cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on glycogenolysis in isolated hepatocytes

E-series prostaglandins have previously been demonstrated to inhibit hormone-stimulated glycogenolysis when added to isolated hepatocytes of the rat. In the present study, the effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which inhibit cyclo-oxygenase activity, on glycogenolysis was examined in the hepatocyte model. Ibuprofen (80 microM), indomethacin (50 microM) and meclofenamate (60 microM) all increased rates of glycogenolysis when added under basal conditions. In contrast, piroxicam (50 microM) had no effect on glycogenolysis in the hepatocyte system. Concentrations of ibuprofen below 80 microM did not significantly increase rates of glycogenolysis. Ibuprofen (80 microM) had no effect on glycogenolysis in the presence of 10(-5)M adrenaline or 5 X 10(-7)M glucagon, but did increase glycogenolytic rates in the presence of 5 X 10(-8)M glucagon. Ibuprofen-stimulated glycogenolysis was inhibited by addition of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Under conditions where glucagon-stimulated glycogenolysis was inhibited by exogenous PGE2, addition of ibuprofen (80 microM) increased the rate of glycogenolysis. Ibuprofen had no effect on basal or glucagon-stimulated hepatocyte adenylate cyclase activity. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which are carboxylic acids can increase the rate of glycogenolysis in isolated hepatocytes. The high concentrations of drug required to stimulate glycogenolysis, the lack of effect of piroxicam, and the demonstration of stimulation by ibuprofen in the presence of exogenous PGE2 all suggest that the stimulation of glycogenolysis by ibuprofen, indomethacin and meclofenamate is independent of cyclooxygenase inhibition. These observations are consistent with reports that carboxylic acid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can interfere with hepatic intracellular calcium handling.
Endovascular stents for relief of cyanosis in single-ventricle patients with shunt or conduit-dependent pulmonary blood flow.

Hypoxemia is a significant cause of early and interstage death in patients with single ventricle (SV). Obstruction of Blalock-Taussig shunts (BTS) in patients with SV has traditionally been managed with surgical revision. Purpose: We report on the experience at our institution of deploying endovascular stents within BTS as well as obstructed right-ventricle (RV) to pulmonary artery (PA) conduits in patients with modified Norwood (ie Sano modification). Methods: Medical records were reviewed for the time period between January 1, 2002 and November 30, 2005. All patients with SV who presented for intervention for BTS or RV-PA conduit stenosis were reviewed. Specific endpoints reviewed included pre- and post-intervention arterial oxygen saturation, type of intervention (stent vs. ballon dilation), need for subsequent surgical shunt/conduit revision, and interval to second stage palliation. Results: Fifteen patients with SV underwent intervention for acute cyanosis. Eight patients had BTS, and the other seven patients had RV-PA conduit stenosis. Coronary stents were deployed in 14 of the 15 patients. Four patients also underwent balloon angioplasty of branch PAs. Oxygen saturations improved in all patients, with a mean increase of 13.9% (p = 0.0001). Four patients died before second stage palliation — one due to complications of the catheterization. Of the eleven remaining patients, nine have undergone second stage palliation; interval from intervention to Glenn ranged from 28–205 days (mean 163d). Two patients are awaiting cavo-pulmonary anastamosis. Conclusions: Endovascular stenting in this high-risk population is effective at improving oxygen saturation as well as obviating need to surgical shunt/conduit revision. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The costs and benefits of nonoperative management for adult scoliosis.

Study Design. A prospective cohort of adult scoliosis patients treated nonoperatively had a minimum of 2-year follow-up during which time data were collected on the type and quantity of nonoperative treatment used. Objective. To quantify the use, cost, and effectiveness of nonoperative treatment for adult scoliosis. Summary of Background Data. A 2007 systematic review of nonsurgical treatment in adult scoliosis revealed minimal data, and concluded that evidence for nonoperative care was lacking. Methods. Duration of use and frequency of visits were collected for 8 specific treatment methods: medication, physical therapy, exercise, injections/blocks, chiropractic care, pain management, bracing, and bed rest. Costs for each intervention were determined using the Medicare Fee schedule. Outcome measures were the SRS-22, SF-12, and ODI. Analysis was performed for the entire group, and for subsets of high (ODI, >40), mid (ODI = 21-40) and low (ODI, ≤20) symptom patients. Results. A total of 123 patients (111 females, 12 males) with a mean age of 53.3 (18-79) years were evaluated. In 55 scoliosis patients who received no treatment, the only significant change in HRQOL measures over the 2-year period was in SRS satisfaction subscore (0.3 points, P = 0.014). Among the 68 adult scoliosis patients who used nonoperative resources, there was no significant change in any of the HRQOL outcome parameters. Mean treatment cost over the 2-year period was $10,815. Mean cost over the 2-year period averaged $9704 in the low symptom patients, $11,116 in the mid symptom, and $14,022 in the high symptom patients. Conclusion. This study questions the value of nonoperative treatment commonly used for adult scoliosis patients. Documented costs are substantial and no improvement in health status was observed. An important caveat is that treatment was not randomized and therefore the treatment group might have deteriorated if not for the treatment they received.
Two Multiplier Theorems for H1(U2)

Let H1(U2) be the Hardy space of the bidisc as described in (3). Each function f ∈ H1(U2) has a Taylor expansion of the form . For 0<p<∞, a doubly-indexed sequence is said to be a multiplier of H1(U2) into lp ifThis paper is concerned with the cases p = 2 and p = 1. Theorem 1 characterises the multipliers of into l2 and is an analogue in two variables of an old result of Hardy and Littlewood. Theorem 2 characterises the sequences (an)n≥0 such that (an+m)n,m≥0 is a multiplier of H1(U) into l1
Weak neutral currents

Stimulated by recent indications that neutral-current effects may have been seen in high-energy neutrino reactions, we take up several issues that bear on the characterization of neutral hadron currents. Occasional guidance is sought in gauge models of the weak interactions, but the discussion is essentially phenomenological. Special emphasis is given to the question whether the neutral currents have "new" pieces, unrelated to those which appear in electromagnetism and in weak charge-changing reactions. Of particular interest here is the question: Are the neutral vector currents conserved?
Welcome to Volume 45

Purpose In this column, the editor introduces readers to Volume 45 of Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools.
The Effect of Serial Dependence on Multiperiod Holding Period Return Performance

The impact of the investment time horizon on risk-return properties of asset returns depends on the presence of serial correlation and higher order serial dependencies. We present a methodology for decomposing multiperiod holding period return covariance into serial and cross-sectional components using a recursive multiplicative model that captures the effects of serial and cross-sectional dependencies and their joint effects without requiring a distributional form assumption. Applying this model to historical monthly return series for commonly held financial assets and portfolios of assets, we investigate the significance of the investment time horizon, the existence and relevance of time diversification, the inflation-hedging effectiveness of different assets, and the appropriateness of applying traditional capital market theory in a multiperiod framework.
The antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene can retard cerebellar degeneration induced transplacentally by a single low dosage of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea.

Late-onset cerebellar degeneration can be induced transplacentally in mice by a single low-dose (1 mg/kg) injection of the direct-acting DNA alkylating agent N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) on day 16 of pregnancy. The offspring develop a mild ataxia that manifests by 12–16 weeks of age postnatally when the animals are challenged with a motor coordination task. Morphological evidence of degeneration includes pyknosis of Purkinje cells and abnormal foliation patterns. Additionally, these animals demonstrate a progressive retinopathy characterized by thinning of the nuclear and plexiform layers of the retina. Efforts to retard the cerebellar degeneration were undertaken in the present study. MNU-exposed and control animals were fed a standard mouse chow diet supplemented with 0.75% butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), an antioxidant. This supplementation commenced 24 h following exposure to the teratogen and continued throughout the life of the offspring. A second group of MNU-exposed and control mice were fed a non-BHT-supplemented, standard Purina mouse chow diet. Quantitative histological evaluation of cerebellar coronal sections indicated that by 4 weeks of age BHT-fed, MNU-exposed mice had significantly fewer pyknotic Purkinje cells than non-BHT-fed, MNU-exposed animals. This was true for the vermal, paravermal, and lateral areas of the cerebellum. The findings suggest the usefulness of teratogenic models of degenerative diseases for the testing of potential intervention strategies.
Evaluating education as an intervention for injury control.

In the June 2004 issue of the Journal, Greenberg-Seth et al. raise several generic issues for the field of injury prevention that need to be discussed if we are to understand the potential public health implications of intervention assessments.1 Greenberg-Seth et al. demonstrated the effectiveness of an intervention for increasing child rear seating in a short time frame.1 The improvements were greater in high-income areas, one feature of educational interventions that must be carefully monitored. Interventions that benefit the richer segments of society more than the poorer segments further existing inequalities and do not serve the goal of health equity. Even if such a trend is temporary, it may have a longer-term effect in terms of perceptions of the intervention and an eventual impact on equity between socioeconomic groups.2 The impact on equity becomes even more important in the context of interventions in low-income countries where literacy and access to media is far from universal. More than 90% of the burden of injuries is in the developing world, and this burden is marked by major inequalities in access to preventive and curative health care.3 It would be critical for interventions implemented in such settings to be modified to ensure that they are pro-poor.4 The effect of education as an independent intervention for injury prevention is not clear.3 It is an effective component when it is accompanied by another intervention or when it is part of a set of specific interventions. It is natural to assume that health education is beneficial. However, health education may use resources that might be better used to fund interventions with proven effectiveness, especially in resource-scarce environments. Maximizing health outcomes in terms of reduction in injury burden per unit of investment is a critical measure for guiding resource allocation. It is important to note that output indicators such as use of devices is only half of impact assessment. The more important indicator would be a decrease in childhood injury rates as a result of interventions. Outcome measures require larger samples and longer time frames but are essential in determining the true impact of interventions. Outcome evaluation for interventions, especially education-related interventions, is lacking. Defining a global research agenda for preventing child injuries and leveraging funds should be a priority for injury prevention stakeholders.
Genetics of Economic Traits in the Cornell Randombred Control Population

Abstract Data from the Cornell Randombred Control Population of White Leghorns were analyzed to determine production characteristics in each of two hatches and the different components of genetic variance of economic traits. Birds from hatch 1 were heavier at 8 weeks of age, matured earlier and produced more but smaller eggs with higher albumen score than birds from hatch 2. It was found that additive direct variance was important in determining the variation in the traits studied with the exception of hen-housed 500-day egg production. The additive-maternal variance was important for most of the traits but the correlation with the additive-direct variance, when present, was negative. There was some evidence suggesting the presence of dominance-direct variance for body weights. The presence of additive-maternal and dominance-direct variances could account for the higher heritability estimates obtained from the dam component of variance.
Selective Nickel Silicide Wet Etchback Chemistry for Low Temperature Anneal Process

The salicide (self-aligned silicide) technology involves selective wet etching step of non-reacted metal with respect to metal silicides. It was introduced in MOSFET fabrication due to the increase of the source, drain and gate resistances with the reduction of device dimensions. The introduction of a low resistive silicide layer on these areas has become mandatory to meet device specifications. NiSi has been widely considered for sub-65nm technology nodes due to its low resistivity, low silicon consumption and low formation temperature [1-2]. The two step annealing sequence is common in the industry for nickel silicide application to control the reverse linewidth effect. However, since Ni is the diffusing element in the NiSi reaction, a first high temperature rapid thermal anneal (RTA) will inadvertently result in Ni lateral diffusion under the spacer towards the gate causing electrical shorts. Indeed, a first low temperature anneal could seriously limit the nickel lateral diffusion and prevent this phenomenon. Minimizing thermal budget by means of reducing the temperature has also been proven to lower junction leakage current [3].
Sex differences in asthma symptom profiles and control in the American Lung Association Asthma Clinical Research Centers

Summary Objective Important differences between men and women with asthma have been demonstrated, with women describing more symptoms and worse asthma-related quality of life (QOL) despite having similar or better pulmonary function. While current guidelines focus heavily on assessing asthma control, they lack information about whether sex-specific approaches to asthma assessment should be considered. We sought to determine if sex differences in asthma control or symptom profiles exist in the well-characterized population of participants in the American Lung Association Asthma Clinical Research Centers (ALA-ACRC) trials. Methods We reviewed baseline data from four trials published by the ALA-ACRC to evaluate individual item responses to three standardized asthma questionnaires: the Juniper Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ), the multi-attribute Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI), and Juniper Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (mini-AQLQ). Results In the poorly-controlled population, women reported similar overall asthma control (mean ACQ 1.9 vs. 1.8; p = 0.54), but were more likely to report specific symptoms such as nocturnal awakenings, activity limitations, and shortness of breath on individual item responses. Women reported worse asthma-related QOL on the mini-AQLQ (mean 4.5 vs. 4.9; p p ≤ 0.0001) and were more likely to report feeling bothered by particular symptoms such as coughing, or environmental triggers. Conclusions In participants with poorly-controlled asthma, women had outwardly similar asthma control, but had unique symptom profiles on detailed item analyses which were evident on evaluation of three standardized asthma questionnaires.
Ontogeny of Glutamine Synthetase in Rat Small Intestine

Glutamine synthetase (GS) is a key enzyme involved in the endogenous biosynthesis of glutamine, an amino acid known to be essential for small intestinal metabolism and function. This study describes the ontogeny of rat small intestinal GS from fetal life through adulthood with enzyme activities, protein immunoblotting, and steady state levels of GS mRNA by RNA gel blots and dot blots. Enzyme activities progressively increased from 21 d of fetal life to 32 d postnatally, then decreased in adulthood. The amount of GS immunoreactive protein in the small intestine increased from fetal life to 10-day-old infants and persisted into adulthood. GS mRNA, as quantified by dot blots was highest at 19 d postnatally. The ontogenic changes in rat small intestinal GS appear to correspond temporally with rapid growth and weaning. The steady increase in GS enzyme activity up to 32 d of age with a subsequent drop in adulthood is not paralleled by an increase in GS mRNA or protein. These findings suggest an apparent complex regulation of the enzyme activity at a transcriptional or translational levels.
Neural intrinsic connectivity networks associated with risk aversion in old age.

Abstract Risk aversion is associated with several important real world outcomes. Although the neurobiological correlates of risk aversion have been studied in young persons, little is known of the neurobiological correlates of risk aversion among older persons. Resting-state functional MRI data were collected on 134 non-demented participants of the Rush Memory and Aging Project, a community-based cohort study of aging. Risk aversion was measured using a series of standard questions in which participants were asked to choose between a certain monetary payment ($15) versus a gamble in which they could gain more than $15 or gain nothing, with potential gains varied across questions. Participants determined to be “high” (n = 27) and “low” (n = 27) in risk aversion were grouped accordingly. Using a spherical seed region of interest in the anterior cingulate cortex, voxel-wise functional connectivity network similarities were observed in bilateral frontal, anterior and posterior cingulate, insula, basal ganglia, temporal, parietal, and thalamic regions. Differences in functional connectivity were observed such that those low in risk aversion had greater connectivity to clusters in the superior, middle, and medial frontal regions, as well as cerebellar, parietal, occipital, and inferior temporal regions. Those high in risk aversion had greater connectivity to clusters in the inferior and orbital frontal, parahippocampal, and insula regions, as well as thalamic, parietal, precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and middle temporal regions. Similarities and differences in functional connectivity patterns may reflect the historical recruitment of specific brain regions as a network in the active processing of risk in older adults.
Laboratory Determination of Interrill Soil Erodibility

Laboratory soil pans and rainfall simulators have been used to study fundamental erosion processes affecting interrill soil loss. Problems exist when laboratory results are extended to those determined under field conditions. Experimental methodology influences a soil's interrill erodibility and interrill erodibility ranking among soils. We compared interrill soil loss and erodibility data from two erosion pans with field data from identical soils. Three plot size-rainfall simulator methodologies were used: (1) 0.14-m 2 lab pan under a constant drop size (4.6 mm) rainfall simulator, (2)0.32-m 2 lab with soil border areas under an oscillating nozzle (2.3 mm median drop diameter) rainfall simulator, and (3) 1-m 2 field plots under the same rainfall simulator as used in Method 2. Soil loss was measured at 5-min intervals. Interrill erodibility (K i ) was calculated from two equations (E=K ii and E=K iq Iq) using measured soil loss (E), rainfall intensity (I), and flow discharge (q) values. The interrill earosion equation, methodology, time, and initial water content influenced calculated K i values. Soil loss and K i values from Method 1 did not correlate with and were greater tan corresponding values from Methods 2 and 3. Soil loss and K i values from Method 2 were correlated (r=0.56 to 0.79) with corresponding values from Method3. The K iq values decreased with time and were a function of soil properties related to soil detachment and sediment transport. The K ii values (i) increased with time, (ii) were primarily a function of soil properties related to soil detachment only, and (iii) did not account for infiltration and runoff differences among soils
Recurrence of morphea after successful ultraviolet A1 phototherapy: A cohort study.

Background Studies support efficacy of ultraviolet (UV)A1 phototherapy, but little is known about recurrence after successful UVA1 treatment. Objective We sought to determine the frequency of recurrent activity after UVA1 phototherapy and variables associated with recurrence. Methods This was a case series and prospective cohort study of patients treated with UVA1 phototherapy with minimum 6 months of follow-up. Demographics, clinical features, and cumulative UVA1 dose were analyzed for association with recurrence. Results Of 37 patients, 46% (n = 17) had recurrence of active morphea lesions after successful UVA1 phototherapy. Two-year and 3-year (after the last UVA1 phototherapy treatment) recurrence rates were 44.5% (95% confidence interval 30.1%-62.2%) and 48.4% (95% confidence interval 33.2%-66.1%), respectively. The only variable associated with recurrence was duration of morphea before UVA1 (P value = .02, hazard ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.27). Limitations The sample size limits conclusions. Conclusion With the exception of increased duration of morphea, risk of recurrence is no different in adults and children, or between morphea subtypes, skin types, and medium- to high-dose regimens. This indicates treatment doses in the medium-high UVA1 range are adequate with respect to frequency of recurrence.
In Search of One's Past: An Identity Trip†

The experience of being “cut off,” either emotionally or physically, from one's family of origin and extended families is an experience that at times confronts us all, be we the children of natural, adoptive, foster or divorced parents. The goal of this paper is to show that a person's identity is profoundly related to, and affected by, his sense of connection to his family of origin. This paper will take as its point of departure the author's story as a foster child and will describe his successful effort to get himself reconnected to his natural family. The story raises questions about the policies of foster-care agencies and, by implication, questions about adoptive agency policy. Finally, the paper may have something to say not only to family therapists and researchers but to all of us who wish to more fully “know” our parents and our extended families.
Entropy in protein folding and in protein—protein interactions

The reduction of conformational entropy is a major barrier that has to be overcome in protein folding and binding. Changes in solvent entropy are also a major factor. Recent advances include clarification of the fundamental issues concerning the separation of entropy into components, the treatment of association entropy in binding, and the role of size and shape effects in solvation entropy. Advances in the application of entropy calculations include an emerging consensus for estimates of backbone and sidechain entropy loss in protein folding via use of numerically intensive methods for sampling, and use of the expanding protein-structure database.
Effects of upper eyelid blepharoplasty on ocular surface sensation and tear production.

Abstract Background: To evaluate the effect of upper eyelid surgery on ocular surface sensation and tear production. Methods: Prospective, interventional, consecutive case series. Patients undergoing upper eyelid blepharoplasty or blepharoptosis repair were evaluated with measurements of their corneal sensation and tear production using a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer and the Schirmer 1 test without anesthesia, respectively. Measurements were obtained preperatively, and at 1 day and 1 month postoperatively. Results: Eleven patients (21 eyes) were enrolled in the study. There was a significant decrease in corneal sensation between the baseline and postperative day 1 ( p p p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in tear production between baseline and postoperative day 1 ( p > 0.05).There was a statistically significant increase in tear production between baseline and postoperative month 1 ( p Interpretation: Upper eyelid surgery results in a temporary decrease in ocular surface sensation that returns to baseline after 1 month. Patients with pre-existing ocular surface dysfunction should consider aggressive treatments with lubricating drops and ointment, punctual occlusion, or anti-inflammatory therapy to accommodate the temporary effects on ocular surface sensation that result from upper eyelid surgery.
Characterization and treatment of dissolved organic matter from oilfield produced waters.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) has been studied intensively in streams, lakes and oceans due to its role in the global carbon cycle and because it is a precursor of carcinogenic disinfection by-products in drinking water; however, relatively little research has been conducted on DOM in oilfield produced waters. In this study, recovery of DOM from two oilfield produced waters was relatively low (∼34%), possibly due to the presence of high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A van Krevelen diagram of the extracted DOM suggested the presence of high concentrations of lipids, lignin, and proteins, but low concentrations of condensed hydrocarbons. Most of the compounds in the oilfield DOM contained sulfur in their structures. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra indicated the presence of methyl groups, amides, carboxylic acids, and aromatic compounds, which is in agreement with results of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) analysis. Qualitatively, DOM in oilfield produced waters is similar to that reported in oceans and freshwater, except that it contains much more sulfur and is less aromatic. Treatment studies conducted in a fluidized bed reactor suggested that volatilization of organics may be a more important mechanism of DOM removal than microbial degradation.
Genetics And Environmental Regulation Of Shigella Iron Transport Systems

Shigella spp. have transport systems for both ferric and ferrous iron. The iron can be taken up as free iron or complexed to a variety of carriers. All Shigella species have both the Feo and Sit systems for acquisition of ferrous iron, and all have at least one siderophore-mediated system for transport of ferric iron. Several of the transport systems, including Sit, Iuc/IutA (aerobactin synthesis and transport), Fec (ferric di-citrate uptake), and Shu (heme transport) are encoded within pathogenicity islands. The presence and the genomic locations of these islands vary considerably among the Shigella species, and even between isolates of the same species. The expression of the iron transport systems is influenced by the concentration of iron and by environmental conditions including the level of oxygen. ArcA and FNR regulate iron transport gene expression as a function of oxygen tension, with the sit and iuc promoters being highly expressed in aerobic conditions, while the feo ferrous iron transporter promoter is most active under anaerobic conditions. The effects of oxygen are also seen in infection of cultured cells by Shigella flexneri; the Sit and Iuc systems support plaque formation under aerobic conditions, whereas Feo allows plaque formation anaerobically.
Pyruvate carboxylase. Effect of the chemical modification of the sulfhydryl groups on the activity and quaternary structure.

Abstract 1. 1. Sulfhydryl reagents cause a profound effect on both the enzymatic activity and quaternary structure of pyruvate carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.1) from chicken liver (molecular weight of the tetramer 655 000, and about 55 sulfhydryl groups per molecule). At a molar ratio of inhibitor to enzyme (tetramer) equal to 36, p- hydroxymercuribenzoate (PHMB) or 5,5′-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) (DTNB) causes a complete inactivation of the enzyme within 1 h. Iodoacetate and cystine inactivate the enzyme more slowly, and at relatively high concentrations give pseudo-first-order kinetics of inactivation. In contrast, iodoacetamide and N- ethylmaleimide inactivate the enzyme in two stages. The first phase is accompanied by a loss of activity of 35% with iodoacetamide and 75% with N- ethylmaleimide ; the second phase results in complete inactivation in both cases. 2. 2. The inactivation by PHMB, DTNB or iodoacetate is accompanied by a partial dissociation of the tetramers to monomers, and an aggregation to high-molecular-weight species. The enzyme inactivated by cystine shows only a conversion of tetramers to monomers. During the first stage of inactivation by N- ethylmaleimide , the enzyme retains its original sedimentation pattern, while during the second there is a formation of high-molecular-weight aggregates. These diverse effects are tentatively correlated with the nature of the different sulfhydryl reagents. 3. 3. The inactivation by PHMB, DTNB or cystine can be partially reversed by thiols. With PHMB this reactivation was shown to be accompanied by a recovery of the original sedimentation pattern.
An Investigation on New Numerical Methods for Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Explicit integrators have found common use in Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations because they are easy to implement and work well under many conditions. However, in other classical mechanics applications that require the numerical solution of the equations of motion for complex systems, explicit methods have encountered major difficulties. In these cases, the state of the art relies on implicit methods, which are stable under large time steps and therefore can be used to decrease the number of integration steps necessay for a simulation. This in turn results in an overall reduction of CPU time that opens the door to an increase in the dimension of the problem that can be considered. The premise of this work is that numerical methods that are suitable for efficient simulation of mechanical systems will lead to significant gains when used in MD. The goal of the proposed work is to investigate this assumption by comparing in terms of accuracy and efficiency the Hilber-Hughes-Taylor (HHT) integrator against current explicit MD integrators for a set of two benchmark problems.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Robust fluorescent detection of protein fatty-acylation with chemical reporters.

Fatty-acylation of proteins in eukaryotes is associated with many fundamental cellular processes but has been challenging to study due to limited tools for rapid and robust detection of protein fatty-acylation in cells. The development of azido-fatty acids enabled the nonradioactive detection of fatty-acylated proteins in mammalian cells using the Staudinger ligation and biotinylated phosphine reagents. However, the visualization of protein fatty-acylation with streptavidin blotting is highly variable and not ideal for robust detection of fatty-acylated proteins. Here we report the development of alkynyl-fatty acid chemical reporters and improved bioorthogonal labeling conditions using the CuI-catalyzed Huisgen [3 + 2] cycloaddition that enables specific and sensitive fluorescence detection of fatty-acylated proteins in mammalian cells. These improvements allow the rapid and robust biochemical analysis of fatty-acylated proteins expressed at endogenous levels in mammalian cells by in-gel fluorescence scan...
The Development of the Attitudes Toward Censorship Questionnaire1

Two studies were conducted to develop a psychometrically sound scale to measure attitudes to ward censorship. In the first study, 37 initial items were administered to 109 college and high school students. Additional measures were also included for validation purposes. Factor analysis and item-total correlations were used to select items for the final scale. Results revealed two distinct factors alluding to the possibility of a multidimensional construct. Reliability coefficients indicated that both factors were internally consistent. Correlations with additional measures provided evidence for the criterion and convergent validity of the scale. The second study used a sample of 150 college students to replicate the initial findings and to establish testretest reliability.
Primary Laryngeal Clear Cell Chondrosarcoma: Report of a Case and Literature Review

We present an example of clear cell chondrosarcoma (CCC) arising in the thyroid cartilage, and review the literature regarding this neoplasm in the larynx. This patient has no evidence of disease 3 years post hemilaryngectomy. Although rare and morphologically distinct, CCC follows the same benign clinical course as conventional laryngeal chondrosarcoma.
Man-portable vector EMI instrument data characterization using the NSMS method

The Man Portable Vector (MPV) instrument is a time-domain handheld electromagnetic induction (EMI) instrument with five vector receivers and subcentimeter positioning accuracy. For cued interrogations, the MPV is designed to discriminate unexploded ordnance (UXO) from non-UXO using models ranging from the simple dipole model to physically complete models such as the Normalized Surface Magnetic Source (NSMS) method. The MPV acquires both EMI data and position at a 10Hz sampling rate resulting in 150 data points per second at each of a user selectable number time channels (typically 30-90) starting at 100 microseconds. Several factors might limit the usefulness of this data under real world conditions including an excess of usable data, noise in the position data, and insufficient coverage of anomalies. In this paper, we investigate the impact these factors have on the accuracy of discrimination results based on both static and dynamic MPV data. We investigate the effect of using only a subset of the data along with averaging techniques to reduce the amount of MPV data from a single anomaly. In addition, we inject various levels of noise into the position of the MPV in order to gauge the robustness of the discrimination results. Data is also selectively considered based on number of receivers and vector component(s). Results suggest that remarkably few data points are required for accurate discrimination results and that the vector receivers and low hardware noise of the MPV lead to robust results even with sparse data or noisy positional data.
Information systems architecture to support managed care business processes

Abstract Escalating costs have forced dramatic changes in the healthcare industry, with a move towards managed care. Managed care seeks to integrate healthcare delivery processes and continuously improve them through feedback based on evaluation of care outcomes. The success of managed care depends critically on the collection, analysis and seamless exchange of information within and across organizational borders. This paper examines the business processes unique to managed care, and identifies its architecture requirements. We find that in addition to interorganizational networking, the architecture must provide sophisticated decision support capabilities. Historically, the emphasis of decision support in healthcare has been on clinical applications. Our examination shows that in the new managed care environment, it is equally important to also provide decision support for (i) specific nonclinical aspects of care delivery (ii) outcome analysis and (iii) continual refinement of care protocols to enhance cost-effectiveness.
Overcoming Barriers to Access and Utilization of Hospice and Palliative Care Services in African-American Communities:

While there is ample evidence to support the need for hospice and palliative care services for African Americans, only 8% of patients who utilize those services are from African-American communities. The underutilization of end-of-life and palliative care can be attributed to several barriers to service access including incompatibility between hospice philosophy and African-American religious, spiritual, and cultural beliefs; health care disparities; distrust of the medical establishment; physician influence; financial disincentives, and hospice admission criteria. Suggestions for dismantling barriers to care access include developing culturally competent professionals in the health and human services, expanding the philosophy of hospice to include spiritual advisors from client communities, and funding national initiatives to promote improved access to health care at all stages in the life cycle of members of all underserved communities.
Power transmission and coupling for radiofrequency heating of plasmas

RF power is widely used as an auxiliary heating method in fusion devices. This paper reviews the relevant theoretical considerations for the ion cyclotron, lower hybrid and electron cyclotron ranges of frequency, and presents the history, the state of the art, and the plans and prospects for antennas and transmission lines for RF heating. Reactor-relevant concerns are discussed, and the information needed to develop realistic antenna designs for a reactor environment is assessed.
Analysis of basin irrigation performance with variable inflow rate

Abstract Basin irrigation systems were designed for a constant flow rate. The operation of the designed system was simulated using the zero-inertia model of surface irrigation. The performance of the system was obtained for modified design flow rates. Three patterns of flow variation — sinusoidal, initially low then high, and initially high then low — were studied. The average of a variable flow rate in a given simulation equalled, was less than and greater than the design flow rates. The flow rate variations did not lower the performance of the system when the average flow rate during irrigation was greater than or equal to the design flow rate. Significant reductions in system performance occurred when the average flow rate was equal to 50% of the design. Basin irrigation systems should be designed for the average of the variable flow rate available at the field outlet.
Identification of sex-specific quantitative trait loci controlling alcohol preference in C57BL/ 6 mice.

Mice from various inbred strains consume alcoholic beverages at highly reproducible and strain–specific levels. While most mice consume alcohol in moderate amounts, C57BL/6J animals exhibit sustained oral ingestion of high levels of alcohol in the presence of competing water and food. We now report a genetic investigation of this phenotype as one potential model for alcoholism. An intercross–backcross breeding protocol was used to identify two recessive alcohol preference quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that are both sex–restricted in expression. A comparison of our results with those of an earlier morphine preference study argues against the hypothesis of a single unified phenotype defined by a preference for all euphoria–producing drugs.
Minimal Hypersurfaces with Finite Index

In an article of Cao-Shen-Zhu [C-S-Z], they proved that a complete, immersed, stable minimal hypersurface M of R with n ≥ 3 must have only one end. When n = 2, it was proved independently by do Carmo-Peng [dC-P] and FischerColbrie-Schoen [FC-S] that a complete, immersed, oriented stable minimal surface in R must be a plane. Later Gulliver [G] and Fischer-Colbrie [FC] proved that if a complete, immersed, minimal surface in R has finite index, then it must be conformally equivalent to a compact Riemann surface with finitely many punctures. Fischer-Colbrie actually proved this for minimal surfaces in a complete manifold with non-negative scalar curvature. In any event, a corollary is that if a complete, immersed, oriented minimal surface in R has finite index then it must have finitely many ends. The purpose of this paper is to generalize this result for finitely many ends to higher dimensional minimal hypersurfaces in Euclidean space (see Theorem 5). In fact, we will also show that the first L-Betti number of such a manifold must be finite. The strategy of Cao-Shen-Zhu was to utilize a result a Schoen-Yau [S-Y] asserting that a complete, stable minimal hypersurface of R cannot admit a non-constant harmonic function with finite Dirichlet integral. Assuming that M has more than one end, Cao-Shen-Zhu constructed a non-constant harmonic function with finite Dirichlet integral. This approach very much fits into the scheme studied by the first author and Tam in [L-T]. In fact, the authors showed that the number of non-parabolic ends of any complete Riemannian manifold is bounded above by the dimension of the space of bounded harmonic functions with finite Dirichlet integral. The proof of Cao-Shen-Zhu can be modified to show that each end of a complete, immersed, minimal submanifold must be non-parabolic. Due to this connection
N for the price of 1: bundling web objects for more efficient content delivery

Persistent connections address inefficiencies associated with multiple concurrent connections. They can improve response time when successfully used with pipelining to retrieve a set of objects from a Web server. In practice, however, there is inconsistent support for persistent connections, particularly with pipelining, from Web servers, user agents, and intermediaries. Web browsers continue to open multiple concurrent TCP connections to the same server. This paper proposes a new idea of packaging the set of objects embedded on a Web page into a single bundle object for retrieval by clients. Our analysis indicates that if embedded objects on a Web page are delivered to clients as a single bundle, the response time experienced by the clients is as good as or better than that provided by currently deployed mechanisms. We also show that, relative to the currently used retrieval methods, our approach reduces the load on the network and servers. The key contribution of our work is a mechanism that gives Web servers better control over the number and duration of TCP connections they support. Implementation of the mechanism requires no changes to the HTTP protocol.
The PRIMA Grid Authorization System

PRIMA, a system for PRIvilege Management and Authorization, provides enhanced Grid security services. The requirements for these services are derived from usage scenarios and supported by a survey of Grid users. The requirements for added flexibility, increased expressiveness, and more precise enforcement are met by a combination of three mechanisms: (1) use of secure, fine-grained privileges representing externalized access rights for Grid resources that can be freely created, shared, and employed by Grid users; (2) a dynamic policy generated for each request combining the request’s user-provided privileges with the resource’s access control policy; and (3) dynamic execution environments specially provisioned for each request that are enforced by the resource’s native operating system and which support legacy applications. PRIMA has been implemented as an extension of the Globus Toolkit Grid middleware.
The colorimetric determination of certain local anesthetics with sodium 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulfonate *†

The quantitative reaction between sodium l,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulfonate and primary amines has been applied to the assay of certain local anesthetic compounds. The improved colorimetric method which is employed is particularly useful since it is simple and highly selective, and yet provides a relatively high degree of precision and accuracy. While the presence of secondary amines causes interference with most other chemical methods of assay, neither secondary nor tertiary amines display any adverse effect in the procedure described. Specific application to a commercial dosage form is discussed.
Performance of silicon detectors in polarized proton-proton elastic scattering at RHIC

The STAR experiment at RHIC is equipped with insertion devices (Roman Pots) that allow the detectors to be moved close to the beam, in order to measure protons at small scattering angles. This setup, together with the unique capability of RHIC to collide spin-polarized proton beams, allows STAR to study both unpolarized and spin-dependent proton-proton (pp) elastic scattering process. With silicon strip detectors installed in Roman Pots, pp elastic scattering is accessible in the Coulomb Nuclear Interference (CNI) region, where a measurable single spin asymmetry arises. By using a dedicated run with special beam optics during the RHIC 2009 data taking period, the collaboration was able to collect more than 30 M elastic triggers with transversely polarized proton beams at √s = 200 GeV and in the four-momentum transfer squared (t) range of 0.005 GeV2/c2 ≤ −t ≤ 0.035 GeV2/c2. In here we describe the experimental setup and performance during the last data taking period, with a specific focus on alignment and efficiency of the silicon detectors.
Development of an integrated prostate cancer research information system.

Abstract Background In this article, we describe the design and implementation of a comprehensive prostate cancer database developed to collect, store, and access clinical, treatment, and outcomes data for research and clinical care. Patients and Methods The Prostate Cancer Clinical Research Information System is a relational database. Data are entered from multiple sources, including medical records, institutional laboratory, patient registration, pharmacy systems, and clinician forms. The history, design, and operational characteristics of the database are described. Issues regarding necessary staffing and funding of databases are reviewed. Results Four thousand two hundred forty-six patients have information in the Prostate Cancer Clinical Research Information System. Mean age of patients is 62 years, and 89% are white. Seventy-one percent of patients presented at diagnosis with T1 or T2 disease, and 78% had biopsy Gleason scores of ≤ 7, 8-10 in 18%. Median prostatespecific antigen level at diagnosis was 7 ng/mL, and 77% of patients presented with increased prostate-specific antigen as a trigger symptom. Sixty-four percent of patients presented to our clinic having had no previous treatment for prostate cancer. The majority of approached patients provided consent for collection of clinical data, blood, and tissue. Quality control assessments demonstrate high levels of concordance among data entry personnel. Conclusion Clinical databases are difficult to implement and maintain; however, they represent a valuable resource, particularly when linked to blood and tissue banks. Elements needed for a successful clinical database include engagement of clinicians, utility for research, and the ability to integrate with legacy systems. As cancer centers develop such databases, lessons learned from each experience should be shared in order to optimize the process.