cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Referral sources to a weight management program: relation to outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the characteristics and outcomes of physician-referred weight management patients relative to self-referred patients. DESIGN: Review of clinic records of all individuals contacting a weight control program during a 2-year period with follow-up throughout consecutive levels of treatment (i.e., enrollment, completion, and outcome). SETTING: Medical school weight management center. PARTICIPANTS: A consecutive sample (N=1,392) of overweight and obese callers was categorized as physician-initiated (n=345), media (n=653), or personal (n=394) referrals. Attendees at initial consultation (n=571) were age 41.7±12.8 years, weight 113.9±36.1 kilograms, and body mass index (BMI) 40.3±11.3 kg/m2 (data expressed as mean ± standard deviation). INTERVENTIONS: Low-calorie-diet and very-low-calorie-diet programs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Gender comparisons, attendance at initial consultation, body mass index, motivation, comorbidities, enrollmenet and completion rates, and weight loss. RESULTS: Compared to callers from other referral sources, physician referrals included a larger minority of males (25.2%) and were more likely to attend an initial consultation (63.5%; P .05). Among completers, physician referrals did not differ on weight loss in either program (P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to self-referrals, physician-referred individuals are in greater need of weight loss, less motivated, less likely to enter treatment, but equally likely to profit from it. Therefore, physician referral for weight loss is beneficial for at least some patients and should be encouraged.
Soy isoflavones modulate the expression of BAD and neuron-specific beta III tubulin in male rat brain

Isoflavones, the most abundant phytoestrogens in soy foods, are structurally similar to 17beta-estradiol. There is evidence that soy isoflavones influence neuronal apoptosis or proliferation in vitro and in vivo. However, little research has been done to investigate the effects of soy isoflavones on markers of neuronal apoptosis and survival in vivo. We examined brain BAD (a proapoptotic member of Bcl-2 protein family) and neuron-specific beta III tubulin (an early marker of neuronal differentiation/survival) levels in male rats fed either a standard chow rich of soy isoflavones (Phyto-600) or one free of soy isoflavones (Phyto-free) life-long (from conception until time tissue collected). Among five brain regions, the expression of BAD was highest in medial basal hypothalamus (MBH); the next highest in hippocampus; moderate in amygdala and frontal cortex; and lowest in cerebellum in Phyto-free fed animals. In animals on Phyto-600 diet, the levels of BAD were significantly decreased in frontal cortex and MBH; but significantly increased in the amygdala. The expression of beta III tubulin was highest in frontal cortex; moderate in amygdala, hippocampus and MBH; and lowest in cerebellum in the Phyto-free group. In rats fed with the Phyto-600 diet, levels of beta III tubulin were significantly increased in amygdala, frontal cortex, hippocampus and MBH compared to Phyto-free values. In summary, these findings provide evidence for the neuroprotective potential of soy isoflavones in the amygdala, frontal cortex, hippocampus and MBH. This implies that consumption of soy isoflavones may be beneficial on learning and memory, anxiety-related behaviors, and recovery from trauma.
Methanol chemical-ionization mass spectrometry for the determination of polar compounds in fuels

Abstract The selectivity and sensitivity of methanol chemical ionization mass spectrometry was studied for selected heteroatom-containing compounds chosen as representative of trace contaminants in middle distillate fuels. At high methanol pressures, the selectivity for these species, relative to n- butylbenzene, was found to improve by factors of 2–4 over that observed with methane chemical ionization. At lower methanol pressures, the sensitivities for these components exhibited a two- to eleven-fold increase over that observed with methane.
Communication Distortion: An Intercultural Lesson from the Visa Application Process.

This paper examines the effects of intercultural factors on communication distortion using a visa interview process. Participants include applicants from a West African and interviewers from a Western Culture. A combination of participant observation and interview techniques were used in an effort to understand the role of culture as a contributory factor to communication distortion and to understand how similar behaviors are subject to different attributions given cultural differences. Specifically, three nonverbal communicative behaviors were addressed: speech pattern, body posture, and eye contact along with information disclosure and verbal aggression. Evidence suggests that different cultures attribute different meanings to similar behaviors which result in communication distortion. Implications and suggestions are discussed for consular attaches, host cultures, and interpersonal communication interactions as a whole.
Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion: Lessons Learned From Surgical and Transcatheter Experiences

Since the 1950s, the pathophysiologic role of the left atrial appendage (LAA) has been known in thromboembolic disease. A variety of surgical techniques have been described to close the LAA, with various degrees of efficacy. Today, transcatheter devices for LAA occlusion may offer a less invasive solution. This review looks at the surgical experience with LAA occlusion, with a focus on the techniques of closure, the prospects for stroke reduction, and the percutaneous trials completed so far, to formulate some meaningful conclusions about the status of LAA closure today.
Exploring semantic and phonological picture-word priming in adults who stutter using event-related potentials

Abstract Objective Our aim was to investigate how semantic and phonological information is processed in adults who stutter (AWS) preparing to name pictures, following-up a report that event-related potentials (ERPs) in AWS evidenced atypical semantic picture–word priming ( Maxfield et al., 2010 ). Methods Fourteen AWS and 14 typically-fluent adults (TFA) participated. Pictures, named at a delay, were followed by probe words. Design elements not used in Maxfield et al. (2010) let us evaluate both phonological and semantic picture–word priming. Results TFA evidenced typical priming effects in probe-elicited ERPs. AWS evidenced diminished semantic priming, and reverse phonological N400 priming. Conclusions Results point to atypical processing of semantic and phonological information in AWS. Discussion considers whether AWS ERP effects reflect unstable activation of target label semantic and phonological representations, strategic inhibition of target label phonological neighbors, and/or phonological label–probe competition. Significance Results raise questions about how mechanisms that regulate activation spreading operate in AWS.
Switched-capacitor modulator circuits

Four switched-capacitor modulator circuits which make use of the system clock as the carrier are presented. the circuits are simple and fast: the output signals are sampled at twice the rate of the system clock. Two of the circuits are also offset-free. Experimental results are described; they demonstrate the functionality of the new schemes.
Nonlinear Soil–Foundation–Structure and Structure–Soil–Structure Interaction: Centrifuge Test Observations

AbstractUtilizing a pair of building–foundation models placed in strategic configurations, two centrifuge tests were designed to evaluate nonlinear soil–foundation–structure interaction (SFSI) and structure–soil–structure interaction (SSSI) effects. The models were designed to represent a low-rise inelastic frame building founded on individual spread footings and a midrise elastic shear-wall building founded on a mat foundation designed to rock during seismic excitation. Four experimental cases are considered: (1) the baseline response of the low-rise frame structure; (2) the response of two structures placed adjacent to each other along the direction of earthquake shaking; (3) the response of two structures placed adjacent to each other perpendicular to the direction of earthquake shaking; and (4) the response of the frame structure when two wall structures are placed adjacent to it, such that both effects are promoted. Using spectral-analysis methods, it is demonstrated that the baseline frame structure...
Interleukin-2 induces the activities of DNA topoisomerase I and DNA topoisomerase II in HuT 78 cells

The induction by interleukin-2 of DNA topoisomerase I and DNA topoisomerase II activities in the human T cell line HuT 78 was investigated. HuT 78 cells were treated with 1000 U of interleukin-2/ml, and extracts of the HuT 78 nuclei were prepared over a 24 h period. The extracts were assayed quantitatively for the activities of DNA topoisomerase I and DNA topoisomerase II. Three concomitant, transient increases of 3- to 11-fold in the specific activities of both DNA topoisomerase I and DNA topoisomerase II were observed following treatment with IL-2 at 0.5, 4, and 10 h after treatment with interleukin-2. The specific activities of both enzymes returned to base-line values after each of these transient increases. These results reveal that the activities of DNA topoisomerase I and DNA topoisomerase II are highly regulated in HuT 78 cells upon treatment with IL-2.
Nuclear Factor I as a Potential Regulator during Postembryonic Organ Development

Abstract Nuclear factor I (NFI) family members are transcription factors that are believed to also participate in DNA replication. We have cloned two Xenopus laevis NFIs that are up-regulated by thyroid hormone. They are 84-95% identical to their counterparts in birds and mammals. In contrast, the two Xenopus NFIs are much less homologous to each other, sharing only 58% homology, which largely resides in the DNA binding domain at the amino terminus. However, both NFIs can bind to a consensus NFI binding site and activate the transcription of a promoter bearing the site. Northern blot reveals that both NFI genes are regulated in tissue- and developmental stage-dependent manners. They are first activated, independently of thyroid hormone, to low levels at stages 23/24, around the onset of larval organogenesis. After stage 54, their mRNA levels are dramatically up-regulated by endogenous thyroid hormone, and high levels of their expression correlate with organ-specific metamorphosis. Furthermore, gel mobility shift assay indicates that the NFI proteins are present in different organs and that their levels are regulated similarly to the mRNA levels. These results strongly suggest that NFIs play important roles during postembryonic organ development, in contrast to the general belief that NFIs are ubiquitous factors.
Transmission of hepatitis C: Sexual, vertical or exclusively blood‐borne?

Serum samples from eight pregnant women and their offspring were studied by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA to evaluate mother-to-child transmission of this virus. The mothers were all infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); none showed symptoms of HCV infection. Anti-HCV antibodies were tested for by recombinant immunoblot assay. HCV viral sequences were found in five of the mothers and four of eight children, three of them at birth. Viremia was persistent in one infant who had chronic transaminase elevation and persistently remained anti-HCV-positive. The other three babies had intermittent viremia; all were asymptomatic and lost anti-HCV antibodies during follow-up. This loss of antibodies was also observed in PCR-negative infants. Thus, these results demonstrate transmission of HCV from mother to child by women coinfected with HCV and HIV. They indicate the usefulness of PCR for direct and early detection of HCV viremia in neonates. Body fluids from 14 patients with chronic hepatitis C were analyzed for the presence of hepatitis C viral RNA using the polymerase chain reaction. Nucleic acids were extracted from serum, saliva, and semen in guanidinium thiocyanate, subjected to reverse transcription, and then amplified by a double polymerase chain reaction technique using “nested” primers from the highly conserved 5′ noncoding region of the hepatitis C virus genome. Hepatitis C viral RNA was found in the serum of all patients in titers ranging between 10−1 and 10−3. The hepatitis C viral genome was not detected in any saliva or semen sample. These findings suggest that body fluids of patients with chronic hepatitis C are rarely, if ever, contaminated with the hepatitis C virus. This may help to explain the infrequent transmission of this disease by sexual or close physical contact.
The Variable Selection Problem

Abstract The problem of variable selection is one of the most pervasive model selection problems in statistical applications. Often referred to as the problem of subset selection, it arises when one wants to model the relationship between a variable of interest and a subset of potential explanatory variables or predictors, but there is uncertainty about which subset to use. This vignette reviews some of the key developments that have led to the wide variety of approaches for this problem.
Parsimonious staggered grid finite‐differencing of the wave equation

A parsimonious staggered grid differencing scheme is presented which requires less storage than the conventional staggered grid method. For three dimensional elastic wave propagation, this scheme only stores displacement components, not stress, and so requires 66% of the memory needed by the standard staggered grid method. The storage requirement is the same as the 2-2 differencing scheme used by Kelly et al. (1976) for the second-order wave equation. Its advantage is that it is stable and accurate for media with fluid-elastic contacts and for a wide range of Poisson ratios. A disadvantage is that its computer programming is more involved.
T Tubule Remodeling: Lack of PIP2 as a Binding Substrate for Bin1 during Hypertrophy and Heart Failure

T tubule remodeling is one of the prevalent characteristics of failing heart. The structural protein Bin1 has been reported to be involved in t-tubule formation. The interaction of exon10 domain of Bin1 with phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate [PIP2] appears to be crucial for localization of Bin1 to t-tubules. Molecular basis for t-tubule disruption during transition from hypertrophy to heart failure (HF) has not been identified yet. We hypothesized that PLCβ1-induced hydrolysis of PIP2 reduces the targeting of Bin1 to t-tubules and leads to t-tubule disruption. Through co-localization experiments in normal rat ventricular myocardium, we found that Bin1, PIP2 and PLCβ1 were all located in t-tubules. Next, we focused our attention on the importance of Bin1 for t-tubule formation by overexpression of Bin1 in HL1 cells. These HL1 cells normally do not have t-tubules and lack Bin1. After 24 hours of Bin1 overexpression, cells showed tubular structures that were absent in control (empty vector) cells. We also found that these tubular structures were continuous with plasma membrane like normal t-tubules in ventricular myocytes. To further understand the mechanism of t-tubules loss, Bin1 overexpressed cells were treated with 200nM endothelin1 (Et1). Et1 significantly increased the activity of PLCβ1. After 48 hours, Et1 treated HL1 cells start showing tubule degeneration and significantly fewer cells with tubules compared to the non-treatment cells. Overall our data indicate that Bin1, PIP2 and PLCβ1 may form a signaling complex at t-tubules and that hydrolysis of PIP2 through PLCβ1 might be crucial for t-tubule degeneration during HF progression. In addition, the HL1 cell line can be a useful experimental model especially for cardiac studies of t-tubule formation and remodeling in disease.
Signaling by IL‐12 and IL‐23 and the immunoregulatory roles of STAT4

Produced in response to a variety of pathogenic organisms, interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23 are key immunoregulatory cytokines that coordinate innate and adaptive immune responses. These dimeric cytokines share a subunit, designated p40, and bind to a common receptor chain, IL-12R beta 1. The receptor for IL-12 is composed of IL-12R beta 1 and IL-12R beta 2, whereas IL-23 binds to a receptor composed of IL-12R beta 1 and IL-23R. Both cytokines activate the Janus kinases Tyk2 and Jak2, the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4), as well as other STATs. A major action of IL-12 is to promote the differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells into T-helper (Th) 1 cells, which produce interferon (IFN)-gamma, and deficiency of IL-12, IL-12R subunits or STAT4 is similar in many respects. In contrast, IL-23 promotes end-stage inflammation. Targeting IL-12, IL-23, and their downstream signaling elements would therefore be logical strategies for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases.
Optimal symmetric flight with an intermediate vehicle model

The present investigation is concerned with an examination of optimal symmetry flight on the basis of the intermediate vehicle model. The analysis is partly based upon an exploration of Euler solutions for the path-angle-as-control model carried out by Kelley (1958). The current analysis takes into account higher-order optimality conditions and "chattering-control' phenomena. Attention is given to details regarding the intermediate vehicle model, the Legendre-Clebsch necessary condition, the conjugate-point test, and the numerical solution of the time-range problem. It is found that the flight path angle takes on the role of control variable in the model. From physical considerations, it can be seen that when a positive margin of thrust over drag exists, the maximum-range climb trajectory without time or fuel constraints has no proper maximum nor an upper bound.
Increased incidence of fetal growth restriction in association with breech presentation in preterm deliveries < 32 weeks.

Breech presentation and fetal growth restriction (FGR) are each related independently with preterm delivery. This study was designed to assess the possible relationship between breech presentation and FGR in deliveries at 0.10). In preterm deliveries at < 32 weeks' gestation, breech presentation is associated with an increased incidence of intrauterine growth restriction, independent of clinical confounders.
Rat Pancreatic Islet and RINm5F Cell Responses to Epiandrosterone, Dehydroepiandrosterone and Interleukin-1β

Epiandrosterone (EA), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and their sulfate (-S) and acetate (-A) conjugates were investigated for effects on isolated pancreatic islets and RINm5F insulinoma cells. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) inhibited glucose-stimulated insulin release in cultured islets, but the presence of EA, EA-A, and to a lesser extent EA-S, preserved the secretory response. IL-1 beta also increased islet nitrite production, which was antagonized by EA and EA-A, but not by EA-S. EA, EA-A, DHEA, and DHEA-A, but not EA-S and DHEA-S inhibited glucose-stimulated insulin release from islets. This response may be related to the inhibition of glucose transport by EA, EA-A, DHEA, DHEA-A, and DHEA-S, as observed in RINm5F cells. EA, EA-A, DHEA, and DHEA-A also inhibited glucose metabolism in RINm5F cells, whereas EA-S and DHEA-S had no effect. EA, EA-A, DHEA, and DHEA-A, but not the sulfate conjugates, also inhibited RINm5F cell IL-1 beta-induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity. IL-1 beta also increased cytosolic Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) and mitochondrial Mn-SOD in RINm5F cells. EA inhibited RINm5F cell Cu/Zn-SOD in the presence and absence of IL-1 beta, whereas EA-S increased basal enzyme activity and did not affect the IL-1 beta response. EA did not affect basal Mn-SOD activity and inhibited IL-1 beta-stimulated activity, whereas EA-S was without effect. IL-1 beta had no effect on catalase activity in RINm5F cells, whereas EA, EA-A, and DHEA-A inhibited catalase activity. Thus, EA and DHEA and their acetate congeners protected the beta-cell from the inhibitory effects of IL-1 beta, and inhibited glucose transport and oxidation, and inducible nitricoxide synthase expression. EA and DHEA also had profound effects on Cu/Zn-SOD, which may alter the toxic effects of hydrogen peroxide generation in beta-cells.
Histological specificity of respiratory pigments—II. Oxygen transfer systems involving hemerythrins in sipunculid worms of different ecologies

Abstract Hemerythrin from the coelom of sipunculids has an oxygen affinity different from that of the vascular system which supplies the tentacles. In a sipunculid, Dendrostomum zostericolum , that uses the tentacles in respiration, the coelomic hemerythrin has a much higher oxygen affinity than the vascular pigment, whether the comparison is made with hemerythrin in prepared phosphate-buffered solutions or in the “erythrocytes”. In a continuously burrowing sipunculid, Siphonosoma ingens , which uses the tentacles only in feeding and respires through its body wall, the vascular hemerythrin has a higher oxygen affinity than the coelomic hemerythrin. Hence, in Siphonosoma the hemerythrins are somehow specialized in the opposite direction to those in Dendrostomum ; in each case the arrangement of the oxygen transfer system is readily correlated with the ecology and respiratory physiology of the animal.
Nonoverlapping expression of Cx43 and Cx26 in the mouse placenta and decidua: A pattern of gap junction gene expression differing from that in the rat

We characterized the expression of two gap junction genes (Cx26 and Cx43) in the mouse decidua and placenta. In the decidua, in situ hybridization analysis and immunostaining studies revealed a high level of Cx43 expression. In contrast, Cx26 expression was not detected. Analysis of the placenta revealed that both Cx43 and Cx26 transcripts are expressed, but in nonoverlapping cell populations. Cx26 transcripts were observed only in the labyrinthine trophoblast layer of the placenta, a tissue of ectoplacental cone derivation. In contrast, no Cx43 transcripts were found in the placenta proper, but only in the maternally derived decidual cap covering the placenta. These results, in conjunction with previous observations in the mouse and rat, indicate that there may be species-specific differences in the pattern of Cx43/Cx26 expression in the placenta and decidua.
Drag correlation and predictions of surface groove drag for kinetic energy projectiles

A prediction method for estimating the increment of increase in drag coefficient due to grooves on the surface of the body of a kinetic energy (KE) projectile is established based on wind-tunnel data. Known existing methods give very poor results when compared to experimental data. Twenty cases were considered for the present correlations and validation. The results achieved are very satisfactory. The present analysis considers parameters not included in the existing methods: the groove pitch (or alternately the groove depth); and multigroove types residing on the same projectile body. Groove drag decreases very rapidly with the increase in Reynolds number and also decreases considerably with the increase in Mach number. The range of validity of the present expressions coincides with the usual KE projectile requirement, which establishes the Mach number range to be 3.5 M < 5.5 and a = 0 deg.
Experimental design for flowfield studies of louvered fins

Abstract The dominant thermal resistance for most compact heat exchangers occurs on the gas side and as such an understanding of the gas side flowfield is needed before improving current designs. Louvered fins are commonly used in many compact heat exchangers to increase the surface area and initiate new boundary layer growth. Detailed measurements can be accomplished with large-scale models of these louvered fins to gain a better understanding of the flowfield. This paper describes a methodology used for designing an experimental model of a two-dimensional louvered fin geometry, scaled up by a factor of 20, that allows for flowfield measurements. The particular louver geometry studied for these experiments had a louver angle of 27° and a ratio of fin pitch to louver pitch of 0.76. Simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) both aided in designing the large-scale louver model, resulting in a total number of 19 louver rows, and identified the region where the flowfield could be considered as periodic. This paper also presents two component velocity measurements taken in the scaled up model at Reynolds numbers of Re=230, 450, and 1016. For all three Reynolds numbers the flow was louver directed rather than duct directed. The results indicated that significant differences between the three Reynolds numbers occurred. While the flow entering the louver passage at Re=1016 still had remnants of the louver wake convected from two louvers upstream, the Re=230 case did not. Time-resolved velocity measurements were also made in the wake region of a fully developed louver for a range of Reynolds numbers. For 1000
Atmospheric Temperature Measurement Using Raman Backscatter

A ground-based method of measuring atmospheric vertical temperature profiles using Raman backscatter from N2 is discussed. Experimental measurement of temperature fluctuations at tower heights is described.
Linear-size nonobtuse triangulation of polygons

We give an algorithm for triangulating n-vertex polygonal regions (with holes) so that no angle in the final triangulation measures more than p/2. The number of triangles in the triangulation is only O(n), improving a previous bound of O(n2), and the worst-case running time is O(nlog2n). The basic technique used in the algorithm, recursive subdivision by disks, is new and may have wider application in mesh generation. We also report on an implementation of our algorithm.
Food as a Hormone

Nutrient substrates derived from food can activate intracellular signaling cascades to regulate metabolic health.
Sensitivity of the geomagnetic axial dipole to thermal core-mantle interactions

Since the work of William Gilbert in 1600 (ref. 1), it has been widely believed that the Earth's magnetic field, when suitably time-averaged, is that of a magnetic dipole positioned at the Earth's centre and aligned with the rotational axis. This ‘geocentric axial dipole’ (GAD) hypothesis has been the central model for the study of the Earth's magnetic field—it underpins almost all interpretations of palaeomagnetic data, whether for studies of palaeomagnetic secular variation, for plate tectonic reconstructions, or for studies of palaeoclimate2. Although the GAD hypothesis appears to provide a good description of the Earth's magnetic field over at least the past 100 Myr (ref. 2), it is difficult to test the hypothesis for earlier periods, and there is some evidence that a more complicated model is required for the period before 250 Myr ago3. Kent and Smethurst3 suggested that this additional complexity might be because the inner core would have been smaller at that time. Here I use a numerical geodynamo model and find that reducing the size of the inner core does not significantly change the character of the magnetic field. I also consider an alternative process that could lead to the breakdown of the GAD hypothesis on this timescale, the evolution of heat-flux variations at the core–mantle boundary, induced by mantle convection. I find that a simple pattern of heat-flux variations at the core–mantle boundary, which is plausible for times before the Mesozoic era, results in a strong octupolar contribution to the field, consistent with previous findings3.
Meeting the child care needs of low-income families

Recent public policy changes have focused attention on the child care needs of families who are struggling to become or remain economically self-sufficient. This review essay describes public policies designed to assist low-income families, and it examines the ways in which the child care problems those families face differ from those of more advantaged families. Studies of child care choices show that low-income families value the same child-oriented characteristics of child care arrangements as do more advantaged families, but their choices are limited by pressing adult needs for care of acceptable quality that is affordable, available at odd hours, and offered at accessible locations. Steps that child care professionals can take to work with public agencies and low-income parents to address the child care needs of this vulnerable group are discussed.
Multiresponse surface models with block effects

Abstract The fitting of a linear multiresponse model is usually carried out under the assumption that the experimental units are homogeneous. In some multiresponse experiments, however, such an assumption may not be valid due to the presence of an extraneous source of variation. This necessitates dividing the experimental units into groups-or blocks- within each of which a greater degree of homogeneity can be achieved. As a result, a block effect is added to the multiresponse model. Estimation of the parameters associated with the means of the response variables under consideration is addressed in the presence of a fixed block effect in the multiresponse model. The effect of blocking on the determination of optimum conditions on the model’s control variables is also discussed. The special case of orthogonal blocking is considered. In this case, it is shown that the generalized least-squares estimates of the polynomial effects in the multiresponse model are the same as when the block effect is zero. Furthermore, if the blocks are the same for all the response variables, then blocking has a constant additive effect on the value of the prediction variance matrix inside the region of experimentation.
Single-System Research Designs in Social Work Practice: A Bibliography From 1965 to 1990

A comprehensive bibliography of articles, books, and book chapters authored by professional social workers and related to the theory and application of single-subject research designs in social wor...
The effects of alterations of transmembrane Na+ and K+ gradients by ionophores (nigericin, monensin) on serotonin transport in human blood platelets.

Abstract Ionophores (monensin, nigericin) capable of transporting both Na+ and K+ across cell membranes down their concentration gradients reduce the rate and total magnitude of serotonin uptake by platelets. The effect of the ionophores was time dependent, so that inhibition increased progressively until eventually uptake ceased entirely. Nigericin and monensin produced loss of platelet K+ and an equivalent molar uptake of Na+ thereby abolishing the normal transmembrane Na+ and K+ gradients. The time course of these ionophore-induced cation shifts at 37° C corresponded to the rate at which inhibition of serotonin transport developed. The ionophores did not affect total ATP concentration of platelets nor the metabolic pool of ATP formed from [14C] adenine. Nigericin and monensin released about 80% of platelet 14C and endogenous serotonin over a 30 min period, without release of platelet adenine nucleotides, calcium or β-glucuronidase. The ionophores did not elicit platelet aggregation nor did they prevent maximal aggregation brought about by ADP, collagen or A23187. Replacement of Na+ in the medium by K+ abolished serotonin uptake but only 10–20% of endogenous serotonin was released. In KCl medium the Na+ gradient was initially reversed, but quickly dissipated as Na+ reequilibrated with the extracellular fluid. At 37° C the ionophores did not affect either the rate of Na+ reequilibration or the efflux of [14C] serotonin. Na+ reequilibration was slower at 20° C and the ionophores significantly increased platelet Na+ loss and strongly inhibited the efflux of [14C] serotonin. The data support a mechanism of serotonin transport due to a Na+-dependent carrier-mediated process which need not be directly dependent on metabolic energy, but which does require metabolic energy to maintain normal Na + + K + gradients.
Musical tempo stability in mental practice: A comparison of motor and non-motor imagery techniques

The ability to maintain steady tempos using two different mental practice techniques was assessed through measurement of excerpt duration fluctuations. Ten musicians of various voice and instrument types participated in a two-part experiment. First, I recorded participants’ metronomic performances of lyrical and technical excerpts, which were selected from their repertoire. Next, participants mentally rehearsed their two excerpts over a total of 12 trials. Participants attempted to imagine a steady tempo that reflected the tempo of their actual performance. During each trial, participants heard a 3-second prompt from their recorded performance; following the prompt, each participant continued to mentally rehearse the respective excerpt while using one of two strategies. Participants engaged in two types of mental practice: non-motor imagery and motor imagery. At the end of each trial, participants rang a call bell to indicate each imagined excerpt’s ending articulation. Analysis of the magnitude and direc...
Basal Subtype of Invasive Breast Cancer Is Associated With a Higher Risk of True Recurrence After Conventional Breast-Conserving Therapy

Purpose To determine whether breast cancer subtype is associated with patterns of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR), either true recurrence (TR) or elsewhere local recurrence (ELR), among women with pT1–T2 invasive breast cancer (IBC) who receive breast-conserving therapy (BCT). Methods and Materials From Jan 1998 to Dec 2003, 1,223 women with pT1–T2N0-3 IBC were treated with BCT (lumpectomy plus whole-breast radiation). Ninety percent of patients received adjuvant systemic therapy, but none received trastuzumab. Biologic cancer subtypes were approximated by determining estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), progesterone receptor-positive (PR+), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-positive (HER-2+) expression, classified as luminal A (ER+ or PR+ and HER-2 negative [HER-2−]), luminal B (ER+ or PR+ and HER-2+), HER-2 (ER− and PR− and HER-2+), and basal (ER− and PR− and HER-2− ) subtypes. Imaging, pathology, and operative reports were reviewed by two physicians independently, including an attending breast radiologist. Readers were blinded to subtype and outcome. TR was defined as IBTR within the same quadrant and within 3 cm of the primary tumor. All others were defined as ELR. Results At a median follow-up of 70 months, 24 patients developed IBTR (5-year cumulative incidence of 1.6%), including 15 TR and 9 ELR patients. At 5 years, basal (4.4%) and HER-2 (9%) subtypes had a significantly higher incidence of TR than luminal B (1.2%) and luminal A (0.2%) subtypes ( p p = 0.01), younger age at diagnosis (HR, 0.97; p = 0.05), and increasing tumor size (HR, 2.1; p = 0.04) were independent predictors of TR. Only younger age (HR, 0.95; p = 0.01) significantly predicted for ELR. Conclusions Basal and HER-2 subtypes are significantly associated with higher rates of TR among women with pT1–T2 IBC after BCT. Younger age predicts for both TR and ELR. Strategies to reduce TR in basal breast cancers, such as increased boost doses, concomitant radiation and chemotherapy, or targeted therapy agents, should be explored.
Tubular membrane cathodes for scalable power generation in microbial fuel cells.

One of the greatest challenges for using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for wastewater treatment is creating a scalable architecture that provides large surface areas for oxygen reduction at the cathode and bacteria growth on the anode. We demonstrate here a scalable cathode concept by showing that a tubular ultrafiltration membrane with a conductive graphite coating and a nonprecious metal catalyst (CoTMPP) can be used to produce power in an MFC. Using a carbon paper anode (surface area Aan = 7 cm2, surface area per reactor volume Aan,s = 25 m2/m3), an MFC with two 3-cm tube cathodes (Acat = 27 cm2, Acat,s = 84 m2/m3) generated up to 8.8 W/m3 (403 mW/m2) using glucose [0.8 g/L in a 50 mM phosphate buffer solution (PBS)], which was only slightly less than that produced using a carbon paper cathode with a Pt catalyst (9.9 W/m3, 394 mW/m2; Acat = 7 cm2, Acat,s = 25 m2/m3). Coulombic efficiencies (CEs) with carbon paper anodes were 25−40% with tube cathodes (CoTMPP), compared to 7−19% with a carbon paper cathod...
The influence of repeated carotid plaque hemorrhages on the production of cerebrovascular symptoms

Abstract Single carotid intraplaque hemorrhage has been related to the occurrence of cerebrovascular ischemic symptoms. We were unable to reproduce these findings; therefore, our patient population was reinvestigated to ascertain the importance of repeated plaque hemorrhages and their possible relationship to the production of neurologic symptoms. Eighty-five consecutive patients underwent 95 carotid endarterectomies. Plaques were separated into three groups; those from patients with lateralizing symptoms, nonlateralizing symptoms, and no symptoms. All the plaques were inspected microscopically for evidence of hemorrhage, specifically, repeated hemorrhages. Repeated hemorrhages were found in 29 of 44 plaques (66%) in the lateralizing symptom group, 6 of 19 (32%) in the nonlateralizing symptom group, and 12 of 32 (37%) in the no symptom group. We conclude that repeated rather than single intraplaque hemorrhage is the critical factor related to the production of specific cerebrovascular ischemic symptoms. (J VASC SURG 1986;3:857-9.)
Thermal emission: Ultrafast dynamic control

Control of thermal emission with microsecond switching times has been achieved by using sub-band transitions in composite quantum-well and photonic-crystal structures.
In vitro metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene and dibenzo[def,p]chrysene in rodent and human hepatic microsomes.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous and often carcinogenic contaminants released into the environment during natural and anthropogenic combustion processes. Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is the prototypical carcinogenic PAH, and dibenzo[def,p]chrysene (DBC) is a less prevalent, but highly potent transplacental carcinogenic PAH. Both are metabolically activated by isoforms of the cytochrome P450 enzyme superfamily to form reactive carcinogenic and cytotoxic metabolites. Metabolism of B[a]P and DBC was studied in hepatic microsomes of male Sprague-Dawley rats, naive and pregnant female B6129SF1/J mice, and female humans, corresponding to available pharmacokinetic data. Michaelis–Menten saturation kinetic parameters including maximum rates of metabolism (VMAX, nmol/min/mg microsomal protein), affinity constants (KM, μM), and rates of intrinsic clearance (CLINT, ml/min/kg body weight) were calculated from substrate depletion data. CLINT was also estimated from substrate depletion data using the alternative in vitro half-life method. VMAX and CLINT were higher for B[a]P than DBC, regardless of species. Clearance for both B[a]P and DBC was highest in naive female mice and lowest in female humans. Clearance rates of B[a]P and DBC in male rat were more similar to female human than to female mice. Clearance of DBC in liver microsomes from pregnant mice was reduced compared to naive mice, consistent with reduced active P450 protein levels and elevated tissue concentrations and residence times for DBC observed in previous in vivo pharmacokinetic studies. These findings suggest that rats are a more appropriate model organism for human PAH metabolism, and that pregnancy's effects on metabolism should be further explored.
Design and implementation of a decision support system for academic scheduling

The task of scheduling, especially when it affects the performance of people, is a very complex endeavor. Satisfying a variety of needs and requirements while maintaining standards for efficiency and effectiveness is difficult due to political pressures exerted by those who are scheduled. The assignment of courses to professors, timeblocks, and classrooms impacts strategic planning issues such as the need for new buildings, expansion of course offerings and admission policies. This paper describes an interactive computer system made of three interrelated subsystems: the database which stores the course, professor, and classroom information; the modeling subsystem which includes all of the mathematical models used to produce the schedules, and the dialog subsystem which is designed to allow the user to change the database, execute the models to change assignments at any time, and input priorities or other subjective inputs to produce schedules. This paper also describes analysis, design, and implementation issues that arose during the creation of a Decision Support System (DSS) to aid administrators in course scheduling activities. The constraining effects of the political environment upon decision-making and DSSs are treated through the discussion of policies and their effect on DSS design. Examples from the Spring 1985 schedule of the Anderson Schools are used to expound on the issues.
A finite-element alternating method for two dimensional mode I crack configurations

A finite-element alternating method is presented for 2-D Mode-1 crack problems. An analytical solution for an arbitrary polynomial normal pressure distribution applied to the crack faces is obtained and used as the basic solution in the method. The method is applied to several crack problems to study its efficiency and the results are compared to accurate stress-intensity factor solutions in the literature. The method gave reasonably accurate stress-intensity factors and crack opening displacements with minimal computing effort. Because the method must model only the uncracked body, finite-element models with many degrees of freedom are not warranted and therefore, the method has been implemented on personal computers.
Photodynamic mutagenicity in mammalian cells.

Abstract Photoactivation of bound rose bengal in the presence of oxygen causes mutations in chinese hamster embryo cells. Visible light by itself can also cause a slight increase in mutation frequency. Both reactions are amplified by deuterium oxide. Singlet oxygen reactive compounds, β-carotene and 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran diminish the toxic and mutagenic effects. 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate, a potent tumor promoter, increases the number of mutants induced by the photodynamic action. The enhancement of mutagenesis by deuterium oxide and its reduction by specific singlet oxygen antagonists suggest that this active oxygen species is the direct mutagen.
On the conformation of yeast transfer RNA

The scattered X-ray intensities from dilute solutions of a mixture of yeast transfer RNA's in 0.1 m-KCl, 0.02 m-Tris-HCl (pH 7.42) buffer at 22.5 °C have been measured. The X-ray data cover a range of small angles where the scattering is a function mainly of the over-all size and shape of the molecule. Comparisons are made with scattering curves calculated for a number of conformations of the molecule which have been suggested. Many of the more open conformations are eliminated. The Holley cloverleaf model is examined in some detail. Agreement with experiment is not obtained unless the arms are folded rather tightly together, in groups of two pointing up and two down, or three up and one down. The former configuration gives slightly better agreement. Less extensive data were taken at 45 °C, at which temperature the molecule appears about 10% larger in linear dimensions than at 22.5 °C, but no major change in shape occurs.
Three concepts of patient competence.

In the principles of informed consent we state that each person ought to be free to make his or her own decisions regarding his or her life and health — provided that he or she is mentally competent to do so. Here, the concept of competence plays a crucial role. Where one is competent our moral goal is to promote his or her freedom; if he or she is not, our priority must be to protect and help him or her. In this paper I discuss three different notions of patient competence. The first, rational competence, concerns the basic ability to make a decision. The second, performance competence, concerns one's ability to make decisions and perform skills in ways that measure up to certain external standards. The third, reflective competence, concerns one's ability to identify and critically to scrutinize one's own values — one's ability, that is, to formulate and to evaluate one's own internal standards of decision and action. This richer analysis of the concept of competence enables us to formulate more precisely the moral difficulties we face when competence is impaired.
The benefits and risks of dental amalgam: Current findings reviewed

In response to recent concern and research findings about dental amalgam, the U.S. Public Health Service conducted a comprehensive scientific review of its benefits and risks. This review would serve as a basis for re-examining federal policy on the use of dental amalgam as a restorative material. This article summarizes the principal findings, conclusions and recommendations from that review.
Organizing rent generation and appropriation: toward a theory of the entrepreneurial firm

Abstract Why firms exist and how their boundaries should be drawn are central issues in several academic disciplines. The field of entrepreneurship continues to struggle with a theory of the firm. This paper suggests a theory of the entrepreneurial firm grounded in organizational economics and bounded by the rent generation and appropriation of entrepreneurial knowledge.
MAST2 and NOTCH1 translocations in breast carcinoma and associated pre-invasive lesions

Summary There are several mutations and structural variations common to breast cancer. Many of these genomic changes are thought to represent driver mutations in oncogenesis. Less well understood is how and when these changes take place in breast cancer development. Previous studies have identified gene rearrangements in the microtubule-associated serine-threonine kinase ( MAST ) and NOTCH gene families in 5% to 7% of invasive breast cancers. Some of these translocations can be detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) allowing for examination of the correlation between these genomic changes and concurrent morphologic changes in early breast neoplasia. NOTCH and MAST gene rearrangements were identified by FISH in a large series of breast cancer cases organized on tissue microarrays (TMA). When translocations were identified by TMA, we performed full cross-section FISH to evaluate concurrent pre-invasive lesions. FISH break-apart assays were designed for NOTCH1 and MAST2 gene rearrangements. Translocations were identified in 16 cases of invasive carcinoma; 10 with MAST2 translocations (2.0%) and 6 cases with NOTCH1 translocations (1.2%). Whole section FISH analysis of these cases demonstrated that the translocations are present in the majority of concurrent ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) (6/8). When DCIS wasn't associated with an invasive component, it was never translocated (0/170, P =.0048). We have confirmed the presence of MAST and NOTCH family gene rearrangements in invasive breast carcinoma, and show that FISH studies can effectively be used with TMAs to screen normal, pre-invasive, and coexisting invasive disease. Our findings suggest that these translocations occur during the transition to DCIS and/or invasive carcinoma.
A Tsunami Deposit at the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary in Texas

At sites near the Brazos River, Texas, an iridium anomaly and the paleontologic Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary directly overlie a sandstone bed in which coarse-grained sandstone with large clasts of mudstone and reworked carbonate nodules grades upward to wave ripple-laminated, very fine grained sandstone. This bed is the only sandstone bed in a sequence of uppermost Cretaceous to lowermost Paleocene mudstone that records about 1 million years of quiet water deposition in midshelf to outer shelf depths. Conditions for depositing such a sandstone layer at these depths are most consistent with the occurrence of a tsunami about 50 to 100 meters high. The most likely source for such a tsunami at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary is a bolidewater impact.