cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tourette syndrome and tic disorders: a decade of progress.

ABSTRACT Objective: This is a review of progress made in the understanding of Tourette syndrome (TS) during the past decade including models of pathogenesis, state-of-the-art assessment techniques, and treatment. Method: Computerized literature searches were conducted under the key words "Tourette syndrome," "Tourette disorder," and "tics." Only references from 1996-2006 were included. Results: Studies have documented the natural history of TS and the finding that tics usually improve by the end of the second decade of life. It has also become clear that TS frequently co-occurs with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), obsessive-compulsive disorder, and a range of other mood and anxiety disorders. These comorbid conditions are often the major source of impairment for the affected child. Advances have also been made in understanding the underlying neurobiology of TS using in vivo neuroimaging and neurophysiology techniques. Progress on the genetic front has been less rapid. Proper diagnosis and education (involving the affected child and his or her parents, teachers, and peers) are essential prerequisites to the successful management of children with TS. When necessary, modestly effective antitic medications are available, although intervening to treat the comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder is usually the place to start. Conclusions: Prospective longitudinal studies and randomized clinical trials have led to the refinement of several models of pathogenesis and advanced our evidence base regarding treatment options. However, fully explanatory models are needed that would allow for more accurate prognosis and the development of targeted and efficacious treatments.
Correcting the errors from variable sea salt retention and water of hydration in loss on ignition analysis: Implications for studies of estuarine and coastal waters

The standard technique of determining the concentrations of total suspended solids (TSSs), particulate inorganic matter (PIM), and particulate organic matter (POM) by filtration with glass fiber filters is subject to an error or bias from sea salt plus water of hydration retention, when applied to saline waters. The sea salt plus water of hydration retention by the filters occurs even after washing the filter with 300 ml of deionized water, a greater volume than any wash recommended in the literature. We determined that the mass retention on a glass fiber filter, at a given salinity, is essentially constant, no matter the volume of seawater passed through the filter. We also determined that the sea salt plus water of hydration retention on glass fiber filters is directly proportional to the salinity of the seawater filtered. Sea salt plus water of hydration retention causes an overestimate of TSS; sea salt retention causes an overestimate of PIM; volatilization of water of hydration causes an overestimate of POM. Thus a correction curve is required for sea salt and water of hydration errors in the determination of TSS and PIM. Corrected POM comes from the difference between the two. Also, filter blanks (procedural control filters), run with deionized (DI) water rather than the seawater sample, are required to correct for possible filter mass loss during the analysis. We demonstrate correction curves for sea salt plus water of hydration retention for Whatman GF/F filters, 47 mm diameter, utilizing the methods of the APHA Manual, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. Application of other glass fiber filter types or an analytical technique differing significantly from that employed here requires a different correction curve for retention of sea salt and water of hydration. These methods can be used to reanalyze older data on PIM, POM, and TSS. We apply these corrections to PIM and POM data from the northern Gulf of Mexico and examine the interactions of these filter corrections with corrections for structural water volatilization from suspended clay minerals in the determinations of PIM and POM. We analyze published data on PIM and POM determinations and their application to remote sensing. We conclude that sea salt and water of hydration retention on filters has an adverse effect on remote-sensing algorithms inverting radiance reflectance to estimate concentrations of suspended matter.
Multitechnique determination of elemental concentrations in NBS Urban Air Particulate SRM 1648 and evaluation of its use for quality assurance

Concentrations of forty-one elements were determined in NBS Urban Air Particulate material using neutron activation, atomic absorption, and instrumental combustion methods. The usefulness of this reference material is evaluated as a function of composition, certified value availability, matrix format, and cost.
Characterization of fluid distributions in porous media by NMR techniques

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spin-lattice relaxation measurements are used to investigate pore structures and fluid phase distributions in porous media. A new method for estimating relaxation time distribution functions from measured relaxation data is presented using a B-spline basis to represent the distribution function and Tikhonov regularization to stabilize the estimation problem. Surface relaxivity, which is required to convert relaxation time distributions to pore-size distributions of fluid phase distributions at partial saturations, is determined using pore volume-to-surface-area ratios estimated by NMR diffusion measurements. This approach was validated by analyzing certain model porous media with known pore volume-to-surface-area ratios. The method is demonstrated by determining pore-size and fluid phase distributions of sandstone and carbonate samples, as well as by comparing the pore-size distributions of chalk samples obtained by this methodology with those estimated by mercury porosimetry.
Counting level crossings by a stochastic process

The number of times, N, that a stochastic process has up-crossings of a fixed level within a fixed time interval, T, is investigated. Existing integral formulas for the moments of N for a stationary Gaussian process are shown also to apply to processes that are neither stationary nor Gaussian, and explicit formulas are given for approximating the probability distribution of N from the moment formulas. Particular attention is given to simplified results for the limiting situations of very small and very large values of T, and to the behavior of variance, skewness, and kurtosis of N. For small T, the number N approaches the well-known Poisson distribution, but the results for large T are significantly different. For many stationary processes it is shown that the variance of N tends to grow linearly with T when T is very large, but the large-T growth rate is sometimes much smaller than that of the small-T Poisson process. More detailed results and some numerical examples are presented for the special case of a stationary Gaussian process crossing its own mean value.
NPD project timeliness: The project-level impact of early engineering effort and customer involvement

Few survey-based NPD studies focus methodologically at the project level. In this study we concentrate on the project level and examine two types of acceleration practices in new product development, customer involvement and early engineering effort and the impact of each factor on project timeliness. The data consist of actual accounting information from 62 product development projects at four design centres of a plastic printing corporation. The results suggest that both early engineering effort and customer involvement had a positive effect on project timeliness. In addition, these two factors were found to be negatively correlated such that, for any particular project, one or the other was utilised but rarely both.
An analysis of carbide precipitation in V and Nb during aging and ion bombardment

Abstract Carbide precipitation in vanadium and niobium is accompanied by a very large volume change ( ≈ 18%). A thermodynamic analysis of the V-C system and an estimate of the plastic energy required for accommodating that change is performed. The carbon concentrations for surface and for bulk precipitation are calculated. It is concluded that precipitation limited to the surface region can occur in high purity vanadium if an external carbon source is available. A similar conclusion is reached in the case of niobium, partly based on an estimate of the plastic energy required for accommodating the volume change due to carbide precipitation. These analyses provide a basis to distinguish between surface and radiation induced precipitates. Two main classes of behavior can arise during ion bombardment. When the highest damage region is very close to the surface, no internal precipitates are produced and radiation induced point defects enhance surface precipitate growth. When peak damage is produced farther from the surface, internal precipitates are formed and compete with the surface precipitates for carbon atom capture. The delicate balance between chemical driving force, transformation stresses and radiation effects may alter the precipitation pattern in both the surface and the damaged region.
Numerical simulation of ice growth on a MS-317 swept wing geometry

An effort to develop a 3-D ice accretion modeling method was initiated. This first step towards creation of a complete aircraft icing simulation code builds on previously developed methods for calculating 3-D flow fields and particle trajectories combined with a 2-D ice accretion calculation along coordinate locations corresponding to streamlines. The types of calculations necessary to predict 3-D ice accretion is demonstrated. Results of calculations using 3-D method for a MS-317 swept wing geometry are projected onto a 2-D plane parallel to the free stream direction and compared to experimental results for the same geometry. It is anticipated that many modifications will be made to this approach, however this effort will lay the groundwork for future modeling efforts. Results indicate that rime ice shapes indicate a difficulty in accurately calculating the ice shape in the runback region.
An Empirical Evaluation of the Triple Base Program in Corn

The triple base program that was instituted by the 1990 Farm Bill is a significant departure from previous programs. Hence, current acreage response models are not generally suitable for evaluating the effects of the new program. This article shows how an existing acreage supply model that was estimated using data prior to the introduction of the triple base program can be modified in order to approximate the effects of the new program on corn acreage. The outcome in corn acreage for the years 1987 to 1990 if the triple base program would have been in effect is compared to the actual data.
Laser Cutting Eliminates Nucleic Acid Cross-Contamination in Dried-Blood-Spot Processing

ABSTRACT Dried blood spots (DBS) are useful for molecular assays but are prone to false positives from cross-contamination. In our malaria DBS assay, cross-contamination was encountered despite cleaning techniques suitable for HIV-1. We therefore developed a contact-free laser cutting system that effectively eliminated cross-contamination during DBS processing.
Variational bounds on the effective moduli of anisotropic composites

Abstract The vritional inequalities of Hashin and Shtrikman are transformed to a simple and concise form. They are used to bound the effective conductivity tensor σ∗ of an anisotropic composite made from an arbitrary number of possibly anisotropic phases, and to bound the effective elasticity tensor C ∗ of an anisotropic mixture of two well-ordered isotropic materials. The bounds depend on the conductivities and elastic moduli of the components and their respective volume fractions. When the components are isotropic the conductivity bounds, which constrain the eigenvalues of σ∗, include those previously obtained by Hashin and Shtrikman, Murat and Tartar, and Lurie and Cherkaev. Our approach can also be used in the context of linear elasticity to derive bounds on C ∗ for composites comprised of an arbitrary number of anisotropic phases. For two-component composites our bounds are tighter than those obtained by Kantor and Bergman and by Francfort and Murat, and are attained by sequentially layered laminate materials.
Recovery of cortical responses following localized cooling in the thalamus.

Abstract Evoked potentials to somatic stimuli were recorded in the 4 cortical association areas of the cat before, during, and after localized cooling in the centromedian area of the thalamus. The effect of duration and degree of cooling on the time course of recovery of cortical responses was examined. Thalamic cooling produced decreases in peak-to-peak cortical evoked potentials ranging from 50–100%. If the temperature was 10°C or above then recovery usually occurred within 2 min. With cooling temperatures to 5–10°C for 20 min or less the responses showed complete recovery in about 6–8 min. When temperatures of 0–4°C were maintained for 20–30 min recovery of amplitude, waveform, and latency sometimes required 30 min. No irreversible effects from cooling down to cryoprobe tip temperatures of 0°C were ever observed. It was concluded that only a few minutes is required for recovery in the medial thalamus following low temperature or long duration cooling.
The development and validation of a lipus system with preliminary observations of ultrasonic effects on human adult stem cells

To study the potential effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on cell response in vitro, the ability to alter LIPUS parameters is required. However, commercial LIPUS systems have very little control over parameter selection. In this study, a custom LIPUS system was designed and validated by exploring the effects of using different pulse repetition frequency (PRF) parameters on human adipose derived adult stem cells (hASCs) and bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), two common stem cell sources for creating bone constructs in vitro. Changing the PRF was found to affect cellular response to LIPUS stimulation for both cell types. Proliferation of LIPUS-stimulated cells was found to decrease for hASCs by d 7 for all three groups compared with unstimulated control cells (P = 0.008, 0.011, 0.014 for 1 Hz, 100 Hz and 1 kHz PRF, respectively) and for hMSCs by d 14 (donor 1: P = 0.0005, 0.0002, 0.0003; donor 2: P = 0.0003, 0.0002, 0.0001; for PRFs of 1 Hz, 100 Hz, and 1 kHz, respectively). Additionally, LIPUS was shown to strongly accelerate osteogenic differentiation of hASCs based on amount of calcium accretion normalized by total DNA (P = 0.003, 0.001, 0.003, and 0.032 between control/100 Hz, control/1 kHz, 1 Hz/1 kHz, and 100 Hz/1 kHz pulse repetition frequencies, respectively). These findings promote the study of using LIPUS to induce osteogenic differentiation and further encourage the exploration of LIPUS parameter optimization. The custom LIPUS system was successfully designed to allow extreme parameter variation, specifically PRF, and encourages further studies.
An efficient algorithm for capacity state calculations for electric generating systems

Abstract This paper presents an efficient computational technique for the construction of the exact-state capacity levels attainable from a set of generators operating in parallel. This method used both the recursive model found in most of the literature on the loss-of-load and frequency-and-duration methods of reliability analysis, and also a method that uses the binomial formula. Here, the binomial method is used for construction of those exact-capacity states due to identical generators, or batches of identical generators. These states may then be joined with those constructed by applying the recursive approach to the distinct units, which yields the final set of capacity states
Traumatic aortic rupture: diagnosis and management

Abstract Background . Traumatic aortic rupture is a relatively uncommon lesion that presents the cardiothoracic surgeon with unique challenges in diagnosis and management. To address controversial aspects of this disease, we reviewed our experience. Methods . The study was performed by retrospective chart review. Results . Forty-two patients with traumatic thoracic aortic ruptures were managed between January 1988 and June 1997. Nine arrived without vital signs and died in the emergency department. Admission chest radiographs were normal in 3 patients (12 %) and caused significant delays in diagnosis. Four of 30 patients admitted with vital signs had rupture before thoracotomy and died. Twenty-six underwent aortic repair. In 1 patient repair was performed with simple aortic cross-clamping, whereas a second was managed with a Gott shunt. The remaining 24 patients had repair with partial left heart bypass. In 1 patient hypothermic circulatory arrest was required. Two patients (7.7%) died. There were no cases of new postoperative paraplegia in the bypass group. There was no morbidity directly attributable to the administration of heparin for cardiopulmonary bypass. Conclusions . In a discrete group of patients with traumatic rupture of the aorta, the rupture will become complete during the first few hours of hospital admission; aggressive medical treatment with β-blockade and vasodilators in the interval before the operation is an essential aspect of management. Active distal circulatory support with partial left-heart bypass provides the optimal means of preventing spinal cord ischemia during repair of acute traumatic aortic rupture.
Improving strategies for handling undefined variables

Most programming languages ignore the problem of undefined variables and permit compilers to allow the leftover contents of the memory cells belonging to such variables to be referenced. Although efficient, this type of semantics does not support software engineering, in that defects may arise in subtle ways, and may be difficult to locate. Two other types of semantics that better support software engineering are to either initialize all variables to some default (e.g., zero), or to treat all references to undefined variables as illegal. Of these two types of semantics, the latter one has been argued by some to be superior in terms of software engineering, but conventional implementations of this semantics have been significantly less efficient. In this paper, we propose a new implementation of this semantics whose efficiency compares favorably, for certain realistic programs, with the semantics of initializing all variables to default values.
Energy deposition by electrons and degradation spectra.

The sensitivity of computed electron degradation spectra with respect to the choice of cross-section data is under investigation. Fano's criterion for the validity of the continuous--slowing--down approximation was tested for the degradation of electrons and emerges as perhaps the most important factor affecting this sensitivity.
Regenerative amplification of a single-frequency optical parametric oscillator.

High-resolution high-energy near-diffraction-limited pulses are obtained by regenerative amplification in Ti:sapphire of a pulsed single-frequency optical parametric oscillator. The technique combines the virtues of tunable solid-state lasers and low-jitter parametric oscillators to yield ~2-ns pulses that can be rapidly tuned through the entire gain range of the Ti:sapphire crystal. The measured peak power is 20 MW at 850 nm.
Multiple mechanisms control the expression of abscisic acid (ABA)‐requiring genes in tomato plants exposed to soil water deficit

Elevated levels of abscisic acid (ABA) are required for the expression of several genes during water deficit. The expression patterns of the ABA-requiring genes, le4, le16, le25 and his1-s, differed during a 4 d period of water deficit and a 24 h recovery period in intact tomato plants. During water deficit, a strong correlation between ABA content and mRNA accumulation was observed for le16, with only a moderate or poor correlation observed between the accumulation of ABA and the other mRNAs. The regulation of le4 and le16 can be accounted for by an increase in transcription rate, while components of post-transcriptional regulation are implicated in the regulation of the le25 and his1-s genes. A strong correlation between leaf ABA content and the transcription rate of le4 and le16 during the stress and recovery periods was observed. Protein synthesis was not necessary for the expression of the four genes. However, the mRNA content of le25 increased in the presence of translation inhibitors plus ABA, implicating inhibition of a transcriptional repressor. The regulation of gene expression in response to stress is complex; although ABA was required for the regulation of the genes in this study, there must be additional control mechanisms that interact with components of the ABA regulatory machinery.
Electronic simulation of action potential propagation

Electronic technology was used to study action potential propagation from cell to cell. An electronic circuit was constructed to simulate an excitable membrane and eight such units were arranged to model two contiguous cells: two units for each surface membrane and one for each junctional membrane. The first unit was stimulated to threshold and propagation over the two cells was recorded. The time delay at the junction between cells was measured as a function of r JC , the radial shunt resistance at the cell junction. The experimental results showed that the time delay was about 1–2 msec when r JC values were changed from infinite down to about 100 KO; the time delay increased at lower r JC values and propagation was blocked when r JC was below 10 KΩ. Excitation of cell 1 caused hyperpolarization of unit 5 and depolarization of units 6, 7, 8 prior to triggering of the action potential (AP) in cell 2. Making the prejunctional membrane (unit 4) inexcitable did not prevent excitation of cell 2, reflecting the dependence on longitudinal current flow. AP propagation via capacitative coupling was also studied, and junctional delay increased when C j was lowered. The model will be extended to study cell coupling via the electric field effect at the cell junction.
Trail Mix Genetics: Protein Synthesis in Two Acts

ABSTRACT Protein synthesis can be a difficult concept to learn because the processes are difficult to visualize. As an alternative to relying only on textbook drawings, the author presents a role-playing activity that can help reinforce the processes of transcription and translation. Students play the roles of cell organelles and subunits and work cooperatively to synthesize the brazzein protein. This lesson is useful for both teacher and student self-assessment of understanding of content standard C of the National Science Education Standards: the molecular basis of heredity (National Research Council 1996). A general outline of the activity is described in this article, and student modifications are encouraged to make the role-playing more meaningful. This activity is engaging for students as a review of other inquiry laboratory activities. Because this activity involves eating, teachers should make sure to conduct it in a classroom or commons area where food is allowed.
Platinized-titanium electrodes for urea oxidation Part II. Concentric spiral coil geometry

Abstract Highly active urea electro-oxidation catalysts were prepared by electrodeposition of Pt onto Ti in a novel, concentric spiral coil geometry. The concentric spiral coil geometry can be used directly in construction of electrochemical reactors. The Pt deposition from chloroplatinic acid required about 1.5 times the stoichiometric charge. Projection of urea conversion activity from cyclic voltammetry measurements to a clinical-scale, portable hemodialysis system indicates that approximately 10 g of Pt will be required for the clinical-scale system. The specific urea conversion activity, as measured by cyclic voltammetry, is linearly related to the specific Pt surface area of the deposition. The depositional growth morphology is found to be self-similar, with a fractal dimension that lies somewhere between uniform deposition and hemispherical growth.
Two-Center Three-Electron Bonding Involving Tellurium

The first known experimental studies of two-center three-electron bonding involving tellurium in the gas, liquid, or solid state are reported. Ions studied include: [(CH3)2Te∴Te(CH3)2]+, [(CH3)2Te∴Se(CH3)2]+, [(CH3)2Te∴S(CH3)2]+, and [(CH3)2Te∴ICH3]+. Metastable and collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry methods were employed to investigate the structures of the ions. The metastable spectra show direct cleavage of the Te∴Te, Te∴Se, Te∴S, and Te∴I bonds yielding product ions with the charge on the Te containing moiety (that with the lowest ionization energy). Collision-induced dissociation spectra show intense peaks for these same fragments. The collision-induced dissociation spectra also show peaks for almost every possible methyl loss, suggesting large collision-induced dissociation cross sections for the methyl losses and/or weak Te−CH3, Se−CH3, S−CH3, and I−CH3 bonds. These spectra are consistent with Te∴Te, Te∴Se, Te∴S, and Te∴I hypervalent interactions. Equilibrium experiments on (C...
TRIM56 is an Essential Component of the TLR3 Antiviral Signaling Pathway

Members of the tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins are being recognized as important regulators of host innate immunity. However, specific TRIMs that contribute to TLR3-mediated antiviral defense have not been identified. We show here that TRIM56 is a positive regulator of TLR3 signaling. Overexpression of TRIM56 substantially potentiated extracellular dsRNA-induced expression of interferon (IFN)-β and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), while knockdown of TRIM56 greatly impaired activation of IRF3, induction of IFN-β and ISGs, and establishment of an antiviral state by TLR3 ligand and severely compromised TLR3-mediated chemokine induction following infection by hepatitis C virus. The ability to promote TLR3 signaling was independent of the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of TRIM56. Rather, it correlated with a physical interaction between TRIM56 and TRIF. Deletion of the C-terminal portion of TRIM56 abrogated the TRIM56-TRIF interaction as well as the augmentation of TLR3-mediated IFN response. Together, our data demonstrate TRIM56 is an essential component of the TLR3 antiviral signaling pathway and reveal a novel role for TRIM56 in innate antiviral immunity.
An Economist's Glance at Goldman's Economics

Goldman joins the ranks of epistemologists, philosophers, and science studies scholars trying to use economic models of science. For Goldman, these models are part of social rather than individual epistemics. His hope is that these models will illustrate that non-epistemic goals of individual scientists such as professional success do not necessarily undermine epistemic aims of science such as the acquisition of truth. This paper shows that there are inconsistencies between Goldman's individual and social epistemics, that these models do not live up to Goldman's standards of evaluation, and that the economic models that Goldman uses are not social.
Homocysteine, B vitamins, and risk of cardiovascular disease

Homocysteine is a sulphur containing amino acid that plays an important role in methionine and folate metabolism.1 By receiving a methyl group from 5′-methyltetrahydrofolate, it is reconverted to methionine (fig 1), which is essential for many biochemical reactions critical to the formation of protein, nucleic acids, and creatinine. Reconversion of homocysteine to methionine also contributes to the maintenance of intracellular stores of tetrahydrofolate. Figure 1 Pathways for the metabolism of homocysteine. Normal transsulfuration requires cystathionine β synthase with vitamin B6 as cofactor. Remethylation requires 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and methionine synthase. The latter requires folate as cosubstrate and vitamin B12 (cobalamin) as cofactor. An alternative remethylation pathway also exists using the cobalamin independent betaine–homocysteine methyltransferase. Homocysteine has become a target for many basic and clinical investigators because of a clinical syndrome described almost 40 years ago.2 3 The syndrome, homocystinuria, is an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by abnormalities of the long bones, ocular lens dislocation, mental retardation, and aggressive vascular disease, in particular venous thromboembolism. The underlying enzymological abnormality, a deficit of cystathionine β synthase, results in impairment of homocysteine transsulfuration. As a consequence, the concentrations of the amino acid in plasma may rise 20-fold from the normative range of 5–15 μmol/l. About 10 years after the discovery of homocystinuria it was hypothesised by McCully4 that high plasma homocysteine might be causally related to the vascular complications of the disease. In 1976, Wilcken and Wilcken5 studied patients without homocystinuria but with angiographically proved coronary artery disease. Using the methionine loading test, in which 0.1 mg/kg body weight of this amino acid is administered orally, they found that the prevalence of high circulating homocysteine concentrations, or hyperhomocysteinaemia, was higher than in normal controls. They concluded that people with a genetic susceptibility, namely carriers of the genetic mutation for cystathionine β synthase deficiency, …
Activation of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase by the Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor

Enhanced angiotensin II (AngII) action has been implicated in endothelial dysfunction that is characterized as decreased nitric oxide availability. Although endothelial cells have been reported to express AngII type 1 (AT1) receptors, the exact role of AT1 in regulating endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) activity remains unclear. We investigated the possible regulation of eNOS through AT1 in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) and its functional significance in rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In BAECs infected with adenovirus encoding AT1 and in VSMCs infected with adenovirus encoding eNOS, AngII rapidly stimulated phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser1179. This was accompanied with increased cGMP production. These effects were blocked by an AT1 antagonist. The cGMP production was abolished by a NOS inhibitor as well. To explore the importance of eNOS phosphorylation, VSMCs were also infected with adenovirus encoding S1179A-eNOS. AngII did not stimulate cGMP production in VSMCs expressing S1179A. However, S1179A was able to enhance basal NO production as confirmed with cGMP production and enhanced vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein phosphorylation. Interestingly, S1179A prevented the hypertrophic response similar to wild type in VSMCs. From these data, we conclude that the AngII/AT1 system positively couples to eNOS via Ser1179 phosphorylation in ECs and VSMCs if eNOS and AT1 coexist. However, basal level NO production may be sufficient for prevention of AngII-induced hypertrophy by eNOS expression. These data demonstrate a novel molecular mechanism of eNOS regulation and function and thus provide useful information for eNOS gene therapy under endothelial dysfunction.
Species diversity in neutral metacommunities: a network approach

Biologists seek an understanding of the processes underlying spatial biodiversity patterns. Neutral theory links those patterns to dispersal, speciation and community drift. Here, we advance the spatially explicit neutral model by representing the metacommunity as a network of smaller communities. Analytic theory is presented for a set of equilibrium diversity patterns in networks of communities, facilitating the exploration of parameter space not accessible by simulation. We use this theory to evaluate how the basic properties of a metacommunity - connectivity, size, and speciation rate - determine overall metacommunity gamma-diversity, and how that is partitioned into alpha- and beta-components. We find spatial structure can increase gamma-diversity relative to a well-mixed model, even when theta is held constant. The magnitude of deviations from the well-mixed model and the partitioning into alpha- and beta-diversity is related to the ratio of migration and speciation rates. gamma-diversity scales linearly with metacommunity size even as alpha- and beta-diversity scale nonlinearly with size.
Soil Phosphorus Fractionation during Forest Development on Landslide Scars in the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico1

Mineral soils from a chronosequence of landslide scars ranging in age from 1 to more than 55 years in a subtropical montane rain forest of eastern Puerto Rico were used to determine the rate at which labile P capital recovers during primary succession. Nine organic and inorganic soil P fractions were measured using the Hedley sequential extraction procedure. Deep soil cores (9 m) from a nearby site were also analyzed to determine the distribution of P fractions below the solum. Litterfall P was measured for two years in the landslide scars to estimate allochthonous litter P inputs, and published precipitation data were used to estimate annual atmospheric inputs of P to the recovering forests. In the upper solum (0–10 cm), organic matter increased with landslide age, as did resin-Pi, labile P (defined here as resin-Pi HCO3–Pi HCO3–Po) and total organic P. Occluded P decreased with increasing landslide age. No significant changes in P concentrations or pools were observed in 10 to 35 or in 35 to 60 cm depth intervals across the chronosequence. Labile soil P increased to approximately two-thirds of the pre-disturbance levels in the oldest landslide scar (>55 yr). Thus, plants, their associated microflora/fauna, and P inputs from off-site substantially altered the distribution of soil P fractions during forest recovery. Across the chronosequence, the increase in labile P accumulated in soil and biomass appeared to be greater than the estimated allochthonous inputs from litter and precipitation, indicating that as the forest developed, some occluded P may have been released for use by soil biota. Resin-Pi and labile P were correlated with soil organic matter content, suggesting, as in other highly weathered soils, organic matter accumulation and turnover are important in maintaining labile P pools. Primary mineral P (apatite) was scarce, even in deep soil cores.
Age-related differences in memory and executive functions in healthy APOE ɛ4 carriers: The contribution of individual differences in prefrontal volumes and systolic blood pressure

Advanced age and vascular risk are associated with declines in the volumes of multiple brain regions, especially the prefrontal cortex, and the hippocampus. Older adults, even unencumbered by declining health, perform less well than their younger counterparts in multiple cognitive domains, such as episodic memory, executive functions, and speed of perceptual processing. Presence of a known genetic risk factor for cognitive decline and vascular disease, the ɛ4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene, accounts for some share of those declines; however, the extent of the joint contribution of genetic and physiological vascular risk factors on the aging brain and cognition is unclear. In a sample of healthy adults (age 19-77), we examined the effects of a vascular risk indicator (systolic blood pressure, SBP) and volumes of hippocampus (HC), lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC), and prefrontal white matter (pFWM) on processing speed, working memory (WM), and recognition memory. Using path analyses, we modeled indirect effects of age, SBP, and brain volumes on processing speed, WM, and memory and compared the patterns of structural relations among those variables in APOE ɛ4 carriers and ɛ3 homozygotes. Among ɛ4 carriers, age differences in WM were explained by increase in SBP, reduced FWM volume, and slower processing. In contrast, lPFC and FWM volumes, but not BP, explained a share of age differences in WM among ɛ3 homozygotes. Thus, even in healthy older carriers of the APOE ɛ4 allele, clinically unremarkable increase in vascular risk may be associated with reduced frontal volumes and impaired cognitive functions.
Primary repair of sternal cleft with a double osteochondroplasty flap

Sternal cleft is a rare congenital malformation affecting the anterior part of the chest wall. Surgical closure is recommended. It should be done early during the neonatal period because of the chest’s flexibility. Associated abnormalities may have been previously excluded. Different surgical repairs have been described, but none has been proved to be superior to the others. We present the description of 2 cases managed with an original surgical technique. After dissecting the two sternal bars, they were approximated with several intercostal sutures under close cardiac and respiratory monitoring. A double perichondrium flap technique was then used and resulted in a double perichondrium layer. This technique is suitable for most cases and offers satisfying anatomical restoring and cosmetic results.
Making sense of health information technology implementation: A qualitative study protocol

Implementing new practices, such as health information technology (HIT), is often difficult due to the disruption of the highly coordinated, interdependent processes (e.g., information exchange, communication, relationships) of providing care in hospitals. Thus, HIT implementation may occur slowly as staff members observe and make sense of unexpected disruptions in care. As a critical organizational function, sensemaking, defined as the social process of searching for answers and meaning which drive action, leads to unified understanding, learning, and effective problem solving -- strategies that studies have linked to successful change. Project teamwork is a change strategy increasingly used by hospitals that facilitates sensemaking by providing a formal mechanism for team members to share ideas, construct the meaning of events, and take next actions. In this longitudinal case study, we aim to examine project teams' sensemaking and action as the team prepares to implement new information technology in a tiertiary care hospital. Based on management and healthcare literature on HIT implementation and project teamwork, we chose sensemaking as an alternative to traditional models for understanding organizational change and teamwork. Our methods choices are derived from this conceptual framework. Data on project team interactions will be prospectively collected through direct observation and organizational document review. Through qualitative methods, we will identify sensemaking patterns and explore variation in sensemaking across teams. Participant demographics will be used to explore variation in sensemaking patterns. Outcomes of this research will be new knowledge about sensemaking patterns of project teams, such as: the antecedents and consequences of the ongoing, evolutionary, social process of implementing HIT; the internal and external factors that influence the project team, including team composition, team member interaction, and interaction between the project team and the larger organization; the ways in which internal and external factors influence project team processes; and the ways in which project team processes facilitate team task accomplishment. These findings will lead to new methods of implementing HIT in hospitals.
Consistency of Voice Frequency and Perturbation Measures in Children Using Cepstral Analyses: A Movement Toward Increased Recording Stability

Importance Few studies have evaluated the pediatric voice objectively using acoustic measurements. Furthermore, consistency of these measurements across time, particularly for continuous speech, has not been evaluated . Objectives (1) To evaluate normal pediatric voice frequency and perturbation using both time-based and frequency-based acoustic measurements, and (2) to determine if continuous speech samples facilitate increased recording stability. Design Prospective, longitudinal study. Setting Pediatric otolaryngology practice within a tertiary hospital. Participants Forty-three children, ages 4 to 17 years. Intervention or Exposure Sustained vowel utterances and continuous speech samples, which included 4 Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) sentences and the first sentence of the “rainbow passage” (“A rainbow is a division of white light into many beautiful colors that takes the shape of a long round arch, with its path high above and its 2 ends apparently beyond the horizon”) were obtained at 2 time points Main Outcome and Measure Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess reliability between speech samples. Results Fundamental frequency of sustained vowel utterances had excellent reliability (ICC ≥ 0.94). Time-based analyses of perturbation in sustained vowel utterances demonstrated poor reliability (ICC 0.40). Fundamental frequency of continuous speech sample had excellent reliability (ICC > 0.94). Frequency-based analyses of continuous speech samples demonstrated excellent reliability (ICC > 0.75) for all but 1 variable, which demonstrated good reliability (cepstral-spectral index of dysphonia of the all voiced sample; ICC = 0.72). Conclusions and Relevance Sustained vowel utterance and continuous speech samples provide consistent measures of fundamental frequency. Frequency-based analysis of sustained vowel recordings improves the reliability of perturbation measures. Continuous speech recordings can be obtained in children and demonstrate good to excellent reliability across recordings. This suggests that frequency-based analysis of continuous speech may be more representative of a child’s voice and therefore may be of use in the study both of the developmental changes of the pediatric voice as well as the study of vocal changes pretreatment and posttreatment in children with voice disorders.
Applying content management to automated provenance capture

Workflows and data pipelines are becoming increasingly valuable to computational and experimental sciences. These automated systems are capable of generating significantly more data within the same amount of time compared to their manual counterparts. Automatically capturing and recording data provenance and annotation as part of these workflows are critical for data management, verification, and dissemination. We have been prototyping a workflow provenance system, targeted at biological workflows, that extends our content management technologies and other open source tools. We applied this prototype to the provenance challenge to demonstrate an end-to-end system that supports dynamic provenance capture, persistent content management, and dynamic searches of both provenance and metadata. We describe our prototype, which extends the Kepler system for the execution environment, the Scientific Annotation Middleware (SAM) content management software for data services, and an existing HTTP-based query protocol. Our implementation offers several unique capabilities, and through the use of standards, is able to provide access to the provenance record with a variety of commonly available client tools. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detection, Isolation and Study of Disseminated Prostate Cancer Cells in the Peripheral Blood and Bone Marrow

About 20% to 40% of men who undergo a radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer will relapse with progressive disease that frequently results in bone metastases. In addition to numerous studies of the primary tumour, there has been increased attention paid to disseminated cells shed by the tumour and detected in the peripheral blood and bone marrow. It would appear logical that the prostate cancer cells in the blood and the bone marrow that remain following a radical prostatectomy may be more informative in revealing prognostic information than those of the primary tumour which is removed at surgery. The evidence for existence of these disseminated cells in the peripheral blood and bone marrow of prostate cancer patients was first described in the early 1990s using a prostate specific antigen reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PSA RT-PCR). In general, these studies revealed the presence of disseminated PSA+ epithelial cells (presumed to be prostate cancer cells) early in the disease course and more prevalent in advanced disease than in early disease. Most showed that the bone marrow was more frequently positive than the peripheral blood. As a staging tool, these studies generally showed that PSA RT-PCR was not highly informative since even patients with low stage and early disease frequently showed evidence of disseminated PSA+ cells. Over the past few years, there has been a rapid development of technologies for isolating these disseminated cells for further study. The first step was the enrichment of circulating tumour cells, followed by attempts to isolate and characterize individual cells. The enriched cells have been analysed by a variety of methods, including flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescent in situ hybridisation. Biological characterisation of the cells have included the assessment of telomerase activity, androgen receptor status, and genomic alterations such as loss of heterozygosity and microsatellite instability. Attempts are under way to extend this analysis by utilizing gene expression micro-arrays and array Comparative Genomic Hybridisation (array-CGH). Although these efforts encompass challenges much will be learned about the character of these disseminated cells, including their process of trafficking to distant sites, their potential to seed and grow at these sites and their tendencies for cell dormancy.
On Evidence for Preventive Significance of Dietary Supplementation

Chapter 4 and Sections III and IV of the present chapter review the tumor inhibitory and/or carcinogenesis chemopreventive effects in experimental animals of certain vitamins and minerals, in particular vitamin A-like compounds (retinoids and carotenoids), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin D3 (as 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol), selenium, calcium, and copper.
Does one standard promote faster growth? An econometric analysis of the international diffusion of wireless technology

International diffusion of wireless telecommunication and mobile e-commerce has increased since the height of the Internet economy, however, there are a number of different managerial, technological and interpretative issues that still require a more careful look by marketing science and information systems researchers. In this research, we put forward a new theoretical perspective to enable policy makers to better understand states of digital wireless phone diffusion and factors that affect their diffusion rates. We use a modified Bass model and a coupled-hazard survival model to test the effects of country environmental factors, digital and analog wireless phone industry environmental factors, and technology policy factors on the speed of diffusion. The results show that multiple standards and high prices slow down the digital wireless phone diffusion process from the introduction state to the partial diffusion state. Competition in both analog and digital wireless phone industry also shapes the growth of digital wireless phone diffusion. In addition, different practices of technology policies influence the digital wireless phone diffusion speed especially during the take-off.
Tigecycline Displays In Vivo Bactericidal Activity against Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae after 72-Hour Exposure Period

Progressively enhanced activity of a humanized tigecycline (TGC) regimen was noted over 3 days against an extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli isolate and an ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate. Bacterial density reduction approximated 3 log(10) approaching bactericidal activity at 72 h. This level of activity has not been previously noted for compounds such as tetracyclines, normally considered bacteriostatic antimicrobials. Extended regimen studies in vivo may aid in better delineation of antimicrobial effects, producing improved correlation with clinical outcomes.