cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dependent Youth in Juvenile Justice: Do Positive Peer Culture Programs Work for Victims of Child Maltreatment?:

Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify and determine the individual and group-level factors associated with recidivism for children in a long-term Positive Peer Culture (PPC) program. The current study focuses specific attention on the role of child maltreatment in understanding the risk of recidivism. It is widely accepted that victims of child abuse and neglect are more likely to engage in delinquent behavior as compared with their nonmaltreated counterparts. Yet little is known about dependent youth in the juvenile justice system. The maltreatment-delinquency literature focuses almost exclusively on the initial risk of juvenile or adult offending. Moreover, the comparison groups are always children in the general population rather than children in the juvenile justice system. Method: The sample includes 286 adjudicated delinquent offenders. Hierarchical nonlinear modeling is used to partition effects at the individual and group levels. Results: Overall, 117 (41%) of the sample was arrested...
Complement channels in membranes: Inhibition with a monoclonal antibody to a neoantigen of polymerized C9

Abstract The channels produced by complement in red cell membranes are heterogeneous, with diameters of ∼0.5 to ∼12.0 nm. We investigated the relationship of the components of the membrane attack complex, C5b through C9, to the functional transmembrane channels >3 nm in diameter. Radiolabelled macromolecules were incorporated into resealed red cell membrane ghosts which were then treated with complement. A monoclonal antibody to a neoantigen in polymerized C9 inhibited macromolecule diffusion through the complement channels. There was also inhibition with polyclonal antisera to C9 but not with antisera to any of the other components of the membrane attack complex. The results demonstrate a functional correlation of the larger complement lesions with the previously described poly C9 tubular structures.
A holistic approach to particle drag prediction

Abstract Although perfect spherical particles are not often encountered in the practical engineering world, most particle drag research to date has centered around spherical particles. Unfortunately, there has been no other way to predict irregular particle drag accurately due to the lack of reliable shape descriptors for rough particles. This paper presents a unified diagram (analogous to the Moody diagram for pipe friction factors) to predict particle drag coefficients. The diagram developed presents particle drag as a function of Reynolds number and a hydrodynamic particle shape descriptor, called scruple (Z), which characterizes the shape, roughness, or irregularity, of a particle. Several methods of calculating scruple are presented. It may be found from such shape descriptors as sphericity, aspect ratio or harmonic persistence, since data exist to relate these descriptors to drag coefficient. Also, it may be presented directly as an approximate value for some given ore, object or shape, as found from experimental data. Future experimental work on drag coefficients will serve to expand our prediction of scruple and extend this simple approach to the prediction of particle drag.
Nefazodone treatment of adolescent depression : An open-label study of response and biochemistry

Objective: The purpose of this study was to find whether nefazodone, effective in adult depression, might be similarly improve symptoms of adolescent depression. Secondary purpose was to relate platelet serotonin content to response, and to find if nefazodone's effect on platelet content was similar to that of the SSRIs. Method: 10 adolescents meeting DSMIV criteria for major depression received up to 400 mg of nefazodone for an eight week period. Response was assessed at baseline, 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks by BDI and HDRS; platelet serotonin (5HT) content was obtained at baseline and final visit (for two dropouts, this was done at last visit, i.e., week 4). Results: In LOCF analysis, significant improvement was found in both HDRS (20.9 to 8.9, p = .01) and BDI (24.6 to 10.2, p = .01). Eight of nine patients with available data showed increases in platelet 5HT content (.02). In seven patients of eight completers with available data, there was a nonsignificant trend for patients with platelet 5HT baseline greater than 30 ng/108 platelets to show a greater change in HDRS than those with a baseline of less than 30 ng/108 platelets (p = .07). Conclusions: Further double-blind study of nefazodone in adolescent depression is indicated; nefazodone appears to increase platelet 5HT content.
5'-Porphyrin-oligonucleotide conjugates: neutral porphyrin-DNA interactions.

Incorporation of hydrophilic tetraarylporphyrin phosphoramidites into the 5‘-termimus of the DNA as well as noncharged porphyrin−DNA interactions have been studied. Porphyrin-modified oligonucleotides show lower melting temperatures than their unmodified analogues. Single-stranded DNA interacts more strongly with porphyrin and causes more intense chiral disturbance in the porphyrin environment than the corresponding double strand.
Cranium of a juvenile Australopithecus boisei from the lower Omo Basin, Ethiopia

A partial cranium of a juvenile Australopithecus boisei, recovered from the Shungura Formation in the lower Omo basin, southern Ethiopia, and dated at 2.1 m.y. B.P., is described anatomically and compared to young and adult australopithecines, modern Homo sapiens, chimpanzees, and gorillas. A resemblance to the gracile Australopithecus is observed but is attributed mainly to the generalized appearance of the Omo specimen resulting from its young individual age. An attempt is made to reconstruct part of the ontogenetic process of A. boisei. This process is compared to the developmental changes exhibited by the African great apes and modern man and is found to combine characteristics of both.
Molly—a language for typesetting molecular structure diagrams

Abstract MOLLY is a language for drawing 2-D molecular structure diagrams commonly seen in scientific journals and textbooks. Implemented as a PIC macro library, MOLLY is integrated with the TROFF family of typesetting software available for UNIX and MS-DOS operating systems. The language is device-independent and can be used to produce publication-quality molecular drawings on laser printers and phototypesetters. MOLLY offers a new paradigm for drawing chemical structures—atomic groups are drawn in a way analogous to how a branching tree or road is traversed. The atomic groups and bonds are placed intuitively and accurately at any orientation—even when entire structures are rotated and reflected. The user can extend the language and build libraries of reusable moieties and templates. This paper describes the design of MOLLY and gives examples of its use.
Induction motors with permanent magnet excitation

INDUCTION MOTORS have been built in Germany with a free running member carrying d-c excitation. They had excellent characteristics, including 100% power factor. Permanent magnets have been substituted for d-c excited poles in magnetos and in synchronous motors with good results. Why not, one may ask, substitute them for the d-c free running member of the German motor? Assuming this could be done, a design for an 8-pole 10-hp 60-cycle motor, based on the German motor, was made, its equivalent circuit analyzed, and its performance computed.
Capturing the benefit of vision restoration therapy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Vision restoration therapy has shown promise as a treatment strategy to improve visual field deficits in patients with lesions of the brain or optic nerve. Objective measures of its efficacy, however, have remained controversial. A review of the current theories supporting the reported benefits of vision restoration therapy, and the dissenting opinions, reconsiders vision restoration therapy as an emerging therapy. RECENT FINDINGS The benefits of vision restoration therapy have been challenged by a study suggesting that no improvement exists with careful control of fixation. Alternatively, others suggest that eye movements are not induced by vision restoration therapy. Functional imaging studies demonstrate the potential role of plasticity in vision restoration therapy. While the exact mechanism remains to be elucidated, subjective improvement in daily functioning is reported in a significant percentage of patients. SUMMARY Vision restoration therapy is a noninvasive, home-based strategy for the rehabilitation of patients with visual field loss caused by structural or ischemic damage. While subjective benefits in functional status have been reported by patients following completion of the program, debate centers around the inadequacy of the methods used to document its efficacy. Until such a method is validated by carefully controlled studies, subjective improvement in visual function stands alone as evidence of vision restoration therapy's benefit.
Single-agent obatoclax (GX15-070) potently induces apoptosis and pro-survival autophagy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells

Summary Objectives More than half of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients are initially treated with curative intent, but will relapse over the course of their disease and have poor prognosis with a median survival of approximately 6 months. Novel therapeutic approaches are in desperate need for this patient population. The anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins such as BCL-2, BCL-XL, and MCL-1 are involved in oncogenesis and chemoresistance and are overexpressed in HNSCC. Obatoclax is a small-molecule antagonist of the BH3-binding groove of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family. We evaluated the activity of obatoclax against 4 HNSCC cell lines (UMSCC-1, Cal33, 1483, UMSCC-22A). Methods Cell viability was determined by MTT assay, cell cycle status by propidium iodide staining, and apoptosis by Annexin-V staining and immunoblotting. Autophagy was assessed by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting. Results All four HNSCC cell lines were highly sensitive to single-agent obatoclax with IC 50 ’s ranging from 46 to 177 nM. Obatoclax induced apoptosis in all four HNSCC cell lines as evidenced by increases in sub-G 1 DNA content, Annexin-V staining, and PARP cleavage. In addition, obatoclax induced autophagy in all 4 cell lines, and the addition of the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine enhanced obatoclax cytotoxicity. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate potent monotherapeutic activity of obatoclax against HNSCC cells, and enhancement of this activity in the presence of chloroquine. This preclinical study suggests that obatoclax might have therapeutic value in the treatment of HNSCC, either alone or in combination with inhibitors of autophagy.
Induced beam deflection for ultrafast low-signal-level optical waveform digitization

An ultrafast optical deflector based on the induced nonlinear refractive index change of an area-modulation laser pulse for low-signal level optical A/D waveform converter has been designed. Using resonance enhanced Kerr nonlinear media, an optical deflector with the deflection time of approximately 1 ns to 100 ns with a 30-ps time resolution may be achieved for low- level input optical signals.
The peer interview about complex events: a new method for the investigation of preinstructional knowledge

An important strand in research into students’ preinstructional knowledge of mechanics has relied on data gathered in pencil‐and‐paper tasks and clinical interview methods to generate claims regarding students’ alternative frameworks or intuitive theories. Some critics have argued that data gathered by these methods cannot be used to justify such claims because the students’ answers are constrained by the framework imposed by the researchers’ questions. In this paper, an alternative method, in which students have more freedom to impose their own frameworks on the interview, is presented as one solution to this problem. This method represents a new avenue for hypothesizing about students’ preinstructional knowledge. Preliminary results of a study using this method are described.
Plasticity of astrocytes

It is becoming apparent that astrocytes carry out a large number of different functions in brain and are able to modify their characteristics throughout life, that is they exhibit a high degree of plasticity in their phenotype. For example, the morphology of astrocytes changes markedly during neuronal migration, maturation, and degeneration. It is conceivable that these cells must constantly adjust their abilities to meet changes in brain environment. Several examples of astrocytic plasticity are presented in this review. First, the ability of astrocytes to recognize neuronal signals can change qualitatively as well as quantitatively; evidence suggests that the expression of glial receptors may be developmentally regulated by both intrinsic and extrinsic signals. Second, the expression of adrenergic receptors by astrocytes in adult brain can change in response to neuronal degeneration. The up-regulation of β-adrenergic receptors in this case suggests that these receptors play a role in function of reactive astrocytes. Finally, glial morphology can be reciprocally regulated by neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and glutamate. This reciprocal regulation may be significant since both s-adrenergic receptors and glutamate transporters are found predominantly in astrocytes in the brain. The change in glial morphology may also affect neuronal activity by changing the volume of the extracellular space. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Performance Of Mosaic Sensor Dim-Target Detection Algorithms

A critical problem in the design of signal processing systems for mosaic sensors is the development of algorithms suitable to the detection of dim targets in the face of several significant noise components. These algorithms must provide near optimum performance for given constraints on memory and computing capacity. A general frequency domain theory of the detection of dim targets against an earth background by passive mosaic sensors is given. Simple temporal filtering algorithms are discussed and the results of comparative analysis of these algorithms are presented.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Reorganization and Stabilization: Social Mechanisms in Émile Durkheim’s Professional Ethics and Civic Morals: A Contribution to the Explanation of Social Processes

The consequences of economic globalization have created a new interest in ¥Emile Durkheim’s conception of an institutional and moral reorganization of modern society that he developed in Professional Ethics and Civic Morals. Contrary to existing attempts to explain these political processes towards democratization, this article argues for a causal analysis of social change and concentrates on the social mechanisms that trigger the reorganization process of modern society. Two theses are entertained. The first thesis argues that the programme of an institutional and moral reorganization of modern society can be reanalysed as a causal process of democratization. This process takes two steps. While social mechanisms of reorganization bring about the institutional and moral reorganization of modern society, social mechanisms of stabilizationguarantee the functioning of the emerging democratic system. Further, the second thesis argues that this kind of explanation can be applied to Durkheim’s vision of a Europ...
A symbiogenetic theory for the origins of cnidocysts in Cnidaria.

Abstract Did cnidarian cnidocysts originate from cnidocyst-bearing protoctistans living as symbiotic partners with an epithelial placula? If an increase in the fitness of symbiotic partners was “locked in” by an evolutionary stable strategy, co-evolution and compartmentalization could have led phyletically separate, eukaryotic symbionts to fuse and undergo nuclear merger. Traits originating in the symbiotic partners would have been brought to the “synthetic” organism and reworked through evolution into the development of an integrated organism. Support for the theory of symbiogenetic origins of Cnidaria rests on traces of symbiosis detected in the relationship of cnidarian epithelium to interstitial cells (I-cells), the precursors of cnidocyst-producing cnidoblasts: (1) epithelium and I-cell are autonomous and differ in morphology, cellular dynamics, the relationship of differentiation to proliferation and the variety of cell types formed; (2) hydras and planulas can be “cured” of I-cells and their derivatives, thereby creating “epithelial” animals which lack responsiveness but retain vegetative properties. (3) The re-introduction of I-cells into “epithelial” animals restores missing differentiated cell and organismic characteristics. Symbiogenesis as a source of metazoan species has consequences for concepts of development, from the origins of cell lines to the evolution of differentiation.
Tissue Adhesives: A Review

Tissue adhesives represent a group of natural and artificial compounds that are currently used for a variety of local applications including hemostasis, wound closure, and fistula repair. The most commonly utilized tissue adhesives in GI endoscopy include cyanoacrylates, fibrin glues, and thrombin. Other adhesives, such as collagen-based sealants and PEG polymers, are beginning to be studied in various surgical disciplines and may one day find a role in endoscopic practice as well. This review covers the endoscopic use of available tissue adhesives and highlights pertinent technical considerations.
How Do We Know if the Brain Is Wired for Type 2 Diabetes

It is now widely accepted that the brain makes important contributions to the dysregulated glucose metabolism, altered feeding behaviors, and the obesity often seen in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Although studies focusing on genetic, cellular, and molecular regulatory elements in pancreas, liver, adipose tissue etc provide a good understanding of how these processes relate to T2D, our knowledge of how brain wiring patterns are organized is much less developed. This article discusses animal studies that illustrate the importance of understanding the network organization of those brain regions most closely implicated in T2D. It will describe the brain networks, as well as the methodologies used to explore them. To illustrate some of the gaps in our knowledge, we will discuss the connectional network of the ventromedial nucleus and its adjacent cell groups in the hypothalamus; structures that are widely recognized as key elements in the brain’s ability to control glycemia, feeding, and body weight.
Preferences predict food intake from 5 to 11 years, but not in girls with higher weight concerns, dietary restraint, and %body fat.

Food preferences (FP) predict food intake in childhood; however, the predictive power of FP may decline among girls as weight concerns (WC) and dietary restraint (DR) increase during preadolescence. To examine longitudinal change in the preference–intake (P–I) relation and assess whether this relation weakens among non-Hispanic white girls (n = 197) with a history of WC and DR from age 5 to 11. Girls’ preferences for and intake (kcal) of 10 palatable snack foods were assessed biennially. Height, weight, percent body fat (%BF), WC, and DR were measured. Individual correlation coefficients were calculated per girl to capture within-person P–I correlations at each time of measurement. Overall, FP predicted girls’ snack food calorie intakes between 5 and 11 years, but latent profile analysis (LPA) revealed three distinct patterns of change in P–I correlations over time: “strong/stable” P–I correlations were relatively high and became stronger with age; “increasing/later null” P–I correlations were initially weak and became stronger between 5 and 9 years, but dropped to near 0 at 11 years; “initially weak/later strong” P–I correlations were initially null and increased with age. Mixed models revealed that the “increasing/later null” group had greater increases in %BF, and higher WC, DR, and BMI percentiles from 5 to 11 years, compared to the other groups. In summary, FP predicted snack food calorie intake among most girls during childhood, but waned as a predictor of calorie intake at age 11 for a subset of girls with increasing %BF, and higher WC, DR, and BMIs.
The Unique Health Status and Health Care Experiences of Older Asian Americans: Research Findings and Treatment Recommendations

Asian Americans over 65 years of age are among the fastest growing minority groups in the United States. Although the health status of Asian Americans when considered as a group is remarkably good, certain Asian American groups suffer high rates of illness and disability from specific health causes. Older Asian Americans often face unique types of barriers to seeking and receiving care, including language and health literacy obstacles, culture-specific stigma around receipt of health care, challenges with access, and lack of health insurance. Furthermore, the wide spectrum of linguistic and cultural diversity in these groups, as well as the varied immigration experiences of this heterogeneous population, warrants better understanding of their unique health status and health and mental health care needs. Improved clinical care and more detailed epidemiologic research is therefore needed to better define the health status and needs of this diverse, expanding group.
Deep venous insufficiency: The relationship between lysis and subsequent reflux

Abstract Purpose: Although venous valvular insufficiency is well recognized as the most important etiologic mechanism in the development of the postthrombotic syndrome, the factors contributing to valve incompetence after deep venous thrombosis remain obscure. Methods: To establish the relationship between recanalization and valve competence, 113 patients with acute deep venous thrombosis were studied with serial duplex ultrasonography. Results: Median lysis times for segments developing reflux (214 to 474 days) were 2.3 to 7.3 times longer than for corresponding segments not developing reflux (65 to 130 days) for all except the posterior tibial vein. In the posterior tibial vein, median lysis times for those with and without reflux were nearly identical (72 vs 80 days). The median time to onset of reflux was significantly less than the median lysis time in the mid and distal superficial femoral veins and was simultaneous with recanalization in all other segments. Conclusions: Early recanalization is important in preserving valve integrity for all but the posterior tibial segment. However, the small number of patients with reflux despite early lysis ( 9 to 12 months) suggests that other factors may also contribute to the development of valvular incompetence. These factors may be particularly important in the posterior tibial vein, in which lysis time has little relationship to the ultimate development of reflux. (J VASC SURG 1993;18:596-608.)
Hemoglobin and ferritin synthesis in erythroid cells in prolonged marrow cell cultures.

A method is described which maintains viable erythroid cells in tissue culture for periods from nine to twenty days. These cells appear predominantly as small round cells with scanty cytoplasm. They synthesize both heme and globin and are relatively more numerous free in suspension than in the adherent monolayer. Ferritin isomorph may serve as a convenient marker in tissue culture of cells of erythroid origin, suggesting that such cells may persist despite a completely transformed appearance and a loss of the ability to produce hemoglobin.
Parameterized Ray-tracing

The construction and refinement of a computer graphics scene is unacceptably slow when using ray tracing. We introduce a new technique to speed up the generation of successive ray traced images when the geometry of the scene remains constant and only the light source intensities and the surface properties need to be adjusted. When the scene is first ray traced, an expression parameterized in the color of all lights and the surface property coefficients of all objects is calculated and stored for each pixel. Redisplaying a scene with a new set of lights and colors then consists of substituting values for the corresponding parameters and re-evaluating the expressions for the pixels. This parameter updating and redisplay takes only a few seconds, as compared to the many minutes or hours required to ray trace the entire scene again, but it uses much more memory and disk space. With suitable expression sharing, however, these storage needs can be reduced to an acceptable level.
Fabrication of polystyrene latex nanostructures by nanomanipulation and thermal processing

The capability to fabricate nanoscale structures is a fundamental step toward realizing the promise and potential of nanotechnology. We report on precise manipulation and thermal processing using 100-nm polystyrene latex nanoparticles. This approach is illustrated by fabricating a three-dimensional nanostructure by using an AFM tip to position nanoparticles and then thermally processing to “sinter” the particles to form a contiguous, stable structure. We suggest that this is a general approach, but the use of polystyrene latex particles offers an advantage of low-temperature processing. Use of polystyrene latex also extends the range of materials for which we have demonstrated manipulation and suggests applications including fluorescent doping and electrically conducting polymers.
Synthesis of New Lipid-Inspired Ionic Liquids by Thiol-ene Chemistry: Profound Solvent Effect on Reaction Pathway

The synthesis of a series of new lipid-inspired ionic liquids through thiol-ene "click" reaction with a single-step process. This synthesis offers considerable promise as an efficient and orthogonal method to construct structurally diverse imidazolium-type ionic liquids with linear and branched cationic tails, as well as versatility in the placement of the sulfur heteroatom. Profound solvent effect in this ene reaction regioselectivity has been observed.
The Limits of Sympathy: The United States and the Independence of Spanish America

Sir, is there to be no limit to our benevolence for these People? There is a point, beyond which, even parental bounty and natural affection cease to impose an obligation. That point has been attained with the States of Spanish America.1Of course there was sympathy for the Spanish American rebels in the United States. How could it have been otherwise? The rebels were fighting Spain, long an object of hatred and contempt. This alone justified goodwill, as did the hope for increased trade and the prospect of a significant loss of European influence in the hemisphere.2 But how deep did this sympathy run?In the Congressional debates of the period there was much more enthusiasm for the cause of the Greeks than that of the Spanish Americans.3 Similarly, the press referred frequently to private collections of funds (‘liberal donations’) for the Greek fighters – not for the Spanish Americans. This is not surprising. The US public could feel a bond with the Greeks – ‘it will become even quite fashionable to assist the descendants of those who were the bulwark of light and knowledge in old times, in rescuing themselves from the dominion of a barbarian race'.4 Unlike the Greeks, however, the Spanish Americans were of dubious whiteness. Unlike the Greeks, they hailed not from a race of giants, but – when they were white – from degraded Spanish stock.5 Some US citizens felt for them the kinship of a common struggle against European colonial rule; others agreed with John Quincy Adams: ‘So far as they were contending for independence, I wished well to their cause; but I had seen and yet see no prospect that they would establish free or liberal institutions of government.
A Simple and Accurate Method to Measure Total Gaseous Mercury Concentrations in Unsaturated Soils

The goal of this project was to develop a method to measure the total gaseous mercury (TGM) concentrations in unsaturated soils. Existing methods did not allow for easy replication, were costly, and were more suited for other gases, such as CO2, that do not react with collection surfaces. To overcome these problems, we developed a method that simultaneously collects up to ten soil pore air samples. We used a single mass flow controller, one pump, and two banks of rotameters to draw soil air out of the ground at 25 smL min−1 onto gold-coated quartz traps. Analysis of the gold traps was performed with a Tekran 2500 CVAFS mercury detector. The system was field tested at the Piney Reservoir Ambient Air Monitoring Station in western Maryland. Our system was relatively precise and accurate. For example, replicate TGM concentrations differed by less than 25% and recovery of known amounts of mercury were greater than 95%. Field measurements showed that the maximum soil pore air TGM concentrations, between 3 and 4 ng m−3, occurred at the Oe–A soil horizon interface. At all other depths, the total mercury concentrations were lower than the ambient air concentrations of 1.8 ng m−3. We believe our new method can be used to precisely and accurately measure the TGM concentrations in unsaturated soils at multiple locations simultaneously.
Detection of Cytomegalovirus Drug Resistance Mutations by Next-Generation Sequencing

Antiviral therapy for cytomegalovirus (CMV) plays an important role in the clinical management of solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. However, CMV antiviral therapy can be complicated by drug resistance associated with mutations in the phosphotransferase UL97 and the DNA polymerase UL54. We have developed an amplicon-based high-throughput sequencing strategy for detecting CMV drug resistance mutations in clinical plasma specimens using a microfluidics PCR platform for multiplexed library preparation and a benchtop next-generation sequencing instrument. Plasmid clones of the UL97 and UL54 genes were used to demonstrate the low overall empirical error rate of the assay (0.189%) and to develop a statistical algorithm for identifying authentic low-abundance variants. The ability of the assay to detect resistance mutations was tested with mixes of wild-type and mutant plasmids, as well as clinical CMV isolates and plasma samples that were known to contain mutations that confer resistance. Finally, 48 clinical plasma specimens with a range of viral loads (394 to 2,191,011 copies/ml plasma) were sequenced using multiplexing of up to 24 specimens per run. This led to the identification of seven resistance mutations, three of which were present in <20% of the sequenced population. Thus, this assay offers more sensitive detection of minor variants and a higher multiplexing capacity than current methods for the genotypic detection of CMV drug resistance mutations.
Primary‐Care Physician Compensation

This article reviews existing models of physician compensation and presents information about current compensation patterns for primary-care physicians in the United States. Theories of work motivation are reviewed where they have relevance to the desired outcome of satisfied, productive physicians whose skills and expertise are retained in the workforce. Healthcare reforms that purport to bring accountability for healthcare quality and value—rather than simply volume—bring opportunities to redesign primary-care physician compensation and may allow for new compensation methodologies that increase job satisfaction. Physicians are increasingly shunning the responsibility of private practice and choosing to work as employees of a larger organization, often a hospital. Employers of physicians are seeking compensation models that reward both productivity and value. Mt Sinai J Med 79:490–496, 2012 © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
A model-based ranking of U.S. recessions

A dynamic factor VAR model, estimated by MCMC simulation, is employed to assess the relative severity of post-war U.S. recessions. Joint modeling and estimation of all model unknowns yields rank estimates that fully account for parameter uncertainty. A convenient by-product of the simulation approach is a probability distribution of possible recession ranks that (i) accommodates uncertainty about the exact location of troughs, and (ii) can be used to resolve any potential inconsistencies or ties in the rank estimates. These features distinguish the approach from single-variable measures of downturns that ignore the co-movement and dynamic dependence and could lead to contradictory conclusions about timing and relative severity.
Intra-articular corticosteroid injection for the treatment of idiopathic adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder.

Treatment for idiopathic adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder of the shoulder is controversial. The hypothesis of the study is that intra-articular corticosteroid injection in the early stages of idiopathic adhesive capsulitis will lead to a razpid resolution of stiffness and symptoms. This is a retrospective cohort study of only patients with stage 1 or stage 2 adhesive capsulitis. The diagnosis was made by history and physical examination and only when other causes of pain and motion loss were eliminated. Stage 1 adhesive capsulitis was defined as significant improvement in pain and normalization of motion following intra-articular injection. Stage 2 included patients who had significant improvement in pain and partial improvement in motion following injection. Seven patients with stage 1 and 53 patients with stage 2 comprised the baseline cohort. The mean age was 52 years (range: 30 to 78); 46 patients were female and nine patients had diabetes mellitus. Patients completed a physical examination as well as a shoulder rating questionnaire for symptoms and disability. Criteria for resolution were defined as forward flexion and external rotation to within 15° of the contralateral side and internal rotation to within three spinal levels of the contralateral side. Forty-four of the patients out of 60 met the criteria for recovery at a mean of 6.7 months. The mode and median time to recovery was 3 months. The mean score at final follow-up for 41 patients using the shoulder-rating questionnaire of L’Insalata was 90 (range 52–100). The mean time to recovery for the stage 1 patients was 6 weeks (range: 2 weeks to 3 months), and it was 7 months for stage 2 patients (range: 2 weeks to 2 years). Glenohumeral corticosteroid injection for early adhesive capsulitis may have allowed patients to recover motion at a median time of 3 months. In many cases, the patients had improvement prior to the 3-month mark; however, that was the routine time for follow-up. Patients with stage 1 disease tended to resolve more rapidly than stage 2 patients. Prompt recognition of stage 1 and stage 2 idiopathic adhesive capsulitis and early injection of corticosteroid with local anesthesia may be both diagnostic and therapeutic.
Inducing a General Conservation of Liquid Quantity Concept in Young Children: Use of a Basic Rule and Feedback:

5-yr.-olds were taught the conservation of liquid quantity problem and 2 logically complementary nonconservation problems through a combination of feedback and basic 1-sentence rules. Posttest data obtained 3 days after training by a “blind” research assistant showed that Ss who mastered any one of the liquid quantity problems rended to master both of the other 2 as well. In addition, a limited amount of generalization from the liquid quantity problem to untrained-for conservation of solid quantity problems was found. The pattern of results suggested that Ss in the experimental group learned a strategy of attending to operations and connecting them with their consequences.
Altered T Cell Receptor Ligands Trigger a Subset of Early T Cell Signals

TCR ligands are complexes of peptides and MHC proteins on the surfaces of APCs. Some of these ligands cause T cell proliferation (agonists), while others block it (antagonists). We compared the acid release, calcium flux, and proliferation response of helper T cells to a variety of ligands. We found that all agonist ligands but not most antagonist ligands trigger acid release, a general indicator of early cellular activation. Only a subset of ligands triggering acid release cause sustained calcium flux, and only a subset of these ligands cause T cell proliferation. Antagonist ligands and anti-CD4 antibodies both effectively block T cell proliferation. However, significantly greater antagonist ligand or antibody concentrations are required to block acid release and initial calcium influx. These data demonstrate a hierarchy of early T cell signaling steps and show that altered TCR ligands can initiate some steps while blocking the completion of others.
Family History of Type 2 Diabetes Is Associated With Increased Carotid Artery Intimal-Medial Thickness in Mexican Americans

OBJECTIVE — To evaluate whether the joint risk of diabetes and atherosclerosis tracked within families, we assessed the correlation between a family history of diabetes and intimalmedial thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery (CCA). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS — Study subjects included 620 nondiabetic individuals from 24 families enrolled in the San Antonio Family Heart Study. The thickness of the far walls of the CCA was measured by B-mode ultrasonography. Statistical analyses included familial correlations to account for the nonindependence of family data. RESULTS — After adjusting for sex, age, and IMT reader effects, the heritability of IMT in this population was 16% (P 0.009). Using a more comprehensive family history score that accounted for diabetes status of the individual’s parents and older siblings, we observed a significant correlation between family history score and increased CCA IMT (0.006 mm increase in CCA IMT for every point increase of diabetes family history score, P 0.016). This association remained even after further adjustment for BMI, smoking, and fasting insulin and glucose levels. After adjusting for several cardiovascular risk factors, the mean CCA IMT in those with high family history scores for diabetes was still 0.037 mm thicker than those with low family history scores for diabetes (P 0.040). CONCLUSIONS — These results suggest that the genetic contribution to CCA IMT variability is modest. Also, the small increase in subclinical atherosclerosis observed even among nondiabetic Mexican Americans with a positive family history of diabetes is probably transmitted along with the risk of diabetes through shared etiologic risk factors between diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Development and validation of a sensitive ELISA for quantitation of Grastim (rhG-CSF) in rat plasma: Application to a pharmacokinetic study.

Grastim® is bacterially produced recombinant counterpart of human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). It has biological activity similar to that of endogenous G-CSF. In the present work a sensitive, accurate, precise and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the quantitation of G-CSF in rat plasma was developed and validated. The ELISA method employed a technique in which anti-human-G-CSF was adsorbed onto 96-well maxisorp plates and used to capture the G-CSF in rat plasma samples. The captured G-CSF was then detected using streptavidin-HRP amplification system. Absolute recovery was >90% from rat plasma. The validation includes assessments of method accuracy and precision, range of reliable response, lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ), storage stability (30 days) in rat plasma and assay specificity. The standard curve for G-CSF was linear (R2 > 0.996) in the concentration range 4.88–625 pg/mL. The LLOQ was established at 4.88 pg/mL. The inter- and intra-day precisions in the measurement of quality control (QC) samples, 15, 250 and 500 pg/mL, were in the range 3.00–8.66% relative standard deviation (RSD) and 1.03–4.69% RSD, respectively. Accuracy in the measurement of QC samples was in the range 87.28–110.79% of the nominal values. The assay shows dilutional linearity and specificity. Stability of G-CSF was established for 30 days at −80°C and through three freeze–thaw cycles. The validated assay was successfully employed for the assessment of pharmacokinetic disposition of G-CSF in rats. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Building an Effective Social Media Strategy for Science Programs

Social media has emerged as a popular mode of communication, with more than 73% of the teenage and adult population in the United States using it on a regular basis [Lenhart et al., 2010]. Young people in particular (ages 12–29) are deeply involved in the rapidly evolving social media environment and have an expectation of communication through these media. This engagement creates a valuable opportunity for scientific organizations and programs to use the wide reach, functionality, and informal environment of social media to create brand recognition, establish trust with users, and disseminate scientific information.
Initial Processing of Human Proenkephalin in Bovine Chromaffin Cells

The opioid peptide precursor preproenkephalin (PPE) contains seven enkephalin sequences and is synthesized by epinephrine-producing adrenal chromaffin cells and various peripheral and central neurons. After removal of its signal peptide, PPE undergoes processing at dibasic amino acid sites to yield its final opioid products-Met-enkephalin, Leu-enkephalin, and various larger, enkephalin-containing peptides. Processing of PPE was examined in bovine chromaffin cells using a plasmid containing the human PPE (hPPE) cDNA under the control of the cytomegalovirus immediate early enhancer/promoter. Following transfection of this hPPE-containing plasmid into bovine chromaffin cells, several proenkephalin-immunoreactive bands were observed on western blots with monoclonal antibodies that recognize human, but not bovine, proenkephalin sequences. The pattern of hPPE-derived peptides observed was similar to that of bovine PPE processing products. A series of recombinant plasmids containing mutations in the hPPE sequence at putative processing sites was then constructed. Conversion of Lys-Lys and Lys-Arg sequences to Lys-Gln and of Arg-Arg to Arg-Gln altered initial hPPE processing at only three of the putative processing sites. When hPPE cDNA containing mutations at all of these initially processed sites was expressed, one or more alternative processing sites were revealed. These data suggest the importance of structural features in addition to the dibasic sequences that limit the processing of proenkephalin.
Development of companion diagnostics

The goal of individualized and targeted treatment and precision medicine requires the assessment of potential therapeutic targets to direct treatment selection. The biomarkers used to direct precision medicine, often termed companion diagnostics, for highly targeted drugs have thus far been almost entirely based on in vitro assay of biopsy material. Molecular imaging companion diagnostics offer a number of features complementary to those from in vitro assay, including the ability to measure the heterogeneity of each patient's cancer across the entire disease burden and to measure early changes in response to treatment. We discuss the use of molecular imaging methods as companion diagnostics for cancer therapy with the goal of predicting response to targeted therapy and measuring early (pharmacodynamic) response as an indication of whether the treatment has "hit" the target. We also discuss considerations for probe development for molecular imaging companion diagnostics, including both small-molecule probes and larger molecules such as labeled antibodies and related constructs. We then describe two examples where both predictive and pharmacodynamic molecular imaging markers have been tested in humans: endocrine therapy for breast cancer and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2-targeted therapy. The review closes with a summary of the items needed to move molecular imaging companion diagnostics from early studies into multicenter trials and into the clinic.
Past and recent BBB studies with particular emphasis on changes in ischemic brain edema: dedicated to the memory of Dr. Igor Klatzo.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) functions to protect the environment of the brain through endothelial cells and their interactions with other cells and components of the cerebral vasculature and the brain parenchyma. Alterations in the BBB as a result of injuries (i.e., brain ischemia and traumatic brain injury) play a crucial role in the pathophysiological response.
Sing-a-ring: a custom ring tone creation system for mobile platforms

Custom ring tones for cellular phones have become extremely popular over the past several years, allowing users to customize their mobile computing experience, expressing their personality or enjoying their favorite tune. In the ring tone selection process, a user generally searches or browses for a ring tone by title in one of several ring tone databases and then purchases his selection. Research into query-by-humming systems may eventually enable users to select a song by singing a segment of it. This project, Sing-a-Ring, extends the user ring tone experience by allowing users to create their own ring tones by singing. Unlike current options to record a sound file and set that as a ring tone directly, this application uses an autocorrelation algorithm to convert the recorded sample to a MIDI file and then provides customization options, such as instrument and tempo selectors. This application is implemented on the JavaTM 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME), and has been tested on a Motorola RAZR V3i phone. For the current implementation, due to format conversion issues, recordings must be created on a computer and then transferred to the phone. Nevertheless, the current application is a proof of concept with great potential, especially if access to AMR decoding libraries and the digital signal processing chip is available.
Machine Intelligence: The Neuroscience of Chordal Semantics and Its Association with Emotion Constructs and Social Demographics

We present an extension to knowledge discovery in Music Information Retrieval (MIR) databases and the emotional indices associated with (i) various scalar theory, and (ii) correlative behavioral demographics. Certain societal demographics are set in their ways as to how they dress, behave in society, solve problems and deal with anger and other emotional states. It is also well documented that particular musical scales evoke particular states of emotion and personalities of their own. This paper extends the work that Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD) and Rough Set Theory has opened in terms of mathematically linking music scalar theory to emotions. We now, extend the paradigm by associating emotions, based from music, to societal demographics and how strong these relationships to music are as to affect, if at all, how one may dress, behave in society, solve problems and deal with anger and other emotional states.