cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extra-embryonic syndecan 2 regulates organ primordia migration and fibrillogenesis throughout the zebrafish embryo

One of the first steps in zebrafish heart and gut organogenesis is the migration of bilateral primordia to the midline to form cardiac and gut tubes. The mechanisms that regulate this process are poorly understood. Here we show that the proteoglycan syndecan 2 (Sdc2) expressed in the extra-embryonic yolk syncytial layer (YSL) acts locally at the YSL-embryo interface to direct organ primordia migration, and is required for fibronectin and laminin matrix assembly throughout the embryo. Surprisingly, neither endogenous nor exogenous sdc2 expressed in embryonic cells can compensate for knockdown of sdc2 in the YSL, indicating that Sdc2 expressed in extra-embryonic tissues is functionally distinct from Sdc2 in embryonic cells. The effects of sdc2 knockdown in the YSL can be rescued by extra-embryonic Sdc2 lacking an extracellular proteolytic cleavage (shedding) site, but not by extra-embryonic Sdc2 lacking extracellular glycosaminoglycan (GAG) addition sites, suggesting that distinct GAG chains on extra-embryonic Sdc2 regulate extracellular matrix assembly, cell migration and epithelial morphogenesis of multiple organ systems throughout the embryo.
The influence of dietary regimens on serum fat in atherosclerotic subjects.

Abstract As a result of a study with 40 moderately hypercholesterolemic patients (whose average age was 66.2 years) on specific dietary regimes, following a control period on a routine but regulated ward regime, it has been found that serum cholesterol can be significantly lowered by diet. One such diet contains 2200 to 2300 calories with 25 per cent of the total calories taken from fat with 26 per cent of the fat polyunsaturated, to produce a PU S fat ratio of 1.3. Likewise, reduction of serum cholesterol occurs with the use of a diet of subcaloric value containing approximately 1750 calories, of which 25 per cent are derived from fat with a PU S ratio of 1.3. On the other hand, a reduction of fat calories to 25 per cent of the total with a low PU S fat ratio (0.4) did not materially influence serum cholesterol. Conversely, a high PU S fat ratio (1.3) in a diet of 2200 to 2300 calories containing 40 per cent of these as fat failed to cause a response in serum cholesterol values. Moreover, an over-all reduction in the calories to subcaloric diet with a maintenance of total fat at 40 per cent and of PU S fat ratios to 0.4 was equally ineffective. Based on experimental data, three dietary regimes have been outlined for the practical management of the vascular accident-prone individual. It is the general function of these diets to lower the percentage of fat and to raise the percentage of polyunsaturated fats in the diet without creating situations in the household which are difficult to carry out from the standpoint of cost and cooking.
The Fate of Eroded Soil: Sediment Sinks and Sediment Budgets of Agrarian Landscapes in Southern Minnesota, 1851–1988

Human-induced soil erosion has produced real-world laboratories for studying the fates of eroded soil particles in watersheds all over the world. This article investigates the spatial distribution of historical sediment and the sediment budgets of three of these laboratories in medium-size watersheds of southern Minnesota. Sediment storage is measured in various geomorphic sites or sinks including colluvium, stream-order floodplains, and reservoirs. Two of these watersheds exhibit erosion histories and quantities and patterns of historical alluvium that are comparable with watersheds in Wisconsin's Driftless Area. In these watersheds, the patterns of historical sediment storage are two-tiered, with 47 to 61 percent of all sediment stored in the uplands (in low-order floodplains and colluvium) and 38 to 52 percent stored in the main lower floodplains. In one stream, backwater effects from the Mississippi River cause significantly greater alluviation in the lower floodplain; in another stream, the main floodplain is narrower and alluvial storage is thinner. In both, floodplain width is the major influence on alluvial storage. A third and smaller watershed in central Minnesota reports lower erosion and sedimentation rates and a different pattern of storage; 73 percent of the sediment is stored in colluvium and 27 percent in the lower main floodplain. Based on estimates of soil erosion, historical sediment yields and sediment budgets are estimated for each watershed. Historical sediment yields of about 13 to 36.5 percent are comparable to other estimates for these areas, which means that 63.5 to 87 percent or more of all historically eroded soil still resides within the basins and within 4 to 25 km of original points of detachment. Moreover, in the 137 years of European settlement, 38 to 73 percent of all eroded sediment has travelled no more than 4 km.
GLYOXYLATE SYNTHESIS, AND ITS MODULATION AND INFLUENCE ON OXALATE SYNTHESIS

AbstractPurpose: We define the major pathways of hepatic oxalate synthesis in humans, examine the association with other metabolic pathways and identify ways that oxalate synthesis may be modified. In addition, we suggest what is required for further progress in this area.Materials and Methods: We consolidated relevant data primarily from recently published literature, considered new pharmacological approaches to decrease oxalate synthesis, and formulated an overview of the regulation and modification of oxalate synthesis pathways.Results: Experiments with animals, including humans, animal cells and in vitro preparations of cellular components, support the existence of a major metabolic pathways linking the amino acids serine, glycine and alanine. Oxalate synthesis is a minor, secondary reaction of a cascade of reactions termed the glyoxylate pathway, which has a prominent role in gluconeogenesis and ureagenesis. The enzymatic steps and effectors which regulate glyoxylate and oxalate synthesis are not wel...
Partial volume effect compensation for quantitative brain SPECT imaging

Partial volume (PV) effects degrade the quantitative accuracy of SPECT brain images. In this paper, we extended a PV compensation (PVC) method originally developed for brain PET, the geometric transfer matrix (GTM) method, to brain SPECT using iterative reconstruction-based compensations. In the GTM method a linear transform between the true regional activities and the measured results was assumed. Elements of the GTM were calculated by projecting and reconstructing maps with uniform regions representing different structures. However, with iterative reconstruction methods, especially when reconstruction-based compensation for detector response was applied, we found that it was important to treat the region maps as a perturbation to the reconstructed image in the estimation of the GTM. This modified method, termed perturbation-based GTM (pGTM) was evaluated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulated and experimentally acquired data. Results showed great improvement of the quantitative accuracy in brain SPECT imaging. For MC simulated data, PVC using pGTM reduced the underestimation of striatal activities from 30% to less than 1.2%. For experimental data, PVC using pGTM reduced the underestimation of striatal activities from 36% to less than 7.8%. The underestimation of the striatum to background activity ratio was also improved from 31% to 2.7%.
Diffuse microscopic angiodysplasia--a previously unreported variant of angiodysplasia. Report of a case.

PURPOSE: The entity of diffuse microscopic angiodysplasia is described, and a patient with severe gastrointestinal hemorrhage because of this submucosal source of bleeding is reported. METHOD: Case records of a patient with severe gastrointestinal hemorrhage were reviewed, and histologic findings were compared with colonoscopic and operative findings. The patient received 51 units of packed red blood cells over 3.5 months and remained undiagnosed, despite an exhaustive evaluation, until autopsy. RESULTS: Ectatic veins, venules, and capillaries were present within the submucosa in virtually every section of the small and large intestine examined (79 of 86 sections). Histologic evidence of bleeding from these submucosal vessels was identified in three sites (colon, jejunum, and ileum). The absence of endoscopically visible lesions was explained by findings that vessels did not traverse the muscularis mucosa and that mucosal depth was normal. This case of diffuse microscopic angiodysplasia, therefore, represents a unique variant, because the vascular findings were so diffuse and the mucosa remained histologically and endoscopically uninvolved, despite severe bleeding. CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal bleeding from angiodysplasia is generally assumed to arise from endoscopically recognizable vascular ectasia within the mucosa. Thus, this case helps provide an explanation for some cases in which occult or massive bleeding is assumed to be secondary to angiodysplasia,even when endoscopic verification is not possible. Recognition of this disease process may require segmental resection or deep biopsy of endoscopically normal intestine.
Retinal Depression Sign Indicating a Small Retinal Infarct

Retinal depression, a newly observed sign, has been observed as an abnormality in the reflection from the internal limiting lamina produced by depression of the inner surface of the retina after a small retinal infarct. These depressions were first observed in 16 patients with sickling hemoglobinopathies. Additionally, I examined a patient with systemic hypertension, a patient with retinal arteriolitis, and a patient with juvenile onset diabetes mellitus who also had retinal depression.
Myocardial Oxygen Consumption and Coronary Blood Flow during Potassium-Induced Cardiac Arrest and during Ventricular Fibrillation1

Summary. During perfusion of the left coronary artery from a donor dog's carotid artery, cardiac arrest and ventricular fibrillation were induced. Myocardial oxygen consumption, obtained as the product of coronary flow and coronary a-v oxygen difference, was reduced during arrest to values below 3.5 ml/minute in 5 of the 6 dogs studied. During fibrillation the oxygen consumption was 4—9 times as high as during arrest. The importance of these findings for cardiac surgery is emphasized. The role of myocardial oxygen consumption in determining coronary flow is discussed.
Models of strong interaction in flat-band graphene nanoribbons: Magnetic quantum crystals

Graphene-based nanostructures exhibit flat electronic energy bands in their single-particle spectrum. We consider interacting electrons in flat bands of zigzag nanoribbons. We present a protocol for flat-band projection that yields interaction-only tight-binding models. We argue that, at low densities, flat bands can delocalize single-particle basis states to support ferromagnetic quantum crystal ground states.
Atomic Force Microscopy of Cholera Toxin B-oligomers Bound to Bilayers of Biologically Relevant Lipids

Cholera toxin B-oligomer was imaged by atomic force microscopy (AFM) on biologically relevant model membranes, such as 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine and egg yolk phosphatidylcholine at room temperature in solution at a resolution in the range of 1 to 2 nm. In addition, two-dimensional arrays were grown directly on these model membranes without any special treatment, and were also imaged by AFM. These results demonstrate the ability of AFM for imaging membrane proteins at high resolution without the need of chemical cross-linking, either within the membrane or to the substratum.
The Fluorescence Spectrum of Sodium Vapor in the Vicinity of the D Lines

Excitation of sodium $D$ lines by monochromatic radiation.---When sodium vapor is mixed with hydrogen, air or nitrogen at pressures between 2 and 3 mm it is possible to excite the $D$ lines by radiation in the region 5100 to 5250A. Since this radiation is absorbed only by the sodium molecules it is probable that the primary act is the excitation of the molecule. The excited molecule may then cause the $D$ line emission by collisions of the second kind with atoms, or by dissociating, either spontaneously or as a result of collisions with the foreign gas, into a normal and an excited atom. To distinguish between these processes further experiments are necessary.Conditions governing the appearance of a certain fluorescence band-group in the yellow.---A band-group formerly studied by one of us was found to appear in the yellow region of the fluorescence spectrum under white light stimulation when nitrogen or hydrogen was present at a pressure of 6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1 mm and indications are that they are excited by light of their own wave-length. The experiments also verify completely the older work of Wood and Galt on a cathode ray spectrum. Photographs of the absorption spectrum and other considerations indicate that these bands are not the bands ascribed by Barratt and Pringsheim to a sodium-potassium molecule.
Spin-Labeled Uni-Lamellar Vesicles as an Oxygen Sensitive Analyte for Measurement of Cellular Respiration using Rat Dopaminergic Neuronal Cells

Small uni-lamellar vesicles were prepared from 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) with 1% spin label of 1-palmitoyl-2-(16-doxylstearoyl)phosphatidylcholine (16-PC). POPC membranes are in the fluid phase in the physiological temperature range, which ensures high solubility of oxygen in the membrane center where the 16-PC nitroxide moiety is located. The nitroxide moiety is isolated from cellular reductants and paramagnetic ions that might interfere with spin-label oximetry measurements. This analyte is stable in cell suspensions and can be used in studies as long as 400 min. The saturation recovery EPR approach, possibly for the first time, was used to study cellular respiration of rat dopaminergic neuronal cells. It is widely accepted that this approach is the most direct way to carry out oximetric studies. The preliminary experiments were carried out at X-band for closed chamber geometry. Oximetric measurements were performed for cell concentrations from 750 to 5000 cells in one µL of culture media. Results confirmed that the oxygen consumption rate was linearly proportional to the number of cells. Furthermore at the lower cell concentration, we found a breaking point in the rate which is not due to diffusion limitation but is due to the change in cell metabolism because there is not enough oxygen, consistent with Michaelis-Menten kinetics. In the developed analyte, the same hydrocarbon environment, which dissolves oxygen very well, always surrounds nitroxide moieties of spin-label molecules. Therefore, the partial pressure of oxygen influence the EPR spectrum of spin-labels in the analyte. Such microscopic analytes are readily and uniformly distributed within the sample, thus giving a rapid response to changes in oxygen partial pressure. The improved oximetry methodology developed here presents a high impact opportunity for non-invasive assessment of disease mechanisms and response to therapeutic intervention.
The Indentation of a Transversely Isotropic Half Space by a Rigid Sphere

Der Verfasser gibt eine allgemeine Losung fur die Verteilung des Druckes zwischen einem axialsymmetrischen Stempel und einem transversal-isotropen Halbraum. Es wird gezeigt, dass die Verteilung des Druckes fur den flachen Stempel mit allgemeiner Belastung unabhangig ist von den elastischen Eigenschaften des Halbraums und auch genau dieselbe, als ob der Halbraum isotrop ware.
Immune mediators in allergic rhinitis and sleep.

Abstract Objective: Our study goal was to examine polysomnography, indices of sleep and allergy, and serum and nasal cytokines in allergic and nonallergic subjects. Study Design and Setting: In this descriptive, exploratory study, 4 allergic and 4 nonallergic subjects underwent 2 nights of polysomnographic recording with serial measurements of cytokines and completed measures of sleep quality and allergic symptoms. Results: Three serum cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-4, and IL-10) were higher in allergic subjects and were termed proallergic . Three serum cytokines (IL-1ra, IL-2, and IL-12) were higher in nonallergic subjects and were termed allergy inhibitory . Proallergic serum cytokines correlated with increased latency to rapid eye movement sleep, decreased time in rapid eye movement sleep, and decreased latency to sleep onset. Low levels of allergy-inhibitory serum cytokines were associated with increased allergic symptoms. Conclusions: Differences in serum cytokines between allergic and nonallergic individuals are associated with variations in polysomnography and allergic symptoms. Significance: Understanding these mechanisms may suggest novel approaches to alleviating drowsiness and other symptoms in allergic patients. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002;126:607-613.)
The cultural context of ‘disruptive behaviour’: an overview of research considerations for school educators

Despite increased professional attention to the role of culture in school environments, implications of the construct for student behavior remain underexamined. The purpose of this article is twofold. First, I examine factors that contribute to the overrepresentation of black male students in school exclusion rates from a cultural perspective. Secondarily, I set forth and discuss several broad guidelines for how teachers should approach disciplinary concerns for diverse students. Irvine's (1990) conceptualization of cultural synchronization frames the article's discussion and conclusions.
Acidogenesis characteristics of natural, mixed anaerobes converting carbohydrate-rich synthetic wastewater to hydrogen

Abstract The fermentative metabolisms of mixed anaerobic bacteria taken from an anaerobic digester treating dairy manure and stressed in various ways to enhance hydrogen production from a carbohydrate-rich synthetic wastewater were evaluated in batch culture tests by monitoring intermediate metabolites. First, fermentative metabolism was evaluated in batch vial experiments to evaluate various bacterial stresses for enhancing hydrogen production. The results showed that the bacterial stresses tested promoted hydrogen production, and butyric acid was the primary product of acidogenesis. Completely mixed batch reactor (CMBR) experiments were then performed with pH controlled at 4.6, 5.7, and 6.8. Hydrogen-producing species enriched from mixed anaerobic bacteria by stressing with chemical acidification were used because they gave the best result in batch vial tests. The results of the CMBR experiments showed that butyric acid formation was significantly related to higher hydrogen yield. The CMBR operated at pH controlled at 5.7 showed higher hydrogen yield than did the other pH values, and butyric acid (as 50.8–75.8% of total acidogenic liquid products) was dominant. The presence of propionic acid and ethanol indicated decreased hydrogen production.
Test access and the testability features of the Poulson multi-core Intel Itanium® processor

This paper presents the “t-Ring” based DFX access architecture and the testability features of Intel's latest multi-core Itanium® processor. The architecture solves many common challenges of testing a multi-core CPU using distinctive and innovative solutions. At the core of the architecture is a hierarchical and scalable test access mechanism design providing flexible access for a variety of use models in high volume manufacturing test and debug platforms.
Groupwork with Recovering Families in Concurrent Parent and Children's Groups

This study presents data demonstrating a groupwork model integrating a behavioral parent training group and a children's group. The parent training and children's groups were conducted separately, but concurrently, and incorporated the unique issues raised in families when one of its adult members is a recovering addict. The parent group developed behavioral interventions dealing with parent-child interactional problems, which were evaluated by parent's recording data at home: older children's home intervention attempts were measured using a subjective 10 point scale; younger children's in-group behavior was monitored using a 7 key-behavior checklist. The results showed that this concurrent groupwork model is a viable way to integrate teaching parenting skills with other important issues in the treatment of recovering families.
Viral infections of the respiratory tract: prevention and treatment

The rapid discovery of specific viral agents as the cause of many acute respiratory diseases was accompanied by considerable optimism that vaccines or other control measures could be developed quickly. Subsequent experience has demonstrated that effective control of these important public health problems has been an elusive goal. However, recent exciting developments in our understanding of the molecular biology and immunology of these viruses may provide the basis for more effective strategies in the future.
Hermitian-Symmetric Inequalities in Hilbert Space

We establish several conditions which are equivalent to |(Bx, x) |≤� Ax, x� , ∀x ∈H , where A is a nonnegative operator and B is a complex symmetric operator on a separable complex Hilbert space H.A long the way, we also prove an ew factorization theorem for complex symmetric operators. Mathematics Subject Classification (2000). 47B99.
The Experiential Exercise Situation: A Comment on Instructional Role and Pedagogy Evaluation

In this article the author examines the effectiveness of using experiential exercise learning materials in management education. He notes that in this method students actively participate in the performance of a goal-oriented task and learn both from the task itself as well as from a subsequent evaluation of the performance. He adds that the effectiveness of this method is largely attributed to the effectiveness of the instructor. He outlines a generally used role of the instructor of these methods discussing how to maximize the experiential learning effects as well as the importance of this role in the evaluation of the method.
Miniature optical waveguide modulator in AlGaAs/GaAs using carrier depletion

The characteristics of an optical waveguide phase shifter using free-carrier depletion in a reverse-biased double-heterostructure p-n junction are given for the first time. Ridge waveguides were fabricated by liquid-phase epitaxy and wet chemical etching in AlGaAs/GaAs. The largest phase-shifting efficiency (54°/V mm) ever reported in a reverse-biased structure was observed.
Dynamic Pricing with a Prior on Market Response

We study a problem of dynamic pricing faced by a vendor with limited inventory, uncertain about demand, and aiming to maximize expected discounted revenue over an infinite time horizon. The vendor learns from purchase data, so his strategy must take into account the impact of price on both revenue and future observations. We focus on a model in which customers arrive according to a Poisson process of uncertain rate, each with an independent, identically distributed reservation price. Upon arrival, a customer purchases a unit of inventory if and only if his reservation price equals or exceeds the vendor's prevailing price. We propose a simple heuristic approach to pricing in this context, which we refer to as decay balancing. Computational results demonstrate that decay balancing offers significant revenue gains over recently studied certainty equivalent and greedy heuristics. We also establish that changes in inventory and uncertainty in the arrival rate bear appropriate directional impacts on decay balancing prices in contrast to these alternatives, and we derive worst-case bounds on performance loss. We extend the three aforementioned heuristics to address a model involving multiple customer segments and stores, and provide experimental results demonstrating similar relative merits in this context.
Study of lipids in human amnion and chorion.

Abstract Most previous fetal membrane studies have focused primarily on their phospholipids as the precursors of arachidonic acid and the obligate precursors of prostaglandins E 2 and F 2α , with little attention being afforded nonpolar lipids as another possible source. In this presentation, a special emphasis is placed on nonpolar lipids and their acyl group makeup. A substantial amount of acyl group (20:4) lipids was found. The implication of this finding could be that a nonpolar lipid source is necessary for the production of prostaglandins E 2 and F 2α .
Three-dimensional surface mapping of the caudate nucleus in late-life depression.

Objective: To compare the volumes of the caudate nucleus, using traditional volumetry and a three-dimensional brain mapping technique, in a group of individuals with late-life depression and a group of age- and education-equated nondepressed comparison subjects. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: University Medical Center Participants: Twenty-three nondemented subjects with late-life depression and 15 age- and education-equated elderly comparison subjects (depressed mean years of age: 70.5 ± 5.7 SD, comparison subjects=69.9 years ± 6.4) with no history of psychiatric or neurologic disease. Measurements: Structural magnetic resonance imaging. Three-dimensional (3-D) surface models were created from manually traced outlines of the caudate nucleus from spoiled gradient echo images. Models were geometrically averaged across subjects and statistical maps created to localize any regional volume differences between groups. Results: Relative to comparison subjects, depressed subjects had significantly lower mean volumes for both the left (p = 0.029) and right (p = 0.052) caudate nucleus as well as total caudate volume (p = 0.032). Total volumes were 13.1% less in the depressed group (13.5% on the left and 12.6% on the right). 3-D maps further localized these reductions to the caudate head. Volume reductions were correlated with depression severity, as measured by the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Conclusion: Late-life depression is associated with left and right caudate nucleus reduction especially in anterior portions. Among depressed subjects, greater caudate reduction was associated with more severe depression. These results are consistent with growing evidence that the anterior caudate nucleus, especially the head, may be structurally and functionally abnormal in affective disorders.
Dynamics of the Dead Wood Carbon Pool in Northwestern Russian Boreal Forests

Our study examines dead wood dynamics in a series of permanent plots established in closed, productive second-growth forest stands of north-west Russia and in temporary plots that represent different successional stages and types of disturbance. Dead wood stores measured on 63 plots 0.2–1.0 ha in size range from 1–8 Mg C ha−1 in young to mature intensively managed stands, 17 Mg C ha−1 in an old-growth forest, 20 Mg C ha−1 on a clear-cut, and 21–39 Mg C ha−1 following a severe windthrow. A total of 122 logs, snags, and stumps aged by long-term plot records was sampled for decay rates and to develop a system of decay classes. Annual decomposition rates are: 3.3% for pine, 3.4% for spruce, and 4.5% for birch. Based on these decay rates the average residence time of carbon (C) in the dead wood pool is 22–30 years. The mortality input on the permanent plots was 23–60 Mg C ha−1 over 60 years of observation or 15–50% of the total biomass increment. This data suggests a dead wood mass of 10–22 Mg C ha−1 would be expected in these mature forests if salvage had not occurred. In old-growth forests, dead wood comprised about 20% of the total wood mass, a proportion quite similar to the larger, more productive forests of the Pacific Northwest (USA). If this proportioning is characteristic of cool conifer forests it would be useful to estimate potential dead wood mass for old-growth forests without dead wood inventories. However, the use of a single live/dead wood ratio across the range of successional stages, a common practice in C budget calculations, may substantially over- or under-estimate the dead wood C pool depending upon the type of disturbance regime. Intensive forest management including short harvest rotations, thinning and wood salvage reduces dead wood C stores to 5–40% of the potential level found in undisturbed old-growth forest. In contrast, natural disturbance increases dead wood C pool by a factor of 2–4.
Gender Role Attitudes and Characteristics of Stay-at-Home and Employed Fathers

Research on fathers has increased substantially over the last several decades, but research comparing the gender-typed characteristics and gender role attitudes of stayat-home and employed fathers is still in its infancy. Stay-at-home (n 35) and employed (n 49) fathers completed measures on gender-typed characteristics and gender role attitudes. Stay-at-home fathers also rated the importance of various reasons they stayed home. Compared to employed fathers, stay-at-home fathers reported similar levels of traditional feminine and masculine characteristics, but less traditional gender role attitudes. Wanting to be a stay-at-home father was rated the most important reason for staying home. The more important the female partner was in influencing the decision to stay home, the lower the levels of masculine characteristics and the more enjoyment men reported in being a stay-at-home father. Future research should focus on comparisons of paternal involvement in stay-at-home and other fathers, the reasons men decide to become or not to become stay-at-home fathers, and the factors that influence those reasons, such as their partners’ attitudes and experiences with prejudice and discrimination.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trials of venlafaxine for hot flashes after breast cancer.

Background. Although venlafaxine reduces self-reported hot flashes, no data have established the drug’s impact on physiologically documented hot flashes. Two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trials examined the efficacy of two doses of venlafaxine in relation to physiological and self-reported hot flashes and other outcomes, including negative affect, fatigue, sleep, and quality of life. Methods. Sample: 57 breast cancer survivors in the low-dose study; 20 in the high-dose study. Setting: university cancer clinics in the Southeast and Midwest. Intervention: 37.5 mg of venlafaxine (low-dose study) or 75 mg of venlafaxine (high-dose study). Measures: hot flashfrequency(physiologicalmonitor,diary,andevent marker), hot flash severity (diary), hot flash bother (diary), and questionnaires for hot flash impact on daily life, negative affect, fatigue, sleep, and quality of life. Results. Subjective but not physiological hot flash measures showed placebo effects. Venlafaxine resulted in modest decreases in hot flashes, but only hot flash interference improved differentially at the higher dose. The timing of venlafaxine’s effects on hot flashes varied by dose. Only women with a >50% decrease in physiological hot flashes experienced significant improvement in fatigue, sleep quality, and quality of life. Although side effects were mild, most patients discontinued venlafaxine long-term. Conclusions. Although venlafaxine resulted in modest and acute reductions in hot flashes with few side effects, it may not be tolerable to some patients long-term. At least 50% relief in physiological hot flashes may be needed for patients to demonstrate improvement in other outcomes, including decreased fatigue, improved sleep, and improved quality of life. The Oncologist 2007;12:124–135
Are seawater Sr/Ca variations preserved in quaternary foraminifera?

Abstract High precision measurements of Sr/Ca in planktonic foraminifera for the last 150 ka reveal Sr/Ca variations of up to 12% on glacial/interglacial time scales. Although records showing the largest variations appear to be strongly influenced by selective dissolution, other records show Sr/Ca variations of 3–5% that do not covary with indicators of dissolution intensity and that are reproduced in sites of contrasting Quaternary dissolution histories. These systematic variations are characterized by high Sr/Ca ratios during glacial maxima, followed by steep decreases during deglaciation and gradual increases through interstadial periods, closely following δ 18 O curves. Foraminiferal Sr/Ca variations may reflect changes in the Sr/Ca ratio of seawater, or they may be due to kinetically or biologically induced changes in Sr partitioning. Coupled numerical models of the Sr and Ca budgets of the ocean reveal that sea level changes, together with large changes in river fluxes and carbonate accumulation rates, can produce seawater Sr/Ca variations that approximate both the shape and amplitude of foraminiferal Sr/Ca variations. However, such extreme changes in river and carbonate fluxes conflict with existing data on carbonate accumulation rates and Sr isotopic constraints on the magnitude of variations in the river flux. Smaller variations (1–3%) in the Sr/Ca ratio of seawater likely characterize Quaternary glacial cycles. Changes in Sr partitioning due to glacial-interglacial changes in the carbonate ion concentration and other environmental factors likely produce additional variation in the Sr/Ca record of planktonic foraminifera.
Distribution of Gains from Research and Promotion in Multi-Stage Production Systems: The Case of the U.S. Beef and Pork Industries

A producer-financed program that leads to either an increase in retail demand from promotion or a decrease in marketing costs from research will generate returns to producers that are generally smaller than returns generated through an equivalent change in producer supply from research. The distribution of gains depends on the degree of substitutibility between farm and nonfarm inputs. Comparative statics of equal absolute changes in demand, supply, and marketing costs in the U.S. beef and pork industries show the significance of input substitutibility for distribution of gains, and sensitivity of the results to beef and pork demand interrelationships.
Effects of size of noncovalent complexes on their stability during collision-induced dissociation.

The size-dependent stability of noncovalent complexes under collision-induced dissociation (CID) conditions was studied on a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Complexes of heme, tetraphenylporphyrin iron(III) (TPP-Fe), and tetraphenylporphyrin manganese(III) (TPP-Mn) with several histidine-containing peptides and model compounds were formed by electrospray ionization (ESI) and their stability was probed by variable-energy CID. It was found that the stability of complexes with the same (or nearly the same) binding energy has a linear dependence on the complex size (or total number of degrees of freedom). This approach will allow comparisons of variable-energy CID data for noncovalent complexes with different binding energies and could be used to help in structural elucidation of some complexes formed by multidentate ligands. The linearity of size effects on the stability of the complexes was also tested in three crown ether/ protonated primary amine systems.
The Misregulation of Cell Adhesion Components during Tumorigenesis: Overview and Commentary

Cell adhesion complexes facilitate attachment between cells or the binding of cells to the extracellular matrix. The regulation of cell adhesion is an important step in embryonic development and contributes to tissue homeostasis allowing processes such as differentiation and cell migration. Many mechanisms of cancer progression are reminiscent of embryonic development, for example, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and involve the disruption of cell adhesion and expression changes in components of cell adhesion structures. Tight junctions, adherens junctions, desmosomes, and focal adhesion besides their roles in cell-cell or cell-matrix interaction also possess cell signaling function. Perturbations of such signaling pathways can lead to cancer. This article gives an overview of the common structures of cell adhesion and summarizes the impact of their loss on cancer development and progression with articles highlighted from the present issue.
Cognitive moderators of children's adjustment to stressful divorce events: the role of negative cognitive errors and positive illusions

This study examined whether children's cognitive appraisal biases moderate the impact of stressful divorce-related events on psychological adjustment in 355 children ages 9 to 12, whose families had experienced divorce within the past 2 years. Multiple regression indicated that endorsement of negative cognitive errors for hypothetical divorce events moderates the relations between stressful divorce events and self- and maternal reports of internalizing and externalizing symptoms, but only for older children. Positive illusions buffer the effects of stressful divorce events on child-reported depression and mother-reported externalizing problems. Implications of these results for theories of stress and coping, as well as for interventions for children of divorced families, are discussed.
Genomic Analysis Using High-Density Single Nucleotide Polymorphism-Based Oligonucleotide Arrays and Multiplex Ligation-Dependent Probe Amplification Provides a Comprehensive Analysis of INI1/SMARCB1 in Malignant Rhabdoid Tumors

Purpose: A high-resolution genomic profiling and comprehensive targeted analysis of INI1/SMARCB1 of a large series of pediatric rhabdoid tumors was done. The aim was to identify regions of copy number change and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) that might pinpoint additional loci involved in the development or progression of rhabdoid tumors and define the spectrum of genomic alterations of INI1 in this malignancy. Experimental Design: A multiplatform approach using Illumina single nucleotide polymorphism-based oligonucleotide arrays, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and coding sequence analysis was used to characterize genome-wide copy number changes, LOH, and genomic alterations of INI1/SMARCB1 in a series of pediatric rhabdoid tumors. Results: The biallelic alterations of INI1 that led to inactivation were elucidated in 50 of 51 tumors. INI1 inactivation was shown by a variety of mechanisms, including deletions, mutations, and LOH. The results from the array studies highlighted the complexity of rearrangements of chromosome 22 compared with the low frequency of alterations involving the other chromosomes. Conclusions: The results from the genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism array analysis suggest that INI1 is the primary tumor suppressor gene involved in the development of rhabdoid tumors with no second locus identified. In addition, we did not identify hotspots for the breakpoints in sporadic tumors with deletions of chromosome 22q11.2. By employing a multimodality approach, the wide spectrum of alterations of INI1 can be identified in the majority of patients, which increases the clinical utility of molecular diagnostic testing.
Adaptive membrane for large lightweight space telescopes

Large, lightweight telescopes in space will enable future earth science, space science, and reconnaissance. The state of the art in space telescope is the Hubble Space Telescope launched in 1990 with its 2.4 m primary mirror. Missions within the decade such as the Next Generation Space Telescope will push this aperture diameter to over 6.5 m. But truly revolutionary observation in many wavelengths will require increasingly large and lightweight apertures. Although these telescopes of the future will have low areal mass density, the deployed aperture structures must capture and hold a surface figure to a fraction of a wavelength in the presence of thermal, slew, and vibration disturbances. Active control of surface figure is a key technology for the success of gossamer space structures. For structures with thousands of actuators distributed in the surface, the control hardware and computations should be distributed as well. This paper discusses how an efficient control of a membrane reflector shape can be achieved using embedded actuators distributed over the membrane surface. Advanced algorithms using only local information about errors and actuation for collocated and neighboring positions in each of the distributed computational elements allow achieving required control performance. Electrostatic actuators implemented on compliant plastic substrates, represent a highly attractive proposition thanks to their very low areal density. Control, sensing, and communication is distributed and integrated in the adaptive membrane to provide the imaging surface quality of a thick stiff mirror at an infinitesimal fraction of the mass. An adaptive membrane with built-in distributed actuators, sensors, and computational elements can be made scalable to a very large size.
A Semantic Model of Real-Time UML

This paper describes a formal framework for expressing the semantics of UML augmented with real-time constructs. The approach is based on a two-dimensional temporal logic to independently capture control-flow as well as time-flow. The goal is to provide a simple, intuitive, and validatable semantics that can be used for further formal analysis.
Recent Amplification of the Kangaroo Endogenous Retrovirus, KERV, Limited to the Centromere

Mammalian retrotransposons, transposable elements that are processed through an RNA intermediate, are categorized as short interspersed elements (SINEs), long interspersed elements (LINEs), and long terminal repeat (LTR) retroelements, which include endogenous retroviruses. The ability of transposable elements to autonomously amplify led to their initial characterization as selfish or junk DNA; however, it is now known that they may acquire specific cellular functions in a genome and are implicated in host defense mechanisms as well as in genome evolution. Interactions between classes of transposable elements may exert a markedly different and potentially more significant effect on a genome than interactions between members of a single class of transposable elements. We examined the genomic structure and evolution of the kangaroo endogenous retrovirus (KERV) in the marsupial genus Macropus. The complete proviral structure of the kangaroo endogenous retrovirus, phylogenetic relationship among relative retroviruses, and expression of this virus in both Macropus rufogriseus and M. eugenii are presented for the first time. In addition, we show the relative copy number and distribution of the kangaroo endogenous retrovirus in the Macropus genus. Our data indicate that amplification of the kangaroo endogenous retrovirus occurred in a lineage-specific fashion, is restricted to the centromeres, and is not correlated with LINE depletion. Finally, analysis of KERV long terminal repeat sequences using massively parallel sequencing indicates that the recent amplification in M. rufogriseus is likely due to duplications and concerted evolution rather than a high number of independent insertion events.
Promoting Agency Reputation through Public Advice: Advisory Committee Use in the FDA

When do government agencies invite public review for their policy decisions, and when do they maintain secrecy? Scholarship has long focused on procedures elected officials impose on bureaucrats to induce transparency and to encourage democratic participation in agency work. Yet, models of elected officials’ decisions largely overlook bureaucrats’ preferences and choices for public participation. Building on theories of bureaucratic reputation, I argue bureaucrats actively pursue publicity and public participation for tasks that risk implementation failure. I test these claims through models of FDA advisory committee agenda setting and subsequent policy implementation from 1985 to 2006. Consistent with bureaucratic reputation hypotheses, the FDA seeks public advice for its riskiest tasks. Such advice is associated with a lower probability of subsequent Congressional oversight and with a greater probability of subsequent agency information campaigns. Publicity, this suggests, complements secrecy as a sourc...
Additive cubic spline regression with Dirichlet process mixture errors

Abstract The goal of this article is to develop a flexible Bayesian analysis of regression models for continuous and categorical outcomes. In the models we study, covariate (or regression) effects are modeled additively by cubic splines, and the error distribution (that of the latent outcomes in the case of categorical data) is modeled as a Dirichlet process mixture. We employ a relatively unexplored but attractive basis in which the spline coefficients are the unknown function ordinates at the knots. We exploit this feature to develop a proper prior distribution on the coefficients that involves the first and second differences of the ordinates, quantities about which one may have prior knowledge. We also discuss the problem of comparing models with different numbers of knots or different error distributions through marginal likelihoods and Bayes factors which are computed within the framework of Chib (1995) as extended to DPM models by Basu and Chib (2003) . The techniques are illustrated with simulated and real data.
Psychosocial and cultural contributions to depression in women: considerations for women midlife and beyond.

BACKGROUND: Women share a greater burden of mood disorders than men and have twice the prevalence rate of depression. OBJECTIVE: To highlight some of the psychosocial and cultural contributions to depression in women. SUMMARY: Multiple factors contribute directly or interact to precipitate the onset of depression. Genetics, stress life events, previous history of depression, and cognitive factors have been shown to be significant risk factors for future depression episodes. Life stressors contribute to the onset of depression in both men and women, but particular stressors affect the genders differently, with women identifying more closely with relationship issues, lack of adequate housing, and poverty. Women are also more frequently affected by physical and sexual abuse, which will significantly influence future episodes of depression. Depression does not discriminate on the basis of race. Women of all ethnic groups suffer from depression. However, research indicates that there may be differences in prevalence and treatment-seeking behavior in black Americans, Mexican Americans, and white Americans. CONCLUSION: Many factors contribute to the occurrence of depression. Some of these occurrences may be explained by the changing hormonal milieu, susceptibility after physical or sexual abuse, poverty, housing problems, or loss of a close friend. One of the explanations for the higher rate of depression in women is that women have a greater incidence of first depressive episodes, which often begin during adolescence or young adulthood.