cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dosimetric analysis of a simplified intensity modulation technique for prone breast radiotherapy.

Abstract Purpose Prone-position breast radiotherapy (RT) has been described as an alternative technique to improve dose homogeneity for women with large, pendulous breasts. We report the feasibility and dosimetric analysis of a simplified intensity-modulated RT (IMRT) technique, previously reported for women in the supine treatment position, to plan prone-position RT to the intact breast. Methods and materials Twenty patients with clinical Stage TisN0-T1bN1 breast cancer undergoing breast-conserving therapy underwent whole breast RT using a prone position technique. The treatment plans were developed using both conventional tangents and a simplified intensity-modulated tangential beam technique based on optimization of the intensity distributions across the breast. The plans were compared with regard to the dose–volume parameters. Results Dose heterogeneity within the breast planning target volume was significantly greater for the conventional tangent plans. Of 20 patients, 16 (80%) received maximal doses of ≥110% using the conventional tangents vs. only 1 (5%) using the IMRT plan. The isodose level encompassing 5% of the planning target volume was reduced from an average of 110% with conventional tangents to 105% with IMRT. The maximal dose within the planning target volume was reduced from an average of 114% with conventional tangents to 107% with IMRT. The greatest improvement was seen in the patients with the most pendulous breasts. Conclusion An IMRT planning approach is feasible for prone-position breast RT and improves dose homogeneity, particularly in women with larger, pendulous breasts. Additional follow-up is necessary to determine whether the improvements in dose homogeneity impact acute toxicity and cosmetic outcome in this cohort of women who have historically suffered from poor cosmesis after breast-conserving therapy.
Regulation of 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A Reductase Degradation by the Nonsterol Mevalonate Metabolite Farnesol in Vivo

We have previously reported that degradation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the isoprenoid pathway leading to cholesterol production, can be accelerated in cultured cells by the addition of farnesyl compounds, which are thought to mimic a natural, nonsterol mevalonate metabolite(s). In this paper we report accelerated reductase degradation by the addition of farnesol, a natural product of mevalonate metabolism, to intact cells. We demonstrate that this regulation is physiologically meaningful, shown by its blockage by several inhibitory conditions that are known to block the degradation induced by mevalonate addition. We further show that intracellular farnesol levels increase significantly after mevalonate addition. Based on these results, we conclude that farnesol is a nonsterol, mevalonate-derived product that plays a role in accelerated reductase degradation. Our conclusion is in agreement with a previous report (Correll, C. C., Ng, L., and Edwards, P. A. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 17390-17393), in which an in vitro system was used to study the effect of farnesol on reductase degradation. However, the apparent stimulation of degradation in vitro appears to be due to nonphysiological processes. Our findings demonstrate that in vitro, farnesol causes reductase to become detergent insoluble and thus lost from immunoprecipitation experiments, yielding apparent degradation. We further show that another resident endoplasmic reticulum protein, calnexin, similarly gives the appearance of protein degradation after farnesol addition in vitro. However, after the addition of farnesol to cells in vivo, calnexin remains stable, whereas reductase is degraded, providing further evidence that the in vivo effects of farnesol are physiologically meaningful and specific for reductase, whereas the in vitro effects are not.
ECONOMIC LOSSES FROM HEAT STRESS BY US LIVESTOCK INDUSTRIES

Abstract Economic losses are incurred by the US livestock industries because farm animals are raised in locations and seasons where effective temperature conditions venture outside their zone of thermal comfort. The objective of this review was to estimate economic losses sustained by major US livestock industries from heat stress. Animal classes considered were: dairy cows, dairy heifers (0 to 1 yr and 1 to 2 yr), beef cows, finishing cattle, sows, market hogs, broilers, layers, and turkeys. Economic losses considered were: 1) decreased performance (feed intake, growth, milk, eggs), 2) increased mortality, and 3) decreased reproduction. USDA and industry data were used for monthly inventories of each animal class in each of the contiguous 48 states. Daily weather data from 257 weather stations over a range of 68 to 129 yr were used to estimate mean monthly maximum and minimum temperatures, relative humidity, and their variances and covariances for each state. Animal responses were modeled from literature data using a combination of maximum temperature-humidity index, daily duration of heat stress, and a heat load index. Monte Carlo techniques were used to simulate 1000 times the weather for each month of the year, for each animal class, for each state, and for each of four intensities of heat abatement (minimum, moderate, high, and intensive). Capital and operating costs were accounted for each heat abatement intensity. Without heat abatement (minimum intensity), total losses across animal classes averaged $2.4 billion annually. Optimum heat abatement intensity reduced annual total losses to $1.7 billion. Annual losses averaged $897million, $369million, $299million, and $128million for dairy, beef, swine, and poultry industries, respectively. Across states, Texas, California, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and North Carolina accounted for $728million of annual losses, or 43% of total national losses. Results point to a need for more energy and capital efficient heat abatement systems.
Generation of Swiss Cheese Flavor Components by the Reaction of Amino Acids with Carbonyl Compounds

Abstract Previous work has shown that carbonyl-amino acid complexes are important in generating flavors in aqueous extracts of cheeses and Lactobacillus bulgaricus cultures. Glyoxal, methylglyoxal, dihydroxy-acetone, and ethanal were prominant among the carbonyls in such extracts, so the ability of these carbonyls to generate flavors from various amino acids at room temperature was evaluated. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry of ether extracts of these mixtures were used to identify the particular compounds responsible for the aromas. The amino acids important in the flavor-generating reactions were valine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, cysteine, phenylalanine, proline, and lysine. Isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, isobutanal, phenylacetal-dehyde, and methional, respectively, were formed from leucine, isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, and methionine via the Strecker degradation. Important flavors in addition to the aldehydes produced by the Strecker degradation were benzaldehyde and acetophenone from phenylalanine, dimethyldisulfide and dimethyltrisulfide from methionine, 2-acetylthiazole from cysteine and methylglyoxal, alkylpyrazines from lysine and dihydroxyacetone, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline from reaction of certain carbonyls with proline and lysine, 2,5-dimethyl-4-OH-3(2H)-furanone from methylglyoxal, and 2-methylbenzaldehyde from proline and ethanal. Other volatiles identified include isomers of acetyl-methyl-2,3-dihydropyrrolizine from the proline-methylglyoxal and proline-di-hydroxyacetone complexes and δ-valerolactam from the lysine-carbonyl combinations. The reaction products accounted for most of the flavors previously noted in aqueous cheese extracts and cultures of cheese microorganisms.
Risk Factors for Preschool Depression: The Mediating Role of Early Stressful Life Events.

Background: Family history of mood disorders and stressful life events are both established risk factors for childhood depression. However, the role of mediators in risk trajectories, which are potential targets for intervention, remains understudied. To date, there have been no investigations of mediating relationships between risk factors and very early onset depression, a developmental period during which intervention may be more effective. The current study used regression analyses to examine the relationships between family history of mood disorders and stressful life events as risk factors for depression in a preschool sample. Method: Preschoolers 3.0 to 5.6 years of age participated in a comprehensive mental health assessment. Caregivers were interviewed about their children using a structured diagnostic measure to derive DSM-IV major depressive disorder (MDD) diagnoses and dimensional depression severity scores. Family history of psychiatric disorders and preschoolers’ stressful life events was obtained. Results: Both family history and stressful life events predicted depression severity scores 6 months later. Analyses examining the influence of family history of mood disorders and stressful life events on preschoolers’ depression severity demonstrated that stressful life events mediated the relationship between family history and preschoolers’ depression. Conclusions: Findings outline the key role of exposure to early stressful life events as a mediator of familial mood disorder risk in preschool onset depression. This finding in a preschool sample provides support for the hypothesis that psychosocial factors may have increased importance as mediators of risk in younger age groups. Findings suggest that psychosocial factors should be considered key targets for early intervention in depression.
Non‐human primate models of childhood psychopathology: the promise and the limitations

Although non-human primate models have been used previously to investigate the neurobiology of several sensory and cognitive developmental pathologies, they have been employed only sparingly to study the etiology of childhood psychopathologies for which deficits in social behavior and emotion regulation are major symptoms. Previous investigations of both adult human and non-human primates have indicated that primate social behavior and emotion are regulated by a complex neural network, in which the amygdala and orbital frontal cortex play major roles. Therefore, this review will provide information generated from the study of macaque monkeys regarding the timing of normal social and emotional behavior development, the normal pattern of anatomical and functional maturation of the amygdala and orbital frontal cortex, as well as information regarding the neural and behavioral effects of early perturbations of these two neural structures. We will also highlight 'critical periods' of macaque development, during which major refinements in the behavioral repertoire appear to coincide with significant neural maturation of the amygdala and/or orbital frontal cortex. The identification of these 'critical periods' may allow one to better predict the specific behavioral impairments likely to appear after neonatal damage to one or both of these neural areas at different time points during development. This experimental approach may provide a new and important way to inform and stimulate research on childhood psychopathologies, such as autism, schizophrenia and Williams syndrome, in which the development of normal social skills and emotional regulation is severely perturbed. Finally, the promise and limitations inherent to the use of non-human primate models of childhood psychopathology will be discussed.
Monitoring Fish Contaminant Responses to Abatement Actions: Factors that Affect Recovery

Monitoring of contaminant accumulation in fish has been conducted in East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee since 1985. Bioaccumulation trends are examined over a twenty year period coinciding with major pollution abatement actions by a Department of Energy facility at the stream’s headwaters. Although EFPC is enriched in many contaminants relative to other local streams, only polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and mercury (Hg) were found to accumulate in the edible portions of fish to levels of human health concern. Mercury concentrations in redbreast sunfish were found to vary with season of collection, sex and size of individual fish. Over the course of the monitoring, waterborne Hg concentrations were reduced >80%; however, this did not translate into a comparable decrease in Hg bioaccumulation at most sites. Mercury bioaccumulation in fish did respond to decreased inputs in the industrialized headwater reach, but paradoxically increased in the lowermost reach of EFPC. As a result, the downstream pattern of Hg concentration in fish changed from one resembling dilution of a headwater point source in the 1980s to a uniform distribution in the 2000s. The reason for this remains unknown, but is hypothesized to involve changes in the chemical form and reactivity of waterborne Hg associated with the removal of residual chlorine and the addition of suspended particulates to the streamflow. PCB concentrations in fish varied greatly from year-to-year, but always exhibited a pronounced downstream decrease, and appeared to respond to management practices that limited episodic inputs from legacy sources within the facility.
Structural stability and hardness of carburized surfaces of 316 stainless steel after welding and after neutron irradiation

Abstract Surface hardening treatments offer promise of mitigating the threat of liquid cavitation pitting erosion at the interior surfaces of the austenitic 316 stainless steel vessel that will hold the liquid mercury target of the Spallation Neutron Source. One treatment is a commercial carburization process in which carbon is impregnated at low temperature at concentrations up to 6 wt% in supersaturated solid solution to depths of about 33 μm. The surface hardness of 316L steel is raised from 150 to 200HV0.05 (micro-Vickers hardness number at a 50 g load) to 1000–1200HV0.05. It is shown that during subsequent electron beam welding the supersaturated carburized layer in the heat affected zone decomposes to a tiered microstructure of carbide phases in austenite. The hardness of this complex decomposition microstructure is in the range 530–1200HV0.05, depending on the exposure temperature, the local carbon level, and the size of the carbide particles. To test whether the carburized solid solution layer would break down under atomic displacements from proton and neutron irradiation in service, specimens of annealed and 20% cold-rolled 316LN steel were neutron irradiated to 1 dpa at 60–100 °C. No softening of the layer was detected. Rather, the hardness of the layers was increased by 2–12%, compared to increases of 81% and 43% for the annealed and 20% cold rolled substrate materials, respectively. Optical microscopy examinations of the surfaces of the as-carburized-and-irradiated specimens revealed no sign of decomposition attributable to irradiation.
UNC-40/DCC, SAX-3/Robo, and VAB-1/Eph Polarize F-Actin during Embryonic Morphogenesis by Regulating the WAVE/SCAR Actin Nucleation Complex

Many cells in a developing embryo, including neurons and their axons and growth cones, must integrate multiple guidance cues to undergo directed growth and migration. The UNC-6/netrin, SLT-1/slit, and VAB-2/Ephrin guidance cues, and their receptors, UNC-40/DCC, SAX-3/Robo, and VAB-1/Eph, are known to be major regulators of cellular growth and migration. One important area of research is identifying the molecules that interpret this guidance information downstream of the guidance receptors to reorganize the actin cytoskeleton. However, how guidance cues regulate the actin cytoskeleton is not well understood. We report here that UNC-40/DCC, SAX-3/Robo, and VAB-1/Eph differentially regulate the abundance and subcellular localization of the WAVE/SCAR actin nucleation complex and its activator, Rac1/CED-10, in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryonic epidermis. Loss of any of these three pathways results in embryos that fail embryonic morphogenesis. Similar defects in epidermal enclosure have been observed when CED-10/Rac1 or the WAVE/SCAR actin nucleation complex are missing during embryonic development in C. elegans. Genetic and molecular experiments demonstrate that in fact, these three axonal guidance proteins differentially regulate the levels and membrane enrichment of the WAVE/SCAR complex and its activator, Rac1/CED-10, in the epidermis. Live imaging of filamentous actin (F-actin) in embryos developing in the absence of individual guidance receptors shows that high levels of F-actin are not essential for polarized cell migrations, but that properly polarized distribution of F-actin is essential. These results suggest that proper membrane recruitment and activation of CED-10/Rac1 and of WAVE/SCAR by signals at the plasma membrane result in polarized F-actin that permits directed movements and suggest how multiple guidance cues can result in distinct changes in actin nucleation during morphogenesis.
Reactions to messages that hurt: The influence of relational contexts

Two studies tested the assumption that relational contexts affect the way people react to messages that hurt their feelings. In the first, the range of responses people have to hurtful messages was explored, and underlying dimensions reflecting the responses were identified. Participants’ reactions were characterized by three broad dimensions: active verbal responses (e.g., attacking the other, defending the self, asking for an explanation), acquiescent responses (e.g., crying, apologizing), and invulnerable responses (e.g., ignoring the message, laughing). Analyses indicated that people who felt extremely hurt tended to react more often by acquiescing than those who were less hurt. Abo, those who felt the impact of hurt on their relationship was relatively low responded more often with invulnerability than those who felt the impact was high. In the second study, the association between people's reactions to hurt and the quality of their relationship with the person who hurt them was examined, as was the ...
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) Increases the Surfactant Phospholipid in the Premature Rabblt. † 1608

Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) Increases the Surfactant Phospholipid in the Premature Rabblt. † 1608
Machine shape perception: object recognition based on need-driven resolution flexibility and convex-hull carving

A hierarchical shape decomposition method called Convex-Hull Carving, derived from Sklansky's Concavity Tree and designed to accommodate the incorporation of human flexible resolution visual perception strategies in machine recognition, is proposed. The method characterizes an arbitrary complex shape at multiple hierarchical levels starting from a gross perspective of the entire shape itself, and progressing to decomposed and quantified convex sub-shapes, etc. Calculation complexity and the amount of data to be processed for object recognition applications are reduced. Sklansky's Concavity Tree is a hierarchical arrangement for describing nonconvex shapes. The concavity tree of a shape is defined as a tree describing the hierarchical arrangement of concavities; i.e., concavities within concavities. In the proposed Convex-Hull Carving method, the concavity tree structure is converted to a structure analogous to a chemical molecule. Tree components represent the `atoms' of the molecule and are characterized by their geometric position and a recently defined quantitative shape attribute called the shape quantifier. In addition, the number of hierarchical levels of shape description employed during recognition is driven by: (1) meeting `need to discriminate' criteria; or (2) the determination that all components (`atoms') are convex within predefined acceptance criteria (i.e., no further reduction is possible). The method was implemented to classify a set of two-dimensional aircraft shapes. Results showed that the method is stable with variation of rotation, scaling, and image resolution factors, as well as small viewing angle projection changes.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Isolation and characterization of stem-like cells from a human ovarian cancer cell line

Increasing evidence supports the existence of a subpopulation of cancer cells capable of self-renewal and differentiation into diverse cell lineages. These cancer stem-like or cancer-initiating cells (CICs) also demonstrate resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy and may function as a primary source of cancer recurrence. We report here on the isolation and in vitro propagation of multicellular ovarian cancer spheroids from a well-established ovarian cancer cell line (OVCAR-3). The spheroid-derived cells (SDCs) display self-renewal potential, the ability to produce differentiated progeny, and increased expression of genes previously associated with CICs. SDCs also demonstrate higher invasiveness, migration potential, and enhanced resistance to standard anticancer agents relative to parental OVCAR-3 cells. Furthermore, SDCs display up-regulation of genes associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), anticancer drug resistance and/or decreased susceptibility to apoptosis, as well as, down-regulation of genes typically associated with the epithelial cell phenotype and pro-apoptotic genes. Pathway and biological process enrichment analyses indicate significant differences between the SDCs and precursor OVCAR-3 cells in TGF-beta-dependent induction of EMT, regulation of lipid metabolism, NOTCH and Hedgehog signaling. Collectively, our results indicate that these SDCs will be a useful model for the study of ovarian CICs and for the development of novel CIC-targeted therapies.
COAGULATION FACTOR XIIIA UNDERGOES A CONFORMATIONAL CHANGE EVOKED BY GLUTAMINE SUBSTRATE : STUDIES ON KINETICS OF INHIBITION AND BINDING OF XIIIA BY A CROSS-REACTING ANTIFIBRINOGEN ANTIBODY

Abstract Coagulation factor XIIIa, plasma transglutaminase (endo-γ-glutamine:e-lysine transferase EC2.3.2.13) catalyzes isopeptide bond formation between glutamine and lysine residues and rapidly cross-links fibrin clots. A monoclonal antibody (5A2) directed to a fibrinogen Aα-chain segment 529–539 was previously observed from analysis of end-stage plasma clots to block fibrin α-chain cross-linking. This prompted the study of its effect on nonfibrinogen substrates, with the prospect that 5A2 was inhibiting XIIIa directly. It inhibited XIIIa-catalyzed incorporation of the amine donor substrate dansylcadaverine into the glutamine acceptor dimethylcasein in an uncompetitive manner with respect to dimethylcasein utilization and competitively with respect to dansylcadaverine. Uncompetitive inhibition was also observed with the synthetic glutamine substrate, LGPGQSKVIG. Theoretically, uncompetitive inhibition arises from preferential interaction of the inhibitor with the enzyme-substrate complex but is also found to inhibit γ-chain cross-linking. The conjunction of the uncompetitive and competitive modes of inhibition indicates in theory that this bireactant system involves an ordered reaction in which docking of the glutamine substrate precedes the amine exchange. The presence of substrate enhanced binding of 5A2 to XIIIa, an interaction deemed to occur through a C-terminal segment of the XIIIa A-chain (643–658,GSDMTVTVQFTNPLKE), 55% of which comprises sequences occurring in the fibrinogen epitope Aα-(529–540) (GSESGIFTNTKE). Removal of the C-terminal domain from XIIIa abolishes the inhibitory effect of 5A2 on activity. Crystallographic studies on recombinant XIIIa place the segment 643–658 in the region of the groove through which glutamine substrates access the active site and have predicted that for catalysis, a conformational change may accompany glutamine-substrate binding. The uncompetitive inhibition and the substrate-dependent binding of 5A2 provide evidence for the conformational change.
Parametric four-wave mixing toolbox for superconducting resonators

We study a superconducting circuit that can act as a toolbox to generate various Bogoliubov linear and nonlinear quantum operations on the microwave photon modes of superconducting resonators within one single circuit. The quantum operations are generated by exploring dispersive four-wave mixing (FWM) processes involving the resonator modes. Different FWM geometries can be realized by adjusting the circuit parameters and by applying appropriate microwave drivings. We illustrate this scheme using a circuit made of two superconducting qubits that couple with each other. Each qubit couples with one superconducting resonator. We also discuss main sources of quantum errors in this system and study the fidelity of the quantum operations by numerical simulation. Our scheme provides a practical approach to realize quantum information protocols on superconducting resonators.
“Into Life”??! Franz Rosenzweig and the Figure of Death

At the end of his short treatise Understanding the Sick and the Healthy, Franz Rosenzweig predicated the restoration of what he called healthy consciousness upon the recognition of death7apos;s sovereignty. “[One] must direct [one's] life to no other goal but death,” he wrote. “A healthy man has the strength to continue towards the grave. The sick man invokes death and lets himself be carried away in mortal fear.” Rosenzweig juxtaposed the Grim Reaper with weary life. The healthy understanding knows that death will dash life to the ground. Yet it takes comfort from knowing that death will accept it with open arms. In the end, eloquent life falls silent as the eternally taciturn one speaks, “Do you finally recognize me? I am your brother.”In his notes to the English translation, Nahum Glatzer remarks with shock, “This concluding chapter–on death–stands in a striking contrast to the final passage of The Star of Redemption.” As if to offset our text's more mordant tone, Glatzer then quotes verbatim the seemingly life-affirming paragraphs that conclude Rosenzweig's magnum opus. Glatzer is not the only commentator to emphasize the importance of life in Rosenzweig's system. Indeed, Else-Rahel Freund notes that The Star of Redemption begins with the phrase “from death” and concludes with the words “into life.”
Mobile reception of Television signals

In the 50's and 60's when television reception became common, we found the first TV receivers in vehicles. Since the year 2000, terrestrial analog television is more often being replaced by digital standards. Digital television receivers used for automotive applications are equipped with far more electronic circuits to improve reception and picture quality not found in stationary receivers such as those in our homes. There are basically two effects which have a strong impact on the television reception performance and they are fading and the Doppler frequency shift. Antenna diversity is used for digital terrestrial mobile TV receivers to improve overall television reception in vehicles. Beside the present digital TV standards, new standards such as DVB-H and DMB-T are being specially designed for mobile TV applications to help establish TV reception in more and more vehicles.
GAUSS: An NSF CSUMS project at UCF

A team of faculty members from mathematics, computer science, and education at the University of Central Florida (UCF) introduces a year-long computational mathematics research and training program based on the successes and experiences of the team in undergraduate research in computer vision and imaging science over the past twenty years. With the year-long training program in computational mathematics using the exciting applications of mathematics in images and videos as motivating examples, it is possible to provide students with a lively environment to acquire a solid background in both mathematical theory and hands-on problem solving skills. Our aim is to make the study of computational mathematics relevant to the real world and to attract students to the field of computational science by exposing them to very exciting applications of mathematics. The project restructures and improves the current curriculum in computational mathematics track at UCF, making impact on a wide range of students.
Competing sources of earnings inequality: A comparison of variance components

Abstract Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, this study partitions competing sources of earnings variation into four components: a component for individual-level factors, a component for transitory factors, a component for occupational factors, and a component for geographic factors. From these variance components intraclass correlation coefficients are calculated and compared within and across seven ascriptive statuses: non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Latino, women, men, foreign-born and U.S. born statuses. Among those of age 25 to middle adulthood, the results indicate that the transitory component is the largest source of variation in earnings, followed by individual-level factors. Occupational factors and geographic factors combined account for nearly the amount of earnings variation as individual-level factors. The omission of these socio-structural factors inflates the size of the individual-level variance component by over 35 percent. Counter to expectations, the variance profiles are remarkably similar across ascriptive statuses. Indeed, the variance profiles for whites and blacks are nearly identical. Modest differences in intraclass correlation coefficients are found between men and women. Relative to men, less of the variation in earnings for women is attributed to individual-level factors, and slightly more of the variation in earnings for women is attributed to occupational factors and transitory factors. This research draws attention to universal theories of earnings inequality.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Drug Counselling Training Program: Suggestions for a Validation Model

The study was designed to measure the effectiveness of a drug counselling program to achieve behavioral, attitudinal and informational change of the participants. Significant changes were found in their responses to the knowledge inventories on medical and legal aspects of drug abuse and on the behavioral dimensions of increased listening skills and ability to critically analyse performance of counsellors. No significant change was found in evaluating the counsellor's overall performance to offer affective responses. Subjects were highly cognitive prior to training, and remained so in their responses after completion of the program. Adoption of a validation model is suggested, which would provide a continuous feedback to the program developed.
Negative effect of synthetic vitamin B6 hydrochloride in nutritional deficiency in man.

Spies and his associates1 have recently reported observations on 4 patients with pellagra, who following treatment with nicotinic acid, riboflavin and thiamin chloride while they were taking a deficient diet, continued to complain of nervousness, insomnia, irritability, abdominal pain, weakness and difficulty in walking. These symptoms were relieved within 4 hours by a single dose of 50 mg of synthetic vitamin B6 hydrochloride (2-methyl-3-hydroxy-4, 5-(hydroxymethyl)-pyridine) intravenously. Fouts and his coworkers2 have reported the development of a microcytic hypochromic anemia in puppies taking a synthetic diet deficient in vitamin B6, which was cured by the administration of this factor.This communication records observations on the ineffectiveness of synthetic vitamin B6 hydrochloride† administered to 6 patients with nutritional deficiency of types described in Table I, 5 of whom had very definite anemia.Each patient on admission to the hospital was placed on a standard 3000 calorie diet containing o...
Business Faculty's Attitudes: Open Access, Disciplinary Repositories, and Institutional Repositories

Business faculty were surveyed to determine their attitudes toward institutional repositories, disciplinary repositories, and open access journals. The majority of faculty was unaware of institutional repositories at their local institutions. However, approximately one third are using disciplinary repositories and are receiving encouragement from their departments to do so. Likewise, many faculty are unaware of open access journals. Open access journals are seen as lacking prestige and being lower quality publications in the business field due to the lack of prestigious publishers and editors. Many faculty believe their prestige would fall if they published in an open access journal.
Ultrafast Dynamic Ellipsometry and Spectroscopies of Laser Shocked Materials

Ultrafast ellipsometry and transient absorption spectroscopies are used to measure material dynamics under extreme conditions of temperature, pressure, and volumetric compression induced by shock wave loading with a chirped, spectrally clipped shock drive pulse.
Complications of Duplex Carotid Imaging A Case Report

Although duplex carotid imaging is a safe diagnostic procedure, 3 neurologic and 2 cardiac adverse events have been associated with its performance in the past twenty-five years. This is a report of a man who had a transient cerebral ischemic attack during duplex imaging. An intraarterial digital subtraction angiogram showed 50% stenosis of the left internal carotid artery and 30% stenosis of the right internal carotid artery. Magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple small infarctions in both cerebral hemi spheres and the brainstem. At left carotid endarterectomy, the atherosclerotic plaque removed had several small ulcers.
Nitrogen Uptake by Perennial and Invasive Annual Grass Seedlings: Nitrogen Form Effects

Mention of trade names or commercial products is solely for the purpose of providing speciﬁ c information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the USDA-ARS. Research was funded in part by USDA Grant no. 97-38300-4892. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 73:1864-1870doi:10.2136/sssaj2008.0334Received 16 Oct. 2008.*Corresponding author (Charles.MacKown@mac.com).© Soil Science Society of America677 S. Segoe Rd. Madison WI 53711 USAAll rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Permission for printing and for reprinting the material contained herein has been obtained by the publisher.
The effect of streptomycin on the synthesis of proline in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Streptomycin inhibits the synthesis of proline in sensitive cells of Escherichia coli W. Inhibition occurs in the conversion of glutamic acid to glutamic γ-semialdehyde. A low concentration of streptomycin causes inhibition in cells subject to end-product control of the proline pathway, and a higher concentration of antibiotic is required to cause inhibition in cells not subject to this control. Streptomycin-dependent strains of bacteria require streptomycin for the production of proline. Two mechanisms are proposed to explain these observations. 1. 1. Inhibition of protein synthesis by streptomycin causes internal end-product inhibition of the proline pathway in wild-type cells. 2. 2. Binding of streptomycin to the cell membrance causes additional inhibition of synthesis in control deficient strains.
Preparative separation of components of the color additive D&C Red No. 28 (phloxine B) by pH-zone-refining counter-current chromatography

Abstract A pH-zone-refining counter-current chromatographic method was developed for the preparative (multigram) separation and purification of components of the commercial color additive D&C Red No. 28 (phloxine B). The chromatography of 3 and 6 g of color additive yielded 1.07 and 4.06 g, respectively, of pure 2′,4′,5′,7′-tetrabromo-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorofluorescein, the principal component of D&C Red No. 28. The importance of the quantity of retainer acid (trifluoroacetic acid) relative to the amount of salt in the color additive is discussed.
Error Detection Process&#8212;Model, Design, and Its Impact on Computer Performance

Conventionally, reliability analyses either assume that a fault/error is detected immediately as it occurs, or ignore damage caused by imperfect detection mechanisms and error latency, namely, the time interval between the occurrence of an error and the detection of that error.
ADAMTS13 activity levels in patients with human immunodeficiency virus-associated thrombotic microangiopathy and profound CD4 deficiency.

Background: Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) encompasses a number of disorders with hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia, including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). A deficiency in ADAMTS13 enzyme levels, along with an inhibitory antibody, is found in most patients with idiopathic TTP. Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can have a TTP-like illness; however, it appears to have a different etiology. Methods: A retrospective review of patients who had an ADAMTS13 activity level performed from 2005 through 2007 was completed. Patients with a diagnosis of HIV infection with TMA were investigated. Results: Two patients were identified. Case 1: a 47-year-old man with HIV infection and a CD4 count <10/μL presented with altered mental status, pneumonia, acute renal failure, thrombocytopenia, and anemia. The ADAMTS13 level was 71%. He was treated with plasma infusion. Two days after admission, he expired because of respiratory distress syndrome and metabolic lactic acidosis. Case 2: a 39-year-old man with HIV infection and a CD4 count of 9/μL presented with chest pain, acute renal failure, thrombocytopenia, and anemia. The ADAMTS13 level was 65%. He received multiple units of fresh frozen plasma without significant improvement in his platelet count. Six days after admission, the patient began highly active antiretroviral therapy, which resulted in a rapid increase in his platelet count. Conclusions: HIV-associated TMA is postulated to have a different pathophysiology than idiopathic TTP. This study supports that assumption because both patients exhibited many of the classic findings of TTP but did not have a deficiency of ADAMTS13. J. Clin. Apheresis, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Delayed hypotensive response to dialysis in hypertensive patients with end-stage renal disease.

This study was designed to determine the ambulatory arterial blood pressure profile in hypertensive patients with end-stage renal disease during and following hemodialysis. Blood pressure was noninvas
Restoration of optical objects subject to nonnegative spatial or spectral constraints

In an attempt to improve the convergence rates of band-limited image restoration, we derive and apply two algorithms employing nonlinear projections onto closed convex sets. The performances of these algorithms are compared with the well-known Gerchberg–Papoulis (GP) procedures for several cases and are shown to have superior initial convergence rates although eventually they behave like the GP procedures. Both algorithms are shown to converge weakly (i.e., inner product convergence) to the unknown image.
Factors for Personal Counseling among Counseling Trainees.

The present study explored the use of counseling among counselor trainees and the characteristics of consumers and nonconsumers. Approximately 61% of those surveyed (n = 85) reported that they had received counseling, with the majority being mental health counseling trainees. Nonconsumers (n = 54) indicated that they coped with problems in other ways but would consider counseling if they experienced trauma.
High performance clusters using NEOS

Clusters of computers have become a cost-effective alternative for parallel and distributed computing systems processing computationally intensive tasks. Normally, clusters are composed of high performance computational nodes linked together by low-latency, high-bandwidth interconnection networks. With the advent of modern optical networking technologies, latency in long-distance links is close to that of local-area links. By using service address routed (SAR) optical networks, NEOS-based clusters can be used transparently as single, tightly-coupled clusters of computers, regardless of the distance between their components while keeping a simple service-oriented interface. A performance-wise analysis of such clusters is presented in this work.
Early detection of relapse in panic disorder

Objective: To explore predictive models of relapsing based on change in symptoms at a time when panic disorder patients are still in remission following discontinuation of antidepressants. Method: Forty-seven subjects, who were randomized to double-blind placebo and who had valid data at four time points: pretreatment, randomization to placebo substitution, an assessment on placebo prior to the last assessment or relapse and their last assessment (relapsers n = 15, non-relapsers n = 32) were studied using descriptive, growth curve analysis and logistic regression methodologies. Results: Measures of generalized anxiety, fearfulness and disability at work and at home were better predictors of relapse than measures of panic and anxiety sensitivity. Logistic regression models using any one of these four general variables and its linear change correctly predicted relapse for 78.7–84.4% of the study subjects. Conclusion: It is possible to gauge, with a fair degree of accuracy, the probability of relapsing in panic disorder patients who have discontinued serotonergic antidepressants 2 months prior to the return of panic.
Masked comparison of silicone hydrogel lotrafilcon A and etafilcon A extended-wear bandage contact lenses after photorefractive keratectomy

Purpose To compare the efficacy of 2 types of bandage contact lenses (BCLs) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Setting Navy Refractive Surgery Center, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, USA. Methods In this prospective study, 100 patients received PRK in both eyes. Each patient received a BCL composed of etafilcon A (Acuvue [ACV], Vistakon Inc.) (14.0 diameter, 8.4/8.8 base curve) in 1 eye and lotrafilcon A (Focus Night & Day [ND P =.422). On postoperative days 1 and 2, the mean defect size was significantly smaller in eyes with the ND day 2, ACV 3.62 and ND on day 2, 20 eyes with N&D lenses and 13 eyes with ACV lenses had. On day 3, 70 eyes with N&D lenses and 66 eyes with ACV lenses had reepithelialized. The mean discomfort index was significantly higher in the eyes with ACV lenses on days 1 and 2 (paired t test, P P t test, P P P R 2 =0.0025 for ACV and R 2 =0.0003 for N&D). Conclusion The lotrafilcon A lens resulted in significantly faster corneal reepithelialization and reduced patient discomfort in most patients during the first 48 hours after PRK.
Water‐Soluble Pentosans in Flours Varying Widely in Bread‐Making Potential

SUMMARY— Water-soluble pentosans were extracted from flours milled from hard red winter, hard red spring, soft red winter, durum, and club wheats. Pentosan preparations from the durum flour differed from preparations from the other flours in carbohydrate composition, electrophoretic mobility of associated proteins, and infrared spectra. The amino acids in proteins associated with the pentosans resembled amino acids in salt-soluble proteins. Amino acid composition in pentosan preparations from durum and hard red spring flours differed from amino acid composition in pentosan preparations in other flours. The pentosans from hard red winter, hard red spring, soft red winter, and club-but not durum-increased water absorption. The pentosans decreased dough development time and dough stability, measured by a micro-Farinograph technique, but had little effect on Alveograms. Durum pentosans lowered Amylograph peak viscosity; pentosans from other flours increased or had no effect on peak viscosity. Adding pentosans increased oxidation requirements. Loaf volumes were increased by adding pentosans from hard red winter or club flours, and were decreased by adding pentosans from soft red winter and durum flours.
The pharmacist "toolbox" for smoking cessation: a review of methods, medicines, and novel means to help patients along the path of smoking reduction to smoking cessation.

Annually there are 500 000 preventable deaths in the United States caused by smoking; as health care professionals, pharmacists have a unique opportunity to advise, assess, and assist patients to quit smoking. This review article provides pharmacists with a “toolbox” containing an overview of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic methods for smoking cessation. Currently approved over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications (nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline, and bupropion) are summarized, and nonpharmacologic therapies discussed include cognitive therapy and hypnosis. In addition to traditional therapies some potential approaches to smoking cessation are addressed, including nicotine immunizations and electronic cigarettes.
Mechanisms of Synapse and Dendrite Maintenance and Their Disruption in Psychiatric and Neurodegenerative Disorders

Emerging evidence indicates that once established, synapses and dendrites can be maintained for long periods, if not for the organism's entire lifetime. In contrast to the wealth of knowledge regarding axon, dendrite, and synapse development, we understand comparatively little about the cellular and molecular mechanisms that enable long-term synapse and dendrite maintenance. Here, we review how the actin cytoskeleton and its regulators, adhesion receptors, and scaffolding proteins mediate synapse and dendrite maintenance. We examine how these mechanisms are reinforced by trophic signals passed between the pre- and postsynaptic compartments. We also discuss how synapse and dendrite maintenance mechanisms are compromised in psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.
Leading Indicators of Currency Crises

This paper examines the empirical evidence on currency crises and proposes a specific early warning system. This system involves monitoring the evolution of several indicators that tend to exhibit an unusual behavior in the periods preceding a crisis. When an indicator exceeds a certain threshold value, this is interpreted as a warning "signal" that a currency crisis may take place within the following 24 months. The variables that have the best track record within this approach include exports, deviations of the real exchange rate from trend, the ratio of broad money to gross international reserves, output, and equity prices.
Using an FPGA-based SOC approach for senior design projects

This paper describes our experiences using a SOC approach to develop capstone design projects for undergraduate students in our electrical and computer engineering curriculum. A commercial FPGA-based SOC development board with a RISC processor IP core is used to support a wide variety of student design projects. A top-down rapid prototyping approach with commercial CAD tools, a C compiler targeted for the RISC processor IP core, and a large field-programmable logic device (FPLD) is used for team-based design projects.
Overview of spin transport electronics in metals

Spintronics has emerged as an exciting and dynamic field of research and development that spans numerous disciplines, including condensed matter physics, materials science, optical science and electrical engineering. The field can be divided roughly into two approaches. The first seeks to utilize the unique properties of ferromagnetic materials for novel functionality in electronic devices by incorporating a magnetic element in a device structure. This approach relies on spin-dependent transport of conduction electrons for integrating a magnetic bit state with charge-based electronic technology. Applications include magnetic field sensors incorporated as read heads and integrated, nonvolatile magnetic random-access memories. The second theme is less conventional and seeks to utilize populations of spin-polarized electrons, or individual magnetic moments, for entirely new paradigms of information processing such as quantum computing. Research in these two areas finds common ground with the study of the optical and/or electronic spin transport properties of conduction electrons. This paper will focus on relatively near term applications, represented by the first, more conventional theme, and on basic principles of spin-polarized transport.