cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mouse strain and injection site are crucial for detecting linked suppression in transplant recipients by trans-vivo DTH assay.

Chemokine-driven accumulation of lymphocytes, mononuclear and polymorphonuclear proinflammatory cells in antigenic tissue sites is a key feature of several types of T-cell-dependent autoimmunity and transplant rejection pathology. It is now clear that the immune system expends considerable energy to control this process, exemplified by the sequential layers of regulatory cell input, both innate and adaptive, designed to prevent a classical Type IV or ‘delayed-type’ hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction from occurring in the visual field of the eye. Yet, despite an abundance of in vitro assays currently available to the human T-cell immunologist, none of them adequately models the human DTH response and its various control features. The theme of this article is that it is relatively easy to model the effector side of the human DTH response with xenogeneic adoptive transfer models. However, we show that in order to detect inhibition of a recall DTH in response to colocalized donor antigen (linked suppression)—a characteristic feature of peripheral tolerance to an organ transplant—both the challenge site and the immunocompetence of the mouse adoptive host are critical factors limiting the sensitivity of the trans-vivo DTH test.
Review of the transmission of hepatitis by clotting factor concentrates.

Hepatitis remains a serious complication of the treatment of hemophilia. Even the most sensitive assays for the hepatitis B surface antigen cannot detect every plasma unit which contains the hepatitis B virus. Some (but not all) lots of clotting factor concentrates manufactured from plasma screened for hepatitis B surface antigen have been documented to transmit hepatitis B. Chronic hepatitis B results from between 7–11 percent of hepatitis B infections in hemophiliacs; associated severe chronic liver damage has been documented in 2 percent of infections. Delta agent infection accompanying hepatitis B infection appears to be responsible for significant liver disease in some hemophiliacs. In contrast, nearly every lot of clotting factor concentrate transmits one or more agents of non-A, non-B hepatitis. Chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis appears to result from nearly 50 percent of acute infections. Although liver damage accompanies most of these chronic cases, recent studies have suggested that partial resolution of histologic abnormalities may occur spontaneously in some hemophiliacs.
Non‐Newtonian flow over a wedge with suction

A pseudo-similarity solution is obtained for the flow of an incompressible fluid of second grade past a wedge with suction at the surface. The non-linear differential equation is solved using quasi-linearization and orthonormalization. The numerical method developed for this purpose enables computation of the flow characteristics for any values of the parameters K, a and b, where K is the dimensionless normal stress modulus of the fluid, a is related to the wedge angle and b is the suction parameter. A significant effect of suction on the wall shear stress is observed. The present results match exactly those from an earlier perturbation analysis for Kx2a ⩽ 0·01 but differ significantly as Kx2a increases.
Stochastic modeling of cellular colonies with quiescence: an application to drug resistance in cancer.

Abstract Several cancers are thought to be driven by cells with stem cell like properties. An important characteristic of stem cells, which also applies to primitive tumor cells, is the ability to undergo quiescence, where cells can temporarily stop the cell cycle. Cellular quiescence can affect the kinetics of tumor growth, and the susceptibility of the cells to therapy. To study how quiescence affects treatment, we formulate a stochastic birth–death process with quiescence, on a combinatorial cellular mutation network, and consider the pre-treatment (growth) and treatment (decay) regimes. We find that, in the absence of mutations, treatment (if sufficiently strong) will proceed as a biphasic decline with the first (faster) phase driven by the elimination of the cycling cells and the second (slower) phase limited by the process of cell awakening. Other regimes are possible for weaker treatments. We also describe how the process of mutant generation is influenced by quiescence. Interestingly, for single-drug treatments, the probability to have resistance at start of treatment is independent of quiescence. For two or more drugs, the probability to have generated resistant mutants before treatment grows with quiescence. Finally, we study the influence of quiescence on the treatment phase. Starting from a given composition of mutants, the chances of treatment success are not influenced by the presence of quiescence.
Identification and biometry of horizontal extraocular muscle tendons using optical coherence tomography

To purpose if this study was to determine whether the horizontal rectus muscle tendons (HRMTs) can be observed using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) and to determine the repeatability of its measurements. Also, this study aimed to observe and measure the different external ocular structures at the level of the horizontal rectus muscle (HRM) insertion. This was a retrospective, observational, descriptive and comparative study. Images were obtained utilizing the RTVue 100 CAM system. Eyes were analyzed at the three and nine o’clock position. Scans were performed for three different locations: the limbus, the ciliary body and the equator. All scans were analyzed by two graders, separately and blinded. Measurements were performed for: HRMT length; HRM thickness; conjunctival epithelium thickness; conjunctiva and Tenon’s capsule thickness; scleral thickness; and external ocular thickness. Results were obtained from twenty eyes of ten volunteers. The conjunctival epithelium thickness was 52.33 μm, the total conjunctiva/Tenon’s capsule thickness was 313.54 μm, the medial rectus (MR) thickness was 136.63 μm and the lateral rectus (LR) thickness was 181.65 μm. The MR tendon length was 1,426.88 μm, the LR tendon length was 1,433.65 μm, the scleral thickness was 489.91 μm and the total external ocular structure thickness was 785.17 μm. Intra-observer reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]) for tendon length was 0.993 for grader #1, 0.989 for grader #2; the muscle thickness ICC was 0.990 for grader #1 and 0.981 for grader #2. The inter-observer reproducibility ICC for tendon length was 0.557; the ICC for muscle thickness was 0.834. It is possible to visualize and measure HRMTs using AS-OCT. Measurements of the HRM, as well as the surrounding external ocular tissues, can be achieved.
The Antecedents of Institutional Investor Activism

The fledgling literature concerning institutional investors' impact on U.S. corporations has been plagued by mixed results. We argue that an improved understanding of an intervening variable—investor activism—may help to clarify future studies. In this article we synthesize the financial, legal, and management literature to arrive at an integrated model of twelve key variables that may lead to variations in these investors' levels of activism and, hence, their impact on firm behavior.
The Function of the Reaction Rail in the Development of a LIM Propulsion System for Urban Transit

The functional considerations and design parameters which have been taken into account in the development of the reaction rail for a linear induction motor (LIM) are discussed. The LIM, powered by a variable-frequency variable-voltage inverter, is to be applied as the propulsion system for urban transit vehicles. The features that are different in the reaction rail compared with the secondary of a conventional rotary induction motor are greater exposure to environmental conditions, the presence of discontinuities and gaps, and the capability to change air gap, resistance, and magnetic circuits as required. These features are considered from their theoretical and practical aspects. Predicted and test data are given for a number of the alternatives considered.
Operative management of external auditory canal cholesteatoma: case series and literature review.

Objectives: To describe the clinical features of external auditory canal cholesteatoma, and to assess the outcome following bony meatoplasty with tragal cartilage and perichondrium graft repair. Methods: A retrospective review was carried out, comprising all patients with external auditory canal cholesteatoma who presented between January 2007 and December 2011. Patients underwent pre-operative audiometry and computed tomography imaging of the temporal bones, before undergoing bony meatoplasty via a postauricular incision. Pre- and post-operative comparisons were made of patients’ otological symptoms and the otoscopic appearance of the external ear canal. Results and conclusion: Eight patients were included in the analyses. The median age of patients was 46.5 years (range 14–68 years), with a male to female ratio of 1:1. The median length of follow up was 16 months. The most common presenting features were unilateral otalgia and purulent otorrhoea. All patients had relatively advanced disease at presentation, with erosion of the temporal bone. All patients underwent bony meatoplasty via a postauricular approach to eradicate the disease. Bony meatoplasty was successful in the definitive management of external ear canal cholesteatoma.
Body Image of Drug and Alcohol Abusers

This study attempted to determine whether male and female drug and alcohol abusers evidenced more body image distortions than nonabusers. Body image was measured by magnitude estimations of 22 two-dimensional body parts. Results indicated a differential sex effect for the drug and alcohol abusers: Male abusers manifested body image distortions related to heightened need for control and power; female abusers manifested body image distortions related to feelings of insecurity and inferiority.
Nucleobase catalysis in ribozyme mechanism

RNA performs a wide range of functions in biology including catalysis of chemical reactions. A major goal in the field of ribozyme chemical biology is to understand these functions in molecular terms. There is increasing evidence that ribozymes can use their nucleobases directly in chemical catalysis in a variety of ways. These include hydrogen bonding to the transition state, stabilizing charge development, and transferring protons as general acid-base catalysts. This article highlights recent kinetic, structural, single molecule, and synthetic approaches that have been used to probe the roles of ribozyme nucleobases in phosphodiester bond cleavage.
Gas transport and bubble collapse in rhyolitic magma: an experimental approach

A series of experiments was conducted to test concepts of porous flow degassing of rhyolitic magma during ascent and of the subsequent collapse of vesicles in degassed magma to form obsidian. Dense, synthetically hydrated, natural glasses were pressurized under water-saturated conditions and then decompressed to achieve a range of porosities in the presence of a tracer vapor, D2O. Rapid isotopic exchange indicative of vapor transport rather than of simple diffusion occurred at a porosity >60 vol.%, in accord with earlier gas permeability measurements on cold natural samples. In another series of experiments, natural and synthetic pumices, vesiculated by degassing to atmospheric pressure, rapidly collapsed to dense glass on repressurization to the modest pressures prevailing in lava flows. No relict bubble textures remained. These results support the hypothesis that effusive eruptions result from the syneruptive escape of gas from permeable magmatic foam, and that a process analogous to welding yields dense lavas when such foams are extruded.
Resection and radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular cancer.

* Corresponding author. Department of Sur Syracuse, NY 13210. Tel.: þ1 315 464 6295; fa E-mail address: jaina@upstate.edu. 0022-4804/$ e see front matter a 2014 Elsev http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2014.06.038 Data from the large, single institution, retrospective clinical series presented by Zhang et al. [1] suggest better long-term survival can be achieved using combined resection and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) rather than transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) alone in patients with bilobar hepatocellular cancer (HCC). Many of the patients also had significant liver dysfunction. Even so, the authors pursued an aggressive surgical approach with the goal of complete (R0) resection. Of the 203 patients managed with surgery between 2005 and 2010, R0 resection was achieved in less than half (n 1⁄4 89). The remainder received RFA of any unresectable component. Despite performing extensive surgery in cirrhotic patients (over 60% underwent right, left, or extended hepatectomy), intraoperative blood and postoperative complications were low, as was mortality (2.2%). Finally, overall survival in surgicallymanaged patients wasmuch better than that of patients managed with TACE alone. The authors should be commended for their excellent results. These outcomes are impressive, and they challenge the prevailing paradigm in theWest that cirrhotic patients with bilobar HCC be managed with transplant if within Milan criteria or otherwise liver-directed therapy sorafenib [2].
Use of megavoltage computed tomography with image registration for high-dose rate treatment planning of an oral tongue cancer using a custom oral mold applicator with embedded lead shielding.

Abstract Purpose A patient with a lateral oral tongue cancer was treated with high–dose rate brachytherapy using an oral applicator with embedded lead shielding making conventional simulation, using either kilovoltage computed tomography or radiographs, impossible because of scatter artifact. Methods and materials Treatment simulation was accomplished using megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) simulation on a helical tomotherapy unit. Because of difficulty in visualization of the catheters on the patient MVCT images, Velocity AI image registration software (Velocity Medical Solutions, Atlanta, GA) was used to register an MVCT of the applicator itself with the patient MVCT simulation. The treatment plan was manually optimized to prescribe 4 Gy/fraction to the gross tumor volume. Results The patient tolerated the treatment well, with no evidence of disease 6 months after treatment. Thermoluminescent dosimeter measurements showed that the shielding reduced the dose by up to 90%, depending on the location of the thermoluminescent dosimeter. While the patient was treated using dose distributions calculated in a homogeneous medium (Task Group-43), an approximation of the true dose distributions was retrospectively calculated using Acuros (Varian Medical Systems Inc., Palo Alto, CA), which accounts for heterogeneities in the patient. Discussion Use of the MVCT with image registration allowed treatment planning in the presence of lead shielding. Dose–volume histograms showed that recalculation of the dose using heterogeneity correction did not affect the dose to the gross tumor volume, but that the dose to normal structures (maxilla and mandible) was reduced by the lead shielding. Conclusion The use of MVCT and image registration allows for optimized planning in the presence of shielding, which would not be possible with conventional kilovoltage computed tomography.
Predictions Of Stray Light Modeling On The Ultimate Performance Of AO Processors

The performance of optical processors, particularly crosstalk and dynamic range, normally does not measure up to what is predicted by first order optical design, ray tracing, and diffraction calculations. Contributing factors such as detector array and light source characteristics, discussed elsewhere by other authors, combine with optical performance factors such as large-and small-angle scatter and multiple reflections to determine the actual system performance. A stray light computer code, ASAP/RABET, has been used to model several simple configurations found in optical processors. Scattering of samples of material was measured using a low angle scatterometer in transmission (BTDF), and measured longscan surface roughness profile data (WYKO TOPO). The results including the stray light effects are compared with normal calculations (CODEV) and also with some measured performance data.
Warren L. Butler; A Tribute to a Friend and Fellow Scientist

It was a deep and personal shock to learn that my friend and colleague of many years, Warren Butler, died on June 21, 1984. For those of us who were so fortunate to have known Warren personnaly as a fellow scientist and as a warm understanding person, this tragic information was difficult to comprehend. Few of us realized that the occassion of the VIth International Congress on Photosynthesis in Brussels in August of 1983 would be our last opportunity to share his gifted insight into mechanisms of photobiology, his warm, friendly, and often pixish personality, his tolerance of the less gifted of his colleagues and his forebearance of his own physical disability.
Subthreshold pions from the compound nucleus

Abstract We analyze the pion production cross section of the reaction 12 C + 2 C → π 0 + X for beam energies of several tens of MeV. Employing the statistical compound decay theory we obtain a good agreement with the data, for the excitation function as well as for the energy distribution of the emitted pions.
Solid-phase synthesis and screening of N-acylated polyamine (NAPA) combinatorial libraries for protein binding

Abstract Inhibitors for protein–protein interactions are challenging to design, in part due to the unique and complex architectures of each protein’s interaction domain. Most approaches to develop inhibitors for these interactions rely on rational design, which requires prior structural knowledge of the target and its ligands. In the absence of structural information, a combinatorial approach may be the best alternative to finding inhibitors of a protein–protein interaction. Current chemical libraries, however, consist mostly of molecules designed to inhibit enzymes. In this manuscript, we report the synthesis and screening of a library based on an N-acylated polyamine (NAPA) scaffold that we designed to have specific molecular features necessary to inhibit protein–protein interactions. Screens of the library identified a member with favorable binding properties to the HIV viral protein R (Vpr), a regulatory protein from HIV, that is involved in numerous interactions with other proteins critical for viral replication.
Safety need resolution and cognitive ability as interwoven antecedents to moral development

Develops and tests the argument that moral development is a non-additive, interactive function of both recognized cognitive abilities and interpersonal security (i.e., resolved safety needs). Uneven emphasis during preservice teacher education on either the cognitive or the affective and conative realms will impede personal moral progression. The 139 preservice teachers (sophomores and juniors) had a mean moral development score of about the national norm. However, there were great divergences from this mean within the various conative and achievement groups. Principled reasoning scores that matched or exceeded the national norms for persons of their age and educational status were produced by (1) high achievers, provided that a relatively moderate level of safety need satisfaction was reached, and (2) average achievers with resolved safety needs. Thus, for the large majority of persons, whose academic success history is "average", culturally high levels of safety need satisfaction is an important antece
Thermocompression Engine Cycle with Isothermal Expansion

Abstract An engine cycle based on thermocompression, isothermal expansion, and isobaric reduction in volume is presented in this study. It is a closed cycle utilizing an external heat source; thus application to solar, geothermal, and waste heat utilization may be possible. One aspect of implementing the cycle allows for a heat exchanger located outside the working volume of the engine. This would permit a much larger heat transfer area than current Stirling cycle engines can accommodate, thus leading to higher practical efficiency without the penalty of increasing the dead volume of the device. Expressions for the ideal thermal efficiency and maximum work output point are derived. Results show a lower ideal efficiency than the Carnot cycle for all relevant expansion ratios, although for moderate expansion ratios, the deviation is not large if the temperature ratio exceeds 3. Furthermore, the efficiency at which most engines operate, the so-called maximum work output point, is similar to that derived from...
The global properties of the two minflex Laurent flexible functional forms

Abstract The minflex Laurent flexible functional form is a special case of a second-order Laurent series expansion. The minflex Laurent, when constructed in square roots, is called the minflex Laurent (ML) generalized Leontief. The minflex Laurent (ML) translog model is the minflex Laurent in logarithms. We find that the regular region of the ML translog is most often even larger than that of the ML generalized Leontief model, except when substitutability is very low. We previously have shown that the regular region of the ML generalized Leontief is substantially larger than that of the usual translog and generalized Leontief models.
Estimating base temperatures in econometric models that include degree days

Abstract Heating and cooling degree days are in common use in conditional demand models, billing analysis, and large-scale energy forecasts. The implications of either choosing an ex-ante base temperature, or scanning over the base temperatures, as suggested in Fels (1986) and recommended by some evaluation protocols, are infrequently considered. These procedures result in biased estimates of weather-driven loads because of correlated errors-in-variables, and impart a downward bias to the variance of those estimates by a factor of two. A non-linear estimation procedure that corrects for these biases and an ex-ante correction factor for evaluating prior evaluations are offered.
Inductive sources and subnormal subgroups

A character pair (H, θ) in a group G is a subgroup H and a character θ ∈ Irr(H). Following Dade, we say that a character pair (H, θ) is an inductive source in G if induction to G defines an injective map from the irreducible characters of the stabilizer of (H, θ) that lie over θ into Irr(G). (By the Clifford correspondence, this necessarily happens if H is normal in G.) A character pair is said to be conjugate stable if its conjugates satisfy a certain technical condition. We show that an inductive source must be conjugate stable and we present an example of a character pair that is conjugate stable but is not an inductive source. Finally, if (H, θ) is conjugate stable and H is a subnormal subgroup of G, we show that (H, θ) must be an inductive source in G.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of doxorubicin in patients with small cell lung cancer

The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of doxorubicin and its metabolite, doxorubicinol, were studied in 35 adult (mean age, 66 1/2 years) patients with small lung cell cancer after a 1-hour intravenous infusion at a dose ranging from 45 to 72 mg/m2. All patients also received concomitant therapy with cyclophosphamide and vincristine. Serum concentrations were sampled to 48 hours after dosing. Wide interpatient variability was observed for all pharmacokinetic parameters with coefficients of variation for apparent volume of distribution, clearance, and area under the curve (AUC) of 62%, 65%, and 65%, respectively. Four patients with impaired liver function showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in clearance (239 versus 666 ml/min/m2) and increases in AUC (4610 versus 1834 ng.hr/ml) and elimination half-life (49.3 versus 25.6 hours) compared with patients with normal hepatic function. A significant relationship was found between systemic exposure of doxorubicin (defined by AUC) and surviving factor of white blood cells (r = 0.57, p = 0.0025). No relationships were noted between doxorubicinol exposure and surviving factor of white blood cells or platelets. These findings show the important relationship between systemic exposure of doxorubicin and the degree of myelosuppression in patients with small cell lung cancer.
Sources and transport of land-derived particulate and dissolved organic matter in the Gulf of Mexico (Texas shelf/slope): The use of ligninphenols and loliolides as biomarkers

The fate and transport of terrestrial organic matter across the continental margin in the Gulf of Mexico was studied in 1992 and 1993 using chemical biomarkers. Lignin-phenols were utilized as biomarkers for terrestrial inputs and indicated that much of the terrestrial organic matter inputs were deposited on the shelf/break and slope. The lignin-phenol concentrations (normalized to carbon) in POC, HMW DOC, and sediments in slope waters were considerably higher than at other open ocean sites studied previously. The dominant mechanism for transport of terrestrially-derived POC and HMW DOC across the shelf and slope was hypothesized to be advection of riverine and estuarine discharges through benthic nepheloid layers. Based on loliolide concentrations in the water column, we believe that lateral transport of these materials at the shelf/break (through extensions of benthic nepheloid layers) may have been an important mechanism for the injection of terrestrially-derived organic matter into deep slope waters.
Modulation of expression of genes encoding nuclear proteins following exposure to JANUS neutrons or γ-rays

Previous work has shown that exposure of cells to ionizing radiations causes modulation of a variety of genes, including those encoding c-fos, interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor, cytoskeletal elements, and many more. The experiments reported herein were designed to examine the effects of either JANUS neutron or gamma-ray exposure on expression of genes encoding nucleus-associated proteins (H4-histone, c-jun, c-myc, Rb, and p53). Cycling Syrian hamster embryo cells were irradiated with varying doses and dose rates of either JANUS fission-spectrum neutrons or gamma-rays; after incubation of the cell cultures for 1 h following radiation exposure, mRNA was harvested and analyzed by Northern blot. Results revealed induction of transcripts for c-jun, H4-histone, and (to a lesser extent) Rb following gamma-ray but not following neutron exposure. Interestingly, expression of c-myc was repressed following gamma-ray but not following neutron exposure. Radiations at different doses and dose rates were compared for each of the genes studied.
Depleting Capital? Race, Wealth and Informal Financial Assistance

Recent work suggests that part of the racial gap in wealth is explained by racial differences in network poverty. In this article, data from the 2007 Survey of Consumer Finances and the 2005 and 2007 Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) are used to demonstrate that middle- and upper-income blacks are more likely to provide informal financial assistance than their white counterparts. Further, a lagged model using the PSID finds that this difference in financial assistance can account for part of the racial gap in wealth. An empirically useful definition of negative social capital is developed to illustrate how obligations of group membership can have stratifying consequences for individuals.
Visual Acuity Loss in Patents with Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy

Ninety-five patients with Stargardt's macular dystrophy were appraised for visual loss with age by both life-table analyses and cross-sectional procedures. The probability of maintaining a visual acuity of 20/40 or better in at least one eye was 52% by age 19, 32% by age 29, and 22% by age 39. In the population studied, once a patient's visual acuity dropped below 20/40, it tended to decrease rapidly and stabilize at 20/200. Fluorescein angiograms obtained on 64 of the 95 patients showed a "dark choroid" in 55 (85.9%). This finding, therefore was present in the majority of the patients, although its absence does not rule out Stargardt's macular dystrophy.
Spatially distributed databases on sensors

We consider the problem of data dissemination in a sensor network. First we introduce a cost model for data dissemination in such networks. The model quantifies the tradeoff between the inconsistency of the data, and its transmission cost; the transmission cost is given in terms of energy and bandwidth. Then we introduce a novel broadcast policy, ABR, that utilizes our cost model. In the ABR policy, each sensor broadcasts updates only if the cost of sending is justified by (its view of) the current level of inconsistency. Data received from other sensors are rebroadcast using the same cost measures. Finally we compare the performance of ABR with that of several existing data dissemination policies. Via the comparison we discover an intricate interplay among the various parameters in choosing a dissemination policy.
Designing phrase builder: a mobile real-time query expansion interface

As users enter web queries, real-time query expansion (RTQE) interfaces offer suggestions based on an index garnered from query logs. In selecting a suggestion, users can potentially reduce keystrokes, which can be very beneficial on mobile devices with deficient input means. Unfortunately, RTQE interfaces typically provide little assistance when only parts of an intended query appear among the suggestion choices. In this paper, we introduce Phrase Builder, an RTQE interface that reduces keystrokes by facilitating the selection of individual query words and by leveraging back-off query techniques to offer completions for out-of-index queries. We describe how we implemented a small memory footprint index and retrieval algorithm, and discuss lessons learned from three versions of the user interface, which was iteratively designed through user studies. Compared to standard auto-completion and typing, the last version of Phrase Builder reduced more keystrokes-per-character, was perceived to be faster, and was overall preferred by users.
Homogeneous Fluorescence-Based DNA Detection with Water-Soluble Conjugated Polymers

Methods for real-time, high-sensitivity polynucleotide detection are of vast scientific and economic importance. Homogeneous biosensor assays that take advantage of the collective response of water-soluble conjugated polymers and the self-assembly characteristic of aqueous polyelectrolytes have shown potential for improvements over small molecule methods. Cationic polythiophenes transduce oligonucleotide hybridization into a colorimetric output based on conformational changes of the polymer upon interaction with single-stranded DNAs or double-stranded DNAs. Cationic poly(fluorene-co-phenylene) materials serve as donors in fluorescence energy-transfer assays which display signal amplification. Signal transduction in aqueous media is controlled by specific electrostatic interactions.
Effects of cation d states on the structural and electronic properties of III-nitride and II-oxide wide-band-gap semiconductors

Using first-principles methods based on density functional theory within the local density approximation (LDA) we calculate the structural and electronic properties of wurtzite MgO, ZnO, and CdO, and discuss their similarities and dissimilarities with the corresponding Group-III nitrides AlN, GaN, and InN. We treat the semicore $d$ states of Zn, Cd, Ga, and In explicitly as valence states in a pseudopotential approach, investigate the effects of including on-site Coulomb interaction for Zn, Cd, Ga, and In semicore $d$ states within the $\mathrm{LDA}+U$ method, and propose a novel approach to calculate the parameter $U$. Our results show that the $\mathrm{LDA}+U$ approach systematically improves the LDA band gap by indirectly acting on both the valence-band maximum and conduction-band minimum. We also discuss the effects of the on-site Coulomb interaction on structural parameters and absolute deformation potentials of ZnO, CdO, GaN, and InN.
The Use of Joint Time Frequency Analysis to Quantify the Effect of Ventilation on the Pulse Oximeter Waveform

Objective. In the process of determining oxygen saturation, the pulse oximeter functions as a photoelectric plethysmograph. By analyzing how the frequency spectrum of the pulse oximeter waveform changes over time, new clinically relevant features can be extracted. Methods. Thirty patients undergoing general anesthesia for abdominal surgery had their pulse oximeter, airway pressure and CO2 waveforms collected (50 Hz). The pulse oximeter waveform was analyzed with a short-time Fourier transform using a moving 4096 point Hann window of 82 seconds duration. The frequency signal created by positive pressure ventilation was extracted using a peak detection algorithm in the frequency range of ventilation (0.08–0.4 Hz = 5–24 breaths/minute). The respiratory rate derived in this manner was compared to the respiratory rate as determined by CO2 detection. Results. In total, 52 hours of telemetry data were analyzed. The respiratory rate measured from the pulse oximeter waveform was found to have a 0.89 linear correlation when compared to CO2 detection and airway pressure change. the bias was 0.03 breath/min, SD was 0.557 breath/min and the upper and lower limits of agreement were 1.145 and −1.083 breath/min respectively. The presence of motion artifact proved to be the primary cause of failure of this technique. Conclusion. Joint time frequency analysis of the pulse oximeter waveform can be used to determine the respiratory rate of ventilated patients and to quantify the impact of ventilation on the waveform. In addition, when applied to the pulse oximeter waveform new clinically relevant features were observed.
Selective facilitation of memory attributes by strychnine.

Abstract In two experiments, the effects of strychnine on the specific memory attributes of prior discrimination training were assessed in terms of subjects' performance under various discrimination reversal conditions. Mice were trained in a discrimination task with two redundant relevant cues. Immediately after their last training trial, subjects were administered an intraperitoneal injection of either strychnine (1.0 mg/kg) or saline. When both training cues were reversed (Experiment 1), strychnine treated subjects were observed to exhibit greater performance decrements than saline-treated subjects upon initial exposure to reversal conditions, suggesting that strychnine had enhanced the memory of a relatively specific stimulus-response association. When subjects were tested under partial cue-reversal conditions (Experiment 2) strychnine treated animals exhibited greater utilization of one of the redundant relevant stimuli than the other, while saline-treated animals exhibited no preference.
Cholesterol, lipoproteins, and cognitive impairment

This article discussed the central role of the deposition of amyloid beta in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. (AD), and the animal data which supports the role of cholesterol on its deposition. The effect of mid-life cholesterol is discussed, and the presence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in the patients with evidence for AD and vascular disease. The role of statin therapy is mentioned, although concrete evidence in controlled prospective trials has not been published in a large trial. The value of hygienic approaches including exercise, diet and behavioral changes is mentioned. Currently there are no safe and effective drugs which have been proven to reduce the incidence or the progression of AD, although research in this important area is ongoing.
Optimization of cutting schemes for the evaluation of molecular electrostatic potentials in proteins via Moving-Domain QM/MM.

This work presents new developments of the moving-domain QM/MM (MoD-QM/MM) method for modeling protein electrostatic potentials. The underlying goal of the method is to map the electronic density of a specific protein configuration into a point-charge distribution. Important modifications of the general strategy of the MoD-QM/MM method involve new partitioning and fitting schemes and the incorporation of dynamic effects via a single-step free energy perturbation approach (FEP). Selection of moderately sized QM domains partitioned between $$C_\alpha $$ and C (from C=O), with incorporation of delocalization of electrons over neighboring domains, results in a marked improvement of the calculated molecular electrostatic potential (MEP). More importantly, we show that the evaluation of the electrostatic potential can be carried out on a dynamic framework by evaluating the free energy difference between a non-polarized MEP and a polarized MEP. A simplified form of the potassium ion channel protein Gramicidin-A from Bacillus brevis is used as the model system for the calculation of MEP.
Psychological Aspects of Transitive Verbs.

It has previously been shown that transitive verbs are more difficult to recall than intransitive. Experiment I replicated this finding. Experiment II examined the associations to, and response latencies of, transitive and intransitive verbs. Latencies of responses did not differ, but the form class of responses was significantly different. Transitive verbs elicited more noun responses. It is suggested that the lexical entry provided for transitive verbs by Chomsky is psychologically real and will account for the observed differences.
Endoscopic Resection of Colloid Cysts: Surgical Considerations Using the Rigid Endoscope

OBJECTIVE: Colloid cysts of the third and lateral ventricles have traditionally been treated by transfrontal and transcallosal microsurgical resection or by stereotactic aspiration. Recently, rigid and flexible ventricular endoscopic techniques have been used to treat these lesions. Our study was undertaken to examine the efficacy of rigid endoscopy in the resection of colloid cysts. METHODS: Fifteen patients with a radiological diagnosis of colloid cysts were given the option of undergoing either endoscopic surgery or craniotomy. The average tumor size was 1.43 cm. Fourteen patients underwent planned endoscopic resections, and a craniotomy was performed initially in one patient. RESULTS: Entire tumor resection was achieved with the endoscope in 12 patients (86%). A craniotomy was required for two colloid cysts that could not be resected endoscopically. In total, complete radiographic resections were achieved in 14 patients (93%). There were no permanent complications, although postoperative deficits included short-term memory loss and hemiparesis, each in one patient. CONCLUSION: Rigid endoscopy affords good optical resolution, high magnification, and excellent illumination. Total or near total resection of colloid cysts should be the goal for all patients and can be achieved using the rigid endoscope, with little morbidity, shortened operative time, reduced length of stay, and resolution of symptoms. Although long-term follow-up is needed, we think that endoscopy should be considered as a primary treatment for most patients.
The Binding Energy Distribution Analysis Method (BEDAM) for the Estimation of Protein-Ligand Binding Affinities.

The binding energy distribution analysis method (BEDAM) for the computation of receptor−ligand standard binding free energies with implicit solvation is presented. The method is based on a well-established statistical mechanics theory of molecular association. It is shown that, in the context of implicit solvation, the theory is homologous to the test particle method of solvation thermodynamics with the solute−solvent potential represented by the effective binding energy of the protein−ligand complex. Accordingly, in BEDAM the binding constant is computed by means of a weighted integral of the probability distribution of the binding energy obtained in the canonical ensemble in which the ligand is positioned in the binding site but the receptor and the ligand interact only with the solvent continuum. It is shown that the binding energy distribution encodes all of the physical effects of binding. The balance between binding enthalpy and entropy is seen in our formalism as a balance between favorable and unf...
Osteoarthritis: what we have been missing in the patellofemoral joint.

Patellofemoral osteoarthritis is common clinically and often independent of tibiofemoral disease. Intriguingly, the patella demonstrates more severe degeneration earlier in the disease process compared with the juxtaposed femoral groove. Here, we consider three hypotheses influencing this disparity and thus discover crucial insights into the etiology of osteoarthritis
The supersymmetry index and the construction of modular invariants

Relationships between the modular properties of affineG characters and the modular properties of the affine characters of regular subgroups ofG are derived by considering the branching functions that appear in calculation of the index of the Dirac-Ramond operator on super-coset models. Various applications of these relationships are described, and in particular a simple algorithm is given for generating modular invariant combinations of characters of affineG at any level by using the shift vector method on suitably chosen Lorentzian, self-dual lattices.
Treatment outcome of alcoholics with and without cocaine disorders.

The treatment outcome literature suggests that alcoholics with coexisting drug dependence have worse prognoses. We compared three groups of inpatients treated on the same hospital unit for disorders of alcohol only (n = 51), cocaine only (n = 27), or both disorders (dual group, n = 27). At follow-up, we contacted 105 (8lY0) of 129 patients at a mean of 13.4 & 4.1 months after discharge. The three groups significantly and equivalently decreased their consumption of substances at follow-up, and they also had equivalent improvements in employment and in medical and psychiatric wellbeing. A nonsignificant trend existed for greater abstinence in the alcohol group (53%) than in the dual group (SSYO), and with regression analysis diagnostic group and stable residence predicted abstinence in the past 30 days. Elapsed time before using alcohol was equivalent for the two alcohol groups, and relapse to alcohol preceded relapse to cocaine by 1 month on average. In sum, outcomes were more similar than different for the three groups. Although specific treatments to enhance abstinence for cocaine users are indicated, clinicians should approach cocaine-using alcoholics with
Barriers and facilitators to shared decision-making among African-Americans with diabetes.

INTRODUCTION Shared decision-making (SDM) between patients and their physicians is associated with improved diabetes health outcomes. African-Americans have less SDM than Whites, which may contribute to diabetes racial disparities. To date, there has been little research on SDM among African-Americans.
Equivalence of the realized input and output oriented indirect effects metrics in Ecological Network Analysis

A new understanding of the consequences of how ecosystem elements are interconnected is emerging from the development and application of Ecological Network Analysis. The relative importance of indirect effects is central to this understanding, and the ratio of indirect flow to direct flow (I/D) is one indicator of their importance. Two methods have been proposed for calculating this indicator. The unit approach shows what would happen if each system member had a unit input or output, while the realized technique determines the ratio using the observed system inputs or outputs. When using the unit method, the input oriented and output oriented ratios can be different, potentially leading to conflicting results. However, we show that the input and output oriented I/D ratios are identical using the realized method when the system is at steady state. This work is a step in the maturation of Ecological Network Analysis that will let it be more readily testable empirically and ultimately more useful for environmental assessment and management.
Drug Therapy: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow - Basic Fundamentals for the Non-Scientist

DESCRIPTION This overview of the evolution of drug development and the tools utilized by pharmacologists to ensure drug safety and efficacy provides solid insight into the drug development process, the potential for drug interactions and the difference between drugs and non-drug "natural" products. AUDIENCE This book is intended for the non-scientist, but is most applicable to the non-pharmacologist with a basic scientific background. FEATURES The book provides a basic history of medicinal agents and a good tutorial in the various terms and processes used in contemporary drug development to help the non-pharmacologist better understand all of the factors that must be considered when developing a therapeutic agent. It also explains in depth the effective use and potential perils of non-drug "natural" products. The material regarding the effect between the body and drugs may be difficult for an individual with no scientific background to understand; however, the awareness of drug interactions is an important one, the understanding of which would be beneficial for everyone. ASSESSMENT This book in an excellent tutorial, well thought through and methodical in its presentation and could be used for teaching curriculum for the non-pharmacologist with a scientific background.
Perceptual encoding efficiency in visual search

The authors present 10 experiments that challenge some central assumptions of the dominant theories of visual search. Their results reveal that the complexity (or redundancy) of nontarget items is a crucial but overlooked determinant of search efficiency. The authors offer a new theoretical outline that emphasizes the importance of nontarget encoding efficiency, and they test this proposal using dot pattern stimuli adapted from W. R. Garner and D. E. Clement (1963). The results provide converging support for the importance of nontarget encoding efficiency in accounting for visual search performance.
Docosahexaenoic acid, G protein-coupled receptors, and melanoma: is G protein-coupled receptor 40 a potential therapeutic target?

Abstract Background To determine the effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the growth of human melanoma in vitro and in vivo and to better understand the potential role of the G protein–coupled receptors (GPRs) in mediating this effect. Materials and methods For in vitro studies, human melanoma and control fibroblast cells were treated with DHA and TAK-875 (selective GPR40 agonist) and a cell viability assay was performed to determine cell counts. A murine subcutaneous xenograft model of human melanoma was used to test the effect of dietary treatment with an omega-3 fatty acid (FA) rich diet compared with an omega-6 FA rich diet on the growth of human melanoma in vivo . A similar animal model was used to test the effect of oral TAK-875 on the growth of established melanoma tumors in vivo . Results DHA has an inhibitory effect on the growth of human melanoma both in vitro and in vivo . Tumors from animals on the omega-3 FA rich diet were 69% smaller in weight ( P = 0.005) and 76% smaller in volume compared with tumors from animals on the omega-6 FA rich diet. TAK-875 has an inhibitory effect on the growth of human melanoma both in vitro and in vivo . Tumors from animals treated with TAK-875 were 46% smaller in weight ( P = 0.07), 62% smaller in volume ( P = 0.03), and grew 77% slower ( P = 0.04) compared with the placebo group. Conclusions DHA and TAK-875 have a profound and selective inhibitory effect on the growth of human melanoma both in vitro and in vivo .