cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: The Old and the New

During the past decade we have witnessed a number of changes in the field of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), including new entities added to the classification as well as a better understanding of the biology of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). An understanding of the epigenetics of NHL is also contributing new agents for the management of this disorder. It has become increasingly clear that DLBCL is a biologically and clinically heterogeneous cell type. Two major categories are now recognized: germinal center B cell and activated B-cell (ABC) types. The former is associated with a good prognosis while the latter is known to have a more adverse outcome. With the use of routine immunohistochemical stains, these two types can be identified. The ABC type is known to be NFK-B dependent. NFK-B is a therapeutic target for bortezomib which is being investigated as treatment for this subtype of DLBCL. Several major changes in the classification will be discussed among which the most important are the recognition of so-called borderline entities. One of the two most common of these is the borderline DLBCL/Burkitt tumor (DLBCL/BL) which has features of both DLBCL and Burkitt's lymphoma. Many of the cases in this DLBCL/BL category contain a translocation of MYC as well as BCL2, so-called "double-hit lymphomas" which have a very aggressive clinical behavior. The second common borderline entity is the mediastinal grey zone NHL (MGZL) which has pathological features intermediate between primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma and nodular sclerosing Hodgkin lymphoma (NSHL). Overlapping clinical features include young age, male predominance, and localized mediastinal presentation. Anecdotal reports suggest MGZL is relatively resistant to Hodgkin-based chemotherapy. Epigenetic therapy represents a new concept. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi)and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors constitute a promising new class of antineoplastic agents. They modify the expression of genes related to cancer development. In this review, we discuss the role of HDACi in lymphomagenesis as well as in treatment. To understand the benefits of HDACi in lymphoma treatment, we must appreciate the crucial interplay between BCL6, p53, and STAT3. The STAT3 oncogene is involved in the ABC type of DLBCL, an unfavorable and frequently therapy-refractory lymphoma. STAT3 can be effectively suppressed by several HDACi. We will summarize the results of recent trials with HDACi such as romidepsin, panobinostat and valproic acid that have shown significant preliminary activity in recurrent and refractory lymphomas. Their future role in front-line management remains to be determined.
Tricyclo[2.1.0.01,3]pentane

Abstract The reaction of 1,1-dibromo-2,3-bis(chloromethyl)cyclopropane with methyllithium leads initially to ring closure to 1-bromo-2-chloromethylbicyclo[1.1.0]butane. Further reaction leads to an unstable compound which reacts with phenylthiol to give 2-vinyl-1-cyclopropyl phenyl sulfide and undergoes thermal rearrangement at ∼ -50°C to give cyclopentadiene. Strong evidence is presented which suggests that tricyclo[2.1.0.01,3]pentane may be the intermediate.
Interactions of afterimages for orientation and color: experimental data and model simulations.

Sequential viewing of two orthogonally related patterns produces an afterimage of the first pattern. We report an experiment that quantifies some properties of this type of afterimage. It is shown that it is important for the two patterns to have orthogonal orientations and that the appearance of the afterimage does not depend on the spatial frequency of the second pattern. We then show that Grossberg’s model of interacting boundary and feature contour systems can account for the observed properties of these afterimages.
Efficacy of methylprednisolone pulse therapy in steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome

Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) in children is intractable, and the optimal treatment regimen is not known. We investigated the efficacy of methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPT) in SRNS patients. Using only MPT plus heparin, we have treated ten pediatric SRNS patients that were resistant to cyclophosphamide (CPM) or cyclosporin A (CsA) and predicted to have a very poor prognosis. Administration of 30 mg/kg per day methylprednisolone with heparin for 3 days was taken as one course, and this was given 14 times over 2 years. One patient discontinued MPT because of peritonitis. Of the remaining nine patients, complete remission was achieved by four patients, persistent mild proteinuria remained in three patients, and no effect was observed in two patients. All patients that had been diagnosed with minimal change (MC) pathology ( n=3) at the initial renal biopsy achieved complete remission. Observed adverse events were peritonitis in one patient and a transient decrease in pulse rate only during MPT in one patient. These results demonstrate that MPT with heparin can induce remission in children with SRNS, even when the patient is resistant to CPM and CsA.
Supporting dependable group-oriented mobile transactions: redundancy-based architecture and performance

Several of the emerging mobile commerce services, such as mobile auctions, mobile financial services, and multiparty interactive games, will require support for dependable transactions. This is a difficult challenge because of both intermittent connectivity and potential failures in wireless infrastructure. In this paper, we present a multinetwork access-based wireless architecture and related protocols to support dependable transactions. The key idea is to allow group users to utilize access to one or more wireless networks to complete different steps of a transaction. This allows for transactions to be completed even under time- and location-dependent connectivity problems and network failures. The performance results show that access to multiple wireless networks leads to very high transaction completion probability even when individual wireless networks do not offer continuous and/or highly available access. The transaction completion probability is found to be dependent on the group size and number of steps in a transaction, and the same level of dependable performance for transactions can be achieved by increasing the number of wireless networks or improved access to individual networks. The overhead for multi-network access can be further reduced by creating preferred wireless networks and by reducing the number of critical users in different transaction stages.
Spatial Transferability of Person-Level Daily Activity Generation and Time Use Models: Empirical Assessment

An empirical assessment is made of the spatial transferability of person-level daily activity generation and time use models in regions in Florida and between Florida and California. The empirical models are for unemployed adults and are based on the multiple discrete-continuous extreme value structure. The prediction properties of the model are examined first. The results shed new light on the prediction properties of the multiple discrete-continuous extreme value model that have implications for transferability and that provide insight into how the model structure could be improved. Two approaches to transferring models are evaluated—naive transfer and updating model constants—with measures such as log likelihood-based metrics, aggregate predictive ability, and model sensitivity to changes in demographic characteristics. Results suggest that accurate prediction of aggregate observed patterns is not an adequate yardstick with which to assess transferability; emphasis should be placed on model sensitivity...
Speaking Soviet with an Accent: Culture and Power in Kyrgyzstan. By Ali Igmen. (Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2012. Pp. xi, 236. $27.95.)

When this reviewer was first in Kyrgyzstan in 2001, he attended a public celebration of the nation's national day. The center of the celebration was a music and video production recounting Kyrgyzst...
The Eukaryotic Initiation Factor (eIF) 4G HEAT Domain Promotes Translation Re-initiation in Yeast Both Dependent on and Independent of eIF4A mRNA Helicase *

Translation re-initiation provides the molecular basis for translational control of mammalian ATF4 and yeast GCN4 mediated by short upstream open reading (uORFs) in response to eIF2 phosphorylation. eIF4G is the major adaptor subunit of eIF4F that binds the cap-binding subunit eIF4E and the mRNA helicase eIF4A and is also required for re-initiation in mammals. Here we show that the yeast eIF4G2 mutations altering eIF4E- and eIF4A-binding sites increase re-initiation at GCN4 and impair recognition of the start codons of uORF1 or uORF4 located after uORF1. The increase in re-initiation at GCN4 was partially suppressed by increasing the distance between uORF1 and GCN4, suggesting that the mutations decrease the migration rate of the scanning ribosome in the GCN4 leader. Interestingly, eIF4E overexpression suppressed both the phenotypes caused by the mutation altering eIF4E-binding site. Thus, eIF4F is required for accurate AUG selection and re-initiation also in yeast, and the eIF4G interaction with the mRNA-cap appears to promote eIF4F re-acquisition by the re-initiating 40 S subunit. However, eIF4A overexpression suppressed the impaired AUG recognition but not the increase in re-initiation caused by the mutations altering eIF4A-binding site. These results not only provide evidence that mRNA unwinding by eIF4A stimulates start codon recognition, but also suggest that the eIF4A-binding site on eIF4G made of the HEAT domain stimulates the ribosomal scanning independent of eIF4A. Based on the RNA-binding activities identified within the unstructured segments flanking the eIF4G2 HEAT domain, we discuss the role of the HEAT domain in scanning beyond loading eIF4A onto the pre-initiation complex.
Alcohol, hepatic sinusoidal microcirculation, and chronic liver disease.

Abstract According to the “intact cell hypothesis,” ethanol (EtOH) primarily targets nonparenchymal hepatic sinusoidal and perisinusoidal cells, thereby promoting sinusoidal capillarization, which impairs microcirculatory exchange of nutrients and wastes, promotes tissue fibrosis, and only indirectly damages hepatic parenchyma. To test this hypothesis, sinusoidal ultrastructure and hepatic lymph flow and protein composition were examined in rats up to 16 weeks after intragastric EtOH (36% calories)-high fat infusion (Tsukamoto-French model) (TF). The findings were compared to dietary controls and interpreted in light of restricted transsinusoidal protein movement observed in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. In vitro, alterations in rat hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cell (RSE) morphology, proliferative index, and trasendothelial macromolecular permeability (Evans bluealbumin uptake into microcarrier beads) were determined after acute and more chronic exposure to 0.1%–5 vol% EtOH. TF displayed 75% increased liver size, perisinusoidal collagenosis, and basal lamina deposition, ascitic fluid, and doubling of hepatic lymph liquid and protein flux. In vitro, 1% EtOH retracted RSE cell margins, enhanced transendothelial Evans blue-albumin flux and suppressed proliferative index. Thus, high EtOH concentration, clinically attainable in the portal blood during an alcoholic binge, both in vivo and in vitro, promotes early structural and functional alterations in sinusoidal endothelium, which over time may be responsible for progressive restriction of free intrahepatic exchange of liquid, macromolecules, and migrating immune cells.
AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM OF THE AMICOM 8000-kw PLASMA FACILITY.

A description is given of the control system for the MICOM 8000-kw plasma facility. This includes a set of six 65-kw, 3-phase, phase-controlled thyristor amplifiers which, together with control and digital multiplexing components, regulate the field currents of the six power generators in the plasma facility. Problems encountered in the design of the control system were related to the establishment of stability, accuracy (2%) and speed of response (system time constant «0.13 sec) in the facility. Sufficient details are given to permit a working understanding of the system's structure and design concepts.
P04.02. How familiar are infectious disease (ID) physicians with integrative medicine (IM) modalities and are they willing to recommend them

Methods A national survey of 1,000 practicing ID physicians in the United States was conducted in 2010. The IM modalities studied were mind-body based modalities (MBM), biologically based modalities (BBM), manipulative and bodybased modalities (MBBM), energy based modalities (EBM) and whole medical systems (WMS). Participants were asked to indicate their familiarity of each modality. If they were familiar with the modality they were then asked to indicate whether they recommended it to patients.
On computing mean returns and the small firm premium

Abstract The mean return computational method has a substantial effect on the estimated small firm premium. The buy-and-hold method, which best mimics actual investment experience, produces an estimated small-firm premium only one-half as large as the arithmetic and re-balanced methods which are often used in empirical studies. Similar biases can be expected in mean returns when securities are classified by any variable related to trading volume.
Observations and EOF Analysis of Low-Frequency Variability in the Western Part of the Gulf Stream Recirculation

Abstract This study of low-frequency oceanic variability is based on data collected during the Long Term Upper Ocean Study (LOTUS), which was a two year program of (mainly) moored meteorological and oceanographic measurements. The mooring arrays were centered at 34°N, 70°W over the Hatteras Abyssal Plain. With a distance of about 300 km to the mean Gulf Stream axis and the continental slope, LOTUS was the most northern and western long-term mooring site in the Gulf Stream recirculation region to date. The observed low-frequency variability is dominated by zonally elongated motions of the secular time scale (periods <100 days) even great depths (4000 m). In contrast to observations in other parts of the recirculation region, the spectral shapes are strongly depth dependent. The vertical structure of the variability was examined by EOF analysis. Different kinds of EOFs were tested; the best representation of the observed variability was obtained by an EOF representing a undirectional nonrotating (with depth...
A general approach toward the design of mechanism-based inactivators of serine proteinases : inactivation of human leukocyte elastase by a phthalimide derivative

Abstract A general approach toward the design of mechanism-based inhibitors of serine proteinases involving the linking of fragment -CHX-COOR to an appropriate recognition element is described.
Molecular cloning and characterization of sequences from the regulatory cluster of the Pseudomonas plasmid alk system.

Alkane oxidation functions encoded by the Pseudomonas plasmid CAM-OCT are positively regulated by one or more products of a locus designated alkR. To characterize this locus in greater detail, molecular cloning and restriction mapping of sequences covering the alkR region have been carried out in Escherichia coli, followed by mobilization to Pseudomonas recipients for analysis of genetic content. Inserts from Pseudomonas (CAM-OCT) strains were cloned into vectors pLAFR1, the pLAFR1::Tn7S derivative pXJS5403, and the transposon vector Tn3Δ596. This has made it possible to: (1) construct a detailed restriction map of cloned fragments and the alkR region of CAM-OCT; (2) map insertion sites of the transposon Tn7S into alkR cistrons; and (3) analyze the ability of cloned sequences to complement or effect marker rescue of alkR nitrosoguanidine- and Tn7S-induced mutations. In addition, transcription of an alkB'-lacZ transcription fusion in the presence of a cloned 18.5 kb EcolRI alkR fragment and an inducer of the alk system confirmed that our cloned sequences contain functional alkR cistrons. The complementation/marker rescue results indicate that alkR is a complex locus and that the products of at least three cistrons are required for the complete AlkR+ phenotype. One of these cistrons is identified by mutations which alter a component of the inducer recognition system.
A Seamless Control Strategy of a Distributed Generation Inverter for the Critical Load Safety Under Strict Grid Disturbances

This paper introduces a seamless grid interconnection control strategy for distributed generations (DG) with renewable energy. Based on the performance analysis of conventional voltage and current control loops, sophisticated control strategies, which can overcome the limited capability of the DG inverter control under mode transition conditions for unknown power plants, are needed in order to protect critical loads and operate the DG inverter without grid fault trip. The proposed control strategy consists of a current controller and a feedforward voltage controller to minimize the grid overvoltage. The feedforward voltage control loop is added to the d-q axis current control loop. The proposed control strategy reduces the overvoltage stress of the renewable energy and the critical load under the grid fault. In addition, the seamless operation of the DG inverter will also enhance the stability and reliability of the grid. Real-time digital simulator-based hardware-in-the-loop experimental results and simulation results show that the DG inverter achieves the seamless mode transition under grid overvoltage conditions.
The political economy of party building Theory and evidence from Peru’s infrastructure development programme

This article theorizes the strategies used by parties to expand their support base, with a particular focus on the allocation of party goods. Here, we theorize that nascent parties with goods to hand out will favour a particular type of societal group, which we name private-gain-seeking groups. We utilize Peru’s party system collapse following Fujimori’s rule as an opportunity to test our hypotheses, which state that political parties will favour electorally volatile groups with restricted access to information or compromised opportunities to process it. Evidence for the hypotheses is found using data on the FONCODES allocation patterns of approximately 750 mayoral districts in Peru. The data suggest that groups expected to be favoured could end up receiving shares 34 percent greater than the least attractive groups.
Rethinking Das Adam Smith Problem

During the last decade, there has been a steady growth in scholarship concerning the moral and philosophical dimensions of Adam Smith's economic theory. The reasons are various: a determination to take Smith out of the dark shadow cast on him by Karl Marx, the perceived intellectual impoverishment of socialism, and an historical concern for tracing the peculiarly Scottish dimensions of the Wealth of Nations (1776). This renewed interest in Smith appears to be more than a sudden intellectual fashion. The now completed publication of the “Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith” provides the basis for the work of systematically reconstructing Smith's intellectual career. Most students of Smith would agree that at the moment this work of reconstruction has just begun. One of the curious features of recent Adam Smith scholarship has been its perfunctory treatment of “ das Adam Smith Problem ,” a problem that once seemed at the very center of understanding the moral and philosophical dimensions of Smith's work. In the last decades of the nineteenth century a group of German scholars coined that phrase to describe what they saw as a possibly fundamental break between the assumptions that guided Smith's first work, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), and those that supported the economic theory of his later work, the Wealth of Nations . On the one hand, Smith's explanation of moral judgment was based upon the psychological principle of “sympathy,” a capacity inherent in every individual which allows a person to “enter into” the situation of another and thereby bring his own “sentiments” into accord with those of his fellow.
Komplekse Liv: Kulturel Mangfoldlghed i Danmark

Komplekse Liv: Kulturel Mangfoldlghed i Danmark. JOHN LIEP and KAREN FOG OLWIG, eds. Copenhagen: Akademlsk Foriag, 1994. 182 pp., bibliography, index.
A comparative study on growth limits of Listeria monocytogenes as affected by temperature, pH and aw when grown in suspension or on a solid surface

Abstract The growth/no growth response of a mixture of five strains of Listeria monocytogenes in tryptic soy broth and on tryptic soy agar was monitored in combination treatments of temperature (4–30°C), pH (4.24–6.58) and aw (0.900–0.993) for 30 days. A significant difference between the growth limits of the pathogen in broth and agar was observed. At 25°C the minimum pH values that permitted growth in broth and agar were 4.45 and 5.10, respectively, while the respective aw limits were 0.900 and 0.945. Although the growth limits increased as the temperature decreased in both systems, a relatively constant difference between broth and agar was observed at all temperatures tested. The growth/no growth data of the pathogen in broth and agar were modelled using logistic polynomial regression. The concordance indexes were 99.8% for the broth model and 99.9% for the agar model, indicating a good fit to the observed data in both cases. The present study points out the importance of substrate structure and type of microbial growth on the effect of food preservation parameters, and provides quantitative data in a functional form (models) that may be valuable in efforts to improve safety of liquid as well as solid foods by means of more accurate predictive models.
Isomorphism Problem for Metacirculant Graphs of Order a Product of Distinct Primes

In this paper, we solve the isomorphism problem for metacirculant graphs of order pq that are not circulant. To solve this problem, we first extend Babai's characterization of the CI-property to non-Cayley vertex- transitive hypergraphs. Addi- tionally, we find a simple characterization of metacirculant Cayley graphs of order pq, and exactly determine the full isomorphism classes of circulant graphs of order pq.
2′-O- and 3′-O- pyrimidine aminotether-containing oligonucleotides: Synthesis and conjugation chemistry

Abstract Nucleoside synthons carrying an aminohexyl moiety tethered at the 2′- O - or 3′- O - positions of uridine have been synthesized and incorporated into oligonucleotides. The aminohexyl tether was used to conjugate functionalities such as intercalators, nucleic acid alkylators and absorption-modifying agents. The 2′-modification allows conjugations in the minor groove in the normal 3′-5′-linked oligomers; the 3′-modification allows synthesis of 2′-5′-connected oligonucleotides with a built-in nucleophile. This structural motif has the potential to build novel lariat RNAs and ribozymes.
Bisantrene solubility and skin toxicity studies: Efficacy of sodium bicarbonate as a local ulceration antidote

Bisantrene solubility and skin toxicity were studied in mice given intraperitoneal (IP) and intradermal (ID) drug respectively. Bisantrene (1 mg/ml) in 5% dextrose readily precipitated in the mouse peritoneum. The admixture of bisantrene into various lipophilic solvents did not reduce drug precipitation in vivo in the mouse or in vitro in human plasma at 37°C. Drug stability studies using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed markedly reduced bisantrene stability at alkaline pH. Bisantrene skin toxicity in BALB/c mice was characterized by ulceration which persisted for up to four months after ID injection. Skin toxicity was consistently reduced by dilute sodium bicarbonate injection into the bisantrene extravasation site. Three clinical extravasation cases treated with sodium bicarbonate showed no bisantrene ulceration. Ineffective local antidotes included sodium cromolyn, N-acetylcysteine, hydrocortisone, and heat (which appeared to increase toxicity).
Implanted-Silicided polysilicon gates for VLSI transistors

Polysilicon MOS capacitors, silicided with titanium-silicide, and implanted with BF 2 or arsenic, were investigated to determine if low doping concentrations can be used to predictably set flat-band voltages. Experimental results show the flat-band voltages, for both arsenic- and BF 2 -implanted polysilicon, to be approximately equal to highly doped polysilicon and without any appreciable dependency on dose levels.
Cooperative relaxation in glass forming liquids

Abstract The Adam-Gibbs theory of cooperative relaxation in glass forming liquids is cast in differential form. The differential equations are examples of the differential equations of the renormalization group. It is shown that generalization of the Adam-Gibbs relation arise naturally from these differential equations. The size of the cooperative rearranging region is determined by the configuration restrictions associated with amorphous packings that can be described by the configurational entropy of the melt. The relation between the linear response of a system in thermal equilibrium to an external disturbance and fluctuations of relevant physical quantities in equilibrium are generalized to constrained systems.
Current understanding of cosmic microwave background fluctuation spectra

There has been rapid experimental progress in measurements of cosmic microwave background fluctuations. Just within the first three months of 1996, three new data sets have been released that span angular scales from tens of degrees to half a degree. Nor has theory been a passive bystander: analysis of experiments, predictions for future experiments, and, especially, the physical interpretation of the fluctuations have all made substantial progress. In this review, I will emphasize our recently acquired understanding of cosmic microwave background fluctuation spectra, compare predictions with current observations, and discuss prospects for future progress.
Issues in training effective supervisors

Abstract While increased attention has been focused on the topic of clinical supervision, most of the theoretical writing and empirical research to date has emphasized issues pertaining to the supervisee. As a result, the role of the supervisor in the supervisory dyad has received relatively little attention in spite of its critical function in the supervisory process. This article examines the literature on supervisor training and development. Specifically, four topic areas are reviewed: (a) characteristics of the “ideal” supervisor, (b) theories of supervisor development, (c) ethical and professional issues, and (d) recommendations for supervisor training.
Designing a biased specification-based subjective test of image quality

Specification-based subjective tests (SBSTs) form the basis for almost all performance analysis of image and video quality estimators (QEs). Our ability to compare the efficacy of different QEs across a wide range of applications depends on careful design of these SBST, so the conclusions that are drawn about how well a QE performs are reliable and accurate. In this paper, we explore methods to design biased SBSTs for image and video QEs. A biased SBST will produce an estimate of the performance of a given QE that is systematically different than its actual performance. We demonstrate by proof of concept that it's possible to create SBSTs that generate misleading or biased Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients between subjective and objective scores, and we present some diagnostics that begin to evaluate when influential observations have been included in the SBST. Understanding how to create biased tests is a first step toward the overall goal of creating more effective unbiased SBSTs.
Dominant Negative Mutations of the Guanylyl Cyclase-A Receptor: EXTRACELLULAR DOMAIN DELETION AND CATALYTIC DOMAIN POINT MUTATIONS

Guanylyl cyclase-A (GC-A), a receptor for A-type natriuretic peptide (ANP), contains an extracellular ligand-binding domain, a single transmembrane domain, and intracellular protein kinase-like and cyclase catalytic domains. Expression of the putative cyclase catalytic region (HCAT) resulted in the formation of an active enzyme that migrated as a homodimer on gel filtration columns; treatment with sodium trichloroacetate caused dissociation of the dimer and a loss of cyclase activity. Co-transfection of HCAT and full-length GC-A led to elevated basal intact cell cGMP concentrations and increased cell homogenate guanylyl cyclase activity. However, atrial natriuretic peptide-induced elevations of cGMP and cyclase activity were inhibited by the introduction of HCAT. Alanine scanning mutagenesis of highly conserved residues within HCAT identified one mutation (D893A) that destroyed enzyme activity but not the ability of the mutant subunit to form homodimers. The mutant subunit inhibited the cyclase activity of wild-type HCAT (approximately 70%) as well as that of full-length GC-A (approximately 85%) in co-expression studies where the amount of wild-type HCAT or full-length GC-A was not altered. Unlike co-transfection with wild-type HCAT, co-transfection of HCATD893A and GC-A did not result in elevated basal intact cell cGMP concentrations. For the first time we describe deletion and point mutations within the plasma membrane family of guanylyl cyclase receptors that result in the formation of effective dominant negative proteins.
ORDER EFFECTS IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF A FORCED-CHOICE PROCEDURE FOR DETECTION OF MALINGERING IN DISABILITY CLAIMANTS' EVALUATIONS

100 disability claimants of the Social Security Administration referred for neuropsychological evaluation and 40 undergraduate college students asked to simulate brain damage were administered a measure for the detection of malingering, an abbreviated version of the Hiscock Forced-choice Procedure, and other neuropsychological tests. Half of each group was administered the Hiscock Procedure at the beginning of the battery; the other half was administered this test last. For both groups, the results indicated poorer performance on the earlier administration of the abbreviated Hiscock Forced-choice Procedure. Formal measures for detection of malingering should be an integral and early part of any neuropsychological evaluation in which the subject has a financial incentive to perform poorly.
A Green-Schwarz mechanism for D = 4, N = 1 supergravity anomalies

Abstract A method is presented for cancelling the superconformal-Weyl-U(1) anomaly in four-dimensional N = 1 supergravity theories coupled to matter. This method is explicitly demonstrated for both the new minimal and old minimal formulations of supergravity. An anomaly in Kahler transformations is shown to exist in such theories and we present a mechanism for rendering these theories quantum Kahler invariant. Finally, the relationship to duality invariance in low-energy effective superstring theory is discussed.
Interventional management of infrapopliteal arterial injury

Purpose: Recent advances in angiographic and occlusive techniques have given the interventional radiologist a significant role in the management of below-the-knee arterial trauma. We wish to present our experience involving nine patients with ten infrapopliteal arterial injuries successfully managed with interventional embolotherapy. Methods and materials: Nine male patients with a mean age of 29.4 years (range 17–63 years) presented to our interventional department for evaluation of injury to the lower extremity. Mechanisms of injury were penetrating trauma, shotgun blast, or auto–pedestrian injury. Digital subtraction or cut-film angiography of the lower extremity was performed using standard Seldinger technique via the common femoral artery approach. Injuries managed were arteriovenous fistulas (30 %), transection (40 %), and pseudoaneurysm (30 %) involving the posterior tibial (20 %) and/or peroneal (80 %) arteries. Agents used included Gelfoam, Gianturco coils, and/or vasopressin. Patients were followed until discharge and as outpatients when possible. Results: All patients were successfully managed in regard to their acute injuries. Hemostasis was achieved, and surgical exploration was avoided. There were no procedure-related complications, and limb salvage rate was 100 %. Conclusion: Our experience demonstrates that current angiographic and embolotherapy techniques enable the interventionalist to successfully treat acute infrapopliteal arterial injury.
Evolution of Plasma Flow Shear and Stability in the ZaP Flow Z-Pinch

Summary form only given. The ZaP flow Z-pinch experiment at the University of Washington investigates the concept of using sheared flows to stabilize an otherwise unstable plasma configuration. The stabilizing effect of a sheared axial flow on the m=1 kink instability in Z-pinches has been studied using linearized, ideal MHD theory to reveal that a sheared axial flow stabilizes the kink mode when the shear exceeds a threshold. The ZaP experiment generates a Z-pinch plasma that is 1 m long with a 1 cm radius with an embedded axial flow. Time-resolved Doppler shifts of plasma impurity lines are measured along 20 chords to determine the plasma axial velocity profiles. An azimuthal array of magnetic probes measures the fluctuation levels of the azimuthal modes m=1, 2, and 3. After pinch assembly a quiescent period is found where the mode activity is significantly reduced. The plasma axial velocity evolves from a uniform to a sheared and back to a uniform flow profile. The sheared flow profile is coincident with a plasma quiescent period where magnetic mode fluctuations are low. The value of the velocity shear satisfies the theoretical threshold for stability during the quiescent period and does not satisfy the threshold during high mode activity. Evolution of the plasma parameters including ion temperature and axial velocity will be presented
ENDOCRINE FUNCTION IN THALASSEMIA

Endocrine function was evaluated in 16 patients 5-28 yrs old on high transfusion therapy for 1-7 yrs. Growth hormone responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia (ITT) and/or arginine were normal in 13/14. Serum TSH ranged from 18 μg/dl) in 8/13 and 16/16 respectively. Urinary 17 ketogenic steroids after Metyrapone were normal in 10/13. In 5 patients puberty occurred between 16-20 yrs; 1/5 developed secondary hypogonadism (LH and FSH 14, LH and FSH were < 2.0 mIU/ml; 2/5 had a normal rise in gonadal steroids following human chorionic gonadotropin (1000 U × 10). Parathyroid hormone (PTH) ranged from 29-89 μlEq/ml, calcium and phosphorus from 8-10 and 2.8-5.6 mg/dl respectively. One patient had hypocalcemia and required vit D (PTH not measured). Glucose tolerance (OGTT) was normal in 6 patients and abnormal in 9. Of those with abnormal OGTT 4 developed insulin-dependent diabetes. The data suggest that patients with thalassemia have: 1) pituitary/vs hypothalamic dysfunction with gonadotropin deficiency and possibly reduced ACTH reserve 2) primary gonadal failure and 3) increased incidence of chemical and insulin-dependent diabetes.
Thermal activation of the antiviral activity of synthetic double-stranded polyribonucleotides.

Abstract Preincubation at 37 °C rendered various alternating ribonucleotide copolymers and homopolyribonucleotide pairs significantly more active in reducing vesicular stomatitis virus plaque formation in human skin fibroblasts. Poly r(A-U) reduced plaque formation in this system at ≥ 1 μg/ml. before incubation at 37 °C and at 0.000004 to 0.00001 μg/ml. after preincubation at 37 °C. At a neutral or slightly alkaline pH, thermal activation was produced in minimal Eagle's medium within one minute at 37 °C (as well as at 32 and 56 °C). The process was dependent on polymer concentration and required divalent cations (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ ). The activation was maintained upon subsequent cooling to 0 °C. The activation at 37 °C may have occurred through slippage of a branched helical structure to a longer unbranched structure. Preincubation at 37 °C increased the resistance of poly r(A-U) to endonucleases (pancreatic ribonuclease) but did not change its sensitivity to exonucleases (venom phosphodiesterase). Incubation at 37 °C did not cause a significant change in a variety of physico-chemical determinations under the conditions used. The heat-activated poly r(A-U) showed a greater affinity for the cell and persisted for a longer time at the outer cell membrane than the non-activated poly r(A-U).
Analytical approximations to the dynamics of an array of coupled DC SQUIDs

Coupled dynamical systems that operate near the onset of a bifurcation can lead, under certain conditions, to strong signal amplification effects. Over the past years we have studied this generic feature on a wide range of systems, including: magnetic and electric fields sensors, gyroscopic devices, and arrays of loops of superconducting quantum interference devices, also known as SQUIDs. In this work, we consider an array of SQUID loops connected in series as a case study to derive asymptotic analytical approximations to the exact solutions through perturbation analysis. Two approaches are considered. First, a straightforward expansion in which the non-linear parameter related to the inductance of the DC SQUID is treated as the small perturbation parameter. Second, a more accurate procedure that considers the SQUID phase dynamics as non-uniform motion on a circle. This second procedure is readily extended to the series array and it could serve as a mathematical framework to find approximate solutions to related complex systems with high-dimensionality. To the best of our knowledge, an approximate analytical solutions to an array of SQUIDs has not been reported yet in the literature.
Robot disassembles explosive devices

Describes a robotic workcell developed to disassemble explosive components, which could present a hazard to humans taking them apart. The task is staightforward for a person but challenging for a robot, there being five primary components to deal with in each case. Provides a description of the workcell, the problems faced throughout and the constraints which had to be overcome. The workcell is scheduled to be fully operational later this year.
Applying the two-state invar model to delta-phase plutonium

This article describes the authors’ use of the Weiss two-state model for Fe-Ni invar alloys to understand the anomalous thermal expansion of Pu-Ga alloys. Studies on thermal expansion of Pu-Ga are reviewed briefly, and the two-state invar model is described. The authors fit the available neutron-diffraction data for Pu-Ga alloys to the invar model and discuss the consequences.
Bench-top validation testing of selected immunological and molecular Renibacterium salmoninarum diagnostic assays by comparison with quantitative bacteriological culture

No gold standard assay exhibiting error-free classification of results has been identified for detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum, the causative agent of salmonid bacterial kidney disease. Validation of diagnostic assays for R. salmoninarum has been hindered by its unique characteristics and biology, and difficulties in locating suitable populations of reference test animals. Infection status of fish in test populations is often unknown, and it is commonly assumed that the assay yielding the most positive results has the highest diagnostic accuracy, without consideration of misclassification of results. In this research, quantification of R. salmoninarum in samples by bacteriological culture provided a standardized measure of viable bacteria to evaluate analytical performance characteristics (sensitivity, specificity and repeatability) of non-culture assays in three matrices (phosphate-buffered saline, ovarian fluid and kidney tissue). Non-culture assays included polyclonal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), direct smear fluorescent antibody technique (FAT), membrane-filtration FAT, nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) and three real-time quantitative PCR assays. Injection challenge of specific pathogen-free Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), with R. salmoninarum was used to estimate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Results did not identify a single assay demonstrating the highest analytical and diagnostic performance characteristics, but revealed strengths and weaknesses of each test.
The effect of renal function on the pharmacokinetics of gemfibrozil

Study objective to determine the effect of renal function on the pharmacokinetics of gemfibrozil following single and multiple oral doses. Design nonrandomized; paired studies of single versus multiple doses. Setting patients enrolled in a veterans hospital renal subspecialty clinic. Patients 17 male patients 57 to 74 years old selected for various levels of renal function, including end-stage renal disease. Interventions patients initially received 600 mg of oral-gemfibrozil followed by sequential venous blood sampling. Seven to 14 days later, the patients started receiving gemfibrozil, 600 mg bid. Venous blood samples were obtained over the following 10 days and frequently during a 24-hour washout phase. Measurements and main results peak gemfibrozil concentrations (mg/L) were 11.1 (3.9 SD) for the single dose and 10.2 (3.8) for the multiple-dose study. Time to peak concentration (hr) was 2.1 (1.0) and 1.8 (0.6), respectively. The mean half-life of elimination (hr) from the single-dose study was 6.4 (11.8) compared with the multidose study of 3.0 (3.1), which did not reach statistical significance (P = .25). The difference between the area under the curve for the single versus the multiple-dose study approached statistical significance (P = .054). The coefficient of determination for creatinine renal clearance versus the plasma clearance of oral gemfibrozil was 0.009 (P = .72) for the single-dose regimen and 0.331 (P = .016) for the multiple-dose study. Conclusion the half-life of gemfibrozil is independent of renal function for both single- and multiple-dose regimens. Dosing schedules do not require alteration for renal insufficiency.
Oxcarbazepine, an antiepileptic agent

Abstract Background: Epilepsy is a common neurologic condition. Many of the currently approved pharmacologic agents for its treatment are associated with numerous adverse drug reactions and drug interactions. Objective: This review describes the pharmacology and therapeutic use of oxcarbazepine, an analogue of the well-known antiepileptic agent carbamazepine. Methods: Articles for review were identified through a search of MEDLINE ® , International Pharmaceutical Abstracts ® , and EMBASE ® for the years 1980 through 2000. The terms used individually and in combination were oxcarbazepine, carbamazepine, epilepsy , and seizures . Results: Oxcarbazepine and its primary metabolite have been effective in animal models of epilepsy that generally predict efficacy in generalized tonic-clonic seizures and partial seizures in humans. The exact mechanism of action of oxcarbazepine is unknown, although as with carbamazepine, it is believed to involve blockade of voltage-gated sodium channels. The pharmacokinetic profile of oxcarbazepine is less complicated than that of carbamazepine, with less metabolism by the cytochrome P450 system, no production of an epoxide metabolite, and lower plasma protein binding. The clinical efficacy and tolerability of oxcarbazepine have been demonstrated in trials in adults, children, and the elderly. In a double-blind, randomized, crossover trial in adults, oxcarbazepine 300 mg was associated with a decrease in the mean frequency of tonic seizures (21.4 vs 30.5 seizures during steady-state periods) and tonic-clonic seizures (8.2 vs 10.4) compared with carbamazepine 200 mg ( P = 0.05). A multinational, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, 28-week trial assessed the efficacy and tolerability of oxcarbazepine at doses of 600, 1200, and 2400 mg as adjunctive therapy in patients with uncontrolled partial seizures. All 3 oxcarbazepine groups demonstrated a reduction in seizure frequency per 28-day period compared with placebo (600 mg, 26% reduction; 1200 mg, 40% reduction; 2400 mg, 50% reduction; placebo, 7.6% reduction; all, P P Conclusions: Oxcarbazepine may be considered an appropriate alternative to carbamazepine for the treatment of partial seizures in patients who are unable to tolerate carbamazepine. Its use in nonseizure disorders remains to be examined in large-scale clinical trials, and pharmacoeconomic comparisons of oxcarbazepine with other antiepileptic agents, particularly carbamazepine, are needed.
Effect of point-of-purchase calorie labeling on restaurant and cafeteria food choices: A review of the literature

Background Eating away from home has increased in prevalence among US adults and now comprises about 50% of food expenditures. Calorie labeling on chain restaurant menus is one specific policy that has been proposed to help consumers make better food choices at restaurants. The present review evaluates the available empirical literature on the effects of calorie information on food choices in restaurant and cafeteria settings.
Nonpeptidic tetrafluorophenoxymethyl ketone cruzain inhibitors as promising new leads for chagas disease chemotherapy.

A century after discovering that the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite is the etiological agent of Chagas disease, treatment is still plagued by limited efficacy, toxicity, and the emergence of drug resistance. The development of inhibitors of the major T. cruzi cysteine protease, cruzain, has been demonstrated to be a promising drug discovery avenue for this neglected disease. Here we establish that a nonpeptidic tetrafluorophenoxymethyl ketone cruzain inhibitor substantially ameliorates symptoms of acute Chagas disease in a mouse model with no apparent toxicity. A high-resolution crystal structure confirmed the mode of inhibition and revealed key binding interactions of this novel inhibitor class. Subsequent structure-guided optimization then resulted in inhibitor analogues with improvements in potency despite minimal or no additions in molecular weight. Evaluation of the analogues in cell culture showed enhanced activity. These results suggest that nonpeptidic tetrafluorophenoxymethyl ketone cruzain inhibitors have the potential to fulfill the urgent need for improved Chagas disease chemotherapy.
Defibrillation threshold testing: necessary but evil?

Sudden cardiac death may be averted in patients with malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias if they are protected with the automatic internal cardioverter defibrillator (AICD). A dramatic improvement in survival has been documented in survivors of out-of-hospital sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. Once a decision has been made to implant an AICD, special precautions are necessary to ensure its successful operation. To verify that the device will adequately sense, charge, and defibrillate, the electrode configuration and energy requirement must be tested at the time of original implantation. Defibrillation threshold testing (DFT) has been previously described.1-7 As AICD utilization becomes more widespread, this procedure wilI become more common as may potential complications. Consequently we reviewed the lessons from our initial experience.
Does Size Matter? Factors Influencing the Spatial Ecology of Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus oreganus) in Central California

The spatial ecology of animals is influenced by a combination of factors. Spatial ecology parameters are commonly calculated for rattlesnakes of the genus Crotalus, but they are highly variable within and among populations and species. Rattlesnake movements can be influenced by sex, body size, season, and abiotic factors, but the relative importance of each still remains unknown. We quantified aspects of the spatial ecology of a population of Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus oreganus) in the southern part of its range in order to determine the factors that influence its spatial ecology. We found that males had larger home range sizes than females for the entire 14-month study. However, sex differences in movements were present during the spring mating season but not the summer post-mating season, suggesting that male mate searching causes males to have larger overall home ranges than females. We also found that body size was not related to home range size, but this effect was sensitive to t...