cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reversal of multidrug resistance by tropane alkaloids from the stems of Erythroxylum rotundifolium.

Six tropane alkaloid esters were isolated from the stems of Erythroxylum rotundifolium. The structures of three new tropane esters, 7β-hydroxy-6β-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyloxy)-3α-(E)-(3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamoyloxy)tropane (1), 6β-benzoyloxy-3α-(Z)-(3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamoyloxy)tropane (2), and (−)-6β-benzoyloxy-3α-hydroxytropane (3), were established by spectroscopic techniques. When alkaloids 1−6 were evaluated against a panel of human cancer cell lines, the new compound 6β-benzoyloxy-3α-(Z)-(3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamoyloxy)tropane (2) and three known compounds, 6β-benzoyloxy-3α-(3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamoyloxy)tropane (4), 6β-benzoyloxy-3α-(E)-(3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamoyloxy)tropane-7β-ol (5), and 7β-acetoxy-6β-benzoyloxy-3α-(E)-(3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamoyloxy)tropane (6), demonstrated greatest activity with multidrug-resistant oral epidermoid carcinoma (KB-V1) cells incubated in the presence of vinblastine. Thus, tropane esters of this type can reverse the multidrug-resistance phenotype, presumably by interacting ...
Niobium-tin superconducting wire by the infiltration process

Abstract Superconducting wires containing filaments of the A15 compound, Nb3Sn, were made by powder metallurgy techniques. This article describes the various approaches employed for achieving a desired level of porosity in rods of sintered niobium that were later infiltrated with liquid tin. The influence of various mechanical deformation processes on filament morphology is reported. The critical current density of finished wires was measured under pulsed fields. The results indicate a pronounced Ic dependence on the type of deformation process used. Encouragingly high values of current-carrying capacity were observed.
Hairy Enhancer of Split-1 (HES-1), a Notch1 effector, inhibits the growth of carcinoid tumor cells.

Background The Notch1-signaling pathway has been shown to regulate the differentiation and growth of carcinoid tumor cells. However, the molecules that mediate Notch1 signaling, as well as their potential roles in regulating the growth of carcinoid tumors, have not been characterized. We and others have shown previously that the transcription factor Hairy Enhancer of Split-1 (HES-1) is upregulated in response to Notch1 signaling, demonstrating that it is a Notch1 effector. We hypothesized that HES-1 may be the essential downstream factor in Notch1-mediated growth regulation of carcinoid tumors. Methods H727 carcinoid tumor cells were transduced stably with a doxycycline-inducible HES-1 construct, creating H727-HES-1 cells. H727-TRE (vector-only control) and H727-HES-1 cells were then treated with varying concentrations of doxycycline to achieve increasing levels of HES-1 protein expression. Cell proliferation was determined with the use of a cell viability assay. Results Treatment of H727-HES-1 cells with increasing dosages of doxycycline resulted in dose-dependent increases in HES-1 protein by Western blot analysis. Importantly, induction of HES-1 in carcinoid tumor cells led to suppression of tumor cellular proliferation. Moreover, the degree of carcinoid growth inhibition appeared to be proportional to the level of HES-1 induction. Conclusions HES-1 alone can regulate the growth of carcinoid tumor cells. Furthermore, these results suggest that HES-1 may be the critical downstream effector in the Notch1-signaling pathway.
Conversion of Guaiacol over Supported Ru Catalysts

The vapor phase conversion of guaiacol over Ru catalysts supported on C, SiO2, Al2O3, and TiO2 at 400 °C in flowing atmospheric hydrogen is reported. Results indicate a strong synergy between Ru and TiO2 when compared with other catalysts studied as evidenced by enhanced activity for deoxygenation, transalkylation, and decreased deactivation rates. These results are attributed to the enhanced activity of the support brought about by the ability of Ru to reduce TiO2 and create highly active sites for the conversion of guaiacol.
Attention-Deficit Disorder: Born to Be Hyperactive?

SELECTED CASES Patient 1 An 8-year-old boy was evaluated in the National Institutes of Health outpatient clinic in Bethesda, Md, for participation in research. The patient history was positive for 12 of the 14 criteria of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition (DSM-III-R ) 1 (Table 1). Symptoms displayed by this patient included major disability due to poor attention span, impulsivity, distractibility, increased motor activity, and poor social skills. A structured psychiatric interview with his parents revealed no other causes of these symptoms by excluding the possibility of anxiety disorder or mood disorder, among others. (See Table 2 for differential diagnosis.) The physical examination yielded normal findings, and an evaluation of mental status revealed restlessness and poor impulse control characterized by the patient's repeated interruptions of the interviewer. A laboratory examination and psychometric testing indicated no learning disability but revealed
Implementation of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Pain Guidelines

Implementation of clinical practice guidelines in a large setting is a complex process. This article describes the many issues encountered in trying to implement Agency for Health Care Policy and Research acute pain and cancer pain guidelines in an academic medical center. Issues addressed include the membership of the task forces involved, incorporation of the guidelines into the institution-specific standards of care, selection and implementation of self-reporting tools for assessment of pain throughout the institution, issues involved in standardizing documentation of pain throughout the institution, measurement of the current status of pain control and integration into the existing quality assessment and improvement program, various analgesic interventions addressed throughout the hospital, educational strategies used and planned, and how multidisciplinary involvement was obtained.
Is a revised mandate for the US farm credit system needed

The Farm Credit System (FCS) underwent a major financial crisis in the mid-1980s, after having exhibited a strong financial position over the prior 50 years. Since 1990 the System has returned to profitability, but its inherent nature and underlying changes in agriculture and the financial services industry suggest that it remains vulnerable to future losses. To improve its viability we suggest that in the near term the FCS should be given a broader mandate to diversify its loan base in rural America. In the longer run the system may need to give up government sponsored enterprise status in order to remove all restrictions on lending eligibility and improve its chance of survival. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
First order character of the B transition in liquid 3He

Abstract Measurements have been made of the discontinuous changes in entropy and static magnetization of liquid 3 He at the B transition. These changes are related to previous measurement of the magnetic field dependence of this phase transition.
NF-Y Has a Novel Role in Sterol-dependent Transcription of Two Cholesterogenic Genes

The transcription of farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) synthase is regulated up to 30-fold by the sterol status of the cell. Point mutations in a 6-base pair ATTGGC sequence in the promoter disrupt both sterol-dependent transcription in vivo as well as binding of the transcription factor NF-Y in vitro. Co-transfection of cells with NF-YA29, a dominant negative form of NF-Y, and various promoter-reporter genes specifically inhibits the sterol-dependent regulation of FPP synthase and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) synthase. In contrast, NF-YA29 does not affect the regulation of reporter genes under the control of promoters derived from either the HMG-CoA reductase or the low density lipoprotein receptor gene. Transient expression of the 68-kDa transcriptionally active fragment of sterol regulatory element-binding protein in cells stimulates an HMG-CoA synthase-reporter gene over 90-fold. This induction is blocked in cells co-expressing NF-YA29. We hypothesize that NF-Y plays a novel role in sterol-dependent regulation of two key genes in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway and that this role requires a specific interaction with the sterol regulatory element-binding protein or related transcription factors.
Evaluation of the claim that grass root exudates inhibit nitrification

Washings from living or decaying grass roots did not inhibit nitrification when applied to soil daily. In liquid cultures of nitrite-oxidizers the washings from live roots slightly prolonged the lag period and washings from decaying roots were inhibitory only if collected during initial stages of decay. Macerated roots mixed with soil did not inhibit nitrification in the soil during perfusion with (NH4)2SO4 solution. When Hyparrhenia roots were incubated in soil with added (NH4)2SO4 they caused considerable immobilisation of mineral nitrogen with consequential depression of nitrate accumulation but did not prevent nitrification of surplus ammonia. In Hyparrhenia grasslands paucity of nitrifying bacteria was not confined to root zones, and the bacteria multiplied when ammonia availability was artificially increased. It is concluded that nitrification in Hyparrhenia grasslands is restricted by limited availability of ammonia and that there is no convincing evidence for toxic inhibition by root secretions.
Renal function in children with idiopathic hypercalciuria.

Abnormalities in renal tubular function have been reported in adult patients with idiopathic renal hypercalciuria. To determine if such abnormalities are present early in the natural history of renal hypercalciuria, we evaluated renal tubular function in ten children with idiopathic renal hypercalciuria, aged 5–17 years. Seven of the children presented with urolithiasis and three with hematuria. Urinary calcium excretion ranged from 4 to 9 mg/kg per day, (5.2±0.5, mean ± SEM) with a mean fasting urinary calcium to creatinine ratio of 0.31±0.03. Studies described in this report were performed after 1 week of ingesting a diet containing 1,000 mg calcium, 3,000 mg sodium, and 100 mg purine. Clearance of creatinine ranged from 84 to 159 ml/min per 1.73 m2. Tm phosphate (mg/100 ml GFR) was normal in each child (mean 4.66±0.06 mg/100 ml GFR). Fractional excretion of uric acid, sodium and beta-2-microglobulin were also normal in each child. Serum bicarbonate concentrations ranged from 21.5 to 27 mEq/l with a mean of 24.4±0.5 mEq/l and all patients lowered urinary pH to <5.5. Hypotonic diuresis demonstrated normal free water clearance with a mean of 12.8 ml/min per 100 ml Cin. Distal sodium delivery and fractional distal sodium reabsorption were normal with a mean of 13.6±1.2% and 92.7±0.5%, respectively. Water deprivation studies demonstrated a range of maximum urinary osmolality from 711 to 1,020 mosmol/kg H2O with a mean of 864±34 mosmol/kg H2O. Seven healthy children, ingesting an identical study diet, concentrated their urine to a mean of 1,059±31 mosmol/kg h2O. Thus, only a partial defect in urinary concentrating ability was identified in these studies of renal function in children with renal hypercalciuria. Our data demonstrate that idiopathic renal hypercalciuria is not the result of a generalized renal tubulopathy nor is it the result of renal tubular acidosis in these children. These findings suggest that renal tubular dysfunction in adult patients with hypercalciuria may be secondary to repeated episodes of urolithiasis or to life-long hypercalciuria.
In vitro synthesis of tRNA Tyr precursors and their conversion to 4S RNA.

Three bacterial-specific RNA messengers, transcribed in vitro from phage ϕ80psu3 DNA, contain the nucleotide sequence corresponding to the tRNATyr gene carried by this phage. As there is only one copy of this gene in the phage genome, there are thought to be three promoter sites on the DNA template.
Characterization and partial purification of the toxin of Lepiota morganii.

Abstract The toxin of L. morganii is present throughout the mushroom, but most concentrated in the cap tissue. It is heat labile, losing all detectable activity in 30 min at 70°. The toxin is proteinaceous, with an approximate molecular weight in excess of 400,000 Daltons and composed of sub-units of approximately 40,000–60,000 Daltons. Attempts to degrade the toxin with proteolytic enzymes were partially successful in that some loss of activity was effected. The toxin administered to mice and chicks produced the following symptoms: hesitancy to move, drowsiness, tremors, abdominal contractions (forced breathing), and death.
Electrospray mass spectrometry of cis-[Ru(NO)Cl(bpy)2]2+ (bpy=2,2′-bipyridine): fragmentation from desolvated {[Ru(NO)Cl(bpy)2]2+, Cl−}+ ion pairs by electron transfer and internal Lewis base pathways ☆

Abstract The electrospray mass spectrum (ESI-MS) of cis-[Ru(NO)Cl(bpy)2]Cl2 (bpy=2,2′-bipyridine), obtained from 50% CH3OH/50% H2O as the mobile solvent, exhibited ruthenium-containing ions derived from a {[RuII(NO+)Cl(bpy)2]2+, Cl−}+ ion pair (m/z=514) and [RuII(NO+)Cl(bpy)2]2+ (m/z=239.5). [RuIIICl(bpy)2]2+, from the loss of NO from the 239.5 ion, is detected at m/z=224.5. Only the m/z 514 ion pair is detected when 100% CH3OH mobile solvent is used, but the presence of even small amounts of water prompted the additional detection of the m/z 239.5 and m/z 224.5 ions under tandem MS–MS conditions. Ruthenium-chloro-containing ions appear as a characteristic collection of eight main, and four lesser, intense ions created from combinations 104Ru, 102Ru, 101Ru, 99Ru, 98Ru, 96Ru, 35Cl and 37Cl isotopes with minor contributions from 13C, etc. For convenience of discussion, only the most abundant m/z species are mentioned herein as representative of all the isotopically distributed ions. Four fragmentation channels are detectable from the m/z=514 chloride ion pair: (1) the loss of HCl (main channel; ca. 50% of fragmentation events), (2) the loss of NO (ca. 12% ), (3) the loss of bpy (minor pathway), and (4) the loss of Cl atom (ca. 38% ). Loss of NO from ion m/z 514 yields ion m/z 484, which is the precursor of ions m/z 448 (by loss of HCl), m/z 328 (by loss of bpy) and m/z 292 (by loss of HCl and bpy). Loss of HCl from ion m/z 514 generates ion m/z 478, [RuII(NO+)Cl(bpyH)(bpy-H)]+, deprotonated at the ortho C–H of one bpy ligand. In MS–MS experiments, the m/z 478 ion was established to undergo loss of NO, producing ion m/z 448, rejoining further fragmentation process for ion m/z 448 at this point. Loss of neutral bipyridine from m/z 514 in low yield produces ion m/z 358, which undergoes further loss of NO to form [RuCl2(bpy)]+ ion (m/z=328). MS–MS “neutral loss of 30” spectra confirmed the NO loss events as part of the fragmentation sequence for all four pathways. A fourth species of m/z=479 from the “514” ion is obtained by an internal electron transfer from Cl− of the ion pair, and loss of the resultant neutral Cl atom. The product [RuII(NO·)Cl(bpy)2]+ “479” fragment undergoes facile loss of NO to generate [RuIICl(bpy)2]+ (m/z=449). Ion m/z 449 gives rise to ions m/z 413 (loss of HCl) and m/z 257(loss of HCl and bpy). MS–MS experiments confirm the neutral loss of Cl from the m/z 514 ion, and the formation of the m/z 449 ion via m/z 479 and m/z 514 parents. This pathway was not observed in a prior study for the related complex, [Ru(NO)Cl(dpaH)(dpa−)]+ (dpaH=2,2′-dipyridylamine), which does not have an external Cl− in an ion pair.
A new role for public health in bioterrorism deterrence.

When this commentary was submitted in April 2014, only a handful of scholars and policy-makers in the defense and security communities were following the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which was over 4 months old at that time. Now that thousands of people have died, cases have spread to the US and Europe, and thousands of US uniformed military are being deployed on humanitarian assistance/disaster relief missions, attention and interest are significantly heightened. The events of the last few months demonstrate the criticality for interdisciplinary thinking, which is more challenging due to different historical contexts, knowledge bases, interests, lexicon, and perspectives.
A single- and a dual-fractal analysis of antigen-antibody binding kinetics for different biosensor applications.

Abstract The diffusion-limited binding kinetics of antigen (or antibody) in solution to antibody (or antigen) immobilized on a biosensor surface is analyzed within a fractal framework. The data is adequately described by a single- or a dual-fractal analysis. Initially, the data was modelled by a single-fractal analysis. If an inadequate fit was obtained then a dual-fractal analysis was utilized. The regression analysis provided by Sigmaplot, 1993 (Scientific Graphing Software: User’s Manual. Jandel Scientific, San Rafael, CA) was utilized to determine if a single-fractal analysis is sufficient, or a dual-fractal analysis is required. In general, it is of interest to note that the binding rate coefficient and the fractal dimension exhibit changes in the same direction (except for a single example) for the antigen–antibody systems analyzed. Binding rate coefficient expressions as a function of the fractal dimension developed for the antigen–antibody binding systems indicate a high sensitivity of the binding rate coefficient on the fractal dimension when both a single -as well as a dual-fractal analysis is used. For example, for a single-fractal analysis and for the binding of human endothelin-1 (ET-1) antibody in solution to ET-1 15–21 ·BSA (bovine serum albumin) immobilised on a surface plasmon resonance surface, the order of dependence of the binding rate coefficient, k on the fractal dimension, D f is 7.0945. Similarly, for a dual-fractal analysis and for the binding of parasite L. donovani diluted pooled sera in solution to fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled anti-human immunoglobulin IgG immobilized on an optical fibre, the order of dependence of k 1 and k 2 on D f1 and D f2 were 6.8018 and −4.393, respectively. Binding rate coefficient expressions are also developed as a function of the analyte (antigen or antibody) concentration in solution. The binding rate coefficient expressions developed as a function of the fractal dimension(s) are of particular value since they provide a means to better control biosensor performance by linking it to the heterogeneity on the surface, and emphasize in a quantitative sense the importance of the nature of the surface in biosensor performance.
The evolving physiology of the lower urinary tract: What we are learning and where we need to go

Much of the current research on the physiology of the lower urinary tract is focused on afferent mechanisms, and we are learning how to control two of the identified signaling pathways by which afferent information is generated and conveyed to the central nervous system: the myogenic and urothelial (mucosal) pathways. The myogenic pathway is activated via “in series” mechanoreceptors responding to distention and via spontaneous contractile activity in units of myocytes generating “afferent noise.” The mucosal pathway is a functional unit consisting of the urothelium itself, suburothelial interstitial cells, and afferent nerves that signal via muscle-mucosal mechanoreceptors, mucosal mechanoreceptors, and chemoreceptors. To control micturition when it is dysfunctional, we need to know more about all the components involved in normal micturition regulation. These include central control mechanisms. More information is needed to understand brain control of bladder function and to develop centrally acting agents to control bladder activity.
The use of mass-curve in evaluating suspended-load observations on small Piedmont streams

In connection with the design of certain proposed river-works, such as canals and reservoirs, information on the sediment-load of the stream in question is necessary. In the absence of a reliable and convenient method of estimating the bed-load of the stream, observations, in the past, usually have been confined to sampling of only the suspended matter. As a rule such observations are conducted only over a period of one to five years and, consequently, may not be representative of conditions that may prevail throughout the useful life of the proposed structure. The estimated silting-rate of a reservoir, for example, may be based, in the absence of long-term data, on an average annual suspended load obtained from two or three years of record. The reliability of this value of the average load depends, primarily, on whether the factors controlling the supply of sediment to the stream were normal during the period of sampling.
Averaging methods applied to quadrupolar FT-ICR perturbation problems

Abstract Many FT-ICR systems are approximately described by single ion motion in a constant magnetic field and a quadratic electrostatic potential. In this study, the quadrupole approximation—a magnetic field combined with a quadratic trapping potential—is considered the unperturbed problem while all other forces are treated as perturbations to this motion. Transformations are derived for the equations of motion describing the time variation of the constants of motion of the quadrupole problem. Reformulation of the quadrupolar problem in these variables can offer significant analytical and numerical advantages. In this form approximate analytical solutions to the perturbed problem are obtainable by averaging methods. Numerical integration of the transformed equations can give directly the time-dependence of the mode amplitudes and instantaneous frequencies. Applications of the theory include the derivation of frequency shifts, approximate invariants and the equations of motion describing non-linear resonance.
Aldosterone and potassium homeostasis

The presently accepted regulators of the homeostatic excretion of potassium are the plasma concentrations of aldosterone and potassium. Evidence for a role of aldosterone is reviewed, and it is pointed out that aldosterone is kaliuretic at supraphysiologic levels but has little kaliuretic activity within its normal secretory range. Elevation of plasma potassium above its normal range enhances the kaliuretic action of aldosterone. Elevation of plasma potassium above, but not within, its normal range is strongly kaliuretic. In sheep the kaliuresis induced by intake of a potassium rich meal cannot be explained by changes in aldosterone or plasma potassium. A kaliuretic reflex arising from receptors in the gut, portal vein or liver has been proposed the explain the meal-induced kaliuresis. This putative reflex involves the central nervous system and efferent kaliuretic factors other than aldosterone and plasma potassium. Evidence for the involvement of the central nervous system and undetermined kaliuretic regulatory factors can be found in studies of the physiologic circadian rhythm of renal potassium excretion. This rhythmic excretion does not appear to depend on changes in either aldosterone or plasma potassium.
Science Signaling Podcast: 03 February 2009

This is a conversation with Pier Paolo Pandolfi, senior author of a Research Article published in the 27 January issue of Science Signaling . He discusses his lab9s recent research on the role of signaling through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in prostate cancer.
Coronary computed tomography angiography: principles of contrast material administration

A conceptual framework to approach the application of contrast media in computed tomography angiography (CTA) is discussed. With an adequate conceptual framework, the physician or technologist should be able to modify or create CTA protocols to address specific clinical and patient circumstances. The focus of this review is coronary CTA, but the basic principles are applicable to CTA in any arterial system.
Effects of nonequilibrium velocity-field characteristics on the performance of GaAs and InP field-effect transistors

Monte Carlo calculations of nonequilibrium electron transport in InP and GaAs short channel field-effect transistors have been performed. The influence upon transistor performance of such transient effects as velocity overshoot is discussed for each material and is compared with the influence of the respective equilibrium velocity-field curves. A two-dimensional method for computing the properties of InP FETs is also discussed. Ranges of channel lengths for which each material can be expected to be superior are discussed.
Effects of sterilization on movements of feral cats at a wildland-urban interface

Trap–neuter–release (TNR) programs, in which feral cats are sterilized and fed in unconfined colonies, have been advocated as a humane and effective way to reduce the impacts of feral cats on native wildlife. Little is known, however, about the effects of sterilization on feral cat movements and space use, particularly where colonies are located near natural areas. We determined home-range area and overlap and characterized the longrange movements of 14 sterilized and 13 intact radiocollared cats on Catalina Island, California, from 2002 to 2004. Male home ranges were significantly larger than those of females, but no significant differences were revealed in home-range areas or overlap between sterilized and intact cats. Cats regularly moved between natural habitats in the interior of the island and human-populated areas regardless of sex or treatment status, although most (68%; 17/25) of the cats that moved long distances were female. Island-wide, the cat population was estimated to be 600–750 cats, with .70% associated with developed areas, including existing TNR colonies. The influx of subsidized cats to natural habitats, combined with their high vagility and low trappability, makes TNR an unlikely solution for controlling feral cats on a large, rugged island like Catalina and, more generally, in other locations where human populations abut ecologically sensitive areas. DOI: 10.1644/09-MAMM-A-111.1.
Pathogenesis of HIV Encephalitis

A wide spectrum of infectious agents attack the central nervous system (CNS) of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) itself, infects the CNS of a subgroup of these patients. The mechanism behind why HIV enters the CNS is unclear. We have observed an interesting association between HIV and opportunistic viral infections that may explain why HIV enters the brain. Infection of the CNS by opportunistic agents results in recruitment of latently HIV-infected monocytes. Upon differentiation into macrophages these cells produce abundant HIV. Latent HIV-infection of monocytes/macrophages provides a unique opportunity for cooperativity between opportunistic infections and HIV in mediating CNS damage.
A novel, low-cost deep trench decoupling capacitor for high-performance, low-power bulk CMOS applications

We present an overview and electrical results for a novel deep trench decoupling capacitor. The process of this decoupling capacitor borrows from the regular embedded DRAM trench process, but with significant process simplification for decoupling use which provide reduced cost and reduced process cycle time. This capacitor can provide significant chip-level area savings, using only 1/8 silicon real estate to fabricate the same capacitance as standard planar gate oxide capacitors. Additionally, the trench decap demonstrates a dramatic improvement in leakage compared to standard planar gate oxide capacitors - as much as 105 improvement in leakage can be realized using trench decaps instead of conventional planar decap designs.
Symbolic range propagation

Many analyses and transformations in a parallelizing compiler can benefit from the ability to compare arbitrary symbolic expressions. In this paper, we describe how one can compare expressions by using symbolic ranges of variables. A range is a lower and upper bound on a variable. We describe how these ranges can be efficiently computed from the program test. Symbolic range propagation has been implemented in Polaris, a parallelizing compiler being developed at the University of Illinois, and is used for symbolic dependence testing, detection of zero-trip loops, determining array sections possibly referenced by an access, and loop iteration-count estimation. >
A Screening Measure for BPD: The McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD)

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common psychiatric disorder that is often overlooked in treatment settings. This report describes the validation of a new self-report screening measure for DSM-IV BPD--the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD). Two hundred subjects with treatment histories whose ages ranged from 18 to 59 filled out the MSI-BPD. Each subject was then interviewed, blind to MSI-BPD results, with the BPD module of the Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders (DIPD-IV; Zanarini, Frankenburg, Sickel, & Yong, 1996). Of these 200 subjects, 139 (69.5%) met DSM-IV criteria for BPD as assessed by the BPD module of the DIPD-IV and the remaining 61 subjects (30.5%) did not. Using logistic regression analyses, an MSI-BPD cutoff of 7 or more of the measure's 10 items was judged to be the best cutoff. This was so because it yielded both good sensitivity (.81; percentage of correctly identified cases) and specificity (.85; percentage of correctly identified noncases) for the diagnosis of DSM-IV BPD. For younger subjects, diagnostic efficiency was even greater. For example, sensitivity was .90 and specificity was .93 at a cutoff of 7 for the 63 subjects who were 25 years old or younger. The results of this study suggest that the MSI-BPD may be a useful screening instrument for the presence of DSM-IV borderline personality disorder.
Imaging across the Life Span: Innovations in Imaging and Therapy for Gynecologic Cancer

This review addresses the optimization of multidisciplinary care of patients with gynecologic cancer to include imaging as a central component of radiation treatment planning and delivery.
A novel nonlinear state estimation technique based on sequential importance sampling and parallel filter banks

The sequential importance sampling (SIS) method, also known as particle filtering (PF), has emerged as a promising filtering technique for nonlinear and non-Gaussian systems in which state estimation is the ultimate objective. In the framework of PFs, the accuracy of this estimation depends on the choice of the proposal distribution, which is the problem that is addressed in this paper. Here, we propose a novel particle filtering algorithm which is based on state partitioning and a bank of extended Kalman filters to render a more accurate proposal distribution and hence yielding a more precise estimation of the state. Moreover, because of the improved proposal distribution, the new filter can achieve a given level of performance using fewer samples than its conventional SIS counterparts. Our results show that this new approach yields significantly unproved estimates of the state
Vulvar melanoma: a retrospective analysis and literature review.

Abstract Objective. This review focuses on current directions in the staging and treatment of melanoma of the vulva. Methods. All women treated for invasive melanoma of the vulva at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center from 1980 through 2000 were identified through a retrospective review of the records of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology. Their treatments and outcomes were then analyzed and presented. Results. Over the 20-year study period, 14 cases of melanoma of the vulva were identified. Of the 14 patients treated with curative intent, 6 developed recurrences following the completion of primary therapy, and all are dead from their disease. The mean duration from completion of therapy to recurrence was 7.5 months; the mean survival following recurrence was 17 months. Conclusion. One-centimeter skin margins appear adequate for vulvar melanomas
Optical Thin Film Monitoring Using Optical Fibers

A Technique For Monitoring Optical Thin Film Thickness By Direct Evaporation Onto The End Of An Optical Fiber Is Described. The Optical Fiber Is Suspended Inside A Coating Chamber So That The Fiber Distal End Faces The Evaporation Source And Is Illuminated With A Chopped Light Source. The Light Which Is Reflected From The Fiber End Is Returned Through The Fiber And Is Collectyed By A 45° Mirror With A Hole In It. The Signal Is Detected And Displayed On Led Displays And A Chart Recorder. Multiple Fibers Are Used To Monitor Individual Layers In A Stack, Or A Single Fiber Is Used After Cleaving The End With A Tool To Produce A Clean, Flat, Uncoated Surface Without Breaking The Vacuum.
The Biological Control of Cassava Mealybug in Africa

Cassava, brought from South America 300 years ago free of its pests, became a major subsistence crop in Africa. A mealybug was mistakenly introduced in the early 1970s. By the 1980s the mealybug was a major pest. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture found a parasitic wasp in South America and reared and released it in Africa. Conservatively estimated, the benefit‐cost ratio for this program is 149 to 1. This success indicates that biological control can play an important role in pest management.
Anthropological Studies of National Reconciliation Processes

This article examines how social researchers have evaluated the rise of institutions to create `national reconciliation' in countries emerging from authoritarianism and state repression. Reconcilia...
Children's disaster reactions: the influence of exposure and personal characteristics.

This paper reviews children's reactions to disasters and the personal and situational factors that influence their reactions. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic stress reactions are the most commonly studied outcomes, though other conditions also occur including anxiety, depression, behavior problems, and substance use. More recently, traumatic grief and posttraumatic growth have been explored. New research has delineated trajectories of children's posttraumatic stress reactions and offered insight into the long-term consequences of their disaster experiences. Risk factors for adverse outcomes include pre-disaster vulnerabilities, perception of threat, and loss and life disruptions post-disaster. Areas in need of additional research include studies on the timing and course of depression and anxiety post-event and their interactions with other disorders, disaster-related functional and cognitive impairment, positive outcomes, and coping. Language: en
Predictors of Outcome in HIV-associated Primary Effusion Lymphoma

25 (64.1%), stage I was 22 (56.4%), stage II were 17 (43.6%), B symptoms were 14 (35.9%), LDH above normal were 16 (41%), 6 patients received 1-3 CT cycles (15.4%), and 33 patients received 4-6 cycles(84.6%). Twenty-nine (74.4%) of 39 patients achieved CR. The group 1 had 76.0% (19/25) of CR, the group 2 had 75.0% (9/12), and the group 3 had 50% (1/2). Univariate analysis identified LDH and number of CT cycles, as significant predictors of CR (both P <0.05). On multivariate analysis, only number of CT cycles showed statistically significant, received 1-3 cycles of CHOP-based CT had an odds ratio (OR): 17.085, P ¼0.026 being independent predictor. Conclusion: The number of CT cycles was the only CR predictor, and the fact of having received CT followed by RT or radiotherapy followed by CT as first-line did not influence the response. Keywords: Natural Killer/T-cell lymphoma; Prognostic index; chemotherapy.
North Mountain Nursery, Inc.: Statement of Cash Flow

After interviewing for the position of chief financial officer at a small business, North Mountain Nursery, John Powers decides to look at its financial statements for 2006. Discovering that there is no statement of cash flow, he decides to create one himself.
Confucius on Management: Understanding Chinese Cultural Values and Managerial Practices

Often referred to "China's first teacher," Confucius set the standards and values that still permeate Chinese culture. Although officially disregarded by the Chinese government since the communist revolution, Confucius and his teachings remained the foundation of Chinese culture and managerial practice. Confucius has recently experienced a rebirth of popularity in China, and this renewed interest has not been challenged by the Chinese government. With Confucian principles once again openly thriving in China this paper explains the teachings of Confucius, and explains how the ancient sayings of the great sage influence the present day values and practices of Chinese management.
To Report or Not to Report: The Case for Eliminating the Objectively Reasonable Requirement for Opposition Activities Under Title VII's Anti-Retaliation Provision

Recently, the Fourth Circuit concluded that an employee failed to engage in protected activity under Title VII's anti-retaliation provision's opposition clause when he reported to his employer that, on one occasion, a co-worker used an inflammatory racial slur in the employee's presence. In reaching the conclusion that the plaintiff's complaint did not constitute protected activity, the Fourth Circuit relied on dicta from the Supreme Court's opinion in Clark County School District v. Breeden, in which the Court assumed, without deciding, that to establish protected activity under the opposition clause of Title VII's anti-retaliation provision, a plaintiff must prove not only that she had a subjective, good-faith belief that the behavior she was opposing violated Title VII, but that she must also prove that her belief was objectively reasonable. The Fourth Circuit's opinion places employees in an unenviable position - they must either report a discriminatory remark to the employer and run the risk of being fired for doing so, or they can decide not to report the discriminatory remark, endure the work environment and the discriminatory feelings of co-workers, and then, after eventually enduring the environment to a point where it becomes intolerable, lose a subsequent lawsuit because by failing to report the discriminatory comment or comments, they would have provided the employer with a defense to the substantive discrimination claim. This Article will explore the opposition clause of Title VII's anti-retaliation provision, what constituted "protected activity" under that provision prior to Breeden, and how the Supreme Court's dicta in Breeden and the Fourth Circuit's recent opinion significantly undermine the goals of the anti-retaliation provision's opposition clause. The Article will then suggest that instead of requiring a plaintiff to prove both a subjective, good-faith belief that the practice she was opposing was unlawful and that her belief was objectively reasonable, an employee's subjective, good-faith belief that she experienced unlawful discrimination should be sufficient to gain Title VII protection. Although it is unlikely that this subjective-only approach will be adopted, this approach best promotes the purpose behind Title VII's anti-retaliation provision's opposition clause.
Compiling path queries

Measuring the flow of traffic along network paths is crucial for many management tasks, including traffic engineering, diagnosing congestion, and mitigating DDoS attacks. We introduce a declarative query language for efficient path-based traffic monitoring. Path queries are specified as regular expressions over predicates on packet locations and header values, with SQL-like "groupby" constructs for aggregating results anywhere along a path. A run-time system compiles queries into a deterministic finite automaton. The automaton's transition function is then partitioned, compiled into match-action rules, and distributed over the switches. Switches stamp packets with automaton states to track the progress towards fulfilling a query. Only when packets satisfy a query are the packets counted, sampled, or sent to collectors for further analysis. By processing queries in the data plane, users "pay as they go", as data-collection overhead is limited to exactly those packets that satisfy the query. We implemented our system on top of the Pyretic SDN controller and evaluated its performance on a campus topology. Our experiments indicate that the system can enable "interactive debugging"-- compiling multiple queries in a few seconds--while fitting rules comfortably in modern switch TCAMs and the automaton state into two bytes (e.g., a VLAN header).
Morphology and Properties of Microcapsules with Different Core Releases

The morphology, mechanical properties, and permeability of hydrogen-bonded layer-by-layer (LbL) microcapsule shells assembled on cubic CdCO3 cores have been studied in comparison with traditional shells assembled on spherical SiO2 cores. We observed that the morphology of LbL shells is dramatically affected by the different release processes with highly porous and softened LbL shells as a result of the intense CO2 gas formation and ion release during the removal of cubic CdCO3 cores. A substantial increase in porosity is reflected in a dramatic change in the mesh size of LbL shells, from 2 nm for spherical capsules to above 35 nm for cubic capsules. Shells also possess enhanced permeability with a many fold increase in diffusion coefficient for dextran molecules and enhanced softening with the elastic modulus dropping by almost an order of magnitude for cubic capsules. These dramatic changes in shell morphology, porosity, permeability, and stiffness, observed in this study for the first time, are all impo...
Epidemic characteristics of mumps in Shenyang City from 2005-2010

[Objective] To explore the incidence level and epidemic characteristics of mumps in Shenyang City,and investigate its control measures.[Methods]Descriptive epidemiology was adopted to analyze the epidemic report data of mumps in Shenyang City from 2005 to 2010.[Results] The reported average annual incidence rate of mumps was 51.64/100 000 in Shenyang City from 2005-2010,with annually significant difference(P0.05).The reported incidence from April to July accounted for 42.50%,and the reported incidence from December to the next January accounted for 21.02%.The ratio of male to female was 1.62∶1.The reported average annual incidence was 63.00/100 000 in males,and 39.98/100 000 in females with significant difference(P0.05).The children aged 4-14 were the high risk group,accounting for 72.02%;students and kindergarten children accounted for 64.80% and 15.83% of total cases.[Conclusion]It is necessary to strengthen the management of the prevention and treatment of infectious disease in schools and childcare institutions,to implement effective prevention and control measures,to improve various rules and regulations,to carry out standardized management,to carry out trend prediction of mumps so as to release the outbreak warning timely,to strengthen hygiene and health education,to enhance prevention and control awareness,to strengthen emergency management to effectively prevent and control mumps outbreak.
New Neoclassical Economics

What is new neoclassical economics (NNE)? It is an integration of neoclassical economics (NE) and transaction cost economics (TCE), with a primary role for NE but without losing sight of TCE. Is this a compromise formula for something? Perhaps it is. The main purpose here (and in most chapters of this book) is to strengthen the current implementation of NE and its limitations whenever institutional alternatives are to be evaluated. NE cannot be an effective analytical tool of economic and social science if it remains largely oblivious to the distinctions of alternative forms of economic governance and implications on economic efficiency and economic justice. It is often fashionable to talk about ‘getting prices right’ even when there is little understanding as to whether or not the corresponding or underlying economic structures are amenable to pragmatic reform in the interests of economic efficiency and/or economic justice. ‘Getting institutions right’ is often a prerequisite for getting the prices right.
Innovators and Consumers: The Culture of Innovation and Use of Military Technology in the 21st Century

A particular technological application makes its way to the battlefield for use in multiple ways. Innovation does not happen in a vacuum. There are important cultural, economic, social, and political influences which impact the push-pull process and determine what piece of technology is dedicated to a particular use and how it is used. The history of technological innovation must be understood in order to recognize the strengths and pitfalls of the process, especially in an era when mistakes can lead to unprecedented consequences. Part one: Learning from experience: the intersection of technology and warfare Part two: The contemporary culture of military innovation
Right Out of California: The 1930s and the Big Business Roots of Modern Conservatism. By Kathryn S. Olmsted.

Right Out of California: The 1930s and the Big Business Roots of Modern Conservatism. By Kathryn S. Olmsted. (New York: New Press, 2015. ix + 324 pp. Illustrations, notes, index. $27.95.) Historians studying the postwar American Right have explored conservative Sunbelt denizens of Orange County, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Dallas. In Right Out of California , Kathryn S. Olmsted makes the audacious argument that to understand the origins of modern American conservatism, we need not focus on Orange County transplants but rather on the planters of California oranges. The seeds of modern conservatism, Olmsted asserts, were sown down on the farm in the 1930s, when ferocious labor disputes between affluent growers and poor farmworkers engulfed California’s agricultural plantations. According to Olmsted, … Eh.miller{at}neu.edu
Hypothetical Bias Mitigation Techniques in Choice Experiments: Do Cheap Talk and Honesty Priming Effects Fade with Repeated Choices?

AbstractWe design a choice experiment comparing policies that reduce agricultural nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie and administer it to Ohio residents using an online survey panel. We compare two treatments that have been found to mitigate hypothetical bias, cheap talk and honesty priming, with a neutral priming control. We find greater sensitivity to price among respondents during choices made immediately following the cheap talk intervention. As additional choices are made, the “wedge” between price sensitivity in the control and honesty prime treatments diminishes and eventually loses statistical significance. We find this effect in both our online choice experiments and among respondents to face-to-face choice experiments conducted by de-Magistris, Gracia, and Nayga. Our online implementation of an honesty priming intervention yields no significant change in price sensitivity compared to a control. While de-Magistris et al. implement an honesty priming intervention that fully m...