cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Invasive prenatal genetic testing: A Catholic healthcare provider's perspective

Invasive prenatal testing is performed for a variety of reasons, but the most common indication is for genetic testing of the fetus. Although many times the information obtained from this type of testing results in selective termination of fetuses with genetic diagnoses, the information itself may be morally neutral. Should a Catholic healthcare provider be willing to perform invasive prenatal testing in the setting of uncertainty with respect to the patient's plans following a diagnosis of a genetic abnormality?
Web tool for worst-case assessment of aberration effects in printing a layout

A web-based tool is presented that analyzes the worst-case effect of lens aberrations on projection printed layouts. These effects are important to the designer since they can be half as large as those of OPC. They can easily be detected by scanning through the layout and matching the inverse Fourier transform of the aberration function to the local layout geometry at each location of interest. The software system for detecting and quantifying these effects is based on a client/server model, where the user interface runs on the client side as a Java applet and the server has access to the binaries and performs all of the heavy numerical processing. The online system provides direct access to this lithography tool, allowing the user to create custom aberration patterns with Zernike polynomials and input custom mask layouts in either CIF or GDS II formats. As a result of the simulation run, the user is provided with a JPEG image of the match results as well as a text file listing match statistics including coordinate locations of the best matches and the match factors.
Connecting users to instruments and sensors: portals as multi‐user GUIs for instrument and sensor facilities

The Common Instrument Middleware Architecture (CIMA) aims at integrating instruments and sensors into computing and storage Grids through a standard interface methodology that existing and future instrument facilities can provide. This instrument interface provides a base which data acquisition and reduction applications can rely on as the design of the underlying facilities evolves and changes. After connecting instruments and sensors in a reliable and secure manner to applications, the next step is to integrate instruments, data acquisition, reduction and analysis applications with community provided resources such as application servers, temporary and archival storage. Practices and workflows at the instrument facilities also need to be captured and presented to users. Portals provide a natural approach to a ‘community’ interface to instrument and sensor facilities. Here we describe the CIMA Crystallography portal, a portal based on GridSphere that provides a user interface to equipment and workflows for a global federation of crystallography laboratories. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The urethra is a reliable witness: simplifying the diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence. Reply to Wagenlehner et al.

Dear Editor, Dr. Wagenlehner and colleagues commented on my editorial, “The urethra is a reliable witness: simplifying the diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence” [1] by proposing a unilateral midurethral anchor test to predict the outcome after midurethral sling surgery. They present ultrasound observations that this procedure can prevent “funneling” of the bladder neck and urine loss, and they present urodynamic urethral pressure profilometry observations that this procedure increases maximum urethral closure pressure and improves the cough pressure transmission ratio. Similar urodynamic observations were reported 30 years ago by Bhatia and Bergman with the Bonney test [2] and the Marshall–Marchetti test [3], and I suspect the observations by Wagenlehner and colleagues are correct. Whether this test accurately reproduces what happens during a midurethral sling surgery or how predictive it is for surgical outcomes would require studies involving a standardized preoperative performance of this test in a large number of patients who have a midurethral sling so that positive and negative predictive values for the midurethral anchor test could be calculated. I do disagree with the statement that Wagenlehner et al. made in their reply with regards to the standing cough stress test. They stated: “We agree, but in our experience, testing in the standing position confers no additional accuracy against testing in the supine position.” The experience of myself and many others is quite different. The symptom of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women is more likely to occur in the upright than the supine position. Bladder pressure is higher when standing than when supine. In the Outcomes following vaginal prolapse repair and mid urethral sling (OPUS) trial of women with prolapse but without symptoms of incontinence, 111 of 331 women had a positive preoperative reduction stress test, but in 33, this only became positive in the standing position [4]. When a positive stress test includes both supine and standing positive results, the test predicts a 72% rate of postoperative SUI at 3 months and a 60% rate at 12 months if a midurethral sling is not inserted at the time of vaginal prolapse surgery (Supplementary Table 5) [5]. To maximize the sensitivity of the stress test in detecting SUI, it should be done standing with a full bladder.
‘Se vedesti qui dentro’: Monteverdi’s ‘O Mirtillo, Mirtillo anima mia’ and Artusi’s Offence

Claudio Monteverdi’s madrigal O Mirtillo, Mirtillo anima mia (1605) represents a cornerstone in the history of Western music not only for its bold expression of Battista Guarini’s text, but also for the famed debate that it provoked. Giovanni Maria Artusi’s criticism of 1600 deemed the madrigal a monstrosity of modal incoherence, while the 1607 defence by Monteverdi’s brother, Giulio Cesare, has been seen as feeble in its appeal to the legitimacy of the mixed modes. Few analysts from Artusi on, however, seem to have followed the hint of the madrigal text to ‘see what lies in the heart’ of the piece—a perspective that, Giulio Cesare tells us, can only be gained when considering ‘not merely the portions or passages of the composition, but its whole’. A renewed approach to uncover ‘what lies in the heart’ of Monteverdi’s work, and to weigh the validity of Artusi’s and Giulio Cesare’s claims about its modal integrity, reveals that the madrigal’s construction is far from haphazard, as Monteverdi himself contends, raising the question of whether it was truly the music alone that drove Artusi to single out Monteverdi for attack. This enquiry ultimately reaches beyond the music itself to the political landscape of northern Italy, and to the very performance of Monteverdi’s music in 1598 Ferrara, where Artusi was confronted directly with the brazen face of modern music.
Site-specific integration by adeno-associated virus: a basis for a potential gene therapy vector

Site-specific integration by adeno-associated virus: a basis for a potential gene therapy vector
Allylamine and β-aminopropionitrile induced aortic medial necrosis: mechanisms of synergism

We have developed a model of aortic smooth muscle necrosis in adult Sprague Dawley rats by feeding them two vascular toxins (allylamine HCl, or AA, and beta-aminopropionitrile, or betaAPN) in concert for 10 days. Either toxin given alone does not cause aortic lesions. In order to shed light on the mechanism of the synergistic action of these two toxins we fed known modulators of AA or betaAPN toxicity to rats concurrently with the two toxins. As modulators we used (a) semicarbazide (98 mg/kg/day, given 4 h prior to toxins), a known inhibitor of the vascular enzyme SSAO which metabolizes AA; (b) L-cysteine (1.5% in rat chow, beginning 3 days prior to toxins), which has been shown to reduce the toxic effects of betaAPN; and (c) phenelzine sulphate (3 mg/kg/day, given 4 h prior to toxins), an inhibitor of SSAO and potentiator of betaAPN toxicity. Rats were fed various combinations of the toxins and modulators by gavage: water (n = 8); (AA, 100 mg/kg/day) AA + phenelzine (n = 8); AA + semicarbazide (n = 8); AA + L-cysteine (n = 11); (betaAPN, 1 g/kg/day) betaAPN + phenelzine (n = 8); betaAPN + semicarbazide (n = 8); betaAPN + L-cysteine (n = 8); (AA, 100 mg + betaAPN, 1 g/kg/day) AA + betaAPN + phenelzine (n = 9), AA + betaAPN + semicarbazide (n = 8); AA + betaAPN + L-cysteine (n = 12); phenelzine (3 mg/kg/day) (n = 4); semicarbazide (98 mg/kg/day) (n = 4) and L-cysteine (1.5% in rat chow) (n = 4). We found that phenelzine sulphate (a drug previously used in the treatment of hypertension) when given with AA reproduced the AA + betaAPN induced aortic lesions. Phenelzine + betaAPN caused no lesions, but when combined with AA + betaAPN, aortic lesions were intensified and included marked secondary degeneration of the vascular wall. Semicarbazide was found to completely obviate the vascular toxicity of AA + betaAPN. L-Cysteine feeding markedly decreased the incidence and severity of vascular lesions in AA + betaAPN treated rats, but did not change the incidence or severity of heart lesions caused by AA alone. These data indicate that the synergistic necrotizing toxicity of AA + betaAPN is primarily an AA effect. We postulate that some modulating influence of betaAPN (or phenelzine) on tissue distribution, metabolism, or detoxification pathways of AA increases AA's acute vascular toxicity, whereas semicarbazide offers protection by inhibiting the initial deamination of AA to a highly reactive aldehyde.
Does Renal Dysfunction and Method of Bridging Support Influence Heart Transplant Graft Survival

Background Renal insufficiency is common in status 1B patients supported with inotropes or a continuous flow left ventricular device (CF-LVAD) as a bridge to heart transplantation. We evaluated the association of renal function and inotrope versus CF-LVAD support on posttransplant graft survival in status 1B patients. Methods The Scientific Registry for Transplant Recipients database was analyzed for posttransplant survival in status 1B patients bridged with inotropes or CF-LVAD who underwent transplantation between 2003 and 2012. Pretransplant renal function was measured by estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and was stratified as less than 45 mL · min −1 · 1.73m −2 , 45 to 59, and 60 or greater. Univariate Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox regression models were used to evaluate the main effects of GFR strata and inotropes versus CF-LVAD, and the interaction effect of GFR strata by CF-LVAD, on graft survival. Results This study included 4,158 status 1B patients (74% male, aged 53 ± 12 years). Of those, 659 patients had a CF-LVAD (HeartMate-II [Thoratec, Pleasanton, CA], n = 638; HVAD [HeartWare, Framingham, MA], n = 21), and 3,530 were receiving inotropes (31 CF-LVAD patients were also receiving inotropes). Kaplan-Meier analyses demonstrated reduced graft survival ( p = 0.022) in patients with pretransplant GFR less than 45 versus GFR 45 to 59 ( p = 0.062) and versus GFR 60 or greater ( p = 0.007), and no effect of inotrope versus CF-LVAD support on graft survival ( p = 0.402). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that, after adjusting for the main effects of GFR stratum, CF-LVAD, and inotropes, status 1B patients bridged with a CF-LVAD and GFR in the lowest stratum had reduced graft survival (interaction effect p = 0.040). Conclusions Pretransplant renal insufficiency was associated with reduced posttransplant graft survival in status 1B patients. This risk is increased for patients bridged with a CF-LVAD (versus inotropes) who have GFR in the lowest stratum.
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia

Abstract Two cases of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia in Negro patients have been reported. Both cases could be considered classic with respect to the oral lesions and familial history. Although numerous oral lesions and chronic epistaxis were present, severe, persistent anemia was the primary problem to be dealt with in both cases.
Converting Stencils to Accumulations Forcommunication-Avoiding Optimizationin Geometric Multigrid

This paper describes a compiler transformation on stencil operators that automatically converts a standard stencil representation into an accumulation. We use this as an enabling transformation to optimize the stencil operators in the context of Geometric Multigrid (GMG), a widely used method to solve partial differential equations. GMG has four stencil operators, the smoother, residual, restriction, and interpolation some of which require inter-process and inter-thread communication. This new optimization allows us, at each level of a GMG V-Cycle, to fuse all operators when recursing down the V-Cycle, and all smooth operations when returning up the V-Cycle. In turn, this fusion allows us to create a parallel wavefront across the fused operators that reduces communication. Thus, these combined optimizations reduce vertical (through the memory hierarchy) data movement and horizontal (inter-thread and inter-process) messages and synchronization.
Effects of acid mine drainage on a Southwestern Pennsylvania stream

Physicochemical parameters and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure were studied in a small valley stream in southwestern Pennsylvania. Sampling stations were located upstream and downstream of coal mine drainage input. Due to an alkaline discharge and significant downstream alkalinity the pH below the mine effluent remained between 5.8 and 7.0 throughout the course of this 18 mo study. The major factor affecting the benthic community seemed to be ferric hydroxide deposition. Certain taxa (Plecoptera and Ephemeroptera) were abundant at station sites above the mine discharge, while only those taxa tolerant of polluted conditions, such as Chironomidae and Tubifex, were prevalent at the downstream station sites. An analysis of benthic populations through changes in total numbers, species diversity, and species indicator organisms graphically demonstrated environmental stress within this aquatic ecosystem.
Theoretical investigation on the interaction between a soft particle and a rigid surface

Abstract An extension of Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory was developed to model the potential energy of interaction between a soft particle (particle coated with either uncharged polymer or polyelectrolyte) and a rigid flat surface prior to the particle-surface contact. An uncharged polymer is predicted to reduce the barrier of interaction energy curve by shifting the contact frontier away from the particle core and as a result increases the affinity between the coated particle and the uncoated surface. For particles coated with polyelectrolyte, the particle–surface interaction is primarily regulated by the thickness and charge density of the polyelectrolyte layer. For either type of coating, increasing ionic strength is predicted to reduce the barrier of interaction potential and thus increase the affinity between the particle and the surface. A more comprehensive model was also established for a polyelectrolyte-coated particle of charged core surface, in which the importance of segment density of the coating layer was demonstrated. Limitations of these models were discussed especially for particles of very low segment density to which the post-contact interaction would become important.
Solvent extraction of ethanol from aqueous solutions using biobased oils, alcohols, and esters

Distribution coefficients and separation factors were determined for the partitioning of ethanol and water from aqueous mixtures into several vegetable oils and their fatty alcohol and fatty ester derivatives. Castor oil, ricinoleyl alcohol, and methyl ricinoleate all show higher ethanol distribution coefficients, and similar or reduced separation factors, relative to other oils and derivatives studied here or reported by others. Of particular interest, ricinoleyl alcohol has an ethanol distribution coefficient 50% higher than that of oleyl alcohol, a commonly studied solvent for ethanol extraction from fermentation broths.
Zinc-finger proteins

Abstract Considerable progress has been made over the past year concerning the structures of various classes of zinc-finger proteins and the mechanisms by which they recognize particular nucleic acid targets. Both NMR and X-ray structures have become available for the DNA-binding domain of the yeast protein GAL4. These have revealed the detailed architecture of the Zn2(Cys)6 binuclear cluster and the accompanying structure that binds DNA. Indirect studies have yielded models for the structure of the TFIIA-5S RNA gene complex. In addition, more detailed data has become available concerning the roles of the invariant metal-binding and hydrophobic residues in stabilizing the zinc-finger structure. Structural information concerning the TFIIA-like zinc fingers has guided experiments that are leading to potentially useful rules relating to DNA binding site preference. The role of zinc in the biological function of retroviral nucleocapsid proteins has also become clearer.
Blocker and jitter tolerant wideband ΣΔ modulators

Blocker and jitter sensitivity of continuous-time sigma-delta (CT-ΣΔ) converters is discussed. The interaction between blockers and clock jitter and its effect on the ADC resolution is also investigated. It is observed that out-of-band (OOB) blockers and clock jitter in the feedback DAC degrade the ADC resolution by convolving with the OOB quantization noise, thereby increasing the in-band noise floor. Some techniques on how to improve the blocker and jitter tolerance of CT-ΣΔ ADCs are outlined. It is verified that increased blocker tolerance relaxes the baseband channel filtering requirements in the signal path of a broadband receiver. By monitoring the internal signals of the ADC and dynamically controlling a front-end programmable gain amplifier, saturation and overload is avoided in the presence of strong interferers. The proposed blocker mitigation technique avoids changing the ADC internal loop parameters dynamically, resulting in fast settling time performance with moderate penalties in SNDR and circuit complexity.
Nonlinear optics and crystalline whispering gallery mode cavities.

We demonstrate parametric frequency doubling in a whispering gallery cavity made of periodically poled lithium niobate. This demonstration is an example of utility of such crystalline optical whispering gallery resonators with very high $Q$ factors, which we have fabricated.
Ab Initio Calculations of Crystalline and Amorphous In2Se3 Compounds for Chalcogenide Phase Change Memory

Ab initio calculations of various configurations of In2Se3 compounds are used to gain insight into the transition from crystalline to amorphous phase. The structures considered are based on wurzite structures with 1/3 of indium sites vacant as observed experimentally. From extensive calculations for possible vacancy configurations in In2Se3 compounds, predictions based on the local coordination of In/Se atoms are made for the energetically favorable vacancy ordering structures. Results indicate that in the most stable In vacancy configurations, Se atoms have coordination of either 2 or 3 (In atoms have coordination of 4). Other coordinations lead to significantly higher formation energies. Results from analyzing the total energy and electronic structure of a range of off-stoichiometry, including vacancies, interstitials and anti-site, configurations, suggest that the energetically most favorable way to form In-rich material is via incorporation of Se vacancies, while Se occupying a vacant site is the most favorable for formation of Se-rich phase. Based on these calculations, predictions are made on how stoichiometry deviations impact structural evolution during phase change.
Source estimation methods for atmospheric dispersion

Abstract Both forward and backward transport modeling methods are being developed for characterization of sources in atmospheric releases of toxic agents. Forward modeling methods, which describe the atmospheric transport from sources to receptors, use forward-running transport and dispersion models or computational fluid dynamics models which are run many times, and the resulting dispersion field is compared to observations from multiple sensors. Forward modeling methods include Bayesian updating and inference schemes using stochastic Monte Carlo or Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling techniques. Backward or inverse modeling methods use only one model run in the reverse direction from the receptors to estimate the upwind sources. Inverse modeling methods include adjoint and tangent linear models, Kalman filters, and variational data assimilation, among others. This survey paper discusses these source estimation methods and lists the key references. The need for assessing uncertainties in the characterization of sources using atmospheric transport and dispersion models is emphasized.
Improving the Stability and Sensing of Electrochemical Biosensors by Employing Trithiol-Anchoring Groups in a Six-Carbon Self-Assembled Monolayer

Alkane thiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have seen widespread utility in the fabrication of electrochemical biosensors. Their utility, however, reflects a potentially significant compromise. While shorter SAMs support efficient electron transfer, they pack poorly and are thus relatively unstable. Longer SAMs are more stable but suffer from less efficient electron transfer, thus degrading sensor performance. Here we use the electrochemical DNA (E-DNA) sensor platform to compare the signaling and stability of biosensors fabricated using a short, six-carbon monothiol with those employing either of two commercially available trihexylthiol anchors (a flexible Letsinger type and a rigid adamantane type). We find that all three anchors support efficient electron transfer and E-DNA signaling, with the gain, specificity, and selectivity of all three being effectively indistinguishable. The stabilities of the three anchors, however, vary significantly. Sensors anchored with the flexible trithiol exhibit enhanced stability, retaining 75% of their original signal and maintaining excellent signaling properties after 50 days storage in buffer. Likewise these sensors exhibit excellent temperature stability and robustness to electrochemical interrogation. The stability of sensors fabricated using the rigid trithiol anchor, by comparison, are similar to those of the monothiol, with both exhibiting significant (>60%) loss of signal upon wet storage or thermocycling. Employing a flexible trithiol anchor in the fabrication of SAM-based electrochemical biosensors may provide a means of improving sensor robustness without sacrificing electron transfer efficiency or otherwise impeding sensor performance.
MRI of the Knee: What Do We Miss?

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a commonly used tool when evaluating patients with acute knee injury or chronic knee pain. Although it has shown excellent accuracy in diagnosing knee pathology, there remain many potential pitfalls and missed lesions. These can be secondary to inherent technical limitations or artifacts related to MR. Also subtle pathology can be overlooked, and anatomic structures and associated variants can be misinterpreted as tears. In this article, we will review some of the more common misses or pitfalls that occur in the setting of sport-related injuries.
The vector analyzing power for (d, t) reactions on even nickel isotopes

Abstract Measurements of the angular distributions of vector analyzing power (Ay) were made for the reaction 58Ni(d, t)57Ni at 16.5 MeV and for the reactions 60N(d, t)59Ni and 62Ni(d, t)61Ni at 15.0 MeV deuteron bombarding energy. Transitions for which ln = 1 and 3 were observed. The data were compared with DWBA calculations. The systematic behavior of Ay for the various values of the total angular momentum carried by the transferred neutron was observed. The data for ln = 1 transitions were found to be in reasonably good agreement with the calculations, and permit a clear distinction between the two possible spin values of the residual state. The data for transitions to 5 2 − and 7 2 − states are less characteristic of the j-value, but nevertheless yield spin assignments for several transitions from their systematics. The data for l = 3 transitions are not in good agreement with the DWBA calculations. Spins and parities assigned or confirmed in the present work are as follows: 57 Ni − g.s. , 3 2 − ; 0.769, 5 2 − ; 1.113, 1 2 − ; 2.577, 7 2 − ; 3.23, 7 2 − ; 59 Ni − g.s ., 3 2 − ; 0.340, 5 2 − ; 0.466, 1 2 − ; 0.878, 3 2 − ; 1.303, 1 2 − ; 1.949, 7 2 − ; 2.630, 7 2 − ; 3.040, ( 7 2 ) − ; 71 Ni − g.s ., 3 2 − ; 0.283, 1 2 − ; 0.656, 1 2 − ; 1.100, 3 2 − ; 1.186, 3 2 − ; 1.457, 7 2 − ; 2.91, 7 2 − ; and 3.30, 7 2 − .
Organization of co-occurring Axis II features in borderline personality disorder

Objectives. Considerable heterogeneity exists in the comorbid Axis II features that frequently accompany borderline personality disorder (BPD). These features have potential to be meaningfully organized, relate to specific BPD presentation, and have implications for treatment process and outcome. The present study explored patterns of Axis II comorbidity in order to identify subtypes of BPD. Design. A well-defined sample of 90 patients diagnosed with BPD was recruited as part of an RCT study. Participants were administered the International Personality Disorder Examination (Loranger, 1999) to diagnose BPD and assess comorbid Axis II features. Other measures were also administered to assess aspects of current work and relationship functioning, symptomatology, and self-concept. Methods and results. Q-factoring was used to develop subtypes based on commonly occurring Axis II profiles, identifying three: Cluster A (elevated paranoid and schizotypal features), Cluster B (elevated narcissistic and histrionic features), and Cluster C (elevated avoidant and obsessive‐compulsive features). An additional factor analysis revealed two dimensions underlying the comorbid features identifiable as: extraversion versus introversion and antagonism versus constraint. Validity of these two maps of comorbidity was explored in terms of the BPD criteria themselves, as well as on work and relationship functioning, identity diffusion, views of self and others, positive and negative affect, behavioural dyscontrol, and symptomatic distress. Conclusions. Clinically meaningful subtypes can be identified for BPD based on cooccurring Axis II features. Further research is needed to replicate and further establish base-rates of these subtypes as well as their differential implications for treatment. Since its creation by DSM-III in 1980, borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been the focus of intense investigation in reference to its psychopathology, phenomenology, and treatment. Probably the most vexing problem, and one that impedes advance in the area, is the heterogeneity of the patient group that meets criteria for the disorder. The polythetic definition of BPD, with any five out of nine criteria required for diagnosis,
Bilirubin Photooxidation Products in the Urine of Jaundiced Neonates Receiving Phototherapy

Bilirubin-IX alpha photooxidation products were detected by high performance liquid chromatography in the urine of neonates undergoing phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia. The in vivo photoproducts were identified by chromatographic comparison with authentic synthetic standards using two complementary methods. Bilirubin photooxidation products were not detected in urine from jaundiced infants not receiving phototherapy. The specific photoproducts identified in the urine include propentdyopents, hematinic acid imide and its hydrolysis product (3-carboxy-2-methyl-2-hexenedioic acid), and the hydrolysis product (2-vinyl-3-methyl-maleic acid) of methylvinylmaleimide. Their total urinary concentrations were low (0.2-0.9 mg/dl) during phototherapy. These observations show that photooxidation of bilirubin clearly does occur during phototherapy. They are consistent with the view that, although photooxidation is not the major photochemical event associated with phototherapy, it can and clearly does occur concurrently with photoisomerization.
Modification by environmental conditions of retrograde amnesia produced by ECS.

Abstract A single ECS following one trial appetitive learning produced retrograde amnesia after 24–72 hr in rats housed individually in a colony during the ECS-retention trial interval. In animals given the same treatment procedures and housed individually in a dark chamber with a constant level of background noise, no retrograde amnesia following ECS was noted. These results suggest that varying environmental conditions during the ECS-retention interval may eliminate or enhance retrograde amnesia. Further, these deficits in retention appear to be retrieval deficits which are associated with events producing brain dysfunction and loss of retention.
Changes in the alveolar process about the teeth in dogs on experimental diets.

Summary1. The condition shown in Fig. 1 represents a non-inflammatory type of parodontoclasia in a dog.2. The occurrence of the retrograde changes in Fig. 1 in relation to a diet known to produce osseous degeneration, together with a reversal of the type of bone change with a reversal of the dietary fault, postulates that nutrition is an important etiologic factor.3. The microscopic appearance of the tissues shown in Fig. 1 resembles diffuse atrophy in human tissues as described by Gottlieh.44. The condition described as resulting from the basic diet cccurred without any obvious degenerative changes in the long bones and in an animal apparently in good health, robust and well-nourished. This is in conformity with the occurrence of parodontoclasia in humans who seem to be in perfect health.5. The freedom from inflammatory reaction of the soft tissues may be due in part to the high resistance to infection char-acteristic of the tissues of the dog, and in part to lack of function. The dogs were fed on pap, r...
Strategic Interaction and the Determination of Environmental Policy across U.S. States

Abstract We examine whether U.S. states are engaged in strategic environmental policymaking. In particular, do states incorporate the stringency of environmental policies in neighboring states into their own decision calculus? Our analysis suggests that states are influenced by their neighbors—both contiguous and regional neighbors—and the effect operates within a five year window. Moreover, the response is asymmetric. States are “pulled” to higher levels of abatement costs by improvements in neighbors with regulations that are already relatively stringent. Improvements by states with relatively lax regulations have no effect on their neighbors' environmental policymaking.
Price Trends at Livestock Auctions

Auction bidders may pursue a large number of reasonable bidding strategies, including those that are risk-neutral and risk-averse. Risk-averse bidders are especially tempted by the auction process to discriminate against themselves, that is, to offer prices close to their reservation prices or target prices. Self-discrimination, in turn, usually implies that quality-corrected prices of individual lots trend downward as the sale proceeds. The empirical evidence for downtrending prices at selected yearling steer sales is examined. Implications are then drawn for auction pricing efficiency and equity.
Channeling satiation: A primer on the role of TRP channels in the control of glutamate release from vagal afferent neurons

Obesity results from the chronic imbalance between food intake and energy expenditure. To maintain homeostasis, the brainstem nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) integrates peripheral information from visceral organs and initiates reflex pathways that control food intake and other autonomic functions. This peripheral-to-central neural communication occurs through activation of vagal afferent neurons which converge to form the solitary tract (ST) and synapse with strong glutamatergic contacts onto NTS neurons. Vagal afferents release glutamate containing vesicles via three distinct pathways (synchronous, asynchronous, and spontaneous) providing multiple levels of control through fast synaptic neurotransmission at ST-NTS synapses. While temperature at the NTS is relatively constant, vagal afferent neurons express an array of thermosensitive ion channels named transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. Here we review the evidence that TRP channels pre-synaptically control quantal glutamate release and examine the potential roles of TRP channels in vagally mediated satiety signaling. We summarize the current literature that TRP channels contribute to asynchronous and spontaneous release of glutamate which can distinctly influence the transfer of information across the ST-NTS synapse. In other words, multiple glutamate vesicle release pathways, guided by afferent TRP channels, provide for robust while adaptive neurotransmission and expand our understanding of vagal afferent signaling.
Self-hypnosis and biofeedback in the management of juvenile migraine.

ABSTRACTSelf-hypnosis with and without biofeedback of peripheral temperature was used successfully in treating migraine headaches of 15 children who had not responded well to previous pharmacologic management. Case histories of 3 of these children are presented. Prospective research is needed to det
Autophagy and NF-κB: Fight for fate

Autophagy/macroautophagy is known for its role in cellular homeostasis, development, cell survival, aging, immunity, cancer and neurodegeneration. However, until recently, the mechanisms by which autophagy contributes to these important processes were largely unknown. The demonstration of a direct cross-talk between autophagy and NF-kappaB opens up new frontiers for deciphering the role of autophagy in diverse biological processes. Here, we review our current understanding of autophagy, with a focus on its role in tumor suppression, NF-kappaB inactivation and selective protein degradation in mammals. We also list some most intriguing and outstanding questions that are likely to engage researchers in the near future.
Issues Affecting the Selection of Participation Measurement in Outcomes Research and Clinical Trials

The ever-growing number of participation measures without consensus on which is best makes it difficult to determine which measure to use in rehabilitation research and clinical trials. In an effort to address issues affecting the selection of a participation measure for a specific research purpose, this article (1) outlines the types and characteristics of participation measures, (2) enumerates various uses of participation measures in disability and rehabilitation research, (3) discusses appropriate matching of the type of participation measure with the research task, and (4) offers recommendations for future participation research. Participation instruments vary in terms of their degree of participation specificity, the conceptual model that underlies their development, whether they include multiple domains or take a more global approach, the extent to which they are objective versus subjective, whether they use general population norms, who is the respondent, the method of item and scale development, and their psychometric properties. Participation measures are used in individual and population assessments, observational research, and interventional research. Selection of a participation measure for use in a specific study requires an understanding of the characteristics of available tools and the nature of the research design, but most importantly, it requires matching the instrument to the specific research question or hypothesis. Instruments assessing participation are currently appropriate as secondary outcomes in trials evaluating interventions targeting activity limitation, and they will become appropriate as primary outcomes when interventions are tested that target participation directly. It will be easier to apply participation measures appropriately to their many research uses once substantial progress is made in obtaining better participation measurements and consensus is reached about the best tools.
Photonic Lightwave Circuits for Sensing and Communications

We propose 2D and 3D photonic lightwave circuits designed for sensing and communications with extremely high efficiency, throughput, and agility. OAWG and orbital-angular-momentum, and new applications in FSO communications and imaging will be discussed.
Synthesis of polyhydroxylated ester analogs of the stilbene resveratrol using decarbonylative Heck couplings

Abstract Protected 3,5-hydroxy-benzoyl chlorides 3 were coupled with styrenes 4 to give hydroxylated stilbenes, analogs of resveratrol, an important antioxidant disease preventative agent isolated from grape skins and other dietary sources. Levulinate and chloroacetate protecting groups allowed for the selective production of mono- and di-acetate variations under palladium- N -heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed decarbonylative coupling conditions. Fluorinated analogs were also produced using Heck conditions with bromofluorobenzenes. Human HL-60 cell assays showed the 4′-acetoxy variant 11 to have improved activity (ED 50 17 μM) relative to resveratrol (24 μM).
Nationhood and the national question in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Eurasia: An institutionalist account

The Soviet nationality regime, with its distinctive and pervasive manner of institutionalizing nationhood and nationality, has transmitted to the successor states a set of deeply structured, and powerfully conflicting,expectations of belonging. Successor state elites, with their deeply institutionalized sense of political ownership and entitlement, see the polities that bear the names of their nation — above all the territory and institutions, but also, with some ambivalence, the population as well — as “their own,” as belonging, in a fundamental sense, to them. National minorities, above all Russians, with their institutionally supported, basically ethnocultural understanding of nationhood, see themselves as belonging, in a deep if not exclusive sense, to an “external” nation; this cannot help but color and qualify, even if it does not exclude, their belonging to the would-be nation-state in which they live, and of which they (or most of them) hold citizenship. Russian state elites, finally, whose national self-understanding was not in the Soviet period embedded in, and is now only very imperfectly contained by, the institutional and territorial frame of the Russian Federation, see the Russian minorities in the non-Russian successor states as belonging, in an ill-defined yet potent sense, to the emerging Russian state. These deeply rooted and powerfully conflicting expectations of belonging — interacting, of course, with conflicts of interest engendered by state-building, regime change, and economic restructuring — will make the dynamic interplay between non-Russian successor states, Russian minorities, and the Russian state a locus of refractory, and potentially explosive, ethnonational conflict in coming years.
Seasonal to interannual modes of sea level variability in the western Pacific and eastern Indian oceans

Almost six years of TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter data were analyzed to discern low frequency (monthly to interannual) variability in the region from the eastern Indian Ocean east to the dateline. An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis shows that from September 1992 through April 1998 the dominant mode of sea level variability in the western Pacific/eastern Indian Ocean is on the ENSO time scale, and annual variability is secondary. The amplitude of the annual cycle becomes even less in the latter part of the time period (in the years prior to the 1997/98 El Nino event). The pattern that emerges on interannual time scales is one of western Pacific warm pool buildup (during non-El Nino years) and discharge (during El Nino years). Mixed with these signals is a large amplitude signal in the eastern Indian Ocean, south of the equator (off the south coast of Sumatra), which has both annual and interannual variations associated with it. Harmonic analysis shows the annual cycle is dominated by Rossby waves in both the equatorial Pacific and at higher latitudes in the eastern Indian Ocean.
Of Mimicry and Membership: Africans and the "New World Society"

Your Excellencies, members, and officials of Europe,2 It is a distinctive honor and privilege to write this letter to talk to you about the aim of our trip and our suffering-we the children and the youth of Africa. We put our trust in you. First of all, we bring you our greetings-the sweetest, the most adorable and respectful greetings of life. To this end, please be our support and help, we the people of Africa. Otherwise whom shall we turn to for help? We beseech you, come to our rescue. Think of your love for your beautiful continent, your people, your family, above all the love of your children that you love so dearly like life. Moreover, think of the love and kindness of the creator, "God," the Almighty, who has given you the good experiences, wealth, and power to construct and organize your continent so well that it has become the most beautiful and admirable of them all. [?]3 Members and officials of Europe, we are appealing to your graciousness and solidarity to come to our rescue. Please, help us. We are suffering enormously in Africa. Help us, we have problems, and those problems include the lack of children's rights. The problems we have are: war, disease, malnutrition, etc. As for children's rights, in Africa, and especially in Guinea, we have plenty of schools but a great lack of education and teaching. Only in the private schools can one get good education and good teaching, but it requires quite a lot of money and our parents are poor, they must feed us [?]. Therefore, we do not have sports facilities such as soccer, basketball, tennis [?], etc. Therefore, we Africans, especially we, the African children and youth, are asking you to set up a great, effective organization for Africa so that it might make
Comparison of two anesthetic protocols for feline blood donation

Abstract Objective To compare hemodynamic variables during, and recovery quality following, anesthesia for feline blood donation using intramuscular ketamine–midazolam–butorphanol (KMB) versus inhaled sevoflurane in oxygen (SEV). Study design Prospective blinded, randomized, crossover study. Animals Twenty healthy, client-owned, mixed breed cats, aged 4–8 years, weighing 5.2–6.4 kg. Methods Cats were anesthetized with KMB for one donation and SEV for another. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (f R ), pulse quality, mucous membrane color, capillary refill time, arterial hemoglobin saturation with oxygen (SpO 2 ), and noninvasive arterial blood pressure (Doppler) were assessed by a blinded observer every 1 minute during collection. A nonblinded anesthesiologist delivered drugs and responded to hemodynamic changes. Each donation consisted of 55 mL of whole blood drawn via jugular puncture over 5–22 minutes. Donors received 60 mL subcutaneous lactated Ringer's solution before recovery. Donors were monitored for a minimum of 4 hours post-donation, before returning home. Owners, unaware of anesthetic protocol, completed a questionnaire regarding their cat's behavior during the 24 hours following donation. Results Both protocols provided adequate restraint but were complicated by significant hypotension, requiring intervention in 16 (84%) SEV cats, and eight (42%) KMB cats. KMB cats experienced post-procedure hyperthermia, with body temperatures >103.5°F. All animals responded to symptomatic therapy within 2 hours. Owners noted a significantly faster return to normal behavior at home following SEV. Conclusion All cats experienced hypotension, with many animals requiring intervention. There was no significant difference between protocols in incidence and severity of hypotension. The primary post-procedure complication was hyperthermia with KMB. Clinical relevance As a result of the potential for hypotension during blood donation, intravenous (IV) access and blood pressure monitoring are recommended for all anesthetized donor cats, regardless of the anesthetic protocol. Post-procedure hyperthermia is a risk with KMB, so temperature monitoring is recommended. Return to normal behavior is faster with SEV.
Infrared Spectra of the Alkali Metal Cyanides in the Solid State

The infrared spectra of lithium isocyanide and of sodium and potassium cyanides in the solid phase were examined over the range 4000 to 140 cm−1 at room temperature. A study of the effect of cooling the solids to liquid nitrogen temperature has been carried out.
Reducing Routing Overhead using Off-Network Route Computation in Sensor Networks

This paper presents an architectural solution to address the problem of scalable routing in very large sensor networks. The control complexities of the existing sensor routing protocols, both node-centric and data-centric, do not scale very well for large networks with potentially hundreds of thousands of embedded sensor devices. This paper develops a routing solution Off-Network Control Processing (ONCP) that achieves control scalability in large sensor networks by shifting certain amount of routing functions to an "off-network" server. A tiered and hybrid routing approach, consisting of "coarse grain" server based global routing, and distributed "fine grain" local routing is proposed for achieving scalability by avoiding network wide control message dissemination. We present the ONCP architectural concepts and analytically characterize its performance in relations to both flat and hierarchical routing architectures. Finally, using an ns2 based simulation model we show experimental results indicating that for large sensor networks with realistic data models, the packet drop, latency and energy performance of ONCP can be significantly better than those for a well known flat sensor routing protocol Directed Diffusion.
Synthesis and coordination properties of 6,6′-bis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)-2,2′-bipyridine-N,N′,P,P′-tetraoxide

The ligand 6,6′-(bis(biphenylphosphinomethyl)-2,2′-bipyridine-N,N′,P,P′-tetraoxide (7) is prepared by oxidation of the parent phosphine 6,6′-bis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)-2,2′-bipyridine (10). Combination of the oxidized ligand with lanthanide nitrates Ln(NO3)3·(H2O)n (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Dy, Er) results in formation of 2:1 metal:ligand complexes, and the molecular structure of one complex, [Nd(7)2](NO3)3·[(CH3)2NC(O)H]2, is described. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with a = 20.617(4), b = 22.736(6), c = 18.465(3) A, β = 98.35(1)° and Z = 4. The molecular structure confirms the bis-ligands stoichiometry and shows that the two ligands are tetradentate. The Nd coordination number is eight, and the NO3− ions and solvent molecules are not involved in inner sphere coordination.
Validation and testing of the Acceptability E-scale for Web-based patient-reported outcomes in cancer care

The performance of the Acceptability E-scale was tested in a sample of 627 adult and older adult patients from various oncology clinics who completed an electronic symptoms survey. The revised Acceptability E-scale has strong psychometric properties and can be useful in assessing the acceptability and usability of computerized health-related programs in oncology and other health population.
THE DYNAMICS OF LANGUAGE USE: FUNCTIONAL AND CONTRASTIVE PERSPECTIVES, Christopher S. Butler, Maria de los Angeles Gómez-González, and Susana M. Doval-Suárez (Eds.)

THE DYNAMICS OF LANGUAGE USE: FUNCTIONAL AND CONTRASTIVE PERSPECTIVES. Christopher S. Butler, Maria de los Angeles Gomez-Gonzalez, and Susana M. Doval-Suarez (Eds.). Amsterdam: Benjamins, 2005. Pp. xvi + 413. $150.00 cloth.Judging from the varied and stimulating content of this anthology, the Third International Contrastive Linguistics Conference (held in September 2003 at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain) must have been an exciting experience for theorists and teachers in the field of SLA. This volume—a collection of selected papers from the conference—pays eloquent testimony to the success of the academic gathering.