cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Skepticism & the Architecture of Trust

Consider the recent controversy over prostate cancer screening. A Presidential Task Force scaled back recommended testing. But many doctors, citing important cases of detecting cancer, disagreed (Harris, 2011; Brownlee & Lenzer, 2011). Whose judgment should we trust? New England fish populations are threatened, according to experts. They suggest discontinuing cod fishing. But the fishermen report no decrease in their catches and defend their livelihood (Goodnough, 2011; Rosenberg, 2011). Whose expertise should prevail: the scientists’ with their sampling and its inherent uncertainties, or the fishermen’s with their intimate local knowledge? There is a lot of alarm about global warming. But maybe it’s all “hot air.” Many political leaders, including several presidential candidates, cite scientific experts who say that the problem is overblown, and just politicized by biased environmental activists. Whose pronouncements should we heed? As illustrated in these cases, interpreting science in policy and personal decision making poses important challenges. But being able to gather all the relevant evidence, gauge whether it is complete, and evaluate its quality is well beyond the average consumer of science. Inevitably, we all rely on scientific experts. The primary problem is not assessing the evidence, but knowing who to trust ( Sacred Bovines , April, 2012). In standard lore, science educators are responsible for nurturing a sense of skepticism. We want to empower students to guard themselves against health scams, pseudoscientific nonsense, and unjustified reassurances about environmental or worker safety. But one may want to challenge this sacred bovine. That is, skepticism tends to erode belief. Blind doubt itself does not yield reliable knolwedge. The aim, rather, as exmplified in the cases above, is to know where to place our trust. We should teach instead, as described below, the basis for informed trust in science. The problem of knowing who to trust is …
The Validation of a Classification of Psychopathology

Vaidyanathan, Vrieze, and Iacono (this issue) begin their stimulating and insightful article stating, Understanding the etiology and structure of mental disorders is the purpose of psychopathology ...
Methotrexate is effective therapy for lymphomatoid papulosis and other primary cutaneous CD30-positive lymphoproliferative disorders

Abstract Background: The spectrum of primary cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disease consists of lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) at one extreme and CD30+ peripheral T-cell lymphoma (Ki-1+ lymphoma) presenting in the skin at the other extreme. Methotrexate has been reported to be effective in LyP, but the experience has been limited to single case reports or small series. Objective: The objective was to determine the effectiveness of methotrexate in the treatment of primary cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disease. Methods: We reviewed our 20-year experience with the use of methotrexate in 45 patients with relatively severe LyP, Ki-1+ lymphoma, and interface presentations. Results: During induction of methotrexate therapy patients received maximum doses ranging from 10 to 60 mg/week (median, 20 mg/week). Clinical improvement usually occurred quickly, typically at doses of 15 to 20 mg weekly, and satisfactory long-term control was achieved in 39 patients (87%) with maintenance doses given at 10- to 14-day intervals (range, 7 to 28 days). After methotrexate was discontinued, 10 patients remained free of CD30+ lesions from more than 24 months to more than 227 months (median, more than 127 months). The median total duration of methotrexate therapy for all patients exceeded 39 months (range, 2 to 205 months). Adverse effects were generally mild and transient and included fatigue (47%), nausea (22%), weight loss (13%), diarrhea or gastrointestinal cramping (10%), increased serum hepatic transaminase levels (27%), anemia (11%), or leukopenia (9%). Early hepatic fibrosis was found in 5 of 10 patients, all of whom had been treated for more than 3 years (range, 38 to 111 months). Conclusion: Low-dose methotrexate (25 mg or less given at 1- to 4-week intervals) is an effective and well-tolerated treatment of selected patients with primary cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disease.
A lemma on finite p-groups and some consequences

Let S be a finite p-group and let σ be a p'-automorphism of S. A well-known result of Huppert ((2), IV, (5·12), Satz) states that if σ acts trivially onΩ1(S) (ω2(S) if p = 2) then σ is the identity. In this paper, we give a short proof of this result and also give some applications of it. Our proof depends on a somewhat surprising Lemma (Lemma 1) which is of some interest in its own right.
Portfolio purposes: Teachers exploring the relationship between evaluation and learning

Abstract This article describes the ways two second grade teachers implement portfolio assessment in their classrooms. It emphasizes multiple purposes for evaluation such as judging performance and progress toward predetermined goals, providing responses that help children identify, clarify, and progress toward self-selected goals, and generating narrative accounts of students as self-aware learners. The article also suggests that portfolio use can have a direct influence on teachers' instructional practices and beliefs.
High quality non-linearly compressed cavity-less 40 GHz sub-picosecond pulse source

We demonstrate a high quality pulse source using cavity-less pulse generation with subsequent non-linear compression, generating 40 GHz pulses with a temporal width of 680 fs for generation high-speed OTDM signals up to 640 Gb/s.
A study of firesetting and animal cruelty in children: family influences and adolescent outcomes

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate relationships among family risk factors, childhood firesetting and animal cruelty, and adolescent delinquency. Method In 1990, mothers and children participating in a 10-year prospective study provided information about family risk factors and childhood problem behavior. Subsequent interviews with 86% of the sample in 1996 and 1998 and court record reviews in 2000 provided information about juvenile delinquency. Results Marital violence (odds ratio [OR] 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1–5.4), paternal pet abuse (OR 2.4, CI=1.0–5.6), and paternal drinking ( r = 0.14) were related to firesetting, whereas exposure to marital violence (OR 2.3, CI=1.0–5.1) and paternal ( r = 0.19) and maternal harsh parenting ( r = 0.14) were associated with animal cruelty. Regression analyses indicated that after controlling for conduct disorder, firesetters were 3.0 times (CI = 1.3–6.7) at risk of juvenile court referral and 3.3 times (CI = 1.4–7.6) at risk of arrest for a violent crime. Analysis of self-reports of delinquency replicated these results. Animal cruelty was related to self-reported violent crime (β = 0.16). Conclusion These findings indicate that family variables increase the likelihood of childhood firesetting and animal cruelty and that these behaviors are related to adolescent delinquency.
Spatially Correlated Fluorescence/AFM of Individual Nanosized Particles and Biomolecules

Individual fluorescent polystyrene nanospheres (<10−100-nm diameter) and individual fluorescently labeled DNA molecules were dispersed on mica and analyzed using time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Spatial correlation of the fluorescence and AFM measurements was accomplished by (1) positioning a single fluorescent particle into the near diffraction-limited confocal excitation region of the optical microscope, (2) recording the time-resolved fluorescence emission, and (3) measuring the intensity of the excitation laser light scattered from the apex of an AFM probe tip and the AFM topography as a function of the lateral position of the tip relative to the sample substrate. The latter measurements resulted in concurrent high-resolution (∼10−20 nm laterally) images of the laser excitation profile of the confocal microscope and the topography of the sample. Superposition of these optical and topographical images enabled unambiguous identification of the sample topography ...
Increased prevalence of advanced tuberculosis in rural low tuberculosis caseload counties in North Carolina.

SETTING Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients reported in North Carolina (NC), USA, from 1996 to 2008 (inclusive). OBJECTIVE To compare prevalence of cavitary TB as a surrogate marker for advanced disease in low-caseload counties with high-caseload counties. DESIGN A multivariate log binomial regression model was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) for cavitary TB. RESULTS The proportion of TB cases in low-caseload counties vs. the total number of TB cases in NC over the study period increased from 10% in 1996 to 20% in 2008. After adjusting for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status, excess alcohol use and report year, patients in rural areas of low-caseload counties had greater prevalence (PR 1.40, 95%CI 1.19-1.64) of cavitary disease compared with patients from rural areas of high-caseload counties. The prevalence of cavitary TB did not differ between urban residents of high- or low-caseload counties (PR 1.00, 95%CI 0.86-1.16) after adjusting for HIV status, excess alcohol use and report year. DISCUSSION TB patients in rural areas of low-caseload counties presented with more advanced TB disease compared with patients from urban and/or high-caseload counties. Barriers to timely recognition of TB in rural low-caseload settings must be considered in TB control programs.
Osteoblasts and osteocytes respond differently to oscillatory and unidirectional fluid flow profiles

Bone cells subjected to mechanical loading by fluid shear stress undergo significant architectural and biochemical changes. The models of shear stress used to analyze the effects of loading bone cells in vitro include both oscillatory and unidirectional fluid shear profiles. Although the fluid flow profile experienced by cells within bone is most likely oscillatory in nature, to date there have been few direct comparisons of how bone cells respond to these two fluid flow profiles. In this study we evaluated morphologic and biochemical responses to a time course of unidirectional and oscillatory fluid flow in two commonly used bone cell lines, MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts and MLO-Y4 osteocytes. We determined that stress fibers formed and aligned within osteoblasts after 1 h of unidirectional fluid flow, but this response was not observed until greater than 5 h of oscillatory fluid flow. Despite the delay in stress fiber formation, oscillatory and unidirectional fluid flow profiles elicited similar temporal effects on the induction of both cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) and osteopontin protein expression in osteoblasts. Interestingly, MLO-Y4 osteocytes formed organized stress fibers after exposure to 24 h of unidirectional shear stress, while the number of dendritic processes per cell increased along with Cox-2 protein levels after 24 h of oscillatory shear stress. Despite these differences, both flow profiles significantly altered osteopontin levels in MLO-Y4 osteocytes. Together these results demonstrate that the profile of fluid shear can induce significantly different responses from osteoblasts and osteocytes.
Reaction of Au(111) with Sulfur and Oxygen: Scanning Tunneling Microscopic Study

The reaction of sulfur and oxygen with the gold surface is important in many technological applications, including heterogeneous catalysis, corrosion, and chemical sensors. We have studied reactions on Au(111) using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in order to better understand the surface structure and the origin of gold’s catalytic activity. We find that the Au(111) surface dynamically restructures during deposition of sulfur and oxygen and that these changes in structure promote the reactivity of Au with respect to SO2 and O2 dissociation. Specifically, the Au(111) herringbone reconstruction lifts when either S or O is deposited on the surface. We attribute this structural change to the reduction of tensile surface stress via charge redistribution by these electronegative adsorbates. This lifting of the reconstruction was accompanied by the release of gold atoms from the herringbone structure. At high coverage, clusters of gold sulfides or gold oxides form by abstraction of gold atoms from regular terrace sites of the surface. Concomitant with the restructuring is the release of gold atoms from the herringbone structure to produce a higher density of low-coordinated Au sites by forming serrated step edges or small gold islands. These undercoordinated Au atoms may play an essential role in the enhancement of catalytic activity of gold in reactions such as oxygen dissociation or SO2 decomposition. Our results further elucidate the interaction between sulfur and oxygen and the Au(111) surface and indicate that the reactivity of Au nanoclusters on reducible metal oxides is probably related to the facile release of Au from the edges of these small islands. Our results provide insight into the sintering mechanism which leads to deactivation of Au nanoclusters and into the fundamental limitation in the edge definition in soft lithography using thiol-based self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au. Furthermore, the enhanced reactivity of Au after release of undercoordinated atoms from the surface indicate a relatively insignificant role of an oxide support for high reactivity.
Antioxidants as Therapeutic Agents for Liver Disease

Oxidative stress is commonly associated with a number of liver diseases and is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), haemochromatosis and Wilson's disease. Antioxidant therapy has thus been considered to have the possibility of beneficial effects in the management of these liver diseases. Despite this promise, antioxidants have produced mixed results in a number of clinical trials of efficacy. This review summarizes the results of clinical trials of antioxidants as sole or adjuvant therapy of chronic hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Overall, the most promising results to date are for vitamin E therapy of NASH but some encouraging results have been obtained with antioxidant therapy of acute alcoholic hepatitis as well. Despite evidence for small reductions of serum alanine aminotransferase, there is as yet no convincing evidence that antioxidant therapy itself is beneficial to patients with chronic hepatitis C. Problems such as small sample size, short follow up duration, inadequate endpoints, failure to demonstrate tissue delivery and antioxidant efficacy, and heterogeneous nature of the 'antioxidant' compounds used have complicated interpretation of results of the clinical studies. These limitations and their implications for future trial design are discussed.
Rationality of social entrepreneurs in tourism: Max Weber and the sociology of tourism development

Despite increasing recognition of its contribution to development in many parts of the world, academic research about social entrepreneurship remains in its infancy. There has been little inquiry into the rationale for social entrepreneurship, despite its potential to clarify many conceptual ambiguities associated with this emerging phenomenon. In response to such a gap, the present article advances a compelling framework from classic sociology, that of Max Weber’s typology of rationality, as a means to explain the motivations of social entrepreneurs in the tourism industry. It emphasises the concepts of formal and substantive rationality, which are Weber’s most significant contributions to the understanding of human behaviour. The article also presents methodological considerations for the use of Weber’s typology. A constructivism paradigm and the narrative approach to inquiry are suggested as most readily aligned with Weber’s own methodological stance towards sociological explanation.
Effect of docetaxel chemotherapy on the activity of a gonadotropin releasing hormone vaccine in patients with advanced prostate cancer

BACKGROUND Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)-DT vaccine elicits antibody that may inhibit prostate cancers indirectly by blocking GnRH induced gonadotropin release, and consequent androgen synthesis, and directly by immune effector and antiproliferative mechanisms. A pilot study was performed to determine how to best combine GnRH-DT vaccine with potentially immunosuppressive chemotherapy. METHODS Patients with metastatic, hormone-refractory prostate cancer were randomized into either a concurrent cohort, in which they received docetaxel on day 1 of weeks 1, 4, 7, and 10 and GnRH-DT vaccine on day 2 of weeks 1, 3, and 7 or a sequential cohort, in which they received GnRH-DT vaccine on weeks 1, 3, and 7 before beginning docetaxel on week 10. GnRH-DT vaccine was administered intramuscularly. Docetaxel was infused intravenously after pre-medication with high-dose dexamethasone, and infusions repeated every 3 weeks in the absence of toxicity or progressive cancer. RESULTS GnRH-DT vaccine and docetaxel were well tolerated without evidence of significant local or systemic toxicities. Anti-GnRH antibody was elicited in six of six treated concurrently and five of six treated sequentially. The kinetics of antibody induction and the titers of antibody achieved in both treatment cohorts were similar. Anti-GnRH antibody persisted for up to 28 weeks in a patient maintained on docetaxel. CONCLUSION The administration of docetaxel with high-dose dexamethasone does not inhibit the ability of patients with advanced prostate cancer to be immunized with GnRH-DT vaccine. Prostate. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Robert K. Merton as postwar prophet

Within the context of a discussion of Robert K. Merton’s ideas on leadership in postwar America, the article examines the nature and impact of Merton’s “sociological parables.” This term refers to short tales from social life from which sociological lessons with moral implications can be drawn. These parables, such as the bank insolvency story told in “The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy,” illustrate the manner in which Merton merged moral and sociological messages in his writings. Suggestions are made along the lines that these parables, or at least the moral messages they contain, contributed to Merton’s postwar fame.
Propagation along the magnetic field of a pulse current originated disturbance in a cold two-fluid plasma

The propagation, along the magnetic field, of a point disturbance in a cold two fluid linear plasma is solved asymptotically in various space-time regimes. The main disturbance is a pulse front travelling at approximately the Alfven speed divided by the electron to ion mass ratio. Its proffle envelope is an Airy function. It oscillates at the mean of the gyro-frequencies and is effiptically polarized. The disturbances remaining behind this front are of two kinds: an oscillation at the sum of the gyro-frequencies which is circularly polarized and represents the ‘extraordinary’ wave, and an oscillation at the ion gyro-frequency which is elliptically polarized with changing eccentricity and orientation of axis.
The Korean IPO Market: Initial Returns

Most Korean IPOs show significant initial underpricing which accounts for high initial returns. Our study explores the institutional and regulatory factors that have affected both the offering and after-market pricing mechanisms to test several hypotheses that might explain this underpricing in the Korean IPO market. We find a systematic difference in the initial stock price performance of new issues in an environment where firms have different motives for going public. We also find that in less regulated periods, the explanatory power of the variables relating to both the signaling and ex ante uncertainty hypotheses increase.
ERP gap-fit analysis from a business process orientation

The traditional approach to scoping an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project is based on a modular-oriented functional gap-fit analysis. This means that the functionality of each ERP module is compared with some definition of the functional requirements of the receiving organisation. In most of these consulting engagements, architects are asked to provide an unbiased analysis of standard software alignment with the business processes of the implementing organisation. Modules are stovepipes, and a modular-based gapfit analysis compares functionality within stovepipes. Business processes1 flow across the stovepipes; hence, they represent the output/capability delivery of the implementing organisation. A gap-fit analysis from a business process orientation provides an understanding of how the software would enable the end-to-end business, as opposed to comparing static functions within stovepipes. This paper presents an approach that has been used in several large organisations to provide a Business Process Oriented Gap-Fit analysis.
Movement of radiotracer metal cations through a forest soil column

Abstract The migration of tritiated water, 22 Na, 85 Sr, and 65 Zn through an intact soil column characterized by high hydrodynamic dispersion was observed under ponded flow conditions. The elution of the tracers is described, using advection-dispersion and two-region/two-site one-dimensional transport models. The advection-dispersion model fit the elution curve of tritiated water well, but the two-region/two-site model was required to describe the elution of the 22 Na tracer from the soil column. The 85 Sr and 64 Zn were retained by the soil column and did not appear in the effluent, despite high hydrodynamic dispersion, which resulted in the nearly immediate appearance of tritiated water in the effluent.
Reward circuitry responsivity to food predicts future increases in body mass: moderating effects of DRD2 and DRD4.

Abstract Objective To determine whether responsivity of reward circuitry to food predicts future increases in body mass and whether polymorphisms in DRD2 and DRD4 moderate these relations. Design The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm investigated blood oxygen level dependent activation in response to imagined intake of palatable foods, unpalatable foods, and glasses of water shown in pictures. DNA was extracted from saliva samples using standard salting-out and solvent precipitation methods. Participants Forty-four adolescent female high school students ranging from lean to obese. Main Outcome Future increases in body mass index (BMI). Results Weaker activation of the frontal operculum, lateral orbitofrontal cortex, and striatum in response to imagined intake of palatable foods, versus imagined intake of unpalatable foods or water, predicted future increases in body mass for those with the DRD2 TaqIA A1 allele or the DRD4–7R allele. Data also suggest that for those lacking these alleles, greater responsivity of these food reward regions predicted future increases in body mass. Discussion This novel prospective fMRI study indicates that responsivity of reward circuitry to food increases risk for future weight gain, but that genes that impact dopamine signaling capacity moderate the predictive effects, suggesting two qualitatively distinct pathways to unhealthy weight gain based on genetic risk.
Derivatives of proteins. II. Coupling of α‐chymotrypsin to carboxyl‐containing polymers by use of N‐ethyl‐5‐phenylisoxazolium‐3′‐sulfonate

A method for covalently binding proteins to carboxyl-containing polymers is described. N-Ethyl-5-pheriylisoxazolium-3′-sulfonate is used to form active esters of the carboxyls, which then condense with amine groups on the protein to yield amides. Conjugates of α-chymotrypsin with such polymers have been obtained, with nearly full retention of enzymatic activity in some preparations.
Aggressive communication by Larus glaucescens. III. Description of the displays related to territorial protection.

This paper is a description of the aggressive activities of the Glaucous-winged Gull, Larus glaucescens. It provides a descriptive basis for the interpretation of experiments designed to elucidate the aggressive communication of this species (STOUT & BRASS, 1969; STOUT, WILCOX & CREITZ, 1969; and in progress). The descriptions of the aggressive behavior of L. glaucescens were based on the analysis of 12,000 feet of motion picture film, and on the physical analysis of a large number of sound spectrograms (sonograms) of each of the aggressive calls. The behavior observed was classified with respect to its association with attack, escape, or other aggressive interactions, and also with respect to its production by territorial defender or intruder. The Aggressive Upright, Moving Aggressive Upright, Intimidated Upright, Trumpeting, Mew, Grass-pulling, Jabbing, and Choking displays were described. The Forward display, as described for other larids, was not seen. The physical analysis of the aggressive calls of the Glaucous-winged Gull demonstrated great similarity between the Trumpeting and Yelp Calls. The Courtship, Parent-young, and Aggressive Mews were demonstrated to have consistent physical differences. It was suggested that they could each have a different function. The Choking and Alarm Calls are similar in that they have a more complex harmonic structure than the other calls. However, a differential function has already been demonstrated for these two calls (STOUT, WILCOX & CREITZ, 1969). It was hypothesized that each of these aggressive displays communicates distinct levels of threat. The combination of head level (posture), call, orientation, and movement were considered as possible factors resulting in the distinction between displays. It was suggested that the Upright Threat, Trumpeting, Mew, and Choking displays communicate increasing levels of threat in that order. This model was evaluated in relationship to experiments performed on aggressive communication by L. glaucescens.
Magnitude of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Activation is Associated With Important and Seemingly Opposite Biological Responses in Breast Cancer Cells

Background The nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) has become a potential target for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. However, recent in vitro and in vivo studies have raised the question of whether activation of PPARγ leads to the promotion or reduction of tumor formation. Studies using several cancer cell lines, animal models, and a variety of PPARγ agonists have shown discordant results, including changes in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of cancer cells and tumors. Methods We studied the effects of low-, moderate-, and high-dose treatment of the PPARγ ligands 15-deoxy-Δ12,14 prostaglandin J2 (15dPGJ2) and troglitazone (TGZ) on parameters of cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis in the epithelial breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Results The biologic effects of these compounds depend largely on ligand concentration and the degree of PPARγ activation. For example, low concentrations of 15dPGJ2 ( 10 μM and of TGZ at 100 μM blocked cell growth. TGZ (100 μM) slowed cell cycle progression, and 15dPGJ2 (10 μM) caused an S-phase arrest in the cell cycle and induced morphological characteristics consistent with apoptosis. Expression of CD36, a marker of differentiation in these cells, was induced by 2.5 μM 15dPGJ2 or 5 to 100 μM TGZ. However, higher concentrations of 15dPGJ2 did not alter CD36 expression. Transcriptional activation studies demonstrated that 15dPGJ2 is a more potent PPARγ ligand than TGZ. Regardless of the ligand used, though, low transcriptional activation correlated with an increased cellular proliferation, whereas higher levels of activation correlated with cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Conclusions PPARγ activation induces several important and seemingly opposite changes in neoplastic cells, depending on the magnitude of PPARγ activation. These data may explain, at least in part, some of the discordant results previously reported.
Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy and Cognitive Outcomes: the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS)

This review discusses major findings from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS). WHIMS reported hormone therapy (HT)--conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) with or without medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA)--increased the risk for dementia (HR 1.76 [95% CI, 1.19-2.60]; P=0.005) and global cognitive decline, with a mean decrement relative to placebo of 0.21 points on the Modified Mini Mental State Examination (3MS) (P=0.006) in women age 65 and older. A subset of WHIMS participants joined the ancillary WHI Study of Cognitive Aging (WHISCA) trials, in which domain-specific cognitive tests and mood were measured annually. Compared with placebo, CEE+MPA had a negative impact on verbal memory over time (P=0.01); and CEE-Alone was associated with lower spatial rotational ability (P < or = 0.01) at the initial assessment, but the difference diminished over time. The ancillary WHIMS-MRI study measured subclinical cerebrovascular disease to possibly explain the negative cognitive findings reported by WHIMS and the increased clinical stroke in older women reported by the WHI. WHIMS-MRI reported that while CEE+MPA and CEE-Alone were not associated with increased ischemic brain lesion volume relative to placebo; both CEE+MPA and CEE-Alone were associated with lower mean brain volumes in the hippocampus (P=0.05); frontal lobe (P=0.004); and total brain (P=0.07). HT-associated reductions in hippocampal volumes were greatest in women with baseline 3MS scores < or = 90.
Condition numbers for polyhedra with real number data

We consider the complexity of finding a feasible point inside a polyhedron specified by homogeneous linear constraints. A primal-dual interior point method is used. The running time of the interior point method can be bounded in terms of a condition number of the coefficient matrix A that has been proposed by Ye. We demonstrate that Ye's condition number is bounded in terms of another condition number for weighted least squares discovered by Stewart and Todd. Thus, the Stewart-Todd condition number, which is defined for real-number data, also bounds the complexity of finding a feasible point in a polyhedron.
Three-dimensional inspection of sculptured surfaces using nonuniform sampling and view planning

Indirect adaptive sampling techniques are introduced specifically for 3D inspection of sculptured surfaces (free form) normally found on objects produced by extrusion, die casting, and molding processes. The techniques successfully extends optimum 2D sampling methods to 3D applications. The modified 2-D adaptive sampling techniques are used sequentially twice. First, the critical cross sections are optimally selected, then each section is itself optimally sampled to develop an accurate description using a small number of sampling points. Optimizing view planning achieves the goal of minimum occlusion and minimum rotation to insure complete inspection of an object, and not only satisfies the goal of view planning, but also automatically maximizes the number of surfaces to which adaptive sampling can most fully be applied. The best view based on the number of visible faces and the face area has proven applicable to integrating the finite element (FEM) centroid sampling and indirect adaptive sampling techniques respectively, for the inspection of sculptured surface products. Experimental work has verified that the best view based on the number of visible faces not only maximizes the number of visible meshes for centroid sampling, but also reveals the maximum amount of high curvature regions of an object.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Hot-carrier dynamics in mesoscopic structures

The authors discuss a wide variety of new phenomena caused by high levels of confinement in mesoscopic systems, which affects the dynamics and statistical distribution of the carriers. A simulation of the low-temperature transport in quantum wires shows the onset of velocity oscillations arising from optical phonon emission in moderate electric fields. At high temperatures, transport nonlinearities are manifested by high carrier mobility and substantial carrier cooling. Pronounced resonances between the optical-phonon energy and the subband separation give rise to population inversion between adjacent off-resonance subbands induced by 'phonon pumping'. Under high-field conditions carriers rapidly escape from quantum wires through intervalley scattering and real space transfer.
The Association Between Oral Microorgansims and Aspiration Pneumonia in the Institutionalized Elderly: Review and Recommendations

Aspiration pneumonia is a leading cause of illness and death in persons who reside in long-term-care facilities and, combined with the lack of proper oral health care and services, the risk of aspiration pneumonia rises. The purpose of this article is to review recent literature on oral hygiene and oral care in long-term-care facilities and report new findings regarding associated risks for aspiration pneumonia, as well as research on oral care and health outcomes. The PubMed MeSH database was utilized to direct a specific search by entering terms “aspiration pneumonia” and “oral hygiene” from 1970 to 2009, which yielded 34 articles. The Ovid and Google Scholar databases were utilized as well and provided no additional references for the two terms. A manual search of references from other articles, including three systematic reviews published over the past decade, provided additional information regarding oral microorganisms and respiratory pathogens, as well as investigations of oral care. Finally, a brief but comprehensive introductory review was organized regarding oral microorganisms, biofilm, periodontal disease, and pneumonia to establish a framework for discussion. Overall, studies suggest (1) an association between poor oral hygiene and respiratory pathogens, (2) a decrease in the incidence of respiratory complications when patients are provided chemical or mechanical interventions for improved oral care, (3) the complex nature of periodontal disease and aspiration pneumonia make direct connections between the two challenging, and (4) additional studies are warranted to determine adequate oral hygiene protocols for nursing home patients to further reduce the incidence of aspiration pneumonia.
Microglia are associated with the extracellular neurofibrillary tangles of alzheimer disease

When neurons die, the filaments of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) undergo structural and antigenic modifications. The exact mechanism of this modification is unknown, but glial cells could play an important role. Previous studies have shown that astroglial processes infiltrate extracellular NFT. In this study we use double immunolabelling to show that microglia also infiltrate extracellular NFT. Therefore, along with the previously identified astroglia, the microglia could be responsible for the modification of extracellular NFT.
THIN FILMS OF III-V COMPOUNDS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS

Thin films of III-V compounds have many potential applications, including solar cells, microwave devices and integrated circuits. This paper will review the techniques that have been developed for preparing single-crystalline and polycrystalline III-V films. A Fermi-level pinning model is introduced to explain the properties of grain boundaries and other defects in these films. Various methods of passivating the effects of the grain boundaries have been proven to be successful.
On: “Relationship between electrical and thermal resistivities for differing grades of coal” by J. R. Kayal and D. A. Christoffel (Geophysics, v. 47, p. 127–129).

The proportionality between thermal gradient and thermal resistivity is invalid if there are thermal sources or sinks in the borehole (such as flowing water) or if the thermal gradient is high enough (above 60°C/km) to support convection (Beck, 1976). The authors allude to Beck’s work, but they neither fully support all of his assumptions nor display their data so others can test them. Further, they state that electrical resistivity increases with decreasing coal rank.
Structural characterization of diamond films grown epitaxially on silicon

Abstract Diamond films have been deposited on Si(001) and Si(111) substrates. Using a bias pretreatment process resulted in a high portion of epitaxially aligned diamond nuclei on both substrates. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the films qualitatively. X-ray diffraction texture measurements yielded a preferential orientation of the diamond crystallites, which was diamond(001)[110]∥Si(001)[110] and diamond(111)[110]∥Si(111)[110] for Si(001) and Si(111) respectively. Besides the poles of these epitaxially aligned crystals we observe further maxima in the pole figures which we attribute to twins. The latter was confirmed by direct observation in a scanning electron microscope. Rocking curves show a full width at half-maximum of about 12° for diamond on Si(001) and 8° for diamond on Si(111) which gives the amount of polar misalignment. Azimuthal misalignments as deduced from the pole figures are nearly the same size.
Hilar cholangiocarcinoma: diagnosis and staging

Cancer arising from the proximal biliary tree, or hilar cholangiocarcinoma, remains a difficult clinical problem. Significant experience with these uncommon tumors has been limited to a small number of centers, which has greatly hindered progress. Complete resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma is the most effective and only potentially curative therapy, and it now clear that concomitant hepatic resection is required in most cases. Simply stated, long-term survival is generally possible only with an en bloc resection of the liver with the extrahepatic biliary apparatus, leaving behind a well perfused liver remnant with adequate biliary-enteric drainage. Preoperative imaging studies should aim to assess this possibility and must evaluate a number of tumor-related factors that influence resectability. Advances in imaging technology have improved patient selection, but a large proportion of patients are found to have unresectable disease only at the time of exploration. Staging laparoscopy and 13fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) may help to identify some patients with advanced disease; however, local tumor extent, an equally critical determinant of resectability, may be underestimated on preoperative studies. This paper reviews issues pertaining to diagnosis and preoperative evaluation of patients with hilar biliary obstruction. Knowledge of the imaging features of hilar tumors, particularly as they pertain to resectability, is of obvious importance for clinicians managing these patients.
Repetitions of propositional arguments in sentences

This study investigated a characteristic of the propositions that underlle sentences. For some of the sentences that were tested, the same concepts occurred repeatedly across the underlying propositions, and for other sentences, concepts were seldom repeated. Repetitions were shown to facilitate processing of the sentences in three experiments. Experiment I demonstrated an effect of repetitions on the time subjects took to read with comprehension. Experiment II demonstrated an effect on immediate recall. Experiment III demonstrated a facilitating effect on immediate recall, even though the sentences containing repetitions were longer and more complicated than those that did not. These results were explained by two processes: integrating information during comprehension and retrieving propositions from memory.
Poly(L-alanine): specific heat measurements at low temperatures (1.8-20 degrees K) and one-dimensionality.

Low-temperature specific heat measurements have been made on random poly(L-alanine) (Pilot). The effective one-dimensional (intra-molecular polymeric) Debye temperature is 323°K, and the corresponding three-dimensional temperature is 54°K. An anomaly, similar to that seen in polyethylene and other high polymers, is observed. The method will be a useful tool for the study of low-frequency vibrations in polypeptides.
Homologous recombinational repair of DNA ensures mammalian chromosome stability

The process of homologous recombinational repair (HRR) is a major DNA repair pathway that acts on double-strand breaks and interstrand crosslinks, and probably to a lesser extent on other kinds of DNA damage. HRR provides a mechanism for the error-free removal of damage present in DNA that has replicated (S and G2 phases). Thus, HRR acts in a critical way, in coordination with the S and G2 checkpoint machinery, to eliminate chromosomal breaks before the cell division occurs. Many of the human HRR genes, including five Rad51 paralogs, have been identified, and knockout mutants for most of these genes are available in chicken DT40 cells. In the mouse, most of the knockout mutations cause embryonic lethality. The Brca1 and Brca2 breast cancer susceptibility genes appear to be intimately involved in HRR, but the mechanistic basis is unknown. Biochemical studies with purified proteins and cell extracts, combined with cytological studies of nuclear foci, have begun to establish an outline of the steps in mammalian HRR. This pathway is subject to complex regulatory controls from the checkpoint machinery and other processes, and there is increasing evidence that loss of HRR gene function can contribute to tumor development. This review article is meant to be an update of our previous review [Biochimie 81 (1999) 87].
Persistent systemic inflammation and atypical enterocolitis in patients with NEMO syndrome

The NEMO syndrome is a primary immunodeficiency with immune and non-immune manifestations. The immune deficiency is heterogeneous showing defects in humoral, innate, and cell-mediated immunity. While the clinical aspects of the immunodeficiency are increasingly well understood, little is known about autoimmune manifestations in NEMO patients. We therefore sought to examine serologic markers of systemic inflammation and intestinal pathology in a kindred of patients with the NEMO syndrome. We observed persistent elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rates in five patients, and two were symptomatic, with a chronic but atypical enterocolitis. Though pathologic lesions in these two patients were consistent with acute inflammation, sustained clinical improvement was only achieved with systemic and/or topical glucocorticoid therapy. Our data suggest that some patients with the NEMO syndrome exhibit persistent elevation of inflammatory markers similar to systemic autoimmune diseases and may subsequently develop an atypical enterocolitis.
Preconditioned Richardson numerical method for thermal analysis in X-ray lithography with cylindrical geometry

X-ray lithography is an important technique in microfabrication used to obtain structures and devices with a high aspect ratio. In this study, we develop a three-dimensional numerical method for obtaining the steady state temperature profile in an X-ray irradiation process by using a hybrid finite element-finite difference scheme and a preconditioned Richardson method for the Poisson equation at the microscale. A domain decomposition algorithm is then obtained based on a parallel Gaussian elimination for solving block tridiagonal linear systems. Numerical results show that such a method is efficient.
Phospholipid composition of liver in rats fed high levels of 13- cis retinoic acid

The composition of liver phospholipids was studied in rats fed for 4 weeks diets containing 0, 100 or 300 mg 13-cis retinoic acid per kg diet. There was a significant decrease in phosphatidylcholine content, whereas the levels of phosphatidylethanolamine were slightly increased in liver phospholipids of rats fed 13-cis retinoic acid. The fatty acid composition of total phospholipids, PC, PE, and PI+PS fractions revealed a general increase in the levels of 18∶2 and 20∶3ω6, whereas the levels of 20∶4ω6 and C22 fatty acids were reduced in most of the hepatic phospholipids isolated from rats fed 13-cis retinoic acid containing diets. A decrease in the double-bond index of fatty acids was also observed in phospholipids of rats fed 13-cis retinoic acid. The data suggest that high levels of 13-cis retinoic acid may possibly be influencing the activities of microsomal desaturating and chain-elongating enzymes in the liver.
Theory of time-resolved luminescence of bound excitons in semiconductor alloys

Time-resolved luminescence line shapes of bound excitons are predicted by solving a set of master equations in which the exciton transfer mechanism depends on impurity concentration, alloy composition, and lattice temperature. These predictions are used to interpret time-resolved optical experiments on N-doped ${\mathrm{GaAs}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{P}}_{\mathrm{x}}$.
Strategies to potentiate immune response after photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been used as a cancer therapy for forty years but has not yet advanced to a mainstream cancer treatment. Although PDT has been shown to be an efficient photochemical way to destroy local tumors by a combination of non-toxic dyes and harmless visible light, it is its additional effects in mediating the stimulation of the host immune system that gives PDT a great potential to become more widely used. Although the stimulation of tumorspecific cytotoxic T-cells that can destroy distant tumor deposits after PDT has been reported in some animal models, it remains the exception rather than the rule. This realization has prompted several investigators to test various combination approaches that could potentiate the immune recognition of tumor antigens that have been released after PDT. Some of these combination approaches use immunostimulants including various microbial preparations that activate Toll-like receptors and other receptors for pathogen associated molecular patterns. Other approaches use cytokines and growth factors whether directly administered or genetically encoded. Other promising approaches involve depleting regulatory T-cells and epigenetic reversal agents. We believe that by understanding the methods employed by tumors to evade immune response and neutralizing them, more precise ways of potentiating PDT-induced immunity can be devised.
Detectability of Gamma-Ray Burst Iron Lines by Swift, Chandra, and XMM-Newton

The rapid acquisition of positions by the upcoming Swift satellite will allow monitoring for X-ray lines in gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows at much earlier epochs than was previously feasible. We calculate the possible significance levels of iron-line detections as a function of source redshift and observing time after the trigger for the Swift X-Ray Telescope (XRT), Chandra ACIS, and XMM-Newton EPIC detectors. For bursts with standard luminosities, decay rates, and equivalent widths of 1 keV assumed constant starting at early source-frame epochs, Swift may be able to detect lines up to z ~ 1.5 with a significance of 3 σ for times of t 104 s. The same lines would be detectable with 4 σ significance at z 6 by Chandra and at z 8 by XMM-Newton for times of t 105 s. For similar bursts with a variable equivalent width that peaks at 1 keV between 0.5 and 1 day in the source frame, Swift achieves the same significance level for z ~ 1 at t ~ 1 day, while Chandra reaches the previous detection significances around t ~ 1-2 days for z ~ 2-4; i.e., the line is detectable near the peak equivalent width times and undetectable at earlier or later times. For afterglows in the upper range of initial X-ray luminosity afterglows, which may also be typical of Population III bursts, similar significance levels are obtained out to substantially higher redshifts. A distinction between broad and narrow lines to better than 3 σ is possible with Chandra and XMM-Newton out to z ~ 2 and ~6.5, respectively, while Swift can do so up to z ~ 1 for standard burst parameters. A distinction between different energy centroid lines of 6.4 versus 6.7 keV (or 6.7 vs. Cobalt 7.2 keV) is possible up to z 0.6, 1.2, and 2 (z 1, 5, and 7.5) with Swift, Chandra, and XMM-Newton, respectively. For the higher luminosity bursts, Swift is able to distinguish at the 5 σ level between a broad and a narrow line out to z 5 and between a 6.7 versus a 7.2 keV line center out to z 5 for times of t 104 s.