cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimates of sensitivity and specificity can be biased when reporting the results of the second test in a screening trial conducted in series

Cancer screening reduces cancer mortality when early detection allows successful treatment of otherwise fatal disease. There are a variety of trial designs used to find the best screening test. In a series screening trial design, the decision to conduct the second test is based on the results of the first test. Thus, the estimates of diagnostic accuracy for the second test are conditional, and may differ from unconditional estimates. The problem is further complicated when some cases are misclassified as non-cases due to incomplete disease status ascertainment. For a series design, we assume that the second screening test is conducted only if the first test had negative results. We derive formulae for the conditional sensitivity and specificity of the second test in the presence of differential verification bias. For comparison, we also derive formulae for the sensitivity and specificity for a single test design, both with and without differential verification bias. Both the series design and differential verification bias have strong effects on estimates of sensitivity and specificity. In both the single test and series designs, differential verification bias inflates estimates of sensitivity and specificity. In general, for the series design, the inflation is smaller than that observed for a single test design. The degree of bias depends on disease prevalence, the proportion of misclassified cases, and on the correlation between the test results for cases. As disease prevalence increases, the observed conditional sensitivity is unaffected. However, there is an increasing upward bias in observed conditional specificity. As the proportion of correctly classified cases increases, the upward bias in observed conditional sensitivity and specificity decreases. As the agreement between the two screening tests becomes stronger, the upward bias in observed conditional sensitivity decreases, while the specificity bias increases. In a series design, estimates of sensitivity and specificity for the second test are conditional estimates. These estimates must always be described in context of the design of the trial, and the study population, to prevent misleading comparisons. In addition, these estimates may be biased by incomplete disease status ascertainment.
Multisensory data exploitation using advanced image fusion and adaptive colorization

Multisensory data usually present complimentary information such as visual-band imagery and infrared imagery. There is strong evidence that the fused multisensor imagery increases the reliability of interpretation, and the colorized multisensor imagery improves observer performance and reaction times. In this paper, we propose an optimized joint approach of image fusion and colorization in order to synthesize and enhance multisensor imagery such that the resulting imagery can be automatically analyzed by computers (for target recognition) and easily interpreted by human users (for visual analysis). The proposed joint approach provides two sets of synthesized images, a fused image in grayscale and a colorized image in color using a fusion procedure and a colorization procedure, respectively. The proposed image fusion procedure is based on the advanced discrete wavelet (aDWT) transform. The fused image quality (IQ) can be further optimized with respect to an IQ metric by implementing an iterative aDWT procedure. On the other hand, the daylight coloring technique renders the multisensor imagery with natural colors, which human users are use to observing in everyday life. We hereby propose to locally colorize the multisensor imagery segment by mapping the color statistics of the multisensor imagery to that of the daylight images, with which the colorized images resemble daylight pictures. This local coloring procedure also involves histogram analysis, image segmentation, and pattern recognition. The joint fusion and colorization approach can be performed automatically and adaptively regardless of the image contents. Experimental results with multisensor imagery showed that the fused image is informative and clear, and the colored image appears realistic and natural. We anticipate that this optimized joint approach for multisensor imagery will help improve target recognition and visual analysis.
Public-academic linkages for culturally sensitive community mental health.

This paper traces the sixteen year history of a unique community mental health center which has combined academic and service provider roles in delivery of culturally appropriate care. Initially an arm of a department of psychiatry and derived from an anthropological research project, the center model was based on seven teams serving discrete ethnic communities, with subsequent development of a network of neighborhood-based “mini-clinics” as well as centralized aftercare facilities. The team staff-social scientists, clinicians, and paraprofessionals all of matching ethnicity to the populations served-became a core of “culture brokers” with a service, teaching, and research role at the interface of the university, medical center, and community. Subsequently the university was funded for a cross-cultural training institute for mental health professionals. Center staff extended training in culturally appropriate care to 174 mental health professionals from 97 facilities throughout the nation, as well as other spinoffs improving cultural expertise of staff in public sector agencies. Data on effectiveness of services and training are given and significant findings are discussed. The description includes the impact of historical shifts in funding, the effects of external events on community mental health center structure, and the current state of cross-cultural training and public-academic linkages in this particular program.
The cult of cute: the challenge of user experience design

User-interface design is seeking to extend its concerns beyond usability to usefulness and appeal, especially to pleasurable user experience. It is worth cautioning designers about easy solutions that appeal to fast tracks to pleasure. The emphasis on cuteness in visual communication, product design, and branding is a lesson to be learned.
Effect of induced spatial incoherence on flow induced laser beam deflection: Analytic theory

Analytic results are presented for the laser beam deflection rate in the case of spatial and temporal smoothing by induced spatial incoherence (ISI). It is shown that for flow perpendicular to the beam propagation direction with Mach number M, temporal smoothing decreases the beam deflection rate for M>1, but may increase it for M<1 and weak acoustic wave damping.
Invariant integrals for thermo-viscoelasticity and applications

Abstract Invariant integrals are derived for coupled time dependent thermoviscoelastic solids with spatially varying moduli. These integrals are used to obtain crack tip stress and displacement fields for certain special strip problems where constant temperatures and displacements are applied to the strip sides. The steady thermoelastic equations can be viewed as a limit of the time dependent coupled equations and hence the above formulations can be used to obtain results. However, no direct formulation with the desired properties seems possible for the steady equations. Hence, to obtain results for steady thermoelastic problems we derive a variational principle and invariant integrals for a “pseudo” set of thermoelastic equations which can be shown to reduce to the well known equations in an appropriate limit. Applications of these new integrals are discussed.
Managing depression in Parkinson’s patients: risk factors and clinical pearls

SUMMARY Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that is on the rise as the world’s population ages. As our understanding of the disease increases, depression has emerged as a common syndrome in this population that significantly reduces quality of life, making its understanding, recognition and treatment an important area of focus for clinicians and researchers alike. It is hypothesized that depression is a consequence of the disease process itself, sometimes developing prior to the onset of motor symptoms. Many of the diagnostic tools and treatments for depression have not been fully evaluated in the PD population. However, several traditional diagnostic interviews and depression rating scales have been used in recent clinical trials. These study results suggest that some of the currently available antidepressant medications may be effective and well tolerated in this population. This paper reviews our understanding of depression in PD as well as the current recommendations for its dia...
Technology training for older adults

The focus of this paper will be on the importance of providing age-specific training for the use of computer technology. Evidence suggests that age-related cognitive, perceptual, and motor declines may necessitate the need for training that is designed to compensate for these deficits. Moreover, evidence suggests that agist stereotypes that older adults lack interest in new technologies are not well-supported. Many older individuals, especially the healthy and well-educated are very interested in using new technologies, provided they receive adequate training.
Predictors of Subacute Stent Thrombosis Results of a Systematic Intravascular Ultrasound Study

Background— Factors leading to subacute stent thrombosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have not been well established. We assessed the pre- and post-PCI intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) characteristics of subacute stent thrombosis. Methods and Results— We analyzed 7484 consecutive patients without acute myocardial infarction who were treated with PCI and stenting and underwent IVUS imaging during the intervention. Twenty-seven (0.4%) had angiographically documented subacute closure <1 week after PCI (median time to subacute closure, 24 hours). Subacute closure lesions were compared with a control group (selected to be 3 times the abrupt closer group) matched by procedure date (within 6 months), age, gender, stable or unstable angina, lesion location, and additional treatment (balloon angioplasty or atherectomy). Postintervention IVUS did not identify a cause in 22% and did identify at least 1 cause for abrupt closure in 78% of patients (versus 33% in matched lesions, P=0.0002). In 48% of t...
Characterization of the Binding of Recombinant Mouse Sperm Fertilin α Subunit to Mouse Eggs: Evidence for Function as a Cell Adhesion Molecule in Sperm-Egg Binding

Fertilin (previously known as PH-30) is a sperm protein that is a candidate molecule for mediating the binding and fusion of the sperm and egg plasma membranes. Fertilin is a heterodimer, with a beta subunit that has a region of homology to the disintegrin family of integrin ligands and an alpha subunit that has a region of homology to viral fusion peptides. It has been hypothesized that fertilin beta and alpha subunits mediate the interactions between sperm and egg plasma membranes, namely, binding and fusion, respectively. To address this hypothesis and to examine specifically the role of fertilin alpha in fertilization, we have expressed the predicted extracellular domain of mouse fertilin alpha as a bacterial fusion protein with maltose-binding protein. This fusion protein (hereafter referred to as recombinant fertilin alpha-EC) binds to the microvillar region of zona pellucida (ZP)-free eggs, the region of the membrane to which sperm bind. This binding is reduced in the absence of divalent cations and is supported by Ca2+, Mg2+, or Mn2+. Eggs that have been treated with chymotrypsin bind less recombinant fertilin alpha-EC than do untreated eggs, suggesting that a chymotrypsin-sensitive binding site for recombinant fertilin alpha-EC is present on egg surfaces. Binding to eggs is also affected by the method used to remove the ZP. Finally, recombinant fertilin alpha-EC inhibits the binding of sperm to eggs during in vitro fertilization of ZP-free eggs. These data are the first evidence to suggest that fertilin alpha can function as a cell adhesion molecule during fertilization, mediating the binding of sperm and egg plasma membranes.
Lipid content in hepatic and gonadal adipose tissue parallel aortic cholesterol accumulation in mice fed diets with different omega-6 PUFA to EPA plus DHA ratios

summary Background & aims: Diets with low omega (u)-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) ratios have been shown to decrease aortic cholesterol accumulation and have been suggested to promote weight loss. The involvement of the liver and gonadal adipose tissue (GAT) in mediating these effects is not well understood. LDL receptor null mice were used to assess the effect of an atherogenic diet with different u-6:EPAþDHA ratios on weight gain, hepatic and GAT lipid accumulation, and their relationship to atherosclerosis.
Defect/surface interactions in heat-treated ceramic thin films

The use of transmission electron microscopy to study the interaction of lattice defects with surfaces of heat-treated ceramic materials is discussed. The approach used throughout the work described has been to prepare a thinned sample in a form suitable for imaging in the electron microscope and then to remove all preparation-induced damage by heat-treating the thinned sample. Applications of the technique to the movement and pinning of individual surface steps in alumina and the grooving of antiphase boundaries in silicon carbide are illustrated.
Envelope analysis of intense laser pulse self-modulation in plasmas.

An envelope equation describing laser pulse self-focusing and optical guiding in plasmas is derived and is used to analyze self-modulation. Included is the plasma wave generated by the pulse front, which leads to periodic focusing, radial energy transport, and laser envelope modulation. The onset criterion and growth rates are calculated and compared to simulations using the envelope equation and a nonlinear fluid code. For a long square pulse, onset of strong self-modulation occurs at one-half the power needed for optical guiding.
Water diffusion into a silica glass optical fiber

Abstract The diffusion coefficient and solubility of water in silica glass optical fiber cladding were measured in the temperature range of 600–800 °C and were compared with the corresponding values of bulk silica glasses. It was found that the diffusion coefficient was slightly lower and the solubility was appreciably higher in optical fiber, especially at low temperatures, compared with those in bulk silica glasses. The observed trend was consistent with the expected effect of fictive temperature.
Three-Dimensional Equilibria and Stability of Nonlinear Curved Beams Using Intrinsic Equations and Shooting

This article describes a shooting method that provides numerical solutions to static equilibrium equations for intrinsically curved beams in three-dimensions. Notably, the method avoids iteration for cantilever beams subjected to distributed or point follower loads. This is due to the governing equations being given in first-order form such that the specification of a single boundary condition on the forced end results in automatic satisfaction of the fixed boundary condition. Also documented is a general procedure for finding all solutions to static beam problems with conservative loading. This is particularly useful in beam buckling problems where multiple stable and unstable solutions exist. The procedure for finding all solutions is built around the Picard-Lindelof theorem on the uniqueness and existence of solutions to initial value problems. Using the presented approach, three-dimensional equilibrium solutions are generated for many loading cases and boundary conditions, including a three-dimensional helical beam, and are compared to similar solutions available in the literature. The stability of the generated solutions is assessed using a dynamic finite element code based on the same intrinsic beam equations. Due to the absent need for iteration, the presented approach may find application in model-based control for practical problems such as the control of equipment utilized in endoscopic surgeries and the control of spacecraft with robotic arms and long cables.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Embryonic development period and the prevalence of avian blood parasites.

Abstract Variation in prevalence of avian hematozoa is related to taxonomic affiliation at the level of the family or subfamily but not of the genus within families. Prevalence is comparatively insensitive to the influences of habitat and season; however, temperate species have higher incidences of infection than tropical species belonging to the same families. Among taxa of nonraptorial altricial landbirds, hematozoan prevalence is inversely related to the length of the incubation period but shows little relationship to body size and rate of postnatal development. This finding suggests a possible link between the duration of embryonic development and the ability to resist or control infection, possibly due to maturational processes in the avian immune system.
Bayesian approach to potency estimation for aquatic toxicology experiments when a toxicant affects both fecundity and survival.

Chemicals in aquatic systems may impact a variety of endpoints including mortality, growth, or reproduction. Clearly, growth or reproduction will only be observed in organisms that survive. Because it is common to observe mortality in studies focusing on the reproduction of organisms, especially in higher concentration conditions, the resulting observed numbers of young become a mixture of zeroes and positive counts. Zeroes are recorded for organisms that die before having any young and living organisms with no offspring. Positive counts are recorded for living organisms with offspring. Thus, responses reflect both fecundity and mortality of the organisms used in such tests. In the present study, the authors propose the estimation of the concentration associated with a specified level of reproductive inhibition (RIp) using a Bayesian zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression model. This approach allows any prior information and expert knowledge about the model parameters to be incorporated into the regression coefficients or RIp estimation. Simulation studies are conducted to compare the Bayesian ZIP regression model and classical methods. The Bayesian estimator outperforms the frequentist alternative by producing more precise point estimates with smaller mean square differences between RIp estimates and true values, narrower interval estimates with better coverage probabilities. The authors also applied their proposed model to a study of Ceriodaphnia dubia exposed to a test toxicant. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 1920–1930. © 2012 SETAC
Separation of yeast asparagine-linked oligosaccharides by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography

Oligosaccharides obtained from Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannoproteins by digestion with endo-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase H were fractionated by anion-exchange chromatography, by elution with 50-100mM NaOH without or with a sodium-acetate gradient, and detected with a pulsed amperometric detector (PAD). The elution times of homologous oligosaccharides fell on a straight line having a slope characteristic of the structural type. The response of the PAD detector per mole of oligosaccharide increased about 2-fold going from Man3GlcNAc to Man13GlcNAc, and appeared to depend primarily on the oxidation of the reducing-end N-acetylglucosamine unit common to all the oligosaccharides. The digestion of a Man10GlcNAc with jack-bean alpha-mannosidase was monitored by injecting portions of the crude reaction mixture, and the intermediates were characterized by their elution positions and n.m.r. spectra in the anomeric proton region. One commercial jack-bean alpha-mannosidase preparation contained a novel endolytic activity that released N-acetylglucosamine from the reducing ends of the oligosaccharides and was shown to convert P----6 alpha Man----6 alpha Man----6 beta Man----4 alpha beta GlcNAc to P----6 alpha Man----6 alpha Man----6 alpha beta Man plus free N-acetylglucosamine. Another commercial jack-bean alpha-mannosidase converted the Man10GlcNAc to a Man3GlcNAc having the structure alpha Man----6 beta Man----4 alpha beta GlcNAc, [formula: see text] whereas the Oerskovia sp. alpha-mannosidase converted the same oligosaccharide to a Man4GlcNAc having the structure alpha Man----6 alpha Man----6 beta Man----4 alpha beta GlcNAc. [formula: see text]
Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from small and medium-sized Kansas mammals

Seven species of hard-bodied ticks were collected from 20 species of small and medium-sized mammals in Kansas; Amblyomma americanum L., Dermacentor variabilis (Say), Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (Packard), Ixodes cookei Packard, I. kingi Bishopp, I. sculptus Neumann, and I. texanus Banks. Dermacentor variabilis was found statewide, A. americanum only in the eastern one-third of the state, and the Ixodes spp. and H. leporispalustris were widely scattered. The most common tick found was D. variabilis, both by itself and in association with other ticks. Mammals that ticks were collected from included Canis latrans Say, Cynomys ludovicianus ludovicianus (Ord), Didelphis virginianus Kerr, Geomys bursarius (Shaw), Lynx rufus (Schreber), Marmota monax bunkeri Black, Mephitis mephitis (Schreber), Microtus ochrogaster (Wagner), Mus musculus L., Peromyscus leucopus (Rafinesque), P. maniculatus (Wagner), Procyon lotor hirtus Nelson and Goldman, Reithrodontomys megalotis (Baird), Sciurus niger rufiventer Geoffroy, Sigmodon hispidus texianus (Audubon and Bachman), Sylvilagus floridanus (J. A. Allen), Taxidea taxus taxus (Schreber), and Vulpes velox velox (Say).
Streamer-Like Electrical Discharges in Water: Part II. Environmental Applications

Plasmas formed in aqueous solutions dissociate water into highly oxidative and reductive radicals which can induce chemical changes in compounds present in the bulk liquid. As a result, electrical discharge plasmas have acquired significant importance in drinking and wastewater treatment. Part II of this manuscript reviews the chemistry of electrical discharges in liquid water and the chemical effects of plasmas on the degradation of organic molecules. Due to a wide range of work done with plasmas in water, this review is limited to streamer-like electrical discharges directly in water excluding the discharges with gases bubbling through the plasma zone and the presence of additives. The goal was to summarize and present major findings on the fundamental mechanisms related to the production of radicals in the plasma as well as to describe chemical pathways for the degradation of different groups of molecules.
Effects of age and gender on the AII-induced stimulation of prolactin release and inositol phosphate accumulation in rat anterior pituitary cells in vitro.

Abstract The stimulatory effects of Angiotensin II (AII) on prolactin secretion and inositol phosphate accumulation were examined in dispersed anterior pituitary cells collected from young (3–4 month), mature (7–8 month) and old (18–20 month) male and female rats. Physiological doses of AII (0.01–10 nM) stimulated prolactin release from cells collected from mature female rats only. This effect was antagonized by pretreatment with Saralasin, an AII receptor antagonist. Significant accumulation of the inositol phosphates was observed in cells obtained from the mature, female donors and this increase preceded the prolactin response. Although there was a small increase in total inositol phosphate accumulation in cells obtained from the old female rats, this was transient and did not coincide with a similar increase in prolactin release. These results indicate that pituitary sensitivity to AII stimulation is related to the age and the gender of the donor animal. The physiological role of pituitary AII needs to be examined in sexually mature female animals.
Abstract B112: Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and leukocyte telomere length in women

Telomeres are repetitive DNA-protein complexes that protect the ends of linear chromosomes and maintain genomic stability. They undergo erosion with each cycle of cell division, and oxidative stress and inflammation accelerate this shortening. Critically short telomeres may lead to several processes implicated in carcinogenesis, including chromosomal degradation, end-to-end fusion, and atypical recombination. Telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) is a potential indicator of cellular aging and shortened leukocyte telomere length (LTL) has been linked to an increased risk of various cancer types, such as bladder, lung, and renal-cell. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of developing many cancers, and studies have observed lower levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in regularly active individuals. However, few population-based studies have examined the relation between physical activity and LTL, and none has addressed sedentary behavior. In addition, information is scarce on the role of exercise intensity and type in this relation. The authors therefore examined cross-sectionally the association between physical activity, sedentary behavior, and LTL among 7,813 women ages 43–70 in the Nurses9 Health Study. Participants self-reported activity by questionnaire in 1988 and 1992, and sedentary behavior in 1992. Telomere length in PBLs, collected in 1989–1990, was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Least squares mean telomere length ( z -score) was calculated after adjustment for age and other potential confounders. Total activity was positively associated with LTL. Compared with the least active women, those moderately or highly active had a 0.07 standard deviation (SD) increase in LTL ( p -trend=0.02), a difference corresponding on average to 4.4 years of aging. Greater moderate-or vigorous-intensity activity was also associated with increased LTL; women who exercised 2–4 hours per week, an amount corresponding to current US guidelines, had the longest telomeres (0.11 SD increase for 2–4 vs. p -trend=0.02). Among the individual activities, greater calisthenics or aerobics was associated with longer telomeres (0.10 SD increase for >2.5 vs. 0 hours/week; p -trend=0.04). Associations remained after additionally adjusting for body mass index. Time spent on other activities and time spent sitting were unassociated with LTL. Although associations were modest, these findings suggest that even moderate amounts of activity may be associated with longer telomeres, providing insight into the understanding of how exercise may influence cancer risk on the cellular level. These findings warrant further investigation in large prospective studies. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):B112.
Outcome of children with near drowning requiring treatment in PICU

A number of near drowned children needed admission to a PICU due to the severity of their condition. The aim of this review is to illustrate the epidemiology, the clinical features, the management and the outcome of near drowned children admitted to our PICU. For this purpose, we reviewed the charts of near drowned children admitted to our unit during the last 11 years. The study population consisted of 11 children (7 boys and 4 girls) aged 2.5–12.5 years (mean age 7.2 years, SD4,1, SE1.3). At the same period a five-fold number of near drowned children were hospitalized in pediatric wards. The submersion site, among our patients, was sea in 6 cases, a swimming pool in 3, a pond in 2 cases. Ten children were transferred from district hospitals where they had initially received advanced life support. 6/10 children were transferred intubated. 4/10 children were in cardiac arrest after the accident, 3/4 had been given basic life support at the accident site and subsequently 2 of them were intubated on their arrival at the nearest district hospital. 1/4 was intubated in the nearest hospital where he was transferred with brain death without having received appropriate basic life support for about 30 min. 2/3 children who initially were apnoeic and comatose, required intubation. The remaining 4 children had respiratory distress and irregular respiration but only one needed intubation. 8/11 patients have clinical and roentgenographic features of pulmonary oedema. The intubated children remained on mechanical ventilation from 12–36 h. Convulsions occurred in 3 children. In 1/11 patients there were signs of high intracranial pressure with good response to mannitol administration. 10/11 patients survived and discharged from hospital after 3–6 days of hospitalization overall. The patient who was admitted with brain death, never recovered. All survived children had no neurological sequalae on their follow up 2–5 years later. Our results emphasize that even the most severe cases of near drowning have a favorable outcome, provided that the victims are given basic life support at the accident site.
Potentiometric determination of successive stability constants of ethylenediamine complexes of several metals in dimethylsulphoxide.

Abstract The stability constants of the complexes of silver(I), zinc(II), cadmium(II) and manganese(II) with ethylenediamine in dimethylsulphoxide at 25° and ionic strength 0.1 M have been determined potentiometrically. The stability constants are consistently larger in DMSO than in water as expected from the difference in dielectric constant for the two solvents.
An analysis of external respiration in man

Abstract An analytical model of the external respiratory system is presented that embodies the important aspects of the previous capillary and gas side studies. The capillary bed is represented by a set of distributed-parameter flow-forced diffusional tubes, while the lungs are divided into two compartments—a dead space and a gas exchange space. Based upon realistic physiological properties, the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide are determined as functions of time and position in the capillary bed, and as functions of time in the dead space and gas exchange regions under both normal and abnormal environmental conditions. The results provide a number of insights into the behavior of the respiratory system and the relative importance of some of the variables that affect it.
Prevention of airway fires: testing the safety of endotracheal tubes and surgical devices in a mechanical model.

Abstract Objectives This study was designed to assess the ability of carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers and radiofrequency ablation devices (Coblator) (ArthoCare Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA) to ignite either a non-reinforced (polyvinylchloride) endotracheal tube (ETT) or an aluminum and fluoroplastic wrapped silicon (“laser safe") ETT at varying titrations of oxygen in a mechanical model of airway surgery. Methods Non-reinforced and laser safe ETTs were suspended in a mechanical model imitating endoscopic airway surgery. A CO2 laser set at 5–30 watts was fired at the ETT at oxygen concentrations ranging from 21% to 88%. The process was repeated using a radiofrequency ablation (RFA) device. All trials were repeated to ensure accuracy. Results The CO2 laser ignited a fire when contacting a non-reinforced ETT in under 2 seconds at oxygen concentrations as low as 44%. The CO2 laser could not ignite a laser safe ETT under any conditions, unless it struck the non-reinforced distal tip of the ETT. With the RFA, a fire could not be ignited with either reinforced or non-reinforced ETTs. Conclusions RFA presents no risk of ignition in simulated airway surgery. CO2 lasers should be utilized with a reinforced ETT or no ETT, as fires can easily ignite when lasers strike a non-reinforced ETT. Decreasing the fraction of inspired oxygen reduces the risk of fire.
A Quorum-Based Self-Stabilizing Distributed Mutual Exclusion Algorithm

In this paper, we present a self-stabilizing quorum-based distributed mutual exclusion algorithm. Our algorithm is designed for an asynchronous message-passing model. The algorithm scales well since it has constant synchronization delay and its message complexity is proportional to the square root of the number of processes in the system. The algorithm tolerates message loss. The algorithm places few assumptions on timeouts needed for its implementation. All this allows for a ready implementation of the algorithm on practical distributed architectures.
E2F mediates developmental and cell cycle regulation of ORC1 in Drosophila

Throughout the cell cycle of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the level of origin recognition complex (ORC) is constant and ORCs are bound constitutively to replication origins. Replication is regulated by the recruitment of additional factors such as CDC6. ORC components are widely conserved, and it generally has been assumed that they are also stable factors bound to origins throughout the cell cycle. In this report, we show that the level of the ORC1 subunit changes dramatically throughout Drosophila development. The accumulation of ORC1 is regulated by E2F-dependent transcription. In embryos, ORC1 accumulates preferentially in proliferating cells. In the eye imaginal disc, ORC1 accumulation is cell cycle regulated, with high levels in late G1 and S phase. In the ovary, the sub-nuclear distribution of ORC1 shifts during a developmentally regulated switch from endoreplication of the entire genome to amplification of the chorion gene clusters. Furthermore, we find that overexpression of ORC1 alters the pattern of DNA synthesis in the eye disc and the ovary. Thus, replication origin activity appears to be governed in part by the level of ORC1 in Drosophila.
Measurement of the Equilibrium Concentration of Lattice Vacancies in Silver near the Melting Point

Relative changes in macroscopic length, $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}L}{L}$, and x-ray lattice parameter, $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}a}{a}$, of a 99.999% silver bar have been measured from 14 to 956\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, using a rigid parallel pair of filar micrometer microscopes and a rotating single-crystal x-ray method. The expansions agree within experimental precision (about 1:${10}^{5}$) at the lower temperatures. At the higher temperatures ($\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}L}{L}\ensuremath{-}\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}a}{a}$) progressively increases, showing that atomic sites are added, corresponding to the thermal generation of vacancy-type defects. The concentration of added sites, $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}N}{N}=3(\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}L}{L}\ensuremath{-}\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}a}{a})$, at the melting point (obtained by a 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} extrapolation) is (1.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$. This value is only $\frac{1}{5.5}$ of the corresponding value previously found for aluminum by the same technique. For reasonable values of the binding energies of vacancy aggregates, it is concluded that more than 90% of these extra sites are present as single vacancies. For an entropy of formation of $(1.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5)k$ an energy of formation for monovacancies of 1.09\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.10 ev is obtained. This formation energy is slightly larger than half the activation energy for self-diffusion, as similar measurements have shown for aluminum, and as quenching experiments have indicated for gold.
Description of the chondrocranium and osteogenesis of the Chacoan burrowing frog, Chacophrys pierotti (Anura: Leptodactylidae).

The larval chondrocranium of the large-headed leptodactylid frog, Chacophrys pierotti (Ceratophryinae), is described in detail. Descriptions include the ontogeny of the chondrocranium and osteogenesis of the cranial skeleton. The chondrocranium of C. pierotti is profoundly different from the chondrocrania previously described for the other genera of the Ceratophryinae (Ceratophrys and Lepidobatrachus). The chondrocranium of Chacophrys is longer than wide and not particularly robust or laterally expanded; that of Ceratophrys is very robust, whereas the chondrocranium of Lepidobatrachus is widely expanded laterally. These differences are particularly apparent in the elements associated with the jaw (i.e., suprarostral, infrarostral, Meckel's cartilage, palatoquadrate, cornua trabeculae), which are robust in Ceratophrys and thin and elongate in Lepidobatrachus. Unlike Ceratophrys and Lepidobatrachus, which possess highly specialized carnivorous larva, the chondrocranium of Chacophrys more closely resembles the typical microphagous herbivore morphology characteristic of other leptodactylid frogs for which the chondrocrania are known. These data suggest that Chacophrys is the basal taxon within the monophyletic Ceratophryinae. The ontogeny of the chondrocranium of Chacophrys, as well as the cranial ossification sequence, do not differ greatly from those described for Ceratophrys. Detailed descriptions of the ontogeny of the chondrocranium and the bony skeleton are needed for additional taxa within the Ceratophryinae (especially Lepidobatrachus). Such descriptive ontogenetic studies promise new insight into the phylogeny and morphological evolution of this remarkable group of large-headed frogs.
Incidence pattern and survival for gallbladder cancer over three decades--an analysis of 10301 patients.

Background Little is known about the trends in the incidence, survival, and treatment patterns of gallbladder cancer over the last decade.
Enhanced closed-state inactivation in a mutant Shaker K+ channel.

Many mutations that shift the voltage dependence of activation in Shaker channels cause a parallel shift of inactivation. The I2 mutation (L382I in the Shaker B sequence) is an exception, causing a 45 mV activation shift with only a 9 mV shift of inactivation midpoint relative to the wildtype (WT) channel. We compare the behavior of WT and I2 Shaker 29-4 channels in macropatch recordings from Xenopus oocytes. The behavior of WT channels can be described by both simple and detailed kinetic models which assume that inactivation proceeds only from the open state. The behavior of I2 channels requires that they inactivate from closed states as well, a property characteristic of voltage-gated sodium channels. A detailed ``multiple-state inactivation'' model is presented that describes both activation and inactivation of I2 channels. The results are consistent with the view that residue L382 is associated with the receptor for the inactivation particles in Shaker channels.
Biaxial flex-fatigue and viral penetration of natural rubber latex gloves before and after artificial aging.

Barrier integrity of unaged and oven-aged (at 70 °C) natural rubber latex examination gloves was assessed with a biaxial flex-fatigue method where failure was detected electronically, and by live viral penetration testing performed according to a modified version of ASTM F1671-97a. When no change in barrier properties was detected during flex testing, no virus passage was found after viral challenge. Conversely, when a change in the barrier properties was indicated by the electrical signal, virus passage was found in 74% of the specimens. Flex-fatigue results indicated that unaged test specimens from powdered (PD) and powder-free (PF) nonchlorinated gloves had significantly longer fatigue lives than powder-free chlorinated (CL) gloves from the same manufacturer. Biaxial flexing of oven-aged glove specimens showed a marginal increase in fatigue life for the PF gloves, but no increase for the PD gloves. The fatigue life of the CL gloves was observed to increase significantly after oven aging. However, this appears to be due to a design feature of the test apparatus, wherein peak volume displacement of the worked specimen is held constant. An aging-induced change in the viscoelastic properties of the CL gloves—permanent deformation of the specimens early in the fatigue test—relieves the stress magnitude applied as the test progresses. Thus, permanent deformation acts as a confounding factor in measuring durability of latex gloves by fixed displacement flex-fatigue. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res (Appl Biomater) 63: 739–745, 2002
Optical properties of ultrathin films: evidence for a dielectric anomaly at the insulator-to-metal transition.

Optical properties of ultrathin layers ($l50\text{ }\AA{}$) of Au and Pb quench condensed on amorphous germanium ($\ensuremath{\alpha}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}\mathrm{G}\mathrm{e}$) have been measured in situ at 10 K. The development of these films from an insulating state to a metallic state is traced as a function of the film thickness as well as the sheet resistance, ${R}_{\ensuremath{\square}}$. Of particular interest is the regime of ${R}_{\ensuremath{\square}}$ near $3000\text{ }\ensuremath{\Omega}$ where there is an anomaly in the optical transmission. This anomaly is due to a singularity in the dielectric function when the system undergoes an electronic percolation or insulator-to-metal ($I/M$) transition.
Targeting Metastatic Melanoma

Metastatic melanoma has historically been one of the most treatment-refractory types of cancer. Recent headway has been made in understanding the genetic underpinnings of this cancer. A subset of oncogenic events is amenable to targeting with drug therapy. BRAF-targeted therapies represent the first major breakthrough in systemic therapy for melanoma leveraging the new genetic knowledge. Ongoing translational research seeks to identify the most scientifically rational combination treatment strategies to build on single-agent targeted therapy.
Inheritance of low temperature emergence in Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum

Data from segregating generations of reciprocal crosses between an early and late emerging cultivar of C. baccatum var. pendulum suggested partial dominance for slow emergence at low temperatures, with additive and dominance gene action responsible for the expression of this trait.
SU-FF-J-125: Thoracic Organ Motion as Assessed by 4D CT: Prone Versus Supine

Purpose: Radiotherapy is sometimes carried out with the patient in prone position. The purpose of this work is to study the changes of respiratory organ motion for patients in prone versus in supine position. Method and Materials: We obtained 4D CT datasets for 15 patients, 5 in prone and 10 in supine position, using a GE LightSpeed 4D CT scanner. Patients in both positions were immobilized by Alpha cradle. Lung movement (the change in lung spatial dimensions between maximum and minimum inspiration) in the superior-inferior (S/I) direction was measured on the 4D CT, as well as in the anterior-posterior (A/P) and left-right (L/R) directions in two transverse CT images near the diaphragm and near T4. We also measured the movement of the anterior chest wall with respect to the table top on the T4 transverse CT image as well as on the transverse image defined by the nipple. Results: Average lung movement changes from supine to prone position were: in 17.8 to 11.5 mm in S/I direction changes, and 1.6 to 0.5 mm in the A/P direction on the T4 image. In the transverse image defined by the nipple, we observed chest wall average movement of 0.1±0.4 mm in prone position versus 1.9±0.4 mm in supine position. Similarly, at the level of T4, the chest wall moved 0.3±0.3 mm in prone setup and 2.0±0.7 mm in supine position. Conclusion: Respiratory organ motions in thorax are generally reduced when patient position is changed from supine to prone. We have found a significant reduction in anterior chest wall movement for the prone position, an advantage of treating breast cancer in the prone position.
Design of beam-modulating devices for charged-particle therapy

The computer modeling program used to design beam-modulating devices for charged-particle therapy at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory has been improved to allow a more realistic description of the beam. The original program used a single calculated Bragg peak to design the spread Bragg peak. The range of this curve was shifted so that Bragg curves of varying ranges could be superimposed. The new version of the program allows several measured Bragg curves with different ranges to be used as input, and interpolates between them to obtain the required data for the superposition calculation. The experimental configuration for measuring these input curves simulated therapy conditions. Seven beam-modulating propellers with spread Bragg-peak widths ranging from 2.2 to 14.4 cm were designed and constructed for a 215-MeV/u helium beam using this new design program. Depth-dose distributions produced by these new propellers were in good agreement with predicted distributions, and these propellers are currently being used clinically.
Effect of Particle Size and Geometry on the Performance of Single-layer and Three-layer Particleboard Made from Sunflower Seed Husks

The effects of particle size and geometry on the physical (density, water absorption, and thickness swelling), thermal, and mechanical (modulus of elasticity, bending strength, internal bond strength, and screw holding strength) properties of single-layer and three-layer particleboards made from sunflower seed husks were investigated. Panels manufactured from particles with various sizes using a urea-formaldehyde adhesive had densities ranging from 535 to 682 kg/m3. The adhesive ratio was at a level of 16% for the single-layer mat configuration; for the three-layer structure, levels of 14% for the core and 16% for the faces were used, based on the weight of particles. The best results occurred in single-layer particleboard made from fine particles, which nearly met the general purpose requirements of the EN 312 Standard. Determination of the thermal conductivity coefficient demonstrated good insulation properties of all panels and their potential use for different structural configurations which are not subjected to strong stresses, suitable for interior design.
Constant-pressure simulation of carbon in the bc8 structure

The recent interest in thin films of diamond and diamondlike carbon provides the stimulus for investigating metastable phases of carbon that might be observed in the growth of such films. In this paper we use an empirical potential suggested by Tersoff to perform constant-pressure molecular-dynamics simulations of carbon in the bc8 structure and observe its transformation to graphite. Our results are consistent with predictions based upon total-energy calculations of the barrier height and transition path between the two structures.
Strategies for the Synthesis of Alkaloids and Novel Nitrogen Heterocycles

Abstract Designing strategies for the efficient synthesis of frameworks found in alkaloids and other biologically active nitrogen heterocycles is an important goal in contemporary organic chemistry. This account presents an overview of our discovery and development of some useful approaches to prepare nitrogen heterocycles that are common to a number of alkaloid families. Our interest in the broad arena of alkaloid synthesis has helped lead to the emergence of the vinylogous Mannich reaction and ring-closing metathesis as strategically powerful bond-forming reactions that can be exploited as key steps in the synthesis of alkaloids and other nitrogen heterocycles of biological interest. Our discovery of the vinylogous Mannich reaction also led to the development of a novel strategy for diversity oriented synthesis that features the creation of highly substituted arylmethyl amine derivatives by multicomponent assembly processes related to the Mannich reaction. These adducts may be rapidly elaborated by ring-closing metathesis and other transition metal catalyzed cyclizations, cycloadditions, and a variety of standard ring-forming reactions to provide a variety of nitrogen heterocyclic scaffolds that may be further derivatized to generate collections of small molecules for biological screening.