cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Processive Degradation of Individual Polyribonucleotide Chains III. LACTOBACILLUS PLANTARUM EXORIBONUCLEASE

Abstract A ribonuclease has been purified from extracts of Lactobacillus plantarum. This enzyme is an exonuclease that hydrolyzes polyribonucleotides to nucleoside 5'-monophosphates. Both a monovalent and a divalent cation are required for optimum activity. The enzyme has no marked specificity for particular nucleoside residues, but it prefers single stranded substrates. Degradation occurs by a processive mechanism: the enzyme appears to degrade a given polyribonucleotide chain to completion prior to initiating hydrolysis of another chain.
Fatty acid synthetase from lactating rat mammary gland. I. Isolation and properties.

Abstract Fatty acid synthetase has been purified from lactating rat mammary gland and some of its physical and kinetic properties studied. This synthetase is an asymmetrical multienzyme complex of molecular weight 478,000 which readily dissociates into approximately half-molecular weight subunits. The sedimentation and diffusion coefficients of the native enzyme are 12.9 sec x 10-13 and 2.56 cm2 sec-1 x 10-7, respectively. The enzyme contains one 4'-phosphopantetheine residue and approximately 56 sulfhydryl groups per mole. Under optimum assay conditions, palmitic acid is the major product. With respect to size, shape, 4'-phosphopantetheine content, turnover number, and products of the reaction, the enzyme is very similar to the fatty acid synthetases purified from pigeon and rat liver. Studies of the kinetic properties, however, have revealed several differences in the Michaelis-Menten constants and inhibition and activation characteristics of the fatty acid synthetases from mammary gland and liver.
Prognostic factors associated with adverse outcome among critically ill elderly patients admitted to the intensive care unit

Introduction Despite concerns over the appropriateness and quality of care provided in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the end of life, the number of elderly patients who receive critical care is increasing. Despite this, many physicians have doubts as to whether elderly patients are good candidates for ICU care because of the apparently poor outcome during and after critical care in this population. The objective of the present study was to describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of a geriatric population admitted to the ICU. Materials and methods A single-center, prospective, observational study was carried out among geriatric patients, aged 75 years or older, admitted to ICU. Results A total of 71 patients were admitted to ICU during the study period. Their mean age was 83 years (range 75–98 years), with a mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-II score of 21.8 (range 8–39) on admission to ICU. A total of 48 patients (68%) required mechanical ventilation, and 39 (55%) received at least one vasoactive drug. The mean ICU length of stay was 4.6 days (range 1–18 days), and it was similar for ICU survivors and non-survivors (4.7 vs 4.5). A total of 14 patients (19.7%) were admitted after cardiac arrest, and eight (57.1%) of them died in ICU. A total of 28 patients (39.4%) died in the hospital, and 18 (25.4%) died in ICU. Conclusion Advanced age, critical illness, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and needs for mechanical ventilation and/or vasopressor therapy are independent risk factors associated with adverse outcome in elderly patients admitted to ICU. Alternatives for ICU admission should be considered in geriatric patients with severe critical illnesses. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 889–894.
Routes and Roots of Empire: Pots, Power, and Slavery in the 18th‐Century British Caribbean

ABSTRACT I draw on research from Jamaica and Dominica to track economic networks through analysis of ceramic assemblages from house yards of enslaved laborers. Ceramics produced in Europe and used by colonial subjects have been used to reinforce narratives in which empires jealously guarded mercantile trade regimes. The presence of local coarse earthenware made and used by people of African extraction allows an analysis of more localized networks—some of which transgressed social and political boundaries. Careful analysis allows us to extend this observation to some European-made ceramics as well. As such, ceramic assemblages speak to how boundaries were enacted differently depending on the status of the actors engaged in these transactions. Attention to the variegated economic practices of colonial residents provides one mechanism to map the distances between how colonies were imagined in the imperial center and the practices of everyday life of people living at the boundaries of empires.
Millimeter-level precision in a seafloor geodesy experiment at the Discovery transform fault, East Pacific Rise

[1] Direct-path acoustic ranging is a promising seafloor geodetic technique for continuous high-resolution monitoring of geodynamical process such as fault slip and magma intrusion. Here we report on a yearlong acoustic ranging experiment conducted across the discovery transform fault at ∼4°S on the East Pacific Rise. The ranging instruments utilized a novel acoustic signal designed to enhance precision. We find that, after correcting for variations in sound speed at the path end-points, the ranging measurements have a precision of ∼1 mm over baselines approaching 1 km in length. The primary difficulty in this particular experiment was with the physical stability of the benchmarks, which were deployed free fall from a ship. Despite the stability issues, it appears that the portion of the transform fault that the array covered was locked during the year of our survey. The primary obstacle to continuous, high sample rate, high-precision geodetic monitoring of oceanic ridges and transform faults is now limited to the construction of geodetic monuments that are well anchored into bedrock.
A Pilot Trial of Adjunctive Gabapentin in the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

Several antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have documented efficacy in the manic phase of bipolar disorder. To investigate the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of the new AED, gabapentin, in mania, we treated nine consecutive outpatients with bipolar I or II disorder by DSM-IV criteria who were experiencing hypomanic, manic, or mixed states inadequately responsive to standard mood stabilizers with open-label, adjunctive gabapentin. Response of manic symptoms was assessed monthly as none, minimal, moderate, or marked. Of the nine patients, seven displayed a moderate or marked reduction in manic symptoms by 1 month after addition of gabapentin, and an additional patient displayed moderate improvement after 3 months. Of these eight patients, six displayed continued antimanic responses for follow-up periods ranging from 1 to 7 months. Side effects were most commonly neurological, mild, and transient. Adjunctive gabapentin may have antimanic and mood-stabilizing effects in some patients with bipolar disorder and is generally well tolerated. Controlled studies of gabapentin in bipolar disorder appear to be warranted.
SnO 2 -CuO/graphene nanocomposites for high performance Li-ion battery anodes

The nanocomposites of SnO2-CuO/graphene are synthesized via a two-step method. CuO nanorods are firstly uniformly loaded on the graphene nanosheets, and then SnO2 nanoparticles are coated on CuO nanorods. SnO2-CuO/graphene nanocomposites exhibit high cyclability and capacity as anode of Li-ion battery. After 30 cycles, the capacity can maintain at 584 mAh g−1 at 0.1C rate (10 h per half cycle). The high performance can be ascribed to the synergistic effect among SnO2 nanoparticles, CuO nanorods and graphene nanosheets. The results manifest that the nanocomposites of SnO2-CuO/graphene are very suitable for Li-ion battery anodes.
THE VALENCE OF CORPUSCULAR PROTEINS.

By the use of two extreme models: a hydrated sphere and an unhydrated rod the valence (net charge) of corpuscular proteins can be successfully calculated from electric mobility data by the Debye-Huckel theory (modified to include the effect of the ions in the ion atmosphere) in conjunction with the electrophoretic theory of Henry. As pointed out by Abramson, this permits a comparison with values for the valence from titration data. Electrometric titration measurements of serum albumin B (Kekwick) have been determined at several ionic strengths. These results, together with the available data in the literature for serum albumin B, egg albumin, and β-lactoglobulin have been used to compare values for the valence calculated from measurements of titration, electrophoresis, and membrane potentials. The results indicate that the usual interpretation of titration curves is open to serious question. By extrapolation of the titration data to zero ionic strength and protein concentration, there results an "intrinsic" net charge curve describing the binding of H+ (OH-) ion alone. This curve agrees closely, in each case, with values of the valence calculated from mobility data (which in turn are in close accord with those estimated from membrane potential measurements). The experimental titration curves in the presence of appreciable quantities of ions and protein deviate widely from the ideal curve. It is suggested that, under these conditions, binding of undissociated acid (base) leads to erroneous values for the net charge. This binding would not affect the electrophoretic mobility. Values of the net charge obtained by the two extreme models from electrophoretic data are in agreement within 15 to 20 per cent. The agreement between the cylindrical model and the titration data is somewhat better in each case than with the sphere; i.e., this comparison enables a choice to be made between asymmetry and hydration in the interpretation of results from sedimentation and diffusion measurements on proteins. It is concluded that the proteins discussed here are somewhat asymmetric and also hydrated.
Pathology of isolated nonclassical and catastrophic manifestations of takayasu arteritis

Takayasu arteritis is usually defined as a chronic, progressive, inflammatory, occlusive disease of the aorta and its branches. However, we should remind Takayasu arteritis as a systemic disease. Here I describe nonclassical and catastrophic manifestations of the Takayasu arteritis, which often go unrecognized until after the event. Especially I stress that we should focus on cardiopulmonary complications in Takayasu arteritis.
The Neurobiology of Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a complex disease with diverse clinical characteristics that preclude a singular mechanism. One way to gain insight into potential mechanisms is to reduce the features of epilepsy to its basic components: seizures, epileptogenesis, and the state of recurrent unprovoked seizures that defines epilepsy itself. A common way to explain seizures in a normal individual is that a disruption has occurred in the normal balance of excitation and inhibition. The fact that multiple mechanisms exist is not surprising given the varied ways the normal nervous system controls this balance. In contrast, understanding seizures in the brain of an individual with epilepsy is more difficult because seizures are typically superimposed on an altered nervous system. The different environment includes diverse changes, making mechanistic predictions a challenge. Understanding the mechanisms of seizures in an individual with epilepsy is also more complex than understanding the mechanisms of seizures in a normal individual because epilepsy is not necessarily a static condition but can continue to evolve over the lifespan. Using temporal lobe epilepsy as an example, it is clear that genes, developmental mechanisms, and neuronal plasticity play major roles in creating a state of underlying hyperexcitability. However, the critical control points for the emergence of chronic seizures in temporal lobe epilepsy, as well as their persistence, frequency, and severity, are questions that remain unresolved.
A Petri nets model for system design and refinement

Abstract This paper considers the use of Petri nets in the system design process. It proposes a new class of Petri nets called Information Flow Nets (IFNs) which are particularly suitable for performing refinement in the system design. We first define the class of IFNs and describe their behavior and some of their useful properties, such as clean termination. The notion of a “well-behaved IFN” is then defined and a top-down refinement technique is presented which allows us to construct arbitrary sized well-behaved IFNs. The conditions required for the refinement technique to preserve the properties of a well-behaved IFN are derived. We formally prove that a refined IFN N″, obtained by substituting a well-behaved IFN N' in a well-behaved IFN N, is itself well-behaved. The significance of such a technique is that it can be used, in a top-down approach to system design, to build systems that are automatically well-behaved. This in turn helps to avoid the difficulty of analyzing large and complex nets.
Comparison of LTE Performance Indicators and Throughput in Indoor and Outdoor Scenarios at 700 MHz

This paper compares indoor and outdoor LTE network performance at 700 MHz. We collect data using commercial test equipment on a commercially deployed 2×2 MIMO LTE network in a campus environment. The purpose of the study is to determine performance of LTE MIMO for indoor users from transmit antennas that are outdoors as compared to performance from transmit antennas that are indoors. To characterize performance, the typical method is to compare throughput and common LTE key performance indicators. In this study, we also study the relationship of these performance indicators to throughput performance. In this way, the value of performance indicators can be estimated. The conclusion of this study is that most of the key performance indicators show a positive correlation to throughput.
Detecting runways in complex airport scenes

Abstract Detection of runways in aerial images is part of a project to automatically map complex cultural areas such as a major commercial airport complex. This task is much more difficult than appears at first. Runways are not merely homogeneous strips in the image due to several markingson the surface, changes in the surface material and presence of other objects such as taxiways and aircraft. We use some generic sources of knowledge to help with these problems in a hypothesize and test paradigm. Hypotheses are formed by looking for instances of long rectangular shapes, possibly interrupted by other long rectangles. Runway markings, mandated by standards for runway construction, are used to verify our hypotheses. Our system gives good performance on a variety of complex scenes and does not rely on location specific knowledge.
Silicon sensors implemented on p-type substrates for high radiation resistance application

Silicon based micropattern detectors are essential elements of modern high energy physics experiments. Processes based on p-type substrates are being studied for applications where extremely high radiation fluences are expected. Recent results and prototype efforts are reviewed.
Faith in science in global perspective: Implications for transhumanism

While citizens can know scientific facts, they also have faith in science - with faith defined as a firm belief for which there is no proof. Using national public opinion surveys from twelve nations from 1993 to 2010, I examine three different types of faith in science that citizens could hold. I examine temporal changes in levels of faith in science as well as the social determinants of each type of faith. I focus on the implications of these levels of faith for the transhumanist movement, which is particularly dependent on faith in science. I find that two of three types of faith in science are on the rise across the West, and that the social determinants of these types of faith suggest particular challenges for the transhumanist movement.
Concept development for the cyrogenic thermal management of the Russian-American observational satellites (RAMOS)

For the past several years, cryogenically cooled sensors have become a popular method of observation and study for both space-based and ground-based operations. Accordingly, various cooling techniques have been developed to accommodate this group of sensors. Because of rising performance standards and escalating cost limitations, cryocoolers have become an impressive cooling technique to consider. This report focuses on the use of a mechanical cryocooler in conjunction with the Russian American Observational Satellites (RAMOS). RAMOS consists of two co- orbital satellites which will map using infrared radiometers. The telescope focal plane assembly will be cooled using a multiple cryocooler configuration to approximately 60 K. The use of multiple coolers introduces redundancy into the cooling system. The cooling system will also incorporate various other new technologies, such as thermal disconnects, a thermal storage unit, and low- resistance flexible thermal links to meet the overall system requirements. Incorporating thermal switches and thermal storage units into a cooling system design can alleviate the concerns of cryocooler vibration and parasitic heat loads from the redundant cooler. An understanding of these concepts and configurations will assist in the design of similar optical instruments for both space-based and ground- based exploration campaigns.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ultrastructure of the contact chemoreceptors of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera : Apidae)

Abstract Sensilla chaetica of different sizes were found by scanning electron microscopy on the glossa, labial palps, galeae, antennae and tarsi of the worker honey bee. Sensilla basiconica also were found on these structures, except the antennae and glossa. With the exception of the mandibles, whose sensilla are all innervated by one sensory neuron, transmission electron microscope studies showed these receptors are similar in ultrastructure to taste receptors previously described in other insects. It was determined that sensilla on the mouthparts and tarsi possess 5 sensory neurons, one of which ends at the sensilla base as a mechanoreceptor, the other 4 extending up the lumen of a two-chambered hair. Many of the sensilla are tipped with either a pore or a papilla. About half of the sensilla observed on the antennae are innervated by 6 sensory neurons. A peculiarly shaped sensillum trichodeum occurs on the mandible which breaks off at pupal eclosion. A spatulate peg on the tarsal claw is also present.
Elusive Metal-Free Primary Amination of Arylboronic Acids: Synthetic Studies and Mechanism by Density Functional Theory

Herein, we disclose the first metal-free synthesis of primary aromatic amines from arylboronic acids, a reaction that has eluded synthetic chemists for decades. This remarkable transformation affords structurally diverse primary arylamines in good chemical yields, including a variety of halogenated primary anilines that often cannot be prepared via transition-metal-catalyzed amination. The reaction is operationally simple, requires only a slight excess of aminating agent, proceeds under neutral or basic conditions, and, importantly, can be scaled up to provide multigram quantities of primary anilines. Density functional calculations reveal that the most likely mechanism involves a facile 1,2-aryl migration and that the presence of an ortho nitro group in the aminating agent plays a critical role in lowering the free energy barrier of the 1,2-aryl migration step.
Interferometric testbed for sub-nanometer stabilization of environmental motions for testing of advanced space telescopes

In several future space telescope missions, high long-term relative stability between optics is required for testing on the ground, as well as achieving the sensitivity goal in flight. Typically, thermal and seismic drifts on the ground are on the order of 1 μm over few hours, orders of magnitude above the testing requirements. To suppress these environmental motions, we developed a control system that is composed of interferometric sensors and PZT-based actuator. The system provides a stable environment to allow ground testing of the mission requirements. Our results show that this kind of system can provide picometer level stability at long timescale and that it should have many applications.
Differences in the hydrophobic properties of discrete alpha-helical domains of rat and human apolipoprotein A-IV.

Abstract The primary structure of human apolipoprotein A-IV has been analyzed to identify amphipathic alpha-helical regions and compare their hydrophobic properties with analogous segments of rat apolipoprotein A-IV. Significant differences were found in the mean hydrophobicity and/or mean helical hydrophobic moment of several discrete alphα-helical domains of rat and human apolipoprotein A-IV, which may determine the differences in their biophysical and biological behavior.
Sex differences in hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and Pavlovian fear conditioning in rats: positive correlation between LTP and contextual learning

Abstract Three experiments investigated sex differences in hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and Pavlovian fear conditioning in rats. Experiment 1 revealed a robust sex difference in the magnitude of LTP induced at perforant path synapses in the dentate gyrus of pentobarbital-anesthetized rats. This sex difference in LTP was evident in rats of 35 and 60 days of age and was not the result of pre-LTP sex differences in perforant path synaptic transmission; 20-day-old rats did not show LTP. An analysis of field potentials evoked during LTP induction revealed a sex difference in the magnitude of N- methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation that was highly correlated with the magnitude of LTP. Experument 2 showed that males condition more fear, measured as freezing, to the contextual conditional stimuli (CSs) of a conditioning chamber compared to their female counterparts. This sex difference in conditional freezing was apparent with both low and high unconditional stimulus (US, footshock) intensities. Experiment 3 revealed that the enhanced fear conditioning in males was specific to contextual CSs, and consisted of a more rapid rate of conditioning. Together, these experiments reveal a positive correlation between the magnitude of hippocampal LTP and a form of learning that depends on the hippocampus. Furthermore, they suggest a neural basis for sex differences in hippocampus-dependent learning tasks.
The John Lisle chancery manuscripts: The ‘Abridgements'∗

(1989). The John Lisle chancery manuscripts: The ‘Abridgements' The Journal of Legal History: Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 317-326.
2139 Evaluation of chronic aortopathies using non-contrast enhanced MRA: in consideration of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis

Introduction Evaluation of chronic aortopathies requires repeated follow-up imaging studies to assess stability. MRI/MRA routinely has been used as the imaging modality of choice for its multiple advantages over competing modalities. However, recently there is heightened concern over gadolinium-enhanced MRA in patients with significant renal insufficiency as a result of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). Development of a robust non-gadolinium enhanced MRI/MRA technique is needed for evaluation of aortopathies, particularly in patients with renal insufficiency.
Silibinin synergizes with mitoxantrone to inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells.

The purpose of these experiments was to assess the synergistic activity of silibinin with chemotherapy agents in clinical use against prostate cancer. Silybin-phytosome, a commercially available formulation containing silibinin, has recently been studied in a phase I clinical trial. The silibinin doses used in the present study are clinically achievable based on the preliminary phase I data. DU145, PC-3 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells were seeded in 96-well plates in triplicate. Twenty-four hours later, silibinin (10, 20 and 40 μM) and either mitoxantrone or docetaxel were added to the designated wells. Seventy-two hours post-treatment, cell viability was determined with a tetrazolium-based assay. The combination index (CI) for determination of a synergistic effect was calculated, with values of 1.1 antagonism. Apoptosis was also assessed using a luminescent assay after 72 hr of treatment with media alone, silibinin, mitoxantrone, or silibinin plus mitoxantrone. Silibinin showed a synergistic effect with mitoxantrone, as measured by reduction in cell viability. The CI values ranged from 0.413 to 2.650 for the combination of silibinin and mitoxantrone; in contrast, treatment with docetaxel and silibinin showed little or no synergy, with CI values of 0.898–4.469. In concordance with these findings, the addition of silibinin increased the level of apoptosis compared to mitoxantrone alone, particularly in the PC-3 cells. The combination of silibinin and mitoxantrone exhibits a pattern of synergy in reducing cell viability with increased apoptosis. These data are important in the planning of future clinical applications of silibinin. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Validated methods of parts machining for nonleaking hydraulic cylinders in drilling installations

The article reports the studies aimed at ensuring stable quality surface treatment of inner grooves of hydraulic cylinder bushes without redesigning.
Evidence for a compromised dorsolateral prefrontal cortical parallel circuit in schizophrenia

Evidence is reviewed that one of the cognitive-affective parallel circuits in the brain, the dorsolateral prefrontal circuit, is compromised at the level of anatomical, neuropathological and transmitter-related molecules in a subgroup of schizophrenic patients. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) comprises a key structure in this circuit. Data supporting a compromised DLPFC includes cognitive deficits, decreased regional metabolism and blood flow activation; disruption of cortical subplate activity (inferred from maldistribution of neurons from the cortical subplate which are required for the orderly neuronal migration during the second trimester and for connectivity of the thalamocortical neurons); decrease in major components of the cortical inhibitory neurotransmitter system; and alterations in the molecules critical for NMDA-receptor mediated neural transmission. Thus a great deal of evidence accumulated over the last decade has definitively implicated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Emerging data also confirms neuropathology in the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus that projects to the DLPFC. There is currently a consensus that schizophrenia involves epigenetic factors interacting with genetic information in the cells to produce abnormal molecules which when they are associated with abnormal circuits such as the DLPFC, may result in abnormal behavior. Thus, abnormal cortical connections and or altered neurotransmitter related molecules in the DLPFC could explain some of the prominent frontal cognitive disruptions seen in schizophrenia.
A highly efficient enhanced assumed strain physically stabilized hexahedral element

A method which combines the incompatible modes method with the physical stabilization method is developed to provide a highly efficient formulation for the single point eight-node hexahedral element. The resulting element is compared to well-known enhanced elements in standard benchmark type problems. It is seen that this single-point element is nearly as coarse mesh accurate as the fully integrated EAS elements. A key feature is the novel enhanced strain fields which do not require any matrix inversions to solve for the internal element degrees of freedom. This, combined with the reduction of hourglass stresses to four hourglass forces, produces an element that is only 6.5 per cent slower than the perturbation stabilized single-point brick element commonly used in many explicit finite element codes. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of the interaction of bovine plasmin with Streptococcus uberis

The binding of plasmin to Streptococcus uberis strain 0140 J was optimal in the pH range 5·0–5·5. Plasmin binding decreased exponentially with increasing NaCl concentration (0–0·8 mol l−1), reaching a minimum at NaCl concentrations exceeding 0·55 mol l−1. Neither K+, Mg2+ nor the metal chelator EDTA had any effect on the interaction. Plasmin binding was prevented, in a concentration-dependent manner, by the amino acids lysine, arginine and e-aminocaproic acid. Bound plasmin was also eluted from the bacterial cell using the same amino acids. Bound plasmin was lost from the bacterium in a time- and temperature-dependent fashion, the rate of plasmin loss increased with increasing temperature over the range 4–55 °C, and the elution of plasmin from live and heat-killed bacteria was similar. Cell-bound plasmin was only partially inhibited by the physiological inhibitor α2-antiplasmin whereas the serine protease inhibitor aprotinin, and the active site titrant p-nitrophenyl-p-guanidiniobenzoate, inhibited the activity of the cell-bound plasmin by more than 95%.
Alternative Medical Interventions Used in the Treatment and Management of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Abstract Background: There have been several systematic reviews attempting to evaluate the efficacy of possible treatments for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM). However, information regarding the efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has not been comprehensively or systematically covered in these reviews, despite its frequent use in the patient community. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to systematically review and evaluate the current literature related to alternative and complementary treatments for ME/CFS and FM. It should be stressed that the treatments evaluated in this review do not reflect the clinical approach used by most practitioners to treat these illnesses, which include a mix of natural and unconventionally used medications and natural hormones tailored to each individual case. However, nearly all clinical research has focused on the utility of single CAM interventions, and thus is the primary focus of this review. Me...
Impulsive choice in a rodent model of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Abstract The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) has been studied extensively as a purported rodent model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Because ADHD in humans is partially defined by marked impulsivity, SHRs, if a valid model of ADHD, ought to behave more impulsively than their normotensive parent strain, Wistar Kyoto (WKY). This prediction was evaluated in two experiments that employed an intertemporal choice procedure in which SHRs and WKYs made repeated choices between a single food pellet delivered immediately and three food pellets delivered after a delay. Four or five delays were investigated (1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 s); the experiments differed in the manner in which the delays were experienced. In Experiment 1, the delay values changed after each session and were presented in ascending then descending order. SHRs chose more small/immediate reinforcers than WKYs at the longest delays during the ascending series and at nearly all delays during the descending series. In Experiment 2, the delay values remained in effect for several sessions and were presented in random order. Again, the SHRs chose more small/immediate reinforcers than the WKYs at the longest delays. Thus, in the present study, the SHRs were shown to be more impulsive than the WKYs as defined by preference for smaller, immediate reinforcers over larger, delayed ones in an intertemporal choice procedure.
PTSD symptoms and partner abuse: low income women at risk.

Aspects of partner abuse (types, severity, chronicity, treatment of injury, fear, etc.) were addressed with low income community women, half of whom scored above the cutoff on the Crime Related PTSD scale. Using this cutoff, 47% of women who sustained moderate violence were high in CR-PTSD symptoms. If their partner also raped them, the rate (63%) was similar to women who sustained severe violence (65%) or severe violence and rape (71%). No ethnic differences were found for rates or severity of CR-PTSD symptoms. A MANCOVA by ethnicity (African Americans, Euro-Americans, Mexican Americans) and CR-PTSD symptoms (low vs. high) identified ethnic differences only on total sexual aggression and recent threats of violence. The high symptom group reported more abuse on all measures. Results from the CR-PTSD and the general lack of ethnic differences support the notion that SES contributes more to women's vulnerability to abuse and stress symptoms than does ethnicity.
College Students’ Video Game Participation and Perceptions: Gender Differences and Implications

As growing numbers of youth in the United States play video games, potential effects of game playing are being considered. We focused on gender-related aspects of gaming in a study of 206 college students. Men were significantly more likely than women to play video games two or more hours a week and to indicate that video game playing interfered with sleeping and with class preparation. A greater proportion of women than men complained about the amount of time their significant other played video games. Participants rated female video game characters as significantly more helpless and sexually provocative than male characters and as less likely to be strong and aggressive. Gender differences in participation and character portrayals potentially impact the lives of youth in a variety of ways.
Object-oriented modeling and simulation of neural networks

The field of neural networks is being investigated by many researchers in order to provide solutions to difficult problems in the area of manufacturing systems. Computer simulation of neural networks is an important part of this investigation. This paper applies concepts from an important trend in software engineering research, namely object-oriented programming, to model neural networks.
Dibromochloropropane (DBCP): a review.

Abstract A highly persistent, lipophilic, brominated organochlorine which is effectively used against nematodes, dibromochloropropane (DBCP) has been produced for agriculture since 1955. In 1975, production of DBCP in the United States reached 25 million lbs. However, investigations with laboratory animals, some of which were published in the early 1960s, have shown that DBCP decreases sperm mobility and spermatogenesis, disturbs the estrous cycle, reduces phagocytosis by white blood cells, and induces malignant tumors. Later studies with procaryotic and eucaryotic cells, including human sperm, have demonstrated DBCP to be mutagenic and to effect the genome adversely. In 1977 many of the employees at the Occidental Chemical plant in Lathrop, California, who had handled DBCP, were found to be either azoospermic or oligospermic. Subsequent surveys of employees handling DBCP at other chemical plants confirmed these findings. In 1977 DBCP per se (rather than just its degradation products, e.g. bromide ions) was detected on edible crops and in 1979 DBCP per se was detected in well waters. As a result of these studies, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1977 promulgated regulations restricting the use and handling of DBCP. In 1979, the EPA banned almost all agricultural uses of DBCP.
Finite groups with abelian sylow 2-subgroups of order 8

This paper provides a result necessary in the classification of simple finite groups with abelian S2-subgroups. In classifying these groups in another paper, we shall determine the structure of the centralizers of the involutions in such groups (cf. [24]). In particular, for those groups which have S2-subgroups of order 8, we shall verify the hypothesis of the principal theorem of this paper. Then from this theorem follows the conditions by which the recent papers of JANKO and THOMPSON [16], JANKO [15], and WARD [25] show that the simple group in question is either the one recently discovered by JANKO (cf. [15]) or has the character table given by Ward of the simple group of automorphisms of the simple Lie algebra of type (7 2 over a finite field of characteristic 3 discovered by REE [18]. The latter type of group is defined in Section 1 as an R-group. Theorem. Let (5 be a group with abelian S2-subgroups of order 8. Let = (J) be the subgroup generated by an involution J. Suppose that the centralizer .~=C~(J) of J in (5 contains a normal subgroup which is isomorphic to 1 PSL(2, q). Then one of the following holds.
Patient and Physician Perceptions of Medicare Reimbursement Policy for Blepharoplasty and Blepharoptosis Surgery

Objective To describe patient preferences regarding payment for blepharoplasty and blepharoptosis repair and physician practices before and after the 2009 change in reimbursement for these 2 procedures by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Design Cross-sectional study. Participants Fifty patients presenting for functional blepharoplasty and blepharoptosis repair at an academic oculoplastic practice and 198 members of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Methods A 5-question paper survey was administered to patients, and a 5-question web-based survey was distributed to 510 unique physician e-mail addresses obtained from the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery mailing list server in 2010. Main Outcome Measures The surveys elicited patient knowledge and attitudes regarding the reimbursement policy of the CMS and physician knowledge and behaviors before and after the reimbursement policy change. Results Ninety-one percent of patients would be opposed to having to pay out of pocket for blepharoplasty or having to wait at least 3 months after ptosis repair to have a blepharoplasty. When asked to choose between these options, 62% of the patients would rather have the 2 surgeries performed separately than pay out-of-pocket. Before the reimbursement policy change by the CMS, 77% of oculoplastic surgeons performed blepharoplasty and blepharoptosis repair in the same sitting, whereas 37% did so after the policy change ( P P P = 0.009). Conclusions Our study suggests that oculoplastic surgeons have made a change in the delivery of ptosis and blepharoplasty surgical services after the reimbursement policy change for these procedures by the CMS in 2009. This change, in which patients undergo separate surgical visits for ptosis repair and blepharoplasty, is not desirable to most patients.
Intergenerational Equity And Public Spending

Concerns over public spending for elders and children are not new. Some of our previous work, combined with the analysis by Susmita Pati and colleagues in this volume of Health Affairs , documents a substantial divergence of social welfare spending for children and elders between 1965 and 2000. Looking to the future, our concern is that social welfare spending for children and elders will be driven more by political concerns and macroeconomic trends than by the needs of the two populations. We argue that the country needs to adopt a new fairness doctrine in allocating social welfare resources, whereby the needs of both groups are met.
Are cost-inclusive evaluations worth the effort?

Abstract Relative costs are as important as relative effectiveness when choosing between program alternatives or among a set of programs competing for scarce funds. Nevertheless, the number of cost-inclusive evaluations remains comparatively small. This article presents the results of three first-time cost-inclusive evaluations each performed by an experienced evaluator. Each evaluator performed a different type of cost-inclusive evaluation using different tobacco control programs as examples: “standard” cost-effectiveness analysis, threshold or break-even analysis, and a simulation model. Results are presented in terms of the challenges faced, and informational and insight benefits gained, as well as in terms of program cost-effectiveness. All three evaluators agreed that the benefits from performing cost-inclusive evaluations are well worth time and effort involved. They also found that this type of evaluation provides abundant information that can be used to improve program effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.
Protease inhibitors modulate apoptosis in mesangial cells derived from a mouse model of HIVAN.

Protease inhibitors modulate apoptosis in mesangial cells derived from a mouse model of HIVAN. Background Oxidative stress as well as opiate addiction has been shown to play a role in the development of complications associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Methods We studied the occurrence of apoptosis in mesangial cells derived from control (NTrMC) mice and mice transgenic for HIV-1 genes (HTrMC) under basal and morphine-stimulated states (MSS). We evaluated the effect of free radical scavengers and antioxidants on HTrMC apoptosis and production of superoxide under basal and MSS. In addition, we examined the effect of protease inhibitors (PI) on apoptosis of NTrMCs/HTrMCs as well as morphine-induced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced form) (NADPH) oxidase activation. Results HTrMCs showed greater apoptosis when compared with NTrMCs. Morphine triggered ( P P phox ) by HTrMCs. Interestingly, hemin exacerbated morphine-triggered HTrMC apoptosis. Conclusion Oxidative stress seems to play a role in the accelerated rate of HTrMC apoptosis both under basal and MSS. Saquinavir may be inhibiting HTrMC apoptosis by mitigating oxidative stress.
An interlaboratory comparison of bone lead measurements via K-shell x-ray fluorescence

Bone lead measurements assess chronic exposure and can be obtained via a noninvasive analytical technique based on K-she ll x-ray fluorescence (KXRF) spectrometry. While KXRF has been practiced by a number of laboratories around the world, this technique has not, until now, undergone an assessment of interlaboratory agreement. The study described here provides such an assessment via circulation of nine bare tibiae selected from a repository of bones that were derived from lead-dosed goats. Fifteen KXRF systems were used by ten participating laboratories, to make five measurements on each of the nine caprine tibiae. Reported bone lead concentrations ranged from the KXRF detection limit to 63 µg g−1 bone mineral. None of the data from the ten participant laboratories was found to be a statistical outlier. However for each of the nine tibiae, differences between the 15 reported bone lead concentrations were statistically significant. The standard deviations of the five replicate KXRF-measured concentrations ranged, across all laboratories and all tibiae, from 0.5 to 6.5 µg g−1, bone mineral. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Standardization of Keyword Search Mode

In spite of its popularity, keyword search mode has not been standardized. Though information professionals are quick to adapt to various presentations of keyword search mode, novice end-users may find keyword search confusing. This article compares keyword search mode in some major reference databases and calls for standardization.
Minimally invasive therapy for renal cell carcinoma: is there a new community standard?

Abstract Objectives To evaluate current practice use of laparoscopic and minimally invasive therapies in the treatment of renal cell cancer. Methods A questionnaire was sent to 174 members of the Minnesota Urological Society. The first case scenario described a 6-cm lesion not amenable to nephron-sparing surgery. The second case scenario described a 3-cm lower pole exophytic mass amenable to nephron-sparing surgery. The treatment options included traditional therapy (open partial or radical nephrectomy) and minimally invasive therapy (laparoscopic radical or partial nephrectomy or renal cryoablation). Results Our survey response rate was 49%. For the first scenario, 86% of respondents would offer open radical nephrectomy; however, 57% would offer laparoscopic surgery. Of those urologists offering laparoscopic surgery, 14% would refer outside their practice and 43% would use a hand-assisted approach. Sixty-four percent of the metropolitan and 56% of the urban respondents would offer a form of minimally invasive therapy; only 29% of rural respondents offered these options. For the second scenario, 90% of respondents would offer open partial nephrectomy and 45% a minimally invasive therapy; however, 24% of these would refer outside their practice. Thirty-eight percent of respondents would offer laparoscopic partial nephrectomy and 22% of respondents would offer renal cryoablation. Urologists completing residency after 1990 were more likely to offer a minimally invasive option (65%) compared with urologists completing residency before 1990 (31%). Conclusions Minimally invasive therapy for renal cell cancer is evolving into a community standard of care, with urologists relying heavily on outside referrals to access minimally invasive alternatives. Younger urologists living in metropolitan and urban areas are more likely to offer minimally invasive therapy. Additional emphasis should be placed on increasing the availability of minimally invasive techniques in rural settings.
Three-stage wavelength converter based on cross-gain modulation in semiconductor optical amplifiers

A new cascaded three-stage all-optical wavelength converter based on cross-gain modulation (XGM) was analyzed and implemented using semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) in a co-propagating arrangement. The optimal input powers of both pump and probe signals and the attenuation between the stages are discussed to achieve the highest on-to-off extinction ratio in each stage. A complete noise model was developed to calculate the bit error rate (BER), which is in good agreement with the experimental results. Power penalty free operation was achieved with the three-stage up-wavelength converter.
High resolution delay line readouts for microchannel plates

We describe the operation and characteristics of two-dimensional planar delay line image readout schemes for microchannel plates. Measurements using a 95×63 mm delay line show that resolution of <35 μm FWHM in X and ≈ 250 μm in Y can be achieved. It is shown that image stability can be of the order of a few μm, and the flat field response is stable and determined by detection efficiency of the microchannel plates.
Algorithms for the minimax transportation problem

In this paper, we consider a variant of the classical transportation problem as well as of the bottleneck transportation problem, which we call the minimax transportation problem. The problem considered is to determine a feasible flow xij from a set of origins I to a set of destinations J for which max(i,j)eIxJ{cijxij} is minimum. In this paper, we develop a parametric algorithm and a primal-dual algorithm to solve this problem. The parametric algorithm solves a transportation problem with parametric upper bounds and the primal-dual algorithm solves a sequence of related maximum flow problems. The primal-dual algorithm is shown to be polynomially bounded. Numerical investigations with both the algorithms are described in detail. The primal-dual algorithm is found to be computationally superior to the parametric algorithm and it can solve problems up to 1000 origins, 1000 destinations and 10,000 arcs in less than 1 minute on a DEC 10 computer system. The optimum solution of the minimax transportation problem may be noninteger. We also suggest a polynomial algorithm to convert this solution into an integer optimum solution.
Agonist activation of 5-HT1A receptors in the median raphe nucleus and female rat lordosis behavior

Abstract Proestrous rats were infused unilaterally into the median raphe nucleus with 200–2,000 ng of the 5-HT 1A agonist, 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT). Inhibition of the lordosis to mount ratio occurred within 15 and 10 min, respectively, following infusion with 1,000 or 2,000 ng of the drug. Infusion of 2,000 ng of the 5-HT 2 agonist, (±)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane HCl (DOI), or 4,000 ng 5-HT (creatinine sulfate) failed to substantially reduce lordosis behavior.