cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tissue-engineered cell sheets for stricture prevention: a new connection between endoscopy and regenerative medicine.

Tissue engineering and cellular transplantation has been utilized in the treatment of a wide spectrum of diseases. Autologous transplantation of cultivated cells was first pioneered as an experimental treatment option for congenital urologic diseases and traumatic corneal lesions.1,2 These techniques have evolved and expanded to additional fields of medicine and surgery. Cell transplantation and tissue engineering can serve as the foundation for reconstruction of entire functional organs. There are advances such as tissue-engineered lungs that demonstrate intact physiology after in vivo transplantation in a murine model.3 The prospect for tissue engineering lies in its potential to effectively expand the donor pool for organ transplantation and repair diseased organs. In this issue of Gastroenterology, Ohki et al4 describe an innovative therapeutic intervention using tissue-engineered epithelial cells in the prevention of strictures after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).
Particle embolization of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND Complete surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, most patients ultimately develop disease recurrence and the median survival from the time of recurrence is <1 year. The purpose of the current study was to review the authors' experience using bland hepatic arterial embolization to treat recurrent HCC after definitive surgical resection. METHODS The authors reviewed their single-center hepatic embolization database from 1995 through 2004 to identify patients who underwent bland hepatic arterial embolization for disease recurrence. Data analyzed included patient demographics, Okuda stage and Child score, imaging findings, and embolization variables. Recurrence-free survival (from surgery to disease recurrence) and survival time (from recurrence to last follow-up) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS The authors identified 45 patients treated with bland embolization for recurrent HCC after resection. Six patients also underwent ablative therapy after embolization. Of the 45 patients, 42 (93.3%) patients had Okuda Stage 1 disease. The median time to recurrence was 13 months. The median survival after embolization was 46 months, and actuarial survival rates at 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years after recurrence were 86%, 74%, and 47%, respectively, with a median follow-up of 31 months. Patients who developed disease recurrence with a solitary lesion had a significantly improved survival (P = .03) At the time of last follow-up, 3 patients (6.6%) were alive with no evidence of viable disease. CONCLUSIONS Bland arterial embolization was found to be an effective method of salvage therapy for patients with good liver function with recurrent HCC after prior surgical resection. Patients whose disease recurred with a solitary lesion appear to have a significantly increased survival compared with patients who develop disease recurrence with multiple tumors. A small proportion of patients can be rendered without evidence of viable disease. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Using Cost–Benefit Analysis to Understand the Value of Social Interventions

Since 1983, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy has conducted applied research as a nonpartisan agency of the state legislature. Over the years, discussions in the state have turned to...
Studies of diabetic instability. I. Immunoassay of human insulin in plasma containing antibodies to pork and beef insulin

Abstract The feasibility of assaying human immunoreactive insulin (IRI) in plasma containing antibodies to pork and beef insulins was evaluated. The binding of both pork and beef insulins by endogenous antibodies was positively and highly correlated with the IRI concentration in the same fasting plasma specimens. Endogenous antibodies with low degrees of binding for tracer amounts of radioactive pork insulin showed little or no change in B F ratio (an index of their insulin binding) when human insulin, up to 1000 μU/ml, was added in vitro. However, with antibodies with higher degrees of binding of pork insulin, the addition of human insulin, 20–50 μU/ml, produced measurable changes in B F ratio. By immunoprecipitation assay, human insulin added in vitro was nearly completely recoverable in plasma containing endogenous antibodies with a low degree of binding for pork and beef insulins. In plasma containing antibodies with higher degrees of binding of pork and beef insulin, apparent recoveries of human insulin in vitro were excessive. The apparent increments measured and the amounts added in vitro were linearly related. Endogenous antibodies distort IRI concentration in vitro during radioimmunoprecipitation assay in proportion to their ability to bind tracer amounts of radioactive insulin. With endogenous antibodies of low degrees of insulin binding, relatively accurate IRI assays are feasible.
Age-related ozone effects on glucose utilization in rat lungs

We examined the relationship between animal age and pulmonary biochemical effects of O3 exposure using young to adult rats ranging in age from 24 to 90 days. Glucose uptake and production of pyruvate and lactate, determined in lung tissue slices, were used as indices of O3-produced metabolic alterations. In control rats, the lung weights increased with animal age until they stabilized between 60 and 90 days of age. The rate of glucose metabolism, expressed per lung, increased with animal age paralleling the increase in lung weights. After exposure to 0.8 ppm (1568 ug/m3) O3 for 3 days, the lung weights and all three parameters of glucose metabolism increased in exposed rats relative to their age-matched controls. These increases were relatively small for younger rats but much larger for adult rats. Regression of percent differences in these parameters between control and exposed rat lungs against animal age indicates that the response to O3 was age-related.
Limited proteolysis of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase: implications for the three-dimensional structure.

Abstract S -Adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase was subjected to limited proteolytic digestion utilizing the proteases trypsin, V8, and papain. Results of the trypsin digest revealed one major susceptible peptide bond between amino acid residues 103 and 104 which is most likely exposed to solvent. Binding of the substrate adenosine substantially reduced the susceptibility of this site, indicating that this peptide bond may be located at or near the substrate binding site. Wild-type AdoHcy hydrolase (which exists as a tetramer) was completely resistant to V8 digestion, while a site-directed mutant form (in which Lys at position 426 was changed to Glu) of the enzyme that exists primarily as a monomer had one major V8 protease cleavage site between amino acid residues 198 and 199, suggesting that these two amino acid residues may be positioned within the tetramerization region of each subunit. Limited papain digestion of AdoHcy hydrolase revealed that the enzyme, despite multiple peptide bond cleavages, was able to maintain its quaternary structure and remain catalytically functional. This observation suggests that AdoHcy hydrolase exists as a very compact enzyme with extensive intramolecular bonding, Identification of a surface-exposed peptide bond and one located in the tetramerization domain of each subunit may provide some constraints on how each subunit can be oriented in space, Results from this study support a previously described model (D. B. Ault-Riche, C. S. Yuan, and R. T. Borchardt (1994) J. Biol. Chem ., 269, 31,472-31,478) in which the formation of the active site is dependent upon proper quaternary structure and also suggest that the active site of the enzyme may be located at or near the tetramerization domain of each subunit.
The tensile response of Mo, Mo–Re and Mo–Si solid solutions

Abstract Recrystallized, commercially pure Mo, binary Mo–27 at.% Re, and as-extruded and variously annealed Mo–0.3 at.% Si alloys were tested in uniaxial tension as a function of temperature in vacuum. The Mo–Re solid solution is significantly stronger than Mo and retains the strength to at least 800 °C. The alloy exhibits serrated flow in the 500 °C–800 °C range and this is accompanied by a continuous decrease in ductility with increasing temperature in this temperature range. The recrystallized Mo–0.3 at.% Si alloy is softer than pure Mo at room temperature and has high ductility (~ 60% tensile elongation). In the worked condition, it is significantly stronger (σ y > 600 MPa) but still is ductile at room temperature (~ 10% tensile elongation). The observation of ductility at room temperature in this Mo–0.3 at.% Si solid solution alloy has important implications for multiphase ternary Mo–Si–B alloys of technological interest.
Synthesis and characterization of tetraammineruthenium(II) complexes bound to the bridging ligand 3,6-bis(2-pyridyl)1,2,4,5-tetrazine (bptz): comparative effects of σ and π peripheral ligands on electronic absorption and electrochemical properties

Abstract Tetraammineruthenium(II) complexes with the nitrogen aromatic heterocyclic bridging ligand 3,6-bis(2- pyridyl)1,2,4,5-tetrazine (bptz) have been prepared and characterized. The [{(NH 3 ) 4 Ru}(bptz)] 2+ ion exhibits intense electronic MLCT transitions at 560(sh) and 479 nm, and for the [{(NH 3 ) 4 Ru} 2 (bptz)] 4+ ion MLCT transitions occur at 850(sh), 603 and 370 nm. Reversible metal oxidations for the bimetallic complex are at +1.56 and +0.72 V versus SCE and Δ E (2−1)=840 mV indicates a large degree of ruthenium-ruthenium communication occurs through the bptz bridging ligand. The energies of the MLCT transitions and electrochemical potentials are compared with those for the analogous bis- bipyridyl ruthenium bptz complexes to assess the effect of NH 3 σ versus bpy π non-bridging ligands. In these complexes, as well as others, the results show the ruthenium centers coordinated with NH 3 are comparatively π electron rich when compared with the analogous bpy complexes. 1 H and 13 C NMR data are reported for the bptz ligand and mono and bimetallic complexes.
Depression and anxiety in older women

The recommended shift in paradigm for assessment and treatment of depression and anxiety in the primary care setting includes a more holistic medical care approach, one that pays attention to the patient's mental health status and her functional level of social role recovery in addition to symptom relief. Practice Guidelines of professional specialities should be expanded to include attention to initializing mental health care in primary care practice and parameters for early referral and, if indicated, later follow-up. Our medical education system, at all levels, needs to become considerably more inclusive of issues of aging, gender, and mental health. Ongoing attention must be given to the health care cost burden of under recognition and under treatment of anxiety and depression, alleviation of stigma, treatment to functional recovery, and alleviation of caregiver burden.
INDICATIONS FOR THE SURGICAL CORRECTION OF COARCTATION OF THE AORTA IN INFANCY.

Abstract Evidence is presented to establish the fact that operation for correction of coarctation of the aorta is feasible in infancy, and in certain cases is urgently indicated as an emergency measure. Using criteria described in this communication, one third of infants with uncomplicated coarctation seen during the first year of life were subjected to operation without mortality. The presence of the additional anomaly of ventricular septal defect makes the operation even more urgent. Patent ductus arteriosus, either proximal or distal to the coarctation, makes the prognosis much poorer, but operation gives the infant his only chance.
Mind–Body Skills Training for Improving Emotional Well-Being in Medical Students

instruments measuring self-esteem, altruism, and dimensions of empathy constituted the majority of the questions in the online survey. Descriptive statistics were conducted to describe the sample. Reliability statistics were run on all scales using Cronbach's Alpha, and multiple regression analysis was employed to test the hypotheses. Summary of Results: Significant findings indicate the following: 1) Medical students with higher levels of selfesteem and altruism, and those who have had personal experience with chronic/serious illness, have higher levels of measured empathy; 2) Students participating in the Mind/ Body psycho-social curricular elective have greater levels of empathy than those not enrolled in this program; 3) Students selecting the specialty category of Orthopedics/Anesthesiology have lower measured levels of empathy than students in other specialties; and, 4) Female students have greater levels of measured empathy than male students. Conclusion: It is posited that this study advances education in the field of complementary and integrative medicine. Implications of the research suggest that the social work profession is uniquely important in integrative and multidisciplinary health care, as it considers the whole person as a self-determining individual influenced and influencing his or her environment (Reese & Raymer, 2004). An understanding of the cognitive and affective dimensions of empathy, gleaned through an exploration of both personal and contextual factors, will enable educators to offer curricular changes and to disseminate the information to students in medical school. Furthermore, an examination of the factors influencing empathy helps to broaden existing knowledge for future research, while adding to the general area of expertise. This research would not have been possible without the support and full cooperation of Georgetown University School of Medicine. This study suggests many positive findings for the institution, not the least of which is the lack of decline in empathy as students progress through the program. The significant strength and positive influence on empathy suggested by the statistical analysis of the Mind/Body program is to be lauded and emulated.
Pulse Shaping and Evolution in Normal-Dispersion Mode-Locked Fiber Lasers

Fiber lasers mode locked with large normal group-velocity dispersion have recently achieved femtosecond pulse durations with energies and peak powers at least an order of magnitude greater than those of prior approaches. Several new mode-locking regimes have been demonstrated, including self-similar pulse propagation in passive and active fibers, dissipative solitons, and a pulse evolution that avoids wave breaking at high peak power but has not been reproduced by theoretical treatment. Here, we illustrate the main features of these new pulse-shaping mechanisms through the results of numerical simulations that agree with experimental results. We describe the features that distinguish each new mode-locking state and explain how the interplay of basic processes in the fiber produces the balance of amplitude and phase evolutions needed for stable high-energy pulses. Dissipative processes such as spectral filtering play a major role in normal-dispersion mode locking. Understanding the different mechanisms allows us to compare and contrast them, as well as to categorize them to some extent.
Comparison of open and endourologic approaches to the obstructed ureteropelvic junction.

Abstract Objectives To compare open pyeloplasty with three minimally invasive modalities: antegrade endopyelotomy, Acucise endopyelotomy (Applied Medical, Laguna Hills, Calif), and laparoscopic pyeloplasty. Methods Forty-five adult patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction were managed by one of the above four techniques. Success rates, analgesic use, length of hospital stay, recovery time, and complications were compared between each of the four groups. Results Successful relief of obstruction was achieved in 100% of patients undergoing open and laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty, 78% undergoing Acucise endopyelotomy, and 77% undergoing antegrade percutaneous endopyelotomy. Acucise endopyelotomy results in shorter convalescence (1 week) than antegrade endopyelotomy (4.7 weeks), laparoscopic pyeloplasty (2.3 weeks) or open pyeloplasty (10.3 weeks). Complication rates appear to be similar among all groups. Conclusions Our limited data imply that Acucise endopyelotomy offers low morbidity with success rates comparable to antegrade pyeloplasty, whereas laparoscopic pyeloplasty is as effective as open pyeloplasty with diminished morbidity.
Medication therapy management clinic: perception of healthcare professionals in a University medical center setting

Objective: To determine the overall perception and utilization of the pharmacist managed medication therapy management (MTM) clinic services, by healthcare professionals in a large, urban, university medical care setting.Methods: This was a cross-sectional, anonymous survey sent to 195 healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and pharmacists at The University of Illinois Outpatient Care Center to determine their perception and utilization of the MTM clinic. The survey consisted of 12 questions and was delivered through a secure online application.Results: Sixty-two healthcare professionals (32%) completed the survey. 82% were familiar with the MTM clinic, and 63% had referred patients to the clinic. Medication adherence and disease state management was the most common reason for referral. Lack of knowledge on the appropriate referral procedure was the prominent reason for not referring patients to the MTM clinic. Of the providers that were aware of MTM services, 44% rated care as ‘excellent’, 44% as ‘good’, 5% as ‘fair’, and 0% stated ‘poor’. Strengths of MTM clinic identified by healthcare providers included in-depth education to patients, close follow-up, and detailed medication reconciliation provided by MTM clinic pharmacists. Of those familiar with MTM clinic, recommendations included; increase marketing efforts to raise awareness of the MTM clinic service, create collaborative practice agreements between MTM pharmacists and physicians, and ensure that progress notes are more concise.Conclusion: In a large, urban, academic institution MTM clinic is perceived as a valuable resource to optimize patient care by providing patients with in-depth education as it relates to their prescribed medications and disease states. These identified benefits of MTM clinic lead to frequent patient referrals specifically for aid with medication adherence and disease state management.
Exploring a Perspective on the Nature of Music and Health as they Relate to the Bonny Method: A Response to Summer’s (1992) Music: The Aesthetic Elixir

This essay provides a response to the retrospective posting of Lisa Summer's article Music: The Aesthetic Elixir in the present issue of Voices. The response is based upon an exploratory, theoretical “lens” concerning a way of understanding music both as a way of being together aesthetically in time , and as a dimension of health . This understanding of music is subsequently applied to an expansion upon Summer's perspectives on the Bonny Method.
The influence of pineal ablation and administration of melatonin on growth and spread of hamster melanoma

Removal of the pineal organ resulted in increase in the growth of transplanted melanoma in hamsters. Administration of melatonin, which is the principle indole found in pineal tissue, to pinealectomized animals abolished this effect. Therefore it was concluded that the effect of pinealectomy on tumor growth is due to a lack of endogenous melatonin. Administration of large doses of melatonin (4 mg/ day) to intact animals, however, did not influence the rate of tumor growth, indicating that the drug has no direct effect on tumor growth and that the changes produced by melatonin deficiency is perhaps due to a complex reaction involving centers in the hypothalamus and brain stem. Certain morphologic changes were noted in the pineal organs of animals treated with exogenous melatonin. Although the biologic significance of these changes is not clear, study of the electron micrographs indicates that the pinealocytes of the melatonin-treated animals are in a state of increased activity.
Commentary on Allen & Kinght’s Response to the Löwdin Challenge

This commentary provides a critical examination of a recent article by Allen and Knight in which the authors claim to provide the long-sought explanation for the Madelung, or n + l, n rule for the order of orbital filling in many-electron atoms. It is concluded that the explanation is inadequate for several reasons.
Invited Review: The Search is on: Finding Accurate Molecular Markers of Male Fertility

Diagnosis of the fertility potential of a semen sample is essential for consistently high reproductive efficiency. The use of subfertile or infertile semen can have devastating consequences for those selling or using the semen. Therefore it is crucial to develop and use accurate diagnostic tests to determine the fertility of males and of individual semen samples. These diagnostic tests must be economically practical and provide consistent results. The goal of this review is to explore areas of fertility diagnostic research, including what we have termed functional and molecular tests, and consider the accuracy of each test. In this article, literature from several species is cited, and it is noteworthy that each diagnostic test may not be valuable in all species. Multiple functional and molecular tests will likely be needed to effectively characterize male fertility in each species.
Studies in the American Aradidae with Descriptions of New Species (Hemiptera)

The present paper deals largely with the abundance of material gathered during recent years in the collections of the California Academy of Sciences and the author, from the comparatively little known regions of the Western and Southwestern United States and Central Mexico. Appreciation is expressed to Dr. H. M. Parshley and Prof. W. S. Blatchley for information and material supplied by them, to Mr. E. P. Van Duzee for valuable assistance in working up the material as well as for permission to study the collection in his charge, and to several western Coleopterists, Dr. E. C. Van Dyke, Mr. R. L. Furniss, and Mr. E. G. Linsley, through whose field work so many of these interesting bugs have been collected. Dr. L. Bonar has very kindly determined the fungi.
Nest structure of ant Lasius neoniger Emery and its implications to soil modification

Abstract The ant Lasius neoniger Emery is one of the most abundant ant species found in the temperate regions of North America and has been studied primarily from an entomological standpoint. This study was conducted to characterize its nest structure and implications to soil modification. To study the structure, development, and micromorphological characteristics of the ant nests, we constructed three-dimensional models of the nests from excavated nest castings made with dental gypsum and ant farms with Plexiglas, and made thin sections ( ≈30 μm thick) from undisturbed field soil samples that contained the nests. We assessed the effect of the ant on soil chemical properties by comparing the composition of ant crater rim and nest materials with that of associated bulk soil. The ant nests consisted of underground branched networks of galleries and chambers concentrated in the upper 0.3 m of the soil, with a few vertical galleries penetrating to about 0.7 m. The galleries tended to be circular tubes (channels) 1.5 to 5.0 mm in diameter, whereas the chambers, connected by the galleries, bulged to diameters of 10 to 20 mm and were 30 to 50 mm in length. The volume of the nests ranged from 20 to 250 cm 3 . Walls of the nests ( ≈1 μm thick) were more consolidated and contained larger amounts of fine sand, silt, and colloidal material than adjoining bulk soil. The primary effect of the ants was mixing of the upper 0.7 m of soil. Estimated soil turnover time ranges, for upper 0.3 m soil, from approximately 1000 years for the grass border areas of a corn field to 2800 years inside the field. For soils between 0.3 and 0.7 m depths, estimated soil turnover time ranges from approximately 9000 years for the grass border areas to 24,000 years inside the corn field. Selective mining by ants of fine-particles, which concentrate in the upper tier of the soil, may also counter balance processes such as clay translocation and nutrient leaching that tend to degrade physical and chemical attributes of sandy soil surfaces forming in humid environment.
On the La2/3−xLi3xTiO3/Al2O3 composite solid-electrolyte for Li-ion conduction

Abstract An effective ceramic processing route including tape casting and relatively low-temperature calcination has been adopted to fabricate La 0.56 Li 0.33 TiO 3 (LLTO)/Al 2 O 3 composite electrolytes. Correlation among additional amount of Al 2 O 3 , microstructure and Li-ion conductivity of the composites is examined and evaluated. What is most interesting from X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy is that LiAl 5 O 8 phase is found to form in the LLTO/Al 2 O 3 composites during calcination. The present study indicates that the presence of LiAl 5 O 8 has a beneficial effect of increasing ionic conductivity and decreasing activation energy. It was observed that the LLTO/10 wt% Al 2 O 3 composite electrolyte exhibits a higher conductivity at bulk (∼6 times) and grain boundary (∼3 times) compared to pure LLTO at room temperature. An Arrhenius temperature dependence of Li-ion motion in this composite electrolyte is obtained, displaying low activation energy of 0.17 and 0.37 eV for bulk and grain boundary conduction, respectively.
Management of low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer.

Objective: To summarize the definitions of and management recommendations for low-risk thyroid cancer made by the American and European Thyroid Associations and synthesize this information with the recent literature, including systematic evaluations of tumor staging systems guiding therapy.Methods: The American Thyroid Association and European Thyroid Association guidelines were compared and pertinent literature since 2005 was reviewed.Results: Of papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMC), up to 50% breach the thyroid capsule, 64% have lymph node metastases, up to 43% are multifocal, and as many as 2.8% have distant metastases. Locoregional and distant recurrences are, respectively, as high as 5.9% and 1.5%. As many as 1 in 4 patients with a papillary thyroid carcinoma 1.5 cm or smaller develop persistent disease. Cancer-related mortality rates are usually less than 1%, but are as high as 2% in some reports. Tumor staging systems are too inaccurate to guide therapy.Conclusion: It is unlikely that many pati...
A Framework for Task-Based Learning

*Lesson outlines show how the framework can be used to plan lessons *Includes over 200 ideas for tasks for classroom use and photocopiable Focus Pages for use in teacher training sessions
Application of Leventhal's self-regulation model to Chinese immigrants with type 2 diabetes.

Purpose and Background: To demonstrate the application of Leventhal's Self-Regulation Model with a group of Chinese immigrants with type 2 diabetes. Design and Methods: Using qualitative methods and a convenience sample of 30 Chinese immigrants, interviews were analyzed by categorizing data according to the components of the Leventhal model. Participants were recruited from a U.S. West Coast Chinatown health center and were interviewed to identify beliefs about health and illness that are shaped by cultural factors. Findings: Application of the self-regulation model indicated that participants were unclear about the etiology and chronicity of diabetes and interpreted the illness as stigmatizing. Coping strategies included wishful thinking, belief in powerful others, keeping diabetes a secret, and avoiding social situations. Participants lacked the ability to appraise the effects of their coping strategies. Conclusions: Health care providers can help people with type 2 diabetes develop critical-thinking strategies instead of relying on sets of rules to gain control of blood glucose levels. The self-regulation model was useful in profiling a vulnerable group whose diabetes management, social environment, and self-image could be improved through thoughtful patient education strategies.
Antineoplastic Effects of α-Santalol on Estrogen Receptor-Positive and Estrogen Receptor-Negative Breast Cancer Cells through Cell Cycle Arrest at G2/M Phase and Induction of Apoptosis

Anticancer efficacy and the mechanism of action of α-santalol, a terpenoid isolated from sandalwood oil, were investigated in human breast cancer cells by using p53 wild-type MCF-7 cells as a model for estrogen receptor(ER)-positive and p53 mutated MDA-MB-231 cells as a model for ER-negative breast cancer. α-Santalol inhibited cell viability and proliferation in a concentration and time-dependent manner in both cells regardless of their ER and/or p53 status. However, α-santalol produced relatively less toxic effect on normal breast epithelial cell line, MCF-10A. It induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Cell cycle arrest induced by α-santalol was associated with changes in the protein levels of BRCA1, Chk1, G2/M regulatory cyclins, Cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs), Cell division cycle 25B (Cdc25B), Cdc25C and Ser-216 phosphorylation of Cdc25C. An up-regulated expression of CDK inhibitor p21 along with suppressed expression of mutated p53 was observed in MDA-MB-231 cells treated with α-santalol. On the contrary, α-santalol did not increase the expression of wild-type p53 and p21 in MCF-7 cells. In addition, α-santalol induced extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis in both cells with activation of caspase-8 and caspase-9. It led to the activation of the executioner caspase-6 and caspase-7 in α-santalol-treated MCF-7 cells and caspase-3 and caspase-6 in MDA-MB-231 cells along with strong cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in both cells. Taken together, this study for the first time identified strong anti-neoplastic effects of α-santalol against both ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer cells.
Hydrogen-related defect creation at the Si(100)–SiO2interface of metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors during hot electron stress

Abstract We explore the hydrogen-related microstructures involved in hot electron defect creation at the Si(100)–SiO 2 interface of metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors. Based on the energetics of hydrogen desorption from the interface between silicon and silicon-dioxide, we argue that the hard threshold for hydrogen-related degradation may be considerably lower than the previously assumed value of 3.6 eV. Also, hydrogen atoms released from Si–H bonds at the interface by hot electron stress are trapped in bulk silicon near the interface.
A note on the distribution of glial cells in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus

The distribution of the perikarya of astrocytes and other glial cells in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus has been studied in gold chloride-sublimate preparations of rats and of normal and reeler mice, and in plastic embedded material from young adult rats. Contrary to previous reports (Rose et al. [7]), we have found no evidence for a distinct "line" or "band" of astrocyte cell bodies along the interface between the zones of termination of the entorhinal and hippocampal afferents to the dentate gyrus. Indeed, apart from a conspicuous accumulation of astrocytes immediately beneath the pial surface and hippocampal fissure, the distribution of glial cells across the extent of the molecular layer appears to be more or less random. In view of this it is difficult to ascribe a critical role to the astrocytes in either determining the normal distribution of afferent fibers to the dentate gyrus or in promoting their re-organization following its partial deafferentation.
Structural Evolution During Formation and Filling of Self-patterned Nanoholes on GaAs (100) Surfaces.

Nanohole formation on an AlAs/GaAs superlattice gives insight to both the “drilling” effect of Ga droplets on AlAs as compared to GaAs and the hole-filling process. The shape and depth of the nanoholes formed on GaAs (100) substrates has been studied by the cross-section transmission electron microscopy. The Ga droplets “drill” through the AlAs layer at a much slower rate than through GaAs due to differences in activation energy. Refill of the nanohole results in elongated GaAs mounds along the [01−1] direction. As a result of capillarity-induced diffusion, GaAs favors growth inside the nanoholes, which provides the possibility to fabricate GaAs and AlAs nanostructures.
Phonological and Visuo-Spatial Working Memory in Individuals With Intellectual Disability

Differences in the storage and rehearsal components of the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad were investigated in individuals with and without intellectual disability matched on memory span. The group with intellectual disability had specific difficulty in the rehearsal component of the phonological loop, as demonstrated by a weak word length effect compared to the group without intellectual disability. Groups did not differ in the storage component of the phonological loop as indexed by the phonological similarity effect. Also, groups did not differ in the storage or maintenance components of the visuospatial sketchpad, having comparable visual similarity and visual complexity effects. However, visual complexity task performance suggested that some aspects of visual processing surpass developmental level expectations for individuals with intellectual disability.
Incorporating a Cross-Cultural Perspective in the Undergraduate Psychology Curriculum: An Interview with David Matsumoto.

G. William Hill is Professor of Psychology and Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA. His favorite courses to teach include cross-cultural psychology, research methods, careers in psychology, introductory psychology, and sensation and perception. His research interests include ethical issues in grading, opinions on and use of extra credit, and strategies for teaching effective library and database research and evaluation skills. He is also the founder and coordinator of the annual Southeastern Conference on the Teaching of Psychology. David Matsumoto is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Culture and Emotion Research Laboratory at San Francisco State University. A recognized expert in the field, he has studied emotion, human interaction, and culture for more than 15 years. He is the author of more than 200 works on culture and emotion, including research articles, presentations, books, book chapters, videos, and assessment instruments. He also s...
A decentralized software bus based on IP multicasting

We describe a decentralized reconfigurable implementation of a conference management system based on the low-level Internet Protocol (IP) multicasting protocol. Each conference is structured as a software bus-a messaging system that provides a run-time interconnection model that acts as a separate agent (i.e., the bus) for routing, queuing, and delivering messages between distributed programs. Current software bus implementations like, however, rely on a centralized bus process and point-to-point protocols (i.e., TCP/IP) to route, queue, and deliver messages. We implement a software bus called the MULTIBUS that relies on a separate process only for routing and uses a reliable IP multicasting protocol for delivery of messages. The multicasting approach is scalable to large numbers of participants and allows for bus reconfigurations during system execution without notifying other participants of new IP addresses. >
Antioxidant Intake and Risk of Osteoporotic Hip Fracture in Utah: An Effect Modified by Smoking Status

The role of antioxidant intake in osteoporotic hip fracture risk is uncertain and may be modified by smoking. In the Utah Study of Nutrition and Bone Health, a statewide, population-based case-control study, the authors investigated whether antioxidant intake was associated with risk of osteoporotic hip fracture and whether this association was modified by smoking status. The analyses included data on 1,215 male and female cases aged > or = 50 years who incurred a hip fracture during 1997-2001 and 1,349 age- and sex-matched controls. Diet was assessed by food frequency questionnaire. Among ever smokers, participants in the highest quintile of vitamin E intake (vs. the lowest) had a lower risk of hip fracture after adjustment for confounders (odds ratio = 0.29, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.16, 0.52; p-trend < 0.0001). The corresponding odds ratio for beta-carotene intake was 0.39 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.68; p-trend = 0.0004), and for selenium intake it was 0.27 (95% CI: 0.12, 0.58; p-trend = 0.0003). Vitamin C intake did not have a significant graded association with hip fracture risk among ever smokers. Similar findings were obtained when an overall antioxidant intake score was used (odds ratio = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.37; p-trend < 0.0001). No similar associations were found in never smokers. Antioxidant intake was associated with reduced risk of osteoporotic hip fracture in these elderly subjects, and the effect was strongly modified by smoking status.
Nickel oxide hollow microsphere for non-enzyme glucose detection.

A facile strategy has been developed to fabricate nickel oxide hollow microspheres (NiO-HMSs) through a solvothermal method by using a mixed solvent of ethanol and water with the assistance of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Various techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), were used to characterize the morphology and the structure of as-prepared samples. It was confirmed that the products possess a hollow microsphere structure that is constructed by interconnecting porous nanoplate framework. Electrochemical studies indicate that the NiO-HMS exhibits excellent stability and high catalytic activity for electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose in alkaline solutions, which enables the NiO-HMS to be used in enzyme-free amperometric sensors for glucose determination. It was demonstrated that the NiO-HMS-based glucose biosensor offers a variety of merits, such as a wide linear response window for glucose concentrations of 1.67 μM–6.87 mM, short response time (3 s), a lower detection limit of 0.53 μ M( S/N¼3), high sensitivity ( � 2.39 mA mM � 1 cm � 2 )a s well as good stability and repeatability.
A neural network model for information retrieval using latent semantic indexing

In this paper, we incorporate the latent semantic indexing (LSI) technique into a competition-based neural network model for information retrieval. The neural network model was originally developed using a causal inference network that connects the index terms and related documents. The model's retrieval performance was further enhanced by using Roget's thesaurus to relate synonymous index terms. However, in a thesaurus-based information retrieval model, the semantic information embodied is reflected by the terms in its thesauri and the documents stored in its database, and the indexing vocabulary needs to be updated to account for the changes in the domain knowledge it covers. Since the process of merging or updating thesauri is rather expensive, we incorporated the LSI technique into our neural network model, instead of making explicit use of a thesaurus, in an attempt to capture the semantic relationship between the documents and the index terms. Our results show that by incorporating the LSI method, the neural network model generates an appreciable improvement over the thesaurus-based model.
Voltages and electric fields of diffused semiconductor junctions

Equations are developed and graphs are presented, showing a functional relationship between electric field and space-charge widening and also between reverse bias voltage and space-charge widening, for diffused diodes. Planar geometry, with the diffusion made from a constant surface concentration (C 0 ) into material of constant impurity density, is assumed. The voltage vs space-charge width relation is presented graphically for the case of silicon. Graphs for other materials are not included, since they would differ from the silicon graphs only by a constant in the voltage axis. These graphs illustrate that for small reverse voltages the junction may be considered as being essentially linear, while for large reverse voltages it may be considered as an abrupt junction. A graph is provided which may be used to gain a qualitative indication of the electric field distribution within the space-charge region. This graph also gives an indication of the transition of junction behavior from nearly linear to nearly abrupt as the reverse voltage is increased.
Reducing time in an emergency room via a fast-track

Queues at emergency rooms (ER) are prioritized based on the patient's sickness level. As a consequence, patients with low priority frequently have to wait excessively long. At Mercy Hospital, we began to study means by which such time would be reduced, without putting in jeopardy the life of critical patients. As an initial effort, we studied the flow of patients at the Emergency Department (ED) and decided to model it with and without a fast track lane. A simulation study revealed that indeed a fast track lane reduces by almost 25% the time in the system for patients with low priority without negatively affecting the times of patients with higher priority.
The subtle curriculum: What are we really teaching our students?

“Of the many cues that influence behavior, at any point in time none ismore common than the actions of others” (Bandura, 1986, p. 45). In addition, Bandura's theory postulates that the most important learning takes place through behavioral observation. These are not new words or ideas to any nurse educator. However, do we actively keep this important truth in mind on a day-to-day, class-by-class, student-by-student basis? Social learning theory has a long history in nursing education. In truth, I would go so far as to suggest that there is no 20th or 21st century nursing text that does not include aspects of social leaning theory. Although nursing education has a long history of this theory's application to our practice, scholarship, and teaching, I often wonder if we are consistently mindful and respectful of its tenets. Gray and Smith (2000), Kenny, Mann, and MacLeod (2003), and Wiseman (1994) all agree that faculty are the primary role models for students and that role modeling occurs continuously through our actions, our words, our spirit, our emotions, our relationships, and our attitudes. With this said, how many of us would pass the role modeling “quiz”? Ask yourself.
Fault Estimations for Uncertain Linear Discrete-time Systems in Low Frequency Domain

This paper studies the problem of fault estimations for linear time-invariant discrete-time systems with polytopic uncertainties. Generalized Kalman-Yakubovich-Popov (GKYP) lemma is exploited to formulate the fault detection (FD) filter design problem in low frequency domain. The filter is designed to make the error between residual and fault as small as possible. A design method is presented in terms of solutions to a set of linear matrix inequalities(LMIs). A numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Game-like environments for nuclear engineering education using GECK

Computer games have an enormous potential to grab the undivided attention of kids ranging from 13 to 23 years of age. This paper explores a new game engine called Garden of Eden Creation Kit (GECK) to enhance teaching and content retention of some concepts in nuclear reactor engineering. Game engine technology commonly used to develop computer and video games can be used to model and simulate 3-D interactive educational games with the help of custom-made packages and/or using well-known programming language. Specifically, some of the built-in features of the game engine are exploited to boost interactivity. The developed game reported here is aimed at providing supplemental teaching at the freshman level. With this technology, students can “play” and learn some basic concepts in nuclear reactor engineering through these specifically developed interactive and 3-D graphical models and scenarios.
Materials and Device Characteristics of Pseudomorphic AlGaAs-InGaAs-GaAs and AlInAs-InGaAs-InP High Electron Mobility Transistors

High electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with single quantum well active layers composed of pseudomorphic IπGaAs grown on GaAs and InP are establishing new standards of performance for microwave and millimeter wave applications. This is due to recent progress in the molecular beam epitaxial growth of strained InGaAs heterostructures coupled with developments in short gate length (sub%0.2 µm) device fabrication technology. This paper reviews this progress and the current state-of-the-art for materials and devices.
Efficient progressive sampling for association rules

In data mining, sampling has often been suggested as an effective tool to reduce the size of the dataset operated at some cost to accuracy. However this loss to accuracy is often difficult to measure and characterize since the exact nature of the learning curve (accuracy vs. sample size) is parameter and data dependent, i.e., we do not know a priori what sample size is needed to achieve a desired accuracy on a particular dataset for a particular set of parameters. In this article we propose the use of progressive sampling, to determine the required sample size for association rule mining. We first show that a naive application of progressive sampling is not very efficient for association rule mining. We then present a refinement based on equivalence classes, that seems to work extremely well in practice and is able to converge to the desired sample size very quickly and very accurately. An additional novelty of our approach is the definition of a support-sensitive, interactive measure of accuracy across progressive samples.
Urinary excretion of catechin metabolites by human subjects after red wine consumption.

Little is known about flavonoid metabolism and excretion in man. In the present study, the urinary excretion of a major flavonoid in wine, catechin, and its metabolites, were measured after nine human subjects each consumed 120 ml red wine (RW) on one day and de-alcoholized red wine (DRW) on a separate day. Both the RW and DRW contained 120 (SEM 3) mmol catechin (35 mg). GC ‐ MS analyses of the trimethylsilylated derivatives of catechin and 3 0 and 4 0 methylcatechin were performed before and after hydrolysis of conjugates by b-glucuronidase and sulfatase. Baseline urine samples collected prior to wine consumption contained 0:013 (SEM 0:005) mmol catechin and metabolites. During the 8 h period following consumption of RW and DRW, 6: 6( SEM 0:9) and 5: 3( SEM 0:6) mmol catechin and metabolites were excreted in 893 (SEM 94) and 740 (SEM 101) ml urine respectively. This corresponded to 3: 0‐1 0:3 % of the dose after RW and 2: 1‐8 :2 % of the dose after DRW. The amount of catechin and metabolites excreted in urine was 20 % higher after RW compared with DRW (Pa0:06). Catechin in all urine samples was present as metabolites and there were no differences in the proportions of individual metabolites after RW and DRW. As with other flavonoids, the fate of most ingested catechin is not yet known. Wine: Catechin: Catechin metabolites: Urinary excretion: Man