cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mixed mode crack propagation studied by the Yeh-Stratton criterion

Abstract The angled crack problem is examined with the Yeh-Stratton criterion in the form of the maximum principal stress theory of isotropic materials. The angle of fracture and the fracture load as a function of a crack angle are computed for simple uniaxial, biaxial and in-plane shear loadings. The predictions are compared with experimental data. The two-dimensional crack tip stresses for a general loading case are obtained by the principle of superposition.
Dextromethorphan ameliorates effects of neonatal hypoxia on brain morphology and seizure threshold in rats

Hypoxic injury to the brain is mediated in part by NMDA receptors. Therefore, NMDA receptor blockade with dextromethorphan (DM), a non-competitive channel blocker, was hypothesized to ameliorate injury even when given after the hypoxic insult. Rats were exposed to 8% oxygen for 3 h on postnatal day 7. Within 20 min of exposure, animals received 30 mg/kg i.p. DM or normal saline. Littermates maintained in room air for 3 h also received DM or saline. At 14 days of age, 7 days after exposure, cortical thickness and hippocampal area were measured. At 70-90 days of age, approximately two months after exposure, in a separate group of rats, seizure threshold using pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) and passive avoidance learning and retention were determined. There were no gross changes in cellular morphology and no evidence for cellular necrosis in any of the exposure groups. However, cortical thickness was decreased in animals exposed to hypoxia. DM administration prevented this decrease. Hippocampal area was unaffected. Seizure susceptibility in adulthood was increased in animals exposed to hypoxia in the neonatal period. DM prevented the decrease in seizure threshold. There was no difference in passive avoidance learning or retention as a function of neonatal exposure condition. Mild to moderate hypoxia, previously thought not to produce any histologic changes, causes significant short-term loss of cortical thickness and long-term decrease in seizure threshold. DM appears to ameliorate these effects even when given after the hypoxic insult. These results implicate the glutamate receptor system in the pathophysiology of hypoxia damage and suggest that treatment with a glutamate receptor blocker when neonatal asphyxia is suspected would help ameliorate the consequences of such an insult.
Torsion automorphisms of simple Lie algebras

An automorphism σ of a simple finite dimensional complex Lie algebra g is called torsion, if σ has finite order in the group Aut(g) of all automorphisms of g. The torsion automorphisms of g were classified by Victor Kac in [11], as an application of his results on infinite dimensional Lie algebras. Those torsion automorphisms contained in the identity component G = Aut(g)◦ are called inner; they were classified in 1927 by Elie Cartan [5] who used (and perhaps introduced) the affine Weyl group and the geometry of alcoves for this purpose. This paper extends Cartan’s method to cover all torsion automorphisms of g, thereby recovering Kac’s classification directly from the geometry of the affine Weyl group, without the use of infinite dimensional Lie algebras. The desire for such a treatment arose from the work of Benedict Gross and myself on adjoint gamma factors of discrete Langlands parameters, which involves the characteristic polynomials of torsion automorphisms. Jean-Pierre Serre pointed us to Cartan’s paper, which led to the reformulation of Kac’s classification presented here. Gross’ insights, examples, predictions and requests have helped form this paper, through many discussions and his careful reading of an earlier version. In particular, Gross suggested that the inner case be treated in detail, before studying general torsion automorphisms. Throughout, I make frequent use Kostant’s theory of the principal PGL2, along with conjugacy results of Segal and Steinberg. I include some facts about centers and component groups of centralizers that may not have appeared in the literature, and the last section gives a twisted analogue (Prop. 4.1) of a result of Kostant on principal elements. These complements are used in [8].
Recent developments in clinical acupuncture.

Recent developments in the field of clinical acupuncture in the USA and worldwide are reviewed. The discovery of β-endorphin in support of acupuncture pain relief is discussed. Other neurotransmitters in relation to the mechanism of action of acupuncture are examined. The uses of acupuncture in treating functional disorders are listed and discussed. Supporting evidence from animal experimentation is examined. The electro-acupuncture according to Voll (EAV) system is introduced as a means to standardize the therapeutic effectiveness of acupuncture. With standardization of the therapeutic effectiveness of this procedure, the author sees acupuncture as a simple, economical and effective treatment modality.
Danazol for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare clonal stem-cell disorder in which blood cells lack complement inhibiting membrane proteins, and become susceptible to complement-mediated injury, leading to chronic intravascular hemolysis and pancytopenia. Glucocorticoids have been a mainstay of therapy. For patients refractory to glucocorticoids and requiring blood transfusions, an alternative therapy is needed. We studied danazol therapy in 5 patients refractory to other treatments. Four of the 5 benefited, showing rise in hematocrit and eventual cessation of transfusion requirements. Remissions lasted > or =2 years in 3 and 10 years in 1 patient. Danazol was well-tolerated without serious side effects. Danazol appears to be a good alternative treatment in PNH.
Noncommutative self-identity aggregation

Abstract We introduce a number of properties associated with the aggregation of scores. Notable among these is the property of self-identity. The property of commutativity is discussed and a number of situations in which this is an inappropriate condition to assume are presented. Motivated by these examples we consider a linear class of noncommutative aggregation operators. We show how the requirement of self-identity imposes a useful restriction on the weights associated with this aggregation. A number of special families of this class are investigated.
Predicting temperature-dependence viscosity of vegetable oils from fatty acid composition

The viscosities of 12 vegetable oils were experimentally determined as a function of temperature (5 to 95°C) by means of a temperature-controlled rheometer. Viscosities of the oil samples decreased exponentially with temperature. Of the three models [modified Williams-Landel-Ferry (WLF), power law and Arrhenius] that were used to describe the effects of temperature on viscosity, the modified WLF model gave the best fit. The amounts of monounsaturated FA or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) highly correlated (R 2>0.82) with the viscosities of the oil samples whereas and the amounts of saturated or unsaturated FA. An exponential equation was therefore used to relate the viscosity of these vegetable oil samples to the amounts of monounsaturated FA or PUFA. The models developed are valuable for designing or evaluating systems and equipment that are involved in the storage, handling, and processing of vegetable oils.
Improved approximation results for stochastic knapsack problems

In the stochastic knapsack problem, we are given a set of items each associated with a probability distribution on sizes and a profit, and a knapsack of unit capacity. The size of an item is revealed as soon as it is inserted into the knapsack, and the goal is to design a policy that maximizes the expected profit of items that are successfully inserted into the knapsack. The stochastic knapsack problem is a natural generalization of the classical knapsack problem, and arises in many applications, including bandwidth allocation, budgeted learning, and scheduling.An adaptive policy for stochastic knapsack specifies the next item to be inserted based on observed sizes of the items inserted thus far. The adaptive policy can have an exponentially large explicit description and is known to be PSPACE-hard to compute. The best known approximation for this problem is a (3 + e)-approximation for any e > 0. Our first main result is a relaxed PTAS (Polynomial Time Approximation Scheme) for the adaptive policy, that is, for any e > 0, we present a poly-time computable (1 + e)-approximate adaptive policy when knapsack capacity is relaxed to 1+e. At a high-level, the proof is based on transforming an arbitrary collection of item size distributions to canonical item size distributions that admit a compact description. We then establish a coupling that shows a (1 + e)-approximation can be achieved for the original problem by a canonical policy that makes decisions at each step by observing events drawn from the sample space of canonical size distributions. Finally, we give a mechanism for approximating the optimal canonical policy.Our second main result is an (8/3 + e)-approximate adaptive policy for any e > 0 without relaxing the knapsack capacity, improving the earlier (3 + e)-approximation result. Interestingly, we obtain this result by using the PTAS described above. We establish an existential result that the optimal policy for the knapsack with capacity 1 can be folded to get a policy with expected profit 3OPT/8 for a knapsack with capacity (1 − e), with capacity relaxed to 1 only for the first item inserted. We then use our PTAS result to compute the (1 + e)-approximation to such policy.Our techniques also yield a relaxed PTAS for non-adaptive policies. Finally, we also show that our ideas can be extended to yield improved approximation guarantees for multi-dimensional and fixed set variants of the stochastic knapsack problem.
The efficacy of single-component brief motivational interventions among at-risk college drinkers.

Objective: College students are an at-risk population for heavy drinking and negative alcohol-related outcomes. Research has established that brief, multicomponent motivational interviewing-based interventions can be effective at reducing alcohol use or related problems, but less is known about the efficacy of individual components within these interventions. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of 2 single-component, in-person, brief (15-20 min) alcohol interventions: personalized normative feedback (PNF) and protective behavioral strategies feedback (PBSF). Method: Data were collected on 365 undergraduate students from a large Midwestern university (65% women; 89% White) who were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: PNF, PBSF, or alcohol education (AE). Participants completed measures of alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, social norms, and protective behavioral strategies. Results: Results indicated that the PNF intervention was efficacious relative to the other conditions at reducing alcohol use and that its effects at 6-month follow-up were mediated by changes in perceived norms at the 1-month follow-up. The PBSF intervention was not efficacious at reducing alcohol use or alcohol-related problems. Conclusions: These findings provide support for the efficacy of an in-person PNF intervention and theoretical support for the hypothesized mechanisms of change in the intervention. Implications for researchers and clinicians are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Enabling inverse metabolic engineering through genomics

Abstract Inverse metabolic engineering (IME) is a powerful framework for engineering cellular phenotypes. Progress in this field has been limited by a lack of comprehensive methods for efficiently identifying the genetic basis of relevant phenotypes. Advances in genomics technologies, including DNA microarrays and gene sequencing, have dramatically improved our ability to relate changes in phenotype with associated changes in genotype. When applied in the context of IME, these tools should enable the integration of ‘evolutionary’ and ‘direct’ approaches to engineering cell physiology, which should improve our understanding of the complex interactions affecting the expression, evolution and engineering of traits in natural and industrial hosts.
Effect of Postmortem Storage on Titin and Nebulin in Pork and Poultry Light and Dark Muscles

Purified myofibrils were prepared from samples of chicken breast and thigh muscles and from light and dark portions of pork semitendinosus muscle at death and after storage at 4° and 22°C for 1, 3, and 7 days postmortem. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was used to examine the effect of postmortem storage of muscle on titin and nebulin. Results indicated that titin and nebulin were more rapidly degraded in light than in dark chicken muscle. In contrast, titin and nebulin were more rapidly degraded in dark than in light pork muscle.
Assembly of Hybrid Bacteriophage Qβ Virus-Like Particles

Bacteriophage Qβ coat protein forms uniform virus-like particles when expressed recombinantly in a variety of organisms. We have inserted the IgG-binding Z domain at the carboxy terminus of the coa...
Musicians' Preferences for Tempo and Pitch Levels in Recorded Orchestral Music.

This study was designed to ascertain musicians’ tempo and pitch level preferences when listening to orchestral music. Ninety graduate and undergraduate music major students were assigned randomly to one of three groups. Participants listened individually to recorded symphonic excerpts, 5 with relatively fast and 5 with relatively slow tempos. Listeners in the tempo group modulated a dial to adjust tempos to their preferred levels for each of the 10 excerpts (pitch was unchanged). Similarly, pitch group participants turned the dial to modify pitch to preferred levels (tempo was unchanged). For the combination tempo/pitch group, turning the dial produced changes in both pitch and tempo concomitantly.The range of modulation for all groups encompassed ±18% relative to the original recording. Listeners preferred increased levels of tempo, pitch, and tempo/pitch combined for the relatively slow excerpts. For fast tempo examples, however, listeners preferred decreased tempos, little change in pitch, and slightly...
Remote Sensing Applications and Interactive Analyses in Marine Fisheries Research

The combination of remotely sensed data,in-situ data, and now fairly routine interactive analysis techniques is a powerful way to examine marine phenomena, and to further explore and understand relationships between organisms and their ocean environment. Although such analyses are being performed in special cases on several systems, a system has yet to be developed and fully exploited by marine fisheries researchers.
Achieving color uniformity across multi-projector displays

Large area tiled displays are gaining popularity for use in collaborative immersive virtual environments and scientific visualization. While recent work has addressed the issues of geometric registration, rendering architectures, and human interfaces, there has been relatively little work on photometric calibration in general, and photometric non-uniformity in particular. For example, as a result of differences in the photometric characteristics of projectors, the color and intensity of a large area display varies from place to place. Further, the imagery typically appears brighter at the regions of overlap between adjacent projectors. We analyze and classify the causes of photometric non-uniformity in a tiled display. We then propose a methodology for determining corrections designed to achieve uniformity, that can correct for the photometric variations across a tiled projector display in real time using per channel color look-up-tables (LUT).
Water-Soluble Copolymers .55. N-Isopropylacrylamide-Co-Acrylamide Copolymers in Drag Reduction: Effect of Molecular-Structure, Hydration, and Flow Geometry on Drag Reduction Performance

Non-ionic, hydrophobically associating, water soluble N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide (IPAM) copolymers have been synthesized and characterized specifically for the study of drag reduction. The drag reduction (DR) performance has been measured with a rotating disk rheometer and a capillary flow apparatus. The DR studies were performed in deionized water, 0.514 M NaCl and 1 M urea. DR efficiency is dependent on copolymer structure, composition, and solvation. Copolymers showing intermediate values of hydrophobic character are found to be the most effective drag reducers. For this copolymer series, IPAM-70 (the copolymer synthesized with 70 mole% N-isopropylacrylamide in the feed) is the most efficient drag reducer. The DR properties of the IPAM copolymers are influenced by hydrophobic associations as well as hydrogen bonding. The effects of salts from the Hofmeister series, cosolvents such as dioxane, and temperature are also examined. Drag reduction performance of the various copolymers is correlated to empirical relationships involving degree of polymerization, second virial coefficient or other solvation parameters, and concentration.
Early identification of Mexican American children who are at risk for becoming obese.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the problem of obesity in Mexican American children and provide a method for identifying Mexican American children at risk for obesity. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and retrospective cohort study. SUBJECTS: Mexican American children, ages 5–11 (kindergarten (K)–5th grade) were studied in cross-sectional (girls=463, boys=448) and retrospective (girls=124, boys=92) samples. MEASUREMENTS: Weights (kg) and heights (cm) were extracted from each child’s school medical records. Measurements were made by the school nurses (one nurse per school). Body mass index (BMI [w/h2]) was calculated from obtained weights and heights. RESULTS: The prevalence of obesity in the cross-sectional sample was 27.4% for girls and 23.0% for boys. The highest prevalence was noted in 4th grade for both the girls (32.4%) and boys (43.4%). The 5 year incidence rates derived from the retrospective sample were 17.7% for girls and 21.1% for boys. The largest increase in the number of girls becoming obese was observed between K and 1st grade (15.6%). The largest increase for boys was found between the 1st and 2nd grades (13.2%). Logistic regression parameters were calculated to estimate the probability of becoming obese in 5th grade given a child’s K BMI. Using the generated equation, BMIs in K equal to 16.5, 20.9, and 23.7 would have a 21.0%, 70.0%, and 91.0% probability of being obese by 5th grade. CONCLUSION: This study provides schools with a simple procedure for identifying Mexican American children at risk for obesity. This procedure may assist in the development and implementation of interventions aimed at averting the onset of obesity in this population.
Carbon trends of productive temperate forests of the coterminous United States

Carbon trends of U. S. timberlands reflect past and current harvesting patterns and forest growth. Using periodic forest inventory data coupled with the Carbon Budget Model, we estimate C inventory from 1952 to the present, and project future trends through 2070. Two sets of projections are presented, one based on economically derived harvest levels and the other assuming no harvests after 1990. Productive forests sequester an average of 250 Tg C yr-1 from 1952-1987, but projections under expected harvests assuming no changes in growing conditions indicate this rate will fall to 60 Tg C yr-1 from 1987 to at least 2050, and then become a C source by 2070. Carbon sequestered in products and landfills over the projection period average 75 Tg C yr-1. An estimated 328 Tg C yr-1 would be sequestered if harvesting ceased.
Setting Events and Behavioral Disorders of Children and Youth An Interbehavioral Field Analysis for Research and Practice

Students' behavioral disorders, particularly acting out behaviors (aggression, opposition, tantrums, etc.), have constituted a major area of study for researchers and a continuing challenge for teachers, school counselors, and mental health workers. A number of theoretical models have been advanced, but learning models have been particularly successful in identifying the immediate environmental events that contribute to the development and maintenance of children's behavior problems and in helping researchers develop effective, practical intervention programs. There also has been increasing recognition that a student's behavior is determined not only by the immediate social antecedents and consequences of that behavior, but also by the physical and psychological “contexts” in which those interactions occur. This article focuses on the expansion of social learning to incorporate contextual variables in an empirically and conceptually consistent fashion. Kantor's interbehavioral field model and, particularl...
Stoichiometric cerium compounds as scintillators. I. CeF/sub 3/

The authors present a study of the scintillation cerium trifluoride, CeF/sub 3/. They have investigated spectroscopy of CeF/sub 3/ using optical and ionizing radiation excitations. It was shown that rapid quenching of Ce emission in this material was responsible for the loss of about 50% of the light output and generated the so-called ultra-fast component. This ultra-fast component provided evidence of nonradiative quenching, and therefore limited the efficiency. Additional competition came from unidentified centers, probably due to perturbed Ce ions. Although the light output of CeF/sub 3/ was only about 50% of BGO, the potential for large improvement was demonstrated. >
Trust at Different Organizational Levels

Abstract The authors explore the effects of trust at three distinct organizational levels in a marketing collaboration: interorganizational trust between collaborating firms, each firm's agency trust in its own representatives assigned to a collaborative entity (coentity), and intraentity trust among the representatives assigned to the coentity. Dyadic survey and longitudinal objective performance data from 114 international joint ventures indicate that trust at each level has unique effects but similarly influences the collaborating firms' resource investments or the coentity's use of those resources. Interorganizational and agency trust motivate resource investments in the coentity, particularly in the context of a differentiation strategy, whereas intraentity trust promotes coordination within the coentity, and interorganizational trust and a differentiation strategy magnify that effect. Intraentity trust can also undermine coentity responsiveness to environmental change, especially when joined by inte...
RADIATION INDUCED VERTEBRAL OSTEOSARCOMA FOLLOWING TREATMENT OF AN INTRADURAL EXTRAMEDULLARY SPINAL CORD TUMOR IN A DOG

A 2-year-old neutered female Rottweiler diagnosed with an intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumor at T12-T13 was successfully treated with cytoreductive surgery followed by Cobalt 60 tele-therapy. The dog was euthanised 5-and-a-half years later following diagnosis of an osteosarcoma involving the LI and L2 vertebrae. Evidence of the initial tumor was not present at necropsy. The vertebral neoplasm fulfilled all of the accepted criteria for a radiation induced tumor. It was concluded that adjunctive irradiation should be considered for treatment of intradural extramedullary tumors of young dogs when total surgical resection is not possible. Although tumor induction is a rare late effect of radiation therapy, the risk of this occurrence should be considered when irradiating young animals. Radiation induced tumors in dogs have been associated with coarse fractionation schemes, or when large intraoperative doses have been administered. A lower dose per fraction, e.g., 3 Gy/fraction or less, is advisable when irradiating young dogs or any dog in which the life expectancy is 3–5 or more years after irradiation.
A computational study of a fluorescent photoinduced electron transfer (PET) sensor for cations

Ab initio molecular orbital theory and density functional theory with the 6-31G(d,p) basis set have been used to calculate the structural parameters of a fluorescent photoinduced electron transfer (PET) sensor for cations and its zinc complex. The optimized geometries are compared with the X-ray crystal structures of N-(9-anthracenylmethyl)–N-[(2-pyridinyl)methyl]-2-pyridinemethanamine and [N-(9-anthracenylmethyl)-N-[(2-pyridinyl-κN)methyl]-2-pyridinemethanamine-κN1, κN2]dichlorozinc. Although the X-ray studies are based on solid-phase structures and the computational studies are based on gas-phase structures, comparisons of the data show significant agreement between the two sets of geometric parameters. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004
The conversion of 7-3H-pregnenolone and 4-14C-progesterone to testosterone and androstenedione by mammalian fetal testes in vitro

Abstract Homogenates of testes from fetal rats, armadillos, guinea-pigs and dogs converted 7-3H-pregnenolone and 4-14C-progesterone to testosterone (major product) and androstenedione during in vitro incubations. Except with canine testes, conversion was efficient. These results, in conjunction with data obtained from studies with human and rabbit testes, establish the capacity of fetal testes of a range of mammalian species to synthesize testosterone from steroidal precursors. It is suggested that the capacity of the adult mammalian testes to synthesize C19 steroids, particularly testosterone, is established during fetal development.
Density distributions of human squamous carcinoma cells: influence of growth conditions, proliferative status and DNA content.

Human squamous carcinoma cells (A431, CaSki) were grown in vitro as multicellular spheroids or as exponential and plateau-phase monolayer cultures. Single-cell suspensions were obtained by disaggregating the spheroids and monolayer cultures with trypsin-EDTA. Their buoyant density distributions were then compared by centrifuging the suspensions for 30 min at about 800gave and 4 degrees C in linear, continuous Percoll gradients. We found differences in buoyant density related to the growth condition (i.e. cells grown as spheroids or plateau-phase cultures were more dense than those from exponential cultures) and to the cell-line (i.e. CaSki cells were more dense than the A431 cells). Cells isolated from the inner layers of the spheroids appeared to be less dense than those from the outer layers. In addition, quiescent cells separated from the A431 spheroids by centrifugal elutriation, a technique based on cell size, were more dispersed in buoyant density than the corresponding proliferating cells recovered from the same spheroids. Flow cytometric analysis with mithramycin was performed to measure the DNA content of the cells. We found that the CaSki cells contained relatively more DNA than the A431 cells whereas, for the same cell line, growth as monolayer cultures or as multicellular spheroids did not influence their relative DNA content. We conclude that the growth conditions, the proliferative status of the cells and possibly their relative DNA content may influence the density distribution of these cells.
A model referenced method for the identification of evoked potential component wave forms

Visual evoked potentials from rat visual cortex are described as the sum of components. Each component wave form is based on a mathematical model of neural activity. The model referenced approach yields an accurate description of the evoked potential wave forms before and after administration of an anesthetic known to alter neural activity. Thus, the method is efficient, is based in neurophysiology and is sensitive to drug effect on brain activity.
Satellite transmitter attachment techniques for small juvenile sea turtles

Abstract Three trials comprised of 4, 16, and 8 captive-reared juvenile loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta ) were run for 164, 134, and 213 d, respectively, to evaluate platform terminal transmitter (PTT) attachment methods. Power-Fast® epoxy-only (PF-only) and Power-Fast®/Sonic-Weld® epoxy putty (PF/SW) protocols were tested in each trial, and the latter trials also included experimental, less-rigid methods incorporating 1.5 and 3.0 mm neoprene. Protocols were modified slightly for the latter trials compared to those of the first, utilizing coarser sandpaper for site preparation and discarding initial “squeezes” of epoxy. Despite a low average growth rate (0.012 cm/d), three of four PTTs were shed from the loggerheads in Trial 1. All PTTs remained attached in Trial 2 after an average straight carapace length (SCL) increase of 3.4 cm (0.024 cm/d), suggesting that protocol modifications improved upon Trial 1 methods. One 3.0-mm neoprene attachment and a PF-only attachment were shed during Trial 3 after SCL increases of 3.7 and 5.4 cm, respectively. The other six PTTs remained attached after an average SCL increase of 9.6 cm (0.045 cm/d), but significant gaps occurred along the perimeters of the three remaining non-neoprene attachments. Two neoprene attachments became loose along the edges while their centers remained secure, suggesting that carefully-applied neoprene attachments may be beneficial for tracking smaller, faster-growing sea turtles.
Milestones in periodontal research and the remaining critical issues.

A significant recent development in periodontal research has been the convergence of basic and clinical research resulting in a logarithmic increase in the rate of progress. Scientific consensus has been reached in many areas. In most populations, moderate to severe periodontilis affects a relatively small segment of adults who are at high risk. The microbial etiology is accepted and the identity of the major pathogenic bacterial species is known. The mechanisms through which resistant individuals successfully fend off the microbial challenge are known, and the immuno-inflammatory pathways activated by bacteria that underlie destruction of the alveolar bone and the connective tissues of the periodontium are reasonably well understood. The evidence shows that these pathways are held in common by all forms of periodontitis. Therapeutic modulation of these pathways is now possible, and new treatments based on such modulation are now becoming available. Although bacteria are essential for disease to occur, they are insufficient; a susceptible host is also necessary. Host susceptibility, disease progression and response to treatment are determined predominantly by heredity and environmental and acquired risk factors. Some of these can be changed while others are immutable. Concepts and procedures for treatment are generally scientifically based and appropriately applied. Preventive measures are largely successful and widely practiced in industrialized countries. Clearly, control of these ancient chronic diseases is now within our reach. In spite of the tremendous progress, many unresolved issues remain. The purpose of this paper is to summarize some of the major accomplishments of periodontal research, and identify and discuss some of the more important critical issues that still need to be addressed.
Construction of ultrastable porphyrin Zr metal-organic frameworks through linker elimination

A series of highly stable MOFs with 3-D nanochannels, namely PCN-224 (no metal, Ni, Co, Fe), have been assembled with six-connected Zr6 cluster and metalloporphyrins by a linker-elimination strategy. The PCN-224 series not only exhibits the highest BET surface area (2600m2/g) among all the reported porphyrinic MOFs but also remains intact in pH = 0 to pH = 11 aqueous solution. Remarkably, PCN-224(Co) exhibits high catalytic activity for the CO2/propylene oxide coupling reaction and can be used as a recoverable heterogeneous catalyst.
Whole Genome Profiling of Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Tissue Distinguishes HER2-Positive and -Negative Breast Tumors.

Background: Gene expression profiling is an important tool in prediction, prognosis, and cancer modeling. The DASL® assay (cDNA –mediated Annealing, extension, Selection, and Ligation; Illumina; San Diego, CA) is a gene expression profiling system designed for degraded RNAs such as those derived from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor samples. FFPE tumor samples are invaluable resources for cancer research, being the most widely available materials for which patient outcomes are known. Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of Illumina9s Whole Genome DASL platform (24,526; 24K) at distinguishing HER2-positive (HER2+) from HER2-negative (HER2-) FFPE breast tumors. Methods: We measured the relative gene expression of biological and technical replicates using nine HER2+ and 11 HER2- primary breast tumors from patients that were all node-positive and estrogen receptor-positive. The HER2 status of the tumors was determined using the Dako Hercept Test following the 2007 ASCO/CAP guidelines for HER2 positivity. The non-background corrected probe-expression data were exported from Illumina BeadStudio software and normalized using the software R and the function fastlo. Log2 transformed expression values were used to obtain the relative gene expression per probe. Spearman correlations were calculated between both types of replicates. Unequal-variance t-tests were conducted to test for differences in expression levels between HER2+ and HER2- tumors. An overall ERBB2 gene expression level was calculated by taking the average of the three ERBB2 probes for each tumor across all replicates. To simulate the possible outcome if only one replicate of each tumor was measured for gene expression, differential expression was tested for all possible combinations of single replicate probe expression values. Results: Spearman correlations for technical and biological replicates within tumor samples ranged from 0.9804 – 0.9946, and 0.9822 – 0.9945, respectively. The overall ERBB2 gene expression was significantly lower in HER2- tumors than in HER2+ tumors (p = 0.0000018). The top five most differentially expressed genes (p Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 6127.
Turning photographs into abstract expressionist paintings

During the recent history of painting there has been several movements who tried to obtain an illusion of flattened 3D space. Cubists employed multi-perspective views to flatten the 3D space [Meadows and Akleman 2000]. Impressionists and abstract expressionists, on the other hand, flattened 3D space with layers of paints to make objects fuzzy. A particular paint layering technique is impasto, which is introduced by impressionist artists such as Claude Monet or Vincent VanGogh [Schaefer et al. 2008]. Another paint layering technique is drip painting, which is introduced by abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock [Taylor 1999]. Abstract expressionism became popularized throughout the 20th century with artists such as Robert Jay Wolff, Franz Kline, Willem de Kooning, Larry Rivers, and Robert Motherwell [Ross 1990]. Unlike Pollock, most abstract expressionist painters uses impasto to obtain flatten effect and further transform images from flattened 3D representational form to abstract. Many of the abstract expressionists painted layers upon layers of paint until they were satisfied with a result. For instance, in Woman by Willem de Kooning, we may make sense of a set of eyes and a mouth, but it is really through the name of the painting that we associate a human form with the image. This abstraction is obtained by applying paint in consistent impastos which thin out to the canvas in a few places while rising elsewhere to heavy ridges.
The role of the kidney in the homeostatic adjustments of congestive heart failure.

Abstract Although the role of the autonomic nervous system in the reflex regulation of the circulation has long been known, until recently little attention has been focused on the increased sympathetic activity of patients with progressive cardiac disease. 22,23 Furthermore, preoccupation with the late stages of the disease has tended to obscure the evidence that changes in salt and water metabolism are present in heart disease long before overt signs of failure. In recent years a considerable body of data has been accumulated concerning the role of the adrenal cortex in fluid and water balance in congestive heart failure, but little information has been available regarding the role of the nervous system in the regulation of fluid volume. Data obtained in dogs with progressive valvular damage offer evidence that changes of a nervous reflex nature occur early in heart disease and may play a major role in the fluid accumulation of congestive heart failure.
13C NMR snapshots of the complex reaction coordinate of pyridoxal phosphate synthase.

The predominant biosynthetic route to vitamin B6 is catalyzed by a single enzyme. The synthase subunit of this enzyme, Pdx1, operates in concert with the glutaminase subunit, Pdx2, to catalyze the complex condensation of ribose 5-phosphate, glutamine and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate to form pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, the active form of vitamin B6. In previous studies it became clear that many if not all of the reaction intermediates were covalently bound to the synthase subunit, thus making them difficult to isolate and characterize. Here we show that it is possible to follow a single turnover reaction by heteronuclear NMR using 13C- and 15N-labeled substrates as well as 15N-labeled synthase. By denaturing the enzyme at points along the reaction coordinate, we solved the structures of three covalently bound intermediates. This analysis revealed a new 1,5 migration of the lysine amine linking the intermediate to the enzyme during the conversion of ribose 5-phosphate to pyridoxal 5′-phosphate.
Occurrence of Sitodiplosis mosellana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and its parasitoid, Macroglenes penetrans (Hymenoptera: Platygasteridae), in northeastern Montana.

La cecidomyie du ble, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Gehin), est un ravageur peu frequent mais devastateur qui est present dans l'ouest de l'Amerique du Nord depuis au moins 100 ans. Ceci est la premiere mention publiee de la presence de la cecidomyie du ble et de son parasitoide Macroglenes penetrans (Kirby) au Montana. Des inventaires annuels ont ete realises dans des comtes de Daniels, Roosevelt, Sheridan et Valley du nord-est du Montana pendant 5 ans (2000-2004) a l'aide d'une methode systematique de prelevement des sols pour recolter des larves de la cecidomyie du ble qui y hivernent. De plus, en 2004, des epis de ble infestes ont ete recoltes dans 10 champs dans le comte de Sheridan et les cecidomyies du ble et leurs parasitoides ont ete mis en elevage. La cecidomyie du ble se retrouve dans les quatre comtes, bien qu'en nombres reduits. Les densites varient en fonction des annees et des sites et les densites les plus fortes (>200 larves de cecidomyies/m 2 ) s'observent dans les comtes de Sheridan et de Roosevelt. Macroglenes penetrans est present dans les 10 sites d'echantillonnage et represente jusqu'a 52 % des adultes (cecidomyies et parasitoides) qui emergent.
Mortality risks among persons reporting same-sex sexual partners: evidence from the 2008 General Social Survey-National Death Index data set.

Objectives. We investigated the possibility that men who have sex with men (MSM) and women who have sex with women (WSW) may be at higher risk for early mortality associated with suicide and other sexual orientation–associated health risks.Methods. We used data from the 1988–2002 General Social Surveys, with respondents followed up for mortality status as of December 31, 2008. The surveys included 17 886 persons aged 18 years or older, who reported at least 1 lifetime sexual partner. Of these, 853 reported any same-sex partners; 17 033 reported only different-sex partners. Using gender-stratified analyses, we compared these 2 groups for all-cause mortality and HIV-, suicide-, and breast cancer–related mortality.Results. The WSW evidenced greater risk for suicide mortality than presumptively heterosexual women, but there was no evidence of similar sexual orientation–associated risk among men. All-cause mortality did not appear to differ by sexual orientation among either women or men. HIV-related deaths we...
A Time to Mourn

This article gives brief results of a Norwegian empirical project where the main purpose has been to study the burial rite versus bereavement and the role of religiousness in relation to the disposing of the dead. The theoretical perspective is that loss of a significant close, as well as religiousness are primary life experiences which flow together in the bereaved person's grieving conduct during the burial rite. 70 bereaved persons who had lost a close relative during a certain time period have filled in questionnaires with information about the death, the funeral, religiousness and bereavement. The sample is treated statistically by means of indexes for grieving conduct during the burial week, religiousness, and grief. The sample is coherent and unambiguous, and shows that those who let the burial rite be a time to mourn experienced more benefit from the funeral service and had less anxiety, depression and intrusive experiences during the first year of bereavement. But sadness was independent of the grieving conduct during the burial rite, a result which makes sadness an aspect of mourning which qualitatively differs from the other aspects described. External conditions as urbanity and institutionalizing, as well as internal matters as the dramatical character of the loss, and personal religiousness affected the bereaved person's grieving conduct during the burial rite.
Hierarchical modeling of phenolic ligand binding to 2Zn--insulin hexamers.

Phenolic ligands, e.g., phenol and m-cresol, bind to 2Zn(II)-insulin hexamers and induce a conformational change at the N-terminus of the B-chain for each monomer. The binding of these phenolic ligands to 2Zn(II)-insulin hexamers has been studied by isothermal titrating calorimetry (ITC). The binding isotherms were modeled and thermodynamic parameters were quantified using a novel, flexible algorithm that permitted the development of a hierarchical series of physical models. With the insulin hexamer represented as a dimer of trimers, the modeling demonstrated that ligand binding is highly cooperative in nature, both intra- and inter-trimer. The isotropic inter-trimer cooperativity was dominant and negative in every system studied, with initial binding constants typically an order of magnitude greater for the binding of ligands to the first trimer relative to the second. The inter-trimer cooperatively estimated from the modeling of solution calorimetry data is consistent with a T6 T3R3 R6 equilibrium first proposed from crystallographic investigations. Intra-trimer cooperatively was present only in the enthalpy coefficient space, not in the equilibrium coefficient space, and therefore, less of a factor. The order of binding affinity for the ligands studied in resorcinol >> phenol > or = m-cresol as determined from their overall free energies of binding to the 2Zn(II)-insulin hexamer (-26.6, -23.4, and -23.4 kcal/mol, respectively) and their intrinsic binding constants (8780, 5040, and 3370 L/mol, respectively) at 14 degrees C. The temperature dependence of phenol binding to 2Zn(II)-insulin hexamer was modeled. Increasing temperature decreased the magnitude of both the intrinsic binding constant and the inter-trimer was cooperatively. The second phase of the ITC binding profile was also found to be highly temperature dependent. At lower temperatures the second phase is endothermic but gradually decreases with increasing temperature and subsequently becomes exothermic. This effect is attributed to loss of water from the hydration shell of the insulin hexamer with increasing temperature and consequently reduces the entropic contributions to the T R transition in the phenol/2Zn(II)-insulin hexamer system.
CCD Image Simulation

Charge Coupled Device (CCD) imaging and processing arrays have shown promise in applications requiring integrated focal plane data processing such as found in certain "smart" sensor and data rate compression designs. This paper presents the results of a computer simulation effort to determine CCD imaging properties in both scanning and area array configurations. The ability to simulate imagery for a variety of array parameters is useful in the design of such imager/processor systems. Results of the study illustrate effects which are both general characteristics of sampled systems and peculiarities of CCDs. Included are resolution loss using computer generated targets, spurious signals due to the relative position of target and sample points, distortions due to linear and sinusoidal smear, effects of target contrast and CCD noise sources. Both tri-bar and highly over-sampled imagery are used in the demonstractions.© (1976) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An investigation of medical student reactions to feedback: a randomised controlled trial.

Background Medical educators have indicated that feedback is one of the main catalysts required for performance improvement. However, medical students appear to be persistently dissatisfied with the feedback that they receive. The purpose of this study was to evaluate learning outcomes and perceptions in students who received feedback compared to those who received general compliments. Methods All subjects received identical instruction on two-handed surgical knot-tying. Group 1 received specific, constructive feedback on how to improve their knot-tying skill. Group 2 received only general compliments. Performance was videotaped before and after instruction and after feedback. Subjects completed the study by indicating their global level of satisfaction. Three faculty evaluators observed and scored blinded videotapes of each performance. Intra-observer agreement among expert ratings of performance was calculated using 2-way random effects intraclass correlation (ICC) methods. Satisfaction scores and performance scores were compared using paired samples t-tests and independent samples t-tests. Results Performance data from 33 subjects were analysed. Inter-rater reliability exceeded 0.8 for ratings of pre-test, pre-intervention and post-intervention performances. The average performance of students who received specific feedback improved (21.98 versus 15.87, P < 0.001), whereas there was no significant change in the performance score in the group who received only compliments (17.00 versus 15.39, P = 0.181) The average satisfaction rating in the group that received compliments was significantly higher than the group that received feedback (6.00 versus 5.00, P = 0.005). Discussion Student satisfaction is not an accurate measure of the quality of feedback. It appears that satisfaction ratings respond to praise more than feedback, while learning is more a function of feedback.
Bench to bedside: it's all about the model

Continual improvement and targeting of large animal models with contemporary technology augment their accuracy and value. New discoveries within the models contribute to reliable results with reduced variability. Despite the importance of large animal stem cell models to biomedical advances, the knowledge base surrounding them is relatively limited compared with that of human and rodents. The series of investigations presented by Niada and colleagues helps to meet this essential element of large animal models with information about in vitro behavior of porcine adipose-derived stem cells from two different harvest sites as well as their responses to implant materials and porcine serum.