cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Binding affinities of anti-acetylcholine receptor autoantibodies in myasthenia gravis.

Antibodies directed against acetylcholine (ACh) receptors are present in the sera of nearly 90% of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), and are involved in the pathogenesis of this autoimmune disease. However, the antibody titers measured by the standard radioimmunoassay correspond poorly with the clinical severity of the disease. To determine whether this disparity could be accounted for by differences in the binding affinities of anti-ACh receptor antibodies in different patients, we have measured the binding affinities of these autoantibodies in 15 sera from MG patients. The affinity constants (K/sub o/), as determined by Scatchard analysis, were all in the range of 10/sup 10/ M/sup -1/, comparable to the highest values reported in immunized animals. The affinity constants were truly representative of the population of autoantibodies detected by the radioimmunoassay, as shown by the remarkable linearity of the Scatchard plots (r/sup 2/>0.90) and the close correlation between the antibody titers determined by extrapolation of the Scatchard plots and by saturation analysis (r = 0.99; p < 0.001). There was only a 6-fold variation in affinity constants measured in this series of patients despite widely differing antibody titers and severity of the disease. Factors other than the titer and affinity of anti-AChmore » receptor antibodies may correlate better with the clinical manifestations of MG.« less
Computerized central intake forms: a feasibility study of 43 social service agencies

Abstract A survey of social service agency executive directors was conducted to determine the feasibility of implementing a computerized central intake form to gather data and follow consumers of social welfare services. Findings indicate that 76% of the agency directors responding to the survey would be willing to participate in a community wide effort in utilizing a computer centralized intake form. Conceptual implications are discussed.
Finite Element Computational Fluid Mechanics

Finite element analysis as applied to the broad spectrum of computational fluid mechanics is analyzed. The finite element solution methodology is derived, developed, and applied directly to the differential equation systems governing classes of problems in fluid mechanics. The heat conduction equation is used to reveal the essence and elegance of finite element theory, including higher order accuracy and convergence. The algorithm is extended to the pervasive nonlinearity of the Navier-Stokes equations. A specific fluid mechanics problem class is analyzed with an even mix of theory and applications, including turbulence closure and the solution of turbulent flows.
Image template matching on hypercube array processors

Describes an SIMD parallel algorithm for efficient implementation of template matching for object recognition. The correlation coefficient is used to find the best match between the template of an object and the given search image. A fast computing algorithm is developed and implemented on a 16-node hypercube concurrent system. >
Tribological performance of self-lubricating aluminum matrix nanocomposites: Role of graphene nanoplatelets

Abstract In the present investigation, aluminum matrix nanocomposites reinforced by graphene nanoplatelets were synthesized by powder metallurgy method. The microstructure of the Al-Graphene nanoplatelets sample was investigated by TEM. The hardness measurements of these samples were investigated using a Rockwell hardness tester. To investigate the tribological behavior of aluminum matrix composites reinforced by graphene nanoplatelets and pure aluminum, pin-on-disk experiments were conducted on the prepared samples. In the experiments, the influence of reinforcement, volume fraction, normal load, and sliding velocity on the tribological performance was investigated. Results showed that the wear rate of Al-1wt.% GNP is increased with increasing normal loads. However, the coefficient of friction (COF) of the Al-1wt.% GNP decreased with increasing normal loads. Formation of graphene film on the worn surface of Al-1wt.% GNP sample and morphology of the worn surfaces of aluminum and composite samples were analyzed by Optical Microscope (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). It was found that the graphene nanoplatelets reinforced nano-composites showed superior tribological properties and demonstrated the ability of the self-lubricating nature of the composite during tribological conditions.
The Distribution of Fiscal Burdens and Benefits

This paper updates to 1968 levels earlier estimates of the distribution of tax burdens, expenditure benefits, and net burdens or benefits. Emphasis is on the methodological issues involved, includi...
Intergenerational coresidence of the Japanese elderly: Are cultural norms proactive or reactive?

Relatively high prevalence of coresidence between older parents and adult children in Japan is generally interpreted as a structural manifestation of traditional family norms; however, recent socioeconomic changes in Japan have called this into question. This study analyzes national data from older people in Japan to examine the reciprocal relationship between two types of inter-generational coresidence and normative beliefs about traditional stem-family living arrangements. Two-stage least squares regression analysis reveals that coresidence with married children and traditional normative beliefs mutually reinforces each other, whereas coresidence with unmarried children strengthens normative beliefs, but not vice versa. The authors argue that the composition of multigenerational households of older people in Japan is shifting toward a type where instrumental concerns of both generations take precedence over traditional cultural ideology. Traditional norms still motivate the formation of stem-family hous...
Neural control of leg movements in a metamorphic insect: sensory and motor elements of the larval thoracic legs in Manduca sexta.

During the metamorphosis of the hawkmoth Manduca sexta the larval thoracic legs degenerate to be replaced in the adult by legs of very different form and function. This change must be accompanied by a reorganization of the neural circuits controlling leg movements. As an initial step in the study of this reorganization we describe here the sensory and motor elements of this circuitry in the larval stage of life. Sensory neurons innervating mechanoreceptive hairs on the thoracic surface were stained individually with cobalt. Those innervating hairs on the general thoracic surface project topographically into two ventral regions of the segmental ganglia. Sensory neurons innervating leg sensilla also map topographically to the more ventral of these regions but in addition have arborizations in a midlateral region. The density of branching within this lateral “leg neuropil” is greatest for sensory neurons from sensilla on the more distal leg segments. Leg motor neurons were identified with intracellular recording and cobalt injection techniques. Those innervating muscles controlling distal leg segments have dense dendritic arbors in the lateral “leg neuropil,” while motor neurons controlling more proximal segments and muscles of the ventral body wall have extensive arborizations in a dorsomedial region of the ganglion. In general, flexor motor neurons are excited by medial and inhibited by lateral leg sensilla, while the opposite is true of extensors. Distal segment motor neurons respond most strongly to sensory neurons from distal segments, thus suggesting some interaction within the lateral “leg neuropil.” Thus, in the larval nervous system a highly ordered array of of sensory and motor elements underlies the specific behavioral responses of the legs to tactile stimulation.
Electrical conductivity of isotropic fibre suspensions

The electrical conductivity of a quiescent isotropic fibre suspension is measured for a concentration range nL 3 = 0.1 to 4, where n is the number density of fibres and L is the fibre length. In the dilute concentration regime, for which nL 3 ≪ 1, our experiments agree with available theoretical predictions.
Scanner grid recipe creation improvement for tighter overlay specifications

Overlay specifications are tightening with each lithography technology node. As a result, there is a need to improve overlay control methodologies to make them more robust and less time- or effort-consuming, but without any compromise in quality. Two concepts aimed at improving the creation of scanner grid recipes in order to meet evertightening overlay specifications are proposed in this article. Simulations will prove that these concepts can achieve both goals, namely improving overlay control performance and reducing the time and effort required to do so. While more studies are needed to fine-tune the parameters to employ, the trends presented in this paper clearly show the benefits.
A geometric analysis of logarithmic switchback phenomena

One common characteristic of many classical singular perturbation problems is the occurrence of logarithmic (switchback) terms in the corresponding asymptotic expansions. We discuss two such problems well known to give rise to logarithmic switchback: first, Lagerstrom's equation, a model related to the asymptotic treatment of low Reynolds number flow from fluid mechanics, and second, the Evans function approach to the stability of degenerate shock waves in (scalar) reaction-diffusion equations. We show how asymptotic expansions for these two problems can be obtained by means of methods from dynamical systems theory as well as of the blow-up technique. We identify the structure of these expansions and demonstrate that the occurrence of the logarithmic switchback terms therein is in fact caused by a resonance phenomenon.
Direct staining of reticular fibers with gold chloride.

Reticular fibers are selectively stained in paraffin sections of formalin-fixed or Bouin's-fixed tissue as follows: 1% aqueous solution of gold chloride for 20 min, followed by a 10 min immersion in an aqueous solution containing 5% Na2CO3 and 0.5% KOH. The sections then are placed in a 5% aqueous solution of KI for 2 min. Counterstaining with a 0.25% aqueous solution of methylene blue chloride is optional. The reticular fibers stain dark pink; the collagen bundles are a light pink to straw color without the counterstain, or a light blue color when the methylene blue is used.
Burke and Nietzsche

The essay examines the “becoming‐Nietzsche” of Kenneth Burke by exploring the complex linkages between Burke and Nietzsche, particularly those forged by Burke in the 1920s and 30s while formulating his well‐known concepts: perspective by incongruity, motive, terministic screens, and dramatism. An understanding of the ways Nietzsche's philosophy helped shape Burke's views on the nature of language (metaphor, writing, poetry), and the effects language produces, enables a different understanding of central passages in Permanence and Change, Burke the critic, and by extension, the development of rhetoric as a discipline.
Mineralogy of the sources for magnetic anomalies on Mars

~~~ Abstract-Recent discovery of intense magnetic anomalies on Mars, which are due to remanent magnetization, requires some explanation for the possible minerals responsible for the anomalous signature. Thermoremanent magnetization (TRM) in single domain (SD) and multidomain (MD) sized magnetite, hematite, and pyrrhotite, all potential minerals, are considered. The intensity of TRM (in 0.05 mT) is in descending order: SD-sized magnetite, SD-sized pyrrhotite, MD-sized hematite, MD-sized pyrrhotite, MD- sized magnetite, SD-sized hematite. The TRM intensity is 50% of the SIRM. Each of these minerals and estimated concentrations of magnetic remanence carriers (assumed to be titanomagnetite) in the Shergotty- Nakhlaxhassigny martian meteorites are used in a thin sheet approximation model to reveal the concentration of each mineral required for the generation of an observed magnetic anomaly (1 500 nT at 100 km altitude) assuming TRM acquisition in a 0.05 mT magnetic field.
Adjuvant enoxaparin therapy may decrease the incidence of postoperative thrombotic events though does not increase the incidence of postoperative intracranial hemorrhage in patients with meningiomas.

Patients with brain tumors including intracranial meningiomas are at increased risk for developing deep vein thrombosis (DVTs) and suffering thromboembolic events (VTEs). Many surgeons are concerned that early use of low dose enoxaparin may increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage which outweighs the benefit of DVT/VTE reduction. We aimed to address concerns around the use of enoxaparin after meningioma resection in the development of postoperative intracranial hemorrhages and DVT/VTEs. This is a retrospective review of 86 patients with intracranial meningiomas who underwent craniectomy and surgical resection of the mass, treated by one attending surgeon at UCSF Medical Center between 2000 and 2005. Within 48 h after surgery patients treated 2003–2005 routinely received enoxaparin therapy unless there was documented intracranial hemorrhage, lumbar subarachnoid drain, enoxaparin hypersensitivity, or thrombocytopenia (n = 24). These were compared to a cohort treated 2000–2002 who did not receive the drug (n = 62). Exclusion criteria were prior VTEs or coagulopathies. The groups were similar in tumor and surgical characteristics. Enoxaparin therapy did not increase the incidence of intracranial hemorrhage following surgical meningioma resection and the incidence of DVTs/VTEs was 0% (n = 0) versus 4.8% (n = 3) in the non-enoxaparin group. Results did not reach statistical significance. In this retrospective study, postoperative administration of enoxaparin following meningioma resection does not increase the risk of intracranial hematoma though enoxaparin administration may slightly decrease the incidence of post-surgical thromboembolic events. Due to study design and power, we were not able to demonstrate DVT/VTE reduction with statistical significance.
Pieces and Patterns: Course Redesign Suggests a Wider Reconsideration of Curriculum

The initial challenge that confronted the author was redesigning a course in small business ventures (SBVs) to make it more relevant to the needs of multiple course users. Are orientation from a conventional functional perspective to an entrepreneurial one led not only to a new course but to the reevaluation of the centrality of the functional approach in business education. The present preoccupation on functionality is seen as reflective of a historical classification of business engagements from a functional/structural perspective rather than from a rational/structural one. The question posed is whether this rational/structural approach might lead to a more effective teaching scheme.
Competing Visions of the American Single-Family Home: Defining McMansions in the New York Times and Dallas Morning News, 2000–2009

The single-family home is a critical part of the American Dream, and there has been a long conversation about what houses mean and symbolize. As American homes have grown larger, some of these newe...
Reasoning about make-believe and hypothetical suppositions: Towards a theory of belief-contravening reasoning

Abstract The present study explores how suppositions which conflict with accepted beliefs are represented and reasoned about. Two studies test the predictions regarding the nature and developmental changes in children's ability to represent and reason about hypothetical or make-believe suppositions which violate their everyday knowledge and beliefs. In Study 1, 46 4th- and 5th-graders were introduced to a hand puppet, Freddy, who made claims inconsistent with generally accepted beliefs (e.g., “all dogs meow”) because he was pretending (Make-Believe Condition) or believed them (Hypothetical Condition). Participants were asked to think like Freddy and judge whether a conclusion (“There's a dog; does it meow?”) follows logically from the claim. In Study 2, 40 kindergarten (6-year-olds), 3rd–4th grade (10-year-olds), and college students were asked to represent belief contravening make-believe (pretend in a make-believe world that dogs meow) and hypothetical (imagine what the real world would be like if dogs meow) premises, evaluate conclusions of the premises (Rover is a dog, does Rover meow?) and make judgments about the attributes (growl, wag tail, purr, and eat mice) of the entity (a meowing dog) they created. The prediction that it would be easier to represent and reason from belief-contravening suppositions in the Make-Believe than Hypothetical conditions was confirmed in each study, although the two forms of reasoning were directly correlated (Study 2). The results were discussed in terms of the similarities (compartmentalization and integration) and differences (reconciliation) of processes involved in fancifully (make-believe) or seriously (hypothetical) representing and reasoning about belief-contravening suppositions.
Time-Dependent Response of Thin-Film Piezoelectric Polymer Polyvinylidene Fluoride

A summary of recent research results regarding the time-dependent response of a thin-film piezoelectric polymer polyvinylidene fluoride is presented. At present, polyvinylidene fluoride and its copolymers comprise the principal commercially available group of polymers that exhibit strong piezoelectric properties. In this paper, the mechanical response of polyvinylidene fluoride has been studied on the basis of a comprehensive experimental program. It is shown that, within certain limits, the material can be treated as linearly viscoelestic. However, under long-term conditions involving superimposed static and oscillatory loads, the polymer tends to exhibit nonlinear creep behavior that depends on the magnitude of mean stresses, stress amplitudes, and frequencies. The findings reported are of immediate practical significance given that polyvinylidene fluoride thin films are typically employed as sensors or actuators designed to function in vibratory environments.
Selection, Development and Testing of Stainless Steels and Alloys for High-Temperature Recuperator Applications

Compact recuperators/heat-exchangers are essential hardware that increases the efficiency of microturbines and smaller industrial gas turbines. There are several different kinds of recuperator technology (primary surface, plate and fin, spiral, and others), but they all have several common materials needs. Most commercial recuperators today are made from 347 stainless steel sheet or foil. Increased engine size, higher exhaust temperatures and alternate fuels all require greater performance (strength, corrosion resistance) and reliability than 347 steel, especially as temperatures approach or exceed 750°C. To meet these needs, the Department of Energy (DOE) has sponsored programs at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to measure properties of commercial sheet and foil materials, to analyze recuperator components, and to identify or develop materials with improved performance and reliability, but which also are cost-effective. This paper summarizes high-temperature creep and corrosion testing of commercial 347 used for current recuperators, testing of HR 120 and modified 803 alloys, and development of modified 347 stainless steels.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Time-dependent polarization in Mössbauer experiments with synchrotron radiation : suppression of electronic scattering

The resonant forward scattering of x-rays from $^{57}\mathrm{Fe}$ nuclei is strongly polarization dependent. The broad-band excitation provided by synchrotron radiation (SR) results in an interesting time-dependent polarization mixing, which we will discuss. Further we demonstrate that by selecting only the component of the transmitted radiation which has a 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} rotated plane of polarization, the nonresonant (nonrotated) transmitted intensity can be substantially reduced. This new technique will allow full utilization of new powerful SR sources currently under construction.
Dispersion of gastrotricha in a marine beach of the San Juan Archipelago, Washington

Gastrotricha were quantitatively sampled at low tide on several dates from two transeets at Eagle Cove, San Juan Island, Washington, USA, during the summers of 1963/1964. They showed low species diversity and very high whole-beach densities. Chaetonotus testiculophorus Hummon, 1966 and Turbanella cornuta Remane, 1925 were found abundantly, Paraturbanella intermedia Wieser, 1957 only rarely. Abundant C. testiculophorus were found above 100 cm elevation; T. cornuta occurred abundantly in a rip-channel trough and in the lower beach area. T. cornuta, but not C. testiculophorus, showed significantly greater clumping at high than at low density. Curves of LC90 temperature-salinity tolerance for both species show that they tolerate widely fluctuating temperatures and salinities. Causes of whole-beach distribution patterns are discussed.
The synthesis of 2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes by the Hofmann-Löffler-Freytag reaction

Abstract The only tertiary amine resulting from the cyclization of N-chloro-N-ethylcyclopentylmethylamine under Hofmann-Loffler-Freytag reaction conditions was N-ethyl-2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]-heptane The structure of the 2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane skeleton was proven by independent synthesis. In the course of this investigation, derivatives of the relatively unknown 6-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptane system were also prepared. The intrinsic preference for 1,5-hydrogen migration in the Hofmann-Loffler-Freytag reaction is discussed.
Principals versus osmod: A comment on saito and otsu

Saito and Otsu (1988) compared their OSMOD method of nonmetric principal-component analysis to an early and incorrect implementation of the PRINCIPALS algorithm of Young, Takane, and de Leeuw (1978). In this comment we present results from the current, correct implementations of the algorithm.
The application of thermal desorption GC/MS with simultaneous olfactory evaluation for the characterization and quantification of odor compounds from a dairy.

Few analytical methods exist that combine chemical and sensory analysis of odorous compounds in whole air. Volatile organic compounds were collected by sampling air downwind from a small dairy through sorbent tubes of Tenax TA and Carboxen 569. Samples were analyzed by thermal desorption into a cryotrap and subsequent gas chromatographic separation, followed by simultaneous olfactometry and mass spectrometry. Because compounds are concentrated during sampling, sensory analysis encountered compounds at a concentration 40 times that in air, making this a useful method for identifying trace compounds participating in odor. Twenty odorous and nonodorous compounds were identified and quantified, including straight-chain and aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated compounds, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, and organic acids, at air concentrations of 0.55−320.20 μg/m3. Compound peaks were characterized by odors ranging from offensive to pleasant, demonstrating the integrative nature of olfaction. This method could be u...
STUDIES ON THE HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCUS OF HUMAN ORIGIN : II. OBSERVATIONS ON THE PROTECTIVE MECHANISM AGAINST THE VIRULENT VARIANTS.

1. Anantiserum which specifically protects mice against a virulent culture (M variant) of the hemolytic streptococcus contains specific opsonin. Phagocytosis of the organisms can be observed in the peritoneum of the protected mouse. 2. An antiserum prepared by injecting an animal with the living M variant specifically opsonizes both the F and the M variant of the strain. 3. Evidence is presented which indicates the probable identity of the specific opsonin and the anti-M precipitin of Lancefield (7). Agglutination appears to be dependent upon a different antibody. 4. It is possible to type the hemolytic streptococci by means of specific opsonins, and the opsonic method has certain advantages over agglutination, precipitation, and mouse protection tests. It is evident from what little has been done that there are many types. 5. The serum of infants contains no opsonin for the virulent hemolytic streptococci, but the serum of adults may contain specific opsonins for certain strains. Inasmuch as no opsonins were demonstrable in two polyvalent antibacterial sera examined, the possibilities of therapeutic transfusion are discussed.
Isolation of cyanobacterial auxotrophs by direct selection of regulatory-mutant phenotypes

We have isolated a chorismate mutase bradytroph (leaky auxotroph) ofAnabaena sp. PCC 7119 (ATCC 29151) as a spontaneous 6-fluorotryptophan-resistant mutant. The decreased chorismate mutase activity resulted in the production of quantities of the phenylalanine and tyrosine that limited rate of growth. 3-Deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate (DAHP) synthase activity in the mutant was elevated more than twofold over the wild-type activity, suggesting derepression of this enzyme. The physiological deregulation of DAHP synthase and the genetic-based deficiency of chorismate mutase promoted an elevated level of intracellular chorismate, which then overwhelmed the competitive inhibition of anthranilate synthase by tryptophan, resulting in the overproduction of tryptophan and indoleglycerolphosphate. The presence of exogenous serine increased the production of tryptophan at the expense of indoleglycerolphosphate. This indicated that the endogenous potential for increasing the amount of serine available for increased tryptophan production is limited.
Molecular Motors, Beauty in Complexity

Among the most fascinating enzymes are the molecular motors, which exquisitely couple adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis to directional mechanical motion. They power the movement of intracellular vesicles, chromosomes, and messenger RNA–protein complexes through the cytoplasm of nearly all eukaryotic cells, using actin filaments and microtubules as their tracks. A prominent theme in these motors is allostery, or communications that occur across the enzyme at several nanometer distances. Chemical events occurring in the motor's active site, for instance, are coordinated with tight binding of the motor to the track along which it moves, and then its subsequent release, and with mechanical elements that amplify small movements occurring near the active site. In the 1980s, researchers used quantitative in vitro motility assays, sensitive to single molecules, to study two of the three major classes of motor enzymes: the microtubule-based kinesin family and the actin-based myosin family. In the 1990s, investigators solved the crystal structures of kinesin 1 ( 1 ) and muscle myosin II ( 2 ). These complementary approaches ushered in a new era of understanding the mechanisms of these molecular machines. Dynein, the third important class of molecular motor, is a complex that processively moves along microtubules in the opposite direction to kinesin 1. Although single molecule assays have been applied to dynein, detailed structural information on this mammoth machine has remained elusive, until now. On page 1159 of this issue, Carter et al. ( 3 ) report a crystal structure for a 610-kD homodimer of yeast cytoplasmic dynein. The structure reveals surprises about how this massive molecular motor might work.
Analysis of the orthopedic in-training examination (OITE) musculoskeletal trauma questions.

Objectives Residency program directors are responsible for providing assessment and feedback about resident performance and for developing a comprehensive resident curriculum in orthopedic surgery. One measure of resident knowledge is the Orthopedic In-Training Examination (OITE). Scores of the OITE examination have been found to correlate with the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery Part 1 Certifying Examination. The purpose of this study was to identify commonly tested orthopedic trauma topics, the taxonomic distribution of questions, and literature references in the OITE to aid curriculum development and individual test preparation. Methods The musculoskeletal trauma-related questions on the OITE during a 5-year period (2004-2008) were reviewed, and the number of questions, topics, taxonomic classification, and educational references associated with each question were analyzed. Results Nearly 30% of questions each year consist of musculoskeletal trauma-related topics. Femur, tibia, and hip fractures were the most commonly tested topics. The majority (65.6%) of musculoskeletal trauma questions tested recall of specific facts. Examiners referenced primary literature sources (74.9%) more than textbooks (25.1%). The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) and the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma were cited most, accounting for 44.3% of all journal references. Forty-seven percent of the primary references were published within 5 years of the test administration. Conclusions One method for assessing orthopedic knowledge is the OITE examination. Longitudinal analysis of trauma-related questions shows a consistent pattern of both topics and primary literature citation. This information may be used to help guide structured review for future OITE examinations and develop an orthopedic trauma curriculum for a residency program.
Tetrapod characteristics of the pituitary gland of Calamoichthys calabaricus.

Calamoichthys and the better known Polypterus comprise the most primitive group of living ray-finned fishes, and are regarded as palaeoniscid relics1–4. Some of the earliest reports on the morphology of the fish pituitary gland concern this group5–7. In re-evaluating the morphology of the pars distalis in primitive actinopterygian fishes, a portal vascular system between the inferior surface of the infundibulum and the sinusoids of the pituitary gland was discovered in Calamoichthys.
A cost-effectiveness analysis of folic acid fortification policy in the United States.

OBJECTIVE To quantify the health and economic outcomes associated with changes in folic acid consumption following the fortification of enriched grain products in the USA. DESIGN Cost-effectiveness analysis. SETTING Annual burden of disease, quality-adjusted life years (QALY) and costs were projected for four steady-state strategies: no fortification, or fortifying with 140, 350 or 700 microg folic acid per 100 g enriched grain. The analysis considered four health outcomes: neural tube defects (NTD), myocardial infarctions (MI), colon cancers and B12 deficiency maskings. SUBJECTS The US adult population subgroups defined by age, gender and race/ethnicity, with folate intake distributions from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1988-1992 and 1999-2000), and reference sources for disease incidence, utility and economic estimates. RESULTS The greatest benefits from fortification were predicted in MI prevention, with 16 862 and 88 172 cases averted per year in steady state for the 140 and 700 microg fortification levels, respectively. These projections were between 6261 and 38 805 for colon cancer and 182 and 1423 for NTD, while 15-820 additional B12 cases were predicted. Compared with no fortification, all post-fortification strategies provided QALY gains and cost savings for all subgroups, with predicted population benefits of 266 649 QALY gained and $3.6 billion saved in the long run by changing the fortification level from 140 microg/100 g enriched grain to 700 microg/100 g. CONCLUSIONS The present study indicates that the health and economic gains of folic acid fortification far outweigh the losses for the US population, and that increasing the level of fortification deserves further consideration to maximise net gains.
Biochemical mapping of the noradrenergic ventral bundle projection sites: Evidence for a noradrenergic-dopaminergic interaction

Norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) concentration and dopamine turnover were measured 12 days after a unilateral or bilateral noradrenergic ventral bundle (VB) transection to determine the noradrenergic projection sites and possible interactions with dopaminergic systems. Both bilateral and unilateral VB transection resulted in a significant reduction of NE of the nucleus accumbens, lateral septal nucleus, medial forebrain bundle, ventromedial nucleus, dorsomedial nucleus and medial amygdaloid nucleus. Bilateral transection also decreased NE content of the median eminence and the periventricular and arcuate nuclei. In the medial preoptic nucleus, the nucleus interstitialis striae terminalis and the central gray catecholamine area, bilateral transection significantly decreased NE concentrations while unilateral lesions had no significant effect. The anterior hypothalamic, lateral preoptic, and paraventricular nuclei responded to bilateral VB transection with a decrease in NE concentration and to unilateral lesion with a bilateral increase in NE. In the dorsal hippocampus and the caudate nucleus, bilateral lesions had no effect on NE concentrations while unilateral transection significantly decreased NE concentrations. Regions in which neither bilateral nor unilateral VB transection produced a significant change in NE content are the olfactory tubercle, the nucleus tractus diagonalis, substantia nigra pars compacta and reticulata, ventral tegmental area, habenula, superior colliculus, and the cingulate and piriform cortices. Transection of the noradrenergic ventral bundle also produced changes in dopaminergic systems suggesting a noradrenergic--dopaminergic interaction. Bilateral VB transection decreased the dopamine concentration and turnover in the nucleus accumbens, increased steady-state levels and turnover in the nucleus tractus diagonalis and increased dopamine concentration in the lateral septum. Unilateral VB transection decreased DA concentration bilaterally in the caudate nucleus, olfactory tubercle, nucleus accumbens and the nucleus interstitialis striae terminalis but increased concentrations in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (ipsilateral) and in the ventral tegmental area (bilateral). These results indicate a broad projection field for the noradrenergic ventral bundle and suggest a noradrenergic--dopaminergic interaction.
Increased Lipid Oxidation Causes Oxidative Stress, Increased Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor-γ Expression, and Diminished Pro-osteogenic Wnt Signaling in the Skeleton

Loss of bone mass with advancing age in mice is because of decreased osteoblast number and is associated with increased oxidative stress and decreased canonical Wnt signaling. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We report an age-related increase in the lipid oxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) as well as increased expression of lipoxygenase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) in the murine skeleton. These changes together with decreased Wnt signaling are reproduced in 4-month-old mice bearing a high expressing allele of the lipoxygenase Alox15. The addition of 4-HNE to cultured osteoblastic cells increases oxidative stress, which in turn diverts β-catenin from T-cell-specific transcription factors to Forkhead box O (FoxO) transcription factors, thereby attenuating the suppressive effect of β-catenin on PPARγ gene expression. Oxidized lipids, acting as ligands of PPARγ, promote binding of PPARγ2 to β-catenin and reduce the levels of the latter, and they attenuate Wnt3a-stimulated proliferation and osteoblast differentiation. Furthermore, oxidized lipids and 4-HNE stimulate apoptosis of osteoblastic cells. In view of the role of oxidized lipids in atherogenesis, the adverse effects of lipoxygenase-mediated lipid oxidation on the differentiation and survival of osteoblasts may provide a mechanistic explanation for the link between atherosclerosis and osteoporosis.
Absence of spirochaetes (Borrelia burgdorferi) and piroplasms (Babesia microti) in deer ticks (Ixodes dammini) parasitized by chalcid wasps (Hunterellus hookeri).

An entomophagous wasp (Hunterellus hookeri Howard) parasitizes about a third of the host-seeking nymphal Ixodes dammini Spielman et al. ticks on Naushon Island in Massachusetts (U.S.A.) where the agents of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson et al.) and human babesiosis (Babesia microti Franca) are enzootic. Following blood-feeding, wasp-parasitized ticks are destroyed by the developing wasp. The prevalence of either human pathogen in host-seeking ticks collected in wasp-infested sites is nearly 40% lower than that found in other sites. Nymphal ticks, collected early in their season of activity, are more frequently parasitized by the wasp and less frequently by the Lyme disease spirochaete than those collected later in the summer. Spirochaetes never infected wasp-infected ticks, and few wasp-infected ticks were concurrently infected by the Babesia piroplasm. Taken together, these correlations indicate that the wasp may render the tick inhospitable to both pathogens. The presence of the wasp may have reduced risk of human infection on the island by either pathogen by as much as a third.
Task and group characteristics as factors influencing group performance

Abstract This study investigated the effects of task type (production, discussion, and problem solving), group sex composition (three males, two males and one female, one male and two females, and three females), and ordinal position of task presentation (first, second, third, and fourth) on characteristics of written group products. Four groups of each sex composition completed four tasks of a single task type, yielding 192 group products. Products were rated by four judges on six general product dimensions: action orientation, length, originality, optimism, quality of presentation, and issue involvement. In addition, products were judged on two task-dependent dimensions, adequacy and creativity. Task type and specific task effects were most important as determiners of group product characteristics. Sex composition, its interactions, and specific group effects were of only moderate importance. Ordinal position and its interactions were of minimal importance. In general, task type effects replicated those reported by Hackman 1968. Specific task and specific group effects found in this study were supported by a re-analysis of the Hackman 1968 data. Implications of the strong task effects for future research were discussed.
The Delirium experience: Delirium recall and delirium-related distress in hospitalized patients with cancer, their spouses/caregivers, and their nurses

We conducted a systematic examination of the experience of delirium in a sample of 154 hospitalized patients with cancer. Patients all met DSM-IV criteria for delirium and were rated with the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale as a measure of delirium severity, phenomenology, and resolution. Of the 154 patients assessed, 101 had complete resolution of their delirium and were administered the Delirium Experience Questionnaire (DEQ—a face-valid measure that assesses delirium recall and distress related to the delirium episode). Spouse/caregivers and primary nurses were also administered the DEQ to assess distress related to caring for a delirious patient. Fifty-four (53.5%) patients recalled their delirium experience. Logistic-regression analysis demonstrated that short-term memory impairment (odds ratio [OR] 5 38.4), delirium severity (OR 5 11.3), and the presence of perceptual disturbances (OR5 6.9) were significant predictors of delirium recall. Mean delirium-related distress levels (on a 0‐4 numerical rating scale of the DEQ) were 3.2 for patients who recalled delirium, 3.75 for spouses/caregivers, and 3.09 for nurses. Logistic-regression analysis demonstrated that the presence of delusions (OR 5 7.9) was the most significant predictor of patient distress. Patients with ‘‘hypoactive’’ delirium were just as distressed as patients with ‘‘hyperactive’’ delirium. Karnofsky Performance Status (OR 5 9.1) was the most significant predictor of spouse/caregiver distress. Delirium severity (OR 55.2) and the presence of perceptual disturbances (OR53.6) were the most significant predictors of nurse distress. In conclusion, a majority of patients with delirium recall their delirium as highly distressing. Delirium is also a highly distressing experience for spouses/ caregivers and nurses who are caring for delirious patients. Prompt recognition and treatment of delirium is critically important to reduce suffering and distress. (Psychosomatics 2002; 43:183‐194)
Increasing serum concentrations decrease cell death and allow growth of hybridoma cells at higher agitation rates.

Hybridoma cells CRL-8018 were grown in a well controlled 1.2 l bioreactor at high agitation rates (220 rpm) with fetal bovine serum (FBS) concentrations varying between 1% and 10%. No net growth was observed at FBS concentrations below 5%, while higher FBS concentrations allowed faster growth. The inferred death rate shows a continuous decrease with FBS concentrations. 10% FBS allows cell growth even at 280 rpm in our bioreactor. A simple model is proposed for the quantitative description of the FBS effect on cell growth and death.
Melt miscibility of blends of isotactic polypropylene and homogeneous iso-propylene-1-hexene copolymers

The miscibility of blends of isotactic polypropylene and propylene-1-hexene (PH) copolymers with 11 and 21 mol% of 1-hexene (PH11 and PH21, respectively) has been studied theoretically and using DSC, DMA, and AFM techniques. Using experimental PVT data, the solubility parameter approach leads to a critical difference in 1-hexene content for melt miscibility of 17 mass% (~11 mol%) at 200 °C and 0.1 MPa. The theoretical window for miscibility is in close agreement with thermal properties of the blends. The glass transition (T g) of miscible blends (iPP/PH11 and PH11/PH21) decreases proportionally to the content of PH having the lowest T g, while immiscible blends (iPP/PH21) display invariable T g with blend composition. The same trend was extracted from the analysis of the β-relaxation by dynamic mechanical analysis. Room temperature AFM images of blends quenched from 200 °C into liquid nitrogen confirm phase segregation of iPP/PH21 in domains of 1–5 microns, while the AFM images of iPP/PH11 and PH11/PH21 lack any obvious signature of phase separation prior to crystallization.
Forskolin derivatives with increased selectivity for cardiac adenylyl cyclase.

The current study was undertaken to examine whether we can target adenylyl cyclase to regulate beta-adrenergic signaling with increased cardiac selectivity. Forskolin, a natural diterpene compound, interacts directly with adenylyl cyclase. We studied the adenylyl cyclase isoform-selectivity of forskolin derivatives using insect cell membranes overexpressing type II, III, and V adenylyl cyclase isoforms. 6-[3-(dimethylamino) propionyl] forskolin (NKH477) stimulated type V more potently (1.87 +/- 0.02-fold) than type II (1.04 +/- 0.02-fold) and type III (0.89 +/- 0.03-fold) relative to forskolin (50 microM, P < 0.05). Similarly, 6-[3-(dimethylamino)propionyl]-14,15-dihydro-forskolin (DMAPD) stimulated type V (1.39 +/- 0.02-fold) more potently than types II (0.66 +/- 0.02-fold) and type III (0.31 +/- 0.02-fold) relative to forskolin (P < 0.05). This selectivity was maintained under different assay conditions--i.e. with different forskolin (0.1-100 microM) and Mg (1-10 mM) concentrations, with or without Gs alpha. NKH477 increased cAMP accumulation in HEK293 cells stably overexpressing type V more than forskolin (1.57 +/- 0.13-fold) (P < 0.05). Examination of multiple tissue homogenates revealed that DMAPD and NKH477 stimulated cardiac adenylyl cyclase more potently than the other tissue adenylyl cyclases (lung, brain, and kidney) relative to forskolin. Our results suggest that a particular side-chain modification of forskolin enhanced the selectivity for the cardiac isoform stimulation. Adenylyl cyclase isoforms may be targeted to increase tissue selectivity in future drug therapy for beta-adrenergic regulation.
Timing and turn taking in children's conversations 1

The relations between pauses and turn taking in the dyadic conversations of three age groups of nursery school children were investigated. In Study 1 the duration of between‐speaker pauses in three types of successfully completed exchanges were compared. In Study 2 the duration of within‐speaker pauses was examined in sequences in which a speaker re‐solicited a response after the partner had failed to respond. Pause durations varied systematically across the exchange types and these durations were consistently briefer than the pauses preceding the re‐solicitations. Rare cases of simultaneous speech were also examined. The results suggest that children use their expectations of a context‐specific, normal range of pause duration in timing the onset of a turn‐at‐speaking.
Life history consequences of variation in age at primiparity in northern elephant seals

The age when female northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, bear their first young varies from 2 to 6 years. At Ano Nuevo, California, a group of 77 females, primiparous at age 3, had a lower survivorship rate to each successive year up to age 8 than a group of 98 females that deferred initial pupping until age 4. The difference in survivorship appears to be due to the greater relative energetic costs of gestation and lactation incurred by the earlier breeding females during a period in their development when growth is rapid. An alternate hypothesis for the difference in survivorship — that young primiparous females are in poor condition from birth-is untenable; females that pupped early in life were larger at weaning age (a correlate of condition) than females that were primiparous 1 year later.
Infants Who Develop Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) Have Poor Growth in the First Month of Postnatal (PN) Life

Infants Who Develop Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) Have Poor Growth in the First Month of Postnatal (PN) Life
Physicians as fundraisers: medical philanthropy and the doctor-patient relationship.

Lisa Lehmann and colleagues discuss how “grateful patient” programs that solicit donations from wealthy individuals who receive care may be problematic for physicians and propose policies that mitigate these risks. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary
Immune synapses in T-cell activation.

The contact site between T cells and antigen-presenting cells or T cells and their targets — the immunological synapse — is a highly specialized structure potentially involved in T-cell activation and function. Although many insights have been obtained since the initial description of the immune synapse, recent advances have provided us with a better understanding of mechanisms involved in synapse formation and in the diversity of synapse morphologies. New potential roles for the synapse such as in polarized cytokine secretion or in adaptive control of T-cell activation have been proposed.
The polyphase random demodulator for wideband compressive sensing

Compressive sensing (CS) provides a mathematical platform for designing analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) that sample signals at sub-Nyquist rates. In particular, the framework espouses a linear sensing system coupled with a non-linear, iterative computational recovery algorithm. A central problem within this platform is the design of practical hardware systems that can be easily calibrated and coupled with computational recovery algorithms. In this paper, we propose a new CS-ADC that resolves some of the practical issues present in prior work. We dub this new system the polyphase random demodulator.