cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxytocin increases physiological linkage during group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder: a randomized clinical trial.

Patients and psychotherapists often exhibit behavioral, psychological, and physiological similarity. Here, we test whether oxytocin—a neuropeptide that can enhance expressivity and social perception—influences time-lagged “linkage” of autonomic nervous system responses among participants and facilitators during group therapy. Physiological linkage estimates (n = 949) were created from ten cohorts, each with two facilitators (n = 5) and four to six participants (n = 48), over six weekly sessions of group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder. All participants of a cohort received oxytocin or placebo intranasally in a randomized double-blind procedure before each session. Cardiac interbeat intervals (IBI) were measured continuously during sessions to estimate physiological linkage, operationalized as one cohort-mate’s IBI reactivity during one minute predicting another cohort-mate’s IBI reactivity during the following minute. In oxytocin cohorts, participants and facilitators experienced significant physiological linkage to their cohort-mates (i.e., their physiological responses were predicted by the prior responses of their cohort-mates) and significantly more linkage than people in placebo cohorts. Both effects occurred during the first and second sessions but not later sessions. Results suggest that oxytocin may enhance psychosocial processes often associated with linkage—such as social engagement—in groups and highlight oxytocin’s potential to improve group cohesion during group therapy. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT02881177, First published on 26/08/2016.
Bridging Sustainable Community Development and Social Justice

In this chapter, I briefly trace the history of engineers’ involvement in development, from national to international to sustainable development, and highlight when and how “sustainability” and “community participation” became important dimensions in this history. Yet throughout this trajectory, a number of engineering mindsets have come to shape engineering practice and education and contributed to making social justice invisible to most engineers, restricting their ability to contribute to a fair distribution of rights, opportunities, and resources when working in community development and humanitarian endeavors. This chapter outlines these mindsets and proposes a number of possibilities to overcome them so engineers can effectively address social justice within their practices and projects in community development.
Linear differential electro-optic conversion of sampled voltage signals using a MSM and multiple quantum well modulators

We demonstrate a photoconductive switch hybridly integrated with quantum-well self-electrooptic effect devices, capable of sampling input voltages with potentially >40-GHz bandwidth and performing differential linear electro-optic conversion at a rate /spl sim/1 gigasample/sec.
Carbapenem Resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Other Members of the Family Enterobacteriaceae

Enterobacteriaceae with reduced susceptibility to carbapenems are an emerging, worldwide problem. In most cases, the reduced carbapenem susceptibility is attributable to acquisition of one of a variety of s-lactamases with carbapenem-hydrolyzing properties. Carbapenem resistance can be mediated by the acquisition of carbapenem-hydrolyzing s-lactamases. In Japan, IMP enzymes have been recovered from isolates of Serratia marcescens and Enterobacter spp. and conferred resistance to ceftazidime and imipenem. Occasional isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae carrying IMP metallo-s-lactamases have also been recovered in Japan. Enterobacteriaceae carrying KPC s-lactamases are emerging and pose serious challenges to therapy. Approximately 90%of KPC-possessing K. pneumoniae isolates are susceptible to polymyxin B, and the antibiotic exhibits a concentration-dependent killing effect. The addition of rifampin to polymyxin B provided bactericidal activity in 15/16 tested isolates in one report and resulted in a lower inhibitory concentration of polymyxin B. The fact that other carbapenem-hydrolyzing enzymes emerged prior to the commercial release of carbapenems also suggests that other properties of these enzymes may justify their existence or that other antibiotics in nature could be substrates and exert selection pressures. Also complicating potential antibiotic control strategies is the fact that other resistance genes often accompany the carbapenemase gene, including those for other s-lactamases, amikacin, gentamicin, streptomycin, tobramycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Due to these associations, it has been suggested that selective pressure from non-s-lactam antibiotics (e.g., aminoglycosides) may encourage concomitant carbapenem resistance.
Augmented mitogenesis and impaired metabolic signaling mediated by a truncated insulin receptor.

Abstract Recently, we have described a COOH-terminal deletion mutation of the human insulin receptor (HIR delta CT) that exhibits normal insulin-mediated kinase activity and endocytosis, but is inefficient in stimulating glucose transport and glycogen synthase (McClain, D. A., Maegawa, H., Levy, J., Huecksteadt, T., Dull, T. J., Lee, J., Ullrich, A., and Olefsky, J.M. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 8904-8911; Maegawa, H., McClain, D. A., Freidenberg, G., Olefsky, J. M., Napier, M., Lipari, T., Dull, T. J., Lee, J., and Ullrich, A. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 8912-8917). In this paper, we report that despite this defect in metabolic signaling, the truncated receptor exhibits augmented mitogenic activity compared to normal receptors. These results were verified in three independently isolated clones of Rat 1 fibroblasts transfected with the HIR delta CT cDNA. The increase in insulin sensitivity of mitogenic stimulation was proportional to the number of HIR delta CT receptors expressed on the cells. By contrast, only the cells with normal receptors and none of the HIR delta CT clones exhibit increased sensitivity for a metabolic action of insulin, the stimulation of glucose uptake. Stimulation of cells by other mitogens and autoradiographic analysis confirm that the enhanced mitogenic effects seen in HIR delta CT cells are attributable only to the presence of the truncated insulin receptors. These receptors mediate the tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of cellular proteins, and the pattern of these phosphorylations differs quantitatively from that seen in cells with normal receptors. We conclude: 1) The COOH terminus plays a role in signaling metabolic actions of insulin, perhaps through its recognition of substrates for the receptor kinase. 2) By contrast, the COOH terminus is an inhibitory regulator of mitogenesis, and removal of the terminal 43 amino acids converts the receptor from a moderately active growth signaler to a very active one. 3) The changes seen in biologic activities of the HIR delta CT receptor are associated with quantitative changes in substrate phosphorylation by the receptor kinase.
Use of National Board test questions to evaluate student performance in obstetrics and gynecology

The evaluation of student performance in clinical obstetrics and gynecology is frequently based on results of the National Board Examination, Part II. An Obstetrics and Gynecology subtest of this examination was studied to determine its value as a measure of this clinical experience. The clinical usefulness of each question and the distribution of questions among subjects within the specialty (Normal Obstetrics, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, etc.) were determined independently by faculty in obstetrics and gynecology. In addition, the influence of the type of question (e.g., multiple-choice, matching), the category of material, and the clinical usefulness of each question were studied in regard to student test performance. Eighty-six percent of the questions were judged to be indispensable, highly useful, or moderately useful. Abnormal Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility accounted for 70% of the questions with the remaining questions distributed among Normal Obstetrics, Population and Family Planning, and Gynecologic Oncology. Student test performance was not significantly influenced by the type of question format or category of material but was related to the level of clinical usefulness. Overall, these results, which are based on ratings from five faculty and a single class of medical students at one medical school, indicate that the Obstetrics and Gynecology subtest of the National Board Examination, Part II, is a reasonable measure of clinical experience in this field.
Intelligent agents in portfolio management

Due to advances in technology, diverse and voluminous information is becoming available to decision makers. This presents the potential for improved decision support, but poses challenges in terms of building tools to support users in accessing, filtering, evaluating, and fusing information from heterogeneous information sources. Most reported research on intelligent information agents to date has dealt with a user interacting with a single agent that has general knowledge and is capable of performing a variety of user delegated information finding tasks (e.g., Etzioni and Weld, 1994). For each information query, the agent is responsible for accessing different information sources and integrating the results. We believe that, given the current computational state of the art, a centralized agent approach has many limitations: (1) a single general agent would need an enormous amount of knowledge to be able to deal effectively with user information requests that cover a variety of tasks, (2) a centralized information agent constitutes a processing bottleneck and a ‘single point of failure,’ (3) unless the agent has beyond the state of the art learning capabilities, it would need considerable reprogramming to deal with the appearance of new agents and information sources in the environment, (4) because of the complexity of the information fmding and filtering task, and the large amount of information, the required processing would overwhelm a single agent. For these reasons and because of the characteristics of the Internet environment, we employ a distributed collaborative collection of agents for information gathering.
Gravitation of the Casimir Effect and the Cosmological Non-Constant

Whereas the total energy in zero-point fluctuations of the particle physics vacuum gives rise to the cosmological constant problem, differences in the vacuum give rise to real physical phenomena, such as the Casimir effect. Hence we consider the zero-point energy bound between two parallel conducting plates -- proxy for a solid slice of cosmological constant -- as a convenient laboratory in which to investigate the gravitation and inertia of vacuum energy. We calculate the Casimir effect in a weak gravitational field, obtaining corrections to the vacuum stress-energy and attractive force on the plates due to the curvature of spacetime. These results suggest that if the cosmological constant is due to zero-point energy then it is susceptible to fluctuations induced by gravitational sources.
Estimating tools to support multi-path agility in electronics manufacturing

Electronics manufacturing will increasingly require shorter cycle times for product development and manufacturing, lower volumes of identical items, increased customization, higher quality, and closer coupling among suppliers, customers and manufacturers. This trend is being driven by the demands of the global marketplace as customers demand newer, more compact, lower cost, and higher quality products in shorter concept-to-market intervals. This increased emphasis on achieving highly adaptive manufacturing to reduce manufacturing costs and to better utilize US manufacturing capacity over the future horizon has led to a critical focus on agile manufacturing as a strategy to achieve these goals. Methods for estimating production cost in different environments (along with a conceptual extension to cycle time) that exist in present day systems are discussed.
Prosthecomicrobium and Ancalomicrobium: New Prosthecate Freshwater Bacteria

Direct microscopic examination of natural freshwater samples reveals a variety of small microorganisms having elaborate cellular appendages. Several strains have been isolated from crude cultures containing low concentrations of organic nutrients. All of the isolates are procaryotic. They are aerobic chemoorganotrophs that require vitamins for growth. Because they cannot be assigned to any of the existing bacterial genera, two new genera are proposed: Ancalomicrobium for organisms which have several long appendages and which reproduce by budding; Prosthecomicrobium for organisms which have many short appendages tapering toward a blunt tip and which reproduce by binary fission. Gas vacuoles have been found in strains of each genus. The term prostheca is proposed for the rigid appendages of procaryotic cells bounded by the cell wall, and is defined to include the structures on these new bacteria, as well as the stalks of the caulobacters and the hyphae of the hyphomicrobia.
Inhibition of Fertility and Sperm-Zona Binding by Antiserum to the Rabbit Sperm Membrane Autoantigen RSA-1

Specific antiserum to the rabbit sperm membrane autoantigen (RSA-1) was used to study the role of RSA-1 during fertilization. Artificial insemination of rabbits with spermatozoa treated with anti-RSA-1 Fab resulted in a 68% decrease in the number of fetuses. In vitro, sperm-zona binding was reduced (62%) and penetration completely inhibited by the specific Fab antibodies. Immunofluorescent localization of RSA-1 during fertilization showed that the postacrosomal fluorescence of the spermatozoon was lost on spermatozoa bound to the zona peliucida or penetrating it, if the acrosome reaction had occurred. Spermatozoa swimming in the perivitelline space also did not fluoresce. It is concluded that penetration and binding are independent events which may involve different but perhaps overlapping subsets of sperm surface components and that RSA-1 plays an important role during the penetration of the spermatozoon through the zona pellucida.
Cooled, large mosaic pyrolytic graphite as thermal neutron filters

Abstract Neutron cross sections have been measured for oriented pyrolytic graphite with 8° mosaic at room temperature and with 15° mosaic at both room and liquid nitrogen temperatures. These data show that such large mosaic pyrolytic graphite can be used effectively as filters of thermal neutron beams, and that cooling improves their effectiveness. It is possible to select an optimum thickness and mosaic which transmits neutrons at the first-order (λ) wavelength and rejects neutrons at the second (λ/2) and higher-order wavelengths. A table is presented of the range of first-order wavelengths over which the filters can be effective.
Assessment of short-term visual memory and its educational implications.

Short-term visual memory has attracted the attention of psychologists and educators for years. The present review examines some of the most widely used tests of short-term memory for visual form in...
Maxillary sinus pneumocele causing orbital displacement

Pneumoceles of the maxillary sinus were first described by Noyek and Zizmorl in 1674. A 35year-old man noted right cheek pain during a trans-Atlantic flight. The pain resolved during descent but recurred intermittently during the following 6-month period. The pain was exacerbated by sneezing, and he eventually noticed a cystic mass in the canine fossa during Valsalva’s maneuver. Plain radiographs showed an extensively pneumatized maxillary antrum. A Caldwell-Luc approach was curative.l Since that original description, one sphenoid sinus and eight additional maxillary sinus pneumoceles have been reported.2-8 It is theorized that an abnormal one-way valve between the nasal cavity and the affected sinus allows chronic air trapping, an intrasinus pressure dysequilibrium, and subsequent hyperpneumatizati0n.l Wolfensberger and Herrmanng were the first to document this trapvalve hypothesis in a patient with a pneumocele. They documented elevated maxillary sinus pressure in the pneumocele compared with the uninvolved maxillary sinus during a transoral puncture using a trocar, Luer’s lock, and whole-body plethysmography. During Valsalva’s maneuver, both antral pressures increased, but only the pressure in the pneumocele remained elevated on termination of the maneuver. g CASE REPORT
Atom probe tomography study of alloying element distributions in Zr alloys and their oxides

Abstract A detailed study of alloying element distributions in the metal and oxygen rich regions of corroded Zr alloys and of the phases formed ahead of the oxide front was conducted using atom probe tomography (APT). A consistent sequence of sub-oxide phases is observed ahead of the ZrO 2 oxide front, consisting of (i) a thin layer of equiatomic ZrO (occasionally slightly over and under stoichiometric) (ii) saturated solid solution Zr(O) sat , and (iii) a slowly decreasing oxygen profile into the metal. The results also show that the distribution of the alloying elements in the metal is more inhomogeneous than previously thought and that in the oxygen-rich phases enhanced segregation is observed, compared to the metal.
FORMULATIONS FOR DYNAMIC LOT SIZING WITH SERVICE LEVELS

In this article, we study deterministic dynamic lot-sizing problems with a service-level constraint on the total number of periods in which backlogs can occur over a finite planning horizon. We give a natural mixed integer programming formulation for the single item problem (LS-SL-I) and study the structure of its solution. We show that an optimal solution to this problem can be found in time, where n is the planning horizon and is the maximum number of periods in which demand can be backlogged. Using the proposed shortest path algorithms, we develop alternative tight extended formulations for LS-SL-I and one of its relaxations, which we refer to as uncapacitated lot sizing with setups for stocks and backlogs. {We show that this relaxation also appears as a substructure in a lot-sizing problem which limits the total amount of a period's demand met from a later period, across all periods.} We report computational results that compare the natural and extended formulations on multi-item service-level constrained instances. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2013
Stress as a risk factor for inflammatory bowel disease: more evidence from our OEF/OIF veterans?

Stress as a Risk Factor for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: More Evidence From Our OEF/OIF Veterans?
A BRONZE SCULPTURE ATTRIBUTED TO LOUIS-SIMON BOIZOT AND PLATINUM COATING METHODS

During the examination of the sculpture of Medea Rejuvenating Aeson attributed to Louis-Simon Boizot (1743–1809), X-ray fluorescence analysis revealed, surprisingly, that the outer surface of the brass cast was patinated with platinum. Research into the history of platinum coating methods revealed that chemical techniques for the deposition of platinum from solution were in use before the advent of electroplating. Some experimental work to replicate the patination technique of electrochemical replacement plating of platinum based on recipes from the nineteenth century is described. The technical evidence suggests that a late eighteenth-century date for the sculpture is reasonable.
A Method for the Assay of Inflammatory Mediators in Follicular Casts

A method is presented whereby inflammatory mediators may be detected and quantified in individual follicular casts. Lysozyme, lactoferrin, IgG, IgM, C3 and material reacting with antiserum to polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were assayed by functional and immunologic methods. By these techniques, lysozyme, IgG and anti-PMN reactive material were detected in clinically uninflamed follicular casts from acne subjects.
On the Stability of Inviscid Parallel Shear Flows with a Free Surface

We consider the linear stability of inviscid parallel shear flow with a free surface. Gravity is included in the analysis, but surface tension is not. We focus on several specific profiles including Poiseuille flow and various profiles with inflection points. Instabilities are found in all the profiles we studied. At neutral limiting modes, the wave speed of the disturbance is equal to one of three choices: the fluid speed at the bottom, an extremum of the fluid speed, or an inflectional value. The results help to clarify conflicting claims in prior literature.
The solvent extraction of cobalt(iii) from a trisoxalatocobaltate(iii) solution into chloroform containing acetylacetone

Abstract The rate of the extraction of cobalt(III) from aqueous solutions containing trisoxalatocobaltate(lll) into chloroform containing acetylacetone has been investigated. The effects of pH, acetylacetone concentration, oxalate concentration, complex concentration, temperature, and possible change in oxidation state are reported.
Neurotrophic dependence of the lateral-line sensory organs of the newt, Triturus viridescens†

The neurotrophic influence on the morphological maintenance of the lateral-line sensory organs has been studied in the adult newt, Triturus viridescens, under various conditions of denervation. Results show little if any atrophic and degenerative changes during two months following resection of the lateral-line nerve or the incident spinal nerves. However, if both are destroyed, thus rendering the total environs of the organs nerveless, atrophy and degeneration are advanced within a two-month period and, indeed, are evident within three weeks. The results favor the idea of neurotrophic control of the lateral-line sensory organs in amphibians. The results are discussed against the background of past controversies and speculations on the neurotrophic phenomenon. Various control experiments including heterotopic transplantation of the sensory organs are also reported.
Fibroblast growth factor-2 stimulates embryonic cardiac mesenchymal cell proliferation.

ABSTRACT The proliferation response of stage 36 chick atrioventricular valve mesenchy- ma1 cells to fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) was studied in the tissue-like environment of three-di- mensional cell aggregates maintained in organ culture. The mitogenic effects of FGF-2 on mesen- chymal tissue depended on the FGF-%stimulated formation of a fibronectin-containing extracellu- lar matrix. The matrix was absent in unstimulated aggregates, and co-localized with regions of ac- tively proliferating cells in stimulated aggregates. Inhibition of fibronectin matrix formation by the inclusion of Arg-Gly-Asp-containing peptides, which compete with fibronectin for binding to the cell surface (Y&~ integrin receptors, abolished the proliferation effects of FGF-2. Inhibition of sul- fation of cell surface glycosaminoglycans by treat- ment with sodium chlorate significantly reduced both the formation of the fibronectin matrix and cell proliferation in response to FGF-2, suggesting an involvement of the low-affinity sulfated gly- cosaminoglycan FGF receptor system. Thus, the FGF-stimulated growth of embryonic atrioven- tricular valve mesenchyme in vitro involves the production of a fibronectin matrix. We suggest that the stimulation of the fibronectin matrix rep- resents an essential element in growth factor sig- naling of mesenchymal tissue, with the matrix serving as an anchorage substratum for the pro- liferating cells. o
Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of the cerium(III)-phosphomolybdate complex (NH4)11Ce(PMo11O39)2

Electrospray ionization quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry of the ammonium lanthanide(III) phosphomolybdate complex (NH 4 ) 11 Ce(III)(PMo 11 O 39 ) 2 has been conducted revealing the Ce-POM complexes H 2 Ce(III)P 2 Mo 22 O 75 3- and Ce(III)PMo 11 O 38 2- as the primary Ce species in 10 mM solutions. From the complex isotopic fingerprints produced through the assembly of multiple molybdenum atoms, a transition metal with seven naturally occurring isotopes, the identities of larger ions were confirmed via successive collision induced dissociation (CID) studies of the gas phase ions. The result of these CID studies was the production of smaller ions with reduced molybdenum content, allowing for comparison between calculated and experimental isotopic distributions. CID studies also provided insights into favored fragmentation pathways. These studies provide a basis to explore speciation and ESI behavior of actinide cluster complexes.
Thermodynamic investigation of the redox properties of ceria-zirconia solid solutions

The thermodynamic properties of solid solutions of ceria and zirconia, having the general formula Ce1-yZryO2, were studied as a function of temperature and oxygen fugacity by measuring the oxygen content of samples equilibrated in H2/H2O mixtures between 873 and 1173 K. The thermodynamic redox properties were found to be a strong function of oxide composition but were independent of sample surface area and calcination temperature. Ceria−zirconia solid solutions were much more easily reduced than CeO2, so that thermodynamic values such as the enthalpy of oxidation for ceria are not the same as for the solid solution. All of the reduction isotherms for the ceria−zirconia solutions exhibited a plateau in the oxygen stoichiometry at the higher oxygen fugacities accessible using H2/H2O mixtures, suggesting special stabilities for certain reduction states in the solid solutions.
Sexual attitudes and associated psychiatric features among youths in a community sample.

ABSTRACT Objective Using an epidemiological sample of adolescents, this study examined associations between the acceptability of potential sex partners and psychiatric status. Method Subjects aged 14 to 17 years ( N = 161) from the Columbia site of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Methods for the Epidemiology of Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders (MECA) Study were grouped according to their responses about the acceptability of youths their age having sex with partners of (1) the opposite sex, (2) neither sex, and (3) either sex. Youths endorsing either sex were compared with youths endorsing the other two types of partners according to psychiatric indicators obtained from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version 2.3. Results Higher-than-expected proportions of male and female youths endorsed sex partners of either sex as potentially acceptable for peers. Youths who did so abused substances and used mental health services more than peers but did not differ in rates of suicidal ideation or attempts. Males endorsing either sex also had higher rates of mood disorders and, compared with males endorsing only the opposite sex, a higher intelligence level. Conclusions Attitudes about the potential acceptability of sex partners for peers are associated with psychiatric morbidity and mental health service use in the respondent as well as with intelligence level in males. Youths who endorsed potential sex partners of either sex, especially males, appear to be at higher risk for multiple psychiatric problems.
1252 TISSUE pH, (TpH), CARDIAC OUTPUT (CO)BLOOD LACTATE(BL) CHANGES FOLLOWING ACUTE HYPOVOLEMIA IN PUPPIES

CO, tpH, and BL changes were studied in 8 puppies during acute hypovolemia and reinfusion . Hypovolemia was induced by bleeding 20 ml/kg of blood. Mean blood pressure (MBP),heart rate (HR) and tpH were monitored continuously. CO, BL and arterial blood gases were analyzed every 15′ during the study. After 30′ hypovolemia blood was reinfused and all the above parameters were monitored for the next 30′ cO, and tpH decreased significantly during hypovolemia. Changes in MBP were transient and minimal. The fall in tpH was greater than ApH (p<.05) and its recovery slower than ApH. EL correlated better with tpH(r= −0.58, p<.005). Following reinfusion CO, HR, ApH returned to baseline but tpH lagged behind. Summary: 1) In acute hypovolemia tpH was a better indicator of CO and peripheral metabolism than MBP. 2) Slow recovery of tpH following reinfusion could be due to slow clearance of tissue lactate. These data indicate that tpH will be useful in detecting and treating impending or existing shock. (Data in M±S.E)
Early diastolic function observed in canine model of reperfused transmural myocardial infarction using high temporal resolution MR imaging

Summary We have applied a novel high temporal resolution MR imaging sequence to study diastolic function in canines with reperfused transmural infarction. Our results demonstrate abnormal diastolic strain-rates in infarct and viable risk region with corresponding abnormal filling patterns, as observed through the visualization of 2D flow pathlines 3 days post reperfusion. Background Coronary angioplasty limits infarct expansion post myocardial infarction (MI). However, under certain conditions such as prolonged ischemia, the procedure induces reperfusion injury (RI), linked to adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling and heart failure (HF). The functional mechanisms involved in adverse remodeling post reperfusion are still unclear. We have developed a new high temporal resolution MR imaging technique, SPAMMPAV (SPAtially Modulated Magnetization with Polarity Alternated Velocity encoding) that provides regional assessment of early diastolic flow velocity and myocardial strain. This method was applied in a canine animal model with prolonged occlusion followed by reperfusion. We examine the diastolic strain-rates (index of stiffness) of infarct regions relative to remote regions and the 2D diastolic flow pathlines 3 days post reperfusion to provide insight into early diastolic function in these animals. Methods Studies were performed in six dogs following 5-6 hours of balloon occlusion of the left anterior descending
When the Chief Complaint Is (or Should Be) Dyspnea in Adults

Dyspnea, "a subjective experience of breathing discomfort that consists of qualitatively distinct sensations that vary in intensity," is an important and challenging complaint associated with a wide variety of adverse clinical outcomes, including hospitalizations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiac mortality. Although up to 85% of cases are caused by asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung disease, pneumonia, cardiac ischemia, congestive heart failure, or psychogenic disorders, a systematic approach can help to identity uncommon, but important, causes of dyspnea. In this review that includes clinical examples as well as a didactic review of currently available information, we suggest a step-wise approach to the evaluation of the adult patient with dyspnea. It is also important to avoid 3 possible pitfalls: accepting a cause for dyspnea in which the element identified is only part of a syndrome which includes that element; accepting a single cause for dyspnea when the cause is multifactorial; and failing to recognize a diagnosis and cause of dyspnea is incorrect and has been assumed without rigorous confirmation, when a patient with a specific diagnosis is referred for "failing to respond to treatment."
Analysis of aberrant pathways using HCC candidate biomarkers identified from high-throuput omics studies

Various omics studies have led to identification of a large number of disease-associated biomarkers at different molecular levels (e.g. DNA, mRNA, protein, metabolites). For example, hundreds of candidate biomarkers of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been reported in the literature. However, the molecular mechanism and etiology of HCC have not been adequately determined. In this study, we investigate aberrant key pathways that may be altered in the progression of HCC by using text-mining and pathway centric analysis of diverse biomarkers identified from previous omics studies. The results show that Wnt/p-catenin signaling is the most significantly enriched pathway in these biomarkers. Also, we observe that cancer and gastrointestinal disease are the two most significant biological functions associated with these biomarkers. We believe that integration of candidate HCC biomarkers through text-mining and pathway-centric approaches help improve our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of HCC and identify key drug targets.
Women with AIDS

Women are a rapidly growing percentage of this nation's population of persons with AIDS (PWAs). This article presents not only an excellent clinical review of system specific symptomatic issues and their corresponding interventions but also the special challenges faced by the women with AIDS. A poignant case study is utilized to present this information that is so essential to all home health care providers.
Lithium for prepubertal depressed children with family history predictors of future bipolarity: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Abstract Background : Because of negative studies of TCAs for prepubertal major depressive disorder (PMDD) and because of the potentially high switch rate of PMDD to prepubertal bipolarity (BP), it was hypothesized that lithium would be efficacious treatment for PMDD in children who also had family history (FH) predictors of future BP. Methods: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, and pharmacokinetically dosed study of lithium for PMDD with FH predictors of future BP was performed. Random assignment was stratified by FH of BP-I or mania versus loaded/multigenerational (L/M) FH of MDD without BP-I or mania. Comprehensive assessments were done during a six week outpatient protocol that included weekly serum lithium levels. Results: Mean age was 10.7±1.2 years; 17 subjects were randomized to active and 13 to placebo; 80% had FH of BP-I or mania (40% of parents had BP-I or mania); and 20% had FH of L/M MDD. Using both intent to treat with last observation carried forward ( n =30) and completer ( n =24) analyses, there were no significant differences on continuous or categorical measures between active and placebo groups. Mean serum lithium level was 0.99±0.16 mEq/l. There were no significant differences between mean total daily dose or mean serum lithium levels between responders and non-responders. Limitations: Four subjects on active drug were discontinued because of dose-limiting side effects (three were cognitive impairment). Future studies of treatment for PMDD should consider alternative drugs. Clinical Relevance: Lithium was not significantly more efficacious than placebo for PMDD with FH predictors of future BP.
Electric Conductivity of Semiconductors due to Self-Activation

Electrical conductivity of a semiconductor may be determined by the equilibrium concentration of Schottky or Frenkel defects which act as donors or acceptors. It is shown, that at sufficiently high temperatures this self-activated semiconductivity predominates over the electronic intrinsic conductivity in all known semiconductors. In semiconductors with a band gap larger than the disorder energy for Schottky or Frenkel defects, self-activated semiconductivity predominates over intrinsic conductivity at all temperatures. Die elektrische Leitfahigkeit in einem Halbleiter kann durch die Gleichgewichtskonzentration der Schottky- oder Frenkeldefekte, die als Donatoren oder Akzeptoren wirken, bestimmt werden. Es wird gezeigt, das bei genugend hohen Temperaturen diese selbstaktivierte Leitfahigkeit die elektronische Eigenleitung in allen bekannten Halbleitern uberwiegt. In Halbleitern mit einem Bandabstand, der groser ist als die Fehlordnungsenergie fur Schottky- oder Frenkeldefekte, uberwiegt die selbstaktivierte Leitfahigkeit die Eigenleitung bei allen Temperaturen.
Modeling tools to estimate the performance of the Thirty Meter Telescope: an integrated approach

A sound system engineering approach and the appropriate tools to support it are essential in achieving the scientific and financial objectives of the Thirty Meter Telescope project. Major elements of the required tool set are those providing estimates for the performance of the telescope. During the last couple of years, the partners in the consortium developed a wide range of modeling and simulation tools with various levels of fidelity and flexibility. There are models available for time domain and frequency domain simulations and analysis, as well as for lower fidelity, parametric investigations of design trade-offs and for high fidelity, integrated modeling of structure, optics and control. Presented are characteristic simulation results using the existing preliminary point designs of the TMT, with emphasis on the telescope performance degradation due to wind buffeting. Under the conditions modeled, the wind induced image jitter and image quality degradation was found comparable to good atmospheric seeing.
KIT AS A THERAPEUTIC TARGET IN MELANOMA

Recently, genetic alterations activating the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT have been shown in some types of melanoma. KIT mutations can be successfully targeted by approved drugs in other cancers. Emerging evidence suggests that melanomas with KIT activation may also respond to KIT inhibitors that are already in clinical use. If confirmed in ongoing clinical trials, this experience would underscore the importance of recognizing the biological diversity among melanomas, representing a first decisive step toward the individualized and mechanism-based treatment of melanoma.
A Heuristic Algorithm for the Earliest Arrival Flow with Multiple Sources

This paper presents a heuristic algorithm for the earliest arrival flow problem. Existing exact algorithms, even polynomial in the output size, contain submodular function optimization as a frequently called subroutine, and thus are not practical in real-life applications. In this paper we propose an algorithm that does not involve the submodular function optimization. Although solving an EAF near-optimal, the algorithm is remarkably simple and efficient as it only involves shortest path computations on a static network. A numerical example illustrates how the algorithm works. As an application, we demonstrate the algorithm’s solution quality and computational performance by solving a real-size network.
Reduced Order ARIMA Models of 2-D Terrain Profiles Using Singular Value Decomposition

The terrain profile is the principal source of vertical excitation to a vehicle’s chassis. To correctly predict the system response an accurate model of the terrain is needed. It is impractical to simulate long data sets; therefore it is necessary to characterize roads so that they can be grouped into sets with similar physical characteristics. The first step is to consider the road to be a realization of an underlying stochastic process. This work develops a method for characterizing non-stationary terrain profiles though ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving average) modeling and singular value decomposition techniques. It is proposed that the ARIMA coefficients and the distribution of the residual process are jointly dependent functions of the physical characteristics of road profiles. This dependence is then exploited by mapping these dependent functions onto a smaller set of random variables. The resulting number of coefficients required to characterize the terrain is greatly reduced. Examples demonstrate that non-stationary road profiles can be characterized in this manner. Future work in polynomial chaos and ARIMA modeling are discussed within the context of terrain characterization.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
COULOMB ENERGY AND NUCLEAR RADIUS

The apparent discrepancy between the values ($1.45\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}{A}^{\frac{1}{3}}$ cm) for the nuclear radii derived from mirror nuclei and those ($1.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}{A}^{\frac{1}{3}}$ cm) derived from $\ensuremath{\mu}$-mesonic atoms was investigated. The conventional calculation of the Coulomb energy difference $\ensuremath{\Delta}{E}_{c}$ between mirror nuclei is improved in two respects: the usual uniform model is replaced by the more elaborate shell model with a finite square well potential, and the exchange terms are taken into account. An equivalent Coulomb radius ${R}_{c}$ is defined by ${R}_{c}=(\frac{6}{5})$ ($\frac{Z{e}^{2}}{\ensuremath{\Delta}{E}_{c}}$); an equivalent meson radius is defined by ${R}_{M}={(\frac{5}{3})}^{\frac{1}{2}}{{〈{r}^{2}〉}_{\mathrm{Av}}}^{\frac{1}{2}}$, where ${{〈{r}^{2}〉}_{\mathrm{Av}}}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ is the mean square radius of the electrical charge distribution. The two extreme cases of the pairs (${\mathrm{F}}^{17}$, ${\mathrm{O}}^{17}$) and (${\mathrm{O}}^{15}$, ${\mathrm{N}}^{15}$) are investigated. The computation gives $\frac{{R}_{c}}{{R}_{M}}=1.18$ in ${\mathrm{O}}^{17}$, $\frac{{R}_{c}}{{R}_{M}}=1.07$ in ${\mathrm{N}}^{15}$. These results are smaller by about 8 percent than the experimental ratios. However, the experimental discontinuity in ${R}_{c}$ at the closure of the $p$ shell is reproduced.
Case series: tooth retention 5 years after irretrievable separation of LightSpeedLSX instruments.

Abstract Introduction Of 3,216 root canals treated endodontically at the Creighton University School of Dentistry from September 1, 2005, to August 31, 2007, with LightSpeedLSX instruments (LightSpeed Technology, Inc, San Antonio, TX), there were 12 cases of irretrievable instrument separation. More than 5 years after the separations, an attempt was made to contact the patients and assess for healing and tooth retention. Methods Third- and fourth-year dental students performed root canal procedures according to protocol from September 1, 2005, to August 31, 2007. A database was collected during the 24-month period recording cases with irretrievable LightspeedLSX separation. Efforts were made from July 2011 to December 2011 to contact the 12 patients for endodontic follow-up. Clinical and radiographic evaluations of healing were performed. Results Of the 12 patients with irretrievable separations, 8 patients were contacted and 5 returned to Creighton University School of Dentistry for follow-up. All 8 contacted patients confirmed the presence of the root canal–treated tooth in question, and the teeth of the 5 evaluated patients were determined to be asymptomatic and functional. Radiographic analysis resulted in 2 teeth being classified as complete healing, 2 as uncertain healing, and 1 as no healing. Conclusions The 100% tooth retention rate and the lack of symptoms in 8 contacted (5 evaluated) patients 5 years after treatment suggests that long-term retention and functionality can occur after irretrievable instrument separation. Although tooth retention and functionality are desirable outcomes, radiographic findings may be indicative of inadequate periapical healing, thus requiring the clinician to evaluate whether additional treatment is necessary.
Antinociception from the administration of β-endorphin into the periaqueductal gray of rat is enhanced while that of morphine is inhibited by barbiturate anesthesia

Abstract Pentobarbital anesthesia causes about a 10-fold increase in the antinociceptive potency of β-endorphin microinjected into the periaqueductal gray (PAG) region of the rat brain. The antinociceptive response to PAG morphine was markedly attenuated during anesthesia, but returned as the rats regained consciousness. As they recovered from anesthesia, muscular rigidity and body stiffness (catalepsy) also occurred in the pentobarbital treated animals receiving morphine. These results are consistent with the activation of separate and distinct descending pain inhibitory neuronal systems by these two opioid agonists, and the differential modulation of the systems by pentobarbital. They also suggest that the mechanism underlying muscular responses to morphine is sensitive to pentobarbital, and is not shared by β-endorphin.
Effect of human islet rescue gradient purification on islet yield and fractional Beta cell viability.

It is difficult to consistently obtain sufficient postpurification islet numbers from younger donors because of the higher proportion of trapped islets after pancreas digestion. Continuous gradient purification (CGP), which is currently used in several islet processing centers, sometimes is not efficient in the purification of trapped islets. Rescue gradient purification (RGP) could improve postpurification islet yields, resulting in an increased number of islet cell products that could be transplanted. Sixty-eight human islet isolations, in which CGP was followed by RGP were analyzed. The quality of islets from CGP and RGP was assessed by β-cell fractional viability (βFV) and ADP/ATP ratio. Donor age negatively correlated with the proportion of the islets rescued by RGP (R = −0.52; P < .01) and to the percentage of trapped islets (R = −0.46; P < .01). Age-related differences were observed in pancreas weight, digestion time, and islet yields from CGP, respectively. Importantly, islets from RGP had an 11% higher βFV compared with islets from CGP. ADP/ATP ratio was also lower in RGP islets versus CGP islets. RGP improved the efficiency of islet purification from younger pancreata and did not affect islet cell viability, which was actually higher in RGP fractions, indicating that rescued trapped islets from the pellet and lower purity layers are not damaged by the extra purification step and may actually be more viable. RGP could be used to rescue high-quality islets from less than 30% pure islet fractions, which are often discarded in the clinical setting.
The bandwidth effect on monaural and binaural localization.

Abstract Listeners located, monaurally and binaurally, an 8.0 kHz centered noise burst whose bandwidth was set at 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0 kHz. Loudspeakers, placed 7.5° apart, covered an arc extending from 15° to 165° to the left of midline. Listeners reported the number of that loudspeaker from which the noise bursts appeared. A significant reduction in localization errors was associated with increments in bandwidth and for binaural localization, this was attained largely through fewer instances of confusing sounds from the front with those from the rear. While overall, binaural accuracy exceeded monaural accuracy when sounds came from the front or rear, no appreciable differences between the two listening conditions were noted when the sounds came from the middle section of the arc. Only when broadband noise was employed, as it was in a supplementary set of observations, did binaural localization uniformly surpass monaural localization in accuracy — a finding attributed to the introduction of low frequencies which resulted in the addition of interaural ongoing phase differences to the constellation of localization cues.
Electronic raman scattering of overdoped Tl2Ba2CuO6+δ in high magnetic fields

Abstract The excitations across the superconducting gap (2Δ-peak in B 1g -symmetry Raman spectra) in an overdoped Tl 2 Ba 2 CuO 6+δ single crystal have been studied as a function temperature and field. The 2Δ- peak intensity, which we interpret as the density of the superconducting condensate around the gap antinodes, is a linear function of temperature, but a nonlinear function of field. The latter is attributed to renormalization of quasi-particle spectra in the vicinity of vortex lines in the mixed state. The 2Δ- peak is present above the irreversibility line and yields a conventional temperature dependence of the effective upper critical field.
Purposeful learning with drug repurposing.

High-throughput screening (HTS) of comprehensive approved drug libraries has revealed new uses for old drugs ([ 1 ][1], [ 2 ][2]). Although repurposing of drugs has been used for decades at the discretion of physicians ([ 3 ][3]), the Policy Forum “Repurposing with a difference” by M. S. Boguski
Primary transitional cell carcinoma of the fallopian tube associated with primary carcinomas of the ovary and endometrium

Abstract A patient with primary transitional cell carcinoma of the fallopian tube, primary endometrial adenocarcinoma, and primary endometrioid carcinoma of the ovary is reported. The clinical picture was similar to that of adenocarcinoma of the fallopian tube, but the mode of spread was somewhat different and more aggressive. The patient was treated with surgery and a combination of internal and external radiotherapy.