their interactions with the children were observed soon thereafter. The teacher temperament ratings were factor-analyzed, and regression models were generated to predict classroom interactions. The study's hypothesis was supported, and three separate temperament dimensions were found to be predictive of classroom interactions. Suggestions are made for future extensions of the findings.
Iron overload and mobilization in long-term hemodialysis patients.

Iron overload from repeated transfusions of RBCs in long-term hemodialysis patients is a problem of increasing clinical significance. We report on the prevalence of and diagnostic criteria for identification of hemodialysis patients with iron overload. In 150 unselected hemodialysis patients, 62 (41%) had ferritin levels >2,000 ng/mL (normal = 10 to 360 ng/mL). In 16 of these patients, accurate transfusion histories were obtained and ferritin levels correlated with calculated transfusional iron burden (r = 0.553, P
The effect of t-butylated hydroxytoluene on glutathione linked detoxification mechanisms in rat

When rats were fed a diet containing 0.4% (w/w) butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a three-fold increase in total glutathione (GSH) S-transferase activity towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) was observed in liver but not in lung or kidney. Hepatic GSH S-transferase activities towards styrene oxide (SO) and 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane (EPNP) were also increased, but to a lesser extent. Isoelectric focusing studies indicated that the activities of most of the rat liver GSH S-transferase isoenzymes were induced. Immunoprecipitation studies of the native and induced enzymes suggested that de novo synthesis of these proteins caused the increase in GSH S-transferase activity in liver. A two-fold increase in glutathione reductase activity in liver upon dietary administration of BHT was observed. Kinetic and physical properties of the native and induced enzymes were similar which may indicate that the induction is due to the synthesis of this enzyme. A significant increase in reduced glutathione (GSH) content in liver and lung was also seen in rats treated with BHT.
Patent disclosure requirements and benefit sharing: A counterfactual case of Morocco's argan oil

Abstract This article uses the seemingly promising case of Morocco's argan oil to assess the value of patent disclosure requirements (PDRs) as a policy instrument aimed at improving the sharing of biodiversity benefits. After introducing the disclosure requirements debate and discussing relevant features of the argan oil case, I construct a simple counterfactual by asking: “How would PDRs have changed benefit sharing in the argan oil case?” From this case, three practical considerations emerge that shed a realistic, if cautious, light on the marginal value of PDRs as a benefit sharing mechanism: (1) PDRs require an accompanying national biodiversity regime but their relative value is inversely proportional to regime strength (2) PDRs should be assessed based on the additional compliance incentives they provide and median, not blockbuster, patent values and (3) the alternative to no PDRs and no regime is not zero benefits. While these considerations are inherently country-specific, PDRs should generally be assessed at the margin rather than in vague conceptual and aggregate ways.
Another look at contrast in multiple schedules

Recent research on multiple schedule interactions is reviewed. Contrary to formulations that view contrast as the result of elicited behavior controlled by the stimulus-reinforcer contingency (e.g., additivity theory), the major controlling variable is the relative rate of reinforcement, which cannot be reduced to some combination of stimulus-reinforcer and response-reinforcer effects. Other recent theoretical formulations are also reviewed and all are found to face serious counterevidence. The best description of the available data continues to be in terms of the "context of reinforcement," but Herrnstein's (1970) formulation of the basis of such context effects appears to be inadequate. An alternative conception is provided by Catania's concept of "inhibition by reinforcement," by which rate of responding is inversely related to the average rate of reinforcement in the situation. Such a conception is related to Gibbon's recent scalar-expectancy account of autoshaping and Fantino's delay-reduction model of conditioned reinforcement, suggesting that a common set of principles determines several diverse conditioning phenomena. However, the empirical status of such a description remains uncertain, because recent evidence shows that schedule interactions are temporally asymmetric, depending primarily upon the conditions of reinforcement that follow a schedule component.
Intestinal digestion and absorption of sucrose in experimental diabetes.

Intestinal sucrose hydrolysis and absorption of monosaccharide products was studiedin vivo utilizing the segmental perfusion technique in diabetic and control rats. The proximal jejunum was perfused with 20 mM sucrose, 140 mM NaCl and 0.5% PEG with14C-PEG, as the nonabsorbable marker. Rates of sucrose hydrolysis and adsorption of monosaccharide products (fructose and glucose) were determined. There were no statistically significant differences between the diabetic and control rats. This indicates that the previously reported increase in sucrase activity in diabetes does not correlate with enhanced rates of sucrose hydrolysis. Several possibilities for the interpretation of these results are discussed.
Advancing practical usage of microtechnology: a study of the functional consequences of dielectrophoresis on neural stem cells

The integration of microscale engineering, microfluidics, and AC electrokinetics such as dielectrophoresis has generated novel microsystems that enable quantitative analysis of cellular phenotype, function, and physiology. These systems are increasingly being used to assess diverse cell types, such as stem cells, so it becomes critical to thoroughly evaluate whether the systems themselves impact cell function. For example, engineered microsystems have been utilized to investigate neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs), which are of interest due to their potential to treat CNS disease and injury. Analysis by dielectrophoresis (DEP) microsystems determined that unlabeled NSPCs with distinct fate potential have previously unrecognized distinguishing electrophysiological characteristics, suggesting that NSPCs could be isolated by DEP microsystems without the use of cell type specific labels. To gauge the potential impact of DEP sorting on NSPCs, we investigated whether electric field exposure of varying times affected survival, proliferation, or fate potential of NSPCs in suspension. We found short-term DEP exposure (1 min or less) had no effect on NSPC survival, proliferation, or fate potential revealed by differentiation. Moreover, NSPC proliferation (measured by DNA synthesis and cell cycle kinetics) and fate potential were not altered by any length of DEP exposure (up to 30 min). However, lengthy exposure (>5 min) to frequencies near the crossover frequency (50–100 kHz) led to decreased survival of NSPCs (maximum ∼30% cell loss after 30 min). Based on experimental observations and mathematical simulations of cells in suspension, we find that frequencies near the crossover frequency generate an induced transmembrane potential that results in cell swelling and rupture. This is in contrast to the case for adherent cells since negative DEP frequencies lower than the crossover frequency generate the highest induced transmembrane potential and damage for these cells. We clarify contrasting effects of DEP on adherent and suspended cells, which are related to the cell position within the electric field and the strength of the electric field at specific distances from the electrodes. Modeling of electrode configurations predicts optimal designs to induce cell movement by DEP while limiting the induced transmembrane potential. We find DEP electric fields are not harmful to stem cells in suspension at short exposure times, thus providing a basis for developing DEP-based applications for stem cells.
Severely Obese Preschoolers in a Tertiary Care Obesity Program Characteristics and Management

Objectives. To describe the characteristics and management of severely obese 2- to 5-year-olds children referred to a tertiary care multidisciplinary obesity center. Methods. A retrospective chart review was conducted of children 2 to 5 years old evaluated at the center from January 2009 to February 2011. Referral eligibility was a body mass index (BMI) ≥95th percentile. Results. Of the 2- to 5-year-olds seen at the center, 140 (94%) had a BMI >99th percentile. Of these children with severe obesity, 54% were female, 48% were Caucasian, and mean age was 4.60 years (SD = 1.00). Mean BMI and BMI z-score at initial visit was 26.5 kg/m2 (SD = 4.12) and 3.59 (SD = 0.95), respectively. BMI z-scores varied significantly by age—χ2(3, N = 140) = 54.44, P < .001—and gender—χ2(1, N = 140) = −5.31, P < .001—with males and younger children presenting at much higher BMI z-scores. Most of the children had a family history of obesity, (85%), type 2 diabetes (74%), and hypertension (74%). Nearly one third of families repor...
Digital circuit verification using partially-ordered state models

Many aspects of digital circuit operation can be efficiently verified by simulating circuit operation over "weakened" state values. This technique has long been practiced with logic simulators, using the value X to indicate a signal that could be either 0 or 1. This concept can be formally extended to a wider class of circuit models and signal values, yielding lattice-structured state domains. For more precise modeling of circuit operation, these values can be encoded in binary and hence represented symbolically as ordered binary decision diagrams. The net result is a tool for formal verification that can apply a hybrid of symbolic and partially-ordered evaluation. >
Diagnosis and treatment of medial epicondylitis of the elbow

Although limited literature exists on medial epicondylitis of the elbow, this disorder is an injury affecting many athletes at every level, especially throwing athletes. Care must be taken in diagnosing medial epicondylitis to distinguish it from other possible pathologies of the medial elbow, which may exist concurrently. The large majority of patients diagnosed with medial epicondylitis will respond to a well-structured, nonsurgical program; however, patients with persistent or recurring symptoms can be treated surgically, which yields high patient satisfaction and ultimately a reliable return to preinjury levels of activity.
The bacterial and host factors associated with extrapulmonary dissemination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

With high morbidity and mortality worldwide, tuberculosis (TB) is still an important public health threat. The majority of human TB cases are caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although pulmonary TB is the most common presentation, M. tuberculosis can disseminate into other organs and causes extrapulmonary TB (EPTB). The dissemination of bacteria from the initial site of infection to other organs can lead to fatal diseases, such as miliary and meningeal TB. Thoroughly understanding the mechanisms and pathways of dissemination would develop therapies to prevent the lethal prognosis of EPTB (miliary and meningeal TB) and vaccines to promote the development of adaptive immunity. This review focuses on risk factors of EPTB, bacterial and host genes involved in EPTB, and potential mechanisms of M. tuberculosis extrapulmonary dissemination.
An overview of human exposure modeling activities at the USEPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory.

The computational modeling of human exposure to environmental pollutants is one of the primary activities of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)’s National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL). Assessment of human exposures is a critical part of the overall risk assessment paradigm. In exposure assessment, we analyze the source-to-dose sequence of processes, in which pollutants are released from sources into the environment, where they may move through multiple environmental media, and to human receptors via multiple pathways. Exposure occurs at the environment-human interface, where pollutants are contacted in the course of human activities. Exposure may result in a dose, by which chemicals enter the body through multiple portals of entry, primarily inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption. Within the body, absorbed pollutants are distributed to, metabolized within, and eliminated from various organs and tissues, where they may cause toxicologic responses or adverse health effects. The NERL...
The Democratic Peace and Rivalries

This article reexamines the democratic peace in a longitudinal fashion. We extend the democratic peace proposition beyond isolated militarized disputes or wars to longer term interstate rivalries. Rivalries of all types are rare among democratic dyads; there is only one case of enduring rivalry between consistently democratic states, and most conflictual relationships between democracies remain confined to isolated conflict. Second, we assess the effect of regime change on rivalry behavior when a regime change precipitates or ends a jointly democratic dyad. Enduring rivalries that include both joint democratic and nondemocratic periods exhibit significantly lower dispute propensities while both rivals are democratic, although proto-rivalries show much smaller differences. Importantly, the pacifying effect of democracy appears to strengthen over time after the transition to joint democracy, which is consistent with the onset and deepening of democratic norms. Both proto- and enduring rivalries show a decre...
A Phylogenetic Study of the Malagasy Couas with Insights into Cuckoo Relationships

The avian family Cuculidae (cuckoos) is a diverse group of birds that vary considerably in behaviors of interest to behavioral ecologists, e.g., obligate brood parasitism and cooperative breeding. The taxonomy of this group has historically been relatively stable but has not been extensively evaluated using molecular methods. The goal of this study was to evaluate phylogenetic relationships within the ecologically diverse genus Coua and the placement of Coua among major cuckoo lineages. We sequenced 429 bp of cytochrome b (cyt b) and 522 bp of ND2, both mitochondrial genes, for 26 species of cuckoos spanning 13 genera. We also included the enigmatic hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) and used two Tauraco species as outgroups. ND2 exhibited higher rates of DNA sequence and amino acid substitution than cyt b; however, this did not greatly affect the overall levels of phylogenetic resolution and support provided by these two genes. Combined analyses produced two alternative phylogenies, depending on weighting scheme, both of which were fully resolved and were characterized by high bootstrap support. These phylogenies recovered monophyly for all of the traditional cuckoo subfamilies and indicated, with strong support, that the hoatzin is outside of Cuculidae. Within Coua, an arboreal and a terrestrial clade were identified. In contrast, habitat choice of Coua species did not greatly reflect the phylogeny.
Forensic aspects of everyday practice: legal issues that every practitioner must know.

In their education and training, mental health care professionals are taught the intricacies and nuances of providing medical care to individuals with any and all psychological or psychiatric problems. This training, however, as comprehensive as it is from a medical perspective, does not and cannot prepare psychiatrists for the complex legal world that effectively has changed the manner and method in which mental health care is provided. As a result of the invasive meddling of the legal process into the mental health field, every patient is potentially a plaintiff in a lawsuit or a complainant in a licensure matter. The practitioner must navigate around the legal roadblocks without the benefit of a law degree. The questions as to who can provide consent, the adequacy of consent, the release of information, and the other issues set forth in this article only scratch the surface of the pervasive intertwining of the law with the mental health field. As most psychiatrists say in their parting advice to a patient, "call me if you have any problems," in this age of complex and potentially harmful interfacing between the psychiatric profession and the law, the psychiatrist must follow his or her own advice. When faced with an uncertainty as to the adequacy of consent, the release of information, or any legal issue, a psychiatrist must place a call to his or her insurer, health care attorney, or medical board to obtain guidance and direction. When there is a letter, a call, a subpoena, or almost anything other than a Christmas card from an attorney, the psychiatrist also should place a call to his or her insurer or health care attorney to ensure that he or she does not find himself or herself in Dr. Peters' position. Being accused before a licensure board or in a courtroom of failing to adequately obtain consent, failing to release information, or, conversely, releasing too much information is not a recommended mental health activity. Being in Dr. Peters' position and being accused of medical malpractice in which a patient has suffered emotional or physical damage or has committed suicide is also not a recommended activity for a psychiatrist. Although avoidance of attorneys and the legal process is not possible for the practitioner, with the proper information and legal resources, the child and adolescent psychiatrist can navigate around the legal potholes. Language: en
Microgeographic adaptations of spotted salamander morphological defenses in response to a predaceous salamander and beetle

Spatial heterogeneity in the selection imposed by different predator species could promote the adaptive diversification of local prey populations. However, high gene flow might swamp local adaptations at limited spatial scales or generalized phenotypic plasticity might evolve in place of local diversification. Spotted salamander larvae Ambystoma maculatum face strongly varying risks from gape-limited marbled salamander larvae Ambystoma opacum and gape-unconstrained diving beetle larvae Dytiscus spp. across natural landscapes. To evaluate if A. maculatum adapts to these predation risk across micro-geographic scales, I measured selection gradients in response to the two focal predators and then assayed the defensive morphologies of ten populations in a common garden experiment. I found that A. opacum induced selection on A. maculatum for larger tailfins and bodies whereas beetles induced selection for larger tail muscles and smaller bodies. In accordance with the local adaptation hypothesis, A. maculatum populations inhabiting ponds with high beetle densities grew larger tail muscles relative to other populations when raised in a common environment. However, populations exposed to strong A. opacum selection did not evolve larger tailfins as predicted. High gene flow or morphological plasticity could explain the absence of this morphological response to A. opacum. Overall, results suggest that populations can sometimes evolve adaptive traits in response to locally variable selection regimes even across the very limited distances that separate populations in this study. If prey populations often differ in their defenses against local predators, then this variation could affect the outcome of species interactions in local communities.
Vision guided lane transition

Many systems have been created which can keep an autonomous vehicle within a driving lane, but little experimental work has been reported that describes methods to transition a vehicle between lanes. Three techniques to accomplish lane transition using the ALVINN lane keeping system are reported here. The most basic involves intelligently switching between two trained ALVINN networks. The other techniques use active control of virtual camera views to move the vehicle into the destination lane.
Hot Gaseous Halos of Nearby Disk Galaxies

I review studies of the hot gaseous medium in and around nearby normal disk galaxies, including the Milky Way. This medium represents a reservoir of materials required for lasting star formation, a depository of galactic feedback (e.g., stellar mass loss and supernovae), and an interface between the interstellar and intergalactic media. Important progress has been made recently with the detection of X-ray absorption lines in the spectra of X-ray binaries and AGNs. The X-ray absorption line spectroscopy, together with existing X-ray emission and far-UV O iv absorption measurements now allows for the first time to characterize the global spatial, thermal, and chemical properties of hot gas in the Galaxy. The results are generally consistent with those inferred from X-ray imaging of nearby edge-on galaxies similar to the Milky Way. Observed diffuse X-ray emitting/absorbing gas does not extend significantly more than ~10 kpc away from galactic disks/bulges, except in nuclear starburst or very massive galaxies. The X-ray cooling rate of this gas is generally far less than the expected supernova mechanical energy input alone. So the bulk of the energy is “missing”. On the other hand, evidence for a large-scale (≲ 102 kpc) hot gaseous halo around the Milky Way to explain various high-velocity clouds is mounting. The theoretical argument for ongoing accretion of intergalactic gas onto disk galaxies is also compelling. I discuss possible solutions that reconcile these facts. In particular, large-scale hot gaseous halos appear to be low in metallicity, hence X-ray emission. The metal enrichment in the intergalactic medium may be substantially non-uniform; fast-cooling clumps of relatively high metallicity may have largely dropped out and may partly account for high-velocity clouds. In addition, ongoing galactic mechanical energy feedback is likely important in balancing the cooling of the halos and may be strong enough to produce galactic winds in bulge-dominated galaxies.
Individual Difference Effects on Performance in a Complex, Multi-Decision-Making Environment

The present research examines the impact of cognitive style and short-term memory (STM) capacity on the computer interface usability of a pilot simulation. Participants screened for individual differences in cognitive style and STM capacity were randomly assigned to a training condition within the Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MAT; Arnegard & Comstock, 1991). Training conditions varied in automation settings (adaptive versus static). Participants transferred to a novel static condition. Between subjects independent variables were individual differences in STM capacity (high, low), cognitive style (analytic, holistic, quasi-rational), and training (static versus adaptive). Within subjects independent variables were training (four blocks) and transfer (four blocks) sessions. Dependent variables were accuracy and reaction time. Results suggest that individual differences in STM capacity and cognitive style are orthogonal constructs that interact to affect skill acquisition and strategy development for visual...
On Parallelization of a Video Mining System

As digital video data becomes more pervasive, mining information from multimedia data becomes increasingly important. Although researches in multimedia mining area have shown great potential in daily life, the huge computational requirement prohibits its wide use in practice. Since our personal computer is shifting from uniprocessors to multicore processors, exploiting thread level parallelism in multimedia mining applications is critical to utilize the hardware resources and accelerate the mining process. This paper presents three different parallel approaches (task level, data slicing and hybrid parallel) to parallelize one widely used application in video mining system. The hybrid scheme, with the exploration of data level and task level parallelism, delivers much better performance than other two schemes. We get 10x performance improvement on a 16-way multiprocessor system. Besides, we perform several efficient optimization techniques, such as subexpression optimization, SIMD, and data blocking, to improve the performance by more than 60%. Therefore, our parallelization and optimization of the application makes it 16x faster than it used to be. Our study shows that with proper parallelization and optimization, multimedia mining can be used widely in our daily life soon.
Discrimination between Alkali Metal Cations by Yeast II. Cation interactions in transport

K+ is a competitive inhibitor of the uptake of the other alkali metal cations by yeast. Rb+ is a competitive inhibitor of K+ uptake, but Li+, Na+, and Cs+ act like H+. At relatively low concentrations they behave as apparent noncompetitive inhibitors of K+ transport, but the inhibition is incomplete. At higher concentrations they inhibit the remaining K+ transport competitively. Ca++ and Mg++ in relatively low concentrations partially inhibit K+ transport in an apparently noncompetitive manner although their affinity for the transport site is very low. In each case, in concentrations that produce "noncompetitive" inhibition, very little of the inhibiting cation is transported into the cell. Competitive inhibition is accompanied by appreciable uptake of the inhibiting cation. The apparently noncompetitive effect of other cations is reversed by K+ concentrations much higher than those necessary to essentially "saturate" the transport system. A model is proposed which can account for the inhibition kinetics. This model is based on two cation-binding sites for which cations compete, a carrier or transporting site, and a second nontransporting (modifier) site with a different array of affinities for cations. The association of certain cations with the modifier site leads to a reduction in the turnover of the carrier, the degree of reduction depending on the cation bound to the modifier site and on the cation being transported.
SoSE architecture principles for Net-Centric Multi-Int Fusion Systems

Multi-Int Fusion Systems are complex due to the need to architect a solution that covers a broad domain space with diverse functional requirements. Consequently, some of these requirements can seem orthogonal, such as the need for real-time embedded processing for on-board platforms juxtaposed with large-scale enterprise systems comprising application servers, database farms, and service-oriented architectures. Add to these considerations, the need to address Information Assurance, which includes functionality for confidentiality, integrity, availability, authentication, and non-repudiation - all applied to a broad set of heterogeneous data and implemented across multiple organizations spanning transnational jurisdictions. These challenges render the traditional systems engineering approach ineffective. This paper explores key issues innate to Net-Centric Multi-Int Fusion Systems, and offers SoSE principles for a top-down analysis of functional requirements and guidelines for reconciling design trade-offs - essential steps to ensure the synthesis of a holistic and robust SoS architecture.