cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intermediary/purveyor organizations for evidence-based interventions in the US child mental health: characteristics and implementation strategies

Many psychosocial interventions are disseminated and supported by organizations, termed “Intermediary/Purveyor Organizations” (IPOs). Because IPOs remain largely unstudied, we lack understanding of their scale and the strategies they utilize. The role and function of organizations that link resource systems with user systems, such as IPOs, have been identified as an important but understudied issue in implementation science. The objectives of this paper are to describe features of IPOs that disseminate evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for child behavioral health and identify the strategies they use to support their implementation. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) listed 119 unique IPOs for the 127 child behavioral health EBIs listed on its website. Data characterizing each organization were drawn from NREPP and GuideStar profiles. From 119 unique IPOs identified, we found contact information for 108. We sent an electronic survey to capture additional organizational information and implementation strategies the IPOs employed in spreading the EBIs; response rate was 50%. Data are presented descriptively and analyzed using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and Latent Class Analysis (LCA). Virtually all identified EBIs had an IPO. IPOs train individuals, organizations, and communities and provide supervision for the use of EBIs. About 20% of IPOs trained at large scale, some training 500–1000+ providers annually. IPOs reported using an average of 32 distinct strategies to implement their EBIs, with most using educational, planning, and quality improvement strategies. However, there was little convergence around strategy helpfulness. The only significant predictor of number of strategies used by an IPO was the NREPP-posted implementation readiness score of the intervention. LCA revealed that IPOs either used several implementation strategies or used very few. Findings add significantly to knowledge about IPO structure, scale, and function. They use numerous and varying implementation strategies but report little consensus in what works. The study advances methods for measuring and characterizing real-world implementation by demonstrating the feasibility of using a common nomenclature, per a published compilation and of LCA for data reduction in characterizing profiles of implementation approaches.
Earth Dead or Alive: The Matter in Synchronicities, and Dinesen’s “Blue Stones” as Paradigmatic Example of Literature’s Reanimating Power

In his effort to establish the existence of the objective psyche, Jung privileges deformed rather than perceived images, a practice that unintentionally devalues the material aspects of synchronicities. Jungians and post-Jungians focusing on the material aspects of synchronicities can help heal what von Franz has identified as an illness. She proposes that as the collective lost its sense of matter and earth as animate, humans became possessed by matter in the form of materialism. This illness is a cause of human irrational degradation of the earth. Reanimating the earth in the collective psyche requires experiencing it as alive. Literature, according to Jung a way the creative unconscious counterbalances a culture’s limitations, is a realm where imaginative experience of the earth as alive can occur. Isak Dinesen’s “Blue Stones” is a paradigmatic example of this reanimating power.
EPID-27. OCCURRENCE OF SYSTEMIC CANCER IN PATIENTS WITH ASTROCYTOMA: POPULATION CHARACTERIZATION AND COMPLICATIONS

It is unclear how the diagnosis of a second cancer influences the treatment and complications of patients with astrocytoma. A chart review of patients with astrocytoma and a second systemic cancer was performed to understand the possible complications that a systemic cancer diagnosis might bring to the treatment of the patient. Inclusion criteria was the histological diagnosis of diffuse or anaplastic astrocytoma and another non-skin systemic cancer. Exclusion criteria was the diagnosis of any genetic syndrome that predisposes tumorigenesis. A total of 17 patients were identified. The most common systemic cancer was thyroid (22) followed by colon and breast cancer (each one 17%). Men were 59% of the patients (p= 0.38), but older (60 +14 years, p=0.003) when compared to CBTRUS data. Systemic cancer was diagnosed before astrocytoma in 61% of the cases. Age at the diagnosis of systemic cancer was 48 +14 years. Only 9% of the patients who had systemic cancer before astrocytomas survived 5 years, what is less than expected when compared with literature, (p=0.02). Those also survived less than the patients that had systemic cancer after the diagnosis of astrocytomas (8.1+6.4 years). Thromboembolism was seen in 12.5% (p=0.8), always after the astrocytoma diagnosis. Thrombocytopenia was not related to prior chemotherapy. In patients with systemic cancer diagnosed while on treatment for astrocytoma, a delay or shortened course of the treatment was seen in rare cases, and one patient had their course of treatment for astrocytoma shortened. The conclusion of this chart review of patients with the diagnosis of astrocytoma and a systemic cancer identifies that this population is older than expected and the diagnosis of systemic cancer before astrocytoma might predict a shorter survival.
Distinct Risk Profiles in Social Anxiety Disorder

Using a factor mixture model (FMM) approach, we examined whether social anxiety disorder (SAD) could be subtyped by distinct risk profiles and whether these subtypes predicted different manifestati...
From selection to registration, and beyond: supporting the student diagnostic radiographer in becoming a compassionate professional.

The National Health Service (NHS) Constitution aims to safeguard the underpinning principles and values of the NHS. Whilst employers are obligated to recruit staff whose values and behaviours align with those of the Constitution, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are also expected to select students who demonstrate an understanding of those values and behaviours and potential to use them with their working practices. From the point of selection, HEIs assume a pivotal role in promoting and embedding those values and behaviours into curricula, and thus supporting individuals in the transition from student to professional. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how values-based practice has been embedded in undergraduate radiography education at our HEI. It describes how the HEI utilises values-based recruitment and selection processes, and explores the strategies employed to develop that foundation prior to entering practice placement. Key issues will be discussed including the importance of acknowledging and valuing the early experiences of students prior to being socialised into the established culture of the diagnostic imaging department The role of the lecturer in supporting the transition from student to compassionate professional cannot be underestimated. This is multi-faceted and acting as a professional role model to students is an essential part of this whilst helping students to develop their own professional development throughout the course.
Race/ethnicity in systemic AL amyloidosis: perspectives on disease and outcome disparities.

In marked contrast to multiple myeloma, racial/ethnic minorities are underrepresented in publications of systemic light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. The impact of race/ethnicity is therefore lacking in the narrative of this disease. To address this gap, we compared disease characteristics, treatments, and outcomes across racial/ethnic groups in a referred cohort of patients with AL amyloidosis from 1990 to 2020. Among 2416 patients, 14% were minorities. Non-Hispanic Blacks (NHBs) comprised 8% and had higher-risk sociodemographic factors. Hispanics comprised 4% and presented with disproportionately more BU stage IIIb cardiac involvement (27% vs. 4–17%). At onset, minority groups were younger in age by 4–6 years. There was indication of more aggressive disease phenotype among NHBs with higher prevalence of difference between involved and uninvolved free light chains >180 mg/L (39% vs. 22–33%, P = 0.044). Receipt of stem cell transplantation was 30% lower in Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic White (NHWs) on account of sociodemographic and physiologic factors. Although the age/sex-adjusted hazard for death among NHBs was 24% higher relative to NHWs (P = 0.020), race/ethnicity itself did not impact survival after controlling for disease severity and treatment variables. These findings highlight the complexities of racial/ethnic disparities in AL amyloidosis. Directed efforts by providers and advocacy groups are needed to expand access to testing and effective treatments within underprivileged communities.
Almost global wellposedness of the 2-D full water wave problem

We consider the problem of global in time existence and uniqueness of solutions of the 2-D infinite depth full water wave equation. It is known that this equation has a solution for a time period [0,T/e] for initial data of the form e Ψ, where T depends only on Ψ. In this paper, we show that for such data there exists a unique solution for a time period [0,e T/e ]. This is achieved by better understandings of the nature of the nonlinearity of the full water wave equation.
Maladaptive Consumer Behaviors and Marketing Responses in a Pandemic

The COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic has upended consumers’ day-to-day lives and abruptly halted the operations of many businesses of all sizes. In the face of these challenges, how should marketers respond? Although pundits have suggested a uniform marketing approach in addressing and appealing to consumers during the pandemic, such a universal approach contradicts market segmentation wisdom. To better utilize sound marketing practices, marketers require a clear means of segmenting consumers during global crises. In response to this unfulfilled need, this study builds on the theoretical framework of the Extended Parallel Process Model, or EPPM (Witte 1991, 1992a, b, 1994), and identifies two distinct segments of consumers—labeled as Rejectionists and Survivalists—who have responded to the pandemic in differing maladaptive ways. In this work, each segment is described in detail and validated with cluster analysis, and suggestions are given to marketers for engaging with and promoting to each segment. These market segments are the first to be developed to assist marketers in identifying appropriate engagement and promotional strategies in a national crisis.
High Prevalence of Neural Tube Defects in a Rural Hispanic Population: Call to Action

BACKGROUND: Folic acid supplementation, typically as a prenatal vitamin in addition to a diet, has shown to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs). However, because of ethnic disparities in the United States (US), that are based on diet, biological and social factors, NTDs are more common in Hispanic populations. In this study, we reviewed our experience at a rural clinic with a substantial Hispanic population and determined the prevalence of NTDs. METHODS: Our Institution Review Board approved this study. We reviewed prenatal visits from …
Existence of Effective Media Properties for Clouds of Metallic and Magnetic Particles

This paper presents a model for mean field electromagnetic propagation through a volume of metallic and magnetic spheres. Particles are assumed to be randomly distributed throughout the medium, and electrically small. Mean field is calculated by coherently averaging the field scattered by many configurations of this random medium enclosed within a container sphere. Fields scattered by individual configurations of the scattered field are calculated using the Method of Moments. Mean field is then compared to the field scattered by a homogeneous, magneto-dielectric sphere the size of the container to determine the effective medium that represents mean field propagation in this random medium. Medium parameters are compared to predictions given by a mixing formula.
Use of Maribavir and Letermovir for Ganciclovir-Resistant Cytomegalovirus Infection in Lung Transplant Recipients

Introduction Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant recipients. Ganciclovir-resistant (gan-R) CMV is an emerging concern associated with potent immunosuppression and increased durations of antiviral exposure. Limited data exists regarding efficacy of maribavir and letermovir for treatment and secondary prophylaxis in resistant CMV. Case Report We report a series of 3 lung transplant recipients with gan-R CMV infection treated with maribavir or letermovir between June 1, 2015 and June 1, 2020. Maribavir and letermovir were initiated as monotherapy for CMV treatment in 3 and 1 patients, respectively, with maribavir dosing per institutional study protocol. Patient A was transitioned to letermovir prophylaxis following maribavir treatment. Patient C was transferred to an outside hospital for CMV T-cell therapy and was not discharged on antiviral prophylaxis. Both maribavir and letermovir were well-tolerated by patients. Summary Maribavir 200 mg twice daily resulted in CMV viral suppression in one patient. Patients B and C received much shorter durations of maribavir treatment, which may have been associated with delayed quantitative viral reduction as described in the literature, and subsequent transition to alternative therapy. Further research is needed to evaluate the impact of salvage therapy with maribavir or letermovir on patient outcomes.
Breast Implants: A Historical Review With Implications for Diagnosis and Modern Surgical Planning.

ABSTRACT Modern breast surgery was first introduced in the United States in 1962 with the use of silicone gel-filled breast implants. Over the past 6 decades, development of breast implants has been challenged by a variety of influencers including aesthetic appeal in shape, texture, and material; challenges in managing outcomes such as contracture, disease, and rupture; and public perception of risks associated with implants. In 1992, silicone breast prostheses were banned by the US Food and Drug Administration with exception for use in breast reconstruction, congenital deformities, or to replace existing implants.The ban led to heightened concerns about implants and possible disease manifestations. Knowledge of the historical evolution of breast prostheses is useful for understanding the associated risks and outcomes unique to each breast implant era. This article aimed to explore characteristics of breast implants by generation, with implications for diagnosis and assistance to modern surgical planning for novice plastic surgeons.
Werkstoffliche und schmierungstechnische Optimierung des Reibsystems Kolbenring-Zylinderbuchse von Großdieselmotoren einschließlich Zylinderbuchsen-Rekonditionierung

Grosdieselmotore haben wegen ihres hohen Wirkungsgrades und der Fahigkeit, mit Kraftstoffen sehr schlechter Qualitat betrieben werden zu konnen, eine dominierende Stellung im Schiffsantriebssektor und auch bei stationaren Energieerzeugungsanlagen. Sie verwenden Ruckstandskraftstoffe schlechtester Qualitat und werden aus wirtschaftlichen Grunden mit hohen Zunddrucken betrieben. Beides fuhrt zum einen zu hohem Verschleis an den heute ublicherweise eingesetzten unbeschichteten Zylinderbuchsenmaterialien und an den Kolbenringen, die vor allem auch den Olverbrauch steuern sollen und zum anderen zu einer hoheren Schmierolbelastung einschlieslich Belastung durch schwefelige Saure.
Ischemic Preconditioning Protects Adult Rat Cardiomyocytes Against Necrosis but not Apoptosis, via Activation of PKG

Ischemic Preconditioning Protects Adult Rat Cardiomyocytes Against Necrosis but not Apoptosis, via Activation of PKG By Marc Caligtan, B.S. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Physiology at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005 Major Director: Rakesh C. Kukreja, Ph.D Professor of Internal Medicine, Physiology and Emergency Medicine The role of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) dependent protein kinase (PKG) in necrotic and apoptotic pathways of many cell types is well established; however its role in the ischemic preconditioning (IPC) of cardiomyocytes is not clearly defined. In the current study, we assessed the hypothesis that PKG protects against cell death following ischemidreperfusion injury in myocytes subjected to IPC. Freshly isolated adult rat ventricular myocytes were subjected to IPC by incubating in ischemic buffer for 30 minutes (min) followed by incubation in normal medium for 30 min. Prolonged simulated ischemia (SI) was created by incubating myocytes in the ischemic buffer for 90 min and reoxygenation (RO) for 120 min in the normal medium. Necrosis was determined by trypan blue exclusion and apoptosis was
Modeling multi-criteria objective functions using fuzzy measures

Use of measures to express decision maker's objective function.Role of integral to evaluate an alternative's overall satisfaction to objective function.Look at a number of special types of measure based decision objective functions.Measure representation of logically expressed combinations of criteria.Study quasi-additive and quasi-maxitive measures. We introduce the idea of a measure. We describe several important finite integrals useful for obtaining an average value of a collection of argument values weighted by a measure. We particularly look at the case of binary measures and show that all integrals in this case evaluate to the same value. We describe the use of measures in multi-criteria decision making as a way of expressing a decision maker's objective function in terms of collection of relevant criteria. We look at the role of an integral as a way to evaluate an alternative's overall satisfaction to their objective function in terms of its satisfaction to the individual criteria. We look at a number of special types of measure based decision objective functions.
Intranuclear Binding of 17β-Estradiol and Estrone in Female Ovine Pituitaries following Incubation with Estrone Sulfate

Abstract The metabolism of [3H]estrone sulfate as well as the intranuclear binding of estrone sulfate and its metabolites, estrone and estradiol, was studied in tissue minces of anterior pituitary, hypothalamus, and cerebral cortex of female sheep. Estrone sulfate was converted to unconjugated estrogens to approximately the same degree in all three tissues. Nuclei were prepared by sucrose density gradient plus Triton X-100 treatment. Following incubation of tissue minces with [3H]estrone sulfate, no [3H]estrone sulfate was found associated with nuclei. Only in anterior pituitary was specific intranuclear association of estrone or estradiol demonstrated. Ovariectomy resulted in large increases in the intranuclear association of both these estrogens in anterior pituitary. On the basis of 0.6 m KCl extraction of purified nuclei from the three tissues and subjection of the extracts to gel filtration on Sephadex G-25, steroid-macromolecular complexes could be demonstrated only in anterior pituitary. Analysis of these complexes indicated that 70% of the radioactivity associated with the nuclear macromolecular receptor complexes was estradiol and 30% estrone.
A network model of motion processing in area MT of primates.

A simple and biologically plausible model is proposed to simulatethe visual motion processing taking place in the middle temporal (MT) areaof the visual cortex in the primate brain. The model is ahierarchical neural network composed of multiple competitive learninglayers. The input layer of the network simulates the neurons in the primaryvisual cortex (V1), which are sensitive to the orientation and motionvelocity of the visual stimuli, and the middle and output layers of thenetwork simulate the component MT and pattern MT neurons, which areselectively responsive to local and global motions, respectively. Thenetwork model was tested with various simulated motion patterns (random dotsof different direction correlations, transparent motion, grating and plaidpatterns, and so on). The response properties of the model closely resemblemany of the known features of the MT neurons found neurophysiologically.These results show that the sophisticated response behaviors of the MTneurons can emerge naturally from some very simple models, such as acompetitive learning network.
Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Styrene Macromers

Four polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) macromers, R7Si8O12styrene (R=isobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, or phenyl), containing a single polymerizable styrene unit were synthesized from the POSS-trisilanols R7Si7O9(OH)3 in a high yield and purity. The base-assisted reaction to produce these macromers appears to be general for POSS-trisilanols of this type. However, in some cases it may be necessary to control the rate at which the base is introduced during reaction to prevent unwanted side reactions that decompose the trisilanol. Cyclohexyl-, cyclopentyl-, and isobutyl-substituted POSS-stryenes (at 30 wt% or approximately 4 mol% loadings) undergo free radical bulk polymerizations with styrene to produce polymers that show variation in the modulus above the glass transition temperature. The phenylPOSS derivative is too insoluble in styrene to undergo this polymerization. The effect on the modulus is more pronounced for the copolymers containing 30 wt% cycloalkylPOSS than that seen with isobutylPOSS, which is similar to that for bulk polymerized polystyrene. The effect of the group at the POSS cage on bulk polymer properties has been noted before and is presumed to arise from differences in polymer microstructure.
Proteins Specified by Herpes Simplex Virus VI. Viral Proteins in the Plasma Membrane

Previous papers in the series have shown that the surface membranes of herpesvirus-infected cells acquire new immunological specificities and that purified infected cell membrane preparations, characterized by their physical properties rather than topology in the cell, contain new glycoproteins genetically determined by the virus. In this study, we prepared purified plasma membrane identified by its 5' nucleotidase, fucose, and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-diaphorase content. Analysis of the membrane proteins and glycoproteins by electrophoresis in acrylamide gels indicated the following. (i) Purified plasma membranes from infected cells contained two sets of proteins, i.e., host proteins were present both before and after infection and viral proteins were present only after infection. (ii) After infection, no appreciable selective or nonselective loss of host proteins from membranes was demonstrable. However, no new host proteins were made. (iii) Electropherograms of plasma membrane proteins from infected cells indicated the presence of at least 12 virus-specific proteins ranging in molecular weight from 25 x 10(3) to 126 x 10(3) daltons. Of these, at least nine were glycosylated. Proteins and glycoproteins with similar electrophoretic mobilities but in somewhat different ratios were also present in preparations of highly purified virions.
Ishmael's Recovery: Injury, Illness, and Convalescence in Moby-Dick

1 [George] Bernard Shaw, Back to Methuselah: A Metabiological Pentateuch (New York: Brentano’s, 1921). Beginning in 1918, shaw wrote five linked plays under the collective title Back to Methuselah. They expound his philosophy of creative evolution—featureing a male scientist names Pygmalion—in an extended dramatic parable that progresses through time from the Garden of Eden to AD 31,920. 2 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (New York: Scribner’s, 1925), 82. 3 Letter from Emily Dickinson to Samuel Bowles, late November 1861. qtd. in Jay Leyda, The Years and Hours of Emily Dickinson. 2 vols. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1960), vol. 2, 38. 4 “Hypos” can be understood here as an experience of both mind and body. Melville had used the term “hypos” previously in his seafaring novel Mardi, in which he described sailors undergoing withdrawal from tobacco during a long sea voyage. Deprived of their addictive “chaw” of tobacco, “the crew became absent, moody, and sadly tormented with the hypos. They were something like opium-smokers, suddenly cut off from their drug. They would sit on their chests, forlorn and moping . . .” (NN Mardi 339). The “hypos,” then, are associated with both psychological depression, or what we might call “the blues,” but also with the acute problem of physical dependency and the uncomfortable experience of withdrawal. For a helpful discussion of Melville’s allusions to Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy (1621-1651. 4 vols. Ed. Thomas C. Faulkner et al. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989), see Nathalia Wright, “Melville and ‘Old Burton,’ with ‘Bartleby’ As an Anatomy of Melancholy.” Tennessee Studies in English 15 (1970): 1-13.
Universal coding for quasi-stationary processes

A quasi-stationary, or composite, source model arises in a variety of practical and theoretical situations: time-division multiplex environments, speech modeling, and in the study of stationary, nonergodic random processes. This paper considers the problem of coding (with respect to a fidelity criterion) for such processes when the collection of modes is fixed but the switch is unknown. Universal-type codes are sought and it is shown that, for any rate R, there exists a sequence of codes with increasing blocklength whose rates approach R and whose distortions (for any switch process) approach the lowest theoretically obtainable. This result is shown to provide theoretical justification for some current findings in speech compression and in template generation for speaker-independent word recognition.
Investing in success: student experiences in a structured, decelerated preclinical medical school curriculum

Purpose : Many students in the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (CHM) are non-traditional with unique needs and experiences. To meet these needs, in 1988 CHM developed a structured Extended Curriculum Program (ECP), which allows students to take longer than 2 years to complete the preclinical curriculum. This work examined the reasons why students extended their programs, their perceptions of that experience, and the outcome with respect to satisfaction and success in their careers after graduation. Methods : The analysis used data from the college database, follow-up surveys of residency directors and graduates, surveys of graduates who extended, and the AMA Physician Masterfile. Results : Graduates who responded to the survey were evenly split between those who extended for academic reasons and those who extended for other reasons. Although feelings about extending were mixed at the time of extension, nearly all respondents agreed that extending was the right decision in the long run. Extended students continued to face academic challenges having lower basic science averages, lower USMLE Step 1 and 2 first attempt pass rates, and more instances of repeated clerkships compared to those who did not extend, however, most were able to secure a residency in the specialty they desired and had comparable career satisfaction ratings. Conclusions : The ECP allows some students to complete medical school who otherwise may not have been able to do so. This analysis has provided valuable information that was used to improve the program, allowing CHM to continue its mission of training a diverse set of students to be exemplary physicians. Keywords: extended curriculum; non-traditional medical students; accommodating life events; academic challenges; career satisfaction (Published: 15 September 2015) Citation: Med Educ Online 2015, 20: 29297 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/meo.v20.29297
Lymphomyeloid organs of amphibia. V. Comparative histology in diverse anuran species

Eleven different adult anuran species were observed for the presence or absence of the lymphomyeloid complex (LMI-7). The organs were compared with those of Rana catesbeiana, which were recently studied extensively. Three species (Kassina senegalensis, Bufo boreas and Bufo powerii) did not have any LM organs; six species, i.e., Hypopachus pearsei, Phrynomerus bifasciatus, Rana montezumae, Rana pipiens, Hyla arborea and Bufo marinus, had jugular bodies (LM3); Hyla had also procoracoid bodies (LM7); Bufo marinus had, in addition to LM3 and LM7, another pair that did not have any counterpart to those already reported. The two remaining species possessed entirely different sets of LM organs. Xenopus melleri had large, paired hemal nodes attached to the ventral surface of the laterorostral portion of the hyoid cartilage on either side of the midline and a lymphoid follicle in the neighboring connective tissue. The hemal nodes had a nodular cortex surrounding a nonnodular medulla; no lymphatic sinuses were found inside nor lymphatic vessels associated with these organs. Hemisus marmoratum had paired, small corpora subdermale that were partially overlapped by the depressor mandibulae. These were small, thickly encapsulated, well-vascularized lymphoid bodies. The organs in the six species were characterized as thinly encapsulated, highly vascularized, non-nodular lymphatic tissues; some were lymphomyeloid. The LM organs of starved Rana pipiens and Rana montezumae, in contrast to those of well-fed ones, were smaller and without fat cells. Lymphomyeloid organs of hibernating Rana catesbeiana were no different than those of non-hibernating frogs.
Alfuzosin for the management of benign prostate hyperplasia.

Alfuzosin (UroXatral®, Sanofi-Synthelabo) a quinazoline derivative, has well-documented α1-adrenoreceptor antagonist activity. These receptors are present in the smooth muscle located at the bladder base, proximal urethra, prostate and prostatic capsule as well as in vascular and nervous systems. Consequently, alfuzosin has the ability to reduce the tone of these areas, effectively decreasing bladder outlet resistance. A sustained-release formulation of alfuzosin is currently available in Europe and is FDA-approved in the US. The confirmed efficacy, proven bioavailability and good cardiovascular safety profile support the use of this drug for the management of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). These findings have been confirmed in a large cohort of patients treated in general practice [14]. Additionally, treatment with alfuzosin has demonstrated a favourable impact on quality of life of patients with BPH [5].
A language extension for graph processing and its formal semantics

A simple programming language “extension,” Graspe, for processing directed graphs is defined. Graspe consists of a type of directed graph data structure and a set of primitive operations for manipulating these structures. Graspe may be most easily implemented by embedding it in a host language. Emphasis is placed both on Graspe itself and on its method of definition. Commonly, the definition of a language involves definition of the syntactic elements and explanation of the meaning to be assigned them (the semantics). The definition of Graspe here is solely in terms of its semantics; that is, the data structures and operations are defined precisely but without assignment of a particular syntactic representation. Only when the language is implemented is assignment of an explicit syntax necessary. An example of an implementation of Graspe embedded in Lisp is given as an illustration. The advantages and disadvantages of the definition of a language in terms of its semantics are discussed.
Improved transcutaneous bilirubinometry: comparison of SpectR(X) BiliCheck and Minolta Jaundice Meter JM-102 for estimating total serum bilirubin in a normal newborn population.

OBJECTIVE: To compare a new transcutaneous bilirubinometer, which uses multiple wavelength analysis of reflectance data (BiliCheck system), and the commonly used two-wavelength bilirubinometer (Jaundice Meter JM-102) to estimate serum bilirubin. STUDY DESIGN: Jaundiced newborn term infants (101 babies) had transcutaneous bilirubinometry (TCB) using each bilirubinometer, a determination of skin color using a skin color chart, and a total serum bilirubin determination. RESULTS: The variability of the BiliCheck system was less than the variability of the Jaundice Meter JM-102. The accuracy of the BiliCheck system was not affected by skin color, whereas the Jaundice Meter JM-102 was affected. CONCLUSION: Multiple wavelength analysis, as used in the BiliCheck system, is a significant improvement in TCB.
Tool condition monitoring in an end-milling operation based on the vibration signal collected through a microcontroller-based data acquisition system

Machine condition plays an important role in machining performance. A machine condition monitoring system will provide significant economic benefits when applied to machine tools and machining processes. Development of such a system requires reliable machining data that can reflect machining processes. This study demonstrates a tool condition monitoring approach in an end-milling operation based on the vibration signal collected through a low-cost, microcontroller-based data acquisition system. A data acquisition system has been built through interfacing a microcontroller with a signal transducer for collecting cutting vibration. The examination tests of this developed system have been carried out on a CNC milling machine. Experimental studies and data analysis have been performed to validate the proposed system. The onsite tests show the developed system can perform properly as proposed.
Nucleotide, nucleoside and base nutritional requirements of the mosquito Culex pipiens

Abstract Nucleic acid subcomponents needed to satisfy the dietary nucleic acid requirement of Culex pipiens were studied in growth experiments using synthetic media in which nucleosides, bases and alternative nucleotides were variously substituted in mixtures of 3 nucleotides (adenylic acid, thymidylic acid, and either cytidylic or uridylic acid) previously shown to be adequate replacements for whole nucleic acid. Any or all 3 nucleotides could be replaced by corresponding nucleosides without adverse effect, except that adenosine substitution moderately delayed pupation. All base substitutions were unsatisfactory: substitution of thymine for thymidylic acid allowed development to the adult stage but at a greatly reduced rate; single substitution of adenine, cytosine or uracil for the corresponding nucleotides allowed scarcely more development than in the total absence of nucleic acid derivatives. Inosinic acid or inosine were adequate substitutes for adenylic acid, but orotic acid or orotidine were ineffective in place of the pyrimidine ribonucleotides, cytidylic or uridylic acids. Deoxyadenylic acid could take the place of adenylic acid, though inefficiently, but deoxycytidylic and deoxyuridylic acids were very poor replacements for the corresponding ribonucleotides. The minimal required nucleic acid derivatives thus appear to be a purine ribonucleotide (adenylic or inosinic acids), a pyrimidine ribonucleoside (either uridine or cytidine), and the pyrimidine deoxyribonucleoside, thymidine.
The role of oxidative stress in the induction of Drosophila heat-shock proteins

The role of oxidative stress in the induction of heat-shock proteins (HSPs) was studied in Drosophila Kc cells by comparing the effects of two different inducers, temperature stress and reoxygenation following a period of anoxia, on cellular respiration, thiol status, and the accumulation of HSPs. A heat shock from 25 to 37 degrees C caused a 60% increase in the rate of O2 uptake but caused little oxidative stress as indicated by a constant level of reduced glutathione, a slight increase in oxidized glutathione, and no change in protein sulfhydryls. Heat shock resulted in a pronounced accumulation of HSPs which was not inhibited by anoxic conditions. A different HSP inducer, reoxygenation following anoxia, resulted in an overall inhibition of respiration, the appearance of CN -insensitive O2 uptake, a 50% decrease in the level of reduced glutathione and a fourfold increase in the ratio of oxidized to reduced glutathione. Despite these indicators of oxidative stress, HSP synthesis was less pronounced than observed during heat shock and was not affected by antioxidants. Oxidative stress may induce HSP synthesis in some cases but is not responsible for HSP synthesis during a heat shock.
Masculinity and emotion in Mexican men's understandings of erectile dysfunction aetiology and treatment

This paper investigates the role that emotions related to local gender norms play in urban Mexican men's understandings of erectile dysfunction (ED) aetiology and drug treatment by analysing semi-structured interviews with 28 male urology patients. Analysing narrative data from our interviews, the paper examines how these men drew differently from locally intelligible ways of understanding health and masculinity to develop context-specific understandings of causes and potential treatment outcomes. Study participants' feelings of success or failure in life areas relating to the performance of ‘responsible’ masculinity, especially work and romance, strongly influenced understandings of ED aetiology and goals for drug treatment. Those who felt successful at being men collaborated with loved ones to adopt purely biological understandings of ED causation, while those who expressed negative emotions about their performances of masculinity viewed these feelings, as well as the structural and interpersonal proble...
Essential roles for Pot1b in HSC self-renewal and survival

Maintenance of mammalian telomeres requires both the enzyme telomerase and shelterin, which protect telomeres from inappropriately activating DNA damage response checkpoints. Dyskeratosis congenita is an inherited BM failure syndrome disorder because of defects in telomere maintenance. We have previously shown that deletion of the shelterin component Pot1b in the setting of telomerase haploinsufficiency results in rapid telomere shortening and fatal BM failure in mice, eliciting phenotypes that strongly resemble human syskeratosis congenita. However, it was unclear why BM failure occurred in the setting of Pot1b deletion. In this study, we show that Pot1b plays an essential role in HSC survival. Deletion of Pot1b results in increased apoptosis, leading to severe depletion of the HSC reserve. BM from Pot1bΔ/Δ mice cannot compete with BM from wild-type mice to provide multilineage reconstitution, indicating that there is an intrinsic requirement for Pot1b the maintenance of HSC function in vivo. Elimination of the p53-dependent apoptotic function increased HSC survival and significantly extended the lifespan of Pot1b-null mice deficient in telomerase function. Our results document for the first time the essential role of a component of the shelterin complex in the maintenance of HSC and progenitor cell survival.
Cooperative Robotic Structure Mapping Using Wireless Measurements—A Comparison of Random and Coordinated Sampling Patterns

In this paper, we consider a mobile robotic network that is tasked with building a map of the objects/obstacles in an environment. We are interested in the see-through mapping of the obstacles, i.e., a mapping approach that can build the spatial variations of the occluded structures. We consider two cooperative mapping approaches based on making a small number of random or coordinated wireless channel measurements between pairs of robots. Our preliminary past research suggested that the coordinated approach may perform better than the random case. In this paper, our goal is to: 1) better understand if and to what extent this is correct and 2) validate our findings with a robotic experiment. More specifically, we show that the right approach for comparing the coordinated and random sampling patterns is to look at this problem from the perspective of optimizing the number/choice of the angular motion directions. In particular, random sampling can be considered an asymptotic case where the total number of given wireless measurements are randomly distributed over an infinite number of angles. We then establish that the total number of available channel measurements should be distributed over a small number of angles, that is bigger than or equal to the number of jump angles of the structure, with a preference given to the angles of jumps. Finally and most importantly, we validate our findings by mapping occluded structures on our campus, based on only wireless channel measurements and by using our experimental robotic setup.
Relative perturbation theory: IV. sin 2θ theorems☆

Abstract The double angle theorems of Davis and Kahan bound the change in an invariant subspace when a Hermitian matrix A is subject to an additive perturbation A→ A =A+ΔA . This paper supplies analogous results when A is subject to a congruential, or multiplicative, perturbation A→ A =D * AD . The relative gaps that appear in the bounds involve the spectrum of only one matrix, either A or A , in contrast to the gaps that appear in the single angle bounds. The double angle theorems do not directly bound the difference between the old invariant subspace S and the new one S but instead bound the difference between S and its reflection J S where the mirror is S and J reverses S ⊥ , the orthogonal complement of S . The double angle bounds are proportional to the departure from the identity and from orthogonality of the matrix D = def D −1 JDJ . Note that D is invariant under the transformation D→D/α for α≠0 , whereas the single angle theorems give bounds proportional to D 's departure from the identity and from orthogonality. The corresponding results for the singular value problem when a (nonsquare) matrix B is perturbed to B =D * 1 BD 2 are also presented.
Hydrogen tunneling in enzymes and biomimetic models.

Hydrogen transfer reactions play an important role throughout chemistry and biology. In general, hydrogen transfer reactions encompass proton and hydride transfer, which are associated with the transfer of a positively or negatively charged species, respectively, and proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET), which corresponds to the net transfer of one electron and one proton in the simplest case. Such PCET reactions can occur by either a sequential mechanism, in which the proton or electron transfers first, or a concerted mechanism, in which the electron and proton transfer in a single kinetic step with no stable intermediate. Furthermore, concerted PCET reactions can be subdivided into hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), which corresponds to the transfer of an electron and proton between the same donor and acceptor (i.e., the transfer of a predominantly neutral species), and electron-proton transfer (EPT), which corresponds to the transfer of an electron and proton between different donors and acceptors, possibly even in different directions. In all of these types of hydrogen transfer reactions, hydrogen tunneling could potentially play a significant role. The biomimetic portion was supported as part of the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Science,more » Office of Basic Energy Sciences.« less
Sexual reflexes in the male rat after anesthetization of the glans penis

Male rats with an anesthetized glans penis are incapable of intro-mitting. Topical anesthetization of the glans of spinal male rats reduced, but did not abolish, sexual reflexes. The latter finding is consistent with the notion that receptors which evoke the erectile and ejaculatory reflexes are located on the shaft and not the glans. Nonspinal male rats with a desensitized glans would appear to be incapable of intromission because of inability to detect the vaginal orfice rather than abolished erectile and ejaculatory reflexes.
Thromboembolic prophylaxis for spinal injuries: is consensus possible?

COMMENTARY ON: Ploumis A, Ponnappan RK, Bessey JT, et al. Thromboprophylaxis in spinal trauma surgery: consensus among spine trauma surgeons. Spine J 2009;9:530–6 (this issue) .
Post-training, but not post-reactivation, administration of amphetamine and anisomycin modulates Pavlovian conditioned approach

The psychostimulant, amphetamine (AMPH), and the protein synthesis inhibitor, anisomycin (ANI), have been shown to modulate the consolidation and reconsolidation of several types of learning. To determine whether Pavlovian conditioned approach (PCA) is modulated in a similar manner, we examined the effects of post-training and post-reactivation administration of both AMPH and ANI on memory for PCA. Male Long-Evans rats received PCA training sessions during which presentations of a CS+ were followed by sucrose delivery. AMPH (1 mg/kg, s.c.) injected immediately but not 6h after the first training session enhanced PCA behavior. ANI (150 mg/kg, s.c.) injected immediately but not 3h after the first training session impaired PCA behavior. This impairment was not due to the development of a conditioned taste aversion. To examine whether PCA can also be modulated by post-reactivation administration of AMPH and ANI, rats were given an injection of AMPH, ANI, or vehicle immediately after a memory reactivation session. Upon testing, the behavior of both the AMPH- and the ANI-treated rats was unaffected. This result remained consistent when the experiment was repeated with changes to various behavioral parameters (i.e., amount of training, length of memory reactivation). These findings indicate that AMPH and ANI act during the post-training but not the post-reactivation period to enhance and impair, respectively, the learning of PCA. This suggests that the consolidation of PCA can be modulated in a manner comparable to other types of learned associations, but once learned, the memory appears to be relatively robust and stable.
Inferring evoked brain connectivity through adaptive perturbation

Inference of functional networks--representing the statistical associations between time series recorded from multiple sensors--has found important applications in neuroscience. However, networksexhibiting time-locked activity between physically independent elements can bias functional connectivity estimates employing passive measurements. Here, a perturbative and adaptive method of inferring network connectivity based on measurement and stimulation--so called "evoked network connectivity" is introduced. This procedure, employing a recursive Bayesian update scheme, allows principled network stimulation given a current network estimate inferred from all previous stimulations and recordings. The method decouples stimulus and detector design from network inference and can be suitably applied to a wide range of clinical and basic neuroscience related problems. The proposed method demonstrates improved accuracy compared to network inference based on passive observation of node dynamics and an increased rate of convergence relative to network estimation employing a naive stimulation strategy.
Image Processing for Teaching.

The Image Processing for Teaching (IPT) project provides a powerful medium to excite students about science and mathematics, especially children from minority groups and others whose needs have not been met by traditional "coded" ways of teaching these subjects. Using professional-quality software on microcomputers, students explore a variety of scientific data sets, including biomedical imaging, Earth remote sensing and meteorology data, and planetary exploration images. They also learn about the many mathematical concepts that underlie image processing, such as coordinate systems, slope and intercept, pixels, binary arithmetic, along with many others. We have developed curriculum materials in all areas of mathematics and science for the upper elementary and secondary levels, allowing this tool to be used across a variety of grade levels and student interests. Preliminary indications show image processing to be an effective and fun way to study the application of science and mathematics to "real world" applications, as represented by digital imagery. The use of image processing is also an effective method with which to engage students in inquiry and discovery learning.