cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Peer Support Groups for Weight Loss

Social support, especially from peers, has been found to contribute to successful weight loss and long-term weight loss maintenance. Peer support groups may represent a particularly effective intervention technique for weight loss. This review focuses upon peer support weight loss interventions with the objective of identifying common elements of successful programs. Peer support interventions often consist of expert-led educational content, supplemented by peer-led activities or discussion. Peer groups may provide support to individuals who have little social support in their normal lives. Interventions are often designed for pre-existing groups, especially high-risk groups such as women from ethnic minorities. Men are underrepresented in weight loss programs and often perceive “dieting” as feminine. However, several peer programs for male sports fans have successfully resulted in weight loss and fostering support for healthy lifestyle among male peers. In addition to professionally created peer support groups, many online weight loss communities are created and moderated by peers. Online communities allow participants to share peer support similar to in-person formats. Many peer support interventions show significant short-term weight loss. Group members frequently report that peer support was critical to their weight loss success. A sense of community among likeminded individuals with similar goals was frequently cited. Online peer support groups are becoming increasingly prevalent, may fulfill similar needs to in-person groups, and have additional advantages in accessibility, and access to a larger peer network, and may facilitate long-term adherence.
Synchronizing advance directives among patients across a health system.

233Background: Advance directives (ADs) are legal tools that direct treatment or decision making and appoint a surrogate decision-maker (health care proxy). The presence of ADs is associated with d...
Performance of Response Based One Shot Controls Handling Missing Phasor Measurements

With the advent of real-time PMU data acquisition technology, the possibility of solutions to several instability problems in power system has increased. However, PMUs may undergo different data quality issues like recording bad data or missing data. Some paper mentions about 5-10% of missing samples in some historical PMU’s dataset. This paper assumes 0-10% of missing phasor samples by randomly deleting measurements and explores imputation methods of handling missing data in real time. The simulation is carried out in a DT-based stability prediction and one-shot control scheme of WECC’s 176-bus model. Several control performances are evaluated to decide a useful method of missing data recovery for the response based one shot control scheme. A PMU data quality issue is not limited to missing samples only but also interference with noises. Later part of this paper performs simulation considering noisy phasor measurements. A 45 dB of Gaussian distributed noise is deliberately added to phasor samples and simulation is performed with different DT indices and thresholds for real time stability prediction and control actuation.
(How) do credit market conditions affect firms' post-hedging outcomes? Evidence from bank lending standards and firms' currency exposure

Abstract Tighter bank lending standards could increase firms' post-hedging currency exposure by reducing firms' ability to fund hedging (funding channel) and/or by constraining counterparties' capacity to facilitate hedging (capacity channel). We find that tighter lending standards materially increase firms' exposure. In addition, we find no support for a funding-channel effect as firms' internal liquidity does not mitigate the impact of lending standards on exposure, indicating that the impact is through the capacity channel. Finally, we find a negative association between lending standards and aggregate transactions in currency derivatives, bolstering support for a capacity-channel effect. Our results have implications for firms' hedging policy and the bank lending channel of monetary policy transmission.
Advanced Practice Provider-inclusive Staffing Models and Patient Outcomes in Pediatric Critical Care.

BACKGROUND Pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are increasingly staffed with advanced practice providers (APPs), supplementing traditional physician staffing models. OBJECTIVES We evaluate the effect of APP-inclusive staffing models on clinical outcomes and resource utilization in US PICUs. RESEARCH DESIGN Retrospective cohort study of children admitted to PICUs in 9 states in 2016 using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's State Inpatient Databases. PICU staffing models were assessed using a contemporaneous staffing survey. We used multivariate regression to examine associations between staffing models with and without APPs and outcomes. MEASURES The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included odds of hospital acquired conditions and ICU and hospital lengths of stay. RESULTS The sample included 38,788 children in 40 PICUs. Patients admitted to PICUs with APP-inclusive staffing were younger (6.1±5.9 vs. 7.1±6.2 y) and more likely to have complex chronic conditions (64% vs. 43%) and organ failure on admission (25% vs. 22%), compared with patients in PICUs with physician-only staffing. There was no difference in mortality between PICU types [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83-1.81, P=0.30]. Patients in PICUs with APP-inclusive staffing had lower odds of central line-associated blood stream infections (AOR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.59-0.98, P=0.03) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (AOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.61-0.86, P<0.001). There were no differences in lengths of stay. CONCLUSIONS Despite being younger and sicker, children admitted to PICUs with APP-inclusive staffing had no increased odds of mortality and lower odds of some hospital acquired conditions compared with those in PICUs with physician-only staffing. Further research can inform APP integration strategies which optimize outcomes.
Axonal generation of amyloid-β from palmitoylated APP in mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membranes

Axonal generation of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated amyloid-β (Aβ) plays a key role in AD neuropathology, but the cellular mechanisms involved in its release have remained elusive. We previously reported that palmitoylated APP (palAPP) partitions to lipid rafts where it serves as a preferred substrate for β-secretase. Mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes (MAMs) are cholesterol-rich lipid rafts that are upregulated in AD. Here, we show that downregulating MAM assembly by either RNA silencing or pharmacological modulation of the MAM-resident sigma1 receptor (S1R) leads to attenuated β-secretase cleavage of palAPP. Upregulation of MAMs promotes trafficking of palAPP to the cell surface, β-secretase cleavage, and Aβ generation. We develop a microfluidic device and use it to show that MAM levels alter Aβ generation specifically in neuronal processes and axons, but not in cell bodies. These data suggest therapeutic strategies for reducing axonal release of Aβ and attenuating β-amyloid pathology in AD.
Performance testing of thermoelectric generators including Voyager and LES 8/9 flight results

Several thermoelectric generators ranging in output power from 0.5 to 155 W have been completed or are undergoing testing at JPL. These generators represent a wide range of technologies, using Bi2Te3, PbTe and SiGe thermoelectric materials. Several of these generators are of a developmental type, such as HPG S/N2, and others are representative of Transit and Multi-Hundred Watt (MHW) Technology. Representative flight performance data of LES 8/9 and Voyager RTG's are presented and compared with the DEGRA computer program based on the data observed from tests of SiGe couples, modules and MHW generators.
Representations of Groups

The aim of this chapter is to introduce the reader to the theory of representations of groups by linear transformations of a vector space or, equivalently, by matrices over a field. Aside from its intrinsic interest this theory has proved to be a most powerful tool for studying finite groups.
Controlling deliberation in a Markov decision process-based agent

Meta-level control manages the allocation of limited resources to deliberative actions. This paper discusses efforts in adding meta-level control capabilities to a Markov Decision Process (MDP)-based scheduling agent. The agent's reasoning process involves continuous partial unrolling of the MDP state space and periodic reprioritization of the states to be expanded. The meta-level controller makes situation-specific decisions on when the agent should stop unrolling in order to derive a partial policy while bounding the costs of state reprioritization. The described approach uses performance profiling combined with multi-level strategies in its decision making. We present results showing the performance advantage of dynamic meta-level control for this complex agent.
Prediction and Filtering of Processes

This chapter is devoted to a different class of applications complementing the preceding work. The first section contains a comparative analysis of general prediction operations relative to a convex loss function, and its relation to projection operators. This is refined in the next section, for least squares prediction with the Cramer-Hida method. Then Section 3 treats linear filters as formulated by Bochner [2]. The results are specialized and sharpened in Section 4 for linear Kalman-Bucy filters of interest in many applications. Then in Section 5, we consider nonlinear filtering, which is a counter part of the preceding showing that there are many new possibilities, as well as illustrating the essential use of the general theory of SDEs in this subject. Thus Sections 3–5 contain mathematical glimpses of some of the vast filter technology. Finally some related complements are included as exercises, often with sketches of proof.
Regulating Listings in a Global Market

Non-U.S. companies increasingly spurn U.S. stock markets and choose to list their securities and raise capital abroad. The drivers behind this shift are complex, but many believe that a principal cause is regulatory. The SEC has promulgated arguably over-burdensome, one-size-fits-all rules which fail to account for non-U.S. companies' heterogeneous desires for differing levels of regulation. And this was before the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Previous proposals to ameliorate this problem have all suffered from the same analytical flaw: they have approached this issue from the supply side and argued that regulation should be structured to meet the desires of issuers. This Article is an attempt to reformulate this debate. I argue that analysis of the proper level of U.S. regulation for non-U.S. companies should take into strong account the demand side interests of U.S. retail investors who are deprived of investing opportunities abroad when non-U.S. companies choose not list in the United States. The SEC should therefore craft regulation to foster investor equality and opportunity, and ensure that global investments are, to the extent feasible, available to U.S. investors. To achieve this, the SEC should adopt a different regulatory standard for non-U.S. companies listing both in the United States and in their home market. This regulatory standard would borrow from mutual recognition principles embedded in Conflict of Laws jurisprudence. Under this standard, a non-U.S. company's compliance with its home market rules would be deemed satisfactory unless the quality of home market regulation was deemed to be sufficiently incomparable to United States regulation such that the benefits of investor access were outweighed by insufficient investor protections. This approach would create a regulatory scheme which would serve U.S. interests by attracting foreign listings while sufficiently protecting domestic investors. It would also benefit U.S. stock markets by allowing them to differentiate and provide regulatory product tailored to the individualized nature of the non-domestic listing decision.
IV–VI Semiconductors

The IV-VI semiconductors are among the most interesting materials in solid state physics. Many are found in the rock-salt structure, and structural transitions are common. The most widely studied compounds in this group are PbTe, PbSe, PbS, SnTe, and GeTe. Their lattice constants are given in Table 11.1. These materials have small gaps which are usually less than 0.5 eV, hence they are good candidates for devices like infrared lasers and detectors. Despite their simple crystal structure, some of these compounds exhibit ferroelectric, paraelectric, and superconducting behavior. In addition, the temperature dependence of the energy gaps, the energy positions of impurity levels, the high doping levels found, the static dielectric constants, and the electronic structure of some of the alloys of these compounds appear to be anomalous compared to the “conventional behavior” of the diamond and zinc-blende semiconductors.
The medical assessment of seriously delinquent boys: A comparison of pediatric, psychiatric, neurologic, and hospital record data

This study documents a high prevalence of medical disorders, especially head and face injury, seizures, and other neurological problems in violent incarcerated adolescent delinquents. It documents the failure of three different medical specialities—pediatrics, psychiatry, and neurology—to consistently elicit significant potentially treatable disorders during routine evaluations. It explores possible causes for overlooking significant medical factors in these youngsters and proposes ways to improve the health evaluations of delinquent adolescents.
Laplace transform analytic element method for transient flow problems

Recently we [12] proposed a new Laplace transform analytic element method (LT-AEM) for the solution of transient groundwater flow problems. Laplace transformation of the transient flow equations leads to a time-independent modified Helmholtz equation and associated conditions at discontinuities. The latter are solved by AEM and the results transformed numerically back into the time domain. Though neither continuity of potential nor continuity of flux are satisfied automatically at internal discontinuities, both are satisfied approximately via least squares at an overdetermined system of control points in a manner similar to that of Jankovic [17] and Barnes and Jankovic [5]. LT-AEM preserves all advantages of the AEM in Laplace space, most importantly its mathematical elegance and grid-free nature. Solution in Laplace space and numerical back transformation into the time domain are done independently for any given time and are thus amenable to parallel computation on multiple processors. This renders the method particularly well suited for cases where a high-accuracy solution is required at a relatively small number of discrete space-time locations. LT-AEM requires a new family of analytic elements associated transformation of known analytic solutions in the time domain, or developed directly in the Laplace domain. We use both methods to develop a number of analytic elements for LT-AEM. We then illustrate the method on transient flow in a two-dimensional confined aquifer containing various inhomogeneities and time-dependent sources.
On Teaching Effectiveness.

(1981). On Teaching Effectiveness. The Journal of Business Education: Vol. 57, No. 2, pp. 53-56.
Limitations on Vibration Isolation for Microgravity Space Experiments

The vibration-isolation limitations of spaceborne microgravity experiments are largely due to isolation-system volume restrictions. In the present one-degree-of-freedom representation of an experimental aircraft, assuming an ideal vibration actuator, wall motion is characterized as sinusoidal at a single frequency. The result is a kinematic representation which poses the problem of the minimum acceleration trajectory within a pair of moving walls; analysis then yields a simple condition under which a closed-form solution is available. The results obtained demonstrate that isolation from low-frequency vibration requires more interior space than is available for vibration isolation on manned orbiters.
Central Limit Theorem

Many statistical inferential procedures such as hypothesis testing and the estimation of confidence intervals are based on the assumption that the distribution of a sample statistic is normal. The Central Limit Theorem (CLT) often justifies the assumption that the distribution of a sample statistic (e.g., mean, sum score, and test statistic) is normal. The Central Limit Theorem states that, for a large sample of n observations from a population with a finite mean and variance, the sampling distribution of the sum or mean of samples of size n is approximately normal. Keywords: mean; sum; population; sampling distribution; normal distribution
Institutional Aspects of International Governance

Professor Elisabeth Zoller discusses the domain and the methods of international governance. In Part I, she addresses the notion of the "international community." Professor Zoller argues that the international community is not really a community at all, but several "intertangled communities " with common interests. These common interests emerged as a result of several worldwide events, such as World War I and the Great Depression. The author asserts that common interests among nation states and priority setting are the two prerequisites necessary for international governance. In Part II, the author examines the methods of international governance, beginning with the proposition that governance is linked to power. Although power is decentralized in international governance, it can still be exercised collectively. Professor Zoller continues by describing the evolution of a model of international governance. She concludes by suggesting that the shortcomings of global regulation, especially with respect to environmental issues, can be addressed most effectively by the institutional aspects of international governance. To that end, the success of international governance, in terms of international environmental protection, depends upon the leadership exerted by the "great powers, " specifically the United States.
Relactation: An Overview

Relactation refers to the physiological process whereby human lactation is initiated at a time unrelated to the postpartum production of milk. This phenomenon has also been referred to as induced lactation or, in some instances, interrupted lactation in women who have weaned their infants and wish to resume breast-feeding. The relactation process can also be used to promote an increase in the milk supply of women who are already lactating. Although relactation is an accepted fact in many cultures, even well-trained pediatricians in both the developed and developing countries may be unaware of the potential relactation has in good infant care.
Assessment of intracellular mucin content in vivo

Airway mucus presents a first line of defense against inhaled materials. It also, however, is a significant pathological contributor to chronic lung diseases, such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Thus, gaining a better understanding of the mechanisms of mucus production and secretion is an important goal for improving respiratory health. Mucins, the chief glycoprotein components of airway mucus, are very large polymeric glycoproteins, and measuring their production and secretion in experimental animals presents significant technical challenges. Over the past several years, we have developed assays for accurately quantifying mucin production and secretion using histological and biochemical assays. These methods are described here.
Preliminary measurements of SO2 adsorbed on ice

Three adsorption isotherms of SO2 on ice were measured at −3°, −11°, and −30°C in the SO2 concentration range of 0.3 to 6 ppmV. The isotherms indicated that there is a strong increase of adsorption as the temperature rises toward the melting point. This behavior may correlate with the presence of a "quasi-liquid" layer on the surface of ice. If this behaviour is typical of impurity adsorption on ice, it is important in the processes that govern the acquisition, transport and storage of atmospheric pollutants by snow.
Psoriatic skin reveals the in vivo presence of an epidermal IL-1 inhibitor.

Production of inhibitor(s) of IL-1 activity can be induced in keratinocytes by exposure to UVB. We describe in this study the characterization of an endogenous constitutively expressed IL-1 inhibitor which is present in extracts of human psoriatic epidermal keratome biopsies. Size-fractionated extracts of normal human epidermis did not reveal IL-1 inhibitory factor(s) activity in normal epidermis. Psoriatic epidermal extracts, however, contained virtually no IL-1 bioactivity and inhibited the activity of recombinant human IL-1β. This IL-1 inhibitor has a molecular weight of approximately 30 kDa and a pI of 5.3, as revealed by fast protein liquid chromatography size fractionation and chromatofocusing of psoriatic epidermal extracts. IL-1 inhibitory activity was not blocked by neutralizing anti-TGFβ monoclonal antibody. It did not have any inhibitory effect upon normal cellular proliferation but could block the IL-1 induction of IL-2 production by LBRM.33 cells as late as 4 h after exposure of LBRM.33 cells to IL-1. Thus, in vivo human psoriatic epidermis expresses an IL-1 inhibitor that specifically inhibits IL-1 activity but which appears distinct from previously described UV-induced epidermal IL-1 inhibitory activity or TGFβ.
AUTO‐SHAPING IN BOBWHITE QUAIL1

Bobwhite quail were given extended auto-shaping, a procedure in which response-key illumination or color change is paired with response-independent food presentations. Continuation of the auto-shaping procedure yielded increased responding across sessions, although responses were never instrumental in producing food. The quail were shifted directly from the auto-shaping procedure to a variable-interval 60-sec schedule of reinforcement. All three birds were approaching stable response rates by the fifth session on the variable-interval schedule.
Intermittent punishment of responding maintained by variable ratio reinforcement

Variable ratio reinforced behavior was observed in five female college students in daily sessions in which no punishment, continuous punishment, and intermittent (VI) punishment were programmed. In three of the five Ss, punishment shock intensities strong enough to suppress all responding under continuous punishment had no effect when VI punishment was programmed at mean intervals ranging from 15.0 sec. to.8 sec. Only one S showed partial suppression, while all others showed either no suppression or complete suppression under VI punishment. The all or none suppression was related to the fact that partial suppression has virtually no effect in reducing shock frequency on the VI punishment schedule, although such suppression may result in substantial loss of reinforcement on the VR schedule.
Effect of Removing Trace Minerals from the Diet of Hens Laying Eggs with Heavy or Light Shell Weight

Hy-Line W36 hens, 48-wk-old, were used to study the effect of removing either supplemental Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, or all of them from the diet of hens laying eggs with heavy shell weight (HSW) or light shell weight (LSW). The experiment was conducted for 10 wk. Egg production (EP), egg mass (EM), feed consumption (FC), feed conversion efficiency (FE, grams feed:gram egg), egg weight (EW), shell weight (SW), percentage shell (PS), specific gravity (SG), percentage fertility, percentage hatchability of fertile eggs (HF), and percentage hatchability of total eggs set (HT) were measured. Removing trace minerals from the diet had no significant effect on EP, EM, FC, FE, EW, PS, SG, HF, or HT with either HSW or LSW hens. However, removing Mn from the diet significantly reduced SW with HSW hens. Diet by shell classes (HSW and LSW) interaction was not significant for any variable measured. The HSW hens had significantly higher EW, SW, PS, SG, and EM and lower EP, HF, and HT. However, there were no significant differences on FC or percentage fertility between the two groups of hens.
Cell surface extensions associated with overexpression of Alzheimer ß/A4 amyloid

Abstract Deposition of s/A4 amyloid in Alzheimer disease (AD) brain parenchyma and vasculature occurs by mechanisms that are currently undefined. Similarly the potential consequences of amyloid accumulation for disrupting cellular integrity have not been addressed in detail. To investigate the possible significance of amyloid deposits for cellular viability, PC12 cells were permanently transfected with DNA coding for the s/A4-C terminal region of the amyloid precursor protein. The DNA represented 97 amino acids of the amyloid precursor protein of which 40 amino acids were derived from the s/A4 region. Transfected clonal cell lines and controls were examined at both the light and electron microscopic levels for morphological abnormalities. s/A4 amyloid accumulated in the cell membrane where the peptide was located at cellular processes resembling blebs and microvilli. These specialized structures at the cell surface were over-abundant in transfected cells that overexpressed the s/A4 peptide but not in controls. Membranous processes may be involved in the delivery of the s/A4 peptide to the external surface of the cell of origin and release into the extracellular space. Similar surface features of cells in the AD brain, should they occur, may indicate a role for membrane-associated processes in the pathophysiology of the disorder.
Synthesis and characterization of a metal-binding peptide fragment of human carbonic anhydrase B

Abstract A 36-amino acid residue peptide containing the presumed metal-binding ligands at the active site of human erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase B was synthesized by the standard solid phase method. The synthetic peptide was purified by ion-exchange chromatography and was homogeneous as judged by cellulose acetate gel electrophoresis. Amino acid analysis, dansylation, C-terminal determination, and four cycles of Edman degradation all gave results consistent with the anticipated sequence. The peptide binds Co(II) with an apparent dissociation constant of about 7 × 10−5 M (uncorrected) but has little, if any, of the catalytic activity of carbonic anhydrase. Possible explanations for the weak binding of the metal ion are discussed along with prospects and strategies for designing polypeptide models of enzymatic catalysts.
The role of sex and personality in the prenegotiation stage of coalition formation

Abstract Research in the area of sex differences in coalitional behavior has produced inconsistent results that may be partially resolved through an examination of personality and attitudinal differences between males and females. The responses of males and females to the Shure and Meeker Personality/Attitude Schedule were analyzed and the sexes differed in their elevation on six major factors. A subsample of each sex participated in a coalition game situation. Four of the six personality and attitude factors were related to prenegotiation stage indices of coalition formation. It was suggested that the role of sex differences in coalitional behavior may be mediated by sex role socialization differences.
Three-dimensional finite element-based photoacoustic tomography : Initial results

A finite element reconstruction algorithm for three-dimensional photoacoustic tomography is demonstrated to recover both the images of absorbed optical energy density and acoustic speed simultaneously. The recovered results show that the algorithm is able to reconstruct photoacoustic images quantitatively in terms of the location, size, optical and acoustic properties of the heterogeneous medium.
Comparative transcription analysis and toxin production of two fluoroquinolone-resistant mutants of Clostridium perfringens

Fluoroquinolone use has been listed as a risk factor for the emergence of virulent clinical strains of some bacteria. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of fluoroquinolone (gatifloxacin) resistance selection on differential gene expression, including the toxin genes involved in virulence, in two fluoroquinolone-resistant strains of Clostridium perfringens by comparison with their wild-type isogenic strains. DNA microarray analyses were used to compare the gene transcription of two wild types, NCTR and ATCC 13124, with their gatifloxacin-resistant mutants, NCTRR and 13124R. Transcription of a variety of genes involved in bacterial metabolism was either higher or lower in the mutants than in the wild types. Some genes, including genes for toxins and regulatory genes, were upregulated in NCTRR and downregulated in 13124R. Transcription analysis by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed the altered expression of many of the genes that were affected differently in the fluoroquinolone-resistant mutants and wild types. The levels of gene expression and enzyme production for the toxins phospholipase C, perfringolysin O, collagenase and clostripain had decreased in 13124R and increased in NCTRR in comparison with the wild types. After centrifugation, the cytotoxicity of the supernatants of NCTRR and 13224R cultures for mouse peritoneal macrophages confirmed the increased cytotoxicity of NCTRR and the decreased cytotoxicity of 13124R in comparison with the respective wild types. Fluoroquinolone resistance selection also affected cell shape and colony morphology in both strains. Our results indicate that gatifloxacin resistance selection was associated with altered gene expression in two C. perfringens strains and that the effect was strain-specific. This study clearly demonstrates that bacterial exposure to fluoroquinolones may affect virulence (toxin production) in addition to drug resistance.
Regulation of ubiquitin chain initiation to control the timing of substrate degradation.

Summary Processive reactions, such as transcription or translation, often proceed through distinct initiation and elongation phases. The processive formation of polymeric ubiquitin chains can accordingly be catalyzed by specialized initiating and elongating E2 enzymes, but the functional significance for this division of labor has remained unclear. Here, we have identified sequence motifs in several substrates of the anaphase-promoting complex (APC/C) that are required for efficient chain initiation by its E2 Ube2C. Differences in the quality and accessibility of these chain initiation motifs can determine the rate of a substrate's degradation without affecting its affinity for the APC/C, a mechanism used by the APC/C to control the timing of substrate proteolysis during the cell cycle. Based on our results, we propose that initiation motifs and their cognate E2s allow E3 enzymes to exert precise temporal control over substrate degradation.
Perspectives on Moreno, Psychodrama, and Creativity.

(2005). Perspectives on Moreno, Psychodrama, and Creativity. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health: Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 111-121.
Hypopigmented macules in acantholytic disorders.

Background. Widespread hypopigmented macules are rarely seen in heavily pigmented patients with Darier's disease. Previous hypotheses concerning the cause of decreased pigmentation suggest it is a postinflammatory phenomenon or that the hypomelanosis is evidence of sub-clinical acantholysis. Patients. This report presents 2 patients: a new case of disseminated guttate leukoderma in a black patient with Darier's disease and the first such case in a patient with transient acantholytic dermatosis (Grover's disease). Direct immunofluorescence and electron-microscopic studies were carried out on lesional biopsies. Observations. Numerous small hypopigmented macules were observed in two black patients followed for acantholytic disorders. Three biopsies of the hypopigmented macules revealed acantholysis, while one showed only decreased melanin. Direct immunofluorescence studies were negative. Electron-microscopic studies of the leukodermic macules showed sparse melanocytes and melanosomes that were mostly pigmented stage IV melanosomes. Conclusions. Disseminated guttate leukoderma can occur in transient acantholytic dermatosis, as well as in Darier's disease. It is readily apparent on darkly pigmented skin because of contrast. The etiology of this phenomenon is still unknown.
Transcriptional Regulation of Vascular Development

Vascular development is a highly organized sequence of events that requires the correct spatial and temporal expression of specific sets of genes leading to the development of a primary vascular network. The first step in this process is the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into endothelial cells. This is followed by endothelial proliferation, migration, and eventual formation of endothelial tubes. Maturation of these primitive tubes into fully developed blood vessels requires the recruitment of surrounding pericytes and their differentiation into vascular smooth muscle cells. Many of the events that occur during vasculogenesis are recapitulated during angiogenesis. Transcription factors have been shown to serve as master switches for regulating a number of developmental processes. Using a candidate gene approach, the genomic regulatory regions required to direct vascular-specific gene expression of several receptor tyrosine kinases that are critical for vasculogenesis have been characterized and some of the transcription factors that are involved in the regulation of these genes have recently been identified. Many of these factors are also involved in the regulation of hematopoiesis and may have overlapping functions in determining hematopoietic and endothelial differentiation. Targeted disruption of other transcription factors that were not previously thought to be involved in vascular development have also been recently shown to play a role in blood vessel development. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the progress that has been made in our understanding of the transcriptional regulation of vascular development over the past few years.
Enhancing Practical Evaluation Training Through Long-Term Evaluation Projects

There is common understanding and wide agreement for practical experiences in evaluation training programs. The argument for this idea is that practical training will provide students the real world experiences needed for preparation as professional evaluators and that these experiences are not possible in didactic course work. Several strategies for providing practical evaluation experiences can be found in the literature. They are limited by their short-term nature, typically bound by a semester time frame. This paper offers another possibility for providing practical evaluation training; namely, university-supported, long-term funded evaluation projects. These projects are managed through a university center that provides assistance to clients in student assessment and program evaluation. After a description of the center, the benefits and challenges of providing these experiences for students are discussed.
Pelvic hydronephrotic kidney masquerading as obstructed bowel.

A 6 year-old boy presented to an outlying hospital with a 4-day history of abdominal discomfort, constipation, and emesis. An initial computed tomography scan of his abdomen was done without intravenous contrast, and the findings were initially believed to represent a small bowel obstruction (Fig. 1A; see next page for figures). He was referred to our institution for additional treatment. The physical examination revealed a blood pressure of 142/103 mm Hg and a firm lower abdominal mass. The serum creatinine was 0.8 mg/dL. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis was performed to delineate the patient’s abnormality more clearly. This revealed the absence of an orthotopic left kidney (Fig. 1B) and a large left ectopic kidney (Fig. 2A), with contrast pooling in the collecting system on delayed images (Fig. 2B). Most ectopic kidneys are asymptomatic and discovered incidentally. However, in a retrospective series, Gleason et al.1 reported that one quarter of 77 patients presenting with renal ectopia were initially evaluated for gastrointestinal complaints. When an orthotopic kidney is not identified, a high index of suspicion for ectopia should guide the imaging choices. Although a variety of imaging modalities can appropriately suggest the diagnosis, contrast-enhanced computed tomography can verify the diagnosis if the ectopic kidney exhibits function.
Evidence for Temporal Fluctuations in Marine Radiocarbon Reservoir Ages in the Santa Barbara Channel, Southern California

Abstract Differences in the 14 C ages of closely associated marine shell and carbonized plant material from stratified archaeological deposits on San Miguel Island, California, suggest Holocene (10,000–present) fluctuations in marine 14 C reservoir ages. These fluctuations coincide with δ 18 O and δ 13 C shifts measured in Mytilus californianus shells from the same stratigraphic contexts and general atmospheric/oceanic circulation models for the region. Based on these data we make three primary observations: (1) significant changes appear to have occurred in the radiocarbon reservoir during the Holocene; (2) these fluctuations appear to correlate with regional oceanographic changes; and (3) high resolution 14 C dating of marine shells may require different ΔR values for different periods of time.
Transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus and aorto-pulmonary vessels using non-ferromagnetic Inconel MReye embolization coils.

Objectives. We report the use of non-ferromagnetic embolization coils for transcatheter PDA closure. Background. Transcatheter patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure has been performed for 40 years. A number of devices have been used with varying degrees of success. Gianturco embolization coils have been used frequently since 1992 with excellent results. These coils are a stainless steel alloy, and create an artifact when subsequent MRI imaging is performed. Methods. Eight patients underwent right and left heart catheterization and transcatheter PDA closure. Angiography displayed a PDA with left to right shunting. The minimum PDA diameter was measured. An Inconel MReye coil was implanted using standard retrograde technique. A postimplant angiogram was performed. Evaluations were performed the following morning and after 2 months. Results. The median age was 5.5 years, median weight was 24 kg. The PDA minimum diameter was 1.7 mm (range 1.4–2.4 mm), with a median Qp:Qs=1.33:1. In all patients, the PDA was completely immediately closed using one Inconel coil. Two patients also had a small aorto-pulmonary collateral vessel that was occluded using a separate Inconel coil. All patients had follow-up evaluation the following day; the PDA remained completely occluded and there was no obstruction of the pulmonary artery branches or descending aorta. Seven patients had subsequent follow-up and echocardiograms; the PDA remained completely occluded. There were no complications. Conclusion. The Inconel MReye coil is safe and effective for coil occlusion of small PDA and aorto-pulmonary vessels. Additional studies are needed to define the maximum vessel diameter for Inconel coil occlusion. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Synthesis and characterization of Fe(1-Me3Si-3-CH3C5H5)2, an open ferrocene derived from an unsymmetric pentadienyl ligand

Abstract The reaction of FeCl2 with two equivalents of K(1-Me3Si-3-CH3C5H5) leads to Fe(1-Me3Si-3-CH3C5H5)2. Although this product could exist as two diastereomers, only one has been observed spectroscopically, and its structure confirmed by X-ray diffraction.
Current status of vaccine therapy for hepatitis c infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects approximately 3% of the world’s population and nearly 3 million people in the United States. After a usually silent acute phase, chronic infection develops in 50% to 85% of patients and leads to progressive liver injury in 10% to 30% of patients over 10 to 30 years. HCV infection is the leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States. The mechanisms by which HCV establishes persistence in the human host remain an area of active investigation. Since the initial cloning of HCV, much progress has been made in our understanding of the HCV life cycle, immunological determinants in the outcome of HCV infection, and technical approaches relevant to vaccine development. In natural infection, HCV-specific T-cell response correlates strongly with HCV clearance, whereas neutralizing antibody response does not. However, both humoral and cellular components of the adaptive immune response (supplemented by innate immune activation) will likely be required for a successful vaccine approach. This review will discuss aspects of HCV, protective immunity, various considerations regarding HCV vaccine development, and vaccine approaches currently in development.
Integration and relative value of biomarkers for prediction of MCI to AD progression: spatial patterns of brain atrophy, cognitive scores, APOE genotype and CSF biomarkers.

This study evaluates the individual, as well as relative and joint value of indices obtained from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) patterns of brain atrophy (quantified by the SPARE-AD index), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, APOE genotype, and cognitive performance (ADAS-Cog) in progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD) within a variable follow-up period up to 6 years, using data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative-1 (ADNI-1). SPARE-AD was first established as a highly sensitive and specific MRI-marker of AD vs. cognitively normal (CN) subjects (AUC = 0.98). Baseline predictive values of all aforementioned indices were then compared using survival analysis on 381 MCI subjects. SPARE-AD and ADAS-Cog were found to have similar predictive value, and their combination was significantly better than their individual performance. APOE genotype did not significantly improve prediction, although the combination of SPARE-AD, ADAS-Cog and APOE e4 provided the highest hazard ratio estimates of 17.8 (last vs. first quartile). In a subset of 192 MCI patients who also had CSF biomarkers, the addition of Aβ1–42, t-tau, and p-tau181p to the previous model did not improve predictive value significantly over SPARE-AD and ADAS-Cog combined. Importantly, in amyloid-negative patients with MCI, SPARE-AD had high predictive power of clinical progression. Our findings suggest that SPARE-AD and ADAS-Cog in combination offer the highest predictive power of conversion from MCI to AD, which is improved, albeit not significantly, by APOE genotype. The finding that SPARE-AD in amyloid-negative MCI patients was predictive of clinical progression is not expected under the amyloid hypothesis and merits further investigation.
Endotoxin and cytokines increase hepatic sphingolipid biosynthesis and produce lipoproteins enriched in ceramides and sphingomyelin

Alterations in triglyceride and cholesterol metabolism often accompany inflammatory diseases and infections. We studied the effects of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) and cytokines on hepatic sphingolipid synthesis, activity of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), the first and rate-limiting enzyme in sphingolipid synthesis, and lipoprotein sphingolipid content in Syrian hamsters. Administration of LPS induced a 2-fold increase in hepatic SPT activity. The increase in activity first occurred at 16 hours, peaked at 24 hours, and was sustained for at least 48 hours. Low doses of LPS produced maximal increases in SPT activity, with half-maximal effect seen at approximately 0.3 microg LPS/100 g body weight. LPS increased hepatic SPT mRNA levels 2-fold, suggesting that the increase in SPT activity was due to an increase in SPT mRNA. LPS treatment also produced 75% and 2.5-fold increases in hepatic sphingomyelin and ceramide synthesis, respectively. Many of the metabolic effects of LPS are mediated by cytokines. Interleukin 1 (IL-1), but not tumor necrosis factor, increased both SPT activity and mRNA levels in the liver of intact animals, whereas both IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor increased SPT mRNA levels in HepG2 cells. IL- produced a 3-fold increase in SPT mRNA in HepG2 cells, and the half-maximal dose was 2 ng/mL. IL-1 also increased the secretion of sphingolipids into the medium. Analysis of serum lipoprotein fractions demonstrated that very low density lipoprotein, intermediate density lipoprotein, and low density lipoprotein isolated from animals treated with LPS contained significantly higher amounts of ceramide, glucosylceramide, and sphingomyelin. Taken together, these results indicate that LPS and cytokines stimulate hepatic sphingolipid synthesis, which results in an altered structure of circulating lipoproteins and may promote atherogenesis.
Internal organizational measurement for control of magnetorheological fluid properties

Magnetorheological (MR) fluids change their physical properties when subjected to a magnetic field. As this change occurs, the specific values of the physical properties are a function of the fluid’s time-varying organization state. This results in a nonlinear, hysteretic, time-varying fluid property response to direct magnetic field excitation. Permeability, resistivity and permittivity changes of MR fluid were investigated and their suitability to indicate the organizational state of the fluid, and thus other transport properties, was determined. High sensitivity of permittivity and resistivity to particle organization and applied field was studied experimentally. The measurable effect of these material properties can be used to implement an MR fluid state sensor.
Five Reasons That Many Comparative Effectiveness Studies Fail To Change Patient Care And Clinical Practice

Despite widespread enthusiasm about the potential impact of new investments in comparative effectiveness research, recent history suggests that scientific evidence may be slow to change clinical practice. Reflecting on studies conducted over the past decade, we identify five causes that underlie the failure of many comparative effectiveness studies to alter patient care. These are financial incentives, such as fee-for-service payment, that may militate against the adoption of new clinical practices; ambiguity of study results that hamper decision making; cognitive biases in the interpretation of new information; failure of the research to address the needs of end users; and limited use of decision support by patients and clinicians. Policies that encourage the development of consensus objectives, methods, and evidentiary standards before studies get under way and that provide strong incentives for patients and providers to use resources efficiently may help overcome at least some of these barriers and ena...