cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Akt proto-oncogene links Ras to Pak and cell survival signals.

The Ras oncogene regulates cellular proliferation, differentiation, transformation, and survival through multiple downstream signals. Ras signals through its effector phosphoinositide 3 (PI3) kinase to the Pak protein kinase (p65 pak), but the steps from Ras to Pak remain to be elucidated. PI3 kinase can stimulate the small G protein, Rac, a direct activator of Pak, as well as the Akt proto-oncogene, a serine-threonine protein kinase. We found that activated Akt stimulated Pak, whereas a dominant negative Akt inhibited Ras activation of Pak in transfection assays. Akt stimulation of Pak was not inhibited by dominant negative mutants of either Rac or Cdc42 suggesting that Akt activated Pak through a GTPase-independent mechanism. We also developed a novel cell-free system to study Ras activation of Pak. In this system Ras activated Pak only in the presence of a crude cell extract but failed to activate Pak when Akt was immunodepleted from the extract. Akt protects cells from apoptosis through phosphorylation of downstream targets such as the Bcl-2 family member, Bad. We found that activated Pak decreased apoptosis and increased phosphorylation of Bad, whereas dominant negative Pak increased apoptosis and decreased phosphorylation of Bad. These studies define a new oncogene-mediated cell survival signal.
Translationally activated dissociative chemisorption of SiH4 on the Si(100) and Si(111) surfaces

Abstract The reaction of SiH4 on clean Si(100) and Si(111) has been investigated employing supersonic molecular beam scattering techniques. The probability of dissociative adsorption, SR, of SiH4 on both surfaces depends strongly on incident kinetic energy, increasing nearly exponentially with increasing energy. On clean Si(100), SR exhibits a weak dependence on substrate temperature, Ts. On clean Si(111), however, a distinct increase in SR is evident at Ts > 800°C; this increase corresponds well to the (7 × 7) ⇐ (1 × 1) phase transition known to occur on this surface. Examination of the reaction of SiD4 reveals a modest kinetic isotope effect, suggesting tunneling is not involved in this gas-surface reaction.
Antidepressant medication use and restless legs syndrome in patients presenting with insomnia.

Abstract Background and purpose Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a movement disorder that frequently results in significant complaints of insomnia. Based on published case reports, it is commonly believed that RLS can be caused or exacerbated by antidepressant agents, thus complicating the treatment of depressed patients who are already prone to sleep disturbances. However, there are no systematic studies demonstrating an association between the clinical diagnosis of RLS and the use of antidepressant medication. Patients and methods Retrospective chart review of 200 consecutive patients presenting for evaluation of sleep initiation insomnia at an accredited freestanding sleep disorders center that is part of an integrated health care system. Results Mean age (±SD) of patients was 51.1±14.8 years; 60% were women. Fifty-six percent carried a diagnosis of depression, 38% were being treated with antidepressant medication at presentation and 45% met clinical diagnostic criteria for RLS. There were no statistical associations, either by χ 2 analysis or odds ratios, between RLS and antidepressant use or use of any specific class of antidepressant. Positive associations with RLS were found for patients receiving treatment for hypothyroidism and those taking estrogens; a significant negative association was found for patients receiving beta adrenergic antagonists. Conclusions Although there are anecdotal reports of antidepressant use causing or exacerbating RLS, systematic study of this issue fails to corroborate an association.
Pulmonary lymph node charting in normal dogs with blue dye and scintigraphic lymphatic mapping.

The prognosis of dogs with primary lung tumors and lymph node metastasis is poorer than of dogs without metastasis. Biopsy of intrathoracic lymph nodes is recommended, but without specific guidelines. This study investigated incorporation of a human lymph node classification in normal dogs with intercostal thoracotomies. Methylene blue and technetium-99m sulfur colloid lobar injections were used for enhanced nodal identification. Descriptive comparisons were made for lymph node resections utilizing both veterinary and human anatomic lymph node charts. Amedian of 2 (range 1–4) lymph nodes were removed per hemithorax in vivo versus a median 6.5 (range 2–8) lymph nodes removed ex vivo from each hemithorax following in vivo dissections. Incorporation of a human thoracic lymph node classification system may be useful for future clinical application in dogs. Future use of either methylene blue or technetium for canine thoracic lymphadenectomy needs to be evaluated further.
The numerical solution of boundary‐layer problems

A new method for numerical solution of boundary-layer problems has greater applicability as well as greater speed and accuracy than the several previously proposed methods. The method uses the Goertler-transformed equations and a nonlinear finite-difference procedure. In most earlier work on difference methods the equations have been linearized at each step parallel to the boundary. The method of treatment of the boundary conditions on the equation of change for energy or mass transfer is shown to have an important influence on accuracy, and a new, more accurate method of treating boundary conditions involving the normal derivative is presented. Typical complete solutions are compared with the several methods. The solutions include both similar and more general flows up to separation, as well as coupling between the momentum and energy-balance equations.
The effect of indomethacin on acute radiation induced gastrointestinal injury: a morphologic study.

Radiation induced intestinal injury is a dose limiting factor in the treatment of pelvic, abdominal, and retroperitoneal malignancies with radiation therapy. In experimental models, radiation has been associated with increased intestinal prostaglandin activity and in clinical trials prostaglandin inhibitors have been demonstrated to improve the symptoms of acute radiation enteritis. This study was conducted to determine if the prostaglandin inhibitor indomethacin could prevent the morphologic changes of acute radiation induced intestinal injury. Twenty-four male rats received either parenteral indomethacin at doses of 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg per dose every 12 hours or saline from 24 hours pre-radiation exposure until sacrifice 48 hours later. Twenty-four control animals received identical drug dosages and anesthesia but no radiation. Radiation produced a decreased villus/crypt ratio and increased acute inflammation and degeneration. Indomethacin treated animals demonstrated significantly less polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration and decreased degeneration. Villus/crypt ratio was not affected by indomethacin. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Niemann-Pick disease type C. From bench to bedside.

SELECTED CASES Patient 1 A full-term girl was born after normal pregnancy and delivery. Starting in the first few days of life, she developed prolonged neonatal jaundice with hepatosplenomegaly. Total bilirubin level was 92 μmol/L (5.4 mg/dL) at 10 weeks of age. The direct fraction was 52 μmol/L (2.9 mg/dL). By 10 months of age, the jaundice resolved. Because of persistent organomegaly, a liver biopsy was performed that showed cirrhosis with clusters of foam cells containing periodic acid—Schiff—positive material. Electron microscopy revealed amorphous laminated lysosomal inclusions in hepatocytes and in Kupffer cells. Subsequently, her spleen remained moderately enlarged and her liver was mildly enlarged with normal function. By 2 years of age, she was noted to have paresis of voluntary upgaze saccades (vertical supranuclear gaze palsy) and dystonic posture of both feet. When examined at 3 years of age at the National Institutes of Health, she had normal head circumference
Beta 8 integrins mediate interactions of chick sensory neurons with laminin-1, collagen IV, and fibronectin.

Abstract Integrins are major receptors used by cells to interact with extracellular matrices. In this paper, we identify the first ligands for the beta 8 family of integrins, presenting evidence that integrin heterodimers containing the beta 8 subunit mediate interactions of chick sensory neurons with laminin-1, collagen IV, and fibronectin. A polyclonal antibody, anti-beta 8-Ex, was prepared to a bacterial fusion protein expressing an extracellular portion of the chicken beta 8 subunit. In nonreducing conditions, this antibody immunoprecipitated from surface-labeled embryonic dorsal root ganglia neurons a M(r) 100 k protein, the expected M(r) of the beta 8 subunit, and putative alpha subunit(s) of M(r) 120 k. Affinity-purified anti-beta 8-Ex strongly inhibited sensory neurite outgrowth on laminin-1, collagen IV, and fibronectin-coated substrata. Binding sites were identified in a heat-resistant domain in laminin-1 and in the carboxyl terminal, 40-kDa fibronectin fragment. On substrates coated with the carboxyl terminal fragment of fibronectin, antibodies to beta 1 and beta 8 were only partially effective alone, but were completely effective in combination, at inhibiting neurite outgrowth. Results thus indicate that the integrin beta 8 subunit in association with one or more alpha subunits forms an important set of extracellular matrix receptors on sensory neurons.
Macromolecular hypertension: hypertensive cardiovascular disease from subcutaneously administered polyvinyl alcohol.

Nach subkutaner Injektion von Polyvinylalkohollosung entwickeln Ratten innerhalb eines Monats arteriellen Hochdruck. Gleichzeitig beobachtet man Vergrosserung von Leber, Milz, Herz und Nieren, sowie Thymusatrophie, jedoch keine Nebennierenvergrosserung. Es wird daher vermutet, dass diese Hypertonie, ahnlich der durch Methylcellulose hervorgerufenen, eine Folge von gestorter intraglomerularer Durchblutung ist.
Micronization of insulin from halogenated alcohol solution using supercritical carbon dioxide as an antisolvent

Insulin was precipitated from solution in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) as an antisolvent. Biosynthetic human insulin crystals were dissolved in HFIP and the solution was sprayed through an ultrasonic nozzle into supercritical CO2. The factors in the 2(3) factorial experimental design with a center point replicate included pressure (83.7 and 97.5 bar), solution concentration (15 and 30 mg/mL), and solution flow rate (2 and 4 mL/min). Temperature (37 degrees C), CO2 mass flow rate (137 g/min), and volume of solution sprayed (20 mL) were held constant. High-performance liquid chromatography, circular dichroism spectroscopy, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, dry powder size distribution analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and atomic absorption spectroscopy were used to characterize the processed insulin powder. The processed insulin retained its potency, was slightly degraded chemically, and exhibited reversible structural changes. The precipitated powder consisted of physical aggregates of 50-nm spheres. Through deagglomeration of these aggregates, it may be possible to obtain discrete uniform particles (1-5 microm) suitable for pulmonary therapy. Over the ranges of operating variables studied, the factors chosen for the experimental design had little effect on the product characteristics.
Epistemological Frameworks, Homosexuality, and Religion: How People of Faith Understand the Intersection between Homosexuality and Religion

Some gay men, lesbians, and other progressives view orthodox religious believers as perpetrators of oppression. Conversely, many orthodox believers, or as they might self-identity, people of faith, believe that gay men, lesbians, and other progressives wish to marginalize people of faith. Using Hunter's epistemologically based distinction between progressive and orthodox worldviews to understand the differences in perceptions, this article explores how numerous people of faith understand reality as it intersects the issue of homosexuality, both in the wider culture and in social work. The author suggests that to provide effective services to an increasingly diverse society and to remain grounded in the Code of Ethics, social work must work toward a more inclusive profession that accepts both progressives and people of faith.
SU-FF-T-12: A Fluence-Based Algorithm for MU Calculation of Proton Beams

Purpose: We have developed an empirical algorithm to calculate patient specific monitor unit (MU) for megavoltage proton beams. Method and Materials: The algorithm is based on a well‐established formula for proton output calculation.1 It adds additional data for a broad ranges of SSD, depth, off‐axis, snout size, and especially field size defined by the cutout. Pristine percentage depth doses (PDD) of proton beams are used to determine the SOBP PDD using the beam modulation wheel input file. This algorithm adopts the concept of proton head‐scatter factor, Hp(s,r,f), to characterize the proton fluence variation with source‐to‐detector distance (f), snout size (s), and radius of circular cutout (r), which is attributed to the proton scattering in the cyclotron nozzle, snout, and Copper inserts. Results: A new quantity PSF(r) as functions of equivalent beam radius r and depth d, are introduced to account for proton phantom scattering in a water phantom per unit incident fluence. PSF is measured as BF(r)/H(r), where BF is blocking factor measured as the ratio of dose measured in water at reference depth between a circular field with radius r and an open field, and Hp is the ratio of doses measured in air (without any buildup) using a diode detector for the same conditions. Equivalent radius for an arbitrary field can be calculated using a sector‐integration of PSF(r). PSF is independent of the snout size. Conclusion: This algorithm is ideally suitable for calculating patients‐pecific MU for Monte‐Carlo or pencil‐beam based treatment planning system for protons.
Growth in the larval zebrafish pectoral fin and trunk musculature

After initial patterning, muscle in the trunk and fins of teleosts grows extensively. Here, we describe muscle growth in zebrafish, with emphasis on the pectoral fin musculature. In the trunk, slow muscle fibers differentiate first. In contrast, slow muscle does not appear in the pectoral fin until the beginning of the juvenile period. Mosaic hyperplasia contributes to trunk muscle growth, and new fibers are apparent within the muscle as early as 6 mm standard length. In the pectoral fin muscle, mosaic hyperplasia is not evident at any examined stage. Instead, the predominant mode of hyperplasia is stratified. In larval pectoral fin muscle new fibers appear subjacent to the skin, and this correlates with the expression of myogenic genes such as muscle regulatory factors and Pax7. Our results suggest that regulation of fiber type development and muscle growth may differ in the pectoral fin and trunk.
Influence of aortic constriction on the positive free-water clearance of primate hemorrhagic shock.

SummaryPositive free-water clearance, signifying production of hypotonic urine, is commonly observed in well-hydrated owl monkeys following transfusion of shed blood after prolonged hemorrhagic hypotension. This investigation has examined the nature of this derangement of the urinary concentrating mechanism by experimental reduction of glomerular filtration rate by partial aortic constriction during this phase of experimental shock, and in turn, diminution of solute and water load to the nephron. When the resulting reduced volume was delivered to the final concentrating segment, removal of only a small portion of the residual volume was necessary for the elaboration of a urine of higher solute concentration, approaching that of plasma, so that U/Posm which was well below 1.0 immediately after transfusion was restored close to unity.
Central nervous system excitatory effects of meperidine in cancer patients

The analgesic meperidine has been reported to produce signs of central nervous system excitation in human beings. To determine the relationship between signs and symptoms of central nervous system excitation and plasma levels of meperidine and normeperidine, we studied 67 patients receiving meperidine for the relief of postoperative or chronic pain. In 48 patients, excitatory effects ranging from mild nervousness to tremors, twitches, multifocal myoclonus, and seizures were directly correlated with accumulation of normeperidine in plasma. Evidence of compromised renal function occurred in only 14 of the 48 symptomatic patients, suggesting that renal dysfunction may contribute to but is not the sole factor in the accumulation of normeperidine or its relation to adverse neurological signs. In a second study we surveyed mood alterations in 47 patients receiving meperidine and 29 receiving other narcotic analgesics for postoperative pain. The repeated administration of meperidine was associated with adverse alterations in various elements of mood (e.g., apprehension, sadness, restlessness).
Selection and characterization of aluminum-resistant variants from tomato cell cultures

Abstract Aluminum-resistant variants were obtained from cultured tomato cells by challenging callus and plated suspension cultures with 200 μM aluminum for several months. The frequencies of occurrence of the variants are estimated at 2.03 × 10 −7 per cell in callus and 8.32 × 10 −6 in suspension cultures, and are in agreement with those reported for spontaneous mutation. The variants generally grew vigorously in the presence of aluminum, although not as well as they did in the absence of aluminum. Although several variants lost some of their tolerance in the absence of aluminum, for the most part they were stable. All variants analyzed took up aluminum to the same extent as did the control. High levels of polyploidy were detected in the cell cultures. The behavior of the resistant variants suggests that they are the result of mutation, but the possibility, of an epigenetic basis for the resistance cannot be ruled out.
Interinstitutional study to compare the effectiveness of a radiology-anatomy module of instruction

Rationale and Objectives. The purpose of this study was to validate the effectiveness of a proven radiology-anatomy instructional module during 1st-year gross anatomy courses at Emory University College of Medicine and the University of Iowa College of Medicine. Materials and Methods. This prospective study involved 108 Emory students and 177 Iowa students. The instructional content was the same at both institutions. Each student was randomly assigned into one of three groups at each institution, and each group received a unique, randomized, five-item pretest. All students were posttested as part of their gross anatomy laboratory examination, and the posttests consisted of all 15 items used in the three five-item pretests. Results. No statistically significant pretest effects were demonstrated by t tests. Posttest performances across items ranged from 73% to 96% correct for Emory students and 67% to 98% for Iowa students. Performance levels on the posttests were significantly higher than on pretests, and few significant differences were found in the performance of the two populations. Conclusion. The radiology-anatomy instructional module integrated into the gross anatomy courses for 1st-year Emory University and University of Iowa students was not instructor or institution dependent.
Bioactivity of orally administered unnatural isomers, [6R]-5-formyltetrahydrofolate and [6S]-5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate, in humans.

Abstract It has been assumed that humans cannot utilize 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolates with the unnatural configuration at carbon 6, since these folates are enzymatically and microbiologically inactive. We hypothesized that orally administered unnatural [6 R ]-5-formyltetrahydrofolate or [6 S ]-5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate is bioactive in humans. Subjects were given independent oral doses of these unnatural folates and of a natural [6 S ]-5-formyltetrahydrofolate. Plasma, before and after the dose for 4 h, and 2 h urine were collected. Areas under the curve for the change in plasma folate concentrations were measured microbiologically and urinary folates were measured using HPLC. Based on findings of plasma and urinary folates, the unnatural folates were estimated to be 14–50% active as compared to [6 S ]-5-formyltetrahydrofolate. The major plasma and urinary folate was [6 S ]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate in all experiments. In urine, a [6 S ]-5-formyltetrahydrofolate peak was observed only after a [6 S ]-5-HCO-H 4 folate dose and peaks of unnatural [6 S ]-10-formyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate were identified after a [6 R ]-5-formyltetrahydrofolate dose. A possible pathway that explains our findings is discussed. This pathway includes the oxidation of the unnatural [6 S ]-10-formyltetrahydrofolate to 10-formyl-7,8-dihydrofolate which can be further metabolized by 5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide-ribotide transformylase producing dihydrofolate. Dihydrofolate can then be metabolized to [6 S ]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate by well-established metabolism.
Topological and Geometric Properties of Interval Solid Models

A solid is a connected orientable compact subset of R3 which is a 3-manifold with boundary. Moreover, its boundary consists of finitely many components, each of which is a subset of the union of finitely many almost smooth surfaces. Motivated by numerical robustness issues, we consider a finite collection of boxes, with faces parallel to the coordinate planes, which covers the boundary of the solid itself. An interval solid is the union of this collection and the solid. In this paper we develop sufficient conditions on the collection of the boxes and a 3-manifold, so that the union of the collection and the manifold is homeomorphic to the manifold itself. Finally, we outline an approach for constructing an interval solid, using interval arithmetic, homeomorphic to the solid.
Cultural Meaning and Contrastive Rhetoric in English Education

The focus of this paper is on one aspect of the relationship between language and culture, that of cultural meaning and rhetorical style in writing across traditions of literacy. The paper adopts the approach of ‘socially realistic linguistics’ (Labov, 1972: xiii) and questions the assumptions of contrastive rhetoric in the context of English education around the world. It proposes a methodology of contrastive rhetorical research, based on Halliday’s notion of ‘meaning potential’ (Halliday, 1978), which takes into account the evidence provided by research on writing in the Inner Circle, language socialization, traditions of literacy, and writing in the multilingual and multicultural context of the Outer Circle (B. Kachru, 1985). Finally, it points out the educational implications of the suggested approach to contrastive rhetoric for enriching the writing experience of all users of English, whether they come from the Inner, Outer, or Expanding Circle of English.
One-Pot Synthesis of Polyrotaxanes via Acyclic Diene Metathesis Polymerization of Supramolecular Monomers

A one-pot synthesis of polyrotaxanes has been developed. The method employs a supramolecular monomer comprising a polymerizable ammonium salt and crown ether, in combination with dynamic ADMet polymerization. Ultimately, highly efficient complexation, polymerization, and end-capping were accomplished in a single operation to yield polyrotaxanes with Mw up to 19.3 kDa and >80% of the repeat units being complexed.
Effects of Payload Motions on the Nutational Stability of the Galileo Spacecraft

In the presence of spacecraft nutation, tracking of an inertially fixed target by the Galileo scan platform requires the use of two control loops to move the scan platform and the stator in such a way as to compensate for spacecraft motion. The effect of these control loops on spacecraft nutational stability is examined using an eigenvalue analysis approach as well as several computer analysis packages. It was found that the actions of these control loops tend to drive nutation to the point of neutralizing, and even overpowering, the damping actions of the spacecraft nutation damper for pointing directions close to the spacecraft's spin axis. Stable and unstable zones are mapped out for two sets of spacecraft mass properties and contributions of rotor asymmetry and stator flexibility are discussed.
Correlations between endocrine gland ultrastructure and hormone titers in the fifth larval instar of Manduca sexta

Abstract Correlations were made between endocrine gland ultrastructure and circulating hormone titers of Manduca sexta to investigate the mechanisms of hormone biosynthesis and secretion. Both the prothoracic glands (PTG), which secrete ecdysone, and the corpora allata (CA), which secrete juvenile hormone (JH), were studied. In the prothoracic glands, the intracellular spaces increase in area and reach their maximum size following the major ecdysteroid peak in the fourth and fifth larval instars. Within the intercellular spaces are multivesicular sacs (MVS), structures which are clusters of vesicles bounded by another membrane. Since these sacs are larely depleted of their internal vesicles after the second cycle of tropic hormone stimulates the PTG to secrete ecdysone, the MVS probably release a gland cell product at this time. In the CA, concentric whorls of smooth endoplasmic reticulum are present in larval glands, when the JH titer is high, but are absent from pupal CA when the JH titer is low. The peak of JH at Days 6–8 of the fifth larval instar occurs after an increase in seen in the neurosecretory cell axon diameters suggesting that the CA are stimulated by a brain hormone to release JH. The number of Golgi complexes increases in pupal CA and dense bodies are present in pupal but not larval glands. These Golgi complexes may be involved in the manufacture of lysosomal enzymes which degrade JH within the gland itself.
Myth and Contemporary Cinema

ircea Eliade has characterized his approach to the phenomenon of the modern world as a "demystification in reverse." Whereas secular thinkers like Marx attempted to show the profane meaning behind sacred symbols, Eliade has suggested that "we have to demystify the apparently profane worlds and languages of literature, plastic arts, and cinema in order to disclose their 'sacred' elements, although it is, of course, an ignored, camouflaged, or degraded 'sacred'."I This paper is an experiment in applying this method to the film 2001, which was produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on a screenplay by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke. On the surface, this film appeared to be a project in the manner of H. G. Wells' science fiction that extrapolates from technical achievements of the present into an immediate future where the wonders of a technological civilization are fully realized. Thus, Kubrick took great pains to make every detail of his space satellites and spaceships conform to the known laws of physics, astronomy, and space ballistics. However, the work that resulted was surprising in that in and through its display of technological marvels emerged the presence of a quality that can be characterized as mystical or mythic in its tonality and import. In an attempt to specify this quality more exactly, we can point to the plot, obscure and enigmatic in the movie, and made more explicit in Clarke's subsequent novelistic version. The story involves some supra-terrestrial beings who have placed a monolith on earth in the remote historical past, affecting the evolution of man and the development of his mind. Now, in 2001, another monolith placed on the moon motivates the terrestrials to send a spaceship, the Discovery, to Jupiter (in the screenplay) or to Saturn (in the novel). Already the numinous presence of the unknown supra-terrestrial beings and the monoliths functioning like the sacred stones and edifices of archaic religions has evoked a sacred world in the midst of a technological one.2 However, the voyage of the Discovery with its crew of seven members (occupying the major time portion of the movie) reveals a sacred or mythic structure at still another level. It can be argued with some degree of plausibility that this voyage recapitulates the pattern of an initiation rite as found in archaic societies. This suggestion is not unusual in the
Rivaroxaban, an Oral, Direct Factor Xa Inhibitor: A New Option for Thromboprophylaxis

Patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery, including total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA), are at high risk for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). Although largely a preventable complication, VTE develops in a significant proportion of patients, highlighting the need for improved methods of VTE prevention. Current thromboprophylactic options are limited by unpredictable pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (vitamin K antagonists), parenteral/subcutaneous administration (heparin and low-molecular-weight heparins), complicated dosing, and increased risk of bleeding.Rivaroxaban is an oral, direct Factor Xa inhibitor that has recently received marketing authorization in the United States for prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery. The clinical pharmacology of rivaroxaban supports a convenient, oral, once-daily dosing regimen without the need for routine coagulation monitoring after THA or TKA. A comprehensive phase II and III study program supports its safety and efficacy for VTE prevention after THA or TKA. Phase III results have demonstrated the superior efficacy of rivaroxaban regimens compared with enoxaparin regimens, with similar rates of major bleeding. This article provides an overview of the phase II and III results that support the use of this agent for the prevention of VTE after elective total hip or knee replacement.
Third‐order nonlinear optical response in a multilayered phthalocyanine composite

The third‐order nonlinear optical properties of multilayered films containing 23% by weight of an axially modified silicon phthalocyanine derivative have been measured by degenerate four‐wave mixing at 532 nm with 70 ps full width at half maximum pulses. The average χ(3)of the films measured at (1.33±0.15) ×10−11 esu using CS2 as a standard and the cubic hyperpolarizability 〈γ〉 was calculated at (1.97±0.22)×10−32esu. The degenerate four‐wave mixing signal profile indicates that the films have a response time better than 70 ps.
Ethnic Differences in Intention to Enroll in a State Organ Donor Registry and Intention to Talk With Family About Organ Donation

This study compared African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and White Americans on their intentions to enroll in a state organ donor registry and to talk with family about organ donation. The overall results showed that attitudes and subjective norms from the theory of planned behavior were significantly related to intention to enroll whereas perceived behavioral control was not. Attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were significantly related to intention to talk with family. The differences among ethnic groups were small, but the relationship between attitudes and intention to enroll was stronger for Asian Americans and weaker for African Americans than for White Americans. The implications of these and other findings are discussed for organ donation campaigns.
Cariogenic microflora in patients with Hodgkin's disease before and after mantle field radiotherapy

Because mantle field radiotherapy is associated with partial xerostomia in patients with Hodgkin's disease, the purpose of this study was to evaluate their cariogenic microflora before and after completion of radiotherapy. We obtained samples of oral saline solution rinse from 40 patients with Hodgkin's disease before radiotherapy and from 31 patients with Hodgkin's disease who had survived 1 to 24 years after radiotherapy. We also evaluated caries experience and history of fluoride gel use for caries prevention in these patients. Mutans streptococci and lactobacilli levels were significantly higher in the postradiotherapy patients with carious teeth, particularly in those with limited home use of fluoride gels. In the postradiotherapy group, caries parameters were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in the preradiotherapy group. Within the postradiotherapy group, both caries and microbial parameters tended to be higher in patients who were less compliant about using the recommended 0.4% stannous fluoride "brush-in" technique than in those who used the gel regularly at home. This study indicates that for patients with Hodgkin's disease who receive mantle field irradiation during the management of their disease, a sustained brush-in program with stannous fluoride gel can be of benefit for caries prevention and for limitation of oral levels of cariogenic mutans streptococci.
Electron interactions and quantum plasma physics

The ‘quantum electrodynamics’ of the scattering of radiation from a fully ionized, interacting plasma is to be considered.The plasma particle interaction must properly be treated quantum mechanically when the electron plasma wave phonon energies are comparable to or greater than the mean random electron energies and/or when the phonon momenta are of the order of magnitude or greater than the average electron momenta in the plasma.In these two circumstances or either one of them, the plasma particle inter action must be treated in a quantum mechanical manner. The ‘solid-state’ plasma recently discussed by D.E.McCumber is an example of a quantum plasma.Whether a classical or a quantum plasma is considered, the collective properties, as well as the single-particle properties, need to be considered. The collective properties of the plasma become important when it interacts with a radiation field in the case where the electron plasma frequency, ωp, is of the same order of magnitude, or exceeds, the operating radiation frequency ω, i.e. ωp≥ω.A criterion to distinguish the properties of a plasma as to whether it is classical or quantum mechanical in nature can be defined in terms of three fundamental lengths of the electron gas. These definitions hold for a one-component plasma. They are: the classical length βe2, the Debye screening length and the thermal de Broglie wavelength defined as 1/kT. From these three quantities, we can define two dimensionless parameters. They are the classical parameter and the quantum parameter δ=λ/λD which is a measure of the quantum effects. For a quantum plasma δ>1 and in the classical limit (h = 0),δ=0, Λ<1.When we take into account the collective behaviour characterized by the plasma oscillations, screening effects are an automatic aspect of the electron plasma gas.It is hoped that the present review article will provide the background material for general understanding of the field and easy access to the current literature. It is also hoped that the present discussion will establish greater interest in this subject.As an example of a calculation of plasma properties, a calculation of the generalized dielectric constant for both a low-density plasma in the classical limit and a high-density plasma in the quantum mechanical limit is performed and compared in a suitable manner.
Abnormal Psychology as Liberating Art and Science

Abstract Perhaps nowhere in the undergraduate psychology curriculum are students more motivated to learn the content and skills than in abnormal psychology. In this article, I examine the unique learning opportunities provided by abnormal psychology. I identify three contrasting pedagogical approaches for teaching this course and advocate the model that develops broad liberal arts skills in a science context.
The Climate Sensitivity of the Community Climate System Model Version 3 (CCSM3)

Abstract The climate sensitivity of the Community Climate System Model (CCSM) is described in terms of the equilibrium change in surface temperature due to a doubling of carbon dioxide in a slab ocean version of the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) and the transient climate response, which is the surface temperature change at the point of doubling of carbon dioxide in a 1% yr−1 CO2 simulation with the fully coupled CCSM. For a fixed atmospheric horizontal resolution across model versions, we show that the equilibrium sensitivity has monotonically increased across CSM1.4, CCSM2, to CCSM3 from 2.01° to 2.27° to 2.47°C, respectively. The transient climate response for these versions is 1.44° to 1.09° to 1.48°C, respectively. Using climate feedback analysis, it is shown that both clear-sky and cloudy-sky processes have contributed to the changes in transient climate response. The dependence of these sensitivities on horizontal resolution is also explored. The equilibrium sensitivity of the high-resolution (T8...
Managing pollution efforts: how to turn pollution into profits

Discusses the importance of environment as it affects organizations in terms of cost containment, dealing with new regulations or reacting to unexpected problems. Looks at the possibilities of “cashing in” on the public’s concern for the environment and views the environment as a means by which to gain competitive advantage in the 1990s. Proposes that pollution management is more than controlling cost; it can be a revenue generator. Concludes that some managers are “out of touch” and that their employees have a better grasp of reality. Emphasizes again that the potential for environmental profit extends far beyond customer appeal.
The search for millicharged particles at SLAC

Quantization of electric charge has been probed to a high degree of precision using a variety of experimental techniques. However, the theoretical underpinning of charge quantization has yet to be determined, leaving open the possibility that quantization is not a fundamental law of nature, and that free particles with fractional electric charge may one day be encountered. This dissertation describes a search for particles with very small (10{sup -3}e or below) electric charge, carried out at an electron accelerator (SLAC). The particles sought were assumed to be long lived or stable and to participate primarily in electromagnetic interactions. The search relied upon a large (1.3-meter) scintillation counter to detect low levels of ionization generated by relativistic fractionally charged particles produced in the collision of a 29.5-GeV electron beam with a six radiation length tungsten target. The data reveal no evidence of fractional charge, and allow for the exclusion of a portion of charge-mass parameter space spanning roughly 10{sup -7} to 10{sup 2} MeV/c{sup 2} and 10{sup -2} to 10{sup -5} e.
TAXING OPTIONS: DO CEOS RESPOND TO FAVORABLE TAX TREATMENT OF STOCK OPTIONS?

CEO stock option compensation increased tremendously during the 1990s. During this period, the spread between the marginal income and capital gains tax rates increased substantially, creating the potential for tax avoidance. Using ExecuComp data from 1992-2000, we estimate CEOs’ responsiveness to changes in these tax rates. Our findings show that an increase in the marginal income and a decrease in the capital gains tax rate create a significant increase in stock option compensation. Furthermore, the impact of the marginal income tax rate is more than twice that of the capital gains tax rate, which contradicts previous studies.
Note on the derivation of fluctuation formulae for statistical assemblies

1. A familiar device in the study of statistical distributions is to form the moment-generating function where the bar denotes averaging over all values of the statistical variate x . The moments μ r of x are the coefficients of α r / r !, and the derived coefficients in the expansion of K ≡ log M are termed the semi-invariants k r . In particular, and, for the normal (Gaussian) law, we have the simple formula
Real time validation of man-in-the-loop simulations

The objective of this research is to develop a methodology which allows the user to validate the decisions of the man in the loop dynamically in real time by reducing type II errors. Case-based reasoning provides a modeling paradigm for designing a system which can aid in the validation process. This paradigm provides for a mechanism to capture cases that can be used in the validation process. A proof of principle demonstration is being developed that operationally validates the decisions made by a military commander in a high resolution simulation. This demonstration will establish the ability of an expert system to operate in real time and assist in the validation process.
Scale-free characteristics of random networks: the topology of the world-wide web

The world-wide web forms a large directed graph, whose vertices are documents and edges are links pointing from one document to another. Here we demonstrate that despite its apparent random character, the topology of this graph has a number of universal scale-free characteristics. We introduce a model that leads to a scale-free network, capturing in a minimal fashion the self-organization processes governing the world-wide web. c 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 84.35.+i; 64.60.Fr; 87.23.Ge
A comparison of patient visits to osteopathic and allopathic general and family medicine physicians: results from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 2003-2004.

Osteopathic philosophy is consistent with an emphasis on primary care and suggests that osteopathic physicians may have distinctive ways of interacting with their patients. The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) was used to derive national estimates of utilization of osteopathic general and family medicine physicians during 2003 and 2004 and to examine the patient characteristics and physician-patient interactions of these osteopathic physicians. All analyses were performed using complex samples software to appropriately weigh outcomes according to the multistage probability sample design used in NAMCS and multivariate modeling was used to control for potential confounders. When weighted according to the multistage probability sample design used, the 6939 patient visits studied represented an estimated 341.4 million patient visits to general and family medicine specialists in the United States, including 64.9 million (19%) visits to osteopathic physicians and 276.5 million (81%) visits to allopathic physicians. Osteopathic physicians were a major source of care in the Northeast (odds ratio [OR], 2.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.42–6.08), providing more than one-third of general and family medicine patient visits in this geographic region. Pediatric and young adult patients (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.45–0.91), Hispanics (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.40–1.00), and non-Black racial minority groups (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.18–0.82) were less likely to visit osteopathic physicians. There were no significant differences between osteopathic and allopathic physicians with regard to the time spent with patients, provision of five common preventive medicine counseling services, or a focus on preventive care during office visits. Osteopathic physicians are a major source of general and family medicine care in the United States, particularly in the Northeast. However, pediatric and young adult patients, Hispanics, and non-Black racial minorities underutilize osteopathic physicians. There is little evidence to support a distinctive approach to physician-patient interactions among osteopathic physicians in general and family medicine, particularly with regard to time spent with patients and preventive medicine services.
Feasibility of using radar differential Doppler velocity and dual‐frequency ratio for sizing particles in thick ice clouds

[1] Measurements from ground-based collocated Ka- and W-band vertically pointing Doppler radars were used to evaluate the differential Doppler velocity (DDV) approach for retrieving a size parameter of the aggregate particle distributions in ice clouds. This approach was compared to a more traditional method based on the dual-frequency reflectivity ratio (DFR) using case study observations in different clouds. Because of measurement errors and other uncertainties, meaningful DDV-based retrievals were generally available for the size slope parameter interval of 9 cm−1 < Λ < 25 cm−1. The DFR were generally available for particle populations with Λ up to about 45 cm−1. Expected retrieval errors in the Λ interval between 9 cm−1 and 25 cm−1 were about 40% for the DFR-based estimates and about a factor of 2 larger for the DDV method. Errors increase for noisier measurements. Comparisons of the DDV- and DFR- inferred values of Λ when both retrievals were available revealed their general consistency with a relative standard deviation between results being within retrieval uncertainties. While the DFR approach appears to be more accurate, it requires a 0 dB constraint near cloud tops, which mitigates uncertainties in absolute radar calibrations and differing attenuation paths. The DDV approach generally does not require such a constraint if radar beams are perfectly aligned in vertical (which might not be exactly a case during some observations). Given this, DDV measurements may potentially allow ice particle sizing in situations when DFR constraining is not effective or available (e.g., in precipitating clouds and in clouds with substantial amounts of supercooled water).
Synthesis and Characterization of MnO2-Based Mixed Oxides as Supercapacitors

Mn/Pb and Mn/Ni mixed oxide were prepared at ambient temperature by reduction of KMnO4 with Mn, Pb, and Ni salts. This low-temperature approach provides amorphous structure of the active material. The specific capacitance of pure MnO 2 was estimated to be 166 F/g and increased to 210 and 185 F/g for Mn/Ni and Mn/Pb oxides, respectively. The carbon loading was optimized at 20 wt %. Based on a single electrode, the Mn/Ni mixed oxide showed a high rate capability of 3.12 Wh/kg at constant power discharge of 1 kW/kg.
Large-Aperture Polarizers and Retardation Plates for Use in the Far Ultraviolet*

The ultraviolet properties of films that have useful polarizing properties at wavelengths as short as 215 mμ are reported. Large-diameter films may be obtained, and the material is not bleached by intense ultraviolet radiation. The use of stretched polyvinyl alcohol and cleaved mica sheets as retardation plates is reviewed.
Impact of angina frequency on health utility values of patients with chronic stable angina

Chronic angina is a profoundly symptomatic disease. We evaluated the relationship between angina frequency and health utility. We used data from stable angina patients reporting ≥3 attacks/week enrolled in the Efficacy of Ranolazine in Chronic Angina (ERICA) trial. Angina frequency was classified using the Seattle Angina Questionnaire angina frequency (SAQAF) domain into no (100); monthly (61-99); weekly (31-60); and daily (0-30) angina. EuroQol (EQ)-5D health utility scores were derived from SAQ data using two mapping equations. Median EQ-5D utility scores for each SAQAF classification after the 6-week trial period were calculated (reported as: Equation 1/Equation 2). Changes in EQ-5D utility scores from baseline to end-of-trial for patients achieving and not achieving a ≥20-point improvement in SAQAF score and improving and not improving ≥1 SAQAF classification were compared. Median EQ-5D utility scores (n = 548) were 0.68/0.60. Compared to patients reporting no angina symptoms (n = 28; 0.89/0.87) patients reporting monthly (n = 188; 0.80/0.76), weekly (n = 283; 0.72/0.65) and daily (n = 49; 0.65/0.54) symptoms had poorer health utility (p < 0.001 for both equations). Patients improving ≥1SAQAF classification (n = 254/541, 47%) experienced a median 0.05/0.07 greater improvement in EQ-5D health utility compared to those not improving ≥1 classification (p < 0.001 for both equations). Patients improving ≥20-points on the SAQAF (n = 355/541, 66%) experienced a median 0.06/0.07 greater improvement in health utility compared to those not achieving a ≥20-point improvement (p < 0.001 for both). Chronic angina patient health utility decreases as angina frequency increases. Patients reporting clinically important improvement in angina frequency experience a tangible improvement in health utility. NCT00091429