cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experience and philosophy with regard to case registers in health and welfare

A well designed and executed case register for mental illness or other conditions can provide information not readily obtainable by any other method. This includes unduplicated counts of diagnosed cases of the disease and longitudinal information such as changes in diagnosis, outcome, and survival information. Registers often are the only way in which “new” cases can be identified with any certainty. Also, the register can serve as a sampling frame for more intensive studies of services and of prevalence of the disease in the community, genetic studies, studies of the cost of treating various types of patients, “before” and “after” comparisons, and many other sociological and epidemiologic investigations. At the same time, there are many problems and pitfalls to case registers. This paper outlines some of these difficulties and suggests that registers be established only after careful planning and preparation.
Two Components of Nocturnal Locomotor Suppression by Light

In nocturnal rodents, millisecond light (“flash”) stimuli can induce both a large circadian rhythm phase shift and an associated state change from highly active to quiescence followed by behavioral sleep. Suppression of locomotion (“negative masking”) is an easily measured correlate of the state change. The present mouse studies used both flashes and longer light stimuli (“pulses”) to distinguish initiation from maintenance effects of light on locomotor suppression and to determine whether the locomotor suppression exhibits temporal integration as is thought to be characteristic of phase shift responses to pulse, but not flash, stimuli. In experiment 1, locomotor suppression increased with irradiance (0.01-100 µW/cm 2), in accordance with previous reports. It also increased with stimulus duration (3-3000 sec), but interpretation of this result is complicated by the ability of light to both initiate and maintain locomotor suppression. In experiment 2, an irradiance response curve was determined using a sti...
After 9/11, or, Whither the New Americanists?

AbstractFollowing the ruptural events that took place on 11 September 2001, the Bush administration invoked 9/11 as an historical turning point that brought about a change in the entire symbolic apparatus. It resulted in the inauguration of a sociopolitical compact that was crystallized in the phrase Homeland Security State. This compact required US citizens to embrace the instinct for hatred and a compulsion toward violence in exchange for the violation perpetrated against the image of the US as invulnerable. The Bush compact was designed to establish an alliance between national security and the aggressive drives of the US people so as to incriminate dissent as a minor form of treason and to eliminate any loyalty that was more cosmopolitan than the defense of the homeland. Because this compact with the homeland was about who would make the rules and who would enforce them, it could not warrant criticism of the ethical or juridical values of those rules. Despite the state's efforts to discredit them, how...
Association of a Vcam1 mutation with atherosclerosis susceptibility in diet-induced models of atherosclerosis

Abstract We previously identified a G>A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) between C57BL/6J (B6) and C3H/HeJ (C3H) mouse strains at position 2077 in the coding region of Vcam1 that leads to substitution of an amino acid from aspartic acid (D) to asparagine (N) in the protein product. In the present study, we investigated the association of this SNP with atherosclerosis susceptibility using a panel of inbred mouse strains, a set of recombinant inbred (RI) strains derived from B6 and C3H mice, and a cohort of F2 mice derived from B6 and C3H apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE −/− ) mice. Inbred strain analysis revealed that mouse strains with the B6 Vcam1 genotype developed significantly larger atherosclerotic lesions than strains with the C3H genotype (4622±2816μm 2 /section versus 362±697μm 2 /section; P =0.029). BXH RI strains with the B6 Vcam1 genotype also developed larger atherosclerotic lesions than those with the C3H genotype (8305±9031μm 2 /section versus 2139±2931μm 2 /section) although the difference was not statistically significant ( P =0.13). In contrast, no association was detected between Vcam1 and atherosclerotic lesion size in F2 mice. The present data indicate that the G>A mutation of Vcam1 is associated with atherosclerotic lesion formation in the dietary but not apoE −/− models of atherosclerosis and this association suggests a role for the Vcam1 gene in influencing atherosclerosis susceptibility.
Why do GroEL ions exhibit two gas phase conformers

The reasons for the existence of two gas phase conformers for electrosprayed ions of the large tetradecameric protein complex GroEL are considered. Key features are that: (1) both conformers extrapolate to very similar cross sections in the limit of zero charge; (2) both conformers supercharge above the maximum value permitted by the Rayleigh criterion; and (3) one of the conformers supercharges substantially more than the other. We hypothesize that the supercharging observed is associated to the approximately cylindrical shape of GroEL in aqueous solution, enabling accumulation of extra charge on either one or two of its bases when they intersect the evaporating drop surface. The two conformers would then correspond to cases when either one or the two bases of the cylinder carry extra charge. Apparently, the conformer symmetrically (doubly) supercharged on both ends is Coulombically stretched, therefore exhibiting a mobility different from the conformer asymmetrically supercharged only on one end. Several general consequences follow. First, non-spherical proteins may generally be charged above the usual Rayleigh limit. Second, we confirm the previously advanced but contentious notion that gas phase protein ions are readily compacted or stretched away from their crystal structure by capillary and Coulombic forces during the electrospraying process.
A middle-range theory of chronotherapeutic intervention for postsurgical pain

A middle-range theory for Chronotherapeutic Intervention in Postsurgical Pain (CIPP) is presented. This theory supports time-dependent approaches to pain assessment and intervention that may be implemented by nurses in the clinical setting. CIPP was inductively derived from chronobiologic literature and validated through investigations in three separate chronobiologic studies. A circadian rhythm in pain was identified in Study I, with 19 postsurgical gynecologic oncology patients, and validated in Study II, with 45 postsurgical patients. Study III, a randomized clinical trial of 71 gynecologic oncology patients, compared the efficacy of chronotherapeutic versus continuous fixed-rate basal and demand-only PCA therapy for postoperative pain relief.
Proton decay via dimension-six operators in intersecting D6-brane models

Abstract We analyze the proton decay via dimension six operators in supersymmetric SU ( 5 ) -grand unified models based on intersecting D6-brane constructions in type IIA string theory orientifolds. We include in addition to 10 ∗ 1010 ∗ 10 interactions also the operators arising from 5 ¯ ∗ 5 ¯ 10 ∗ 10 interactions. We provide a detailed construction of vertex operators for any massless string excitation arising for arbitrary intersecting D-brane configurations in type IIA toroidal orientifolds. In particular, we provide explicit string vertex operators for the 10 and 5 ¯ chiral superfields and calculate explicitly the string theory correlation functions for above operators. In the analysis we chose the most symmetric configurations in order to maximize proton decay rates for the above dimension six operators and we obtain a small enhancement relative to the field theory result. After relating the string proton decay rate to field theory computations the string contribution to the proton lifetime is τ p ST = ( 0.5 – 2.1 ) × 10 36 years , which could be up to a factor of three shorter than that predicted in field theory.
Experiential Avoidance Mediates the Association Between Behavioral Inhibition and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Despite the large body of research on the risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), few studies have examined specific personality factors that may be associated with risk for PTSD or the potential mechanisms that may underlie the association between personality and PTSD. Thus, this study sought to examine the relation between the behavioral inhibition system (BIS), a motivational brain-based system associated with the experience of anxiety, and probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) status. Further, we examined the mediating role of experiential avoidance in the relation between BIS sensitivity and PTSD. Participants included 291 undergraduates who indicated they had experienced a potentially traumatic event at some point in their life. As expected, significant associations were found between BIS sensitivity, experiential avoidance, and probable PTSD status. Results indicated that BIS scores significantly predicted probable PTSD status above and beyond other relevant covariates, including anxiety symptom severity. Further, this association was found to be fully mediated by experiential avoidance.
The relationship between the mass spectra of drugs and their biological activity--an application of artificial intelligence to chemistry.

Abstract The mass spectra of a set of drugs consisting of sedatives and tranquilizers are analyzed and differentiated by pattern recognition methods, such as nonlinear mapping, K -nearest neighbors and Fisher discriminant. The mass spectral peaks are ranked, selected and weighed by the Fisher Ratio of each peak. The results indicate that it is possible to separate the two types of drugs and to predict the pharmacologic activity of “test” drugs with a high degree of accuracy. These general computer methods can be applied to other drugs or any data which requires separation into two classes.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MULTICRITERION AUTOMATIC SEGMENTATION OF PULMONARY NODULES OF HELICAL COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IMAGES

A 3-D multicriterion automatic segmentation algorithm is de- veloped to improve accuracy of delineation of pulmonary nodules on helical computed tomography (CT) images by removing their adjacent structures. The algorithm applies multiple gray-value thresholds to a nodule region of interest (ROI). At each threshold level, the nodule can- didate in the ROI is automatically detected by labeling 3-D connected components, followed by a 3-D morphologic opening operation. Once the nodule candidate is found, its two specific parameters, gradient strength of the nodule surface and a 3-D shape compactness factor, can be computed. The optimal threshold can be determined by analyzing these parameters. Our experiments with in vivo nodules demonstrate the feasibility of employing this algorithm to improve the accuracy of nodule delineation, especially for small nodules less than 1 cm in diameter. This discloses the potential of the algorithm for accurate characterizations of nodules (e.g., volume, change in volume over time) at an early stage, which can help to provide valuable guidance for further clinical manage- ment. © 1999 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. (S0091-3286(99)00708-4)
Guarded recursive datatype constructors

We introduce a notion of guarded recursive (g.r.) datatype constructors, generalizing the notion of recursive datatypes in functional programming languages such as ML and Haskell. We address both theoretical and practical issues resulted from this generalization. On one hand, we design a type system to formalize the notion of g.r. datatype constructors and then prove the soundness of the type system. On the other hand, we present some significant applications (e.g., implementing objects, implementing staged computation, etc.) of g.r. datatype constructors, arguing that g.r. datatype constructors can have far-reaching consequences in programming. The main contribution of the paper lies in the recognition and then the formalization of a programming notion that is of both theoretical interest and practical use.
Two-color two-photon REMPI and ZEKE spectroscopy of supersonically cooled o-aminobenzoic acid

Abstract We report studies of supersonically cooled o -aminobenzoic acid using two-color resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization and zero kinetic energy photoelectron spectroscopy. Vibrational modes of the first electronically excited state (S 1 ) of the neutral species and those of the ground state cation (D 0 ) have been assigned, and the ionization threshold has been determined. The results are analyzed in comparison with the other two isomers of aminobenzoic acid, mainly in terms of electron back donation of the two substituents in both the S 1 and the D 0 states. The change in the intramolecular hydrogen bond upon electronic excitation and ionization will also be discussed.
Yield improvement in wafer planarization: Modeling and simulation

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is a planarization process that produces high-quality surfaces both locally and globally. CMP is one of the key process steps during the fabrication of very large scale integrated (VLSI) chips in integrated circuit manufacturing. CMP consists of a chemical process and a mechanical process being performed together to reduce height variation across a wafer. High and reliable wafer yield, which is dependent on uniformity of the material removal rate across the entire wafer, is of critical importance in the CMP process. In this paper, the variations in the material removal rate across the wafer are analytically modeled assuming a rigid wafer and a flexible polishing pad. The wafer pad contact is modeled as the indentation of a rigid indenter on an elastic half-space. The model predictions are first verified against experimental observations. Simulation results for wafer yield under open-loop processing conditions are presented. Wafer curvature is identified as a key design variable influencing the spatial distribution of the material removal rate. The proposed model can be applied to control wafer-scale material removal rate variations in a CMP process.
The relationship of grain size to critical distance and hydrogen-induced crack growth thresholds

IN903 thresholds were found to increase as grain size increased at a constant yield strength. This leads to the conclusion that grain size establishes the minimum critical distance over which the fracture stress must be exceeded for cracking to occur. A first order normalization with respect to yield strength shows that the effect of grain size on thresholds for IN903 and 4340 was the same although they have different crystal structures. It was also shown that a local critical stress model with the critical distance assumed to be equal to the grain size and reasonable assumed fracture stress values predicts the lower limiting threshold behavior found in alloys such as 4340 at high yield strengths. However, at lower yield strengths the critical distance extends several grain diamters. Under these conditions, the critical distance is no longer equivalent to a basic microstructural dimension and is dependent on other material properties such as yield strength and fracture stress. As a consequence, use of the grain size as the critical distance for predicting sustained crack growth thresholds gives reasonable values at high yield strengths and conservative values at lower yield strengths. Accurate modelling of thresholds at lower yield strengths, particularly from a predictivemore » standpoint, requires more theoretical and experimental work to define the relationship between the critical distance for sustained crack growth and material properties.« less
Two-group classification using the Bayesian data reduction algorithm

The Bayesian data reduction algorithm (BDRA) is compared to traditional classification methods as well as feed forward artificial neural networks through a rigorous experiment. The BDRA performs comparably to alternative techniques and approaches theoretical optimal classification rates. Furthermore, it has a fundamentally different method for determining class membership. This study is novel in that it explores how the BDRA relates to established techniques, how it might be used in an explanatory manner, and how best to use it. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity, 2010
Vibration and stability of axial loaded beams on elastic foundation under moving harmonic loads

Abstract The vibration and stability of an infinite Bernoulli–Euler beam resting on a Winkler-type elastic foundation have been investigated when the system is subjected to a static axial force and a moving load with either constant or harmonic amplitude variations. A distributed load with a constant advance velocity and damping of a linear hysteretic nature for the foundation were considered. Formulations were developed in the transformed field domains of time and moving space, and a Fourier transform was used to obtain the steady-state response to a moving harmonic load and the response to a moving load of constant amplitude. Analyses were performed: (1) to investigate the effects of various parameters, such as the load velocity, load frequency, and damping, on the deflected shape, maximum displacement, and critical values of the velocity, frequency, and axial force, and (2) to examine how the axial force affects the vibration and stability of the system. Expressions to predict the critical (resonance) velocity, critical frequency, and axial buckling force were proposed.
A genetic map of Prunus based on an interspecific cross between peach and almond

A genetic linkage map of Prunus has been constructed using an interspecific F2 population generated from self-pollinating a single F1 plant from a cross between a dwarf peach selection (54P455) and an almond cultivar ‘Padre’. Mendelian segregations were observed for 118 markers including 1 morphological (dw), 6 isozymes, 12 plum genomic, 14 almond genomic and 75 peach mesocarp specific cDNA markers. One hundred and seven markers were mapped to 9 different linkage groups covering about 800 cM map distance, and 11 markers remained unlinked. Three loci identified by three cDNA clones, PC8, PC5 and PC68.1, were tightly linked to the dw locus in linkage group 5. Segregation distortion was observed for approximately one-third of the markers, perhaps due to the interspecific nature and the reproductive (i.e. self-incompatibility) differences between peach and almond. This map will be used for adding other markers and genes controlling important traits, identifying the genomic locations and genetic characterizing of the economically important genes in the genus Prunus, as well as for markerassisted selection in breeding populations. Of particular interest are the genes controlling tree growth and form, and fruit ripening and mesocarp development in peach and almond.
Ukraine 2010: Were Tymoshenko's Cries of Fraud Anything More Than Smoke?

What evidence is there that Ukraine has made a successful transition to a competitive political system embodying free and fair elections? Several indicators of fraud developed and used previously to assess elections elsewhere are applied to official precinct-level returns of Ukraine's 2010 presidential contest. Asking if either candidate benefitted from any significant number of suspicious votes or final tallies, the findings are compared to the third round of Ukraine's 2004 presidential vote to assess the free and fair nature of Viktor Yanukovich's 2010 victory over Yulia Tymoshenko. The analysis illustrates how elections can be studied to seek objective assessment of a state's democratic legitimacy.
Molecular Biology in Cardiology: Recent Developments and Opportunities for Clinical Applications

The revolution in molecular biology that has taken place in the last decade has provided powerful research methods that are changing our understanding of cardiovascular physiology and disease. This editorial commentary will highlight several areas of current research activity within the broad and expanding field of molecular cardiology, with a special emphasis on prospects for clinical applications in cardiovascular medicine.
Metabolism of prostaglandin F1α in the pulmonary circulation

Abstract 3H5,6-Prostaglandin F1α is largely eliminated from the circulation during a single passage through the pulmonary vascular bed. Its elimination requires cellular uptake. The volume of distribution and the mean transit time of the radioactivity are greater than those of an intravascular marker, blue dextran. The lungs retain 25–30% of the radioactivity, most in the form of a metabolite less polar than PGF1α itself. The pulmonary venous effluent contains the same metabolite along with some unmetabolized PGF1α. The metabolite can be distinguished from prostaglandins of the A, B, D, E and F series. It is reduced on reaction with borohydride, but reduction does not yield PGF1α. Na0H has no effect on the metabolite, a finding that rules out the presence of a β-hydroxy-ketone configuration of the ring structure. The chromatographic behavior of the metabolite and its reaction with borohydride are those expected of 9,11-hydroxy-15-ketoprostanoic acid.
Methods for Computing Accurate Atomic Spin Moments for Collinear and Noncollinear Magnetism in Periodic and Nonperiodic Materials

The partitioning of electron spin density among atoms in a material gives atomic spin moments (ASMs), which are important for understanding magnetic properties. We compare ASMs computed using different population analysis methods and introduce a method for computing density derived electrostatic and chemical (DDEC) ASMs. Bader and DDEC ASMs can be computed for periodic and nonperiodic materials with either collinear or noncollinear magnetism, while natural population analysis (NPA) ASMs can be computed for nonperiodic materials with collinear magnetism. Our results show Bader, DDEC, and (where applicable) NPA methods give similar ASMs, but different net atomic charges. Because they are optimized to reproduce both the magnetic field and the chemical states of atoms in a material, DDEC ASMs are especially suitable for constructing interaction potentials for atomistic simulations. We describe the computation of accurate ASMs for (a) a variety of systems using collinear and noncollinear spin DFT, (b) highly correlated materials (e.g., magnetite) using DFT+U, and (c) various spin states of ozone using coupled cluster expansions. The computed ASMs are in good agreement with available experimental results for a variety of periodic and nonperiodic materials. Examples considered include the antiferromagnetic metal organic framework Cu3(BTC)2, several ozone spin states, mono- and binuclear transition metal complexes, ferri- and ferro-magnetic solids (e.g., Fe3O4, Fe3Si), and simple molecular systems. We briefly discuss the theory of exchange-correlation functionals for studying noncollinear magnetism. A method for finding the ground state of systems with highly noncollinear magnetism is introduced. We use these methods to study the spin-orbit coupling potential energy surface of the single molecule magnet Fe4C40H52N4O12, which has highly noncollinear magnetism, and find that it contains unusual features that give a new interpretation to experimental data.
Electron transfer and ionization in proton-helium collisions studied using a Sturmian basis

Cross sections have been calculated for electron transfer into all states of hydrogen and for ionization in collisions between protons and helium atoms at proton energies from 50 to 200 keV. Cross sections for electron transfer into individual states up to 3${\mathit{d}}_{2}$, as well as the z component of the average electric dipole moment and of the cross product between the angular momentum and the Runge-Lenz vector for the n=2 and 3 levels, have also been determined. A coupled-state approach is taken using bases of about 50 Sturmian functions, extending earlier work on one-electron systems. The full two-electron interaction is included, neglecting, however, interatomic exchange. Detailed tests of convergence with respect to the size of basis have been carried out. It is found that the results for capture into all states and the individual states 1s, 2s, and 3s, as well as the results for ionization, are converged to at least about 10%. There is excellent agreement with experimental results at least at the highest energy, where interatomic exchange is unimportant. Quantities involving p and d levels, on the other hand, are much more sensitive to the size of basis, and the agreement of the present and other coupled-state results with experimental results is less satisfactory.
Ways of Seeing Ecstasy in Modern Society: Experiential-Expressive and Cultural-Linguistic Views

shed light upon recent surveys which suggest that as much as half the United States adult population has had what can be called "religious experiences." As the dominant views in sociology largely exclude from consideration the experiential dimension of religion, we tum to perspectives that take religious experience more seriously, what Lindbeck (1984) caUs the "experiential-expressive" and "cu/turallinguistic" views. While the former is an advance over the dominant views, it too has liabilities. We advocate the cultural-linguistic theory as the most sophisticated way of seeing reli~on. Asa preliminary test of this view, we examine the relationship between "ecstatic" retigious experience and "conventional" religiosity, predicting that the most conventional worshipers will llave ecstatic experiences most frequently. Logistic regression analysis of General Social Survey data supports this prediction.
Neoplasms of the Ampulla of Vater with Concurrent Pancreatic Intraductal Neoplasia: A Histological and Molecular Study

Adenoma and adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater are uncommon neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. Only one report has analyzed the relationship between ampullary adenocarcinoma and pancreatic intraductal neoplasia (PanIN), the precursor lesion of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. An association between PanIN and ampullary adenoma has not been reported previously. Case reports have documented the progression of PanIN to invasive pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We reviewed five resected ampullary adenoma and 17 ampullary adenocarcinoma cases and evaluated the pancreas for PanIN. Pancreatic sections from 35 autopsies were reviewed as a control group. Immunohistochemistry for overexpression of p53 and COX-2 proteins was performed in selected cases, as was PCR analysis for K-ras mutations. Follow-up clinical data were obtained. All 22 ampullary neoplasms were associated with PanIN, which was high grade in two (40%) adenoma cases and seven (41%) adenocarcinoma cases. In 16 (73%) evaluable cases, PanIN extended to the pancreatic resection margin; two of which had high grade PanIN. Among the autopsy controls eight (23%) had low-grade PanIN. Seven of the 22 ampullary cases but none of the autopsy controls had coexistent pancreatitis. A smoking history was present in two of four autopsy cases in which this history was available. Overexpression of the p53 and COX-2 proteins was present in only one case of high-grade PanIN. K-ras mutations were present in four of four of the PanIN lesions evaluated, including one autopsy case. Clinical follow-up revealed no progression of PanIN to invasive carcinoma in the remnant pancreas, although the follow-up period was too short to adequately assess that risk (an average of 3.8 y for adenoma cases and 2.5 y for adenocarcinoma cases). We conclude that adenomas and carcinomas of the ampulla are associated with PanIN, and often high-grade PanIN. Although its malignant potential has not been fully established, PanIN is underreported and often unrecognized. PanIN may be analogous to colorectal adenoma in that both are prevalent in the older adult population, but few progress to carcinoma.
High Resolution Two-Dimensional Detection of Ncd Motility with Optical Tweezers

The ATP-dependent motility of the kinesin-related non claret disjunctional (ncd) mechanoenzyme was observed in an in vitro bead motility assay using optical tweezers in combination with a new two-dimensional displacement detection method. The detection technique is based on observing the far-field interference pattern formed in the back focal plane (BFP) of the microscope condenser by the illuminating laser focus and the light scattered from the trapped dielectric bead. The ability to observe the two-dimensional motion, with high temporal and spatial resolution, and in a manner largely independent of position in the microscope field-of-view, is the particular advantage of this detection method. In the assay, a fusion protein (GST-N195) of truncated ncd and glutathione-Stransferase was adsorbed to silica beads and the axial and lateral motions of the beads along the microtubule surface were observed. The average axial velocity of the ncd coated beads was 230 ± 30 nm/s (± std. dev.). Spectral analysis of bead motion showed an increase in viscous drag near the surface. Furthermore, we also found that any elastic constraints of the moving motors are much smaller than the constraints due to binding in the presence of the non-hydrolyzable nucleotide adenylylimido-diphosphate (AMP-PNP).
Thermodynamic and phase characterizations of phosphatidylethanolamine and ganglioside GD1a mixtures

Abstract By employing diphenylhexatriene steady-state fluorescence anisotropy, pyrenedecanoic acid excimer formation, and high sensitivity scanning calorimetry we have demonstrated that the liposomes containing phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and various mole fractions of ganglioside GD1a had a gel-liquid crystalline phase transition between 15 and 25° C. Calorimetric measurements indicated that these phase transitions were broad and centered between 17 and 21° C. The enthalpy change of the transition was linearly dependent on the ganglioside concentration up to 10.0 mol% and plateaued between 11.4–16.2 mol%. The high enthalpy change (37 kcal/mol of GD1a added into the PE bilayer) indicates the existence of PE-GD1a complex structure in the liposomal membrane. It is proposed that semi-fluid domains containing six PE and one ganglioside molecule are present in the PE-GD1a membranes at temperatures above gel-liquid crystalline phase transition. The Sendai virus induced leakage of PE-GD1a liposomes has been investigated by using an entrapped, self-quenching fluorescent dye, calcein. The leakage rate was dependent on the mole fraction of ganglioside GD1a and was maximal at 6.3 mol%. Arrhenius plots of the leakage rates showed breaks in the 20–25° C temperature range, which correspond to the gel-liquid crystalline phase transition of the target liposomes. These data suggest that the rate of Sendai virus-induced leakage can be regulated via fluidity modulation by changing the PE to GD1a ratio at constant temperatures.
Uniaxial superconducting particle in intermediate magnetic fields

The problem of an anisotropic uniaxial superconducting particle of a general ellipsoidal form in the magnetic field ${H}_{0}$ such that ${H}_{c1}\ensuremath{\ll}{H}_{0}\ensuremath{\ll}{H}_{c2}$, is considered. It is shown\char22{}in agreement with experimental data\char22{}that particles of high-${T}_{c}$ materials at $Tl{T}_{c}$ must orient with their $c$ axis normal to the applied field. The torque acting on a particle is evaluated and shown to be independent of the ellipsoid shape. The torque is associated with the magnetization component perpendicular to the field direction.
A mechanistically relevant cytotoxicity assay based on the detection of cellular GFP.

Cell-based assays for measuring ribosome inhibition by proteins such as the plant toxin ricin are important for characterizing decontamination strategies and developing detection technologies for field use. We report here an assay for ricin that provides a response that is relevant to the mechanism of ricin activity and permits a much faster readout than the commonly used assays for cytotoxicity. The assay relies on the response of an engineered reporter cell line that was produced by stably transfecting Vero cells to express green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of a cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. The results of the GFP-based assay were compared with the assay results from three commercially available cytotoxicity assays. The GFP assay reports a sensitive response to ricin after 6 h of treatment while the other assays require a 24-h incubation. Unlike the other assays, monitoring cellular GFP on a per-cell basis allows detection of reduced ribosome activity before significant cell death occu...
Age-related macular degeneration, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents, and short-term mortality: a postmarketing medication safety and surveillance study.

Purpose:To compare short-term (1 year) survival of subjects treated for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with those with AMD who received no treatment.Methods:This was a case-control study. Beneficiaries of the Veterans Health Administration aged ≥55 years with a diagnosis of AMD in
Investigation of the effect of thermal residual stresses on deformation of α-uranium through neutron diffraction measurements and crystal plasticity modeling

Abstract The strong thermoelastic–plastic anisotropy of single crystal, orthorhombic α-uranium leads to the generation of significant thermal residual stresses (TRSs) after cooling from the processing temperatures of polycrystals. The present study shows the effect that these TRSs have upon subsequent room temperature deformation after aging. In situ neutron diffraction strain experiments performed on specimens machined from a clock-rolled plate, combined with ex situ texture measurements and elastoplastic self-consistent polycrystalline plasticity modeling, provides the necessary information to quantify the relative strengths and activities of the various deformation mechanisms known to operate within α-uranium. The results demonstrate that the activation of hard slip modes is necessary in order to generate macroscopic flow at the stress levels observed experimentally. Although the thermal residual stresses do not drastically affect the “bulk” response, inclusion of the TRSs drastically improve the agreement between predicted and experimentally measured internal strain evolution and strongly alter the predicted slip and twinning mode activities. As such, modeling efforts to discern the roles of the various mechanisms must account for the presence of thermal residual stress. In agreement with prior crystal plasticity modeling efforts, the crystallographic texture and polarity of twinning mechanisms explain the tension–compression strength asymmetry observed in the material (i.e. significantly more of the soft {1 3 0} twinning mode is observed to occur during compression along the prior plate RD than tension along the same direction).
Characterization of an aFGF gene expression vector with therapeutic potential.

Abstract Background.Topical application of growth factors to wounds has proven to be suboptimal in achieving epithelial growth and accelerating healing. We propose transfection of fibroblasts with a gene for acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) which will allow continuous, local delivery of the growth factor to wounds, ulcerative lesions, or healing tissues. Methods.We utilized a pMEXneo vector containing the human aFGF gene with a secretory signal sequence from the hst/KS3 gene to obtain continuous secretion of therapeutic doses of aFGF. NIH 3T3 fibroblasts were transfected using a liposomal transfection reagent and grown in selective media. Results.Dot blot hybridization with labeled complementary DNA probes revealed the presence of plasmid DNA in transfected but not wild type fibroblasts. Intracellular concentrations of aFGF remained low in transfected cells; however, the media contained high levels (32 ± 7 nM) of aFGF as measured by ELISA. Concentrations of aFGF capable of stimulating cell proliferation were maintained for several weeks. Conclusions.The aFGF cDNA was transcribed and translated into a functional polypeptide that is secreted from NIH 3T3 cells at physiologically significant concentrations. Stable transfection with a eukaryotic vector which induces secretion of aFGF at levels promoting cell growth holds promise for clinical application in wounds or healing tissue. Transfection could be achieved by topical or endoscopic injection of this type of vector.
Allowed detuning range of the third order laser theory for an inhomogeneously broadened laser

Abstract It is pointed out that the requirements of maintaining laser gain and loss close to equality, and maintaining the operating point above threshold, effectively limit the applicable range of the third order theory for an inhomogeneously broadened laser to a detuning of the order of the natural linewidth.
Family-Based Treatment of Early Childhood Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder The Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Study for Young Children (POTS Jr)—A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been established as efficacious for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among older children and adolescents, yet its effect on young children has not been evaluated sufficiently. Objective To examine the relative efficacy of family-based CBT (FB-CBT) involving exposure plus response prevention vs an FB relaxation treatment (FB-RT) control condition for children 5 to 8 years of age. Design, Setting, and Participants A 14-week randomized clinical trial (Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Study for Young Children [POTS Jr]) conducted at 3 academic medical centers between 2006 and 2011, involving 127 pediatric outpatients 5 to 8 years of age who received a primary diagnosis of OCD and a Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale total score of 16 or higher. Interventions Participants were randomly assigned to 14 weeks of (1) FB-CBT, including exposure plus response prevention, or (2) FB-RT. Main Outcomes and Measures Responder status defined as an independent evaluator–rated Clinical Global Impression–Improvement scale score of 1 (very much improved) or 2 (much improved) and change in independent evaluator–rated continuous Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale total score. Results Family-based CBT was superior to FB-RT on both primary outcome measures. The percentages of children who were rated as 1 (very much improved) or 2 (much improved) on the Clinical Global Impression–Improvement scale at 14 weeks were 72% for FB-CBT and 41% for FB-RT. The effect size difference between FB-CBT and FB-RT on the Clinical Global Impression–Improvement scale was 0.31 (95% CI, 0.17-0.45). The number needed to treat (NNT) with FB-CBT vs FB-RT was estimated as 3.2 (95% CI, 2.2-5.8). The effect size difference between FB-CBT and FB-RT on the Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale at week 14 was 0.84 (95% CI, 0.62-1.06). Conclusions and Relevance A comprehensive FB-CBT program was superior to a relaxation program with a similar format in reducing OCD symptoms and functional impairment in young children (5-8 years of age) with OCD. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00533806
Accurate and efficient techniques for the analysis of reflection at the interfaces of three-dimensional photonic crystals

We present two efficient and accurate models for the analysis and optimization of reflection at the interface of three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystal structures. For the most general photonic crystal interfaces, we develop a rigorous technique based on mode matching at the interface. We also explain a more efficient (yet accurate) model based on effective impedance definition for the analysis of 3D photonic crystals (PC) structures that are highly desired for practical applications. The two techniques are used to model practical 3D PC structures, and the issue of reflection minimization at the interface of such structures is addressed.
Protein Extractability and Thermally Induced Gelation Properties of Myofibrils Isolated from Pre- and Postrigor Chicken Muscles

Purified chicken myofibrils were suspended in 0.6M NaCl at various pH values to study gelation properties of the myofibrils. Postrigor breast myofibrils showed a greater protein extractability and gel strength than prerigor breast myofibrils, but the reverse was found for leg myofibrils. Salt-soluble protein was least extractable at pH 5.50 for both breast and leg myofibrils. The pH for optimum gelation, indicated by increased penetration force, was 6.00 for breast and 5.50 for leg myofibrils. Heating at 1°C/min from 20 to 70°C produced stronger breast but weaker leg myofibril gels than isothermal heating at 70°C for 20 min. Muscle rigor state showed a greater effect on protein extractability and gel strength for breast myofibrils than for leg myofibrils.
Surgical Treatment of 200 Consecutive Patients with Left Main Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract Two hundred consecutive patients underwent myocardial revascularization for left main coronary artery disease between January, 1975, and December, 1981. The mean age of this group was 64 ± 8 years, and 78.5% of the patients were men. The anginal pattern was chronic stable in 6% of the patients and progressive or unstable in the remainder. Resting electrocardiograms showed prior myocardial infarction in 45.5%. Left ventricular enddiastolic pressure was elevated in 145 patients, and ejection fraction was less than 50% in 40 patients. The mean number of bypass grafts per patient was 3.2 ± 1.4 (standard deviation). Seventeen patients underwent major concomitant cardiovascular procedures. The operative mortality was 3.5%, and the incidence of perioperative infarction was 3%. Factors associated with reduced operative survival were increased age; unstable angina, or acute myocardial infarction, or both; female sex; circumflex-dominant circulation; and major concomitant procedures. Late mortality at a mean follow-up of 33.5 months was 6%, and 91% of the surviving patients assessed their quality of life as "excellent" or "good."
Top-bottom splitting in technicolor with composite scalars

We present a model of dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking in which the splitting between the top and bottom quark masses arises naturally. The {ital W} and {ital Z} masses are produced by a minimal technicolor sector, the top quark mass is given by the exchange of a weak-doublet technicolored scalar, and the other quark and lepton masses are induced by the exchange of a weak-doublet technicolor-singlet scalar. We show that, in the presence of the latter scalar, the vacuum alignment is correct even in the case of SU(2) technicolor. The fit of this model to the electroweak data gives an acceptable agreement ({chi}{sup 2}=28, for 20 degrees of freedom). The mass hierarchy between the standard fermions other than top can also be explained in terms of the hierarchy of squared-masses of some additional scalars. We discuss various possibilities for the compositeness of the scalars introduced here. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Burner Syndrome and Cervical Cord Neuropraxia

Burner syndrome and cervical cord neuropraxia are 2 transient neurologic conditions that can occur in athletes participating in contact sports. Burner syndrome is most often characterized by a temporary episode of unilateral upper-extremity dysesthesia with accompanying weakness. More than 50% of athletes who participate in contact sports report at least one such episode. Athletes experiencing a burner can return to play once the symptoms have resolved. Although recurrent burners have not been associated with an increased risk of a more serious neck injury, athletes who have sustained more than 2 burners are placed into the moderate-risk category because they may be at some risk of permanent weakness with further recurrences. Cervical cord neuropraxia refers to a temporary cessation of spinal cord function after an impact to the cervical spinal cord that usually resolves within 15 minutes to 48 hours. Several authors have postulated a link between cervical cord neuropraxia and developmental narrowing of the spinal canal. Although there has been no correlation with permanent neurologic injury, a recurrent episode of transient quadriplegia is considered by many as a contraindication to contact sports.
Spin Hamiltonian of Two Equivalent Nuclei: Application to the I - 2 Centers

The second-order hyperfine splittings observed in the ESR spectrum of an unpaired electron spin interacting with two equivalent nuclei depend upon the relative magnitude of the quadrupole interaction ${\mathcal{H}}_{Q}$ and the second-order effect ${{\mathcal{H}}_{\mathrm{hf}}}^{2}$ of the hyperfine interaction ${\mathcal{H}}_{\mathrm{hf}}$. If the first-order effect of ${\mathcal{H}}_{Q}$ is much smaller than ${{\mathcal{H}}_{\mathrm{hf}}}^{2}$ (case A), then a perturbation analysis of the spin Hamiltonian can be conveniently carried out in the coupled $|{I}_{1}{I}_{2}I{M}_{I}〉$ representation, and for the allowed ESR transitions the ${I}_{1}+{I}_{2}+1$ values of $I$ are good quantum numbers. If, however, ${\mathcal{H}}_{Q}$ is much larger than ${{\mathcal{H}}_{\mathrm{hf}}}^{2}$ (case B), then the perturbation analysis must be carried out in the $|{I}_{1}{I}_{2}, {{M}_{1}}^{2}+{{M}_{2}}^{2}, {M}_{I}〉$ representation, and ${{M}_{1}}^{2}+{{M}_{2}}^{2}$ replaces $I$ as a good quantum number. The second-order hyperfine patterns are qualitatively and quantitatively quite different for the two cases. As a specific example, the ESR spectra of the ${V}_{K}$-type ${\mathrm{I}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ center in KI, and the ${V}_{K}$- and ${V}_{F}$-type ${\mathrm{I}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ centers in ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{++}$-doped KCl: KI and KBr: KI are discussed. The ESR analysis is limited to the situation where the magnetic field is parallel to the internuclear axis ($\ensuremath{\theta}=0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$), and it is shown that the ${\mathrm{I}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ spectra are very well described by the case B perturbation solution. The $\ensuremath{\theta}=0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ spectrum shows weakly allowed transitions from which the quadrupole term can be accurately determined. In these transitions ${M}_{1}$ and ${M}_{2}$ change by one unit but in opposite senses, so that ${M}_{I}$ remains unchanged. A short discussion of the formation and decay of the ${\mathrm{I}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ centers is also given.
Shaped pulses for slice selection in the rotating frame—A study using computer simulations

Abstract RF pulse schemes are presented which provide slice-selective excitation of magnetization which is precessing in a B1 gradient. Through pulse shaping, these schemes offer a significant improvement in selection profile relative to previously published B1 methods. The shaped pulses are analogous to those used for slice selection in a B0 gradient. However, they are best understood as an extension of the DANTE experiment. Magnetization which precesses about an inhomogeneous B1 field within a selected range of frequencies is selectively tipped by a train of pulses which are applied in phase quadrature to the B1 field. In analogy to the DANTE sequence, the interval between excitation pulses determines the center frequency of the selected slice. The excitation is tailored to produce the equivalent of shaped pulses such as the sine pulse through variation of the rotation applied by the individual pulses. It is demonstrated that this can provide uniform excitation across the selected frequency interval, with minimal perturbation of magnetization outside of the selected band. As a result a series of slices can be selected in a single experiment. A “transposed sinc” tailored excitation sequence is presented which provides relatively uniform excitation in the rotating frame while minimizing power deposition. Computer simulations are used to develop and illustrate the performance of the pulse schemes.