cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (LC-PUFA) During Early Development

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) accretion (essential for growth and neural development) was studied from late fetal throughout weaning age in the ferret, a species with maternal LC-PUFA sufficiency during pregnancy and lactation. The data show that a) accretion rate of LC-PUFA is rapid during early postnatal development, b) milk LC-PUFA decrease during lactation, c) adipose tissur, LC-PUFA level is directly related to milk LC-PUFA level, while accretion in brair and liver exceeds dietary intake, d) accretion of arachidonic acid occurs earlier than docosahexaenoic acid, suggesting earlier development of n6-fatty acid endogenous synthesis.
TH-AB-201-12: A Consumer Report for Mobile Digital Radiography: A Holistic Comparative Evaluation Across Four Systems

Purpose: To provide a template for the comprehensive clinical evaluation of new imaging technologies with initial application to mobile digital radiography (DR). Methods: Four mobile DR devices (GE Optima XR220amx+Flashpad; Carestream DRX Revolution+DRX-1C; Philips Mobile Diagnost wDR; Philips Mobile Diagnost wDR+Skyplate) were evaluated under four categories: 1)Technical specifications: Vendor data were collected and complied into a unified nomenclature. 2)Physical performance: Each unit underwent imaging physics evaluation including MTF, NPS, DQE, and grid artifact analysis. 3)Clinical performance: Fifteen bedside chest radiographs were acquired using each unit. Metadata were stripped and images cropped to 14:17 aspect ratio to ensure vendor anonymity. Six cardiothoracic radiologists scored the randomized images on PACS workstations using five criteria: overall quality, mediastinum noise, rib-lung contrast, lung density, and lung detail. Results were processed using multiple linear regression analysis. 4)Operability performance: A survey was designed and administered to technologists asking questions which captured use, preference, and experiential data for each unit. To avoid impropriety, units were randomly assigned numbers 1–4. Results: Vendor specifications were compiled into a single-page table enabling ready comparative review. All systems had MTF within 20% and NNPS within 27% of the average response at frequencies below 2.5 mm−1. Units [1,2,4] had DQE within 19% of average while unit 3 was 49% below average at high-frequencies. According to grid artifact analysis, the best and worst results were from units [2,3,4,1], respectively. The radiologist study revealed high inter-radiologist variability which limited the number of significant overall results. Survey results uncovered clear technologist biases. In general, technologists value practical over optional features. Conclusion: The compilation of vendor, physicist, radiologist, and technologist data provides an easy means for healthcare professionals to compare different medical equipment options using a data-driven approach. This type of comprehensive assessment now serves as a model for new technology review at our institution. This work was supported by Duke University Health Systems.
Chief Diversity Officer and the Diversity Office

Six universities and colleges were analyzed in this research to assist Robert Morris University in finding a structure for its chief diversity officer and diversity office. Those universities and colleges were chosen because of their already established diversity-related departments. Among other observations, title XI was explored in regards to who is responsible for its coordination. After thoroughly examining those institutions, the RMU potential CDO job description was shared and recommendations were offered.
Do Task Complexity and Knowledge Recency Affect Knowledge Reuse? Implications for Knowledge Management Efforts

This study examines the impact of task complexity and document recency along with the effect of incentives on knowledge contribution and reuse by knowledge workers in an organization through a Knowledge Management System (KMS). Task complexity has been shown to be an important factor in the use of decision support systems (Wober and Gretzel 2000). When task complexity is high, individuals are more likely to try and solve a given problem using a decision support system. A recent survey showed task complexity to be an important factor in the adoption and diffusion of knowledge management systems (Xu and Quaddus 2005). It is possible that when individuals face a task which is very complex, they are more likely to perceive that a knowledge management system will help them to achieve this task. Another study explored the effects of validity ratings on the use of knowledge objects in a repository (Poston and Speier, 2005). This study showed that individuals are likely to avoid knowledge objects with low validity ratings. Documents which have been published more recently are likely to be more credible in the eyes of individuals who wish to use knowledge contained in those documents for some task. In that regard, the date that a document was published or last updated may be an indicator of the recency of that document and and thus it’s validity. The more recent a document, the more likely it is that it will be perceived by a potential user to be a relevant document for accomplishing a specific task. Thus, knowledge reuse will be favorably impacted when the recency factor is high. To contribute knowledge to a KMS, people must invest time to capture or document their knowledge as well as categorize and store it. People may also feel that they are losing a degree of power as a result of their contribution which could weaken their position within the organization. To offset these costs, organizations often implement incentive schemes to encourage individuals to use the system (Markus 2001). However, it is not always clear whether these incentives achieve their desired outcome. There are contextual factors which may affect whether or not incentives for knowledge management will be successful. We explore contextual factors which may affect the success of incentives for knowledge sharing and subsequent knowledge reuse. Specifically, we explore the effects of incentives to contribute knowledge using task complexity and knowledge object recency as contextual factors impacting knowledge reuse. This being a work in progress, we report partial results of an experimental study that we conducted to validate our model.
Prostaglandins and Leukotrienes

This chapter is not intended for the prostaglandin (PG) specialist but, rather, for those not familiar with the PG field. It provides a brief overview of the biology of the eicosanoid family and how these local mediators may function in health and disease. The term eicosanoids (from the Greek eicosa, which means 20) was coined to describe the broad group of compounds derived from C20 fatty acids that, in turn, are derived from the essential dietary fatty acids. The predominant C20 fatty acid precursor for eicosanoid biosynthesis in most mammals is arachidonic acid (AA). These eicosanoids include the PGs and thromboxanes (TXs), leukotrienes (LTs), lipoxins (LPXs), and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs). Because the biologic activity of eicosanoids is diminished rapidly in both tissues and the circulation, it is likely that they act locally at the tissue and organ level, where they may regulate regional blood flow and other metabolic activities. Moreover, their formation in various inflammatory sites indicates an important mediating role for these substances in diseased states. Indeed, eicosanoid inhibition by different classes of anti-inflammatory drugs underlines their importance in this regard. This chapter includes a brief historical background, together with a description of nomenclature, biosynthesis, and selected local actions of PGs and LTs. For those requiring more detailed information, see the references at the end of this chapter.
Mathematical series and transforms

This chapter describes mathematical series and transforms. A mathematical series is a sum of terms and can either have a finite number of terms or an infinite number of terms. Constant series has terms that are constants, so that it equals a constant if it converges. A functional series has terms that are functions of one or more independent variables, so that the series is a function of the same independent variables if it converges. The chapter discusses two common types of functional series, power series, and Fourier series. An integral transform is similar to a functional series, except that it contains an integration instead of a summation, which corresponds to an integration variable instead of a summation index. Two types of transforms, Fourier transforms and Laplace transforms are discussed in the chapter. The constant series is the first to be described in a section, followed by the functional series. The Fourier series is separately detailed as another part of the chapter. The next section in the chapter is mathematical operations on series. Integral transforms focus on Fourier transforms and Laplace transforms. Fourier transforms are the result of allowing the period of the function to be represented by a Fourier series to become larger and larger, so that the series approaches an integral in the limit. Laplace transforms are related to Fourier transforms, with real exponential basis functions.
From sugar to fat: How the transcription factor XBP1 regulates hepatic lipogenesis.

Lipogenesis occurs primarily in the liver, where dietary carbohydrates control the expression of key enzymes in glycolytic and lipogenic pathways. We have recently discovered that the transcription factor XBP1, best known as a key regulator of the unfolded protein response (UPR), is required for de novo fatty acid synthesis in the liver, a function unrelated to its role in the UPR.1 XBP1 protein expression is induced in the liver by a high carbohydrate diet and directly controls the induction of critical genes involved in fatty acid synthesis. Specific deletion of XBP1 in adult liver using an inducible approach results in profound hypocholesterolemia and hypotriglyceridemia, which could be attributed to diminished production of lipids in the liver. Notably, this phenotype is not associated with fatty liver (hepatic steatosis) or significant compromise in protein secretion. XBP1 joins an already rich field of transcriptional regulatory proteins in the control of hepatic lipogenesis. Its function in lipogenesis appears to be highly significant as evidenced by the phenotype of the genetic mutant strain. A more complete understanding of the mechanisms by which XBP1 accelerates de novo fatty acid synthesis in the liver while preserving normal hepatic lipid composition is highly relevant to the treatment of diseases such as atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome that are associated with dyslipidemia. Since excess fat accumulation in the liver could result from increased hepatic fatty acid synthesis, compounds that inhibit XBP1 activation may also be useful therapeutics for the treatment of human alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), increasingly common causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States.
Optical Diffraction And Spatial Filtering Of Electron Micrographs Of Biological Materials

Optical diffraction and spatial filtering methods have been used to determine the characteristics of periodic structures in many biological materials. The head shell of bacteriophage T4 has been chosen for this study, since aberrations in the assembly of the shell due to mutation or changes in growth conditions lead to the formation of a variety of elongated tubular head forms. The lattice parameters of structures assembled at elevated growth temperatures by normal, wild-type T4 and by a mutant (regA) have been analyzed using optical diffraction patterns obtained from electron micrographs. Spatial filtering procedures have been used for the reconstruction of one-sided images to determinE the characteristics of the head structures assembled under different growth conditions.© (1980) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Rapid Immunoassays Using Capillary Electrophoresis with Fluorescence Detection

In this paper, we describe efforts aimed at combining the selectivity of immunoassay methods with the speed, automation, and sensivity of CZE-LIF. Two types of CZE-based immunoassay, one noncompetitive and the other competitive, are described
Processing Subject and Object Relative Clauses: Evidence from Eye Movements

Three eye-movement-monitoring experiments investigated processing of sentences containing subject-relative and object-relative clauses. The first experiment showed that sentences containing object-relative clauses were more difficult to process than sentences containing subject-relative clauses during the relative clause and the matrix verb. The second experiment manipulated the plausibility of the sentential subject and the noun within the relative clause as the agent of the action represented by the verb in the relative clause. Readers experienced greater difficulty during processing of sentences containing object-relative clauses than subject-relative clauses. The third experiment manipulated the animacy of the sentential subject and the noun within the relative clause. This experiment demonstrated that the difficulty associated with object-relative clauses was greatly reduced when the sentential subject was inanimate. We interpret the results with respect to theories of syntactic parsing.
Fluorine and chlorine abundances in lunar apatite: Implications for heterogeneous distributions of magmatic volatiles in the lunar interior

Abstract Apatite has been analyzed from mare basalts, the magnesian-suite, the alkali-suite, and KREEP-rich impact-melt rocks using an electron probe microanalysis routine developed specifically for apatite. We determined that all the lunar apatite grains analyzed are predominantly fluorine rich; however, they also contain varying concentrations of chlorine and a missing structural component that, after ruling out other possibilities, we attribute to OH. Apatite grains from mare basalts are compositionally distinct from the apatite grains in the magnesian-suite, the alkali-suite, and KREEP-rich impact-melt rocks, which all had similar apatite compositions. Apatite grains in mare basalts are depleted in chlorine, and many of the analyzed grains have stoichiometry that suggests a significant OH component (i.e., >0.08 structural formula units), whereas apatite grains in the magnesian suite, alkali suite, and KREEP-rich impact melts are enriched in chlorine and do not typically have a missing structural component that could be attributed to OH − (within the detection limit of 0.08 sfu). From these data, we infer that residual liquids in the mare basalts were enriched in H 2 O and fluorine relative to chlorine at the time of apatite crystallization, whereas residual liquids in magnesian-suite, alkali-suite, and KREEP-rich impact melts were enriched in chlorine relative to H 2 O and fluorine at the time of apatite crystallization. The relative volatile abundance that we determined for the mare basalts is identical to the previously determined relative volatile abundance for the lunar picritic glasses. This result indicates that the observed relative volatile abundance signature of the picritic glass source is the same as that in the mare basalt source regions. The magnesian-suite, alkali-suite, and KREEP-rich impact-melt rocks likely reflect a volatile source with different volatile abundances than the sources of mare volcanics. Moreover, the magnesian-suite, alkali-suite, and KREEP-rich impact-melt rocks may reveal the relative volatile abundance of urKREEP, the residual melt of the magma ocean. This difference in relative magmatic volatile abundance among the lithologic groups investigated cannot be explained by degassing of a single source composition (relative to magmatic volatiles). The most reasonable explanation for the compositional disparity is a difference in the relative volatile abundances in the magmatic source regions of the Moon. Therefore, we conclude that the Moon has a heterogeneous distribution of magmatic volatiles within its interior, with a chemical divide (with respect to magmatic volatiles) existing between magmas that arise by partial melting of the lunar mantle and magmas that have seen significant contamination by a KREEP component.
Gastric/intestinal electrical stimulation modulates appetite regulatory peptide hormones in the stomach and duodenum in rats.

Gastric/intestinal electrical stimulation (GIES) has been used to suppress appetite in the treatment of obesity with promising results. However, the mechanisms by which GIES benefits obese patients are not completely understood. This study investigated the acute effects of GIES on gastric and intestinal tissue levels of peptide hormones related to satiety and appetite in rats. 32 rats were divided into 4 groups: 1) sham stimulation, 2) gastric electrical stimulation (GES) with pulse trains, 3) GES with long pulse, and 4) duodenal electrical stimulation (DES) with pulse trains. After 2 hours of GIES, the rats were sacrificed immediately, and gastric fundus, duodenum and distal colon were harvested and extracted. Hormone levels of ghrelin, obestatin, cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8) and peptide YY (PYY) were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). 1) The mean gastric fundus ghrelin level was 1789.04 ± 362.81 pg/mg in the sham stimulation and significantly decreased with GES of pulse trains (597.85 ± 195.33 pg/mg, P = 0.012), GES of long pulse (754.6 ± 282.6 pg/mg, P = 0.039) and DES (731.69 ± 110.84pg/mg, P = 0.037). 2) The mean duodenal CCK-8 concentration was 413.27 ± 42.14 pg/mg in the sham stimulation and significantly increased by DES (762.6 ± 98.75 pg/mg, P = 0.013) but not in others. 3) Neither gastric obestatin nor distal colonic PYY was altered by any of GES or DES. GIES significantly impacts appetiterelated peptide hormones in gastric and duodenal tissues. Acute GIES-induced manipulation of gut peptide hormones related to appetite and satiety is a nonpharmacologic, well-tolerated clinical procedure that could substantially contribute to the successful treatment and long-term management of obesity.
Regulation of hematopoietic stem cell fate by special at-rich sequence binding protein 1

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) harbor extensive self-renewal capacity and the ability to commit to multilineage differentiation, thereby providing a life-long supply of mature peripheral blood cells. Cell fate decisions of self-renewal or differentiationcommitment are tightly regulated by the interplay of transcription factors instructing HSCs to function in a highly plastic manner during tissue maintenance, regeneration and repair. We have identified Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1 (Satb1) as a novel regulator integrating different HSC functions by promoting quiescence and repressing differentiation commitment through promoting symmetric self-renewal divisions of HSCs. In a Satb1-deficient murine model system we determined Satb1-dependent HSC function and molecular regulation utilizing congenic stem cell transplantation, cell cycle and division analyses, in vivo tracing of HSC commitment, asymmetric division assays, and clonogenic differentiation cultures. HSCs lacking Satb1 display defective self-renewal, were significantly less quiescent, and showed significantly increased and accelerated differentiation commitment caused by reduced symmetric self-renewal and increased symmetric differentiation divisions. Mechanistically, we found that Satb1 represses the expression of c-Myc and Numb, two factors known to be involved in HSC activation. Global DNA cytosine methylation analysis uncovered that Satb1 KO HSCs harbor premature differentiation-specific DNA methylation changes which closely resemble the pattern found in differentiation-committed multipotent progenitors. Our results also suggest that Satb1 can be retained at certain loci during mitosis, ensuring their appropriate transcriptional activity immediately upon cell division. Our findings uncover Satb1 as a novel transcriptional regulator in HSCs which promotes quiescence and represses differentiation commitment and thereby ensures the sustained self-renewal of HSCs.
Low-Noise Front-End Receiver Dedicated to Biomedical Devices: NIRS Acquisition System

This paper concerns the design and the implementation of a fully integrated front-end intended to Near-Infrared Spectroscopy System (NIRS) acquisition system. A low-noise transimpedance amplification (TIA) circuit followed by adjustable cut-off frequency and a low-pass filter (LPF) was implemented in order to decrease noise circuit of NIRS detectors. For TIA, a single ended common source, common gate input stage based on a cascode structure is used to get a higher gain-bandwidth closed-loop transimpedance amplifier. To enhance the circuit noise performance, a single feedback transistor technique is used, compared to passive feedback, to achieved high quality data from NIRS acquisition channel. The proposed LPF combines two control methods to adjust the low cut-off frequency. Simulation results show a TIA gain of 104.2 dBΩ, ?3dB bandwidth of 19 MHz and an equivalent input noise current spectral density of 446 fA/√Hz. LPF filter exhibits a relatively constant noise 201nV/√HzQUOTE√Hz from 0 Hz to 700 KHz and linearity performance over its entire tuning range. The proposed front-end of NIRS preamplifier is implemented using 0.18 μm CMOS technology.
Extraperitoneal barium extravasation, a complication of barium enema

Patient 1: A 79-year-old man was admitted to the University Hospitals with a two-month history of upper abdominal pain and nausea. On the day of admission he underwent uneventful proctosigmoidoscopy to a level of 17 cm. On the next day, following administration of a preparation consisting of cathartics and enemas, ba r ium-enema examinat ion was a t tempted. T h e radiologist performing the examination reported that "barium did not flow into the sigmoid and dissected outside the lumen of the alimentary tract" (Figs. 1 and 2). Barium was seen outside the lumen of the rectum extending into the presacral space without extension into the peritoneal cavity. Administration of antibiotics was started and the patient was prepared for operation. General anesthesia was used. Sigmoidoscopy revealed a perforation anteriorly, approximately 5 cm from the anal verge. The perforation was 1.5-2 cm in diameter and was surrounded by an inflammatory reaction. A lower midline incision was made in order to explore the abdomen. A large amount of barium was visible through the retroperitoneum in the pelvis. Exploration of the rest of the abdominal viscera revealed an advanced gastric malignancy,
SmartAds: bringing contextual ads to mobile apps

A recent study showed that while US consumers spent 30% more time on mobile apps than on traditional web, advertisers spent 1600% less money on mobile ads. One key reason is that unlike most web ad providers, today's mobile ads are not contextual---they do not take into account the content of the page they are displayed on. Thus, most mobile ads are irrelevant to what the user is interested in. For example, it is not uncommon to see gambling ads being displayed in a Bible app. This irrelevance results in low clickthrough rates, and hence advertisers shy away from the mobile platform. Using data from top 1200 apps in Windows Phone marketplace, and a one-week trace of ad keywords from Microsoft's ad network, we show that content displayed by mobile apps is a potential goldmine of keywords that advertisers are interested in.However, unlike web pages, which can be crawled and indexed offline for contextual advertising, content shown on mobile apps is often either generated dynamically, or is embedded in the apps themselves; and hence cannot be crawled. The only solution is to scrape the content at runtime, extract keywords and fetch contextually relevant ads. The challenge is to do this without excessive overhead and without violating user privacy. In this paper, we describe a system called SmartAds to address this challenge.We have built a prototype of SmartAds for Windows Phone apps. In a large user study with over 5000 ad impressions, we found that SmartAds nearly doubles the relevance score, while consuming minimal additional resources and preserving user privacy.
Left ventricular diastolic heart failure with normal left ventricular systolic function in older persons

Underlying causes and precipitating causes of congestive heart failure (CHF) should be treated when possible. Older persons with CHF and normal left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction should have maintenance of sinus rhythm, treatment of hypertension and myocardial ischemia, slowing of the ventricular rate below 90 beats/minute, and reduction of salt overload. First-line drug treatment in the management of these persons is the use of loop diuretics combined with beta blockers as tolerated. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors should be administered if CHF persists despite diuretics and beta blockers. If persons are unable to tolerate ACE inhibitors because of cough, rash, or altered taste sensation, angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists should be given. If CHF persists despite diuretics, beta blockers, and ACE inhibitors or the person is unable to tolerate beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists, isosorbide dinitrate plus hydralazine should be administered. Calcium channel blockers should be used if CHF persists despite administration of diuretics and the person is unable to tolerate beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists, and isosorbide dinitrate plus hydralazine. Digoxin, beta blockers, verapamil, and diltiazem may be used to slow a rapid ventricular rate in persons with supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. Digoxin should not be used in persons with CHF in sinus rhythm with normal LV ejection fraction.
Scalable concurrent hash tables via relativistic programming

This paper presents a novel concurrent hash table implementation which supports wait-free, near-linearly scalable lookup, even in the presence of concurrent modifications. In particular, this hash table implementation supports concurrent moves of hash table elements between buckets, for purposes such as renames.Implementation of this algorithm in the Linux kernel demonstrates its performance and scalability. Benchmarks on a 64-way POWER system showed a 6x scalability improvement versus fine-grained locking, and a 1.5x improvement versus the current state of the art in Linux.To achieve these scalability improvements, the hash table implementation uses a new concurrent programming technique known as relativistic programming. This approach uses a copy-based update strategy to allow readers and writers to run concurrently without conflicts, avoiding many of the non-scalable costs of synchronization, inter-processor communication, and cache coherence. New techniques such as the proposed hash-table move algorithm allow readers to tolerate the resulting weak memory-ordering behavior that arises from allowing one version of a structure to be read concurrently with updates to a different version of the same structure. Relativistic programming techniques provide performance and scalability advantages over traditional synchronization, as demonstrated through several benchmarks.
Circular dichroism study of the irreversibility of conformational changes induced by polyamine-linked dinuclear platinum compounds.

Abstract In this work, the reversibility of both the B→Z and B→A conformational change in polymer DNA induced by polynuclear platinum compounds was studied. The compounds examined were: [{ trans -PtCl(NH 3 ) 2 } 2 {NH 2 (CH 2 ) 6 NH 2 }] 2+ (BBR3005); [{ trans -PtCl(NH 3 ) 2 } 2 {μ-spermine-N1,N12}] 4+ (BBR3535); [{ trans -PtCl(NH 3 ) 2 } 2 {μ-spermidine-N1,N8}] 3+ (BBR3571); [{ trans -PtCl(NH 3 ) 2 } 2 {μ-BOC-spermidine}] 2+ (BBR3537); and [{ trans -PtCl(NH 3 ) 2 } 2 {μ-trans-Pt(NH 3 ) 2 (H 2 N(CH 2 ) 6 NH 2 ) 2 }] 4+ (BBR3464). The conformational changes were assessed by circular dichroism and the reversibility of the transitions was tested by subsequent titration with the DNA intercalator ethidium bromide (EtBr). Fluorescent quenching was also used to assess the ability of ethidium bromide to intercalate into A and/or Z-DNA induced by the compounds. The results were compared with those produced by the simple hexamminecobalt cation [Co(NH 3 ) 6 ] 3+ . The data suggest that while conformational changes induced by electrostatic interactions are confirmed to be reversible, covalent binding induces irreversible changes in both the A and Z conformation. The relevance of these changes to the novel biological action of polynuclear platinum compounds is discussed.
Attenuation of delayed neuronal death after mild focal ischemia in mice by inhibition of the caspase family.

Inhibitors of apoptosis and of excitotoxic cell death reduce brain damage after transient and permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. We compared the neuroprotective effects of two caspase family inhibitors with the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist (+)-MK-801 hydrogen maleate (MK-801) in a newly characterized cycloheximide-sensitive murine model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (30 minutes) in which apoptotic cell death is prominent. Ischemic infarction, undetected by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining at 24-hour reperfusion, featured prominently in the striatum at 72 hours and 7 days on hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections. Markers of apoptosis, such as oligonucleosomal DNA damage (laddering) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells first appeared at 24 hours and increased significantly at 72 hours and 7 days after reperfusion. The TUNEL-labeled cells were mostly neurons and stained negative for glial (GFAP, glial fibrillary acid protein) and leukocyte specific markers (CD-45). The caspase inhibitors, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone (z-VAD.FMK; 120 ng intracerebroventricularly) or N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone (z-DEVD.FMK; 480 ng intracerebroventricularly) decreased infarct size and neurologic deficits when administered 6 hours after reperfusion. The extent of protection was greater than in models of more prolonged ischemia or after permanent occlusion, and the therapeutic window was extended from 0 to 1 hours after 2-hour middle cerebral artery occlusion to at least 6 hours after brief ischemia. Also, z-VAD.FMK and z-DEVD.FMK treatment decreased oligonucleosomal DNA damage (DNA laddering) as assessed by quantitative autoradiography after gel electrophoresis. By contrast, MK-801 protected brain tissue only when given before ischemia (3 mg/kg intraperitoneally), but not at 3 or 6 hours after reperfusion. Despite a decrease in infarct size after MK-801 pretreatment, the amount of DNA laddering did not decrease 72 hours after reperfusion, thereby suggesting a mechanism distinct from inhibition of apoptosis. Hence, 30 minutes of reversible ischemia augments apoptotic cell death, which can be attenuated by delayed z-VAD.FMK and z-DEVD.FMK administration with preservation of neurologic function. By contrast, the therapeutic window for MK-801 does not extend beyond the time of occlusion, probably because its primary mechanism of action does not block the development of apoptotic cell death.
Beyond multiple-choice questions and essays: the need for a new way to assess clinical competence

This essay reviews the influence that research on psychological processes in clinical reasoning has had upon the characteristics and formats of licensing examinations such as the new United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and its predecessors, emphasizes the implications of such researc
Predictive value of specific ultrasound findings when used as a screening test for abnormalities on VCUG

Summary Background Renal and bladder ultrasound (RBUS) is often used as an initial screening test for children after urinary tract infection (UTI), and the 2011 AAP guidelines specifically recommend RBUS be performed first, with voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) to be performed only if the ultrasound is abnormal. It is uncertain whether specific RBUS findings, alone or in combination, might make RBUS more useful as a predictor of VCUG abnormalities. Aims To evaluate the association of specific RBUS with VCUG findings, and determine whether predictive models that accurately predict patients at high risk of VCUG abnormalities, based on RBUS findings, can be constructed. Methods and study sample: A total of 3995 patients were identified with VCUG and RBUS performed on the same day. The RBUS and VCUG reports were reviewed and the findings were classified. Analysis was limited to patients aged 0–60 months with no prior postnatal genitourinary imaging and no history of prenatal hydronephrosis. Analysis The associations between large numbers of specific RBUS findings with abnormalities seen on VCUG were investigated. Both multivariate logistic models and a neural network machine learning algorithms were constructed to evaluate the predictive power of RBUS for VCUG abnormalities (including VUR or bladder/urethral findings). Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and area under receiving operating curves (AUROC) of RBUS for VCUG abnormalities were determined. Results A total of 2259 patients with UTI as the indication for imaging were identified. The RBUS was reported as “normal” in 75.0%. On VCUG, any VUR was identified in 41.7%, VUR grade > II in 20.9%, and VUR grade > III in 2.8%. Many individual RBUS findings were significantly associated with VUR on VCUG. Despite these strong univariate associations, multivariate modeling didn't result in a predictive model that was highly accurate. Multivariate logistic regression built via stepwise selection had: AUROC = 0.57, sensitivity = 86% and specificity = 25% for any VUR; AUROC = 0.60, sensitivity = 5% and specificity = 99% for VUR grade > II; and AUROC = 0.67, sensitivity = 6% and specificity = 99% for VUR grade > III. The best predictive model constructed via neural networks had: AUROC = 0.69, sensitivity = 64% and specificity = 60% for any VUR; AUROC = 0.67, sensitivity = 18% and specificity = 98% for VUR grade > II; and AUROC = 0.79, sensitivity = 32% and specificity = 100% for VUR grade > III. Conclusions Even with the state-of-the-art predictive models, abnormal findings on RBUS provide a poor screening test for genitourinary abnormalities. Renal bladder ultrasound and VCUG should be considered complementary, as they provide important, but different, information.
Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the skin treated with Mohs micrographic surgery in combination with immune staining for cytokeratins

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the skin (LLCS) is a rare cutaneous neoplasm that histologically resembles nasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma. Conventional surgical excision carries a considerable rate of recurrence (three of 11 reported cases with such treatment, with one patient dying of metastatic disease). We report the first case of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the skin treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. Because of its tendency to occur on the face and its potential for recurrence after incomplete removal, this tumor is a good candidate for treatment with Mohs micrographic surgery. Immunohistochemical staining of frozen sections for cytokeratins may help to detect neoplastic cells that may be obscured by the dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate associated with this tumor.
Electrophysiological effects of magnesium and its interactions with potassium.

Electrophysiological interactions of Mg and K ions were studied in isolated rabbit heart preparations. Threefold increase in extracellular Mg concentration, in the presence of either high (7·5 mM), normal (4·5 mM), or low (1·5 mM) K concentration, tended to increase the action potential amplitude, membrane resting potential, maximal rate of depolarization, and action potential duration of ventricular muscle fibres, and prolonged the A-V conduction time. These effects were more prominent at higher K concentrations. Reduction of Mg concentration to one third produced opposite results. Prolongation of the effective refractory, by high Mg was greater than that of the action potential duration. This resulted in a better propagation of the earliest premature response. Low Mg shortened the effective refractory, but tended to prolong the relative refractory period, and increased ventricular vulnerability. Possible ionic mechanisms underlying these Mg effects were discussed in comparison with Ca action.
Hall Effect and Resistance of Dilute Gold-Chromium Alloys at Low Temperatures

The temperature dependence of the Hall effect and of the electrical resistance has been investigated in pure gold and in gold containing 0.03 and 0.05 atomic percent chromium, principally at temperatures in the liquid helium region. For these compositions the temperature dependence of the resistance is abnormal at low temperatures, exhibiting a resistance minimum. No corresponding anomaly was observed in the Hall effect, but neither was it constant as one might expect in terms of a simple theory. Instead, a monotonic increase of the Hall constant with decrease in temperature was obtained below room temperature. This behavior is not influenced by the presence of a resistivity minimum to any appreciable extent. The experimental results favor the interpretation of the resistance minimum as a scattering phenomenon. The specimens were in the form of annealed foils, approximately 20\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}10\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}0.04 mm. A special circuit permitted measurement of the Hall voltages to 0.01 \ensuremath{\mu}v, or about 1 part in 1000.
TEM dark-field off-axis electron holography strain measurement on embedded-SiGe pMOSFETs and comparison with nano-beam diffraction strain measurement

TEM dark-field off-axis electron holography technique was applied to study strain profile in bulk Si pMOSFETs with epitaxial SiGe selectively grown in source/drain are. Based on lattice displacement-induced electron wave phase shift, 2-D strain mapping (e [110] and e [001] ) were retrieved. Strain variation due to sample thinning was evaluated. Results from dark-field holography technique was discussed and compared with TEM nano-beam diffraction strain measurement.
Efficient and accurate collision detection for granular flow simulation

Abstract In this paper, we present efficient algorithms for contact detection and accurate contact mechanics in granular flow simulations. The contact detection algorithms that we present are applicable to arbitrarily shaped rigid particles in a variety of environments including interactive as well as non-interactive. We present a very accurate force displacement model for characterizing the behavior of particles in contact. These algorithms are applied to granular flow simulations, in particular, soybean flow through an inclined chute. There are two phases of this research, namely, the development of contact detection algorithms and the development of accurate contact mechanics based force-displacement models. In the first phase, the algorithms consist of two stages. The first stage involves finding candidate particles for possible contacts. The second stage involves detecting precise contact between these candidates. In our application, the soybeans, which are approximately ellipsoidal in shape, are well approximated by a cluster of overlapping spheres. Detecting precise contact between spherical shapes is quite simple and hence, in this paper, we will focus only on the first stage of the first phase. The primary data structure used in the first stage is an octree. We build an octree for the enclosure/chute (containing thenparticles) and use it in the algorithm for detecting possible contacts. The average time complexity of this stage of the first phase isO(n)and the worst case isO(nlogn). In phase two, we develop a very accurate force-displacement model for dealing with the contact mechanics of soybean flow through an inclined chute. This model is a reasonably close approximation to the widely accepted Mindlin force-displacement model for elastic frictional contacts. Our force-displacement model accounts for normal and tangential direction contact forces acting between particles and/or particles and the chute walls. We also present examples of soybean flow simulations with fast contact detection and accurate contact mechanics.
Facilitative Effects of Media Violence on Helping

The present experiment was undertaken to test the generality of Tannenbaum and Zillmann's arousal-excitation transfer model. 83 female subjects were insulted, praised, or treated in a neutral manner by the experimenter and then watched a neutral, arousing, or aggressive film clip. After viewing the film the subjects were given the opportunity both to aggress against and later to help the experimenter. Insulted subjects were more aggressive but no less helpful. Subjects helped significantly more following the aggressive film than either the arousing or neutral film.
Comparison of Centrifugal and Roller Pump Hemolysis Rates at Low Flow.

We compared in vitro rates of hemolysis for a recently developed centrifugal pump with a conventional roller pump (10-10-00; Stockert, Munich, Germany). Flow rates of 0.3 L/min and 1 L/min and a pressure of 200 mm Hg were chosen to simulate conditions during neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). There was no significant difference in hemolysis rates between centrifugal and roller pumps (p = 0.57) nor between high and low flow (p = 0.86). The centrifugal pump caused no more blood trauma than the roller pump at the low-flow/high-pressure conditions required for neonatal ECMO. The Nikkiso pump is superior to roller pumps in size and priming volume (25 ml) and may permit development of a smaller and simpler ECMO system.
A Wavelet-Packet-Based Radar Waveform for High Resolution in Range and Velocity Detection

In this paper, a new radar waveform based on wavelet packets is proposed. This waveform shows significant advantages over conventional linear frequency modulated waveforms for range and velocity detections of moving targets. The proposed waveform can decouple its envelope and carrier for range and velocity estimations, respectively, because of which the Doppler spread term can be totally removed when estimating velocity and the Doppler effect ignored when estimating range. This way, the proposed waveform produces higher resolution in range or velocity detection. The proposed waveform can be applied to the synthetic aperture radar for improved performance.
Multinational Corporate Pricing Strategy in the Developing Countries

This paper suggests a new look at corporate pricing policies in developing countries. Because of conditions discussed in the paper, the price elasticity of demand curves in individual markets may be much greater than companies assume. A shift to a low price/high volume may both increase profits and satisfy social needs to which host country governments are sensitive.
The treatment of persons with dual diagnoses in a rural community

Persons with dual diagnoses of psychiatric illness and substance abuse represent a large subpopulation within the mental health system, but mental health service delivery systems typically do not adequately address their special needs. The literature on dual diagnoses is marked by the paucity of information on such persons in rural settings. This paper describes the characteristics of a rural community mental health system, which illustrate the difficulties in treating persons with dual diagnoses in rural communities. These problems include a fragmented system of services, centralized services in a large geographic area, overly restrictive regulations, conceptual differences in treatment approaches, confidentiality and stigma in a rural culture, and the academic and professional isolation of mental health workers, leading to high turnover and a shortage of staff having sufficient training and experience to work with persons with dual diagnoses. Some recommendations to address these problems and to improve the delivery of services to persons with dual diagnoses are suggested.
Dosimetry of small fields for Therac 20 electron beams.

The Therac 20 medicallinear accelerator produces electron beams of 6, 9, 13, 17, and 20 MeV. We measured depth dose, isodose curves, and output factors for small electron fields using an ionization chamber, film, and thermoluminescent dosimeters. Tables and graphs were generated from these measurements for accurate treatment planning of various blocked and open fields.
Transition from Staurolite to Sillimanite Zone, Rangeley Quadrangle, Maine

Study of pelitic schists in the Rangeley area, Maine, by means of petrographic, x-ray, and electron-microprobe techniques enables definition of the isogradic reaction relating the Staurolite and lower sillimanite zones. The reaction is a discontinuous one and can be shown on an AFM projection as the tie line change from Staurolite + chlorite to sillimanite + biotite. This topology change, in conjunction with the mineralogical data provides the equation: Staur + M g -Chte + Na-Musc + (Garn?)→Sill + Bio + K-richer Musc + Ab + Qtz + H 2 O. This reaction should result in a sharp isograd in the field but in fact is found to be spread out over a zone which is called the transition zone. It is proposed that this zone results from buffering of f H 2 O by means of the equation above. Buffering of f H 2 O by continuous reactions also appears to be taking place in the lower sillimanite zone. Metamorphic conditions for the isogradic reaction are believed to be near 4 kb and 600°C. P fluid was probably equal to P total but somewhat greater than P H 2 O .
What is the pertinent finding and an explanation for the cause

We report the uncommon occurrence of CT-confirmed portal venous air embolism due to ingestion of dilute H2O2. While hyperbaric treatment appeared useful for symptom resolution in this patient, its efficacy to treat portal venous gas remains unproven.
Robert E. Weems Jr., Desegregating the Dollar: African American Consumerism in the Twentieth Century. New York: New York University Press, 1998. vii + 193 pp. $45.00 cloth; $18.95 paper.

In the early twentieth century, as city councils throughout the South began passing Jim Crow segregation laws, African Americans began organizing streetcar boycotts. These boycotts, aimed at the racist new laws which required African Americans to sit in the back of the streetcar, were organized in more than twenty-five southern cities, and some lasted over a year. In some cases the boycotts were so well organized they spawned alternative transportation companies which were owned and run by African Americans. Although the boycotts failed to reverse the tide of Jim Crow legislation, the participants displayed a sophisticated understanding of their own consumer power, as well as a willingness to use that power to transform their political situation. As one African-American activist in Lynchburg, Virginia, explained the logic behind their streetcar boycott in 1906: “Let us touch to the quick the white man's pocket. 'Tis there his conscience often lies.”
Monoamine oxidase inhibitor toxicity

Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) drugs are used in the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders in adults. MAOIs are also used in high doses for the treatment of lymphomas and of central nervous system (CNS) tumors in children. Toxic effects resulted when procarbazine, a drug of this class, was used in treating a child with a CNS tumor. Psychotic reaction in the child may have been triggered by any of several factors, but arguments are for an organic cause. The implication of the MAOI procarbazine must be seriously considered. The case highlights potential serious problems associated with MAOIs and the interaction of this agent with other drugs.