cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Circadian Photoreception: Spotlight on the Brain

In addition to its visual function, the mammalian eye detects light for a range of behavioral and physiological responses that are separate and apart from sight. Recent studies have begun to shed light on the areas of the brain that respond to such 'non-visual' photoreception in the human eye.
Sense of control and sociodemographic differences in self-reported health in older adults.

Purpose Stronger sense of control has been associated with improved health outcomes. This study tested whether the association between sense of control and self-reported health varied among demographic groups and whether sense of control attenuated sociodemographic differences in self-reported health.
A low-power switched-capacitor variable gain amplifier

A novel power reduction technique is proposed for a switched-capacitor amplifier (SCA) with two-stage operational amplifier. This technique improves both the bandwidth and the slew rate of the SCA with only two additional switches, and therefore, the power consumption of the SCA is reduced. This power reduction technique is applied to a variable gain amplifier (VGA) which is implemented in an analog front-end of camera modules for cellular phones. This reduces 30% of the VGA power consumption compared to the conventional one. Fabricated in 0.25-/spl mu/m CMOS process with 3.3-V transistors and MIM capacitors, the VGA occupies 0.49/spl times/0.49 mm/sup 2/ and dissipates 18.7 mW at 18 MHz with a supply voltage of 3.1 V.
Reality Television Programming and Diverging Gratifications: The Influence of Content on Gratifications Obtained

The study explores how competition-based reality shows with different thematic content influence gratifications obtained by viewers. Participants completed surveys regarding their reasons for watching reality programs in general and their reasons for watching specific reality shows (The Apprentice, The Bachelor/Bachelorette, and Survivor). Results identified a new gratification dimension not previously observed in other gratifications research (personal utility), and that correlations exist between the specific content of reality-based programs and the gratifications obtained by the viewers.
GENETIC FRONTIERS: CHALLENGES FOR HUMANITY AND OUR RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS

. Genetic research and its applications pose a significant challenge today, in particular to religious communities. The most critical challenge is to our understanding of human nature and values. This article surveys the challenges and the resources that the monotheistic religions can bring to bear in response. It is important for those religious communities to communicate to the larger society both their common beliefs and values and the diversity among them.
Plasma a2-Antiplasmin Activity: Role in the Evaluation and Management of Fibrinolytic States and Other Bleeding Disorders

• To determine the clinical significance of acquired α 2 -antiplasmin deficiency in patients with bleeding disorders, I reviewed the results of assays performed on 184 patients over a 4-year period. Thirty-two evaluable patients had α 2 -antiplasmin activity levels of less than 50% of normal (defined as severe deficiency), and 35 patients had levels between 50% and 75% of normal (mild deficiency). Records of these patients and of 32 patients who had normal levels were reviewed. Most patients with severe α 2 -antiplasmin deficiency had either liver disease or disseminated intravascular coagulation and/or fibrinolysis, or both. There was a high incidence of severe α 2 -antiplasmin deficiency among patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Five patients with pathologic bleeding had no identifiable coagulation abnormalities other than α 2 -antiplasmin deficiency. The group with severe α 2 -antiplasmin deficiency had a significantly higher incidence of life-threatening or fatal bleeding and the most striking laboratory evidence of hyperfibrinolysis. Using the presence of severe α 2 -antiplasmin deficiency as an indication for therapy, e-aminocaproic acid treatment was associated with cessation of life-threatening bleeding in 8 of 11 patients. ( Arch Intern Med . 1989;149:1769-1772)
The Massachusetts BMI letter: a qualitative study of responses from parents of obese children.

Abstract Objectives Massachusetts (MA) public schools conduct mandated body-mass index (BMI) screening and until recently, communicated results in a letter to parents/caregivers, to encourage primary care visits and provide aggregate data to the state Department of Public Health. This study assessed the letter's readability and qualitatively explored parents’ responses to it. Methods Readability of the BMI letter was calculated. Audio-taped 1-h focus groups were conducted with parents/caregivers of 8- to 14-year-old obese (≥95th BMI-for-age percentile) children. A semi-structured interview guide was used to elicit responses. Qualitative content analysis was conducted on transcripts to identify emergent themes. Results Readability analysis showed higher grade levels than recommended. Eight focus groups consisting of two to six parents each were conducted (n = 29); 83% were female, mean age 41 ± 9 years, and 65% self-identified as Hispanic/Latino. Key themes identified included usefulness of the BMI letter, concerns about utility of BMI for screening, concerns about impacting self-esteem, and failure to understand the letter. Conclusions The MA BMI letter may not have been achieving its desired goal with some parents. Practice implications Emergent themes from this study could be used to test effectiveness of similar BMI letters nationwide and develop strategies to improve communication to parents.
Idiopathic, asymptomatic fetomaternal haemorrhage causing fetal death.

A breach in placental circulation leading to transfer of a large amount of blood from fetus to mother could lead to serious consequences like hydrops fetalis, stillbirths or neonatal deaths. Owing ...
Free Floating Left Atrial Thrombus Disappearing during Echocardiography.

An 82-year-old woman with a history of previous cerebral infarction and atrial fibrillation was hospitalized with aphagia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a dot-like high signal intensity in the left occipital subcortex. With a working diagnosis of acute cerebral infarction due to cardiac emboli, trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) was performed. The TTE showed an oval shaped, mobile thrombus, approximately 1.9 × 1.5 cm in size within the left atrial appendage. For further evaluation of mobile thrombus in the left atrial appendage, a trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) was done. The TEE showed an oval shaped, mobile thrombus in the left atrial appendage (Fig. 1A). Subsequently, during follow-up TTE, the thrombus was found to be freely floating in the left atrial cavity during each cardiac cycle (Fig. 1B-F and Supplementary movie 1). After a number of cardiac cycles, the thrombus suddenly disappeared in TTE. The patient's overall clinical condition and neurologic examination continued to appear stable for the entirety of echocardiographic examination. Fig. 1 Trans-esophageal echocardiography showed a free floating thrombus in the left atrial appendage (A). Trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed free floating thrombus in the left atrial appendage (B). TTE showed the thrombus moving from left atrial appendage ... After one day, the patient complained claudication in the lower right limb. In physical examination, the patient's femoral pulses were not present to prompt a pulse exam. We performed a 3-dimensional (3D) femoral computer tomography (CT) to evaluate for occlusion. The 3D femoral CT showed a new filling defect in the right femoral artery in comparison with an abdominal enhanced CT performed for evaluation of fever 2 days ago (Fig. 2). Following the examination, the patient was placed on warfarin for anticoagulation therapy. The patient was discharged from the hospital with an uneventful recovery and has been doing well without additional embolic events after discharge and maintenance anticoagulation therapy. Fig. 2 Abdominal enhanced computer tomography (CT) for evaluation of fever did not show a filling defect in the right femoral artery in axial plane 2 days ago (A and C). 3-dimensional (3D) femoral CT showed a filling defect (arrow) in the right femoral artery ... Left atrial free floating thrombus is infrequent but predominantly associated with mitral valve disease, atrial fibrillation, as in our case, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.1-4) The presence of left atrial free floating thrombus is linked to higher embolic rates and the most common presentation of left atrial thrombus is, as in our case, peripheral embolization.5) This case is an interesting case of free-floating left atrial thrombus disappearing during echocardiography.
The dilemma of implementing controls: The case of managerial accounting☆

Managerial accounting contains a technical theory of control. Whenever this technical theory of control is correctly implemented to deal with issues that are embarrassing or threatening, the players activate their personal-human theory of control in order to remain ‘in control’. The correct implementation of the personal-human theory of control necessary inhibits the effective implementation of the technical theory and vice versa.
Intestinal permeability to small- and large-molecular-weight substances in the newborn rabbit

Abstract Background/Purpose: The authors have previously reported the occurrence of spontaneous bacterial translocation (BT) and its resolution with age in the newborn rabbit. They have also reported a close correlation between small bowel bacterial colonization (BC-SB) and BT at 1 week of age, suggesting that the presence of luminal bacteria and their production of endotoxins may increase the intestinal permeability. The aim of this study was to evaluate intestinal permeability to small and large molecules in the newborn rabbit and to correlate it with BT. Materials and Methods: New Zealand White rabbits (n = 96) 1, 7, 14, 21, and over 120 days (adult) of age were given either C 14 -labeled ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) (MW 290) or C 14 -Dextran (MW 70,000) via an orogastric tube at 1 mCi per 100 g of body weight. Five hours later, blood, urine, liver, and intestine were collected, and scintillation counting was performed after solubilization. In a separate series of rabbits (n = 136), the incidence of BT, BC-SB, and small intestinal surface area (SA) were measured. Results: Total permeability to Dextran decreased with age and was significantly reduced at 14 days of age. In contrast, total permeability to EDTA increased and was maximal in 7-to 14-day-old rabbits and began to decrease at 21 days of age. The incidence of BC-SB rapidly increased at 7 days of age and reached 100% at 14 days of age. The incidence of BT peaked at 7 days of life (30%) and then decreased with age. SA increased rapidly in the first 3 weeks and SA growth rate of 21-day-old rabbits was almost 1,400% compared with 1-day-old rabbits. Conclusions: This study has shown an age-related reduction of intestinal permeability to large (Dextran) and small (EDTA) molecular weight particles. However, intestinal permeability to EDTA had a different pattern than Dextran, suggesting that there may be different mechanisms of intestinal permeability to different size molecules. Intestinal permeability to EDTA closely correlated with bacterial colonization and bacterial translocation, suggesting that changes in the intestinal bacterial environment may affect the intestinal permeability, possibly by activating the immune system secondary to increases in endotoxins and bacteria.
User Services: past, present, future summary of panel discussion at USC X, Chicago

Thea Hodge opened the discussion, remarking on the apparent tendency of User Services staff to move, via promotion, from direct user contact to systems and senior management. She suggested that this tendency would produce more user-friendly management in university computing centers.
The Stabilization of Bridged Structures of Ethanes

The source of the instability of D2h, bridged, diborane type geometries of ethanes is traced to a single molecular orbital, b2g or π* in symmetry. The energy of this orbital can be lowered, and the barrier to bridging accordingly decreased, by appropriately placed acceptor substituents. Low bridging barriers, relative to ethane, are predicted for cyclopentenyl cation, and cyano or nitro substituted ethanes.
A Hierarchical Analysis of the Effects of an Activity-Centered Health Curriculum on General Health Beliefs and Self-Reported Behavior.

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to assess the effects of an activity-centered health education program on the general health beliefs and self-reported behavior of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders using classrooms as the units of analysis. Ten schools in Canton, Ohio’s, school district were randomly selected to receive the newly developed health curriculum, compared to 10 schools in the System that continued to use a science textbook. Both treatment groups were pretested and posttested with a 28-item questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model. A two-factor hierarchical multivariate analysis of variance showed that (a) classroom membership had a significant effect on student performance and (b) the activity-centered health curriculum significantly influenced the general health beliefs and self-reported behavior of students. These results extended to all three grades, despite the significant effect of the nested group variable, classroom membership.
Simple Spectroscopic Method for Detection of Cations

A COMMERCIALLY available spectroscope, the Duo-Spectranal model 80 (Fisher Scientific Co.), has been recommended for the rapid detection of more than sixty elements. This inexpensive instrument1 uses the combustion of hydrogen as an excitation source. The hydrogen is produced together with oxygen by electrolysis of an aqueous acid solution of the cations. Because the electrodes are connected to an a.c. power source, each is alternately a cathode and an anode. The hydrogen formed with the oxygen in the vicinity of the shorter electrode explodes in each current cycle.
Synthesis, characterization and X-ray structure of several aryloxide and alkoxide derivatives of [Et4N][Re2(CO)6(OR)3] (R = H or Me)

Abstract The ligand exchange reaction of the anionic binuclear rhenium complexes Re 2 ( CO ) 6 ( OR ) 3 - (R = H (1) or Me (2)) has been studied with the arylalcohols 4-aminophenol (3, 4), 3-dimethylaminophenol (5), 3-cyanophenol (6) and 4-cyanophenol (7, 8) and the diol ethylene glycol (9). Complete exchange of the three hydroxy or methoxy ligands by aryl alcohols can be attained by heating the reaction mixture or allowing the mixture to stir for several days. Incomplete exchange is achieved by stoichiometric control of the incoming ligand and is complete within twelve hours. For the alkyl alcohol ethylene glycol complete exchange can be obtained in 8 h. Crystal structure determinations for several of these derivatives have been carried out.
Anisotropy of NMR relaxation, and diffusion, of penetrants in stretched cis‐polyisoprene

We have measured 1H and 19F NMR relaxation times T1, T1ρ, and T2, and diffusion constants, in trace penetrants hexafluorobenzene and n-hexadecane dissolved in stretched cis-polyisoprene, as function of temperature, rubber elongation, and angle with respect to the stretch direction. Values of T1 and T2 in the rubber were also measured. At all temperatures (—40 ≤ T ≤ 85°C), T1 in rubber and penetrants is isotropic and independent of elongation; the differences between rubber and penetrants are related to penetrant diffusion. All T2 above—15°C are anisotropic and elongation dependent, and follow a motional narrowing model. For the penetrants, averaging the dipolar interactions implies averaging over a diffusion path; this correctly reproduces the observed much higher T2 anisotropy in the penetrants. Penetrant diffusion rates, however, are essentially isotropic and elongation independent. These effects depend only weakly on the shape of the penetrant molecules.
Synthesis and properties of cerium aluminosilicophosphate glasses

Abstract Cerium oxide is commonly added to silicate glasses as an optical property modifier. In particular, UV absorption, decoloration via redox coupling, and resistance to radiation-induced darkening are influenced by the addition of this rare-earth oxide. However, the limited solubility and visible color of rare-earth oxides in silicate glasses prevent any further beneficial enhancement of properties which might result from increasing the CeO2 content. In contrast, rare-earth oxides are extremely soluble in phosphate glasses; for example, a binary cerium phosphate glass can incorporate up to 40 mol% CeO2. Moreover, since the UV absorption edge of the phosphate network is blue-shifted compared to the silicate network, the effect of the Ce3+ absorption band tail on yellow coloration can be minimized. In this study, glasses in the cerium aluminosilicophosphate system were synthesized and a variety of physical and optical properties were measured including: density, refractive index, glass transition temperature, hardness, fracture toughness, and the location of the UV absorption edge. At ∼9 mol% CeO2, these cerium aluminosilicophosphate glasses exhibit similar coloration to commercially available silicate glasses which contain ∼0.4 mol% CeO2. Semi-quantitative photoemission analysis of the Ce oxidation states showed insignificant differences in the Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio between the phosphate and silicate glass systems.
Optically determined temperatures, sizes, and velocities of individual carbon particles under typical combustion conditions

This study utilizes an in situ optical method to determine the temperature, size, and velocity of individual particles of burning pulverized fuels. Temperature-size and velocity-size correlations were determined for both nonreacting and ignited suspensions of a spherical, nonvolatile, molecular sieve carbon flowing in one dimension. The measurements at three axial positions when no oxygen was present illustrate the strong sensitivity to particle size in the transient temperatures. A comparison with predictions from a heat transfer model with no adjustable parameters assesses the experimental errors. Sizes were determined to within 10 μm (120 < dp, μm < 240), temperatures to within 50K (1150 < Tp, K < 1950), and velocities to within 5% (150 < νp, cm/s < 300). Four temperature-size correlations for suspensions burning in 24% excess oxygen show that heterogeneous reaction steepens the correlations beyond their levels for conduction heating alone. For a 75 μm size range, the observed ranges of temperature during heatup and ignition span several hundred degrees, which raises serious doubts about the utility of using average temperatures and sizes to assign kinetic parameters throughout the first 100–150 ms of this process.
The Effects of Problem-Solving Ability and Locus of Control on Prisoner Adjustment

Prisoners who maintain an internal locus of control adjust more effectively in prison and after release. A program to increase internal locus of control by improving problem-solving skills was evaluated using a pre/posttest experimental design with a three-month follow-up. One hundred sixty-eight prisoners were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. Contrary to the underlying theory of treatment, and theory regarding the effects of incarceration, the prisoners were found to have an internal locus of control and adequate problem-solving skills. Thus, prisoners already possessed characteristics that treatment was implemented to facilitate. Plausible explanations are discussed. The findings have clear implications for future clinical work. The need for knowledge-building in this area is also discussed.
Measurement of the Experience of Living with Primary Recurrent Headache

Abstract Recurrent primary headache is a major public health concern that impacts both society and the individual, reducing productivity and limiting participation in work, social, and leisure activities. The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to measure the experience of living with chronic recurrent primary headache. This tool, Chronic Pain Experience Instrument-Headache Version (CPEI-HA), is intended to provide a measure of the affective component of headache that could complement the assessment of intensity, density, and disability. Psychometric testing of 25 items with a community-based headache sample ( N = 150) resulted in a 19-item tool with high internal consistency (α = .92). Principal components analysis was used to explore the meaning of the headache experience, and three underlying dimensions (i.e., Helplessness, Stress—Personal and Interpersonal, and Emotional Struggle) emerged to provide a better understanding of the experience. Construct validity was supported by the empiric relationships between the CPEI-HA and the eight theoretically related health concept subscales of the RAND 36-Item Health Survey 1.0. As predicted, all of the relationships were positive and in the moderate range (.31–.52). Findings suggest that the CPEI-HA has the potential for providing a valid and reliable tool for both clinical and research applications with persons who experience primary recurrent headaches.
Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth of (1-100) m-Plane GaN on m-Plane 6H-SiC by Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Planar m-plane GaN was grown on (1100) m-plane 6H-SiC substrates using high-temperature AlN nucleation layers by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images showed striated features on the sample surface aligned along the GaN [1120] direction, which are perpendicular to those associated with (1120) a-plane GaN. The epitaxial relationship between the m-GaN and 6H-SiC was analyzed using high-resolution x-ray diffraction (XRD). In order to reduce the defect density, epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) was carried out on an m-GaN template with mask stripes along the GaN [1120] direction, which makes the lateral growth fronts advance along the GaN c-axis. On-axis XRD rocking curves show that the full width at half maximum (FWHM) values for the ELO samples were reduced by nearly half when compared to those of the m-plane template without ELO. Clear atomic steps were observed in the wing regions by AFM. The absence of the striated features that are associated with the template could be indicative of the reduction of basal stacking faults in the ELO wings. Low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed an excitonic emission at 3.47eV, a basal stacking fault (BSF)-related emission at 3.41 eV, and other defect-related emissions at 3.29 eV and 3.34 eV.
Flow visualization through spacer filled channels by computational fluid dynamics-II: improved feed spacer designs☆

Abstract In an earlier work [JMS 193 (2001) 69–84] computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were used for flow visualization in spacer filled rectangular channels. This work reports results of CFD simulations on new designs of spacers in similar channels. These new spacer designs involve changing the convex surface of circular cross section of filaments in commercial spacers to concave surfaces with varying degree by adjusting the width to height ratios. It was shown that new spacers gave significant reduction in pressure drop across the channel when compared to corresponding original spacers. Based on CFD simulations it was also found that new spacers produced comparable strain rates to their corresponding original spacers.
Systemic hypertension induces disparate localized left ventricular action potential lengthening and altered sensitivity to verapamil in left ventricular myocardium.

Previously, we demonstrated that acute exposure to superfusate containing verapamil suppresses action potential plateau to a greater degree in cells at the tip of the anterior papillary muscle compared to those at its base in normal cat left ventricle (LV) studied in tissue bath. To determine the effects of chronic pressure overload brought about by renal hypertension on (1) papillary muscle electrophysiology and (2) regional sensitivity to verapamil, LV were isolated from cats subjected to unilateral nephrectomy and contralateral kidney wrapping. After 3 months, systemic hypertension (mean increase=60.2±1.4 mmHg) was associated with moderate LV hypertrophy of ≈18% (LV weight/body weight). Transmembrane action potentials recorded from the endocardial surface (including anterior papillary muscle) in pressure overloaded LV in vitro (800 ms stimulus cycle length) showed increased action potential duration at 25, 75 and 90% of repolarization (APD 25 , APD 75 and APD 90 , respectively) relative to controls (LV from normal and sham operated cats). With respect to the anterior papillary muscle in pressure overloaded LV, APD 25 , APD 75 and APD 90 were increased to a greater extent in cells at the base of the muscle compared to those increases observed at the tip ( P 25 at both the base and the tip of the papillary muscle in pressure overloaded preparations, but particularly at the base; also, the disparities between the APD 75 or APD 90 at tip and base were decreased. Thus, (1) regional electrophysiologic disparities were induced in systemic hypertension, and (2) these differences were subsequently reduced by verapamil. Highly localized disparate effects of verapamil in normal and pressure overloaded LV myocardium indicate the need to assess drug action in diseased preparations.
Distribution of psocids (Psocoptera) in temperature gradients in stored wheat

Abstract Psocids have become important pests of stored products during the last two decades, but little is known about their behavior or ecology. We examined distribution of Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae), Liposcelis entomophila (Enderlein), and Liposcelis paeta (Pearman), three of the main psocid pests of stored grain throughout the grain growing regions of the world, in temperature gradients of 20°–24 °C, 20°–30 °C, and 20°–42 °C in small bulks of wheat to determine their ecological preferences. Psocids consistently preferred the warmest regions of the gradients, except in the 20–42 °C gradients. Over 80 and 78% of psocids moved to the warmest region of the grain in the 20°–24° and 20°–30° gradients, respectively. Liposcelis bostrychophila females and both sexes of L. paeta preferred the warmer region of the grain in the 20°–42° gradient, while densities of L. entomophila males were higher in more moderate temperature regions of the grain and densities of L. entomophila females were evenly split between the warm and hot regions of the grain. Temperatures can be below 20 °C during much of the storage season for grains, so the current results help to explain why psocids move to warmer regions of the grain which occur toward the center of the grain mass as grain temperatures cool in the fall. This may allow psocid populations to continue to grow during the colder months.
Rates of Hydrothermal Reactions

The rates of reactions of silicates and aqueous fluids follow zero-order kinetics controlled by the reacting surface area with the rate constant given by the equation: log k[unknown] -2900/ T -6.85, where T is temperature and where k has the unit9s gram-atoms of oxygen per square centimeter per second. This expression appears to hold for all silicates and for reactions involving dissolution, fluid production, or solid-solid transformations in the presence of a fluid of moderate to high p H .
Reinhold Niebuhr: Impact and Implications

AbstractReinhold Niebuhr's realistic theology and ethics provided a stark contrast to the optimistic Protestant liberalism of a previous generation. His success in reshaping the political theology of his contemporaries has led some recent critics to dismiss him as simply an echo of a cultural consensus which he in fact did much to create. The quite different realities of our time suggest, however, that we cannot be Niebuhrian realists simply by repeating his insights. Realism at the beginning of the 21st century has to shift its attention from the center of established moral and religious traditions to the growing edges where new institutions are being formed and new understandings of the human good are coming into focus. Such thinking runs the risk of what Niebuhr would call "utopianism," but a Christian realist in the 21st century will be someone who takes all of those possibilities seriously, in contrast to 20th-century realists who attempted to deal with the pace and unpredictability of change by retu...
Statistical testing of a deep mathematical model for human breast cancer

THE CRUCIAL step in any scientific study is the task of putting a substantive theory to a rigorous empirical test. The strategy of testing is similar whether the theory is expressed in a mathematical language or a verbal one. However, the tactics-or technical approaches-are different. In what follows we will be concerned with the tactical (and practical) problems of carrying out a stringent empirical test of a mathematical model for the growth and spread of human breast cancer. This model presents some special tactical problems because it is different in nature from the usual biostatistical model. To emphasize this distinction, we will refer to the breast cancer model as a “deep model” and to the usual statistical models as “surface models”. No invidious comparison is intended here. Indeed, these relatively neutral terms have been chosen in a deliberate attempt to avoid the confusing connotations of older terminologies that are somewhat related to the same distinction. The basic thesis of this paper is that the distinction between “deep” and “surface” models is of both theoretic and practical importance in the statistical testing. Informally speaking, the distinction between a surface model and a deep one depends on the kinds of events that are brought into the mathematical model. The only kind of events that come into a surface model are those events which take place at the “surface’‘-those events which are directly observed and reported in a given scientific study. In contrast, a “deep” model brings in events which occur “below the surface” and which are not observed and reported in the study. The deep model describes an underlying process which, in theory, generates the surface events. In the breast cancer model, for example, there is a mathematical description of events that are theoretically taking place at a “microscopic” level. Thus this model postulates that, for a given type of patient, there will be an exponential increase in the size of the tumor at a rate specificed by one of the parameters of the deep model. Similarly the model postulates a stochastic process in which tumor cells are disseminated to the lymph nodes and to other parts of the body with probabilities specified by other parameters of the model.
Self-efficacy as a predictor and mediator of orthodontic cooperation in adolescents

Purpose: Self-efficacy has been shown to be a significant predictor of many health behaviors. Self-efficacy, as defined by psychologist Albert Bandura (1997), is the “belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments.” More simply put, people attempt to do what they believe they can do, regardless of their actual abilities. Cooperation with orthodontic treatment involves the ability to plan and organize oneself to perform activities from brushing and flossing to wearing elastics or headgear. The purpose of this project was to explore whether self-efficacy can predict future orthodontic cooperation and is an intermediate influence on adolescent cooperation. Patients and methods: A newly developed orthodontic self-efficacy scale and selected subscales from Bandura’s Children’s Self-efficacy Scale (2001) were administered to 30 adolescent orthodontic patients before treatment and after 6 and 12 months of orthodontic treatment. Cooperation was assessed with the Patient Cooperation Scale (Slakter et al, 1980) by the treating orthodontist. Results: The overall score from the orthodontic selfefficacy scale was not found to be a significant predictor of cooperation (P .05), but subscales were found to be significant mediators of cooperation (P .05). Positive changes in self-efficacy for elastic wear and self-efficacy for headgear wear scores were significantly correlated with positive changes in cooperation over the 12-month study period, indicating a positive interaction between self-efficacy and cooperation. Initial scores on Bandura’s Self-efficacy for Enlisting Parental and Community Support were found to correlate significantly with 12-month cooperation scores, predicting 18% of the variability in overall cooperation. This subscale explores children’s beliefs that their family and other adults can help with problems or get involved with their activities. This correlation highlights the importance of family support in successful orthodontic treatment. Conclusions: The results suggest that self-efficacy has a role in the cooperation level that adolescents can attain with the demands of orthodontic treatment and offers new avenues for improving cooperation with orthodontic treatment in adolescents. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2006;129:843 0889-5406/$32.00 Copyright © 2006 by the American Association of Orthodontists. doi:10.1016/j.ajodo.2005.08.014
Meson widths from string worldsheet instantons

Abstract We show that open strings living on a D-brane which lies outside an AdS black hole can tunnel into the black hole through worldsheet instantons. These instantons have a simple interpretation in terms of thermal quarks in the dual Yang–Mills (YM) theory. As an application we calculate the width of a meson in a strongly coupled quark–gluon plasma which is described holographically as a massless mode on a D7 brane in AdS 5 × S 5 . While the width of the meson is zero to all orders in the 1 / λ expansion with λ the 't Hooft coupling, it receives non-perturbative contributions in 1 / λ from worldsheet instantons. We find that the width increases quadratically with momentum at large momentum and comment on potential phenomenological implications of this enhancement for heavy ion collisions. We also comment on how this non-perturbative effect has important consequences for the phase structure of the YM theory obtained in the classical gravity limit.
Determination of Absorption Characteristics of AG337, a Novel Thymidylate Synthase Inhibitor, Using a Perfused Rat Intestinal Model

The purpose of this study was to determine the intestinal absorption characteristics of AG337, a mechanism-based inhibitor of thymidylate synthase, using a perfused rat intestinal model. Effects of site, pH, temperature, concentration, Na+, and inhibitors on the absorption of AG337 were determined, after the compound was shown to be stable in buffers of various pH, blank perfusate, and intestinal homogenate. The results indicated that absorption of AG337 was temperature-, pH-, Na+-, concentration-, and site-dependent. The best site of absorption is duodenum, where the absorption was 3-10 times (p < 0. 05) higher than absorption at jejunum, ileum, and colon. Among the four pH's studied, the best was at pH 6.5 (p < 0.05). Absorption was 80% lower in the absence of Na+, and 75% lower when the temperature of the perfusate was decreased to 4 degreesC. Permeability of AG337 also decreased about 75% when the concentration was raised to 100 microM. These results suggest that a nutrient carrier may be involved in the transport of AG337. To determine the carrier responsible for the absorption of AG337, its absorption was determined in the presence of various inhibitors at different concentrations. The results indicated that transport of AG337 was inhibited significantly (p < 0.01) by 100 microM of adenine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine. The transport was also inhibited significantly (p < 0.01) by a mixture of 100 microM each of adenine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine, but not by a mixture of 100 microM each of thymine and uracil. A higher concentration of hypoxanthine resulted in increased inhibition. In contrast, prototypical inhibitors of nucleoside transporter, dipyridamole and nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR), did not significantly decrease the transport of AG337. The results also showed that absorption of AG337 had a significant nonsaturable component, with a nonsaturable Pw of 0.8. In conclusion, absorption of AG337 in the rat intestine has been shown to be mainly via a purine base carrier with a significant nonsaturable component.
SAVE THE ELIXIR! A PHARMACEUTICAL CRY FROM THE HEARTLAND

Recently a publication from the United States Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention Inc. arrived in my mailbox. It is the Drug Product Quality Review, a newsletter that usually alerts its readers to mundane problems of drug product regulation. Issue 13 (August, 1990) begins: «A pharmacist from New York submitted a USP DPPR (drug product problem) report questioning the use of the term «Elixir» as it appeared on the package of an oral Acetaminophen liquid. The product contained «Elixir» as part of its trade name though the labeling stated that the product was alcohol free. The reporter felt the use of «Elixir» might be inappropriate»
Fluctuations and light scattering in a liquid crystal polymer fiber.

The spatial correlation function is calculated for thermal fluctuations of the liquid crystal director field in the core of an optical fiber composed of a main chain liquid crystal polymer in the smectic-C phase. Due to steric constraints on the liquid crystal polymer, the smectic layers orient perpendicular to the fiber axis, the liquid crystal director lies flat against the core-cladding interface, and a line disclination appears along the fiber axis. The analysis is based on a Landau\char21{}de Gennes expression for free energy, which includes ordinary smectic-C elastic terms as well as terms added to model the disclination. The correlation function is used to relate the scattering distribution and attenuation of guided light to the elastic constants of the liquid crystal polymer. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Experimental and modeling studies of a parasitic binding mechanism in facilitated membrane transport

Abstract A “parasite binding” reaction mechanism in facilitated transport was studied theoretically and experimentally. An example of this mechanism is CO (solute) transport through CuCl (carrier) solutions. In this process, after the first binding of solute with a carrier molecule, the second reaction step takes place between the solute-carreir complex and a second carrier molecule. The steady state mass transport equations were solved numerically for the facilitation factor, F . Modeling results indicated a “cross-over” point in a plot of F vs. the ratio of total carrier to feed solute concentration, θ , for certain values of K 1 and K 2 . An explanation for this cross-over point was found when F and the ratio of concentration values of carrier-solute complexes were plotted vs. K 2 with θ as a parameter. The concentration ratio of first step's solute-carrier complex to the second step's is approximately equal to 1 at the cross-over point. An experimental apparatus was designed and set up to conduct the experimental study. Laboratory experiments related to CO transport through CuCl containing immobilized liquid membranes (ILMs) were performed. Experimental values were consistently lower than the modeling results based on previously reported physical properties. An improved value for the diffusivity ratio of carrier-solute complex to the solute, γ, was obtained by minimizing the difference between experimental results and modeling results.
Tensile stress-acceleration of the surface structural relaxation of SiO2 optical fibers

Abstract The surface relaxation kinetics of commercial silica optical fibers were studied by measuring the IR band positions in reflection, which are directly correlated with the SiOSi bond angle as well as the fictive temperature of the glass. The silica glass optical fibers were heat-treated at 650°C under 355 torr water vapor pressure and dry nitrogen atmosphere with and without applied stress. It was found that the relaxation kinetics were measurably accelerated by a tensile stress in the presence of water vapor.
Social dominance in the mouse.

Two inbred strains of mice were opposed in measures of tube-dominance, food-dominance, and aggression, using matched pairs of individual opponents. There were stable strain differences on all three measures, and Ss within strains were highly similar to each other in performance. Results on the food-dominance and aggression measures were concordant, while performance on the tube-dominance test was negatively related to the other two measures.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a Major Form of Dehumanization in the Modern World

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is one of the most successful technologies in modern times. In spite of well-argued critiques, the DSM and the idea of “mental illness” on which it is based flourish, with ever more (mis)behaviors labeled as brain diseases. Problems in living and related distress are converted into medical problems, obscuring the role of environmental factors such as poverty and related political, social, moral, and economic factors such as the interest of the state in controlling deviant behavior and maintaining the status quo. This view shrinks rather than expands opportunities for freedom, growth, and dignity. It ignores the vast literature showing that unusual environments create unusual behaviors and that by arranging learning opportunities we can change behavior. Reasons for this marketing success are discussed and alternatives suggested including consensual counseling regarding problems in living and drawing on a science of behavior attending to enviro...
Cardiovascular dysfunction in adult mice following postnatal intermittent hypoxia.

Ex-premature infants are at higher risk for hypertension and cardiovascular disease as adults, although the mechanisms underlying such increased risks are unknown. We hypothesize that postnatal exposure to intermittent hypoxia (IH) leads to cardiovascular dysfunction in adulthood with alterations of the renin–angiotensin pathway. Neonatal mice were exposed to IH for 4 wk. At the age of 3 mo, various cardiovascular measurements were obtained. IH-exposed mice exhibited higher systolic blood pressure, impaired baroreflex responses, and decreased heart rate variability. Furthermore, IH-exposed mice manifested evidence of endothelial dysfunction, as shown by reduced reperfusion indices after tail vessel occlusion and impaired vasodilatory responses to acetylcholine. CD31+ endothelial cells isolated from mesenteric arteries of IH-exposed mice expressed higher levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme and reactive oxygen species; plasma angiotensin-II levels were also significantly higher in these animals. In addition, DNA methylation patterns of the Ace1 and the Agt genes in these cells were congruent with their expression patterns. Our results suggest that exposures to postnatal IH alter the normal development of the renin–angiotensin system and promote the occurrence of cardiovascular dysfunction during adulthood in mice.
SU‐E‐T‐256: Optimizing the Combination of Targeted Radionuclide Therapy Agents Using a Multi‐Scale Patient‐Specific Monte Carlo Dosimetry Platform

Purpose: Combination targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) is appealing because it can potentially exploit different mechanisms of action from multiple radionuclides as well as the variable dose rates due to the different radionuclide half-lives. The work describes the development of a multiobjective optimization algorithm to calculate the optimal ratio of radionuclide injection activities for delivery of combination TRT. Methods: The ‘diapeutic’ (diagnostic and therapeutic) agent, CLR1404, was used as a proof-of-principle compound in this work. Isosteric iodine substitution in CLR1404 creates a molecular imaging agent when labeled with I-124 or a targeted radiotherapeutic agent when labeled with I-125 or I-131. PET/CT images of high grade glioma patients were acquired at 4.5, 24, and 48 hours post injection of 124I-CLR1404. The therapeutic 131I-CLR1404 and 125ICLR1404 absorbed dose (AD) and biological effective dose (BED) were calculated for each patient using a patient-specific Monte Carlo dosimetry platform. The optimal ratio of injection activities for each radionuclide was calculated with a multi-objective optimization algorithm using the weighted sum method. Objective functions such as the tumor dose heterogeneity and the ratio of the normal tissue to tumor doses were minimized and the relative importance weights of each optimization function were varied. Results: For each optimization function, the program outputs a Pareto surface map representing all possible combinations of radionuclide injection activities so that values that minimize the objective function can be visualized. A Pareto surface map of the weighted sum given a set of user-specified importance weights is also displayed. Additionally, the ratio of optimal injection activities as a function of the all possible importance weights is generated so that the user can select the optimal ratio based on the desired weights. Conclusion: Multi-objective optimization of radionuclide injection activities can provide an invaluable tool for maximizing the dosimetric benefits in multi-radionuclide combination TRT. BT, JG, and JW are affiliated with Cellectar Biosciences which owns the licensing rights to CLR1404 and related compounds.
Alluvial Fans as Records of Holocene Sediment Yield in the Central Great Plains of Southwest Nebraska

Soils buried by alluvial fan deposits in southwest Nebraska record several intervals of increased sediment yield from small watersheds during the Holocene. These intervals, which began at ca. 9000,...
Identification of Myocardial Cell Death in Reperfused Myocardial Injury Using Dual Mechanisms of Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Rationale and Objectives. Because the magnitude of dysprosium-induced signal loss depends on the microheterogeneity of its distribution (exclusion from intracellular space), we proposed that loss of myocardial cell integrity would be reflected by decreased potency of dysprosium in the injured compared with normal myocardium. We measured the effect of dysprosium on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging signal intensity of reperfused infarcted and nonischemic myocardium and related it to tissue concentration of the contrast media. Methods. Rats were subjected to 1 hr coronary artery occlusion followed by 1 hr reperfusion. After 45 min of reflow, group 1 ( n = 9) received 1.0 and 0.2 mmol/kg dysprosium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-bismethylamide (Dy-DTPA-BMA) and gadodiamide (GdDTPA-BMA), respectively. Group 2 ( n = 7) received no contrast agents. Excised hearts were imaged with spinecho T1- and T2-weighted sequences. After imaging, hearts were stained (triphenyltetrazolium chloride) to define the injured zones. Concentrations of Dy-DTPA-BMA and Gd-DPTA-BMA in regional myocardial tissue were determined by induction coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Separate groups received one or the other contrast medium alone to control for potential error from the mixed effects of the two agents. Results. Gd-DTPA-BMA delineated reperfused infarcted myocardium as a bright zone on T1-weighted images, thus indicating delivery of the agent and reperfusion at the tissue level. Dy-DTPA-BMA delineated the reperfused infarction as a bright region by decreasing the signal intensity of nonischemic myocardium significantly more than that of injured myocardium, despite being present in greater concentration (by 2.46-fold) in the injured myocardium. Conclusion. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the failure of myocardial cells to exclude the dysprosium compound is responsible for the diminished potency of dysprosium to cause MR imaging signal intensity loss in reperfused myocardial infarction. The combination of the two contrast media may define reperfusion of the myocardium at the tissue level (Gadolinium distribution) and the presence and extent of myocardial necrosis (diminished dysprosium effect) in reperfused myocardial infarctions.