cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immediate vs. long-term desmethylimipramine or chlorimipramine: Effects on regional cerebral blood flow

The immediate vs. long-term effects of desmethylimipramine (DMI) or chlorimipramine (CMI) on cerebral blood flow (CBF) were determined in 17 rabbit brain regions using radioactively tagged microspheres (15 +/- 3 micron in diameter). A single administration of either drug did not alter average CBF or its regional distribution 1 h later. Desmethylimipramine, an agent which primarily blocks re-uptake in presynaptic noradrenergic neurons, significantly increased CBF when administered daily for 21 consecutive days. The regional effects of DMI were not restricted to those areas dense in noradrenergic receptors. Flow was significantly increased in the hypothalamus, olfactory cortex, globus pallidus-putamen and midbrain. These flow increases probably reflect integrated cerebral metabolic, synthetic and/or functional activity which were associated with altered receptor sensitivity and/or number, rather than a direct cerebral vasodilatory effect. In contrast, CMI, a tricyclic antidepressant which primarily blocks presynaptic re-uptake in serotonergic neurons, and produced sedation, had little effect on CBF when administered daily for 21 consecutive days. The immediate effects of these agents on presynaptic re-uptake was not associated with altered CBF. The long-term antidepressant activity of these two agents on receptor sensitivity was probably not correlated with CBF, as evidenced by the lack of effect which CMI had on this parameter. Rather, CBF response appears to be correlated with the therapeutic spectrum of DMI which increases psychomotor activity in retarded depression.
On measuring the impact of controls: A comment

After specifying and estimating an econometric wage-price model [Gordon, (1971)], I applied it in two papers [Gordon (1972), (1973)j to measure the impact of the Nixon administration control program in effect during 1971-73. The most striking conclusions were (1) that the price controls had held down the nonfarm price level by 3.2 percent by the end of the first two years of controls, and (2) that the wage controls had no direct effect on wages, since all the moderation of wages during the period was attributable to the indirect effect of lower prices. Far from claiming that this evidence demonstrated that the controls were a success (as Oi implies), I explicitly concluded that they had failed: The evidence that price controls had the effect of holding down inflation in the 1971-73 period should not be misinterpreted as an indication that the controls ‘succeeded.’ The effect of controls worked not by moderating the behavior of wages relative to prices, but rather by squeezing profit margins sufficiently to hold the price level below its freemarket value. This is not a situation which would be expected to last indefinitely, and hence the very fact of short-run ‘success’ for the control program guarantees its long-run failure....If...profit margins are eventually going to return to their no-controls level, there will be a catch-up period after the controls are lifted during which the rate of inflation will be substantially faster than would have occurred during that period without the controls. [Gordon (1973), pp. 777-81 Walter Oi deserves praise for the clarity of his careful review and critique of my model and its application to the controls issue. His strongly stated negative conclusion regarding the validity of my results is based on two major criticisms. First, the underlying theoretical structure of the model is unacceptable to him, because while “the forces that fundamentally drive the inflation process are our monetary and fiscal policies,” these policies, he claims, are not included among the set of explanatory variables in the model. Second, even if the theoretical rationale of the model were to be accepted, the instability of crucial parameter estimates during the sample period prohibits extrapolations of the estimated model into the post-sample period either to measure the effects of controls or for any other purpose.
Constant amplitude of postsynaptic responses for single presynaptic action potentials but not bursting input during growth of an identified neuromuscular junction in the lobster, Homarus americanus.

As lobsters grow from early juveniles to adults their body size increases more than 20-fold, raising the question of how function is maintained during these ongoing changes in size. To address this question we studied the pyloric 1 (p1) muscle of the stomach of the lobster, Homarus americanus. The p1 muscle receives multiterminal innervation from one motor neuron, the lateral pyloric neuron of the stomatogastric ganglion. Staining with antibodies raised against synaptotagmin showed that as the muscle fibers increased in length, the spacing between the terminal innervation increased proportionally, so the number of synaptic contact regions/muscle fiber did not change. Muscle fibers were electrically coupled in both juveniles and adults. The amplitude of single intracellularly recorded excitatory junctional potentials evoked by motor nerve stimulation was the same in both juveniles and adults. Nonetheless, the peak depolarizations reached in response to ongoing pyloric rhythm activity or in response to high-frequency trains of stimuli similar to those produced during the pyloric rhythm were approximately twofold larger in juveniles than in adults. This suggests that homeostatic regulation of synaptic connections may operate at the level of the amplitude of the single synaptic potential rather than on the summed depolarization evoked during strong rhythmic activity. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol, 2005
Correlation among sites of limited proteolysis, enzyme accessibility and segmental mobility.

Abstract .The relationship among accessibility to an enzyme, flexibility, and limited proteolysis was explored. Regions accessible to large probes, comparable in size to proteolytic enzymes, were computed in the crystallographic structures of thermolysin, trypsinogen and ribonuclease. Positions of these accessible regions were compared with sites of autolytic/proteolytic attacks, and with locations of flexible backbone segments. All the proteolytic sites were found to be exceptionally accessible. Most of them were also flexible, but at least one prominent site in trypsinogen appeared to be rigid. Thus, surface exposure seems to be more essential to proteolysis than flexibility.
Successful Leadership in Three High-Poverty Urban Elementary Schools

This study examined the beliefs and practices of three principals during whose tenure their high-poverty urban elementary schools experienced improved student achievement. A two-stage, multiple case-study methodology was employed. First, New York State Education Department (NYSED) school report card data were analyzed to identify case-study sites. Three high-need elementary schools whose student achievement scores improved after the arrival of the current principal were selected for study. Next, a multiperspective interview protocol was utilized to triangulate the perceptions of the administrators, teachers, members of support staffs, parents, and students at each of the three sites to understand how their respective principal contributed to the school's success. Findings revealed that all three principals responded to the challenges of their high-poverty communities by establishing safe, nurturing environments for children and adults; setting high expectations for student performance, and holding everyon...
Quasi- and pseudo-maximum likelihood estimators for discretely observed continuous-time Markov branching processes

Abstract This article deals with quasi- and pseudo-likelihood estimation for a class of continuous-time multi-type Markov branching processes observed at discrete points in time. “Conventional” and conditional estimation are discussed for both approaches. We compare their properties and identify situations where they lead to asymptotically equivalent estimators. Both approaches possess robustness properties, and coincide with maximum likelihood estimation in some cases. Quasi-likelihood functions involving only linear combinations of the data may be unable to estimate all model parameters. Remedial measures exist, including the resort either to non-linear functions of the data or to conditioning the moments on appropriate sigma-algebras. The method of pseudo-likelihood may also resolve this issue. We investigate the properties of these approaches in three examples: the pure birth process, the linear birth-and-death process, and a two-type process that generalizes the previous two examples. Simulations studies are conducted to evaluate performance in finite samples.
Comment on “Update on terrestrial ages of Antarctic meteorites” by K. Nishiizumi, D. Elmore and P.W. Kubik

Comment and reply on the paper of K. Nishiizumi, D. Elmore et P.W. Kubik (1989) - Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 93, 299-313
Physiologic Changes in Old Age: Relation to Altered Drug Disposition

Current knowledge of the effects of aging on drug disposition is reviewed. Although definitive studies are not always available, based on present evidence it appears that: 1) drug absorption is not impaired in the elderly; 2) drug distribution in the elderly may be altered by significant changes in the lipid/lean body mass ratio; 3) Phase I (non-synthetic) biotransformation reactions of the liver appear to be much more profoundly affected by aging than are Phase II (synthetic) reactions; 4) age-related effects of biotransformation can be different even for compounds that are very similar and undergo the same types of reactions. Important parameters of drug metabolism are also discussed, such as the need to use total clearance, rather than half-life, in assessing pharmacokinetics.
Properties of conducting zinc oxide films prepared by R.F. Sputtering

An effective method of dopant incorporation in rf sputtered ZnO film is reported. The electrical, optical and structural properties of zinc doped ZnO films are investigated. Electron mobility of∼10 cm2 /V-sec and electron concentration of∼1019 cm−3 have been measured at room temperature. X-ray diffraction data obtained on films prepared on Corning 7059 glass show (002) peak, dominating. The high electrical conductivity and transmission makes ZnO films very attractive as a component for heterojunction solar cells.
Determination of serum lipoprotein-X for the early differentiation between neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia

Presently available laboratory methods will identify the more esoteric causes of persistent jaundice in infants such as toxoplasmosis, syphilis, cytomegalic inclusion disease, metabolic disorders, and viruses, but are, in general, incapable of differentiating between biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis, the two most common etiologies of such jaundice. Early differentiation between neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia is of utmost importance, for if surgical intervention in biliary atresia is to be successful, it must take place before irreversible liver damage ensues at approximately 3 mo of age. Reports from Japan [4] claiming successful amelioration of biliary atresia by hepatic portoenterostomy further emphasize the need for early diagnosis. The infant with neonatal hepatitis, on the other hand, is subjected to increased morbidity and mortality if an unnecessary surgical exploration is carried out [lo]. Numerous studies have shown that neither liver biopsy nor the standard tests of liver function will accurately differentiate between biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis [1,3]. A recent modification of the 13’1-Rose Bengal excretion test [8] has made it a reliable tool in differentiating between neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia, but the separate
Central and peripheral neural mechanisms of acupuncture in myocardial ischemia

Abstract Previous clinical and experimental studies suggest that acupuncture helps myocardial ischemia, hypertension and arrhythmias. To investigate mechanisms that underlie the cardiovascular influence of acupuncture, we have developed a feline model of reversible myocardial ischemia. Ischemia was induced by partial ligation of a coronary artery and stimulation of a sympathetic reflex induced by bradykinin applied to the gallbladder (GB). We superimposed low frequency (2–5 Hz), low intensity (2–5 mA) electroacupuncture (EA) to stimulate bilaterally the Neiguan acupoints, located on the pericardial meridian over the median nerves (MN) on each forelimb. EA for 30 min substantially reduced myocardial ischemia, measured as an improvement in regional myocardial wall thickening, a response requiring 10–20 min for onset and lasting for 60–90 min. Direct MN stimulation as well as stimulation from an acupuncture needle placed percutaneously at the Neiguan acupoints cause similar responses by stimulating Group III more than Group IV fibers in the MN. We also showed that EA works through the endogenous opioid system, since both intravenous and microinjected naloxone into the rostral ventral lateral medulla (rVLM) prevent the EA-related response. Finally, opioid μ and δ, but not κ, receptors in the rVLM are responsible for the EA-related modulation of sympathetic outflow, suggesting that endorphins and enkephalins, but not dynorphins are the neuromodulators involved in this response. Current studies are focused on the cellular responses in rVLM neurons. Thus, EA stimulates mainly Group III fibers that ascend to the central nervous system and, through an opioid mechanism in the rVLM, particularly involving endorphins and enkephalins, EA inhibits sympathetic outflow to reduce the pressor response and resulting myocardial ischemia during reflex stimulation. Our studies provide an understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying EA and assist in developing a framework of information that can be understood and, hopefully, accepted by scientists and clinicians in the Western countries.
Relation of neuropathology to cognition in persons without cognitive impairment.

Objective Examine the relation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, cerebral infarcts, and Lewy body (LB) pathology to cognition in persons without cognitive impairment.
Models of Heterogenous Actin Filaments

Actin filaments consist of actin proteins, which are abundant in eukaryotic cells. These filaments form mesh-like structures to provide mechanical support and determine the shape of cells. Actin filaments also play important roles in cell mobility, cell division, endocytosis and intracellular transportation. In all these cellular processes, the mechanical properties of the actin filaments are crucial to facilitate cell dynamics. The mechanical properties are determined by the actin's inter- and intra- subunit interactions. To obtain these interactions, we constructed heterogenous coarse-grained actin filaments. The coarse-grained (CG) beads were obtained using essential dynamics coarse-graining (EDCG) method to analyze molecular simulation data of actin filaments. Two kinds of EDCG models were built, a uniform-CG filament and a hetero-CG filament, corresponding to using the same or different coarse-grained representations for each actin subunit, respectively. We found that the hetero-CG filament has a lower free energy than the uniform-CG filament, which suggests the hetero-CG representation is energetically more favorable at the MD simulation time scale. We further quantified the persistence length and torsional stiffness of CG filaments. This work enhances the understanding of the interactions between and within actin subunits and explores how these interactions affect the mechanical properties of actin filaments.
Adult development and disciplinary content: A guide to effective teaching of adults

Most of the literature dealing with effective teaching of adult students deals with particular teaching methods. As important as suchprocess suggestions are, it may be even more important to help adults find connections between thecontent of the disciplines and the issues they experience personally as they move through the life cycle. A discussion of ways to do this is provided by an interdisciplinary team. These ideas are then integrated into a view of the disciplines as a tool for helping students mediate course content as well as their life experiences in the service of learning and individual development.
Crystal structures of Escherichia coli glycerol kinase variant S58-->W in complex with nonhydrolyzable ATP analogues reveal a putative active conformation of the enzyme as a result of domain motion.

Escherichia coli glycerol kinase (GK) displays “half-of-the-sites” reactivity toward ATP and allosteric regulation by fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (FBP), which has been shown to promote dimer−tetramer assembly and to inhibit only tetramers. To probe the role of tetramer assembly, a mutation (Ser58→Trp) was designed to sterically block formation of the dimer−dimer interface near the FBP binding site [Ormo, M., Bystrom, C., and Remington, S. J. (1998) Biochemistry 37, 16565−16572]. The substitution did not substantially change the Michaelis constants or alter allosteric regulation of GK by a second effector, the phosphocarrier protein IIAGlc; however, it eliminated FBP inhibition. Crystal structures of GK in complex with different nontransferable ATP analogues and glycerol revealed an asymmetric dimer with one subunit adopting an open conformation and the other adopting the closed conformation found in previously determined structures. The conformational difference is produced by a ∼6.0° rigid-body rotation of...
Celiac disease in children, adolescents, and young adults with autoimmune thyroid disease.

Objective To determine the prevalence of antibodies associated with celiac disease and biopsy-proven celiac disease in children with autoimmune thyroid disease. Study design A total of 302 patients with positive anti-thyroid antibodies were prospectively studied. Total immunoglobulin A (IgA) and tissue transglutaminase-IgA (tTG-IgA) levels were obtained. Those with a positive tTG-IgA titer were offered biopsy for definitive diagnosis of celiac disease. Results A total of 4.6% of subjects with autoimmune thyroid disease had positive tTG-IgA titers. The prevalence of biopsy-confirmed celiac disease was 2.3%. Our population was enriched with patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (4.3%) and Down syndrome (3.4%). Excluding individuals with these co-morbidities, the prevalence of celiac disease in autoimmune thyroid disease is 1.3%, similar to that of the general population. The positive predictive value of biopsy-proven celiac disease in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease and positive tTG-IgA titer was 54%. Conclusion The increase in prevalence of celiac disease in autoimmune thyroid disease in our study was largely caused by enrichment with co-morbidities. Without comorbidities or symptoms, screening for celiac disease may not be justified in this population. The specificity of tTG-IgA titer for the diagnosis of celiac disease was decreased in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease compared with the general population.
A nonlinear kinematic hardening theory for cyclic thermoplasticity and thermoviscoplasticity

Abstract The multiple backstress nonlinear kinematic hardening model of Moosbrugger and McDowell [1990] is extended to thermomechanical cyclic loading conditions. The model employs a decomposition of the isotropic hardening between the yield surface and backstress saturation amplitudes, with certain components independent of the degree of isotropic hardening. General forms are presented for thermoplasticity and thermoviscoplasticity that include temperature rate terms in both the kinematic and isotropic hardening parameters. General forms are presented for temperature path history-dependent and -independent materials; it is shown that the latter case is an important feature in thermoplasticity, since the flow rule cannot exhibit the necessary degree of temperature dependence. In the thermoviscoplastic case, the rate-dependence is decomposed between the flow rule and backstress saturation amplitudes, a unique feature consistent with dislocation cross slip. Thermodynamical restrictions are discussed for both cases, and isothermal and nonisothermal cyclic loading experiments are correlated with both theories.
Satellite observations of phytoplankton variability during an upwelling event

Abstract A sequence of satellite images of near-surface phytoplankton pigment concentrations and sea surface temperature together with concurrent surface measurements are used to study an upwelling event during the Coastal Ocean Dynamics Experiment off northern California. These data sets show a high degree of temporal and spatial variability during this episode. Recurrent patterns in this variability give insight into the dynamics of coastal upwelling and its effects on biological distributions. Simple models of coastal upwelling cannot explain the observed phenomena in the CODE region. Satellite estimates of phytoplankton growth rates were about 0.8 day −1 near persistent upwelling centers.
A large order asymptotic existence theorem for group divisible 3-designs with index one

Abstract In this paper we prove that group divisible 3 -designs exist for sufficiently large order with a fixed number of groups, fixed block size and index one, assuming that the necessary arithmetic conditions are satisfied. Let k and u be positive integers, 3 ≤ k ≤ u . Then there exists an integer m 0 = m 0 ( k , u ) such that there exists a group divisible 3 -design of group type m u with block size k and index one for any integer m ≥ m 0 satisfying the necessary arithmetic conditions 1. m ( u − 2 ) ≡ 0 mod ( k − 2 ) , 2. m 2 ( u − 1 ) ( u − 2 ) ≡ 0 mod ( k − 1 ) ( k − 2 ) , 3. m 3 u ( u − 1 ) ( u − 2 ) ≡ 0 mod k ( k − 1 ) ( k − 2 ) .
The significance of structure in the accumulation of oil in Tennessee

A review of the data obtained in the several fields in Tennessee which are now producing or have produced oil in commercial quantities shows that in nearly all of them "structure" plays an essential part in the accumulation of oil and gas. Other factors are just as essential and must be taken into consideration. Nearly all of the fields have been mapped in sufficient detail to show the relative importance of the attitude of the beds. Only in the Spring Creek field is this factor apparently of little consequence. The results of detailed mapping warrant the additional statement that the chances are overwhelmingly against wells located without regard to structure. Not all of the favorable structures drilled have produced oil, but all of the definitely unfavorable ones have been failures. Anticlinal domes provide oil in the following fields: Celina and vicinity, including Mill Creek and Willow Grove, Spurrier-Riverton, Sumner County, and Tinsleys Bottom. The Glenmary field is on a low-faulted anticline, and the Bone Camp field near Sunbright is on a terrace. The data are none too satisfactory for the Spring Creek field, the Glenmary field, and part of the production of the Willow Grove and Spurrier-Riverton fields.
The Virtual Library: Changing Roles and Ethical Challenges for Librarians

Since the 1930s, the Library Bill of Rights has acknowledged the ethical responsibility of librarians to provide access to information in all formats to all people. Librarians are charged with selecting, organizing, and instructing patrons on how to locate and use the resources, and preserving information regardless of format or technology. The information revolution and the pervasive thinking that everything is available on the Web have created new challenges to these traditional professional ethics. Acquiring and providing dependable access to electronic resources require librarians to learn and apply new skills such as negotiating license agreements and understanding evolving technologies. Print publications provide a degree of permanence, but e-information, if it is not properly managed, can be highly transient. Internet services provide large, uncontrolled, unregulated collection of resources. If the very nature of the Internet makes it nearly if not completely impossible to evaluate the content of w...
Complications Associated With Surveying Medical Student Depression The Importance of Anonymity

Objective: To evaluate students’ attitudes and concerns regarding potential repercussions of completing the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Methods: A survey based on focus group data was developed and distributed. Results: One hundred and ninety-one of 400 surveys (48%) were returned. Of 160 students who remembered completing the BDI, 31 (19%) admitted to concerns about the research, and nearly 10% admitted to recording dishonest answers. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the importance of conducting anonymous assessments of medical students, particularly when assessing sensitive psychological states.
The effects of age, gender, and experience on measures of attitude regarding computers

Abstract This study investigated the effects of age, gender, and computer experience on four subscales measuring attitudes towards computers. Approximately 207 college students responded to 40 Likert-type statements about computer anxiety, confidence, liking and usefulness. Results indicated that unlike previous investigations, gender did not significantly influence attitudes. Age and computer experiences however, were found to influence computer attitudes on some of the subscales. These influences were attributed to a greater emphasis on computer technology in the schools.
Plato and Delphi

Abstract Plato had an unparalleled influence on political and utopian thought through his Republic . Recently, Professor Clarke has emphasised the “Primacy of Plato” for the literature of the ideal state. 1 Some qualifications are offered here to Clarke's appraisal of Plato. These qualifications bear upon his characterisation of Plato's “extraordinary social insights and his exceptional power of thought”. They should be of particular interest to the futures researcher, as they are related to Delphi.
NF-κB-dependent inhibition of apoptosis is essential for host cell survival during Rickettsia rickettsii infection

The possibility that bacteria may have evolved strategies to overcome host cell apoptosis was explored by using Rickettsia rickettsii, an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that is the etiologic agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The vascular endothelial cell, the primary target cell during in vivo infection, exhibits no evidence of apoptosis during natural infection and is maintained for a sufficient time to allow replication and cell-to-cell spread prior to eventual death due to necrotic damage. Prior work in our laboratory demonstrated that R. rickettsii infection activates the transcription factor NF-κB and alters expression of several genes under its control. However, when R. rickettsii-induced activation of NF-κB was inhibited, apoptosis of infected but not uninfected endothelial cells rapidly ensued. In addition, human embryonic fibroblasts stably transfected with a superrepressor mutant inhibitory subunit IκB that rendered NF-κB inactivatable also underwent apoptosis when infected, whereas infected wild-type human embryonic fibroblasts survived. R. rickettsii, therefore, appeared to inhibit host cell apoptosis via a mechanism dependent on NF-κB activation. Apoptotic nuclear changes correlated with presence of intracellular organisms and thus this previously unrecognized proapoptotic signal, masked by concomitant NF-κB activation, likely required intracellular infection. Our studies demonstrate that a bacterial organism can exert an antiapoptotic effect, thus modulating the host cell’s apoptotic response to its own advantage by potentially allowing the host cell to remain as a site of infection.
Individual Differences in Sibling Teaching in Early and Middle Childhood

Research Findings: Sibling teaching and learning behaviors were investigated in 2 studies of children in early and middle childhood. Study 1 addressed individual differences in teaching/learning and associations with dyadic age, age gap, gender, birth order, and relationship quality in 71 middle-class dyads (firstborns M age = 81.54 months; second-borns M age = 56.27 months). Half of the firstborn and half of the second-born siblings were assigned the role of teacher. Regression analyses indicated that dyadic age and age gap made unique contributions to teacher and learner behavior. Few birth order differences in approaches to teaching/learning were revealed. Findings highlight the reciprocal nature of sibling teaching and learning. Study 2 investigated longitudinal associations between sibling relationship quality and teaching in a second sample (at Time 1 firstborns = 46.8 months; second-borns = 14 months). Positive sibling interaction (including play) at Time 1 was associated with teaching/learning beh...
Proteomics, Genomics, and Molecular Biology in the Personalized Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer develops and progresses from genetic and genomic changes that occur within and transforms the growth behavior of a normal colonic cell. Molecular tools have advanced enough to allow the scientific community to probe deeper into risk alleles within a population as well as into individual patient genetic data that can ascribe such a risk. Detected genetic and genomic changes from colorectal cancer can help determine a patient’s prognosis, predict response to chemotherapy, and determine the approach to care with biological therapies. Utilizing stool, blood/plasma, and tumor tissue to obtain genetic, genomic, and pharmacokinetic information contribute to a person’s profile to direct specific cancer care.
Effect of beta-adrenergic blocking agents on the circadian occurrence of ischemic cardiovascular events.

Abstract Clinical observations suggest that β-adrenergic blocking agents can modify the circadian occurrence of a variety of ischemic events. Morning awakening is associated with a rapid increase in blood pressure and pulse, serum catecholamine content and platelet activation, at a time of decreased blood thrombolytic activity. Beta-adrenergic blocking agents have the potential to modify many of these events. Current data indicate that these agents modify blood pressure and pulse, but do not prevent their early morning increase. In addition, β-adrenergic blocking agents decrease ventricular ectopy and its circadian variation. Recent studies in humans indicate, however, that metoprolol does not affect the circadian increase in platelet activity or serum catecholamines. The specific mechanism by which β blockers affect the circadian occurrence of ischemic events remains uncertain.
Reliability and validity of chest radiograph surveillance programs.

Study objectives Due to the lack of consensus in theliterature in the use of posteroanterior (PA) vs PA with right and leftoblique views as the optimum radiograph surveillance methodology toinvestigate pleural changes, a study was undertaken to evaluate thereliability, sensitivity, and specificity of these two approaches. Design Three experienced radiologist B readers used the1980 International Labor Office classification system forpneumoconiosis to independently read chest radiographs of workers withindividual identifiers masked. All radiographs were read first as a PAview only. Unknown to the B readers, each subject's PA was thenmatched to his or her corresponding right and left oblique views (filmtriad) and re-read several weeks later. Setting andparticipants The respiratory health of 652 workers exposed torefractory ceramic fiber was assessed as part of cross-sectional andlongitudinal surveillance programs. Measurements andresults κ Statistics for interreader and intrareaderreliability between the PA view and film triad methods were calculated. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value were assessedby comparing the initial cross-sectional study to the longitudinalstudy. The film triad method had considerably higher interreaderreliability (κ = 0.59) compared to the PA-only method(κ = 0.44). Results from the initial cross-sectional study werethen compared to findings evaluated longitudinally. The film triadagain was superior, demonstrating a positive predictive value of 73.7%compared to only 47.8% for the PA method. Conclusions It is our recommendation that the film triadmethod be used in surveillance studies where both parenchymal andpleural changes are anticipated.
Building Surrogate Models Based on Detailed and Approximate Simulations

Preliminary design of a complex system often involves exploring a large design space. This may require repeated use of computationally expensive simulations. To ease the computational burden, surrogate models are built to provide rapid approximations of more expensive models. However, the surrogate models themselves are often expensive to build because they are based on repeated experiments with computationally expensive simulations. An alternative approach is to replace the detailed simulations with simplified approximate simulations, thereby sacrificing accuracy for reduced computational time. Naturally, surrogate models built from these approximate simulations will also be imprecise. A strategy is needed for improving the precision of surrogate models based on approximate simulations without significantly increasing computational time. In this paper, a new approach is taken to integrate data from approximate and detailed simulations to build a surrogate model to describe the relationship between output and input parameters. Experimental results from approximate simulations form the bulk of the data, and they are used to build a model based on a Gaussian process. The fitted model is then ‘adjusted’ by incorporating small amounts of data from detailed simulations to obtain a more accurate prediction model. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated with a design application for a cellular material that is used to cool a microprocessor. The emphasis is on the method and not on the results per se.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Attention deficit disorder and epilepsy

Countless studies have demonstrated that patients with epilepsy have a significant increase in behavioral disturbances of all kinds, including hyperactivity and inattention. This finding has been demonstrated in studies utilizing observer questionnaires and behavior rating scales, neuropsychological test batteries, and standardized tests of attention such as continuous performance tests. Multiple factors must be considered in the evaluation of a child with epilepsy and hyperactivity or inattention. For instance, inattention could be due to subclinical seizures, undiagnosed learning disabilities, disturbed sleep as a result of a side effect of antiepileptic medication, or due to an attention deficit disorder. Electroencephalographic monitoring is helpful to distinguish between behavioral inattention and partial complex or absence seizures. Electroencephalographic monitoring can also assess subclinical spike frequency, which may affect attention and other aspects of cognitive functioning in various ways, even in the absence of clinical seizures. Most antiepileptic drugs do not adversely affect attention and behavior in therapeutic doses, with the exception of phenobarbital, gabapentin, and topiramate. Some antiepileptic drugs, such as lamotrigine and carbamazepine, may even have beneficial effects. The preponderance of evidence suggests that stimulants other than bupropion are safe and effective in the treatment of attention deficit disorder in children with epilepsy, although controlled studies of dextroamphetamine in this population are lacking. So far, atomoxetine has not been demonstrated to have any adverse effect in children with epilepsy.
A Model Proton Environment above 4 Mev

The procedure for constructing a proton environment from existing satellite data is described. Four different flux maps are given to describe the 4–15, 15–30, 30–50 and above 50 MeV energy ranges. In each of these energy ranges an exponential energy spectrum is used and the Variation of the spectrum with position is taken into account. A comparison of the model environment with experimental data is presented and the results of orbital integrations are shown.
The Logit Equilibrium: A Perspective on Intuitive Behavioural Anomalies

costs associated with deviations from the Nash equilibrium. These payoff-asymmetry effects are incorporated in an approach that introduces noisy behavior via a logit probabilistic choice function. In the resulting logit equilibrium, behavior is characterized by a probability distribution that satisfies a "rational expectations" consistency condition: The beliefs that determine players' expected payoffs match the decision distributions that arise from applying the logit rule to those expected payoffs. We prove existence of a unique, symmetric logit equilibrium and derive comparative statics results. The paper provides a unified perspective on many recent laboratory studies of games in which Nash equilibrium predictions are inconsistent with both intuition and experimental evidence.
The molt cycle of the crab, Cancer antennarius: Computer-aided staging

Some stages of the molting cycle are not readily discernible in large crustaceans, if classical staging methods are employed. Alternative methods were explored. A statistical classification procedure used in numerical taxonomy, multiple discriminant analysis, was applied to 26 variables measured in crabs (Cancer antennarius) of known stages. Variables were tested systematically for discriminant capacity singly, in pairs, and in linear combinations. A set of 12 variables was found that discriminates stages accurately and efficiently. The variables are physical in character, highly accessible, and easily measured; the required data can be collected routinely before, during, or after an experiment. The method can be applied to staging other species.
Nearshore internal bores and turbulent mixing in southern Monterey Bay

[1] We observed transient stratification and mixing events associated with nearshore internal bores in southern Monterey Bay using an array of instruments with high spatial and temporal resolution. The arrival of the bores is characterized by surging masses of dense (cold) water that tend to stratify the water column. The bore is followed by a gradual drop in the temperature throughout the water column over several hours (defined here as the bore period) until a sharp warm-front relaxation, followed by high frequency temperature fluctuations, returns the column back to nearly its original state (defined here as the mixing period). Mixing periods revealed increased temperature variance at high frequencies (ω > N¯), as well as a greater percentage of events where dynamic instabilities may be present (Ri< 0.25), suggesting active mixing of the stratified water column. Turbulent dissipation rates in the stratified interior during the mixing period, estimated using the technique of isopycnal slope spectra, revealed mean values the same order of magnitude as near-bed bottom-generated turbulence. Observations indicate that local shear-produced turbulent kinetic energy by the warm front relaxations dominates mixing in the stratified interior. The non-canonical nature of these bore and relaxation events is also investigated with a numerical model, and the dynamics are shown to depend on the internal Iribarren number. Our results suggest that nearshore internal bores interacting with local bathymetry dramatically alter local dynamics and mixing in the nearshore with important ecological implications.
Depicting the Quarterback in Black and White: A Content Analysis of College and Professional Football Broadcast Commentary

Previous scholars (J. Rada, 1996; R. E. Rainville & E. McCormick, 1977) have analyzed televised football, finding that there are stark differences in the ways that White and Black players are depicted in terms of innate athletic skill and perceived intelligence. This study analyzes 162 hours and 3,800 descriptors of White and Black quarterbacks in collegiate and professional football games, finding that although Blacks are still characterized as succeeding because of athletic skill and Whites are depicted as failing because of their lack of innate ability, many of the other stereotypes have improved. Using an 18-item coding scheme, the researchers uncover differences by ethnicity of athlete and ethnicity of sportscaster, ultimately arguing that although equality in depictions of athletes has not fully been achieved, progress in many areas has been found.
Integration of local area augmentation system and inertial navigation system for aircraft surface movement guidance

The research presented is aimed at developing a positioning system that can support aircraft surface movement guidance for commercial aircraft in all weather conditions while maintaining traffic flow equivalent to visual meteorological conditions. Runway incursion trends suggest that the safety margin during the surface operation is reducing. An advanced surface movement guidance system for all surface vehicles operating on airport property could significantly diminish this trend. The proposed system is designed to provide high accuracy position information to an aircraft from touchdown through rollout, turnoff and taxi to the gate area and vice-versa from pushback to takeoff position.
Iterative equalization/decoding of TCM for frequency-selective fading channels

The severity of frequency-selective fading channels necessitates the combining of multiple diversity sources to achieve acceptable performance. Traditional techniques often perform the combining of different sources of diversity separately which may result in a significant performance degradation (uncoded systems, for example, outperform TCM codes when used in an interleaved frequency-selective fading channel with separate decoding and equalization). It was demonstrated that soft decision equalization techniques are necessary and sufficient for the application of TCM techniques over such channels. This enabling feature was obtained with relatively simple, low-latency, non-iterative algorithms. We investigate the applicability of more complex iterative equalization/decoding algorithms. Several configurations are examined using simulation and further improvements are demonstrated.
Potential for habituation to a neem-based feeding deterrent in Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica.

We tested the potential for the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, to habituate to a neem-based feeding deterrent applied to foliage of linden, Tilia cordata L., a preferred host for the adults. Female beetles' consumption of control foliage versus foliage treated with either a low or high rate of neem insecticide, corresponding to 9 or 39 pm azadirachtin, respectively, was tested in a series of 4-h choice or no-choice tests over four successive days. In another experiment, females were conditioned for 22 h with either control foliage, leaves treated with the low rate, or a mixture of both treated and untreated leaves. Deterrence of either the low or high rate of neem to these beetles was then evaluated in choice tests with control foliage, as before. In choice tests, mean consumption of control foliage was always greater than for treated foliage, regardless of rate. There was, however, proportionately more feeding on foliage treated with the high rate upon successive exposures. In no-choice tests, beetles initially deterred by the low rate were not significantly deterred by that rate by the third and fourth days of the experiment. Finally, beetles conditioned by exposure to leaves treated with the low rate were not deterred by that rate in a subsequent choice test, although they were deterred by the higher rate. Despite these trends, we suggest that Japanese beetles' polyphagy and mobility probably would reduce the likelihood for habituation to neem-based feeding deterrents in the field.
A novel immunosensing technique based on the thermal properties of biochemicals

A new and independent method to investigate biological reactions and their products based upon the accurate and real-time measurement of the thermal conductivity of the reacting samples is presented. A micromachined thermopile based thermal sensor integrated with a planar heater and microfluidic channel has been fabricated for these measurements. The device was calibrated by measuring the thermal conductivity of standard fluids such as DI water and isopropyl alcohol. The calibrated device was then used to measure the thermal properties of biological molecules such as glucose, urea, Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), Human Fibrinogen (HF), their antibodies, and the bound product. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the observation of the real-time monitoring of antibody-antigen binding based on the change in the thermal properties of the reacting fluids
Arabidopsis thaliana IRX10 and two related proteins from psyllium and Physcomitrella patens are xylan xylosyltransferases

The enzymatic mechanism that governs the synthesis of the xylan backbone polymer, a linear chain of xylose residues connected by β-1,4 glycosidic linkages, has remained elusive. Xylan is a major constituent of many kinds of plant cell walls, and genetic studies have identified multiple genes that affect xylan formation. In this study, we investigate several homologs of one of these previously identified xylan-related genes, IRX10 from Arabidopsis thaliana, by heterologous expression and in vitro xylan xylosyltransferase assay. We find that an IRX10 homolog from the moss Physcomitrella patens displays robust activity, and we show that the xylosidic linkage formed is a β-1,4 linkage, establishing this protein as a xylan β-1,4-xylosyltransferase. We also find lower but reproducible xylan xylosyltransferase activity with A. thaliana IRX10 and with a homolog from the dicot plant Plantago ovata, showing that xylan xylosyltransferase activity is conserved over large evolutionary distance for these proteins.
Endobronchial Spread of Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma

Bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma is known to have several presentations. We present a case of a patient with a solitary nodule in the upper lobe who had an episode of hemoptysis one week prior to lobectomy. Blood clots were removed from the lower lobe bronchus at surgery. Seven months later, the patient was documented to have recurrence in the lower lobe with computed tomographic scan and pathologic findings consistent with endobronchial spread of tumor.
Poling of PVDF matrix composites for integrated structural load sensing

The purpose of this study is to create and evaluate a smart composite structure that can be used for integrated load sensing and structural health monitoring. In this structure, PVDF films are used as the matrix material instead of epoxy resin or other thermoplastics. The reinforcements are two layers of carbon fiber with one layer of Kevlar separating them. Due to the electrical conductivity properties of carbon fiber and the dielectric effect of Kevlar, the structure acts as a capacitor. Furthermore, the piezoelectric properties of the PVDF matrix can be used to monitor the response of the structure under applied loads. In order to exploit the piezoelectric properties of PVDF, the PVDF material must be polarized to align the dipole moments of its crystalline structure. The optimal condition for poling the structure was found by performing a 2 3 factorial design of experiment (DoE). The factors that were studied in DoE were temperature, voltage, and duration of poling. Finally, the response of the poled structure was monitored by exposing the samples to an applied load.
Peritoneal debulking/intraperitoneal chemotherapy-non-sarcoma.

The combination of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) is widely practiced for appendiceal, colorectal, gastric, and ovarian cancers with isolated peritoneal metastasis as well as for primary peritoneal cancer. The aim of this report is to explain the rationale and available techniques for CRS and IPC, and to highlight disease-specific considerations that should be taken into account when evaluating potential candidates for CRS and IPC. J. Surg. Oncol. 2014 109:14–22. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.