cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlations between vertebral regional bone mineral density (Rbmd) and whole bone fracture load

To assess the significance of regional quantitative computed tomography measurements of bone density with respect to mechanical strength in the human lumbar spine, 58 vertebrae (from 12 males, 10 females) were scanned in vitro with multiple-thin-slice quantitative computed tomography and then compressed to fracture. With computer graphics, 18 specific regions of physical density and 10 combination averages of density were identified within each vertebral body. To ensure the statistical independence of data, the individual vertebral specimens were assigned to one of three groups (T11-L1, L2-L3, or L4-L5). Use of best-subsets procedures resulted in regression models to predict fracture strength. These models used specific regional density values and often the age and sex of the donors. The correlation coefficients that resulted from the multiple regression models ranged from r = 0.88 to r = 0.95. When the density values were multiplied by the minimum cross-sectional area of the vertebral body, similar regional density averages were selected, and the predictive values were slightly improved (r = 0.94-0.97). The heterogeneity of the density samples (measured as standard deviation) in multiple regression fashion also produced strong correlation coefficients (r = 0.88-0.94). The bone density in an anterior cylinder of the midplane region, the location measured most often in quantitative computed tomography densitometry, was strongly correlated (r = 0.85) to fracture load for the T12-L1 group (N = 20), but was not significant for the other two groups of vertebrae. The cancellous bone density from the female data was not found to be significantly different from the male data set.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Evidence for miRNA expression differences of HIV-1–positive, treatment-naive patients and elite suppressors: a re-analysis

To the editor: Bignami et al recently reported on miRNA profiles of treatment-naive HIV-1 patients (naive), elite suppressors (eLTNP or ES), and multiply-exposed, uninfected individuals (MEUs).[1][1] The authors identified only 1 putative miRNA expression difference between naive and ES and did
Delinquency and family life among male adolescents: The role of ethnicity

This study addresses the role of ethnic and racial diversity in the relationship between family processes and delinquency. The study evaluates the overall role families play in the etiology of delinquency across different ethnic/racial groups, and investigates the relative role of specific issues such as family involvement, family attachment, and family control among Hispanic, African American, and white male adolescents. This analysis utilizes two waves of data from the Rochester Youth Development Study, a longitudinal project investigating the causes and correlates of delinquency among a high-risk urban sample of youth. Results of this study indicate that family variables as a group are more important in constraining delinquency for Hispanic adolescents. In addition, the relative influence of particular family processes on delinquent conduct appears to differ among diverse populations. We also find that living in a single-parent home has less impact on family processes than living in a situation of economic hardship.
Pathways of trans,trans-muconaldehyde metabolism in mouse liver cytosol: reversibility of monoreductive metabolism and formation of end products.

The metabolism of trans,trans-muconaldehyde (MUC), a hematotoxic agent which is a presumed in vivo metabolite of benzene, was studied in mouse liver cytosol. MUC was incubated for 30 min at 37°C with mouse liver cytosol (from CD-1 mice) supplemented with NAD+ and the products were analyzed by reverse phase HPLC. Two products were detected in addition to the previously identified acid-aldehyde 6-oxo-trans,trans-2,4-hexadienoic acid (COOH-M-CHO) and the diacid trans,trans-muconic acid (COOH-M-COOH). Based on the molecular weight (112) obtained by thermo-spray LC-mass spectrometry and the absorbance maximum (269 nm), one of the products was identified as the aldehyde-alcohol 6-hydroxy-trans,trans-2,4-hexadienal (CHO-M-OH). The second product was identified as 6-hydroxy-trans,trans-2,4-hexadienoic acid (COOH-M-OH) by coelution with authentic standard, the fragmentation pattern obtained by electron impact mass spectrometry and the absorbance maximum (258 nm). Time course and concentration dependency studies indicate that COOH-M-OH and COOH-M-COOH are end products of MUC metabolism while CHO-M-OH, and COOH-M-CHO, the initially formed mono-reduction and mono-oxidation products, respectively, are the intermediates leading to these end products. The metabolite COOH-M-OH is formed mainly by oxidation of CHO-M-OH and to a much lesser extent by reduction of CHO-M-COOH, whereas COOH-M-COOH is formed solely by oxidation of COOH-M-CHO. The reduction of MUC to CHO-M-OH is reversible, whereas oxidation to COOH-M-CHO is not. The compound CHO-M-OH is not only oxidized to COOH-M-OH by oxidation of the aldehyde functional group, but is also converted back to MUC by oxidation of the alcohol functional group.
Extending Fitts’ Law to manual obstacle avoidance

In this study we asked whether Fitts' Law, a well-established relationship that predicts movement times (MTs) for direct movements between two positions, could be extended to predict MTs for curved, obstacle avoiding, movements. We had participants make movements in the presence of an obstacle. Using these data, we tested an extensions of Fitts' Law that predicted MTs based on the movement's index of difficulty and the distance that the obstacle intruded into the direct movement path. Including both factors led to more accurate predictions of MTs for obstacle-avoiding movements than was possible with the index of difficulty alone. In addition, the simple extension of Fitts' Law did as well as a model which relied on the obtained movement paths between targets. This is an encouraging outcome because it suggests that the physical layout of the workspace can be used to predict MTs for obstacle avoiding movements, an accomplishment that fits with the spirit of Fitts' Law.
Size and charge isomer separation and estimation of molecular weights of proteins by disc gel electrophoresis.

Abstract A method has been found which distinguishes between a size isomer family of proteins (e.g. bovine serum albumin polymers) and a charge isomer family of proteins (e.g. lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes), utilizing disc gel electrophoresis. When the log of protein mobility relative to the dye front was plotted versus acrylamide gel concentration, size isomeric proteins gave a family of nonparallel lines extrapolating to a common point in the vicinity of 0% gel concentration; charge isomeric proteins gave a parallel family of lines. Proteins differing in both charge and size gave non-parallel lines intersecting at gel concentrations other than 0% gel concentration. The slope of such a plot is related to molecular weight. The molecular weight-slope relation was established utilizing 17 well-characterized proteins as standards. From this relation, it is possible to determine the molecular weight of a protein with an average precision of ±4%. This molecular weight method can be applied to a single protein in a mixture of proteins provided a specific detection test is available. This method should find uses in distinguishing between size and charge isomer families of proteins, for the rapid, easy, and accurate determination of protein molecular weights, and as a valuable aid in indicating the procedures to be used in enzyme purifications.
A Measurement Framework to Determine the Construct Validity of ADHD/ODD Rating Scales: Additional Evaluations of the Child and Adolescent Disruptive Behavior Inventory

A multiple group confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the invariance of an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-inattention, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-hyperactivity/impulsivity, oppositional defiant disorder toward adults, academic and social competence five-factor model across of independent groups of Thai adolescents with the Child and Adolescent Disruptive Behavior Inventory (CADBI). Mothers and fathers’ ratings on 872 adolescents were compared to mothers and fathers’ ratings on a different group of 983 adolescents. The design allowed four invariance analyses (i.e., mothers’ ratings of the first group compared to mothers’ ratings of the second group; fathers’ ratings of first group compared to fathers’ ratings of the second group; mothers’ ratings of first group compared to fathers’ ratings of the second group; and fathers’ ratings of first group compared to mothers’ ratings of second group). Support was found for the invariance of like-symptom loadings and symptom intercepts as well as like-factor variances, covariances, and factor means across the four invariance analyses. The findings further expand the construct validity of the CADBI. The paper also introduces a multiple indicators by multiple traits by multiple methods by multiple sources by multiple occasions by multiple groups’ measurement matrix to guide the evaluation of the construct validity of ADHD/ODD rating scales.
Impact of Polish Pad Imperfections on Chemical Mechanical Polishing Defects

The wafer level impact of different IC1000 pad imperfections were screened and evaluated. The defect classifications were based on visual inspection and segregation of pads used during a 3 month period under a high-volume manufacturing environment. The screening tests revealed that the defects must be embedded into or onto the pad to cause a negative impact on wafer-level defects. Among these defects, the most abundant mode, namely, the voids, was characterized in further detail for wafer-level impact. It was shown that voids as small as 0.5 mm diam (which pass the current manufacturer specifications) show statistically significant increase in wafer level defects. A mechanism was proposed for the defect formation due to these voids acting as slurry agglomeration centers.
Comment on: Band structures and optical spectra of InN polymorphs : Influence of quasiparticle and excitonic effects

In a recent paper, Furthm\"uller et al. [Phys. Rev. B 72, 205106 (2005)] reported results of calculations of the band structure and optical spectra of InN polymorphs that included influence of quasiparticle and excitonic effects. We show below calculated results that disagree with their utilization of the $pd$ repulsion to make significant corrections to band gaps obtained with their ab initio density-functional calculations.
Didanosine (ddI) and zidovudine (ZDV) susceptibilities of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) isolates from long-term recipients of ddI

Thirty HIV isolates, obtained from 15 patients before and after receiving single drug therapy with didanosine (ddI), were examined for sensitivity to ddI and zidovudine (ZDV) using a peripheral blood mononuclear leukocyte (PBML)-based assay. Fourteen of the patients had ARC, one had AIDS and 12 had received previous therapy with ZDV. After a median of 1 year of ddI therapy, isolates were significantly less sensitive to ddI than were isolates obtained prior to therapy (P = 0.03). A decrease in ddI sensitivity was observed in ten of the 15 isolate pairs. In contrast to ddI susceptibilities, sensitivity to ZDV increased over the same period of time (P = 0.03). Additional isolates were obtained from four patients who received ddI monotherapy for 2 years. Three of these isolates demonstrated no change in ddI sensitivity compared to baseline. No correlation could be made in this study between development of decreased ddI sensitivity and serum p24 levels, CD4 counts, or clinical outcome. Decreased ddI sensitivity occurs frequently among HIV isolates obtained from long-term recipients of ddI. This decreased sensitivity is modest in degree and is of unknown clinical significance.
Health Care Professionals, Friends, Family, and God: Interactions Contributing to Caregivers’ Long-Term Care Decisions

During recent decades a significant body of research regarding nursing home placement of an elderly family member has been produced. While some risk factors for placement have been uncovered, such as health and well-being of the caregiver and care recipient, what is left unknown is the lived experience at the point of nursing home placement. The application of an interactionist perspective focuses attention on how nursing home placement decisions are affected by caregivers’ interpersonal interactions. This study examines the interactions that influenced long-term care placements among 18 caregivers using data from in-depth interviews. Findings show that significant interactions, ultimately leading to institutionalization, took place between the caregivers and their health care professionals, friends, family members, and God.
Sum rule criterion in coherent slow neutron scattering in liquids

Abstract The fourth frequency moment of the dynamic structure factor S (κ, ω) is computed for liquid argon. It is pointed out that two recently proposed phenomenological prescriptions for calculating S (κ, ω) imply certain approximations to this exact result. These are compared and discussed.
Grinding media wear and its effect on the flotation of sulfide minerals

Grinding in steel mills adversely affects the flotation of pyrrhotite. Rest potential and galvanic current measurements were made to study the electrochemical interactions between pyrrhotite and several metal electrodes including mild steel, austenitic and martensitic stainless steels, zinc and magnesium. Adverse effect on its floatability was most pronounced when pyrrhotite was contacted with magnesium and least when the sulfide mineral was contacted with austenitic stainless steel. Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that galvanic coupling of pyrrhotite with active metals resulted in the formation of hydroxide or oxide and sulfate species of iron on the pyrrhotite surface.
The determination of carvone in oil of spearmint

Abstract The time required by the official method for determining the carvone content of spearmint oil can be considerably shortened by using a modified apparatus incorporating a magnetic stirrer. A spectrophotometric method is also presented, using solutions of different concentrations of carvone in “carvone‐free” spearmint oil and diluting with 95 per cent ethyl alcohol; a graph can thus be prepared by plotting concentration against absorbancy at the wave length of maximum absorption.
Yet another proof of the cascade decomposition theorem for finite automata

We give here a short proof that each finite automaton can be built as a cascade of permutation automata and identity-reset automata.
Early Life Health and Cognitive Function in Old Age.

Child health in the United States improved dramatically over the twentieth century. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics indicate the infant mortality rate was 23 times greater in 1900 than in 2004. The mortality rate of one-to four-year-old children, although lower in absolute terms, had a larger proportionate decline: the value in 1900 was 66 times that in 2004. The proximate cause of the mortality decline was a reduction in infectious disease. Between 1900 and 1998, the percentage of deaths of children age 1 to 19 due to infectious disease is estimated to have declined from 61.6 percent to 2 percent (Bernard Guyer et al. 2000). Major causes of child death included diarrhea, pneumonia and other respiratory infections, diphtheria, typhoid, measles, scarlet fever, whooping cough, and tuberculosis (Guyer et al. 2000). The mortality decline was accompanied by reductions in morbidity among surviving children. There were also declines in the prevalence of a host of illnesses, such as hookworm and trachoma, which were not deadly but which impaired children’s quality of life (C. Hoyt Bleakley 2007; Shannen K. Allen and Richard D. Semba 2002). Early life exposures to infectious disease may also have adverse effects on health and well-being into old age. If true, then the benefits of the twentieth century decline in infectious disease in the United States are still being realized. We examine whether the disease environments experienced by American children in the first half of the twentieth century are associated with their cognitive abilities at older ages. We match region-level historical data on mortality from a variety of infectious diseases, as well as total infant mortality, with information on the cognitive function of older Americans followed by the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We find evidence that the burden of disease in early life—measured using either mortality rates by cause or the overall infant mortality rate—is significantly associated with performance on cognitive tests in old age.
INTERBARYONIC FORCE AS A SOLITON-SOLITON INTERACTION IN SKYRME MODEL

We present a general method for calculating the interaction energy of two solitons using the semiclassical, collective coordinate quantization method. The result also has a simple geometrical interpretation. We apply our result in several models, and obtain the expressions for the interaction energy. In particular, we use our method to derive the effective interaction energy of two solitons of Skyrme model. Because the solitons of the Skyrme model can be used to model (in the first approximation) the real world baryons, the interaction energy of two solitons can then be interpreted as an approximation to a two-body nuclear force.
An experimental study of phase-sensitive ac voltammetry in continuous-flow streams—reversible systems

Fundamental harmonic ac voltammetry at flow-by wall electrodes was found experimentally to be independent of the flow rate for rates from 0 to 2.1 L/min. Measurements were made with phase-sensitive instrumentation. The ac peak current dependence on the concentration, the frequency and amplitude of the applied ac voltage, and the dc scan rate was the same in flowing or stationary solutions. The shape of the ac voltammogram was also not influenced by the flow rate. These results are general for experimental conditions that produce unrestricted diffusion and that maintain simple, reversible electron-transfer mechanisms.
Oral nicotine ingestion and incidence of activity-stress ulcer in the rat☆

Abstract Rats housed in activity wheels and fed only 1 hr daily had access to either a 50 μg% nicotine solution, a 500 μg% nicotine solution, or tap water as their drinking solution. Usually rats simply housed in activity wheels with 1-hr daily feeding die within 4 to 12 days and reveal lesions in the glandular stomach. It was hypothesized that nicotine would increase the degree of pathology typically observed in the activity-stress situation. Although results were in the hypothesized direction, differences between groups were not statistically significant.
Supplemental Instruction and Academic Success and Retention in Science Courses at a Hispanic-serving Institution

This study provides insight into the effectiveness of Supplemental Instruction (SI) at a Hispanic-serving institution(HSI), particularly with Hispanic students. The United States Department of Education (2010) defines an HSI ashaving a 25% or greater full-time, Hispanic student enrollment and 50% or more of all students are eligible forneed-based financial aid. It is essential for many Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) that have a high percentage ofHispanic populations to find ways where they will support and retain a growing number of minority degree-seekingstudents. One of the biggest challenges for HSIs is not only increasing retention, but additionally supporting theScience, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) courses at these institutions. The study contributes to theexisting research that shows that SI is an effective student success intervention in improving academic success andcourse retention among Hispanic students in STEM related courses. The results showed a significant difference inacademic success and course completion among Hispanic students at an HSI with SI participation in Chemistry andPhysics courses.
Mobile Technology and Medical Libraries: Worlds Collide

Use of mobile technology in medicine has steadily gained momentum over the past 10 years. With the advent of new mobile devices that offer superior functionality and connectivity, medical librarians have an opportunity to expand mobile services and resources that have the potential to enhance user experience, medical education, and clinical practice. This article looks at the genesis of mobile medicine from the early adopters to today's always connected user.
Effects of cortical lesions on tactile discriminations graded in difficulty

Abstract Rats with somatosensory cortical lesions, occipital lesions, frontal lesions, frontal-occipital lesions, and no lesions were tested in a T-maze for acquisition of rough vs. smooth and a series of groove vs. smooth discriminations of increasing difficulty. The somatosensory lesioned animals showed severe performance deficits on the discriminations. Animals with lesions outside the primary somatosensory areas of the cortex did not differ from unlesioned animals, or from each other, on oven the most difficult task.
Subjectivity and objectivity in design decisions

Abstract All design decisions consist of subjective and objective parts. The former is evident at initial stages, whereas the latter is apparent toward the end. This paper introduces a subjective–objective spectrum to make explicit the composition of these two parts in design decisions and a synthesis design framework to support the smooth transition between them. This domain-independent framework has two components: for the subjective part, a preference-aggregation model accumulates multiple individual preferences into a single team preference to drive synthesis reasoning; for the objective part, a logic-based synthesis reasoning model systematically guides the designers in transforming abstract intents to concrete solutions.
Control of linear modes in cylindrical resistive magnetohydrodynamics with a resistive wall, plasma rotation, and complex gain

Feedback stabilization of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modes in a tokamak is studied in a cylindrical model with a resistive wall, plasma resistivity, viscosity, and toroidal rotation. The control is based on a linear combination of the normal and tangential components of the magnetic field just inside the resistive wall. The feedback includes complex gain, for both the normal and for the tangential components, and it is known that the imaginary part of the feedback for the former is equivalent to plasma rotation [J. M. Finn and L. Chacon, Phys. Plasmas 11, 1866 (2004)]. The work includes (1) analysis with a reduced resistive MHD model for a tokamak with finite β and with stepfunction current density and pressure profiles, and (2) computations with a full compressible visco-resistive MHD model with smooth decreasing profiles of current density and pressure. The equilibria are stable for β = 0 and the marginal stability values βrp,rw < βrp,iw < βip,rw < βip,iw (resistive plasma, resistive wall; resistive plas...
Basics of research (Part 9): Practical aspects of performing clinical research.

Reprint no. 74/l/79740 Prior parts in the “Basics of Research” series have addressed basic steps in the research process, initial fundamental principles for performing research, and descriptions of individual categories of research. Part 9 will focus on the handson approach to actually implementing a clinical research program. Future parts in this series will address presenting re search and generating a manuscript. At this point you should have the basic knowledge necessary to develop an appropriate scientific study and an awareness of appropriate statistical analysis and study design. This part in the series is directed specitically to inexperienced and unfunded investigators who wish to develop a systematic approach to performing clinical research that will increase the likelihood of developing a successful research program, perhaps even obtaining funding for future projects. Most of these recommendations will apply to clinical research in any setting. The “acute care” setting provides a particularly unique set of problems for performing clinical research. The term “acute care” is meant to include air medical care, the emergency medical service (EMS) prehospital environment, and the emergency department or similar settings where urgent or acute care is delivered. In these settings, definitive control of the patient’s care is for a relatively short circumscribed period. Often study protocols must be coordinated with other departments, programs, or even institutions involved in patient care either before or after our own involvement. In
The Premature Burial: Mark Zimmermann and the Death of Painting

expressionism. Sad to say, the only scene in the entire film of “Weiwei” painting is antithetical to the true act: she mashes her brush into the canvas with all the conviction of a roofer edging off a hot-tar job in mid-
New Polymers Derived from Poly(Methylphenylphosphazene)

Abstract The sequential treatment of [Me(Ph)PN]n with n-BuLi and electrophiles such as substituted chlorosilanes, aldehydes and ketones, and carbon dioxide results in new functionalized polyphosphazenes. Graft copolymers have also been prepared by using the anionic polymer intermediate to initiate anionic addition polymerization of styrene, CH2=C(Ph)H, and ring opening polymerization of hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, [Me2SiO]3.
Ultra-slim plastic endomicroscope objective for non-linear microscopy

Non-linear microscopy has the potential to provide clinically useful information on the structure of biological tissue in vivo via an endomicroscope. The ability to use plastic as the optical material in a multiphoton objective was evaluated based on several criteria including autofluorescence, injection molding induced birefringence, and pulse broadening due to group velocity dispersion. An all-plastic, refractive ultra-slim endoscope objective was built with design specifications of NA = 0.4, FOV = 250 μm, 1.27 mm outer diameter, and 0.8 mm clear aperture. Initial images of second-harmonic generation signal (illumination at 780 nm) in collagen fibers and two-photon excited fluorescence (illumination at 920 nm) of Convallaria rhizome are reported.
PERFORMANCE OF DEFATTED PEANUT, SOYBEAN AND FIELD PEA MEALS AS EXTENDERS IN GROUND BEEF PATTIES

Defatted and steam-heated peanut, soybean and field pea meals were used to replace 5, 10 and 15% of the meat in ground beef patties. Extended patties were compared to all-beef control patties for differences in cooking losses, water and fat retention, protein content, specific volume, compression, shear, color, and sensory quality attributes. Extended patties had lower cooking losses and higher cooked yields than all-beef patties. They had high water-retention properties but were variable in fat retention. Protein content of peanut and soybean-extended patties was significantly higher and field pea patties lower than all-beef controls in the uncooked products. Extended patties had similar specific volumes to all-beef controls but required less force to compress and shear. Field pea meal used at 10 and 15% replacement levels produced the most significant color changes in cooked patties. Sensory qualities were influenced to a greater degree by meal concentration than type of meal. In general, meals at levels higher than 5% caused adverse changes in sensory quality.
Identification of a novel pathway for the in vivo regulation of fast anterograde axonal transport

Nerve cell function relies on fast axonal transport for the accurate delivery of organelles to specific compartments within the axon. Regulatory mechanisms for microtubule motor-driven motility are poorly understood. Previous work has demonstrated an important role for Cyclin-dependent protein kinase 5 (CDK5) in the regulation and maintenance of kinesin-driven motility. However, the molecular mechanisms by which this kinase positively regulates axonal transport remained unknown. In this work, pharmacological, biochemical and in vivo experiments lead to the identification of a novel regulatory pathway for the regulation of kinesin-driven motility. This pathway involves the actions of CDK5, protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) and Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK-3) enzymatic activities, which ultimately lead to detachment of kinesin from its transported cargo. We propose that, by regulating the activities and localization of individual components of this pathway, nerve cells can regulate organelle delivery within specific subcellular compartments.
Cohesive modeling of dewetting in particulate composites: micromechanics vs. multiscale finite element analysis

The effect of damage due to particle debonding on the constitutive response of highly filled composites is investigated using two multiscale homogenization schemes: one based on a closed-form micromechanics solution, and the other on the finite element implementation of the mathematical theory of homogenization. In both cases, the particle debonding process is modeled using a bilinear cohesive law which relates cohesive tractions to displacement jumps along the particle–matrix interface. The analysis is performed in plane strain with linear kinematics. A detailed comparative assessment between the two homogenization schemes is presented, with emphasis on the effect of volume fraction, particle size and particle-to-particle interaction. � 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Building Trust, Experiential Learning, and the Importance of Sovereignty: Capacity Building in Pre-Engineering Education - a Tribal College Perspective

Program success at tribal colleges and mainstream universities is often identified solely with matriculation and graduation rates. However, particularly for new STEM programs, capacity building is another key measure of success. In this paper, three of the co-authors, who are faculty members at a tribal college and participants in a multi-year collaborative pre-engineering education initiative between a tribal college and two Regental universities, provide their perspectives on capacity building in summer research activities within the alliance. The three each wrote essays reflecting on capacity building guided by pre-determined questions written by another co-author. Through qualitative analysis, we present common themes, divergent opinions, and quotations extracted from the essays from their unique perspective as faculty at a tribal college. We emphasize impacts among the partnering schools, faculty, students, and communities where the summer research activities took place. Three common themes dominated the essays including the importance of (1) building trust within the reservation community, (2) employing experiential and aspects of project-based service-learning approaches, and (3) encouraging tribal college and university leadership in the determination of research and educational foci in institutional collaborations such as ours.
A clinical survey of bleeding, thrombosis, and blood product use in decompensated cirrhosis patients

Background. The relative incidence of bleeding and thrombotic events and the use of blood products in hospitalized cirrhosis patients have not been widely reported. We aimed to estimate the magnitude of bleeding events and venous thrombosis in consecutive hospitalized cirrhotic patients over a finite time period and to examine the amount and indications for blood product use in cirrhosis patients admitted to a tertiary care center. Results. Among patients admitted with decompensated liver disease, 34 (40%) suffered bleeding events (about one-half non-variceal) and 6 patients (7%) suffered deep venous thrombosis. In the blood product survey, 168 patients were transfused with plasma or platelets during the survey intervals. Liver disease patients accounted for 7.7% of the total but disproportionately consumed 32.4% (46 of 142) of the units of plasma mostly administered as prophylaxis. In contrast, cirrhosis patients received only 7 of the 53 units of platelets transfused (13.2%) during the survey intervals. Conclusions. Coagulation issues constitute a common problem in patients with liver disease. Recent advances in laboratory testing have shown that stable cirrhosis patients are relatively hypercoagulable. The result of this prospective survey among decompensated (unstable) cirrhosis patients shows that, while DVT is not uncommon, bleeding (non-variceal in one half) remains the dominant clinical problem. This situation likely sustains the common practice of plasma infusion in these patients although its use is of unproven and questionable benefit. Better clinical tools are needed to refine clinical practice in this setting.
Bolivia: las lineas de tu mano

Ojala que haya una guerra civil. De esa manera podremos tener un gobierno revolucionario”. Asi hablaba recientemente Felipe Quispe, lider del movimiento indigena boliviano Pachakuti. La frase es un sable que se agita violentamente. Presagia tragedias sangrientas en un escenario donde seria facil apostar por continuas inestabilidades, a pesar del nombramiento del nuevo Presidente Eduardo Rodriguez. Sin embargo es de reflexionar y de no resbalar en la superficie de las cosas. La peor teoria sigue siendo aquella mediante la cual partimos de considerar, que la accion del otro, es producto de la estupidez. Debemos indagar para al menos conocer causas. La evidencia muestra que desde hace mas de 500 anos, especialmente los indigenas y los pobres de Bolivia, viven tragedias sin tregua. Lo paradojico es que este pais, como lo ilustra el analista Nestor Restivo, ha tenido los insumos productivos estrategicos, para el desarrollo mundial.
Hypocaloric Feeding of the Critically Ill

During critical illness, the stress response causes accelerated gluconeogenesis and lipolysis, leading to hyperglycemia and elevated serum triglyceride levels. The traditional nutrition support strategy of meeting or exceeding calorie requirements may compound the metabolic alterations of the stress response. Hypocaloric nutrition support has the potential to provide nutrition support without exacerbating the stress response. Studies have shown hypocaloric nutrition support to be safe and to achieve nitrogen balance comparable with traditional regimens. Benefits shown include improved glycemic control, decreased intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), and decreased ventilator days and infection rate; however, not all studies have produced identical results. Providing adequate dietary protein has emerged as an important factor in efficacy of the hypocaloric regimen. Although it is inconclusive, currently available research suggests that a nutrition support goal of 10-20 kcal/kg of ideal or adjusted weight and 1.5-2 g/kg ideal weight of protein may be beneficial during the acute stress response. Well-designed, randomized, controlled studies with adequate sample size that evaluate relevant clinical outcomes such as mortality, ICU LOS, and infection while controlling for factors such as glycemic control, severity of illness, incorporation of calories from all sources, in addition to feeding regimens, are needed to definitively determine the effects of hypocaloric nutrition support.
GPCRRD: G protein-coupled receptor spatial restraint database for 3D structure modeling and function annotation

Summary: G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise the largest family of integral membrane proteins. They are the most important class of drug targets. While there exist crystal structures for only a very few GPCR sequences, numerous experiments have been performed on GPCRs to identify the critical residues and motifs. GPCRRD database is designed to systematically collect all experimental restraints (including residue orientation, contact and distance maps) available from the literature and primary GPCR resources using an automated text mining algorithm combined with manual validation, with the purpose of assisting GPCR 3D structure modeling and function annotation. The current dataset contains thousands of spatial restraints from mutagenesis, disulfide mapping distances, electron cryo-microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy experiments. Availability: http://zhanglab.ccmb.med.umich.edu/GPCRRD/ Contact: ude.hcimu@gnhz Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Variational reduced-density-matrix theory: strength of Hamiltonian-dependent positivity conditions

Abstract Variational reduced-density-matrix (RDM) theory, employing the 2-RDM as the primary variable, has the potential to overcome the scaling limitations of configuration interaction to provide accurate electronic ground-state energies. A significant aspect of variational RDM theory is the inclusion of N-representability conditions which ensure that the 2-RDM corresponds to the N-particle wavefunction. Recent implementations of the method have mainly considered Hamiltonian-independent positivity conditions. In this Letter, we evaluate the strength of two Hamiltonian-dependent conditions. While one of the conditions is proven inactive, the positivity of the matrix S H j i = 〈 ψ | C ˆ i † [ H ˆ , C ˆ j ] | ψ 〉 provides additional N-representability conditions that may be beneficial in future RDM calculations.
Matched Asymptotic Expansions

The ideas underlying an asymptotic approximation appeared in the early 1800s when there was considerable interest in developing formulas to evaluate special functions. An example is the expansion of Bessel’s function, given in ( 1.15), that was derived by Poisson in 1823. It was not until later in the century that the concept of an asymptotic solution of a differential equation took form, and the most significant efforts in this direction were connected with celestial mechanics. The subject of this chapter, what is traditionally known as matched asymptotic expansions, appeared somewhat later. Its early history is strongly associated with fluid mechanics and, specifically, aerodynamics. The initial development of the subject is credited to Prandtl (1905), who was concerned with the flow of a fluid past a solid body (such as an airplane wing). The partial differential equations for viscous fluid flow are quite complicated, but he argued that under certain conditions the effects of viscosity are concentrated in a narrow layer near the surface of the body. This happens, for example, with air flow across an airplane wing, and a picture of this situation is shown in Fig. 2.1. This observation allowed Prandtl to go through an order-of-magnitude argument and omit terms he felt to be negligible in the equations. The result was a problem that he was able to solve. This was a brilliant piece of work, but it relied strongly on his physical intuition. For this reason there were numerous questions about his reduction that went unresolved for decades. For example, it was unclear how to obtain the correction to his approximation, and it is now thought that Prandtl’s derivation of the second term is incorrect (Lagerstrom, 1988). This predicament was resolved when Friedrichs (1941) was able to show how to systematically reduce a boundary-layer problem. In analyzing a model problem (Exercise 2.1) he used a stretching transformation to match inner and outer solutions, which is the basis of the method that is discussed in this chapter. This procedure was not new, however, as demonstrated by the way in which Gans (1915) used some of these ideas to solve problems in optics.
Assessment of a School Exclusion Policy during a Chickenpox Outbreak

Two Ohio schools experienced an outbreak of over 200 cases of chickenpox during the period from October 5 to December 21, 1988, despite adherence to the 1986 American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation that children be excluded from school for 1 week or until all lesions have crusted. In grades kindergarten through four, the attack rate for susceptibles was 51% (167/329). With the use of person-time analysis, classmates of a child with chickenpox in grades kindergarten through four were 3.6 times more likely to become a case 12-17 days (the range of one incubation period) after the last day the child with subsequent chickenpox was in class than at any other time during the 2.5-month study period (95% confidence interval (Cl) 2.4-5.4). This was even more pronounced during the first half of the outbreak (relative risk (RR), 10.8; 95% Cl 4.4-26.5). Cases were not more likely to aggregate 12-17 days after a child returned to school after having chickenpox (RR, 0.9; 95% Cl 0.5-1.5). No cases occurred in classmates 12-17 days after the 15 children absent less than 5 days returned to class. Because substantial chickenpox transmission may occur before rash onset, exclusion practices may have a limited effect on outbreak control and increase the indirect costs associated with chickenpox.
Self-reported urinary continence outcomes for repeat midurethral synthetic sling placement

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate our experience with tension-free transvaginal tape (TVT) placement for the management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women who had previously undergone a failed midurethral synthetic sling (MUS) procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten women underwent retropubic TVT insertion for continued or recurrent SUI following a prior MUS procedure. No attempt was made to remove the previously placed sling at the time of surgery. A retrospective chart review was performed to obtain perioperative and follow-up patient information. Post-operatively, each patient completed a mailed incontinence questionnaire to assess self-reported urinary continence outcomes. RESULTS: All 10 women were available for follow-up at a mean period of 16 months (range 6 to 33). Four of the 10 patients achieved complete continence, and another three patients reported significantly improved continence and quality of life. Three women stated that their continence did not improve. CONCLUSIONS: TVT placement may be a viable option for the management of women with persistent or recurrent SUI following an initial MUS procedure.
A Regimen of Taxol, Ifosfamide, and Platinum for Recurrent Advanced Squamous Cell Cancer of the Anal Canal

The typically recommended chemotherapy options in metastatic anal cancer generally yield partial remissions with limited benefit for the majority of patients. TIP is a regimen containing paclitaxel (Taxol), ifosfamide, and cisplatin that is known to have significant activity in patients with squamous cell cancers of the head and neck as well as in cervical cancer, both of which are malignancies strongly associated with oncogenic strains of human papilloma virus (HPV). Interestingly, squamous cell cancer of the anal canal shares an almost identical pathophysiology including causal association with HPV. Due to this, we chose to use the TIP regimen to treat patients with advanced anal cancer at our institution and report our findings on three such consecutive patients. All the patients tolerated the regimen well with manageable side effects and had excellent responses with complete resolution of PET activity after treatment. Our observations suggest that TIP is highly active for squamous cell cancer of the anal canal and warrants further study in the treatment of this disease.
Self-Control and Variability Over Time: Multivariate Results Using a 5-Year, Multisite Panel of Youths:

Gottfredson and Hirschi claimed, as part of their general theory of crime, that a child’s criminal propensity, what they called level of self-control, is fairly fixed by age 10. Low self-control children, they further claimed, exhibit greater proclivities for delinquency and analogous behaviors than children with high levels of self-control. They see selfcontrol levels for children at both ends of the spectrum—and their propensities for crime and analogous behaviors—as immutable over the life course. The authors explore the self-control levels, self-reported illegal behavior, and supporting attitudes exhibited by a panel of youths from in six cities at five points in time. Some of our findings substantiated Gottfredson and Hirschi’s claims (e.g., claims linking self-control, sex, and race or ethnicity); however, other findings are at odds with their theory (e.g., the unchanging nature of self-control). The authors review the implications of these findings for self-control theory.
Ultrastructural features of cardiac muscle cells in a tarantula spider

The ultrastructural features of cardiac muscle cells and their innervation were examined in the tarantula spider Eurypelma marxi Simon. The cells are transversely striated and have an A band length of about three microns. H zones are indistinct and M lines are absent. Thick and thin myofilament diameters are approximately 200 and 70 A respectively. Eight to 12 thin filaments usually surround each thick one. Accumulations of thick and thin myofilaments occur perpendicular to the bulk of the myofilaments in some cells. The Z line is discontinuous and thick filaments may pass through the spaces in the Z line. Extensive systems of sarcoplasmic reticulum and transverse tubules are present; these form numerous dyadic junctions in both A and I band regions. Sarcolemmal invaginations form Z line tubules; lateral extensions of the plasma membrane portion of these invaginations form dyads. Nerve branches of the cardiac ganglion make multiple neuromuscular synapses with at least some of the cardiac muscle cells. Both large granular and small agranular vesicles are present in the presynaptic terminals. Intercalated discs similar to those present in other arthropod hearts occur between the ends of adjacent cardiac muscle cells.
Genetic variation in human P450 oxidoreductase.

Catalysis by all 50 Type II (microsomal) P450 enzymes, including steroidogenic P450c17, P450c21, and P450aro and hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes requires electron donation from P450 oxidoreductase (POR). POR knockout mice are embryonic lethal, but human POR mutations cause a complex disorder of steroidogenesis. Disorders of hepatic drug metabolism in human POR deficiency have not yet been described. To understand the potential contribution of POR to pharmacogenetics, we sequenced the POR gene in 842 normal persons from 4 ethnic groups. We detected 140 single nucleotide sequence variants of which 43 were in >1% of alleles, including 15 missense mutants; this brings the total of known POR missense mutants to 35. A503V was found on 28% of alleles, varying from 19% in African Americans to 37% in Chinese Americans. We expressed all 35 missense mutants in E. coli and assayed their activities to: oxidize NADPH, reduce cytochrome c, support the 17α-hydroxylase and 17,20 lyase activities of bacterially expressed human P450c17, and support the metabolism of fluorogenic EOMCC by bacterially expressed human CYP1A2 and CYP2C19. These data show that there are great differences in the activities of some POR mutants depending on the electron recipient assayed; for example, Q153R causes severely impaired steroid biosynthesis in human patients and in vitro, but is a gain-of-function mutant with CYP1A2 and 2C19. A503V reduces both activities of P450c17 in half, but had no effect on CYP1A2 or 2C19. POR variants are a previously unappreciated source of genetic variation in patterns of steroid synthesis and drug metabolism.
Reconstructing enhanced resolution images from spaceborne microwave sensors

Low resolution has limited the land applications of space-borne microwave remote sensors, particularly radiometers. To overcome this limitation, the authors apply two image enhancement algorithms to radiometer data for land and ice studies: a modified version of the scatterometer image reconstruction algorithm and the Backus and Gilbert inversion technique. The authors compare these methods' effectiveness over land and ice areas by imaging radiometric data from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and the Seasat-A Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) as well as the Seasat-A (SASS) and the ERS-1 scatterometer. The image resolution depends on the footprint shape in addition to the footprint size. Inverse filtering improves image quality by compensating for the microwave sensor's intrinsic low pass filtering. Methods are described for developing the inverse filter. >
Support theorems for unbounded convex sets

We present some generalizations of Helgason support theorem for functions with unbounded convex support.