cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anxiety and poor glycemic control: a meta-analytic review of the literature.

Objective:To determine whether anxiety is associated with poor glycemic control in adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.Method:MEDLINE, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases were used to locate studies that measured the association of anxiety with glycemic control. Meta-analytic procedures were used to convert the findings to a common metric, compute effect sizes (ES), and statistically analyze the collective data.Results:The search procedures identified 12 studies, 11 (92 percent) of which satisfied the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. In this overall group, anxiety was not associated with glycemic control (p = 0.19), although the ES was marginally statistically significant (ES = .09, 95 percent CI = 0.04 to 0.14). In studies that determined anxiety from diagnostic interviews, anxiety was associated with hyperglycemia (p = 0.003) and the ES was also statistically significant (ES: 0.25, 95 percent CI = 0.10 to 0.38).Conclusions:The existing literature suggests that anxiety disorders are associated w...
Enzymic conversion of tetrahydrofolic acid to folinic acid by plant protein.

ENZYMIC synthesis of folinic acid (CF) has been investigated in a variety of cells of both bacterial and animal origin1–7.
2D Fourier Transform Electronic Spectroscopy of Photosynthetic Reaction Centers: Mapping coupling in the B band

The B800 band of the reaction center complex of Rhodobacter sphaeroides has been probed with two-dimensional Fourier transform electronic spectroscopy using 40 fs pulses and evidence for coupling within the band will be presented.
Effect of intermetallic Ti2Ni on the electrochemistry of TiCODE-12 in hydrochloric acid

Abstract The effect of heat treatment on the electrochemistry of TiCode-12 (Ti—0.8 Ni—0.3 Mo) in 1 N HCl has been examined in this study. Specimens, commercially processed in the mill-annealed condition, were subjected to heat treatment at 600°C for varying times. This results in a β a α + Ti2Ni phase transition, with the amount of intermetallic Ti2Ni formed being proportional to the duration of the heat treatment. It is shown that Ti2Ni is a more effective cathode for hydrogen evolution than α-Ti, and alloy passivity resulted from galvanic coupling between intermetallic Ti2Ni and the metal matrix. A comparison is made of the anodic polarization characteristics of TiCode-12 subjected to different heat treatment durations.
IMPACT OF APPROPRIATE USE CRITERIA ON ESTIMATED CANCER RISK IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING SPECT MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION IMAGING

The impact of appropriate use criteria (AUC) for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) on lifetime attributable risk (LAR) of cancer and the clinical benefit-to-LAR ratio is unknown. In a cohort of 1511 consecutive patients who underwent clinically indicated Tc99m MIBI MPI we determined adherence to
The use of a multidisciplinary morbidity and mortality conference to incorporate ACGME general competencies.

Background The Surgical Morbidity and Mortality conference has long been used as an opportunity for both process improvement and resident education. With recent heightened focus on creating environments of safety and on meeting the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) General Competencies, novel approaches are required. With the understanding that the provision of medical care is an inherently multidisciplinary enterprise, we advocate the creation and use of a Multidisciplinary Morbidity and Mortality conference (MMM procedures (36.5%), process (36.5%), patient-related (9%), communication (9%), medication (9%), device (0%), and ethics (0%). All cases discussed addressed at least 4 of the 6 ACGME General Competencies. Conclusions Like the practice of medicine, the occurrence of adverse outcomes is frequently multidisciplinary. An MM&M conference is useful in its potential to meet ACGME General Competencies, engender a culture of patient safety, and rapidly achieve quality improvement and systems health care delivery initiatives in a large academic medical center.
Suppression of Vertical "Jitter" of the Beam from an Inclined Field Tube 3-Stage Fn-Type Tandem Van De Graaff Accelerator

Vertical beam jitter is detrimental for some experiments. The cause is traced to non-uniform charge distribution on the belt. A device is described which suppresses the jitter.
Nd-Sr isotopic and trace element study of rocks and fluids from the continental deep drilling Project (KTB), Germany

Geochemical analyses were interpreted on the dominant lithological units and on a deep crustal fluid from the Continental Deep Drilling Project (KTB) Pilot Hole, situated at the western margin of the Variscan Bohemian Massif. The biotite gneiss (from 384 m depth) shows a rare earth element pattern very similar to the European shale composite with Nd model ages of 940 Ma (CHUR) and 1.4 Ga (DM). The lamprophyre dike in the upper profile (1549 m), a nepheline and olivine normative basalt, is geochemically and isotopically similar to rocks from the Tertiary Central European Volcanic Province. The lower metabasite sequence (3575–4000 m), with an intrusion age of approximately 500 Ma, is made up primarily of highly metamorphosed subalkalic olivine basalts. The geochemical characteristics of the metabasites are a (La/Yb)N of 5–10, an La concentration of 20–50 times chondrite as well as (87Sr/86Sr)i of 0.7035–0.7038 and ɛeNd(T) of 4–6. These values suggest a depleted mantle source for the igneous precursors, evolving by assimilation-fractional crystallization processes with up to 25% of upper crust into the ultramafic, basaltic, and intermediate rock types of the metabasite sequence. The strong geochemical and chronological similarities between the KTB metabasites and rocks from the Munchberg Massif suggest that these units belong to the same lithological complex. The high salinity as well as the radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.709413 in the KTB fluid from 4000 m depth might be the result of migrating fluids reacting with the regional Permo-Mesozoic evaporite deposits, followed by extensive Sr isotopic exchange with the upper crust.
A Sociolinguistic Profile of the Peruvian Deaf Community

A sociolinguistic survey of the sign language used by the deaf communities of Peru was conducted in November and December of 2007. For eight weeks, our survey team visited six deaf communities in the cities of Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, Trujillo, Chiclayo, and Iquitos. Using sociolinguistic questionnaires and recorded text testing (RTT) tools, we explored the general social situation of these communities, as well as sociolinguistic topics such as ethnolinguistic identity, language vitality and stability, and the attitudes of deaf people toward their local sign variety. We also probed sign language standardization and variation in Peru. During background research, we had heard reports that Peruvian Sign Language (LSP) was similar to American Sign Language (ASL), but the responses of the questionnaire participants and comprehension testing of an ASL text in various deaf communities in Peru indicate that ASL is quite different from LSP.
The Importance of Minor Anomalies in the Evaluation of the Newborn

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. List the number of minor anomalies associated with an increased risk of an associated major malformation. 2. Describe the tests that should be conducted in patients who have preauricular ear pits or tags. 3. Delineate which dorsal cutaneous stigmata require further evaluation. 4. Delineate the evaluation that should be undertaken in any infant who has asymmetric crying facies. 5. Describe the potential disease in any Caucasian child who has three or more cafe au lait spots or any African-American child who has five or more cafe au lait spots. The identification of congenital anomalies has important diagnostic and prognostic implications for neonates. Because many children who have congenital anomalies are identified in the neonatal period, the neonatologist often is the clinician to whom families turn for initial information about the significance of such anomalies. Another reason for neonatologists to be familiar with minor anomalies is that identification of certain minor anomalies may suggest the need for further diagnostic studies and the search for related conditions. The purpose of this article is to review the significance of minor anomalies, with particular attention to five commonly encountered findings. The term “congenital” simply means that the finding is present at birth, regardless of cause. This should not be confused with the term “genetic”; congenital does not imply a cause. An anomaly is a structural defect that deviates from the normal standard and can be classified as major or minor. A major anomaly has surgical, medical, or cosmetic importance. A minor anomaly has no major surgical or cosmetic importance. As might be expected, the prevalence of a given feature in the general population can vary, based on race, ethnic background, and gender of the individual. A minor anomaly typically refers to physical differences that occur in fewer than 4% …
The effect of sex on asthma control from the National Asthma Survey

Background Previous studies have demonstrated conflicting results with regard to differences in asthma control between the sexes. Objective We sought to identify sex differences in short-term and long-term measures of asthma control in adults from the National Asthma Survey. Methods This study analyzed data from the National Asthma Survey (Four-State sample) sponsored by the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Asthma control was compared between the sexes based on short-term (recent symptoms, asthma attacks, and albuterol use) and long-term (asthma attacks, work days lost, and urgent-care visits and hospitalizations in the prior year) measures. Composite scores for short-term and long-term control were calculated based on any single measure of poor asthma control and based on a sum of poor asthma control measures. Results Women were more likely to have poor short-term asthma control based on any measure (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.20; CI, 1.01-1.44) or sum of measures (adjusted OR, 1.24; CI, 1.08-1.53) compared with men. Women also demonstrated worse asthma control based on any uncontrolled long-term measure (adjusted OR, 1.52; CI, 1.29-1.79) or sum of measures (adjusted OR, 1.68; CI, 1.45-1.93). These findings were present despite higher reported inhaled corticosteroid use and scheduled health care visits for asthma among women. Conclusions Women demonstrated worse asthma control compared with men with regard to several short-term and long-term measures, despite reporting higher rates of inhaled corticosteroid use and routine asthma care visits. Further studies are needed to elucidate whether these findings are due to differences in health reporting or to pathophysiologic differences in asthma between the sexes.
Error Analysis of Cam-Follower Systems: A Probabilistic Approach

The actual output kinematic characteristics of a cam-follower system will be different from the theoretical (desired) ones due to errors in manufacture and assembly. A method of evaluating the mechanical error in the kinematic response of cam-follower systems is presented using a stochastic approach. The tolerances on cam profiles and other geometrical parameters are treated as random variables that influence the mechanical error. The equations necessary for the mechanical error analysis of a planar cam-follower system (disc cam with translating roller follower) are derived. The equations for a spatial cam-follower system (globoidal cam with oscillating cylindrical follower) are also given at the end. An optimal synthesis procedure is outlined for the allocation of tolerances so as to minimize the manufacturing costs while satisfying a constraint on the maximum mechanical error in the kinematic response of cam-follower systems. The application of analysis and synthesis procedure is demonstrated with refer...
Sensitization of stress-induced feeding in rats repeatedly exposed to brief restraint: the role of corticosterone

Groups of male Wistar rats lived in cages capable of monitoring feeding and drinking continuously at 0.1-s intervals, 24 h per day. Intact animals were subjected to 20 min of restraint stress or to brief handling (Brief Pick-Up), daily or every third day, 6 h after the beginning of the 12-h light period. In both studies, food-intake increased in the first hour after restraint, peaking between 15 and 45 min. Smaller increases were seen following Brief Pick-Up. More interestingly, the amount of food eaten increased across test sessions, indicating sensitization of the response to stress. Drinking also increased following stress, occurring before feeding and diminishing after the first 15 min. In adrenalectomized animals implanted with slow-release pellets to replace basal diurnal levels of corticosterone (ADX animals), sensitization of the feeding response to restraint stress developed across test sessions, although in these animals, the acute increase in food-intake following restraint stress was attenuated. ADX animals subjected only to Brief Pick-Up showed no increases in food-intake. Daily injections of 3.0 mg/kg corticosterone given to such ADX animals were unable to mimic the effects of restraint on either food-intake or drinking, nor did they augment the effects of restraint in ADX animals. We conclude that sensitization to the effects of brief restraint stress on food-intake can occur independently of a stress-induced rise in plasma corticosterone.
A reassessment of Mojavia and a new Cheyenne Belt alignment in the eastern Great Basin

A separate basement terrane, Mojavia or the Mojave province with characteristic 2.0–2.3 Ga model ages, has been proposed to underlie much of the western U.S. Its existence, posited on patterns of Pb and Nd isotope data, has been propagated in the literature for more than two decades. New and compiled U/Pb geochronology shows there is no direct evidence of >2.0 Ga juvenile basement rocks exposed within Mojavia of the eastern Great Basin. Pb and Nd model ages, by contrast, vary from Archean to Neoproterozoic with large variations exhibited, commonly within small regions. Archean ages are concentrated northward, suggesting the influence of sediment shed southward from the Wyoming province onto Paleoproterozoic basement terranes. In places, including the Farmington Canyon complex, sediment has been tectonically reprocessed and now is preserved as high-grade metamorphic rock in accretionary melanges. There is no strong evidence that Mojavian basement exists outside of the Mojave Desert region proper. A statistical evaluation of common Pb and Sr isotopes in Phanerozoic igneous rocks shows distinct differences north and south of one proposed boundary between Mojavia and the Yavapai province. However, close examination suggests that variation in these parameters could be produced by the influence of Archean material shed from the Wyoming province rather than representing a distinct difference in the age and isotopic character of the basement. Statistical discrimination of candidate terranes and terrane boundaries may be valuable for their recognition, but such differences alone do not prove their existence. The northern boundary of Mojavia with the Wyoming province in the eastern Great Basin has been given the same name, the Cheyenne Belt, as the exposed suture be tween Paleoproterozoic and Archean basement in southern Wyoming. We reassess the location of this boundary in the Great Basin. New age controls on key basement outcrops in the Uinta Mountains and Farmington Canyon complex that were previously considered Archean indicate that these rocks are Paleoproterozoic in age (∼1.7 Ga). Thus, the Cheyenne Belt has traditionally been placed too far south; it must lie in a poorly defined location north of these localities.
Giants in chest medicine: Lawrence D. H. Wood, MD, PhD.

Speaking for the remarkable number of mentees of Lawrence D. H. Wood, MD, PhD, who are productive and creative contributors to the fi eld of critical care medicine, of which Dr Wood is a primary founder, I feel both delighted and humbled to off er some thoughts about this extraordinary man. Many others could and should add their own refl ections on knowledge and inspiration received from him, and I acknowledge this as but a single step in that process. I believe that all of us regard Dr Wood as a leader in applying rigorous science to test hypotheses or answer questions arising at the bedside of critically ill patients.
Properties of the new UCSB free-electron lasers

Two new far-infrared free-electron lasers (FELs) are operating in a newly constructed beam switchyard and are providing radiation to an adjoining users' facility. These have been constructed to the highest standards, resulting in substantially improved operating characteristics. For example, greatly improved electron beam recirculation now permits FEL operation to more closely match theoretical prediction and has extended operating pulse width and repetition rate. The design characteristics and operating properties of these lasers are discussed.
When reading a sentence is easier than reading a ‘little’ word: The role of production processes in deep dyslexics' reading aloud

Abstract Deep dyslexia is an acquired reading disorder. Investigations of this disorder have focused primarily on the error pattern for single words read aloud. An essential characteristic of deep dyslexia is a profound inability to read closed class elements (‘function words’). In Garrett's language production model, closed and open class words (‘content words’) are retrieved by distinct mechanisms: Open class elements are retrieved independently of their phrasal environment, but closed class words are integral parts of phrase structure. This study's expectation was that if syntactic environments supporting closed class are available to deep dyslexic readers, their ability to read closed class words might improve. Two English speaking patients and one Italian speaking patient were tested using a text and list format manipulation. All three were significantly better at reading closed class words presented in text format than list format. Open class words that are generally read poorly (e.g. verbs) did not...
‘Rescaling the state’ in question

This paper puts in critical focus a major tenet of the state rescaling literature. This is that over the last 25 years or so there has been a significant decentralization of state functions, largely with a view to re-energizing national economies. Several points are at issue. The first is that the evidence for a decentralization of any significance is insubstantial. Second, the territorial structure of the state has indeed been in question but largely as a result of bottom-up forces contesting it, in part, on distributional grounds. And third, the American case underlines both the Eurocentric character of this literature and the weakness of whatever decentralization has indeed occurred.
Low-dose total body irradiation and G-CSF without hematopoietic stem cell support in the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), or AML in second or subsequent remission☆

Abstract Purpose: Patients with relapsed acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), who are not eligible for bone marrow transplantation, have a poor prognosis when treated with chemotherapy alone. Total body irradiation (TBI) is an effective modality against AML when used in doses of 1000–1400 cGy with hematopoietic stem cell support. We undertook a phase I study of TBI with granulocyte–colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support, without stem cell support in patients with AML either in relapse or second or subsequent remission. Methods and Materials: Patients with relapsed AML, or AML in second or subsequent remission were treated in a phase I study of TBI followed by G-CSF. The first dose level was 200 cGy. After the initial cohort of patients it was clear that patients with overt leukemia did not benefit from this treatment, and subsequent patients were required to be in remission at the time of TBI. Results: Eleven patients were treated, 4 in overt relapse, and 7 in remission. 200 cGy was used in all, and dose escalation was not possible due to prolonged thrombocytopenia in all patients but one. Neutrophil recovery was adequate in those patients who remained in remission after TBI. Patients with overt leukemia had transient reduction in blast counts, but rapid recurrence of their leukemia. Patients treated in remission had short remissions, with the exception of one patient who is in remission 32 months after treatment. Conclusion: There is some antileukemic effect of TBI even at 200 cGy, though this dose appears to be too low to help a significant number of patients. If TBI is to be escalated without stem cell support, then a thrombopoietic agent will need to be used.
Kac-Moody algebra in the self-dual Yang-Mills equation

In the $J$ formulation of self-dual Yang-Mills equations, we propose a parametric infinitesimal transformation, which generates new solutions from any old ones and satisfies the equations of the Bianchi-B\"acklund transformation with parameter. Expanding in the parameter, we obtain an infinite number of transformations, all of which leave the self-dual Yang-Mills equation invariant. We discuss the group properties for these transformations, and find that they form a Lie group, to which the Lie algebra is an infinite-dimensional Kac-Moody algebra, a mathematical structure encountered in the recent development of principal chiral theories.
Investigation of NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomal nanovesicles as universal detection reagents for bioanalytical assays

Ligand-tagged liposomes, obtained by covalent conjugation of ligands to the liposomal surface, have been widely used as detection reagents in bioanalytical assays. A non-covalent conjugation method where IgG was attached to protein G-tagged liposomes has been recently utilized. To enlarge the application of non-covalent methods to a greater variety of ligands, including peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids, we developed and optimized a new method for the preparation of NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomes with subsequent attachment of biotinylated ligands. Two assays were used to investigate the feasibility of NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomes. The first assay was a competitive immunoassay for detecting rabbit antibodies, while the second assay was a sandwich hybridization assay for detecting a synthetic target: a DNA fragment of Erwinia amylovora. To produce the immunoliposomes for the detection of rabbit IgG, NeutrAvidin was covalently tagged to the liposomal surface at four different starting molar percentages (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8). The biotinylated goat anti-rabbit IgG at three different molar ratios of biotin to IgG (5, 10, and 20) were then attached to the NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomes by using two different molar ratios of goat anti-rabbit IgG to NeutrAvidin (1 and 5). After the comparison of all 24 combinations, the best result was obtained with the 0.1 starting molar percentage of NeutrAvidin, 20 as the molar ratio of biotin to goat IgG, and 1 as molar ratio of IgG to NeutrAvidin. Under these optimized conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) for rabbit IgG was 38 pmol/mL. Moreover, the best combination for the sandwich hybridization assay was with the 0.1 starting molar percentage of NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomes and when the molar ratio of biotinylated reporter probe to NeutrAvidin was equal to 1. The LOD for the synthetic target DNA fragment of E. amylovora was ca. 30 pmol/mL. Both assays could be completed in about 30 min without the requirement of sophisticated equipment or techniques. Therefore, these two assays have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomal nanovesicles as a universal reagent for the attachment of different types of biotinylated ligands in a fast and easy coupling process. In addition, these ligand-tagged liposomes have the potential for wide use in different types of bioanalytical assays.
Modeling the Economics of Biodiversity and Environmental Heterogeneity

It has long been recognized that major drivers of biodiversity loss include both the harvest of wild species and the conversion of habitat for productive purposes. Land that is converted may or may not be lost as habitat for many species. In some cases, monoculture production for example, land conversion reduces the number niches and hence the level of biodiversity. In other cases, it has the opposite effect. We address the problem of anthropogenic biodiversity change due to the effects of both harvest rates and land use decisions on landscape heterogeneity. If the optimal structure of the landscape is extremely homogeneous, forces of competitive exclusion will lead to a single surviving species. If it is extremely heterogeneous, multiple species will coexist, with each species exclusively dominating the patch type to which it is best suited. Where changes in biodiversity due to changes in landscape heterogeneity are not taken into account in land use decisions, they are external effects of those decisions. We identify measures of these effects.
The Semmes–Weinstein Monofilament as a Potential Predictor of Foot Ulceration in Patients With Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes

The objective was to evaluate the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament as a potential predictor of foot ulceration. A case-control study was carried out in a teaching hospital clinic specializing in diabetes and hyperlipidemic disorders. Two groups of patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus were studied: 168 with no history of foot lesions (No-Ulcer group, aged 58.1 +/- 9.7 years, duration 11.5 +/- 7.8 years) and 14 who had at least one foot ulceration during the last year (foot ulcer group, aged 60.8 +/- 7.8 years', duration 17.1 +/- 10.5 years). The authors defined and measured a "monofilament index" using a size 5.07 Semmes-Weinstein monofilament on three locations on each foot and then measured peroneal nerve current perception thresholds using the Neurometer at three frequencies: 5 Hz, 250 Hz, and 2,000 Hz. The monofilament index score was lower in patients in the foot ulcer group than in patients in the No-Ulcer group (1.71 +/- 2.36 vs 5.21 +/- 1.81, P < 0.001). A cutoff point at an index of 5 out of 6 yielded a sensitivity rate of 85.71% and a false-positive rate of 16.07%. The peroneal nerve current perception threshold was higher (P < 0.005) in patients in the foot ulcer group than in patients in the No-Ulcer group for all frequencies (605.8 +/- 414.6 vs 181.5 +/- 272.3 for 5 Hz; 743.2 +/- 361.7 vs 251.6 +/- 283.7 for 250 Hz; 859.4 +/- 220.2 vs 423.3 +/- 252.6 for 2,000 Hz). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The society of flows and the flows of culture : Reading Castells in the light of cultural accounts of the body, health and complex systems

Reprenant les idees de M. Castell sur la societe d'information, l'A. aborde les questions de la sante, de la biologie et du corps. Sont critiquees la notion de flexibilite, la conception de la reaction face a la societe de flux en prenant l'exemple des vaccinations, du systeme immunitaire et tout en effectuant un parallele entre l'economie et le corps
Postmortem parenthood and the need for a protocol with posthumous sperm procurement.

Abstract Objective Posthumous sperm procurement involves harvesting gametes from a recently deceased man for cryopreservation and future use in ART. This paper discusses the practical and ethical role of posthumous sperm procurement in medical practice and society and submits possible solutions, including the establishment of formal policies and protocols. Design English-language literature review and bioethical discussion. Result(s) In the United States, an increase in requests and protocols has been documented. International requests and regulation are variable. Conclusion(s) Posthumous sperm procurement is fraught with ethical dilemmas, including informed consent, privacy, inheritance, and child welfare. To establish appropriate medical practice, it is important to consider all stakeholders in the decision-making process. We believe that an acceptable and ethical resolution can be obtained only through the collaborative input of all involved parties. We have looked to U.S. and international sources for guidance in current practice and to gain insight into the formulation of future policies.
Nonenzymatic methylation of DNA by S-adenosylmethionine in vitro

S-Adenosylmethionine was found to methylate DNA non-enzymatically to produce the same putative promutagenic and procarcinogenic lesions formed by carcinogenic chemical methylating agents. The formation of 7-methylguanine was confirmed by u.v. spectrophotometry, the formation of O6-methylguanine and 3-methyladenine was suggested by the cochromatography of radioactivity with standard bases. It is possible that this reaction may explain the presence of constitutive cellular enzymes specifically for the repair of methylated DNA, and may indicate the mechanism whereby methylated guanine is formed in the liver DNA of rats with chemically induced liver damage.
Molecular Flexibility and Discontinuous Translocation of a Non-templated Polymerase

Little is known regarding the translocation of non-templated nucleic acid polymerases with respect to single-stranded primers. VP55, the vaccinia virus poly(A) polymerase, translocates as it processively adds a approximately 3-7 adenylate tail to primers possessing only three ribouridylate residues (as an (rU)(2)-N(15)-rU motif), and a approximately 25-30 adenylate tail to primers that are more U-rich. Here, three models were addressed for the translocation of VP55 with respect to its primer, namely: (a) rigid protein/rigid nucleic acid; (b) flexible protein/rigid nucleic acid; (c) rigid protein/flexible nucleic acid. Analysis of free and covalently VP55-attached primers favored either (b) or a version of (c) incorporating a passive steric block, and suggested two regions of relative motion between polymerase and primer. Inclusion of a 6nt uridylate-rich patch at the primer 3' end switched the polymerase from approximately 3-7 nt to approximately 25-30 nt tail addition without affecting initial binding affinity. By synthesizing this patch as a (rU/dC) pool, discontinuous polymerase movements could be detected.
Multiple Oppressions and the Mental Health of Sexual Minority Latina/o Individuals

This study investigated the additive and interactive relations of two forms of external oppression (racist discrimination and heterosexist discrimination) and internalized oppression (internalized racism and internalized heterosexism) with psychological distress, life satisfaction, and self-esteem in a sample of 173 sexual minority Latina/o adults. A combination of external and internalized oppressions was associated uniquely with psychological distress whereas the two internalized oppressions were linked uniquely with life satisfaction and self-esteem. The Racist discrimination × Internalized racism, Racist discrimination × Internalized heterosexism, and Heterosexist discrimination × Internalized racism interactions each accounted for unique variance in self-esteem. Specifically, low internalized racism protected self-esteem at low levels of racist discrimination, low internalized heterosexism protected self-esteem at high levels of racist discrimination, and low internalized racism protected self-esteem...
Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes Based on Risk Stratification by Biochemical Markers An Idea Whose Time Has Come

The watchword for modern health care has become cost-effectiveness. This is as true in cardiovascular disease as in any other area of medicine. Hospitalization has been identified as a cost source, and efforts at reducing hospitalizations, length of stay, and unnecessary procedures occupy practitioners and administrators alike. The goal of cost reduction must be balanced with the imperative to provide high-quality patient care. It is ironic that medicine is entering an era with emphasis on cost-effective delivery, while simultaneously, molecular genetics and recombinant DNA techniques are promising a new and exciting paradigmal shift to diagnosis, risk stratification, and preventive treatment based on genotyping.1 2 Despite the random coincident timing of these 2 trends, 1 from medical economics and the other from inventive technology, it is hoped that one will not be at the expense of the other. Although the merger will be difficult, it must not lower the quality of health care but rather provide for the implementation of future advances that would better the health of the nation. A major problem for the nation is the $120 billion cost of cardiovascular disease. Unnecessary admission to the hospital of patients with chest pain is estimated to cost more than $12 billion.3 It is hoped that some of these advances can provide high-quality health care and help to contain cost. The cause of chest pain in most patients presenting to the Emergency Department and the most appropriate therapy cannot be reliably ascertained with the conventional clinical armamentarium; this has represented a dilemma for several decades. The use of recombinant DNA techniques to generate recombinant creatine kinase (CK)-MB subforms provided the standards for the development and routine use of the rapid CK-MB subform assay, which excludes or confirms myocardial infarction (MI) within 6 hours of onset of symptoms.4 5 …
A single-stage micromachined vacuum pump achieving 164 torr absolute pressure

We are developing a micromachined vacuum pump for portable analytical instruments that is comprised of a mechanical roughing pump integrated with a micro-machined ion pump. The focus of this paper is on the development of the roughing pump. We have fabricated two generations of micromachined displacement vacuum pumps to explore various design options. Through optimization of design and operation, we can now report a pump that achieves 164 torr absolute pressure, which is to our knowledge the lowest measured pressure in a micro-machined vacuum pump operated from atmospheric pressure.
Cancer-associated thrombosis.

Abstract There is strong evidence linking venous thromboembolic events and malignancy. Laboratory markers of coagulation activation such as thrombin–antithrombin complex or prothrombin fragments 1+2 support the premise that malignancy is a hypercoagulable state. Inflammatory cytokines (e.g. tumor necrosis factor and interferon-γ), coagulation proteins (e.g. tissue factor and factor VIII), and procoagulant microparticles may be elevated in patients with malignancy. However, the molecular basis for cancer associated thrombosis remains unknown and the relative contribution of chemotherapeutics, tumor cells, endothelium, and circulating procoagulants in promoting thrombus formation continues to be investigated.
The Engineering Design Environment

A description of EDeN, a new Engineering Design Environment, is presented. EDeN software provides a hardware-independent, user-friendly interface and data management system that serves as the framework for the integration of DA tools and effective use of the hardware environment. EDeN-specific tools include schematics and layout entry/edit through an interactive color graphics system. EDeN promotes sharing of designs within a project in a controlled manner, preserving a uniform design representation. The system is extensible to new applications and new DA tools, with standards and controls applied at the user interface and data management levels.
Jigsaw meets Blue Iguanodon - The VAST 2007 Contest

This article describes our use of the Jigsaw system in working on the VAST 2007 contest. Jigsaw provides multiple views of a document collection and the individual entities within those documents, with a particular focus on exposing connections between entities. We describe how we refined the identified entities in order to better facilitate Jigsaw's use and how the different views helped us to uncover key parts of the underlying plot.
A Difference That Makes a Difference: Passing through Dennett's Stalinesque/Orwellian Impasse

AbstractDennett and Kinsbourne ([1992]) argue that metacontrast backward visual masking provides a clear illustration that ‘there is really only a verbal difference’ between two versions of the Car...
A Palaeomagnetic Study of 143 Ma Kimberlite Dikes In Central New York State

SUMMARY A palaeomagnetic study of 143 Ma serpentinized kimberlite dikes near Ithaca, New York, yields a dual-polarity, high unblocking temperature, and high coercivity magnetization which passes the reversal test and two baked contact tests. The mean pole position (58"N, 203"E; A95 = 3.8", N = 7) differs from published late Jurassicearly Cretaceous North American poles currently used to define the apparent polar wander path. The angular dispersion in mean directions (&=3.5") is low but the presence of reversals argues that the Ithaca kimberlites magnetization should represent sufficient time for averaging of palaeosecular variation. Similar findings apparently typify palaeomagnetic studies of other serpentinized kimberlite, supporting the suggestion that thermo-chemical remanent magnetization in this lithology prolongs the duration of magnetization acquisition sufficiently to average secular variation per dike. A consistent but weak foliation in anisotropy of ARM parallels the N-S and vertical orientation of the Ithaca dikes, but is apparently unrelated to the northwest-down or southeast-up remanence. The Ithaca kimberlites pole may therefore record a previously undocumented sharp bend or 'cusp' at -143Ma, and the initiation of a Cretaceous and Cenozoic interval of apparent polar wander that generally follows a great circle along the 200"E meridian to geographic north. A coeval (-145 Ma) kimberlite pole from southern Africa transferred to North America agrees with the Ithaca kimberlites pole position whereas reported poles from the Berriasian stratotype (southern France) and 144Ma Svalbard dolerites provide less diagnostic tests of the Ithaca kimberlites pole due in part to uncertainties in Europe-North America reconstructions.
The glob al horizons of professional communication: critical theoretical approaches to the discipline's emerging cultural issues

Within the field of intercultural professional communication, the concept of culture has been a professional and ideological cornerstone that has structured the field’s research, practice, and pedagogy. Culture is used to isolate or label the differing communicational assumptions and practices among the world’s diverse audiences, while culture defines the research questions; research sites; and the social, political, economic, and historical aspects of the globalizing world that are considered relevant for examination. However, the importance given to culture often exceeds the concept’s actual usefulness. Culture tends to eclipse other variables that nevertheless shape an audience’s identities and communicational practices, while culture skews the field’s concept of globalization toward questionable “global village” or “flat world” metaphors that undermine the field’s commitments to promoting effective communication, preparing students for a global economy, and ensuring the field’s global relevance. I propose that the field consider new disciplinary strategies and perspectives that can better respond to the professional and ideological contingencies of the globalizing world. These strategies include reimagining and deemphasizing the concept of culture, recentering audience analysis around the concrete yet flexible concept of community, and developing a more inclusive perspective on the globalizing world.
Synergistic enhancement of ectopic bone formation by supplementation of freshly isolated marrow cells with purified MSC in collagen–chitosan hydrogel microbeads

ABSTRACTPurpose: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) can differentiate osteogenic lineages, but their tissue regeneration ability is inconsistent. The bone marrow mononuclear cell (BMMC) fraction of adult bone marrow contains a variety of progenitor cells that may potentiate tissue regeneration. This study examined the utility of BMMC, both alone and in combination with purified MSC, as a cell source for bone regeneration. Methods: Fresh BMMC, culture-expanded MSC, and a combination of BMMC and MSC were encapsulated in collagen–chitosan hydrogel microbeads for pre-culture and minimally invasive delivery. Microbeads were cultured in growth medium for 3 days, and then in either growth or osteogenic medium for 17 days prior to subcutaneous injection in the rat dorsum. Results: MSC remained viable in microbeads over 17 days in pre-culture, while some of the BMMC fraction were nonviable. After 5 weeks of implantation, microCT and histology showed that supplementation of BMMC with MSC produced a st...
Neighborhood-Based Socioeconomic Position and Risk of Oral Clefts Among Offspring.

Objectives. We determined the association between maternal neighborhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and the risk of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL±P) or cleft palate alone (CP) in offspring.Methods. We obtained information on CL±P (n = 2555) and CP (n = 1112) cases and unaffected controls (n = 14 735) among infants delivered during 1999 to 2008 from the Texas Birth Defects Registry. Neighborhood SEP variables, drawn from the 2000 US Census, included census tract-level poverty, education, unemployment, occupation, housing, and crowding, from which we created a composite neighborhood deprivation index (NDI). We used mixed-effects logistic regression to evaluate neighborhood SEP and oral clefts.Results. Mothers with CL±P-affected offspring were more likely to live in high-NDI (adverse) areas than mothers with unaffected offspring (odds ratio [OR] = 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05, 1.37). This association was strongest among Hispanic mothers (OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.07, 1.62). No associat...
Chronic therapy with an ET(A/B) receptor antagonist in conscious dogs during progression of congestive heart failure. Intracellular Ca(2+) regulation and nitric oxide mediated coronary relaxation.

Background: Although it is known that endothelin (ET-1) is elevated in heart failure (HF), it remains unclear if chronic ETA/B receptor antagonism affects the progression of HF, particularly by affecting coronary vasoactivity and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. Methods: We examined the effects of an ETA/B receptor antagonist, L-753,037 (oral bid for 6 weeks, n = 7), and vehicle ( n = 8) in conscious dogs with previously implanted aortic, coronary sinus and left atrial catheters, LV pressure gauge, aortic flow probe, LV dimension crystals and pacers. Results: Baseline hemodynamics were similar in the two groups. During the development of rapid pacing-induced HF, treatment with the ETA/B antagonist significantly reduced total peripheral resistance and increased cardiac output compared to vehicle. After 2 weeks of pacing, LV diastolic function (tau) was improved ( P <0.05) in the ETA/B antagonist group (+6±2 ms) compared to the vehicle group (+12±2 ms). In addition, ETA/B antagonist treatment attenuated the increase in mean left atrial pressure and LV end-diastolic pressure that occurred during heart failure in vehicle-treated animals. However, LV systolic function (LV d P /d t , fractional shortening and Vcfc) neither at rest nor in response to dobutamine was altered by ETA/B antagonist treatment. Also, ETA/B antagonist treatment did not affect the progressive increases in LV dimension. After 6 weeks of pacing, maximal Ca2+ transport in isolated cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was reduced ( P <0.02) in the vehicle-treated compared to the ETA/B antagonist-treated dogs (1.34±0.09 vs. 1.60±0.06 μmol/mg/min, respectively). The improvement in SR function in the ETA/B antagonist-treated dogs was associated with a significant attenuation of the reduction in protein expression of SERCA2a and calsequestrin observed in the vehicle-treated dogs. Coronary arteries isolated from the dogs treated with the ETA/B antagonist exhibited enhanced ( P <0.01) coronary endothelium-dependent relaxation compared to the vehicle group, while coronary responses to an NO donor were identical in the two groups. Plasma NO levels in the coronary sinus during the late stage of HF were higher ( P <0.05) in the ETA/B antagonist group (40±2 μM) compared to the vehicle group (18±2 μM). Conclusions: We conclude that in conscious dogs during the development of HF induced by rapid pacing, chronic inhibition of ETA/B receptors does not affect resting myocardial contractile function nor reserve, but reduces vascular resistance and improves LV diastolic function. After 6 weeks of pacing, the reduction in intracellular Ca2+ regulation by the SR is also attenuated, and endothelium-dependent coronary relaxation is improved, which appears to be related to the preservation of coronary NO levels.
Mechanoenzymatic Cleavage of the Ultralarge Vascular Protein von Willebrand Factor

Von Willebrand factor (VWF) is secreted as ultralarge multimers that are cleaved in the A2 domain by the metalloprotease ADAMTS13 to give smaller multimers. Cleaved VWF is activated by hydrodynamic forces found in arteriolar bleeding to promote hemostasis, whereas uncleaved VWF is activated at lower, physiologic shear stresses and causes thrombosis. Single-molecule experiments demonstrate that elongational forces in the range experienced by VWF in the vasculature unfold the A2 domain, and only the unfolded A2 domain is cleaved by ADAMTS13. In shear flow, tensile force on a VWF multimer increases with the square of multimer length and is highest at the middle, providing an efficient mechanism for homeostatic regulation of VWF size distribution by force-induced A2 unfolding and cleavage by ADAMTS13, as well as providing a counterbalance for VWF-mediated platelet aggregation.
The Rhetorical Construction of the Predatorial Virus: A Burkian Analysis of Nonfiction Accounts of the Ebola Virus

Over the past 5 years, a new subgenre of horror films, referred to as plague films, has turned our focus to the threat of a hemorrhagic viral pandemic, comparable to the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1916. Based on the Ebola viral outbreaks of 1976, various writers have presented their accounts under the guise of increasing interest and prevention strategies. Disregarding inappropriate health care practices as the cause of these epidemics, accountability is refocused onto the rhetorically constructed, predatory nature of the virus. By employing Burke’s theory of dramatism and pentadic analysis, the author examines this rhetorical construction of Ebola as a predatorial virus and its implications for public perceptions of public health endeavors.
On the monotonicity of an adaptive splitting scheme for two-dimensional singular reaction-diffusion equations

This paper studies a fully adaptive splitting method for the numerical solution of two-dimensional quenching differential equations. The non-uniform adaptive mesh is established in space and time via standard arc-length formulations. We concentrate on the monotonic property of the numerical algorithm developed since the issue is fundamental for this type of nonlinear singular differential equations. Numerical examples are given to illustrate our computational results as well as the quenching phenomena approximated.
The Dietary Treatment of Hyperlipidemia: Rationale, Technique and Efficacy

Working from the foundation of the role of diet in the pathogenesis of hyperlipidemia, the authors present a rational, detailed therapy for treating the disorder. A three-phase approach is offered so that the patient can gradually incorporate new eating behavior into his or her lifestyle.
Oates’s Where Are you Going, Where Have you Been?

(1984). Oates’s Where Are you Going, Where Have you Been? The Explicator: Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 57-60.