cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acetylene reaction with the Si(111) surface: A semiempirical quantum chemical study

The interaction between the acetylene molecule and the Si(111) surface was modeled using the geometry optimization pathway of the Zerner intermediate neglect of differential overlap semiempirical quantum chemical program. The surface was represented by a 49-atom cluster containing four layers of silicon atoms. To determine the effect of the interaction upon the silicon surface, 12 central atoms from the top two layers were allowed to move to stable positions. The geometry of the silicon surface was initially optimized without acetylene, resulting in a significant rearrangement of the mobile atoms. Nine separate calculations were then performed, differing in the initial position and orientation of the acetylene molecule above the surface. The geometry of the resulting surface structures was found to be highly dependent upon the initial placement and orientation of the acetylene. In each case, the acetylene was found to react with the silicon surface by the formation of Si-C bonds. An analysis of the Wiberg bond indices revealed that the initial triple bond between carbon atoms was reduced to approximately a single bond, the exact bond order varying slightly from case to case. It was also found that Si-Si bonds surrounding the reaction site were weakened, and in some cases broken, due to the strain induced by the Si-C bond formation. The degree to which the surfaces were rearranged was found to correlate with the final energies, indicating that the most distorted surfaces were the most energetically favorable.
A Least-Element Theory of Solving Linear Complementarity Problems as Linear Programs

In a previous report Cottle, R. W., J. S. Pang. 1978. On solving linear complementary problems as linear programs. Math. Programming Stud.7 88--107., the authors have established a least-element interpretation to Mangasarian's theory Mangasarian, O. L. 1976. Linear complementarity problems solvable by a single linear program. Math. Programming10 263--270; Mangasarian, O. L. 1975. Solution of linear complementarity problems by linear programming. In G. W. Watson, ed. Numerical Analysis, Dundee 1975. Lecture Notes in Mathematics, No. 506, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 166--175. of formulating some linear complementarity problems as linear programs. In the present report, we extend our previous analysis to a more general class of linear complementarity problems investigated in Mangasarian Mangasarian, O. L. 1978. Characterization of linear complementarity problems as linear programs. Math. Programming Stud.7 74--87., Our purposes are 1 to demonstrate how solutions to these problems can be generated from least elements of polyhedral sets and 2 to investigate how these “least-element solutions” are related to the solutions obtained by the linear programming approach as proposed by Mangasarian.
Neuronal innervation, intracellular signal transduction and intercellular coupling: a model for syncytial tissue responses in the steady state.

A model tissue is proposed in which chemically responsive cells are interconnected by gap junctions and innervated by the autonomic nervous system. The model is explicitly dependent on the following physiologically relevant assumptions: (1) a fraction of the cells are directly innervated, and these cells respond to a periodic neuronal stimulus (i.e. the release of neurotransmitter) by production of an intracellular substance (i.e. second messenger molecule); (2) production of second messenger molecules modulates the amplitude of a cellular response, such as contraction or secretion; (3) intracellular formation of second messenger molecules in innervated cells is proportional to the periodicity of the neuronal stimulus, while the intracellular concentration in non-innervated cells is governed by the half-life of the second messenger molecule and the extent of cell-to-cell coupling; (4) the amplitude of the graded response of the individual cell is related to the intracellular second messenger concentration by a Michaelis-Menten function; (5) the amplitude of the graded tissue response is a function of the innervation density, the frequency of stimulation, and the extent of intercellular coupling. Thus, a stimulus-response relationship was developed, where the magnitude of the tissue response was described as a function of the total tissue stimulus. The predicted stimulus-response curve was encapsulated by two parameters: (1) the Hill-exponent, which reflects the steepness of the stimulus-response curve; and (2) the location of the stimulus-response curve, or the half-maximally effective stimulus. Both random and uniform neuronal innervation patterns were considered in model tissues with various effective dimensions. The simulations were also applied to a realistic model of vascular tissue. The shape of the stimulus-response curve is critically dependent on the geometry of innervation. For physiologically relevant (10-90% over 2-3 orders of magnitude) dose-response curves, the model yields an implicit relationship between three different dimensionless parameters. If, in a system, two of these parameters are known, the model can be used to bracket the possible range of the third parameter.
A Program Analysis of Esuba: Helping Turn Abuse Around for Inmates

This investigation is an empirical evaluation of Esuba, an abuse awareness program implemented in the Florida correctional system. Research has indicated a link between violent and abusive behavior and criminal activity. This study specifically addressed whether the Esuba program had an impact on offenders' self-esteem, stability of self, faith in people, and sensitivity to criticism as measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The results from the application of the Esuba program to an incarcerated offender population are encouraging. The results suggest that the Esuba program does appear to significantly increase offenders' emotional self-preservation.
On the lambda Y calculus

In this paper we consider three problems concerning the lambda Y calculus obtained from the simply typed lambda calculus by the addition of fixed point combinators Y: (A/spl rarr/A)/spl rarr/A. The "paradoxical" combinator Y was first discussed in by Curry & Feys Vol 1 (1958). It appears first in a typed context by A. Scott (1969) and also by R. Platek's thesis (1963), and forms the basis for L. C. F. (1980) and its descendants. In this paper we shall consider (1) the question of whether higher type Y are "definable" from lower type Y. We shall show that it is not the case in this context, sharpening a result of ours from [8]. A similar result has been obtained by Warner Damm; (2) the question of the decidability of termination. More precisely, we shall show that it is decidable whether a given term has a normal form. This extends results of Plotkin and Bercovicci. [2]. By similar methods we show that we show that it is decidable whether a term has a head normal form, and whether a term has a finite Bohm tree; (3) the question of the decidability of the word problem. This question was first put to us by Albert Meyer 20 years ago. We shall show that it is in general undecidable whether two lambda Y terms convert. This is done by encoding the behavior of register machines. In addition we shall give a decision procedure for the special case of only Y's of type (0/spl rarr/0)/spl rarr/0.
Cardiovascular responses to treadmill and cycle ergometer exercise in children and adults

Turley, Kenneth R., and Jack H. Wilmore. Cardiovascular responses to treadmill and cycle ergometer exercise in children and adults. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(3): 948–957, 1997.—This study was conducted ...
Why Citizens Do and Do Not Attend Public Meetings about Local Cancer Cluster Investigations

Why do citizens choose to attend or not to attend community public meetings about possible cancer clusters? To answer this question, we examine self-report data collected during a series of mail surveys conducted in six communities experiencing current health investigations into suspect levels of cancer or cancer clusters. We analyze the data using quantitative content analysis while also providing qualitative summaries and categorizations of survey participants’ reasons for attending or not attending a specific public meeting in their community. In addition, we use survey data related to respondents’ past participation and sociodemographic characteristics. The results found that rational reasons (e.g., to get information) dominated citizens’ justifications for attending the public meetings, whereas socioeconomic and mobilization factors (e.g., did not hear about meeting, too busy) were most commonly cited as reasons for not attending. Less common but still present were relational considerations, such as believing the people in charge were fair. Taken together, the findings suggest that the majority of citizens who attended the public meetings could be categorized as the curious, the fearful, and the available. In comparison, the majority of citizens who did not attend could be described as the uninformed, the indifferent, the occupied, and the disaffected.
Managing bone health in women with breast cancer under adjuvant treatment with aromatase inhibitors: pretreatment bone mineral density is important.

In a recent editorial, Dr Van Poznak addresses the important issue of managing bone health in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant treatment with an aromatase inhibitor [1]. Based on the published results of three clinical trials using risedronate [2,3] or ibandronate [4], it is concluded that oral bisphosphonates may be considered a supportive therapy to treat or prevent osteoporosis in breast cancer patients receiving aromatase inhibitor adjuvant treatment. We would like to comment on the results of those trials summarised in Table 1 of the editorial [1], focusing on patients with normal bone mineral density (BMD) or mild osteopaenia before starting treatment.
On an asymptotic problem concerning the laplace transform

(1978). On an asymptotic problem concerning the laplace transform. Applicable Analysis: Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 61-70.
C. C. Little, Cancer and Inbred Mice

IN January 1929 the Regents of the University of Michigan accepted the resignation of C. C. Little as President. He had become increasingly controversial during his tenure and was often at odds with the Regents. He was a great innovator and always wanted more than they were able to deliver. Often he
Transpetrosal and combination approaches to skull base lesions

Petrosectomy is the essential component of many of the important skull base approaches. The transpetrosal approaches enable safe surgical treatment of many petroclival lesions. The combination approaches further increase surgical exposure for more complex lesions. Selecting the best surgical approach requires careful evaluation of lesion location, size, pathology, and the patient's preoperative neurological function. Successful management of these difficult lesions requires a multidisciplinary team that is critically dependent on the neuro-otologist.
Theorizing identity in language and sexuality research

The field of language and sexuality has gained importance within socioculturally oriented linguistic scholarship. Much current work in this area emphasizes identity as one key aspect of sexuality. However, recent critiques of identity-based research advocate instead a desire-centered view of sexuality. Such an approach artificially restricts the scope of the field by overlooking the close relationship between identity and desire. This connection emerges clearly in queer linguistics, an approach to language and sexuality that incorporates insights from feminist, queer, and sociolinguistic theories to analyze sexuality as a broad sociocultural phenomenon. These intellectual approaches have shown that research on identity, sexual or otherwise, is most productive when the concept is understood as the outcome of intersubjectively negotiated practices and ideologies. To this end, an analytic framework for the semiotic study of social intersubjectivity is presented. (Sexuality, feminism, identity, desire, queer linguistics.)*
Joys and Tribulations of Faith-Based Youth Tobacco Use Prevention: A Case Study in Mississippi:

Faith-based health promotion initiatives are resurging in popularity among health promoters and providers, but few programs are systematic, large-scale, and funded at the state level. One exception is an initiative by the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi (PHM), a nonprofit organization funded by tobacco settlement monies. PHM funded churches and other faith-based organizations to implement a grassroots youth tobacco use prevention program to coincide with other community- and school-based efforts. In the 2-year evolution of this faith-community health partnership, PHM experienced both successes and challenges. This article outlines the history of tobacco use prevention and control programs within Mississippi's faith community, provides a brief case study of two churches, and makes 10 recommendations based on lessons learned.
Causes of Death and Characteristics of Decedents With Viral Hepatitis, United States, 2010

BACKGROUND Previous research indicates that the mortality burden from viral hepatitis is growing, particularly among middle-aged persons. To monitor progress toward prevention goals, it is important to continue to document characteristics and comortalities of these deaths. This study sought to examine demographic characteristics and the most frequent causes of death among decedents with a viral hepatitis-related death. METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed on approximately 2.4 million death records from 2010. We calculated mortality rates for decedents with and without hepatitis A, B, and C virus (HAV, HBV, and HCV) and relative risks for the most frequently cited conditions in decedents with and without HBV and HCV. RESULTS In 2010, there were 18 473 (0.7%) deaths with HAV, HBV, and HCV listed among causes of death, disproportionately in those aged 45-64 years. Among the 10 frequent causes of death, decedents listing HBV or HCV died, on average, 22-23 years earlier than decedents not listing these infections. HBV- and HCV-infected decedents aged 45-64 years had an increased risk of having the following conditions reported than decedents without these infections: cancer of liver and intrahepatic bile duct; fibrosis, cirrhosis, and other liver diseases; alcohol-related liver disease; gastrointestinal hemorrhage; human immunodeficiency infection; acute and unspecified renal failure; and septicemia (HCV only). CONCLUSIONS Decedents with other causes of death that include HBV or HCV died 22-23 years earlier than decedents not listing these infections. These data suggest and support the need for prevention, early identification, and treatment of HBV and HCV.
Production and export of dissolved C in arctic tundra mesocosms: the roles of vegetation and water flow

To better understand carbon (C) cycling in arctic tundra we measured dissolved C production and export rates in mesocosms of three tundra vegetation types: tussock, inter-tussock and wet sedge. Three flushing frequencies were used to simulate storm events and determine potential mass export of dissolved C under increased soil water flow scenarios. Dissolved C production and export rates differed between vegetation types (inter-tussock > tussock > wet sedge). In the absence of flushing, dissolved organic C (DOC) dominated production in tussock and inter-tussock soils but was consumed in wet sedge soils (8.3, 32.7, and 0.4 g C g soil 1 day 1 ). Soil water dissolved C concentrations declined over time when flushed at high and medium frequencies but were variable at low flushing frequency. Total yield of dissolved C and DOC increased with increased flushing frequency. The ratio of DOC to dissolved inorganic C exported dropped with increased flushing under tussock but not inter-tussock or wet sedge vegetation. Mass export per liter of water added declined as flushing frequency increased in tussock and inter-tussock mesocosms. Export and production of dissolved C were strongly correlated with above ground biomass, but not with photosynthetic rates or below ground biomass. DOC quality was examined by measuring production of Toolik Lake bacteria fed mesocosm soil water. When nor- malized for DOC concentration, wet sedge soil water supported significantly higher bacterial produc- tion. Our results indicate that arctic tundra soils have high potentials for dissolved C export, that water flow and vegetation type mainly control dissolved C export, and that responses of aquatic microbes to terrestrial inputs depend on the vegetation type in the watershed.
Inferring neuronal functional connectivity using dynamic Bayesian networks

Introduction Recent technological advances in microfabrication of high-density multi-electrode arrays (MEA) permitted simultaneous recording of a few hundreds of neurons, and thus paved the way to investigate the dynamics of distributed neural circuits. Identifying functional connectivity between these simultaneously recorded neurons is important to understand how the brain orchestrates information processing when performing complex motor tasks.
A comparison of selected force constants derived from ab initioSCF calculations on β‐hydroxyacrolein. Acrolein, performic acid, and formic acid

Harmonic force fields have been calculated for the planar hydrogen-bonded ring conformer of β-hydroxyacrolein, cCc, which is the most stable, and the chain conformer, cCt, generated by 180° rotation of OH about the CO bond axis. The equilibrium structure obtained using the 4-31 G basis set with full geometry optimization was employed in each case. Selected force constants for the bonds directly concerned in the formation of the ring from the chain structure, and the increments in going from the one to the other, are compared with the values for the corresponding conformers of performic and formic acids. As the ring size increases from four in trans-formic acid, to five in cis–cis-performic acid and to six in the cCc conformer of β-hydroxyacrolein there is a successive increase in the mechanical strength of the hydrogen-bridging unit. The energy changes for the chain → ring conversion do not follow this progression: performic acid is out of order. But, since a force constant is a localized bond property, whereas the energy changes are determined not only by interactions specific to the hydrogendonor and hydrogen-acceptor groups but also by interactions involving more distant parts of the molecule, the force constants for the bonds directly concerned in the formation of the hydrogen bridge provide a less ambiguous basis for comparing the strength of the intramolecular hydrogen bonding.
Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm in Nonasthmatic Obese Children:

The frequency, degree, and pattern of bronchial reactivity to exercise were compared in 13 obese and 14 control children, ages 6 to 10 years, with no history of asthma. Spirometry was performed before and every three minutes after a seven-minute exercise challenge on a treadmill. There were 11 obese children and 6 controls who had at least a 15% fall in at least one of three monitored pulmonary function parameters (P < .05). The group mean percentage falls in FEV1 and FEF25%-75% were significantly greater in the obese group than in the controls. The pattern of bronchospasm, occurring soon after the exercise challenge, is consistent with that found in the known asthmatic population. A significant correlation was found between triceps skin-fold thickness and degree of fall in FEF25%-75% (r = .55, P < .005). This study demonstrated that significantly greater frequency and degree of bronchospasm of the smaller airways occur in obese children, partially related to the amount of subcutaneous fat. Whether exercise-induced bronchospasm leads to exercise avoidance and obesity or whether obesity causes or enhances bronchial hyperreactivity to exercise requires further study.
Long-term survival of critically ill patients treated with prolonged mechanical ventilation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Summary Background Prolonged dependence on mechanical ventilation after critical illness is an emerging public health challenge; however, long-term outcomes are incompletely understood. We aimed to systematically analyse long-term survival of critically ill patients treated with prolonged mechanical ventilation. Methods We searched PubMed, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library between 1988 and Nov 6, 2013, with no language restrictions, for studies on prolonged mechanical ventilation. We included studies of adult populations treated with mechanical ventilation for more than 14 days, who were admitted to a ventilator weaning unit, or who had a tracheostomy for acute respiratory failure. We abstracted data with a standardised collection template and assessed study quality (ie, risk of bias) using a customised Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We did a stratified analysis based on study setting (eg, acute vs post-acute care hospitals), and used a random-effects model to calculate pooled statistics (proportions with 95% CIs) for all outcomes. We did sensitivity analyses based on study quality (ie, high-quality studies only) and country of origin (USA vs non-USA and USA vs UK). The primary outcome was mortality at 1 year. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, discharge destination among survivors, successful liberation from mechanical ventilation while in hospital, and mortality at timepoints longer than 1 year. Findings Of 6326 studies identified, 402 underwent full manuscript review, and 124 studies from 16 countries met the inclusion criteria. 39 studies reported mortality at 1 year, which was 59% (95% CI 56–62). Among the 29 high-quality studies, the pooled mortality at 1 year was 62% (95% CI 57–67). Pooled mortality at hospital discharge was 29% (95% CI 26–32). However, only 19% (16–24) were discharged to home and only 50% (47–53) were successfully liberated from mechanical ventilation. For studies in post-acute care hospitals, outcomes were worse in the USA than internationally (mortality at 1 year was 73% [95% CI 67–78] in the USA vs 47% [29–65] in non-USA countries; in-hospital mortality was 31% [26–37] vs 18% [14–24]; and liberation from ventilation was 47% [42–51] vs 63% [59–68]; p Interpretation Although a high proportion of patients survived to hospital discharge, fewer than half of patients survived beyond 1 year. Future studies should focus on optimum patient selection for prolonged mechanical ventilation and integration of long-term outcome information into clinical decision making. Funding Cooper University Health Care and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.
Genetic associations of sow longevity with age at first farrowing, number of piglets weaned, and wean to insemination interval in the Finnish Landrace swine population.

The objective of the study was to es- timate genetic parameters for length of productive life (LPL), and determine its genetic correlation with age at first farrowing (AFF), number of piglets weaned at first farrowing (NW), and first wean-to-insemination interval (W2I) in the Finnish Landrace swine popula- tion. Data from the Finnish national litter recording scheme were utilized to estimate the genetics of LPL, and genetic associations between LPL, AFF, NW, and W2I. Data from the Finnish Landrace sow records were utilized from farms that farrowed more than 20 gilts annually from 2000 through 2005. The data set includ- ed information from 11,222 sows, all of which had AFF and NW information available. The sows producing the records evaluated were daughters of 1,267 sires, and there were 3,684 animals in the pedigree when all of the sires were traced back to founder animals. All data were obtained from FABA Breeding (Vantaa, Finland). Multivariate Bayesian analysis of Gaussian, right cen- sored Gaussian, and categorical traits was utilized to estimate (co)variance parameters of LPL, AFF, NW, and W2I of the sow. From these traits, AFF and NW were treated as Gaussian, LPL as right-censored Gauss- ian, and W2I as categorical traits. Estimated posterior means of heritabilities were 0.22, 0.16, 0.09, and 0.08 for LPL, AFF, NW, and W2I, respectively. A relatively large proportion of variance due to farm-year interac- tion was observed (posterior means of f 2 ranged be- tween 0.03 and 0.26). The LPL was moderately geneti- cally correlated with NW and AFF (posterior means were -0.20 and 0.36, respectively), whereas no clear association was found between W2I and LPL. Favor- able genetic correlations between AFF and W2I and between NW and W2I were also observed. Addition- ally, an unfavorable genetic correlation between AFF and NW was observed in the present data set. Because LPL is genetically associated with other economically important prolificacy traits, it should be included in a multiple trait swine breeding value estimation system.
No Child Left Behind? Sociology Ignored!

Too many American children are segregated into schools without standards, shuffled from grade-to-grade because of their age, regardless of their knowledge. This is discrimination, pure and simple—the soft bigotry of low expectations. And our nation should treat it like other forms of discrimination. We should end it. One size does not fit all when it comes to educating children, so local people should control local schools. Those who spend tax dollars must be held accountable. When a school district receives federal funds to teach poor children, those children should learn. If they don't, parents should get money to make a different choice. (Bush 2000)
Genome Sequencing of Arabidopsis abp1-5 Reveals Second-Site Mutations That May Affect Phenotypes

Auxin regulates numerous aspects of plant growth and development. For many years, investigating roles for AUXIN BINDING PROTEIN1 (ABP1) in auxin response was impeded by the reported embryo lethality of mutants defective in ABP1. However, identification of a viable Arabidopsis thaliana TILLING mutant defective in the ABP1 auxin binding pocket (abp1-5) allowed inroads into understanding ABP1 function. During our own studies with abp1-5, we observed growth phenotypes segregating independently of the ABP1 lesion, leading us to sequence the genome of the abp1-5 line described previously. We found that the abp1-5 line we sequenced contains over 8000 single nucleotide polymorphisms in addition to the ABP1 mutation and that at least some of these mutations may originate from the Arabidopsis Wassilewskija accession. Furthermore, a phyB null allele in the abp1-5 background is likely causative for the long hypocotyl phenotype previously attributed to disrupted ABP1 function. Our findings complicate the interpretation of abp1-5 phenotypes for which no complementation test was conducted. Our findings on abp1-5 also provide a cautionary tale illustrating the need to use multiple alleles or complementation lines when attributing roles to a gene product.
Effect of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained atrial arrhythmia conferring a higher morbidity and mortality. Despite the increasing incidence of AF; available therapies are far from perfect. Dietary fish oils, containing omega 3 fatty acids, also called polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) have demon - strated beneficial electrophysiological, autonomic and anti-inflammatory effects on both atrial and ven - tricular tissue. Multiple clinical trials, focusing on various subsets of patients with AF, have studied the role of PUFA and their potential role in reducing the incidence of this common arrhythmia. While PUFA appears to have a beneficial effect in the primary prevention of AF in the elderly with structural heart disease, this benefit has not been universally observed. In the secondary prevention of AF, PUFA seems to have a greater impact in the reducing AF in patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF, stages of AF associated with less atrial fibrosis and negative structural remodeling. However, AF suppression has not been consistently demonstrated in clinical trials. In patients undergoing heart surgery, increasing PUFA intake has yielded mixed results in terms of AF prevention post-operatively; however, increased PUFA has been associated with a reduction in hospital stay. Therefore recommending the use of PUFA for the purpose of AF reduction remains controversial. This is in part attributable to the complexity of AF. Other conflicting variables include: heterogeneous patient populations studied; variable dosing; duration of follow-up; comorbidities; and, concomitant pharmacotherapy. This review article reviews in detail available basic and clinical research studies of fish oil in the treatment of AF, and its role in the treatment of this common disorder. Abbreviations : AF=Atrial fibrillation, CHS=Cardiovascular Health Study,CABG=Coronary artery by - pass surgery, d=Day, DHA=Docosahexaenoic acid, EPA=Eicosapentaenoic acid, ERP= Effective refrac - tory period, g=Gram, PAF= Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, PeAF= Persistent atrial fibrillation PUFA= Polyunsaturated fatty acid.
The bottom-up approach to bounding potential low-dose cancer risks from formaldehyde: An update.

In 2013, we proposed a novel bottom-up approach to bounding low-dose cancer risks that may result from small exogenous exposures to chemicals that are always present in the body as a result of normal biological processes. The approach utilizes the background cancer risk and the background (endogenous) concentration of a cancer-related exposure biomarker in specific target tissues. After allowing for statistical uncertainty in these two parameters, the ratio of the background risk to background exposure provides a conservative slope factor estimate that can be utilized to bound the added risk that may be associated with incremental exogenous exposures. Our original bottom-up estimates were markedly smaller than those obtained previously by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) with a conventional top-down approach to modeling nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia mortality data from a US worker cohort. Herein we provide updated bottom-up estimates of risk for these two cancers that are smaller still, and rely upon more robust estimates of endogenous and exogenous formaldehyde-DNA adducts in monkeys and a more robust estimate of the DNA adduct elimination half-life in rats, both obtained very recently. We also re-examine the worker mortality data used by USEPA in developing its estimate of human leukemia incidence from lifetime exposure to 1 ppm airborne formaldehyde. Finally, we compare a new bottom-up slope estimate of the risk of rat nasal cancer with conventional top-down estimates obtained with empirical dose-response modeling of rat nasal cancer bioassay data.
The Aurora Kinase A Polymorphisms are not Associated with Recurrence-free Survival in Prostate Cancer Patients

Background:The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the Aurora Kinase A (AURKA) gene and prostate cancer outcomes in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. Methods:Four intronic haplotype-tagging SNPs within the AURKA gene were individually selected and examined in regard to their influence on clinical outcomes in 212 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy as first-line treatment. Haplotype-tagging SNPs were selected using the ABI SNP Browser to cover SNPs with an r2 of 0.90 or greater in the AURKA gene with a minor allele frequency of at least 0.25. Results:In our study, a log-rank univariate analysis was performed to identify significant associations between probability of recurrence-free survival or disease-free survival and known prognostic indicators as well as AURKAgenotypes. The prognostic indicators Gleason grade, surgical margin, extracapsular extension, and disease stage were associated with recurrence-free survival (all p<0.001). Only Gleason grade was associated with disease-free survival (p<0.001). No associations were found for the SNPs rs1468055, rs8117896, rs2064863, and rs1468056analyzed for either RFS (p=0.7213, p=0.5140, p=0.0714, p=0.4731, respectively) or DFS (p=0.3282, p=0.1909, p=0.4111, p=0.5014, respectively). Conclusions:This study demonstrates no evidence for intronic AURKA SNPs in predicting recurrence-free survival in patients with prostate cancer.
A Remembrance of Mangaliso Dukuza Alf Kumalo of South Africa

Figure 1 At this UDF rally in Soweto, Zindzi Mandela (center) read out a statement from her father in public for the first time. When Mangaliso Dukuza Alf Kumalo died from complications of kidney f...
Telemedicine REsuscitation and Arrest Trial (TREAT): A feasibility study of real-time provider-to-provider telemedicine for the care of critically ill patients

Background Protocol-based resuscitation strategies in the Emergency Department (ED) improve survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and severe sepsis but implementation has been inconsistent.
Studies on Purity Identification of Hybrid Rice Seed of Jingyou 299 Using SSR Molecular Marker Technique

Studies on primers screening and detection techniques for polymorphism of parents and F1 of hybrid rice combination Jinyou 299 were conducted using SSR molecular marker technique.The results showed that there were 29 pairs primers showed repeatable polymorphism among 332 pairs of SSR primers,and the banding pattern of hybrid rice seed was complementary types of their parents, which were adapted to examine purity of hybrid rice seed.Use primer 17 which appeared polymorphism could distinguish the fake seeds intermingled by people to hybrid rice seed of Jinyou 299.This method took on many advantages,such as accuracy and credibility,high polymorphism,well stability,easy operation,and so on.
Supervise and Manage countermeasure on hygiene problem in small catering industry

The widely distributed and countless number of small catering industries has been a major and difficulties for food hygiene supervision. The following points are the main reasons for this situation. In the first place, The most small foodservice operators are migrants, laid-off workers and low-income social groups,therefore it stands to the reason that hotel is inadequate, investment in infrastructure.in addition,poor hygiene consciousness of employee, unpasteurized tableware and chaotic behavior of practitioners leads directly to hidden trouble and hygienic dead angle.In a nut shell, based on the analysis of small catering industry food safety hazards and the combination of the current status of health supervision of small catering industry in our region, we provide a reference for effectively solve food security problems of the masses of common concern in order to protect the health and safety of people's lives.
Cold cardioplegia versus hypothermia for myocardial protection. Randomized clinical study.

Seventeen of 34 consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were randomly assigned to one of two methods of myocardial preservation. With the cold cardioplegic method (Group A), a 4° C. asanguineous solution with 30 mEq. of potassium per liter was infused into the aortic root for about 2 minutes immediately after aortic cross-clamping and again after about 45 minutes or when myocardial temperature rose above 19° C. External cardiac cooling was provided by constant infusion of 4° C. Ringer's solution into the pericardium. Seventeen patients were assigned to simple cardiac cooling by hypothermic systemic perfusion before aortic cross-clamping plus external cardiac cooling (Group B). Electromechanical activity ceased within 1 to 2 minutes in Group A but continued throughout the ischemic period in 14 patients in Group B. Myocardial temperature (mean for all observations) during aortic cross-clamping was 17.2 ± 0.44° C. In Group A and 24.0 ± 0.70° C. in Group B. Operating conditions were better in Group A. Cardiac function early postoperatively was good in both groups clinically and according to measurements, but only in the cold cardioplegic group (A) was cardiac index not adversely affected by longer cross-clamp time. Myocardial necrosis occurred in both groups but was probably less in the cold cardioplegic group. Thirteen patients (76 percent) in Group A had no electrocardiographic evidence of myocardial injury, compared with eight (47 percent) in Group B (p = 0.08). Eleven (65 percent) of Group A had no or short-lived appearance of creatine phosphokinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), compared with six (35 percent) of Group B (p = 0.08). Time-related CK-MB and SGOT mean levels were consistently lower in Group A.
A happy new year for ASCs

From a high-level policy perspective, the new ASC payment methodology includes many important and welcome improvements over the existing payment system. At ground-level, however, the new payment system will yield mixed results for ASCs. Some procedures will benefit substantially under this new system, while others will experience significant decreases in revenue.
Dermatology image: erythema multiforme.

Joel T Levis, MD, PhD, FACEP, FAAEM, is a Senior Emergency Medicine Physician at the Santa Clara Medical Center, and Clinical Instructor of Emergency Medicine (Surgery) at Stanford University. He is the Medical Director for the Foothill College Paramedic Program in Los Altos, CA. E-mail: joel.levis@kp.org. Figure 1. Erythema multiforme rash on the leg of a ten-year-old girl presenting with fevers, sore throat, and myalgias.
Early onset breast cancer in black women of african ancestry: Genetic or environmental influence?

3227 Purpose: Screening mammography in minority-underserved and low income women has limited efficacy and is associated with poorer breast cancer outcomes. We hypothesized that the health attitudes, beliefs and habits of these women affect breast cancer screening practice. Methods: Minority-underserved and low income women who had recently completed treatment for breast cancer were interviewed, at the Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Minority-Based Community Clinical Oncology Program (MBCCOP), which serves the medically-indigent in Chicago. Data was collected using the Multidimensional Health Profile (PAR, Inc.) as an instrument for evaluation of health attitudes, beliefs and habits, and analysis was performed on the following areas: Negative Health Habits (NHH), Positive Health Habits (PHH), Professional Help (PRH), Spiritual Help (SPH), Self-Efficacy (EFF) and Hypochondriasis (HYP). Data on patterns of screening practice were obtained from clinical records and analysis was performed using logistic regression. Results: A total of 115 women age 45 and older were interviewed, and 71 (61.7%) were African-American (AA). Screening mammography was evident for only 48 (41.7%) women. Univariate analysis did not demonstrate correlation between screening practice and education level, marital status, body mass index, NHH (includes poor nutritional habits, lack of exercise, substance abuse, smoking, and excessive alcohol use), SPH and EFF. However, there was significant correlation with race, age, PHH, PRH and HYP. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that race was not a predicting factor for screening. However, women with increased PHH, PRH, and HYP scores were significantly more likely to screen (Odds Ratio/p-value 1.07/0.0001, 1.30/0.0028, and 1.06/0.0128 respectively). Women who had screening mammograms were more likely to be concerned about strenuous exercise (34.9%), food intake and monitoring of calories (32.4%), and reading material concerning health care (32.4%). These women were also very likely to follow medical advice (41.2%) and strongly agreed that they worry about health, despite physician reassurance (74.6%). AA women rated lower on the same questions (p=0.3). Conclusions: Adherence to screening mammography recommendations among minority-underserved and low income women is more likely to be observed when these women have positive health habits, believe in professional help, and maintain concern about their health status. Efforts to improve screening practice for these women need to incorporate methods to promote positive health attitudes, beliefs and habits.
Information measure for the optimal control of target searching via the grid-based method

This paper presents an autonomous search technique that enables vehicles to uniformly search for moving targets within a recursive Bayesian estimation (RBE) framework. The detailed process of the grid-based method for the search task is introduced: prediction and update steps of the grid-based filter are thoroughly explained. Entropic information is selected as information measure for the optimal control strategy. The N-step look-ahead planning in terms of future observations is associated with the grid-based approach. Finally, the numerical analysis was conducted to show the performance of the proposed technique for the optimal search.
A 4ps amplitude reconfigurable impulse radiator with THz-TDS characterization method in 0.13µm SiGe BiCMOS

This paper reports a fully integrated impulse radiator with the capability of radiating impulses with 4ps FWHM and reconfigurable amplitude. The peak radiated power at 54GHz is 8.7dBm with a 13.6dBm peak EIRP. A Non-Linear Q-Switching Impedance (NLQSI) technique is introduced to generate impulses and control their amplitudes. Furthermore, a two-bit impulse amplitude modulation is achieved through an on-chip four-way impulse combiner, which also attenuates parasitic-induced low-frequency radiation. In addition to performing frequency-domain measurements, for the first time, an ultra-wideband THz Time-Domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS) system is utilized to characterize the radiated signal in time-domain. The radiated impulse has an SNR>1 bandwidth of more than 160GHz. The fully-integrated impulse radiator is implemented in a 0.13µm SiGe BiCMOS process. It has a die area of 1mm2 and it consumes 170mW.
Structural and Dynamic Study of Caveolin-1 Membrane Nanodomains in Response to Inflammatory Pathway Signaling

Within the plasma membrane, the protein caveolin-1 (cav-1) forms various diffraction-limited microdomains that have yet to been precisely characterized in terms of structure and dynamics. Cav-1 is an important regulator of the GPCR protease activated receptor-1 (PAR-1), notably during the activation of cellular inflammation responses. The regulatory role of cav-1 during inflammatory responses is linked to the differential activation of RhoA and Rac1 signaling pathways and to cytoskeletal rearrangements that result in wide scale plasma membrane reorganization and cell migration. Using single molecule and super-resolution imaging techniques coupled with quantitative spatial clustering analyses, we study the membrane distribution and the dynamics of caveolae and flat cav-1 scaffolds in response to PAR-1 pathway activations. Cav-1 knock-out MEF and iMAEC cells were rescued with cav-1 fusions to SNAP tag and immunolabeled against endogenous PAR-1 for dual color 3D super-resolution imaging of individual cav-1 and PAR-1 proteins. PAR-1 was directly stimulated using site-specific activating peptides to trigger inflammatory response cascades. At the plasma membrane, 3D super-resolution imaging revealed the expected ∼100 nm 3D globular shape of caveolae as well as flat cav-1 rich nanodomains with structures matching the expected size and z-dimensional range of cav-1 scaffolds. Using robust auto- and cross-correlation statistical analyses of individual cav-1 and PAR-1 proteins spatially mapped with a precision <10 nm, we show that the distribution, the number and the size of cav-1 nanodomains change dynamically in response to either pro- or anti- inflammatory signaling as does the interconnectivity between caveolae, cav-1 scaffolds and PAR-1 receptors at the cell surface. We are able to couple the molecular re-organization of diffraction-limited cav-1 nanodomains with broader cytoskeletal and plasma membrane remodeling in response to defined signaling cues during cellular wound healing.
Study on the Dual Optimization of Service Marketing and Customer Churn Management

In course of service marketing management, the decision-maker has to face various resource allocation problems concerning managerial elements. He/she should do his/her utmost to optimize the resource input and achieve an optimal marketing effect. This paper applies interactive genetic algorithms to set up a model for the dual optimization of service marketing and customer churn management, and have simulation research on it. Firstly, the concepts of service marketing and customer churn as well as the influential factors are delimitated; then the idea and principle of genetic algorithms are explored to set up a model of dual optimization, that is, to optimize these indexes, such as total cost and customer churn rate, etc, under the condition of maximum satisfaction of needs; finally, by simulation study, it turns out that the model can achieve the aim of dual optimization of service marketing and customer churn management. In addition, another result is achieved that interactive genetic algorithm ensures fast convergence rate of the whole algorithm, provides the decision-maker with a group of satisfactory solutions with relatively uniform distribution and increases the selection space of the decision-maker.
Consensus-based data sharing for large-scale aerial swarm coordination in lossy communications environments

Increasing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities and decreasing costs have facilitated growing interest in the development of large, multi-UAV systems, or swarms. The constrained communications environments in which these swarms operate, however, have limited the development of behaviors that require a high degree of deliberative coordination. This work presents two algorithms that use a consensus-algorithm approach to reliably exchange information throughout large swarms as a means of facilitating swarm behavior coordination. Results from experiments conducted in simulation and live-fly exercises are presented and discussed.
Imaging cardiac SCN5A using the novel F-18 radiotracer radiocaine

The key function of the heart, a well-orchestrated series of contractions, is controlled by cardiac action potentials. These action potentials are initiated and propagated by a single isoform of voltage gated sodium channels - SCN5A. However, linking changes in SCN5A expression levels to human disease in vivo has not yet been possible. Radiocaine, an F-18 radiotracer for positron emission tomography (PET), is the first SCN5A imaging agent in the heart. Explants from healthy and failing human hearts were compared using radiocaine autoradiography to determine that the failing heart has ~30% lower SCN5A levels - the first evidence of changes in SCN5A expression in humans as a function of disease. Paving the way for translational imaging, radiocaine proved to exhibit high in vivo specific binding to the myocardium of non-human primates. We envision that SCN5A measurements using PET imaging may serve as a novel diagnostic tool to stratify arrhythmia risk and assess for progression of heart failure in patients with a broad spectrum of cardiovascular diseases.
Translating dynamic defense patterns from rodents to people.

Abstract Specific defensive behaviors of rodents are shaped by features of the eliciting threat stimuli and situation. Threat scenarios confirmed these relationships in people, with results substantially replicated in 4 additional scenario studies. Subsequent human studies involve computer games measuring fear as flight from threat stimuli and anxiety as alternation between two threats. Stabilometric studies have shown reduction in sway (freezing) to inescapable (e.g. with gun pointed at subject) threatening photographs; but enhanced lateral sway (flight attempts) to escapable threats; (gun pointed away from subject). Relationships between threat ambiguity, risk assessment, and anxiety have been validated by identification of videos of facial expressions to ambiguous threats, as anxiety; and systematic biases toward threat stimuli by anxious individuals. Enhanced rumination, interpretable as unsuccessful risk assessment, is a dynamic component of both anxiety and depression, particularly in women. While there is less experimental work on defensive threat/attack, a transdiagnostic “Fear of Harm” phenotype of aggression associated with fear suggests that this is a component of pathological as well as normal human defensive behavior.