cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving Detection of Psychiatric Disturbances in Parkinson's Disease: The Role of Informants

Background Under-recognition of psychiatric disturbances in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) contributes to greater overall morbidity. Little is known about the value of collateral psychiatric history, obtained using standardized assessments with informants, for increasing recognition of PD-related psychiatric illness. Objective To examine the extent to which informants provide critical information that enabled psychiatrists to establish psychiatric diagnoses in patients with PD. Methods Individuals with PD (n = 223) and an informant were interviewed separately regarding the PD patient's psychiatric history and current status. A six-psychiatrist panel rated the extent to which informant data was required to establish the final consensus best-estimate current psychiatric diagnoses. Informants rated as "Crucial" or "Significantly Informative" comprised a "Critical Informant" (CI) subgroup; remaining informants were classified as the "Non-Critical Informant" (NCI) subgroup. Results Of the informants, 71 (31.4%) were "critical" for determining a psychiatric diagnosis. Without a CI, 81.3% of those with impulse control disorders and 43.8% of those with anxiety disorders would not have been diagnosed. Male PD patients and those with less severe motor deficits were also more likely to require a CI. Conclusions Informants aid in the identification of psychiatric diagnoses, especially impulse control and anxiety disorders. This has implications for clinical practice and conduction of clinical trials.
Electron-Dense Particles Resembling Ribosomes in Mesosomes of Bacillus subtilis

Thin-sectioning of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 protoplasts and cells has revealed electron-dense particles resembling cytoplasmic ribosomes in mesosomal tubules and vesicles.
Differential Amino Acid Requirements for Sporulation in Bacillus subtilis

The amino acid requirements for sporulation were studied by use of auxotrophic mutants of Bacillus subtilis 168. Cells were grown to T(0) in medium containing the test amino acid and were then transferred to a minimal medium lacking that amino acid. Omission of leucine caused no reduction in sporulation. Omission of methionine, lysine, and phenylalanine appeared to cause reduced levels of sporulation, and sporulation was completely inhibited when isoleucine, tryptophan, and threonine were omitted. The amino acids in this third class showed a sequence of requirements, with tryptophan required earlier than isoleucine, which in turn was required earlier in the sporulation process than threonine. Isoleucine omission did not affect the early sporulation functions of extracellular protease formation or septum formation, but prevented the increased levels of protein synthesis and oxygen consumption that normally accompany early sporulation stages. Isoleucine did not appear to be metabolized to other compounds in significant amounts during sporulation. The role of isoleucine in the sporulation process remains unclear.
Occurrence and Characteristics of 18O Exchange Reactions Catalyzed by Sodium- and Potassium-dependent Adenosine Triphosphatases

Microsomal preparations of the (NA{sup+},K{sup+})-ATPase from porcine outer medulla and electroplax catalyzed a rapid Mg{sup2+-} and K{sub+-}dependent exchange of water oxygens with inorganic phosphate in the absence of ATP or ADP. Exchange activity was unaffected by uncouplers and inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation but was inhibited by Na{sup+}, ouabain, N,N{prime}-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, or p-mercuribenzoate. No nucleotide requirement for the exchange could be demonstrated. Addition of ATP to a NA{sup+}-inhibited system resulted in an exchange of oxygens of medium P{subi} concomitant with ATP hydrolysis. This ATP-induced exchange amounted 1.5 oxygen atoms per P{subi} released. Neither ADP nor adenylyl methylene diphosphonate would serve to activate the exchange. Treatment of the preparations with deoxycholate apparently uncoupled the medium P{subi} {l_reversible} HOH exchange but was without affect on the ATP-induced exchange. The data suggest that the exchange arises by partial reversal of a late step in ATP hydrolysis by the (Na{sup+},K{sup+})-ATPase.
A Ge/Si heterostructure nanowire-based double quantum dot with integrated charge sensor

One proposal for a solid-state-based quantum bit (qubit) is to control coupled electron spins on adjacent semiconductor quantum dots. Most experiments have focused on quantum dots made from III-V semiconductors; however, the coherence of electron spins in these materials is limited by hyperfine interactions with nuclear spins. Ge/Si core/shell nanowires seem ideally suited to overcome this limitation, because the most abundant nuclei in Ge and Si have spin zero and the nanowires can be chemically synthesized defect-free with tunable properties. Here, we present a double quantum dot based on Ge/Si nanowires in which we can completely control the coupling between the dots and to the leads. We also demonstrate that charge on the double dot can be detected by coupling it capacitively to an adjacent nanowire quantum dot. The double quantum dot and integrated charge sensor serve as an essential building block to form a solid-state qubit free of nuclear spin.
Ultrasound Elastography of the Thyroid

It has long been recognized that palpably hard thyroid nodules are suspicious for cancer. Conventional gray-scale ultrasound provides information regarding characteristics such as shape, echogenicity, edge definition, calcification, and vascular flow, which have been shown to be correlated with risk of cancer. However, it does not provide direct information corresponding to the hardness of a nodule. Elastography is a technique that utilizes ultrasound to analyze the stiffness of a nodule by measuring the amount of compression that occurs when the nodule is subjected to external pressure. The technique was described two decades ago, but the first report of application to thyroid nodules appeared in 2007. A number of subsequent studies have shown that elastography can provide additional information regarding the probability of malignancy in a nodule.
MFTA: The Prime Case

For transform size p, p a prime, Rader [1] developed an FT algorithm based on the multiplicative structure of the indexing set. The main idea is as follows. For a prime p, Z/p is a field and the unit group U(p) is cyclic. Reordering input and output data relative to a generator of U(p), the p-point FT becomes essentially a (p-1) x (p-1) skew-circulant matrix action. We require 2(p-1) additions to make this change. Rader computes this skew-circulant action by the convolution theorem that returns the computation to an FT computation. Since the size (p-1) is a composite number, the (p-1)-point FT can be implemented by Cooley-Tukey FFT algorithms. The Winograd algorithm for small convolutions also can be applied to the skew-circulant action. (See problems 3, 4 and 5 for basic properties of skew-circulant matrices.)
Magnesia nozzles for high-speed steelcasting produced by vibropressure molding

The article describes the design development of steelcasting nozzles with a channel diameter of 120 mm and the development of the production technology for these nozzles. With these nozzles the stopper and batching device functions efficiently during the casting of rimmed and semikilled steel. The configuration and diameter of the nozzle channel undergo no changes in the process. The increase in the channel diameter from 100 to 120 mm results in the average linear speed at which the ingot mold is filled increasing from 3.8 to 5.2 m/min; in a decrease by 32% in the pouring time per melt (from 25 to 17 min) so that the work load on the cranes is reduced and the handling capacity of the casting bay is increased; in a 15% increase in the durability of the ladle lining which gives a saving of 100,000 rubles/yr as a result of lower refractories consumption; and in less spoilage of billets and strip steel. The end result is that the net cost of the rolled product decreases by 0.35 ruble/ton.
Structural family therapy with Mexican-American family systems

Characteristics of traditional Mexican-American families with consequent family rules that affect these family systems are discussed along with selected clinical cases. The specific cases discussed involve: (1) interactions with family of origin in intercultural marriages, (2) intracultural differences in levels of acculturation and traditional family rules, and (3) extended family impact in response to severe life crisis. The development of therapeutic processes from structural and strategic family therapy approaches, which reflect appreciation for cultural differences and strengths, is suggested.
Expression of superoxide dismutase messenger RNA in adult rat brain cholinergic neurons.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) protects cells exposed to an excess of the free radical nitric oxide, by preventing the formation of peroxynitrite. Certain central cholinergic neurons express constitutive nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), and presumably they are at risk from peroxynitrite intoxication. Immunocytochemistry for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) was combined with in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISHH) to examine whether brain cholinergic populations differ with respect to their expression of the messenger RNA molecules (mRNAs) for the manganese-dependent (Mn-SOD) and copper/zinc-dependent superoxide dismutases (Cu/Zn-SOD).
Structure-activity relationship for the biotransformation of haloalkenes by rat liver microsomal glutathione transferase 1.

Many haloalkenes are nephrotoxic in rodents, and experimental evidence supports a glutathione-dependent bioactivation pathway that leads to nephrotoxicity or nephrocarcino-genicity, or both. The reaction of glutathione with haloalkenes is catalyzed by cytosolic glutathione transferases (cGST) and microsomal glutathione transferase 1 (MGST1). The aim of this study was to develop a computational approach to predict the competency of cGST and MGST1 to catalyze the reaction of glutathione with a range of haloalkenes. The hypothesis tested was that the semiempirically computed energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (E L U M O ) of a haloalkene may be used to predict the competency of cGST and MGST1 to catalyze its reaction with glutathione. The MGST1- and cGST-catalyzed reaction of glutathione with nine haloalkenes with E L U M O values ranging from -1.14 to 0.38 eV was determined experimentally. The data indicated that the E L U M O values for haloalkenes were inversely related to the specific activity of the MGST1-catalyzed reaction but not the cGST-catalyzed reaction. These data also demonstrated that MGST1 catalyzed the reaction of glutathione with haloalkenes with E L U M O values equal to or more negative than -0.73 eV and that cGST catalyzed the reaction of glutathione with haloalkenes with E L U M O values more negative than -0.06 eV.
Children of parents with affective disorder.

For decades, it has been well-established by empirical studies that severe mental illness in parents is associated with an increased rate of psychiatric disorder in their offspring (Buck and Laughton, 1959; Ekdahl, Rice, & Schmidt, 1962; Rutter, 1966; Landau, Hauth, & Othnay, 1972). Recently, a series of rigorous empirical studies have been conducted with the children of parents with serious affective disorder. These studies are a result of both the recognition of the entity of childhood depression and the awareness that children of parents with affective disorders are themselves at particularly heightened risk for depression. Even though the studies employ different conceptual frameworks and methods, there is a clear consensus in the empirical research literature that children of parents with affective disorders fare much more poorly than comparison samples. A variety of reviews have appeared over the last decade or so documenting these findings (Beardslee, Bemporad, Keller, & Klerman, 1983; Waters, 1987; 2uckerman & Beardslee, 1987; Orvaschel, Walsh-Allis, & Ye, 1988; Lee & Gotlib, 1989), and, most recently and extensively, there have been reviews by Downey and Coyne (1990), Rutter (1990), and Keitner and Miller (1990). While studies up until the middle of the last decade used very different approaches and measures and hence are difficult to compare (Beardslee et al., 1983), recent studies have concentrated on the use of structured diagnostic interviews of the parents scored according to standard criteria and standardized systematic assessments of the children’s functioning (Downey and Coyne, 1990).
Transplantation in miniature swine. III: effects of MSLA and A-O blood group matching on skin allograft survival.

The fate of split thickness skin allografts between and among major histocompatibility complex (MSLA) homozygous herds of miniature swine has been examined. Among animals matched for all known blood groups, MSLA-identical skin grafts survived 11.8 ± 0.89 days, while skin grafts from animals differing for one or two haplotypes survived 7.0 ± 0.36 days. Cytotoxic antibodies invariably appeared in the serum of animals rejecting MSLA-nonidentical grafts, and were never detected among animals rejecting MSLA-identical grafts. Among the homozygous DD herd, it was possible to assess the effect on skin allograft survival of a defined difference at the A-O blood group locus. Skin grafts between DD animals identical at the A-O blood group locus. Skin grafts between DD animals differing at this locus survived 7.66 ± 0.54 days. Blood group O animals rejecting skin from blood group A animals produced a low liter of antibodies which were cytotoxic for donor lymphocytes. These antibodies were at least partially absorbable by donor red cells. An absorption analysis using other blood group-defined animals of these herds showed that ability to absorb activity segregated with the A blood group. These studies confirm the expectation that MSLA is a major histocompatibility complex of miniature swine, having important implications for the outcome of allografts. In addition, they show that the A-O blood group, or a locus closely linked to it, is also a histocompatibility locus in pigs, and must be respected in allografting studies.
Interferon-γ-Mediated Site-Specific Clearance of Alphavirus from CNS Neurons

Recovery from viral encephalomyelitis requires immune-mediated noncytolytic clearance from neurons by mechanisms assumed to be the same for all neurons. In alphavirus encephalomyelitis, antibody clears infectious virus from neurons in all regions of the central nervous system (CNS), but CD8 T cells contribute to elimination of viral RNA. To understand the role of T cells in clearance, we infected antibody knockout mice with Sindbis virus. Virus was cleared from spinal cord and brain stem neurons, but not from cortical neurons, and required both CD4 and CD8 T cells. Infection with cytokine-expressing recombinant viruses suggested that T cells used interferon-γ, but not tumor necrosis factor α, in clearing virus and that populations of neurons differ in responsiveness to this effector pathway.
Female mate choice in the non-territorial lizard Ameiva plei (Teiidae)

Mate choice by females has been documented in a variety of taxa. Female mate choice in species lacking male resource control or paternal care might occur if preferred males provide protection from harassment. Female mate choice was investigated in a natural population of the non-territorial lizard Ameiva plei (Teiidae). Consort pairs were allowed to form naturally. Consort males were significantly larger than non-consort males. After removal of consort males, the “abandoned” female's reaction to the first male who approached her was recorded. Females rejected all small males. Female preference for large males was significantly higher than preference for small males. Large males may be better equipped to guard the females from harassment and behavior of large males is less harassing than behavior of small males, thereby affording the female increased foraging time.
Propensity to Obesity Impacts the Neuronal Response to Energy Imbalance

The mechanisms responsible for the propensity to gain weight or remain normal weight are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to study the neuronal response to visual food cues during short-term energy imbalance in healthy adults recruited as obesity-resistant (OR) or obesity-prone (OP) based on self-identification, BMI, and personal/family weight history. 25 OR and 28 OP subjects were studied in underfed (UF) and overfed (OF) as compared to eucaloric (EU) conditions in a randomized crossover design. Each study phase included a 3 day run-in diet, 1 day of controlled feeding (basal energy needs for EU, 40% above/below basal energy needs for OF/UF), and a test day. On the test day fMRI was performed in the acute fed stated (30 minutes after a test meal) while subjects viewed images of foods of high hedonic value and neutral non-food objects. Measures of appetite and hormones were also performed before and every 30 minutes after the test meal. UF was associated with significantly increased activation of insula, somatosensory cortex, inferior and medial prefrontal cortex, parahippocampus, precuneus, cingulate and visual cortex in OR. However, UF had no impact in OP. As a result, UF was associated with significantly greater activation, specifically in the insula, inferior prefrontal cortex, and somatosensory cortex in OR as compared to OP. While OF was overall associated with reduced activation of inferior visual cortex, no group interaction was observed with OF. In summary, these findings suggest that individuals resistant to weight gain and obesity are more sensitive to short-term energy imbalance, particularly with UF, than those prone to weight gain. The inability to sense or adapt to changes in energy balance may represent an important mechanism contributing to excess energy intake and risk for obesity.
A Comparative Study of Nursing Home Resident Outcomes Between Care Provided by Nurse Practitioners/Physicians versus Physicians Only

Objectives The objective of this study was to determine if outcomes of care for nursing home residents differ between two groups of providers: nurse practitioners/physicians and physicians only. Design We conducted a retrospective chart review covering the 12-month period from September 1, 1997, until August 31, 1998. Setting We studied eight nursing homes in central Texas. Participants Two hundred three residents were randomly selected who resided in one of the eight nursing homes during the specified time period. Statistical Analysis We used chi-squared or Fisher exact test for comparisons of percent and Student t test for comparison of means; comparisons were made with both the FREQ procedure and the univariate procedure. Results Acute visits were significantly higher for the nurse practitioner/physician team (3.0 ± 2.4) versus the physician-only group (1.2 ± 1.5). The nurse practitioner/physician group treated significantly more eye, ear, nose, and throat and dermatologic diagnoses than the physician-only group. Emergency department visits, emergency department costs, hospitalizations, length of stay, hospital costs, performance of mandated progress visits, and performance of annual history and physicals did not show significant differences between the two groups. Conclusion The level of care provided for patients by the two groups of providers was basically the same and of similar quality; however, the nurse practitioner/physician group patients were seen more often. Increased visits by nurse practitioners are assumed to result in time and cost savings for physicians and improved access to care for patients.
An evolutionary model of influenza A with drift and shift.

Influenza A virus evolves through two types of evolutionary mechanisms – drift and shift. These two evolutionary mechanisms allow the pathogen to infect us repeatedly, as well as occasionally create pandemics with large morbidity and mortality. Here we introduce a novel model that incorporates both evolutionary mechanisms. This necessitates the modelling of three types of strains – seasonal human strains, bird-to-human transmittable H5N1 strains and evolved pandemic H5N1 strain. We define reproduction and invasion reproduction numbers and use them to establish the presence of dominant and coexistence equilibria. We find that the amino acid substitution structure of human influenza can destabilize the human influenza equilibrium and sustained oscillations are possible. We find that for low levels of infection in domestic birds, these oscillations persist, inducing oscillations in the number of humans infected with the avian flu strain. The oscillations have a period of 365 days, similar to the one that can...
Minimum detectable change in lung nodule volume in a phantom CT study.

Rationale and Objectives The change in volume of lung nodules is being examined as a measure of response to treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the minimum detectable change in nodule volume with the use of computed tomography. Materials and Methods Four different layouts of synthetic nodules with different shapes but with the same size (5, 8, 9, or 10 mm) for each layout were placed within an anthropomorphic phantom and scanned with a 16-detector-row computed tomography scanner using multiple imaging parameters. Nodule volume estimates were determined using a previously developed matched-filter estimator. Analysis of volume change was then conducted as a detection problem. For each nodule size, the pooled distribution of volume estimates was shifted by a percentage c to simulate a changing nodule, while accounting for standard deviation. The value of c resulting in a prespecified area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was deemed the minimum detectable change for that AUC value. Results Both nodule size at baseline and choice of slice collimation protocol had an effect on the value of minimum detectable growth. For AUC = 0.95, the minimum detectable nodule growth in volume when using the thin-slice collimation protocol (16 × 0.75 mm) was 17%, 19%, and 15% for nodule sizes of 5, 8, and 9 mm, respectively. Conclusions Our results indicate that an approximate bound for detectable nodule growth in subcentimeter nodules may be relatively small, on the order of 20% or less in volume for a thin-slice CT acquisition protocol.
Dielectric and ferroelectric properties of BNT-based thin films by pulsed laser deposition

We have studied the effect of laser repetition rate on the microstructure, crystallographic orientation, dielectric and ferroelectric properties of pulsed laser deposited 0.94(Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 )TiO 3 -0.04(Bi 0.5 K 0.5 )TiO 3 -0.02BaTiO 3 thin films on SrRuO 3 coated SrTiO 3 substrates. The films were deposited at different repletion rates of 2 Hz, 4 Hz and 8 Hz, while the other processing parameters such as the substrate temperature and oxygen partial pressure were kept constant. It has been demonstrated that the film made at 4 Hz has been epitaxially grown on the substrate with a smooth and flawless surface and shows the best ferroelectric properties among the investigated films. The remnant polarization and dielectric constant for this film were measured to be 13.6 µC.cm−2 and 425 (at 1 MHz). The leakage current density of the optimized film is 1.3>10−5 A.cm−2 at 320 kV.cm−1, which is about 3 orders of magnitude lower than those observed in the films prepared at repetition rates of 2 Hz and 8 Hz. The remnant polarizations for the films deposited at 2 Hz and 8 Hz were found to be 8.7 µC.cm−2 and 7.6 µC.cm−2, respectively.
Sensorless airgap length estimation in Magnetically Levitated systems

In this paper a new technique for estimation of airgap length in Magnetically Levitated systems (MagLev) is introduced. The proposed method makes use of the embedded airgap information in the inductance of an active phase in a hybrid MagLev system. Terminal measurements are used along with the phase voltage equation to estimate airgap length by the virtue of an existing one-to-one correspondence between inductance and airgap length. Based on experimental results, it will be shown that the proposed sensorless method performs well both at standstill and moving conditions.
Utilization of health services in Indonesia

The purpose of this paper is to study the utilization patterns of traditional and modern health services in Indonesia. Particular attention is paid to to the relative impact on utilization of modern services, compared to that of household socioeconomic characteristics. The data sources are the 1978 National Socioeconomic Survey (SUSENAS) and the 1976-77 Village Social Facilities Survey (FASDES). The pertinent SUSENAS household data include information on pregnancies, births, and sickness. In addition, in the case of an illness, the data include information on whether treatment was sought, the location of the facility where treatment was given, the person giving treatment, and the distance and travel time to the facility. The FASDES survey documented the availability of services in the villages. The data from the household survey, in conjunction with community level data, strongly suggest that low household income is a barrier to the utilization of modern health services, even where they are publicly provided; the relatively well to do use the services of trained practitioners and physicians more and spend more on these services. Nevertheless, public facilities do make a difference; where they are available, people prefer them to the indigenous practitioners.
Noninvasive Diagnosis of Reversal of Vertebral-Artery Blood Flow

THE diagnosis of a subclavian steal is entertained on clinical grounds. Classic signs are an absent radial pulse, a difference in brachial-artery pressures greater than 20 mm Hg, and sometimes a supraclavicular bruit on the involved side. These signs may also be present in chronic subclavian or axillary-artery occlusive disease without reversal of vertebral-artery blood flow (RVAF). Patel and Toole,1 in their original review of the subclavian-steal syndrome, mentioned that a delay in the radial pulse on the involved side might be felt by palpation. The radial pulse, however, is absent or difficult to palpate in most patients. The diagnosis . . .
Doubt and Skepticism in Antiquity and the Renaissance

In Doubt and Skepticism in Antiquity and the Renaissance Michelle Zerba enriches the ever-growing literature on the history of skepticism in the wake Richard Popkin’s seminal The History of Sceptic...
Nondimensional beam parameters and the wave structure function

Two pairs of nondimensional beam parameters are identified, either of which combined with wavelength and path length completely characterizes the diffractive propagation environment of a Gaussian beam. One pair is associated with the beam radius and radius of curvature at the transmitter while the other pair is associated with these same quantities at the receiver. The fundamental nature of the receiver parameters is revealed in the simple analytic forms for the wave structure function derived under the assumption of a modified Kolmogorov spectral model for refractive index fluctuations.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Descriptive Study of Office Disciplinary Referrals in High Schools

The purpose of this paper is to share descriptive data about Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs) in a sample of 112 high schools that used the School-wide Information System (SWIS) database to collect discipline data during the 2005-2006 academic year. The findings were that tardies, defiance/disrespect and skip/truancy were the most common types of ODRs generated at the high school level. Those in the freshman class were the most likely of all students to receive an ODR, and the majority of those students who generated multiple referrals requiring intensive behavior supports (e.g., 6 or more ODRs), did so by mid-winter of the academic year.
Variegated Transcriptional Activation of the Immunoglobulin κ Locus in Pre-B Cells Contributes to the Allelic Exclusion of Light-Chain Expression

Abstract Regulated gene rearrangement is thought to underlie allelic exclusion, the observation that an individual B cell expresses only a single immunoglobulin molecule. Previous data has implicated transcriptional activation of rearranging loci in the regulation of their accessibility to the V(D)J recombinase. Using homologous recombination in ES cells, we have generated "knockin" mice which express a GFP cDNA from an unrearranged immunoglobulin κ light-chain allele. Surprisingly, we find that only a small fraction of κ alleles are highly transcribed in a population of pre-B cells, that such transcription is monoallelic, and that these highly transcribed alleles account for the vast majority of κ light-chain gene rearrangement. These data lead us to suggest that probabilistic enhancer activation and allelic competition are part of the mechanism of κ locus allelic exclusion and may be a general mechanism contributing to cellular differentiation during development.
Full spin flipping in the presence of full Siberian Snake

This paper proposes a new design of spin flipper for high-energy accelerators to obtain full spin flip with the spin tune staying at half integer. The traditional technique of using a single rf spin rotator with a fixed spin rotation axis and an oscillating spin rotation, either an rf dipole or solenoid, as spin flipper to achieve full spin flip in the presence of a full Siberian snake has been demonstrated [B. B. Blinov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 2906 (1998); B. B. Blinov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 014801 (2001); V. S. Morozov et al., Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 7, 024002 (2004); R. A. Phelps, AIP Conf. Proc. 338, 361 (1994); Ya. S. Derbenev et al., Part. Accel. 8, 115 (1978)]. However, this technique requires one to change the snake configuration to move the spin tune away from half integer which is not practical for an operational high-energy polarized proton collider such as RHIC where beam and polarization lifetime are sensitive to small changes. Based on the conceptual designs to use rf dipoles to achieve full spin flip with the spin tune at half integer [T. Roser, BNL Report No. BNL-52453, 1994; R. A. Phelps, BNL Report No. BNL-52453, 1994], this paper presents a compact design of a spin flipper for a high-energy accelerator. The theory of the new spin flipper technique and numerical simulations are also presented.
Reducing the confounding effects of environment and diet on saliva thiocyanate values in ex-smokers

Abstract This study focuses on the use of saliva thiocyanate to corroborate self-report in 391 adult ex-smokers who claimed abstinence from cigarettes for minimum of 3 months. Results indicated significant thiocyanate confounders, such as using and inhaling nontobacco organic substances, working in a “smoky” environment (i.e., tobacco smoke), and consuming varieties of Brassica oleradcea (e.g., cabbage), that could be identified and adjusted for in order to clarify classification of smoking status. Before adjustment for confounders, 18% of subjects reporting abstinence had saliva thiocyanate values greater than the standard cut-off point of 100 υg/ml, which would classify them as current smokers. After adjustment, only 12% of subjects still had values greater than 100 μg/ml.
Grade 2 and 3 Obesity and Diagnosed Prostate Cancer in Middle-Aged and Elderly Men: An Epidemiologic Study with Stratified Multistage Sampling Design

Background. The association of obesity with the odds of diagnosed prostate cancer (DPC) is inconclusive. Whether grade 2 or grade 3 obesity is associated with increased odds of DPC has not been investigated. Design and Methods. Cross-sectional data of 7,974 subjects aged ≥40 years were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001–2010. Odds ratios (ORs) of DPC associated with grade 2 or grade 3 obesity were estimated by conducting weighted logistic regression models. Results. The unadjusted rates of DPC did not differ significantly over grades of BMI (). After adjustment for different groups of potential confounding factors, grade 2 or grade 3 obesity was not significantly associated with the odds of DPC with ORs changing from 0.62 to 0.69 for grade 2 obesity and from 0.81 to 1.09 for grade 3 obesity. Moreover, morbid obesity (grade 2 and 3 obesity combined) was not linked to the odds of DPC. Conclusion. Grade 2 or grade 3 obesity was not associated with the odds of DPC. Whether they are associated with a substantially increased risk of high-grade DPC needs to be further investigated as accumulating evidence has shown that obesity increases the risk of high-grade disease.
Guest editor's introduction: Putting top managers back in the strategy picture

At one time, top managers were front and center in the frameworks of the strategy field. The Harvard model (Learned et al., 1961; Andrews, 1971), which served as principal guide for policy thinkers in the sixties and early seventies, emphasized the personal role of senior executives in shaping their firms. This view was not new. Earlier theoretical work by Barnard (1938) and Selznick (1957), for example, had established a rationale for including top managers in analytic investigations of contemporary organizations. However, as of the early seventies, this theme was essentially lost. Top managers became noticeably absent from writings on strategy, somehow passed over in favor of more technoeconomic factors such as product life cycles, market share, experience curves, portfolio matrices, and industry analysis. Consulting firms all sought their own concise, analytic, quantifiable schemes. Strategy researchers struggled to demonstrate that their domain was as 'hard' as any other. Corporations came to think of strategic management as the annual production of glossy three-ring binders and slide shows, rather than the development and cultivation of strategic thinkers. Now, after almost two decades of relative neglect, the people at the helms of organizations are once again becoming part of the theoretical formulations of strategy and organization researchers (e.g., Kotter, 1982; Hambrick and Mason, 1984; Gupta and Govindarajan, 1984; Miller and Droge, 1986; Gabarro, 1987). The press and politicians have put forth a cry
Toxicokinetics and biotransformation of pentachlorophenol in the sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus).

1. The toxicokinetics and biotransformation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) were determined in the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus).2. In a static chamber, urchins (n = 9) were individually exposed to 50 μg/1 of [U-14C]PCP for 24 h to determine bioconcentration and the absorption rate constant (Ka), elimination rate constant (Ke), and elimination half-life (t1/2). Determination was by direct quantitation of radioactivity in the exposure water.3. After exposure, urchins were placed in a flow-through chamber for 24 h to allow depuration of retained residues, which were identified by hplc and quantified by Isc. The Ka and Ke, calculated using a simplified model, were 0.12 ± 0.06 h and 0.43 ± 0.22 h, respectively, whilst the 24-h total concentration factor was 316.3 ± 209.7, and the t1/2 was 1.6 ± 0.8 h.4. Whereas urchins depurated 40.6% of retained residues, only a small amount of PCP was excreted unchanged (17.0%), as the more polar conjugates pentachlorophenyl-β-D-glucoside (72.4%) and pentachl...
Using surrogates to bypass missing catalytic components.

Bryostatin is a natural product that has many medically promising biological activities. Understanding how bryostatin is assembled by the producing symbiotic bacterium has been hampered by the limited availability of genetic information. In the new report, Buchholz et al. (2010) circumvented this issue by using surrogates to replace missing catalytic components.
Rugby, Tennessee: Some Account of the Settlement Founded on the Cumberland Plateau

THOMAS HUGHES with an introduction by BENITA J. HOWELL Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2008 Pp. 216, $17.95 (pbk), ISBN 978 1 5723 3611 7 This volume is a reprint of Hughes’ original 1881...
Rethinking testing for pulmonary embolism: less is more

Since Virchow’s first description of pulmonary embolism, experts and clinicians have struggled with the diagnosis and treatment of this common condition. In Virchow’s time, the absence of diagnostic tests made pulmonary embolism a late diagnosis, one suspected just before death and often confirmed on autopsy. Today, pulmonary angiography, ventilation: perfusion nucleotide scanning, and most recently, computed tomographic (CT) pulmonary angiography have dramatically changed this. We now regularly diagnose pulmonary embolisms so different, both clinically and anatomically, from those described by Virchow that we must ask ourselves whether the 2 conditions are clinically distinct. In the modern era, pulmonary embolisms that were routinely missed are now the predominant type diagnosed, and overtesting to detect these events is rampant. Numerous contemporary studies have attempted to reduce testing for pulmonary embolism; however, the medical effect and root causes of this problem have not been widely examined.
On the degree of weak convergence of a sequence of finite measures to the unit measure under convexity

Abstract This is a study of the degree of weak convergence under convexity of a sequence of finite measures μj on R k, k ⩾ 1, to the unit measure δx0. LetQ denote a convex and compact subset of R k, let ƒ ϵ C m (Q), m ⩾ 0 , satisfy a convexity condition and let μ be a finite measure on Q. Using standard moment methods, upper bounds and best upper bounds are obtained for ¦∝ Q ƒdμ − ƒ(x 0 )¦ . They sometimes lead to sharp inequalities which are attained for particular μ and ƒ. These estimates are better than the corresponding ones found in the literature.
Mathematical Giftedness, Problem Solving, and the Ability to Formulate Generalizations: The Problem-Solving Experiences of Four Gifted Students:

Complex mathematical tasks such as problem solving are an ideal way to provide students opportunities to develop higher order mathematical processes such as representation, abstraction, and generalization. In this study, 9 freshmen in a ninth-grade accelerated algebra class were asked to solve five nonroutine combinatorial problems in their journals. The problems were assigned over the course of 3 months at increasing levels of complexity. The generality that characterized the solutions of the 5 problems was the pigeonhole (Dirichlet) principle. The 4 mathematically gifted students were successful in discovering and verbalizing the generality that characterized the solutions of the 5 problems, whereas the 5 nongifted students were unable to discover the hidden generality. This validates the hypothesis that there exists a relationship between mathematical giftedness, problem-solving ability, and the ability to generalize. This paper describes the problem-solving experiences of the mathematically gifted stu...
Telecommunications policy learning: the case of the FCC's computer inquiries

Abstract During the last fifteen years there has been a growing body of scholarship utilizing social learning theory to explain policy change. While the adaptation of learning theory to the study of policymaking has been an evolutionary process, some core tenets have emerged. Social learning is distinguished from other theories by (1) the importance it places on state actors and (2) its focus on the role of ideas in the policy process. In this essay, social learning theory is applied to several cases of US telecommunications policy-making. More specifically, this paper focuses on the efforts of the Federal Communications Commission to come to grips with the growing technological interdependence between the telephone and computer industries between 1965–86. During this period, three major rule-makings, collectively referred to as the “computer” inquiries, were undertaken by the agency. Following a discussion of social learning theory and a general overview of US telecommunications policy, the three computer inquiries are examined in depth through an analysis of government documents and secondary sources. It is concluded that the historical data presented here confirms a pattern of social learning across the three cases.
Exposure of scorpionfish (Scorpaena guttata) to cadmium : biochemical effects of chronic exposure

Abstract Scorpionfish (Scorpaena guttata) were exposed to sublethal levels of cadmium in seawater (10 and 20 mg/l) for 4 wk. Measurements of enzyme activities were conducted in order to examine the relationship between toxic effects and the subcellular distribution of Cd, Cu and Zn. Liver, kidney, intestine and gill tissue were analyzed for the activity of the enzymes alkaline phosphatase, succinate dehydrogenase, glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase and CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD). Exposure to Cd resulted in the inhibition of only CuZn-SOD activity in the intestine. The activity of SOD was reduced by sixfold in intestines at the 20-mg Cd/l exposure level. Intestine SOD activity was also correlated positively with the concentration of Cu in the high-molecular-weight fraction of the cytosol (ENZ). The sulfhydryl-containing enzymes glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase were not affected by Cd exposure, suggesting that the amounts of Cd found in the ENZ pool after the exposures examined here were insufficient to have a direct impact on enzyme activities. The mechanism of reduction of SOD activity in these fish appeared to be related instead to Cd-induced alterations of Cu and/or Zn metabolism.
Evoked tetanic torque and activation level explain strength differences by side

Previous studies have demonstrated that healthy young people typically have side-to-side differences in knee strength of about 10% when the peak torque generated by the stronger leg is contrasted with that of the weaker leg. However, the mechanisms responsible for side-to-side differences in knee strength have not been clearly defined. The current study tested the hypothesis that side-to-side knee extensor strength differences are explained by inter-limb variations in voluntary activation, antagonistic hamstrings activity, and electrically evoked torque at rest. Twenty-two volunteers served as subjects. Side-to-side differences in quadriceps activation and electrically evoked knee extensor torque explained 69% of the strength differences by side. Antagonistic hamstrings activity did not contribute significantly. The results suggest both central and peripheral mechanisms contribute to inter-limb variations in strength.
Biomarkers and Assessment of Subclinical Atherosclerosis for the Prediction of Cardiovascular Disease: What is the Current Evidence?

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and Europe, with the majority being coronary deaths. The first presentation of cardiovascular disease, often in patients without significant traditional risk factors, is often myocardial infarction. Strategies utilizing biomarkers and assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis have been shown previously to correlate with cardiovascular disease. This article will review current evidence for these strategies, of which, measurement of coronary artery calcium has been shown to provide the greatest risk assessment, discrimination, and risk reclassification for coronary heart disease.
Hexagonal adaptive filtering on compound ultrasound images

This paper describes an approach to improve the contrast and signal to noise ratio on ultrasound images. Images with sub-pixel lateral displacements were re-sampled using a hexagonal grid, registered and compounded. The resultant image was filtered using a hexagonal adaptive masking filter. This approach was evaluated with simulated images and real images from a breast phantom. The results show total improvements in signal to noise ratio of up to 313% in simulated images, and 182% in phantom images. Contrast to noise ratio was improved by 286% in simulated images and 56% in phantom images.
Activation and repression of myogenesis in somatic cell hybrids: Evidence for trans-negative regulation of MyoD in primary fibroblasts

We show that transfer of human fibroblast chromosome 11 (containing the human MyoD gene) from primary cells into 10T1/2 mouse fibroblasts by microcell fusion activates expression of the transferred human MyoD gene and converts these cells to myoblasts. Transfer of human chromosome 11 into B78 melanoma cells also leads to the activation of human MyoD. In contrast to the results where a single chromosome 11 is transferred, whole-cell hybrids between 10T1/2 cells and human skin fibroblasts do not express the myogenic phenotype; however, when specific human chromosomes are lost, myogenesis occurs. These results suggest that the MyoD locus is potentially functional in primary human fibroblasts, but is normally repressed in trans by a locus on a different human fibroblast chromosome.
Human autonomic activity and its response to acute oxygen supplement after high altitude acclimatization

It is well established that after acclimatization at high altitude, many sympathetic pathways are hyperactive yet heart rate (HR) remains unchanged. In this study, we attempted to determine if this unchanged heart rate is due to compensatory mechanisms such as changes in parasympathetic activity or levels of receptors for autonomic neurotransmitters. We also examined the role played by hypoxia in these autonomic adaptations to high altitude. Three experiments were carried out on five healthy lowlanders both at sea level (SL) and after 2 weeks of acclimatization at 3800 m (Post-Ac) with: (a) placebo (control); (b) acute beta-adrenergic receptor blockade by propranolol (PRO), or (c) acute parasympathetic receptor blockade by glycopyrrolate (GLY). Compared with SL control values, post-Ac venous norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine increased by 96% (p < 0.001) and 55% (p < 0.05), but epinephrine and HR did not change. PRO resulted in a smaller decrease in HR (bpm) Post-Ac than at SL (15 +/- 6 vs. 21 +/- 6, p < 0.05), while GLY caused a greater increase in HR Post-Ac than at SL (59 +/- 8 vs. 45 +/- 6, p < 0.05). Breathing oxygen at SL concentration while at altitude did not decrease NE, or alter the effect of PRO on HR, but reduced the chronotropic effect of GLY by 14% (p < 0.05). These results suggest that after acclimatization to altitude, increased parasympathetic neurotransmitter release and decreased beta-adenoreceptor activity account for the unchanged HR despite enhanced sympathetic activity. Acute oxygen replacement rapidly counteracted the parasympathetic, but not sympathetic hyperactivity that occurs at high altitude.
Enhancement of fiber–matrix adhesion by laser ablation-induced surface microcorrugation

Micrometer-sized surface corrugations produced on Kevlar fiber surfaces by laser ablation were found to dramatically enhance the mechanical adhesion between the fibers and the epoxy matrix in a fiber-reinforced composite. Symmetric and asymmetric corrugation structures were produced by irradiating the fibers with high-fluence UV laser pulses at various incidence angles. The interfacial shear strength (IFSS) between the fibers and the matrix was measured using the microbond fiber-pullout method. Upon laser ablation treatment, the IFSS increased by 120% with symmetric corrugation profiles obtained with laser irradiation normal to the fiber axis, and 5-fold with asymmetric corrugation profiles obtained with the laser incidence angle at 45° to the fiber axis. A similar enhancement was observed in pullout tests under wet conditions. A simple model based on an elementary analysis of the expected strain field in the presence of interface corrugation is found to provide a quantitative explanation of the observed strength enhancement factors.