cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fibromyxoma of the mandible: case report and radiographic considerations

A review of the characteristics of a myxoma of the mandible and a typical case are presented. The lesion in this case was overlooked on routine periapical radiographs and was not evident on bitewing films.
Effects of anion disorder on the electrodynamical response of a spin density wave

Abstract We present the results of our recent measurements of the frequency dependent conductivity of the impure compound (TMTSF)2(AsF6)0.85(SbF6)0.15. Above 12 K we find a simple metallic behavior with a mild bandmass enhancement. Below T SDW, the transport measurements give evidence of segregation at roughly a 1% level. The frequency dependent response clearly shows the presence of two modes in the microwave spectral range. We interpret these findings as further evidence for the assignment of these modes to the SDW phason. Finally, the spectral weight of these modes is small compared with total (1%) and we find evidence for a shift of the spectral weight up to higher frequencies.
Availability of Personal Transportation in Households of Elders: Age, Gender, and Residence Differences

Using data from the 1% Public Use Microdata Sample of the 1980 Census of Population and Housing, we examined correlates of the availability of personal transportation in the households of elders. Results indicate that the availability of vehicles decreases with age, is highest for rural farm and lowest for central city residents, and is lower for women. Only 1.3% of rural farm men 65-74 lack access to a vehicle, but 57.8% of central city women 85 + are without personal transportation in their households. Language: en
Characterization of serum proteins associated with IL28B genotype among patients with chronic hepatitis C

INTRODUCTION: Polymorphisms near the IL28B gene (e.g. rs12979860) encoding interferon λ3 have recently been associated with both spontaneous clearance and treatment response to pegIFN/RBV in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. The molecular consequences of this genetic variation are unknown. To gain further insight into IL28B function we assessed the association of rs12979860 with expression of protein quantitative traits (pQTL analysis) generated using open-platform proteomics in serum from patients. METHODS: 41 patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C infection from the Duke Liver Clinic were genotyped for rs12979860. Proteomic profiles were generated by LC-MS/MS analysis following immunodepletion of serum with MARS14 columns and trypsin-digestion. Next, a latent factor model was used to classify peptides into metaproteins based on co-expression and using only those peptides with protein identifications. Metaproteins were then analyzed for association with IL28B genotype using one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: There were a total of 4,186 peptides in the data set with positive identifications. These were matched with 253 proteins of which 110 had two or more associated, identified peptides. The IL28B treatment response genotype (rs12979860_CC) was significantly associated with lower serum levels of corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG; p = 9.2×10(-6)), a major transport protein for glucocorticoids and progestins. Moreover, the CBG metaprotein was associated with treatment response (p = 0.0148), but this association was attenuated when both IL28B genotype and CBG were included in the model, suggesting that the CBG association may be independent of treatment response. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of chronic hepatitis C patients, IL28B polymorphism was associated with serum levels of corticosteroid binding globulin, a major transporter of cortisol, however, CBG does not appear to mediate the association of IL28B with treatment response. Further investigation of this pathway is warranted to determine if it plays a role in other comorbidities of HCV-infection.
CorrigendumCorrigendum to “Assessing the applicability of portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for obsidian provenance research in the Maya lowlands” [J. Archaeol. Sci. 37 (2010) 885–895]

Corrigendum to “Assessing the applicability of portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for obsidian provenance research in the Maya lowlands” [J. Archaeol. Sci. 37 (2010) 885e895] Adam J. Nazaroff , Keith M. Prufer *, Brandon L. Drake b a Stanford University, Department of Anthropology, Main Quad, Building 50, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305-2034, USA Department of Anthropology, MSC01-1040 Department of Anthropology University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131, USA
The effect of lower extremity fatigue on shock attenuation during single-leg landing.

Background: The forces that are imposed on the body due to landings must be attenuated primarily in the lower extremity. Muscles assist in the absorption of these forces, and it has been shown that a fatigued muscle decreases the body's ability to attenuate shock from running. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of lower extremity fatigue on shock attenuation and joint mechanics during a single-leg drop landing. Methods: Ten active male participants were recruited (eight used for analysis). Each participant took part in a fatigue landing protocol. This protocol included cycles of a drop landing, a maximal countermovement jump, and five squats, repeated until exhaustion. Accelerometers attached to the skin measured tibia and head accelerations. Lower extremity kinematics were collected using an electromagnetic tracking system and kinetics were collected using a forceplate. A repeated-measures ANOVA (P less than or equal 0.05) was performed on each of the dependent variables across the cycles of the fatigue protocol. Findings: Fatigue was induced, however there was no significant change in shock attenuation throughout the body. Hip and knee flexion increased and ankle plantarflexion decreased at touchdown with fatigue. Hip joint work increased and ankle work decreased. Interpretation: This change in work distribution is thought to be a compensatory response to utilize the larger hip extensors that are better suited to absorb the mechanical energy of the impact. The results suggested that the lower extremity is able to adapt to fatigue though altering kinematics at impact and redistributing work to larger proximal muscles.
Emerging pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation.

Purpose. The neurobiology of tobacco dependence and the efficacy and safety of emerging pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation are reviewed. Summary. Dopamine is pivotal to the major addictive properties of nicotine. The neurotransmitters that influence dopamine activity include γ-aminobutyric acid, acetylcholine, glutamate, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Opioids and endocannabinoids can also affect dopamine activity. Research on pharmacologic treatments for nicotine dependence has targeted the modulation of these neurotransmitter systems. Current pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation include bupropion and varenicline, both of which target the neurotransmitters involved in nicotine addiction. Several new therapies are emerging as possible treatment options for smoking cessation. Rimonabant, a selective cannabinoid antagonist, blocks dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, a primary reward center for the brain. Studies have found that rimonabant may not only be effective as a smoking-cessation aid but may also assist in the maintenance of nicotine abstinence. Rimonabant has also demonstrated a weight-loss benefit, which may be attractive to smokers concerned with weight gain associated with smoking cessation. Three nicotine vaccines are currently in development, each acting to sequester nicotine from the bloodstream, thereby preventing its penetration of the central nervous system. Ongoing studies will evaluate their use as established therapies for smoking cessation. New nicotine-replacement formulations are also being developed. Conclusion. There are several promising products in development targeting the mechanisms of tobacco dependence. As failure rates are high and relapse is common, these emerging therapies would offer more therapeutic options for smoking cessation and solutions to the problem of relapse.
SU-E-T-321: Whole Brain Irradiation Technique for Radiation-Induced Cognitive Impairment

Purpose: Development of an easily reproduced, fractionated whole brain irradiation technique for the study of radiation‐induced cognitive impairment in nonhuman primates. Methods: A nonhuman primate (NHP) irradiation technique has been developed that replicates the fractionated whole brain irradiation technique for humans. Right and left lateral 6MV x‐ray beams are used, with opposed central axes matched at the level of the outer canthi. An eye block shields both eyes for each lateral beam. Monitor unit calculations to mid‐brain are based on anatomical measurements with a mid‐field slant distance incorporated. Total dose is 40 Gy, delivered at 5 Gy/fraction × 8 fractions, two fractions/week for four weeks. A clinical linear accelerator is used, with personnel procedures, room preparation, and clean‐up per research animal and human care requirements. Results: NHP positioning and beam parameter choices (eg, gantry and collimator rotation) allow for flexibility at the time of irradiation, based on anesthesia requirements and individual animal anatomy. Computed monitor units scale with NHP cranial measurements, which scale with NHP weight. A record/verify system facilitates set‐up and dose recording for each animal. Each right and left lateral radiation field is delivered via image‐guidance by the use of pre‐irradiation electronic portal imaging to verify positioning immediately before irradiation. Portal imaging dose, also performed at 6 MV, is recorded as irradiation dose. The portal image record enables post‐irradiation assessment of each fraction as well as cumulative dose. Room readiness techniques include preparations to minimize potential contamination of clinical equipment, and clean‐up procedures for return of equipment to human use. Conclusions: A simple, reproducible approach has been devised to replicate human fractionated whole brain irradiation of NHP cohorts to enable research studies of radiation‐induced cognitive impairment. Our irradiation techniques and experience are reviewed for the safe and efficient irradiation of this unique animal species. Supported in part by the BrainTumor Center of Excellence, the Kulynych Interdisciplinary Cancer Research Fund, and the Sticht Family Foundation at Wake Forest University Health Sciences.
The assessment of anxiety of means of the Rorschach.

Abstract For some years now, a number of studies have made use of the Rorschach as a measure of anxiety. One of the most frequently used anxiety scorings of the Rorschach has been the approach devised by Elizur, a system which involves the more or less psychometric evaluation of the content of the response. Using the criteria suggested in the APA Technical Recommendations — such as the definition of construct, interscorer reliability, effect of response total, stability over time, criterion and construct validity, and the like — this paper presents a review of the research carried out with this measure of anxiety. In light of the available research evidence, the value and limitations of the anxiety scoring of the Rorschach are discussed, with particular note being made as to the potential usefulness in its research applications.
The day of discharge after total hip arthroplasty and the achievement of rehabilitation functional milestones: 11-year trends

This is a report on 11 years (1990-2000) of total hip arthroplasty cases and days of discharge from one large city hospital. In 1990, patients stayed an average of 9.7 days after surgery. By 2000, patients stayed only 5.3 days. In general, women stayed longer than men, but this gap had nearly disappeared by 2000. The patients discharged in 2000 achieved fewer functional milestones during their hospital stay than those discharged in 1990.
Exercise-induced anaphylaxis: a distinct form of physical allergy

Abstract Seven individuals with exercise-induced anaphylaxis under natural circumstances, characterized by the appearance of pruritic cutaneous erythema and urticaria and associated vascular collapse and/or upper respiratory tract symptoms and signs of angioedema, were subjected to a controlled period of exercise in a laboratory. Experimental challenge consisted of running in an occlusive suit on a treadmill of moving grade with maintenance or acceleration of speed for 5 to 17 min. Cutaneous pruritus and erythema without urticaria developed in four of the subjects and progressed to angioedema in two of them; the other three subjects were unaffected. Repeat challenge of three of the abnormal responders elicited a clinical response similar to that of the previous exercise challenge. In those subjects with a clinical response to exercise challenge, mean change from baseline levels of histamine to peak levels was 7.0 ± 3.0 ng/ml (mean ± SEM), whereas in the group without clinical symptoms the mean change from baseline was an increase of 0.6 ± 1.6 ng/ml (mean ± SEM). The abnormal elevations in serum histamine during the seven exercise-induced symptomatic episodes returned to normal in about 20 min while clinical signs were also subsiding. There were no changes in pulmonary function. Exercise-induced anaphylaxis is clinically separable from cholinergic urticaria and represents a distinct form of physical allergy.
New High-Resolution Fission Cross-Section Measurements of 233U in the 0.4-eV to 700-keV Energy Range

In support of the U.S. Department of Energy need for new data for criticality safety applications, new high-resolution fission cross-section measurements of 233U have been made at the Oak Ridge Ele...
The Dioxanone Approach to (2S,3R)-2-C-Methylerythritol 4-Phosphate and 2,4-Cyclodiphosphate, and Various MEP Analogues

Efficient syntheses of the non-mevalonate pathway intermediates 2-C-methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) and 2-C-methylerythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate (ME-2,4-cycloPP), as well as the parent tetrol 2-C-methylerythritol, in enantiopure form from (2S,4R)-cis-2-phenyl-4-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy-1,3-dioxan-5-one are reported. The 2S configuration of the C-methyl group was installed by highly axial-face selective addition of CH3MgBr (20:1) to the chiral dioxanone carbonyl group. Primary selective mono-phosphorylation and 2,4-bis-phosphorylation, followed by desilation and hydrogenolysis to the free mono- and diphosphates, and, in the latter case, cyclization to form the eight-membered phosphoryl anhydride, afforded MEP and ME-2,4-cycloPP in good yields. The C2 epimeric analogues, 2-C-methylthreitol and its 4-phosphate, were accessed by LiAlH4 reduction of the cis,cis epoxide of (2S,4R)-4-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxymethyl-5-methylene-2-phenyl-1,3-dioxane, primary-selective phosphorylation, and cleavage of the si...
Splitting fields for torsion-free modules over discrete valuation rings, I

Abstract Let G be a finite rank torsion-free module over a discrete valuation ring V. A splitting field for G is a subfield K of the quotient field of the completion V ∗ of V such that (V ∗ ∩ K) ⊗ G is a completely decomposable ( V ∗ ∩ K )-module. Every such G has a splitting field which is a finitely generated extension of the quotient field Q of V. If K is a subfield of the quotient field of V ∗ with finite degree over Q, then the category of modules which have K as a splitting field can be embedded in the category of finite length right modules over a hereditary finite-dimensional Q-algebra Λ such that (rad Λ)2 = 0. This embedding provides considerable information about the existence of strongly indecomposable V-modules. Finally, it is shown that if V is henselian, then finite rank torsion-free V-modules have unique direct sum decomposition.
The perception of naturalness correlates with low-level visual Features of environmental scenes

Previous research has shown that interacting with natural environments vs. more urban or built environments can have salubrious psychological effects, such as improvements in attention and memory. Even viewing pictures of nature vs. pictures of built environments can produce similar effects. A major question is: What is it about natural environments that produces these benefits? Problematically, there are many differing qualities between natural and urban environments, making it difficult to narrow down the dimensions of nature that may lead to these benefits. In this study, we set out to uncover visual features that related to individuals' perceptions of naturalness in images. We quantified naturalness in two ways: first, implicitly using a multidimensional scaling analysis and second, explicitly with direct naturalness ratings. Features that seemed most related to perceptions of naturalness were related to the density of contrast changes in the scene, the density of straight lines in the scene, the average color saturation in the scene and the average hue diversity in the scene. We then trained a machine-learning algorithm to predict whether a scene was perceived as being natural or not based on these low-level visual features and we could do so with 81% accuracy. As such we were able to reliably predict subjective perceptions of naturalness with objective low-level visual features. Our results can be used in future studies to determine if these features, which are related to naturalness, may also lead to the benefits attained from interacting with nature.
Status of the OH contribution to the surface glow detected from the Dynamics Explorer satellite

A Fabry-Perot interferometer on the DE-2 satellite measured a surface glow near 732 nm at an altitude of 250 km. By comparison with the mesospheric nightglow, the hydroxyl radical (OH) was implicated as the fluorescing species. Unfortunately, the identification was not clear cut, since the spectrum showed an additional feature not observed in the nightglow. Calculations indicated that this feature could originate from ground state OH vibrational levels well above die energetic limit of v = 9 for the reaction of H + 03. Until recently, existing spectroscopic data were inadequate for a positive identification of all the features in the Fabry-Perot spectrum. New laboratory data coupled with accurate spectroscopic fitting indicate that the position of the additional feature is consistent with its identification as the P2(5) doublet of the (11,5) vibrational band of OH.
Relationships between mineral surfaces and organic carbon concentrations in soils and sediments

Abstract Relationships between mineral specific surface area and organic carbon (OC) concentration are examined for sediments and soil A-horizons from throughout the world. I found (published elsewhere) that continental shelf sediments from many different regions exhibit downcore loss of OC to a refractory background level which shows a consistent relationship with mineral surface area (slope = 0.86 mg m−2 OC). This trend is equivalent to a monolayer of organic matter over all surfaces, and is termed the monolayer-equivalent (ME) level. Sediments and soils from other environments are compared to this empirically derived relationship. Several continental slope areas show extension of this relationship to considerable depth. Marked excesses of OC above this trend, which persist downcore, were found in sediments with high carbonate mineral content or slope sediments with low dissolved oxygen concentrations in the overlying water column. About half of the soils examined also adhered to this relationship, while soils with high carbonate content, low pH, or poor drainage showed OC concentrations higher than the ME level. OC concentrations below the ME level are found in deltaic regions and areas with low organic matter delivery such as the deep sea or arid soils. The nature of mineral surfaces was examined using N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, and most surface area was found to be present as pores with
Self-control and tolerance of noxious stimulation.

This study investigated the effects of several behaviors as potential self-controlling devices in the tolerance of a noxious stimulus. In a cold-pressor test, experimental groups were instructed: (1) to expect severe pain; (2) to verbalize aloud their momentary experiences; (3) to use a clock for setting a goal for tolerance; or (4) to view and describe slides, in order to enhance tolerance of the ice water. Duration of tolerance differed significantly, with a descending order of mean tolerance in groups (4), (3), (1), control, (2). Posttest questionnaires revealed varying use of other self-controlling mechanisms in the groups. The utility of Skinner's paradigm for the study of self-control was discussed.
Laparoscopy: An important tool in the staging of malignant pleural mesothelioma

Background: The current standard for the noninvasive staging of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma is computed tomography (CT). However, CT often cannot determine whether a tumor is unresectable because of direct extension through the diaphragm to the peritoneal cavity. The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether laparoscopy detected transdiaphragmatic tumor extension when CT findings were equivocal. Methods: From June 1993 to July 1994, 12 of 36 patients considered for possible thoracotomy and surgical resection had equivocal CT findings of diaphragmatic invasion. All underwent laparoscopy using a multiport technique with diaphragmatic and peritoneal biopsies. Results: The mean operative time was 83 min. There were no perioperative complications. The median hospital stay was 1 day. Six patients had biopsy-proven transdiaphragmatic extension, or peritoneal studding of tumor. The other six patients subsequently underwent thoracotomy: three had a complete resection, and three had unresectable tumor due to chest wall (N=2) or mediastinal (N=1) invasion. In no case was transdiaphragmatic extension of a tumor seen. Conclusions: This preliminary experience demonstrates that laparoscopy is a safe and accurate method for detecting transdiaphragmatic tumor extension when CT fails to do so. Laparoscopy should be considered a standard part of prethoracotomy staging in this subset of patients.
Recognition and Treatment of Anti-N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis

Anti– N -methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis should be considered for pediatric patients who present with seizures, dysautonomia, dyskinesias, and psychiatric disturbances. Life-threatening complications from this disorder, including seizures, hypoventilation, bradycardia, and ictal asystole, should be anticipated, and the patient should be closely monitored and supported. Morbidity and mortality can be mitigated with early detection and initiation of immunotherapy and resection of a teratoma, if found. In young patients treated soon after symptom onset, the prognosis is favorable with most patients having no or mild residual neurologic deficit. Early recognition of the protean signs of this disorder in the emergency department is essential to help establish immunomodulation therapy in a timely fashion.
Relationships among coarse-grained field theories of fluctuations in polymer liquids

Two closely related field-theoretic approaches have been used in previous work to construct coarse-grained theories of corrections to the random phase approximation for correlations in block copolymer melts and miscible polymer blends. The “auxiliary field” (AF) approach is based on a rigorous expression for the partition function Z of a coarse-grained model as a functional integral of an auxiliary chemical potential field. The “effective Hamiltonian” (EH) approach is instead based on an expression for Z as a functional integral of an observable order parameter field. The exact effective Hamiltonian Heff in the EH approach is defined as the free energy of a system with a constrained order parameter field. In practice, however, Heff has often been approximated by a mean-field free energy functional, yielding what we call a mean-field effective Hamiltonian (MFEH) approximation. This approximation was the starting point of both the Fredrickson–Helfand analysis of fluctuation effects in diblock copolymers and...
dc Conductivity of Amorphous Germanium and the Structure of the Pseudogap

This work centers on the now disputed interpretation of the observed ${T}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{4}}$ dependence of the conductivity in amorphous group-IV semiconductors by hopping near the Fermi energy. We find the arguments against this interpretation inapplicable. We present experimental results of the temperature dependence of the resistivity $\ensuremath{\rho}(T)$ of gas-free and void-free amorphous germanium, as well as theoretical results of $\ensuremath{\rho}(T)$ for a hopping model with a band of localized states near the Fermi energy. The agreement is good and leads to the estimate of the bandwidth of 0.3 eV.
Computing the Bayesian highest posterior density credible sets for the lognormal mean

SUMMARY Contaminant concentration data collected at Superfund sites are typically positively skewed, and the log-normal distribution is commonly used to model such data distribution. U.S. EPA guidance documents recommend the use of H-statistics to compute the upper confidence limit (UCL) of the mean of a log-normal distribution. Recent work reported in the statistical literature has shown that the UCL calculated from the H-statistics can yield extremely high false positives. In the present article we compute the Bayesian highest posterior density (HPD) credible set of the log-normal mean. Simulated results using techniques of computational geometry are presented. Several experimental results on environmental data sets reveal that the UCL obtained by using the proposed Bayesian approach is more reasonable than those obtained by using other techniques. Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The log-normal distribution is very commonly used as a probability model for observed contaminant concentration data at Superfund sites, since the probability distribution of observed concentrations is typically positively skewed. This apparent skewness, however, may be due to biased sampling, and the presence of multiple populations, and not necessarily due to their true distribution being log-normal. The use of H-statistics (Land, 1975; Gilbert, 1987) is recommended by a U.S. EPA guidance document (EPA, 1992) for calculating the UCL of the mean contaminant concentration. The use of statistical methods based on log-normal theory has been rather controversial, as it can lead to incorrect decisions. Gilbert (1993) showed that tests of hypotheses based on the H-statistics can yield extremely high false positives. Stewart (1994) showed that the incorrect usage of log-transformation may lead to insufficient numbers of samples. Schultz (Schultz, 1996) investigated the performance of an alternative decision rule for making remediation decisions and showed that the alternative approach performs reasonably for normally distributed data, and performs very poorly for log-normal data. Recent work in statistical literature (Singh et al., 1997) has pointed to some problems that may exist with this approach to calculating a UCL.
Designing User Interface Guidelines for Time-Shift Programming on a Video Cassette Recorder (VCR)

Advances in technology may create additional problems for the user. The average consumer encounters difficulty when programming electronic products which require a series of steps to operate. The user-interfaces of these products vary not only among different types of products, but also within the individual market itself. There are presently no interface guidelines in existence to assist designers in developing easy to use electronic programmable products.This research proposes user interface guidelines to improve the current poor interface designs of the Video Cassette Recorder (VCR). Improving the interfaces of electronic products results in less frustration for users. This study demonstrates the advantages of incorporating human factors design criteria into the interface of electronic programmable devices. Research and testing performed on existing VCRs identified problems and the need to minimize them.The results of the research were used to develop and implement a new interface using HyperPADTM, a p...
Mammary gland neoplasms after fission neutron irradiation.

A SINGLE sublethal whole body X-ray exposure of young female Sprague–Dawley rats results in the early appearance of mammary neoplasms1, the incidence of which seems to be linearly related to dose between 25 r. and 400 r. (ref. 2). Earlier comparative studies on the incidence of mammary neoplasms after irradiation with fission neutrons and 60Co γ-rays3 revealed that the incidence of neoplasms was significantly higher, and the life span considerably shorter, in rats irradiated with neutrons.
Alcoholism: some current issues in therapy and research.

Abstract Among the disease entities which can be investigated through cooperative and combined efforts of behavioral and biological scientists, perhaps none has offered so unique a challenge as alcohol addiction. Unfortunately, this challenge has been met by one of the most rigid tendencies towards single discipline isolation that now exists in any area of medical research or therapy. Treatment and investigative programs in areas directly or indirectly related to alcohol addiction tend to preserve the mind-body dichotomy and each discipline looks with hostility upon, but does not intrude into, the domain of its neighbor. Although the ‘alcoholic ward’ is disappearing from the general hospital, little integration has occurred between medical specialists in the treatment of alcoholic patients. Virtually all ‘alcoholic clinics’ are directed and staffed by psychiatrists. Virtually all alcoholic patients seeking medical assistance for symptoms of acute intoxication or alcohol withdrawal are treated by general practitioners or specialists in internal medicine. For areas outside of medical therapy or research, communication and cooperation is even worse. Though spokesmen for therapeutic programs within medicine tend to lack a critical approach, authoritative ‘experts’ from many lay organizations present a dogmatic view of what is best in the realm of therapy, education and research. While a variety of enthusiastic proponents of one program or another may be genuinely conscientious, their fund of information and recommendations are often based upon opinions which would not meet the requirements of adequate scientific inquiry. Most current hypotheses of causation of, and natural history of, alcohol addiction have never been adequately tested in clinical or experimental laboratory programs of research. At the clinical level, there is a great need for more integration and information exchange among medical specialists and a reduction of compartmentalized medical responsibility. At the experimental laboratory level, a variety of new behavioral and biological techniques are available which can be imaginatively applied to alcohol research. A major factor which appears necessary for an experimental laboratory approach to alcohol addiction is the development of an animal preparation which meets both behavioral and physiological criteria of the addicted state. Past efforts toward these goals have been discussed and some possibilities for future work have been suggested.
Fluctuation model of organic superconductivity: Internal inconsistencies and contradictory experimental evidence

Internal inconsistencies in the scheme of large superconducting fluctuations, as applied to the superconducting (TMTSF)/sub 2/X compounds (ditetramethyltetraselenafulvalenium salts), are discussed. In particular, it is shown that the assumption of very small interchain coupling is self-contradictory. These materials are actually best regarded as (anisotropic) three-dimensional superconductors. The fluctuation scheme does not provide a consistent interpretation of the data, but is in fact contradicted by many key measurements, including the thermal conductivity, heat capacity, conductivity anisotropy, and critical-field anisotropy.
A remark on projective modules

Let R denote the field of real numbers and let A be the ring of regular functions on R n , that is the localization of R[T 1 …, T n ] with respect to the set of all polynomials vanishing nowhere on R n . Let X be an algebraic subset of R n and let I(X) be the ideal of A of all functions vanishing on X . Assume that X is compact and nonsingular and k = codim X = 1, 2, 4 or 8. we prove here that if the A/I(X) -module I(X)/I(X) 2 can be generated by k elements, then there exist a projective A -module P of rank k and a homomorphism from P onto I(X) .
Update on the Clinical Management of Port Wine Stains

. Port wine stains (PWS) are congenital vascular malformations for which lasers are the treatment of choice. This article reviews laser optics in relation to PWS treatment and discusses the major laser and light source systems, including the flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser (FLPDL), cryogen spray cooling in combination with the FLPDL, the potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser and the intense pulsed light source, currently utilised for this procedure. Future opportunities for therapeutic improvement are also considered.
Perfluorodecanoic acid, a peroxisome proliferator, activates phospholipase C, inhibits CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase, and elevates diacylglycerol in rat liver

Abstract Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) are peroxisome proliferators that cause hepatotoxicity in rodents. This study shows that PFDA activates liver phospholipase C (PLC) and inhibits CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CT). PLC cytosolic and microsomal activities were increased 1.4- and 1.7-fold, respectively. CT activities were decreased to 58% (cytosol) and 36% (microsome) of control values. PFDA also caused a threefold increase in liver diacylglycerol (DAG) concentration. PFOA had no effect on the enzyme activities or DAG concentration. Together with previous results, these data suggest that PFDA activates a phosphatidylcholine-specific PLC causing an increase in liver phosphocholine and DAG. These effects are discussed in relation to cellular signalling processes that may provide a mechanism for PFDA-induced hepatotoxicity.
PEGylated Viral Nanoparticles for Biomedicine: The Impact of PEG Chain Length on VNP Cell Interactions In Vitro and Ex Vivo

PEGylation is an effective strategy for reducing biospecific interactions for pharmaceuticals. The plant virus Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) has been studied for potential nanobiomedical applications by virtue of its natural interactions with mammalian endothelial cells. To investigate the degree of PEGylation required to retarget CPMV-based formulations to other destinations, two CPMV-PEG formulations, CPMV-PEG1000 (P1) and CPMV-PEG2000 (P2) were tested. Modeling suggested that the PEG chains were displayed as flattened mushrooms on the particle with an estimated surface grafting area of 0.53% for P1 and 0.83% for P2. Only the P2 formulation effectively shielded the particles from interacting with cells or tissues, suggesting that either key interacting regions on the particle surface were blocked or that a sufficient hydration shell had been generated to inhibit cellular interactions. The large CPMV surface area available after PEGylation allows further attachment of imaging and therapeutic molecules to the particle to generate multifunctionality.
Pottery in Drag: Beatrice Wood and Camp

AbstractThe American ceramist Beatrice Wood (1893–1998) occupies a threshold position in early twentieth-century modernism: posited between the subject positions of lover and woman artist and between the avant-garde and craft. In doing so, she offers a new representation of camp. This article explores her queer aestheticism.
A micromachined surface work-function gas sensor for low-pressure oxygen detection

Abstract The microfabricated work-function gas sensor detects the presence of gases such as oxygen by measuring the change in the work-function of a solid surface as gas adsorbs on it using the Kelvin method. The sensor is bulk micromachined from two silicon and one glass wafer using 13 masking steps to form a three-layer capacitor with an oscillating middle reference plate. The device incorporates a heater to provide temperature control of the sensing film surface with a 7.5°C mW −1 efficiency in vacuum. The capacitor plates have a 3 μm gap and are 500 μm in diameter. The device can operate from room temperature to over 500°C with operating frequencies ranging from 10 Hz to 3 kHz. Chemical testing of the integrated work-function gas sensor has demonstrated repeatable responses to oxygen, water vapor and pyridine in near-vacuum conditions. The work-function measurements were enhanced by the measurement of the second harmonic of the Kelvin current, which is not coupled to the electrostatic drive signal and provides a work-function sensitivity of 200 μV pA −1 . Proof of concept was demonstrated for measurements in oxygen and pyridine with reversible Kelvin current second harmonic changes on the order of 40 pA. The smaller than expected responses are thought to be due to a surface overlayer on the sensing film which inhibited strong gas interactions with the surface.
Accelerating motion of a sphere in a maxwell fluid

The translatory accelerating motion of a sphere due to an arbitrarily applied force in an unlimited Maxwell fluid is considered. The exact solutions for the velocity of the sphere for three particular types of accelerating motion are presented. The first is for a falling sphere; the second is for the decelerating motion of a sphere after the force which maintains the sphere with a constant velocity is removed; the third is for the motion of the sphere subjected to an impulsive force. The exact solutions are expressed in terms of real, regular, definite integrals which can be evaluated by numerical technique. Also presented are the asymptotic solutions for the velocity of the sphere in all three cases which are valid for small values of time.
Global energy deposition to the topside ionosphere from superthermal electrons

Abstract The subauroral heat input to the topside ionosphere from two superthermal electron sources, photoelectrons and plasma sheet electrons, are calculated using a global kinetic model of electron transport in the inner magnetosphere. Peak rates above 10 10 eV cm −2 s −1 are found for photoelectrons in the midlatitude afternoon region, while the peak deposition rate for plasma sheet electrons only occasionally approaches 10 9 eV cm −2 s −1 , and is typically confined to the morningside. Trapped clouds of plasma sheet electrons, however, are shown to have lasting effects on the structure of topside heat input, as the energetic electrons corotate and slowly transfer their energy to the thermal plasma over a course of days. These energy inputs are compared with other heat sources in the inner magnetosphere. It is concluded that, while other processes can inject large amounts of energy into the ionosphere in spatially and temporally localized regions, photoelectrons are the strongest and steadiest heat source into the topside ionosphere.
Effect of site isolation on the preparation and performance of silica-immobilized Ti CGC-inspired ethylene polymerization catalysts

Abstract Titanium constrained-geometry-inspired complexes (CGCs) are assembled using several different synthetic protocols on aminosilica scaffolds. In particular, a new synthetic method is reported that utilizes spatially patterned amines on the silica surface to create Ti–CGC sites that are substantially more active for ethylene polymerization than materials prepared using traditional methods. The materials are characterized using multiple techniques including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), nitrogen physisorption, FT-Raman spectroscopy, 29 Si and 13 C cross-polarization magic-angle spinning (CPMAS) NMR spectroscopy, and diffuse–reflectance UV–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy. While the new patterning protocol allows for quantitative addition of the cyclopentadienyl group to the surface amines and near quantitative metallation with the titanium source, these steps result in subquantitative additions on aminosilica surfaces prepared via traditional techniques (at high amine loadings) and excess titanium addition (at low amine loadings). Using methylaluminoxane (MAO) as a co-catalyst, the patterned catalyst is more productive than the control materials that were prepared using traditional techniques. However, use of MAO causes significant leaching of the metal complex from the solid support. Using a tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane/trialkylaluminum system as co-catalyst alleviates the leaching problem, allowing for the productivity of the immobilized species to be evaluated. In the polymerization of ethylene, the patterned catalyst is shown to be up to 10 times more productive than the solid control materials. The patterned catalyst is also more active than the homogeneous analogue.
Regulation of nuclear membrane assembly and maintenance during in vitro maturation of mouse oocytes: role of pyruvate and protein synthesis.

In the absence of a suitable energy source, mouse oocytes cultured in vitro resume, but fail to complete, meiotic maturation. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms leading to this meiotic failure. We utilized pyruvate-deficient medium to test for the role of pyruvate throughout the meiotic maturation process. Germinal vesicle-stage (GV) oocytes underwent germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), but failed to form a polar body when cultured continuously in pyruvate-free medium. However, when GV oocytes were preincubated for 4 h in pyruvate-free medium containing dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate (dbcAMP) and then cultured in pyruvate-free medium, GVBD was markedly inhibited. Preincubation of GV oocytes in dbcAMP and cycloheximide, followed by culture in cycloheximide only, also inhibited GVBD. A longer preincubation period was required in the cycloheximide-dbcAMP case (12 h) than in pyruvate-free-dbcAMP medium situation (4 h). Strikingly, reassembly of the nuclear membrane without polar body formation was observed following GVBD in oocytes continuously cultured in pyruvate-free medium. The reassembled nuclear membrane increased in size with continued culture, and it surrounded partially-decondensed chromatin. Nuclear membrane reassembly also occurred in oocytes which had undergone GVBD during continuous culture in medium containing only cycloheximide. Reformation of nuclear membranes after GVBD was confirmed by electron-microscopic analyses of oocytes cultured in pyruvate-free medium or in the presence of cycloheximide. We conclude that both pyruvate and protein synthesis are required for nuclear membrane disassembly, whereas lack of pyruvate or protein synthesis is associated with interruption of the metaphase state and reassembly of the nuclear membrane. The evidence suggests that assembly and maintenance of an intact nucleus and its disintegration are all amenable to regulation by pyruvate, possibly via mechanism(s) involving protein synthesis.
Unique Contributions of Distinct Cholinergic Projections to Motor Cortical Plasticity and Learning

The cholinergic basal forebrain projects throughout the neocortex, exerting a critical role in modulating plasticity associated with normal learning. Cholinergic modulation of cortical plasticity could arise from 3 distinct mechanisms by 1) ‘‘direct’’ modulation via cholinergic inputs to regions undergoing plasticity, 2) ‘‘indirect’’ modulation via cholinergic projections to anterior, prefrontal attentional systems, or 3) modulating more global aspects of processing via distributed inputs throughout the cortex. To segregate these potential mechanisms, we investigated cholinergic-dependent reorganization of cortical motor representations in rats undergoing skilled motor learning. Behavioral and electrophysiological consequences of depleting cholinergic inputs to either motor cortex, prefrontal cortex, or globally, were compared. We find that local depletion of cholinergic afferents to motor cortex significantly disrupts map plasticity and skilled motor behavior, whereas prefrontal cholinergic depletion has no effect on these measures. Global cholinergic depletion perturbs map plasticity comparable with motor cortex depletions but results in significantly greater impairments in skilled motor acquisition. These findings indicate that local cholinergic activation within motor cortex, as opposed to indirect regulation of prefrontal systems, modulate cortical map plasticity and motor learning. More globally acting cholinergic mechanisms provide additional support for the acquisition of skilled motor behaviors, beyond those associated with cortical map reorganization.
Different methods of presenting risk information and their influence on medication compliance intentions: results of three studies.

Abstract Background: Pharmaceutical noncompliance is an increasinglyimportant problem in the United States, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths and billions of wasted dollars each year. Patients' fear of adverse events (AEs) is one possible reason for lack of compliance. Objectives: The aims of the 3 studies described in this article were to investigate whether commonly used methods of conveying AE risk might influence subjects' perceptions of their risk of experiencing drug-related AEs and whether disclosing this information by other means might subsequently influence their intentions to comply with prescribed medication regimens. Methods: In study 1, randomly selected participantswere surveyed to estimate their percentage risk for medication AEs. In study 2, randomly selected participants were presented with a fictitious medical scenario, informed of their AE risk either in terms of specific percentages or in general semantic terms (eg, "some people may experience"), and then asked to rate their fear of AEs and likelihood of compliance. Study 3 was a randomized, controlled experiment in which we duplicated the methods of study 2, with the addition of real-life stimuli (pharmaceutical advertisements). Results: In study 1, 40 subjects were surveyed. Participants overestimated their risk of AEs when information was disclosed semantically. In study 2, people were more fearful of experiencing AEs and less likely to intend to comply with prescribed medication regimens (both, P P P Conclusions: In these studies, informing participantsof actual percentage risk of AEs was associated with less fear about AEs and greater intent to comply with prescribed regimens. Using verbal descriptors to disclose AE risk information was associated with less intent to comply.
Metastatic struma ovarii: the burden of truth.

A 58-year-old woman was found to have metastatic thyroid cancer in her liver. This was identified when she was investigated for upper abdominal pain and underwent biopsy of hepatic lesions. She had no palpable thyroid nodule and had a normal ultrasound of the thyroid. Previously, both ovaries had been removed because of tumors. The pathologic findings in one of the ovaries could not be recovered because the procedure was more than 40 years ago, when the patient was a teenager. By a process of elimination, a diagnosis of metastatic struma ovarii was established. Treatment of metastatic thyroid cancer from struma ovarii, including removal of the normal thyroid and administration of 1-131, is presented.