cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Industry Payments to Practicing US Rheumatologists, 2014–2019

OBJECTIVE Payments from the pharmaceutical industry to practicing physicians may influence prescribing behavior. This study was undertaken to investigate the nature, quantity, and geographic distribution of payments to US rheumatologists. METHODS General payments from industry sponsors to US rheumatologists from 2014 to 2019 were extracted from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments database. Gender was identified by linking physicians to the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System registry. Data were reported in aggregate, trends over time were assessed using linear regression models, and differences by gender were analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS Over the 6-year time period from 2014 to 2019, a total of 1,610,668 payments totaling $221,254,966 were made to 5,723 rheumatologists. The median payment was $15 (interquartile range [IQR] $10 to $22), and the median total amount received by individual rheumatologists over the 6-year period was $2,818 (IQR $464 to $11,560). The majority of rheumatologists (3,416 of 5,723 [60%]) received less than $5,000, but 368 of 5,723 (6%) received more than $100,000 each and accounted for 78% of the total. The yearly value of payments increased over time ($3,703,264 per year; P < 0.001), and the median payment to male rheumatologists was significantly higher than the median payment to female rheumatologists ($3,723 [IQR $542 to $15,841] versus $2,084 [IQR $394 to $8,186]; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The value of industry payments has increased over time, and a large amount is concentrated among a small number of rheumatologists. Future studies should investigate the degree to which industry payments have influenced prescribing in the field of rheumatology.
Worsened Tricuspid Regurgitation Following Pericardiectomy for Constrictive Pericarditis

Background: Worsening tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity may occur after pericardiectomy surgery for constrictive pericarditis patients; however, its mechanisms and predictors are not well estab...
Portal Vein Thrombosis In Cirrhosis: Interventional Treatment Options.

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a frequent consequence of cirrhosis and its management is variable and controversial. Herein we highlight interventional treatment options and outcomes, together with mention of the physiology, presentation and imaging of PVT. Utilization of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for acute and chronic PVT is expanding. In acute PVT, TIPS improves hepatopetal flow which promotes thrombus resorption and prevents rethrombosis. The TIPS also functions as a conduit for thrombectomy devices and allows for embolization of variceal shunts. Chronic PVT is a relative contraindication to liver transplant. Portal vein recanalization (PVR) TIPS restores flow in a previously occluded portal vein, allowing for a conventional end-to-end portal vein anastomosis at transplant. PVR TIPS is technically demanding and often requires percutaneous splenic vein access for portal venous recanalization. Selection of endovascular PVT treatment varies with the age (acute or chronic) and the extent of thrombus, along with presenting symptoms and transplant candidacy.
Interpersonal Psychoanalysis as a Culturally Unique Field: A Semiotic Analysis

The theory and practice of psychoanalysis is distinctly cultural. Regardless of the school of thought, i.e., Freudian, Kleinian, Self-Psychology, Interpersonal, Relational, etc., psychoanalysis makes use of numerous cultural processes. These include the specific cultural artifacts within the “frame” (itself a cultural idea), such as the physical space of the analytic practice (i.e., couch, office arrangements), processes of payment, as well as more abstract ideas such as concepts of psychological defense, transference, and countertransference. These latter ideas that emerged directly from intensive practices of psychoanalysis are themselves higher-order semiotic mediators that help guide the unfolding of the analytic conversation, enable the dyad to make sense of and use of the “psychoanalytic data” being generated, and co-construct meaningful growth and change. Despite what feels like the clear relationship between semiotics and cultural psychology to psychoanalytic theory and practice, it is one that remains under formulated and discussed. In this chapter I hope to bring ideas specific to interpersonal psychoanalysis, which is the field I am most familiar with, into conversation with cultural psychology. My hope is that casting interpersonal psychoanalysis (and more broadly psychoanalysis) as a cultural practice will help us better understand what transpires during analytic process.
Regression of Ocular Neovascularization in Response to Increased Expression of Pigment Epithelium–Derived Factor

Purpose Several pharmacologic treatments have been shown to reduce ocular neovascularization when administered before the onset of angiogenic stimuli, but none have been shown to cause regression of already established ocular neovascularization. In this study, the authors tested the effect of adenoviral vectored pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) gene transfer on established neovascularization in transgenic mice with expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in photoreceptors (rho/VEGF mice) and in a model of choroidal neovascularization. Methods Two weeks after the onset of VEGF transgene expression in rho/VEGF mice or 2 weeks after laser-induced rupture of Bruch's membrane in wild-type mice, subgroups of mice were killed, and the baseline amount of neovascularization was measured by image analysis. The remainder of the mice received an intravitreous or subretinal injection of adenoviral vector containing a PEDF expression construct (AdPEDF.11) or control vector (AdNull.11). Results Seven days after injection in rho/VEGF mice or 10 days after injection in the choroidal neovascularization model, the amount of neovascularization in AdPEDF.11-injected eyes was significantly less than the baseline level, indicating that regression of neovascularization had occurred. There was TUNEL staining within choroidal neovascular lesions in eyes injected with AdPEDF.11. Eyes given a subretinal injection of AdNull.11 had TUNEL-positive cells in the retina, but none within areas of choroidal neovascularization. Conclusions These data indicate that increased expression of PEDF causes regression of ocular neovascularization by promoting apoptosis of cells within neovascular lesions and possibly represents a new treatment paradigm for patients with established ocular neovascularization.
A mathematical engine model including the effect of engine emissions

A mathematical engine model which simulates the dynamic interaction of various engine components and processes is developed. The different components and processes included in the simulation are the air/fuel inlet element, the intake manifold, combustion, engine dynamics and exhaust emissions. The total simulation is developed generally so that it can be calibrated to analyze the performance of an arbitrary gasoline engine. The only required information for calibration is the engine's physical characteristics and some steady state engine data. Application of the engine model to the analysis of a rapid transient demonstrates that the model is effective in generating expected engine behavior and exhaust emissions. The model is thus an extremely powerful tool in the design and development of engine control.
Late Quaternary glaciations of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia

A review of late Pleistocene glaciation in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia is presented to accompany an ArcView-formatted digital map of glacial limits. Seven principal sites provide the basis of the current understanding of glacial chronology and this mapping compilation: (1) the Potrerillos plateau, Ecuador; (2) the Cordillera Vilcanota-Quelccaya Ice Cap, Peru; (3) the Junin Plain, Peru; (4) the Cordillera Blanca, Peru; (5) the Cordillera Oriental, Peru; (6) the Cordilleras Apolobamba and Real, Peru-Bolivia; and (7) the Altiplano, Bolivia. Minimum radiocarbon dates, the superposition of moraines and relative dating methods provide evidence that the most extensive glacial advances pre-date the Marine Isotope Stage 2 (MIS 2). Ample series of well-defined, nested moraines indicate multiple episodes of glacial activity in the last glacial cycle, with a few minumum-limiting radiocarbon dates suggesting the local last glacial maximum (LLGM) occurred early in the last glacial cycle. There is also evidence of a Late-glacial advance around 16,000 years BP, after the Northern Hemisphere MIS 2 maximum of c. 21,000 years BP. Deglaciation from LLGM positions appears to have occurred rapidly. Equivocal evidence exists for a Late-glacial readvance that may have pre-dated the Younger Dryas of Northern Europe.
Points to ponder about the molecular outer galaxy

After a brief introduction reviewing our results on molecular clouds and star formation in the outer galaxy, we pose some questions about the implications for understanding molecular clouds, star formation and galactic structure. Molecular clouds and HII regions are found as distant as 18kpc from the galactic center. Evidence for a molecular arm coincident with the HI arm at ≈13kpc is discussed. Questions are raised about arm/interarm contrasts, and the cloud size distribution and initial mass function in the outer galaxy.
Reactions of Oxygenated Cytochrome Oxidase

Abstract It is clear from previous work that the oxygenated form of cytochrome oxidase is not a mixture of oxidized and reduced forms, and that the oxygenated form is spectrally indistinguishable from the hydrogen peroxide derivative of cytochrome oxidase, but that it can be obtained under conditions which preclude the generation of stoichiometric amounts of peroxide in the system. The present work shows that reduction of the oxygenated form by dithionite is faster and is kinetically distinguishable from the reduction of the oxidized form. On standing, the oxygenated form is unstable both with respect to the absorbance in the Soret region and the enzymic activity. Carbon monoxide causes an intensification and sharpening of the Soret peak. Regeneration of the oxidized form from the oxygenated form is accelerated by low oxygen concentrations, or by the addition of potassium ferricyanide, cupric sulfate, or ferricytochrome c. Almost immediate regeneration is produced by addition of a 3-fold molar excess of ferrocytochrome c. Regeneration of the oxidized form coincides with a cessation of destruction of the Soret peak and enzymic activity. The results are interpreted to indicate that in the absence of ferrocytochrome c, reduced cytochrome oxidase has an insufficient supply of electrons to reduce oxygen to water rapidly. However, the turnover between oxygenated and oxidized cytochrome oxidase, even in the presence of cytochrome c, is apparently too slow to account for the normal action of the enzyme.
Chapter 4 Bulimia

This paper presents a sociocultural analysis of the present epidemic of bulimia on college campuses. It is suggested that the psychological stresses underlying bulimia derive from a historical change in the social demands and expections contronting women. Weight control and the obsessive drive for thinness are seen as the symptomatic efforts to manage these stresses and achieve some measure of control. The social dynamics of bulimia are also analyzed, particularly the role of imitation and social learning in the spread of the symptom, as well as the response of others to bulimic symptomatology. Finally, it is suggested that bringing and vomiting have become almost a normal social practice in certain group situations, raising the possibility that the behavior has become a kind of ritual activity. The social implications of this interpretation are discussed.
Competitors as accomplices: seaweed competitors hide corals from predatory sea stars

Indirect biotic effects arising from multispecies interactions can alter the structure and function of ecological communities—often in surprising ways that can vary in direction and magnitude. On P...
Nitric Oxide in Asthma Is Like Insulin in Type II Diabetes

The title of this chapter is intentionally provocative, but an accurate characterization of what this chapter is about: a theory of the mechanism of the airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in asthma. In non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type II diabetes), there is compelling evidence that the fundamental cause of the glucose intolerance results from decreased sensitivity to insulin [1]. The theory presented in this chapter is that the fundamental cause of the AHR in asthma results from a decreased sensitivity to endogenous nitric oxide (NO).
An extended interspecific gene pool available to peach and almond breeding as characterized using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers

Genetic diversity, as revealed by eighteenSimple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers inthirty almond [P. dulcis (Mill.) D.A.Webb], twenty fresh-market peach [Prunus persica (L.), Basch], fifteenprocessing clingstone peach cultivars, andten rootstocks, established the geneticrelatedness among cultivars andcharacterized the variation within andbetween species. One accession each of thewild Prunus species, P.davidiana [(Carriere) Franch] and P.webbii [(Spach.) Vieh.], was included inthe analysis. The number of presumedalleles revealed by the SSR analysis rangedfrom one to six in peach whereas almondcultivars showed a range of three to nine.Peach cultivars clustered into ten groups,which are in general agreement withdocumented origin. Most processingclingstone peach cultivars clusteredseparately from fresh-market freestonecultivars supporting a distinct origin. Twomajor clusters were observed in almond withone containing California cultivars and theother containing European cultivars and theimportant California cultivar Mission.Results establish the value of SSR markersfor distinguishing different geneticlineages and characterize an extensive andlargely unexploited inter-species gene poolavailable to peach and almond breedingprograms.
OXYBUTYNIN, DESMOPRESSIN AND ENURESIS

Purpose: A review of the scarce literature concerning oxybutynin treatment for nocturnal enuresis reveals that its success is greatest when enuresis is combined with daytime incontinence. The renal and bladder related characteristics of children with monosymptomatic enuresis responsive to oxybutynin were evaluated.Materials and Methods: Renal concentrating capacity and functional bladder capacity were compared between 55 dry children who served as controls, and children with monosymptomatic enuresis who responded to desmopressin only (group 1, 27), oxybutynin only (group 2, 11), combination desmopressin and oxybutynin (group 3, 7) or were resistant to all treatment alternatives (group 4, 23).Results: Renal concentrating capacity was lowest in groups 1 and 3 (939 ± 147 mOsm./kg. controls, 856 ± 158 group 1, 1,073 ± 71 group 2, 762 ± 119 group 3 and 970 ± 146 group 4; p <0.01), whereas they had high urinary output (15.4 ± 73.4 ml./kg. per hour controls, 22.2 ± 10.2 group 1, 13.5 ± 4.3 group 2, 21.5 ± 11.2 g...
3,4-BENZOPYRENE IN CHARCOAL GRILLED MEATS

3,4-benzopyrene, found in smoked products, serves as an indicator of the possible presence of other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and has been used repeatedly as a quantitative index of chemical carcinogens in foods. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence of BP in charcoal grilled meats and to observe the influence of fat concentration on the accumulation of BP in charcoal cooked meats. TLC showed a distinct blue fluorescence both for samples with BP additions, and for grilled samples, except for turkey with no added fat; no fluorescent spots were observed for controls. BP standards, regardless of concentration, showed a major peak at a constant retention time. Meat extracts for which BP is reported and samples with added BP also gave characteristic peaks.
Paediatric asthma hospital utilization varies by demographic factors and area socio-economic status.

Summary Objectives Associations of emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions for asthma in children with demographics and area socio-economic status (SES) were examined to evaluate long-term trends and identify vulnerable populations. Study design Retrospective population-based trend and cross-sectional analyses. Methods Asthma hospital admissions (2000–2007) and ED visits (2005–2007) for children aged 0–14 years living in Orange County, California were linked with zip-code-level SES data (2000 US Census). Annual population estimates were obtained to calculate age-specific admissions and ED visit rates. Average annual percentage changes (AAPC) were calculated with joinpoint analyses. The risks of ED visits and hospital admissions were estimated from SES indicators with negative binomial regression. Results Rates of asthma hospital admissions and ED visits were highest among children aged 0–4 years, males and African Americans, and lowest among Asian/Pacific Islanders. African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos were more likely to be uninsured. Asthma admissions decreased significantly for all age groups over the study period. The greatest declines per 100,000 were among children aged 0–4 years (AAPC: −15.3%, 95% confidence interval −17.0% to −13.4%). Rates of hospital admissions and ED visits were significantly higher in low-SES groups. Hospital admission rates were 30–60% higher and ED visits were 80–90% higher in zip codes in the lowest tertile of median household income compared with the highest tertile of median household income. Conclusions Paediatric asthma hospitalizations and ED visit rates are declining in Orange County. However, certain groups are disproportionately affected, including those living in areas with low SES. This information will help in targeting intervention strategies to children at highest risk for severe asthma episodes.
Space Vector Modulation for Three-Level NPC Converter With Neutral Point Voltage Balance and Switching Loss Reduction

This paper investigates the different control objectives, such as loss reduction, neutral point (NP) balance and noise reduction of the space vector modulation (SVM), for the three-level neutral point clamped (NPC) converter. A detailed loss model and simulation model is built for quantitative loss and NP voltage ripple analysis. An improved SVM method is proposed to reduce NP imbalance and switching loss/noise simultaneously. The coordinately selected small vectors consider both the NP charge and the pulse sequence so that the minimized NP ripple and switching events are guaranteed in one switching cycle. In addition, the switching events between switching cycles are also considered to reduce the total switching loss. This method ensures an evenly distributed device loss in each phase leg and also a constant system efficiency under different power factors. The control result for NP balance and loss reduction is verified by using both a simulation model and an experimental prototype on a 200-kVA three-level NPC converter hardware.
Initial post-buckling behavior of a finite beam on an elastic foundation

The initial post-buckling behavior of a finite beam on an elastic foundation is revisited using a double-scale perturbation method. The results show that the initial post-buckling behavior may have periodic, modulated and localized modes. All these modes are obtained as solutions to the Duffing's equation that arise in the solution process. It is found that the modulated initial post-buckling mode converges to a local mode when the length of the beam increases to infinity.
Accelerated evolution and Muller's rachet in endosymbiotic bacteria.

Abstract Many bacteria live only within animal cells and infect hosts through cytoplasmic inheritance. These endosymbiotic lineages show distinctive population structure, with small population size and effectively no recombination. As a result, endosymbionts are expected to accumulate mildly deleterious mutations. If these constitute a substantial proportion of new mutations, endosymbionts will show (i) faster sequence evolution and (ii) a possible shift in base composition reflecting mutational bias. Analyses of 16S rDNA of five independently derived endosymbiont clades show, in every case, faster evolution in endosymbionts than in free-living relatives. For aphid endosymbionts (genus Buchnera), coding genes exhibit accelerated evolution and unusually low ratios of synonymous to nonsynonymous substitutions compared to ratios for the same genes for enterics. This concentration of the rate increase in nonsynonymous substitutions is expected under the hypothesis of increased fixation of deleterious mutations. Polypeptides for all Buchnera genes analyzed have accumulated amino acids with codon families rich in A+T, supporting the hypothesis that substitutions are deleterious in terms of polypeptide function. These observations are best explained as the result of Muller's ratchet within small asexual populations, combined with mutational bias. In light of this explanation, two observations reported earlier for Buchnera, the apparent loss of a repair gene and the overproduction of a chaperonin, may reflect compensatory evolution. An alternative hypothesis, involving selection on genomic base composition, is contradicted by the observation that the speedup is concentrated at nonsynonymous sites.
Purification and characterization of the bifunctional CobU enzyme of Salmonella typhimurium LT2. Evidence for a CobU-GMP intermediate.

Abstract The CobU protein of Salmonella typhimurium was overexpressed and purified to 94% homogeneity. N-terminal sequencing of purified CobU confirmed the first 22 amino acids. In vitro assays showed that CobU has kinase and guanylyltransferase activities which catalyze the synthesis of adenosyl-cobinamide-GDP from adenosyl-cobinamide, via an adenosyl-cobinamide-phosphate intermediate. We present evidence that the transfer of the guanylyl moiety of GTP to adenosylcobinamide-phosphate proceeds via an phosphoramidate-linked, enzyme-guanylyl intermediate. In the presence of oxygen, kinase and guanylyltransferase activities of CobU were lost. Treatment of inactive CobU with dithiothreitol restored 20% of the kinase and guanylyltransferase activities, indicating the involvement of sulfhydryl groups in enzyme activity. The sulfhydryl modifying agents 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) and N-ethylmaleimide abolished both CobU activities. Native CobU protein was a dimer (40 kDa) that functioned optimally at pH 8.8-9.0 and 37°C. Substrates and kinetic parameters for both activities were determined. The preferred corrinoid substrate for this enzyme was adenosyl-cobinamide. In vitro experiments are consistent with previous genetic studies which had suggested that adenosyl-cobinamide was the preferred substrate of CobU, and that CobU functioned more efficiently in the absence of oxygen.
Competitive Sorption of Pyrene on Wood Chars

Sorption isotherms of pyrene on original and heat-treated wood chars were examined to understand its sorption behavior. Pyrene in single-solute systems had nonlinear isotherms. Polanyi-based dual-domain model fit sorption data well, and the model results showed that the adsorption component dominated pyrene sorption by original char at all aqueous concentrations. In contrast, this adsorption component contributed a much lower fraction to the total sorption by the heat-treated char, and dominated only at low solute concentrations; with increasing concentration, partitioning became a predominant contributor to the total sorption. Competitive effect of four cosolutes, phenanthrene (Phen), benzo[a]anthracene (BaA), 2,2-methylene-bis (4-methyl-6-tert-butylphenol) (MMBP), and phenol on pyrene sorption by original and treated chars was examined to understand the underlying mechanism of competition. Hydrophobicity (adsorbability) and molecular size of competitors played an important role in competition with pyren...
Nonlinear, stochastic model for energy investment in manufacturing

Abstract The rapid introduction of technological innovations into the manufacturing sector of the U.S. economy make it desirable to improve our understanding of investment patterns in the energy sector. Specifically, it is useful to be able to compare investments in efficient, new equipment with continued high fuel consumption due to inefficient equipment. A nonlinear, stochastic model is developed using the Schumpeter Clock Model in economics together with the Ising model of magnetic polarization. This model is validated by using actual economic data for the period 1961–1980. It is seen that the proposed model brings out fluctuations that are not evident with linear models. Overlooking such fluctuations can mislead the decision maker who, in order to maximize profit, must make judicious choices that have long-term implications.
Chest Computed Tomography for Penetrating Thoracic Trauma After Normal Screening Chest Roentgenogram

Background Chest computed tomography (CCT) is a method of screening for intrathoracic injuries in hemodynamically stable patients with penetrating thoracic trauma. The objective of this study was to examine the changes in utilization of CCT over time and evaluate its contribution to guiding therapeutic intervention. Methods A level 1 trauma center registry was queried between 2006 and 2011. Patients undergoing CCT in the emergency department after penetrating thoracic trauma as well as patients undergoing thoracic operations for penetrating thoracic trauma were identified. Patient demographics, operative indications, use of CCT, injuries, and hospital admissions were analyzed. Results In all, 617 patients had CCTs performed, of whom 61.1% (371 of 617) had a normal screening plain chest radiograph (CXR). In 14.0% (51 of 371) of these cases, the CCT revealed findings not detected on screening CXR. The majority of these injuries were occult pneumothoraces or hemothoraces (84.3%; 43 of 51), of which 27 (62.8%) underwent tube thoracostomy. In only 0.5% (2 of 371), did the results of CCT alone lead to an operative indication: exploration for hemopericardium. The use of CCT in our patients significantly increased overall (28.8% to 71.4%) as well as after a normal screening CXR (23.3% to 74.6%) over the study period. Conclusions The use of CCT for penetrating thoracic trauma increased 3.5-fold during the study period with a concurrent increase in findings of uncertain clinical significance. Patients with a normal screening CXR should be triaged with 3-hour delayed CXR, serial physical examinations, and focused assessment with sonography for trauma; and CCT should only be used selectively as a diagnostic modality.
A Critique of the “Theistic Psychology” Movement as Exemplified in Bartz's (2009) “Theistic Existential Psychotherapy”

From the perspectives of existential philosophy, existential psychotherapy, philosophy of science, and theology, we critique Bartz's (2009) “Theistic Existential Psychotherapy” as another example of the argumentation of the “theistic psychology” movement. Twenty-one points highlight troubling inadequacies. Introductory and concluding paragraphs provide the broader context of this movement and focus the chief concern: Amidst current epistemological and philosophy-of-science uncertainty, the concerted effort to validate other-worldly religious beliefs as scientific principles within the empirical field of psychology of religion.
Charities for Greek Women

When Medea is pretending to be an ordinary Greek housewife, she points out that a woman needs a dowry, in order to get a husband1). Among the respectable classes throughout the Greek world, all girls were expected to marry, and fathers usually provided their daughters with the requisite dowry 2). Girls who succeeded in marrying without any dowry were exceptional. Men who claimed that compassion had inspired them to take a dowerless bride counted on winning the favor of their audiences. A rich man like Callias, it is true, might marry a penniless Elpinice because her family's political connections were more useful to him than money; yet the granddaughter of the revered statesman Aristides, widowed and impoverished, was unable to attract another husband3). Lydian girls earned their dowries by prostitution, and unattractive girls in Babylonia were dowered from the proceeds of auctions of pretty girls 4). These expedients for acquiring dowries were clearly foreign. In Greece the obligation to provide a dowry for a girl who needed one usually devolved on her kinfolk. At various times
Photochemical Generation of Gold Nanoparticles in Langmuir−Blodgett Films

Gold nanoparticles were generated by ultraviolet irradiation of Langmuir−Blodgett (LB) films of octadecylamine (ODA), 4-hexadecylaniline (HDA), and benzyldimethylstearylammonium chloride monohydrate (BDSAC) deposited from aqueous HAuCl4 subphases. In contrast, no gold crystals were observed in irradiated LB films prepared from monolayers of dipalmitoyl-dl-α-phosphatidyl-l-serine (DPPS) and dipalmitoyl-l-α-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC). X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV−visible absorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy measurements indicated the marked influence of the surfactants used to prepare the LB matrix on the shape of the gold particles. Particles formed in ODA and BDSAC LB films were grown with well-defined crystal faces, while particles generated in HDA LB films were irregular in shape.
Optimal selection of medical formularies

The rising cost of drugs is drawing scrutiny from many policymakers to the design of medical formularies. Formulary design is difficult because of the need to account for heterogeneity in patient characteristics, and the potential variation of cost-effectiveness of drugs across multiple conditions that they might be used to treat. In this article, we formulate the problem of selecting a medical formulary to minimize the cost of providing the drugs in the formulary, as well as the negative consequences to both patients and providers of the restrictions of the formulary. We model multiple drug categories and random variations in patient characteristics. We assume that patients are advised by physicians who are informed about the relative effectiveness of drugs that are available, and always make a rational choice to obtain the best expected outcome for their treatment. We derive insights into the structure of the optimal formulary under both certain and uncertain information about drugs’ effectiveness. Our model shows that widely used heuristics for drug selection that employ average or incremental cost-effectiveness ratios can perform very poorly. The model also shows that it is much more cost-effective for the payer to keep physicians informed about the relative effectiveness of drugs so that they can help patients to make customized choices, rather than to restrict the formulary for quality-control purposes.
Synchronization costs on multiprocessors

Abstract Various types of processor synchronization are introduced and analyzed with regard to execution time and waiting time. It is shown that while barrier synchronization requires a large execution time on systems with many processors, other less restrictive forms of synchronization do not have this drawback. It is also shown that for most reasonable distributions of processor times, a relatively small amount of time is spent waiting at synchronization points. The conclusion is that if barriers can be replaced by the less restrictive synchronization forms, then, for problems with appropriate size granularity, the synchronization costs on most multiprocessors will be small.
Evaluation of hydrophilic permeant transport parameters in the localized and non-localized transport regions of skin treated simultaneously with low-frequency ultrasound and sodium lauryl sulfate

The porosity (epsilon), the tortuosity (tau), and the hindrance factor (H) of the aqueous pore channels located in the localized transport regions (LTRs) and the non-LTRs formed in skin treated simultaneously with low-frequency ultrasound (US) and the surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), were evaluated for the delivery of four hydrophilic permeants (urea, mannitol, raffinose, and inulin) by analyzing dual-radiolabeled diffusion masking experiments for three different idealized cases of the aqueous pore pathway hypothesis. When epsilon and tau were assumed to be independent of the permeant radius, H was found to be statistically larger in the LTRs than in the non-LTRs. When a distribution of pore radii was assumed to exist in the skin, no statistical differences in epsilon, tau, and H were observed due to the large variation in the pore radii distribution shape parameter (3 A to infinity). When infinitely large aqueous pores were assumed to exist in the skin, epsilon was found to be 3-8-fold greater in the LTRs than in the non-LTRs, while little difference was observed in the LTRs and in the non-LTRs for tau. This last result suggests that the efficacy of US/SLS treatment may be enhanced by increasing the porosity of the non-LTRs.
The Demographic Transition in Kenya: A Portent for Africa?

It is contended that issues of population growth will continue to be an important frontier of international health. Kenya's case is examined and its achievements in arresting its population growth are analyzed. The case is made that Kenya's experience is transferable to other countries in Africa.
Targeting and depletion of circulating leukocytes and cancer cells by lipophilic antibody-modified erythrocytes.

Abstract There is a great interest in targeting and selective ablation of populations of circulating cells for research or therapeutic purposes. Red blood cells (RBCs) are readily available and fully biocompatible long-circulating intravascular carriers (natural life is 120 days) that are amenable to chemical modifications, drug loading and reinjection. Here we demonstrate that using our previously described lipophilic ligand painting strategy, red blood cells (RBCs) could be in one step converted into targeted entities that selectively seek and bind various cells in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, RBCs modified with lipophilic anti-EpCAM or anti-CD45 antibodies efficiently bound to cancer cells and leukocytes, forming characteristic rosettes. In vivo, intravenously injected RBCs painted with anti-CD45 antibody immediately associated with CD45 positive cells in blood, forming RBC-leukocyte rosettes. Moreover, anti-CD45-modified RBCs, but not the same amount of anti-CD45 antibody or anti-CD45-lipid conjugate (1–2 μg/mouse), depleted over 50% of CD45 + leukocytes from circulation, with main clearance organs of leukocytes being liver and spleen with no visible deposition in kidneys and lungs. Anti-CD20 (Rituximab)-painted RBCs efficiently (over 90%) depleted CD19 +/CD20 +/CD45 + human lymphoma cells in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) JeKo-1 model, while the same amount of rituximab–lipid (2 μg/mouse) was much less efficient in lymphoma cell depletion. Treatment of MCL mice with rituximab-modified RBCs carrying only 2 μg of the antibody resulted in a significant prolongation of survival as compared to the same amount of antibody–lipid control. Lipophilic ligand-painted RBCs is a novel tool that can be utilized for targeting blood borne cells for experimental immunology and drug delivery applications.
Conservation acquisition: A problem of learning to attend to relevant attributes☆

Abstract Five-year-old children who failed on conservation tests of length, number, mass, and liquid amount were given discrimination learning set (LS) training on length and number tasks. Posttests of conservation showed near perfect specific (length and number), and approximately 60% nonspecific (mass and liquid amount) transfer of training. This effect was durable as measured 2–3 weeks later. Analyses of LS learning results and the effects of other training conditions support the hypothesis that young children fail to conserve because of inattention to relevant quantitative relationships and attention to irrelevant features in classical conservation tests.
Precipitation of unipolarly charged particles in cylindrical and spherical vessels

Abstract An analysis is presented on the precipitation of unipolarly charged particles of uniform size in cylindrical and spherical vessels by their own space charge. When the particle number density is large the mechanism of deposition is due to mutual electrical repulsion and for small number density only image force is important. Expressions for the fractional deposition are obtained in both cases.
Diel rhythms of adipokinetic hormone, fat body response, and haemolymph lipid and sugar levels in the house cricket

. The adipokinetic hormone (Grb-AKH) content in the corpora car-diaca of the house cricket, Acheta domesticus, varied during a day with two peaks in the scotophase and one peak in the photophase. There were two distinct peaks of total lipid concentration in the blood, one early in the photophase and the other early in the scotophase. Fat body sensitivity to adipokinetic hormone also varied in close synchrony with the lipid rhythm. It was not possible to attribute the rhythm of blood lipid titre unequivocally to either the rhythm of adipokinetic hormone content in the corpora cardiaca or to the rhythm of sensitivity of the fat body to the hormone. In adult crickets the blood carbohydrate titre had two peaks in adult females, one towards the end of scotophase and another in the late photophase (c. 12h apart), but a single peak at the end of scotophase was apparent in last instar larvae. The blood carbohydrate rhythm persists in DD and is therefore endogenous. Carbohydrates were not mobilized by the Grb-AKH, therefore could not be involved in the blood carbohydrate rhythm. Exposure to various day lengths caused shifts in the patterns of the carbohydrate rhythms, but imposition of a cyclic temperature regime had no effect on the rhythm.
Compliance-based matrix method for modeling the quasi-static response of planar serial flexure-hinge mechanisms

Abstract A matrix method is proposed to model the direct and inverse quasi-static response of constrained/over-constrained planar serial mechanisms with flexure hinges under bending, axial, and shear planar (three-dimensional) loading and small-deformations. The method uses a basic three-point compliance matrix corresponding to one rigid link and one adjacent flexure hinge that are subjected to one point load. This matrix connects the displacements at a point on the rigid link with the load that is applied at another point on it, and the deformations of the flexure hinge at its distal point. The quasi-static model of planar serial flexure-based mechanisms with multiple links under single/multiple point loading results from linearly superimposing all relevant hinge-link-load triads defined by their three-point matrices. A displacement-amplification planar device with right circularly corner-fileted flexure hinges is studied using several refinement stages of the matrix method to generate a model whose predictions are confirmed by finite element simulation.
Contact resistivity of TiN on p+-Si and n+-Si

Abstract The contact resistivity ϱ c of reactively sputtered TiN films deposited on silicon was measured with patterns conforming to the transmission line model. Values of ϱ c = (2.8 ± 0.5) × 10 −4 Ω cm 2 and ϱ c = (1.5 ± 0.8) × 10 −5 Ω cm 2 were determined on solar-cell-type p + -Si (about 10 20 B atoms cm −3 ) and n + -Si (about 2 × 10 20 P atoms cm −3 ) respectively.
Determinants of Functional Health of Older Persons

The study investigated relationships among demographics, self esteem, health locus of control, health promotion behaviors, perceived health and functional health ratings in 179 older men and women from 65 to 99 years. Canonical correlation and stepwise discriminant analyses demonstrated several meaningful and significant relationships suggesting that exercise and nutrition may be critical health promotion activities associated with better scores on five functional dimensions. The 85+ years age group differed from younger groups through having significantly higher reported exercise scores.
Waves Are Recurrent on Noncompact Fractals

On certain noncompact fractals there exist Laplacians with pure point spectrum. It follows that solutions of the wave equation, the free Schrodinger equation or the Klein-Gordon equation based on these Laplacians are essentially almost periodic functions of time, so the same values will recur to within any prescribed error. Also, to within any prescribed error, the solution has compact support in space for all time.
White coat, mood indigo--depression in medical school.

Medical students are more prone to depression than their nonmedical peers. Julie Rosenthal and Dr. Susan Okie write that depression not only affects students' lives but may also have repercussions for patient care in the long run.
Drillstring Vibration Observation, Modeling and Prevention in the Oil and Gas Industry

As well designs become increasingly complicated, a complete understanding of drillstring vibrations is key to maximize drilling efficiency and reduce bit wear as well as prevent drillstring, tool, and borehole damage. This paper presents a review of the past fifty years of work on drillstring dynamics models and the proposed and accepted vibration mitigation applications within the drilling industry. Early modeling began with simplistic models in efforts to understand downhole processes. Once downhole sensors were deployed and the basic modes of vibration were understood, proprietary systems were developed and — only recently — successfully deployed to detect and mitigate the effects of certain undesired vibrational modes, specifically stick-slip torsional vibrations. Future systems and their effectiveness will depend on a refined understanding of the various modes of vibration and their interaction, as well as improved real-time downhole sensing techniques. Implementation of high-fidelity models to deduce and correct the downhole drillstring state will subsequently improve the operational drilling efficiency.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Waves and the Middle Atmosphere Wind Irregularities

Abstract Middle atmosphere wind irregularities with vertical scales less than about 5 km are modeled as gravity shear waves that terminate abruptly on attaining Hodges’s condition for overturning, N2 ≈ 0. A quasi-random spectrum of such waves is constructed, and it reproduces the main features of the winds, including the ragged profiles observed in individual soundings and the short vertical wavelength tail of the wind’s power spectrum. Shear analysis of observations reveals that around 100-km altitude the control of instability passes from small-scale internal waves to the tides, a change that probably has some bearing on the position of the turbopause.
Giant esophageal ulcers in patients with AIDS-related complex

Three patients with AIDS-related complex and symptoms of dysphagia and odynophagia were examined radiographically and endoscopically. Giant esophageal ulcerations were found in all three patients. Routine endoscopic techniques to obtain tissue failed to reveal an etiology for the ulcers in all three cases.
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus is recruited by both natural rewards and drugs of abuse: recent evidence of a pivotal role for orexin/hypocretin signaling in this thalamic nucleus in drug-seeking behavior.

A major challenge for the successful treatment of drug addiction is the long-lasting susceptibility to relapse and multiple processes that have been implicated in the compulsion to resume drug intake during abstinence. Recently, the orexin/hypocretin (Orx/Hcrt) system has been shown to play a role in drug-seeking behavior. The Orx/Hcrt system regulates a wide range of physiological processes, including feeding, energy metabolism, and arousal. It has also been shown to be recruited by drugs of abuse. Orx/Hcrt neurons are predominantly located in the lateral hypothalamus that projects to the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), a region that has been identified as a “way-station” that processes information and then modulates the mesolimbic reward and extrahypothalamic stress systems. Although not thought to be part of the “drug addiction circuitry,” recent evidence indicates that the PVT is involved in the modulation of reward function in general and drug-directed behavior in particular. Evidence indicates a role for Orx/Hcrt transmission in the PVT in the modulation of reward function in general and drug-directed behavior in particular. One hypothesis is that following repeated drug exposure, the Orx/Hcrt system acquires a preferential role in mediating the effects of drugs vs. natural rewards. The present review discusses recent findings that suggest maladaptive recruitment of the PVT by drugs of abuse, specifically Orx/Hcrt-PVT neurotransmission.
The Application of Fast Fourier Transform and Convolution Techniques to Picosecond Continuum Spectroscopy

The use of the fast Fourier transform in the processing of photographic data obtained from picosecond continuum spectroscopy is described. The resulting reduction in the complexity and computation time has permitted all of the data acquisition and processing to be carried out with an eight-bit microcomputer. Specific examples of some key problems in the data processing that are peculiar to this spectroscopic technique and methods of overcoming these problems are discussed. Experimental results that serve to illustrate both the experimental technique itself as well as the versatility and reliability of the data processing algorithm are presented for the transient absorption of a Cr(III) complex in solutions.
Hydrolysis of lecithins by venom phospholipase A. I. Structure of the enzymically formed lysolecithins.

Abstract Rat-liver [ 32 P]lecithin was hydrolyzed by snake venom phospholipase A to give quantitative yield of [ 32 P]lysolecithins. The lysolecithins were oxidized in buffered aqueous solutions in the pH range 2.8 to 7.0, with bromine or permanganate to yield a keto-lysolecithin derivative. The extent and rate of oxidation is pH dependent. Bromine oxidation is more rapid at pH 6.8 than at pH 5.5 or 2.8. Permanganate oxidation is rapid at pH 5.5 but very slow at pH 6.8. During the oxidation partial concomitant hydrolysis occurs. The keto-lysolecithin can be separated and measured by paper chromatography and thus permits the determination of the α-lysolecithin isomer. The amount of this isomer was found to vary between 54–94% depending on the pH at which the bromine oxidation is carried out. Definitive evidence for the formation of the lysolecithinic acid has not yet been obtained. Passage of lysolecithin through silicic acid causes ester migration from the beta to the alpha position of glycerol. This is reflected by an increase in the keto-lysolecithin upon bromine oxidation. A novel reaction occurs when lysolecithin is treated with bromine in chloroform or methanol. Brominolysis rather than oxidation takes place with the formation of lysophosphatic acids and choline. A discussion of these findings is presented.
Resveratrol Decreases Noise-Induced Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in the Rat Cochlea

ObjectiveOur previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of resveratrol, a grape constituent noted for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, in reducing temporary threshold shifts and decreasing cochlear hair cell damage following noise exposure. This study was designed to identify the potential protective mechanism of resveratrol by measuring its effect on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation following noise exposure.Study DesignControlled animal intervention study.SettingOtology Laboratory, Henry Ford Health System.Subjects and MethodsTwenty-two healthy male Fischer 344 rats (2-3 months old) were exposed to acoustic trauma of variable duration with or without intervention. An additional 20 healthy male rats were used to study COX-2 expression at different time points during and following treatment of 24 hours of noise exposure. Cochlear harvest was performed at various time intervals for measurement of COX-2 protein expression via Wester...