cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE MOTIVATIONS FOR AND OUTCOMES OF EMPLOYEE REFERRALS

Research on employee referrals demonstrates positive outcomes for the recruited individual and the organization. However, little research addressed employees who make employment referrals, also known as employee recommenders. To address this gap in knowledge, we developed a conceptual model and present the theoretical basis for addressing the motivation of, and organizational outcomes associated with, employees who make employment recommendations. The model is based on the theories of word-of-mouth communication, cognitive dissonance, self-perception, and attitude change through self-persuasion. Partial support for the model was found in an experimental design simulating an employee referral situation. Results showed an increase in normative commitment of recommenders.
Abstract 3244: Compensatory function of the homologous proteins MIF and D-DT in regulation of AMPK-dependent metabolic-stress pathways in non-small cell lung carcinoma

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is over-expressed in most solid malignancies and is important for many pro-tumorigenic pathways. Several studies reveal that genetic deletion or inhibition of MIF results in anti-cancer phenotypes, but these phenotypes are not nearly as profound as one would anticipate given its reported activities. We recently discovered that MIF's only related family member, D-dopachrome tautomerase (D-DT), functionally compensates for MIF-dependent promotion of angiogenic potential in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). This finding not only provides an explanation for why MIF individual targeting has not provided more efficacious anti-cancer activities, but also suggests that therapeutic targeting of MIF and D-DT simultaneously may provide a highly effective and novel new class of anti-lung cancer pharmacologic agents. Here we present further evidence of the important cooperative function of these two homologous proteins in NSCLC cells. We reveal a strong collaborative effect of MIF and D-DT on the negative regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. AMPK is phosphorylated by the tumor suppressor, LKB1, in response to metabolic stress, resulting in AMPK-dependent p53 activation and mTOR inhibition. We show that while siRNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous MIF or D-DT individually has modest effects on AMPK activation in NSCLC cells, combined knockdown of both MIF and D-DT results in a significant activation of AMPK-dependent regulation of p53 and mTOR pathways. Importantly, this re-activation of AMPK by MIF and D-DT occurs in LKB1 mutant NSCLC cell lines. In addition, overexpression of MIF or D-DT alone by adenoviral delivery causes a substantial reduction in p53 expression, with a dramatic increase in mTOR pathway activation. Our findings suggest that MIF and D-DT promote a unique and well conserved adaptation pathway that is usurped by the malignant cells in order to counter metabolic stress-induced, AMPK-dependent, tumor suppression. Because the LKB1 tumor suppressor locus is mutated in over 30% of NSCLC lesions rendering these tumors insensitive to AMPK-dependent growth suppression, the identification of unique AMPK agonists would be expected to have a tremendous impact on NSCLC disease management for clinicians. Taken together, simultaneous therapeutic targeting of both MIF and D-DT represents an innovative and clinically efficacious approach to re-activating metabolic stress-induced tumor suppression in NSCLC malignant lesions. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3244. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3244
Dynamic Properties of Molecularly Thin Liquid Films

An experimental technique is described for simultaneously measuring the static and dynamic interactions of very thin liquid films between two surfaces as they are moved normally or laterally relative to each other. Film thickness can be measured and controlled to 1 angstrom. Initial results are presented of the transition in the physical properties of liquid films only one molecular layer thick to thicker films whose properties are practically indistinguishable from the bulk. In particular, the results show that two molecularly smooth surfaces, when close together in simple liquids, slide (shear) past each other while separated by a discrete number of molecular layers, and that the frictional force is "quantized" with the number of layers.
Cost minimization of multi-tiered e-business infrastructure with end-to-end delay guarantees

E-Business has become a cost effective solution for many traditional businesses and a critical component of many companies to such a degree that guaranteeing the performance and availability is vital. The design and development of e-business infrastructure should meet a twofold challenge. On one hand, it must meet customer expectations in terms of quality of service (QoS). On the other hand, companies have to control IT costs to stay competitive. It is therefore crucial to understand the tradeoff between costs and service levels so as to enable the determination of the most cost-effective architecture and system.
Protein digestibility of alkali- and fructose-treated protein by rat true digestibility assay and by the immobilized digestive enzyme assay system

The effect of processing on the digestibility of various food proteins was examined by using the immobilized digestive enzyme assay (IDEA) system. The values obtained were compared to true digestibilities determined by rat bioassay. Untreated proteins were also analyzed. Regression analysis of data for all samples resulted in a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.83 (p<0.001). The IDEA systems appears to be an accurate and reliable estimate of in vivo digestibilities. Furthermore, it offers a more rapid and less expensive alternative to animal bioassays
Spontaneous Perforation of the Esophagus in a Patient With Achalasia

Esophageal perforation in achalasia is rare. The risk would mainly follow pneumatic dilatation, and spontaneous perforation has not been described. We report a case of spontaneous rupture of the midesophagus in a 56-year-old woman with treated achalasia in whom the perforation occurred during a meal and was not preceded by emesis. A gastrografin swallow confirmed extravasation of contrast medium from the esophagus, and endoscopy revealed significant esophageal food stasis, consistent with achalasia, with a large tear in the midesophagus and gross mediastinal contamination. She subsequently underwent a three-stage esophagectomy with an uneventful recovery.
Electrochemical evaluation of corrosion inhibitors for repairing of highway transportation infrastructures

Among the methods to tackle corrosion of steel reinforcement in highway transportation infrastructure, using corrosion inhibitors has been identified as the most easily and economically applied technique. This study used Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) to evaluate four corrosion inhibitors in simulated pore solution (SPS) and saturated calcium hydroxide solution (CHS). Three promising inhibitors were identified. It was also found that the electrochemical laboratory test was practical to evaluate corrosion inhibitors quickly and effectively in simulated concrete solutions. A simulated field concrete repair method was devised in order to verify the developed electrochemical laboratory test result. Sixty-three concrete short beam specimens were used. The embedded steel rebars were exposed to chloride environment and electrochemically monitored in accordance with the ASTM G109 procedure. After active corrosion of the upper rebars was detected, the chloride- contaminated concrete was removed. The three aforementioned promising inhibitors were applied to corroded rebars, and new concrete was cast. These rebars were electrochemically monitored to evaluate the effectiveness of corrosion inhibitors for corrosion control. It was found that there was a good correlation between these two test results, and the most effective inhibitor was finally identified.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Peripheral measurement techniques for the assessment of osteoporosis

Peripheral measurement techniques have been the first to be developed for the assessment of osteoporosis, and they remain useful. Besides traditional approaches such as radiographic absorptiometry (RA), radiogrammetry, and single-photon absorptiometry (SPA), new peripheral approaches have been developed that offer powerful ways to assess skeletal status in osteoporosis. These include single x-ray absorptiometry (SXA), peripheral dual x-ray absorptiometry (pDXA), peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), quantitative ultrasound (QUS) techniques, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approaches. This review describes the current role of peripheral imaging techniques vis-a-vis their central imaging counterparts. Peripheral measurement techniques are attractive because equipment cost is substantially lower, radiation exposure is small, and the devices require less space and sometimes are even portable. Additionally, QUS and MRI offer the potential to measure aspects of bone status beyond the limits of bone densitometry. Peripheral techniques represent important diagnostic methods for the assessment of osteoporosis.
Insect physiology: The emerging story of ecdysis

The discovery of a new insect peptide hormone that triggers ecdysis - shedding of an old cuticle - has revealed hidden layers of intricacy about an insect behavior previously thought to be mediated by a single neuropeptide.
Sex-Related Differences in Gene Expression in Human Skeletal Muscle

There is sexual dimorphism of skeletal muscle, the most obvious feature being the larger muscle mass of men. The molecular basis for this difference has not been clearly defined. To identify genes that might contribute to the relatively greater muscularity of men, we compared skeletal muscle gene expression profiles of 15 normal men and 15 normal women by using comprehensive oligonucleotide microarrays. Although there were sex-related differences in expression of several hundred genes, very few of the differentially expressed genes have functions that are obvious candidates for explaining the larger muscle mass of men. The men tended to have higher expression of genes encoding mitochondrial proteins, ribosomal proteins, and a few translation initiation factors. The women had >2-fold greater expression than the men (P<0.0001) of two genes that encode proteins in growth factor pathways known to be important in regulating muscle mass: growth factor receptor-bound 10 (GRB10) and activin A receptor IIB (ACVR2B). GRB10 encodes a protein that inhibits insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling. ACVR2B encodes a myostatin receptor. Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed higher expression of GRB10 and ACVR2B genes in these women. In an independent microarray study of 10 men and 9 women with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, women had higher expression of GRB10 (2.7-fold, P<0.001) and ACVR2B (1.7-fold, P<0.03). If these sex-related differences in mRNA expression lead to reduced IGF-1 activity and increased myostatin activity, they could contribute to the sex difference in muscle size.
Modeling of zeolite crystallization: the role of gel microstructure

The population balance formulation has been employed in order to describe zeolite nucleation and growth from precursor gels. Emphasis is given on the role of gel microstructure in crystallization kinetics. Gel dissolution and nucleation are treated as interfacial phenomena taking place at the boundary of the amorphous solid gel and the surrounding solution. The random capillary model was used to describe the gel structure and its evolution. The simulation results capture the essential features of zeolite crystallization phenomenology and are in qualitative agreement with experimental results. The often observed maximum in the nucleation rate at the early stages of gel to zeolite transformation under constant supersaturation is attributed to the increasing interfacial area during gel dissolution. Changes in the kinetic parameters (e.g. nucleation rate constant) considerably affect the overall crystallization kinetics and the final particle size distribution. Variation of the gel microstructure can have the same order of magnitude effects on the overall crystallization kinetics.
Cloud venting — A review and some new global annual estimates

Abstract In this paper we review observational and modeling studies of cloud venting by a wide variety of cloud types ranging from ordinary cumuli, to ordinary cumulonimbi, mesoscale convective systems and tropical and extratropical cyclones. We have used explicit cloud-resolving simulations with RAMS to illustrate the nature of the process of venting of boundary layer air by several cloud system types and to provide quantitative estimates of the transport rates for different storms. In order to help global modelers prioritize their efforts in developing and refining cloud transport parametrization schemes, we have also attempted to make global estimates of the contributions of the various storm types to venting of boundary layer air. We find that on a global-annual basis, the extratropical cyclone has the highest boundary layer mass flux of all cloud venting systems, followed by the general class of MCS's (excluding MCC's), ordinary thunderstorms, tropical cylcones, and MCC's. We estimate an annual flux of 4.95 × 10 19 kg of boundary layer air by these cloud systems, which represents a venting of the entire boundary layer about 90 times a year.
Religious Experiences of GBTQ Mormon Males

This article examines the relationship between sexual orientation and religious experience of men from early adolescence to adulthood. Data have been obtained from an online survey of 1,042 males who were part of a larger sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) persons who are current or former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS, Mormon). While early religious experience was essentially identical to that of heterosexuals, the gap between religious norms and experience widened as these men moved through early and mid-adulthood. Those who married did so at a later age, and experienced a high rate of divorce. Continued participation, integration, and conformity to LDS ideals was not attributable to faith in, or a departure from, fundamental doctrinal belief. Instead, the responsible variable was sexual orientation, measured by the Kinsey Scale scores across behavior, attraction, and identity. For those near the exclusively homosexual end of the spectrum, the failure to change sexual orientation after intense effort over many years resulted in loss of belonging, belief, and participation, along with increased negative emotions and a sense of mistreatment.
Results of a national cerebrovascular neurosurgery survey on the management of cerebral vasospasm/delayed cerebral ischemia

Objective Following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral vasospasm/delayed cerebral ischemia accounts for significant morbidity and mortality. In this paper we provide the first glimpse of actual practice in the management of cerebral vasospasm in the USA. Methods All active members of the Joint American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Cerebrovascular Section were emailed the survey. The responses were collected anonymously. Results The response rate for this survey was 44% (177 responses/400 total members). Non-responders were characterized by the fact that multiple responders were not obtained from practices that had multiple providers with uniform practice. Both high-volume and low-volume centers were equally represented. Optimizing medical management is first-line treatment in practice. Although there is some variability regarding screening methods, the greatest variability occurs with regard to the choice of intra-arterial treatment drug and dose. There is also considerable variability in the perceived effectiveness of endovascular treatment for vasospasm. Conclusions In this preliminary glimpse of actual cerebral vasospasm management practice in the USA, two salient points emerge: (1) there is considerable variability in intra-arterial therapies for vasospasm; and (2) there are major differences in the perceived effectiveness of these therapies. Standardization of intra-arterial therapies may contribute to improved outcomes. A prospective randomized trial evaluating endovascular treatment for cerebral vasospasm is needed.
Evaluation of unassigned sign colors for incident management trailblazing

Efforts to design and evaluate a new sign design for incident route trailblazing are reported here. Phase 1 was an off-road field experiment conducted to determine the best sign color combination, letter stroke width, and letter size for emergency signs. Based on the results of Phase 1, three color combinations were chosen for testing (black on coral, black on light blue, and yellow on purple) against a baseline color combination of black on orange. Phase 2 was conducted with an instrumented vehicle through a construction zone-related detour. Questionnaire data were also obtained. The independent variables of interest were sign color combination, age, and visibility condition. The findings of Phase 2 indicated that use of a color combination other than the traditional black-on-orange sign would improve driver performance and safety when used for trailblazing during critical incidents. The following conclusions were reached: (a) yellow on purple or black on light blue will likely result in fewer late-braki...
Implementation of a “No Fly” safety culture in a multicenter radiation medicine department

Abstract Purpose The safe delivery of radiation therapy requires multiple disciplines and interactions to perform flawlessly for each patient. Because treatment is individualized and every aspect of the patient's care is unique, it is difficult to regiment a delivery process that works flawlessly. The purpose of this study is to describe one safety-directed component of our quality program called the "No Fly Policy" (NFP). Methods and Materials Our quality assurance program for radiation therapy reviewed the entire process of care prior, during, and after a patient's treatment course. Each component of care was broken down and rebuilt within a matrix of multidisciplinary safety quality checklists (QCL). The QCL process map was subsequently streamlined with revised task due dates and stopping rules. The NFP was introduced to place a holding pattern on treatment initiation pending reconciliation of associated stopping events. The NFP was introduced in a pilot phase using a Six-Sigma process improvement approach. Quantitative analysis on the performance of the new QCLs was performed using crystal reports in the Oncology Information Systems. Root cause analysis was conducted. Results Notable improvements in QCL performance were observed. The variances among staff in completing tasks reduced by a factor of at least 3, suggesting better process control. Steady improvements over time indicated an increasingly compliant and controlled adoption of the new safety-oriented process map. Stopping events led to rescheduling treatments with average and maximum delays of 2 and 4 days, respectively, with no reported adverse effects. The majority of stopping events were due to incomplete plan approvals stemming from treatment planning delays. Whereas these may have previously solicited last-minute interventions, including intensity modulated radiation therapy quality assurance, the NFP enabled nonpunitive, reasonable schedule adjustments to mitigate compromises in safe delivery. Conclusions Implementation of the NFP has helped to mitigate risk from expedited care, convert reactive to proactive delays, and created a checklist, process driven, and variance-reducing culture in a large, multicenter department.
Public goods provision and redistributive taxation

Abstract This paper studies the relationship between redistributive taxation and tax-deductible charitable contributions. Redistribution has two opposite effects on voluntary giving. The price of charitable giving decreases with the degree of redistribution, and this has a positive effect on the total amount of giving (substitution effect). However, redistribution leads to lower consumption for the contributors and therefore has a negative effect on contributions to the charity (income effect). The theoretical model developed in this paper demonstrates that, under a general class of utility functions, the substitution effect dominates the income effect. Hence, charitable giving increases with the tax rate. In purely egalitarian societies, the public good is provided efficiently and the total welfare is maximized independent of the ex-ante income inequality. However, the positive impact of taxation on charitable giving and welfare may disappear if individuals generate their income levels in anticipation of taxation and redistribution does not take into account the cost of effort.
Linkage of Caspase-mediated Degradation of Paxillin to Apoptosis in Ba/F3 Murine Pro-B Lymphocytes

We have cloned the complete cDNA from mouse paxillin, a 68-kDa adapter protein found in focal adhesions. We found that paxillin was degraded by caspases in Ba/F3 cell apoptosis induced by withdrawal of interleukin-3 (IL-3), a survival factor for this cell, and by ionizing radiation. Also, paxillin was degraded in vitro by incubation with recombinant caspase-3. Western blot analyses of degradation products of overexpressed green fluorescence protein-tagged paxillin and site-specific mutants demonstrated that Asp-102 and Asp-301 were early caspase cleavage sites, and Asp-5, Asp-146, Asp-165, and Asp-222 were late cleavage sites. Overexpression of paxillin delayed apoptosis of Ba/F3 after IL-3 withdrawal. Furthermore, this anti-apoptotic effect of paxillin was augmented by a triple mutation in aspartic acids at caspase cleavage sites. These results suggest that paxillin plays a critical role in cell survival signaling and that the cleavage of paxillin by caspases might be an important event for focal adhesion disassembly during cell apoptosis, contributing to detachment, rounding, and death.
Metabolic theory or metabolic models

The metabolic theory of ecology (MTE) claims to derive ecological relationships from the structure of resource distribution networks, which is assumed to determine the scaling of metabolism with body mass, and from the effect of temperature on the rate of biological processes. MTE is controversial. I propose that some of the controversy stems from the implicit adoption of different views of science by the proponents and critics of MTE. The perspective of proponents is consistent with the theory-centric view of science called the received view, whereas many of the critics implicitly adopt an alternative view consistent with a model-centric view of science. I propose that adopting the model-centric view can help to settle some of the differences among proponents and critics of MTE.
Parsing French with Tree Adjoining Grammar: some linguistic accounts

We present the first sizable grammar written for TAG. We present the linguistic coverage of our grammar, and explain the linguistic reasons which lead us to choose the particular representations. We show that TAG formalism provides sufficient constraints for handling most of the linguistic phenomena, with minimal linguistic stipulations. We first state the basic structures needed for parsing French, with a particular emphasis on TAG's extended domain of locality that enables us to state complex sub-categorization phenomena in a natural way. We then give a detailed analysis of sentential complements, because it has lead us to introduce substitution in the formalism, and because TAG makes interesting predictions. We discuss the different linguistic phenomena corresponding to adjunction and to substitution respectively. We then move on to support verb constructions, which are represented in a TAG in a simpler way than the usual double analysis. It is the first time support verb constructions are handled in a parser. We lastly give an overview of the treatment of adverbs, and suggest a treatment of idioms which make them fall into the same representations as 'free' structures.
Behavioral Science Research and the Conduct of Business

The titles and authors of 33 well-known and widely cited articles and books related to behavioral scientists' contributions to business management were sent to 200 top executives. They were asked t...
Birefringence measurements in fibers without polarizer

A method for measuring the delay between polarization eigenmodes in either high- or low-birefringence fibers is described. The main advantage of this interferometric method is its ability to perform the measurements without the use of any polarizing device. This results in particularly easy handling and makes this technique very suitable for systematic fiber controls. The obtained accuracy using an all-fiber setup is 0.02 ps/m for highly birefringent fibers and 0.003 ps/m when the birefringence is low. >
Modeling Self-Efficacy Across Age Groups with Automatically Tracked Facial Expression

Affect plays a central role in learning. Students’ facial expressions are key indicators of affective states and recent work has increasingly used automated facial expression tracking technologies as a method of affect detection. However, there has not been an investigation of facial expressions compared across age groups. The present study collected facial expressions of college and middle school students in the Crystal Island game-based learning environment. Facial expressions were tracked using the Computer Expression Recognition Toolbox and models of self-efficacy for each age group highlighted differences in facial expressions. Age-specific findings such as these will inform the development of enriched affect models for broadening populations of learners using affect-sensitive learning environments.
A software support infrastructure for wireless access routers

Routers are expected to play an important role in the Internet protocol-based wireless data network. Although a substantial number of adaptive and intercell coordination techniques have been proposed to improve wireless network performance under dynamic wireless channel conditions and host mobility, a system support framework is still missing. In this paper, we describe DIRAC, a software-based router system that is designed for wireless networks to facilitate the implementation and evaluation of various channel-adaptive and mobility-aware protocols. DIRAC adopts a distributed architecture that is composed of two parts: a router core (RC) shared by the wireless subnets, and a router agent (RA) at each access point/base station. RAs expose wireless link-layer information to the RC and enforce the control commands issued by the RC. This approach allows the router to make adaptive decisions based on link-layer information feedback on both data and control planes. It also permits the router to enforce its policies (e.g., policing) more effectively through underlying link-layer mechanisms. It further enables interaccess-point coordination at the RC. As showcases, we implement under DIRAC the prototypes of three wireless network services: link-layer assisted fast handover, channel-adaptive scheduling, and link-layer enforced policing. Our implementation and experiments show that our distributed wireless router provides a flexible framework, which enables advanced network-layer wireless services that are adaptive to channel conditions and host mobility.
DNA replication triggered by double-stranded breaks in E. coli: Dependence on homologous recombination functions

Abstract Homologous recombination-dependent DNA replication (RDR) of a λ cos site-carrying plasmid is demonstrated in E. coli cells when the cells express λ terminase that introduces a double-stranded break into the cos site. RDR occurs in normal wild-type cells if the plasmid also contains the recombination hotspot χ. χ is dispensable when cells are induced for the SOS response or contain a recD mutation. recBC sbcA mutant cells are also capable of RDR induction. A recN mutation greatly reduces RDR in normal cells, but not in SOS-induced cells. RDR proceeds by the θ mode or rolling circle mode of DNA synthesis, yielding covalently closed circular plasmid monomers or linear plasmid multimers, respectively. Previously described inducible stable DNA replication is considered to be a special type of RDR that starts exclusively from specific sites ( oriMs ) on the chromosome.
Improving accuracy for identifying related PubMed queries by an integrated approach

PubMed is the most widely used tool for searching biomedical literature online. As with many other online search tools, a user often types a series of multiple related queries before retrieving satisfactory results to fulfill a single information need. Meanwhile, it is also a common phenomenon to see a user type queries on unrelated topics in a single session. In order to study PubMed users' search strategies, it is necessary to be able to automatically separate unrelated queries and group together related queries. Here, we report a novel approach combining both lexical and contextual analyses for segmenting PubMed query sessions and identifying related queries and compare its performance with the previous approach based solely on concept mapping. We experimented with our integrated approach on sample data consisting of 1539 pairs of consecutive user queries in 351 user sessions. The prediction results of 1396 pairs agreed with the gold-standard annotations, achieving an overall accuracy of 90.7%. This demonstrates that our approach is significantly better than the previously published method. By applying this approach to a one day query log of PubMed, we found that a significant proportion of information needs involved more than one PubMed query, and that most of the consecutive queries for the same information need are lexically related. Finally, the proposed PubMed distance is shown to be an accurate and meaningful measure for determining the contextual similarity between biological terms. The integrated approach can play a critical role in handling real-world PubMed query log data as is demonstrated in our experiments.
Narcolepsy and influenza A(H1N1) pandemic 2009 vaccination in the United States

Objective: To assess the occurrence of narcolepsy after influenza vaccines used in the United States that contained the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus strain. Methods: A population-based cohort study in the Vaccine Safety Datalink with an annual population of more than 8.5 million people. All persons younger than 30 years who received a 2009 pandemic or a 2010–2011 seasonal influenza vaccine were identified. Their medical visit history was searched for a first-ever occurrence of an ICD-9 narcolepsy diagnosis code through the end of 2011. Chart review was done to confirm the diagnosis and determine the date of symptom onset. Cases were patients who met the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, 2nd edition, narcolepsy diagnostic criteria. We compared the observed number of cases after vaccination to the number expected to occur by chance alone. Results: The number vaccinated with 2009 pandemic vaccine was 650,995 and with 2010–2011 seasonal vaccine was 870,530. Among these patients, 70 had a first-ever narcolepsy diagnosis code after vaccination, of which 16 had a chart-confirmed incident diagnosis of narcolepsy. None had their symptom onset during the 180 days after receipt of a 2009 pandemic vaccine compared with 6.52 expected, and 2 had onset after a 2010–2011 seasonal vaccine compared with 8.83 expected. Conclusions: Influenza vaccines containing the A(H1N1)pdm09 virus strain used in the United States were not associated with an increased risk of narcolepsy. Vaccination with the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine viral antigens does not appear to be sufficient by itself to increase the incidence of narcolepsy in a population.
Coordinated gastric and sphincter motility evoked by intravenous CCK-8 as monitored by ultrasonomicrometry in rats.

Gastric and sphincter motility evoked by intravenous injection of CCK-8 were investigated in urethane-anesthetized rats. Digital ultrasonomicrometry was used to monitor pyloric (PYL), antral (ANT),...
Patient–Physician Role Relationships and Patient Activation: The Moderating Effects of Race and Ethnicity

The goals of this article were to empirically describe how racial and ethnic minorities compare with Whites in terms of their role relationships with physicians and examine how differences in those...
Investigation of high In content InGaAs quantum wells grown on GaAs by molecular beam epitaxy

Excitonic resonances and the quantum confined Stark effect are observed near 1.3 mu m in InGaAs quantum wells grown on GaAs using a slowly graded InGaAs buffer. The pin structure performs as a modulator with a relative transmission modulation of 12% at 1.3 mu m and as a low leakage photodetector.
Efficient Prediction of Nucleic Acid Binding Function from Low-resolution Protein Structures

Structural genomics projects as well as ab initio protein structure prediction methods provide structures of proteins with no sequence or fold similarity to proteins with known functions. These are often low-resolution structures that may only include the positions of C alpha atoms. We present a fast and efficient method to predict DNA-binding proteins from just the amino acid sequences and low-resolution, C alpha-only protein models. The method uses the relative proportions of certain amino acids in the protein sequence, the asymmetry of the spatial distribution of certain other amino acids as well as the dipole moment of the molecule. These quantities are used in a linear formula, with coefficients derived from logistic regression performed on a training set, and DNA-binding is predicted based on whether the result is above a certain threshold. We show that the method is insensitive to errors in the atomic coordinates and provides correct predictions even on inaccurate protein models. We demonstrate that the method is capable of predicting proteins with novel binding site motifs and structures solved in an unbound state. The accuracy of our method is close to another, published method that uses all-atom structures, time-consuming calculations and information on conserved residues.
Selection of a cardiac surgery provider in the managed care era

Abstract Objective: Many health planners promote the use of competition to contain cost and improve quality of care. Using a standard econometric model, we examined the evidence for "value-based" cardiac surgery provider selection in eastern Massachusetts, where there is significant competition and managed care penetration. Methods: McFadden's conditional logit model was used to study cardiac surgery provider selection among 6952 patients and eight metropolitan Boston hospitals in 1997. Hospital predictor variables included beds, cardiac surgery case volume, objective clinical and financial performance, reputation (percent out-of-state referrals, cardiac residency program), distance from patient's home to hospital, and historical referral patterns. Subgroup analyses were performed for each major payer category. Results: Distance from patient's home to hospital (odds ratio 0.90; P =.000) and the historical referral pattern from each patient's hometown (z = 45.305; P =.000) were important predictors in all models. A cardiac surgery residency enhanced the probability of selection (odds ratio 5.25; P =.000), as did percent out-of-state referrals (odds ratio 1.10; P =.001). Higher mortality rates were associated with decreased probability of selection (odds ratio 0.51; P =.027), but higher length of stay was paradoxically associated with greater probability (odds ratio 1.72; P =.000). Total hospital costs were irrelevant (odds ratio 1.00; P =.179). When analyzed by payer subgroup, Medicare patients appeared to select hospitals with both low mortality (odds ratio 0.43; P =.176) and short length of stay (odds ratio 0.76; P =.213), although the results did not achieve statistical significance. The commercial managed care subgroup exhibited the least "value-based" behavior. The odds ratio for length of stay was the highest of any group (odds ratio=2.589; P =.000) and there was a subset of hospitals for which higher mortality was actually associated with greater likelihood of selection. Conclusions: The observable determinants of cardiac surgery provider selection are related to hospital reputation, historical referral patterns, and patient proximity, not objective clinical or cost performance. The paradoxic behavior of commercial managed care probably results from unobserved choice factors that are not primarily based on objective provider performance. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;120:978-89)
Effect of layer 2 connection setup on performance of SIGMA

In our earlier study, we proposed SIGMA, a Seamless IP diversity based Generalized Mobility Architecture. SIGMA utilizes IP diversity to achieve a seamless handover of a mobile host, and is designed to solve many of the drawbacks of Mobile IP. In this paper, we evaluate the impact of Layer 2 connection setup on the performance of SIGMA. Various aspects of Layer 2 connection setup, such as Layer 2 setup latency, Layer 2 beacon period, and mobile host moving speed, are considered. Criteria for performance evaluation include handover latency, packet loss, throughput. Our results show that SIGMA handover latency is insensitive to Layer 2 setup latency and beacon periods. Moreover, SIGMA can achieve a seamless handover if MH’s moving speed is in reasonable limits.
Evolutionary Conservation of a Human Function‐Associated Molecule on Murine Natural Killer Cells: Expression and Function

Using a novel anti-natural killer (NK) cell monoclonal antibody (MoAb), we have recently identified an evolutionary conserved function-associated molecule (FAM) present on fish, rat and human NK cells. This molecule is involved in NK cell function as anti-FAM MoAbs inhibit cytotoxicity, stimulate lymphokine secretion and inhibit conjugate formation between effector cells and target cells. We now have examined murine NK cells for the presence of this structure. It was observed by two-colour flow cytometric analysis that the anti-FAM MoAb 5C6 specifically bound to a subpopulation of nylon wool non-adherent splenic lymphocytes (19-20%). The expression of the FAM molecule was restricted to NK cells that expressed the NK1.1 antigen. Neither T cells, B cells, nor macrophages reacted with the anti-FAM MoAb. Analysis of FAM expression in various lymphoid tissues revealed that splenocytes expressed the greatest numbers of MoAb(+) cells. Generation of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and adherent lymphokine-activated killer (ALAK) cells resulted in higher levels of FAM expression. The anti-FAM MoAb 5C6 also detected the presence of FAM on fresh SCID NK cells. It was demonstrated that the anti-FAM MoAb 5C6 inhibited the lysis of target cells by endogenous NK cells, activated NK cells, 5d LAK cells, ALAK cells and SCID NK cells. Moreover, conjugate assays demonstrated involvement of this molecule in recognition between NK cells and target cells.
Assessing severity of adult asthma and need for hospitalization

Exacerbations of asthma requiring emergency treatment are common but, fortunately, asthma is rarely life threatening. In the course of treating acute asthmatics, however, the question of whether to admit the patient often is raised. With the current costs of hospitalization and morbidity associated with the disease, it is advantageous to be able to separate accurately those who require in-hospital treatment from those who can be treated as outpatients. The choice to hospitalize the asthmatic patient must be based on objective findings, including spirometry alone, spirometry plus history and physical signs, or index scoring (Figure). The best method awaits elucidation by prospective study. The most objective indicator of asthma severity is the indirect measurement of airways obstruction by spirometry, either by FEV1.0 or PEFR. FEV1.0 and PEFR yield comparable results. Simple, inexpensive devices for these measurements are available. An FEV1.0 less than 0.8 to 1.0 L (less than 25% predicted in women and men ages 25 to 65 years) or a PEFR less than 100 L/min (less than 20% predicted in women and men ages 25 to 65 years) accurately indicates a severe asthma exacerbation. The percentage predicted is utilized in those individuals who lack average stature. An increase in FEV1.0 to greater than 1.6 to 2.1 L (greater than 60% predicted) or a PEFR improvement to greater than 300 L/min (greater than 60% predicted) after therapy negates the need for hospitalization. In order to gain such improvement the patient may require approximately four to six hours of outpatient treatment. Some will treat patients for longer periods. Evidence of worsening obstruction or impending respiratory failure during this period mandates admission.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Screening antibody and immunosorbent selectivity by two-dimensional liquid chromatography-MS/MS (2-D LC-MS/MS)

Selectivity of both peptide- and glycan-targeting antibodies was examined by 2-D LC-MS/MS. Proteins selected from biological extracts immunospecifically in a first chromatography dimension using antibodies immobilized by either covalent coupling or adsorption to protein G were desorbed with a denaturing mobile phase and transferred to a 1.5 microm nonporous particle RP chromatography (NP-RPC) column in a second dimension. Protein peak capacity of the NP-RPC column was approximately 50. Peaks collected from the RPC column were tryptic digested and the peptide fragments were identified by MALDI-MS/MS. The objective of this analytical strategy was to discriminate between protein antigens and nonantigens through identification of their peptides, leading to an evaluation of the selectivity of antibodies and immunosorbents. Quantification of the relative amount of antigen and nonantigen species captured by immunosorbents was achieved by absorbance, along with the likely capture mechanism. A limitation of the approach was in discriminating between isoforms of an antigen in which neither the antibody nor the LC-MS system targeted the differentiating feature in the isoforms.
Ecological Economics and Classical Marxism The “Podolinsky Business” Reconsidered

This introduction to “Socialism and the Unity of Physical Forces” reassesses Sergei Podolinsky’s place in the history of ecological economics together with Marx and Engels’s reaction to Podolinsky’s work. The authors show that contrary to conventional wisdom, Podolinsky did not establish a plausible thermodynamic basis for the labor theory of value that could have been adopted by Marx and Engels. Moreover, Marx and Engels did not neglect nor abruptly reject Podolinsky’s work as is commonly supposed but took it seriously enough to scrutinize it deeply in the spirit of critique. Although verifying Podolinsky’s rightful place as a forerunner of ecological energetics, the authors’analysis highlights the severe limitations imposed by his energy reductionism and closed-system thinking as compared to Marx and Engels’s metabolic and open-system approach.
Continuum theory of fibrous tissue damage mechanics using bond kinetics: application to cartilage tissue engineering

This study presents a damage mechanics framework that employs observable state variables to describe damage in isotropic or anisotropic fibrous tissues. In this mixture theory framework, damage is tracked by the mass fraction of bonds that have broken. Anisotropic damage is subsumed in the assumption that multiple bond species may coexist in a material, each having its own damage behaviour. This approach recovers the classical damage mechanics formulation for isotropic materials, but does not appeal to a tensorial damage measure for anisotropic materials. In contrast with the classical approach, the use of observable state variables for damage allows direct comparison of model predictions to experimental damage measures, such as biochemical assays or Raman spectroscopy. Investigations of damage in discrete fibre distributions demonstrate that the resilience to damage increases with the number of fibre bundles; idealizing fibrous tissues using continuous fibre distribution models precludes the modelling of damage. This damage framework was used to test and validate the hypothesis that growth of cartilage constructs can lead to damage of the synthesized collagen matrix due to excessive swelling caused by synthesized glycosaminoglycans. Therefore, alternative strategies must be implemented in tissue engineering studies to prevent collagen damage during the growth process.
Perineural Injection of the Ethmoidal Nerve of Horses.

To describe the anatomical location of the ethmoidal nerve in the equine periorbital region and to determine the accuracy of a technique used to deposit local anesthetic solution adjacent to the nerve.Prospective experimental study.Adult equine cadaver heads (n=6 for preliminary dissection; n=15 [30 nerve sites] for evaluation of injection technique).Preliminary dissections were performed to identify landmarks for injection of local anesthetic adjacent to the ethmoidal nerve. For evaluation of the injection technique a 20 gauge 6 cm spinal needle was inserted into the rostromedial aspect of the supraorbital fossa, where the caudal aspect of the zygomatic process emerges from the frontal bone caudal and medial to the globe. The needle was inserted to its hub at an angle of 110° to the long axis of the head using a protractor, in both a sagittal plane and a transverse plane, and 0.5 mL of new methylene blue dye was injected as a marker. The ethmoidal nerve was identified by dissection immediately after each injection and inspected for proximity of the dye.Dye was observed surrounding the nerve in 27 of 30 sites (90%) or lying within 5 mm of the nerve at the other 3 sites.The described technique of perineural injection of the ethmoidal nerve proved reliable and simple. Anesthetizing the ethmoidal nerve may be helpful in desensitizing portions of the ipsilateral paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity innervated by the nerve when sinonasal surgery is performed in the standing horse.