cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perceived accessibility of cigarettes among youth: a prospective cohort study.

Background The accessibility of tobacco for youth is difficult to measure, partly because of the varied sources of cigarettes. Perceptions about the accessibility of cigarettes assesses availability from all potential sources and has been found to predict future smoking. This study examines the determinants of perceived accessibility from the perspective of a longitudinal study. Methods Data were derived from the second Development and Assessment of Nicotine Dependence in Youth study, a 4-year longitudinal study of 1246 sixth-grade students who underwent up to 11 in-person interviews from 2002 to 2006. Perceived accessibility was assessed prospectively by asking students whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement It would be easy for me to get a cigarette. Results At baseline, the average age was 12 years; 85% had never before smoked; more than 21% perceived that cigarettes were easy to obtain. Perceived accessibility increased over the 4 years among the cohort. Youth with friends who smoked or whose parents allowed the watching of R-rated movies were more likely to perceive easy accessibility of cigarettes. Among nonsmokers, there was a dose–response relationship between perceived accessibility and exposure to smoking in the family environment. Nonsmokers who knew commercial sources of cigarettes also had higher perceived accessibility. Conclusions Several potentially preventable exposures to tobacco in the family and social environment contribute to confidence among some youth that cigarettes are easy to obtain. Further studies are needed to determine if modifying these factors (e.g., through programs to reduce the exposure of youth to tobacco products in the home) might reduce perceived accessibility.
The rise of a non-communicable disease epidemic

Prof. Bhome’s review of COPD in India provides important information and perspective about the worsening global COPD epidemic (1). The findings in India - increasing prevalence, DALYs lost, and mortality resulting from COPD, including a dramatic rise of COPD in rural, lower-income communities - combine with broader trends such as the increasing recognition of biomass and other fuel use as common and powerful risk factors for COPD; the urgent need for early COPD diagnosis to combat the progression of the disease; and links between COPD and pollution, fuel use, and global warming. Taken together, these pieces of evidence should serve as a red flag warning that a worldwide disease epidemic is underway, whose vectors are not micro-organisms but global human commerce and socio-economic practices.
Collecting Native America 1870 ‐1960

Collecting Native America 1870 -1960. Shepard Krech III and Barbara A. Hail. eds. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1999. 294 pp. forward & index.
The environmentally tuned transcriptomes of Mytilus mussels

Transcriptomics is a powerful tool for elucidating the molecular mechanisms that underlie the ability of organisms to survive and thrive in dynamic and changing environments. Here, we review the major contributions in this field, and we focus on studies of mussels in the genus Mytilus , which are well-established models for the study of ecological physiology in fluctuating environments. Our review is organized into four main sections. First, we illustrate how the abiotic forces of the intertidal environment drive the rhythmic coupling of gene expression to diel and tidal cycles in Mytilus californianus . Second, we discuss the challenges and pitfalls of conducting transcriptomic studies in field-acclimatized animals. Third, we examine the link between transcriptomic responses to environmental stress and biogeographic distributions in blue mussels, Mytilus trossulus and Mytilus galloprovincialis . Fourth, we present a comparison of transcriptomic datasets and identify 175 genes that share common responses to heat stress across Mytilus species. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that transcriptomics can provide an informative snapshot of the physiological state of an organism within an environmental context. In a comparative framework, transcriptomics can reveal how natural selection has shaped patterns of transcriptional regulation that may ultimately influence biogeography.
Progress in Promoting Breast-Feeding, Combating Malnutrition, and Composition and Use of Infant Formula, 1981–2006

More than 90% of women in developing countries and 50 to 90% of women in industrialized countries now initiate breast-feeding, a marked improvement from 25 y ago. The duration of breast-feeding has lengthened, but fewer than 35% of infants worldwide are still exclusively breast-fed at 4 mo of age. Considerable progress has also been made in combating infant malnutrition. In 1980, 47% of under-5-y-old children in developing countries were stunted. This percentage declined to 29% in 2005. Major advances in formula use and composition include the introduction of formulas tailored to the perceived needs of low-birth-weight infants and the development of fortifiers to overcome the nutritional deficits of human milk for the preterm infant. More recently, postdischarge formulas were introduced and are now being used widely, often in combination with breast-feeding. Formulas for term infants also have undergone a number of changes in the past 25 y to better reproduce the composition of human milk and/or the response of the breast-fed infant. The use of whey-predominant rather than casein-predominant formulas has increased, as has the use of iron-fortified formulas. Cow's milk is introduced into the infant's diet much later than 25 y ago. Despite the progress that has been made in promoting breast-feeding and in the quality of infant formulas, further improvements in the duration of breast-feeding and in the composition of infant formulas are needed.
The Oxygen Consumption of Octopus Cyanea

There is now a considerable literature on the brain and behaviour of Octopus (for reviews see Wells, 1966; Young, 1964). Most of the accounts relate to the mediterranean Octopus vulgaris and most are concerned with this animal's behaviour in training experiments and with the effect of brain lesions on learning. These experiments have been made with octopuses of a variety of sizes, ranging from 500 g. (early experiments by Boycott & Young, 1950-55; see reviews cited above) through a 'normal' experimental range of 200-400 g. down to the 15-40 g. animals used in experiments dealing with statocyst removal and recognition of the orientation of objects in the visual field (Rowell & Wells, 1961; Wells, i960). If one is to compare the results of training experiments made with animals that vary so much in size (as has regularly been done) it is important to establish that the animals are in all other respects alike. If, for instance, the metabolic turnover of a 15 g. octopus is several times that of an octopus ten times as large considerable allowance must be made for a higher rate of feeding at the smaller size, otherwise the animals will be hungrier and the results of experiments not readily compared.
One step forward, two steps back: Cyberbullying within social networking sites

Although public awareness of cyberbullying has increased, evidence suggests the social problem has not abated. While past studies have highlighted numerous factors that affect risks of experiencing cyberbullying in general, few studies have focused on identifying risk factors within social networking sites (SNS). Moreover, even fewer studies have utilized a theoretical perspective to frame and ground findings. Therefore, using data collected as part of the Pew Internet Project, and Routine Activities Theory (Cohen and Felson, 1979) as a theoretical framework, this study fills a substantial void in the literature by reviewing what activities within SNS affect the risk of experiencing cyberbullying.
A new class of transformations preserving Hamilton's equations

A general condition for the preservation of Hamilton's equations under coordinate transformation is derived. This preservation condition is exploited to derive a new class of transformations. The existence conditions for such transformations are presented. An example of the application of this approach to a system defined by two generalized coordinates is presented. This approach leads to a restricted set of Hamiltonian systems that admit a linear representation in the transformed coordinates. The drawback of this approach is that the original Hamiltonian is retrieved from a target-Hamiltonian possessing some desirable properties. >
High-Throughput Screening Using Fourier-Transform Infrared Imaging

ABSTRACT Efficient parallel screening of combinatorial libraries is one of the most challenging aspects of the high-throughput (HT) heterogeneous catalysis workflow. Today, a number of methods have been used in HT catalyst studies, including various optical, mass-spectrometry, and gas-chromatography techniques. Of these, rapid-scanning Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) imaging is one of the fastest and most versatile screening techniques. Here, the new design of the 16-channel HT reactor is presented and test results for its accuracy and reproducibility are shown. The performance of the system was evaluated through the oxidation of CO over commercial Pd/Al 2 O 3 and cobalt oxide nanoparticles synthesized with different reducer-reductant molar ratios, surfactant types, metal and surfactant concentrations, synthesis temperatures, and ramp rates.
Nested wavelet controller

A new design procedure for feedback control architecture is introduced. The goal is to develop a system that will exploit the opportunities given by modern computational advances and create a structure that will eventually embrace intelligence features. Nested feedback loops are derived from the multiresolutional representation of control variables and hierarchical prediction of the next sample error vector. The method leads to a simple design process. The advantages over other approaches are demonstrated. >
UTILITY OF ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY AND EARLY RHYTHM ASSESSMENT IN CHILDREN ADMITTED FOR ACUTE DECOMPENSATED HEART FAILURE

Admissions for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) in children have steadily increased in recent years. Little is known regarding the clinical significance of ECG findings or arrhythmias at presentation in this population. The objective was to evaluate the utility of presenting ECGs and early
A Novel SLA for Time-Differentiated Resilience with Efficient Resource Sharing in WDM Networks

Internet customers may have strict resilience requirements for specific times periods. However, these time-differentiated resilience requirements are not effectively addressed by current SLA frameworks. To satisfy the resilience-sensitive periods, a generic SLA framework typically provides upgraded protection over the entire service duration, which is unnecessary and expensive. In this study, we propose a novel SLA framework, which allows customers to specify Critical Windows (CW) to address time-differentiated resilience demands. CWs correspond to the periods that require extra protection, and are backed up using path-level pre-cross-connected protection. Considering the complementary profiles of CWs, we identify the opportunity for backup resource sharing in the time domain. To exploit backup sharing, a heuristic scheme is proposed (Globally-CW-Aware connection assignment) to reduce backup resources. Our study shows that, using the proposed SLA framework: 1) low operational complexity can be achieved; 2) backup resources can be significantly reduced; and 3) high resilience (Service Level) can be achieved for CWs.
Pressure dependence of two-magnon Raman scattering in NiO.

We report on the pressure dependence of Raman scattering by magnon pairs in NiO for the range 0--30 GPa. The data are in excellent agreement with Bloch's empirical law describing the dependence of superexchange on volume. Using Anderson's theory, we find that the pressure depencence of the antiferromagnetic exchange constant is mainly determined by the hopping parameter of a Hubbard model involving Ni(${\mathit{e}}_{\mathit{g}}$)-O(2p) hybridization. The implications of these results to high-temperature superconductors and early Raman data are discussed.
Insulin‐like growth factor‐I improves chondrogenesis of predifferentiated human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (hUCMSCs) are an attractive cell source for tissue engineering with numerous advantages over other adult stem cell sources, such as great expansion ability in vitro and extensive availability. The objective of this 6-week study was to test the hypothesis that switching from chondrogenic transforming growth factor-beta3 (TGF-beta3) to anabolic insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) at the 3-week time point would produce more cartilage-like matrix than TGF-beta3 alone. hUCMSCs were seeded into polyglycolic acid (PGA) scaffolds and then cultured in chondrogenic medium containing TGF-beta3 for 3 weeks. The TGF-beta3-treated hUCMSCs were then exposed for 3 more weeks to one of four different conditions: (1) continued in chondrogenic medium, (2) control medium (no TGF-beta3), (3) control medium with 10 ng/ml IGF-I, or (4) control medium with 100 ng/ml IGF-I. Compared to continuing with TGF-beta3, switching to IGF-I increased collagen production, and furthermore increased both collagen type II gene expression and immunostaining. In conclusion, the shift from TGF-beta3 to IGF-I at week 3 resulted in a significant increase of cartilage-like extracellular matrix, confirming our hypothesis.
A multistudy analysis of the effects of early cocaine abstinence on sleep.

Objective To describe the sleep patterns of early cocaine abstinence in chronic users by polysomnographic and subjective measures.
Shattering Stereotypes: A Lesson Plan for Improving Student Attitudes and Behavior toward Minority Groups

(2006). Shattering Stereotypes: A Lesson Plan for Improving Student Attitudes and Behavior toward Minority Groups. The Social Studies: Vol. 97, No. 1, pp. 35-39.
Helical Beam Antennas for Wide-Band Applications

The helical beam antenna has inherent broad-band properties. Over a wide frequency band the pattern shape, circularity of polarization, and terminal impedance are relatively stable. Measured performance data are presented for a medium-gain helical beam antenna of optimum dimensions with a bandwidth of about 1.7 to 1. A high-gain broadside array of four such helices is described. Other wide-band applications of helical beam antennas, including omnidirectional types, are also discussed.
Increased ipsilateral whole breast vascularity as measured by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in patients with breast cancer.

Abstract Background Tumor-induced neovessel formation identified by gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a commonly used marker for breast malignancy. The purpose of this study was to assess possible differences in whole-breast vascularity as measured by contrast-enhanced MRI in the ipsilateral and contralateral breasts of patients with unilateral breast malignancies. Methods Gadolinium-enhanced MRI of the breast using a Siemens 1.0-T scanner with dedicated breast coil was performed on 22 consecutive patients with histologically confirmed unilateral breast carcinoma. Whole-breast vascularity of the breast containing the carcinoma was estimated as increased, decreased, or similar compared with the contralateral unaffected breast. Breast vascularity was then correlated to clinical factors including tumor size, histology, multifocality, nodal involvement, and patient age and menopausal status. Results Twenty patients had infiltrating carcinomas, and 2 patients had ductal carcinoma in situ. Four were multifocal. Fifteen of 22 patients demonstrated clear evidence of increased whole-breast vascularity in the ipsilateral breast containing the primary breast cancer compared with the contralateral breast. Although there was no clear correlation between the presence of increased whole-breast vascularity in the cancer-bearing breast with tumor size, histology, grade, mammographic appearance, or patient age and menopausal status, increased vascularity was present in 3 of 4 patients with multifocal disease and in 4 of 5 patients with metastatic disease in the axillary nodes. Conclusions Measurable increases in whole-breast vascularity can be identified by contrast-enhanced MRI and appear with increased frequency in the cancer-bearing breast. These findings suggest that factors other than tumor size and histology may influence development of macroscopic vessels during tumor progression and may be indicative of angiogenic tumor biology.
The L/K electron capture ratio in first-forbidden 81gKr decay

Abstract The L/K electron capture (EC) ratio of 81g Kr was measured to be 0.146±0.005 utilizing the wall-less, anticoincidence, multiwire proportional counter technique and a reactor-produced, mass separated 81g Kr source. From this value, the Q EC and log ft values were determined to be 305 −29 +38 keV and 11.6 respectively, assuming EC decay only to the ground state. If there is 4 % EC branching to a reported 276 keV level, Q EC becomes 322 −14 +31 keV from which (L/K) g.s. = 0.144 ± 0.005, log ft = 11.6 for EC to the ground state, (L/K) 276 = 0.213±0.005, and log ft = 11.4 for 4 % feeding to the 276 keV level. In order to be confident of these results, an extensive systematic comparison of experimental and theoretical L/K ratios was made for both first-forbidden non-unique and unique transitions. From this comparison, a 7 2 + ground state assignment for 81 Kr is confirmed.
THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF PROTEINS IN SORGHUM

Phase one of a twephase project identified lysine and threonine as the first and second limiting amino acids of sorghum in rats. Supplementation of L-lysine. HCl at the 0.4% level to sorghum diets fed to rats at the 10% protein level (N ± 6.25) resulted in increased weight gain; the addition of threonine caused further gain. No improvement in weight gains of rats was noted when methionine, tryptophan or isoleucine was added. In Phase two, when the proteins in sorghum were compared with those in corn or wheat as the sole source of dietary protein at the 8.0% crude protein level, nutritional values of the proteins were found to be similar. With soybean oil meal supplementation and fed at the 8.0% crude protein level, no significant differences in nutritive value of any of the diets were noted The biological value of the proteins in sorghum can be improved by supplementation with selected amino acids and by combining with other food sources.
Computers in buildings, building and building research

Advances in technologies of electronic computation are revolutionising practices in all phases of building including design, on-site construction and end use. These advances have potential for increasing the usefulness, safety and economy of buildings. However, vigorous, well-focused research is required to achieve these potential benefits and to avoid potential problems. Some current research, development and applications are cited to illustrate the advances in building practices that electronic computation can provide. Expectations are presented for computer-integrated building practices. Research, in traditional and in new areas, required to realise these expectations is described. The International Council for Building Research, Studies and Documentation can help the worldwide building community realise the potential of electronic computation for the improvement of buildings and building practices.
Speed-Efficiency-Complexity Tradeoffs in Universal Diagnosis Algorithms

Expressions are derived for the average number of steps. required (speed) and the average number of fault-free units replaced (efficiency) when universal diagnosis algorithms are applied to systems of various degrees of interconnection (complexity). Specifically, two algorithms proposed by Smith [4] are considered. It is shown, for example, that there is a clear tradeoff between the two algorithms; one is much faster, while the other is more efficient.
Mutant p53 – Heat Shock Response Oncogenic Cooperation: A New Mechanism of Cancer Cell Survival

The main tumor suppressor function of p53 as a ‘guardian of the genome’ is to respond to cellular stress by transcriptional activation of apoptosis, growth arrest or senescence in damaged cells. Not surprisingly, mutations in the p53 gene are the most frequent genetic alteration in human cancers. Importantly, mutant p53 (mutp53) proteins not only lose their wild-type tumor suppressor activity, but also can actively promote tumor development. Two main mechanisms accounting for mutp53 proto-oncogenic activity are inhibition of the wild-type p53 in a dominant-negative fashion and gain of additional oncogenic activities known as gain-of-function (GOF). Here we discuss a novel mechanism of mutp53 GOF, which relies on its oncogenic cooperation with the heat shock machinery. This coordinated adaptive mechanism renders cancer cells more resistant to proteotoxic stress and provides both, a strong survival advantage to cancer cells and a promising means for therapeutic intervention.
Cholesterol and coronary heart disease mortality in elderly patients.

To the Editor. —In the Editorial by Drs Denke and Winker, 1 there is the unfortunate implication that our article 2 from the New Haven, Conn, site of the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) was published prematurely and should not have preceded a multicenter analysis. The comments reveal a misunderstanding of the nature of the EPESE collaboration and the special features of this observational study. Unlike many multicenter trials, the EPESE sites are a confederation of studies with distinct sampling designs and features. Although the EPESE was a collaboration contract program, individual sites had the option to publish results separately, where unique data were available. For this reason, single-site publications from EPESE far outnumber the pooled analyses. There are unique features of the New Haven site that led us to pursue our analysis separately. New Haven is the only site in which diagnoses of hospitalized acute
On the existence of invariant sets inside a submanifold convex to a flow

Invariant set existence inside submanifold convex to flow established from vector field properties on submanifold boundary
Iron chelation therapy: you gotta have heart

The study by Pennell et al in this issue of Blood reports the effect of the orally active iron chelator deferasirox on cardiac iron and function in patients with thalassemia major. For decades, clinicians have recognized that cardiac iron accumulation is the critical problem in patients receiving
Hyperthermic syndromes induced by toxins

Normal thermogenesis requires a complex interaction between systems that generate and dissipate heat. Serving as director of thermogenesis, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system along with the thyroid and adrenal glands to respond to changes in body temperature. Working in concert, these systems result in heat generation by uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation, combined with impaired heat dissipation through vasoconstriction. In this article, the authors discuss serotonin and sympathomimetic syndromes, neuroleptic malignant syndrome,and malignant hyperthermia and how these syndromes affect the hypothalamic and sympathetic nervous systems, resulting at times in severe hyperthermia. Current treatment recommendations and future trends in treatment are also discussed.
Metalloprotein-based MRI probes

Metalloproteins have long been recognized as key determinants of endogenous contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of biological subjects. More recently, both natural and engineered metalloproteins have been harnessed as biotechnological tools to probe gene expression, enzyme activity, and analyte concentrations by MRI. Metalloprotein MRI probes are paramagnetic and function by analogous mechanisms to conventional gadolinium or iron oxide-based MRI contrast agents. Compared with synthetic agents, metalloproteins typically offer worse sensitivity, but the possibilities of using protein engineering and targeted gene expression approaches in conjunction with metalloprotein contrast agents are powerful and sometimes definitive strengths. This review summarizes theoretical and practical aspects of metalloprotein-based contrast agents, and discusses progress in the exploitation of these proteins for molecular imaging applications.
Peripheral blood stem cell collection: the interaction of technology, procedure, and biological factors.

Abstract Centrifugal technology, continuous flow and discontinuous flow, has served as the technology platform for extracting cell concentrates of interest from peripheral blood (PB) for patient therapy for the past 35–40 yr. Models for procedure outcome exist for collection of normal donor (ND) platelet and granulocyte concentrates that integrate: (1) biological variables (pre-procedure PB cell concentration, the total circulating quantity of cells, donor/patient blood volume (BV)), (2) device efficiency, and (3) procedure parameters such as total blood processed (TBP), and in the case of cytoreductions – the volume collected. (cf. Hester J, Kellogg R, Mulzet A, et al., Blood (54) (1979) 254; Hester J, Ventura G, J Clin Apheresis (4) (1988) 188.) To date, no predictive CD34+ yield algorithm integrating these three variables has been formulated that could be applied prospectively for individual ND or patients (PT). There are economic, toxicity and statistical comparison benefits to be derived from generating such an algorithm. A small pilot study is presented with a brief review of current publications that suggest the circulating quantity of CD34+ cells available to be collected and the quantity mobilized during leukapheresis are the major contributing factors to CD34+ yield, somewhat obscuring the role of the total blood processed (TBP). Intraprocedure CD34+ cell mobilization, incompletely characterized to date, appears to be a dynamic nonlinear process, as the harvested yield does not rise proportionally as the fraction of BV processed increases. And, like the pre-procedure PB CD34+ concentration and total circulating quantity, CD34+ mobilization during leukapheresis probably relates to prior treatment and the priming regimen. Studies that provide: (1) separate analyses of PT populations divided according to chemotherapy toxicity factors; (2) design and implementation of optimal priming regimens with respect to dose ‘intensity’ of both growth factors and chemotherapy; and (3) standardization of laboratory assays of CD34+ enumeration seem essential to generating a predictive algorithm.
Persistent spectral hole burning for R ’ color centers in LiF crystals: Statics, dynamics, and external-field effects

The persistent spectral hole-burning properties of R' color centers in pure and doped LiF single crystals at liquid-helium temperatures are described and analyzed. Using frequency-modulation spectroscopy and precision ratiometric transmission spectroscopy, a satellite hole structure has been observed which varies with position in the inhomogeneous line due to excited-state splittings. Transient effects in the optical absorption indicate that an intermediate state with millisecond lifetimes is involved in hole formation. The persistent holes have been observed to grow as the logarithm of time and the logarithm of burning intensity in certain regimes, and a phenomenological tunneling model has been used to explain the time and intensity dependence. The results suggest that R' centers interact via tunneling and local strains with a quasi-random distribution of nearby traps which may be other color centers in the host material. A linear Stark effect has been observed in agreement with earlier measurements. This work illustrates the power of hole-burning spectroscopy to uncover static and dynamic interactions normally hidden by inhomogeneous broadening.
Eye tracking the visual search of click-down menus

Click-down (or pull-down) menus have long been a key component of graphical user interfaces, yet we know surprisingly little about how users actually interact with such menus. Nilsens [8] study on menu selection has led to the development of a number of models of how users perform the task [6, 21. However, the validity of these models has not been empirically assessed with respect to eye movements (though [l] presents some interesting data that bear on these models). The present study is an attempt to provide data that can help refine our understanding of how users interact with such menus.
The influence of Patient Age and Alcohol‐Relevant Laboratory Values on Physicians' Diagnoses of Alcoholism

This study investigated factors that contribute to physicians' diagnoses and ratings of prognosis when reviewing vignettes of hypothetical cases constructed to reflect alcohol dependence. Forty-nine medical residents who read the vignettes were asked to list three probable diagnoses and a prognosis. Patient descriptions in the hypothetical vignettes were identical except for age (35 years vs. 70 years) and inclusion of alcohol-relevant lab values (present vs. absent). Results indicated that the younger patient described in the vignettes was diagnosed with alcoholism more often than was the older patient. The presence of alcohol-relevant lab values was unrelated to a diagnosis of alcoholism. Prognosis, which was on average rated as fair for most patients, was unrelated to the age of the patient.
Radar cross section of rectangular flat plates as a function of aspect angle

An investigation of the scattering from rectangular flat plates has been carried out to determine analytical formulations suitable for the estimation of radar cross section. Simple physical optics theory provides an accurate means of predicting the near-specular values of plate cross section but fails to account for polarization dependence and detailed shape of the cross section vs. angle curve in nonspecular regions. Calculations based upon the geometrical theory of diffraction show excellent agreement with measured data except at edge-on aspects. This correspondence stems, in part, from the fact that the geometrical theory of diffraction is polarization dependent. The paper is concluded with an analytical description of vertical polarization cross section at the edge-on aspect derived on the basis of measurement data.
Influence of cardiovascular disease risk factors on the relationship between low bone mineral density and type 2 diabetes mellitus in a multiethnic US population of women and men: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract Introduction: Higher bone mineral density (BMD) has been reported among white women and men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) compared with nondiabetic white individuals, but there is scant evidence for nonwhite persons. It is also not known whether cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors may confound any association between BMD and type 2 DM. Objective: The present study examined the relationship between low BMD and type 2 DM in a multiethnic population of women and men while controlling for the influence of osteoporosis and CVD risk factors including body mass index (BMI), cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, total cholesterol and its components, blood pressure, and C-reactive protein. Methods: Data collected from 4929 African American, Mexican American, and white women and men aged 50 to 79 years who participated in the household interview and clinical examinations during the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. CVD risk factors associated with type 2 DM in this study population were included as covariates in gender-specific multiple logistic regression models assessing the relationship between type 2 DM and low BMD while controlling for osteoporosis risk factors. Gender- and race/ethnicity-specific mean BMD values at the total hip for young adults aged 20 to 29 years were used to establish race/ethnicity and gender-specific low BMD T-scores. Results: The final study population included 2505 women and 2424 men. More women and men with type 2 DM than women and men without type 2 DM were nonwhite and had high BMI. Osteoporosis risk factors but not CVD risk factors were associated with low BMD in both women and men. Type 2 DM was not associated with low BMD among women (odds ratio [OR] = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.56-1.08). Based on a statistically significant interaction between type 2 DM status and race/ethnicity, white men with type 2 DM were less likely to have low BMD than were white men without type 2 DM (OR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.37-0.86; P = 0.01). There was no significant BMD difference between diabetic and nondiabetic nonwhite men. Conclusion: CVD risk factors did not appear to influence the relationship between low BMD and type 2 DM in this study
UPTAKE OF [14C]ASPARTIC ACID AND [14C]GLUTAMIC ACID BY RETINAL SYNAPTOSOMAL FRACTIONS

— Uptake systems for [14C]aspartate and [14C]glutamate were characterized in two distinct synaptosomal fractions solated from rabbit retina. The P, synaptosomal fraction was highly enriched in large photoreceptor cell synaptosomes but contained very few conventional sized synaptosomes from amacrine, horizontal or bipolar cells. In contrast, the P2 synaptosomal fraction contained numerous conventional sized synaptosomes and was virtually free of photoreceptor cell synaptosomes. Both synaptosomal fractions took up [14C]aspartate and [14C]glutamate with high affinity [Km= 1–2μM). Uptake characteristics were similar to those described for high affinity uptake systems in brain synaptosomes, i.e. saturation kinetics; temperature and Na+ dependence. Although the presence of a high affinity uptake system is not a definitive criterion for demonstration of functional neurotransmitter systems, it is an important and necessary prerequisite and can thus be considered as supportive evidence for the involvement of asparate and glutamate in neurotransmission in rabbit retina.
Abstract P4-08-07: Novel insight into the tumor “flare” phenomenon and lapatinib resistance

BACKGROUND: Resistance to lapatinib generally develops in approximately half of patients within one year of initiating treatment. When lapatinib is withdrawn, there is often a rapid progression of disease which is associated with high mortality rates. This “flare” phenomenon has also been observed upon discontinuation of other tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. METHODS: Using the HER2+ cell lines SKBR3 and BT474, we developed both in vitro and in vivo models demonstrating lapatinib resistance and the tumor “flare” phenomenon. Parental HER2+ cell lines were gradually exposed to increasing doses of lapatinib (100nM to 5uM) to develop a lapatinib-resistant form which was ultimately maintained in 1uM of lapatinib. Lapatinib-”released” cell lines were developed by removing lapatinib exposure from resistant cell lines and allowing the cells to grow for at least two weeks. Cell lines were grown in vitro using traditional monolayer cell culturing techniques and mammosphere technology. A comprehensive analysis of parental, lapatinib-resistant, and lapatinib-released cell lines was performed using microscopy, protein/phosphoprotein analysis, cell cycle, cancer stem cell markers by FACS, and invasion assays. Parental cells served as the control in all experiments. In vivo models were performed by injecting 10,000 cells of parental, resistant, and released cell lines in the mammary fat pads of SCID mice. Tumors were surgically resected after approximately sixty days and volume recorded. All experiments were repeated three times and calculated for statistical significance. RESULTS: Cell cycle analysis and proliferation assays demonstrate that lapatinib-resistant and released cell lines continue to proliferate despite the addition of 1uM lapatinib. Released cells also demonstrate less of a response to retreatment with lapatinib. Tumor volume of lapatinib-released cell lines were significantly larger than parental and resistant counterparts [parental: 39.9mm 3 , SD 9.48; resistant: 71.8mm 3 , SD 62.33; released: 943.4mm 3 , SD 100.1] and this difference was statistically significant (p CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate the first in vitro and in vivo models of the tumor “flare” phenomenon using HER2+ breast cancer cell lines. This model demonstrates that lapatinib-resistant cells released from the exposure to lapatinib are propelled into a unique and more aggressive phenotype. This model has potential to elucidate new mechanisms of resistance to TKI therapy and provide novel preclinical data that may help in the understanding of disease progression. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-08-07.
Pancreatic polypeptide causes diarrhea and weight loss in obese mice but not in lean littermates

Abstract Pancreatic polypeptide was infused into obese-hyperglycemic (ob/ob) mice and lean littermates to determine its effect on weight gain. Obese mice continuously infused with 30, 60, or 100 μg/day for 7 days developed both diarrhea and weight loss in a dose dependent fashion. Lean littermates infused with 100 μg/day developed neither diarrhea nor weight loss. Light microscopic study of ileum and colon revealed no abnormalities. These studies indicate that the effects of pancreatic polypeptide are in part genetically determined since the obese and non-obese mice differ at only one gene locus.
The interaction of surfactants with the chloroplast thylakoid membrane at sub-solubilizing concentrations

Abstract The interactions of nonionic, anionic and zwitterionic surfactants with the chloroplast thylakoid membrane of wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) were examined. Measurements of the surface tension of the solution and behavior of the membrane material during centrifugation were used to identify solubilizing concentrations of the surfactants. Studies at sub-solubilizing concentrations indicated that the primary interaction between the surfactant and the thylakoid membrane may involve adsorption at the membrane / solution interface rather than insertion of surfactant molecules into the membrane. This hypothesis was supported by a lack of increase in the fluorescence yield of chlorophyll at sub-solubilizing surfactant concentrations, indicating that interactions between the photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes are not extensively disrupted. Difference spectroscopy revealed that long-wavelength (greater than 690 nm) chlorophyll molecules are perturbed by the surfactant. We conclude that at sub-solubilizing concentrations, surfactants specifically interact with exposed Photosystem I components on the surface of the thylakoid membrane. It appears that use of sub-solubilizing concentrations of surfactants has the potential to provide much useful information about the structure and organization of the thylakoid membrane.
On interference abstractions

Interference is the bane of both concurrent programming and analysis. To avoid considering all possible interferences between concurrent threads, most automated static analysis employ techniques to approximate interference, e.g., by restricting the thread scheduler choices or by approximating the transition relations or reachable states of the program. However, none of these methods are able to reason about interference directly. In this paper, we introduce the notion of interference abstractions (IAs), based on the models of shared memory consistency, to reason about interference efficiently. IAs differ from the known abstractions for concurrent programs and cannot be directly modeled by these abstractions. Concurrency bugs typically involve a small number of unexpected interferences and therefore can be captured by small IAs. We show how IAs, in the form of both over- and under-approximations of interference, can be obtained syntactically from the axioms of sequential consistency. Further, we present an automatic method to synthesize IAs suitable for checking safety properties. Our experimental results show that small IAs are often sufficient to check properties in realistic applications, and drastically improve the scalability of concurrent program analysis in these applications.
Linear Viscoelastic Properties of Polybutadiene. A Comparison with Molecular Theories

The linear viscoelastic properties of a series of linear entangled polybutadienes were studied. It is found that the melt viscosity ηo∝M3.38 and the plateau modulus GNo∝Mo. The zero-shear recoverable compliance Jeo decreases slightly with increasing MW above 40,000. One high MW polybutadiene was diluted with a low MW (≍1800) polybutadiene. For these mixtures it is found that ηo∝φ3.35 and GNo∝φ2, where φ is the volume fraction of the high MW component. Jeo of the mixtures depends somewhat more strongly on φ than according to φ−2. Both the MW and φ dependence of ηo and Jeo are in agreement with Doi’s modification of the reptation model that includes contour-length fluctuations. Experimental values of Jeo are in quantitative agreement with the theory. The experimental loss (G″), and storage (G′) moduli-frequency curves can be fitted with a high degree of precision to Doi’s theory.
Evolution of trichome number in a naturalized population of Brassica rapa

We tested the hypothesis that high trichome numbers provide resistance to herbivores and increase fruit production in a naturalized population of Brassica rapa and used greenhouse-grown paternal and maternal sibships to estimate the genetic variances and covariances for trichome number, days to first flower, and flower production. We performed one generation of directional selection for low and high trichome number and scored trichome number, herbivore damage, flowering start, and fruit production of progeny planted in the field. The artificial selection resulted in significant divergence in both trichome number and flowering start. Herbivory was low, and there was no difference in herbivore damage between lines at the end of the season. High-trichome plants produced significantly more fruits than low-trichome plants, apparently because of the advantage of later flowering by high-trichome plants. The greenhouse study revealed significant genetic variation for trichome number, flowering start, and total fl...
Concentration of ochratoxin A in breakfast cereals and snacks consumed in the United States

Abstract A total of 144 breakfast cereal and snack samples collected from six areas in the United States (U.S.) were surveyed for the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA). All samples are the processed products including mainly corn, oat, wheat, and rice. The analytical methods in this study were immunoaffinity columns (IAC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection (FLD). The method provided recoveries of OTA from all sample matrices in the range of 95–100%. The limits of detection and limits of quantification for OTA were 0.032 and 0.10 ng/g for corn, wheat, and rice based samples; 0.038 and 0.12 ng/g for oat based samples, respectively. Analytical results showed that 75 samples (52%) were contaminated with OTA in the range of 0.10 and 7.43 ng/g. Among the OTA contaminated samples, 40% were labeled as organic and 60% were conventional with mean concentrations of 1.21 and 1.07 ng/g, respectively. There were ten contaminated samples, all from oat based products, exceeding the maximum limits for OTA by European Commission Regulation (3 ng/g) in cereal based products.
Dynamic, cooperative multi-robot patrolling with a team of UAVs

The multi-robot patrolling task has practical relevance in surveillance, search and rescue, and security appli- cations. In this task, a team of robots must repeatedly visit areas in the environment, minimizing the time in-between visits to each. A team of robots can perform this task efficiently; however, challenges remain related to team formation and task assignment. This paper presents an approach for monitoring patrolling performance and dynamically adjusting the task assignment function based on observations of teammate performance. Experimental results are presented from realistic simulations of a cooperative patrolling scenario, using a team of UAVs.
Unsymmetrical dialkyl sulfides for self-assembled monolayer formation on gold : Lack of preferential cleavage of allyl or benzyl substituents

Five unsymmetrical sulfides and one unsymmetrical disulfide were synthesized for self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formation on gold electrodes. Each compound contained a dinitrobenzyl ester group at the end of a primary alkyl chain as one sulfide arm, with an allyl, methyl, or cyanobenzyl group for the other arm. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) of the resulting SAMs showed no evidence for differential cleavage of allyl or cyanobenzyl sulfide groups relative to methyl, contrary to expectations if sulfide cleavage accompanied the self-assembly process.
A further look at Rayleigh-Taylor and other surface instabilities in solids

An analysis is presented of the instability or out-of-plane displacementh of the surface of a semiinfinite solid of density ρs subjected to extremely large in-surface compressive strain rate ɛL or normal deceleration α (inward acceleration) or both. An earlier study of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a perfectly plastic solid of yield strength σo serves as a guide to the selection of useful natural lengths λN and natural times. One of the natural lengths ish0TH=(const) σ0/ϱsα, the threshold amplitude of surface protuberance below which Rayleigh-Taylor growth will not take place for α alone. Another is a screening length in space\(\lambda _N = \sqrt {E/\varrho _s /} \dot \varepsilon _L \) beyond which even elastic or pressure waves can transmit no information so that material motion or surface instability at each instant of time cannot be coordinated.
A Review of “Ballykilcline Rising: From Famine Ireland to Immigrant America”

Ballykilcline Rising demonstrates a predominant theme in Irish history: resilient and stubborn triumph over discrimination and unbearable hardship. Mary Lee Dunn's study of Ballykilcline is a conti...
The origin of ultramafic and ultrabasic rocks

Ultramafic rocks are classified in terms of their field associations and tectonic environment. Eleven associations are distinguished, some with subdivisions. The major features of each association are described in turn, and it is emphasized that the variety of field and petrographic associations indicates that a variety of processes is involved in the origin and emplacement of these rocks. For petrogenetic discussion the-associations are considered in three groups: (1) layered, stratiform and other intrusions involving gabbro or diabase together with accumulations or concentrations of mafic minerals; (2) the alkalic rocks of stable continental regions; including kimberlites, mica peridotite, members of ring complexes, and ultrabasic lava flows; (3) the several peridotite-serpentinite associations of the orogenic belts that have been classified together as alpine-type intrusions. The petrogenesis of ultramafic nodules in alkali basalts and kimberlites is also discussed. The petrogenesis of these rocks is concerned with the source of the material, its variation in physical state and temperature from source to position of intrusion, and its post-intrusion history. The study of ultramafic rocks and nodules is one approach towards determination of the composition and mineralogy of the upper mantle.